Ed Bechtel will be honored by the Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber of Commerce with the 21st annual "Spirit Award" Saturday at the Northern Valley Emergency Medical Service in Coplay.

Presented to a citizen who has served not only the GNLCC, but also the community, the Spirit Award is a special honor given to an outstanding individual within the Northern Lehigh community.Bechtel has served the Greater Northern Lehigh community for over 30 years. He, along with his brother Jack, has owned and operated Bechtel's Pharmacy on Main Street in Slatington since 1983.He worked at Thrift Drug Company and Pepper Pharmacy before moving to the Greater Northern Lehigh area.Bechtel graduated from Ursinus College in 1977, and earned his Bachelor of Science, cum laude from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1981.He holds many professional affiliations including; National Community Pharmacists Association, 1983-present; American Pharmacists Association, 1981-present; Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, 1981-present, where he served as president from 1996-1997; and Lehigh Valley Pharmacists Association, 1983-present.Bechtel's extensive volunteer efforts over many years have benefited the state of Pennsylvania, the Greater Lehigh Valley area, Slatington, Walnutport and the surrounding communities.He has been involved on the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy, where he served as chairman, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Educational Foundation board of directors, the Borough of Slatington Civil Service Commission, the Slatington Fire Company Endowment Found board of directors, and is Co-chair of the Slatington Sesquicentennial Committee.He lives in Slatington with his wife, Louise Martignetti Bechtel. Together, they have four children Andrew, Patrick, Colleen and Thomas.