Fifty “Frontline Heroes” were honored during the 48th Art Rooney Award Dinner at Heinz Field on Sept. 13 to benefit the Catholic Youth Association of Pittsburgh. “This year we decided to do something a little bit different,” said CYA president Mary Ann Heneroty. “Instead of awarding some corporate CEO or some outstanding sports figure, we decided to honor the people who went to work during the pandemic.”
After a socially distanced buffet dinner and welcome by emcee Michael Bartley, county executive Rich Fitzgerald and Dan Rooney, son of Greta and Art Rooney II, were on stage to help honor Pittsburgh’s front-line workers — respiratory therapists, police officers, EMTs, grocery workers, nurses, teachers, firefighters, waiters and others. Honorees’ names were displayed on the stadium’s jumbotron.
“I’m honored to be here on behalf of the Rooney family,” said Dan Rooney.
The frontline workers included Marlene Hanner, Toni Ford, Rachael Banze, Caroline Faub and Libby Ernharth. “It was a little emotional when I opened the envelope. I did burst into tears,” admitted Ernharth, a physician assistant.
Among those applauding were event chair David Malone with Amy Brouman, Kim Tillotson Flemming, Sally Wiggin, Jill Rosegger, PNC senior vice president Andrea Carelli and Suzanne Alexander.
First Published: September 21, 2021, 10:00 a.m.