The Trumbull 100 is proud to be a sponsor of the 2026 Community Star Award
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
- George Bernard Shaw
Mission Statement
The Trumbull 100 is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to embrace and facilitate opportunities by providing resources and leadership to projects that enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Trumbull County.
Providing Leadership and Resources to these projects:
• Trumbull County Veterans’ Memorial
• Downtown Warren Flower baskets and Holiday wreaths
• Ohio Chautauqua (7 seasons)
• Packard Music Hall balcony hand railing project
• Burbank Park renovation
• Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Council
• Kay Fisher Neighborhood Revitalization Mini-Grant program
• Warren Women’s Park
• Historic Perkins Neighborhood Assoc. Rose Garden & Pagoda restoration
• Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport
• Trumbull County Community Star sponsor
• Medici Museum of Art and Soulages mural
• Maker Space collaboration with the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library
• Renovation of Gazebo in Courthouse Square
Founded in 1994, Trumbull 100 is celebrating 32 years of service to Trumbull County communities.
Trumbull 100 members or former members who have previously won a Community Star Award:
• Robert Berk
• Dr. Robert Brodell
• William Casey
• Paul Clouser
• Martin L. Cohen
• Elizabeth Cole-Clark
• James Economos
• Kay Fisher
• Atty. Ned C. Gold, Jr.
• Lance Grahn
• David Hamilton
• Bill Horton
• David Kostolansky
• Rocco Maiorca
• Franklin R. Manios
• John Payiavlas
• Diane Sauer
• Dr. Jim Snelson
• John Taylor
• Jordan Taylor
• Shelley Taylor
Honoring Trumbull County’s brightest
Inside this magazine you will find stories and pictures showcasing exactly why these 10 individuals have been selected as 2026 Community Stars.
It’s been 24 years since the Tribune Chronicle first began recognizing the best examples of volunteer service to our community and the people who perform those outstanding acts.
The Community Star program, co-sponsored again this year by Trumbull 100, celebrates Trumbull County residents who go above and beyond to make a significant impact in the lives of others without ever expecting anything in return.
These 2026 Stars join a long and ever growing list of past individuals, and this year’s class is equally impressive. Among them are a 91-year-old man from Weathersfield who spruces up Weathersfield Community Park and manicures the property at Kerr Cemetery.
You also will read about a Cortland woman who is involved in so many organizations she barely had time to be interviewed and a Howland woman who honors fellow nurses at their funerals as a member of the Nurse Honor Guard.
There is another Cortland woman who has been volunteering in various organizations for 30 years, and a VFW Commander in Hubbard who works tirelessly to help his fellow veterans.
The list also includes a Girard man who has spent the past 15 years cleaning and restoring the Mahoning River for everyone’s enjoyment, and a longtime area educator whose love of history and volunteering has her serving in numerous capacities at the National Packard Museum and Trumbull County Historical Society.
The list also includes a Warren woman who founded her own nonprofit, a Braceville man who founded a museum dedicated to the African American community and a Bristol woman whose mother was one of the first 10 Community Stars in 2002.
These Stars were selected from nominations beginning in January. A selection committee had a tough task paring down the dozens of nominees from our community to these 10 honorees.
Several of the honorees were nominated by former Community Stars, demonstrating a “pay it forward” mentality.
To the 2026 Community Star recipients — whose goodwill and volunteerism are felt on so many levels and in so many places around Trumbull County and beyond — congratulations!
2026 Community Star award winners:
Kenneth Boring, Mineral Ridge
Sarah Hirt Buzulencia, Warren
Esther Gartland, Cortland
Molly Halliday, Cortland
Moriah McCorkle, Warren
Lorie Prokup, Warren
Mary Ann Raidel, Bristolville
Tom Smith, Girard
Ted Toles III, Newton Falls
Joe Warminski, Hubbard
congratulates our team member
2026 Community Stars!
Kenneth Boring
By TIM GLEASON Correspondent
WEATHERSFIELD — Ken Boring may well be the most visible and respected member of the Mineral Ridge community, with all due respect to the rest of us who live there.
A tireless wonder, the 91-year old Boring shows no signs of slowing down — nor does he want to.
If you drive past the Weathersfield Community Park on Route 46, you may see Boring with a weed whacker or other tools to spruce up the park. If he’s not there, you may see him at Kerr Cemetery, where he manicures the property. Wherever you see him, he is doing volunteer work for the township he loves.
“Ken’s name has become synonymous with Weathersfield Township,” said David Rouan, township administrator. “He remains actively involved in the daily life of our community. His presence is not symbolic; it is operational, consistent and deeply rooted in a genuine desire to serve others.”
If you attend a Mineral Ridge football game, Boring is the one directing pre-game parking. Afterwards he takes his post on the sideline, where he runs the Rams’ chain crew — a job he has had for the past 62 years.
To salute Boring’s longtime loyalty, the Weathersfield School District named the road behind the press box in his honor, Ken Boring Way.
“His presence is not symbolic; it is operational, consistent and deeply rooted in a genuine desire to serve others.”
Since 1964, Boring has been an active member of the Weathersfield Fire Department. He served as a volunteer firefighter, a lieutenant and captain, until 1999 when he became assistant to fire Chief Randy Pugh. Boring later succeeded Pugh as chief, until he officially retired in 2019, but is still an active volunteer.
“He will always be the chief,” said current fire Chief Tom Lambert. “He’s been a father figure to so many people, including me. He’s also been a mentor to firefighters who are now all over the country. His impact has been profound.”
One of 11 children, with five brothers and five sisters, Boring is a native of Johnstown, Pa. and was born in 1934. He moved to the Mahoning Valley in 1952. He proudly served the U.S. Marines from 1957 to 1959, stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Boring was a Lance Corporal and ROTC trainer.
“I love this community,” Boring said. “The people of Mineral Ridge are very special. There is a small-town charm here where everyone knows everyone else. Whenever there is a fundraiser for a special cause, the whole township comes together to make it successful.”
Boring is also dedicated to his church, the First Church of Nazarene in Niles. As a member of the Building and Grounds Committee, Boring was instrumental in renovating and expanding the facility. He also has plowed and
mowed there for 25 years. His efforts resulted in the church naming Ken Boring Fellowship Hall in his honor. The scope of his benevolence seems boundless. Boring volunteers to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at Sam’s Club in Niles every holiday season. He also guides the Boy Scouts every year to place flags on the plots
of veterans at Kerr Cemetery each Memorial Day.
“It keeps me going,” laughed Boring. “I am not going to sit around. When I see things that need help, I do whatever I can.”
Six years after moving to Ohio, Boring married Loretta Thomas in 1958 (they were married for 54 years until Loretta died in 2012). The Borings had two children, Tom (wife Kathy), still living in Mineral Ridge, and Shannon Testa (husband Carl), who recently moved to Canfield. Ken has three grandchildren, Cody, Anna and Taylor, and two great-grandchildren, Aria and Thea.
“Ken Boring embodies the very definition of dedication to community,” Rouan said. “We are profoundly grateful for his contributions over the past 62 years, and we look forward to his continued leadership, mentorship and service to
Weathersfield Township in the years ahead.”
When I met Ken 30 years ago, I told him, “when I grow up I want to be just like you.”
Today I am 70 years old, and I still say the same thing to him.
HonoringKenneth Boring
The Residents of Weathersfield Township, together with all Township Departments, proudly extend their heartfelt congratulations to Kenneth Boring.
Your dedication, integrity, and unwavering commitment to our community continue to enrich Weathersfield Township in countless meaningful ways. Your service stands as an example of leadership and devotion that inspires everyone around you. We appreciate all that you do.
Sarah Hirt Buzulencia
By JOHN PATRICK GATTA Correspondent
WARREN — With her family’s deep roots in Warren going back generations and spending her childhood years living in the city’s historic district, it’s no surprise that Sarah Hirt Buzulencia has spent much of her life chronicling the area’s past and enhancing social engagement.
“Both of my parents and grandparents were very involved in the community. It just came natural to me. If my parents were working or planning an
“Both of my parents and grandparents were very involved in the community. It just came natural to me. If my parents were working or planning an event, I was there.”
—Sarah Hirt Buzulencia
event, I was there,” she said.
“Some of my earliest volunteering was working on the Walk on Millionaire’s Row while I was still in grade school. Also, the neighbors I grew up with were all very community-minded people and gave many hours of time and work to make Warren a better place. I was truly blessed to live in such a neighborhood.”
The lifelong Warren resident graduated from Warren G. Harding High School in 1979, then earned a BA in education at Hiram
College and a master’s degree from the University of Akron.
Her 36-year teaching career started at the Kennedy School in Youngstown followed by more than three decades at Howland Middle School.
“My dad had a true love for local history,” she said. “His ability to tell historical stories went far beyond sharing dates and facts. He had a gift for bringing people and events to life. That ability to teach history through storytelling is so important.”
Her mother, Thelma, and father’s civic-mindedness led to her involvement
with the National Packard Museum. Ted Hirt was one of the founders of the museum. He and her husband, attorney Michael Buzulencia, served on its first Board of Directors.
Hirt Buzulencia, who owns a 1936 and 1956 Packard, served multiple terms on the museum’s Board of Directors as well as president and vice president. Now, as the recording secretary, she received the news of her Community Star nomination on the way to a Packard Museum board meeting. She thought the phone call’s purpose was for her to recommend someone for the award.
“When I realized that I had been nominated, I was truly surprised and very honored. I kept saying, “’Me? Really? Oh my!!’”
“Sarah’s impact on the history community in Warren is immeasurable,” said Meghan Reed, executive director of Trumbull County
Historical Society, who nominated Hirt Buzulencia. “She dedicates countless hours to volunteer service, from transcribing records to stuffing membership envelopes.
“Her background as a teacher has helped inform our education programs. It would be hard to find an aspect of our work that Sarah hasn’t strengthened for the better.”
Hirt Buzulencia served on the board and supported projects at the TCHS and Warren Library Association, which oversaw the Sutliff Museum operations, and served on the Board of Deacons at First Presbyterian Church of Warren.
Reed’s introduction to the nominee came about when Hirt Buzulencia hired her in 2015 at the Sutliff Museum. She helped with the scanning of more than 30,000 interment records at Oakwood Cemetery so that there will be an online searchable map
of all burials. Over the past four years, she has helped transcribe letters and records in the TCHS collection so that they can be searched for keywords, dates and people.
Reed said, “If Sarah had a superpower, it would be coordinating and managing events. She has served on the Oktoberfest Committee since 2016, and we would not be able to do the event every year without her tireless support. She coordinates food and desserts, helps decorate and recruits volunteers that are necessary to make the event a success.”
Encouraging the next generation to participate in community service, Hirt Buzulencia mentioned that she “drafted” her husband as well as their daughters, Hayley and Hannah, to help with her activities.
As for others, she said, “There are countless nonprofits in our area that rely
on volunteers. All it takes is finding the right fit for your interests and talents. When you become involved, you not only support a meaningful cause, but you build friendships with people who share the same passions.
“If you want your community to thrive, you must be willing to share your time and talents. When people give back in this way, both the individual and the community benefit,” Hirt Buzulencia said.
From your family- Mike, Hannah, Hayley & Ava
Esther Gartland
By NANCILYNN GATTA Correspondent
CORTLAND — Esther Gartland taught in the Mathews Local School District for 35 years. That experience prepared her to contribute to numerous Mahoning Valley volunteer organizations.
“I have known Esther for 50 years. She and I taught together at Mathews and belong to a number of the same groups,” said Marti Flint, her Community Star nominator. “She is a dedicated member of any group that she belongs to and takes a leadership
“She
is a dedicated member of any group that she belongs to and takes a leadership role in many organizations.”
—Marti Flint, Gartland’s nominator
role in many organizations.”
Recently, Gartland planned and helped guide the 38th Trumbull County Women’s History Celebration. She’s been its chairperson since 2013 and believes this event is important for all local women.
“Many women are not aware of the struggles faced by women who fought to win the right to vote. This was not part of most history classes and was often overlooked. It is important to keep that legacy of our history alive and to remind women of the importance of exercising their right to vote,” Gartland said.
Flint said she and Gartland both serve on the Women’s Equality Day committee, which takes place on Aug. 26. The date commemorates the signing of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote.
As a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Ohio-Warren Junior Women’s League that she joined 33 years ago, she served two terms as club president.
But beside her activism for women’s causes, Gartland is involved with numerous community projects, especially those that serve the military, veterans, the arts and anyone in need.
“My family has a long and proud history of military service, going back several generations. The most recent are my father, Joseph Riley, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, my husband,
Dennis, who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and my son, John Gosnell, who served as a diplomat for the State Department for many years,” Gartland said.
There are also two Gold Star Mothers in her family. This designation is for a woman who has lost a daughter or son who are in the military. Gartland’s grandmother and her aunt each lost a child in a war.
Since the military and veterans hold such a special place in her heart, in 2019 she became a founding member of the GFWC Ohio-Junior Cyberlinks Club.
“Her main goal in this organization focuses on helping the community,
especially veterans and active military, and a main focus is Wreaths Across America in December,” Flint said.
Military and Family Readiness is another armed services group in which Gartland is involved. They support families and other loved ones associated with the Youngstown Air Reserve Station when a member of their household is deployed.
Another leadership role that Gartland held involved the Art Outreach Gallery formerly housed at the Eastwood Mall in Niles.
“I am not an artist, but I enjoyed providing art experiences to children in our area for over 15 years as a board member of the Art Outreach Gallery,” Gartland said.
The Eastwood Mall art space operated from 2010 to 2025.
Flint described Gartland as a person who gets things done.
“She is always an asset to the committee (Women’s Equality Day) with her willingness to take on any responsibility and see a project through. She is a dedicated member and she takes a leadership role in many organizations,” Flint said.
Molly Halliday
By JOHN PATRICK GATTA Correspondent
CORTLAND — Mixing business with pleasure has a much different meaning for Molly Halliday, who started doing volunteer work in the community through her job at 7 17 Credit Union and has filled her days since then with one charitable project after another.
Her journey began in 1996 when, through 7 17, she helped clean the children’s playground at the Warren YWCA as part of a United Way of Trumbull
“Molly
has a heart of gold and goes out of her way to help others on a daily basis, both at work and in the community...she is a shining example of what it means to be a Community Star.”
“I’ve volunteered for the United Way ever since. 7 17 Credit Union has allowed me the opportunity to continue volunteering for the United Way as well as the other nonprofits the credit union supports.”
Her first 28 years at 7 17 were in marketing, which included event planning, followed by Community Outreach Coordinator and then executive assistant to the president and CEO.
Despite new and different responsibilities
with her current job, Halliday has managed the credit union’s annual United Way Workplace Campaign for more than 15 years, which allows employees to make recurring, charitable contributions to the charity directly from their paycheck. She coordinates fundraisers and enables her coworkers to have fun with it.
Halliday also participates in the annual United Way at Work campaigns that in the past found her and her coworkers doing yard cleanup for area seniors and painting instructive
signs along the Born Learning Trail in Perkins Park.
The Community Star nominee’s lengthy list of nonprofit organizations and actions could fill up a page. Besides United Way, they include Dirt Track Heroes Race Car Show for Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley (five years), Warren Heritage Center Annual Gala at the Kinsman House (10 years), Pink Lemonade Cancer Benefit (five years), Mosquito Lake Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics Ohio, Make a Difference Day and Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup along state Route 11.
While Halliday couldn’t reveal the full details, she said she added volunteering for two events later this year — a car show and a purse bingo fundraiser.
“Molly has a heart of gold and goes out of her way to help others on a daily basis, both at work and in the community,” her nominator, Julie McAllisterVugrinovich said. “She is a great leader and knows how to rally the troops. She is a shining example of what it means to be a Community Star.”
Vugrinovich, a Warren native who now lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, knows firsthand of Halliday’s work. They met in 2011 through the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Ohio-Warren Junior Women’s League and spent many years volunteering their time on programs, projects and events.
She noted that Halliday assisted and chaired numerous fundraisers including the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome, Champagne Luncheon & Style Show for the NEO Children’s Rehabilitation Center and fundraiser for local businessman and restaurateur, Richard “Chookie” Alberini, who needed assistance with medical bills and cancer treatments.
A supporter of animal rescue groups, Halliday and her husband, Chester Finney, live with their two rescue dogs — Jax, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Mikko, a Chiweenie.
Halliday said, “I am truly honored to be recognized for the volunteering I have done in the community I grew up in. This nomination really inspires me to continue finding ways to help and make a difference.”
The Warren Western Reserve High School graduate credits her mother as the inspiration to do volunteer work.
“She played a big role in shaping my
early experiences. She was not only a teacher but also my Bluebird troop leader. When she volunteered at the Youngstown YWCA, she would take my sister and me with her,” she said.
Halliday hopes that her ongoing community engagement attracts more Mahoning Valley residents to join nonprofits.
“I believe that when people see others giving their time, supporting local events, and working together for a cause, it encourages them to do the same,” she said.
“I realize how much creativity and compassion she showed while teaching others. Her example taught me the importance of helping others and sharing skills makes a difference in the community.”
Moriah McCorkle
By SUSAN WOJNAR Correspondent
WARREN — Moriah McCorkle’s dedication to helping others began early in life and has grown into a wide-ranging effort to strengthen her community.
McCorkle was nominated as a Community Star by her aunt, Clara Robinson, who said McCorkle’s compassion and commitment to service have been evident since she was a teenager.
Robinson said McCorkle has long demonstrated a deep concern for families and children in need. Over the years, she has organized programs to ensure that children receive winter coats and that families have access to food during difficult times.
Much of that work is carried out through McCorkle’s nonprofit organization, O.N.E. (Ongoing Neighborhood Empowerment). Through the organization, she focuses on creating opportunities that help people improve their circumstances and build stronger futures.
“She possesses a remarkable vision for building capacity in the lives of those she serves,” Robinson said. “Not just by telling them what they can achieve, but by showing them how to move their circumstances forward.”
Among the initiatives she organizes are annual Thanksgiving and Christmas food giveaways that assist
“Instead
of leaving to find ‘better,’ I decided to help build it right here in the city where I was born and raised.”
—Moriah
McCorkle
families in need. She also creates opportunities for connection within the community such as a Mother’s Day dinner for individuals who have lost their mothers.
McCorkle also organizes an annual alumni basketball tournament bringing community members together through friendly competition and fellowship. Robinson noted that McCorkle’s dedication to her hometown is especially meaningful because she has had opportunities to relocate elsewhere, but chose to remain where she was raised.
McCorkle also serves as a board member responsible for public relations with the Warren Little Raiders, is vice president of both Warren Gridiron and the Warren Civic League, and vice president of the Trumbull County African American Achievers Association.
She is an event coordinator and executive assistant with A.C.T.I.O.N. and volunteers with the Warren Family Mission. She also organizes the church’s annual Easter event for children at Second Baptist
Church-House of Hope,
“The reason I do what I do in the nonprofit sector is simple,” she said. “I believe in the power of empowerment not just for individuals, but for entire communities.”
She said her perspective shifted when she realized she had the option to leave her city in search of something she thought might be better.
“But then I thought about the children — the ones who don’t get to choose their environment,” McCorkle said. “I thought about adults who may not have the resources or opportunities to relocate or start over.”
Rather than leaving, she chose a different path.
“Instead of leaving to find ‘better,’ I decided to help build it right here in the city where I was born and raised,” she said.
Being nominated as a Community Star, she said, is both humbling and meaningful.
“When you truly have a servant’s heart and you find purpose in your work, you don’t do it for recognition,” McCorkle said. “You do it because you care.”
Still, she said the nomination serves as encouragement to continue her efforts.
“It is a reminder that the work is being seen, felt and valued,” she said. “There is still so much more to do. But I am deeply grateful that the work is making a difference.”
Lorie Prokup
By NANCILYNN GATTA Correspondent
HOWLAND — As a child growing up in California, Lorie Prokup knew her career path.
“Even when I was little, I wanted to be a nurse. I think nursing is a calling, and God put me there,” she said.
After spending her working life helping others in a hospital setting, upon her retirement Prokup immediately had a “What’s next?” moment.
According to her, nurses are always asked for advice. “‘What is this rash?’
“Even when I was little, I wanted to be a nurse. I think nursing is a calling, and God put me there.”
— Lorie Prokup
‘Do you think this is broken?’ So, when you retire you think, ‘Am I going to lose my identity?’”
A friend who returned from North Carolina told her about a group — the Nurse Honor Guard — who participated in a funeral service for a nurse there. Prokup found her second calling and started a chapter here.
“The Nurse Honor Guard of Eastern Ohio are a group of nurses. Some of us are still working, but the majority of us are retired. Our mission is to honor other nurses and to promote the profession of nursing,” she said.
In October of 2022, the nonprofit covered Portage and Trumbull counties, where the members perform Nightingale Tributes.
“We lay a white rose either on the casket or the urn or a photo. We release them of their earthly nursing duties and we present the family or a loved one with the Nightingale lamp that we used at that service,” Prokup said.
In 2023, the local Nurse Honor Guard chapter added Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
Honoring the eight women nurses who served during the Vietnam War,
including one from Ohio, the group performed a ceremony at “The Wall That Heals,” a three-quarter scale travelling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that was displayed on the south lawn of Packard Music Hall last May.
“I nominated Lorie Prokup for a Community Star because she has made a positive impact on the lives of many grieving families,” said Karen Machak. Machak also noted that, as president of the Nurse Honor Guard, Prokup brought recognition to the group.
“She created a footprint with funeral homes and directors to bring awareness to our tributes much like the military, police and fire honor guard,” Machak said.
Growing up, Prokup visited family in Trumbull County during the holiday season, but at age 12, Howland became her new home.
She got married a year after her 1977 graduation from Howland High School.
“I did not know any nurses in my family. When I got married, a friend was a nurse and talked about it. It just tugged at my heart. She was my nurse when I had my daughter. It was the first time I was in the hospital and I learned what bedside nurses did,” Prokup said.
When her daughter was 15 months old, she knew it was time to make her nursing dream come true.
She graduated from nursing school
in 1984 and her first job was in the Trumbull Memorial Hospital emergency room on the midnight shift.
Prokup also worked at Robinson Hospital in Ravenna, as a nursing manager at St. Joseph Warren Hospital, in pharmaceutical sales and in labor and delivery at St. Joseph, eventually assisting in C-section surgeries.
“I found out that I loved surgery. It was something I always aspired to do. It was the only place I worked where I
could see a miracle every day,” she said. While no longer in a hospital setting, Prokup continues to make a difference. Under her guidance, the Nurse Honor Guard impacts those who participate in the ceremonies.
“This is something that helps us to keep our identity as a nurse. We still comfort each other. We still care for each other. We started off as three or four and now we are 70. We are our own little extended family,” Prokup said.
Mary Ann Raidel
By SUSAN WOJNAR Correspondent
BRISTOLVILLE — Mary Ann Raidel has spent much of her life responding to the needs of her community — a commitment that recently led to her nomination as a Community Star by her son, Christopher Raidel.
“I can think of no one more deserving for the Community Star Award than Mary Ann,” he wrote. “She is a true inspiration to me and many. Though she may not see it, it is thanks to her hard work and determination that make Bristolville and Trumbull County so wonderful.”
Over the years, her work has included leadership in Bristol Township, a career in education, active participation in her church, and involvement in preservation and community projects.
Raidel said her sense of service was shaped early in life. She grew up in Bristolville as the daughter of veterinarian Dr. Marshall Hubbard and historian Leah Hubbard, who herself was named a Community Star in 2002. Watching her parents balance demanding professional lives while still dedicating time to church and community activities left a lasting impression.
That experience has guided Raidel’s work over the years. Many of the projects she has become involved with, she said, began simply by noticing something that needed attention.
“Most of the things I do and projects
“She
is a true inspiration to me and many. Though she may not see it, it is thanks to her hard work and determination that make Bristolville and Trumbull County so wonderful.”
— Christopher Raidel, Mary Ann’s son who nominated her
I become involved in come from seeing a need,” she said.
Among those efforts was helping relocate the historic Olde Barbershop and Dr. Brinkerhoff’s Office to a safer location at the town park so the buildings could be preserved under township care. The move helped protect the structures while ensuring their continued role in preserving local history.
Raidel also helped establish a community museum and has been involved in efforts to preserve and rededicate the park’s Civil War monument, believed to be the first Civil War monument erected in Ohio.
Her community involvement also has included
helping care for the North Bristol (Sager) Cemetery and assisting with preparations for Memorial Day observances, helping ensure that the history of the community and the service of its veterans continue to be remembered.
In addition to preservation efforts, Raidel contributes to her church by providing piano music for Sunday worship services and has supported educational and youth-focused initiatives that encourage young people to become involved in their communities. While Raidel has often been closely involved in many of these efforts, she emphasizes that the accomplishments have always been shared ones.
“Of the recognized needs I have mentioned, all have been solved or accomplished because of the support and help of others,” she said.
She credited former Bristol Township Trustee Ray French for helping make the relocation of the historic buildings and the creation of the museum possible. Volunteers, including her husband, also spent many hours restoring the exterior of Dr. Brinkerhoff’s Office when the building needed repairs.
Organizations such as the Bristol Township Historical Society and the North Bristol Cemetery Association continue to play an important role in preserving local history and maintaining community spaces through volunteer efforts. Throughout her years of
involvement, Raidel said her family has remained a constant source of encouragement and support.
“My husband, Rick, and our sons Christopher and Jonathan have been helpful and supportive throughout the years as I have gotten involved in different endeavors,” she said.
The nomination itself came as a surprise. Raidel said she had no idea her son Christopher had submitted her name until she received notice that she had been selected.
“Christopher’s nomination really caught me off guard,” she said. “After I was notified that I was chosen
to be a Community Star, he called from Cleveland and read his nomination to me.”
Reflecting on the recognition, Raidel said she simply tries to help where she is needed.
“I just wear what hat is needed at the moment,” she said. “Christopher looked at the whole picture.”
Congratulations Mary Ann Raidel!
for
your well deserved selection of Community Stars.
From the Bristol Township Historical Society
Tom Smith
By AMANDA SMITH Correspondent
GIRARD — Tom Smith did not have high expectations the first time he took a boat onto the Mahoning River. He expected it to live up to its reputation — dirty, polluted and foul.
Instead, he found something else.
“I was just blown away with how beautiful it is,” Smith said. “I’d heard everything everyone else has heard, that it’s just a sewer… and it was just beautiful, except for the litter.”
That moment in 2011 turned into more than a weekend outing. It
“One of Tom’s most visible and impactful contributions is his commitment to river cleanup and litter removal.”
— Zach Felger, Smith’s nominator
became the start of more than a decade of volunteer work focused on cleaning, restoring and reintroducing the Mahoning River to the communities around it.
Smith, now a board member of Friends of the Mahoning River, said he originally went looking for a group that organized service projects on the river. He found like-minded people in Trumbull Canoe Trails and Friends of the Mahoning River. Like many volunteers, he quickly found himself doing much more.
“I was just looking for
cleanups,” he said. “But of course, as you probably know, with any volunteer group, they’re always looking for help.”
Over time, Smith moved into leadership roles, helping guide cleanup efforts and projects aimed at improving access to the river. He has helped lead initiatives that removed thousands of pounds of trash, improved water quality and supported new public access points along the river corridor.
That includes working with local communities and agencies to develop kayak and canoe launches, including projects in Girard and Warren.
He was nominated for the
Community Star award by Zach Felger, who also is a member of Friends of the Mahoning River.
“One of Tom’s most visible and impactful contributions is his commitment to river cleanup and litter removal. Year after year, Tom organizes and leads cleanup events along the Mahoning River, often recruiting volunteers and bringing his own family to assist,” Felger wrote in his nomination letter. “He does not volunteer for recognition — he volunteers because he believes deeply in the Mahoning River and its role in strengthening communities.”
The idea behind all this effort, Smith said, is simple: get people onto the river and change how they think about the Mahoning, one person at a time. Where the river was once overlooked, he said more people are beginning to see it as an asset.
“There’s a lot more people on the river today than there was 10 years ago,” he said. Part of that change comes
from visibility. As access points improve and word spreads, more residents are discovering stretches of the river that are calm, scenic and accessible for beginners. Smith often points newcomers to flatwater sections, like the stretch between Niles and Girard, as an easy place to start.
For him, the work is both practical and personal. What started with a single small fishing boat has grown into a regular presence on the water.
“Now I have three kayaks and a canoe,” he said, laughing. “We go out all the time.” Smith also remains active with Trumbull Canoe Trails, helping lead trips that introduce others to paddling while reinforcing the importance of conservation. He said the goal is not just to clean the river, but to reconnect people with it.
Ted Toles III
By KARLA DINES Correspondent
BRACEVILLE — A new museum is bringing renewed attention to the legacy of one of Ohio’s most dynamic black rural communities, thanks in large part to the efforts of Theodore “Ted” Toles III.
Preserving the history of the early residents of Braceville is a high priority for the son of baseball legend Theodore “Lefty” Toles Jr., as well as the grandson of the first African American sheriff in Trumbull County and first black dairy farm owner in Ohio, Theodore
“I felt honored that someone would nominate me as someone who helps out in the community. You don’t do it to win an award. You do it because it is the right thing to do.”
— Ted Toles III
Toles Sr.
Ted Toles III has lived on the same parcel of land in Braceville his entire life — land his grandparents settled during the Great Migration in the early 1920s. Braceville was once home to the largest rural black community in Ohio.
“Nelson Steel was hiring Blacks from Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. To get away from Jim Crow racism, they came up on a train,” Toles said. “They didn’t want blacks living in Newton Falls, so they sold them the wetlands. They needed a place to build a home. It flooded and they would
rebuild.”
Toles is the operations director of the Braceville Community Foundation, which sponsors the Braceville African American Heritage Museum (BAAHM), which was established in 2024 and opened in 2025.
“He is vital to the operation of the museum with his input and implementation of plans to achieve for the museum. Ted can be found at the BAAHM almost every Saturday. He is also a great photographer who captures the essence of the museum’s story, and he faithfully serves at any function that the Braceville Community Foundation
sponsors,” said Janice Powell Kisler, Braceville Historical Society President, who nominated him for the Community Star award.
“I was asked to join the Braceville Foundation by Tammy Shavers to help preserve the history. I wanted to do my part as a member of the community. My dad was in the Negro Baseball League. I wanted to do this because my dad did not get a lot of publicity about his baseball. We heard stories growing up. The older you get, the more interested you are in this,” Toles said.
Toles is a graduate of LaBrae High School, where he participated in football, basketball, track and baseball. He attended Kent State University, where he majored in zoology.
In response to being asked how he felt about being nominated, Toles said, “I felt
honored that someone would nominate me as someone who helps out in the community. You don’t do it to win an award. You do it because it is the right thing to do. I don’t want to be singled out because there is a core of six people who made this museum possible”.
Toles said Terry Shavers, Tammy Shavers, Gwen Shavers, Anne Watt and Toles’ brother Ned were all part of the group that established the BAAHM at the former childhood home of Ernie Shavers at 1250 Cedar St. SW.
“I honor, love and respect him and it makes me feel good that he is a Community Star. He is also a community star at home,” said Toles’ wife of 28 years, Juanita.
Joe Warminski
By AMANDA SMITH Correspondent
HUBBARD — Joe Warminski spent more than three decades in the U.S. Army, but retirement did not end his commitment to fellow service members.
As commander of Hubbard VFW Post 3767, he now spends much of his time helping veterans navigate benefits, organizing community programs and making sure those who served are recognized.
“I can’t not recognize veterans. I cannot just let this fall by the wayside. And plus I’ve got a strong backing behind me that keeps pushing me along,” he said. “The membership, the ones that are Korean War vets, Vietnam vets, they’re the ones behind me, pushing me to go on. They support me and they support me on it.”
Former post commander Bobby Orr nominated Warminski for the Community Star award.
“He is an outstanding example of an individual with a constant commitment to those in his community,” Orr wrote in his nomination letter.
Warminski retired as a master sergeant after more than 30 years in the Army. His service included time stationed in Germany and deployment during Operation Desert Storm. His military career also included assignments ranging from artillery units to special operations support, experiences he said gave him a broad understanding of the
“I can’t not recognize veterans. I cannot just let this fall by the wayside.”
— Joe Warminski
military and the people who serve in it.
His early assignments took him overseas to Germany, where he had the opportunity to travel and see much of Europe. Although he enjoyed the experience, he said he always felt the pull of his community.
“I always missed home, no matter where I was in the world,” Warminski said.
That first enlistment turned into a long military career. Warminski said the years seemed to pass quickly as new assignments and responsibilities followed each other.
“You know how that goes, like eating potato chips and you can’t eat just one,” he said.
After completing his active duty years, Warminski eventually settled in Hubbard. Even after retiring from the Army, he was not ready to step away from service. He shifted his lengthy military experience to focus on helping other veterans.
Through the VFW, Warminski works with veterans and their families on a wide range of issues, often helping
them complete paperwork required to obtain benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. In some cases, that includes helping veterans locate important documents such as DD-214 discharge papers that may have been lost or destroyed over time.
Warminski said one of the most common challenges is convincing veterans they deserve the benefits available to them. Many hesitate to apply because they believe others may need assistance more.
“I just say you served,” he said. “You raised your right hand. You swore to defend and support the Constitution of the United States of America. You are a veteran.”
Beyond paperwork and benefits, the VFW post is involved in numerous community activities. Since he assumed leadership, the post has logged more than 97,000 hours of community service. Members visit veterans living in nursing homes, organize local programs and participate in events throughout the year.
The post also maintains an honor guard that participates in Hubbard High School football games and conducts military honors for veterans’ funerals, including final salutes and 21gun salutes when requested by families.
For Warminski, those moments carry particular meaning.
“We don’t ask for anything in return,” he said. “It’s for us to make sure we give back to that veteran.”
Previous winners
2025
Tim Boyer, Cortland
Sue Datish, Howland
Tom Elder, Warren
Susan Franko, Girard
Nick Frankos, Warren
John Guarnieri, Howland
Beverly Jones and Farrah Jones, Warren
Jena Swesey, Vienna
Richard Thompson, Kinsman
P.C. Torres III, Southington
2024
Kathlene Anerino, Bazetta
Ronald Currey, Champion
Barbara Drake, Newton Falls
Jenny Falvey, Warren
Sandy Mahaffey, Girard
Andrew and Melissa Mullins, Warren
Chelsea Munroe, Cortland
James Rapone, Champion
Jordan Taylor, Warren
Jack Thornton Jr., Warren
2023
Sherry Bercheni, Warren
Kenneth David, Girard
Madelyn Fonagy, Brookfield
Jeff Ford and Christine Novicky, Vienna
Justin Meade, Hubbard
Melinda Mock, Howland
Linda Morton Cowin, Leavittsburg
Charles Potashnik, Howland
Dennis Rossi, Warren
James Sweet, Warren
2022
Toussaint Blake, Warren
Allen Briggs, Leavittsburg
William H. Dennis, Jr., Warren
Jacob & John Fowler, Warren
Kathy Lepro, Warren
Jessica Licata, Vienna
Chuck & Donna Mackey, Howland
Cindee & Mark Mines, Champion
Meghan Reed, Warren
Dan Roscoe, Vienna
2020
Cindy Angelo, Warren
Beverly Gartland, Warren
Basil and Mary Lou Jarrett, Cortland
Pastor George Johnson, Warren
Virginia Logan, Kinsman
Terry Mascioli, Cortland
Ellie Monchak and Jean Potashnik, both, Warren
John Payiavlas, Warren
John Streitferdt, Warren
Carole Wiley, Cortland
2019
Linda Aggarwal, Warren
Robert Berk, Howland
Mike Bollas, Howland
Donna Fowler, Warren
Lance Grahn, Cortland
Miles “Jay” Johnson, Warren
Dave Luther, Howland
Lisa Ramsey, Warren
Janet Schweitzer, Howland
Barbara Vingle, Warren
2018
Andrew Bednar, Warren
Sam Covelli, Warren
Debbie Hayes, Warren
Katylu Herriman, Warren
Joyce Jones, Kinsman
Bonnie Loomis, Warren
Mary Lou and Sal Mormando, Warren
Joyce Polenick and Jennifer Economos
Sudzina, Warren
Teresa Webb, Bristol
Jay Wonders, Warren
2017
D’Andre Bowers, Warren
William E. Casey, Hubbard
Amanda Colbert, Warren
Shirley Frazier, Southington
William H. Gore, Cortland
Elliott Heckman, Warren
Lou Lepro, Warren
James McFarland, Warren
Dr. Farid Naffah, Cortland
James Shuttic, Warren
2016
Betty Jean Bahmer, Howland and Anna Mae Cuchna, Niles
Paul Clouser, Warren
Shirley Cross, Warren
George Davis Jr., Niles
David Denovchek, Niles
Will and Kiisha Sanders, Warren
Diane Sauer, Howland
Anne Schweinfurth, Howland
Lori Ann Tichenor, Warren
Leigh Ann Zigler, Brookfield
2015
Kenneth Conklin, Warren
Martha Ellers, Warren
Anna Marie Holt, Champion
Todd Johnson, Warren
Robert Orr, Hubbard
Mary Jeanine Pipino, Warren
Beth Ann Vanek, Southington
Julia Wike, Warren
Jim Whetstone, Howland
Barbara Wright, Howland
2014
Selena Rockenfelder, Howland
E. Carol Maxwell, Warren
Lisa Booze, Leavittsburg
Barney Macali, Niles
Pierson “Butch” Butcher,Warren
Mary Ann Franklin, Warren
Kay Fisher, Warren
Frank Glenn, Cortland
Gary L. Gutelius, Warren
Heather Wells, Howland
2013
Carolyn Andrews, Warren
Rhonda Bennett, Warren
Cathy Carney, Niles
Caryn Covelli, Warren
Roberta Cykon, Fowler
Doug Herlinger, Newton Falls
Florence Hutton, Cortland
Robert Sauer, Warren
Steve Zerefos, Warren
2012
Martin L. Cohen, Warren
Michele Jones, Howland
Helen Ruth McKenzie, Vienna
James J. Mariano, Warren
David Moore, Bazetta
Geneva Reid, Warren
Ricky Pasco, Hubbard
Mackenzie Pasco, Hubbard
Carol Olson, Howland
Nancy Olds, Bazetta
Ali Bashir, Warren
2011
Elizabeth Cole-Clark, Warren
Marjorie Dangaran, Warren
Hannah Emerson, Lordstown
Ruth Jean Hawkins, West Farmington
Harry & Debbie King, Cortland
Frank Manios, Warren
Gretchen Reed, Liberty
Aruthenia Simmons, Warren
Betty Strawderman, Howland
James Young, Cortland
2010
Barb & Mary Busko, Warren
Terrill Harvey, Warren
David Kostolansky, Howland
James Noyes, Hubbard
Earl Parthemer, Bazetta
Ben Rhoads, Howland
Don Strock, Champion
Jim & Anne Townley, Niles
Julie Vugrinovich, Howland
Katie Watson, Cortland
2009
James Barbe, Bristol
Lucille Bickel, Champion
Bill & Cordie Davis, Southington
Jim Economos, Warren
Vickie Harkelrode, West Farmington
Melanie Jones, Warren
Roderick Lewis Jr., Warren
Loretta J. Pernice, Warren
John & Marian Scott, Cortland
Marjorie Sudimack, Warren
2008
Nancy & Gary Grusha, Mineral Ridge
Charles L. Jaros, Leavittsburg
Brian Kovach, Cortland
Debbie Meeker, Southington
Cindy Michael, Warren
Fred Palmer & Dennis Nickle, Warren
Gussie Reed, Warren
Carmen Santone, Warren
Deryck Toles, Warren
John Taylor, Warren
2007
Ashley Angelotti, Howland
Nick Bellas, Warren
Jean Bolinger, Cortland
Bob Brothers, Niles
David Hamilton, Warren
The Rev. David Herron Sr., Warren
Lillie F. Johnson, Warren
David Lewis, Warren
Barbara Rosenblum, Kinsman
Eric Thompson, Newton Falls
2006
Edward Bellin, Cortland
Kathleen Bowen, Mineral Ridge
Paul Dieter, Howland
Dorothy French, Mesopotamia
Crystal Gunter, Niles
Sam Lanza, Warren
Wendell Lauth, Bristol
Rocco & Renee Maiorca, Cortland
James Potjunas, Vienna
Dr. James Snelson, Howland
2005
Dr. Robert Brodell, Warren
Robert Brown, Warren
Shawn Bryant, Howland
Ronald Froats, Howland
Roger Gardner, Warren
William Marteney, Newton Falls
Thomas Namola, Warren
Vincent Peterson, Howland
Dawn Rhodes, Southington
Shelley Taylor, Warren
2004
Veronica Caruso, Niles
Jessie Dann & Vinny
Gutierrez, Liberty
Ned Gold, Howland
Wil Harris Jr., Warren
LaRue Harshman, Southington
Don Hazel, Cortland
John Makosky, Champion
Pete Perich, Warren
Jeannette Sanders, Warren
George Sparacino, Warren
2003
Larry Beardsley, Leavittsburg
Theresa Bungard, Warren
Marli Conner, Cortland
William C. Horton, Southington
Freda Jackson, Warren
Dorothy Klein, Cortland
Thomas Klingeman, Warren
Kathy Lazor, Vienna
Dr. Franklin Rizer, Warren
Brittany Tennant, Southington
2002
Earnest Brown, Warren
Katy Chaney, Cortland
Leah Hubbard, Bristolville
Judy Kellogg, Niles
Louann Kenyon, Warren
Beverly MacPherson, Warren
Michael K. Overton, Warren
Ray & Betty Powers, Leavittsburg
John Stewart, Warren
Joan White, Southington
Kenneth Boring
Sarah Hirt Buzulencia
Congratulations to the 2026 Community Stars Thank You
Esther Gartland
Molly Halliday
Moriah McCorkle
Lorie Prokup
Mary Ann Raidel
Tom Smith
Ted Toles III
Joe Warminski
to all of the Community Stars who have made a significant impact in Trumbull County.
From the Inaugural Class of 2002 to the 2026 honorees, our community is a better place because of you.
Congratulations to 7 17’s very own Molly Halliday.
Molly personifies the credit union philosophy of “people helping people”, volunteering at community events, both with 7 17 Credit Union and on her own. Molly embodies the mutual respect we have for our communities.
We applaud you … and congratulations to all of the honorees who are making a di erence in our community. — Your 7 17 Credit Union family
