Youngstown Business and Professional Association recognizes unique contributors to River Region

Youngstown Marketplace, Wayne Peters honored

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Tuesday, Sept. 10, marked a special time in celebration of the River Region. That evening, the Youngstown Business and Professional Association and its membership paid tribute to a new neighbor and an old friend.

Daniella Vanoni, owner and chef of the Youngstown Marketside, was honored as YBPA’s 2024 Business of the Year. Longtime familiar face, photographer Wayne Peters of Ransomville, received the YBPA Community Service Award.

“People don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes to get this meeting off tonight,” said YBPA member Cheryl Butera, who manages public relations for this annual happening. She spoke of the value of texting in communication and how preparations came to be for this memorable event. Included was collaborating with the Tribune-Sentinel on developing the promotional aspects, and teamwork with the Town of Porter and Village of Youngstown to get all the details ironed out.

“We all worked together, but we all need to communicate, because that is how this thing gets done.”

“It’s really important to get people together to communicate and network,” Porter Councilman Tim Adamson said. Echoing the theme of teamwork, he spoke of the support the 80-plus member YBPA receives from the town. This includes funding toward YBPA’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, its Beginning of Summer Street Dance, and matching funds toward YBPA’s securing the annual William G. Mayne grant award to benefit the community. “The Town of Porter really believes in the YBPA; you’re a great organization and we appreciate you.

Adamson continued, “And a special thanks to The Marketplace, Daniella. We’re so happy to see your business doing well; it’s doing fantastic. It’s one of the best things that happened to the area.”

“For Wayne Peters, thanks! Everything you’ve done for the community, we appreciate it. It’s people like you, Daniella, we can’t you enough. And we thank the YBPA.”

Trustee Catherine Stella led off with a YBPA tribute: “Youngstown Marketside! We’re so happy to that you are in our community. Daniella, your family, your dad. We’re honored to celebrate this with the community. And we’re here to support you into the future in the Village of Youngstown.”

“Actually, I never thought I would get an award for making sandwiches!” Vanoni told the YBPA membership to wide applause. Introducing her staff, she continued, “I’m the owner of Youngstown Marketside; my sister Leanna, my manager; from day one, my cashier, Alexa Nicoletti.”

Vanoni also offered praise to NFP’s Joshua Maloni for a Sept. 6 Tribune-Sentinel profile “focusing on my mission and my store, which is really important for me.

“The reason I am in this business is because of true hospitality,” she said. “It translates through our food, how we treat everyone. Hospitality isn’t just selling an item off the shelf. It is seeing our guests … helping to make someone else’s day better.

“In the past two years, I have been fortunate enough to have a team with me on my vision. They’re knowledgeable, they treat everyone with respect. We’ve grown so much together. Their hard work is noticed every day.

“I’d like to thank my brother, who supported my vision from day one; everyone in the community who’s embraced my style of food – everyone’s who’s embraced my family as part of this community; and my team.”

“To all our family, to watch this grow is absolutely beautiful. And I just had twins, and it just seems like my life’s (gone) wild,” she said, laughing. “To everyone that supports local businesses and supports our town, I’m watching it grow every single day. I’m so proud to be part of it now.”

In the tributes that followed, elected officials, including Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, First District Niagara County Legislator Irene Myers and Youngstown Deputy Mayor Rick Stortecky, spoke of the positive impact Youngstown Marketside has brought to the quality of life in the village and beyond.

“A momentous day!” exclaimed Morinello.

Myers said she and Legislature Chair Rebecca Wydysh were honored to present the county’s tribute to Vanoni and the Youngstown Marketside “for its commitment to excellence in the course of serving our community.”

Stortecky commented, “You guys are like family! You have scones, corned beef sandwiches, the best pizza probably in Western New York.

“Daniella’s training is super elite! For her to come back home and give us the product and the service, just the atmosphere of staff – they treat us like family. I can’t say enough about you guys!”

Wayne Peters, center, was honored with YBPA’s Community Service Award. Joining him, from left: Cheryl Butera of the YBPA, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, Legislator Irene Myers and Youngstown Mayor Rob Reisman. (Photo by Colleen Mary Johnson Summerville)

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In presenting the YBPA Community Service Award, Butera said, “Wayne Peters is a talented photographer who attends almost every local event. His photos cover not just Youngstown, but also Porter, Ransomville, Lewiston, Olcott, Wilson, Newfane and even the Niagara Wine Trail. His photos are made into books for collectors.”

Butera pointed out his work, including capturing the unique history of Old Fort Niagara and serving as a photographer of community events with Niagara Frontier Publications. “He covers the Peach Festival and Jazz Festival, he covers the parades in Youngstown, he’s covered all 14 Street Dances, he covers in Wilson. Wherever he goes, he doesn’t just do individual photos;” he goes beyond. “He does fishing derbies; he does Shop Small Saturdays; he does Christmas in the Village in Youngstown, the Strawberry Festival, the Youngstown Free Library, the Summer of ’69, the Niagara County Celtic Heritage Festival – he’s there.

“Wayne is a perfectionist; he’s always top-notch. No matter what the weather, he’s there. It is my privilege to honor Wayne Peters with the Community Service Award.”

“Just out doing some things that I really enjoy,” Peters told visitors to wide applause. “I hope that, through my pictures, people will realize what’s going on in the area and want to come out and take part. That will be my legacy when I’m gone.

He continued, “In the early 1900s, there were events going on, like today. Every event had a photographer covering the event, so you could look back.

Comparing this to today, he continued, “You could look back, to the post cards I made, and see what they look like, what events were done. I’m trying to keep that going today. I hope that, when I’m gone, people will be able to look at my postcards and say, ‘Yeah, this is what it was like 50 years ago or 100 years ago.’ ”

Tributes came from Morinello for Peters’ “years of community dedication;” from Myers for his “energy and excellence in the course of serving our community; and from Mayor Rob Reisman for “earning the distinction as being ‘that guy with the camera’ at hundreds of local events.”

“Thank you; I appreciate it and I hope to be able to keep doing it for a lot of years yet,” Peters said.