| The WSOS Press - June / July 2003 |
Housing developments start up in WSOS communities
|
 |
| A construction worker moves dirt around at the site of the Laurelhurst Senior Housing Development. Construction on the housing complex began in June and is expected to be completed in December. |
Ground has been broken at the Laurelhurst Senior Housing Development in Clyde and construction workers are laying the foundation of the 44-apartment complex for senior citizens.
This work joins another currently underway at the Leewood Place development in Fremont where workers are constructing 40 single family homes.
In addition, ground will be broken this month in Little Bark Creek, Fremont, where four single-family homes will be built for four qualified buyers.
These housing efforts are results of partnerships that WSOS has developed with WODA Development Corporation and the Ohio Capitol Corporation for Housing
WSOS listened to the voices of residents in its four-county service area when they told WSOS in public meetings called Dialogue on Poverty that safe, affordable housing was one of the top three needs that people face in each county. It hired a housing coordinator, who began work to bring safe, affordable housing to the WSOS communities.
Tiffin and Port Clinton are the next two communities where similar projects are expected to be built.
The WSOS Senior Center will move to the Laurelhurst development when construction is complete.
The Leewood Place development will begin taking applications as soon as construction is complete in December. And, in Little Bark Creek three of the four available housing lots have contracts on them with one more available for sale.
The Leewood Place homes are available for rent for the first 15 years then they will be available for sale. Renters will be given first preference to buy the homes, and credits the renter accumulated during time as a tenant will be one factor in determing purchase price.
For more information on the current housing efforts, call the housing coordinator, 419-334-8911.
|
Board Member Profile
Paul Harrison wants to know more about WSOS so he can help more people
|
 |
| PAUL HARRISON |
Name: Paul A. Harrison
Address: North Township Road 45, Fostoria
Family: Krista, wife of 27 years; sons Jeremy, and Aaron; and daughter Kaylee.
Employment: Paul is the Executive Director of Seneca County Regional Planning Commission, former Director of the Seneca County Farm Bureau, past Jackson Township trustee, and retired farmer.
Goal as a board member: He believes that WSOS provides opportunities for success that some people otherwise wouldn't have access to, and he wants to learn as much as he can about the organization so that he can become more involved in directing the organization. In this way he can help others.
Board Status: Appointed in May 2003 by County Commissioners .
Hobbies/Interests: Paul enjoys music having earned a bachelor's degree in music from Bowling Green State University. Currently, he is the organist at the High Street United Methodist Church in Fostoria. He also likes snowmobiling and golfing, even though he admits he's a terrible golfer.
|
Youth Summit gathers concerns of Ottawa County's teens
|
 |
| Youths involved in planning the Youth Summit, above, pose with the art work created by guest speaker Jason Anthony. They are from left, sitting, Andy DiCesare, Susan Caris, Jessica Reyna and Amy Moore. Standing, from left, Shawn Weyer, Mike Gaskalla, Steve Walterback, and Adrian Johnson. |
Participants of a Youth Summit conducted in Ottawa County in May will meet again in late July to determine the next steps of the decisions made at the summit. A meeting date is still being scheduled.
The summit, which was conducted at the urging of Ottawa County Commissioner Carl Koebel, called area youths and representatives from organizations that serve youths together for a discussion on what the needs of the area's youths are and what opportunities are available for meeting those needs. The summit was held at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds and a nationally known speaker Jason Anthony provided the inspirational/motivational chalk talk for the audience. The six- by eight-foot chalk drawing that Anthony created is currently on display at the offices of the Ottawa County Community Improvement Corporation in Oak Harbor.
The top three needs of youths in Ottawa County as identified by the focus groups conducted at the summit are the need for a youth council, a youth center, and programs that address the educational needs of youths beyond high school.
The summit was a collaborative effort of the Ottawa County Workforce Policy Board, the Ottawa County Youth Council, Ottawa County commissioners, the Ottawa County Department of Job and Family Services, the United Way of Ottawa County, The Ohio State University Cooperative Extension Office, and WSOS Community Action Commission Inc.
|
Director's Corner
Family Services seeks more opportunities to increase services
|
 |
| CHERYL MORENO-DENNY |
Department: Family Services
Director: Cheryl Moreno-Denny
As summer approaches, the Family Services department is faced with many new opportunities to serve families.
In June, staff kicked off the New Directions Summer Program. This year, a summer program in Clyde joins the ongoing one in Fremont. More than 390 children and their families will be served between June and August. Highlights of the program include: an art show; field trips to Fort Meigs, Maumee State Park and Mad River Train Station; community service opportunites; Red Cross water safety training, and many others. Also, we have collaborated with the Sandusky County Juvenile Court's Genesis Program to provide a supervisor, an intern and participant mentors to serve children and families in the program
Another initiative is a proposal to the Sandusky County United Way to fund a "Nutrition, Literacy and Substance Abuse Program," which will focus on services to 100 children between ages 2-18 living in public housing in Fremont.
In Employment and Training, efforts have been focused on securing funding to maintain operations at the Barney Quilter Civilian Conservation Corps Camp. The CCC Camp of Green Springs provides a safe resi-dential environment for at-risk youths while they learn social, education, employment and life skills. And, Family Development recently submitted proposals to three sources for about $400,000 to be used to help the homeless and residents with other housing needs.
Editor's note: The Director's Corner appears in each newsletter. Senior Programs will be featured next.
|
The Fremont Family Development Center conducted a Business After Hours in May to show off its four new classrooms, which were completed earlier this year.
WSOS volunteers were treated to an appreciation open house in each county during April and May. This event was conducted in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month.
Senior Programs conducted its annual Senior Day in May in Ottawa and Sandusky counties. Both counties inducted senior volunteers in the community into the Senior Hall of Fame. There were 12 inductees from Sandusky County and 11 from Ottawa County.
Child Development will begin operating its first Early Head Start program at the Fremont, Oak Harbor, and Bowling Green centers in the fall.
The WSOS fund-raising campaign kicked off its 9th campaign this month. Campaign contributions are used to help bridge gaps in program funds to help participants. For instance, fundraising dollars have been used to pay for car repairs so participants can get to work; furnace repairs; dental work for preschoolers, and so on. All funds go directly to services. Call 1-800-775-9767 to contribute. |
TRIPS expands to serve more residents
|
 |
| CHERYL BABIONE |
TRIPS has become a new department at WSOS with Cheryl Babione as the lead person. Also, the program has begun scheduled routes throughout the communities of Lindsey, Gibsonburg, Woodville and others along the way in an effort to increase service in Sandusky County. Cost of the service continues to be $3 per trip from Fremont to those communities and $3 for the return trip. Those wishing to use the service should make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance by calling 419-332-8091. The hearing impaired should call the Ohio Relay at 1-800-750-0750. There are specific times when the TRIPS vans will be in those communities. Call for more information. TRIPS operates Monday to Friday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. There is no service on holidays or Sundays. TRIPS is a partnership of 11 community organizations.
|
A familiar face
Angie McConnell loves the diversity and creativity that her job allows her
|
 |
| ANGIE McCONNELL |
Full name: Angela "Angie" McConnell
Address: Fremont
Family: Husband Shane; sons Bryce, 9, and Grant, 5; and pet yellow labrador, Chase.
Occupation: For the past year, Angie has been the Loan and Contract Specialist in the Community Development department. In that capacity, she administers business loan funds as well as the data base system for the Great Lakes Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) region of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Before that Angie spent four years as the administrative assistant for the former Community and Economic Development department.
Favorite part of the job: She said she especially likes the diversity of her job. She enjoys the opportunity to be creative as well as the opportunity to work with a dependable, dedicated team of co-workers.
Goals: Angie wants to continue to work toward improving the operation of all WSOS loan funds, and to continue learning the RCAP operations. This is important to her because the merger of Community & Economic Development and Great Lakes RCAP made her an employee of the merged department.
Interests/Hobbies: Undoubtedly, Angie's hobbies and interests lie in scrapbooking! She squeezes in her scrap-booking work in between running her sons to their extra curricular activities She said she spends every spare moment scrapbooking the tons of pictures she takes of her family.
|
|
Top