43
Austintown and Poland collaborate to support Kent family
AUSTINTOWN
The motto for Austintown Colts Youth Football is “Once a Colt, always a Colt,” and based on the community’s response to tragedy, these are not just words.
Earlier this month, a member of the Colt community, Kyle Kent, 20, died of injuries suffered during a car accident. Friends of the family quickly mobilized to plan a spaghetti dinner to raise money for the grieving family.
“Social media is an amazing thing. [News of the event] has spread like wildfire,” said Renee Perry, one of the event’s organizers.
The overwhelming response is not limited to the Austintown community, where the family lives and where Kyle’s siblings, Connor and Krystyna, go to school.
The spaghetti dinner will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday in the Austintown Fitch High School cafeteria. The cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children. Proceeds will go to the Kent family.
Steve Kent, Kyle’s father, is a Poland police officer and Poland schools resource officer.
“These kids love him. ... Every person who has a child in Poland schools knows who he is,” said Paula Hayes, one of the organizers of the event.
In the wake of this tragedy, the Poland community has made Steve Kent’s impact known.
“People can’t give enough. ... People are willing to do whatever to make his pain a little bit less,” Hayes said.
Poland is even busing basketball players to the event, which will include a 50/50 raffle and an auction.
“We’ve been inundated with donations. From big companies, to local business to personal and anonymous donations,” Perry said.
So far, organizers have received more than 100 raffle donations, and more arrive each day.
One of the most generous donations, Perry said, is a certificate for free braces from Very Orthodontics.
“I’m really proud of Austintown and Poland, I’ll tell you that,” Perry said.
The outpouring of community support has overwhelmed the Kent family.
“It’s so much more than we ever could have expected or asked for, but we appreciate everything,” said Alicia Kent.