County Frontiers Club gives awards at lunch

A local organization and area students were among those recognized April 29 during Mercer County Frontiers Club’s annual awards luncheon in the Fireside Room of Shenango Valley Civic Center, Sharon.

Karen S. White, Cleveland Division sales manager for Olympic Steel, was speaker. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William White, West Middlesex, is a 1977 West Middlesex High School alumna.

The Community Prayer Band received the Year 2000 Community Service Award. It was nominated for its years of offering prayer and encouragement to Shenango Valley residents regardless of race, creed or color.

The organization, which now is comprised of 12 members from local churches, was set up in 1953 by the late Robinson Ford. He was organizer along with other members of First Baptist Church, Farrell.

George Gibbs, Melvin Wilson, Joseph Logan, George Staley, Henry Ford, Alphonza Ford, Richard Campbell and Toby Morris also were involved in the group’s establishment. Ford was the first leader.

The group holds prayer services at 6 a.m. Sundays in one of 17 churches. Seven local high school seniors were recipients of $500 Mercer County Frontiers Club scholarships.

Richard Gordon plans to major in elementary education at Edinboro University; Shamekka Harrison in political science at Slippery Rock University; Erin Houston in medical technology at Gannon University, Erie; Nicole Jordan in criminal justice at Youngstown State University; Vernon F. Scott Jr. in elementary education at West Virginia University in Morgantown; and Aisha Weston in pharmacy at the University of Pittsburgh. They attend Farrell High School.

Danese M. Keller, a senior at Hickory High School, Hermitage, plans to major in public relations at Pennsylvania State University.

Nine area residents earned Scholarship Recognition Awards. The accolades were established in 1998 to recognize minority residents of Mercer County and Brookfield who have completed an academic program above high school in the year prior to the award program. The honorees and their graduation years are:

Darlene Y. Austin Abrams — 1990 from Harding Business College, Youngstown, with a diploma; and 1999, Mercer County Career Center, Coolspring Township, with a practical nursing diploma. The 1975 Farrell High alumna is a Sharon Regional Physician Services medical assistant. She is a graduate practical nurse with Sharon Regional Health System.

Kirsten M. Allen — 1993, Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s in child development and family relations; and 1999 from Slippery Rock University with a master’s in counseling and psychology. The 1989 Sharon High alumna is a family-based mental health therapist with Children’s Aid Society, Mercer.

Michele L. Askerneese — 1979, Computer Tech, Pittsburgh, with a data processing diploma; 1982, Thiel College, Greenville, with a respiratory care diploma; 1994, the Shenango Campus of Pennsylvania State University, Sharon, with an associate’s in science; and 1998, LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, with a bachelor’s in respiratory therapy. The 1978 Farrell High alumna is a registered respiratory therapist with Sharon Regional Health System.

Eric Q. Chapman — 1999, Clarion University with a bachelor’s in communications. The 1995 Sharon High alumnus is working on a master’s in public relations at Syracuse (N.Y.) University.

Shirley Major-Friday — 1978, Bryan & Stratton Business Institution, Buffalo, N.Y., with a secretarial science and general office practice certificate; 1996, Penn State-Shanango with an associate’s in human development and family services; and 1999, Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pa., with a bachelor’s in human resource management. The 1976 alumna of Kensington High School, Buffalo, is assistant director of Prince of Peace, Farrell; an ARC of Mercer County residential program worker; and an MGC Services Inc. therapeutic support staff member.

Dawn A. Holden — 1998, Point Park College, Pittsburgh, with a bachelor’s in journalism and communications. The 1994 alumna of Kennedy Christian High School, Hermitage, is Sharon City School District’s family development specialist.

Christal L. Graham-Jones — 1999, Penn State-Shenango with an associate’s in liberal arts and science. The 1982 Farrell High alumna plans to graduate in December from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology. She is eligibility assistant for Farrell Area School District, Child Care Information Services of Mercer County Department of Public Assistance.

Toni L. Price — 1995, Penn State-Shenango with an associate’s in business administration; and 1999, Westminster College, New Wilmington, with a bachelor’s in business administration and accounting. The 1984 Sharon High alumna is student affairs staff assistant with Penn State-Shenango.

Robert Q. Townsend — 1998, Western School of Business and Health Careers, Pittsburgh, with an associate’s in specialized business in the paralegal specialist program. The 1992 Farrell High alumnus is a correctional officer with Corrections Corp. of America, Youngstown.

Yokefellow Dr. Theodore Yarboro Sr., Frontiers Club president, was the event’s master of ceremonies.

Yokefellow Bill Murray gave the invocation. Yokette Annie McMillan, group president emeritus, coordinating council, gave the welcome.

Yokefellow David Myers presented the Community Service Award. Yokette Janet Grear, coordinating council president, introduced Ms. White as speaker. Yokette Karen Weston gave remarks.

Yarboro, Yokette Doretha Blackwell and Yokefellow David Myers presented the Scholar Recognition Awards. Yokefellows George B. Thomas Jr. and Jamie Brown presented the scholarships. Yokefellow Alex Cromartie gave the benediction.

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