Provide by the Newtown Borough Good Samaritan Award Committee:
A committee of Newtown Borough community members has selected David Callahan as the recipient of their annual Newtown Borough Good Samaritan Award.
Committee members Elle Kaplan, Peg Levin and Harry Betz didn’t have a hard time coming up with Callahan’s name when they started contemplating the honoree for 2019.
Callahan bought the Newtown Hardware House in 1985 and has become a fixture in the community ever since. He had invaluable knowledge in that area and is always willing to share it. After selling the store in 2012, Callahan continued working there part time until his recent retirement.
You can’t mention the Newtown Historic Association without referring to
Callahan – a past president and longtime member and volunteer, he has spent untold numbers of hours contributing his time to this organization. He has also written and contributed to several books that benefit the NHA.
Callahan has served or is still serving on many philanthropic boards in Newtown, including Pickering Manor, Newtown Theater, Newtown Reliance Company. He is a former board member of the Newtown Sewer Authority. Callahan was on the original committee of the Newtown Beerfest and helped coordinate that event for many years. He was instrumental in the design and procurement of the Santa House in the borough and still helps out with the holiday activities in Newtown Borough– especially the star on the Christmas tree. He made the star and every year, he has to struggle each year to keep it going, wrestling for hours with a glue gun.
“If someone asks me something about Newtown that I don’t know, Dave is the first person I would call,” said Harry Betz, owner of Newtown Bicycle Shop. “He’s a local gem – he’s always willing to lend a helping hand or his knowledge for anyone.”
For as much as he contributes, Callahan prefers to stay in the background.
The award was presented at the March 12 Newtown Borough Council meeting.
