DELHI _ Edith Marie Gonder Pernice said she remembers learning about volunteerism as a child when she helped raise money for the Police Benevolent Fund in Hastings-on-Hudson and learned to fly a plane at age 15 as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol.
Pernice, 79, of Delhi, is being honored as the 2009 Woman of the Year by the Delhi Business and Professional Women USA's local chapter Saturday.
Joan Hearl, chairwoman of the BPW selection committee, said Pernice is being honored for reviving and continuing the Delhi BPW and for "die-hardness in her work for numerous area organizations."
Acting Delhi BPW president Olga Irwin said, "Edith is a kind, generous person who has dedicated many years of service to her community."
Pernice said she was shocked when she was notified about the honor.
"I really thought, What did I do to deserve this?'" Pernice said. "I think there are so many women that do things and don't get recognized."
Pernice said she has always volunteered because it is the way she was raised.
"I was brought up to do whatever I could do whenever I could do it," Pernice said.
Pernice met her husband, Dominick Pernice, during her stint in the Civil Air Patrol. They were married in 1950, and moved to Delhi in the mid-1950s.
Pernice said a girl in school told her about an opportunity to learn to fly airplanes.
"I thought, That's fascinating,' so as soon as a turned 15, I became a cadet," she said. "We went to West Point for a week and stayed in the barracks. We flew AT6s and Piper Cubs, and we also learned how to be on a crash crew and put out the fires when a plane crashed."
In 1948, when Pernice was 18, she became a member of the Civil Air Patrol and earned the rank of sergeant. She said during World War II that the planes flew along the East coast watching for German submarines. She left when she was going to have her first child.
For many years, Pernice owned and operated Deerskin Products Inc. in Delhi. She purchased deer hides during and after hunting season and provided a large array of deerskin products, including jackets, hats, gloves, wallets and moccasins.
While she was running her business, she was also raising her family of six children _ five boys, including a set of twins, and one daughter, Kathleen Pernice. She is an honorary member of the Delhi BPW, and said she has been helping plan the event to honor her mother.
Edith Pernice's other community activities include being an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary since the 1980s. She has served as Chaplain of the Legion Auxiliary and was awarded the Best Chaplain in New York State.
In recent years, she volunteered as a "Reading Grandmother" for grade-school children, made quilts for the needy and knitted caps and mittens for Delaware Opportunities.
Edith Pernice ran Americanism essay contests for all local school children for several years and won the award for Best Americanism Program for Youth in New York state.
She was the publicity chairwoman for Habitat for Humanity for several years and helped bring Geraldine Ferraro to the ground-breaking ceremony for the first Habitat house in Delaware County.
She has served as a 4-H Club Leader for the Federal Hill Clovers, a den mother for Cub Scouts and was active in the local Home Economics Club. She also has a long history with Girl Scouts that dates back to her years as a Scout.
Edith Pernice became involved with the BPW in 1983 and has served as president several times.
"People are invited to share memories, memorabilia, photographs and fond memories," Kathleen Pernice said.
