Columbiana’s safety forces receive gift from Chamber of Commerce
Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce executive director April Brinker, right, and chamber director Deann Davis, left, presented the city’s safety forces with $1,000 each for the police, fire and EMS departments. The donation is from the chamber’s safety council to recognize the department’s services to the community. Accepting the money is, from left, fire Chief Rick Garrity, police Chief Tim Gladis and EMS Coordinator Tom Farley. (Salem News photo by Katie White)
Municipal Attorney Amanda Banner administers the oath of office to new police auxiliary members, from left, Colin Trayes, Dylan Bell, Kaitlyn McDaniel and Chad Veiock. (Salem News photo by Katie White)
Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce executive director April Brinker, right, and chamber director Deann Davis, left, presented the city’s safety forces with $1,000 each for the police, fire and EMS departments. The donation is from the chamber’s safety council to recognize the department’s services to the community. Accepting the money is, from left, fire Chief Rick Garrity, police Chief Tim Gladis and EMS Coordinator Tom Farley. (Salem News photo by Katie White)
Municipal Attorney Amanda Banner administers the oath of office to new police auxiliary members, from left, Colin Trayes, Dylan Bell, Kaitlyn McDaniel and Chad Veiock. (Salem News photo by Katie White)
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COLUMBIANA -- The city's safety forces received a gift last week from the Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber executive director April Brinker and chamber director Deann Davis presented the police, fire and EMS departments with $1,000 each from the chamber's safety council for a total gift of $3,000.
"The chamber could not host the annual events, nor could the other organizations, without your dedicated commitment to our safety and success," Brinker said during the city council meeting. "In a world where so much of our daily news centers on the negative, it is inspiring and empowering to live in a city that works together with cooperation, respect and dedication to the betterment of our community."
The safety council was formed 11 years ago and has given funding over the years toward new equipment for the safety forces and other things, but this marks the first time the council has given a donation of this kind directly to the departments, Brinker and Davis said.
On a separate matter, but related to safety, council during the meeting approved a motion to appoint four people as auxiliary members to the police department: Colin Trayes, Dylan Bell, Chad Veiock and Kaitlyn McDaniel.
Gladis said the four are already members of the Explorer post and were interviewed by himself and Lt. Jeff Hough.
Reading from a letter written by patrolman Kevin Kloss, who oversees the program, Gladis said that Trayes, 19, lives in Columbiana with his family and has applied to Youngstown State University this fall, as well as the police academy.
"Colin has been a very active member of our Explorer post for the past five years. During that time he has served in several leadership capacities and proven himself very capable and is well liked by other members of the department," Gladis said.
He also said that Trayes has never hesitated when called upon to help out, and that "we have very high hopes for him."
Bell, also 19, lives in Poland with his mother and has also served on the Explorer post the last five years, with the last year as president/chief. He is also a cadet at the Poland Police Department and also holds a firefighter II certification and is a member of the Western Reserve Fire Department, Gladis said.
Bell also attended two years of the public safety class at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center and has applied to the Kent-Trumbull Police Academy and is waiting to take the entrance exam.
Veiock, also 19, lives in East Palestine with his family and has been a member of the Explorer post the last two years. He has also served on the special needs support group as an ambassador under Kelly Harding and the Heroes and Halo's organization, Gladis said.
Gladis also said Veiock has worked the last two summers as seasonal help for the city's park and cemetery, and joined the Army Reserves last fall. He returned to the area in the spring after completing basic training.
He also has certification as an interior electrician, Gladis said.
McDaniel, 18, lives with her family in Columbiana and has also been on the Explorer post the last two years.
"She has an interest in both police and emergency medical services and I would not be surprised that she completes her EMT basic someday and also joins our EMS," Gladis said.
McDaniel has been attending college classes at Youngstown State while a senior in high school and plans on finishing her degree and attending police academy, he added.
kwhite@mojonews.com