Neighbor Spotlight: Creating sense of community key to Pine man’s volunteer efforts
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Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would like to nominate someone as a Neighbor Spotlight, visit northjournal.com, select the “Post Story” button in the upper right corner, click the “New Article” button and complete the form to publish your nomination. Questions? Email Neighborhood News Network editor Katie Green at kgreen@triblive.com.
John Gill has learned a lot about what makes a community more than just a place to live, work and shop during the 43 years he’s worked in banking.
So when the longtime Pine Township resident saw an opportunity to help his own community create a place that brings people together, it was a natural fit.
“Pine doesn’t really have a main street with a town center,” said Gill, 61, chairman and CEO of cfs bank, headquartered in Charleroi, Washington County. “So to me, Pine Community Park is our town square. In addition to all the sports activities there, it’s the place where our residents gather for all our community events.”
Gill, who earned undergraduate and master’s of business administration degrees from Robert Morris University, began volunteering as a coach for his children’s soccer teams in the early 1990s and eventually became president of the organization.
But when his children moved on from youth sports, Gill continued to look for ways to ensure that the recreational activities available to his family would be there for the next generation of kids.
“I’ve always worked in community banking, where a big part of the culture is giving back to the community,” he said. “We strongly encourage our employees to become active in their communities and provide them with opportunities to volunteer. As head of my company, it’s important that I lead by example and walk the talk.”
Gill currently serves as chairman of the Pine’s parks and recreation committee, which advises the board of supervisors; and is chairman of the Friends of Pine Community Park, which helps raise money for improvements.
In the dozen years since got involved with the groups, the Friends were able to raise $50,000 to outfit the new splash pad that debuted last summer.
Over the past decade, the group has assisted with improvements including the addition of a gazebo at the site, a digital sign to advertise activities and events and new playground equipment. Work to add a pavilion in the splash pad area is expected to be completed before summer.
“I do not know what I would do without great volunteers like John who serve their community,” said Joni Patsko, the township’s parks and recreation director. “He is truly a dedicated volunteer for the Township of Pine. All of our special events could not happen without the help of dedicated volunteers like John.
“I do feel that recreation plays an important role in the quality of life for the residents of Pine. Volunteering really can help make a difference,” she said.
While the physical components of a good park are important, the need to provide engaging activities for residents of all ages also is key to a successful recreational facility, Gill said.
“We’re always looking for programs that people might be interested in,” he said. “A couple of years back, our parks director added the holiday dazzle event, and all of a sudden we had 1,000 people turn out for the Christmas celebration.”
Gill said even simple events such as movies in the park during the summer attract a crowd.
“People used to love go to drive-in theaters,” he said. “So something that brings people out in the evening to lay down a blanket and enjoy a film with their family and friends really helps create a hometown feel and a closer-knitcommunity.”
Gill believes the time spent helping to improve a community can provide a great sense of personal accomplishment.
“Volunteering with the community center has been very rewarding,” he said. “It’s wonderful to go up to the park and see it packed with families. There’s an immediate sense of satisfaction that comes from getting involved with making positive things happen.”