The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) honored 100 older adults for their extraordinary volunteerism as part of NYSOFA’s annual Older New Yorkers’ Day celebration, which took place May 27 in Albany, during Older Americans Month. New York’s 59 county and municipal offices for the aging and their partners nominate older adults who have made their communities stronger, vibrant, and welcoming, through their remarkable volunteer and civic contributions.

The theme of Older Americans Month 2025 is “Flip the Script on Aging” to focus on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions.

Sullivan County Honorees

Gayle Irving is well known and respected throughout Sullivan County. She volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association and currently serves as a community representative, community educator, and on the Orange/Sullivan Walk to End Alzheimer’s committee.

Irving loves to talk, meet people and give her time to support important causes. She attended the Alzheimer’s Association Leadership Summit in 2024 and has since grown her impact by utilizing learned skills to help more people. She has a long history of service, having volunteered for the American Cancer Society for 15 years, serving as the chairperson for the Sullivan County Relay for Life.

Retiring three years ago as an assistant controller for an oil and gas company, Irving also worked in the banking industry for 30 years. She loves to travel and spend time with friends and her family, which includes her husband of 50 years, two daughters, and two granddaughters.

“Don’t let opportunities to help others pass by,” she says. “By giving your time and skills, volunteering strengthens community bonds and supports those in need. It also creates positive change by learning new perspectives and building a more resilient, compassionate New York. You will find the reward is priceless.”

Sabina Toomey’s current volunteer outreach in Sullivan County has been sincere, active, and very impactful. For 22 years she has been a very involved member of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Advisory Council Fundraising Committee and a member of the Sullivan County Office of Aging Advisory Council.

This past year, as a member of her Sullivan County Women’s Group, she engaged in a passionate effort to educate the community and legislators about domestic violence and the current status of support available in her county. She was instrumental in creating a community forum to accomplish her goal, offering a genuinely “eye-opening” experience for attendees.

A native New Yorker, Toomey was born and raised in Brooklyn. She graduated from nursing school in 1960 and moved to Forestburgh, NY in 1962, where she still resides. Toomey retired from Sullivan County Public Health Nursing in 2007. At 85, Toomey remains totally “present” in her volunteer activities and commitment to her community. “Now, at 85,” she says, “I genuinely feel that volunteering helps me pay back for what I have been given: family, friends, a beautiful place to live and work, enough to eat, a warm place to sleep and the peace of mind knowing that I have helped someone else feel thankful, too.”

NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen said, “Every year it’s an absolute privilege to recognize older New Yorkers who have made their communities a better place through their tireless dedication to serving others. Older adults make a positive impact on every community across our state through their knowledge, economic capital and civic engagement. NYSOFA is honored to highlight their contributions. I also applaud our 59 county offices for the aging and the Association on Aging in New York for providing and advancing vital services to older adults across the state every day.”

Looking at the positive impact of NYSOFA’s honorees, and the nearly 1 million other older volunteers helping communities across New York, it’s clear to see older adults are vital to strengthening communities and local, regional, state and national economies. In fact, older adult volunteers in NY contribute 474 million hours of community service at an economic value of $13.2 billion.

The honorees are recognized for their support of charitable causes, their work with local health care and human services organizations, grassroots civic contributions, volunteer work with emergency management corps, local fundraising activities, and so much more. Awardees also include volunteers for two statewide NYSOFA-administered programs: The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (or HIICAP) and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. These volunteers assume specialized roles that demand many hours of training, intricate problem-solving, and coordination with local organizations to help older adults.

This year’s honorees have collectively volunteered more than 3,000 years of service, raised 243 children, 420 grandchildren, 122 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Fifteen are veterans.