Spotlight: Sherry Farrell
Sherry Farrell has worked for Hilton Parma Recreation for 26 years and also serves as a trustee on the Village Board.
On a Thursday afternoon while sitting in the Ingham room at Hilton Community Center, a few senior citizens excitedly approach Sherry Farrell to say hello. They exchange pleasantries, wish her a happy belated birthday, and ask her about her recent vacation. It seems as if they’re simply talking to an old friend, and perhaps they are.
A face at Hilton Parma Parks & Recreation for more than 25 years, Sherry’s been a champion of Parma’s seniors since 2020 when she began overseeing the senior center and senior programming.
In March, Sherry was awarded the Outstanding Service Award from the Genesee Valley Recreation and Parks Society. This honor is given to one individual per year in the GVRPS area. The individual must be nominated and meet certain criteria. According to the GVRPS website, the criteria is as follows: “To receive the Outstanding Service Award, the nominee shall be a professional in the field and/or an organization which, over a period of at least five years, made outstanding contributions to enrich the lives of individuals or groups of individuals in neighborhoods, communities, or the State of New York through recreation, parks, and conservation.”
Tom Venniro, the director of Hilton Parma Recreation and Sherry’s boss, nominated her for this award. He has seen Sherry’s impact on the community first hand, and it’s those contributions and more that went into his nomination.
“Sherry’s impact over the past quarter century made her an incredibly deserving candidate for this recognition,” Tom says. “She has dedicated her career to enriching the lives of others through parks and recreation, and her service has only grown stronger over time. … What truly prompted the nomination, though, is the genuine care she brings to everything she does. Sherry does not simply organize programs; she creates connection, community, and experiences that matter to people, and that kind of impact deserves to be celebrated.”
Tom adds that Sherry’s work has touched generations of area residents in her time with the recreation department. She’s organized youth programs and camps and now oversees the Senior Center. He added that she continues to take on additional responsibilities and grow in her profession.
“Beyond our community, she has also contributed to the profession itself through GVRPS leadership, committee service, and presenting,” he says.
Sherry did not know she was nominated for this honor, and she certainly didn’t know she’d win.
“I was very surprised — the fact that someone would nominate me and I would win that award,” she says. “I was in shock. It’s one of the highest awards that you can win in our field.”
Sherry has truly embodied what it means to climb through the ranks. She was hired in 2000 by former HP Rec Director Steve Fowler as a part-time secretary when her kids were small.
She recalls when Steve approached her for the position. She remembers thinking it was a position that fit perfectly for her life at the time — she could work part-time and still be home with her children, Tyler and Morgan.
“I started as an admin and then after that, I said I’d like to take on more responsibility,” she recalls. Sherry eventually became a full-time recreation leader and did some preschool and youth programming.
Since 2020, she has helped rebuild the Hilton-Parma Senior Center and senior-focused programming. Back then, she recalls that sometimes only a handful of folks would come for lunch. Now, there are dozens of monthly programs from Euchre and bingo to nutrition and exercise classes and senior day trips. On that same Thursday afternoon, there were about 50 seniors playing Euchre in the Ingham Room.
When she sees a name that may be new to a program, she will make it a point to introduce herself to that person to make them feel welcome. “So, it seems small,” she says, “But, I know who’s new and who isn’t, so I’ll make it a point on that trip to say, ‘Oh, you’ve never come on a trip with us before. What got you to it?’”
Sherry recognizes that many of the area’s seniors may be alone at home or not have other avenues for socialization, so that is one reason she continues to look for ways she can draw them into the senior center’s programming.
Born and raised in the Hilton-Parma area, Sherry graduated from Hilton High School in 1987 and currently lives in the village with her husband Bob. Six years ago, she ran for village board and won. She has served as a trustee ever since.
She admits that she never gave the idea of serving on the village board much thought, but after former Mayor Joe Lee approached her, she decided to run for public office.
“I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” she says. “There’s a lot to learn.”
Because her office with H-P Rec is in the Village Community Center, she says she’s at an advantage.
“I’m kind of in a unique spot because I’m in this building five days a week, and I see and hear a lot,” she said, noting that she can work closer with Shari Pearce, the village manager who also works in the same building.
Back in the rec office, she says no day is the same and she appreciates that. So, what keeps Sherry ticking each day?
“I love my job,” she says. “It’s very rewarding and empowering. We are a small town, but I’ve been here all my life, so that’s why I love it.”