Mary and Bill Jendry

Many years ago Mary Jendrey decided to volunteer at a hospital. Since her husband's job in the newspaper business kept them on the move, she felt that volunteer work was the best way for her to learn about each new community. Her responsibility at the hospital was to take the menus around to the rooms and get them filled out. She was told that she would have to help some people fill them out because they were unable to read them. Mary was sure that this would only be a small number of cases and was shocked to find out how wrong that assessment was. One young girl in particular gave her a new understanding of how big of a problem literacy is and started her in a life quest to combat the problem.

Every day Mary would have to read the menu to the sixteen-year-old new mother and help her fill it out. When she would leave the hospital for the day she would think, "someone's got to do something about this." This went on for several days and then one day Mary found the girl sitting on her bed sobbing. When she asked what was wrong, the girl explained that her baby was going to die. Mary was understandably upset, thinking that the newborn was sick. When she asked why her baby was going to die the girl held up a stack of papers on childcare that the hospital had given her and said, "I can't even read the menu, how am I going to read this?" That was when Mary knew that "someone" didn't need to do something; she did.

Mary is now the President and Executive Director of the Alle-Kiski Learning Center located in Arnold which offers free classes to adults seventeen and older. The classes include basic reading, writing, math, GED preparation, job readiness skills, daily living skills, and other educational programs. Her responsibilities include grant writing, developing programs, day-to-day management, and attending speaking engagements.

Her passion for investing in the lives of others doesn't stop there. She also holds the position as President of the Arnold Chamber of Commerce and is on the legislative committee for the Pennsylvania Adult And Continuing Education (PAACE).

As busy as her life has become, her job has been a blessing to her. Besides doing what she loves -helping people - her family surrounds her. Her husband, Bill, is a full-time volunteer there and her two daughters, Billie Jo and Julie, also work there. In addition, her new granddaughter Gabriella is in a crib nearby.

The powerful combination of Mary's determination, vision, and caring has made an incredible impact on many lives. She hopes that one day there will not be a need for the services that she provides. Mary and Bill Jendrey live in New Kensington. They belong to the Puckety Church in Lower Burrell.