Washington County Community Foundation honors three with Legacy awards

The Washington County Community Foundation will honor three community leaders at its Legacy Luncheon Friday. Robert C. Griffin will receive the Louis E. Waller Humanitarian Award; Martha Y. Berman will be honored with the Posthumous Richard L. White Excellence Award for Board Service, and Dr. Trisha Craig will receive the Dr. Howard Jack Outstanding Public Educator Award.
The Louis E. Waller Humanitarian Award recognizes a local individual or organization devoted to the promotion of human welfare or the advancement of social reform as evidenced by humanitarian deeds in the community, whether local, national, or international.
The inaugural award was presented to Louis E. Waller in 2008.
Since 2005, Griffin has served as the economic development director of Washington County Redevelopment Authority. Formerly, he was vice president at Waller Corp.
Griffin is the son of the late John C. and Joan Bruce Griffin, who were also community leaders. Although his father died a young man, Bob has memories of him tutoring students in the family living room and helping to reopen the LeMoyne Center’s swimming pool. His mother Joan successfully finished raising five children by herself and still found time to tirelessly serve the community through boards and civic groups, including the Washington Hospital Board of Trustees and Washington School District School Board.
Griffin said, “I learned about service early in life from my parents, but I didn’t really fully understand what they were doing until I was older.”
In addition to serving several terms as president of the Washington Branch of the NAACP, Griffin has served on the boards of many local charities including: Washington Health System, Washington County Health Partners, Washington County Council on Economic Development, World Series Tournaments Inc., Mel Blount Youth Home and Blueprints (formerly Community Action Southwest). Additionally, he has served as a deacon at First Presbyterian Church 1793 and coached numerous sports teams.
“Finding ways, no matter how large or small, to help people – that is why we’re here. Mr. Waller was a man of deep faith and taught me that the best way to honor God is through servant leadership and helping others,” Griffin remarked.
In his honor, the foundation will award a $1,000 unrestricted grant to the Mel Blount Youth Home in support of its leadership initiative.
Martha Berman’s daughter, Diane, will accept the Richard L. White Excellence Award for Board Service on her mother’s behalf.
Berman was born in Washington to the late Jessie and Maurice Yorkin in 1924. She graduated from Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham University) with a degree in economics and government and was granted a fellowship at the National Institute of Public Affairs. Prior to her marriage to Dr. Bernard Berman, she worked as a labor mediator for the National Labor Relations Board. When her two daughters, Diane and Linda, entered high school, Berman earned a master’s degree in counseling. She worked as a full-time counselor at Peters Township High School until her retirement in 1986.
Berman’s commitment to volunteerism began in the 1950s with her involvement in the Washington County Medical Auxiliary. With a passion for ensuring the Washington County community had access to vital health care services, Berman rose to the position of chair of the Washington Hospital Board of Trustees and also served as a member of the Washington Hospital Foundation Board. Additionally, she served as a founding member of the Washington County Mental Health Association and was active with her synagogue, library, and multi-cultural community centers.
Berman was a member of the community foundation’s board of trustees from 2000 until 2009. Her affinity for supporting students in pursuit of higher education made her an apt choice for chair of the foundation’s Allocations and Programs Committee, which holds the responsibility of reviewing grant and scholarship applications. She also created the perpetual Berman Family Fund in 2000 to support bereavement counseling at Hospice Care at Washington Hospital, and attained membership in two of the foundation’s prestigious donor recognition groups: the Family of Founders and the Samuel T. Brownlee Society.
Foundation President and CEO Betsie Trew said, “Our only regret is that we were not able to honor Martha with this award while she was still with us.”
Dr. Trisha Craig, principal of Fort Cherry Junior-Senior High School, will receive the Dr. Howard Jack Outstanding Public Educator Award, which recognizes a local public educator who has displayed the ability to inspire children from all backgrounds and abilities, who has earned the respect of colleagues, students and parents, and who is actively engaged in the community.
Craig began her career in Fort Cherry School District as a high school English teacher before transitioning into administration as the director of curriculum and instruction. She is president of the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and also serves on a number of other educational advisory councils. In the past 10 years, she has secured more than $1 million in grants for the district, a number of which are STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
She has developed outreach programs with post-secondary institutions, local organizations and local corporations to ensure graduating seniors can make a successful transition to life after high school. Additionally, with the assistance of Range Resources, Craig helped to launch the Fort Cherry Food Pantry, which operates out of the elementary school.
Craig’s passion for education has impacted hundreds of students and numerous teachers, and she says that’s what is most important.
“It’s nice to get recognition, and of course, this is a huge honor for me. But I don’t need accolades to know I’m doing a good job – I do it because it needs to be done. My satisfaction comes from seeing the kids and teachers being successful.”
In her honor, the foundation will award a $1,000 grant to provide flexible seating options in personalized learning spaces at the junior-senior high school.