AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College student Nicole Kelley was honored as SABAH’s 2016 Northtown Center at Amherst Adult Volunteer of the Year at the organization’s annual awards dinner held on March 14. 

The award recognizes Kelley’s 10 years of volunteer service as assistant to her cousin and longtime SABAH participant Stacy Papa.

“It is volunteers like Nicole who make SABAH strong and help create new opportunities for those in our community challenged by disability,” said Sheila O’Brien, SABAH’s executive director. “Since Nicole started as a volunteer at a very young age, her commitment and compassion have been a tremendous catalyst in Stacy’s life and have helped her make wonderful progress in our skating program.”

SABAH will highlight Kelley in the organization’s program for the 2016 Celebration on Ice show scheduled for April 3 in First Niagara Center.

“It was a great honor to receive the volunteer award from SABAH, which has been a big part of my life for a long time,” said Kelley. “I’ve learned so much about life through my work with the organization and by watching Stacy and the other athletes develop and improve over the years.”

An Amherst resident, Kelley is a health care studies major at Daemen.