Green, OH

Congratulations to Marty Misbrenner.

Marty was recently inducted into the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame. This honor is well deserved for a man who has dedicated his adult life to the promotion and development of the game.

I have known Marty for several years as a soccer associate. He is a genuinely dedicated individual who has grown up with the game and has shared his knowledge to the benefit of many young people in the Akron area. I have played against and with Marty in years long gone by in friendly games. As a player, he was among the best in his age group and as an individual you will find none finer. He is a pleasant man who approaches the game with intensity and is a friendly person to all he comes in contact with. I have always known him to nurture young players and coach from a positive and professional manner.

When I read the article in our local paper that Marty was inducted into the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame I was thrilled. I can't think of anyone who is more deserving for this honor.

It is always wonderful to learn that deserving individuals are given the highest recognition for the services they provide members of our community.

You can read the article in our local newspaper by clicking on the following link:

http://www.thesuburbanite.com/communities/green/x1923542847/Misbrener-inducted-into-the-Ohio-Soccer-Hall-of-Fame

As a former educator and liaison to Summit County Juvenile Court I took great interest in the Juvenile Diversion program offered by the City of Green under the direction of the Summit County Sheriff's Department and Drew Alexander, Sheriff, Summit County Ohio.

The Juvenile Diversion program is an effective too for "first-time offenders." It takes into consideration that youngsters can make an error in judgment and find themselves in a bit of "hot water" as a result. It is not necessarily intended for dealing with youngsters seriously involved in gang activity or "hard core" offenders; the juvenile court system will deal with these elements.

The program is well-founded philosophically and strives to make youngsters responsible for their actions without having them have a record in the court system. It's a great program for helping young people understand their civic responsibility while making them responsible for their actions at the same time.

The program offers assistance for families who are having difficulty and encourages them to become involved with the program before a situation escalates to a more difficult problem. The city of Green and the Summit County Sheriff's Department is on the "right track" for dealing with issues related to juvenile crime and making great advances in minimizing juvenile offenses in our community.

I congratulate the city of Green and the Summit County Sheriff's Department for their efforts. I have seen this program work effectively in other communities and know it has a positive impact.