Jefferson County chamber Burger Bash raises scholarship funds | News, Sports, Jobs

CATERING — Walter Ruszkowski of Giometti’s Catering in Weirton prepared burgers for the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Burger Bash and Corn Hole Tournament Tuesday. — Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Burger Bash and Corn Hole Tournament provided an evening of fun and food Tuesday while raising funds for scholarships that benefit local high school and non-traditional students.

Organized by the chamber’s Ambassador Club, the annual event took place on the Eastern Gateway Community College campus and persisted in delivering freshly cooked burgers, competitive corn hole and opportunities to socialize despite some initial wind and a sudden storm.

Funds were raised through ticket sales, raffles and sponsorships, of which there were 33 this year, including the title sponsor — Capital Health Care Network. All proceeds benefit the Ambassador Club’s Anita Jackson Scholarship, which awards $1,000 each to two Jefferson County high school graduates and one chamber member employee who’s continuing his or her education.

High school scholarship recipients must have had a 2.5 GPA or higher and logged at least 60 community service hours, said chamber President Kate Sedgmer, who added that the scholarship emphasizes service above all due to its namesake. A former marketer for Franciscan University of Steubenville, the late Anita Jackson was an Ambassador Club founder and involved in numerous educational, religious and public service organizations.

“Anita was philanthropic and volunteered across all of Jefferson County, so the scholarship was created in her memory,” Sedgmer said.

PRIZES — Individuals divvied up their tickets at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Burger Bash and Corn Hole Tournament Tuesday in the hopes of winning one of the raffle baskets donated by the chamber’s Ambassador Club. — Christopher Dacanay

Chris Orris of Valley Hospice is the president of the Ambassador Club, though he will step down in September and become the vice president; Gene Zrinyi of Tri-State Financial Services will step in as president, along with Jessica Elias, the chamber’s membership coordinator, as secretary.

Orris said of the scholarship: “One of the things I like is that you have to be involved in the community, and you don’t have to have a perfect 4.0 GPA.”

The burger bash’s fundraising goal each year is “always to do better than the previous years,” Sedgmer said.

In addition to raffle baskets, which were donated by members of the Ambassador Club, a Yeti cooler was also raffled off. Also, attendees were automatically entered to win a Blackstone griddle, courtesy of 7 Ranges Entertainment, Capital Health Care Network and Trinity Health System.

Behind the grill this year was Giometti’s Catering of Weirton, equipped with its family recipes. Attendees could munch on hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked beans, mac and cheese and fruit. Those wishing to skip the meat could try a shrimp burger — Giometti’s own invention, according to chef Walter Ruszkowski.

MASCOT — Pete the Penguin, Youngstown State University’s mascot, stood by the university’s informational table at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Burger Bash and Corn Hole Tournament Tuesday. YSU was one of the event’s sponsors. — Christopher Dacanay

Adult beverages were also served, and Schuetz Funeral Home provided free ice cream.

For some attendees, the bash’s biggest draw is the yearly corn hole tournament. Competing on behalf of TEAM Automotive Tuesday were Larry Agin and Chuck Spencer.

Asked if they felt confident in their skills, Spencer said, “(Agin) has got a strong back. He can carry me.”

Agin replied, “He’s way better than me.”

Perhaps the most well-represented organization — with 36 total individuals present — was Youngstown State University, a “big sponsor” of this year’s bash, according to Sedgmer.

COMPETITORS — Chris Elliott, left, of Epic Restoration LLC and Dustin Byers of Carriage Inn of Steubenville competed in the corn hole competition at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Burger Bash and Corn Hole Tournament Tuesday. — Christopher Dacanay

Among those present was YSU’s President Bill Johnson, who said the university is “excited to be here” because “we’re going to be doing a lot of work down here.”

EGCC is currently set to dissolve Nov. 1 under the supervision of a conservator appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine. Since Feb. 21, when EGCC first announced it would pause registration, Johnson and YSU have expressed interest in filling the community college’s place in Jefferson County by offering many of the same programs.

“We’ve got a lot of the online programs already set up,” Johnson said. “We’ll be teaching some courses this fall, and there’ll be more coming online as we move forward. We stood up 60-plus new programs — all kinds of credentials, certificates, associate degrees — so we’re getting ready. We’ve got a lot of transfer students from Eastern Gateway, and (we’re) very excited about the progress we’ve made.”

YSU hopes to be physically teaching classes in Jefferson County, but right now that’s “a matter of where and when,” said Johnson, who became the university’s 10th president Jan. 22 after stepping down from his congressional seat.

“We’re waiting on the legal and regulatory process of winding Eastern Gateway down,” Johnson said, adding that YSU hopes to move into EGCC’s campus; however, that too is subject to a legal examinations of the campus’ deed, a reverter clause in which states that if educational usage stops, then the property should return to the county.

If YSU does gain ownership of the property, Johnson said, it will continue to host various community events like the burger bash that utilize the facility and grounds.

“Jefferson County will be glad we’re here,” he said. “This is a community treasure, and we plan to continue these kinds of things.”