Chamber selects 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipients
WAYNESBURG — The Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently honored its 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipients.
Chosen for the individual award was John E. Mariner. Waynesburg Lions Club was selected as the organization winner, and Dr. Thomas W. Mering was honored with a posthumous Distinguished Service Award.
Mariner, the Lions Club and Mering were honored at the chamber’s annual membership meeting and banquet Nov. 19 at Waynesburg University’s Benedum Dining Hall.
Mariner is a lifelong resident of Waynesburg, graduating from Waynesburg High School in 1964 and Fairmont State College in 1968.
He served in National Guard Company C 724th Military Police, 2nd Battalion in Waynesburg. In July 1971, Mariner began his career at First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Greene County as a loan mortgage officer.
Through the years, he held many positions at the Association, becoming chief executive officer in 2006 before assuming the title of president-CEO in August 2008, which he still holds today as well as director.
He also is a director for the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers.
Mariner is a member of First United Methodist Church and past master and current trustee of Waynesburg Lodge 153 F&AM.
He is a member of board of directors and executive committee of the Greene County Industrial Development Corp. and a member and chairman of the county’s tax abatement review board.
Mariner has served on numerous boards and has been involved with many community organizations. He is a member and two-time president of the Fort Jackson Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution; member and past president of the Waynesburg Lions Club; past member of the board of directors of Greene County United Way; past member and chairman of the Franklin Township Recreation Board; and a member of the Salvation Army’s advisory board.
Waynesburg Lions Club is known to many through its eyeglass program, mainly because the boxes the organization installs for the public to donate unused or no longer needed glasses are a conspicuous sign of the club’s service to the community.
But the Lions also support a wide array of causes for the needy around the world such as disaster relief and project that focus on youth such as recreational opportunities, scholarships and mentoring.
Formed in 1940, Waynesburg Lions Club recently celebrated its 70th anniversary and is made up of more than 50 active members.
Waynesburg Lions Community Park has been the club’s largest project and in the past five years, the club has spent more than $200,000 to revamp the facility that provides picnic areas, playground and a community building. The club also added a ball field and another playground in the immediate vicinity.
Some of the other projects that the club has been involved in include: Habitat for Humanity, Leo Club at Waynesburg Central High school, the Boy and Girl of the Month, and its largest event, the July 4 Celebration at the fairgrounds.
Waynesburg Lions Club also supports Beacon Lodge, a camp for the blind and handicapped in Mt. Union. Last year, the club donated more than $1,200 to the camp.
Lions Clubs all over the world also donate to the “Leader Dogs for the Blind” program, which enhance the lives of blind people with dog guides and the Waynesburg Club is no exception, having members who breed and develop potential leader dogs in their homes under the Puppy Dog Program.
Mering was born in Spokane, Wash., and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1939. In 1943, he graduated from Marguette University School of Medicine and then completed his internship in Pittsburgh.
During World War II, he served as a battalion surgeon in the U.S. Army in France, Germany and Belgium. Following the war, he completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh.
Mering came to Waynesburg to practice medicine with Dr. Bruce Austin in 1950. In 1952, he began his private practice in obstetrics and gynecology in Waynesburg, which he operated until his retirement in 1995.
During that time, he also served as chief of staff at Greene County Memorial Hospital.
At one point in his successful career, it could be said that he personally delivered half the population of Greene County.
In addition to his medical career, he was a past president of the Waynesburg Little League Baseball Association and the football and wrestling booster groups.
Each year, local residents are invited to make nominations for the awards, which are based on lasting contributions to community welfare, participation in civic organizations, evidence of leadership ability, success in vocation, personal and/or business progress and cooperation with other individuals and organizations.
The award has no relation to work performed for the Chamber of Commerce.