Youngtown Mayor Michael LeVault and Sun City Fire Department officials lauded the success of a carwash Saturday that benefitted the family of a slain Youngtown woman.

The carwash raised $1,500 for the family of Sabrina Alcantar, who was killed by her husband June 3 in Youngtown, said Mary Dickinson, Sun City Fire community outreach specialist and carwash organizer.

"It meant a lot to that family to have the community out and show that kind of effort," she said at Tuesday's fire board meeting. "They were very grateful for that."

LeVault praised the productive teamwork that resulted in the successful event.

"We suffered an awful tragedy earlier this month, a murder and a suicide, and I want to thank the chief and the board members for encouraging the kind of activity I saw Saturday," he said. "It was awesome. The value of the goodwill that is being built for that kind of community activity is incalculable."

Board chairman Irvin Mitchell wondered about the motivation for such community-building activities.

"Why is it that we always have tragedies before we care?" he said.