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SAYBROOK — St. John School has announced the recipients of its 2017 Youth Philanthropy Board grants. The Ashtabula Foundation provides each Ashtabula County high school with the opportunity to award $5,000 in grants to area non-profit organizations, and St. John’s Philanthropy Board received a number of proposals this year.
In addition to funding provided by The Ashtabula Foundation, St. John students have been making monetary donations on school sponsored dress-down days and the Philanthropy Board will be awarding additional funds to some local non-profits at the end of the school year. Saint John’s Philanthropy Board 2017 grants have been awarded to the following non-profit organizations with their listed projects:
• Birthcare, Inc., of Ashtabula County: Purchasing diapers and formula for local newborns.
• Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County: Purchasing of turkey, ham and other perishable food items for the Thankful Hearts Program to provide area families with Thanksgiving meals.
• Farm for Christ: Purchase beef cattle to be distributed to Ashtabula County families in need.
• Our Lady of Peace Parish Neighbor to Neighbor Food Pantry: Purchase additional fresh (non-processed) meat to provide healthier meals to the families they serve.
• G.O. Community Development Corporation: Purchase additional items to better stock the clothing bank for local families in need.
• Learning About Business (LAB): Purchase additional programming opportunities for area high school sophomores and juniors to participate in an interactive program exploring future business careers.
• Mya Women’s Center: Purchase infant car seats for families in need to transport their newborns home from the hospital.
Obituary:
First Lady Mary Helen Richardson ,80 passed away, Thursday, March 9, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio.
First Lady Mary Helen Richardson was born May 5, 1936 in Louisville, Mississippi to the late Archie Thompson and Jurdean Hoskin. She was the oldest daughter of four sisters and five brothers. She relocated to the city of Ashtabula in 1957 and united with People’s Missionary Baptist Church, where she served in many church ministries.
She was formerly employed at Ashtabula General Hospital, Molded Fiber Glass, General Electric and Ashtabula Area City Schools.
She was active in the Union District Association, where she served as President of the BTU and a member of the Ministers Wives and Widows. She was a teacher in the State Convention and National Congress of Christian Education.
On March 29,1995 she married Rev. Samuel Richardson and became a member of Central Missionary Baptist Church in Jefferson, Ohio, where she humbly and faithfully served until she went home to be with the Lord.
First Lady Richardson leaves behind a faithful and loving husband of 22 years of marriage bliss as well as her siblings, brothers Arthur (wife Doris) Thompson and Griffin Thompson of Ashtabula, her brother Elijah Thompson and sister Jurlean House of Louisville, Mississippi and sister Margaret (husband Marcus) Roberts of Jacksonville, Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Martha Brooks and two brothers Albert and Icy Thompson.
First Lady Richardson also leaves behind children George Tracey Dismuke and friend Deborah Hayes of Cleveland, Ohio, Jackie and Richard Jackson of Atlanta, Georgia, Samuel Jr. and Toni Richardson of Denver, Colorado, Michael Richardson, Regina Richardson and Minor Willis of Ashtabula, Kimberly Chatman of Youngstown, Ohio and Martina Richardson of Painesville, Ohio as well as eighteen grandchildren, twenty-two great-grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and her life-long friend until death Mother Willietta Bunch-Marbury.
Homesafe along with Octavia Yates, Teen Coordinator at the Ashtabula County YMCA and G.O. Community Development Corp., will be hosting a community event, BREAK THE SILENCE—ONE BILLON RISING. A call to action to bring attention to the escalation of violence and exploitation of women. On Tuesday, February 28 at 5pm in the G.O. gym, we call everyone to take action in our local community. To use dance as a form of protest that takes place in our community with other activists, with people of all abilities, demanding justice and systematic changes against violence. Join us to rise up together for change and equality.
The One Billion Rising 2017 Campaign means we are rising in solidarity against the exploitation of women. 1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Every February, we rise – in hundreds of countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. We rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.
Breaking the Silence: Risings are community led and determined events. Communities gather together to witness the power of holding space for testimonials, determined to make sure no other girl has to endure that type of violence in her community again.
We invite men and boys to support the call to end violence against women and girls, reminding their communities that this is not only a women’s issue and that its impact can be felt by pledging to live in a non-violent community together.
Please join us Tuesday, February 28 at 5PM to listen to inspirational speakers, learn about community services available to help, and dance to rise together for change in our community.
Homesafe, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit community agency, committed to breaking the cycle of violence in Ashtabula County and its surrounding areas through the provision of emergency and non-emergency services. Our mission is to assure greater awareness of the problems of domestic violence and abuse through the education and empowerment of individuals, families, and the community.
Reading Time: 2 minutesChristmas songs, food, gifts and the celebration of Jesus’ birth brought more than 380 people to the G.O. Community Development Corporation Friday afternoon.John Salters started the annual Christmas party at 3703 Station Ave. 21 years ago with his late wife, Mae.”My wife would be smiling in heaven,” he said. Salters said his son Isaiah led the children in music and games on the gymnasium stage.”This is awesome. It is much more than I ever thought it would be,” Salters said.Isaiah Salters got the crowd into the music and urged the children to put toothpaste on their noses and pass cotton balls to each other in a “relay” race on stage in front of their families and friends. The results were mixed based on the participants’ ratio of toothpaste to cotton balls.Tables lined the gym floor as people munched on food and sang along with Christmas carols. ”It is a beautiful thing to get the kids out of the house and have a nice Christmas,” said Megan Stuper of Ashtabula.Amber Miner said she has been coming to the event since it started. ”I love it,” she said.More than 200 children attended the party, said Drew Thomas, president of the G.O. Community Development Corporation’s board of directors. ”Everybody gets a couple of presents,” Thomas said, adding a local donation made it possible for 33 children to receive bicycles. ”We will have some happy children,” he said before the lucky winners were selected. ”We had a great response as far as donations.”He said the organization, which offers food, clothing and household items to those in need, feeds 45 to 75 people Monday through Friday at the headquarters on Station Avenue. While the organization has some money in the bank, there are a lot of needs. ”Our electric bill was $2,200 last month,” he said.Thomas said there were large donations of $8,000, $5,000 and $3,000, but the money is needed to continue feeding area residents and the operation of programs such as the center’s recreation center and computer lab.He said anyone interested in making a donation can send checks for G.O. CDC to P.O. Box 1173. Thomas said he can also be reached at 216-780-3845.Story by Warren Dillaway
