DUBOIS – Former DuBois Mayor Gary Gilbert, who has passed away, was fondly remembered at Monday night’s city council meeting.
“He was a great man,” expressed City Manager John “Herm” Suplizio. “He dedicated his life to DuBois.”
Gilbert first took the office of mayor in 2009, and held the seat until his final term came to a close in 2019.
“Mayor Gilbert was kind, compassionate, thoughtful, and it was a true honor to serve him,” stated City Solicitor Toni Cherry.
Councilwoman Diane Bernardo also expressed that Gilbert was a very “good friend” to her family.
In other business, council approved a request from the Clearfield-Jefferson Suicide Prevention Team to hold its annual Suicide Prevention Walk and Awareness Day at the DuBois City Park.
This year, the 12th annual fundraiser event will take place Sept. 12 with a walk, speakers and support activities. It’s the team’s largest fundraiser event, averaging $20,000 in funds raised.
Funds directly help educate the community through events, provide families with support services and maintain a family of survivors support line. The team also hopes to assist DuBois Schools with its “Hope Squad” national chapter renewal.
The Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer group of students for suicide prevention, and the DASD was the first to be established in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.