Across our nation today, nearly a half million children are in foster care, and Summit County Children Services recently held its 60th Annual Foster Parent Recognition Dinner to honor the hundreds of dedicated local foster parents who willingly open their homes and their hearts to area children in need of some stability in their lives.

• Retiring Foster Parents –Percy and Lovey Bivins (10 years of service); Ray and Theresa Brokaw (17 years); Deloris Evans (21 years); David and Elizabeth Heckman (17 years); Cecil and Joyce Higgenbotham (11 years); Robert and Christine Mahaney (15 years); and Janice McCorkle (15 years).
• Longevity Awards:
  • 15, 20 and 25-plus Years of Service: Rev. Bernard and Joann Christy, 25-plus years; Cassie Duckworth, 25-plus years; James and Linda Schuster, 25-plus years; Deborah Dardie,15 years; Robert and Christine Mahaney, 15 years; Cheryl Mathys, 15 years; Janice McCorkle, 15 years, David and Pamela Patterson, 15 years; Bernard and Frances Davis 15 years;
  • Ten Years of Service: Barbara Carey; Gerald and Gay Combs; Robert and Arlene Diehl; Harry and Willie Belle Hamilton; Keith and Janet Hammond; Gerald and Catherine McCausland; Jude Mericle; and Linda Williams.
  • Five Years of Service: Lionel and Alberta Davis; Yolanda Davis; Jeff and Sharon Fuelling; John and Linda Gingerich; John and Julie Gray; Charles and Laurie Greer; Troy and Angelita Jackson; Katherine Jacobs; John and Barbara Kuffler; Christopher and Janet McNeill; Thomas and Dawn Penn; Todd and Kristen Popovic; Sandra Thornton; Tolliver and Jonilon Vaughn.
• Foster Care Month Slogan Contest Winners –
  • Morris and Amanda Smith of Akron, whose slogan “Fostering: Opening Your Home & Heart to a Child” was used to celebrate local Foster Care Month activities in 2010.
  • Gerald and Catherine McCausland, whose slogan “Preserve Our Most Precious Resource, Foster a Child” will be used to celebrate local Foster Care Month activities in 2011.