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• ORCHID: To the 268 or so Boy Scouts, along with their leaders and the organizers who participated in last week's Snowblox 2022 Cub Scout Freeze-Out at Camp Stambaugh. The Scouts learned first aid, plus other not-so-serious lessons with opportunities for enjoyment. Scouts in grades K-5 from Mahoning, Trumbull and eastern Portage counties took part in the cold, snowy day. Bravo to everyone for this wonderful outing that teaches young people traits that go far beyond just the skills.
• ORCHID: To Rick and Joni Blase, owners of Boot Factory Outlet, for their generous $100,000 gift to the James P. Tressel Institute for Leadership and Teamwork. The institute intends to empower students, community leaders and business directors to make a meaningful difference, supporting opportunities through credit courses, workshops, symposiums and more. The objectives are to prepare students and participants to become strong, impactful leaders, and to create and foster an atmosphere of teamwork for the well-being of their group or organization. Bravo to the Blases for their commitment to this worthy goal.
• ONION: To thieves who boldly and with callous disregard continue to disable vehicles by removing catalytic converters. More victims reported thefts this week, including a young nurse who exited St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital after a 16-hour shift where she aided patients and possibly helped save lives, only to find her car disabled in the parking lot. Onion also to the scrap yards that apparently pay high dollars for the car parts that they surely must know were not obtained legally and with no regard for the victims.
• ORCHID: To this year's honorees of the Trumbull County African American Achievers Association. The banquet returned to an in-person event this year for the first time in two years, where honorees were heralded for their work, sacrifices and service. Honored this year were Quinn Flowers, Adrian Green, Kim J. Johnson, Ruth Quarles, Lewis West and Hortense Wood. Four local students also were honored: Mykaila Bryant, Shanyla Bundy, Timothy Harden Jr. and Joseph Mckinley Williamson. Congratulations to these wonderful examples of leadership and role models in our community.
• ONION: To people who take on pets with no intentions or ability to care for them. We often write about abused or neglected animals. This week we reported about a Niles woman sentenced to 10 days in jail in a case linked to the neglect of cats last September. The sentence and probation will ban her from owning, possessing or residing in any home with animals. Good! People who cannot care for their pets need to surrender them long before it gets to this point.
• ORCHID: To Newton Falls village for its visual support of Ukraine during its war with Russia. The village this week began lighting its water tower with alternating blue and yellow lights -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag -- and also for displaying the Ukrainian flag, gifted by a local businessman Matthew Meszaros, inside the municipal building. Mayor Ken Kline this week challenged other local communities to show similar support for the nation under attack.
• ORCHID: To Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and for all the generous donors during the food bank's 31st Annual Harvest for Hunger Campaign, going on now through May. The annual food and fund drive helps restock the food bank's shelves for spring and summer. All collections remain in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Last year, Harvest for Hunger raised $231,559 and 24,000 pounds of food. More information on participating in this worthy cause can be found at www.mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org.