Montgomery
DAYTON YWCA honors volunteer
YWCA Dayton recognized its longest-serving volunteer, Mrs. Betsy B. Whitney, with an honorary street designation during a reception and unveiling ceremony on Dec. 12, at YWCA Dayton, 141 W. Third St.
As approved by the City of Dayton Commission, North Wilkinson Street (from West Third to West First streets) will be designated Betsy B. Whitney Way. This location is significant as it touches both YWCA Dayton’s central building and Westminster Presbyterian Church (at 125 N. Wilkinson St.); Whitney has been a longtime parishioner of the church, which in 2001 received YW’s Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award. It is one of only four organizations to have received that honor.
Whitney’s contributions to YWCA Dayton, and the greater Dayton community, are unparalleled. She first volunteered at YWCA Dayton in 1957 – “It was my first volunteer opportunity after moving to Dayton,” she has said – and joined its Board of Directors in 1969. She has served in that role continuously for 50 years and is YWCA’s longest-serving volunteer, having devoted more than 80,000 hours of service.
“Truly, Betsy is an icon in the lifeblood of YWCA Dayton,” said Shannon Isom, president and CEO. “Because of her leadership, we were the second YWCA in the country to open a shelter for battered women – today, YWCA is the single largest provider of domestic violence shelters and services nationwide. Because of her tenacity, our Salute to Career Women was born – an awards program that is now Women of Influence, the largest nonprofit luncheon in the Miami Valley. And because of her philanthropic support, generations of women and girls have always – and will continue to – know our central building as a refuge of safety and love.”
A 2019 Dayton Region Walk of Fame inductee, Whitney is an Honorary Emeritus Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Dayton and has served on the boards and/or fundraising committees of the Dayton Area
Chamber of Commerce, Dayton Art Institute, The Dayton Foundation, Dayton History, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Visual Arts Center, Human Race Theatre Company, Leadership Dayton, Victoria Theatre Association, Woodland Cemetery, and Wright-Dunbar Inc. – to name a few.
YWCA Dayton is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families and strengthen our community. For comprehensive information, visit www.ywcadayton.org and follow the conversation on social media with hashtag #OnAMission. CONTRIBUTED
OAKWOOD Leaf collection
The City of Oakwood’s 2019 leaf collection program was scheduled to end on Friday, Dec. 20, but will be extended through Friday,
Jan. 3. The program provides bi-weekly leaf pickups in all areas of Oakwood. The collection schedule is posted on the city website (www.oakwoodohio.gov).
Property owners should place their leaves directly into the roadway gutter, ideally just a day or two before the scheduled pick-up day. Alternatively, citizens may self-dump their leaves 24-7 in the yard debris dumpsters located at the Creager Field parking lot at Shafor and Irving. The yard debris dumpsters are available year around.
DAYTON PTSD and dementia
The Miami Valley Alzheimer’s Association’s Military Task Force works to connect veterans and active military, who may be experiencing memory issues, with trained professionals at the Alzheimer’s Association who deal with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Since veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Disorders (TBI) have a 60% greater chance of developing dementia, the Association’s focus is to provide veterans and military personnel with information, support services and care consultation, whether they have received an official Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis or have not. The holiday season can be stressful. If you suspect that you or your loved one is being impacted, call the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Tree recycling
The Montgomery County Solid Waste District, a division of Montgomery County Environmental Services, is hosting its annual live tree recycling drive through
Jan. 31.
For no charge, County residents may bring up to three live trees, per vehicle, to the Montgomery County Transfer & Recycling Facility located at 1001 Encrete Lane in Moraine. Any additional trees and trash will be accepted at standard disposal rates.
Trees should be free of ornaments, garland, stands, tree skirts, nails and plastic bags. The Solid Waste District will use its in-house yard waste grinder to process the trees before sending them off-site to be mulched.
The Montgomery County Transfer & Recycling Facility is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For additional information about the Holiday Tree Recycling Program, please visit www.mcswd.org or call 937-2254999 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.