John Hemmer looked on proudly as his wife, Marilyn, addressed a crowd of community leaders gathered at the Science Center at SUNY Fredonia Monday afternoon. The pride on his face was mirrored by the pride of those in the audience that know the couple best.

“They are the good ones. They are as good as they come. If you say differently, you don’t know them well enough,” said Rick Mascaro, Executive Director and Founder of Lake Shore Center for the Arts. “They are wonderful, care-giving, time-giving, lovers of mankind. It’s all for real.”

Every year, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation honors those who have made a lasting impact on the place they call home. The George B. Weaver Jr. Footprints Award is given each year to a member or members of the community who lead by example through philanthropy and leave footprints for others to follow.

This year, the recipients of the Footprints Award were Westfield’s own Marilyn and John Hemmer.

Alan Holbrook, Chairman of the Westfield Fund and Trustee at YMCA of Westfield, defined this year’s recipients perfectly. “They are good, honest people,” he said. “People should aspire to do the things that they do for this community.”

Marilyn and John Hemmer were met with a standing ovation as they were presented with the Footprints Award at the annual meeting of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation on Monday. They also received a citation from State Assemblyman Andrew Molitor in recognition of their community service.

“We call them the spark plugs of the community. They are able to be that person that makes people feel that they can. I think that’s a really special asset that both of them have,” said Don McCord, Executive Director of the Westfield Development Corporation. “… Marilyn and John are really a big part of that glue that makes the sense of community happen here in Westfield.”

Megan Hegna, Director of the Patterson Library in Westfield, described Marilyn and John Hemmer as genuine, authentic and caring. Patricia Gaughan DiPalma, Executive Director of Westfield Memorial Hospital, said they are “truly kind, very humble, and incredibly dedicated.”

John and Marilyn Hemmer are the perfect example of community volunteers, and through all they have done, they have inspired others to follow in their footsteps. Christie Herbst said she is inspired to take on projects in the community because she knows Marilyn Hemmer will, as well. Joan Caruso, of Lake Shore Center for the Arts, said, “They inspire people through a certain magic that they have. You look at what they do and you think, ‘Westfield is a better place because of all they do. What should I be doing?'”

No task is too small for John and Marilyn Hemmer if it makes Westfield a better place. From pulling weeds outside village hall or planting flowers to hanging wreaths throughout the village in the winter, they are not afraid to take on thankless tasks. They have an influence on the Chamber of Commerce, especially through First Friday events and Christmas in Westfield. They also make a difference at the Westfield Memorial Hospital and at their local church.

Marilyn Hemmer said it is because of her parents, and her husband’s parents, that they never say no when asked to help their community. She said that growing up, their parents taught them a strong work ethic, generosity, honesty, and the value of community service. It was simply “what you do.”

Marilyn Hemmer said, “In Westfield, I think that we have learned the value of working together to promote the good. One hand helps the other. … We all work together. It’s been a process, but I can tell you that I almost never get a ‘no.'”

Members of Marilyn and John’s family traveled from Texas to attend the meeting to watch as they were presented with the award. Marilyn said that her children are their “finest accomplishment.”

John Hemmer spoke briefly to conclude the ceremony, and in doing so, he tied together the theme of the meeting as a whole. He called his wife “a self-starter” and credited her collaborative skills. “That’s a lot of the secret to success. One person alone can get something started, but you have to have cooperation to bring it to fruition,” he said.