The title of the Shenango Valley Foundation's Humanitarian Award sometimes catches recipients off guard.

Like other awardees, this year's honoree, Dr. William G. McDowell, never thought of himself as a humanitarian.

"I enjoy what I do and I enjoy volunteering," the Hermitage resident said.

In her nominating letter, Linda J. Laskowitz of Hermitage said McDowell "is always one of the first to step forward to participate in activities."

"He is the epitome of the community service spirit; always giving freely of his time and experience," said Ms. Laskowitz, a member of the Hermitage Kiwanis Club with McDowell.

Like many noted volunteers, McDowell doesn't think of his efforts as being different from those of others. He said his willingness to give of his time is common in the Kiwanis Club.

"Our club is great in participation," he said. "It isn't great in attendance (of meetings) but, when a project needs done, there's someone there to do it."

Ms. Laskowitz credited McDowell with keeping the club together during down times, but he said she was the one who added fire to the club and gave it a new lease on life.

McDowell was a founding member of the Kiwanis Club, which was formed in 1956, and served in a state office for a year.

He is a longtime American Red Cross volunteer, current chairman of the Greater Allegheny Blood Region and an 8-gallon blood donor.

An elder and deacon at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sharon, McDowell served a term as president and was chairman of adult education.

McDowell has served on the former Mercer County Drug Council and former Mercer County Department on Aging, as a United Fund co-chairperson, and member of the Shenango Valley Jaycees.

The retired osteopathic family physician and obstetrics doctor said many of his volunteer activities stem from his medical background.

"I'm a doctor. Health and safety are my two main things," said the co-founder of Shenango Valley Osteopathic Hospital, which has evolved into UPMC Horizon, Farrell.

Among the projects he has been involved in are promoting seat belt use; making iodine -- a lack of which can cause mental retardation -- available throughout the world; and supporting local groups such as MCAR Inc. and the Committee For Children With Special Needs.

A Wolf Creek Township native, McDowell, who started his education in a one-room school, said he got his first taste of volunteering working on the stage crew at Grove City High School. One of the functions he worked was a Kiwanis show.

"I said that sounded like a good idea," he said.

Coming to the Shenango Valley when he joined the medical practice of his uncle, Roy McDowell, McDowell said he always considered volunteering important.

"You take the time," he said of how he fit community service into his schedule. "You can do what you want to do. Since I'm retired, I have more time to do it."

From volunteering, McDowell, who delivered more than 2,000 babies, gets "the satisfaction of seeing results and, hopefully, the community or club or whatever you're involved in is a little bit better because of your help."

The father of two and grandfather of four credits an active lifestyle with keeping him healthy at age 73.

Aside from his volunteer efforts, he bowls, golfs and plays volleyball.

"I'm so active. That's the secret to staying young," said McDowell, whose license plate reads WGM DO. "As with many retired people, I wonder how I had time to work."

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at

jpinchot@sharonherald.com