Elk County honors longtime Children & Youth fiscal technician Helen Marzella and proclaims April observances

Elk County commissioners used their April 2 meeting to honor Helen Marzella’s 33 years of service and to adopt several community proclamations for April observances.

Commissioners presented a citation recognizing Marzella’s long tenure and thanked her for leadership and institutional knowledge. Nancy Baker, director of Children and Youth Services, credited Marzella with the department’s 100% compliance rating on a Title 4-E quality assurance review conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. "She's going to be missed," Baker said.

The board proclaimed April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and urged residents to report suspected abuse; Baker supplied Childline’s hotline and the county office number for concerns. Commissioners also issued a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and representatives from local advocacy groups accepted the proclamation and encouraged community support for survivors.

All four county public library directors were recognized and received a National Library Week proclamation for April 19–25, 2026. Commissioners noted the county has begun creating an annual appropriation line in the budget for libraries to provide modest, recurring support.

The meeting included photos and brief remarks; county staff said the proclamations and the retirement citation would be recorded in the minutes and that staff would coordinate photos for the honorees.