Judge names outstanding citizens for Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair

Moving to Bethel Park must have awakened John Oakes’ sense of community spirit.

“Once we got here and he started volunteering, I thought, who are you? He was just involved in everything,” his wife, Amanda, said. “He has a heart of gold, and he just really loves to help everybody. And we’re so proud of him.”

For his service on behalf of others, John was selected as District Judge Ron Arnoni’s 2022 outstanding citizen for Bethel Park. The recipient in Upper St. Clair, the other municipality served by Arnoni, is the similarly altruistic Libby Mascaro.

Both were presented with commemorative medallions from the judge and certificates of recognition from the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania.

Also honored during a March 25 ceremony at the judge’s office was the Bethel Park Historical Society, of which Oakes is a former board member. Attending were state Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Bridgeville, and Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Peters Township, who presented Oakes, Mascaro and historical society members with commendations from their respective legislative bodies.

Oakes, who owns All Pro Plumbing on Route 88, has lent his time and talents to numerous entities, including area churches, South Hills Interfaith Movement, Bethel Park School District and the Rotary Club of Upper St Clair-Bethel Park (Breakfast), of which he is a member.

He has helped the historical society with numerous projects in its ongoing efforts to renovate the Schoolhouse Arts and History Center on South Park Road, part of which dates back to 1905 as Bethel High School.

“For all of that, we thank you and look for you to continue to be a shining star in our community as a volunteer and a person with a great work ethic,” Arnoni said.

Mascaro’s community involvement includes school-related activities such as serving on the Upper St. Clair Parent Teacher Council Wellness Committee and its No Place for Hate initiative, part of a national program supporting schools in their commitment to celebrating diversity, promoting respect for differences, and challenging bias and bullying at all levels.

She also coaches soccer, continuing her involvement in a sport in which she, as a player, was part of the first Mt. Lebanon girls’ team ever to win the state championship. Plus she advocates strongly for mental health awareness through affiliations with organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“I cannot be more proud of her, and I’m not surprised,” Mascaro’s brother, Sam Kane, said about her selection as outstanding citizen.

The Bethel Park Historical Society represents the first organization to be acknowledged by Arnoni in his annual recognition program. In the fall of 2016, the group launched a major capital campaign to revitalize the Schoolhouse Arts and History Center, which was designated as a historic landmark in 1990 and acquired by the society six years later.

“We were able to collect over a million dollars, and when people come into the building, they see where all that money went,” Bill Haberthur, secretary of the society’s board, said about the progress that has been. “We’re all volunteers. It’s just our passion and our love for our community.”

That goes for John Oakes, who now is serving his community in an elected capacity as the Ward 3 representative on Bethel Park Council.

“I have to thank Amanda. I come home late. I leave on a moment’s notice. Without her, I wouldn’t be able to do half the things I can do,” he said. “I really enjoy volunteering. More importantly, it’s the people I volunteer with. It’s more like fun than it is work.”