At 77, Alice Lee Paul has a gift for recognizing faces and remembering names.

But she was stymied on her daily walk Tuesday.

"I was walking along Main Street and a car slowed down and the driver said 'Congratulations, Mrs. Paul,' " she said. "I had no idea who that was."

People who have lived for any length of time in Zelienople often know who Mrs. Paul is. Word is getting around that congratulations are in order.

Mrs. Paul was recently presented the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award by the Zelienople/Harmony Chamber of Commerce. She was nominated by the Zelienople Historical Society, where she is a past president and an active volunteer.

The award, said Joyce Bessor, executive director of the historical society, recognizes people who do outstanding work on behalf of their community.

Mrs. Paul, whose life as a volunteer blossomed after she retired from teaching, is an ideal recipient, Mrs. Bessor said.

"Any community would benefit from having people like Mrs. Paul," she said.

Although she has a full schedule now, Mrs. Paul originally dreaded the prospect of life outside the classroom. She loved her work as a kindergarten teacher in Seneca Valley School District but retired at 65.

"I was not really ready to retire," she said.

As she struggled with that dilemma, her outlook changed when she read a passage in a book that told her "take your creativity and ingenuity and enthusiasm and move on in your life."

"That was my inspiration," she said.

So Mrs. Paul moved on. She found time to do things she couldn't when she worked as a teacher. She joined the Zelienople Travelers Club, a women's club, and eventually became its president.

She became involved with the Zelienople Historical Society, leading tours and serving on its board.

At the Zelienople Area Public Library, she joined the board of trustees and leads children's story hours, as needed. At local preschools, she began visiting to read stories and teach, when needed.

So perhaps it's no surprise that as Mrs. Paul takes her 2.5 mile walk each day, she spends much of the time waving to passers-by, most of whom she recognizes.

"She doesn't forget anybody and they don't forget her," Mrs. Bessor said.

First Published: April 16, 2006, 4:00 a.m.