Sugar Loaf, N.Y. – June 24, 2014 – The Orange County Citizens Foundation has named Anne M. Coon its 2015 Seligmann Award recipient in honor of her decades of service to the arts and culture in Orange County. Anne, a long-time Newburgh resident who passed away in April, will be honored with the Seligmann Award at the Citizens Foundation’s 44th Annual Meeting & Cocktails on the Seligmann Lawn Thursday, Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

“Ms. Coon’s creative spirit, civic pride, and indefatigable enthusiasm for volunteerism make her the perfect choice for this year’s Seligmann Award,” said Orange County Citizens Foundation President Nancy Proyect. “Though sad we must bestow this honor posthumously, we know that the positive impact Anne has made on our communities and neighbors has created a legacy that will live on for a long, long time.”

Anne, who was a Senior Citizens Program coordinator for 23 years for the Orange County Office for the Aging, had a long and admirable history of community involvement. She served as the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands’ first executive director from 1983 to 1986, after which she served on the board, volunteered countless hours as a docent, and became board president. Upon her passing, Anne was board vice president.

Anne was also a past Board of Directors member for Literacy Volunteers of Eastern Orange County, Planned Parenthood of Orange-Sullivan, the Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center, and the Lower Hudson Conference. In addition, she was the past president of the Zonta Club of the Lower Hudson Valley, and the former director of the Mount Gulian Society. Anne also served as the commissioner of the Orange County Heritage Commission, and was the 1998 recipient of the Bobbie A. Lahey Memorial Award for Women of Achievement in Orange County. She was active in the Orange County Citizens Foundation, the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan Counties, and the Orange County Arts Council.

A passionate supporter of the arts, Anne was involved in creating events that showcased local talent. Her own paintings have been displayed in exhibits and auctions throughout the county and, just before her illness, she had just begun a post-retirement position as the Cultural Affairs coordinator at SUNY Orange’s Newburgh campus.

The Seligmann Award is named for the late Kurt and Arlette Seligmann, on whose former estate the Citizens Foundation makes its home. The Orange County Citizens Foundation presents the Seligmann Award on an annual basis to recognize unparalleled commitment to arts and culture in Orange County.

The 44th Annual Meeting & Cocktails on the Seligmann Lawn will feature a delicious menu of locally sourced dishes. Guests are also invited to explore the Seligmann grounds and facilities, including the Seligmann home, onsite sculpture displays and art exhibit, and the Citizens Foundation’s Art Library. The evening will also feature both live and silent auctions.

Tickets to the 44th Annual Meeting & Cocktails on the Seligmann Lawn are $75 per person. For more information, to sponsor, or to RSVP, contact Bonnie Neucall by calling 845-469-9459 or emailing bonnie@occitizensfoundation.org by Sept. 7, 2015.