Courtesy: The DuBois Courier Express
DuBOIS — Known for sharing his time in positive ways, Beecher Klingensmith has been named the recipient of the 2020 DuBois Area Jaycees Distinguished Service Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jaycees President Sheri Price made the announcement during the Greater DuBois Chamber of Commerce’s Business Bash award winners reveal video released last Friday. This year the presentation of the award was held at the DuBois Area Historical Society, where Klingensmith has been a longtime member.
“This past year has been challenging to say the least, but we have managed to the best of our ability to keep this lucrative award a secret for both the community and the recipient,” said Price.
The Distinguished Service Award is designed to recognize an individual who lives life with three key distinctive features — success in their chosen vocation, community involvement and service to his or her faith.
Each year, the organization receives nominations from community members to honor an individual who embodies the tenets of the Jaycee Creed by recognizing “that faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life ... and that service to humanity is the best work of life,” said Price.
As always, said Price, this year’s recipient has a list of accomplishments and activities that is very inspiring.
Growing up in Greenville, Pa., where he later attended Thiel College, Klingensmith pursued a degree in foreign language education and fine-tuned his fluency by studying abroad at the Institute of American Universities for a French immersive program. Having taught the French language at DuBois Area High School for many years, Klingensmith also served as French Club advisor and chaperone for many student trips to Europe and beyond.
“He (Klingensmith) is well-remembered and respected by many former students,” said Price.
Klingensmith, said Price, truly understands the meaning of the name of DuBois, and that while pronounced the English way, “we are still ‘of the wood.’”
Price said not only can Klingensmith properly translate and converse in French, he can provide the history of how this community came to be.
As a member of the DuBois Area Historical Society, he has researched, scripted and acted in the annual Lantern Walks; served as curator; and was recognized as Man of the Year.
In addition to acting in the DuBois Area Historical Society Lantern Walks, Klingensmith is also known for his dramatic voice through many CRI Reitz Theatre productions and DuBois Area Council on the Arts’ Poetry in the Park.
Klingensmith has also contributed volunteer service as an active member of the DuBois Kiwanis Club, head of the DuBois Nursing Home Auxiliary, and at the entrance of the Penn Highlands Medical Arts Building. A member of St. Catherine of Siena Church, he has served as a lector at Mass and on the Bereavement Committee, among others, she said.
“It is clear to me that this individual not only embodies what the Jaycees look for in the nominees of the Distinguished Service Award, but also the words of French philosopher Montesquieu, ‘To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them,’” said Price.
In the words of his nominator and friend, “Beecher (Klingensmith) is a doer who willingly shares his time in a positive way.”
“Thank you and congratulations on a life well-lived, it is an honor to present the 2020 Distinguished Service Award to you, Beecher Klingensmith,” said Price.