    
|
 |
Venango Area Chamber of Commerce |
2007
Outstanding Citizens of the Year |
| |
|
Alice M. & Ronald E. Shoup,
Citizens of the Year
|
| |
In selecting the Shoup’s, the Chamber’s Outstanding Citizen Selection Committee recognizes the commitment to our area and the lengthy record of active community volunteerism by both Ron and Alice.
The Shoup’s were instrumental in the coordination of many major community projects. Ron, along with a team of three other skilled craftsmen, constructed eleven false Victorian storefronts plus one church, complete with a hand painted stained glass window, steeple and bell, in what is now affectionately referred to as “Pipeline Alley – A mini oil boom town” along the alleyway between the National Transit Building and Annex. Ron designed most of the storefronts, while Alice prepped all the storefronts to be painted. They also voluntarily designed, constructed and painted forty-four Victorian Christmas Past figurines with the assistance of other community volunteers, which are annually displayed at City Hall, Gateway Gardens, the Library and the Venango Museum.
The Shoup’s volunteer most of their hours promoting the arts in Venango County. Ron, along with Bob Flath, coordinates all the entertainment for the Oil City Arts Council events. Ron served as Co-Chair of First Night Oil City for 10 years, coordinating the entertainment and activities for the annual celebration. Ron is currently volunteering his services to co-coordinate Oil City’s first Bluegrass Festival, which will be held February 14, 15, & 16, 2008. Alice volunteers in her spare time in the Transit Fine Arts Gallery, assisting customers and area visitors.
Ron also voluntarily serves on the Take Pride in Oil City Trolley Committee which has successfully secured the funding required to purchase a trackless trolley to be used for Venango County festivals and events.
Although the Shoup’s care and contribute to the town in which they reside in; Oil City, their volunteer efforts extend into southern Venango County. Both were raised in the Emlenton area, and participate in the Emlenton Civic Club “Showboat”, which is an annual variety show in which proceeds go towards a scholarship fund for local students. Ron and Alice are accomplished musicians; Ron, a professional guitarist; and Alice, a beautiful singer, lend their talents to contribute to the Madrigal Group at the Annual Boar’s Head Dinner in Emlenton. Ron was a member of the band, Phoenix that also routinely performed throughout the area and local festivals including Oil Heritage Festival and Applefest.
Ron’s musical talents do not stop at playing the guitar. He spends hundreds of hours each year teaching children, teens, and adults how to play the guitar. He has mentored 13 seniors on their “graduation projects”, 4 of which learned to play the guitar, and he is currently assisting the 9th student on building a guitar. Ron logs in 75-100 hours on each guitar that is built in his guitar shop in his basement. In the nomination letters from students who were mentored on their projects, students credited Ron for teaching them life lessons through the guitar such as “always be precise” but “mistakes can be fixed”.
The nomination of the Shoup’s as Outstanding Citizen’s of the Year included sixty-five magnificent letters of recommendation from former students, teachers, musicians and friends. The letters received by the selection committee came from as far away as Colorado, Florida, and Maryland. The letters affectionately referred to the Shoup’s as the “dynamic duo” and “two for the price of one”. The letters from formers students credit the Shoup’s as molding and shaping them into the people they are today, by going above and beyond the call of duty and impacting their lives forever.
Ron received his Masters in Education from Westminster College and a Masters Equivalency in Mathematics from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
Ron’s professional career spans four decades of serving as a devoted Mathematics Teacher, Assistant Principal, and Assistant Superintendent for the Oil City Area School District, the Executive Director of the Oil Heritage Region Tourist Promotion Agency, the last Executive Director of the Oil City Area Chamber of Commerce and the first Executive Director of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, he accepted a position as a Full-Time Visiting Mathematics Instructor at University of Pittsburgh in Titusville.
Alice was also formerly employed with the Oil City Area School District serving as the Attendance Secretary and Teacher’s Aide for the Oil City Area High School for many years.
Ron and Alice Shoup reside at 11 Ellen Drive, Oil City.
The Venango Area Chamber of Commerce warmly congratulates Ron and Alice for their volunteerism and many efforts on behalf of the Venango County area. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
