Business & Tech

UCP/CLASS to Hold Community Heroes Dinner

Local leaders will be honored.

UCP/CLASS will hold its 19th Annual Community Heroes Awards Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at The Westin Convention Center.

United Cerebral Palsy Community Living and Support Services will celebrate the work of Pittsburgh’s top humanitarians with Andrew Stockey, WTAE-TV, emceeing the evening, and Rick Enscoe and Dan Long, serving as the honorary co-chairs.

  • Dr. Jeanette South-Paul, MD., Andrew W. Mathieson Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine ~ University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine will receive UCP/CLASS’ Gertrude Labowitz Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. South-Paul joined the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in July, 2001, as the Department Chair after serving for 22 years as a family physician in the U.S. Army. She served as the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Services for six years prior to her military retirement. She was appointed the Andrew W. Mathieson University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Professor of Family Medicine in April of 2005. Dr. South-Paul maintains an active family medicine practice to include maternity care at the UPMC Matilda Theiss Clinic. Her research interests include maternal child health and fitness and evaluating cultural competence in clinicians and trainees.
  • The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University will receive this year's Community Hero Award. In 11 years of service to the nonprofit community, the BCNM has completed over 1,000 consulting engagements and educated over 4,500 students. Their clients include human service, arts, faith-based, community development, environmental and education organizations. 
  • Becky Troppman and Melanie Miller, cheerleading coaches for the Pittsburgh Superstars will be honored with the Advocacy and Awareness Award. Becky Troppman is an Elementary Health and Physical Education Teacher at the Shaler Area School District. Melanie (Mel) Miller is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration and is currently employed as a Staff Accountant at Creese, Smith & Co., LLC. Additionally, they have been coaching athletes with special needs through the Pittsburgh Shining Stars. The Shining Stars are a competitive cheerleading squad that combines athletes with special needs with select athletes from the Pittsburgh Superstars program. The goal of the program is to promote awareness in the cheerleading community by providing the Shining Star athletes with the opportunity to show others their abilities.
  • Joyce Rothermel, Former CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank will receive the Humanitarian Award. Joyce Rothermel helped found the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the region’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization. She has been a tireless crusader against hunger for over thirty years. In addition to her leadership of the Food Bank, Ms. Rothermel completed an 8-year term on the Board of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest) in 2008. She currently serves on the Advisory 2 Board of Directors for both Pittsburgh Cares and Pittsburgh Storehouse for Teachers, as Treasurer for the Pittsburgh Haiti Solidarity Committee, as Chairs of the Government Relations Committee of the Pennsylvania Association of Regional Food Banks, and the Church Renewal Committee of the Association of Pittsburgh Priests. She is also an active member of the Executive Directors Forum of Feeding America, Leadership Pittsburgh X, Just Harvest, Bread for the World, Amnesty International, and the Thomas Merton Center. In 2007, Ms. Rothermel was named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania and in 2008, she received the Frieda Shapira Medal for excellence in non-profit leadership.
  • Tanner’s Troopers have been selected as the recipient of UCP/CLASS’ Benefactor Award. Tanner’s Troopers have been participating in the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Walk for a Healthy Community to raise money for UCP/CLASS since 2009. Comprised of family members and friends who have joined together in honor of Tanner Young, this group has raised an estimated $30,000 for UCP/CLASS over the past three years. Throughout each year, Tanner’s Troopers host several fundraising events that have generously benefitted UCP/CLASS. Not only does Tanner’s Troopers raise money for UCP/CLASS, they represent UCP/CLASS’ mission of “Working Toward a Community Where Each Belongs.”
  • Andre Blakey will be honored with the Norma J. Gianutsos, Volunteer of the Year Award. Andre Blakey is an ambassador of UCP/CLASS Centre Services. Andre has been a volunteer at the Centre the past three years, donating over 1,500 hours of his time.

UCP/CLASS is organization founded in 1951 with the mission of working toward a community where each belongs. UCP/CLASS continually seeks innovative approaches that foster the independence of adults and children with disabilities and promote their full participation in communities and activities of their choice.

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