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VACC honors
Bey, Jr. as COY; T&CP with People-Pride-Progress
The Versailles Area Chamber of Commerce has named Jerome F. Bey, Jr.,
their 2017 Citizen of the Year; Towne & Country Players will be
honored with the People-Pride-Progress Award at the Versailles Area
Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet on Monday, January 30th.
Bey is a lifelong resident of Versailles, where he attended St. Denis
Catholic School and Versailles High School. Upon his 1970
graduation he enlisted in the United States Navy. From 1970 –
1974 most of his time was spent serving on the Guided Missile Escort
Ship, U.S.S. Julius A. Furer. He served three Mediterranean
tours, one NATO tour of duty, and received an Honorable Discharge in
1974.
Bey has devoted much of his community service through his 40 year
membership with the Versailles American Legion Post #435, having served
as Commander, and a present day Trustee. Through the American
Legion, Bey serves as a member of the Honor Guard for Military
funerals, football games, and Veteran Assemblies. For the past 15
years he served as Master of Ceremonies each Memorial Day and
coordinating the villages’ annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Beyond Jerry’s military affiliation he graduated a Darke County
Leadership Program and served many years mentoring Versailles youths as
a Cub Scout Den Leader and assistant Scoutmaster. When the
Versailles Swimming Pool required renovation of its gutter system,
plumbing and roof Bey co-chaired the project with the fundraising,
implementation and its completion.
Jerry continued to put his talents and spirit of civic responsibility
to good use when he served ten years on the Poultry Days
Committee. After eight years he became the 1997 Poultry Days
Chairman and served his final year as past chairman. During his
years of service he transitioned from cafeteria type serving of
applesauce and chips to sealed portions and implemented electrical
improvements for the vendors. He has also volunteered at the
school working in set design for High School Musicals, such as
“Grease”, “Peter Pan” and” Singing in the Rain”.
Since his recent retirement Jerry serves a weekday Mass and assists
with funeral Masses at St. Denis Church and has found time for a part
time job at Ace Hardware of Versailles.
Jerry and his wife Bonita have been married for 46 years, have six
children and their spouses: Jerry and Sundra, A.J. and Cindy,
Lisa and Chris Heid, Sandy and Mark Buynak, Benjamin and Emily and
Antony who is in the United States Navy, and eighteen grandchildren.
Jerry even served two terms (four years) on the Versailles Development
Association which is now known as the Versailles Area Chamber of
Commerce--the organization presenting him with the distinction of
Citizen of the Year. Jerry will be honored at the VACC annual
banquet on Monday evening, January 30th at the Riviera Room of the
Stillwater Valley Golf Course. The banquet will also include the
presentation of the People – Pride – Progress Award to the Versailles
Towne & Country Players theater group.
The T&CP was first formed in 1972 under the name of the Versailles
Community Chorus and have performed multiple performing arts programs
annually. Some of their venues have been musicals, murder
mysteries, comedies, dramas, dinner theater presentations, children’s
theater, library lawn presentations, Easter and Christmas cantatas,
talent shows, Halloween parades, Christmas concerts, and summer
performances at the fountain square gazebo.
The organization co-chaired the Hometowne Christmas Celebration from
2006 – 2008 when they added the Winter Princess Pageant and Gingerbread
House competition. They also handled the entertainment for GOBA
(Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure) in 2006 bringing “High Country” band to
town for 3,000 guest bicyclers.
The T&CP has a 501(c)(3) status and awards a four year scholarship
to one or more graduating senior annually.
The banquet is open to the public and is a great social mixer for
community business members and residents.
Those wishing to attend the banquet may contact Fred Poeppelman at
937-417-4752 (call or text) no later than January 26th. Banquet
dinner tickets are $20 per person. A cash bar will open at 5:30
pm with dinner served at 6:15 pm.
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