Honorees Accept Phoenixville Mayor's Awards

In front of a packed house in Tuesday evening, 13 recipients of the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Awards were honored.

The brief ceremony included comments from each honoree, and several touching or humorous moments. The two youngest award winners, 10-year-old Isabella Jenney and 9-year-old Kashmiera Cozenza, garnered huge applause for giving back to the community at such a young age. In addition to their plaques, each girl also received a stuffed animal to go with their awards.

Many of the award recipients thanked their friends and family for support. Winners encouraged others to consider volunteering to give back to the community.

Mayor Leo Scoda presided over the ceremony and noted the wide range of ages, backgrounds and accomplishments of the 13 individuals who were honored.

The mayor has already started his list of award winners for next year, and he said in the 13 years he’s held the awards, he’s never run into a shortage of recipients.

Scoda explained that he was amazed that there was such a wide variety of activities and services available in Phoenixville, with a long list of volunteer opportunities for those hoping to get involved. He said while many recipients thanked him for the award, the night was really meant to honor them for their service.  

“I know they all say thank you, but really it’s us thanking them for all they’ve done,” Scoda said.

To see the full list of the accomplishments of those honored, see the lists and .

Marnie Herzfeld

Joking that she had no need for a microphone, Herzfeld received the award for her work with Forge Theatre in Phoenixville. She served for more than half of the theater’s 50 years in the community.

Herzfeld had to cut out early as she’s one of the directors for an upcoming play, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” where audience members will choose the murderer in this unfinished work by Charles Dickens.

“Every night, the audience actually votes on whodunit,” Herzfeld said.

She began her tenure at Forge Theatre in 1982 and never looked back.

“Thirty years later I’m still there. I’ve done over 60 shows,” Herzfeld said.

Evelyn Thompson

Receiving the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Awards for her more than 13,000 hours of volunteer service at the Southeastern Veterans’ Center, Thompson said she first got involved with the center when she signed on to volunteer at a Christmas party in 1986.

“I missed one Christmas party since then,” Thompson said.

She’s also active with the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 1564. Thompson told the crowd she was happy with her work.

“I enjoy what I’m doing up there and I’ve gotten to meet many, many nice people,” she said.

Marilyn C. Williams

Very involved with Bethel Baptist Church in Phoenixville, Williams said she was initially shocked to receive notice of the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Awards in the mail.

Born and raised in the borough, Williams has since moved out of Phoenixville, but she still continues to serve at Bethel Baptist Church, where she leads the Bethel Women’s Ministry.

“I don’t realize what I’m doing because I enjoy it so much,” Williams said. “As long as I have breath, I hope I can continue to do what I do.”

Williams was a former student of Scoda when he was a teacher, and he joked after her speech that she was a shoe in for the honor.

“Somehow I knew from all the talking she did in my classroom that she was destined for an award,” Scoda said.

Dorothy Claudy

A Mom’s House volunteer, Claudy, a licensed nurse practitioner, has donated thousands of hours to the cause and tends to the medical issues in addition to her role as a classroom aide.

“I fell in love with Mom’s House the day I started,” Claudy told the crowd.

She thanked everyone involved with helping her achieve the accomplishments that led to the recognition award.

Isabella Jenney

One of the younger recipients, Isabella donates her time at the St. Peter’s Food Pantry.

She’s also a vegetarian who loves animals. Jenney was profiled in a touting her accomplishments.

The 10-year-old said she was happy to receive the Mayor’s Citizen Recognition Award.

“It’s a big honor,” she said.

Kashmiera Cozenza

Though she recently turned the ripe old age of 9, Kashmiera really got involved with volunteer work when she was 8.

She saw a group of people standing in line for food from St. Peter’s Food Pantry and was moved to act. She volunteered, along with her mother, and on a week when supplies were short, Kashmiera went door-to-door collecting more than 200 boxes of cereal. She also booked seven bands for a benefit concert at the Polish American Citizens Club.

“I’m really grateful that I have such good parents and a family that really cares about me,” Kashmiera said.

She also expressed surprise at receiving the award.

“I am so thankful for this award,” she said. “I never thought I would be here.”

Margaret Howard

A volunteer with the Friends of the Library and the Phoenixville Candlelight Holiday Tour, Howard serves as a tireless volunteer, working on the next tour as soon as one wraps up.

“I really feel like I have gained more than I have given,” Howard said, noting that through her volunteerism, she’s made friendships, found opportunities and gotten to work with great people.

Jay Patton

When he received the award notification in the mail, Patton said he was surprised.

“I called in to make sure it was right,” he said.

Patton’s served in a variety of volunteer positions, including more than a dozen years on the Civil Service Commission in Phoenixville, activities with his church and service as president of the local AARP chapter.

He said it was a pleasure to serve and he hopes other people will take up a cause and pitch in and help out.

Pam Zahorchak

Working with the Phoenixville Kiwanis, Zahorchak serves as adviser to the Aktion Club, which helps adults with disabilities become more active in public service.

She thanked Sally Naratil for her help and encouraged everyone to go out and volunteer.

“Most of all, we have fun,” Zahorchak said.

Kathy Shields

As a veteran, Shields works with VFW Post 1564 in Phoenixville. She’s worked in a number of positions within the organization and devotes time to advocating for veterans’ benefits.

“It’s been a long time, but I’ve loved every minute of it,” Shields said.

Gene Byers

No microphone was needed by Byers, either, who often has to speak over groups of Boy Scouts in his role with Troop 58 in Phoenixville.

In the past 26 years, Byers said he most enjoys when Scouts earn their Eagle Scout statuses.

“I’ve been there for 15 men who got their Eagles,” Byers said, and he added that he hopes he can watch 15 more achieve that distinction.

He told the crowd about how a thief made off with the troop’s shed about a year ago, and joked that if anyone knew anything, they should let him know.

Christopher Gaudan

Gaudan’s put in time with the Emergency Response Team of Phoenixville and also worked to start a youth lacrosse program in the borough, later serving as a coach with the high school boys’ lacrosse team.

“Phoenixville’s such a wonderful town,” Gaudan said. “I couldn’t even think of not trying to do whatever I could [with] whatever time I have to offer, and I encourage everybody out there to do the same.”

William Thornton

An active member of Bethel Baptist Church and a volunteer with youth and high school sports in the Phoenixville area, Thornton also serves on the borough’s recreation board and the newly formed Sports Hall of Fame Committee at Phoenixville Area High School.

Thornton thanked his mother, who instilled volunteerism values when he was just a boy in Tuskegee, AL. He also thanked his wife and family for their support.

“You have to have somebody in the background to help you go the way you go,” Thornton said.

A former police officer, Thornton said he’s grateful to the community of Phoenixville and was always looking to help out.

“There’s nothing like giving your time and expecting nothing in return and loving the people that you deal with, and I love the people that I deal with,” Thornton said.