Bill Apgar honored as December Community Hero of the Month
ITHACA– Tompkins Chamber, in partnership with the Tompkins Community Bank, has named Bill Apgar as the December Community Hero of the Month. This award recognizes individuals from Tompkins County who have significantly impacted our community.
Apgar is the work project supervisor for the Tompkins County Probation Department, a post he’s held for nearly 28 years. He serves as president of Cops, Kids and Toys, which provides gifts to children throughout Tompkins County.
“Bill’s dedication to serving this community and boundless energy have expanded beyond the requirements of his employment and positively impacted thousands of people and dozens of organizations in Tompkins County during his career,” said Daniel Cornell, probation director for the Tompkins County Department of Probation and Community Justice, who nominated Apgar for the monthly honor. “He is one of the most humble, caring, and compassionate people that I know. He seeks no recognition for anything that he does but is immensely deserving of this honor.”
“Bill brings the spirit of the season to so many families in Tompkins County with his work with the Cops, Kids and Toys program,” said Tompkins Chamber President Jennifer Tavares. “His impact goes far beyond the holidays, though, as he helps community service participants see the difference they can make in helping our nonprofit organizations through their service. Tompkins County is fortunate to have someone like Bill in that role.”
Apgar said it was “an honor” to receive the Community Hero of the Month recognition for December and said being involved with the Cops, Kids and Toys program is “heartwarming.”
“This year we’re serving over 400 families in the county and 900 children,” he said. “At this point, we’re handing out gifts to the families. They come to our location at Shops at Ithaca Mall, and it’s nice watching the parents come in and see them realize, ‘I have toys for my kids this Christmas.’”
The annual process begins in earnest in May with the Cornell Dump-and-Run sale, the major fundraiser for the Cops, Kids & Toys program. The sale raised $84,000 in 2022.
“That’s the primary funding,” Apgar said, “along with community donations, which are very generous.”
Tompkins Community Bank President and CEO Greg Hartz noted that Apgar’s work offers a win-win situation for the county.
“He is helping the people who need a hand up, whether they are families receiving gifts during the holidays or people who are assigned community service, and the nonprofit organizations that serve residents throughout the county,” he said. “Thank you, Bill, for the difference you make in Tompkins County.”
Though he spearheads the holiday program and dump-and-run sale, Apgar’s role with the county’s Department of Probation and Community Justice is to supervise court-assigned community service participants. Those community service participants assist in supporting the Friends of the Library book sales, in maintaining the accessibility and maintenance of area walking trails, veterans memorials, 911 towers, neglected rural cemeteries, state parks, fundraisers for not-for-profits, have delivered thousands of meals to homebound people during the pandemic for Meals on Wheels, and many other programs.
“For the majority of participants, community service has an impact,” Apgar said. “Many of them, when they arrive, are angry and feel like they are working for nothing.
“But we don’t do busy work. Everything we do is meaningful, and they see through the process, ‘Oh, we’re doing this to help this group,’ and ‘This group is going to get this because of our work,’” he added. “I’d say 85% percent of participants get a positive experience out of it.”
There are also program participants to return to help after their court-assigned service has been completed.
“Absolutely, I’ve seen several this year, some to just help out,” Apgar said, “and some because they needed some help.”
Participants also connect with him after their service is over.
“Pretty much anywhere I go, because of the amount of time I’ve done this, I have participants I’ve had in the past come up and give me a report on their progress,” Apgar said, “which is always welcome.”
The positive impact and sense of accomplishment is something Apgar finds rewarding about his job, but he also stressed how much support he receives from fellow members of his department.
“I can’t say enough about my director,” he said, “and there have been times we have had assistance from other members of the department when we got into a big project and didn’t have enough community service participants.”
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About Community Hero of the Month
Tompkins Community Bank, in partnership with the Tompkins Chamber, launched the Community Hero of the Month Awards in March of 2021, giving deserving recognition to individuals from Tompkins County who have significantly impacted our community. Each month’s winners receive a Community Hero of the Month plaque and a few additional surprises from Tompkins Community Bank.
About Tompkins Chamber
With over 700 active members, the Tompkins Chamber is dedicated to making our community a great place to live and work. The Chamber is a progressive, forward-thinking organization dedicated to promoting business in our region by being the community’s nexus. The mission of the Tompkins Chamber is to foster a healthy economy, a vibrant destination, and improve quality of life in Tompkins County.
About Tompkins Community Bank
Founded in 1836, Tompkins Community Bank serves the Central, Western, and Hudson Valley regions of New York, and the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania. Through their unique local decision-making model, the bank offers personalized service and exceptional responsiveness, while delivering a broad range of products and services for consumers and businesses. Insurance services are offered through Tompkins Insurance Agencies, and wealth management services are available through Tompkins Financial Advisors. Further information is available at tompkinsbank.com.
