Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, master of ceremonies for the evening, reads a proclamation from state Sen. John Yudichak to the 2021 Greater Pittston YMCA Lifetime of Service Achievement Award winner, Carmen Ambrosino, left.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
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Wyoming Area’s reigning state wrestling champion, Jaden Pepe, was awarded the James & Jean Yates Youth Leadership Award on Thursday evening at The Banks banquet facility, Pittston. His presenter and wrestling coach, Steve Mytych looks on.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Greg Holl, far left, is the 2021 recipient of the YMCA Spirit of Community Award presented by Pittston City Mayor Michael Lombardo. Left to right, Holl, Lombardo, Janelle Drach, Greater Pittston YMCA vice president of Member Services, Kevin O’Boyle, Greater Pittston YMCA board of directors vice president.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Lou Ciampi, Jr., center, accepted the Corporate Distinction Award on behalf of his late father, Lou Ciampi, Sr. found of Independent Graphics, Inc., the recipient of the award. Left is Janelle Drach, Greater Pittston YMCA Vice President of Member Services, and right, attorney Joseph Burke, award presenter.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Denise Truesdale, the 2021 Sam Milazzo Volunteer of the Year Award recipient delivers her acceptance speech with presenter attorney Joseph Burke looking on.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
PITTSTON — The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA continued the annual tradition of hosting a fundraising dinner in Pittston, held to honor some of the Pittston area’s most remarkable citizens.
Held on Thursday evening at the Banks Waterfront, the Greater Pittston YMCA Annual Dinner & Community Awards continued in 2021, even though the Greater Pittston YMCA merged with the Wilkes-Barre branch to form the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA in 2020.
Janelle Drach, vice president of member services for the organization, opened the night up by thanking those in attendance for coming out.
“I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for believing in our mission, and really supporting our mission,” she said. “We wouldn’t be able to move the needle on important community needs without your support.”
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce served as the event’s master of ceremonies, saying the YMCA has long been a part of his life, spending Saturday mornings there as a youth.
“Tonight is not just about the YMCA, it’s really a call to service,” Sanguedolce said, noting that the night’s award winners themselves have lived a life of service.
The “man of the hour” as it were was Carmen Ambrosino, who was presented with the Greater Pittston YMCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ambrosino was honored for doing more than 40 years of hard work advocating in the community, just recently retiring from his position as the CEO of Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services. He also served as a United States delegate to Cuba, South Africa and the Dominican Republic.
Ambrosino has worked to develop drug and alcohol policies that are aimed at getting people struggling with addiction help; Sanguedolce said Ambrosino was instrumental in helping local law enforcement agencies realize they could not “arrest their way out of the problem” of drug addiction.
While accepting the honor, Ambrosino told the story of a time, many years ago, when there was a knock on his door on Christmas Eve, and that he opened the door to find an 8-year-old boy on his doorstep.
“‘I just wanted to meet the man who gave me back my daddy, because there will never be anything under my tree better than having my father back in my life,’” Ambrosino said the boy told him that day. “That’s why I stayed for that long, and that’s why, even retired, I’m still responsive to those in need.”
Also honored on Wednesday were Jordan Pepe, who received the James & Jean Yates Youth Leadership Award; Denise Truesdale who received the Sam Milazzo Volunteer of the Year Award; Greg Holl who received the YMCA Spirit of the Community Award and Independent Graphics who received the Corporate Distinction Award.
