Saturday, Aug. 25, will not only be Community Day for Whitehall Borough; it will also be "Jason Coll Day."

Coll—a composer, a musical director and a member of South Hills Area Against Dangerous Drilling (SHAADD)—has been chosen by Whitehall's elected officials as the borough's 18th annual Citizen of the Year.

Coll will officially be crowned on Aug. 25 at Snyder Park at around 10 a.m., as Mayor James F. Nowalk and the Whitehall Council will proclaim that day "Jason Coll Day" in front of finishers and spectators of the borough's annual 5,000-meter race and 1-mile fun walk.

Coll, a 1989 graduate of Baldwin High School and a 1993 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, is the founder of Frog Prince Theatricals. He served as the creative director and associate artistic director of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera from 1999 to 2008.

In 2005, he was named one of Pittsburgh's "40 Under 40" by Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project.

Like all Citizens of the Year, Coll resides in Whitehall. At times, he has volunteered his talents to assist the borough and has spoken up at council meetings concerning the possible development of Marcellus Shale gas in Whitehall.

"I'm a proud member of SHAADD," Coll said, "and I'm also happy to be recognized for my artistic contributions to the community, especially my original works for young audiences.

"I'm really honored that Whitehall has named me Citizen of the Year. I'm proud to call to call this my home."

Also being celebrated by borough officials on Community Day—at the Edwin F. Brennan Plaza at around 2:45 p.m.—are Community Service Awards being given to residents who have made significant contribution to the betterment of Whitehall.

There are three Community Service Award winners this year: Leo G. Daly, a long-time member of Whitehall's Zoning Hearing Board; Andrew Sakmar, a former borough councilman and a delegate to the South Hills Area Council of Governments' Cable TV Franchise and Rate Review boards; and John B. Schmotzer, the president of the Baldwin-Whitehall School Board.

A third type of recognition to be made by the mayor and the council on Aug. 25 are Good Neighbor Awards. The 2012 Good Neighbor Award winners will be announced on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Good Neighbor nominations must be made in writing by Aug. 20. Click here for details.

UPDATE: The Good Neighbor Award winners are Michael Abbiatici, Ed Dean, Emilio Del Bianco, James Hawkings and James Lydon.

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