Miller marks 23 years as community health worker:
Buckeye Central’s Siesel is Ohio’s Division IV Player of the Year:
Kenny Thoman:
Meet Kim Miller
Kim Miller is a professional problem solver. She’s a cheerleader and a grace giver. She’s constantly encouraging the people around her to reach their fullest potential.
She’s also a pioneer as one of Richland County’s longest-serving community health workers.
Miller recently marked her 23rd year as a community health worker in Mansfield. She began her career with the Community Health Access Project and currently serves as CHW coordinator for Third Street Family Health Services.
Third Street’s CHWs run a variety of programs designed to help eliminate barriers and promote wellbeing for those most at-risk. And a big part of a CHW’s role is helping connect individuals with resources in the community, but the job goes far beyond that.
Building relationships and being a good listener is crucial. Miller has been described as one of the best CHWs in Richland County. And while the field of community health work was new to Mansfield, Miller and her family were already doing home visits as part of their church’s outreach ministry.
Her parents led parishioners in serving the community through food pantries, clothing ministry, tutoring programs and outreach. And her grandmother made it her mission to help unwed pregnant teens with little to no support.
Today, CHWs work with people of all ages from all walks of life. Rather than trying to “fix” someone’s life, being a CHW is about empowering others and finding solutions to help clients achieve the life they want.
Miller says that the key is just listening and trying to meet people at their needs. Everybody’s different. Everyone has their own story. But sometimes the hardships CHWs see can be difficult to forget.
Miller explained that it’s not a clock-in, clock-out job. When she goes home at night and knows there’s a client that’s about to be evicted, or about to lose their children because they’re struggling with a drug addiction — she worries about them. Still, despite the tough nature of the work, Miller has seen many lives change during her 23 years.
100 years ago Mount Vernon mayor tried to remove police chief
Next, some local history. The newspapers were full of contention 100 years ago this month, including an attempt by Mayor Keigley of Mount Vernon to remove the Police Chief from office for incompetency and insubordination. Or, to put it another way:
Their politics didn’t match. The civil service commission dismissed the charges, and the chief remained.
But even livelier was the news a Knox County resident filed for divorce from his wife. In the filing, he brought serious charges against his spouse: that she let food burn, that she was a dirty housekeeper, that she was a “cut-up” (by which I guess he meant that she liked to crack jokes), that she loved “bright lights,” swearing, and chasing after men.
In other words, it sounds like she was a typical Roaring ’20s “flapper.” He later remarried a Knox County woman who presumably didn’t burn food or cuss.
Siesel chosen Ohio’s Player of the Year
Next, She was the engine that powered Buckeye Central all the way to the Division IV state tournament and Emily Siesel was rewarded for her efforts in a big way.
A senior, Siesel was selected Ohio’s Division IV Player of the Year. The 5-foot-6 point guard was among the most productive players in all of north central Ohio. She averaged 17.7 points a game while leading the Northern 10 Athletic Conference in assists and steals. She also helped the Buckettes reach the Final Four for the seventh time in program history.
Kenny Thoman
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Kenny Thoman of Galion. Kenny was born in 1935 in Toledo. He worked for many years in the area as a self-employed contractor.
He was a “jack of all trades” and could do just about anything. Kenny loved building race cars and raced at many local tracks.
After retiring from contracting and along with his son, Mike, Kenny started a business restoring old Ford Automobiles and selling old Ford automobile parts. He also enjoyed following the Cleveland Indians.
He is survived by daughters, son, 18 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Kenny’s life.
