Every year around the holidays, Brookfield administrators, teachers and staff members run a program to try to make the holidays a little brighter for students and their families who are going through tough times. This year was no different as school employees collected gifts and food for donations to students.
This year was different, however, in that an outsider wanted to do something special for students aside from what the school employees do. Nate Smoot, a 2018 Brookfield grad, led an effort that provided $10 gift cards and T-shirts from Jimmy Neno’s Pizzeria and Taproom to all students and basketballs to students in grades kindergarten through five.
“On behalf of the board, that is amazing,” said school board member Melissa Sydlowski.
“It’s good to see – Brookfield taking care of Brookfield,” said school board member Derek Mihalcin.
Smoot said he wanted to brighten the holidays for Brookfield students.
“Around the holidays, I know some families struggle and some kids don’t get to enjoy it as much as others,” he said. “I felt like I was in a position this year, with my new position at YSU, that I was able to help my community and try and get as many kids a gift to make the holiday special.”
Smoot, who was hired in August as assistant athletic director at Youngstown State University, said he met with school officials and members of the Brookfield Parents Association and then started hitting up people he knew for donations, telling potential donors that he felt Brookfield was often overlooked in favor of other regional schools.
“A lot of people stepped up to the plate with myself and helped me,” Smoot said. “I felt like it was pretty successful, especially with only having about 2½ weeks to get it done.”
Dustin Ghizzoni, owner of Jimmy Neno’s in Brookfield, said he stepped up after hearing about the “significant need” in Brookfield.
“Nearly 200 children were signed up through a local giving tree, highlighting how many families could use a little extra support during the holiday season,” he said. “At the end of the day, this town supports our business, and this was very simply a way to give something small back. We just wanted to do something nice for all the kids in our community.”
School district Treasurer Jordan Weber said Ghizzoni has been a friend of the school for some time.
“He’s done a lot of generous things for the school,” Weber said. “That was extremely generous.”
All told, the effort raised more than $15,000, Smoot said, adding that he would like the program to become annual.
“I think it can grow to be even bigger in the future,” he said.
The school board acknowledged these individuals and organizations that donated for the basketballs: Vilene Strimbu, $200; Richard Bennett, $250; Larry Smoot, $450; Jervis Financial Group, $500; Thomas Zidian, $1,000; Nolfi and Associates, $500; Farmers National Bank, $700; and Becdel Controls Inc., $1,000.
The board also acknowledged gifts from the Masury Brookfield Women’s Club, which donated items to the middle school food drive, and those who donated turkeys to the elementary food drive, the Sprankle family, four turkeys; Brookfield Parents Association, nine turkeys; and Jay Bodnar, three turkeys.
The general food pantry at the school also benefited from $100 donations each from Swartz Barber Shop and the Tice family.
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