Melissa Seibert is no stranger to community service. She spent many years working for the American Red Cross, focused on serving members of the Armed Forces and their families.

After she retired, Seibert joined a group of residents concerned about a gap in community services after Massillon’s USO office closed. She and the group set out to fill that gap and the SAM Center was born. The Serving Area Military, Veterans and Widows (SAM) Center provides services and support for the servicemen and servicewomen who may not be able to get their needs met by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

She is now the Director of the SAM Center, which has been open for nearly a year. I had the privilege of attending the Grand Opening and witness firsthand the incredible work that Melissa and her team does in service to those she calls “the real American heroes.”

She is proud of her staff and that they can “provide a peaceful place, a home away from home for veterans and their families.”

Gayle Manning spent nearly 40 years as an elementary school teacher. She has taught the next generation of Ohio’s leaders, encouraging them to be responsible citizens. It is a lesson she took to heart.

After being elected to the State Senate in 2010, Senator Manning has taken on important issues that affect families, neighborhoods, public health, and social services. Like many states, Ohio has been hit particularly hard by the epidemic of opioid overdoses and deaths. Senator Manning led the efforts in Ohio to make sure that a life-saving drug, Naloxone, is available for first responders to prevent and reverse the effects of heroin and opioid overdoses. Access for Naloxone has now expanded further, with physicians and family members of addicts given the ability to have and administer the drug.

I asked her how her time as a teacher has impacted her. She said “I credit the 37 years I spent as an educator for giving me the unique insight that shapes many of my legislative priorities and will make a difference in our communities.”

Among the many women of the Seventh District I am celebrating and honoring this month is Laura Schlabach. Laura is from Holmes County, Ohio and was raised Amish. She stayed in Holmes County, but chose not to remain Amish. However, her experience and relationship with the Amish community has proven invaluable in her career with Pomerene Hospital.

Since 2008, Laura has been the Amish Advocate for the hospital’s Amish Services Program. She serves as the liaison between the hospital and the Amish in Holmes County that need healthcare and is proud to be part of Pomerene’s mission of “Caring for Our Community’s Health.”

Her typical day can consist of making rounds to visit Amish patients, assisting hospital staff in bridging the cultural and language gap, or sitting with an Amish family while their loved one is receiving care.

Laura truly appreciates and loves the work she does to further Pomerene Hospital’s mission:

“You can serve your community by keeping local people local. The program has grown tremendously as we strive to meet the needs of the community. I am privileged to be involved in a program that plays a vital role in our community.”