WENDY ROBERSON

• First Deputy County Clerk

• Former Executive Director of Leadership Niagara.

• Board of Trustees of Wyndham Lawn, the Newfane Central School District Board of Education, Leadership Niagara, YWCA and New York Association of Local Government Officers.

• Chairman of the publicity committee and editor of state-wide newsletter.

• Co-chair Niagara County 2008 Bicentennial Commission.







By Bill Wolcott

wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com

For a Lockport girl who was scared to death as a child by the pictures of the long-haired, singing Sutherland Sisters, Wendy Roberson has come a long was as co-chairman of the Niagara County Bicentennial Commission.

For her work as co-chairman and community involvement, Roberson has been named the 2008 Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the Union-Sun & Journal Editorial Board. Roberson, 54, is the first woman to receive the honor from the newspaper.

“When she gets into something, there isn’t a stone left unturned.” said co-chairman Wayne Jagow, the county clerk. “We are the odd couple. I go at one steady speed and I call her my whirling dervish.”

Cool reception

The county didn’t get into the bicentennial celebration when the idea was first brought up in 2006. Since then, residents and organizations have become involved and have had major birthday parties and several partnered events.

The seed for the celebrations was planted when the Niagara County Historian’s Office came under the authority of the county clerk’s office.

“While developing a strategic plan, we got to talking about historian’s office and where that was going,” Roberson said. “Before we knew it, we realized we had this important 200-year anniversary coming up. Lo and behold, here were are.”

Point person

The clerk went to the county Legislature with the ball back in the county clerk’s court and appointed a commission representing residents from all walks of life. Roberson became the point person, getting everybody together and setting up the meetings.

Jagow had faith in his first deputy, noting the work she did with Leadership Niagara. “I brought her on board,” he said. “She touched a lot of people in Leadership Niagara. She goes over and above.

“She’s doing something positive which changes the community. That should be recognized,” he said. “She is making a significant contribution. We tend to be critical of political world , but she’s a positive force. She’s a very caring person.”

Hard to grasp

The steering committee met every month. The first meeting was June, 2006 at Niagara County Community College.

“People didn’t take to it right away, not everybody, because the concept of a county celebration was hard to grasp,” she said. “It was hard for us to grasp. How to do it? How to do it effectively? Sometimes when we went to speak to groups about the bicentennial, I honestly felt, what language am I speaking.”

That changed when people saw something going on, saw an event.

“We didn’t know exactly what we wanted to do, what we needed to do, what we should do, what was the right thing to do,” she said. “We went through with a whole lot of ideas.”

Bridge to Madison County

Members visited Madison County which recently celebrated its bicentennial to look at what they did.

“We learned they had a lot of great big ideas in the beginning and soon realized that was an impossible task for a group of volunteers,” Roberson said. “Their sage advice to us was to pare it down.”

The barn painting project helped Madison County get the word out about its bicentennial and Niagara County decided to paint barns, 12 of them, one for every town.

“They were very receptive,” Roberson said. “In some of the towns it was difficult to chose, several people were vying for their town to be painted. In some towns there are no barns, so to speak.”

Barn painting became the largest public art project in county history and the barns became a focal point for residents.

Bring in the kids

Roberson fondly remembers a Lockport historical event when all the men grew beards and the women wore old-fashioned dresses. She liked that and wants young people will take an interest in county history. A goal is to educate kids about history.

“We’re hoping young people pick up baton, if we can spark the interest somehow,” said the Lockport native who was turned away during one of her civic tours.

“We went the county historical society, saw the seven Sutherland Sisters with their long hair and got scared out of our wits,” Roberson said. “I still have nightmares about that and get so creeped out.”

Bicentennial Bash

The bicentennial committee partnered with the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce for the Bicentennial Bash at the Seneca Niagara Casino success on Feb. 29. “I was very nervous. I had to speak. It was a blur,” said Roberson who wore a period dress. “I’ve taken a number of courses over years, writing, reading, public speaking. A lot of it has been on the job, especially this job.”

The city of Niagara Falls, however, is not doing a whole lot with the bicentennial, she said. “We did try. It didn’t work.”

Towns have been active participants. Roberson visited the Sanborn Historical Society and said, “I was astounded at how well organized they were. They’re in it heart and soul and they are very hard working, genuine, sincere people. They have made this event wonderful. They are so committed. I realized this is not just happening in Sanborn, this is happening in little historical societies all over Niagara County.”

Lockport High graduate

A graduate of Lockport High School, Roberson became a licensed practical nurse at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. However, she didn’t like it and went to work for the New York Telephone Co. for about 10 years as a customer service representative.

She became the executive director of Leadership Niagara. Roberson also has served on the Board of Trustees of Wyndham Lawn, the Newfane Central School District Board of Education, Leadership Niagara and the YWCA.

She was chairman of the publicity committee and editor of the organizations state-wide newsletter for the New York Association of Local Government Officers

Committees incredible

Roberson lauds the leaders of the various committees. “We have great chairmen, they take care of the committee and bring it back,” she said. “It’s just been incredible.”

“It’s a culmination of many things,” she said of the experience. “It’s the canal, it’s the industry, it’s our agriculture. You really begin to realize the importance of what all those pieces play to make the county what it is.”

Kenan Quilters Guild made a a huge quilt which will make its way through the NIOGA Library System before finding a home at the Kenan Mansion.

More than 400 peopled attended the county’s birthday party on March 11 at the court house. “It was very special,” she said. “People are excited about it now.”

There was a Bicentennial 5 k race on April 19 at the Pendleton Fire Hall and an agricultural festival is planned in September.

People who care

“It’s been great, just meeting a lot of nice people, interesting people, people who care about the community,” she said. “You get so jaded. It’s been positive to know there are people that care. This one has been a lot of fun, not that it isn’t a lot of work, but boy oh boy. We’re talking about how we’re going to end it all. We’re still talking.”

Jagow is also looking ahead. “I saw the bicentennial as not just celebrating past, but a focal point but to look at things in the future,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s a focal point, tipping points as far as something positive in Niagara County.”

Roberson’s everyday job is updating the motor vehicle office and making the department a recording office. She works with three other deputies.

“I’m thrilled she’s going to be recognized,” Jagow said. “She’s a standard bearer for this ... Serving the community is a way of life for Wendy. She is always ready to take the lead whenever there is work to be done. She exemplifies leadership and service in Niagara County.”

Wendy and Robert Roberson on the lake in Olcott Beach and have three grown children, Julie, Sarah and Jeff. Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, Ext. 6246.