TRUMBULL COUNTY United Way fund drive starts at amphitheater

The Trumbull County United Way hopes to raise $2.5 million this year.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
WARREN -- Now that the Warren Community Amphitheater is open, local residents say they want to put it to good use.
"There should be something here all summer long," said Marcia Yargo of Warren.
Beverly Raines, also of Warren, also said she wanted to see more events held at the amphitheater. Raines noted that so far, she feels the amphitheater is "getting started very well."
Raines and Yargo were among the 100-200 local residents who attended the "Rally by the River" Thursday night at the amphitheater, located next to Perkins Park. The rally served as the kickoff of the 2003 fund-raising campaign of United Way of Trumbull County.
The amphitheater opened last month.
Janice Wagner of Howland added that she was looking forward to events at the amphitheater.
"They're going to have lots of events here; that will be nice," she said.
City officials have yet to determine who should organize those events. On Monday, a committee is expected to make a recommendation to city council's legislative committee as to how the amphitheater should be run
Other details
The city could choose to operate the facility itself or lease it to a nonprofit organization or a for-profit company. The amphitheater, which was first proposed 20 years ago, was built using donations and state grants.
"Whoever's idea it was, I congratulate them," Warren resident Spellmyra Westmoreland said Thursday.
The amphitheater's opening was delayed about a month this summer after the stage was covered by heavy rains.
Several of those at Thursday's event used words such as "beautiful" and "gorgeous" to describe the amphitheater, which features grass and concrete seating carved into a hill. A concrete stage lies at the bottom of the hill.
The Mahoning River runs behind the stage.
"It's great, beautiful, lovely," said Jan Murray of Torrance, Calif., who was visiting Warren.
Mary King of Warren said Thursday was the second time she had visited the amphitheater.
"The first time I saw it, it was under water," she said. "The second time, it's gorgeous. I like the river view."
James Crouse of Howland, the United Way's campaign chairman, called the amphitheater "a gem for the city to use." He said the turnout for Thursday's campaign kickoff was greater than he expected.
"We've got a lot of people who normally wouldn't be at a United Way kickoff," Crouse said.
Goal
The United Way hopes to raise $2.5 million through its campaign this year. Last year, the organization raised $2.4 million.
About $286,000 has already been donated to the campaign by local businesses and groups. The campaign is set to end in mid-December.
Money collected by the campaign will help fund about 140 local health and human services programs. Several of the organizations that benefit from the United Way campaign are the Red Cross, the YWCA, the Urban League and Trumbull County Mobile Meals.
Crouse noted that United Way kickoffs are typically private events. This year, the United Way of Trumbull County decided to open its kickoff to the public so that local residents can get to know some of the groups that benefit from campaign money, Crouse said.
hill@vindy.com