Leanne Calvert receives 34th annual Outstanding Citizen Award
Leanne (Shober) Calvert, of Berlin, area received the Berlin Lions Club's 34th Annual Outstanding Citizen Award during a banquet at the borough's community building Nov. 2.
Calvert was presented with the award by Lions' members Bill Day, president, during the evening ceremony and Calvert's family and friends were there to show their support.
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Community involvement is in Calvert's DNA. She is not the first in her family to receive this prestigious award. Her brother Larry Shober was honored in 2012. Valley Grange, Somerset County and Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Growers, County 4-H Program, Berlin Firemen and many other groups have benefited from the Shober family's volunteerism throughout the years.
For Calvert, her passion for community involvement started at a young age working in the Valley and Pomona granges and then in the Sheep 4-H Club. In the early 1950s, she made it to the Western Pennsylvania Junior Livestock Show on Herr's Island in Pittsburgh, where she exhibited her champion market lamb.
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Leanne is a graduate of Berlin Brothersvalley High School and during those high school years, she participated in many extracurriculars including the Pennsylvania Maple Queen contest and was crowned Pennsylvania Lamb and Wool Queen.
She and Tom Calvert were married in 1964 and currently live on Archery Road in the location of the Shober Family Farm. Tom recalls his first evening in Somerset County, when Leanne opened the meeting of the Somerset County 4-H Council. They have two sons, Jeff Calvert of Berlin, and Steve, who passed away in 2014. They have two grandchildren, Zach and Lucas, and one step grandchild, Jessica Lewes.
After high school, Leanne later went to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to major in elementary education. She came back to her hometown to work at Berlin Brothersvalley Elementary School, mainly teaching second and third grades. Education is extremely important to her and is reflected in her participation on the Berlin Brothersvalley School District Educational Foundation, where she was one of the original members and served faithfully for over ten years. She is currently a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Education Society, where she has served in most officer positions, including president and on many committees.
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Retired but very busy, she continues to serve the community. She is an active member of the Berlin Trinity United Church of Christ, where she participates in the Chancel Choir and Bell Choir, and occasionally she plays piano for church and Sunday School services. She is a Sunday School teacher as well as a consistory member and on many committees in her church.
She is also an active member in the Pius Spring Women's Club, holding most offices including president throughout the years. Preserving Berlin's history and continuing to educate others about the Town of Berlin remains one of her passions as she serves as president of the Berlin Area Historical Society. When Leanne is not serving her community, she enjoys traveling and playing bridge.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Leanne Calvert receives 34th annual Outstanding Citizen Award
