South Euclid resident wins RTA volunteerism award

 South Euclid resident wins RTA volunteerism award

Jul 1, 2013

CLEVELAND -- Steven W. Albro of South Euclid has been honored with the F. Robert Wiesenberger Community Volunteer Award for a lifetime of service. The award is given annually by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and its Citizens Advisory Board.

Volunteer service

  • A member of RTA's Citizens Advisory Board since 1999.
  • Current Chair of the Americans with Disabilities Committee of the Citizens Advisory Board.
  • Member, Rail User Network (RUN), a passenger rail advocacy group.
  • Member, Friends of Euclid Creek, a watershed conservation group.
  • Member, Highland Heights Lions Club.

Albro served as an Orientation Mobility Specialist for 40 years with the Cleveland Sight Center. As a member of CAB, he is conscious of creating mobility independence for those who are “transit dependent, whether as a result of their economic situation, age or disability.”

Albro says his volunteerism at RTA allows him to continue providing service to the community by “making the environment as user friendly as possible,” through transportation provided by RTA. He believes “transportation is a vital link.”

An educator, advocate, father, grandfather and husband, he resides in South Euclid with his wife, Joan, of 44 years.

Steve Albro's service to RTA

  • Served on RTA’s citizens groups for more than 25 years. Including The Citizens Participations Advisory Committee (CPAC), formed in 1979. The name changed to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) in 1989, and finally to the Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) in 1999.
  • First chairman of the CAC, serving in the role many years.
  • Attended nearly every RTA Board meeting since the agency was created in 1975.

Who was Robert Wiesenberger?

The award is named after the late F. Robert Wiesenberger, who died in 2001 at age 83. A resident of Rocky River, Wiesenberger was a construction coordinator for W.S. Tyler Co., a Cleveland firm  that manufactured elevator cars. Wiesenberger retired in 1974.

He modeled a "spirit of volunteerism," through "willingness to get involved; unselfish giving of himself; the ability to lead others and a desire to enhance the quality of life in the community." Sight-impaired since 1950, Wiesenberger focused efforts to improve public transit for the disabled.

RTA provides quality, economic and safe public transportation via rail, bus and Paratransit throughout Cuyahoga County. Real-time information is available for all buses and trains. Check www.riderta.com or call the RTAnswerline at 216-621-9500.

Media Contact: Mary Shaffer, 216-566-5211