Adele Penrod, fifth from right, accepts the Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Award from committee members of The Hinsch Family Fund of The Piqua Community Foundation and Piqua Parents as Teachers representatives on Monday. The award recognizes Penrod’s contributions to Piqua Parents as Teachers in 2022.
The Hinsch Family Fund of The Piqua Community Foundation awarded G. Russell Fashner with the Scott J. Hinsch Community Service Award on Monday in recognition of his volunteer service to Friends of the Piqua Parks. Pictured are Fashner, third from right, with representatives from the organization and The Hinsch Family Fund.
Krista Abernathy, front, poses with representatives of The Hinsch Family Fund of The Piqua Community Foundation and St. James Episcopal Church congregation members on Monday as The Piqua Community Foundation presented her with the Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Award. The recognition is a part of the annual volunteer awards and is accompanied by a $2,000 unrestricted grant award for the nominating organization.
PIQUA — The Piqua Community Foundation presented three local volunteers with The Scott J. Hinsch and Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Awards on Monday, Feb. 20.
The following volunteers received the awards in surprise presentations:
• G. Russell Fashner, Friends of the Piqua Parks;
• Krista Abernathy, St. James Episcopal Church;
• Adele Penrod, Piqua Parents as Teachers.
The recipients received a glass plaque to commemorate the occasion, and the nominating nonprofit agency received a $2,000 unrestricted grant from The Hinsch Family Fund of The Piqua Community Foundation, in recognition of that outstanding volunteer. The Hinsch awards are offered annually, typically to one male and one female volunteer. The committee chose two Margaret W. Hinsch awardees this year among a competitive field of nominees.
Cari Beth Noah and 11-year-old Jack Noah, granddaughter and great-grandson of the awards’ namesakes, respectively, presented the awards to recognize their legacy of service to the Piqua community. Cari Beth Noah also represented her parents, John and Marsha Hinsch, and her aunt, Dr. Linda Hinsch Campbell, who founded the fund and were unable to attend the presentations.
“The Hinsch family and The Hinsch Family Fund committee are touched by this year’s awardees’ contributions to their respective organizations in 2022,” John Hinsch said. “We are inspired by the incredible dedication of these volunteers to rally around their community. We are so humbled to share these awards in memory of my parents who loved and served Piqua all their lives.”
The Scott J. Hinsch Community Service Award winner – G. Russell Fashner
Ruth A. Koon, president of Friends of the Piqua Parks, nominated Fashner for his efforts to renovate the concession area at Pitsenbarger Park in 2022. Fashner drew up the construction plans, secured the necessary permits and coordinated concrete work.
The nomination included a letter of support from Amy Welker, assistant city manager for the city of Piqua.
“Having this newly renovated space for gathering will showcase the community pride in Piqua and will be a welcoming area to our out-of-town guests,” Welker wrote. “Russ exemplifies this type of pride in our community, and his efforts surely deserve to be recognized.”
The Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Award winner – Krista Abernathy
Barney Littlejohn, treasurer/vestry for St. James Episcopal Church, nominated Abernathy for working every weekday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and coordinating the many projects of the church as the volunteer secretary. Abernathy creates publications, coordinates winter accessory and sock distributions, taught arts and crafts to the congregation’s children and coordinated the little library and little pantry boxes outside of the church.
“Her creative efforts in the several programs above ensured that St. James had a Piqua presence in the downtown area each and every day of 2022,” Littlejohn wrote in his nomination. “St. James is very grateful for Krista’s time and talent.”
The Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Award winner – Adele Penrod
Kathy Booher and Kim Lawson, directors of Piqua Parents as Teachers, nominated Penrod, who served as the first director of the organization and now volunteers her time on the board of directors. In 2022, Penrod coordinated two quarter auction fundraisers, helped to relocate the office and playroom, and served as a spokesperson for the organization’s programs.
The nomination included a letter of support from Cheryl Buecker, who serves on the Piqua Parents as Teachers board with Penrod.
“Her strengths as a board member are numerous as she continues to support every part of the program,” Buecker wrote. “She continues to be a guiding light.”
The Hinsch Family Fund committee, the nominators and family members of the awardees presented the awards Monday. To watch livestream videos and view more photos from the awards presentations, visit The Piqua Community Foundation’s Facebook page.
For more information about The Piqua Community Foundation and The Scott J. Hinsch and Margaret W. Hinsch Community Service Awards, visit piquacommunityfoundation.org.
