County ‘blessed’ with Hometown Heroes
BUTLER TWP — The Hometown Heroes program culminated Saturday, Sept. 30, with an awards dinner to recognize the county’s first-responder honorees — representing law enforcement, fire services and EMS — with a spotlight on four exceptional Hometown Heroes.
“We are blessed to have these people in our backyards,” said Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, “and all of us need to understand how blessed we are to have them when we need them.”
Receiving the top honors were officer Conrad Pfeifer, firefighter Glen Walker, and tying for emergency medical services honorees were Vern Smith and Nancy Brice.
Organized in partnership with the tourism bureau, Salute Home Loans, the Butler Eagle and Rotarians in Butler County, the Hometown Heroes Awards dinner honored 29 exemplary first responders at the Tesla BioHealing & MedBed Center in Butler Township.
In cooperation with Cohen who was Rotary district governor, honorees nominated by county residents were selected regionally by Rotary clubs in the early spring and recognized by the clubs. Four first responders were then selected from among the 29 by the Hometown Heroes Committee.
“You know, the Rotarians that do this, their motto is ‘Service above self,’” Cohen said. “Now tell me — anybody that’s fire, police and EMS — that that’s not your motto too.”
Sam Royer, a former U.S. Marine and president of Salute Home Loans, said he originally founded the program in Daytona, Fla., as a “continuation of service” — bringing the concept to county Sheriff Mike Slupe.
“It’s been very humbling to see the people who choose to truly just serve their community,” he said. “I mean, nobody in here chose to get in your profession to become a millionaire, right?”
Of the 29 first responders honored, the top four were chosen by the committee comprised of Cohen; Royer; Slupe; Tammy Schuey, general manager of the Butler Eagle; Keith Graham, vice president of advertising at the Butler Eagle; and Jeff Martinelli, public relations and communications with the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau.
“The first honoree is from law enforcement: Conrad Pfeifer,” Royer said. “He is with Middlesex Police Department, Mars Borough Police Department and Quality EMS.
“You are with all of them? Awesome.”
Nominated by Kent Shoemaker, Pfeifer’s nomination letter extolled his many achievements in the county.
“He organized and conducted the first mass-casualty incident training in Butler County that involved multiple agencies, is a talented professional and dedicated first responder that has served communities in the county,” Royer read. “We are fortunate to have Conrad as a first responder contractor.”
Pfeifer has held his positions in the three departments for over three decades, according to Royer, in addition to working with local school districts.
“It’s unbelievable for me, because I’m ready to retire — thinking I’m ready to retire,” Pfeifer said. “I got the call; I thought it was for something else, and I actually thought they were kidding.”
He said the nomination was “unexpected” despite juggling the three positions.
“I used to make the joke: I don’t watch much TV,” he said, laughing. “I watch Jeopardy, but that’s about it. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
The second awardee was Glen Walker, who has served with the Evans City Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years. He was nominated by Bill Westerman.
“Here’s Bill’s nomination: Being a life member of the Evans City Volunteer Fire Department, I worked with Glen Walker for many years,” Royer read, “both as a firefighter along with engine maintenance, along with building maintenance and fundraisers.”
Walker was described as “proficient,” a member of the borough council, an ambulance service driver, and active in the community.
“Glen has always been a community service-oriented person and volunteers to do virtually anything to help our community and citizens,” Royer read.
Absent for health reasons, Walker’s sisters — Katie Jamison and Judy Shisler — represented him at the dinner.
“I was just thrilled for him, because he does so much for us, the community,” Shisler said. “I mean, he would do anything for anybody, and unfortunately, he’s having some health issues right now — so I think he feels he’s not doing as much as he would like to be doing.”
Jamison said her brother is beloved by the community.
“He’s always the first one who’ll be there,” she said.
For the EMS category, the committee found itself tied — with the first honoree being Vern Smith, former Clarion County 911 director of emergency services and founder of Citizens Concerned for EMS.
“Vern has been a leader in EMS and public safety within Butler County for nearly 50 years,” Royer said. “He has trained most of the current and past providers responding to major incidents and trained professionals throughout the country — even in India.”
Smith said the other nominees, and the first responders who gave their lives in the county, are the real “heroes.”
“I’ve been around the world, and I’ve got to say that there are some really devoted individuals in the disciplines in Butler County,” he said. “It’s something that we should really be proud of.”
The second EMS honoree was Nancy Brice, paramedic for Clarion Hospital and Karns City ambulances and supporter of the Karns City Regional Ambulance board.
“As a paramedic, she has touched many lives, and there is no way of knowing how many lives she has changed through the people that she has saved,” Royer said. “She has a heart of gold and would do anything that she could to help the organizations that needed her help.”
But Brice said she was just glad the other honorees got to spend the evening with their families.
“I can tell you that families lose out when you do this,” she said. “When the phones go off, you get up and leave, and I’ve missed a lot of things around work.”
While the program honored the county’s best-of-the-best first responders, Slupe said it also served as a lead-up to the first Can-Am Police-Fire Games in Butler County.
“The games we’re planning on having are multisport,” he said. “With everyone in law enforcement from the federal, state, county and municipal governments throughout the United States, and then some, being invited to participate.”
With the Canadian American games beginning in the 1970s, according to Slupe, the last competition in Pennsylvania was in the 1990s.
“It’s going to be really, really exciting,” he said. “We need sponsors, we need volunteers for the Butler Can-Am Games 2024. You can certainly sign up to volunteer, and please, first responders, definitely sign up to participate in these games.”
The Can-Am Police-Fire Games are set to take place in the summer of 2024, according to Slupe, and the county is in desperate need of representatives — with over 10 countries abroad already contacting Cohen at the tourism bureau about the event.
“We want people to know how blessed we are in this community,” Cohen said, “and we really want to make sure that they come back.”
Cohen also emphasized the importance of recognizing the county’s first responders outside of these events.
“We do it, but probably not enough,” Cohen said. “We need to do more.”
Conrad Pfeifer, Law Enforcement
Conrad Pfeifer is an officer with the Middlesex Township Police Department, the Mars Borough Police Department and the director of Quality EMS.
Glen Walker, Fire Services
Glen Walker served with the Evans City Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years. He has worked in fire services for at least 45 years.
Nancy Brice, EMS
At 80 years old, Nancy Brice is a longtime supporter of the Karns City Regional Ambulance board as well as a paramedic for Clarion Hospital and Karns City ambulances. She also teaches courses including first aid.
Vern Smith, EMS
Vern Smith is the former Clarion County 911 director of emergency services and founder of Citizens Concerned for EMS. He has over 50 years of emergency medical services experience.
2023 Hometown Hero Honorees
Honorees for the 2023 Hometown Heroes included Officer Kory Fleming, Butler City Police Department; Cindy Speer, emergency services; Jeremy Nickl, 911 dispatcher and a part-time paramedic for Cranberry Township EMS; Aaron Natali, operations supervisor for the Butler Ambulance Service; Chuck Lewis, paramedic with the Saxonburg VFC Ambulance; Chief Jeff Hollidge, Harrisville Police Department; Allie Palmer, EMT for Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team; Pat Kelly, deputy chief/paramedic at Quality Emergency Medical Services; Mandy Cousins, community outreach coordinator for Cranberry Township EMS; Chief Joe Beachem, Saxonburg Police Department; Jordan Smith, Pennsylvania State Police; Kevin Smith, deputy fire chief with the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District; Sgt. Patrick Walker, Butler County Sheriff’s Department; Officer Melanie Hart, Zelienople Police Department; Chief Nathan Blackwood, Prospect Volunteer Fire Department; Chief Cody Craig, Chicora Volunteer Fire Department; Larry Shuler, Butler Bureau of Fire; Ray McDonald, registered nurse in the UPMC Passavant-McCandless post-anesthesia care unit; Ryan Roberts, president of the Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company; Matt Springer, volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Harmony Fire District; Glen Walker, Evans City Volunteer Fire Department; Chief Joe McCombs, Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department; Officer Ed Steinmetz, Cranberry Township Police Department; Nancy Brice, Karns City Regional Ambulance board and a paramedic for Clarion Hospital and Karns City ambulances; Vern Smith, former Clarion County 911 director of emergency services and founder of Citizens Concerned for EMS; Bruce Hezlep, Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company; Officer Conrad Pfeifer, who serves with the Middlesex Township and Mars Borough police departments and as the director of Quality EMS; Robbie Keebler, Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company; and Brian Greenawalt, Harmony EMS.
