2009 Winners

Michael Stainbrook
First Place Winner. Scholarship Essay

What it means to me to have my dad involved in securing my community.

Toledo, Ohio is undoubtedly one of the most unpredictable cities in the United States. On any given day, absolute chaos may break lose, or complete order may be maintained. Whether it is the mayor’s temperament, an athlete’s accomplishments, the caustic words of a radio host, a world famous singer’s concert, or the tragedy of domestic violence, Toledo is always dynamic. However, this trait does not bode well for a peaceful family-of-four attempting to live an everyday existence. Children develop best in a stable environment that is free of irregularities. This is the style of life which my parent’s desired for my sister and me. However, simply desiring a peaceful lifestyle does not ensure its fruition; rather, parents who wish to present an upright way of life must find a way to further their goal. Such was the path of my beloved father, Steve Stainbrook. My dad has always been a beacon in my life, but his effect upon the Toledo community as a firefighter has been just as significant.

Toledo is not the safest place to live, and the Toledo Fire Department holds the ominous task of advancing public safety. This requires personal sacrifice and extreme dedication. Toledo’s unpredictability is derived from its citizens, many of whom my dad has helped in some form or another. While firefighters are often considered as heroes for their bravery and masculinity, I view my father as a hero for making soup for a lonely widow who had a mental impairment. My father is a hero because he manages to keep his cool despite prank 9-1-1 calls at three in the morning. Certain tasks cannot be accomplished by just any man; for these duties, my dad is the most reliable.

Toledo is not the safest place to live, and the Toledo Fire Department holds the ominous task of advancing public safety. This requires personal sacrifice and extreme dedication. Toledo’s unpredictability is derived from its citizens, many of whom my dad has helped in some form or another. While firefighters are often considered as heroes for their bravery and masculinity, I view my father as a hero for making soup for a lonely widow who had a mental impairment. My father is a hero because he manages to keep his cool despite prank 9-1-1 calls at three in the morning. Certain tasks cannot be accomplished by just any man; for these duties, my dad is the most reliable.

My father’s story is further enhanced by his extreme dedication to my family. In orer to provide the most opportunities for my sister and me, Dad has worked an additional full-time job for nearly twenty years. On the two “off days” between his shifts, my father works as a heat-and-frost insulator at the British Petroleum refinery in a neighboring town. He works an average of 93 hours per week; yet, he finds time to walk our Black Lab, to watch movies with us on most Friday nights, and to maintain our home. Although my father’s love is evident through his extraordinary dedication, the words “I love you” always make me feel like a million dollars.

In a world of economic and moral volatility, having a constant role model is a true blessing Storms may rock the region in multiple forms, but I firmly believe that no calamity could defeat my father’s levelheadedness and wisdom. The same is true of Toledo: when hope appears to be vanishing, I am comforted in the knowledge that my father is protecting the most vulnerable citizens in the community. Dad is a truly dependable man, and his guardianship has greatly benefitted all with whom he has worked.

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