CHENANGO COUNTY - Chenango County’s 2025 Annual Law Day celebration will take place on Friday, May 16 at 1 p.m. at the Chenango County Courthouse in downtown Norwich.

The event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be provided following the celebration.

Presiding over the annual celebration will be the Hon. Joseph A. McBride, the Hon. Frank B. Revoir, Jr., and the Hon. Diane M. Distefano. The theme of this year’s celebration is “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One." This theme emphasizes the collective responsibility enshrined in the Constitution and highlights how it bridges differences to unite the nation. It encourages reflection on civic duty and the importance of working together.

This annual event, sponsored by the Chenango County Bar Association, will include the presentation of the 2025 Mock Trial Winning Team Award and the presentation of the 2025 Liberty Bell award.

This year, the Sherburne-Earlville High School Mock Trial Team won the county-wide competition. Representatives from the Sherburne-Earlville Central School District and the 10 participating students will be in attendance to accept the award.

Historically, the biggest draw for the annual event is the presentation of the Liberty Bell award. The Chenango County Bar Association presents this award each year to a non-attorney, who through life example, has promoted respect for the law and the Constitution.

The Liberty Bell Award was established more than 40 years ago to acknowledge outstanding service performed by a non-lawyer citizen who has given time and energy to strengthen the effectiveness of the American system of freedom under law, in keeping with the spirit of our Constitution. It is awarded to someone who has promoted better understanding of the rule of law, encouraged greater respect for law and the courts, stimulated a sense of civic responsibility, or contributed to good government in the community.

This year’s Liberty Bell award recipient is Peter S. Lennon, US Army Major General (Retired). In 2017, Major General Lennon retired from an accumulated 40-year career with the Active Army and the Army Reserve, with numerous assignments throughout the United States, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, and Kuwait.

He was a recognized leader in supply chain operations from the tactical to the national and international levels. His military career culminated with his appointment as Deputy Commander of the Army Reserve Command’s 200,000 soldiers nationwide.

Following his retirement in 2017, Major General Lennon and his wife, Elaine Lennon, returned to his hometown of New Berlin. He currently serves as Mayor of the Village of New Berlin. He is the founding director of the Chenango County Microloan Project and actively supports numerous military and veterans’ programs. He frequently speaks to student and community groups and is an advocate for community and economic/workforce development initiatives across Central New York.

-Information provided by the Chenango County Bar Association