In honor of the work Ward 6 Lorain City Councilman Rey Carrion has done in south Lorain, a few activists from the area are holding a fundraiser.
The first Community Appreciation Pig Roast will take place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sept. 2, at the Mexican Mutual Society, 1820 E. 28th St. in Lorain.
Event organizer Carmen Leibas said the event will have live music and food to purchase.
The proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues and Progress (CHIP) for its 2024 Hispanic Leadership Conference.
“CHIP is organizing it,” Leibas said. “We run all our meetings out of Mexican Mutual, it’s here in south Lorain.
“Rey has done so much in the community, especially like just (trying) to bring groups together. He had the concerts at the park, he had the movies for the kids at the park.”
Carrion announced in December that he would not seek reelection.
The Democrat will have served two terms on Council since being elected in 2019.
Leibas thanked Carrion for helping to bring unity in South Lorain, and the city as a whole.
As Carrion takes his leave at the end of the year, Leibas and the Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues and Progress staff wanted to make sure he knew he was appreciated.
“I know this is his last year, so our organization wanted to show some appreciation, so we’re doing a community appreciation since he’s a community person,” she said. “I think it’s very important.”
Leibas said she appreciated the transparency that Carrion has brought to his position on Council.
Rather than working exclusively behind the scenes, he has been fully community-oriented throughout his two terms, she said.
“Sometimes, people get into political positions and we don’t see what they do, even though there’s a lot of work done in the background,” Leibas said. “We assume, oh, nothing is being done, but there was a lot of visibility by some of the different events that he brought forth, like the concerts in the park.”
Tickets for the Community Appreciation Pig Roast are available. For more information, contact Alisha Pardon at 440-258-7250.
