CURWENSVILLE – The 2016 “Service Above Self” award was presented to Peggy Sass for her efforts over the years to help animals in need through Orphans of the Storm. It was presented to her during the Vesper Service Sunday at the Curwensville Days Celebration.
Since 1971, 39 individuals, eight groups and two business entities from Curwensville have been presented the “Citizen of the Year” or the “Service Above Self” award.
The first-ever award was presented in 1971 by the former Curwensville Jaycees. They presented the award once.
Three years later in 1974, the Curwensville Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary gave its only presentation. And then two years later, the Rotary Club of Curwensville took it over and has presented this honor every year since.
“It has been my honor to be chairman of and present this on behalf of the Rotary Club for the past 26 years,” said Bill Williams Jr., chairman of the “Service Above Self” committee.
The Curwensville Rotary Club bases its selection on the Rotary International Motto “Service above Self,” meaning it is better to serve others than to receive service.
Williams said, “The persons, groups or businesses that have received the award have given freely of their time and talents without any thoughts of personal gain and honor.
According to him, this honor is not a trophy to be won or an accolade of small significance. “This is an achievement that has to be earned,” he said.
“The persons, groups or businesses that have been the recipient of this award are not necessarily the most notable in the community. But they have given of their time.
“… And, they did it because it was the ‘right thing to do,’ they want to see their community thrive and grow and realize that Curwensville is a great place to live and raise a family.”
The selection committee consisted of the members of the Curwensville Rotary Club. In order to broaden their nominee pool, they also accepted nominations from fellow service clubs, fraternal organizations and the community at large, explained Williams.
He said on Nov. 1, 1984, Sass, alongside a colleague, established Orphans of the Storm. They had become acquainted while working for the SPCA, and both had recognized a need in the area for low-cost spaying and neutering of animals.
“They started out working with local veterinarians who wanted the spay and neuter certificates they were selling to be based on the income of the pet owner,” Williams said.
“But they knew that expanding their services to everyone, regardless of income, would be a powerful tool in helping to control the pet population and prevent unnecessary euthanasia.”
While the organization was in its infancy, he said they were able to partner with the DJ&T Foundation, which was created by Bob Barker. The foundation provided grants to underwrite the cost of many spay and neuter surgeries.
But now the foundation does not provide financial support any longer, and Orphans of the Storm relies on the sales of spay and neuter certificates and fundraisers to have funds available, according to Williams.
“When the funds are sufficient, Sass is able to help those in need with veterinary care. She is often contacted by those who are in dire circumstances and who find their loved pet needs care. The animals that she has arranged help for range from guinea pigs to horses,” he said.
He continued, adding that she not only dedicates her time to selling spay and neuter certificates of which her organization earns just a few dollars from each, but she also helps to find foster families/homes for unwanted animals.
Sass, he said, has also turned to social media and created a Facebook page for the organization. It’s used to help place animals with foster families, to raises funds for Orphans of the Storm and to distribute general animal information.
“When her foster [homes] have space available, they are able to provide temporary shelter for animals in need,” Williams said. “Even though many people in the neighborhood know her home as her organization, she doesn’t have an actual brick and mortar shelter where she can house animals.”
He explained that Sass relies on foster homes until a more permanent solution can be found. Her life-long dream is to have a shelter that doesn’t have any euthanasia. He said Sass also relies on support from local businesses, which help the organization to survive through their donations of pet food and supplies.
“She has had a life-long love of animals, which brought her to fulfill this passion,” Williams said. He noted that the “rescued” animals she has adopted out and the numbers of animals she has helped to rescue over the years are just too numerous to count.
According to Williams, Sass estimates that over the years, they have sold well over 10,000 spay and neuter certificates and can’t even estimate the number of unwanted pets that those surgeries have prevented. She has also organized many rabies clinics throughout the area.
“She relies on the sale of spay and neuter certificates to continue funding her organization. She also organizes fundraisers and is always welcoming of monetary donations from the public. She is grateful for the public’s support over the years,” he said.
Orphans of the Storm now partners with the Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic in Woodland. Because her organization is all-volunteer, Sass also relies on the support of many others who act as foster families and volunteers: Jeri Sloppy her co-founder; her sister, Nancy Williams; Kim McKenrick of Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic; and Bonnie Seger and Sheila Knepp, both foster parents.
Sass also has great support from her family, including her husband, John; her three children, Randy and his wife, Tina Sass of Grampian, John and his wife, Dannielle Sass of Erie and Kristy Sass of Curwensville; as well as her five grandchildren, Kaitlynn and Joshua Sass of Grampian and Stafford, Rider and Gentry Sass of Erie.