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Honoring a long-time community philanthropist and leader, the Lycoming County United Way has selected Mrs. Catharine "Kay" Ertel to receive the organization's highest honor, the Douglas C. Dickey Humanitarian Award.
According to a news release, the award will be presented at the organization's annual meeting and awards event on April 13, at the Holiday Inn Downtown, 100 Pine St.
"The award is presented annually to individuals whose dedication, commitment and outstanding leadership have made a significant contribution to the welfare of Lycoming County," the news release said.
Presented annually since 1947, the award was renamed from the Lycoming United Way Award in 1997 to honor the memory of the late Lycoming County United Way President Douglas C. Dickey, who was among those lost in the crash of TWA Flight 800.
"As a past award recipient, I am pleased to welcome Mrs. Ertel into a group of honorees who have dedicated their lives to service in our community and our organization," said Ron Frick, president of the Lycoming County United Way, according to the news release. "Kay has been a long-time donor of the United Way as well as other nonprofit organizations in our community, and she and her late husband Allen have been instrumental in the rebirth of the former Bethune Douglas Community Center, now Firetree Place, which offers programs for children and families who need before and after school care. Her quiet but committed philanthropy is worthy of this honor and recognition."
In addition to her decades-long support of the United Way, Kay and her late husband Allen established Firetree Place in 2015, and she served on the Firetree Place board of directors and as its president. Kay Ertel also served in leadership of the YWCA Northcentral PA as a director, trustee, capital campaign chair and president. She received the Blanche Smink Volunteer Award in 1988. She was an active member of the Junior League of Williamsport, chaired local campaigns for the March of Dimes, and was involved in Preservation Williamsport. Kay Ertel also served the Lycoming County Democratic Women's Club as a director and served the Pennsylvania Democratic Women's Clubs as its chair. The Ertels, the news release said, were also instrumental in establishing the Taylor J. Ertel Foster Child Scholarship Foundation in memory of their son, Taylor.
"Speaking on behalf of the Firetree Place board of directors, we believe that Kay Ertel's selection as the Humanitarian Award recipient is an honor long overdue," John Brunette, current board chair, said, according to the news release. "When Firetree Place opened, Kay insisted that we create programs for children in our Before School, After School, and Summer Camp programs that help prepare kids to be successful adults."
"We hope the community will come out and celebrate our accomplishments as an organization and recognize employees, companies and volunteers who make us who we are as an organization," said Miranda Kujawa, a United Way board member and chair of the marketing committee, according to the news release. "We have some fun things planned and hope to sell out the event as we have done the past few years."
Again this year, thanks to the generosity of past Dickey recipient George Tsunis and his wife Olga and Chartwell Hotels, program partners will be given two tickets to the event free of charge, and all net proceeds will support LCUW programs.
The news release said the United Way also is honored to have this year's award sponsored by UPMC.
Tickets are available by calling the Lycoming County United Way office at 570-323-9448 or via email at breichenbach@lcuw.org. Checks should be made payable to Lycoming County United Way. Checks and credit cards can be accepted in advance or at the door the night of the event.