Smeltzer acknowledged for her work above and beyond for those in need

It was a surprise party of sorts for Warren County Department of Social Services Program Coordinator Michelle Smeltzer Thursday evening, March 4, as dinner was being prepared at the department’s indoors “thermal shelter” for the homeless at the 15th Street Health & Human Services Complex. Smeltzer was encouraged to show up around 6:30 p.m. as Masonic Unity Lodge 146 was preparing a turkey dinner for shelter residents as part of their last scheduled winter round of meal provision there.

There would be “special guests” she had been told as several District 3 Masonic representatives were visiting the local lodge’s contribution to social services department work on behalf of those in need in the community. Among those guests were District 3 Deputy Grand Master Mark Pennypacker and District Membership Coordinator Wes Hammack. They were joined by Unity Lodge 146 members Scott Truax, Charles Taggart, Dennis Haas, Tom Kivelhan, and Will Bryan, the latter whose So Mote It Beef G BBQ catering service takes point in some of Lodge 146’s food distribution community outreach.

Why are all these people here milling around? – Michelle Smeltzer, dark print on a white blouse at left-center, may have been wondering as she chats with one of those people, County Board Chair Cheryl Cullers. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

The Masons were joined by County Emergency Services Coordinator and COVID information point man Rick Farrall, County Board of Supervisors Chairman Cheryl Cullers with North River Supervisor Delores Oates, shelter volunteer Robin Townshend with husband Bruce in tow, the latter whom we have encountered recently circulating a petition to get on the November ballot in the 2021 county board elections, and former Interim WC DSS Director Beth Reavis.

What Smeltzer was about to find out as soon as she slowed down from helping staff prep for dinner, was that the real “Special Guest” the District 3 Mason reps and the above assortment of locals were present to acknowledge, was her.

As Will Bryan had told us, Smeltzer was to receive one of two Lodge 146 annual “Community Builder Awards” approved by District 3 as “a token of our appreciation for all that she does in our community. She is an amazing person and a pleasure to work side by side within bettering our community.”

The Lodge 146 So Mote It G Beef crew food-prep line. Below, ‘Oh, I’m just here to help cut the cake,’ Beth Reavis may be telling Smeltzer as Thursday night dinner is prepared, along with a little surprise for DSS Program Coordinator Smeltzer.

Reavis, now “re-retired” more or less she explained, elaborated on Smeltzer’s contributions to the social services department and its community service efforts, particularly for the homeless in winter. She noted that the previous arrangement for homeless winter accommodation and meal provision had largely been achieved through various local churches on a rotating basis. However, with a sometimes-older volunteer member church base more susceptible to pandemic contagion with the arrival of COVID, some of those face-to-face housing and direct meal provision efforts had been withdrawn as a protective precaution for church members.

DSS approached the County and then County Administrator Doug Stanley about a replacement space and it was settled upon that what was then an unused portion of the 15th Street complex with cafeteria space could be utilized.

“And bless the County’s heart, they jumped right it – it looks nothing like it did before. They cleaned it up, they painted it, they spent months making this a workable solution and a nice place for people to be,” Reavis said. “And the churches are still involved, they bring food” along with Lodge 146’s spot in the rotation, which in addition to dinner, includes supplies to cover a cold breakfast and carryout lunch.

November file photo of the sleeping area of the renovated portion of Health & Human Services Complex devoted to winter sheltering of county homeless. There are a few more beds in there now to accommodate as many as 46 people this winter.

So, now there was a space in need of supervision and oversight. Enter Michelle Smeltzer.

“She works all day at her regular job (at WC DSS) and she does this on her own time,” Reavis explained. “The County has been totally supportive of it, and helpful. And Michelle works all day and then comes here – she volunteers here. She made it a really bigger job. It originally started out that she was going to help people who needed short-term housing with the money that the churches were donating. Then it got to be if somebody needs something, call Michelle. There is paid staff, she’s organized all of this, she’s gotten all the churches on board, she meets with the shelter board … And she just keeps the wheels on the wagon. She’s an amazing person with an amazing amount of energy,” Reavis observed.

‘This is for you and all you do’ – Charles Taggart with Masonic Lodge 146 Community Builder Award in hand, and So Mote It G Beef BBQ’s Will Bryan, finally reveals to Smeltzer. Below, Smeltzer displays her award maskless at the urging of the photographer.

And it is that willingness to go above and beyond her prescribed duties and hours to continue to help the community and some of its most vulnerable citizens that made Michelle Smeltzer the “Special Guest” of Masonic Lodge 146, its District 3 officials, and County and other volunteer citizens Thursday evening, March 4.

After having that explained to her, and receiving Lodge 146’s Community Builder Award certification to a round of appreciative applause, we caught up with the evening’s real Special Guest at her “surprise party”.

“I know, I can’t believe people are able to keep secrets – this is amazing to me,” she laughed of the friendly subterfuge. “All of this is really nice, and I’m still kind of in shock over it. I wasn’t at all expecting anything like that. I mean, I know I’m out there and people see my face, but there are so many people that are involved to make it happen. There’s been tremendous support from Social Services, from the County, and then all the churches, pastors, and church members – I mean we just have so much support,” Smeltzer said, deflecting credit to those around her who make her work possible.

‘Yes, we were part of the conspiracy,’ County Supervisors Cullers and Oates may be admitting to Smeltzer after her receipt of the Mason’s Community Builder Award, pictured below.