Paul Abbott, a retired Jamestown police officer and current Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education president, is pictured after receiving the 2023 Joseph H. Mason Award. Nominations for the 2024 award are being accepted now by the United Ways of Chautauqua County.

The United Ways of Chautauqua County are seeking nominations for the 2024 Joseph H. Mason Award, which recognizes the community service of a local union member.

Now in its 43rd year, the Joseph H. Mason Award and “Salute to Labor” recognition dinner honor the memory of Mason and all that he did for our community. This year, for the first time in its history, nominations are open to union members (active or retired) from the entire county.

“We are so very thankful for the long history of support United Way has received from organized labor, and we are ecstatic to be opening up nominations for the Joseph H. Mason award to candidates from anywhere in Chautauqua County,” said Amy Rohler, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County executive director. “Labor unions are essential partners in helping us to meet our mission of improving the lives of county residents.”

Joe Mason was the directing business representative of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District 65, representing southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. Mason’s reputation for standing up for the causes of labor, most importantly impacting the day-to-day lives of working men and women in our area, is well known. A long-standing member of the United Way Board of Directors, United Way officials said Mason exemplified labor’s commitment to serving our community through his devotion to the United Way campaign.

Anyone interested in nominating a union member, active or retired, can download a nomination form from United Way’s website at www.UWaySCC.org. Mail completed forms to United Way of Southern Chautauqua County at 208 Pine Street, Jamestown, NY 14701. Nominations can also be made online through a United Way Google form. Links to the form can be found in the social media profiles of and posts made by the United Ways of Chautauqua County.

For a nomination to be considered, it must reach United Way by August 23, 2024.

The United Way Labor Committee and past recipients of the award will review the nominations in August. The honoree will be recognized at the United Way Salute to Labor Dinner, which is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum Hotel on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution.

Last year, Jamestown School Board President Paul Abbott was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Joseph H. Mason Award recipient. Abbott is a member of CSEA Deputy Sheriffs Unit 6322 Local 807 and has had a long career in law enforcement, first with the Jamestown Police Department and currently with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department.

See AWARD, Page A6

Abbott’s long history of volunteering began in 2000 when he began coaching soccer, which led to 16 years of coaching not only JAYS soccer but also SC United Travel Soccer, YMCA indoor soccer and JHS girls varsity and JV soccer and Jamestown Boys and Girls Club Softball.

Abbott ran for the Jamestown School Board in 2008 as a way of making sure all students were getting the best possible education. He very much enjoys being an advocate for the students of Jamestown. In addition to being a board member, he has served as board president for the last seven years and has attended hundreds of hours of training as a board member.

Previous Award winners include Jim Cama (New York State Teachers United), Burl Swanson (CWA 1115), Steve Skidmore (CSEA 6300), Resa Rosen-Murray (NYSUT), Steven Nowell (IBEW 106), Loren Smith (NYSUT Panama Faculty Association), Kyle Sholl & Shawn Tibbitts (IAFF 772/Jamestown Fire Dept.), Christopher Maggio (Jamestown Teachers Association), Don Emhardt (IBEW 106), Robert Servis (AFM #134 Kendall Club PBA), Rodney Kolstee (CSEA 807), and Karen Frucella-Olson (UAW 338.)