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With fall upon us with beautiful certainty (how can you hate Ohio when the trees look like they do?) there is something else adorning our yards and streets amidst the leaves: political signs pleading with you to vote for their candidate or their cause. It’s true: Election Day is just around the corner, and I wanted to share with you three causes worth your consideration in the coming days and weeks.
First, on the ballot this fall is a levy for Trumbull Career and Technical Center, which plays a significant role in educating and training teenagers and adults alike with key skills for a successful future. As the TCTC levy is a continuing one, you’re already paying to support one of the best career training schools in the country – so why not continue? In fact, while we’re on the topic, why not vote for the school levy in your community?
I haven’t written about a levy since I was in high school, pleading with residents of Cortland and Bazetta to vote for a levy for Lakeview Schools – which failed. (Which makes me wonder if by writing something here I’m dooming these levies to fail) Let me make this clear and simple: If you complain about how our community is struggling and vote no on levies in your school district and for TCTC, you’ve just become part of the problem.
Second, also on the ballot for November is a levy for the Trumbull Mental Health and Recovery Board. It’s no secret that mental health and addiction are plaguing our community – and the MHRB does more than you could imagine to provide lasting solutions to these problems. If you have a friend or family member who is struggling with addiction, or is living in recovery, odds are they have benefited from a program funded by monies provided in this levy to the MHRB. Again, the MHRB levy is a renewal levy – there are no new taxes involved. What will be involved is hundreds of lives changed by the MHRB and the organizations it oversees and encourages.
Third, and finally, here is a cause worth your support that doesn’t require your vote. If you haven’t already heard about Game Changers, which you may have from an article earlier this week, here’s what you need to know: Game Changers is a peer-mentoring program focusing on student male athletes in our community. It offers holistic, and especially academic and character, development to students in unique and challenging ways. The founder, Michael Engram, returned to the Valley to help make a lasting impact on the place that he calls home.
Saturday Game Changers is hosting a tailgate party at the Amphitheatre downtown for the Ohio State game. The party begins at 5:45 and kickoff is at 8; there will be a whole slew of fun stuff for the whole family. Put simply, this is a simple way to help a great organization make an impact on our community – and, as I mentioned, doesn’t require a vote. For more info about Game Changers and the event, visit menaremade.org, and find them on Facebook for info about the event.
There is so much to be proud of in our community, and it seems silly to me we wouldn’t do everything in our power to support organizations, and especially our schools, so we would have even more to be proud of. Do yourself a favor: Say yes to our community!
Kyle Tennant is a Tribune Chronicle community columnist. Email him at columns@tribtoday.com.