People who helped build and continue to support the valley received the awards.

People who helped build and continue to support the valley received the awards.
LIBERTY -- Approximately 250 community leaders and members of the business community gathered Oct. 6 at the Holiday Inn MetroPlex Center to honor several civic-minded seniors during the first Valley Legacy Awards luncheon.
The seniors were singled out for recognition by Shepherd of the Valley for their dedication to the Mahoning Valley and for their senior advocacy efforts.
Ode Aduma presided over the activities and presented the Outstanding Senior Awards to Nettie Ashelman of Warren, C. Clark Hammitt of Youngstown, William Horton of Southington, Joyce Pogany of Austintown and Mary B. Smith of Youngstown, and the Outstanding Advocate Award to Jude Signoriello of Girard.
The honorees
UAshelman has been actively involved in the Warren/Trumbull county community for most of her 87 years. She has served on numerous boards, been active in politics, was a delegate to four National Republican Conventions, worked on projects involving historic Warren and was honored in 1992 and 1997 as one of the most influential women in Mahoning Valley. She served 30 years with Trumbull County Board of Elections and received a commendation from Secretary of State Ken Blackwell for the best board in the state.
UHammitt, who is 90, retired at age 87 from the marketing firm he started in 1987 after retiring from Strouss Department Stores. He has served on the board of Goodwill Industries since 1967, successfully completing a $2 million capital campaign in the 1970s. He served on the board for the Edgewood Apartments and founded the Goodwill Apartments. He has been involved with Mahoning County United Way and was campaign chairman in 1981. He is actively involved in all the boards, plays the drums for Canfield Community Band and performed with the Ohio State University Band Alumni at the opening game on Sept. 3.
UHorton retired as the owner of Horton Electric and devotes his time to such things as the Children's Rehabilitation Center, Warren Western Reserve Classic Horse Show, Trumbull County United Way, National Packard Museum, Upton Association, Salvation Army, Relay for Life, Camelot Center Riding for Handicapped program, Boy Scouts and Warren Rotary. A member of Trumbull 100, he is involved in Warren's growth and development and has received the Red Cross Community Stars Award.
UPogany, who is associated with Austintown Board of Education and as an active member of Austintown Historical Society, has been instrumental in acquiring and restoring several historic structures. She has been a Camp Fire leader and an Austintown Band Parent. She established the middle-school sports banquet and high-school scholastic banquet. She is active with Wickliffe Circle Christmas Committee, Austintown Fourth of July Committee, Austintown Growth Foundation, YSU Penguin Club board, Beeghly College of Education Diversity Committee and Austintown Kiwanis.
USmith has been involved for more than 50 years with Youngstown State University, a building was named in honor of her and her husband. She established the Health and Physical Education Department, organized the office of Career Planning and Placement and co-chaired the 75th Anniversary Committee. She received the YSU Heritage Award in 2002 and was named the Penguin of the Year. She is active in the music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota, and as an adviser to Tri Sigma. She was the first woman elected to the Youngstown YMCA board and was instrumental in establishing the central branch. She was president of Youngstown Federation of Women's Clubs, was honorary chair for Hospice and was chair of the metro division of the United Way campaign. She is a member of the United Nations Association of Youngstown, is treasurer of Park Vista North Residents Association and past president of Park Vista Retirement Community Board.
The recipient of the Outstanding Advocate Award was:
USignoriello, the program director of Girard Multigenerational Center, is a registered nurse and social worker. She provides weekly health screenings and educational programming and organizes bus trips and job shadowing and oversees the youth programs.