Honoring Local Women for Service in Education and Community: The Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties will honor four Mohawk Valley women whose work spans education, caregiving, faith, nutrition and community service. The organization’s Dream, Achieve, Inspire awards will be presented during an Oct. 15 dinner in New Hartford.
Four women selected for local honors
This year’s honorees are Phillis Becker, Kayleigh Bisson, Hayley Mielnicki and Gabrielle Flihan.
The dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Yahnundasis Golf Club, 8639 Seneca Turnpike. Tickets are $75 per person, and reservations are available through the Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties while seating remains available.
Service across faith, family and education
Becker has served Trinity Lutheran Church for more than 30 years in roles that include deacon, confirmation teacher, mentor and volunteer. Program officials said she has helped guide more than 400 young people and has also supported food banks and people who are homebound or hospitalized.
Bisson founded the E.K. B.L.O.O.M. Foundation in memory of her daughters, Emily and Kenni. The organization supports scholarships, memorial projects and community efforts centered on kindness and healing.
School nutrition and caregiver support recognized
Mielnicki is food service director for the Utica City School District. According to the Women’s Fund announcement, she and her team served more than 1.7 million meals during the 2025-26 school year while expanding summer and after-school meal access.
Flihan is regional director of client care at Daughter for Hire and works with seniors and families across the Mohawk Valley and Capital District. She also founded Caring for the Caregiver, a monthly program that connects caregivers with local experts and practical resources.
Why the awards matter locally
The four honorees represent a form of community leadership that often happens outside elected office and major institutions. Their work touches students, older adults, families, faith communities and people coping with grief or caregiving demands.
For the Mohawk Valley, recognizing that work also helps highlight the local organizations and informal networks that many families rely on every day.
Source: Daily Sentinel
