Downtown Hawley Partnership gives individual, nonprofit, for-profit awards

Molly Rodgers, longtime Wayne County library advocate, playhouse actor and trailblazer, was awarded by Downtown Hawley Partnership (DHP) on April 24 for her outstanding public service.

Committed to building up the greater Hawley community assisted by business, not-for-profit and individual memberships, DHP's annual award categories match with a Business/For Profit Award, a Not-For-Profit Award and the Individual Award, which Rodgers received. Each recognizes outstanding contributions made to the community.

Combined with DHP's annual membership dinner, the event was held at the Hawley United Methodist Church Great Hall.

Rodgers was introduced by Grant Genzlinger, who described her as always looking to contribute, one who gave much passion serving local libraries, as a thespian at Ritz Theater and promoting Lackawaxen River Trails. Rodgers insisted that her active community involvement has not been altruistic, but started selfish, seeking what she wanted to see get done. She served 19 years as director of the Wayne Library Alliance.

She has done much to write successful grants that, with matching money, have raised over $1 million to create the trail system connecting Honesdale to Hawley and with plans to reach the Delaware River at Lackawaxen. Improved river accesses are also part of the plan.

More: Canoeists launch after dedication of White Mills Lackawaxen River access

Kate Hayes presented the Business/For Profit Award to Bernadette Madigan. A constant promoter of Hawley events, Madigan engages with her customers at her shop, where she makes handmade jewelry and other items. Madigan introduced her nearly 97-year-old mother Irene Lanzillo who also helps in the shop, as well Madigan's husband James and shop assistant Stacey Smith.

DHP President Elaine Herzog presented the Not-For-Profit Award to Tracy Schwarz, on behalf of the Wayne Library Alliance. Representatives attended from all seven libraries, in Honesdale, Hawley, Newfoundland, Hamlin, Bethany, Pleasant Mount and Lakewood (Northern Wayne). Schwarz said the public libraries were not the libraries of the past. "We're very loud and we're fun," she said. They have become active community hubs. Herzog said the libraries do "phenomenal things" with little funding and lauded those who serve dedicated library careers.

Keynote speaker Brian Bossuyt, executive vice president of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB), said they are seeking ways to get more people to visit their small downtown communities and be part of them. Bossuyt analyzes data to inform them of where residents stop by and stay when in the Poconos. This helps PMVB to improve their tourist information website, which had over six million visits last year. They have grown their live Pocono cable TV channel.

Over 600 volunteers in April participated in PMVB's annual Pick Up the Poconos event, picking up litter. In the past seven years they have collected over 50,000 tons of trash, he said.

Herzog said that in 2024/2025 DHP plans to continue signature events like Hawley Harvest Hoe Down in October and Hawley Winterfest in December. This year, DHP is partnering with Wayne County Arts Alliance and Harmony in the Woods on "Paint the Town."

This collaborative event will bring 22 new street banners consisting of original artwork as the beginning of an "art trail" in Hawley, she said. Banners are to be displayed from utility poles on Main Avenue in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Extensive work went into the building the walking trail through Hawley over the last several years, part of a much larger land and water trail network being developed by Lackawaxen River Trails. Herzog said the art trail will be no different, and now she said they are discussing a "Trail of Music."

The DHP marketing committee, Herzog said, has been fully revitalized, and has a lot of new enthusiastic volunteers. "We're very optimistic for the future," she said.

The DHP started the awards program 17 years ago, missing two annual awards dinners due to the COVID pandemic.

For more information about DHP and the area, visit visithawleypa.com.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Downtown Hawley Partnership awards community servants