February 15, 2021
The Center of Midland has provided various services to the area since 2011, one of which Lincoln Park students could participate in: the peer mentoring program, where high school students were paired with a child in elementary school to help them with homework and to be a positive influence on their life.
I’ve actually been a part of this program since it started in 2018, and one of the first people I met was Cory Miller, one of the founders of The Center. Always positive and walking around with a smile, Cory dedicated his life to serving others. Midland knew this well, which is why the news of his unexpected death in late 2020 was so shocking.
Funerals were held for him in early January, and on January 10 of this year, a parade was held to celebrate his life. It seemed as if most of Midland was in the parade, carrying homemade signs with pictures of Cory and various sentiments. Children riding bikes from CommuniCycle, an organization which Cory also worked at, raced down the street.
“I’ve worked with Cory and Jen [his wife] for like 20 years because they’ve been members of Four Mile Church,” says Jen Shuster, a friend of the Millers and a volunteer at The Center. “Cory was just amazing, you know?”
There seemed to be no arguing that statement. Many reflected on how selfless he was and how he put others’ needs before his own.
“Yeah, I miss [living closer to Pittsburgh],” Cory told me once. Smiling, he continued, “But Jen likes it here, and The Center is here.”
During the peer mentor program, anyone could see the happiness helping children brought him. Often joking and acting crazy in front of them, he knew how to make others laugh.
“Everybody just loved him,” said Shuster. “They just loved him.”
While he is missed by everyone who knew him, The Center continues his legacy through their various programs. Serving seemed to be what Cory lived for, and the founders and volunteers are committed to carrying that vision through.
“While one of our founders and staff has gone home much too soon to be with the Lord, what he started remains,” states The Center’s website on their story page. “The Lord used his life to make an incredible impact, and yet there is still much He will accomplish. Our staff and amazing volunteer teams will continue to honor Cory’s life and mission as we invest in the children, adults, families and community of Midland.”