Hometown Heroes

For the past 19 years, Michele and Hal Bergeron, of Schenectady, have been helping the children of their community not only have a fun Halloween night, but one that includes a full meal. After noticing that many children had little else to eat but candy on that night, the couple started "The Bergerons' Annual Halloween Hot Dogs," serving between 400 and 600 hot dogs within a four-hour pe

Stephen Kolbe, of Amsterdam, dedicates his life to others, currently serving as a firefighter, EMT and member of the Army National Guard. As part of the “Hometown Heroes” series, we’ve partnered with County Waste and Latham Ford to celebrate local unsung heroes for their good deeds and honorable work...

This week we honor a local not-for-profit foundation on a mission to give children with cancer and other diseases their "Best Day Ever." Erin Musto, president of Maddie's Mark, started the foundation with her husband and family last year in honor of their daughter, Madeline, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at just five years old...

This week's Hometown Hero is Jillian McGuire Gonch of Albany. Jillian is a teacher and coach who "always puts the needs of her students and players first," according to the person who nominated her. She is the assistant coach of women's basketball for the Albany Lady Falcons and a special education teacher in the Albany district...

Louann Ingraham, of Castleton, has dedicated her life to helping people in need. She works at the Castleton Anchor, a nonprofit charity that supplies food, household goods and clothing to families in the community who need them most. As part of the “Hometown Heroes” series, we’ve partnered with County Waste and Latham Ford to celebrate local unsung heroes for their good deeds and honorable work...

Troy firefighter William Miller has been volunteering for his community since 1987. But when tragedy struck outside the Capital Region, Miller decided to help others from beyond his hometown. Miller joined the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team after the Oklahoma City bombing and has stepped in to assist with disasters since--including after terrorists struck the World Trade Center on 9/11... Rea

For Halfmoon resident Caitlin D'Alessandro, fighting fires is a family affair. D'Alessandro followed in the footsteps of her father and brother and became an interior firefighter last year. Her passion for others came through when she started a group, Firefighters for a Cause, which raises money to donate to people in need, including a West Crescent firefighter who was recently hit by a tow truck.

Emily Keefner, of Canaan, NY, was born with a cleft lip and palate. At just 18 years old, she has undergone more than 30 surgeries. Emily has been fundraising for the last two years for UMass Medical Centers Cranial Facial Unit so the hospital can upgrade its database system and offer better care to patients...

Eleven-Year-Old Olivia Pedrick, of Windham, loves animals so much, she wants more than to adore them. She wants to help them. Pedrick sells paintings through a Facebook page she started, Olivia's Art for Animals, to fundraise for animal rights...

When Kathy Buckley, of Melrose, started sending care packages to her two sons, both in the Army and deployed overseas, she realized how many soldiers miss out on some of the luxuries of home. So 11 years ago, she took action and founded Military Mom in Action, an organization that collects items and donations to send packages to troops internationally...

This week’s Hometown Hero is of a special breed, and yes, we do mean dog breed. Aron is a seven-year veteran of the Troy Police Department, serving in the K-9 unit.  He’s a seven-year-old German Shepard who is trained to detect bombs...

Jay Ham, a firefighter and EMT from Johnsonville, is this week’s “Hometown Hero.” When he's not volunteering to help others, Jay works to spread awareness of Autism. As part of the “Hometown Heroes” series, we’ve partnered with County Waste and Latham Ford to celebrate local unsung heroes for their good deeds and honorable work...