Mayor Scoda Announces 2012 Mayor's Award Winners, Part Two

The following was compiled by Mayor Leo Scoda. 

He will honor the following people with Mayor's Citizen Recognition Awards on Tuesday, March 6 at borough hall at 7 p.m. To see the first part of this list, .

Jay Patton 

Jay Patton has played many important volunteer roles in service to the community.

Patton has completed 12-plus years as a member of the Civil Service Commission of the Borough of Phoenixville. This commission oversees the Civil Service process through which new policemen are hired in the borough. He served as Chairman of the Commission for over half his tenure and also as Commission Secretary.

Patton and his wife Phyllis are active members of AARP, Local Chapter 713. This local organization provides social and cultural activities for a membership of 150 area residents. Patton has served four terms as president of the organization and is a member of the board of directors.

In addtion, Patton is also active with his church, First Methodist on Main Street where he assists in many ways with funerals, special events, etc.  He serves as chairman of the administrative board.

Patton has also served many years on the election board in his local voting precinct. His service is wide ranging, encompassing community, seniors and church.

Kathy Shields 

For her work with the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars as a member of VFW Post 1564, Campbell, Ettinger and Powell, Kathy Shields will be honored with a Mayor's Citizen Recognition Award.

Shields has been active in all aspects of this organization including recruitment, organization and fundraising.

An Army veteran herself, Shields served as a U.S. Army Nurse from 1967 to 1971 at the Valley Forge General Hospital during the Vietnam War period, which is why she decided to locate in Phoenixville upon leaving the Army. 

Shields worked for 20-plus years at Paoli Hospital and also provided her services to others as a visiting nurse.

She has been a member of our local VFW for more than a decade. She has served as Junior Vice Commander and in 2002 began a term as Post Commander, which extended for more than six years.

She continues even now to advocate for benefits for our Veteran Service men and woman.

William Thornton 

Bill Thornton as been involved with so many areas in the borough in a wide range of activities but is one to always volunteer his time and talents.

Thornton is an active member of Bethel Baptist Church and contributes hours of his time for the church benefit. He serves as a deacon for the church and is a member of the Men’s Choir, the BILLUPS Chorus.

An outstanding athlete in his day, Thornton has given back to Phoenixville youth in sports in many ways. He was a volunteer coach with the PMYC Youth Football program.  At Phoenixville Area High School, he has contributed his talent to both the football team and the track team. He has served as a volunteer assistant coach for the PAHS football team for two years and has worked as an assistant football coach both during his tenure as a policeman and after his retirement.

Thornton currently serves on the board of directors for the Phoenixville Recreation Department and has been appointed to two terms where he helps to oversee all of the activities sponsored by the borough’s Recreation Department. He is also a board member of the newly formed PASD Sports Hall of Fame Committee. In the 1970s, Thornton was an active member of Phoenixville Community Council North, an organization that sought remedies for citizen problems throughout the community.

Evelyn Thompson 

For her volunteer work at the Southeastern Veterans' Center, the Ladies Auxiliary, VFW Post 1564 in Phoenixville, Evelyn Thompson is being honored.

Thompson has logged more than 13,000 hours of volunteerism at the Southeastern Veteran’s Center since 1986, first getting involved with a Christmas Party for the residents at the Veterans' Center. Thompson volunteers three to five days each week. She has helped out on bowling trips and other activities and was instrumental in starting a canteen at the center to serve the residents but also to raise funds for the veterans.

An active member of the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 1564, Thompson has held several offices including past district president. She was honored by the VFW with the hospital's Volunteer of the Year Award. 

Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Thompson moved to Phoenixville in 1943 where she lived with her late husband Richard, a World War II Army Veteran. She worked at the Valley Forge Army Hospital and the Naval Air Development in Warminster, retiring in 1981. 

Marilyn C. Williams 

Marilyn C. Williams is a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Phoenixville. Marilyn enjoys technology and has been employed at Lockheed Martin and GlaxoSmithKline.

Her expertise in computers allowed her to set up the Bethel Baptist Church website. She plays many and active roles at Bethel Baptist, serving as a leader of Bethel’s Women’s Ministry.

Williams is the coordinator of the Vacation Bible School and assists Pastor Nathan Coleman with Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study.

In January, Williams delivered the Keynote Address at the Annual Martin Luther King ceremony that was very well received by the large audience that night at Bethel Baptist.

Williams is a candidate for a Preaching license, hopefully to be awarded this year.

A single parent who likes to travel she has been described by her pastor as “an inspiration to women, youth and the community at large."

Pam Zahorchak

For her work with Phoenixville Kiwanis and especially her efforts as advisor to the Aktion club, a service group sponsored by Kiwanis International, Zahorchak is being honored. 

Aktion is an organization for adults, living with disabilities to become more involved by participating in public service projects. Its mission is to develop initiative and leadership skills, integrate with society, serve the community and demonstrate the dignity and value of those living with disabilities. Aktion usually has a membership of 15 to 20 individuals. Zahorchak has been the club’s adviser for more than 15 years. Aktion also helps its members to participate in social and cultural events.

Zahorchak is also a very active Kiwanian, serving on its board of directors. She helps with most of the Kiwanis Club projects such as the holiday parade, Community Day and the Spaghetti Dinner and Auction, which are all annual events. She was especially involved with the planning and building of the Children’s Plaza in the downtown.

Pam also finds time to assist at S.A.C.C., the Senior Center and assists with its many activities to provide entertainment, education and socializing for our senior citizens.  She also serves on the Board of Directors at the center, located on Church Street.