T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Executive Director Staci Stephen holds the Service Above Self Person Of The Year award during the annual St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner Thursday.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Staci Stephen is the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Service Above Self Person of the Year.

Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, received the honor for her volunteer work after the deadly flash flooding that occurred in Triadelphia in June. The Service Above Self award, given to an individual that the chamber believes has gone above and beyond for the community, was presented and sponsored by the Rotary Club of St. Clairsville during the chamber’s annual dinner Thursday.

It was presented by Rotary Club of St. Clairsville President Daniel Lima.

“The Rotary motto is service above self. It is about more than just volunteer hours and leadership titles,” Lima said. “It’s about the people who put their community first, who see a need and act without hesitation. Each year, our club honors someone whose life embodies that principle. This year, that person is Staci Stephen.”

Stephen said that she never expected to receive an award for her work.

“On June 14, I was eating dinner with my dad for Father’s Day. I had no idea what was happening in Ohio County. So June 15, we woke up to the devastation that had occurred, and we just knew that we had to do something to help all of those families,” Stephen said. “So that’s what we did.”

She added that she feels incredibly honored to receive the award.

Stephen said that the most meaningful part of the work she’s done has been meeting and helping the families who lost loved ones in the flooding.

“People have lost their homes, and helping them find a permanent place to live and a warm place to live with a roof over their head and kind of getting back to somewhat sense of normalcy, if that’s even a thing after a tragic event like that, meant a lot to me,” Stephen said. “We’ve made a lot of friends from being out there in the community, a lot of great people that live out in Ohio County. It’s been a blessing and a curse both, because we’ve met a lot of great people, but we’ve also seen a lot of very sad things, and we just wanted to be there to help those people.”

She added that she is still in the process of helping with long-term recovery.

“We have a long-term recovery group that we are leading, and right now we’re focused on building supplies, drywall, cabinets, flooring, insulation, things like that, and then trying to find skilled workers to go out and install some of the things,” Stephen said.

She added that if skilled workers would like to volunteer, they can reach out to her at 304-232-4625.

Next, the Business of the Year award was presented by the event’s title sponsor, WVU Medicine. WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital Chief Operating Officer David Phillips presented the award to Belco Works.

Belco CEO Anne Haning said the award is a huge honor for her because she believes that for a long time, Belco Works wasn’t considered a business by the community.

“We have been in the business of human services since 1966. So to be recognized amongst our peer business community is really an important thing to us and to the individuals that we serve,” Haning said. “Receiving the award from WVU means a lot, too, because we provide services to them through our janitorial department. So it was good to be recognized for our excellence in that field.”

Erb Electric was then awarded The District Distinguished Employer award, sponsored by Project BEST. The award was presented to Erb Electric Project Manager Justin Klempa by International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 141 Business Manager Doug Griffin.

Griffin said it was an honor to present Erb Electric the award and that he believes the company deserves the praise and recognition received.

Lastly, the Community Involvement award was presented by St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President Mary Beth Panepucci. It went to Trinity Health System.

Trinity’s Interim Market President Dwayne Richardson said the award belongs to every staff member of the recently opened St. Clairsville Neighborhood Hospital for their dedication to the operation.

“We often talk about bridging gaps, and this hospital truly does that,” Richardson said. “It’s about bringing faster care closer to home, where people live. When every second counts, we have an emergency room just minutes away that can make all the difference. We know when it comes to conditions like strokes or heart or cardiac episodes, time is muscle. The quicker we can intervene, the better the outcomes for our patients.”

He added that what he believes makes the hospital special is that it offers the best skilled professionals providing expert care with compassion, understanding and a genuine desire to serve.

“It’s about combining medical excellence with empathetic care, ensuring that every patient who walks through our doors feels seen, feels heard and treated with dignity and respect. This award for us is a beacon. It acknowledges not just the investment you’ve made, but the trust you placed in us, and for that, we are profoundly grateful,” he said.

This year’s keynote speaker was nationally known, award-winning entertainer Craig Karges.

Karges performed various illusions, using the art of magic combined with the science of psychology and the power of intuition.

His appearance was made possible through Trinity Health System’s sponsorship.