While most people choose to reduce their activities as the years go by, Butler resident Dorothy Kriley has chosen to remain just as active as she was 50 years ago.

Kriley entered the world of community service at the age of 16 by taking on a job at her brother-in-law's pharmacy.

"While I was there, I earned my pharmacy apprentice papers," Kriley said.

In 1945, she attended school at the University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy School. At the time, she was one of six women at the school.

After graduating from school, Kriley and her business partner, Frank Vavro, opened Prescription Pharmacy in Butler.

Kriley and Vavro owned and operated Prescription Pharmacy for 35 years, when it was sold and renamed Family Drug. However, instead of entering into retirement, Kriley continued to work at the store.

During her time as a pharmacist, Kriley did not just help the community stay healthy.

"I helped bring the Mr. Yuk sticker to Butler," she said.

Mr. Yuk was created by Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for people to use in their homes to label substances that are poisonous.

Kriley also was one of the people who helped introduce the idea of Poison Prevention Week and to bring polio prevention to Butler.

Even after retiring after 50 years of serving the community as a pharmacist, Kriley decided to keep helping people.

She credits her yearning to help others to her parents, who were Italian immigrants.

"They didn't have a lot, but they still helped others," she said. "Their compassion and understanding ... I must have gotten that from them."

She also credits growing up during the Great Depression with part of why she wants to help those in need.

Kriley is involved with numerous activities at her church, St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic in Butler.

Besides belonging to the church's social group, she belongs to a group that goes to funeral homes before services and helps recite the rosary during Mass. She is a minister of hospitality at St. Michael's and helps greet people and take the collection. She also belongs to the St. Michael's Ladies Guild.

"It's a great organization for us girls," she said. "We try to help everyone."

Kriley is an active participant in the group 55 & Alive, which supports the church. Members occasionally take bus trips to casinos and have monthly meetings, where they socialize and play bingo.

Kriley also helps at the St. Vincent DePaul food bank every Tuesday and Thursday and helps at the thrift store once a month.

"We're serving more people now than ever before," she said.

Outside of the church, Kriley is involved with the Butler chapter of the American Red Cross. She has helped with events and donates blood every two months.

She was one of the first board members for the Center for Community Resources and belonged to the United Way of Butler County panel that decided where funds go.

Another organization Kriley actively supports is Suit Yourself, which provides up to three business suits free to men and women who need them for job interviews but cannot afford to buy them.

Kriley also helped raise $1.2 million for the Mental Health Association to help remodel the former roller rink on Elm Street into offices.

Over the years, Kriley has received numerous awards for her dedication to the community.

She was named an Outstanding Woman by the American Association of University Women, received different service awards and was recognized by Eckerd Drug for her volunteer work. She also was named the YWCA Woman of the Year.

Last year, she was named the St. Michael's Volunteer of the Year.

Although she has already dedicated most of her life to helping others, Kriley has no plans to slow down.

"As long as I'm healthy I want to volunteer," she said. "My goal is to keep on doing what I can."