Preparations under way for speaker event | News, Sports, Jobs – The Steubenville Herald-Star

Janice Kiaski WORKING ON PRESENTATION — Tricia-Maple Damewood, president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, and Ross Gallabrese, executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, discuss plans for the Sept. 22 presentation by Eddie Olczyk as part of the Herald-Star Speaker Series, Presented by Eastern Gateway Community College.

STEUBENVILLE — Events that bring people into the community are important, and that’s one of the reasons Tricia Maple-Damewood remains enthusiastic about the Herald-Star Speaker Series, Presented by Eastern Gateway Community College.

“It’s unique and a great addition to the long list of good things that happen here,” she explained.

Maple-Damewood is the longtime president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, which was one of the organizations that helped get the series started in November 2012 and has remained as a sponsor. She said it’s become an important part of the region’s annual calendar.

“I think the series fills a really important niche locally because of the caliber of speakers who have been a part of it,” she said.

It’s a roster that will include Eddie Olczyk, who will speak at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Steubenville High School auditorium.

Olczyk has a strong connection to hockey — after his 16-year career in the National Hockey League came to an end, he moved to the broadcast booth, becoming one of the game’s most-respected commentators.

His work as an analyst started with the Penguins, where he honed his skills while working alongside the legendary Mike Lange, who recently announced his retirement after 46 years of calling play-by-play.

Olczyk also spent time as a player with the Penguins after his career began after he was a first-round draft pick by his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in 1984. He also spent time with Toronto, Winnipeg, the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings and was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team.

His love of hockey led him to step behind the bench and serve as coach of a Penguins team that included Sydney Crosby and Mario Lemieux.

Hockey is just one part of Olczyk’s story. He’s an expert in thoroughbred racing, an analyst and handicapper, and he is a cancer survivor. His journey from diagnosis of Stage 3 colon cancer, to surgery, to chemotherapy to being declared cancer-free makes up a significant part of his book “Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life,” that he wrote with Perry Lefko.

He hopes that by sharing his story, he can help save the lives of others.

“The list of speakers has been impressive, and it has been diverse,” Maple-Damewood said. “We always haven’t had sports people, but we’ve done a great job of mixing them in.”

That list includes Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin, Tony and Jonna Mendez, Capt. Richard Phillips, retired Air Force Col. Mark Tillman, Rebekkah Gregory, Mark Geist, Jeanine Pirro, retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, John Quinones and Matthew Charles.

“My favorite was Mark Tillman,” Maple-Damewood said while remembering the presentation of the former pilot of Air Force One while he described the tense hours that came after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when his job was to return President George W. Bush safely to Washington, D.C.

“I also liked Capt. Phillips (the merchant mariner whose ship was captured by Somali pirates and whose story was dramatized in the film ‘Captain Phillips’) and Tony Mendez (whose work to sneak diplomats out of Iran was dramatized in the film ‘Argo.’) Every time I watch that movie I think of him.”

Mendez, who spoke in Steubenville on April 9, 2013, died on Jan. 19, 2019.

“I love to see all of the people who come in from out of town and all of the local residents who come to hear the speakers,” Maple-Damewood said.

“There are an awful lot of good things that happen here, a lot of people might not recognize that,” she added. “Just look earlier this month. On Aug. 4, you had Wednesdays in Wintersville and the Burger Bash (the annual fundraiser held by the chamber’s Ambassadors Club.) On Aug. 5, you had the Baron Club Dinner at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and a concert at the fort, and on Aug. 6 there was First Friday on Fourth downtown. Then you have events like the Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and the Dean Martin Festival.”

The speaker series, she added, is a great addition to that long list of things to do.

“It’s really nice to see the people who have come to all of the presentations,” she said. “The series brings so much culture and so many interesting speakers to the area. It’s something that fits in well with the mission of the chamber.”

General admission tickets for the presentation cost $25 and are available at the Herald-Star office, 401 Herald Square, Steubenville, and at the Times Leader, 200 S. Fourth St., in Martins Ferry, during regular business hours. Tickets also are available at heraldstaronline.com and weirtondailytimesonline.com.

A preferred ticket package is available for $50. It includes a copy of “Beating the Odds” and the opportunity to be among the first people to meet Olczyk after the presentation.

A VIP package is available, and includes admission to a private reception that will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Froehlich’s Classic Corner; a selection of beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres; the opportunity to meet Olczyk and have a photo taken with him; a copy of the book “Beating the Odds;” transportation from Froehlich’s to the high school; and preferred seating for the presentation. The price is $150 for a couple and $85 for a single ticket.

For information about tickets and the availability of preferred and VIP packages, contact Diana Brown at the Herald-Star at (740) 283-4711.

Copies of Olczyk’s book are available for purchase at the Herald-Star. Contact Brown for details. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book as well as money generated from a basket auction prior to the presentation will go to local cancer centers.

Area high school and junior high school students will have the opportunity to attend the presentation at no charge, courtesy of the Wheeling Nailers.

Joining the Herald-Star, Weirton Daily Times, Eastern Gateway Community College, the chamber, WVU Medicine — Wheeling Hospital and the Nailers as sponsors for the event are the Franciscan University of Steubenville, WesBanco, Dan Stephens State Farm, Froehlich’s Classic Corner and WTRF-TV. Special support is being provided by EM-Media, Steel Valley Regional Transit Authority and Steubenville High School.