YOUNGSTOWN True Hero Award given

The award recognizes area residents who work to improve the quality of life in the Mahoning Valley.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Frances Gray, resident council president of Victory Estates housing development on Youngstown's East Side since 1984, is recipient of the first Valley True Hero Award.
Established by Eddie DeBartolo, owner of DeBartolo Property Group, the award recognizes area residents who give of themselves to help others.
One true hero will be named each month. All 12 of the year's recipients will be honored at an awards dinner next April, during which DeBartolo will present them with custom awards.
Gray was named a true hero because of her involvement with several programs that help improve the quality of life for Victory Estates residents.
She has coordinated after-school programs to assist children with homework and prepare them for proficiency testing.
Safety program: She also created a program that honors neighborhood children who graduate from high school and established a resident patrol program -- the only one of its kind in the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority -- to ensure children get on and off their school buses safely and to accompany senior citizens on errands.
In addition, Gray worked with YMHA on drug elimination programs and with the deputy registrar to encourage voter registration.
She has worked with Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington and Youngstown Police Chief Richard Lewis on anti-crime programs, with Mahoning County commissioners on the county's summer food program, and with the Youngstown Area Community Action Center on Head Start.
Mayor George McKelvey recently appointed Gray as the first resident representative to the YMHA board.
Gray is working now to secure computers for Victory Estates' community center.
All true heroes will receive $2,500 in gift certificates from area stores and $1,000 will be donated on their behalf to the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way.