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THE PRESS
JANUARY 14, 2013
Opinion
The Press
The 26th Annual Gold Star Awards: walk-ons to MTV No money, trophies or medals go with the 26th Annual Gold Star Awards, just a gold star for the refrigerator and congratulations and thank you from an observer. Oak Harbor Young Farmer Wives for 35 years of raising donations for agricultural organizations. The Oak Harbor Young Farmers Club for its annual consignment sale which raised $180,000 over 36 years, much of it donated to the Ottawa County Fair. Dan Beaudoin, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stony Ridge, for his nineday missionary trip to Haiti where residents are still reeling from the 2010 earthquake. Dylan Dorfmeyer, Gibsonburg student, who balances athletics with his diabetes. Alyssa Batch, Clay hockey goalie, featured on Made, an MTV show about young people who have accomplished something unusual. Earl Geoffrion, 94, Oregon, recipient of the Silver Star 67 years after his commanding officer recommended him for it for his heroic actions in World War II. Ian Miller (Oak Harbor, Kent State), Keith Witt (Oak Harbor, Kent State) and Nick Purdue (Genoa, Ohio University) MidAm Conference tournament champions. Ron Distel, past commander of American Legion Post 279 and others who brought The Moving Wall, a half scale replica of the Vietnam Monument, to Elmore. Ray Zielinski, a respiratory therapist, and Noel Garcia, Toledo firefighter, both of whom happened to be at the Circle K on Woodville Road when Merl Downs collapsed from a heart attack. Their quick action to administer CPR saved Downs’ life. Gene LaHote, Oregon, recognized by the Toledo Veterans Administration as Volunteer of the Year at the outpatient clinic. He has volunteered 14 years and accumulated more than 1,900 hours of service.
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by John Szozda egon Schools, for his show of leadership in giving back his $11,000 raise while the school district struggles to find enough funds for busing. Carolina Wishner, volunteer at both Chernobyl and the 911 terrorist attacks in New York City, and the 2012 recipient of the Raoul Wallenberg Scholar Award at the University of Toledo, named in honor of the Swedish diplomat who saved 90,0000 Jews in Budapest during World War II. Eric Oatis, 16, Eagle Scout, who helped build a library for the Harbor View Historical Museum as his community service project. Ron Overmyer, former extension agent in Ottawa and Sandusky counties, for volunteering to help farmers in Mozambique pull themselves out of poverty by increasing crop quality and yield. Elijah Meade, 11, Oregon, who found a loaded 22 pistol and notified police.
Mark and Julie Shiffert for organizing more than 60 volunteers to help Scott and Cali Witt make improvements to their Gibsonburg home. Scott was seriously injured in an accident and unable to work and the house fell into disrepair. Marge Brown, teacher for 39 years, and Lawrence Morgan, long-time teacher and administrator, inducted into the Clay High Hall of Fame. Laura Luckey, Penta (Woodmore), who finished first in the Medical Math competition at the 48thAnnual Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Kansas City, Mo. And, Megan Hess, Penta (Northwood), who finished third at the same event in the Culinary Arts competition. Cody Pickard, Genoa sophomore placekicker, who kicked six field goals in a game to set a new state record. Robert and Joseph Kovesdi, Gregory Christian, Master Sgt. David Hernandez and Eric Gene Fodor inducted into the Birmingham Hall of Fame. Jordan Kovacs, Clay grad and former walk-on at the University of Michigan, named the team’s most valuable player. Ben St. John (Woodmore) and The Ohio State University and Mike Blazevich, (Cardinal Stritch) and the University of Toledo, Division I walk-ons in football and Richard Wonnell (Genoa) and The University of Toledo in basketball. The Lake Equestrian team (Ashley Landers, Alisa Knieriem, Rhianna Reau-
me, Lauren Nissen, Taylor Barndt and Kylee Smith) for its third consecutive high school state championship. Anne (Woyame) Noel, Lake; Cindi (Peters) Britt, Eastwood; and Chad Bolander, Northwood; chosen 2012 Penta Career Center Outstanding Alumni. Derek Besgrove, Clay grad, inducted into the Walsh University Hall of Fame for football. Erika Dunbar, 14, of Northwood, who, seeing a house on fire, ran to her mom and told her to call 9-1-1. Her fast action was credited by the Northwood Fire Department for limiting the damage to the home. Alec Georgoff, Millbury, a St. Francis senior, National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist for finishing in the top one percent of the more than 1.5 million seniors who took the Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Solomon Lutheran School, Woodville, celebrating its 150 anniversary. Gary Quisno, former Oak Harbor football coach inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. The Rockets compiled a 224-83 record in Quisno’s 29 years at the school. Blair Skilliter. (Genoa) member of the Mount Union Purple Raiders, Division III national champs in football. Ray Aldrich, Genoa, for donating a riding mower to Genoa American Legion Post 324. Comment at zoz@presspublications.com
Brad Fields, East Toledo, for fostering community gardens. Rachel Weber and Madison Sheahan, members of Genoa High’s Future Farmers of America, for volunteering to run the town farmers’ market. Gary Tscherne, Oregon, who aced the 365-yard par 4 13th hole at Stephens Park Golf Course in Dallas, Texas. Eric Eischen, member of Boy Scout Troop #3452 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Williston and a Genoa High School grad, new Eagle Scout. Erek Hanson, 11, Curtice, for collecting his 10,000 pair of donated denim jeans, which are recycled for insulation. Kim Crawford, Clay High softball player, named first team All-Ohio for the second consecutive year. Gary Isbell, Clay baseball coach, and his players for raising $2,200 for Lisa Miller. Miller suffers from multiple sclerosis. She is the mother of second basemen J.J. Miller. Bill Hirzel of Hirzel Canning, and Pat Bacon, retired City of Northwood administrator, Spirit of Wood County Award recipients. Derrick Vicars, University of Findlay senior, NCAA Division II national champion in the shot-put. Vicars also won a Division II national title in the discus in 2010. The Harbor View Yacht Club on its 60th anniversary. Danny Ivy, Woodville, one of three winners in the Center for Innovative Food Technology contest, for his salsa “Nacho Danny’s Kinda Hot, Hot Sauce. Don Bixler, Kevin Kwiatkowski et al for taking care of the waterfall garden at Pearson Metropark. Nick Bittel, Johanna Cutcher, Regan Draeger, Kiersten Flick, Phoebe Jackson, Marty Perkins, and Loren Taylor, members of the fourth grade Destination ImagiNation Team from Woodmore which placed first in regional and state competitions. The Oregon-Northwood Rotary Club celebrating its 25th anniversary. Adam Najjar, Waite junior, awarded the 2011-12 Courageous Student Athlete Award by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Adam was diagnosed with leukemia and missed most of his sophomore year but came back last year to make the junior varsity basketball team. Zena Cole, Oregon, member of Team USA and a Silver Medal winner at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. Dr. Mike Zalar, superintendent of Or-
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