2 men dedicated to a better Butler win Distinguished Service Awarded
Impressive contributions to the community have earned two men the 2023 Butler County Distinguished Service Award.
Dennis Baglier, president of Baglier Buick GMC, was named the senior DSA winner. The junior Distinguished Service Award will go to Jeff Geibel.
Baglier and Geibel will receive their awards at a banquet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at the Butler Country Club.
Baglier was nominated by Audray Muscatello-Yost and Sam Zurzolo.
In their nomination, Muscatello-Yost and Zurzolo said Baglier “epitomizes service above self.”
They said Baglier’s most recent community project was restoring the playgrounds in Butler by pursuing fundraising and contributing numerous man hours to the project.
As a result, the children in the Institute Hill, South Hills and Island neighborhoods have safe and fun playgrounds in which to play and gather.
Baglier also bought the brick house in Butler that became Robin’s Home, a residence for homeless, unstably housed and low-income female veterans and their children.
He currently serves on the Robin’s Home board of directors and raises funds for the facility.
Baglier also graduated from the FBI Citizen’s Academy in 2019 and serves on the board of directors for the academy’s alumni association.
He organized and volunteered for the local chapter’s participation at the 20th anniversary at the 9/11 Memorial and is participating in their human trafficking initiative.
Baglier’s special focus behind the scenes at the academy is combating hate crime and human trafficking, his nomination stated.
He served on the board of directors at the United Way of Butler County and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
He has raised funds for or volunteered with Butler County Food Bank, United Way Day of Caring, Adopt-a-Highway, Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation, Friends of Preston Park and the county Humane Society.
In addition to sponsoring the Kids’ Fishing Tournament each year at Lake Arthur, Baglier donates scholarships to students at Butler High School and Shadyside Academy in memory of his son, John.
He is a past recipient of the Moraine Trails Council Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizens Award.
“He dives into each project with a smile on his face, with determination and without asking or wanting any recognition or thanks,” Muscatello-Yost and Zurzolo said in their nomination letter. “Despite facing many tragedies in his life, Denny marches on.”
Geibel was nominated by last year’s junior DSA award winner, Audrianna Bly.
She credited Geibel, who is a financial adviser at Edward Jones in Butler, with revitalizing the Butler Downtown nonprofit group in part by finding committee chairs to form committees that would come up with new ideas.
“The organization began thriving again and it was because of Jeff’s leadership and sacrifice,” Bly said in the nomination letter.
Geibel also worked closely with SRU SUCCEED on Main Street in Butler, Feeding Our Heroes, Bowl for Butler, Butler Downtown Nigh at the Ballpark, Friends of the Bantam Jeep, Father Marinaro Park, Foodie Fridays, and setting up the trees at Diamond Park at the holidays.
Geibel, a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, was named Rotarian of the Year in 2021-22.
“In just talking with him for a minute, you can tell that he radiates sincerity and a deep passion for helping others and helping our community,” Bly said in her letter.
Tickets to the event cost $50; checks should be made payable to the Rotary Club of Butler and sent to P.O. Box 1081, Butler PA 16003. For more information, contact Mille Pinkerton, 724-287-3395.
