What started out as a small act of kindness for a Mon Valley middle school student has grown into a much larger operation thatâs spreading love throughout the regionâs most vulnerable population.
After his summer basketball program was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 14-year-old Patrick Weldon, of Monongahela, decided to use his free time to volunteer with Meals on Wheels. He and his mother, Alexis Weldon, delivered meals to about 23 homes in their community for months.
âI pretty much realized that most of the people we delivered meals to are in wheelchairs or not very mobile,â Patrick said in a recent interview. âThey stay in their homes pretty much 24/7.â
Mechanicsburg and
Monongahela today were named
Pennsylvania s top youth volunteers of 2021 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, America s largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service.
As State Honorees, Kate and Patrick will each receive a
$2,500 scholarship, a silver medallion and an invitation to the program s virtual national recognition celebration in April, where 10 of the 102 State Honorees will be named America s top youth volunteers of the year. Those 10 National Honorees will earn an additional
$5,000 scholarship, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their nominating organization and a
$5,000 grant for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, conducted annually by