Lyn Swafford SuperSOARer S25

Lyn Swafford Receives SuperSOARer Award

Spring Luncheon

Lyn Swafford is the recipient of SOAR North Country’s SuperSOARer Award for 2025. She was honored for her extraordinary work as a member of the SOAR Board of Directors at the organization’s recent Spring Luncheon held at Knowles Hall on the SUNY Potsdam campus.

Lyn joined the Board in 2016 as yet another recruit of former member Jim Barry. From then to 2018, Lyn served in numerous roles, including Outreach and Publicity Chair, Scheduling Committee member, Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and initiator of SOAR’s Archives project. Her leadership as newsletter editor drove a remarkable increase in readership, while her work on the Archives project has safeguarded the organization’s history.

Additionally, Lyn, along with fellow Board member Carol McRobbie, continues to revamp the ever-changing Policies and Procedures, a major Board governing document, and together, Lyn and Carol record changes to the organization’s Bylaws, spending hours getting the language right in both documents.

In 2019, Lyn expanded her contributions by serving as SOAR Vice-chair, Membership Chair, and continued her role as Outreach and Publicity Chair, all while maintaining her efforts in the Archives and keeping an eye on wording in essential documents.

Then came 2020. With exceptional leadership as SOAR Chair, Lyn steered the organization through the endless challenges of the Covid shutdown. Under her guidance, she appointed various teams within the Board and gave them specific tasks aimed at ensuring that SOAR would remain an active organization that would continue to thrive. She worked closely with Board member Janet van Weringh, who taught not only Board members but also general members how to use Zoom so that a limited number of courses would be available to members. She initiated Zoom Board of Directors’ meetings from Jerry Sharp’s front porch because her internet access in her home was not strong enough.

From 2021 to now, Lyn continues to serve SOAR in many capacities. From the Chair position, Lyn transitioned back to Vice-chair for one term while also chairing Outreach and Publicity, Archives, Membership, and Publications.

In 2023, Lyn joined the Events Committee, helping to organize SOAR’s annual Meet the Chef outing at local restaurants and, in 2025, Lyn produced the spring 2025 courses booklet.

Lyn’s unwavering commitment and reliability shine through in all her work. Her passion for SOAR’s mission and success and her advocacy for lifelong learning in the North Country make her an inspiring force in the community. Her fellow SOAR Board members are truly grateful for all that she continues to do for this vital organization.

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