Scott Smith & Son Honored with 2024 Fran Leavenworth Making A Difference Award

It was an evening of goodness and smiles on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Parkview Dugan House Restaurant when Brian Scanlon received the annual Fran Leavenworth Award on behalf of Scott Smith and Son for their long history of outstanding community service and citizen servant leadership.

A dinner hosted by the Charles H. Bassett Youth Foundation remembered former Tioga County Legislative Chairperson Fran Leavenworth for her tireless service to promote the health, well-being, spirit, and welfare of all citizens. Under Fran’s leadership, Cornell Cooperative Extension facilitated more than 75 countywide improvement projects in 1998 and 199 on October’s National Make A Difference Day, the largest National Day Of Doing Good, which engaged over a thousand Tioga residents. A unifying Celebration of Doing Good was held at Marvin Park afterward.

Fran served on many local government and non-profit boards in her 30 years of civic leadership, and she was the Vice-President of the CHB Youth Foundation helping promote volunteer youth service recognition. The dinner was attended by several local family representatives who have maintained and sustained a long commitment to serving their community with a servant’s heart and good deeds.

Colleen and David Dewey-Wright, who helped design the 1998 and1999 Tioga County Make A Difference Day project materials through Cooperative Extension were in attendance and spoke about Fran’s impact on them and inspiration on others.

Tom McEnteer shared about his years of public service in education and history, helping sustain the Tioga County Historial Society Museum.

Georgia and Roger Westgate shared stories of their long service in Candor to the legacy of woodcarving and history.

Eudora Shuler, now 101 years young, shared about her public health nursing, and she was joined by her daugter in-law, Margaret Shuler, in describing the challenges of reaching rural areas of Tioga County to offer health services in remote areas.

Bill Shuler was acknowledged for his generous volunteer service to citizens in need.

Chris Wieckhorst, OFA alumnus and CHBYF Board member, talked about his desire to serve the community. He believes that his generation is showing greater interest in volunteering to help others, especially through mentoring.

Dan Halliday shared about the public education and early childhood services he and his wife, Patti, contributed for many years in Newark Valley.

Bob and Dave Woodburn shared about their personal public service and the role the family has played in 50 years of building community through service in Owego. 

Before the award presentation, Brian Scanlon shared information about the early establishment of Scott Smith & Son by the founding Smith family and the subsequent generations who, for over 100 years, have continued to generate goodwill and good service throughout Tioga County, always willing to help those in need. Bob Bassett, current Vice-President thanked all the do-gooders, encouraged everyone to help all our youth become servant leaders, and closed with a reading of the Maya Angelou poem “Continue.”

“My wish for you is that you continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. “