Sisters in Shelter to honor local couple

Steve and Kathee Bruno, founders of The Tiffin Crawl, go the extra mile each year, and Sisters in Shelter (SIS) will recognize the couple with its annual Above and Beyond Award at the upcoming Freedom Rising XII event. SIS executive director Jennifer Kin said proceeds from the 2025 Tiffin Crawl were donated to SIS, with $25,520 raised for the organization. The funds are to benefit "youth-focused human trafficking prevention and education programs," Kin said. 2025 was the 31st year for the Tiffin Crawl, which takes place specifically to raise money for local programs that benefit youth in the community. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $118,000, Kin said. Each year, participants in the Crawl purchase specially designed event t-shirts or caps and gather for a day of camaraderie, visiting participating establishments throughout the community. Fundraising efforts include merchandise sales, raffles, direct donations, and community sponsorships, Kin said, and the Crawl's continued success is a statement to the generosity of businesses, organizations, and the general community of Tiffin and Seneca County. The Brunos, she said, "coordinate merchandise sales, organize raffles, engage local businesses, and rally the community around a shared mission of helping young people succeed." "Their work demonstrates how a simple idea - friends gathering for a crawl through town - can grow into a decades-long tradition of giving," Kin said. For Sisters in Shelter, the donation is more than a simple financial contribution. Not only will the money help support programs designed to teach youth how to recognize exploitation, understand personal safety, and seek help when needed, but being the beneficiary of the Crawl is a strong example of the importance of community partnerships. "The support of Steve and Kathee Bruno and the entire Tiffin Crawl community means more than we can put into words," Kin said. "Their generosity allows us to bring prevention education directly to young people in our community and empowers them with knowledge that could ultimately protect them from exploitation." The Brunos will be recognized as recipients of the Above and Beyond award at Sisters in Shelter's annual meeting and fundraiser, Freedom Rising XII, on April 16, at The Chandelier, 151 S. Washington St. Kin said the award "honors individuals whose generosity, leadership, and commitment to community service exceed expectations and create meaningful, lasting impact." Due to a recent knee surgery, the Brunos will not be able to attend the April SIS event, and the award was presented to Kathee Bruno at an SIS meeting in late March. "I'm truly honored, and my husband will be as well— he is at home because he just had a knee replacement, so he's laying with his leg propped up right now, but he will be very touched, as are we," she said. The Tiffin Crawl returns in 2026 on Saturday, June 27. Stay tuned for additional details.