Erie County Woman Named Top AARP New York Volunteer of 2016

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Melissa Foster of Kenmore, N.Y., was presented with AARP’s most prestigious volunteer award for community service on Thursday, November 10. Foster, who founded and leads the Kenmore Village Improvement Society, has been selected by AARP New York, the nonprofit organization for people 50 and older, to receive its 2016 Andrus Award for Community Service.

Named for AARP Founder Ethel Percy Andrus, the award recognizes outstanding individuals who are sharing their experience, talents and skills to enrich the lives of others. In 2008 Foster founded the Kenmore Village Improvement Society, a nonprofit group whose mission is “to improve the quality of village life through consistent communication, engaging education and thoughtful action.” This group has grown from a small handful of caring volunteers to hundreds of members. As its president, Foster leads activities ranging from free children's Concert Series and festivals to village-wide clean-up days and garden makeovers for deserving families.

As part of her selection as the Andrus Award winner, Foster will receive $5,000 to donate to the not-for-profit organization of her choice. Foster has chosen to dedicate the funding to Improvement America, a national nonprofit she founded to expand the model used in Kenmore Village to other communities around the country.

“It is vital and urgent that all of us in this great and beautiful land know that we can each improve our community,” Foster said. “We need to empower ourselves to thoughtfully and effectively help in changing where we live for the better.”

AARP New York State President Leo Asen will present Foster with the Andrus award and $5,000 check at a ceremony held at the Kenmore Village Green on Thursday, November 10, at 11:30 a.m. (Rain location: Kenmore Municipal Building). The Green and Municipal Building are located at 2919 Delaware Avenue in Kenmore.

When nominating Foster, a member of the Kenmore Village Improvement Society cited Foster’s “infectious enthusiasm for life” and noted her “ability to turn even the most mundane-sounding tasks into festive events.”

Foster and the Society have been instrumental in helping the Village of Kenmore be named a “Great Neighborhood” by the American Planning Association and a finalist for the National Civic League’s All-America City Award. Foster’s new organization, Improvement America, encourages people to look at their community and see what is good, what isn’t so good, and what can be improved. The group encourages people to develop a community message then strategically build improvement goals based on that message, and provides practical tools to help achieve those goals.

“Melissa embodies the spirit of the Andrus Award and AARP’s mission to enhance the quality of life for all as we age,” Asen said. “As her nomination noted, she pitches in at every level and serves as the driving force for an amazing organization. We are so proud that this award will help her expand the Kenmore Village model to the national stage.”

Foster was selected from a pool of nominees from across New York State based on the criteria of their ability to enhance the lives of AARP members and prospective members, improve the community in or for which the work was performed and inspire others to volunteer.