Randy Hunt, second from right, displays the representative check he presented to Community Development Director Deb Martin, second from left, along with Ben Kenny, third from center, and Chris Strumsky of Rep. Gillmor’s office, far left, and Dennis Fligor of Sen. Voinovich’s office, far right.

Residents of Ohio’s Morgan County and New London will benefit from a $175,000 grant from USDA, Rural Development, to WSOS for business and economic development efforts.

Randy Hunt, director of the Ohio Rural Development, presented the grant award recently to WSOS Community Development Director Deb Martin and President/ CEO Neil McCabe.

Funded through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Community Development Initiative Program (RCDI), this is the third RCDI grant WSOS has received since the agency became involved with the program.

"WSOS has nurtured its capacity to integrate our programs into its daily operations, tapping the RCDI program for more than $1 million," Hunt said. "Our partner ship with WSOS truly exemplifies how cooperation and creativity generates more local economic benefits while delivering critical services to rural Ohioans."

The funds will be used to identify and correct infrastructure deficiencies as well as develop plans for business and economic development in the two named areas.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to continue expanding our efforts in community and economic development to benefit Ohio’s rural communities," Martin said.

WSOS’s Community Development provides not only business and economic development assistance to rural communities around Ohio, but also assistance for infrastructures such as wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities and small business/microenterprise loans.

Following the success of a training program of a delegation from Novosibirsk, Siberia in April 2006, another group of 10 professionals from the City of Volgograd, Russia, visited Northwest Ohio to gain insights on the delivery of social services to communities.

The three-week program, which included a visit to Fremont on Feb. 22, provided an overview of modern American practices in social service delivery and the alleviation of poverty. Members of the delegation are officials responsible for social policy, leaders of civic organizations, social service providers, and social and health workers who are involved in poverty eradication.

When they visited Fremont, the group held a roundtable discussion with WSOS officials then visited Sandco Industries where they met with Deb Sidell, the area’s Special Olympics coordinator. They also toured Community Health Services and the WSOS Stricker Family Development Center.

Board Profile
Sass seeks to ensure that WSOS’s services improve residents’ lives

Full name: James "Jim" M. Sass

Address: Post Clinton

Family: Wife Molly, a kindergarten teacher in the Port Clinton City Schools; son Scott; daughter Laura, a college senior; and two golden retrievers Lucy and Magee.

Occupation: Jim was elected an Ottawa County commissioner in November 2006, and started his new job in January. He is also a retired employee of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. He served as a Portage Township trustee in Ottawa County from 2000-06. In addition, Jim is a farmer. He said he is the third generation of his family to operate his grain and beef farm in Portage Township of Ottawa County.

Board Status: He joined the board in January, replacing John Papcun, who retired as a county commissioner in 2006. His term expires in December 2007.
Goal as a board member: He said he hopes to gain a good understanding of the services WSOS provides to its communities. Then, he hopes that he can be instrumental in helping to make the services available to as many residents as possible in an effort to improve their quality of life.

Interests/Hobbies: Jim said he enjoys gardening in his leisure time. He is also an avid fan of Ohio State football and other athletic activities. In fact, he enjoys most outdoor sports.

James Rusher had been an ardent supporter of the Northcoast Veterans Memorial and Museum Society. However, he was never able to visit the museum for the four years it had been open in Gibsonburg. Rusher uses crutches and it was too difficult for him to maneuver the steps to enter the museum.

On January 8, the Korean War veteran made his first visit, walking up the newly installed ramp to the former Boy Scouts building turned museum.

"This is so great. We are so grateful to Sandusky County Commissioners," said Gary Cooper, president of the museum society. "Jim would not have been able to be here if it weren’t for them."

Rusher and his wife eagerly walked through the building, examining the items on display and recalling memories that various displays evoked.

Cooper said he had worried about being able to make the building handicap accessible and had approached Sandusky County Commissioners about funds to pay for a ramp to the building, which is located in Williams Park, Gibsonburg. About three weeks after his inquiry, he said, Commissioner Brad Smith suggested he contact WSOS for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. WSOS administers the funds for the county commissioners.

Fortunately for Cooper and the museum, there were sufficient funds available to pay for the ramp. A few months later, Cooper proudly displayed the ramp and invited Rusher to visit the museum.

The museum includes displays from the Civil War, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. There is also a display about Astronaut Jim Hendricks. Cooper said he expects to have a World War II tank delivered for display by the Spring and a fighter jet shortly after.

The museum is open to the public every Monday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. There is no admission fee. During summer months, it’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is also open every Veterans Day, Memorial Day, other holidays, and for special events. However, Cooper said, he would open it for anyone interested in viewing the displays. School groups and tour groups are frequent visitors, he added.

For more information, interested persons should contact Cooper at 419-332-4812 or the Gibsonburg Village Administrator’s office.

WSOS, in partnership with the NetWORK division of the Zepf Center, the One-Stop Operator for The Source of Toledo, is serving residents in a 15-county area of Northwest Ohio with employment and training services. The services are made possible by a $3 million demonstration grant to serve economically disadvantaged families throughout 15 counties.

This new program provides a comprehensive array of workforce development and social services to assist individuals to attain, maintain, and make advances in employment. The key aspect of the grant is to demonstrate that by proving an array of intensive level services, once an individual enters a One Stop, that he/she reduces his/her time out of work and decrease time on public assistance.

WSOS Community Action Commission is working with local Job and Family Services, and several other organizations to assist mainly dislocated workers and others entering the workforce.

Participants must be 18 years old and over, and must be eligible for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). They must be referred to the program by the county’s Job and Family Services and other agencies. WSOS will determine an individual’s eligibility for the Steps to Hope program. Only those who are determined to be eligible can receive services.

Services are available to families in the 15-county area of Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Henry, Fulton, Williams, Sandusky, Defiance, Erie, Huron, Crawford, Seneca, Ottawa, Paulding, and Putnam counties. WSOS’s goal is to serve 40 individuals in each of the following counties: Sandusky, Seneca, Ottawa, Wood, Hancock, Erie, and Huron. The remaining counties are served by NetWORK and the Zepf center.

The program includes employment skills and training, and social services, which will be provided through the following: comprehensive assessments, case management, work ethic and job-readiness skills building, individualized job development, healthcare training, and work experience opportunities.

Training in parent leadership skills, basic computer skills, consumer financial education, and marine mechanic skills also are available to participants.

* Deb Martin, director of Community Development, was one of the featured speakers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development national conference in January in Dallas TX. She spoke to an audience of more than 600 people.

* Mae D. Leake, coordinator of the New Directions After School Program, announced in January that the program was at full enrollment at all sites. The After School Program operates in the Clyde-Green Springs Village-Schools, Fostoria Community Schools and Fremont City Schools districts.

* TRIPS has increased its services to the public. When the local public school cut busing to some students, TRIPS received about 25 requests to transport students to and from school.

* Rossford and Perrysburg Child Development centers were recently featured on WTVG-TV, Channel 13 of Toledo. Meteorolgist Jay Bershack, above, chats with preschoolers at the Perrysburg center on the weather. His visit to the classrom was featured on the weather segment of WTVG-TV.

* WSOS Child Development is again partnering with CASA of Wyandot, Seneca, and Sandusky Counties to sponsor a Child Abuse and Prevention activity in April. The event will be at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 24 at the Sandusky County courthouse. The goal is to create greater awareness of child abuse issues in the county.

* May is National Community Action Month. WSOS will visit each county’s commissioners and share with them information on how the agency has served their communities. Mark your calendars!

A familiar face
Savial feels a fun environment for preschoolers is necessary

KATY SAVIAL

Full name: Katy Lynn Savial

Address: Bowling Green

Family: Katy has five cats at home to keep her company: Buster, Babs, Hitch, Ma and Nestle.

Occupation: She joined WSOS in February 2006 and has been a teacher at the Rossford Child Development Center since then.

Favorite part of the job: She said she enjoys being a part of each child’s educational milestones. She feels that it is important to provide a fun - and safe - environment where the preschoolers can accomplish their educational goals.

Goals: Katy’s educational goals include earning a master’s degree in a yet to be determined subject area.

Interests/Hobbies: She said she likes animals (check out her five cats at home), art and sports. She is partial to the Buckeyes and Steelers football teams, she added.