John Shimkus is a retired steel mill worker. Since his retirement, he has been a busy volunteer. One of his many volunteer pursuits is to share his experiences with different cultures and traditions with elementary school students. He and his wife travel to different countries and bring back items of interest. When they return, they do a kind of "show and tell" for 3rd graders, bringing in the items and discussing them. They also take lots of pictures and do a slide show, which Shimkus narrates. They leave a book of pictures with the teacher for later reference. They've been sharing their cultural experiences with Granville's elementary-aged children for the past eight years. In addition to his work in the schools, he also volunteers with The Lighted Way, an organization for severely disabled children. He plays simple physical games with the children to help with their education and development.

Mayor Doug Gimbal says that, "Granville is honored to have a citizen like John Shimkus."