November 17, 2008
The Steel Valley Hall of Fame Class of 2008 has been inducted.
It was a grand celebration indeed at St. John Cathedral Center at 210 Greentree Road in Munhall Friday night. Officials and well-known residents of Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall turned out in droves to recognize six individuals and one family for their outstanding achievements at Steel Valley's first induction.
"It's all about the ones that made a difference," Steelers quarterback and opening speaker Charlie Batch said. "Those are the ones that are here today."
"We have home run hitters in this first inaugural class," said longtime library supporter and Friday night's master of ceremonies Darrell Hess as he compared the inductees to those in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
The hall of fame is a collaboration of nonprofit organizations the Best of the Batch Foundation, the Carnegie Library of Homestead and the I-TEAM - Ironmen Technology, Enrichment, Academics & Mentoring.
The effort was to honor current and former Steel Valley residents who have outstanding accomplishments in the arts, sciences, business, sports and community service, and to show what those from the Steel Valley can accomplish.
"This is living proof today that these kids can go out there and be whoever they want to be," Batch said. "Whether that's a professional football player or a chairman of a billion-dollar company. This is living proof because you have people here that are doing this."
The 2008 Steel Valley Hall of Fame inductees are:
* Jack Butler, a long-time Munhall resident and former Pittsburgh Steeler, who was named one of the 33 all-time greatest players in the 75-year history of the Steelers.
* David Lewis, a native of South Africa and an internationally renowned architect who now calls West Homestead his home, he has been involved heavily in the preservation of the region's historical resources.
* George A. Nama, a Munhall native and artist, who is celebrated worldwide for his sculptures, etchings and sketches.
* Cumberland Posey, owner/manager and player for one of the Negro Baseball League's greatest teams, the Homestead Grays, who also was a former Steel Valley school director and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
* Tamara Tunie, a Steel Valley High School and Carnegie Mellon University graduate who stars on Broadway and can be seen on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and is a Tony Award-winning co-producer.
* Dr. Lynn Yanyo, a graduate of Steel Valley High School and Carnegie Mellon University who has a doctorate in polymer science and engineering and holds eight U.S. patents.
* The Campbell family, well known in the Steel Valley area for academic and athletic achievement and revered for philanthropy.
Accepting the induction on behalf of the late Posey was his great nephew Dr. Evan Baker, and Linda Tunie accepted the induction on behalf of her sister.
"This is just another thing that will give them the incentive to achieve," Bill Campbell said of the impact the hall of fame will have on Steel Valley students. "This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. This is what we ought to be about. These are people in our community, people we're proud of."
Bill Campbell is the son of William V. Campbell Sr., for whom Steel Valley's field is named. He accepted the award on behalf of his family members, who have donated more than $6 million to the school district through the years.
"I just want to thank you very much. I appreciate it," Nama said.
Lewis told the story of how he came to the Steel Valley area and preached a message of unity as part of his acceptance speech.
"We have to get over the things that divide us," he said. "We are a divided community. I am fighting mad about this."
The hall of fame is located in the newly renovated Abraham Reading Room at the library. A reception was held there prior to the banquet at the cathedral center.
Campbell and Batch, as well as Steel Valley graduate and former San Francisco 49ers running back Adam Walker and Steel Valley graduate and University of Minnesota wide receiver Melvin Anderson spoke to 11th- and 12th-graders Friday afternoon at the high school as part of the event.
High school Principal Leo Schlanger said the assembly and its speakers had a tremendous impact on students.
"You could hear a pin drop," he said. "They (speakers) never forgot where they came from."
I-TEAM President Eddie Wehrer credited the success of Friday's events to the Steel Valley Hall of Fame organization committee and others involved.
"There was a committee of people that made this a reality," he said. "Anything that looks nice, I had nothing to do with."
Steel Valley Hall of Fame Awards were created by Edward Kachurik's Glass Art
