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WILKES-BARRE — Times Leader reporter/columnist Bill O’Boyle has been recognized by Leadership Wilkes-Barre with its 2021 Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award.

The longtime local journalist will receive the honor at the organization’s annual dinner in June.

The award is designed to recognize exceptional Leadership Wilkes-Barre graduates. It has been presented annually since 1986 to alumni who have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of our communities.

“Bill is highly deserving of this prestigious award,” said Lori Nocito, executive director of Leadership Wilkes-Barre. “His participation in Leadership WB resulted in the founding of our Junior Leadership program in 1988.”

O’Boyle continued that involvement by participating in a highly acclaimed national leadership program.

“For many years Bill has been involved in our community and we are better for it,” Nocito added. “On behalf of Leadership Wilkes-Barre, I congratulate Bill on this well-deserved honor.”

Along with his work on behalf of children and adults with physical or intellectual challenges through the Challenger and Victory organizations, O’Boyle has played an instrumental role in the success of a number of programs, including the regional Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising funds for a children’s hospital in Warsaw, Poland, and funding a playground for patients at the John Heinz Institute for Pediatric Patients.

He served for more than 30 years with Teeners’ League Baseball and Wyoming Valley American Legion Baseball.

O’Boyle also served on the Leadership Wilkes-Barre committee that began Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre and he is a graduate of Leadership USA.

He also is a past member and president of the Ethics Institute of Northeastern Pennsylvania; helped organize the Book Kids Program at Wyoming Valley West School District; co-chaired the annual Riverside Rumble wheelchair-only race that was a 10K national and international championship; chaired the annual Bowl for Kids Sake for Big Brothers/Big Sisters; and served on the Wyoming Valley West Community Advisory Group.

Previous honors have included a citation for his community service from the Senate of Pennsylvania, United Way’s Rose Brader Community Service Award, “Person of the Year” by Victory Sports and “Citizen of the Year” by the Luzerne/Lackawanna County Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

O’Boyle, who is known to Times Leader readers for his news stories and weekly “Beyond the Byline” column, said he was “honored and humbled” to be recognized by Leadership Wilkes-Barre in this way.

He credits his years of community involvement to his upbringing in Plymouth, and the lessons in servant leadership he learned from his parents, William O’Boyle Sr. and Elizabeth Kraszewski O’Boyle.

“Because of the examples set by my parents, I have dedicated much of my life to doing my part to serve the community I live in and love,” O’Boyle said.

“My parents instilled in me a sense of community and I have always tried to help where I could over the years,” he added. “I share this with my parents because my parents taught me the importance of helping others.”

His award will be presented on June 10 at The Banks in Pittston.

TL’s O’Boyle to be honored by Leadership Wilkes-Barre