Local Heroes Get National Recognition
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two local activists are among 12 people who'll be receiving the Citizens Medal at the White House, today. They were selected from more than six-thousand nominees for the second-highest honor the President can bestow on a civilian.
One of the awardees, Harris Wofford, is familiar to most Philadelphians.
The former U.S. Senator helped start the peace corps and presided over Bryn Mawr college, among other jobs in the course of an illustrious career.
At 87, he's still devoted to public service.
Wofford says, "the challenge of service is at all ages and I've been lucky to have a lot of different opportunities at that."
Wofford will be joined by a less familiar name, Patience Lehrman.
Lehrman runs Project SHINE, a program in which Temple service learning students help older immigrants learn English. Lehrman, herself an immigrant from Cameroon, says she is humbled by the award.
Patience goes on to say, we stand on the backs of millions that have come before us and if we can confront the challenges of our day with the same courage, the same hard work and the vision that they had, we will create an America that is worthy of the next generation.
The medal will also go posthumously to the six adults killed in the Sandy Hook massacre.
