Prosecutor wins prestigious honor

VERMILION — A woman who continues to serve the community both in her professional and personal capacities recently received a prestigious honor highlighting her dedication. During its annual meeting, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney Association conference — which occurred in Columbus and drew more than 400 prosecutors and assistant prosecutors across 80 Ohio counties — recognized Betty Burley. Burley, a Vermilion resident, took home the 2023 Meritorious Assistant Prosecutor Award. This honor "is awarded annually at the (association's) annual meeting to an assistant prosecutor who has done exemplary work," according to an organizational statement, noting a committee reviews all nominations and then selects a single recipient. Erie County prosecutor Kevin Baxter nominated Burley for the distinction. Baxter underscored Burley's commitment to Erie County ever since she started working for his office in 2019. Burley serves as lead counsel for youth overseen by Erie County children services in abuse, neglect and dependency cases. She advocates for children in dire situations to ensure they receive proper care, financial resources and can live in safe settings. Her 2023 caseload totaled almost 130 children she helped protect this past year. "Due to the confidential nature of family court cases, my role is not as public as a criminal prosecutor," Burley said. "But it made me happy to see that work, as well as the work that I do on my own time, is recognized as a valuable contribution to our community," she added. "I'm grateful for my position in the prosecutor's office and for the continued support of Kevin Baxter and the rest of the team at the prosecutor's office." Regarding the "own time" comment, Burley referenced a task she's taken up each holiday season since 2021. She personally designs and sews stockings for children in the custody of Erie County. In 2023, she made about 90 stockings ahead of Christmas time. The year prior, she created 60 of them. And Burley also leads fundraising efforts to ensure these items are truly stocking stuffers. During the past three holiday seasons, she's assisted in raising $15,000 for underprivileged children. With this money, she and others buy presents, supplies, gift cards and more, dropping them in stockings to ensure lesser-fortunate children, such as those in foster care, can celebrate Christmas like any other kid. "I view this position as an opportunity to give back to my community," Burley said. "I found new meaning in a world that doesn't always make sense these days. Making the stockings gave me a place to focus on putting something good out in the world. I wanted each of these children to know that they are special. That is my goal." Many appreciate what Burley does, underscoring how she's truly deserving of this state spotlight. "Betty's dedication and tireless advocacy for vulnerable children has earned her the recognition of this prestigious award," said AJ Lill, Erie County's deputy director of social programs for job and family services. Lill directly supervises children services and works in tandem with Burley. "Her commitment to protecting the well-being of children in challenging circumstances has set a benchmark for excellence," Lill said. "This award not only honors her exceptional legal skills but also acknowledges her profound impact on the lives of countless children through what she does off the clock through her Christmas stocking project."