MOUNT VERNON — Mayor Richard Mavis announced Mount Vernon’s Volunteers of the Year Friday night at ThePlace@TheWoodward during First Friday festivities. Four volunteers who have made strong impacts with their community service were honored with praise, plaques and applause, though two of the winners could not be present, due to out-of-state traveling.
The awards, selected by Mavis, City Auditor Terry Scott and Safety Service Director Dave Glass, were awarded to Dan and Teresa Shaw, Ryan Pentz, and Bryan Presley. Mavis said that the Shaws were traveling, and that their plaques will be presented to them at the next city council meeting. Mavis praised the Shaws for their service to the community through their years of service on numerous boards.
In an effort to also look not just at boards but at community programs, Mavis said that the selection committee wished to honor two of the figures heavily involved in boys baseball and girls softball in Mount Vernon, offering solid leadership to those programs.
“Our softball and baseball teams are real ambassadors for the city of Mount Vernon,” the mayor said, citing the praise he has heard from other communities about how positive and well-behaved the teams are.
Ryan Pentz was named Volunteer of the Year for his work with the Mount Vernon Boys Baseball Association.
“We had three little leagues and one Babe Ruth baseball league,” Mavis said. “The gentleman we’re making the award to this evening was instrumental in bringing those three leagues and the Babe Ruth Association together to form the Mount Vernon Boys Baseball Association.”
“I couldn’t have done this without a great supporting cast,” Pentz said as he accepted the award. Pentz said that he greatly enjoyed being president of the league, but that he was moving on to work with girls softball, which his daughters play. He praised the city for taking the time to recognize volunteers who make an impact on the community.
Bryan Presley was named Volunteer of the Year for his work with the girls softball program.
“We had a rough time starting out, switching from slow pitch to fast pitch,” Presley said. He said that it has turned out great, with good teams competing everywhere. He said that it takes of lot of time to work with the program, but that he enjoys it and hopes to keep being involved with it for at least a few more years. He also said that what he had accomplished would not have been possible without all the help he gets from other volunteers.
