Senator Mannion Presents 2023 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction Award to Randi Matousek of Cicero for Contributions to the Gregory J. Harris Military Courtesy Room at Syracuse Hancock International Airport

SYRACUSE, NY – Senator John W. Mannion today presented Randi Matousek of Cicero with the 2023 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction Award.

Senator John W. Mannion said, “For her dedication to our military families through the establishment and continued operation of the Gregory J. Harris Military Courtesy Room at Syracuse Hancock International Airport, it is my honor to recognize Randi Matousek of Cicero as a 2023 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction. Randi is a role model for us all, and she is an example of what it means to make a difference in the world.”

Randi Matousek is a tireless advocate for our community and military families. She is also an active volunteer with many organizations including the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. 

Randi is the driving force behind the Gregory J. Harris Military Courtesy Room at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. A member of the Military Courtesy Room’s Board of Directors since its inception in 2008, she has fully committed herself to investing in the Room and leads the effort to make the Room as special as it is, keeping it stocked and comfortable. 

The Military Courtesy Room is filled with leather recliners that can transition to beds for overnight stays. It is always available for military personnel and their families, usually traveling to and from Fort Drum. It is available seven days a week around the clock and provides a place for our active duty military to relax while waiting, sometimes overnight, for transportation to and from Fort Drum and other installations. The room provides them with free food, drink, snacks and other necessities for them along with two large TV’s. 

The Room is named after Gregory Harris, a Marine and 1963 graduate of the West Genesee High School who was lost during the Vietnam War. 

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