Salem Chamber Honors Those Who Shine in the Community

SALEM, Ohio – Terance O’Donnell said his wife once told him the meaning of life is all about “being a light to somebody” in the community. Then the “light gets spread around.”

“Just being a light in your own community makes a big, big difference in the world,” O’Donnell said.

Sondra O’Donnell, a volunteer with several organizations, was posthumously honored by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday as the Outstanding Citizen of the Year.

Her son, Ryan O’Donnell said his mother would be humbled by the honor and say she was just doing what she was called to do. Giving a speech he wrote with his sisters, Kerri Ackler and Lauren DeMarco, O’Donnell said their mother was always focused on others and never on herself. She taught them to do the same, and they are inspired by her legacy.

“Mom had a rare gift. She could see the good in every single person,” O’Donnell said, adding his mother always invited anyone in need to the house, [gave] them a hand in other ways or just took the time to listen to them. “Even though she gave so much of herself, she always felt like it wasn’t enough. There was always more to do, more people to help, more love to share.”

Shelley Bergman, the chamber’s first vice president, said O’Donnell moved to Salem in 1989 and quickly became involved in the community by joining St. Paul’s Church.

“From that point in time, she never stopped working to help others,” Bergman said. “She thrived doing the community service.”

Bergman listed several of the organizations that benefited from O’Donnell’s passion for helping others: The Fleming House, The Christina House, Nina’s Closet, AmeriCorps, Lions Club, RSVP senior volunteers and Kiwanis. She also was an original board member of the Brightside Project and the Dustin Huffman Memorial Scholarship Fund, worked on the school levy team, taught Bridges Out of Poverty and Getting Ahead, ran her church’s Youth Ministry program and helped nursing students and staff at Kent State University in Salem, where she retired as an administrative assistant.

“She taught us all how to live with compassion, how to look for the good in people and how to make the world a little better, one small act of kindness at a time,” her son said, adding that a friend at the chamber event told him: “If Heaven has committees, we’re sure that she has joined them all.”

The touching tribute to O’Donnell was just one part of the chamber’s annual meeting Wednesday.

Newly hired chamber executive director Lori Wilson said she and new deputy director Alicia Johnston have big shoes to fill after the departures in October of longtime executive director Lori Jewell and administrative assistant Laurie Anderson. Wilson asked chamber members to be patient.

“Right now, I’m just trying to figure everything out,” Wilson said. “I’m not going to change much right now. … Right now, I just feel like they did a great job before – why change it?”

Chamber President Brian Whitehill said the loss of both Jewell and Anderson within a week of each other, was a tough hurdle, but he has confidence in Wilson and Johnston.

During the meeting, the chamber passed some changes to its bylaws to allow for the denial of membership of any business with values that do not align with the chamber’s mission, as well as the removal of chamber members for delinquent dues payment or for those convicted of criminal charges. It also reduced the minimum number of people on its board of directors from 18 to 15.

Whitehill said the changes are a push to have more dedicated chamber members and board members as they seek to promote the city.

“I love this city, and I just want to do a great job for this city – promote the whole Salem area,” Wilson said.

Wilson also is a member of the Salem Kiwanis, which was honored at the event as the Non-Profit Organization of the Year.

“Members of the Salem Kiwanis Club are passionate about making a difference and having some fun along the way,” said presenter Dave Russell, second vice president of the chamber.

Wilson was not the only member of the Kiwanis Club in the room. Attorney Bruce Williams had all of the members stand as he accepted the award along with Kim Plumm, Kiwanis president.

Williams said the last thing Kiwanis members say “is to serve the children of the world.” He has met Kiwanis members from around the world, and it is a mission for them all.

“We’re a little club in a small town, but we roar,” Williams said. “We’re pretty proud of that.”

Jim Myers of Myers Family Insurance was honored as the Small Business of the Year. Ann Myers, Jim’s wife and business partner in the family-owned business, died suddenly in September. She had been involved in the chamber and other organizations in the community. 

Myers Family Insurance was started in 2010, outgrew its space in the former South Range Middle School building and moved to its current location in Greenford in 2022.  

Myers said though he may be the face of the business, the employees are the ones who support the clients during their challenging times in life and actually earned the award.

Farm and Dairy, which has been published for 110 years, was honored as the Large Business of the Year.

Founded by Richard B. Thompson in 1914 as the Tri-County Farmer and using Lyle Printing Co., established in 1890, to publish it, Farm and Dairy now serves rural communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. A member of the Darling family has been involved in the business since 1921, and Thomas Darling is currently president of Lyle Printing & Publishing.

Farm and Dairy prints more than 23,000 copies weekly, according to Eric Ehrenberg, the incoming second vice president of the chamber, who presented the award.

Awards were also given to restaurants and businesses involved in the Downtown Dining Experience, which was held Sept. 17. The event is a fundraiser for the United Way of Northern Columbiana County and includes a raffle for a necklace donated by Troll Jewelry. Since 2017, the event has raised more than $30,000.

The winners of the Downtown Dining Experience voted on by those in attendance are:

• Best Presentation: Coaches Burger Bar.
• Favorite Stop: Kast Iron Soda Works & Affordable Catering & BBQ.
• Best Savory & Favorite Food: Mike’s Penn Ave Grille.
• Best Sweet: Bake Me Treats.
• Most Unusual: Salty Mama’s Snacking Boards.

Pictured at top: The family of Sondra O’Donnell, who was posthumously recognized at the Outstanding Citizen of the Year, accept the award from Shelly Bergman, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce’s first vice president. From left are Ryan O’Donnell, her son; Terence O’Donnell, her husband; Kerri Ackler, her daughter; Bergman; and Lauren DeMarco, her daughter.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.