Gail Paserba and Ashley McCandless volunteer to serve on civic organizations that have widespread impact across Butler County.

Nominated by peers and associates for the 75th annual Distinguished Service Awards, presented by the Butler Eagle and the Butler Rotary Club PM, Paserba won the senior award and McCandless won the junior award.

The awards will be presented at a dinner May 13 at the Butler Country Club.

Paserba serves on the boards of Butler County Community College, Slippery Rock University, Butler County Industrial Development Association, Endowment for Butler County, Butler Memorial Hospital Foundation, Butler County Chamber of Commerce, Butler County Humane Society, Penn Theater, Junior Women’s Club of Butler, Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Pine-Richland Youth Foundation.

“I believe in each of them equally,” Paserba said.

She said she joined the Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs when she and her family moved back to the county in 1987. As her two sons grew up and her husband Thomas Paserba died, she stayed involved in the community.

“My husband would always say, if you are not willing to help fix it, you don’t have the right to complain about it,” said Paserba, who owns International Quality Consultants Inc.

As a member of the Butler Memorial Hospital Foundation board, she said began supporting the free prenatal care program after witnessing the treatment and support her daughter-in-law received at the hospital.

She recalls being asked to serve on the BC3 board.

“I wish I could tell everyone how wonderful BC3 is,” Paserba said.

She said her husband’s older brother Dr. Robert Paserba taught at Institute Hill School in Butler before becoming superintendent of the Butler Area School District. Some time later, BC3 floated the idea of developing a teaching lab for its teaching program, and the lab was named after him after her family donated to the project, she said.

“It’s pretty spectacular what we have up on that hill,” she said, about BC3.

She said she enjoys serving on the Endowment for Butler County board because it supports local nonprofit organizations, and the Humane society board because “who could be against it.”

Those who nominated her for the award said she deserves the recognition. Paserba said she was surprised and humbled when she found out she won.

“There are so many amazing people in our community that provide the same amount of love and support. I don’t feel I stand out,” Paserba said. “There are so many others who are more deserving than I am.”

McCandless can’t really pick a favorite among the many civic organizations she serves, but volunteers her time to all of them for the same reason.

“People believe I’m making difference, and I think that’s the important thing,” McCandless said. “It’s really hard to pick a favorite. You’re in all these things for a reason.”

Outside of her job as controller at United Plate Glass, McCandless serves on the boards of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and Center for Community Resources. She is actively involved with the Butler County Manufacturing Consortium, Butler AM Rotary Club and the Hello Gorgeous program and served on the Butler County Young Professionals board.

“I do like being involved in the community,” she said.

She said she got a glimpse of people assisting civic organizations when she worked for the Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter and Graham law firm in Butler.

“I wanted to be more hands on, and they let me join the AM Rotary,” she said.

As chairman of the membership committee, she said she recruits new members and organizes the club’s annual “Changing of the Guard” dinner, which is its signature event. She is a past recipient of the Rotarian of the Year award and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

“I do the most for Rotary,” McCandless said.

During her time with the Young Professionals, she participated in the Ghouls for Good Costume Shop that provided free Halloween costumes for children throughout the county.

“The look on their faces — it’s like they never received anything new in their lives. It was probably more rewarding than anything I’ve done in my life,” McCandless said.

For the Hello Gorgeous program, which provides cancer patients with beauty and self-care services, she contributed new outfits from a clothing boutique she used to operate, and continues to help the program anyway she can.

Members of the organizations McCandless serves explained why she deserves the award in her nomination.

“Ashley embodies what this award is mean to celebrate. She is a professional leader, a community builder, a mentor, a volunteer, a parent, and above all, a person who consistently uses her time, energy, and talents to make Butler County a better place,” they wrote.