David Mantlo, center, proudly displays his UTUIA Volunteer of the Year award to fellow Local 500 members. From left are Janis McElley, Treasurer and Field Supervisor Dan McElley (who nominated Mantlo), Local Chairperson Mike Gardner, David Mantlo, Local President Clyde McCormick, Linda Mantlo, Mike Young and Local Chairperson Dave Schoening.

Mantlo chosen Volunteer of the Year
CLEVELAND ­ David G. Mantlo, a member of UTU Local 500 and UTUIA Local Unit 16, has been named the UTUIA's Volunteer of the Year for 2000.

Mantlo, who lives in Grand Junction, Colo., and works as a conductor for the Union Pacific, has been an active volunteer in the community for more than 35 years.

His volunteer career started on a summer day in 1965 when a Little League game was delayed because the umpire didn't show up. So, Dave volunteered to be the umpire, and the rest is Little League history. It was the beginning of Dave's lifetime involvement with Little League where he has held just about every position there is.

The following year Dave decided to become a coach. He's been coaching ever since, at all levels. Until 1970, the Grand Mesa Little League had been paying someone to mow and maintain the ball fields. Someone suggested that Dave be the new maintenance man. Dave had a better idea. He would do the maintenance for free, and the money they saved could buy a tractor. The league agreed. But Dave wasn't finished. Now that he had the money to buy the tractor, he went down to Western Implement and talked them into giving the Little League a tractor for free.

Dave says you find the time for the things you love. He works full time and spends plenty of time with his family, but he still finds spare time for Little League.

By now it probably sounds like Dave Mantlo has a one-track mind: Little League baseball. A one-track mind is right, but it's not baseball, it's kids. He organized the first Bronco charity event for Little League in Grand Junction. He was the Central High School football booster of the year. Additionally, Dave has volunteered his time as a coach at West Middle School (seven seasons), was co-chairman of the Committee to Build Playground Equipment at Nisley Elementary, served on the Accountability Committee at Nisley Elementary, coached Junior League Football for eight years, coached Pee-Wee Basketball for seven years, and was an officer in the Rio Grand Veterans' Club.

In 1993, the senior boys' field was named "Dave Mantlo Field" and Dave received Volunteer of the Year from Grand Mesa Little League two separate years. In 1999, Dave received the first Grand Junction Lions Club "Hometown Hero Award" for outstanding volunteer service to the community.

Dave Mantlo's life has been dedicated to helping kids, primarily through Little League baseball. He has always been more interested in getting something accomplished than getting those accomplishments recognized.

Mantlo said being named the UTUIA's Volunteer of the Year was a pleasant surprise. "It was very nice, very surprising and gratifying,"he said. "A friend nominated me and I really had no idea until they (UTUIA) called."

Mantlo's trip to the Reno Regional Meeting to receive his award also coincided with his wifes' birthday "so it worked out very well. We hadn't been there in 20 years. They treated us very nice, and I enjoyed seeing what the Regional Meeting was like."

"To win a national award like this is very nice. It was a great honor and I certainly do appreciate it," Mantlo said.

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