County women honored with Distinguished Service Awards
PENN TWP — Butler Eagle general manager Tammy Schuey and SpringHill Suites by Marriott Butler Centre City general manager Audrianna Bly were honored at the 71st annual Distinguished Service Awards dinner Wednesday evening.
Schuey, who received the Senior Distinguished Service Award, and Bly, who was presented the junior award, were recognized for their service to the community at the event hosted by the Butler Eagle and the Rotary Club of Butler PM at the Butler Country Club.
Millie Pinkerton, co-chairwoman of the award committee and a Rotary Club of Butler PM member, said the two recipients showed “service above self,” leading to their nominations for, and selections to receive, the awards.
Jordan Grady, president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, introduced Schuey by recognizing her three decades of service to the community, and particularly her work to fight addiction within Butler County.
Schuey has served as chairwoman of the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Addiction Center board of directors, and was instrumental in the organization of the Chicora Family Fun Day, which focuses on drug and alcohol awareness.
When accepting her DSA, Schuey said she most acutely felt the desire to give back to the community after Butler County residents helped her following her husband’s death. She said she hopes her debt to the community has been repaid by her actions since, but added she won’t stop.
“I can guarantee I’m not done,” Schuey said. “I’ll be here a while.”
The Eagle’s general manager also serves on the board of directors at the Golden Tornado Education Foundation and the Butler County Family YMCA, serving as the latter’s chairwoman for its annual support campaign. That service, Schuey said, came from positive experiences at the YMCA during her childhood, when her aunt would take her into Butler to learn judo.
“Really, what I learned in that judo class has stayed with me for my entire life,” Schuey said. “Courage, honesty, honor — those are all things that I learned at judo class at the YMCA.”
Bly led the Save the Playground project at Butler Memorial Park for the Butler AM Rotary Club, helped form the Saxonburg Rotary Club, and was co-chairwoman of the annual Carved in Ice event for the Butler Rotary.
Audray Muscatello Yost, who introduced Bly, said Bly’s work ethic is most exemplified by her work during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she not only helped manage the SpringHill Suites, but also picked up housekeeping and any other duties necessary to keep it running.
“This is a prestigious award, and I’m honored to even be considered as a nominee,” Bly said.
Ron Vodenichar, co-chairman of the award committee and Eagle publisher, said a positive aspect of the DSA dinner — in addition to recognizing those whose volunteerism has helped the community — is encouraging others to serve their neighbors.
“It is always a pleasure, and the best thing is, I know, when this crowd leaves this room they’re going to think about how to do better tomorrow,” Vodenichar said.
