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‘Giving feels good,’ YSU students learn
Photo
Liz Irizarry of Youngstown, right, prepares cheese tortellini as, from left, Todd Marian of Help Hotline, Scott Landy of First National Bank, Lauren Lindvig of WFMJ and Alfred J. Pasini, executive director of Youngstown Hearing and Speech Center, wait in the food line during the annual meeting of the Community Corporation, parent organization of United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley at The Lake Club, Poland.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
POLAND
“Giving feels good,” Youngstown State University students told the school’s president- designate, Dr. Cynthia E. Anderson, after participating in the local 2009 United Way campaign.
“That’s a lesson they learned that we could not have taught out of any textbook,” said Anderson at Tuesday’s annual meeting of the Community Corporation, parent organization of United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
Working on the United Way campaign brought the entire university, students and staff, closer together. “They started going to lunch together and talking about the 2010 campaign,” said Anderson, featured speaker at the event at The Lake Club on Paulin Road.
“That’s what the Mahoning Valley is all about, where it really shines ... coming together for each other,” she said.
“This community does not give up. We have lived united, and we have given hope to those who need it, and I’m sure we will continue to do that,” Anderson said.
It is the job of Rich Denamen, as head of United Way’s 2010 campaign, to keep the giving going during tough economic times, a task he said is not easy.
Denamen, a former Austintown schools educator and basketball coach, said he considers heading the 2010 campaign as a chance to give back to the community that he said has “been very good to me and my family. I love this Valley and its people.”
“I am blessed to help fund United Way’s educational and other initiatives,” said Denamen, who grew up in Hubbard and graduated from YSU.
“We can all be proud of the work we do at United Way. You can’t reach one in four residents, as we do, with a handful of people. It takes hundreds of volunteers,” said William J. Bresnahan, outgoing chairman and chief volunteer officer of the Community Corporation.
Bresnahan’s replacement is William M. Padisak Jr., staff representative of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 4/AFL-CIO.
Padisak, who has served on the Community Corporation board since 1996, praised the leadership of Bob Hannon, United Way president and chief professional officer, and said he has always been impressed with the “tireless work” of the United Way staff.
Leadership, awards
Officers were elected for the Community Corporation, parent organization of United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, and efforts during the 2009 financial campaign were recognized at the corporation’s annual meeting Tuesday.
Community Corporation 2010 officers: William M. Padisak Jr., chairman and chief volunteer officer; Walter J. “Buzz” Pishkur, Garry L. Mrozek and Sarah Brown-Clark, vice chairmen; G.L. Mears, treasurer; Parker T. McHenry, assistant treasurer; Franklin S. Bennett Jr., secretary; Robert P. Hannon, president and chief professional officer.
Largest corporate gifts: PNC Bank, Altronic Inc. and FirstEnergy Corp.
Largest employee gifts: General Motors Lordstown Complex/United Autoworkers Locals 1112 and 1714; Youngstown State University.
Largest foundation gift: Youngstown Foundation.
Corporate Leadership awards: For number of donors of $1,000 or more, YSU, 13; GM Lordstown/UAW, nine; Hill, Barth & King LLC, eight; and PNC Bank, seven.
Source: United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley