July 7, 2011
Pa Secretary of Aging, Brian Duke, was the guest speaker at Center in the Park's (CIP) annual board meeting and awards ceremony, held at the Center, located in Vernon Park, on June 20, 2011. After sharing his vision for aging services in the Commonwealth of PA, the Secretary assisted CIP's Executive Director, Lynn Fields Harris, in presenting its annual Riegel awards presented to an individual and organization nominated by the public and the Board of Director's annual Distinguished Service Award.
The annual awards recognize persons and organizations that affirm the dignity and potential of older people; encourage older people to make their voices heard and to contribute to their communities; have a record of continuous service to older people; and use creativity in uncovering new solutions to problems involving an aging population.
In 1986, Center in the Park (CIP) created an Award named for Marguerite L. Riegel, one of CIP's founders. At the same time, the endowed Emergency Cash Fund was named in memory of CIP's other Founder, Laura Drake Nichols. Beginning in 1990, an organization was also selected for the Riegel Award. In 2006, the CIP Board of Directors also established a Distinguished Service Award.
 Group Photo with Award: Left to Right: Michelle Brix, CIP’s Senior Housing Counselor; Karen Buck, Executive Director, SeniorLAW Center; Ronald J. Shaffer, Board Chair, SeniorLAW Center; Beth Shay, Esq., SeniorLAW Center; Lynn Fields Harris, Executive Director, Center in the Park; and, Brian Duke, PA Secretary of Aging. |
 Group Photo: Left to Right: Robert Preston, Jr., son of Awardee; Shirley Preston, Recipient of Distinguished Service Award; and, Patrice Grimes, daughter of Awardee. |
The 2011 Riegel Award Recipients are: Elizabeth (Beth) Shay for her commitment and dedication as a tireless advocate for consumers in her role as Homeowners Assistance Program Coordinator/Attorney for the SeniorLAW Center and as an asset for housing counselors and others who work on behalf of older adults facing financial crisis and mortgage foreclosure.
SeniorLAW Center was represented by its Executive Director, Karen Buck and Board Chair, Ronald Schaffer. SeniorLAW, since its founding in 1978, has provided free legal representation to more than 50,000 older adults focusing on the most vital and recurring legal issues facing them.
The 2011 Distinguished Service Award Recipient Shirley Preston - a CIP Board Member and Officer since 2004 who has utilized her skills honed as a former banking executive, in corporate philanthropy, to assist the Center's resource development efforts, particularly in soliciting individual gifts and creating and implementing signature special events.
Past recipients of the award: Individuals: Doris Schall, an art teacher and community service activist; Harry Levitan, who started a free law office for seniors at CIP; Virginia Dreby, a CIP Board member, and volunteer with Germantown Settlement and the Women's Y; Clarice Herbert, former Board President of CIP and former Director of the YWCA of Germantown; Frank X. Delany, a community activist and advocate for non-profits; Rennie Cohen, former Executive Director of CIP; Mary Fallon, Outreach Director, Unitarian Universalist House; Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Secretary of the PA Department of Aging; and, C. Richard Cox, Former Vice President, the William Penn Foundation, past CIP Board President; Celeste Zappala, former Director of the Mayor's Commission on Aging and Sheila MacMaster, an RN and Supervisor of Catholic Care Options Program for the Elderly of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Organizations: Germantown Hospital and Medical Center; Northwest Victim Services; Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA); Germantown Relief Society; Thomas Jefferson University's Center for Applied Research on Aging & Health (CARAH); the Hannah & George Bricker Memorial Trust, BNY Mellon Corporation; the Green Tree Community Health Foundation; and, Chestnut Hill College.
Distinguished Service Award: The first recipient was Artis Ray, the longest serving former President of the Center's Board of Directors; followed by CIP Members, Fred and Carrie Lewis; Earline Myrick, CIP volunteer and exercise activity leader; Robert Macbeth, former member of the CIP Board of Directors; Frances Moss, CIP volunteer and former staff member, and Carlotta Fareira, CIP member and volunteer.
Center in the Park is a community center that promotes positive aging and fosters community connections for older adults in Northwest Philadelphia, whose voices are critical instruments in shaping its activities and direction. CIP is accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers, a unit of the National Council on Aging as a provider of excellent programs, activities and services for its active membership of more than 5,000 and its 1,000 homebound clients.
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