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It is important to recognize and remember those who have made significant contributions, whether to a business, a school or an entire community.
Brooke County's school district has multiple halls of fame, with those established to recognize graduates of the county's school system, athletes and teachers and staff.
Weirton Madonna, also, has a hall of fame to recognize its graduates for their accomplishments in life.
New Cumberland has one, and, since 2008, the City of Weirton has one.
The Weirton Hall of Fame recognizes those who have lived in Weirton for a minimum of five years since 1947, with a focus on "outstanding accomplishments" in the areas of:
Business, Industry and Professions;
Education and Religion;
Music and Fine Arts;
Philanthropy;
Public Service;
Sports and Athletics
Last year's class - the first held since 2019 as a result of COVID and some need to reorganize the committee which oversees the hall of fame - included eight current and former residents, including current mayor Harold Miller, public servant Nick Tranto, music teacher and business owner Janice Torrance, educator Tracy Ohalek, community volunteer Karen Gould, former business owner Kathy Granato, business owner Vanessa Beaver, and the late Dr. Myer Bogarad.
The induction was a smaller gathering than in previous years, essentially an invitation-only celebration with the inductees and a few other guests instead of the more public event typically held.
Nominations for the Class of 2024 currently are being accepted, with a deadline of May 27. We published an article April 10 with information on how to nominate, but, with a few weeks remaining, I've been told only a handful of nominations have been received.
The Weirton Hall of Fame has recognized a vast range of city residents, from major industrialists such as E.T. Weir and Thomas Millsop, to people of our local business world such as Victor Greco, Barbara Matey and Walter Larch to public servants such as Kitty Kochman, historian Dennis Jones, author Goldie Baly, and many others such as Dewey Guida, John Porco, Tom Banketas, Brenda Casey, Rik Rekowski, Stephen Greiner, Lou Kuntupis, Dr. Sarjit Singh, Bob Rossell and others.
For those wishing to know the full list of inductees, there is a set of large plaques listing all of their names and categories of induction located in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center.
Such honors are probably thought more about when it comes to professional sports and the like, but it's just as important to recognize the contributions of the everyday citizen who has made a significant difference in their hometown.
They chronicle our history by showcasing those who have come before, and also provide an example for those yet to come.
Service to your community is not about ego or fame, necessarily, although they sometimes accompany those efforts. Instead, take inspiration and now that each of us, in our own way, can make a difference in the world. Maybe that difference will be enough to one day be recognized by your hometown or your school. If not, it's OK, because it will still be remembered, and your story will be told whether it's by a small group of family and friends, or hundreds of neighbors.
If you know someone you feel has made such a significant contribution, though, here is an opportunity to make sure their accomplishments are remembered for generations to come.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @ChowellWDT)