Hempfield woman wins Marine volunteer award
Apr. 23—A Hempfield woman who volunteers in a leadership role with the Westmoreland County Young Marines won a national award for her efforts, a year after her daughter won a Young Marines award for her exemplary service.
Sheila Myers, who has logged more than 1,000 community service hours in the past eight years, was named the Volunteer of the Year for the Young Marines for Northeast states — from Maine to Pennsylvania. She commands 15 Young Marines in Westmoreland and oversees Young Marines units in Allegheny, Washington and Cambria counties as commander of a regiment that extends across Pennsylvania and New Jersey and covers the West Virginia panhandle.
"I was very surprised. I was very humbled and was at a loss for words," Myers said of learning that she was named the Volunteer of the Year in a division with 243 adult volunteers overseeing 31 Young Marines units. She is entered into a competition among the six division Volunteers of the Year who are considered for the honor of the national Volunteer of the Year.
Myers shares the credit with other adult volunteers with whom she works. "One individual does not do it alone." Without their support, she believes the program would not be as successful.
"It's such a great organization. We are building future leaders and to be part of that ... what better way to volunteer," your time and efforts, said Myers, a licensed social worker for Beacon Health Options, a managed care program.
Young Marines is a non-profit youth education and service program for boys and girls, age 8 through high school. The organization promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members.
Speaking of the award, retired Marine Corps Col. William P. Davis, a national executive director of the Young Marines, said in a statement that Myers is "a wonderful mentor and teacher, reflecting all the best traits of our volunteer."
"Sheila Myers' passion and determination really stand out in all she has done for her unit as well as for the organization," Davis said.
Myers' husband, Rich, as well as other family members, served in the military. She became involved with the Young Marines through her children, Madysen, 18, and Gabriel, 16. Madysen is a senior and Gabriel is a sophomore, both at Greensburg Central Catholic in Hempfield.
They became interested in the Young Marines when they saw the group participating in activities during a family outing at Mammoth Park in Mt. Pleasant Township. The children, then ages 8 and 10 respectively, decided they wanted to join, so their mother became involved.
Madysen, a sergeant major, was selected in March 2020 as the Marine of the Year in her Northeast division. She earned a national Army Reserve Officers Training Corps Scholarship and plans to attend Robert Morris University in Moon. After her undergraduate studies are done, she wants to attend the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, with the goal of becoming a trauma surgeon, while serving in the Army.
Myers said she plans to continue volunteering, even after her daughter and son leave the Young Marines upon graduating high school. When the Young Marines show growth in self-esteem, leadership and ability to mentor others, she knows the program and the efforts are worth it, she noted.
"It's a blessing to do this," Myers said.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .
