Wellsville Chamber Honors Community Stars

Former football great Judge Dwayne
Woodruff

Pictured from the left is Chamber President
Randy Allmon, FRC Executive Dir. Cindy
Slavens, CC Commissioner John Payne,
Judge Woodruff and Mrs. Joy Woodruff

The Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards banquet honoring Wellsville’s “Community Stars” this past Thursday evening.  The Citizens of the Year Dinner was held at the Wellsville Alumni Center and it was a packed house.  The dinner was prepared and catered by members of the Wellsville High School Alumni Association. 

Keynote speaker was the Honorable Judge Dwayne Woodruff.  Woodruff is a graduate of the University of Louisville and a 12 year NFL veteran after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He was a member of the Steeler’s 1979 winning Super Bowl team.  While he was a member on the Steeler’s roster he studied and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law.

He was a founding member of the Woodruff, Flaherty & Fardo, LLC law firm.  In 2005 he was elected to the bench as Common Pleas Court judge of Allegheny County.  Woodruff remarked that his court deals only with juvenile offenders.  He refers to many of those youngsters as “his kids”.  Woodruff and his wife Joy chair the “Do the Write Thing” program in Pittsburgh.  It’s a program that encourages students to make personal commitments to stop violence in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. 

During his speech Judge Woodruff recalled his days as a professional football player, sometimes with amusing antidotes. He offered some good natured ribbing to fans of Pittsburgh’s Division rivals, especially those of that team on Lake Erie that don brown & orange uniforms.  He talked of his experience as a juvenile judge and shared some of his thoughts and observations.  His talk was entertaining and, at times thought provoking. 

Two footballs autographed by Woodruff was auctioned by auctioneer Bob Sell.   The first one included two Steeler pre-season tickets for the game of the winning bidder’s choice for next year.  The tickets were donated by Woodruff to stimulate the bidding. 

Winners of this year’s Community Stars will follow in separate articles.  Chamber President Randy Allmon remarked that there was a record number of ballots returned in this year’s balloting.  All members of the Wellsville Area Chamber are eligible to vote in the selection process.

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