Ted Pedas, the Farrell community's benefactor extraordinaire, has been nominated by the city and school district for the Outstanding Philanthropist Award, sponsored by the Mahoning/Shenango Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Who can be more deserving of the honor than Pedas, who has contributed more than a half-million dollars to Farrell and Wheatland to be used in the community as well as the school district?

In letters of recommendation to the association, City Manager LaVon Saternow and schools Superintendent Dick Rubano lauded Pedas for his epic efforts in his community. The association will name its recipient in November.

"Ted Pedas truly serves by example," LaVon said in her letter penned for the city. "He knows that no community can survive without individuals who perform a selfless service so that others can benefit. To recognize the unsung heroes who have made this commitment in Farrell and to encourage others to take responsibility for our community's future, he has generously given of his own resources."

According to Dick's letter, "I am very hard-pressed to find a more generous and professional individual ...I cannot think of a more deserving individual."

During the city's 100th anniversary celebration in the summer of 2001, Pedas was honored by Farrell officials by receiving the Centurion Award for his extraordinary efforts. During his acceptance speech, Pedas announced that he would be funding, among a host of other programs and activities, the creation of the annual Farrell Citizen of the Year and Junior Citizen of the Year Awards.

They are intended "to acknowledge those individuals who have distinguished him or herself over the years in their faithful service to our community." This year's awards will be given during the city's annual Homecoming Celebration July 27-29 at the newly renovated Veterans Square on Spearman Avenue.

The citizen award honors contributions of an adult in the community, while the junior citizen of the year honors students in the school district, who hail from the city as well as Wheatland. While technically the deadline has passed for nominations, I don't think the city or the school district would turn away any late entries.

Nomination forms are available at the superintendent's office in the school complex on Roemer Boulevard, or from the mayor's office at the municipal building at Spearman and Roemer.

I would hope that Farrell residents would supply Pedas with many nominations. Not only are many adults as well as students in the community deserving of the awards, but the nominations themselves go a long way in honoring the generosity and community spirit that Pedas offers.

Pedas is living up to the ideals contained in his acceptance speech in 2001. "There's a Greek proverb that says 'A community flourishes when people plant trees under which they will never sit.' Over the past century Farrell has been blessed with community gardeners.

"They are the philanthropists, fundraisers, board members, community volunteers and others whose kind and generous work serves to protect and nourish others and benefit us all. They do so without fanfare, and they do so willingly with the hope that someone next door or down the street, whose face they may never know or see, will be strengthened from their actions."

Don't forget to drop by the community homecoming in late July. You'll get to see the new look at Veterans Square and you'll no doubt run into Ted, an exemplary philanthropist with or without the award from the association. But I'm betting he gets it. Can anyone else have a better track record when it comes to honoring the good in his community?