During an evening that Slatington Public Library's Board Director Wanda Owens titled "A Night of Remembrance," Thomas Papay Jr.'s name was added as the newest edition to the Louise Hallman Memorial Plaque.

"It's a night to remember, to remember Papay and the town. We are so proud to be able to do that," Owens said."It's nice to have people send flowers, but they don't last," Papay's wife Denise said. "He was always about helping the community. That's the way he was."Thomas, a lifelong resident, passed away in May.A United States Army veteran, he was also a member of the Lions Club and belonged to Slatington Lodge 440 Free and Accepted Masons. Papay volunteered throughout the borough, including at the annual event The Gathering.The couple was wed in 1970 when Denise moved to Slatington. She said the library, located on Main Street, was chosen for the $1,000 in remembrance donations because of its importance to the community.Linda Hallman Nierer, a classmate of Papay, had originally placed the plaque in honor of her mother, Louise Hallman."My mother was always so community-minded and we wanted to keep that spirit going," she said. "The library gives so many people so many opportunities."First Niagara vice president and branch manager David Druckenmiller agreed with Papay, saying, "The library really benefits the community."Druckenmiller's branch donated $3,000 to the library to cover the remaining cost of the roof repair.Horsehead's donation of $2,500 had gotten the ball rolling with First Niagara picking up the rest of the resealing repair tab.The dedication was followed by a slideshow presentation by local historian Christy Haydt, co-owner of Slatington Beverage and Galio's Market."I'm just someone who likes to talk about the town. This is where I grew up," he said.According to Haydt, the library was originally a Haines Department store in 1897.Before becoming the community's valued asset, the building was home to a Five and Ten until becoming the library in 1987."When they moved from down the road, they had a long line of people pass books up the road and into the new building."