The Ohio Historical Advisory Board (OHRAB) is proud to announce that Leslie Korenko of Kelleys Island, Ohio, is the winner of the 2020 OHRAB Citizen Archivist Award!

The OHRAB Citizen Archivist Award honors volunteers in Ohio’s archives who work long hours, unpaid and often unacknowledged, answering reference requests, processing collections and indexing historic records. This award recognizes a volunteer in an Ohio archive who best exemplifies the dedication and hard work volunteers–our citizen archivists–contribute to Ohio’s archives each day.

Leslie Korenko volunteers at the Kelleys Island Historical Association. She has donated her time to help the Association with every aspect of the its operation. Leslie organized the Association’s archives to make the collection accessible to the public. She transcribed the island’s township and city council minutes from the 1800s and posted them online.  She scanned and uploaded Kelleys Island newspapers to the Associations’ website, allowing readers to delve into the daily life of the island. Leslie reinvigorated the Association’s website and social media presence, creating content and posting videos and blogs about the island’s history.  In addition, she made the history of Kelleys Island come alive by creating a new layout for the Association’s museum and updating its displays. Leslie has done all of this and more while volunteering for the Association.

Chris Carrig, President of the Kelleys Island Historical Association, says this of Leslie: “She has become our go-to person for everything and she does it all with a smile.”

Please join OHRAB in celebrating the accomplishments of Leslie Korenko and her contributions to the history of Ohio. We applaud the dedication, talent and love that she and her fellow volunteers bring to Ohio’s archives each day!