Valor Home Lorain County Committee Press Release

Date: August 6, 2012 Subject: Letters of Support to Governor John Kasich for the continued operation of the St. Joseph Community Center. The Valor Home Lorain County Committee extends our sincere appreciation and thanks to everyone who signed one of the 4,500+ Letters of Support for the continued operation of the St. Joseph Community Center. The goal of delivering those letters directly to the Governors Office was fulfilled on Thursday, August 2, 2012. The Letters of Support were personally delivered by the contingent comprised of Sam Felton, Jr. (Chairman), Dan Gillotti (Vice-Chairman), Leo Citro (Treasurer), Matthew Slater (Parliamentarian), and Don Attie (Chairman, Fund Raising Committee), Let it be known that our Valor Home Lorain County Committee fulfilled the promise to contact Governor Kasich to provide an opportunity to reopen talks regarding the St. Joseph Community Center loan between the Ohio Department of Development, Lorain County, and the City of Lorain. Our committee along with Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer and Doug Rangel, the Lorain Director of Community Development met with the Governors Director of Communications, Merle Madrid and his staff, the Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Christiane Schmenk and her staff, the Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Veteran Services, Jason Dominguez and his staff, and also Senator Gail Manning and her Assistant. During our hour-long meeting, five members of the Valor Home Lorain County Committee gave a strong presentation on a different facet of the vital need for continued operation of the St. Joseph Community Center. At the end of our presentation, Director Schmenk thanked our veterans committee for providing her with a better understanding of the importance of fighting for the continued operation of the St. Joseph Community Center. After friendly discussions, Director Schmenk and Mayor Ritenauer were unified in their agreement to craft a workable solution favorable to all parties. The Valor Home Lorain County Committee remains solidly committed to providing Transitional Housing for veterans in need in Lorain County. The services provided will become even more critical in the very near future as the size of our combined military forces is reduced. These reductions will increase the number of veterans on the streets of Lorain County looking for employment and shelter during these stringent economic times. As more of our veterans are released from Active Duty in the near future, the beacon of light they can look towards for essential services will be the St Joseph Community Center with the VA Clinic, the Lorain County Community College Learning Center and Valor Home Lorain County. We thank everyone again for your faithful and unwavering support of Valor Home Lorain County and the St. Joseph Community Center. Respectfully Yours,

Samuel Felton, Jr. (Chairman) Matthew Slater (Parliamentarian)

Dan Gillotti (Vice-Chairman)

Leo Citro (Treasurer)

Don Attie (Chairman Fund Raising Committee)