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Mary Henning - honored with the Margaret Wells Award |
Mary A. Henning isn't like most women who value adding new shoes to the
tilting stacks of shoeboxes in their closet. Shoes or other material
purchases are not what makes her happy.
At 82, Henning strongly believes in giving back to the community where her family has made a good living.
"If
you work here for your lifetime, your money should stay here," said
Henning, who was born and raised in a house on lower Main Street in
Stroudsburg, which is still in the family.
Henning's late
husband, Arthur, owned a plumbing and heating business, and she owned
and operated a laundromat. Her sons are involved in real estate.
Yet
for all her family's public persona, she prefers being behind the
scenes and never expects or seeks any recognition. "You just do it.
There's no reason why," she said. "You yourself know what you've done.
No one tells you. If you have the money, you're supposed to do it."
On
Thursday, Henning will receive the Margaret Wells Award at Pocono Area
Transitional Housing's annual dinner. "I feel wonderful about that.
There's no better person you'd want to work for in the community than
Margaret Wells," said Henning of the late community activist who led
the charge to form PATH.
"She served on just about every
conceivable board. I credit her with making social services a viable
concept in Monroe County," Henning said.
It is people such as Henning who help keep those services available.
Henning has watched the area grow and change in her eight decades here. "I
think of the fact that everyone knew everyone. There was hardly any
crime. It was a wonderful town to grow up in," she said of the
tight-knit community of Stroudsburg that was guarded by one cop.
Henning's
family stretches back at least four generations. Her father worked on
the railroad, and her grandfather was assistant postmaster in
Stroudsburg. She said, "I'm really a town girl. The town hasn't changed
much. They've put different paint on the buildings, but the outskirts
have changed."
Henning, whose maiden name is Monahan, was a cheerleader at Stroudsburg
High School, and she joined just about any club or organization she
could. That participant mentality followed her to the work of her
church and on to the community.
She taught at her high school, married her high school sweetheart and eventually left teaching to raise a family.
She
has lived in her Stroud Township home for 57 years. "I was the first
one on the street," she said. Henning never longed to leave her
hometown, and she plans on staying put.
"I think Monroe County is an outstanding community to live in for families," she said, particularly for those who need services.
Her goal is to help those in dire need. "You look for people who are having problems and try to support them," she said.
Henning,
whose family owns the county office buildings on Phillips Street, the
Wallace Building and Holland Thread Mill Building, all in Stroudsburg,
sees to it that the community is helped in many way.
One of the organizations near and dear to her heart is PATH. "With PATH, you're helping a lot of kids," she said.
The
success of the program is simple: "It takes care of the needs of the
county and family, such as the basic needs, clothing, food and
shelter," she said.
Her niece, Sharon Taylor, is director of the
program. Henning is proud of PATH's work for people who just don't have
anywhere to turn.
"You give money and hope they can further their education, get on with their life and keep the family together," she said.
She firmly believes in these programs. "Our social programs and
churches are doing an outstanding job," Henning said. "Monroe County is
still a wonderful place to live even with the population projections. I
think everyone here is trying to do what is right."
Helen Yanulus
Pocono Life Writer
September 18, 2006
(courtesy Pocono Record)
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