FCCAA honors local citizens
The Fayette County Community Action Agency relies on the support of individuals and businesses to perform its work in the area. Recognizing the importance of that outside contribution, the agency, each year, honors those whose efforts have been integral to community advancement.
This year’s group – state Rep. Peter J. Daley, Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip E. Reilly, Allegheny Power and the Franciscan Friars – were in the spotlight Thursday during the agency’s annual service awards banquet, held at the Uniontown County Club.
The agency’s board of directors determines award recipients.
Community Action Executive Director Jim Stark told the audience that without the dedication of area residents, the work of the agency would not be possible.
“Our work as an agency is focused on addressing problems facing the local community,” he said. “Our ability to do so requires the continued support from everyone in our community.”
Stark said the banquet provides the agency an opportunity to “say thank you to all of you for your marvelous work, your partnership and your commitment to helping people in our community, to improve lives.”
Daley, who has served in the state House for nearly 20 years, received the Public Service Award for his dedication to helping the poor in Fayette County. The award is given each year to a public official who has assisted Community Action in service for low-income, disabled or elderly residents in the county.
Daley was honored for his work with two Fayette County poverty summits that he has helped to organize to discuss ways to improve the quality of life for area residents struggling to make ends meet.
“The whole issue of poverty is something that people swept under the rug for years in Fayette County,” said the Brownsville native. “It is important that we keep fighting so that kids don’t go to bed hungry at night and so that seniors can pay their electric bill.”
Daley said that, through public service, he has been able to provide some help to the community.
“My life has been dedicated to public service,” he said. “It is important to be able to give your life to the community.”
Reilly, who has resided in the Uniontown area his entire life, agreed with Daley.
“It is good to find some way to make it nicer for those who come after us,” he said.
“If you can improve the quality of life for someone, then it is worth it.”
The coroner for four consecutive terms of office, Reilly was honored with the Community Service Award, given to an individual in Fayette County who has provided committed service to the community for many years.
Reilly also has specialized in emergency medicine and still runs his own family practice, something he has been doing for more than three decades. He was honored for his assistance in initializing the Nurse Family Partnership Program.
He said that while the real credit for the program went to Community Action, he was excited to receive the award.
“It is an energizer to continue to do what we are doing that might have an impact over the years,” he said.
The Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. John the Baptist also were honored for their help with implementing a new program, Community Medical Services, a service that helps provide medical treatment for low-income families without insurance coverage.
A spokesperson for the friars, Dennet Jung, said that the Community Investor Award was just the return blessing from God.
“We have been blessed and we try to be a blessing to others,” he said. “I guess the thing that happens is that after we become a blessing to others we get blessed again.”
In addition, Community Action presented the Corporate Partner Award to Allegheny Power for its dedication to helping low-income families receive electric service. The award is presented each year to a business that helps Community Action achieve its mission of allowing county residents to become more self-sufficient.
Rosemary Spoljarick, a spokesperson for Allegheny Power, said the company’s partnership with Community Action has allowed it to assist its customers and allowed the community to realize the effort it makes to help area residents.
“I think sometimes, being in the corporate world, people sometimes don’t realize what we do as a utility company to help our customers,” she said.
“Having a partnership with the Community Action Agency is what helps us the most.”