There was cause for celebration at the Escalon Historical Society Museum recently, as one of their own was feted by the city.

A new recognition program offered through the city, the Citizen of the Month, is up and running and the recent honoree was Evelyn Betti Swass. She was honored by the City of Escalon as its saluted citizen at a recent council meeting, presented with a certificate of recognition by Mayor Ed Alves.

Escalon City Manager Tammy Alcantor said the program is designed to highlight those citizens who contribute to their community in a variety of ways, making it a better place to live and work. The city continues to take nominations, as they hope to recognize an outstanding citizen each month for the rest of the year.

“Ann Shaddix and Evelyn Swass are the two that we have recognized to date,” Alcantor said.

Shaddix, who was honored previously, is active with the Escalon Senior Fun Bunch, works in the office at Saron Lutheran Church and was selected to serve as the city’s representative on the San Joaquin County Commission on Aging.

Prior to the official beginning of the effort, city officials recognized Dave Willis, another longtime resident, active as a police department citizen volunteer, highlighting his contributions as a way to introduce the program.

For the most recent honoree, Swass has continued to stay active through the years.

She has lived in Escalon her entire life, graduating from Escalon Union High School in 1946. She worked as a beautician, married Mark Swass and together they had two children, Dan Swass and Susan Mussett.

She is also known, friends and family say, for baking wedding cakes, volunteering to do wallpaper for friends, and has been active in the YLI, Young Ladies Institute, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Now, she volunteers at the Escalon Historical Society Museum, serving many hours at the Main Street museum. She will observe her 91st birthday this coming August.

Many of her fellow volunteers at the museum accompanied her to the Escalon City Council meeting where she was provided with the citizen honors. They also gathered this past Saturday, June 12 at the museum, once again making note of the special recognition.

Those on hand to celebrate with her – as the Museum is now open both Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. – were Historical Society President Dave Russell, Dorothy Miller, Debbie Vilotti, Sandy Russell and Barbara Langum.

Again, the city continues to seek nominations for the Citizen of the Month program. Those nominations can be emailed to cityclerk@cityofescalon.org; letters with nomination information can also be dropped off at City Hall, 2060 McHenry.

Nominations should include the nominee’s name, contact information and why they should be honored.