The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of the organization’s 77th annual Community Awards. An awards dinner will take place on Feb. 15 at Kloc’s Grove in West Seneca.

Business of the Year, Steppin’ Out Dance Academy: When they’re not busy practicing routines in the dance studio, dancers and staff at Steppin’ Out Dance Academy in West Seneca are busy contributing in many ways to organizations and events in our community such as the PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, Dance Hope Cure, Dancers Give Back, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the West Seneca Community Food Pantry. “We feel it’s key for our dancers to understand the importance of giving back to the community,” said Steppin’ Out owner Patty Pawlowski.

Chamber Member of the Year, Western New York Federal Credit Union: WNY Federal Credit Union loves West Seneca, and it’s pretty obvious. Not only did they expand their Union Road location in 2023, but they are always supporting local events and organizations, including the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce. WNYFCU sponsors all of the Chamber’s major events and activities, including the organization’s Community Food Drives, Community Awards Dinner, Women In Business Breakfast, Golf Tournament, Community Guide, BurchFest and Christmas Tree & Art Auction, and they were the first to step up to sponsor the Chamber’s 2024 Eclipse event that will take place in April. They are also a long-time sponsor the West Seneca Farmers’ Market, which has become an incubator for local businesses and a favorite among shoppers and vendors.

Citizen of the Year, Jennifer McAndrew: Jennifer serves as executive director of Plymouth Crossroads, a nonprofit organization that offers residential supports for runaway and homeless males ages 16 to 20 in an atmosphere supporting dignity, respect and self-sufficiency. A proud resident of our town for more than two decades, she has also been involved with several other local organizations over the years, including the Trinity Food Pantry, Boy Scouts, South Buffalo Charter School, Brownies and 4H.

Community Service Organization of the Year, Spectrum Health & Human Services: Founded in 1973 to provide behavioral health and substance abuse counseling, Spectrum Health & Human Services staffs a busy office in West Seneca, hosts the annual Not One More: Stand Together to End Overdose event in Veterans Park, offers monthly outreach visits in the West Seneca Community Center & Library, and much more. The organization is committed to serving the West Seneca community and contributing to the town’s growth, health and vibrancy. 

Educator of the Year, Rosalia Carraba: An employee of the West Seneca Central School District since 2001, Rosalia is a librarian at West Seneca East Middle School and is extremely proud of her involvement in the Reading Rover program, a unique initiative that brings books into the West Seneca community. 

Gerald Hathaway Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Andrew Frelock: Andrew, a senior at West Seneca West High School and a member of the Business & Finance Academy, served as a summer intern for the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce, assisting vendors and customers at the weekly West Seneca Farmers’ Market. An avid fisherman, Andrew is also an entrepreneur who enjoys making handcrafted fishing lures in his spare time. He had an opportunity to test those entrepreneurial skills when he was invited to display and sell his lures for one week at the farmers’ market and again at the town’s holiday marketplace. He will enter college in the fall.

The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our 2024 Community Award sponsors, including Beyond Print Solutions; Financial Trust Federal Credit Union; GEICO Local Office West Seneca; Great Lakes Insurance Services Group, LLC; Law Office of Paul Notaro; M&T Bank; Nowicki Special Services Group Inc.; NRT Sales; Seneca Health Care Center; Sgroi Financial, LLC; Tompkins Insurance Agencies; and Western New York Federal Credit Union.

For information on tickets for the Feb. 15 dinner, event sponsorship or advertising in the event program, please contact the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce at 674-4900.

An independent, nonprofit business organization, the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce is located in the West Seneca Community Center & Library at 1300 Union Road.