To the Editor:

Each year, the committee for Community Cares Days, a volunteer event co-sponsored by the village of Voorheesville, the town of New Scotland, and New Scotland Kiwanis, selects a volunteer of the year. Recipients of this honor are recognized for their outstanding commitment to serving others in the town of New Scotland.

In addition, the committee seeks to identify a member of our community who fully embodies the spirit of the event — making the town of New Scotland a better place to live through his or her dedication to volunteerism. We are pleased to award this achievement to Michael W. Malark.

Before I get to highlighting Mike’s incredible years of service, I want to let you know about the event that will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on both Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29. Community Cares Days is a combination of the former Town of New Scotland/New Scotland Kiwanis Town-wide Volunteer Day and the Village of Voorheesville’s Green Clean Day.

Saturday will predominantly feature recycling events at the Voorheesville firehouse as well as roadside, park, creek, and cemetery clean-ups throughout the town. Both Saturday and Sunday will include volunteer opportunities for 16 projects to assist our senior residents.

The event will culminate with a volunteer barbecue at the town hall at noon on Sunday. Volunteers are needed and asked to contact to register their commitment.

At 73, Mike Malark shows no signs of slowing down in his volunteer efforts at the Voorheesville Legion, the New Scotland Kiwanis Club, and the New York Kiwanis district. Maryann and Mike Malark moved to Voorheesville in 1974 and settled down to raise three children — Meredith, Michael, and Matthew.

Having previously served in the United States Marine Corps, Mike was a successful businessman who owned a Dunkin’ Donuts and several gas stations. He first joined New Scotland Kiwanis in 1980 and served in roles such as the commissioner for the baseball program as well as secretary and president of the club.

Throughout his 38 years in the New Scotland club, Mike has developed such lasting programs as the chicken barbecues for fundraising, Christmas and Thanksgiving basket donations for needy families, and a food pantry that reaches hungry families in New Scotland and surrounding communities.

Mike believes that Kiwanis “is an opportunity to give back and to help make the community a safer place for our kids to grow up in.” In the New York Kiwanis district, Mike Malark has served as the vice president for Kamp Kiwanis, and as lieutenant governor, governor, and as a long-standing director on the board.

Mike started the New York District Kiwanis Foundation Disaster Relief in 1996 because of an ice storm that devastated many communities in New York State and beyond. This effort sparked a long-term commitment and passion for disaster relief.

Recently, he organized district relief efforts for communities in Texas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.  When asked why he works so hard for disaster relief, Mike shared the following response:

“There is nothing more gratifying than bringing light to people in their time of darkness. It’s hard to put into words the reward a smile can bring when, for a brief moment, you are able to give people a reprieve from their tragedy,” he said.

Mike’s dedication to programs that help children is admirable. He is involved with the Trooper Toys for Tots program and, during the holiday season, he has driven as far as Buffalo to pick up toys from the Marine Corps and deliver them to children in the Capital District.

He is also very involved with Kamp Kiwanis, which serves children and special-needs individuals, giving them the opportunity to explore nature and cultural activities during the summer.

As much as he serves those in need, the volunteers who serve alongside Mike Malark might gain the most from his example, leadership, friendship, and sense of humor.

Jim Hladun, last year’s Community Cares Days Volunteer of the Year recipient and fellow Kiwanian, said that Mike is “a very caring and busy man who devotes his time and energy to his family and community as well as others.”

As one of many who is likewise lucky to volunteer with Mike, I couldn’t agree more.

Please join me, Mike’s family, and others for a celebration to honor Mike’s volunteerism at the Community Cares Days barbecue on Sunday, April 29, at the New Scotland Town Hall, starting at noon. Accepting the award for Mike will be his son, Matthew, who will be also volunteering throughout the weekend of service as a member of the Voorheesville Fire Department. (Mike will be on a well-deserved vacation to Athens, Greece!)

All individuals who volunteer throughout the weekend of Community Cares Days are invited to the barbecue. I hope to see many of you there!

Janna Shillinglaw​

Community Cares Day Committee

New Scotland Kiwanis