Mauch Chunk Trust Co. honored four local residents Friday morning as its 2022 “Community Heroes,” contributing $200 on behalf of each to a charity of their choice.

Bill Solomon, Judy Hoppes, Tina Dowd and Georgiann Davis were nominated by the public and selected by a volunteer committee as having displayed outstanding service to their community.

Solomon, a Jim Thorpe resident, is well known for his appearances around the holidays as the conductor of the “Polar Express,” punching train tickets for local children and giving them bells, ensuring they “Believe” in the magic of Christmas.

“My wife and I started playing Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at assisted living homes and it grew from there,” Solomon said. “I really enjoy the Polar Express trips to the schools. I’ve done it as far away as Northern Lehigh. It is amazing. Some of them go home and tell their parents the guy from the movie was there.”

One of the proudest moments for Solomon, however, was joining Leroy “Squeaky” Strohl and other volunteers in launching the winter ice skating rink at Sam Miller Field.

“In our childhood, we used to flood the basketball court there and when Leroy wanted to put an ice rink there again, I was 100% on board,” Solomon said. “We advertised for skates and got them sent in from Florida, Colorado, California, etc. The kids come and they don’t even need their own skates. We have them there. It’s wonderful to see them enjoy it.”

Solomon said he was honored to be named a community hero out of “so many deserving people.”

As coordinator of the Tamaqua Spirit of Christmas Festival, Hoppes is currently working on a Christmas in July event. She said her volunteerism was a trait handed down by her parents.

“I’m humbled, but I don’t really feel think I do anything big,” she said. “I just like people to be happy. I think it’s the way I was raised. Then when I had children, I started following what they did. When my daughter was in high school, I was asked by the Cancer Society to sell daffodils. That was 1984 and I’m still selling them.”

A founding member of the Carbon County Community Foundation, Dowd said she was accepting the honor of community hero on behalf of the entire group.

“It’s not my work alone,” she said. “I’m proud of our growth overall as a foundation. We just started with an idea, but a lot of people had to say yes for it to move forward. We’re recruiting new founders now, and people can create their own funds, whether it’s for a scholarship for a high school senior or we have a Lehigh River Watershed Fund. Whatever is inspiring for that donor, we can be the vehicle for that philanthropy to happen.”

Like all of the community heroes, Davis has a lengthy resume. She is most proud, however, of her work with the Girl Scouts and as an American Red Cross instructor. She has been an adult member and Girl Scout volunteer since 1979, including a board member of the legacy council Penn’s Woods.

“With Girl Scouts, to see what the kids are accomplishing is amazing,” she said. “Anyone involved with kids knows what it’s like to see them accomplish something maybe they think they can’t do. It’s a great feeling. On the American Red Cross side, I teach lifeguarding, CPR and first aid. I just think it’s really important for people to know how to do all of that.”

As part of the event, MCT is donating to Camp Louise, Camp Evergreen, the Carbon County Community Foundation, Family Promise of Carbon County and Hope and Coffee in Tamaqua. All were chosen by the heroes to receive the donations.

This marks the 21st year for MCT’s Community Heroes program, which was cancelled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have so many people contributing in big and small ways that benefit the community and make it a better place to live,” said Patrick Reilly, MCT president. “These are people who get involved and give so much time, but don’t necessarily look for the accolades and recognition. They deserve it, however, and that is why we started recognizing them 21 years ago.”