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Scouts honor Walzer, two others at ceremony

Daily Item - 4/7/2017

April 07--MAHONING TWP. -- Martin Walzer VI believes he benefited more from being part of organizations than from contributions he made to them.

"They made my life so much better. Thank you for letting me be part of these organizations," he said in accepting the Distinguished Citizen Award Thursday night during the leadership dinner of the Columbia-Montour Boy Scout Council in the Pine Barn Inn.

The Knoebel family of Knoebels Amusement Resort received the Distinguished Corporate Citizen Award and the Rev. Dominick Mammarella, a World War II Army Air Force veteran and retired Berwick priest, was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Council President Nancy Bishop presented the awards. Past honorees of the distinguished citizen award helped honor Walzer, of the Danville area.

Walzer said the council covered the bases in selections, with him feeding and sheltering people as owner of the Pine Barn Inn for more than 40 years, Knoebels entertaining people and Mammarella "making sure they are on the right track."

Saying he wasn't comfortable receiving awards, he told the audience, "You're all distinguished citizens."

He said he has gotten much out of his association with the Danville Area Community Center, WVIA Public Broadcasting, the Danville Area Community Foundation and Susquehanna Greenway Partnership.

He headed a community campaign to raise money to build the community center and remains on the center board. He is also a founding director of the foundation and serves on the boards of WVIA, the partnership and the Danville Industrial Development Corp.

One of the first activities he was involved with was Scouting, which "made a world of difference. I salute you and all your efforts in Scouting," he said.

Dr. William Gibson, who introduced Walzer, said he began a program at the inn where kids who had their tonsils removed at nearby Geisinger Medical Center could stay there with nurses checking on them. A former swim team member, Walzer started a 100-mile swim club at the community center, he said.

Accepting the award for the Knoebel family was Dick Knoebel and his son Rick, who are both Eagle Scouts. Also attending was Dick Knoebel's son Brian.

"When I was a little tyke we had four rides and kept adding," Dick Knoebel said.

The 91-year-old park has grown to include more than 60 rides and attractions, 30 food stands, 26 midway games, 17 gift shops and more.

Knoebels went through a lot of lean times, he said, giving credit for the park's success to the entire family, including his brother Buddy and sister Leanna Muscato. Some of their children work at the park.

"What I learned in the Marine Corps, I applied to business," he said. "We want to continue to be the largest free admission and free parking park in the U.S.," he said.

In introducing the family, Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau Executive Director Otto Kurecian said, "Knoebels is the best amusement park in the world."

The Knoebel family is a "loving family that cares about this region," he said.

The park, which sponsors a Scout Day each year, tries to hold special days, Dick Knoebel said.

In accepting the Volunteer of the Year Award, Mammarella, 92, said he joined the Air Force when he was 19 and served as a bomber and gunner during World War II. He put on his WWII cap, which he says he wears proudly. He completed 28 missions before leaving the military. In 1953, he became an ordained priest and served many churches, including St. Joseph Church in Berwick. In 2000, the Mahanoy City native retired as its priest after 31 years.

Jeffrey Cerminaro, who introduced Mammarella, said if a needy person knocked on the rectory door asking for a few dollars or for food, Mammarella never said no.

"He was always there for someone, doing good for others and wanting nothing in return," he said.

Email comments to kblackledge@thedanvillenews.com. Follow Karen on Twitter @KLBlackledge.

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