Liberty Rotary Club was proud to recognize three advanced "Paul Harris Fellows" at our meeting on September 2nd, 2020. Past District Governor Cindie Kish attended the virtual ceremony and spoke about the Rotary Foundation and Paul Harris Fellow recognition. Those who were advanced to the next level of Paul Harris Fellow were Dr. William Silver(Paul Harris Fellow +1), Gary Silver(Paul Harris Fellow +1) and Susan Kraycer(Paul Harris Fellow +3). We are so pleased and fortunate to have these three outstanding members as part of our club, and so greatly appreciate their tireless and continued efforts to make our world a better place. Thank you for continuing to place "Service Above Self"!
(Click the "Read More" button to find out about our newly advanced "Paul Harris Fellows" and their accomplishments.)
Dr. William Silver has been a public school educator for his entire career. He received his undergraduate degree from Union College, and his Masters and Doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. He retired in July 2017 after forty four years as an elementary school teacher, principal, and superintendent. For the past twenty two years he has served as superintendent in Springs, (NY), Hebron and Regional School District No. 8 (CT), Killingly (CT) and Liberty. He was named Nassau County School Library Association Administrator of the Year, and his elementary school was named a New York State School of Excellence. While superintendent in Connecticut he served on the CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) Board of Directors, was chair of the CAPSS Technology Committee, was appointed to the CT Commission on Educational Technology, and was a member of the CT Superintendents’ Network. He was also a founding member and board member of the Mid-Hudson Catskill Council of School Superintendents. In all his leadership positions he has strived to increase opportunities for and outcomes of students while creating conditions for teachers and administrators to grow and excel. He is currently the Interim Superintendent in Monticello.
He has been married for 48 years to his wife Sherry, living in Liberty and is a member of the Liberty Rotary Club. Their son, Marc, is a special education teacher and dean at Winston Preparatory School New Jersey.
Gary Silver has been a Rotarian since 2011. He has been married to the love of his life, Diane, for almost 36 years, and has two beautiful daughters, Michelle (married to Bradley) and Alexandra. He also has one grandson, Julian (who whom he is a bit obsessed)
Gary is a graduate of Brandeis University (B.A. 1981) and Hofstra University School of Law (J.D. with Distinction 1984). He is a partner in the general practice law firm Billig Loughlin & Silver, LLP, located in Monticello, New York, and he has served as the Attorney for the Village of Liberty for numerous years. Gary is also a Director of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, a Director and the Vice President for Legal and Governmental Affairs of Operation Endeavor, Inc. (a not-for-profit humanitarian organization), a Past President of the Liberty Rotary Club, a member of the Rotary District 7210 District Grant Committee, and Assistant Governor Aide for Rotary District 7210.
Gary is actively involved with the Liberty Rotary Club’s Haiti Clean Water Program, and with Operation Endeavor he has participated in several free medical clinics in Cap Haitien, Les Cayes and Ile a Vache, Haiti. He has also assisted in the training of local students and citizens to respond to medical emergencies in their communities in Les Cayes and Cap Haitien, Haiti
Gary has engaged in hurricane relief to help Friendswood, Texas (after Hurricane Harvey), and has traveled to Clinton, North Carolina (after Hurricane Florence) and Moca, Puerto Rico (after Hurricanes Harvey and Maria) to assist those impacted by the hurricanes. He recently traveled to the Ponce region of Puerto Rico on a reconnaissance mission for earthquake relief after the damaging seismic activity which began in December 2019.
In April 2018 Gary (together with his wife Diane) went to Vietnam with S.T.E.P. (Schools to End Poverty), which has built schools, supported orphanages and fights against human trafficking in Vietnam.
Gary was featured in Men at Work in the Sullivan County Democrat in March of 2016, received the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development Distinguished Service Award in 2017, was the recipient of the Community Service Award from NOAH NY in 2018 for his work in Haiti, and was honored by the Sullivan County Democratic Committee in 2019 for his humanitarian work.
Susan Kraycer has been a Rotary member for 21 years and has held various offices with the Liberty Rotary Club, including President, Secretary and Treasurer. She is currently Treasurer again. She is also the Region 5 Polio Eradication Program representative and the District 7210 Region 5 Assistant District Governor.
Susan is also very active in Operation Endeavor Inc. She is the Treasurer of that organization and has recently become an EMT so that she can be more involved in their operations and activities.
She sits on the Board of Directors of Time and the Valleys Museum in Grahamsville and is Treasurer of that organization.
Susan was born in Liberty, grew up in Youngsville and settled in Liberty in 1969. She has two daughters and four grandsons and one granddaughter. She graduated from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is currently retired, but helping out when needed. Her goal is to become a “Snowbird”.