Eleven neighbors strengthening the Mohawk Valley
By Carrie Byrne Putelo
When I moved to the Mohawk Valley from New Jersey, I already had family roots here. But making it my home gave me a much deeper appreciation for this community and the generosity of its people. I was struck by how willing people were to give their time, make an introduction, support a cause or help someone through a difficult situation. That willingness to get involved made an impression on me then, and it still does.
Since taking over Mohawk Valley Living, I’ve had the opportunity to see more of that generosity firsthand. Through the magazine and our television show, I meet people whose commitment to this area extends well beyond their jobs or businesses. A conversation about what they do often becomes a conversation about who they help, what they care about and why. Getting to know those stories has been one of the most meaningful parts of this experience for me.
For The Giving Issue, I wanted to share some of those people with you. The eleven people featured on these pages represent different generations, backgrounds and ways of giving. Some have spent decades supporting local organizations. Others are raising families, building careers or just beginning college. I wanted this group to reflect the many ways people make giving part of their lives.
Many of you know RoAnn Destito from her years in the New York State Assembly and her lifetime of public service. Her commitment to helping others began with the example her parents set and continues today, even in retirement. She’s also added a fun role to her schedule as our MVL Food Editor, joining me to explore the food, flavors and culinary traditions of the Mohawk Valley. Carly Steet Mathias also shares how giving began at home, with lessons from her parents and grandparents that she is now passing along to her children through volunteering and the Steet Ponte Season of Giving.
For Kari Puleo, getting involved helped her find her place here after moving from Washington, D.C., with her young son. Today, she helps others build those connections. Doneilous King grew up in Cornhill, and those experiences are part of why he wants to show others what is possible through education, basketball and opportunities to connect.
Ron and Sheila Cuccaro have spent decades contributing their time and resources to this community, with deeply personal reasons behind their support of health care and other basic needs. Harrison and Michele Hummel bring different strengths to their community work and support one another’s efforts. Giving back even brought them together: they met while serving on a fundraising committee.
Sonia Martinez’s work through the Mohawk Valley Latino Association gives families somewhere to turn, while Tiffanie Davis draws on her own experiences to help young people and families see possibilities beyond their current circumstances. And Christopher Brittingham, now a college freshman, has already devoted thousands of hours to service. His story reminds us how early that commitment can begin.
I asked each of them how giving became part of their lives, who inspired them and what moments reminded them their efforts mattered. I also wanted to know what they had received in return and what they were grateful for this Thanksgiving. Their answers helped me get to know them beyond the roles and organizations many of us associate with their names.
They talk about family, faith, challenges, friendships and the people who believed in them. They describe seeing a need and finding a way to help. There are so many people deserving of recognition throughout the Mohawk Valley, and this issue celebrates a few of them. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as I have, and that their stories give you something to think about, someone to appreciate or a reason to get involved.
