Mauch Chunk Trust Company honored four community heroes Friday morning for their impact and contribution in the area.

The 2023 class of MCT heroes is comprised of Marlene Basiago, Lois Corby Kuba, Bernie Shea and Arthur Williams.

“All four of these individuals are involved in many organizations in their community for all of the right reasons, but they typically don’t want any recognition,” Patrick Reilly, MCT president and chief executive officer, said. “Those are the people that deserve recognition. The idea behind this program, when you strip away everything else, is to try and shine a light on these folks and say thank you.”

To be selected as a community hero, an individual has to be nominated by the public and chosen by a volunteer committee.

Williams, a Lansford resident, has a long list of service to veterans in the area including volunteering with the VALOR Clinic Foundation and delivering holiday meal boxes. He also drives disabled veterans every Wednesday to their appointments at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center.

A member of American Legion Post 123 of Lansford, Williams supports the Hometown Hero banner program, children’s Christmas party, Lansford Easter Egg Hunt and other fundraisers.

“It’s an honor to serve the people and the veterans,” Williams, a U.S. Army veteran himself, said. “When you are in the Armed Forces, that service aspect just sticks with you throughout your life. I like volunteering and I like to stay in the background, but I really do appreciate this honor here today.”

Mauch Chunk Trust donated $200 on behalf of each recipient to a charity of their choice. Williams chose “Together With Veterans” as his recipient.

Shea is an active member of the Polk Township Fire Company and involved in a plethora of Palmerton organizations such as the Palmerton Memorial Park Association, Palmerton Chamber of Commerce and Palmerton Area Community Endeavor.

“I’m very humbled,” Shea said. “I’ve done what I did over the past 30 years not for recognition, but to give back to my community. My father always told me it’s not about what your community can do for you, it’s about what you can do for your community. All I have wanted to do is help my community grow and prosper and become a wonderful place to live.”

Palmerton holds a special place in Shea’s heart and he referred to it Friday as the “heart and soul” of Carbon County. He designated the $200 in his name to go to Memorial Park.

“The park was dedicated to the veterans that served in the Armed Forces,” Shea said. “It is our community gem and it’s totally self-supportive. It provides a wonderful family atmosphere and gathering place.”

Among other roles in her hometown, Kuba is president of the Nesquehoning Historical Society, volunteer for the Nesquehoning Recreational Committee and a committee member for the Nesquehoning Heroes Banner Program.

“I’ve been singled out, but this is not an individual honor,” Kuba said. “Without the groups we volunteer for, none of us would be here.”

One of Kuba’s major passions is the Nesquehoning Historical Society, which will receive a $100 donation from MCT.

“The historical society started with no home and we got a gift of a church,” Kuba said. “Within the months, the place was starting to get filled. People looked in their attics and brought yearbooks and all kinds of memorabilia. Now people can come back and see the past is not forgotten.”

The other $100 in Kuba’s name will go toward the hometown banner program in Nesquehoning. The program started seven years ago when a committee hung banners to honor veterans. Last year, the committee decided every banner should include an American flag.

“We put it out to the public and we thought it would take a while to fund the project, but in six weeks we had enough money to buy a flag for every banner,” she said.

Basiago is the Panther Valley Public Library board president and volunteer, Carbon County Area on Aging volunteer, and “Friends Helping Neighbors” volunteer.

“The Panther Valley community has been so good to me and that’s why it’s important for me to give back,” Basiago said. “Being involved with the library was important to me because we didn’t have anything like that. COVID-19 slowed everything down and we need to get people, especially the kids, back in using the library again.”

Basiago chose the “Friends Helping Neighbors” food pantry as the $200 recipient. She volunteers at the pantry every Monday.

“We were driving past and there was a line so I stopped and asked if I could help,” she said. “We make over 500 boxes to give out. There are people that just don’t have the money or resources to buy the necessary things to survive. This is just one way I can give back.”

The 2023 MCT Community Heroes Celebration Banquet will be held on June 28 at the Lehighton American Legion Post 314.