‘Survivor’ Art Boden’s Story

Buoys County Relay For Life

After sharing his story of survival and endurance when cancer struck at age 49, Art Boden, popular manager of New York Pizza in Coopertown, leads cancer survivors on the first lap of the Otsego County Relay for Life this morning at Milford’s Wilber Park.  To the left of Art is Allison Wilber, the Relay leader this year.  Boden’s family, dad Art Jr. (Art himself is III), stepdaughter Brianna Brass, daughter Emily and son Daniel were on hand, sometimes tearfully, at they reflected on their father’s ordeal.  At left, Cooperstown’s Joanne O’Brien smiles as Boden single her out during his keynote:  He ran into her at Taylor’s earlier this week and was inspired by her optimism.  Unable to stage the Relay this year at the traditional site, Dreams Park, or the Clark Sports Center, the fundraiser relocated to Milford at the invitation of the new village mayor, Brian Pokorny.  (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)