PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2008

Mike Stammel Receives Leahey Youth Award from Boys & Girls Club

Rensselaer County Legislator Mike Stammel was named the recipient of the J. Donald Leahey Commitment to Youth Award from the Southern Rensselaer County Boys & Girls Club in recognition of Stammel’s decades of services to youth.

Stammel was given the award at the recent Celebrate the Children fundraising event for the Club.

“This is a tremendous honor for me, and I deeply appreciate this award. The Boys and Girls Club has been a big part of my life for decades, and to be recognized by an organization that you love is really something special,” said Stammel.

A lifelong resident of Rensselaer and the city’s representative to the County Legislature, Stammel became a member of the Boys and Girls Club at age 8. Since joining, he has coached several sports at the Club, serves as an active member of the Board of Directors, participating as a member of the building and grounds committee as well as Medical Director for the Camp Adventure program.

Stammel has also served as a coach and commissioner for Pop Warner Football, has been actively involved in Little League, Sorensco Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Connie Mack and American Legion baseball. During the mid-1980s, he entered a group of Rensselaer ballplayers into tournaments across the state, eventually seeing these young men become the 1990 New York State Baseball Champions.

The J. Donald Leahey Commitment to Youth Award recognizes a group or individual who exemplifies the life-long ambition of the award’s namesake, and has demonstrated tireless support and enduring effort to enhance youth programs throughout the greater Rensselaer County area.

The award is named after J. Donald Leahey, who served as Chairman of the Board of the Club, supported Pop Warner Football, served as Scout leader of Troop 79, coached American Legion Baseball and mentored thousands of young people in Rensselaer.

“Any work for the youth hopefully pays off down the road. I am looking forward to continuing to serve as coach and mentor for our youth, and staying very involved in the Boys and Girls Club for years to come,” said Stammel.

Stammel also serves Rensselaer in other areas, including decades of service with the Rensselaer Volunteer Ambulance and Rensselaer Fire Department, as an active member with the Rensselaer Volunteer Explorers Club to help prepare youths wishing to serve as emergency medical service providers, and helps recruit city residents to serve as volunteer firefighters.

“Mike Stammel has always been there for Rensselaer and we join Mike’s many friends in congratulating him on this award. Mike has always placed a priority on giving back to the people because he cares very deeply for his city and its residents,” said Chairman of the Legislature Neil J. Kelleher.

Photo caption: Rensselaer County Legislator Mike Stammel was named the recipient of the J. Donald Leahey Commitment to Youth Award from the Southern Rensselaer County Boys & Girls Club in recognition of Stammel’s decades of services to youth. Stammel, at center, is shown with the award and Boys and Girls Club Board Chairman Kenneth Downes, left, and Club Executive Director Rick VanVorst.

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