Barwinczok also helps
the community at large.
He spearheaded a fund-
raising campaign to build
a memorial to Korean
War veterans, which will
be dedicated at Pomeroy
Park this summer. He
also helped start a local
Korean War veterans
chapter.
Barwinczok said he
used to ski downhill and
still wants to get outside
in winter, which is why he
clears driveways.
"I enjoy it," he said.
"I wasn't going skiing
too much, so I started
doing other things to
keep me outside."
Bar winczok shrugs
off his good deeds.
"I'm from the old
school," he said. "You
always help your neigh-
bors when they're down
and out or have prob-
lems. That's the way I
was brought up."
K
C
M
Y
Falcon Park · 130 N. Division St., Auburn
(315) 255-2489 · auburndoubledays.com
The Citizen. Auburn, New York
People Who Make A Difference
Monday, February 27, 2006
7
Nomination letter
I would like to nominate my dear friend John Barwinczok of 25 Leavenworth Ave. as
"a good neighbor."
I built my home in 1963 and John built right across the street from me in 1965 so we
have been neighbors for over 40 years.
In November 1985, I had a heart attack. John told my wife "don't worry about the drive-
way," I will take care of that. He did and has done so all these years. He has cleaned the
snow from many of the neighbors. He does not wait to be called. When he knows any
problem with a neighbor, he is the first person to knock at the door and ask, "what can
I do?"
One year we had an unusual amount of snow and there was a lady whose husband
had a heart attack. He got a friend to truck his snowblower up to that lady's house and
clean her driveway. The lady came and inquired, "who are you?" His response was, "I
am your neighbor." The distance was about four miles from his house. He did not know
the lady. Someone called him about this situation.
Being across the street from me, he knows when I am doing a project. He come
over and makes sure I have all the tools and makes certain he points out some of the "pit
falls" of the job. Once I tried to get away with not telling him but he saw all my trash on
our pick up day and came over to inquire, "what's going on?" He brought his tools over
and we did the project.
The most difficult task of this writing, is trying to keep it to 300 words. I think it is
impossible.
- Peter DeBellis
Cleen Hoselton / Special to The Citizen
John Barwinczok
