Civics Club Honors

Walter and Verna English have given countless hours to make life better in the Royalton community. (Herald / Caleb Byerly)

Walter & Verna English

By Caleb Byerly

Although the night was windy and freezing cold, many people gathered in the Royalton Academy Community Center with bright smiles and warm appreciation for Walter and Verna English.

The Royalton Civics Club celebrated the couple’s 61 years of dedication and donations with gracious praise and a marble plaque that now hangs on the wall in the Community Center. The couple recently retired from the Civics Club and wishes to see the club’s success in the future.

"These two are the backbone of the Civics Club," member Dottie Olmstead said.

The Civics Club has provided Royalton residents with scholarships for students, aid for families in need, and many other charitable programs. The Community Center building was nurtured with the help of the Englishes since 1947.

"We just wanted to help people who need help," Walter said. "We would like to see it continue."

While Walter helped maintain the center building and its grounds, Verna would volunteer for the numerous suppers that have been held there. There was no shortage of stories about the couple’s efforts to bring the community together.

"If there was a job to be done, and either Walter or Verna could do it, they did it," selectboard member John Dumville said.

Much of the night was spent fondly recounting memories of the couple’s efforts. With a work ethic almost unheard of today, along with an unselfish desire to help others, the Englishes have spent more than half of a century dedicated to improving the lives of Royalton residents.

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