Organizations receive $38K during Toronto Kiwanis Club meeting

TORONTO -- Several area organizations received checks totaling $38,000 during Wednesday’s meeting of the Toronto Kiwanis Club.

The money represented proceeds from the annual Biasi-Shuma Memorial 5K Walk-Run and a distribution from the Toronto Services Committee.

“This was our best year, once again,” said Mike Biasi, co-coordinator of the annual run through the streets of Toronto. “We had our highest number of runners. Our total is something to be proud of.”

The United Way of Jefferson County and the American Heart Association each received a check for $12,000, while Toronto City Schools received a check that will fund two $1,000 scholarships.

This year’s race was held on July Fourth as a tribute to the country’s 250th birthday. It attracted just shy of 300 runners, which Mike Biasi and his son, Anthony, the other co-coordinator of the race, agreed was a strong turnout.

Since its inception in 2017, the race has generated more than $200,000 in donations to the American Heart Association and the United Way. The event is held in memory of Mike Biasi’s father, Gino Biasi, and Mike Shuma.

Gino Biasi, founder of Valley Converting, died in 2016 at the age of 85. His honors included being selected as the Toronto Area Chamber of Commerce’s Co-Businessman of the Year and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce’s Industrialist of the Year.

Shuma, who died in 2012 of a heart attack at the age of 42, worked at TIMET Metals Inc. and the Millsop Community Center in Weirton.

“Donations from groups like this help because we are always looking for money,” said Marci Crawford, executive director of the United Way of Jefferson County. “They are really important because we just added eight more nonprofits. Everything given to us stays here in Jefferson County.”

Also during the meeting, money was distributed by the Toronto Services Committee. A United Way agency, the committee provided $4,000 donations to Helping Hands Food Pantry and the Toronto Kiwanis Club, a $3,000 donation to the Toronto Salvation Army and a $1,000 donation to the Toronto Lions Club.

Maureen Taggart accepted checks on behalf of two organizations: Helping Hands Food Pantry and Toronto City Schools. Those donations will be a big help to both organizations, said Taggart, who is the superintendent of the school system.

The Kiwanis Club also received a donation from the American Heart Association of 10 infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation kits. That donation followed last year’s contribution of CPR kits for older patients.

“I can’t thank you enough for all that you do and all of the hard work that you do,” said Lauren Thomas, development director for the American Heart Association. “We’re so happy to receive this money every year.”

Thomas said Wednesday’s donation of the CPR kits was a way to thank the club for its continued support.

Mike Biasi explained that distributing the money during the Kiwanis meeting at Baby-Boyz BBQ made sense because many of those accepting the donations are involved with the club, where he serves as secretary-treasurer.

It’s important for people who participate in and donate toward events like the Biasi-Shuma Memorial 5K Walk-Run to see where the money raised goes, Biasi said.

“For me, this is all about giving back,” he said. “So, the more people we have and the more money we raise, the more we can give back to those in the area, especially the kids. I have a soft spot for the kids. In the case of Kiwanis, we usually get them school clothes every year. It’s whatever it takes -- it’s all about giving back. That’s something that was instilled in me by my father.”