State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) is accepting nominations for the Senate's inaugural "Volunteers of Valor" program to honor a local emergency services volunteer.

Senator Winner and his Senate colleagues from across New York are seeking nominations from local organizations, leaders and residents to honor volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians, auxiliary police officers and other emergency services volunteers from their respective legislative districts. Each senator will select one honoree.

"Volunteer firefighters, EMTs and other emergency services volunteers have long been a bedrock of community pride," said Senator Winner, who chairs the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. "But we absolutely need to keep focusing on ways, large and small, that recognize their contributions to our communities. The Senate’s ‘Volunteers of Valor’ tribute is one more way for us to give our volunteers a nod of appreciation."

The Senate will pay tribute to the 2008 "Volunteers of Valor" at a reception in Albany on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, where each honoree’s photograph and biography will be on display as part of a special exhibit highlighting their service.

"It’s going to be a meaningful tribute, and I look forward to the opportunity to salute an outstanding emergency services volunteer from the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region," said Senator Winner, whose 53rd Senate District encompasses all of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties, and part of Tompkins County (the city and town of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Newfield and Ulysses).

Senator Winner plans to appoint a panel of community leaders to review the nominations he receives and select his district’s "Volunteer of Valor."

Requests for a nomination form can be made to the senator’s district offices in Elmira (732-2765) or Bath (776-3201), or to his Albany office (518-455-2091).

Nomination form requests also can be e-mailed by clicking below on CONTACT.