Trumbull United Way Honors Donors, Volunteers

HOWLAND, Ohio — The United Way of Trumbull County celebrated its annual meeting and awards luncheon Thursday at The Avalon Inn here.

“This annual event gives people who are connected to our United Way in some way or the other a chance to hear from us. It also allows for a comprehensive look of what we do and what we have done,” said Ginny Pasha, president.

John Walsh, board chairman, opened the meeting by welcoming the nearly 300 donors, volunteers and community members in attendance. Pasha thanked Trumbull Regional Medical Center, Diane Sauer Chevrolet, Paige & Byrnes Insurance and The Richard & Rhonda Thompson Foundation for their sponsorship of the event.

Pasha announced an expansion in United Way’s Reading Great by 8 Program, which will add six schools to the ABC Reading Ready and the Ready, Set, Go!, reading programs this summer. She also acknowledged an increase in support of school food pantries and the annual United Way at Work event.

Thanks to a newly established strategic plan and a survey conducted by Kent State, United Way of Trumbull County is shifting its focus toward families who do not earn enough to meet basic needs or when something out of the ordinary happens. The new focus is called “United in Helping Children and Families Thrive.”

Women United will be focusing on diabetes this year, which is a pressing need in the community, Pasha said. The first donation received was $50,000 from the Women’s Auxiliary at Trumbull Regional Medical Center.

Here is a list of the awards presented at the annual meeting and the recipients:

Give Awards:

  • 7 17 Credit Union, the largest workplace campaign
  • Jefferson PK-8 School (Warren City Schools), the largest percentage increase in a workplace campaign
  • Home Savings Foundation, the largest percentage of increase in financial support (firm or foundation)
  • Stanwade Metal Products, 100% Employee Participation
  • Trumbull County Mental Health & Recovery Board, 100% Employee Participation

Advocate Award:

  • Tammy Jorgensen, Home Savings Bank

Volunteer Award:

  • Dan Pressley of Pressly Photographic

Give, Advocate, Volunteer Awards:

  • Kathy Kiniklis, Mercy Health
  • Julianna Begalla, Cortland Bank
  • First Energy/Ohio Edison
  • Trumbull County Children Services

Give, Advocate, Volunteer Awards:

  • Kathy Kiniklis, Mercy Health
  • Julianna Begalla, Cortland Bank
  • First Energy/Ohio Edison
  • Trumbull County Children Services

The Legacy Award

  • The Estate of Patricia Dagg

Retiring Board Members

  • Jim Whetstone of Toyota of Warren
  • Julie Vugrinovich of Howard Hanna Real Estate and the Warren Junior Women’s League
  • John Walsh, chairman of the board

United Way Employee Celebrating 30 years

  • Luann Conrad, Administrative Assistant

Pictured at top: The meeting closed with a Reading Great by 8 presentation featuring Bascom Elementary School Principal Maggie Kowach and students Kingston Fields and Skylar Clendenin reading to the audience.

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