ZELIENOPLE — If you walk into Z-Town Cafe for lunch, you may see a familiar face making sure things are going smoothly in the kitchen. And soon you may see this same person in next month’s Fourth of July parade.

Randy Herbe, a Millvale native, has been living in Zelienople for more than 13 years, managing the cafe since 2007.

He says what he likes about the area is the people.

“They’re friendly. It’s a small town community,” he said.

Here was recently selected by the Zelie Rotary Club to be this year’s Doc Viola Service Above Self Award winner, something he says is an “awesome” honor.

“The first thing I thought of was, ‘Is there anyone else?’” he said.

Herbe describes himself as the kind of guy who likes being behind the scenes, usually in the kitchen at Z-Town or fundraisers and community events.

Herbe has been a contributor to the Feed My Sheep program since 2008. Twice a week he loads and transports food to downtown Pittsburgh to feed the homeless living under a bridge on the Boulevard of the Allies.

“We don’t go to missions. We’re outside facing the elements,” he said. “It’s about community. Not all people are homeless, but all people are hungry.”

Along with that, Herbe is involved with other activities in the community, including being Kiwanis president, a cook at various dinners and lunches held by churches and funeral homes, and a helper to his wife Denise’s animal rescue agency, Herbe’s Kitties.

“We’ve had about 300 cats come through,” he said.

Here is currently a senior at Liberty University, studying Christian ministry. He said plans after graduation are “up to God.”

“I hope to keep this business and be a pastor,” he said.

Rotary Club members voted unanimously for Herbe to receive the award.

“He’s just a good guy,” Rotary Club president Dan Fritch said. “He does a lot for the borough.”

Fritch said the search for the award’s recipient started around February.

“We were a little late this year,” he said.

Herbe will be featured in the Fourth of July parade on Independence Day. The parade starts at 11 a.m.