New Bethel Pastor is honored at banquet

Recovery Restoration Inc. is a community, faith-based nonprofit organization.
AUSTINTOWN -- Recovery Restoration Inc., a community organization, honored the Rev. Kenneth L. Simon, pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church, Youngstown, during its fourth annual banquet Friday at St. Maron's Hall, 1555 Meridian Road.
The Rev. Mr. Simon is a son of the Rev. Lonnie A. and Florence H. Simon of Youngstown. He succeeded his father in the pastorate at New Bethel after his father retired.
The honoree is an alumnus of Youngstown State University and received biblical and religious training at Evangelical Training Association, Wheaton, Ill., and Christian Study Center.
He heads the Community Mobilization Committee and also is president of the school board at Eagle Heights Academy and president of Jubilee Christian Community Development Corp. He is a board member of the Mayor's Human Relations Commission, a member and former president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, financial secretary for Baptist Pastors' Council and member of Interfaith Dialogue. He has served as president of the board of directors of Mahoning Valley Association of Churches and as a board member of Western Reserve Port Authority.
History of organization
Evangelist Tracey Dawson began the ministry of Recovery Restoration in September 1994. It first focused on people dependent on drugs and alcohol and offered a 12-step program. In May 2004, she developed Recovery Restoration into a faith-based nonprofit organization and serves as chief executive officer and executive director.
Recovery Restoration is implementing Youth to Restored Living, a collaboration with Youngstown city schools and Youngstown Weed and Seed. The program strives to educate teens on current issues and provide resources to deal with them. The program has an educational component and an entrepreneurial side. It also is available to Trumbull County schools.
The organization is in partnership with other agencies in Mentoring From the Heart for pupils at Alpha School of Excellence for Boys and Athena School of Excellence for Girls. Recovery Restoration also plans to offer computer classes for youths and adults in January and establish a recreational center for teens. It also is partnering with the Salvation Army on parenting classes.
Ministry background
Evangelist Dawson answered the call into ministry in early 1994 and was licensed in July 1995 by the Mr. Lonnie Simon. She is an associate at New Bethel, where she serves as pastoral liaison in the church recovery ministry and the Evangelism and Outreach Department and teaches extended Bible classes. She was ordained in 1998 and served from November 1996 to December 2003 as an associate pastor of New Jerusalem Fellowship Church, Warren.
Evangelist Dawson also hosts the radio ministry Recovery Restoration at 3:45 p.m. Sundays on 1330 WGFT-AM. Her biblical training is from the Evangelical Training Association, Moody Bible Institute and Berea Bible College.
Speaker was Elder John Terry Allen of Everlife Worship Center.