Left to right: Lori Chaffers (President & CEO), Jess Petroziello (Special Guest and Featured Outreach Participant), Keenan Lewis (Family Development Specialist)
Outreach’s largest fundraising event of the year was a huge success! We are so grateful to everyone who was able to join us on Thusday, October 8 at the Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, PA.
Each year, Outreach hosts the Mighty Oak Awards to recognize individuals and organizations that stand out in their efforts to support people and families in our community who strive to achieve family stability and economic self-sufficiency.
This year, we had the pleasure of highlighting Outreach participant, Jess Pertroziello, and honoring Jerry Musheno and Michele Catalano-Musheno with the Mighty Oak Award and Dr. Dennis and Grace Dawgert with the Beth Beh Community Spirit Award.
On behalf of everyone at Outreach, we extend our gratitude towards both couples for their outstanding contributions to the community, and we are so thankful to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful evening.
Mighty Oak Award Recipients
Jerry Musheno and Michele Catalano-Musheno
Left to right: Barbara Byrne (Outreach Board Chair), Jerry Musheno and Michele Catalano-Musheno, Lori Chaffers (President & CEO), Liz Ratchford (Community Outreach & Resource Development Director)
Jerry Musheno and Michele Catalano-Musheno, this year’s Mighty Oak Award recipients, have built parallel careers in pharmacy and law, and a shared life devoted to community service. Jerry, a pharmacy law consultant and longtime educator at Wilkes and Jefferson Universities, has led many nonprofit boards across the region, including Outreach – Center for Community Resources, St. Joseph’s Center Foundation, and the Lackawanna Blind Association. Michele, retired Director of Pharmacy at Moses Taylor Hospital, administered thousands of vaccinations during two public health emergencies and now volunteers as a certified Medicare counselor.
Together, they serve as Eucharistic Ministers and ambassadors at the Church of St. Gregory, where Michele helped establish the parish’s Mental Health Ministry. Jerry continues to serve on multiple nonprofit boards, while Michele volunteers with the We Care Ministry food preparation for the needy and as a certified Medicare counselor.
Jerry and Michele live in Clarks Summit, proud parents of four grown children and Jampa and Mimi to grandson Declan.
Beth Beh Community Spirit Award Recipients
Dr. Dennis and Grace Dawgert
Left to right: Jennifer Shoemaker (Program Manager of Prison Reentry Programs), Dr. Dennis Dawgert, Grace Dawgert, Lori Chaffers (President & CEO)
Grace and Dr. Dennis Dawgert, this year’s Beth Beh Community Spirit Award recipients, have devoted decades to serving their community. Grace, a speech pathologist for 43 years, has chaired Our Lady of the Snows Parish’s Social Justice Committee and spent 25 years coordinating outreach to migrant farmworkers. Denny, a pediatrician who has cared for Northeastern PA families for 50 years, has served his parish as a board member, CCD teacher, and Eucharistic minister.
Together, as members of the Order of Malta since 2012, they’ve served the poor and imprisoned through St. Francis Kitchen, food and toy distributions, and their annual donation of 100 backpacks to Outreach’s Welcome Back Backpacks program. As founding members of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, they now teach weekly classes at USP Canaan Federal Prison. Since 2011, Grace has also supported Outreach’s GED, job readiness, and women’s writing programs.
Grace and Denny Dawgert give with their hands, their hearts, and their time, again and again, wherever they’re needed most.