AWARDS DINNER

• Deseree Liddell | Ravenna - Deseree is the author of "The Higher You Climb, The Broader the View: From the Jim Crow South to a Thriving Northern Community." The book chronicles her journey from the Jim Crow South to Ravenna, where she became a community leader, and brought attention and resources to the historically underserved and predominantly black Skeels and McElrath communities in Ravenna Township. Portage Street in the Skeels neighborhood is being named Deseree Liddell Boulevard in her honor. 

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEES IN THIS CATEGORY:

• Gina Fischione | Streetsboro

• Jonathan Floyd | Ravenna

• Jordan Michael | Rootstown

• Debbie Sunderland | Ravenna

• Bruce Zuchowski | Portage County

• Ravenna High School | Honors Civics Program - Under the leadership of teachers Mr. Matt Wunderle and Mr. Richard Sullivan, Ravenna High School created the district's first Honors Civics Program. Students in the institute recently partnered with Ravenna City Council, the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, the Portage Historical Society, and Maple Grove Cemetery to create a pair of interactive walking tours that bring Ravenna's history to life. Tourists are invited to scan strategically-placed QR codes with their phones, which lead to reports on Ravenna's leaders, landmarks, and architecture curated by the students. Students also complete a semester-long externship program as a capstone to their senior year.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEES IN THIS CATEGORY:

• The Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities | DD Pride Month

• The City of Ravenna & Main Street Ravenna | Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) 

• The Socially Responsible Sweatshop | Kent - The Socially Responsible Sweatshop repurposes scrap fabric into usable goods, which are then sold; all of the money garnered from the sales are used in Kent and surrounding communities to fight food insecurity. The non-profit organization also protects the environment by keeping thousands of pounds of linens out of landfills annually.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEES IN THIS CATEGORY:

• The Haven of Portage County | Ravenna 

• The Rootstown Historical Society 

• Tim Whittlesey | Atwater Township - Tim is a person every employer dreams of having and many look up to. He is the Road Supervisor for Atwater Township; his daily tasks include normal road maintenance like cleaning ditches, patching, and plowing snow. Tim is also the head of the cemetery -- he not only helps maintain the cemetery but also handles most of the paperwork. Tim lost his right arm in a salt spreader accident, but there is nothing he can't or won't do. He is an inspiration because he never complains, and he is always willing to serve others.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEES IN THIS CATEGORY:

• MaryJo Cline | AMETEK

• Crystal Hickman | Windham Schools

• Arasin Hughes | Main Street Ravenna

• John Vennetti | The Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DD)

• Food for Life Market | University Hospitals Portage Medical Center - The Food for Life Market aims to address food insecurity in our county by providing fresh produce, lean proteins, whole grains, and dairy products with counseling support from a registered dietitian to the patients of UH Portage Medical Center. In 2022, the Market served an average of 244 patients and their families every month. Patients receive guidance from a dietitian at every visit, and healthy recipes and other community resources to improve their health conditions through proper eating habits.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEE IN THIS CATEGORY:

• Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DD)  

• Za'Nya Henderson | Windham High School - Za'Nya is a senior at Windham High School. In the fall of 2021, she approached her teacher with the hopes of finding ways to bring in people whose differences make the world better. Za'Nya wanted students to see people who looked like them and who looked different than them. She brought in people who visited Africa, work for PayPal and LinkedIn, work with the deaf community, are involved in efforts to support Ukrainian citizens, are veterans, and are college advisors. Za'Nya's efforts have helped students pick majors, network with people all over the country, and see themselves represented in all aspects. She also organized a youth chapter of the NAACP, where she serves as the group's president. Over 50 students are involved in the group, and monthly speakers are now part of the group's agenda. Za'Nya is determined to make the world better and is the definition of a good citizen.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE THE OTHER NOMINEES IN THIS CATEGORY:

• Cub Scout Pack 3551 | Ravenna 

• Main Street Ravenna | Youth Community Star

• Running Rockets | Streetsboro