Alice A. Walker Award

Andrea Rankin is the 2025 recipient of the Alice A. Walker Award!

Every year LWV Cortland County chooses one member of our community who displays the qualities of  Alice Walker, a long-time member of our League.  Alice Walker is remembered for her commitment to community service, her independent spirit and outlook, her clear sense of justice, and her ability to focus on an area of need in the community.  This year we are thrilled to announce that Andrea Rankin is the recipient of the 2025 Alice A. Walker Award.

Andrea's enthusiasm for serving her community shines through all she does and she is beloved by many!  Just a few of her accomplishments.... She is a life-long advocate for housing justice, having volunteered extensively for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties, a founding mother of the Aid to Victims of Violence program and an instrumental volunteer at the Grace Brown House and for other YWCA initiatives.  Andrea has also been a staunch supporter of Opendore and the Howland Stone Store Museum that houses the Elsie Gutchess library. 

We will also recognize our 2025 Students Inside Albany recipient, Alivia Rief, a Cortland high school student who will be traveling to Albany for a 3-day immersive experience in NYS governance with other students from all over New York.