Three volunteers who have dedicated their time and talents to public access television with the Miami Valley Communications Council (MVCC) have been honored with their induction to the MVCC Hall of Fame, in a ceremony held on September 16, 2009.

Gene Dakin, Barb Moraites, and Janet Thobaben were selected to the MVCC Hall of Fame in recognition of their outstanding service to the organization, and for their enthusiasm shown towards public access television in the community. The three recipients have a combined 48 years of volunteer service with MVCC.

Gene Dakin is a writer and television producer whose credits include The Gene Dakin Show, Gene on the Scene, and Community Access Radio. The Gene Dakin Show has featured guests which include Raven-Symone’ (The Cosby Show, That’s So Raven), Melissa Poe (founder of Kids For a Clean Environment) and several Broadway singers. Dakin can currently be heard on BlogTalkRadio.com. In addition to his producer credits, he has volunteered for dozens of Let’s Talk programs, MVCC Council Meetings, and city parades. Gene Dakin was certified in 1992 and has 17 years of service with MVCC.

Barbara Moraites has been an on-camera reporter and videographer for over 100 programs, many through her Sense of History documentary series. She is the recipient of numerous Philo T. Farnsworth Awards (recognizing the best in public access television in the Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky region) including in 2009, where her documentary Art at the Trace received a first place award. “I love volunteering for MVCC,” said Moraites, “because it introduces me to interesting people that I would not ordinarily meet and leads me to new places not in my daily path.” She also volunteers on community, school, and government programs as a camera operator. Barbara Moraites was certified in 1995 and has 14 years of service with MVCC.

Janet Thobaben is a retired teacher with a Masters in History, past President and a Trustee Emeritus of the Centerville Washington Township Historical Society, award recipient from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, and an author of numerous books on local history. She is the producer and host of the show A Mnemonic Interval, a monthly series that began in 1992 and continues today as a means to preserve the stories, places and personalities of the Centerville and Washington Township community. To date there have been 215 episodes produced, with copies available at the Historical Society, local libraries, and viewable online HERE. She has received several Philo Awards for both Community Programming and Senior Programming. Janet Thobaben was certified in 1992 and has 17 years of service with MVCC.

Volunteers are crucial to MVCC’s success as a state leader in Public, Educational and Government (PEG) Access Television. MVCC produces over 24,000 hours of positive and award-winning local content each year. The three individuals representing the 2009 class of the Hall of Fame exemplify the best in volunteerism, with a sense of caring and responsibility for others that connects citizens through the power of communication.

The MVCC Hall of Fame is located on the first floor of the MVCC building, located at 1195 East Alex Bell Road in Centerville.

The 2009 Hall of Fame Ceremony is available for viewing online, on-demand. The show can also be seen on MVCC Channel 991.

Photos (left to right): Gene Dakin, Barbara Moraites, and Janet Thobaben