Champions of Children Accept Awards in Ohio County
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At a ceremony in their honor in Wheeling on Friday, three people who work tirelessly to help children and families in Ohio County live safer, healthier, happier lives cited the support of their own families as instrumental in their quests to serve others.
The Deborah Doleski Allen Champions of Children Awards ceremony is held each year during April, which is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The 2017 Champions of Children, chosen by members of the Ohio County Partners in Prevention Team, are Melody Osborne, Claudia Raymer and Ron Scott Jr.
Osborne is the regional coordinator for the West Virginia Adolescent Health Initiative serving Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties. In her role, she has been a key player in implementing programs such as Handle With Care, The Project Purple Initiative, Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings, and Health and Wellness Conferences in local schools, among others.
"Often, she goes above and beyond what she is required to do, especially if her efforts will assist in making a positive impact on children's lives," said Stacie Dei of the Marshall County Family Resource Network, who nominated Osborne.
Osborne said her mother, a single mother who "came to this country with one suitcase," is her "guiding force." She said her mother worked hard to provide her with opportunities.
"She's the reason I'm here today. She's the reason I'm the mother I am today," Osborne said, a mom to two girls. She also thanked her husband, Matthew, and Dei for their tireless support.
Raymer, nominated by Linda Reeves of the Child Care Resource Center in Wheeling, is the executive director of the Ohio County Family Resource Network and also has worked as a child advocate at the YWCA Family Violence Prevention Program and as a forensic interviewer for Harmony House Child Advocacy Center in Wheeling.
Raymer started a support group for parents of children with special needs and advocated for Project Lifesaver to become operational in Ohio County.
"She has worked endlessly and passionately with children who had been exposed to extremely traumatic and difficult life events. She became their voice when they had none and has continued to be a voice to so many children and families in her current position at the Ohio County Family Resource Network," Reeves said.
In her acceptance, Raymer said her brother would travel from Florida each year in April to help her during Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, making meals and hanging out with her son because of her busy schedule that time of year. Her brother died unexpectedly in July, but she said he would have been a "proud big brother" at the ceremony Friday.
"Throughout my life, he was prouder of me than I ever was of myself. But today I'm proud enough for us both, and I'm honored to accept this award," Raymer said.
Scott worked for 10 years at Youth Services System as a counselor and mentor before recently taking the cultural diversity and community outreach coordinator position at the YWCA Wheeling. He also is the founder of the Ohio Valley African American Students Association.
"He is a constant source of positivity and a role model for all children, maintaining a lifetime of sobriety and an attitude that would focus on pride of oneself and the ability to achieve anything you put your mind to," said his nominator, Jay Jack. "Ron is a counselor, a father, a friend, a thespian, a wordsmith, a true romantic, an open heart, mind, and soul," and he is "the catalyst many a young life has needed."
Scott noted a period in his life when he wasn't acting according to how he was raised. After seeing his mother cry for him, everything he did going forward had "at least as a secondary motivation" the desire to make his mother proud.
"She's been there for me forever, through everything," Scott said. He said he doesn't do the work he does for the recognition, but nonetheless he was glad his mother, Linda, was able to attend the ceremony and see him receive the award. He also thanked his family and his YWCA colleagues who attended for their support.