TRUMBULL COUNTY Children Services honors clients

A national advocate of violence prevention in youth was to speak at the event.
BY REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County Children Services clients who have beat the odds and community members who have made a positive impact in children's lives were to receive honors today at a community breakfast at Dilucia's Banquet Room.
Scheduled to receive "Rising Up and Moving On" awards for their triumphs over adversity were Children Services clients Tamara Russell of Warren and Jackie Robinson of McDonald.
Julia Redd of and Robert L. Faulkner Sr., both of Warren, were to receive "Service to Children" awards in recognition of their kindness and generosity toward area children.
Children Services has been host of annual community breakfasts for the past nine years.
Purpose of event: Fred Anzivino, the agency's public information specialist, said the breakfast helps remind people how the agency makes a difference.
"This event helps to show that Children Services does its job. That we help families and clients whose lives have been in turmoil and we protect kids," he said. "The people receiving awards are shining examples of this."
Backgrounds: After the agency took custody of her six children in 1994, Russell beat her drug and alcohol addictions, got a steady job and continues to work diligently to rebuild broken relationships with her kids.
Robinson overcame a longtime drug addiction, resolved a personal tragedy and got her life back on track. She has a job and is able to be a mother to her three children.
Anzivino said this is only the second year for the "Service to Children Award."
"We decided to give this award because we wanted to remind people of all the people in Trumbull County who do really great things for kids," he said.
Redd, a Girl Scout leader for 40 years and a Sunday school teacher, works with first-graders at Horace Mann Elementary School in Warren encouraging them to believe in themselves.
She is the mother of 10 children, the grandmother of 26 and the great-grandmother of 24.
Faulkner is chairman of Children Services Citizens Committee and manager of community relations worldwide at Delphi Packard Electric Systems.
Anzivino calls Faulkner a "highly respected, influential and sought-after individual who is also warm, friendly and down to earth."
Speaker: Redge Green, a national advocate of violence prevention in youth, was scheduled to speak at the breakfast.
Green was disabled at age 6 when a neighbor shot him. As a survivor of violence, Green strives to bring realism and grit to his presentations.
Green was to speak about solving conflicts, building healthy relationships and using communication to deal with anger and rage.