Former Doylestown Junior Council Member Wins Statewide Scholarship

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Mary Frances McNulty, who served as a Doylestown Borough junior council member from September 2021 to May 2022, has been recognized by The Pennsylvania Municipal League with its John A. Garner Jr. Civil Engagement Scholarship Award.

The award was presented by Doylestown Mayor Noni West who received the recognition in the mail and surprised McNulty with it at the December council meeting.

“I’d like to thank the borough council members and the borough’s staff for allowing me to participate on borough council as a junior council person. It was a very rewarding experience and I look forward to continuing my involvement in the community in the future,” she said.

McNulty, who graduated from Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland and is now attending DeSales University where she is majoring in business administration, penned an essay on civic engagement and her experiences as a junior council person to win the $2,000 award.

Mayor Noni West presents Mary Frances McNulty with the award. (photo by Jeff Werner)

This is the 39th year that the Pennsylvania Municipal League has awarded the scholarship to a first, second and third place winner.

The scholarships are made possible through the Pennsylvania Municipal League and the generous contribution of Yvonne Garner in memory of her husband, John A. Garner Jr., League Executive Director Emeritus.

“Our 2022 John A. Garner Jr. Civic Engagement Essay Scholarship Contest winners are to be commended for their exceptional essays,” said League Executive Director John Brenner. “I truly hope these bright young adults will consider futures which include service in local government.”

Contest participants were asked to elaborate on the theme – “Civics and You” – by writing about opportunities in their community that allow for civic engagement and encourage citizens to volunteer to help with local challenges.

McNulty’s winning essay

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." One great way that citizens of Pennsylvania can make their voices heard on consequential matters is through civic engagement. Municipalities across Pennsylvania provide countless opportunities to residents interested in making a difference in the lives of their neighbors. As a graduating senior who lives in Doylestown and plans to attend DeSales University this fall, I have been able to contribute to my community by volunteering for Doylestown Borough activities designed to help local businesses and public institutions.

Like towns across Pennsylvania, Doylestown was severely impacted in 2020 by COVID-19. The once thriving business center had become a ghost town. Restaurants that once required advanced reservations were now closed. Shops known throughout Bucks County for selling distinctive merchandise now displayed "For Rent" signs. The economic impact of COVID-19 had hit Doylestown hard, and the prosperity of the community was in critical condition.

As someone who cares greatly about her hometown, I was eager to help my community survive the economic ravages of COVID-19. Despite my limited business experience, I volunteered to join Operation Doylestown, a committee sponsored by the Doylestown Borough and comprised of local
business owners and community activists. Through my participation in Operation Doylestown, I was able to recommend several initiatives designed to stimulate the local economy. My proposals included movie nights, a carved pumpkin festival, and a promotional campaign featuring Doylestown's cultural institutions. My initiatives increased pedestrian traffic during the summer and fall months. Families that might not have otherwise come to Doylestown were now arriving early or staying late on movie nights to dine at neighborhood restaurants or shop in local stores. When temperatures dropped, the pumpkin carving festival continued to draw people into Doylestown to support the local merchants. The visitors lingered in town treating themselves to pumpkin lattes sold at coffee shops. Artwork from local museums was displayed throughout Doylestown to uplift and inspire the community. The economic fortunes of the community improved significantly through these initiatives.

Additionally, I worked with the Doylestown Library to promote its services during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The Doylestown Library is a vital part of the community that provides residents with a safe place to gather to support one another. As a volunteer, I developed a marketing campaign that consisted of signs posing questions intended to entertain and inform the public about the library. I worked with local businesses to post the signs in shop windows. Two local newspapers, The Bucks County Herald and the Doylestown Observer highlighted my efforts. The promotional campaign succeeded in informing the public that the Doylestown Library and its many resources were available to them despite the gloom and doom brought by the pandemic.

Given the positive impact I had in volunteering for Operation Doylestown and the Doylestown Library, I sought the position of Junior Councilperson on the Doylestown Borough Council for the term September 2021 to May 2022. This position is open to one high school student in the Doylestown Borough interested in serving the community. As a Junior Councilperson, I weighed-in on issues directly affecting the residents of Doylestown by proposing solutions to community concerns. During Borough Council meetings, I was able to question Borough Council members as well as community leaders on topics that concern my neighbors for the purpose of expanding my understanding of the issues and building a consensus among the various community groups.

As the only student member of the Doylestown Borough Council, I provided the Council members with a different perspective on the issues confronting the community. In this position, I also participated in the budget process for each of the borough's agencies. Before my term ended, I succeeded in spearheading an initiative that recognizes young people who have made a positive impact in the community. The passage of the Youth Leadership Recognition Award marked the first time a Junior Councilperson proposed and enacted an initiative. This award will serve to encourage young people to get involved in civic activity for generations to come.

The impact of civic engagement is not limited to the present or future. Some civic activities can influence how we view the past. As a student at Villa Joseph Marie High School, I frequently drive past the Washington Crossing National Cemetery when commuting to or from school. The Washington Crossing National Cemetery serves as the final burial site for veterans. Unfortunately, many of the veterans buried at the cemetery do not have family or friends who have survived them or live in the general area that would allow them to visit the gravesites.

Working with my high school's administration as well as local community groups, I established Villa Joseph Marie High School's Wreaths Across America Chapter, which arranges to have students place wreaths on the graves of veterans during the holiday season. This activity affords students the opportunity to learn about the heroics of our fallen heroes while instilling a sense of patriotism in the local community. Through volunteering, I have been able to help my community overcome challenging times. In the process, I have developed the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in both college and my professional career. By volunteering, citizens can have an impact regardless of their age or skillset. Through civic engagement, each of us can demonstrate the truth in what Abraham Lincoln was fond of saying, "Actions speak louder than words."