Penguin Parade illustrates the spirit of our community

Penguin Parade illustratesthe spirit of our community
EDITOR:
What a parade! What a treat for spirit and eyes. The Penguin Parade on view at the YSU Summer Arts Festival was a treat for the entire community -- truly a savvy, creative idea that boasts talented and imaginative ideas that project the enthusiasm of many of the citizens here in the Mahoning Valley.
This well-planned, well-marketed project should be a creative inspiration for others to give back to the community. Not only will the funds generated by this project help others, but the penguins themselves are just downright breathtaking. -- all very different, yet all highlighting the wealth of spirit and imagination this community has to offer.
Wherever else they may be on display for the public, I encourage the community to make a trip to view them.
Having been involved with various revitalization efforts for several years I find this project to be one of the best-executed ideas in recent history. Kudos to the corporate participants -- it was money well spent. And kudos to the creators -- your works were divergent and yet consistent. And finally to the community -- you are all part of Youngstown. Whether you are suburban or urban, this is your community. If you look for negatives, you will find them; however, if you choose to look for the positives, they, too, are there and can be found in projects such as this one.
May we all look for the positives and share a vision for a better Youngstown.
SUE MARSHALL-JONES
Youngstown
Austintown plans memorial to those who died on 9/11/01
EDITOR:
On Dec. 7, 1941 we had a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor that took 2,700 American lives. On Sept. 11, 2001, we had a surprise attack on our county that took over 3,000 lives. know all of us remember where we were on Sept. 11, 2001.
The Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., the airplane in Pennsylvania and all the people who died in all four planes. These were cowards of the worse kind that did this to us and it's far from over. The brave firemen and policemen entered these buildings knowing -- yes, knowing -- they would not come out, but they went in those buildings anyway to save lives. Over 300 firemen and numerous policemen died in the line of duty that day. All of them heroes. The workers in these buildings had no chance.
We have a chance today to honor these brave people who served us without regard for their lives. The Austintown Beautification Committee was formed to create a 9/11 memorial for the Mahoning Valley. We are a nonprofit organization. We are building a 9/11 memorial in Austintown to honor these brave men and women who sacrificed their lives. The memorial will be located on Raccoon Road in Trustee Park. It will consist of a gazebo that will be approximately 20 feet in diameter and will have engraved paver brick sidewalk and park benches. It will have a black granite base with two Twin Towers of granite 7-feet tall. The granite base will be inscribed, "9/11 We Will Never Forget and God Bless America" It will consist of an artifact from the World Trade Center that will be encased in the granite. It will also consist of flagpoles flying the American flag, state of Ohio flag and Austintown flag.
This will be the only registered 9/11 memorial in Ohio. The total cost of the project is estimated at $80,000. The total support of the Mahoning Valley is a necessity for this memorial to be a success. We are selling the paver bricks for $40 a brick. You can also make a contribution for the memorial. All checks for bricks or contributions can be made to the Austintown Beautification Committee. An account is set up at Sky Bank in Austintown. We would urge all of you to please purchase a brick in honor of these brave Americans.
We are still at war. A war if we back it or not. We must support our troops. Please dig deep and believe me, we will all be proud.
You can purchase a brick by calling either Pat Connolly, chairman (330) 718-2345, or Paul Cubellis, co-chairman (330) 792-1961. Or you may stop by the site on Raccoon Road to obtain an application from our mailbox.
PAUL CUBELLIS
Austintown