D. EVERETT SMITH/FOR THE EXPRESS Mayor Lon Myers, left, holds the Key to the City he gave to Dennis Buttorff.

JERSEY SHORE — His name is Dennis Buttorff and his life has been about helping people.

He has had a long career of substantial service to both the United States and towns in Lycoming and Clinton counties as regional emergency manager. Should an emergency happen in western Lycoming County, he has readied a dozen towns to meet any challenge.

This wouldn’t surprise anyone who knew Buttorff or his background. He began his career of service with the Vietnam War. Because of his many years of dedication to the community, Mayor Lon Myers awarded him the “Key to the City” on Feb. 9 at a borough council meeting.

“According to Brown University’s Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, a key to the (town) is a medieval tradition intended to confer trust and honor upon an outstanding citizen or a friend of the community,” Myers said at the meeting.

The Joukowsky Institute’s website said the ceremony “grows from the medieval walled city whose gates were guarded during the day and locked at night. The key symbolizes the freedom of the recipient to enter and leave the city at will, as a trusted friend of city residents.”

The site stated that “in modern times, an ornamental (non-functional) key is presented to esteemed visitors, residents or others the city wishes to honor. This award is also known as Freedom of the City; in this way the ability to access ‘everything’ is seen as the ultimate act of esteem.”

The award itself is a metal key mounted on a plaque with the recipient’s name etched in metal.

Myers said he gave the award “to distinguished residents and individuals to honor their substantial contributions to… its residents.”

Myers said it was his honor to share the award to Buttorff who has served Jersey Shore in many ways.

“I have two pages of items that he has accomplished, but we only have so much time to go over everything,” Myers said with a laugh.

According to the list shared with The Express, among his many accomplishments, Buttorff:

— Served in the Navy for 21 years as a Hospital Corpsman Senior Chief.

— Instructed in subjects pertaining to Nuclear, Biological and Chemical issues.

— Served with the Citizen Hose Company for over 45 years.

— Helped Jersey Shore with flooding issues.

— Was President of Jersey Shore’s Area Veteran’s Council.

— Pennsylvania State Fire Instructor dealing with building collapses, terrorism and HAZMAT emergencies.

— Completed Jersey Shore’s Rail Walking Path.

— Built the Boat Ramp Project.

— Built the first phase of the children’s park in town.

— Board Member of the Jersey Cemetery.

— Helped plant the first round of trees on Allegheny Street.

— Helped build Grace’s Closet to help those in need.

— He helped plan the Toys for Tots program which “covers a wide area of Lycoming County.”

On a volunteer level, he served as a lay minister for Susquehanna Synod of the Lutheran Church. He visits people in the hospital and who are homebound to provide communion.

Weeks after the award Myers said it is an “honor to give people like Dennis this award.”

“These people (who received the Key to City), are people that we as a society should look up to,” Myers said. “And Dennis is amazing.”

In a recent phone call with Buttorff, he said he was grateful for the honor.

“I was happy to receive it and the time and stuff I have done in the community was recognized,” Buttorff said.

When asked about his career, he said he was in Annapolis at the height of the Vietnam War.

“I took care of the wounded veterans who came back from the war,” he said.

He mentioned in the 1970s he spent three years in Guantanamo Bay and worked with the United States Secretary of States as a medic.

“I was assisting Cuban refugees,” he said. “(For example) there was a boat that someone had built that carried 100 people and it sank right before it came to Guantanamo Bay.”

He said Cubans sought asylum, but when the boat sank they were rescued and brought to the U.S. Military Base on Guantanamo Bay.

“There were seven to nine kids on board that boat with no moms or dads,” he said. While their legal status was sorted, he provided medical aid not just to the children but the rest of the refugees as well.

When asked about his personal philosophy, he said it was quite simple.

“I help those in need and help those in my country,” he said. “I believe it is the Lord’s will that I do that.”

As for the award given to him by the mayor and council, he said with a laugh, “The key is hanging in my office at home.”