By Matthew Jones

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Deborah J. Long of Frewsburg, New York, has been selected as the winner of the 1999 Axel W. Carlson Award.  The award will be presented at a reception at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute on 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown, on Thursday, June 17, 1999, at 4:00 p.m.

The Axel W. Carlson Award is an acknowledgment and celebration of one person in our community with the reputation of quietly working behind the scenes to further a cause or help an organization.  They are also known for giving of their time and resources without thought of public recognition.  This person is truly an unsung hero in our community.

Mrs. Long is being recognized for her work with the hearing impaired of our community.  For the past nine years, she has volunteered as the Lip Reading instructor at WCA Hospital, teaching group members the skills necessary to cope with hearing loss.  She has also volunteered her lip reading services "on call" to the Falconer State Police barracks and other local organizations.

In addition to her work at WCA Hospital, Mrs. Long is active in several area organizations, such as the Girl Scouts, Chautauqua Hear and the Jamestown/Warren Deaf Fellowship. 

In recognition of Mrs. Carlson's dedication, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation will present her with a check for $1,000.

An employee of the Town of Carroll, Mrs. Long is married and is raising three children.

The award, currently in its fourteenth year, is named after Axel W. Carlson, a Swedish carpenter in Jamestown who was known for his quiet kindness and charity to others less fortunate than himself.  His generosity led to the establishment of a fund here at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation that bears his name as well as an award to celebrate his ideals.