LAKE PLACID – The Lake Placid North Elba National Volunteer Week Committee recently announced the selection of Adult and Youth Distinguished Volunteers of the Year for 2016.

Volunteers of the Year are Cora Clark, of Lake Placid, and Samantha Barney, a senior at Lake Placid Central School.

With an impressive list of leadership roles, Clark has dedicated thousands of hours of service to her community over several decades, and follows the footsteps of a long line of volunteers in her family.

As the staff registered nurse at Lake Placid High School for many years, Clark makes sure to follow up with students she’s known in the community and to lend a hand when needed. In addition to her job as school nurse, she has also been a member of the staff at Adirondack Health’s Lake Placid emergency room for several decades.

In the community she has also administered CPR classes and certification as a volunteer for the American Heart Association. As with the rest of her local family, volunteering comes naturally to Clark.

For the past 17 years, she has led the Ironman Lake Placid Medical Services as its volunteer captain. This year’s race will mark her 18th year as captain of this area, beginning with the inaugural Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon in 1999. The medical corps is key to the success of all Ironman races, and on race day she normally puts in a 22-hour volunteer day in addition to the countless hours of organization prior to and post-race.

Clark has also assisted as a volunteer with the medical team at the Great Outdoor Games in Lake Placid in the early 2000s; medical services coordinator for Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon in September and Lake Placid Marathon and Half in June; medical services for special events at the Olympic Center since 1981; recording secretary for Nursing Educational Scholarship Fund; member, New York State Nurses Association as well as New?York State and National Associations of School Nurses; New Vision Advisory Committee; Connecting Youth and Community treasurer; North Elba Park District medical advisor for summer Youth Commission; Relay for Life volunteer; coordinator of Sight for Students program; Essex County Medical Reserve Corps; CPR classes for Can Am Hockey and college mentor for nursing students.

Clark has served as a member of the Lake Placid High School Alumni Association from 1974 to present, including serving as president and currently co-President. She is active in the Adirondack Community Church as a volunteer and a past member of the church’s board of directors, as well as teaching Sunday school for 15 years.

She collects and distributes food, coats and warm clothes and more to students in need at the schools, and collects and distributes crutches and like equipment to those in need in the community. “Wherever there is a need, Cora Clark seems to be there,” said Sue Cameron, who, as Ironman Lake Placid volunteer director, works directly with Clark. “Cora exemplifies the word volunteer. She is an amazing role model for both future student and adult volunteers of the year. It makes me tired just thinking about Cora’s volunteer schedule.”

Samantha Barney, a senior at Lake Placid High School, has accrued a total of 141.5 hours of community service since sixth grade. LPHS students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service between sixth grade and high school graduation.

The list of organizations and events at which she has served is extensive: I Love BBQ Festival, Ironman Lake Placid, Touch a Truck, Lake Placid Elementary School Spring Carnival, LPES After School Program, Lake Placid Marathon, LPYAA International Tour, Flaming Leaves Festival 2011, Empire State Winter Games, Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon, Zombie Run, Lake Placid Youth Athletic Association Soccer Day, Lake Placid Center for the Arts Color Run, Locker Day, Empire State Winter Games media staff, National Honor Society Mentoring Program at LPES and Lake Placid Holiday Village Stroll.

She is also currently volunteering two hours per day in a first grade classroom as part of her senior project. The daughter of Amy and Jason Barney of Lake Placid, she plans to pursue a career in elementary education, but has not yet decided on a college.

A ceremony and reception honoring all community volunteers and the Distinguished Volunteers of the Year will be held at 5:30 tonight at the LPCA.

The event is free to all and will include refreshments, beer, wine, spirits, and tastings from area food establishments.