Exhibit 10.2



                   ADIRONDACK FINANCIAL SERVICES BANCORP, INC.

                       1997 RECOGNITION AND RETENTION PLAN


      1. Plan  Purpose.  The  purpose  of the Plan is to promote  the  long-term
interests  of the  Corporation  and its  stockholders  by  providing a means for
attracting  and  retaining  directors,  executive  officers and employees of the
Corporation and its Affiliates.

      2. Definitions. The following definitions are applicable to the Plan:

      "Award" - means the grant of  Restricted  Stock  pursuant  to the terms of
Section 12 of the Plan or by the Committee, as provided in the Plan.

      "Affiliate" - means any "parent  corporation" or "subsidiary  corporation"
of the  Corporation,  as such  terms are  defined  in  Section  424(e)  and (f),
respectively, of the Code.

      "Bank" - means Gloversville Federal Savings & Loan Association,  a savings
institution and its successors.

      "Beneficiary" - means the person or persons designated by a Participant to
receive any benefits  payable under the Plan in the event of such  Participant's
death.  Such person or persons shall be designated in writing on forms  provided
for this  purpose  by the  Committee  and may be  changed  from  time to time by
similar  written  notice  to  the  Committee.   In  the  absence  of  a  written
designation,  the Beneficiary  shall be the  Participant's  surviving spouse, if
any, or if none, his estate.

      "Code" - means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

      "Committee"  - means  the  Committee  of the  Board  of  Directors  of the
Corporation referred to in Section 6 hereof.

      "Continuous   Service"  -  means  the  absence  of  any   interruption  or
termination  of service as a director,  director  emeritus,  advisory  director,
executive officer or employee of the Corporation or any Affiliate. Service shall
not be considered  interrupted in the case of sick leave,  military leave or any
other leave of absence  approved by the  Corporation  or any Affiliate or in the
case of transfers between payroll locations of the Corporation or its Affiliates
or between the Corporation, its Affiliates or its successor. With respect to any
director  emeritus  or  advisory   director,   continuous   service  shall  mean
availability to perform such functions as may be required of such individuals.

      "Conversion"  - means the  conversion  of the Bank from the  mutual to the
stock form of organization.

      "Corporation"  - means  Adirondack  Financial  Services  Bancorp,  Inc., a
Delaware corporation.

      "Disability" - means any physical or mental  impairment which qualifies an
employee,  director,  director  emeritus  or  advisor  director  for  disability
benefits under any applicable  long-term  disability plan maintained by the Bank
or an Affiliate,  or, if no such plan applies to such individual,  which renders
such employee or director,  in the judgment of the Committee,  unable to perform
his customary duties and responsibilities.

      "ERISA" - means the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

      "Non-Employee  Director"  - means a director  who a) is not  currently  an
officer or  employee  of the  Corporation;  b) is not a former  employee  of the
Corporation  who receives  compensation  for prior  services  (other than from a
tax-qualified  retirement  plan); c) has not been an officer of the Corporation;
d) does not receive remuneration from the Corporation in any capacity other than
as a director; and e) does not possess an




interest in any other transactions or is not engaged in a business  relationship
for which  disclosure  would be required  under Item 404(a) or (b) of Regulation
S-K.

      "Participant" - means any director,  director emeritus, advisory director,
executive  officer  or  employee  of the  Corporation  or any  Affiliate  who is
selected by the  Committee  to receive an Award or a director  who is granted an
award pursuant to Section 12.

      "Plan" - means the 1997 Recognition and Retention Plan of the Corporation.

      "Restricted  Period" - means the period of time  selected by the Committee
for the purpose of determining  when  restrictions are in effect under Section 3
hereof with respect to Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan.

      "Restricted Stock" - means Shares which have been contingently  awarded to
a  Participant  by the  Committee  subject to the  restrictions  referred  to in
Section 3 hereof, so long as such restrictions are in effect.

      "Shares"  - means the common  stock,  par value  $0.01 per  share,  of the
Corporation.

      3. Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock. The Committee shall have full
and complete authority,  subject to the limitations of the Plan, to grant Awards
and, in addition to the terms and conditions contained in paragraphs (a) through
(f) of this  Section 3, to provide such other terms and  conditions  (which need
not be identical among  Participants) in respect of such Awards, and the vesting
thereof,  as  the  Committee  shall  determine,  subject  to  Office  of  Thrift
Supervision Regulations.

(a)   At the time of an award of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall establish
      for  each  Participant  a  Restricted  Period,  during  which  or  at  the
      expiration of which,  as the Committee  shall determine and provide in the
      agreement  referred  to in  paragraph  (d) of this  Section  3, the Shares
      awarded as  Restricted  Stock  shall  vest,  and subject to any such other
      terms and conditions as the Committee shall provide,  shares of Restricted
      Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred,  pledged, voted or otherwise
      encumbered by the Participant,  except as hereinafter provided, during the
      Restricted Period. Except for such restrictions, and subject to paragraphs
      (c) and (e) of this  Section 3 and Section 4 hereof,  the  Participant  as
      owner of such shares shall have all the rights of a stockholder.

      No director  who is not an employee  of the  Corporation  shall be granted
      Awards  with  respect to more than 5% of the total  shares  subject to the
      Plan. All non-employee directors of the Corporation, in the aggregate, may
      not be granted  Awards with  respect to more than 30% of the total  shares
      subject to the Plan and no individual shall be granted Awards with respect
      to more than 25% of the total shares  subject to the Plan. No Awards shall
      begin vesting  earlier than one year from the date the Plan is approved by
      stockholders  of the  Corporation  and no  Award  shall  vest at a rate in
      excess of 20% per year, except in the event of death or disability. In the
      event Office of Thrift  Supervision  Regulations are amended (the "Amended
      Regulations") to permit shorter vesting  periods,  any Award made pursuant
      to this Plan,  which Award is subject to the  requirements of such Amended
      Regulations,  may  vest,  at the  sole  discretion  of the  Committee,  in
      accordance with such Amended Regulations.

      Subject to compliance with Office of Thrift Supervision  Regulations,  the
      Committee shall have the authority,  in its discretion,  to accelerate the
      time at which any or all of the  restrictions  shall lapse with respect to
      an Award,  or to remove any or all of such  restrictions,  whenever it may
      determine  that  such  action is  appropriate  by  reason  of  changes  in
      applicable tax or other laws or other changes in circum stances  occurring
      after the commencement of such Restricted Period.

(b)   Except  as  provided  in  Section  5 hereof,  if a  Participant  ceases to
      maintain   Continuous   Service  for  any  reason  (other  than  death  or
      disability), unless the Committee shall otherwise determine, all Shares of

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      Restricted Stock theretofore  awarded to such Participant and which at the
      time  of  such  termination  of  Continuous  Service  are  subject  to the
      restrictions  imposed by  paragraph  (a) of this Section 3 shall upon such
      termination  of  Continuous  Service  be  forfeited  and  returned  to the
      Corporation.  If a Participant  ceases to maintain  Continuous  Service by
      reason of death or  disability,  Restricted  Stock then  still  subject to
      restrictions  imposed by  paragraph  (a) of this Section 3 will be free of
      those restrictions.

(c)   Each  certificate  in respect of Shares of Restricted  Stock awarded under
      the Plan shall be registered in the name of the  Participant and deposited
      by the  Participant,  together with a stock power endorsed in blank,  with
      the Corporation and shall bear the following (or a similar) legend:

               The  transferability  of this certificate and the shares of stock
           represented hereby are subject to the terms and conditions (including
           forfeiture)  contained in the 1997  Recognition and Retention Plan of
           ___________________.  Copies of such Plan are on file in the  offices
           of  the   Secretary   of   _____________,   52  North  Main   Street,
           Gloversville, New York l2078

(d)   At the time of any Award,  the  Participant  shall enter into an Agreement
      with the Corporation in a form specified by the Committee, agreeing to the
      terms and conditions of the Award and such other matters as the Committee,
      in  its  sole   discretion,   shall  determine  (the   "Restricted   Stock
      Agreement").

(e)   The  payment  to the  Participant  of  dividends  or  other  distributions
      declared or paid on such shares by the Corporation shall be deferred until
      the  lapsing  of the  restrictions  imposed  under  paragraph  (a) of this
      Section 3, and such dividends or other  distributions shall be held by the
      Corporation  for the  account of the  Participant  until such time.  There
      shall be credited at the end of each year (or portion thereof) interest on
      the amount of the deferred dividends or other  distributions at a rate per
      annum as the  Committee,  in its  discretion,  may  determine.  Payment of
      deferred dividends or other distributions,  together with interest accrued
      thereon,  shall be made upon the  earlier  to occur of the  lapsing of the
      restrictions  imposed under  paragraph (a) of this Section 3 or upon death
      or disability of the  Participant.  Shares of Restricted  Stock subject to
      restriction  on the  date of any  shareholder  vote  shall  be voted by an
      independent party to be named by the Committee.

(f)   At the  lapsing  of the  restrictions  imposed  by  paragraph  (a) of this
      Section 3, the Corporation  shall deliver to the Participant (or where the
      relevant  provision of paragraph (b) of this Section 3 applies in the case
      of a deceased  Participant,  to his legal  representative,  beneficiary or
      heir) the  certificate(s)  and stock power  deposited  with it pursuant to
      paragraph  (c) of  this  Section  3 and  the  Shares  represented  by such
      certificate(s) shall be free of the restrictions  referred to in paragraph
      (a) of this Section 3.

      4. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization.  In the event of any change
in the outstanding Shares subsequent to the effective date of the Plan by reason
of  any   reorganization,   recapitalization,   stock  split,   stock  dividend,
combination or exchange of shares,  merger,  consolidation  or any change in the
corporate  structure or Shares of the Corporation,  the maximum aggregate number
and class of shares as to which  Awards  may be  granted  under the Plan and the
number and class of shares with  respect to which Awards  theretofore  have been
granted under the Plan shall be appropriately  adjusted by the Committee,  whose
determination  shall be  conclusive.  Any  shares  of stock or other  securities
received as a result of any of the  foregoing by a  Participant  with respect to
Restricted   Stock   shall  be  subject  to  the  same   restrictions   and  the
certificate(s)  or other  instruments  representing or evidencing such shares or
securities  shall be legended and deposited  with the  Corporation in the manner
provided in Section 3 hereof.

      5. Assignments and Transfers.  During the Restricted  Period, no Award nor
any  right  or  interest  of a  Participant  under  the  Plan in any  instrument
evidencing  any Award under the Plan may be assigned,  encumbered or transferred
except  (i) in the event of the death of a  Participant,  by will or the laws of
descent

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and distribution,  or (ii) pursuant to a qualified  domestic  relations order as
defined in the Code or Title I of ERISA or the rules thereunder.

      6.  Administration.   The  Plan  shall  be  administered  by  a  Committee
consisting  of two or  more  members,  each  of  whom  shall  be a  Non-Employee
Director.  The  members  of the  Committee  shall be  appointed  by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation. Except as limited by the express provisions of the
Plan,  the  Committee  shall have sole and complete  authority  and  discretion,
subject to Office of Thrift Supervision Regulations,  to (i) select Participants
and grant Awards;  (ii) determine the number of Shares to be subject to types of
Awards  generally,  as well as individual  Awards granted under the Plan;  (iii)
determine the terms and conditions  upon which Awards shall be granted under the
Plan;  (iv) prescribe the form and terms of instruments  evidencing such grants;
and (v) establish from time to time  regulations for the  administration  of the
Plan,  interpret  the Plan,  and make all  determinations  deemed  necessary  or
advisable for the  administration  of the Plan. The Committee may maintain,  and
update from time to time as appropriate,  a list designating  selected directors
as  Non-Employee  Directors.  The purpose of such list shall be to evidence  the
status of such individuals as Non-Employee  Directors and the Board of Directors
may  appoint  to  the  Committee  any  individual   actually   qualifying  as  a
Non-Employee Directors regardless of whether identified as such on said list.

      A majority of the Committee shall  constitute a quorum,  and the acts of a
majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present,  or
acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee without a meeting, shall
be acts of the Committee.

      7. Shares  Subject to Plan.  Subject to  adjustment  by the  operation  of
Section 4 hereof,  the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Awards may
be made  under the Plan is 4% of the total  Shares  issued in the  Association's
Conversion.  The Shares with  respect to which Awards may be made under the Plan
may be either  authorized  and unissued  Shares or issued  Shares  heretofore or
hereafter  reacquired  and  held as  treasury  Shares.  An  Award  shall  not be
considered  to have been made under the Plan with  respect to  Restricted  Stock
which is forfeited  and new Awards may be granted under the Plan with respect to
the number of Shares as to which such forfeiture has occurred.

      The  Corporation's  obligation to deliver  Shares with respect to an Award
shall,  if the  Committee  so  requests,  be  conditioned  upon the receipt of a
representation  as to the investment  intention of the  Participant to whom such
Shares are to be delivered,  in such form as the Committee shall determine to be
necessary or advisable to comply with the  provisions of the  Securities  Act of
1933 or any other Federal,  state or local securities legislation or regulation.
It may be provided that any representation  requirement shall become inoperative
upon a registration  of the Shares or other action  eliminating the necessity of
such representation  under such Securities Act or other securities  legislation.
The Corporation shall not be required to deliver any Shares under the Plan prior
to (i) the  admission  of such shares to listing on any stock  exchange on which
Shares may then be listed, and (ii) the completion of such registration or other
qualification of such Shares under any state or Federal law, rule or regulation,
as the Committee shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

      8.  Employee  Rights  Under  the Plan.  No  director,  director  emeritus,
advisory  director,  officer or employee  shall have a right to be selected as a
Participant nor, having been so selected,  to be selected again as a Participant
and no director, officer, employee or other person shall have any claim or right
to be granted an Award  under the Plan or under any other  incentive  or similar
plan of the Corporation or any Affiliate.  Neither the Plan nor any action taken
thereunder  shall be construed as giving any officer or employee any right to be
retained in the employ of the Corporation, the Bank or any Affiliate.

      9.  Withholding  Tax. Upon the  termination of the Restricted  Period with
respect to any shares of Restricted Stock (or at such earlier time, if any, that
an election is made by the  Participant  under Section 83(b) of the Code, or any
successor  provision  thereto,  to include  the value of such  shares in taxable
income), the Corporation may, in its sole discretion,  withhold from any payment
or distribution made under this Plan

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sufficient   Shares  or  withhold   sufficient  cash  to  cover  any  applicable
withholding and employment taxes. The Corporation shall have the right to deduct
from all dividends paid with respect to shares of Restricted Stock the amount of
any taxes which the  Corporation  is required to withhold  with  respect to such
dividend  payments.  No  discretion  or  choice  shall  be  conferred  upon  any
Participant  with  respect  to the  form,  timing  or  method  of any  such  tax
withholding.

      10.  Amendment or  Termination.  The Board of Directors of the Corporation
may amend,  suspend or  terminate  the Plan or any portion  thereof at any time,
subject to Office of Thrift Supervision Regulations,  but (except as provided in
Section  4  hereof)  no  amendment  shall  be  made  without   approval  of  the
stockholders of the Corporation which shall (i) increase the aggregate number of
Shares with respect to which Awards may be made under the Plan,  (ii) materially
increase the benefits  accruing to  Participants,  (iii)  materially  change the
requirements as to eligibility for  participation in the Plan or (iv) change the
class of persons eligible to participate in the Plan; provided, however, that no
such  amendment,  suspension  or  termination  shall  impair  the  rights of any
Participant,  without his consent, in any Award theretofore made pursuant to the
Plan.

      11. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon its ratification by
the stockholders of the  Corporation.  It shall continue in effect for a term of
ten years unless sooner terminated under Section 11 hereof.

      12. Director Awards. By, and simultaneously with, the ratification of this
Plan by the  stockholders  of the  Corporation,  each  member  of the  Board  of
Directors of the Corporation who is not a full-time  employee of the Corporation
is hereby granted an Award equal to ____% of the shares sold in the  Conversion.
Each of the  Awards  granted  in this  Section  12 shall be earned in five equal
annual installments, with the first installment vesting on the first anniversary
of the date of grant, as long as the director maintains  Continuous Service with
the Corporation or its  affiliates,  provided,  however,  that no Award shall be
earned  in any  fiscal  year in which  the Bank  fails to meet all of its  fully
phased-in capital requirements.


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