The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Father Tom Zelker Honored As PTA Founders’ Day Award Winner

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The Hoosick Falls Central School PTA annually seeks nominations to honor community members who make outstanding contributions to the well being of children and youth. This year’s award recipient was Father Thomas Zelker, priest at Immaculate Conception Church in Hoosick Falls. He also serves as Sacramental Minister at St. Patrick’s Church in Cambridge.
Father Tom was honored at the PTA’s year end celebration on June 13.  In addition to his recognition as someone who makes a difference in our community, Father Tom was awarded $100 to give to a children’s association/organization of his choice. Father Tom chose his award to go to Ronald McDonald House Charities in Albany.
Father Tom was nominated by four students at HFCS whose nominations all reflected a similar theme when commenting on Father Tom’s involvement in students’ lives, “Father Tom is the kindest person I know and goes to all of the events around town.” Another person wrote, “I am a performer, so when I see Father Tom in the audience at concerts, it reminds me that people love to see our concerts.” And another wrote, “He never stops smiling. He has a great sense of humor and is very kind.”
The PTA Founders’ Day (February 17, 1897) is the story of a group of lay people, a few thousand at first, now millions throughout the land, who make it their task to build a world of happy promise for children. In observing Founders’ Day, members pay tribute to the founders and to other PTA leaders. Recipients of this award are recognized as people who carry on that “happy promise for children.”
Past recipients of this PTA award are Kenneth Baker, Terri Burdick, Cathy Corcoran, Jim Cormier, Bill Gaillard, Dawn Gilbert, Joseph Holloway, Penny Holmes, Jason Jansen, Steve Johnson, Helen Levandowski, Leo McGuire, Lillian Mitchie, the staff at Morning Star Daycare and Preschool, T.J. Rasmus, Frank Redden, Virginia Skorupski, Ike Stevens, Marion Stevens, Greg Wilson, Aelish Nealon, Helen Hemendinger and Dale Ninivaggi.