AREA NEWS DIGEST: Lodge election

Lodge election

YOUNGSTOWN

Sgt. Thomas J. Assion has been elected president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 141 at the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department, succeeding Deputy Glenn Kountz. Re-elected were Deputy Joseph Iberis, vice president; Deputy Lisa Beam, secretary; Deputy John Marenkovic, treasurer; Sgt. John Boggs, inner guard; Deputy David Sheely, outer guard; Deputy Leonard Burke, chaplain; and Deputy Robert Russo, trustee. Assion also is shop steward for the lodge’s gold unit, which consists of captains, lieutenants and sergeants.

YWCA program

YOUNGSTOWN

YWCA of Youngstown’s Wish Upon a Star Program distributes gifts to the homeless and low-income families served through its housing program. The Wish Upon A Star gift-giving project partners with community groups and individuals to collect new toys, books and games to distribute to the homeless and low-income children who are served through the YWCA programs. Gifts were distributed recently to more than 80 children in the YWCA housing program. For more information about participating in the program, call the YWCA at 330-746-6361.

Project for kids

LIBERTY

Gretchen Reed, coordinator of the Blott Needy Kids project, reported that 40 township families with 85 children are participating in the Christmas program.

Residents took descriptions off of seven trees located at businesses and the Warren-Trumbull County Library, Liberty branch, and bought gifts. The recipients remain anonymous. Children receive clothing, books, a family game and an item that they may have requested.

The communitywide project also garnered $2,000 in donations, which went to food vouchers. The project, begun some 30 years ago by Reed as an adult Sunday school endeavor, has expanded over the years. Committee members are June Smallwood, Gloria Lang, Diana Luster, Fran Pettit and Jodi Stoyak.