Three receive Geneva Lake West Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year award
By Penny Gruetzmacher
Correspondent
The Geneva Lake West Chamber of Commerce’s 42nd Citizen of the Year Award Ceremony was held at Abbey Springs on April 27, honoring three outstanding individuals from Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay.
Three recipients were honored at this year’s award ceremony, including Peter Kahl of Walworth, Mary Green of Fontana and Halina Marra, of Williams Bay.
Peter Kahl
Kahl visits veterans in the nursing homes in the area and has performed at over 300 funerals of veterans in the Walworth, Fontana and Williams Bay area. Kahl also organizes Veteran’s Day in the Walworth Grade School, makes arrangements for the flags on veterans’ graves and organizes the Walworth and Fontana Memorial Day services.
Kahl thanked his mentors at the Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102, noting these organizations are important in the community and the schools. He also said he was lucky to be mentored by outstanding leaders in education both in Hebron and Walworth including Pam Knorr, for giving him the opportunity in Walworth, and his wife, Dr. Mary Ann Kahl, who is the administrator at the Walworth Grade School.
Mary Green
Mary Green was nominated by Geneva West Lake Chamber of Commerce Director Cherie Setteducate.
Setteducate said, now being a fulltime resident of Fontana, every time she goes to a charitable event in the Fontana area, Green was there was either helping or running the event.
“It does not take long to see what Mary does and the impact that she has on people,” she said.
In 2011, after the tragic and untimely death of her husband, Mary Green founded Dan Green’s Touch a Life, Heal a Heart Foundation.
Setteducate said the group has honored Dan and continued to raise money for Reid Park with a fundraiser that Dan was passionate about: Pig in the Park.
She said the organization has gone on to support other causes including One Step, an oncology services Camp, Open Arms Free Clinic, Homeless and Hospitalized Military Heroes and Uncle D’s Christmas, which benefits Toys for Tots.
Halina Marra
Julie Poplar, from Williams Bay, nominated Halina Marra for Citizen of the Year.
“Halina has donated her time to beautifying Williams Bay lakefront,” Poplar said.
Poplar said through Marra’s hard work and attention, she has made the Williams Bay lakefront walking path a place of natural beauty for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Marra is a member of the Williams Bay Enhancement Committee for over ten years, is a past member of the Williams Bay Civic League and has served as chairwoman of the Williams Bay Ladies Banquet
“She seeks out ways to give her time and energy to the people of Williams Bay in any cause that benefits those in need,” Poplar said.
To learn more about these three outstanding members of the community, see the May 20 edition of the Walworth Times.
