Senator Michelle Hinchey Presents Commendation Award to New Scotland Senior Outreach Coordinator Deborah M. Engel

VOORHEESVILLE, NY – Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD-46) presented a New York State Senate Commendation Award to Deborah M. Engel, a lifetime Voorheesville resident and Senior Outreach Coordinator for the Town of New Scotland, for her efforts to support seniors in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early months of the pandemic, Engel established a local volunteer group to deliver meals, medications, PPE, and other essential items to homebound seniors and personally secured over 400 vaccination appointments for those at highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Engel is also the recipient of the Albany County Legislature’s ‘Beyond the Call’ COVID-19 Award, which was presented to her in May of 2021 for her efforts to help the community’s most vulnerable residents during the pandemic.

Hinchey and Engel were joined on Friday, September 10, at the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in Voorheesville by New Scotland Town Supervisor Doug LaGrange, Town Board Members, and local residents who have received assistance from Engel. 

“Throughout this pandemic, and in her work as Senior Outreach Coordinator for the Town of New Scotland, Deborah Engel has demonstrated an outstanding level of care for our seniors and a commitment to keeping some of our community’s most vulnerable residents healthy, safe, and informed,” said Senator Michelle Hinchey. “The early months of the pandemic were some of the darkest and most daunting, especially for our seniors who didn’t know what each day would bring. Deborah recognized that and quickly got to work building a local support system to help our senior community cope with the day-to-day challenges of this unprecedented crisis and ensure that people had safe access to food, medicine, PPE resources, and vaccine appointments. I’m proud to honor Deborah with the Senate Commendation Award in recognition of her remarkable record of service.”

Deborah M. Engel said, “I am humbled, surprised, and honored to receive this awesome award! I truly believe I have a passion to advocate for seniors and those in need. I feel I was called to do whatever is right to keep our seniors involved, healthy, and safe and try to provide resources to them and will continue in efforts to improve and strive to keep them protected. This community is so very giving and supportive and I would not be able to achieve what came about without the support and dedication of so many. I am honored and I thank you, Senator Hinchey.”

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