It was a celebration of service last night at the Indiana Country Club, with the annual presentation of the Leader’s Circle of Indiana County awards. Four people were selected for the awards from a slate of seventeen deserving candidates.
The Female Civic Leader of the Year is Meghan Foulk, who serves on the boards of Quota International of Indiana and the Indiana County YMCA, and has volunteered with many other organizations and campaigns.
Bernie Lockard Jr. is the Male Civic Leader of the Year, whose volunteer service includes a lifelong devotion to the Boy Scouts, as well as the Elks, the Oakland Cemetery board, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The Athena Award winner, celebrating a commitment to providing opportunities for women, is Dr. Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, an IUP associate professor who has dedicated her career to encouraging girls and young women to pursue their own careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Finally, the first winner of the newly-minted Young Athena Award is Haley Pazder, who offers online and onsite health and wellness support, motivation, and assistance to people in need.
Martha Mayhood Mertz, the founder of ATHENA International, was last night’s keynote speaker.
