Rich Center sends thanks for donation of new van

Rich Center sends thanks for donation of new van

A heartfelt thank you to Chuck Eddy and family for their recent gift to The Rich Center for Autism of a 12-passenger van.

Through their kindness, life will be made a lot easier for students and staff and they now will be able to extend their boundaries outside of the city center as part of their daily learning integration experience.

The Eddys are just another part of the many kindnesses our community continues to show the children and families of The Rich Center.

Phyllis (Rich) Ricchiuti, Poland

Phyllis Ricchiuti is chairwoman of the board of trustees for the Paula and Anthony Rich Center for Autism.

Drug overdose does not have to be death sentence

I am writing to discuss Ohio’s opiate epidemic. Recently, a new report was published by the Kaiser Family Foundation showing that Ohio led the nation in opioid overdose deaths. One in nine heroin deaths in the U.S. occurred in Ohio.

This report highlighted 2014 overdose numbers, and we already know that 2015 had higher overdose numbers, and the trend has not slowed down in 2016. The headlines throughout the state have continued to show how devastating addiction can be for individuals, for families, and communities. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about Ohio’s opiate epidemic and the resulting overdose deaths and we should. This is a crisis of epidemic proportion impacting all of us.

We also need to talk about the survivors. We know that an overdose does not have to be a death sentence. Lives can be saved. Treatment for addiction works. People can and do recover. The Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board is composed of 18 individuals representing Mahoning County residents. We believe Treatment Works, People Recover. Recovering People Work, Working People Pay Taxes. Recovery is Beautiful. These sound like taglines because they are, but it’s also the truth. We need to focus on prevention, intervention, interdiction, treatment, and recovery. Every sector of our community is impacted by this epidemic, and it’s going to take every part of every community to develop a solution to this problem.

As we end 2016, let’s do so on a positive note, a hope for change in 2017 and a plan for action. Let’s talk about how addiction is a chronic disease. Let’s talk about how treatment works and people recover. And let’s celebrate those in recovery in our communities and our state!

Edgar Manning, Youngstown

Edgar Manning is chairman of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board.

Enlightening advice when walking in dark of winter

How can pedes- trians make themselves more visible in darkness to motorists when they’re walking in parking lots and parking decks, along berms, in marked crosswalks, or when forced to share a roadway with motor vehicles due to unplowed sidewalks and impassable roadsides?

Modern, high-quality LED flashlights can help.

They’re lightweight, often under 3 ounces. They’re pocketable, fitting easily into a shirt or jacket pocket. They throw a useful, powerful beam of light that can illuminate your walkway, and can clearly be seen by alert motorists. Many offer features such as water resistance, focusability, shock resistance, multi-mode switches, programmability, machined housings, and much more.

Prices start at around $20. See your sporting goods or other specialty retailer for the available selection.

Jack Labusch, Niles