Local volunteer Hyman Antikol will receive the commission’s first-ever President’s Award at the dinner, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. March 1 at the Bavarian Hall.

“The Blind Side” actor and motivational speaker Quinton Aaron will give the keynote address at the event, which is the 15th such dinner for the commission.

Both award recipients broke down when they were told about their honors, said commission Executive Director Mike Hofer at a recent commission meeting.

Chatman named Respected Citizen

Antikol

Chatman is a retired state policeman, owner of Keystone Investigation and Security Specialists, a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association wrestling official and assistant pastor at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Altoona, according to Hofer.

A member of the Booker T. Washington Revitalization Corp., which often works with the commission, Chatman has been involved in lots of projects over the past decade and has “one of the biggest hearts,” Hofer said at a recent commission meeting.

“Any time you ask Bernie for any help, he doesn’t think twice,” Hofer said.

That applies to financial requests, personal requests and something as simple as “(moving) tables around for dinner,” Hofer said.

Chatman is always thinking of ways to keep the city’s parks and playgrounds safe and will often stop at one or another park to be sure all is well as he travels between appointments around town, said corporation President Shasta Langenbacher.

Chatman upholds laudable qualities that include “truthfulness, honor and respect,” Langenbacher said.

Antikol to receive President’s Award

Created with Antikol in mind, the President’s Award is for lifetime achievement and will go in the future on an “ad hoc basis” to recipients who show a “sustained commitment to our community and the initiatives set up by the Booker T. Washington Corporation,” Langenbacher said.

The corporation’s mission is “to support and enhance the building of parks and recreational places of the 21st Century in central Blair County,” according to the organizational profile on the Guidestar website.

Antikol is a “thoughtful, caring servant-leader,” Langenbacher said, citing his work for the corporation and for UPMC Altoona and the Red Cross — to which he’s donated more than nine gallons of blood over the years, Langenbacher said.

When Antikol worked at Schulman’s downtown many decades ago, he would accommodate customers who didn’t have quite enough money to buy what they wanted, according to commission member Bob Pacifico, father of Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico.

If someone only had $8 for a $10 pair of sneakers, Antikol would say, “‘That’s OK,'” Pacifico said.

Or he might throw in an extra pair of socks with a purchase, Pacifico said.

“Hymie helps shape our community in countless ways,” Langenbacher said.

“Hymie’s Hymie,” Hofer said.

His effect on people is illustrated by the “Hymie, Altoona’s Ambassador” Facebook page, composed mainly of pictures and comments from people who interact with him around town, Langenbacher said.

“Blessed to see the Ambassador of Altoona last evening,” one user posted above a picture from a fundraising event. “(Y)ou are a legend and a great guy.”

“He has a lot of heart,” Langenbacher said. “He cares about a lot of people, and in return, a lot of people care about him.”

Actor Aaron to speak

Aaron was born in The Bronx and grew up in Augusta, Ga., according to Wikipedia.

In “The Blind Side,” he played Michael Oher, an All-American offensive tackle for the University Mississippi who played eight years in the NFL, for the Baltimore Ravens, the Tennessee Titans and the Carolina Panthers, according to Wikipedia.

The movie focuses on Oher’s relationship with members of the Tuohy family in his native Tennessee who, when he was a teenager, took him into their home to help him overcome the disadvantages of a broken family life, while also helping him launch a football career.

Oher later sued the family over what he said were misrepresentations about their having created a conservatorship for him, rather than adopting him, leading to his not receiving a share of proceeds from the movie, for which the family received hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to court filings and media reports.

Aaron has also played in “Born 2 Hustle,” “Blue Lightning,” “To Die For,” “Clew,” “The Baby Pact,” “Hybristophilia,” “Money is King,” “Summertime Dropouts,” “Mummy Dearest” and others, according to imdb.com.

Tickets available

The dinner is the commission’s biggest annual fundraiser.

The goal this year is between $35,000 and $40,000, Hofer said.

The 2024 dinner raised $32,000.

Tickets to the 2025 dinner are $50 each.

They can be purchased at the commission office, 2101 Fifth Ave., and at Grandview Meats, 1544 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

The primary sponsor will be UPMC Altoona. Other sponsors are Prime Sirloin and the U.S. Hotel.

For more information, call 814-949-2231 or visit cbrcparks.org.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.