Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Leon Spencer honored as 2017 Outstanding Citizen
There were a lot of hugs at the chamber dinner on Friday at Longwood Gardens, and most of them were bestowed on Outstanding Citizen Leon Spencer.
It came as no surprise to practically anyone that Spencer was the top choice of the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, in this, its 50th year of honoring great individuals, because most people in southern Chester County either know him or have benefitted from his activities (or both) one way or another.
Spencer, 66, was born and raised in Kennett Square. He attended Kennett High School and later went to work in Ohio. But he returned to town in 1991, immersing himself in its culture, and becoming, among other things, its mayor and borough council president, as well as a member and leader of multiple boards and commissions.
There was an obvious fondness for Spencer among the guests at the annual gala, as they cheered him on and gave him a standing ovation when he concluded his acceptance speech.
But for Spencer, he was almost self-depreciating in his tone, as he recounted hearing about his selection as the year’s outstanding citizen.
“I was surprised when they told me, and I had only had two other times in my life when I was that surprised,” he said.
He said the first was on his wedding day when he forgot the words of a song he was prepared to perform. The other was
when Kennett Consolidated School District Superintendent Barry Tomasetti presented him with a high school varsity sports letter and jacket in gratitude for his announcing the football and basketball games.
“I was speechless. He found out it was that easy to shut me up,” Spencer said.
He then moved on to more serious subjects in his prepared acceptance speech.
He said he reads “That Book” every day as part of his morning ablutions.
“All of you are in That Book,” he said.
He went on to describe accounts of organizations sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, caring for the health of children and providing orthopedic equipment for those who could not walk. These actions of benevolence are presented in That Book, but groups exist and operate in the southern Chester County area performing those feats of good will as well.
He told the audience that they, too, were the doers of biblical acts.
“We are the citizens of The Book. Thanks be to God,” he said.
Spencer was introduced by last year’s outstanding citizen, Dave Haradon.
In his introduction he described Spencer as a friend to everyone who sought to bring rapport to Kennett Square even in tense times of disagreement. “He always has time to listen to your voices,” he said.
Haradon went on to describe a litany of groups and activities that Spencer was part of including his church, his music business, local and county schools, Boy Scouts, local politics, random volunteering and announcing sports games.
‘He lives his Christian faith,” Haradon said.
The annual gala was heavily supported by local businesses, which were given credit by Chamber President and CEO Cheryl Kuhn.
Thanks were also given to the members of the chamber by two-time Chairman of the Board John Jaros.
The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce is a regional pro-business member organization, dedicated to the growth and development of its members and the business community by providing opportunities to connect businesses and support sustainable economic development. It covers a territory throughout the southern Chester County area, and its office is in Jennersville in the old Dansko building.
The annual tradition of naming an outstanding citizen started in 1968 when community activist and school principal Bob Scott was named “Man of the Year.”
Spencer described accounts of organizations sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, caring for the health of children and providing orthopedic equipment for those who could not walk.