Distinguished Service Award winners announced by
Waynesburg Chamber of Commerce

The Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce has selected their 2011 Distinguished Service Award recipients. Chosen for the individual award was John E. Mariner. The Waynesburg Lions Club was selected as the organization winner. Dr. Thomas W. Mering will also be honored with a posthumous Distinguished Service Award.

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.

2011 Individual Distinguished Service Award Winner

John Mariner - 2011 Distinguished Service Award Winner

Mr. Mariner is a life-long resident of Waynesburg graduating from Waynesburg High School in 1964 and Fairmont State College in 1968. John served in our local National Guard Company C 724th Military Police, 2nd Battalion located in Waynesburg. In July of 1971, John began his career at First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Greene County as a loan mortgage officer. Through the years John has held many positions at the Association becoming CEO in 2006 before assuming the title of President-CEO in August of 2008 which he still holds today as well as director. He is also a director for the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers. John is very well respected through the financial industry and not only represents the bank very well, but is always promoting our area to his peers in the banking community.

Mr. Mariner is a member of the First United Methodist Church. Having served as PPR Chairperson, church council member, a member of the investment committee and a member of the nominating committee. John is a past master and current trustee of Waynesburg Lodge #153 F & AM a 32 degree Mason and a member of Syria Shrine. He has also been involved in many local organizations and groups including: member of Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Greene County Industrial Development, Inc.; member and chairman of Tax Abatement Review Board for the County of Greene; member and two times President of Fort Jackson Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution; member and past President of Waynesburg Lions Club; past member of the Board of Directors of Greene County United Way; past member and chairperson of the Franklin Township Recreation Board; past board member, officer and coach of Waynesburg Baseball Association, past board member, officer and coach of Waynesburg Little League Football, past board member and officer of Waynesburg Central High School Quarterback Club, past board member and officer of Waynesburg Chamber of Commerce, member of Waynesburg Lodge 461 Loyal Order of Moose, member Advisory Board Salvation Army.

 

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2011 Organizational Distinguished Service Award Winner

Waynesburg Lions Club

The 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.

Founded in 1917 during World War I by Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman, the Lions Club motto has since become “We Serve”. The origins of the Lions was the Business Circle, a men’s luncheon group devoted to promoting the business interests of its members. The service organization took its name from the acronym for “liberty, intelligence and our nation’s safety”, important concerns during the days of World War I. In 1925 at its national convention, the organization was charged by none other than Helen Keller to become the Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness and sight programs have been important to the club ever since. The Waynesburg club maintains a “Sight Committee” which reads through applications for eyeglasses to determine the eligibility of local indigent and low-income residents who can receive glasses free of charge.

The Waynesburg Lions Club also supports Beacon Lodge, a camp for the blind and handicapped in Mt. Union, Pa. Last year the club donated over $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 guide and the Waynesburg Club is no exception, having members who breed and develop potential leader dogs in their homes under the Puppy Dog Program. The club is also involved in sponsoring hearing research.

Each local club contributes to a national disaster relief fund and funds raised locally are matched by the state organization and 100% of those funds go directly into disaster relief. Last year the Waynesburg club contributed towards disaster relief that aided everything from the tsunami in Indonesia and the earthquake in Haiti.

Formed in 1940, the Waynesburg Club recently celebrated its 70th anniversary and is made up of over 50 active members. Meeting twice a month at the Lions Club Community Building in the Waynesburg Lions Community Park. The park establishment and maintenance has been the clubs largest project and in the past five years the club has spent over $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 making this a busy destination each summer.

Some of the other projects that the club has been involved in are: Habitat for Humanity; Leo Club at Waynesburg Central High School, a Drug Awareness in Central Greene School District; the Boy and Girl of the Month at Waynesburg Central High School and its largest event, the July 4th Celebration at the Greene County Fairgrounds complete with fireworks.

To raise funds for its projects the Waynesburg Lions Club sells Koeze nuts each fall and Christmas trees each December.

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2011 Posthumous Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Thomas Mering

Dr. Thomas W. Mering was born in Spokane, Washington 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. Dr. 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. Many residents can say that he delivered two and even three generations of the same family.

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. He was also a member of the Waynesburg Optimist Club, Waynesburg Lions Club, American Legion Post #330 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars #4793.

Mariner, Mering and the Waynesburg Lions Club, will be honored at the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting and Banquet to be held November 19th at Waynesburg University Benedum Dining Hall. The public is welcome to attend and may purchase tickets at the Chamber office prior to November 14th. For more information, call 724-627-5926.

 

Past Distinguished Service Award Winners

 

To download the 2012 nomination application, click the link below.