News

Youngstown -

For the tenth consecutive year, staff from Auditor of State Mary Taylor’s Youngstown office are donating their accounting skills to the fight against cancer.  Auditor of State employees have been helping the American Cancer Society since 2000, by serving as accountants for one of their largest fundraisers in Ohio – the annual Relay For Life in Boardman.

“Participants in the Relay For Life are dedicated to raising money to fight cancer, remembering its victims and honoring its survivors.  I am proud that members of our office volunteer their time to account for the funds that are so generously given by people in the community.  It is vital that each penny raised goes directly to the American Cancer Society,” said Taylor.

The Youngstown region staff assists the event by putting together an accurate donation count and creating an official financial report for the American Cancer Society.  They also prepare bank deposits for American Cancer Society representatives who are accompanied by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s office to further ensure the safety of the donations.

Last year, the Boardman Relay for Life was the American Cancer Society’s second largest money raising event in the state, with donations totaling $257,896.82.  This year, relay organizers are hoping to surpass last year’s amount and become the first-place fundraiser for the entire state of Ohio.

The 2009 Boardman Relay For Life is May 15 and May 16.  The event begins at 6 p.m. on Friday through 6 p.m. on Saturday and is held at Boardman Center Middle School.

                                                                     ###

The Ohio Auditor of State’s Office is one of the largest accounting offices in the nation.  The office strives to ensure that all public funds are spent legally and appropriately and works aggressively to root out fraud, waste and abuse in public spending.  Taylor encourages anyone suspecting fraud or misspending of public dollars to contact her office toll free at 1-866-FRAUD-OH (1-866-372-8364).  Since taking office in January 2007, Taylor has identified more than $19.9 million in public funds that were spent illegally and must be repaid.