Forty Under 40 Awards Two ARISE Employees Our Community's Next Generation of Leaders
On December 11, 2008, two ARISE employees were honored as winners at the third biannual “Forty Under 40” breakfast tribute in recognition of our community’s next generation of leaders.
The event’s goal is to recognize forty community members who are under 40 years of age and who have made a difference in the community. They were nominated based on meeting criteria, such as: professional accomplishment, civic leadership, and achievements/awards.
Heather Lee is an ARISE Teen Group Coordinator based out the ARISE Oswego office. As coordinator, Heather takes the group out into the community once a month to participate in various social activities. Lee says, “The participants count down the days to the next event.”
Heather is also a member of the Oswego Minor board member of the Oswego County Humane Society (OCHS), and an OCHS Barn Cat project coordinator where she fosters and adopts out many animals. In addition, Lee works as a substitute teacher for the Oswego County School District and is mother of three children.
James Purdy is a Medicaid Service Coordinator at ARISE in Oswego, is President of the Pulaski Area Pop Warner Association, and Secretary of the Greater Watertown Pop Warner.
Purdy actively advocates the use of low cost food services, including “Angel Foods” in the greater Pulaski area. Of his work, James says, “Some service coordinators might say, ‘It sometimes seems success stories are far and few between,’ but it’s my opinion that within those moments of success and accomplishments, knowing you played a part of those instances, is why I am a service coordinator.”
Heather and James are inspiration to us all, especially to the Oswego County Community. We congratulate both of them for such honorary recognition.
Learn more about Forty Under 40 and the 40 young professional winners of the “Forty Under 40” Awards.