Award recipients that will be honored at the upcoming Athens-Concord Town Social are being announced by the event’s planning committee. In its 31st year, the annual social will be held Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the front lawn of Concord University in Athens.
Individuals that have enhanced the community and campus life of Athens and Concord University are honored each year at the gathering. The Town Social committee will be presenting the following awards: Total Community Involvement, Tim Mainland and Maggie Jusiel; Elder Citizen, Virginia Henthorn; and Good Neighbor, Fatima Koraich.
The Athens Lions Club will announce the Citizen of the Year and the Beautification Award recipients at the Town Social. Several scholarships will also be presented to Concord University students.
The Town Social features craft and food vendors, business and organization displays, live musical entertainment and children’s games. Attendees are also invited to tour the museum in the Marsh Library which will be open during the social.
Entertainment is being provided by the Allen Smith Band and Margo and the Bluegills. As a prelude to the festivities, Dr. Kipp Cortez will perform on the Marsh Memorial Carillon from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Featuring West Virginia tunes, Concord spirit songs, and original pieces for carillon, Cortez said his performance will include “something for everyone and something new for everyone.”
For more information about the Town Social contact Dr. Sarah Beasley, co-chair, at sbeasley@concord.edu or 304-384-6298 or Sarah Turner, co-chair, at alumni@concord.edu or 304-384-5348.
The Town Social is also on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/events/808620239303999/
AWARD RECIPIENT BIOGRAPHIES
TOTAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AWARD
Tim Mainland and Maggie Jusiel
As a couple, Tim Mainland and Maggie Jusiel (jew- seal) are being awarded the Total Community Involvement award. Dr. Mainland has resided in Athens and has been on the Concord faculty since 1978. He has been married to Maggie Jusiel for thirteen years. Both of them have been active in the Concord music department as well as at numerous venues in Mercer County.
Dr. Mainland is professor of music, and has been director of the Artist Lecture series and Fine Arts Division Chairman during his tenure. Along with his academic and administrative duties, he has also participated in music performances throughout the calendar year, every year. Dr. Mainland teaches music composition and theory as well as performance on string instruments.
Ms. Jusiel teaches wood wind instruments as an adjunct instructor at Concord and is a certified piano tuner for many in the Athens area.
In the community, Dr. Mainland has played various roles over the years, including: Sea Lions swim coach; a composer and arranger for piano music pieces for a local woman who lost the use of one arm – now she can play two handed music with one arm; and a local storyteller in the county.
As a couple, they currently perform banjo/ flute duos for all to enjoy at “Music in the Park” events, and many private events as well as at the Appalachian Folk Life Center. Tim is on the board of directors of the Folk Life Center which brings music, art and culture to folks from the region as well as to others outside of West Virginia. Maggie helped with raising scholarship money at the O’Sullivan Run by playing introductory bagpipe music to fit with the Irish theme. She tunes the piano at the Town Park and the Folk Life Center for free.
ELDER CITIZEN
Virginia Henthorn
Virginia Martz Jones Henthorn was born June 28, 1932 in Duncansville, PA. She was the youngest of the five children of Harry and Elsie Gertrude Martz. Virginia graduated from Hollidaysburg High School in 1950 and worked as a telephone operator until 1954. She married Robert C. Jones on October 2, 1951. She and Bob moved to Pittsburgh, PA in 1952 where all four of their children were born – Robert Jr., Linda (Alvis), Paul and Paula (Best).
Virginia’s first husband, Bob, worked in the food service management industry and took a job with a company that believed in transferring their managers every two or three years. Thus began a life of many moves and many adventures. They lived in Beaver Falls, PA, Milwaukee, WI, Salem, WV and Saltsburg PA. In 1971 when it was time to be transferred again, there were two options of locations. One was to move to Coudersport, PA and the other was to move to Athens, WV. A family vote led the Jones family to Athens and Concord College. All wanted to return to West Virginia.
Virginia and Bob were always active in Scouting – Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts – as well as church youth groups and other activities for young people, especially while their children were at home.
For the most part, Virginia was a stay at home mom until her kids were older. She went to work at Pipestem State Park in 1975 as a front desk supervisor. Bob was transferred to Marshall University in Huntington and then to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh for a short time where they lived until they returned to Athens when Bob’s health became so poor that he was unable to work. Bob passed away in 1981. Virginia returned to Pipestem to work where she was Sales Manager for awhile and then Executive Housekeeper until her retirement in 1994 after 17 years of service.
Virginia moved to the house across from the Concord campus in 1986 when she married her second husband Don Henthorn. She gained three stepsons, Stephen (now deceased), Bruce and Charles, and their families as a part of her family.
Virginia has been a loyal member of Concord United Methodist Church for 46 years. She was an avid quilter while her vision permitted perfect stitches. All of her many, many beautiful quilts were pieced and quilted by hand. Virginia enjoyed volunteering at Concord University while she was able. She has always been happy to see the students return in the Fall and from any breaks. Life on her front porch greeting Concord faculty, staff and students as well as citizens of Athens as they pass by has always been a joy to her.
Most of all, Virginia enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, her nieces and nephews, and her friends.
GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD
Fatima Koraich
The 2017 Good Neighbor award is being presented to Fatima Koraich (Fa –tee – ma Kor –long a – shh) owner of Moe’s Restaurant in Athens. Fatima holds dual citizenship in the United States and Morocco. She has resided in Athens since 2006, now with her two children Sarah and Ayman Seif. Moe’s Restaurant welcomes all to enjoy Mediterranean and American foods.
While working more than full-time and raising her children, Ms. Koraich still takes time to be a good neighbor which is part of her Muslim tradition, she says. In her tradition, one not only cares for their “next door” neighbor but includes all those who reside within 7 houses in all directions from your own. All those within this jurisdiction, are treated like family. Therefore, Fatima has delivered food to those who are returning home from long hospitalizations. She has also shared her love of flowers with others who have been likewise hospitalized. She has truly been a Good Neighbor.
