Rosanne Natili, winner of the Butler Soroptimists' Community Ruby Award, pictured at Vintage Coffeehouse shortly after being notified that she had been named the winner of this year's award. Submitted photo

Rosanne Natili is the recipient of this year’s Community Ruby Award from the Butler Soroptimists.

The Community Ruby Award honors the most outstanding female community volunteer among nonmembers of the Soroptimists.

She will officially be honored at the Soroptimists’ annual Spring Fling fundraiser event, April 11 at Butler Country Club.

“We look for someone who's involved in the community that is a good role model, who is willing to help anybody,” said Becky Plymale, chairwoman of the Soroptimists’ event committee. Plymale won a Club Ruby Award last year.

“She's very kind, she's very involved and dedicated to the city of Butler,” Plymale said.

Plymale broke the good news to Natili over coffee at Vintage Coffeehouse on Butler’s Main Street earlier this month.

“I called her and I called and said, ‘Can you meet me for coffee?’” Plymale said. “So I showed up with a big thing of flowers. She was very surprised, to say the least. I don't think she had any idea.”

“I was completely shocked, surprised, and flattered,” Natili said.

Natili, who is retired, is an active presence in the Butler community and can often be seen volunteering her services at local events. Among her various activities, Natili is actively involved in the city’s farmers market and is part of the board of directors of Butler Downtown.

“The city is changing so much, and it's starting to get such a positive vibe to it and I just want to be part of that,” Natili said.

Last fall, she played a key role in coordinating the first “Souper Bowl” fundraiser for the Butler Art Center and Butler Community Meals. This year, she is on the organizing committee for the Butler Cultural District’s “Steeples & Stacks” event, to be held in July.

“I'm working on the artist part of it and the dinner Friday night,” Natili said.

She also volunteers as an usher for the Butler Little Theatre and formerly served as a board member for the Butler Arts Center.

In 2023, Natili received the “Volunteer of the Year” award from Butler Downtown.

The Community Ruby Award is one of two awards handed out each year by the Butler Soroptimists. The other is a separate Club Ruby Award given to an outstanding member of the Butler Soroptimists. This year’s winner of that award will be announced at the Spring Fling fundraiser.

Last year’s Community Ruby Award went to Justine Brown, the operator of community meal provider Katie’s Kitchen. Plymale won the Club Ruby Award.

Rosanne Natili holds her Volunteer of the Year award at Butler's Grand Ballroom in 2023. Butler Eagle File Photo