From staff reports
Jean Smith, children’s librarian at the Clarion Free Library, was named the 2017 Citizen of the Year during the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry’s annual awards dinner last month.
Smith, who is known as “Miss Jean” at the library, took the children’s librarian position 23 years ago, and she has been a positive role model in the children’s library ever since.
Welcoming generations of children and introducing them to books and learning, she has been recognized for her work with children by the RiverView Intermediate Unit, Clarion County’s Promise, and Jefferson-Clarion Headstart.
Her dedication to the children is evidenced by the fact that she keeps adding programs to her daily schedule on a regular basis, such as the play groups for young children, after school programs, preschool story time, game nights and other fun activities for teens.
She also inspires others to volunteer at the library.
Her commitment to the children of the county doesn’t end at the library. She organizes field trips for children. She visits and reads to children at the local daycares, head start, the Clarion Hospital and the preschool at the First Presbyterian Church.
She travels to the local schools and brings her programs there on a regular basis. She is the volunteer librarian at the Immaculate Conception School, has mentored library science interns and has given guest lectures on children’s librarianship at Clarion University.
Smith also teaches Sunday school at the First Baptist Church, is the secretary to the parish Deconate, is president of Head Start, runs a clothing ministry at her church, participates in Children’s’ sermons for her church, helps with service projects at the church and sings in the church choir.
The chamber’s Lifetime Achievement award winner this year was Elaine Moore.
She received her Library Science and English dual undergraduate degree from Clarion State College in 1964 where she was a member of Sigma, Sigma, Sigma Sorority and the Outdoor Club.
She then received her M.S. library science certificate in library and information science from the University of Pittsburgh.
She accomplished all of these achievements while she and her husband raised their two children.
She was employed at Clarion University as an academic librarian and gave back to her sorority by serving as advisor and helping with floats for homecoming. She worked part time at the Wellness Health Center and retired in 1998.
This recipient has been a very visible and active supporter of the community all of her life, according to chamber officials.
She served on the Clarion Borough Council as well as a past mayor of Clarion. She is EMT certified, has served as treasurer for Clarion County Special Olympics for three years, served as treasurer for the Women of the Moose for three years where she suggested and helped build a float for the ALF parade. She served as representative for the borough’s second voting precinct for the Clarion County Republican Committee. She served as a Thursday night usher at the Sawmill Theatre in Cook Forest for 11 years and as lector at the Immaculate Conception Church where she also participated on the church’s funeral team.
She is a charter member of the Catholic Daughters Organization.
In her spare time, Moore has taken classes in genealogy, historical writing, ceramics, sweatshirt painting and knitting as well as basket weaving and astrology.
This year’s Volunteer of the Year award recipient was Jeff Sharrar.
Sharrar volunteers every year with many aspects of the Autumn Leaf Festival and is always willing to lend a hand when needed.
Whether it is helping to paint the boards for the cornhole tournament, delivering festival tumblers to businesses, helping move food concession trailers in on move-in day, help marking the streets at 1:30 in the morning for the, Farmers & Crafters Day, helping with line-up for the Tournament of Leaves Parade as well as driving VIPs in the parade, or hauling items to various events throughout the week, chamber official said they can count on this Sharrar event after event, year after year.
Sharrar also serves as bartender at the annual awards dinner. He has helped with set-up of tents and serving as a porter service volunteer during the Clarion Wine Walk or helping with set-up for the “I Love Clarion” celebration. He has also done construction for the chamber including building storage shelves for the storage area and putting together furniture.
He has also received his Fellowship Degree from Moose Lodge International, and he volunteers for the fundraising efforts ranging from cooking fish dinners to helping to install bathrooms. Sharrar is also a member of the Ross McGinnis VFW Post No. 2145 where he also volunteers with fundraising efforts.
He has also volunteered on many occasions at the Sligo Presbyterian Church, helping with several construction efforts.
The Business of the Year – Economic Development award was presented to Clarion Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM.
The company took two already existing businesses, combined them, relocated them, renovated and expanded them into one location.
This effort increased the business’ need for additional employees.
The Business of the Year – Community Service award was presented to Clarion Rotary.
The organization was chartered here in Clarion in 1961 and currently has 58 active members. There is no paid staff.
Volunteers of the club take committee positions and help with projects throughout the year.
They are made up of massage therapists, business executives, radio station owners, bank branch managers, optometrists, business managers, retail business owners, insurance agents, executive directors and more, all of whom give their time and talents to help the community and beyond.
Any money they raise goes directly back to the community and their programs directly benefit the people of Clarion County.