Good Place Akron
         
 

Love Akron

Love Akron Network’s 2nd Annual Award’s Breakfast Recipients Awarded
Part One

By: Katie Sobiech

In a perfect world, every single person in Akron and the surrounding area would have attended this year’s 2nd Annual Love Akron Award’s Breakfast held at the John S. Knight Center on September 17th.

Not only were some of the greatest local philanthropic, non-profit, ministry and religious leaders there, but hundreds more to witness and hear inspirational stories from individuals right around the block.

The stories were highly motivational, powerful and moving, to say the least, echoing the theme, ‘Together, we can do great things’.

This year’s Brenda Unruh Servant Leader Award was given to Drs. Mark and Sue Meyer of Faithful Servants Care Center, a free medical clinic in Tallmadge.

The Fowler-Larson Allies Award went to Todd McKenney, of The Chapel, and Chuck Myricks, of Arlington Church of God.

The most heartwarming moment, surprising everyone, came at the end when a rainbow of cultures of children from Findley Community Learning Center came out on stage. This allowed everyone to see the sweet little faces of the next generation of this community.

Love Akron Love Akron

The Fowler-Larson Allies Award

Ron Fowler and Knute Larson presented the Allies Award to McKenney and Myricks, who have formed a great friendship over the years.

“We’re grateful to be a part of this wonderful community. God has blessed this place. We are better together. Every step of the way Pastor Fowler and Larson built a bridge in our community. They built a bridge for us to go across to not only discover the richness that’s embedded in each one of us, but also get a glimpse of what we can accomplish together in our community,” Myricks said.

Love Akron Love Akron

The Brenda Unruh Service Award

The Brenda Unruh Service Award was presented to the Meyer’s, who began their own free care clinic for the uninsured.

Those who knew Brenda were captivated by her heart for others; and the Meyers have followed in her footsteps.

“I thought ‘I want to be like her’,” Sue Meyer said, “She was somebody who knew who she was, knew where she was going, and went, always carrying the Gospel. This is an incredible honor.”

Mark added, “The thing that stands out is how much Brenda loved people, and how much she loved Akron. And she loved them enough to listen to their stories. Each of the people she dealt with had a story”.

Her legacy and heart carries on through Faithful Servants mission.

If you missed this year’s breakfast, there are still many ways for you to get involved.

This day provided many examples of ways to get involved right now, today, providing many opportunities to come alongside the Findley Community Center family to serve and love.

Make sure to catch Part Two next week on the touching story of Findley, the issues they are facing there now, what others are doing to step up to help and how you can too.

For more information on the Love Akron Network please visit www.loveakron.org .

Love Akron Love Akron

If you have any story ideas, questions, or comments you can contact: Katie@akroneur.com.