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Outstanding Seniors and Senior Advocate named
HOWLAND
Nearly 300 people attended a ceremony Thursday at the Avalon Inn in Howland to recognize nominees and winners of the 2014 Shepherd of the Valley Legacy Award for Outstanding Senior Advocate and Outstanding Seniors.
Recipients of the Outstanding Senior Award are Ron Borngesser of Youngstown, Howard B. Friend of Poland, Roselyn Gadd of Girard and Katylu Herriman of Warren.
The Outstanding Senior Advocate Award was presented to Lucille Zinz of Deerfield.
The late Lynn B. Griffith Jr. also was recognized for his contributions to the community with the Cliff Johnson Valley Legacy Award for Timeless Service.
The Valley Legacy Awards program, started in 2005, honors civic-minded seniors and senior advocates for the dedication and service to the Mahoning Valley and the inspiration to others through their actions and deeds.
About the Outstanding Senior Award recipients:
Borngesser: Known as “Wheelchair Ron” at American Legion Austintown Memorial Post 301, he was a catalyst for Habitat for Humanity’s building a handicap-accessible Habitat home.
Friend: Serving under Gen. George S. Patton as a machine gunner with the infantry at Bastogne, he was injured in the Battle of the Bulge and received a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for Meritorious Action. During his career in education, he was a teacher and administrator in several school districts and was assistant superintendent at the Mahoning Valley Joint Vocational School.
Gadd: Best known as a photojournalist, she works with libraries, schools, nonprofits and historical societies in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties. She administers the Facebook page for the Historical Society of McDonald and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.
Herriman: She is president of the Warren-Trumbull County Branch of the American Association of University Women and is a member of numerous community boards and committees and volunteers for several organizations. She has served as a judge for Howland High School’s speech team and is a volunteer for the Grassroots Revitalization of Warren fundraising committee.
The Outstanding Senior Advocate recipient, Zinz has spent more than 25 years volunteering for and leading the Trumbull Mobile Meals program. Under her leadership, in just two months TMM purchased its own building, made renovations with $40,000 in donated funds and began preparing its own cold foods and most of its hot foods.