The Dutchess County Bar Association awarded the Gartland Award for Community Service to Robert Irving Miller, Esq., during its annual Law Day Luncheon on May 19, 2022. The Locust Grove historic site, in the town of Poughkeepsie, was the setting for the luncheon and awards ceremony. The keynote address was delivered by the Honorable Anne E. Minihan, Administrative Judge, 9th Judicial District.
Mr. Miller’s extensive experience in the fields of health care, business and law has made him a valuable asset to the many organizations at which he has volunteered over the years. Mr. Miller holds the distinction of being a nurse-attorney, as he is both a registered nurse and a practicing attorney. He is the managing attorney at Sholes & Miller, PLLC, based in Fishkill.
The award is named in honor of the late John “Jack” Gartland, Jr., who was a founding trustee of the James J. McCann Charitable Trust and the McCann Foundation. Mr. Gartland’s commitment to the community left a legacy that continues to provide opportunities for Dutchess County residents. The Dutchess County Bar Association presents the Gartland Award annually to a member whose dedication to making their community a better place exemplifies the legacy of Mr. Gartland. The Dutchess County Bar Association is a professional nonprofit legal organization, serving both attorneys and the community at large since 1919.
Mr. Miller currently contributes his time and resources to the betterment of the Community at Brookmeade, a non-profit senior living retirement community located on 75 country acres in Rhinebeck, NY. He has served for seven years on their board of trustees. For the past three years he has also served as treasurer. Because of his work at Brookmeade, Mr. Miller was awarded the 2021 New York Trustee of the Year Award from LeadingAge NY, an association of more than 600 not-for-profit organizations serving New Yorkers.
Robert also serves as trustee and treasurer of the East Fishkill Community Library District. This active public library offers a multitude of services to the people it serves. They even have a Free Little Food Pantry where community members can donate or receive non-perishable food and other essential items.
During 2020, in reaction to the COVID pandemic, Mr. Miller recognized the need and donated funds from Sholes & Miller to Dutchess Outreach, to help meet basic needs for people requiring food during the economic shutdown.
Robert’s past volunteer positions include:
- Vice President and Member, Dutchess County Board of Health
- President, Abilities First (then Rehab Programs, Inc.) Board of Directors
- Institutional Review Board Member, Vassar College
- Service on ethics committees for several hospitals and nursing homes
- Board Member, Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce
- Board Member, Rebuilding Together Dutchess County
- Board Member, Catskill-Hudson Area Health Education Center
- Member, East Fishkill Rotary Club
- Walden Volunteer Ambulance Corps
From building homes – to feeding people – to serving as president for a non-profit that benefits people with developmental disabilities, Mr. Miller has always demonstrated his empathy for others through his community service.
