Agency honors clients' successes
Victoria Rowell of daytime drama 'The Young and the Restless' spent her childhood in foster care.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A baby is born to a mother who abused drugs throughout her pregnancy.
A 3-year-old boy loses his mom to murder.
An 11-year-old girl and her brother are taken from their home because of drugs and prostitution.
In each case, the people involved were dealt an unfair blow. But in each case, those involved overcame their difficult situation and made the best of it.
On Thursday, the Trumbull County Children Services Board honored clients in its programs who came through some of the most difficult situations life can dish out. The "Rising Up and Moving On" awards ceremony took place at St. Demetrios Banquet Center.
When Charles Kohut of Warren learned that he might be the father of a baby boy born in September 2004 to a drug-abusing woman, he agreed to take on the responsibility for rearing the child. The mother was in no condition to rear him.
But Kohut admitted he would have some difficulties as well. He had been an alcoholic for 15 years, even though he held down a job for many years.
Worked as a team
Caseworker Renee Bastounis developed a plan to help Kohut kick his alcohol-abuse problem and learn how to become a father. He's been free of alcohol since Father's Day 2005, and he obtained custody of 2-year-old Chucky in February.
At Thursday's ceremony, Bastounis recalled that Kohut told her that if being a father wasn't enough reason to kick his alcoholism, nothing would be.
"This coming Father's Day will be two years of sobriety for Charles. He is truly an inspiration to all of those with addiction issues," she said.
The agency took a team approach to preparing Kohut for his new role as father, receiving help from foster parents Pat and Harlan Nolan of Leavittsburg to help Kohut learn to change diapers and otherwise care for the boy. They made sure Kohut was included in birthday parties, doctor visits and everything else possible.
Others recognized
Ronald and Kathy McClure of Niles are in the final stages of adopting their grandson, Camron, who came into their lives after his mother was killed by her boyfriend in Portland, Ore., in 2003.
The McClures faced the difficult job of helping Camron, now 6, cope with the loss of his mother while also working through their own sorrow over the loss of their daughter, Heather Dunlap.
Latoya Holley of Warren was placed with foster parents Ali and Marcelaine Bashir of Warren in 1998 after Children Services discovered that Holley's mother was bringing drugs and prostitution into the home where they lived. Holley was 11 when she left her mother's home.
Despite the early difficulties, Holley still managed to excel in school in Alabama and in Ohio and attended Kent State University, where she is completing her nursing degree. She is also married with two children and "has refused to allow the misfortune in her life to interfere with obtaining her future goals," Yolanda Perez, her CSB caseworker, said Thursday.
The featured speaker was Victoria Rowell, best known as Drucilla on the daytime drama "The Young and the Restless." She is also known for her roles in the television shows "Diagnosis Murder," "The Cosby Show" and "Diagnosis Murder." Rowell spent her entire childhood in foster care.
She was also a professional ballet dancer and model before turning to acting. She has written a book, "The Women Who Raised Me," to be released this month.
The agency also honored Mary Zador of Warren for her longtime work with children at the agency as a nurse, and Sam Covelli, owner and operator of Covelli Enterprises, for his support of children.
runyan@vindy.com