Meghan Perry Receives Lew Davies Award for Outstanding Community Service
MEADVILLE, Pa. – April 23, 2008 – Service to community, the theme of the 2008 annual meeting of the Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce, was a message that both echoed and created history Tuesday evening, April 22, as two community leaders and an Allegheny College student were honored with awards for their service.
In his final formal presentation before the Chamber, Allegheny College president Richard J. Cook, who is retiring this year after 12 years at the college, presented the Governor Raymond P. Shafer award for Distinguished Community Service to musician and community volunteer Elmore (Cootie) Harris.
Harris, a legendary jazz musician and Tai Chi instructor in the community, has given a lifetime of service to senior citizens, individuals and groups with physical and mental disabilities, young musicians and others. Among his accomplishments are World War II military service in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge and carrying the Olympic torch in 2002. He is also the recipient of Edinboro University's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. award.
But the evening's program did not conclude with Harris' award. Charles Swick, a partner in the Shafer Law Firm, approached the podium to do something that had never been done in the Chamber's history. He presented a second Shafer Award for the year.
In so doing, he noted that it seemed especially appropriate to present the award, which is named for one of Allegheny College's most notable alumni, the 18th president of the college, to Cook, who made strengthening the bonds between the community and the college one of the cornerstones of his presidency.
Ellie Davies, whose family founded the Davies Community Service Leader program, presented the Lew Davies Award for Outstanding Community Service to Meghan Perry, an environmental studies and religious studies double-major from Pittsburgh. Perry, a Davies Community Service Leader for the Meadville Area Redevelopment Authority, was nominated by Andy Walker, executive director of the Meadville Area Redevelopment Authority.
Two students were honored as Davies Award finalists. Hillary Kosnac, a Spanish and political science double-major from Greenville, Pa., is an Allegheny Volunteer Service Leader for the English as a Second Language program at the Ernst Seed Farm and is a Bethesda volunteer. She was nominated by the Reverend Julia Fraser, chaplain of Bethesda Children's Home.
Richard Wozniak, a political science and chemistry double-major from Beaver, Pa., is an AmeriCorps Bonner Leader for the Crawford County READ program. He was nominated by Lisa Schmalzried, director of the Crawford County READ program.
Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service
Given to the citizen in our area who has made a beneficial impact on the quality of life in Crawford County
Governor Raymond Phillip Shafer was born March 5, 1917 in New castle and raised in Meadville, Pa. A graduate of Allegheny College, Shafer served as class president for his four years and was also extremely active in student activities. He then attended Yale Law School and graduated in 1941. He service in the United States Navy from 1942-1945 where he was awarded the Purple Star, among other honors. Shafer held the public office of District Attorney in Crawford County, 1948 and State Senator, 1958, before being elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 1966, serving his term from 1967-1971.
In his later years Shafer continued to be associated with law firms in both Washington, D.C. as well as Pennsylvania while continuing his life of public service. Shafer's lasting impact on the Crawford County Area continues to resonate throughout the community. A section of I-79, called “The Raymond P. Shafer Highway” remains as a reminder of his great efforts to expand and further develop the highway during his time as governor.
Previous recipients of the Governor Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service include: Calvin Ernst, Charlotte Thomas, B.J. Smith, Richard Burkhardt, Paul Huber, Dr. Abe Finton, Ed Edinger, Pauline Mooney, Denny Watson, Dr. David Kirkpatrick, Clark Hoffman, Lew Davies, Jonathan Helmreich, Christine (Kit) Lang, the Rev. Arthur Crawford, Art Cocolin and Marie Hamilton.
The Award is presented by Shafer Law Firm, Allegheny College and the Meadville Area Chamber of Commerce.
