Zeisberger Heckewelder Awards to be presented at May 9 banquet
DOVER ‒ Three Tuscarawas County residents ‒ Brad Hillyer, George “Kas” Kaswinkel and Sherrel Rieger ‒ and the Port Washington-Salem Historical Society are recipients of the 2023 Zeisberger Heckewelder Award.
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The awards are given each year by the Tuscarawas County Historical Society to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the area, making it a better place to live. The historical society first presented the award in 1981.
Information on the winners
Hillyer, who retired in January as judge of Tuscarawas County Court/Southern District, is being honored for his lifelong contributions to the Tuscarawas County community. He supports the preservation of the history of the Dennison-Uhrichsville area as the legal adviser for the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum and the Clay Capital Heritage Center. For 25 years Hillyer has served as the legal adviser for the Claymont High School mock trial team, winning 21 district championships with three Ohio state appearances.
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Kaswinkel is recipient based on his contributions to the county and his work to promote and save its local history. He helped start the Dennison Depot Museum and was on its board of directors for 15 years. He initiated the Dennison Depot Ball, which for many years brought in a large amount of funding for the museum. For his efforts at the Depot, he was awarded its Volunteer of the Year. Kas and his wife, Bev, also have created many displays of their antiques and collectibles for the Tuscarawas County Library and the Dover Public Library.
Rieger is the third recipient. In her nomination, she was described as “a beautiful person whose mission in life is to care for others.”
For the past 34 years she has served as a cultural broker, providing help and service to the people in the Hispanic community who began to arrive in Tuscarawas County in the early 1980s. Over the years Rieger has assisted police departments, hospitals, library patrons, Realtors, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, funeral homes, Big Brothers Big Sisters, T-4-C’s Share A Christmas, Miguate, Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County, Camp Imagine If and others entities to provide translation, immigration and social service assistance.
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The organizational Zeisberger Heckewelder Medal is awarded to the Port Washington-Salem Historical Society.
Over the years, this group of volunteers has worked to restore the Union Hall building in Port Washington, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The society also works to preserve items and archival material that represents the history of the village and township. The group has restored the third floor of the building, obtained grants to replace an outside stairway, refurbished a spiral staircase inside the building and is now working to restore and enhance the first floor of the building and create exhibits.
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Awards banquet scheduled for May 9
The awards will be presented at the 43rd annual Founders Day Banquet and Zeisberger Heckewelder Awards on May 9 at 6 p.m. at Fourth & Faith at N. Wooster Avenue and E. Fourth Street in Dover. The banquet will feature a social gathering at 6 followed by a catered meal at 6:30. The presentation of awards will follow the meal.
Reservations are required and can be made by sending a check and names of registrants to Tuscarawas County Historical Society, P.O. Box 462, New Philadelphia, 44663, by April 28, or by contacting the society at 330-308-7494. The cost for the evening is $25 per person.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: 3 residents, historical society to get Zeisberger Heckewelder award
