The leader of a major Yuba-Sutter youth support group for nearly two decades has been given the Mid-Valley's top honor for community service by women.

Janet Siller, the recently retired executive director of Friday Night Live in Marysville, received the Athena Award Saturday at the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce dinner. The award is one of the top honors the chamber gives out annually for service, leadership and excellence in business.

The honor follows Siller's retirement in July from Friday Night Live, whose Yuba-Sutter division she led for 18 years.

"I think God blessed me with a job that allowed me to work with youth in our community," the former Sutter County planning commissioner and Gold Country Back board member told the audience at the Walnut Avenue Community Center.

First handed out in 1982, the Athena Awards are sponsored by chambers of commerce and women's groups through Athena International, a Chicago-based businesswomen's group.

During her time with Friday Night Live, Siller secured funds to help the group open its Marysville activities center, which is meant to give children and teenagers a safe harbor from drug use and delinquency.

Siller's other work for local youth includes co-founding the Sutter Youth Football League and volunteering at Lincoln School in Yuba City - and she indicated her leaving Friday Night Live would not be the end of her volunteerism.

"I am not retired," she quipped Saturday. "I am currently unemployed and looking for employment."

Also honored on Saturday was Foster Campbell-McManus, who received the chamber's Exemplary LEADership Award.

The Yuba-Sutter chamber announced its other award winners in December.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Howard Yune at 749-4708 or hyune@appealdemocrat.com. Editor Len La Barth contributed to this report.