Page 10 - 2020-Women and Teens of the Year Program Booklet

GOLDEN L A UREL

SHIRLEE NEUMEYER

“I give my highest recommendation for Shirlee Neumeyer
for her decades of service and support to our community,”
writes one supporter. “She has given generously of her
time, talents, and treasures over the years, and is truly an
asset to the Lehigh Valley.”
Shirlee Neumeyer’s accomplishments as both a pro-
fessional and a volunteer are extraordinary. When she
was only five, she joined — with a special exception —
the Brownies and continued in Scouting into high school.
In addition, she volunteered at St. Luke’s Hospital as a
Candy Striper. After graduating from Fountain Hill High
School and Kutztown University, she taught at Emmaus
High School where she, also, advised all aspects of the
Band Front and choreographed the Spring Musicals. During her teaching years, Shirlee
was a community volunteer at the Allentown Art Museum, did choreography for com-
munity theatre and taught movement for the Children’s Workshop for Civic Little The-
atre, now the Civic Theatre.
After retirement from the East Penn School District, Shirlee and her late husband,
Al, purchased and restored a colonial inn and opened it as a restaurant named Inn of the
Falcon. Shirlee served as Chef/co-owner.
This whirlwind of a woman was invited to join SOTA (Society of the Arts) of the
Allentown Art Museum and, ultimately, became President where she oversaw a member-
produced cookbook, “Culinary Arts,” and the Fowler Designer Show House. In 2014, she
was named SOTA Volunteer of the Year. Shirlee, a 38 year member, continues to be an
Active Sustainer and serves of the Print Committee.
Further, she joined the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley where she chaired the re-
launch of the shelved project, the Voluntary Action Center-known today as the Volunteer
Center of the Lehigh Valley. Currently, she is a Sustainer in the JLLV. Other notable
volunteer positions are President of the Lehigh University Women’s Club, Greater
Allentown Fair Iron Chef Competition Judge for the past 13 years and 8 year member
of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Gala Committee. Regarding PSF, Neumeyer,
states “ I have been joyfully able to use my restaurant expertise to serve on the Women’s
Brunch event and the Gala Dinner Menu Selection Committee.
After the sale of the Inn, Shirlee was invited to join the Auxiliary of St. Luke’s
University Hospital where she dual chaired the 107th Charity Ball, “A Touch of Whimsy”
which supported Women and Babies. This year, she will again chair the 108th Charity
Ball, Wanderlove, which will benefit Palliative Care and Hospice.
Despite the monumental amount of work that Neumeyer undertakes, she still has time to
travel, cook and dog-sit Buddy, a friend’s Lhasa Apso