LEWIS RUN — It was an evening of honoring longtime volunteers who included Albert Pivovarnik — who has served for close to two decades — during the FCI McKean Annual Volunteer Banquet Thursday.
Warden Bradley Trate, who served as guest speaker, honored volunteers in general, noting their importance to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for the past 45 years. He said currently, there are 10,000 volunteers who work for the BOP across the county. Of that number, 80 serve at FCI McKean in areas including religious services, reentry and education, recreation, psychology and prison visitation.
“All volunteers play a vital role in corrections, preparing inmates for reentry into society,” Trate said. “They provide contact with the outside world, bridge the gap between inmates and the community, raise morale and demonstrate sociable values and behaviors …”
Following his comments, Trate recognized and honored several volunteers who have served in various roles in the prison.
They included Pivovarnik, a resident of Limestone, N.Y., who received the Volunteer of the Year award. He noted Pivovarnik began volunteering at FCI McKean in June of 1991, and is entering his 28th year of service at the prison.
“A member of the Jehovah Witness community, he provides services for any Jehovah Witness (members) on Sunday afternoons …” Trate said of Pivovarnik. “He sets the standards of how each of us should face everyday.”
After receiving the award, Pivovarnik, who is retired, said he was honored to receive the award and explained why he has volunteered for so many years.
“The Bible says we should help people and if we can help someone do what is right and get them on the right path, that’s why we do it,” Pivovarnik explained. “We’ve seen some (inmates) do good” and turn their lives around. He said he works at the prison a couple of times a week, but had volunteered more in the past.
Other volunteers who were at the dinner and recognized were Gary Schul, Kyle Good, Jethro Martin, Ken Latch and Roger Sager.
Following the presentations and before the close of the evening, the warden asked the group to observe a moment of silence for a FCI McKean correctional officer seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and for four other people who lost their lives in the collision.
“One of our officers was in a tragic accident on Saturday and was struck head-on by family members of one our inmates who were coming to our facility” to visit, Trate said of a two-vehicle accident on U.S. Route 219 in Hamlin Township. Two women and two children from the Pittsburgh area, who were coming to the area to visit an inmate, were killed in the accident. Seriously injured was correctional officer Michael Clawson, 36, of Mount Jewett, who is currently hospitalized at UPMC Hamot Medical Center in Erie.
Trate said in addition to the inmate’s grief over his family loss, the staff at FCI are also saddened and concerned regarding Clawson’s injuries and recovery.
In other news from FCI McKean, Amy DePalma, secretary to the warden, said the prison will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. She said plans are currently being made for the event.
On another note, DePalma said the prison will be actively hiring people for up to 35 positions at the facility. She said positions are open for registered nurses, physician assistants, correctional officers and food services, among others. Applications for the positions can be found at usajobs.gov online.
