The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Sunday, August 31, 2003

'It's important for us to serve each other in this life', volunteer says

Adele Dengel
   » HOME: Hermitage
   » FAMILY: Married to the late Michael Dengel for 44 years; two daughters, Ruth and Jill; four grandsons
   » EDUCATION: Beaver High School graduate; Thiel College secretarial certificate
   » EMPLOYMENT: Worked in various locations while traveling with husband, who was in the Air Force during the Korean conflict; worked in the employment office at Sharon Steel; U.S. Steel Products, Masury, for 3 years; Westinghouse about 5 years; part-time for Hermitage schools 1982-83; public assistance office, Hermitage, 1986-96, retired.
   » COMMUNITY SERVICE: AWARE; Prince of Peace, Farrell; Meals on Wheels program; Thrivent Financial for Lutherans representative; church representative for Christ Women United of Shenango Valley; Girl Scout leader; Lutheran Brotherhood; Good Shepherd; affiliated with Lutherlyn of Butler County; Inreach/Outreach committee at her church.
   » CHURCH: Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sharon.

By Patrecka F. Adams

Herald Staff Writer

Adele Dengel can think of at least a dozen other people whom she feels are more deserving of being named a Buhl Day honoree besides herself.

Maybe it's difficult for this 73-year-old mother of two and grandmother of four to talk about herself because she's so used to doting on others.

"I feel there are so many more people who should receive this honor," she said. "There are other people who have made a greater impact."

She is a Buhl Day honoree this year because of her years of community service.

Mrs. Dengel began serving the community extensively after raising her daughters, though while they were small, she devoted time to parent associations and as a Girl Scout leader.

She moved around with her husband Michael, who was in the Air Force, before settling in the Shenango Valley. After working at several secretarial jobs, she worked part-time for Hermitage schools and then at the public assistance office, retiring from the latter in 1996.

She volunteers with AWARE and helped with meals at Prince of Peace in Farrell. She was instrumental in starting a local Meals on Wheels program more than 30 years ago. She now delivers meals for the organization.

Maybe volunteering is in Mrs. Dengel's blood. As a young child, she said, she was taught to be helpful to others. She passed that on to her daughters and grandsons.

"It's important that volunteering fits into their lives," she said. "They learn a lot from that."

Mrs. Dengel said when her grandsons are in town, they assist on her delivery route, bringing smiles to recipients' faces.

"Giving of oneself is important," she said. "It's something that's emphasized in my Christianity. It's important for us to serve each other in this life."

She credits her late husband with helping her to get started volunteering because "he was very giving of himself."

Through her membership in Christ Lutheran Church in Sharon, Mrs. Dengel continues to serve her fellow citizens. She's a representative in Mercer and Lawrence counties for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, an investment corporation, and she's on the church's Inreach/Outreach committee.

"We find out how we can reach out to people within our church as well as the community at large," she said.

Mrs. Dengel also sings in the choir, helps with vacation Bible school, visits the sick, serves as a prayer-chain chairperson and assists with funeral luncheons.

She has helped raise funds to support services and programs at the Shenango Valley Community Library.

Mrs. Dengel has been involved with the area Good Shepherd organization and obtained matching funds to buy stain, mulch for the children's playground and trees that were planted near the arboretum at Buhl Farm.

The best part of volunteering is feeling like she's helping people, Mrs. Dengel said.

"I guess I just want to volunteer, not for any rewards, but just because I want to," she said. "You meet so many friendly people along the way and that's very meaningful for me."

She said though it's sometimes hard to do, people can find ways to incorporate volunteering into their everyday lives.

"There are little kindnesses we can always do for other people," she said. "You can leave the earth in a better condition than you found it."



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