Sample Greek fare, learn about music education and see birds of prey take flight. Plus, shop local for the holidays.
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{ Publisher | Colin Baker | cbaker@bakermediagroup.com
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The Act of Giving
DO MORE BY SHARING YOUR RESOURCES.
I don’t come from a long line of givers — at least, not in the traditional philanthropic sense. On one side of my family, there was always a running joke that my grandfather discovered copper wire by fighting over a penny. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about others. It was just the way people were raised back then. You worked hard, saved what you had and didn’t give much thought to where else it might go. That mindset can stick with you. Sometimes, I catch myself analyzing every charitable decision — asking too many questions before I even open my wallet. How much of my donation actually reaches the people it’s meant for? How much goes to overhead? That’s not a bad line of thinking — we should all be aware of where our money is going. But it can also paralyze you. You start hesitating, and sometimes that hesitation stops you from giving at all.
Recently, I heard something that really resonated with me: It’s not my job to know where the money goes. The act of giving is what matters. That simple idea stuck with me. I’ve often seen someone standing at an intersection holding a sign and thought, They’ll probably just use it for alcohol. But then I realize that’s not my decision to make. My responsibility ends with the act of giving. The rest isn’t for me to judge.
When I started approaching giving that way — without overthinking or trying to control the outcome — it actually felt better. It reminded me that generosity is as much about mindset as it is about money. It’s about empathy, trust and doing something kind without expecting to manage every detail of how it plays out.
Philanthropy doesn’t have to be about writing big checks or having your name on a plaque. It can be about using your business, time or resources to make an impact. This month’s issue highlights several local charities doing work that matters. Whether it’s a pastor championing foster care or family members helping cancer patients in memory of their loved ones, these efforts add up.
That’s one of the things I love about Akron — the people here give in quiet, practical ways. It’s not always flashy, but it’s steady, consistent and heartfelt. You see it in volunteers at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, in small business owners sponsoring charitable events and in neighbors who lend a hand without asking for recognition.
I’m still learning to let go of that old instinct to hang on tight to every penny. But I’ve realized that generosity doesn’t come from having more — it comes from doing more with what you have.
And if my grandfather really did discover copper wire by fighting over a penny, I’d like to think that, somewhere down the line, we’re finally finding better ways to spend it.
NOW ROLLING
ECOLOGICAL WONDER
A photo of tiny white flowers, peppering a lush forest, hangs on the wall of the Akron Art Museum. Another bears witness to a mountain of tires against a backdrop of evergreens. Taken by conservation photographer Robert Glenn Ketchum in the ‘80s, these photographs show off the environmental wonders and obstacles of one of Northeast Ohio’s greatest treasures: Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Ketchum is the photographer behind the photo book “Overlooked in America: The Success and Failure of Federal Land Management.” His work captures Ohio’s natural beauty — and the need for environmental advocacy. On view through Jan. 25, the “Ordinary Miracles: Robert Glenn Ketchum’s Photographs of Cuyahoga Valley National Park” exhibit bears witness to our landscape’s conservation journey.
1 S. High St., 330-376-9186, akronartmuseum.org
To tell the tales of rubber workers and their descendants for its Akron Stories project, Art x Love conducted more than 135 interviews and produced more than 100 mini documentary films. Witness these stories — about the people who built Akron — during screenings Nov. 2 at the reopened Linda Theater and Nov. 23 at the Akron-Summit County Public Library’s Main Branch, where there is slated to be an oral history kiosk with videos by Thanksgiving. “The films are so much more than local history,” says Art x Love co-founder Mac Love in a press release. “The people who came to Akron and worked in the rubber industry persevered through war, segregation and poverty to build a strong and resilient community.” akronstories.com
DIVE IN
Get the perfect view of Portage Lakes State Park’s Turkeyfoot Beach from the back porch of the new Portage Lakes Visitor Center. Opened in October, the nearly 6,000-square-foot blue building’s interactive exhibits tell the story of the boating, swimming and birding destination. The centerpiece is a topographical map. Purple martin and osprey figures swoop overhead, while a sculpted beaver sits by a tree. Kids can helm a boat and play with an interactive light wall. There are also restrooms and a gift shop. Take an accessible switchback sidewalk or steps down to the beach and stop at a porch with shaded picnic tables. Relax on colorful Adirondack chairs or water drop benches with painted scenes. “This is going to be a great gathering place for the community to get together and enjoy the lake,” says Ohio Department of Natural Resources director Mary Mertz. Portage Lakes State Park, 5031 Manchester Road, Akron, ohiodnr.gov
{ by Jillian Flack, Akron Stories photo by Anthony Boarman, Akron Art photo by Robert Glenn Ketchum and Portage Lakes photos by Erin Gulling }
{ Editor-in-Chief | Kelly Petryszyn | kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com
Generous Spirit
SUPPORT WORTHY CAUSES IN THE 330 THIS YEAR.
From “Hound Dog” to “You Raise Me Up,” each year at my church’s Night to Shine, usual guest, Kenny, impresses the crowd with his incredible singing during karaoke. He’s visually impaired but doesn’t need a screen to see the words — he has each song memorized and stuns the crowd. Along with my friend, Niral, I have volunteered as Kenny’s buddy for several years at the prom for guests with disabilities hosted by the Tim Tebow Foundation at 800-plus churches worldwide.
To say Night to Shine is magical is an understatement. Clad in formal wear, guests walk the red carpet and get crowned as kings and queens of the prom. The smiles are infectious. They love to dance, take limo rides and sing karaoke. One year, a guest proposed to another. My heart melted. This giving issue showcases local charities to support. From Tyler’s Redemption Place’s recovery community center, which honors a beloved son, to a costume closet helping brighten the days of Akron Children’s patients, we highlight many worthy causes. Find ways you can volunteer, donate or get involved with these organizations on pg. 24.
I admit that, aside from Night to Shine annually, I don’t volunteer like I used to before I had a kid. Growing up, I helped in a classroom for those with disabilities during my free period in middle and high school. I joined a club in which we took kids with disabilities out to pizza, movies, bowling and more. I started volunteering because my
sister did too, but I continued because I was inspired by seeing kids with challenges flourish with help from others. I also volunteered to help kids with disabilities ride horses at Camp Cheerful. For years with my church, I fed homeless people through Care on the Square. We set up tables and passed out food at a parking lot in downtown Cleveland on Saturdays. The recipients’ thankfulness always lifted me up.
I’ve done one-off service days, but I’ve nearly stopped volunteering since having a kid. I hope to start again one day, and that my daughter can volunteer beside my husband, Tony, and me.
Reporting this issue made me realize that these charities are built and thrive upon relationships with donors, volunteers and more. I discussed that with Love Akron executive director Kemp Boyd.
“Relationships are the greatest intervention that we have,” he says. “One major thing that I’ve been able to see happen is how people have come into deeper and closer relationships with one another and possibly people that wouldn’t have known without us really being a connector, convener and collaborator with change makers across Greater Akron to help make that collective impact.”
One of the things Love Akron does is bring together church leaders to collaborate through its OneCity initiative.
The Remedy Church lead pastor Deante Lavender Sr. and Connect Church lead pastor and reverend Jason Knight are both on the OneCity advisory board. Lavender also met First Congregational Church of Hudson associate pastor and reverend Steve Hockstra. The Remedy Church has partnered with both churches on service projects.
“There’s much division within our city, within our state, within our country. So when you have people who are willing to build authentic and honest relationships, and then you’re also able to bring the organization in which we run, we manage, we steward, it allows us to have another level of community,” Lavender says.
“We’re all better together,” Boyd says. “We probably have more in common than what we know. We’re going to find that out if we sit in rooms, convene together and start having discussion.”
Consider this issue a convener of exceptional causes in The 330. We introduce you to causes related to health care, animals, youth, basic needs, the environment and more. I hope this issue connects you to a cause you can be passionate about. We can lift up our community and be stronger together.
Tony and Kelly
11/13 John Brown Institute Fall Lecture with Hardy Brown II
Keynote speaker Hardy Brown II is the curator of thousands of freedom artifacts that are primary resources — and is bringing some to Akron. Explore history with this lecture, moderated by Ohio State University history professor Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries and organized by Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio.
City of Joy Life Enrichment Center, 610 W. Exchange St., Akron. 6:30-8 p.m. $35 per person, students free. summithistory.org
Brown photo provided by Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio
Through 11/2 First Weekend Deals at Rock Mill Climbing
Enjoy unlimited climbing, discounted drinks and yoga classes on the first weekend of each month. Rock Mill, 677 Carroll St., Akron. MondayFriday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. & Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. rockmillclimbing.com/first-weekends
Through 11/9 “Costumes from ‘Wicked’”
See costumes from the hit movie musical “Wicked,” designed by Akron native and Oscar-, Tony- and Emmy-
award winning costume designer Paul Tazewell at the Kent State University Museum. Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent. Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff & all on Sundays, otherwise general admission $10. kent.edu/museum
Through 5/10/26 “A Meeting of Cultures: Fashioning North Africa” This exhibit is the first of its kind in
the world to focus specifically on contemporary fashion designers and influencers in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It broadens the scope of scholarship on fashion history. Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent. TuesdaySaturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff & all on Sundays, otherwise general admission $10. kent.edu/museum
Through 6/28/26 “LeRoy Neiman: A Keen Observer of Style”
Highlighting his early fashion illustration work, this exhibit on LeRoy Neiman showcases his lesserknown work as a fashion illustrator and explores its influence on his
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lifelong interest in capturing clothing, gesture and style of subjects. See 85 illustrations, many on public view for the first time. Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent.
Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff & all on Sundays, otherwise general admission $10. kent.edu/museum
Through 8/23/26 “Sparkle: The Style and Jewelry of Aileen Mehle” Browse the dresses and jewelry of widely syndicated society columnist Aileen Mehle at this exhibit. Designers she wore included Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Tiffany & Co. and more. Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent.
Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff & all on Sundays, otherwise general admission $10. kent.edu/museum
Thurs,
11/1 Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival Head to “Stars Hollow” to celebrate all things “Gilmore Girls” and coffee at this annual festival at Lock 3. Hear a live concert from troubadour GrantLee Phillips at 6 p.m., see the artwork of Keiko Agena and John Cabrera at Forever Changes gallery and more. Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., Akron. Noon7:30 p.m. downtownakron.com
11/6 Good Garden Talks: Birdhouse Gourds
In collaboration with Let’s Grow Akron and Ohio State University Extension, make a fun bird house from a gourd. All supplies are provided. Goodyear Heights Metro Park, Goodyear Heights Lodge, 2077 Newton St., Akron. 6-7:30 p.m. summitmetroparks.org
11/8 Adult Art Night: Alcohol Inks
Use alcohol inks to create stunning art on four ceramic tiles and special synthetic paper. This class is for those 21 and up. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $55 per person. akronartworks.com
11/8 Voices of Vietnam: 13th Annual MAPS Air Museum Veterans Day Program
provided by Akron
Commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War with this Veterans Day program. During this tribute program, hear thoughts of those who served and those at home, watch video clips from Bob Hope’s USO shows, witness the MAPS collections of airplanes and helicopters from the Vietnam War era and more. This event is catered by Mr. Mike’s of Canton. Beer and wine are available. MAPS Air Museum, 2260 International Parkway, North Canton. Doors open 4 p.m., dinner and program 5:30-8 p.m., social time 8-10 p.m. $25 per ticket. mapsairmuseum.org
11/15 Science Saturday: Robots Among Us
is thankful for staff
We are grateful for our staff who support more than 5,200 children and adults with disabilities. These dedicated professionals ensure that individuals receive the essential services that they depend on.
Meet some of these amazing people, as we give thanks to our staff.
SummitDD.org 330-634-8000
Interested in robots? Learn more about them, throughout history, at this event. Discover different kinds of robots that help humans every day and enjoy crafts and activities for those of all ages. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free with admission, $17 adults, $16 seniors, $15 kids 3-18, 2 & under free. mckinleymuseum.org
Photo
ArtWorks
11/8 VeteRUN
Honor veterans by walking or running in a free 5K. Sippo Lake Park North, 5712 12th St. NW, Canton. Morning briefing and singing of the National Anthem at 7:45 a.m., run 8 a.m. parkrun.us/sippolake
11/9 & 11/16 Let’s Get Toasted
Enjoy a selection of handcrafted drinks and seasonal snacks at Gervasi Vineyard. A s’mores station makes this event a fall favorite! Sample a toasted house-made chocolate marshmallow, a French 75 cocktail paired with arancini with smoked mozzarella and tomato soup and toasted cheese and an espresso martini paired with s’mores. Gervasi Vineyard, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Nov. 9 3:30 p.m. & Nov. 16 1 p.m. $39. gervasivineyard.com
11/11 & 11/12 Broadway in Akron: “Elf the Musical”
A beloved family holiday film turned musical takes the stage in Akron with “Elf the Musical.” Follow the story of Buddy the Elf, a human living in the North Pole, as he attempts to reconnect with his dad and discover the world of New York City. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $47 & up. playhousesquare.org
The University of Akron’s Fisher Institute for Professional Selling is here today because of the generous endowment from Ronald and Diane Fisher. In 1994, their vision — along with that of the university and college leadership at the time — was to go beyond traditional classroom learning by creating experiential, technology-driven labs that set The University of Akron apart.
“It’s using labs and really being hands-on with information and technology at the time that no other area university really had,” says Dr. Vanja Djuric-Zoric, chair of the Department of Marketing and interim director of the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling.
Accredited by the University Sales Center Alliance, the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling celebrated 30 years in 2024, making it the second oldest university sales program in the country. In 2016, it moved into the Polsky Building. Now, its 10,000-square-foot space has nine sales labs with dual camera, cloud-based recording capabilities to record students’ sales role-plays and review for feedback and improvement.
There is also a podcast studio, a student lounge and a state-of-the-art sales biometrics lab with technology for measuring six physiological responses to stress during a sales role-playing scenario. It includes a galvanic skin response sensor, an infrared camera measuring body temperature, a heart rate sensor and facial expression analysis. The institute is adding AI and VR. During a scenario, a corporate partner acting as a buyer gives three objections to the student’s sales role-play.
“We’re measuring how students respond to objections,” says Djuric-Zoric. “We can better understand, How do students handle stress, but we can also train them to handle stress better.”
Students can obtain a sales management major, a professional selling minor, a professional selling certificate, a professional selling certificate for engineering students or a health care selling certificate. It’s all under the Department of Marketing in the College of Business. It’s
FISHER INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL SELLING
popular for students to add a marketing major or minor.
Introduced in 2017 by student Matt Musci, the Fisher Sales Society allows students to network with corporate partners and other students — and strengthen skills by learning from alumni, faculty and business professionals.
Students must complete an internship, which can lead to employment. “They learn about the culture of the company, the product or service that they’re selling, and they fall in love with the company … and they go on to — most of them — get a job offer,” says Lisa Littlejohn, assistant director of the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling.
The program is unique in that it has 30 corporate partners representing different industries.
“Students meet corporate partners from playing buyer roles or when corporate partners are tabling out in the hallway, or they’re speaking to the sales club, career fairs, Partner Up Day,” says Littlejohn.
There are more than 1,500 alumni with a major or minor in sales management. For over 10 years, the Fisher Institute for Professional Selling has had nearly 100 percent graduate job placement, often with an average starting salary of $72,000 plus commissions.
“The opportunities are endless for students to connect with business professionals,” says Littlejohn. “The technology that we have and the feedback totally puts them in a different league when they graduate.”
11/13 John Brown Institute Fall
Lecture with Hardy Brown II Keynote speaker Hardy Brown II is the curator of thousands of freedom artifacts that are primary resources — and is bringing some to Akron. Explore history with this lecture, moderated by Ohio State University history professor Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries and organized by Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio. City of Joy Life Enrichment Center, 610 W. Exchange St., Akron. 6:30-8 p.m. $35 per person, students free. summithistory.org
11/13 Soup at Six: “Christmas Traditions”
Take in a presentation about the lights, ornaments, trees and Christmas decorations from the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum’s collection, hosted by collections manager Kait Bergert. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton. 6-8 p.m. $25 per person, reservations required, deadline Nov. 6. mckinleymuseum.org
11/14-12/22 North Pole Adventure
On select dates, depart from Rockside Station in Independence and begin a journey to the North Pole by train! On this magical hour and a half ride, enjoy onboard entertainment, cookies and milk, themed decor, the presence of elves, gifts for kids and more. Make sure to purchase your tickets early — they go fast! Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Rockside Station, 7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence. 5 & 7:55 p.m. departure. Various prices. cvsr.org 11/15
Learn
Photo
to take beautiful photos with this interactive workshop for those over 21. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron, 7-9 p.m. $50 per person. akronartworks.com
11/20 Wellness through Art: Printing Holiday Cards
Use printmaking techniques to create festive cards and images in this handson workshop for those 14 and up. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron. 6:30-7:45 p.m. $30 per person. akronartworks.com
11/23
Fall Bird Walk
Stroll with a naturalist along the 1.6mile Willow Trail. Discuss which birds overwinter in Ohio, as well as tips for making identification. Some pairs of binoculars are available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Firestone Metro Park, Tuscarawas meadows area, 2620 Harrington Road, Akron. 8-9:30 a.m. summitmetroparks.org
11/28 Welcome Santa Parade and Tree Lighting
Welcome the holiday season — and jolly old St. Nick himself — to Akron with this fantastically festive parade. An illuminated spectacle held at night, the parade includes arts and cultural organizations, drumlines, community groups, floats, vehicles and costumes. Following the parade, gather at Lock 3 for a lighting celebration. South Main Street between Exchange and Bowery streets, Akron. 6 p.m. Free. akronohio. gov
11/28-11/30 Artists Sunday Weekend
Purchase local and handmade items from artists in the community — and
check off your holiday shopping list — at Artists Sunday Weekend! Opening night is Black Friday, Saturday is Small Business Saturday and Sunday is Artists Sunday. Visit resident artists and artist vendors from event partner Akron Bazaar. Location to be announced. Friday 5-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. summitartspace.org
11/28-12/30 Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet
On select dates, visit Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens for a holiday decoration extravaganza! Featuring 1.4 million lights, this event also highlights the Manor House, decked out in winter-
W3 Financial Group and Downtown Akron Kiwanis Partner to Empower Akron’s Youth
W3 Financial Group proudly served as the presenting sponsor of the 2025 Rise & Shine with Kiwanis for Kids breakfast, hosted by the Downtown Akron Kiwanis Foundation on September 18, 2025. The annual event brought together community and business leaders to celebrate those making a difference in the lives of children and families across Greater Akron.
This year, $12,000 in grants were awarded to local nonprofits, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, Embracing Futures, the Akron Area YMCA, and Tallmadge Challenge League.
In addition to recognizing these organizations, the event honored several outstanding individuals whose service reflects the Kiwanis mission:
Chad Nash, Middle School Teacher, received the David James Excellent Educator Award for launching and leading the Tallmadge Builders Club.
Troy Weiss, a Firestone High School junior, earned the Kiwanis Student Future Leader Award for his academic excellence and community service.
Sherri Bevan Walsh, Summit County Prosecutor, received the Kiwanis Community Advocate Award for her decades of public service and dedication to justice for children and families.
“These organizations and individuals exemplify the leadership, creativity, and service that strengthen our community,” said Stephen Catalano, Managing Director of W3 Financial Group. “We’re proud to support their efforts to uplift children and empower future leaders.”
The Rise & Shine with Kiwanis for Kids event continues to highlight how collaboration between businesses, nonprofits, and civic groups helps ensure that critical programs remain available to the youth and families who need them most.
Print photo provided by Akron ArtWorks, Lights photo provided by Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory
themed decor, the gardens, Corbin Conservatory, Playgarden and Homes of Nature, also decorated, and more. Grab cocoa, cookies, wine and beer at Molly’s Courtyard Cafe and visit Santa in the Carriage House Courtyard through Dec. 23. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. 3- 9 p.m., last admission 8 p.m., selfguided Manor House tours 3-7:30 p.m. Adults $24-$28, youth 3-17 $13-$15, member pricing discounted, stanhywetohio.org
11/28-2/16 Winterfest
Ice skate, drive ice bumper cars, view vintage holiday displays, see Archie the Snowman and more at Lock 3’s Winterfest. Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., Akron. Various times and at various prices. lock3live.com
11/29-12/27
Star-Spangled Christmas
Explore the Perkins Stone Mansion and John Brown House for seasonal holiday tours! Perkins Stone Mansion and John Brown House, 550 Copley Road, Akron. Wednesday-Saturday 1, 2 & 3 p.m. except Christmas Eve and Christmas. Free for Summit County Historical Society members, otherwise $15 adults, $10 seniors & veterans, $5 children 7 & older. summithistory.org
Photo provided by Lock 3
“AKRON AT 200” EXPLORES THE RUBBER CITY’S HISTORY THROUGH THE PENS OF 27 AUTHORS.
In 1978, David Giffels watched Devo perform on “Saturday Night Live.” Clad in their trademark yellow Tyvek jumpsuits and sporting square sunglasses, they jerked through a robotic cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” their presence at once bizarre and something entirely new.
“It kind of blew my mind,” says Giffels, now an author and a University of Akron distinguished professor. “I connected the fact that they were from Akron. … It was like my the Beatles on ‘Ed Sullivan’ moment. So, it kind of imprinted on me.”
Giffels went on to co-write two books about Devo and recently put that knowledge into a single essay about the experimental Akron Sound that emerged in the 1970s.
In 2022, Dave Lieberth, executive secretary of the Akron Bicentennial Commission and president of the Akron History Center, assembled potential authors to discuss the creation of a new Akron history book as part of the Akron Bicentennial celebration. Local history books honoring past city milestones include Karl H. Grismer’s history of “Akron and Summit County” from around 1950 and author George Knepper and photographer Jack Gieck’s “Akron: City at the Summit” from around 1975.
Access to extensive archives and more allow this new book to offer not only a fresh perspective on Akron’s history, but a more accurate one.
“We have the availability of science, namely archaeology and anthropology, that has allowed us to develop a much more accurate picture of the Indigenous people who occupied this land we call Akron that other previous writers did not have,” says Lieberth.
Released in September, the 27-chapter “Akron at 200” book (The University of Akron Press, $50) includes various topics covered by different authors — including the failure of the Akron Innerbelt, the work of classical Black Akron composer Julia Perry and abolitionist John Brown’s time in Akron. One of the goals of the book was the inclusion of under-covered
topics, such as chapters on Akron’s rarely told queer history — as chronicled by activist Fran Wilson — Akron Pros player Fritz Pollard, who was one of the first Black professional football players and the first Black NFL head coach, covered by author Steve Love, and Akron’s servants, written by University of Akron English alum Christi Blythin.
“When you look at Karl Grismer’s book, he has over 500 biographies in the back of the book that are a critical resource for anybody studying history before 1950. Among those over 500 biographies, there are three women, and two of them were opera performers. And there were no African Americans,” Lieberth says. “We needed to have chapters that filled that gap.”
Giffels’ “Akron Sound” chapter features well-known musicians — alongside topics that have rarely been recounted. Other chapters cover a broad expanse of popular and uncommon subjects.
“This book did a really good job of choosing markers of our identity.”
David Giffels
“Together, I think it gives it a collage, rather than an entire singular narrative,” Giffels says.
Giffels went into the process already having researched the Akron Sound era and local bands, such as Tin Huey, in the past.
“The era that Devo emerged from, the 1970s, was an important moment in Akron’s history because we were starting to lose our sort of international identity as the Rubber Capital of the World, and at the same time, all of these sort of weirdo underground musicians were finding each other in the city, and several new wave and punk bands formed and created this new identity for Akron,” Giffels says. “And so there became this
TOME
term — the Akron Sound.”
There were some aspects, however — such as radio host Alan Freed’s time in Youngstown and Akron — that Giffels had not previously covered
“Framing it specifically in the rock ‘n’ roll era helped me narrow it,” he says. “It wasn’t just what was happening here but the pieces of this story that sort of broadcast our image as a musical town to the rest of the world.”
Giffels’ chapter starts: It began in the radio, when radio was a piece of furniture in virtually every Ohio household, a portal to worlds unknown. It began in the voice of Alan Freed, an eager young announcer playing music that had never been heard on the airwaves and giving it a name: Rock ‘n’ roll.
“Akron, if we look at it from the outside, is very often either overlooked or misunderstood, and so we have a tendency to rely strongly on any individual or icon that is recognized outside of here,” he says. “Akron’s music has done that.”
Lieberth’s chapter covers the 1968 Wooster Avenue disturbances — a period of civil unrest in Akron partly fueled by the dispossession of homes under urban renewal — that Lieberth witnessed firsthand as a 21-year-old news editor at WHLO Radio.
“My first night as a radio news editor was the third night of the disturbances,” Lieberth says. “I had a personal interest in it, and it had also never been really documented in any book form before. It’s an important chapter in Akron’s history, not only in terms of our Black history and history of Black neighborhoods, but in the history of racial reconciliation that we have been continuing.”
One of Giffels’ favorite chapters is “Akron, Home of the World of Make-Believe,” by author Sharon Moreland Myers. Its playful view of Akron’s toy history captures the book’s kaleidoscopic nature — multiple perspectives on Akron’s history create a new, original view.
“It doesn’t try to tell a comprehensive history. Instead, I think this book did a really good job of choosing markers of our identity,” says Giffels. “Specific themes or specific images that say, This is who we have been and who we are now.”
// Cameron Gorman uakron.edu/uapress
photo by Abby Kress
Now is the time to donate, volunteer or get involved with local charities. From a costume closet to cheer up young patients to a refuge for those recovering from addiction, these 20-plus causes are worth getting behind.
stories by Lauren Bischof, Jillian Flack, Cameron Gorman, Lydia Koszegi and Kelly Petryszyn
Steve Hockstra, Jason Knight, Deante Lavender Sr., Kemp Boyd and Kathleen & Ron Paydo, photos by Mal McCrea
inTogether Love
foster parents Kathleen, a registered nurse, and Ron Paydo to spread the word.
Over 30-plus years, the Paydos have fostered over 200 kids — from newborns to a teen mom with twins — with the goal of reunification with the child’s primary family or kinship. They’ve been able to help recruit new foster homes, and Kathleen especially has become a resource for new foster parents, guiding them through the process of finding the right agency. She even convinced a couple who quit to try again — they’ve now fostered around 8 to 10 kids.
In 2016, Kemp Boyd and his wife, Stacy, received a call from Summit County Children Services. A woman from their church wanted them to take in her three-week-old son. Through the kinship care program, they began to care for the boy. And after his parents lost their parental rights, the Boyds adopted the boy, who was exposed to cocaine in the womb and has challenges.
“We believe it was a divine connection of something that was supposed to happen. We’ve leaned into it, and we’ve been advocates,” says Boyd, who is now the head football coach at Garfield High School and a pastor at Garden City Church and Streetlight Community Church.
When Boyd became executive director of Christian-based nonprofit Love Akron in October 2019, he worked on sharpening its efforts by developing areas of focus called Fields of Love — including the 306 Initiative, which aims to recruit foster, respite, kinship and adoption homes. There are over 800 kids in Summit County Children Services’ custody and only around 120 county foster homes, so many kids — 53.4 percent — get placed out of county. Love Akron collaborates with Children Services on events, including a virtual foster care open house Nov. 13. Boyd has spoken, and he’s partnered with local
“Kemp and the Love Akron team are doing an incredible job of creating awareness, helping people understand the issues and the challenges,” says Ron, who is also the president of Huntington Bank for the Akron and Canton region. “He’s not only out there beating the drum, educating and promoting, he’s leading by example.”
Love Akron’s Fields of Love also include the Locker Room Experience. All six Akron public high schools feature one of these clubs — which include coaching, mentoring, leadership symposiums, motivational speakers and more. Students work through schoolwide issues, such as absenteeism and tardiness. North High School students came up with the Doughnut Be Late campaign, which encouraged kids to
be on time by rewarding them with doughnuts. Over 300 young people have gone through the Locker Room Experience since its inception in 2022.
The nonprofit’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Experience was founded in the wake of George Floyd’s death by police to address racism through listening, learning and leading. Fifty-one individuals have graduated from the program.
“It gives us an opportunity to learn more about one another from a cultural perspective,” Boyd says. With the help of the County of Summit ADM Board, Love Akron also offers
the eight-week Grief Recovery Method course to process grief and regain hope. Boyd previously worked at Red Oak Behavioral Health and is a certified Mental Health First Aid instructor. Love Akron has trained over 1,000 people in the national program that helps people recognize and address substance use and mental health struggles.
“They feel more knowledgeable to talk about some of the mental health challenges,” Boyd says. “They’re also able to lean in to understand the resources that are in Greater Akron.”
that actually fed over 7,000 people. Pastoral connections led Lavender to work with First Congregational Church of Hudson associate pastor and reverend Steve Hockstra. His congregation supported Remedy’s efforts, including donating money for shoes. Lavender and Remedy participated in Congregational’s First Serve program, involving around 50 service projects. Plus, seniors from both congregations meet quarterly.
OneCity led Lavender to collaborate with Connect Church lead pastor and reverend Jason Knight on its Mission Akron program, which involves about 20 to 30 service projects.
“It’s been a pleasure being able to build that level of community.”
Deante
Lavender Sr.
Since its founding 30 years ago, Love Akron has focused on uniting churches through its OneCity movement, first Thursday night Greater Akron Prays meetings and more. Twenty churches make up OneCity.
“OneCity allows pastors and different leaders to come together and do ministry together. We get the opportunity to learn about what we’re all doing in the room,” says Deante Lavender Sr., lead pastor at the Remedy Church.
Remedy’s regular summer giveaway of 2,000 pairs of shoes was bolstered by Love Akron, which united them with Akron Public Schools students in need. Love Akron also spread the word about Remedy’s Feed the 5,000 Thanksgiving meal program
Lavender’s church is predominantly Black, while Connect and Congregational are predominantly white — but OneCity takes away barriers.
“We have the opportunity to show both our separate congregations that no, they may not look like us on the outside, but at the end of the day, on the inside, our hearts are built the same way,” says Lavender. “It’s been a pleasure being able to build that level of community.” //KP
Participate in a program, volunteer or donate: 17 S. Main St., Akron, 330384-8124, loveakron.org
Refreshed Hope
At Canton’s Stark Area Regional Transit Authority headquarters, nonprofit leaders and SARTA executives meet around a table. Outside, visible through a window, is a large bus, adorned with “Forever R Children” on the side.
SARTA interim executive director and CEO Ralph Lee is discussing donating decommissioned SARTA buses to Forever R Children, a nonprofit that retrofits the vehicles to include shower facilities for those in need. The Akron area is already being served by one finished bus, complete with two showers. Now, the city of Canton and SARTA are helping create two more.
“I love the concept of what it gives to a person,” Lee says. “It gives them back a sense of hope and a sense of pride.”
Forever R Children’s founder, Robert P. Ford Jr., witnessed the unmet needs of children at a high
school football game in November 2018. Upon talking to the school’s principal, Ford realized the need for a food pantry. By 2019, Ford began a food pantry and distribution center, a mobile food pantry and more. Currently, food distributions are on third Saturdays at House of Prayer and Studio WNYH, both in Akron.
“During our mobile food pantry … a lady says … Me and my kid, we sleep in that van. My kid goes to the middle school, but we can’t go because we haven’t had a shower,” Ford recounts. “A bus rolled by, and something just clicked.”
In the late 1980s, Ford was without housing — and the experience shaped his understanding of the necessity of access to hygiene tools. “I was homeless, so I know how it was. If you’re not clean, if you don’t have sanitation, you don’t feel human,” he says.
Clayton Popik, Ralph Lee, Mark Finnicum, Robert P. Ford Jr., Dr. Fannie Brown, Jason Saunders, Jeff Wilhite and Craig Smith, photos by Mal McCrea
Ford took his idea to Akron’s METRO Regional Transit Authority and was eventually given a bus. The retrofitting process was completed in 2024.
During most stops, the bus brings a “Caravan of Love” — the Salvation Army accompanies it, and showers, hygiene packs, clothing, counseling and food are offered — as well as haircut services. The nonprofit has also partnered with AmeriHealth, which sends its medical vehicle on select dates. Upcoming bus appearances include Common Threads in Barberton Nov. 6 and Dec. 4 and Metro Transit Station in Akron Nov. 10.
“We’re offering everything you need, right where the need is,” Ford says. “They want to get clean. … You feel good about yourself, and you get yourself back in the work force.”
The second person to ever take a shower in the bus was a young woman who was covered in mosquito and raccoon bites. She hadn’t showered in about a week.
“She got a shower, got her hair done, got cleaned up, got something to eat and got new clothes,”Ford says. “The following week, she came back. We
said, Ready for a shower? She said, No, I just want to get something to eat. I got a job. Just that fast, once she got clean, she ran out, because she felt human.”
Ford’s giving nature is the thing that drew in many of Forever R Children’s volunteers, partners and board members — including Dr. Fannie Brown.
“It’s a commitment to helping people — he has no limits,” she says. “No matter what people need, he’ll find a way to make sure that people are served.”
Jason Saunders has his certified peer recovery support license in recovery and mental health issues, as well as his chemical dependency counselor assistant license.
“I can do case management, helping people get their SNAP benefits, Medicaid, anything like that,” Saunders says. “How passionate he is about it — it kind of draws you in.”
Ford has received calls for his services from other cities, including Atlanta. Forever R Children is set to meet with the city in November to discuss plans to expand.
“Just to get inside that shower and
let that warm water hit you, just gives you a moment of respite. You sit back, and you just relax, and say, Someone does care about me. Someone does love me,” says Ford. “Once you have hope, and you get your dignity back … you want to maybe go back to school. Just chase your dreams again. It’s because that one little shower changed your life.” //CG
Donate or volunteer: 330-957-0068, foreverrchildren.org
“ It gives them back a sense of hope and a sense of pride.”
Ralph Lee
Heroes in Disguise
Then Akron Children’s social media manager Amanda Adey got a call from a child life specialist in 2022, saying that she needed to drop everything to find a Spider-Man costume for a patient who really needed cheering up. The getup was tough to find in February, but Mr. Fun’s costume shop came through. A male nurse donned the costume so Spidey could visit the patient.
“If there’s one little thing that can come in and be uplifting in a really challenging time — that did that that day,” Amanda shares. “I don’t know that I would have ever thought of something like this before having that experience and seeing how important and meaningful that can be.”
In September 2022, Amanda and her husband, Nathan Adey, started Lyndee’s Costume Closet, a nonprofit that stocks costumes at Akron Children’s for
adult volunteers to wear and visit with patients. It was named in honor of their then-10-year-old daughter, Lyndee. As a newborn, she was in the Akron Children’s PICU to treat heart defects for three months — and had open heart surgery. She still sees specialists there.
“Even though those kinds of experiences are scary and can be painful and stressful, she has always loved coming here, and she loves her doctors,” says Amanda, adding that special touches like the Doggie Brigade lifted her spirits.
Now 13, Lyndee loves singing, Broadway, Disney, dressing in costumes and helping others.
“I wanted to do it because to some kids to say, It’s gonna be OK,” says the Copley student, who started a Kindness Club and buddy table at her school. “They’re there to support you while you’re going through something, and they’re also there
to tell you, Everything’s gonna be fine and stick to the bright side.”
The Akron closet has 24 cosplayquality costumes, including Bluey, Wonder Woman, Batman, Black Panther, Chewbacca, Pikachu and more. It takes time and money to sanitize the expensive costumes so they are safe to use around patients. Costumes come out for superhero or Disney days, before treatments, to celebrate health milestones, for birthday parties and more. Akron Children’s also does “Frozen” days around the holidays, when Anna, Elsa and Olaf costumes appear. Sometimes a character will go room to room. In 2025 so far, volunteers in costumes visited more than 100 patients.
“Whenever you walk into a room with a costume, it makes the patient’s day so much better, and that’s what they need. It’s something different,
something else to focus on,” says Vicki Parisi, Akron Children’s volunteer and visitor services director. “It’ll light up the room. … There’s joy. There’s laughter, and it brings about some big smiles that we really like to see, even in difficult circumstances.”
Lyndee recalls a little girl who requested Elsa for her birthday. “When she walked in, she was so happy to see her,” she says. “She said it was in that moment that Elsa was supporting her to get better.”
By the end of the year, Amanda is hoping to offer a second location of the closet — with 12 costumes — at Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley location.
“I want to keep that up and see how we can build that into other hospitals. It feels like a really special resource,” Amanda says. “It is the little details that make all of the difference in your experience here.”
Lyndee looks forward to turning 16 — that’s when she can volunteer to wear a costume for patients through Akron Children’s volunteer program. It requires training, flu shots and more. In the future, she is hoping to sing, be an intervention specialist or work at Akron Children’s — and continue giving back.
“It makes me happy that these kids get to be supported while they’re going through these times,” Lyndee says. “It’s really important they get to see these characters that are supporting them to help them get better. I’m also really happy that all these kids are getting smiles on their faces.” //KP
“They’re there to support you while you’re going through something.”
Lyndee Adey
Nathan, Lyndee, Maverick and Amanda Adey, photos by Mal McCrea
Needs Met
When Stephen A. Comunale Jr. was getting chemotherapy for his Stage 4 stomach cancer at Akron General in fall 2005, his dad, Steve, and his mom, Jane, sat by his side — and noticed a nearby patient was struggling. Three kids were running around. They talked to staffers and discovered that the man didn’t have money for prescriptions, didn’t have a car and didn’t have the funds for a babysitter — so he brought his kids to the hospital.
Soon after, the Comunales sat around the kitchen table and discussed starting a foundation for cancer patients in need.
“We’re talking about, Cancer affects so many people in different ways, and maybe there’s something we can do to help people,” says Steve.
Stephen Jr. died in February 2006, and his aunt, Amy, died of colon cancer in 2007. Jane died of breast cancer
in 2011. The Comunale Cancer Foundation honors all of them. Its marquee program endows individual grants that patients residing or being treated in Summit, Stark, Medina or Portage counties can apply for. It can cover mortgage or rent, utilities, gas, groceries, bus passes, car repairs, ramps and more. Stephen Jr.’s aunt and the foundation’s executive director, Monica Stevens, collaborates with social workers like Nicole Bishop, a licensed independent social worker at Summa Health Cancer Institute, to help identify patients who can apply.
“They’ve saved people from evictions,” Bishop says. “The tears of joy and tears of relief for the uncertainty that they’re going through and having some things that are concrete and taken care of is so impactful.”
A founding board member, Jane worked tirelessly at the foundation in its early years. She always did good for others. So after she died, the foundation started Jane’s
Brett Haverlick, Ruthie George, JR Fowler, Julie Deane, Steve Comunale, Monica Stevens and Amanda Comunale, photos by Mal McCrea
Sunshine Fund to provide patients with things and experiences that make them happy — including show tickets, flowers, birthday parties and more. Since 2012, the foundation has been distributing around 100 Jane’s Sunshine Fund grants each year.
“We want to put a smile on a cancer patient’s face,” says Steve, foundation board chairman.
The foundation also gives cancer patients sunshine bags, which include fleece blankets, thermal water bottles, journals, aloe and more. The foundation has given away around 13,000 bags. Bishop helps distribute them to patients starting chemotherapy.
“Coming in, they’re looking at me with eyes of worry and fear,” Bishop says. “Getting presented with something that is uplifting is awesome.”
Stephen Jr. rode at the Buffalo Equestrian Center, which now hosts Stephen’s Fun Day annually. Kids touched by cancer can ride a horse, paint pictures, enjoy snacks and more in a day honoring Stephen Jr.’s kind spirit.
“He certainly had a lot of great qualities — passion, compassion,” says
Monica. “He was a very good, solid person and very caring.”
To help those fighting cancer during the holidays — each year since 2008 — the foundation has been providing 100 meals at Thanksgiving and 100 meals at Christmas that feed four to six people.
The foundation bolsters partner programs, including funding food pantries at Stewart’s Caring Place’s Akron and Canton cancer wellness centers. Through Akron General Cleveland Clinic, it also sponsors art therapy, and pieces are periodically displayed in Cleveland Clinic locations.
Each year, it has been funding distributions of about 40 backpacks with school supplies to schoolage patients in Akron Children’s hematology/oncology department.
The foundation funded a wig boutique at Akron General and contributed to the Renewal Nooks at Summa’s Akron and Barberton campuses. The nooks include spa-like rooms for massages. They also offer art kits and creative workshops such as succulent planting.
“The wig salon—that is an incredible
“We want to put a smile on a cancer patient’s face.”
Steve Comunale
piece of the puzzle for their healing journey. From an emotional standpoint, from a self-confidence standpoint, that’s huge,” Bishop says. “Massage therapy is also huge. That relief that it gives to folks in this unsettling time is incredibly important.”
Since its inception almost two decades ago, the foundation has impacted about 35,000 people touched by cancer and distributed over $5 million in assistance. Monica says Stephen Jr. would be ecstatic at the foundation’s work.
“He would be blown away at what we’ve done,” Monica says. “He would be in utter shock and awe.” //KP Donate: 234-706-2052, stephencomunale.org
BBB ACCREDITED CHARITIES
Better Business Bureau Akron’s Charity Program is a free services to public to help donors, consumers and businesses find charities that are responsible stewards of donor dollars, carry out their missions ethically, and are honest and fair. BBB began reviewing charities in the 1920’s and our evaluations involve the most comprehensive set of standards among all major charity monitoring groups. Our approach measures organizations on 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
GOVERNANCE & OVERSIGHT
FINANCES
The governing board has the ultimate oversight authority for any charitable organization. This section of standards seeks to ensure that the volunteer board is active, independent and free of self-dealing.
We have several standards in place that establish minimum financial thresholds we feel are necessary for any charitable organization. Through these standards, we seek to ensure that the charity is financially transparent and spends its funds in accordance with its mission and donor expectations.
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS
ACCESS, Inc
330-376-0997 • access-shelter.org
Akron Area YMCA
330-376-1335 • akronymca.org
Akron Art Museum
330-376-9186 • akronartmuseum.org
Akron Blind Center & Workshop 330-253-2555 • akronblindcenter.org
Alliance for Healthy Youth 330-864-1359 • all4youth.org
Appleseed Community Mental Health Center 419-281-3716 • appleseedmentalhealth.com
This section of standards requires that charities set defined, measurable goals and objectives, put a process in place to evaluate the success and impact of its programming, and report on the organization’s progress.
A fundraising appeal is often the only contact a donor has with a charity. This section of the standards seeks to ensure that a charity’s representations to the public are accurate, complete and respectful.
Utilize the BBB trusted name to highlight your charity’s dedication to ethics and integrity.
Becoming an Accredited Charity is FREE. Contact BBB for the local charity evaluation forms at 330-253-4590 or info@akronbbb.org.
Lake Anna YMCA 330-745-9622 • akronymca.org
Orville United Way 330-683-8181 • orrvilleareaunitedway.org
Learn more by visiting BBB.org!
SavingGrace
An expansive, two-story log cabin, located on 10 acres of scenic wooded land in Lakemore, is replete with peace. Step inside, and find relaxing amenities — a salt cave, cold plunge pool, infrared sauna, reading area, game room, fully stocked kitchen and more. This refuge is a certified Recovery Community Organization drop-in center called Tyler’s Redemption Place.
On Oct. 1, it’s bustling. At 4 p.m., a group called Addiction Recovery Through Christ meets, followed by a Ladies’ Fitness Boot Camp and a Be the Light veterans’ group at 5. At 6 p.m., co-ed guests study the Bible, and at 6:30 p.m., the Well grief support group gathers. When they first enter Tyler’s Place, visitors pass through a wide, calming space, filled with natural light — a room that honors Tyler Bornstein.
In photos, Tyler is full of life. As a toddler, he grins, his face covered in cake. As a kid, he kneels with his golf
club. These vibrant memories are a memorial. At age 23, Tyler, overdosing on heroin and fentanyl, was dumped in a vacant Akron lot and left to die.
“He was a very smart, caring, athletic young man,” his mother, Shelly Bornstein, says. “Really had a beautiful smile, loved to meet new people. Anywhere he went, people were drawn to him.”
Tyler was an all-county golfer who graduated magna cum laude. Later, he was on a golf and academic scholarship at Walsh University in 2012 and 2013 and competed in a bodybuilding competition in 2013.
But Tyler’s athleticism led to injuries over the years. He broke his right arm four times playing sports, requiring two surgeries — one at age 11 and the next at 18. Doctors sent him home with prescription opioids.
Opiates and opioids can be extremely addictive.
“Because we have naturally occurring receptors in the brain for our own internal
endorphins, which are very similar in chemical structure to the opiates and opioids, the net result is that our brains are set up to react to those substances,” explains Doug Smith, chief clinical officer and medical director at the County of Summit ADM Board. “That reaction triggers, in some people more so than others, what we call a reward pathway. … That makes it addictive.”
The signs, at first, were small. Tyler began to pull away from friends and family. Things he loved to do, like playing golf, fell by the wayside.
At 19, Tyler was staying with a friend, attending classes at The University of Akron in the evening. One day, his father, Travis, offered to drive him to school.
“I could just tell something’s wrong. I pulled off the side of the road and stopped, and said, Tyler, What’s going on with you, man? And he said, I’m addicted to heroin,” recalls Travis.
The news was devastating.
“I was heartbroken,” Travis says. “I also knew that we were going to do everything we could to get him help.”
For years, Tyler tried different methods of recovery, including Suboxone and Vivitrol. But a combination of life circumstances and financial limitations meant Tyler couldn’t reach long-term recovery.
“He could never get a year of sobriety,” Travis says. “He could get six or seven months at a time, but he never could get a year.”
Travis and Shelly Bornstein, photos by Erin Gulling
In early September 2014, Tyler called his parents: He relapsed, was waiting to get into detox and wanted them to take his vehicle. A few days later, he went out on foot with another person who was using substances. The pair bought drugs and heroin — laced with fentanyl.
“You’ve got heroin, and then along comes fentanyl,” says Smith. “The net result is more people were dying, because it’s very potent.”
Tyler used the laced heroin.
“It immediately put him into an overdose,” Travis says. “The other kid took him to a vacant lot on the corner of Alfred and Arlington and dumped him in a field and left him there to die. The next day, the Summit County sheriff showed up at our house, proceeded to tell Shelly and my 17-year-old daughter that a resident found a dead body in a vacant lot, and it was our 23-year-old son. ... Shelly and I and our youngest daughter who was with us, we kind of all laid down on the floor, just held each other and cried.”
There were 2,531 overdose deaths in Ohio that year.
About a month afterward, Shelly began visiting the lot where Tyler had died.
“That’s where I felt Tyler. I went there, began just praying,” she says. “I literally felt in my spirit that we were going to get the property and do something there, and that’s when the mission started.”
After one of the Bornsteins’ daughters began speaking about the opioid epidemic — alongside two other girls who had lost their brothers — the Bornsteins formed a Facebook page. In 2016, the Bornsteins launched a nonprofit now called Hope United. Soon, Travis presented Tyler’s story at the Teamsters national convention, where he raised 1.365 million dollars.
“Hope United, we pretty much founded it on three pillars — education, support and recovery,” Travis says. “The ultimate goal of the recovery piece was to build Tyler’s Redemption Place.”
The Bornsteins purchased the lot where Tyler died, hoping to build a recovery facility — but it wasn’t large enough. Travis approached Summit County about getting the former Edwin Shaw property donated, and Hope United received 10 acres.
The 7,500-square-foot Tyler’s Redemption Place opened in 2023 with free programs.
“We give our least to people in recovery. Ty never saw his value and worth,” Shelly says. “We wanted a place that, when they walk in, they instantly feel peace.”
“It’s a whole-body transformation, mind, body, spirit, community,” Travis adds. “We have a lot of unique things at Tyler’s Place that most folks in early recovery can’t get because they can’t afford it.”
Tyler’s Place averages about 1,200 visitors per month. The facility offers drop-in peer support meetings, classes, groups and wellness programs. From yoga for recovery and cardio drumming to art making sessions and support groups, such as one for families living with someone in addiction or recovery, Tyler’s Place hosts a wide range of programming for those in recovery and their loved ones.
“A lady that I met through the loss of her son … she went through treatment, got out, became connected with some of our groups,” Shelly says. “It’s over two years now that she’s been in recovery.”
At least 70 percent of people, Travis says, relapse within the first year.
“If we can get you between one and three years, it comes down to 34 percent. And if we can get you between three and five years, it comes down to 14 percent,” he says. “Recovery is a long-term game, and you gotta develop a long-term strategy. And that’s what Tyler’s Redemption Place is.”
As of mid-October 2025, there have been 91 confirmed and 11 suspected overdose deaths in Summit County — as opposed to 139 confirmed deaths in 2024. Though the numbers are trending down, the only acceptable rate of overdose deaths, Smith says, is zero.
Veteran peer supporter Kenny Haynes got involved with Hope United in March 2025.
“I’m also in recovery, 11 years in recovery, and I’ve lost my sister to addiction and numerous friends from the military,” Haynes says.
“It’s a whole-body transformation, mind, body, spirit, community,”
From 2001 to 2006, Haynes was in the Marine Corps, where he sustained a major back injury. He was prescribed opioids — and soon found himself addicted.
Haynes detoxed in his bedroom for two weeks. He got sober, went to college and obtained a degree in social work. Now, he works with Summit County’s Valor Court for veterans through Hope United, runs groups for those in recovery — including a group that discusses
childhood trauma and generational trauma — and offers drop-in peer support at Tyler’s Place.
“I always try to help people identify things in their life … their reason. I call it having a why,” he says. “If they can find some really positive reasons in their life, whether it’s family or friends or goals that they have, it’s much easier to say no.”
Haynes’ recovery journey allows him to connect with peers, which can take the form of an assignment through Valor Court or a drop-in session with someone who is struggling with recovery or relapse.
“There’s just something about sitting across from someone that you know gets it. I think that’s why peer support is so crucial, especially in this community,” he says.
Stories like that of one young man, who connected with Travis through Valor Court and recently celebrated two years of sobriety, illustrate the purpose of the Bornsteins’ mission.
“I was working through this with a counselor one time, frustrated and angry, like, My story ends with my son being dumped in a field. And one of the things somebody said to me is, Well, that’s not true. That’s where Tyler’s story ended. But your story picks up from the field,” Travis says. “That’s why we work so hard trying to make a difference in people’s life.”//CG Donate or volunteer: 2684 Sanitarium Road, Akron, 330-794-5023, hopeunited.life
Travis Bornstein
Kenny Haynes
LEND A HAND
by Lauren Bischof, Jillian Flack and Lydia Koszegi
ANIMALS
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SUMMIT COUNTY
It is the only local nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to improving conditions and care for abused, abandoned, neglected, sick and injured animals. The Humane Society of Summit County rescues and rehabilitates abused, abandoned or neglected animals at its new shelter in Akron. Through its website, people can report animal abuse. It also offers MABEL, which is a no-cost mobile veterinarian service for lowincome individuals.
Get Involved: Ninety-five percent of its funding to rehabilitate animals is donated from the community, so give today. Shop at its Happy Tails Thrift Shop, in which proceeds support the humane society. Volunteers can care for and feed dogs and cats, do office work, perform facility maintenance and more.
752 W. Portage Trail, Akron, 330-487-0333, summithumane.org
PEGASUS FARM
Started in 1986, Pegasus Farm serves over 500 people with disabilities annually. It provides therapeutic horseback riding and other programs. It’s one of four therapeutic equestrian centers in Northeast Ohio. Pegasus also offers vocational opportunities to people with developmental disabilities and has a military and first responders center.
Get Involved: Donate to the nonprofit or volunteer to help classes, provide care for the horses, do landscaping and maintenance, assist with camp programming and more.
7490 Edison St. NE, Hartville, 330-9352300, pegasusfarm.org
BASIC NEEDS
AKRON-CANTON REGIONAL FOODBANK
Formed in 1982, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank serves eight counties in Northeast Ohio through its 600 meal sites, shelters and hunger-relief programs. The food bank gathers and sorts food and other essential items to distribute to those in need at food pantries, meal sites, shelters and other locations. It also has specific initiatives to feed kids and older adults. In 2024, the food bank had about 11,000 volunteers help in its mission to fight hunger — and it distributed 31,429,740 meals to those in need.
Get Involved: To help raise its numbers, donate funds, essential items or food and volunteer at the warehouse, as a driver and more. Plus, attend the Merry Meals Mixer fundraiser Dec. 3 at the Ohio Christmas Factory or participate in the Selfless Elf 5K Dec. 20 to benefit the nonprofit.
Main Campus, 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron, 330-535-6900, akroncantonfoodbank.org
HAVEN OF REST MINISTRIES
Founded in 1943, Haven of Rest provides programs centered on compassion and Christ to help improve the lives of those who are hungry or experiencing homelessness. Last year, the nonprofit provided 51,386 nights of lodging and 135,096 meals.
Get Involved: Donate or volunteer by assisting with various tasks such as cleaning, sorting or serving food, leading devotions and more. Plus, lend a hand for the holiday season by donating new toys for children in need or filling Christmas bags for Haven of Rest residents and those coming for a holiday meal.
175 E. Market St., Akron, 330-535-1563, havenofrest.org
REBUILDING TOGETHER NORTHEAST OHIO
This nonprofit literally raises the roof. Established in 1996, Rebuilding Together Northeast Ohio focuses on assisting
low-income homeowners by completing repairs, accessibility modifications or safety upgrades on their homes. The nonprofit also hosts Rebuilding Days, in which sponsors, volunteers and partners complete community revitalization projects. Rebuilding Together served 669 residents in 2022.
Get Involved: Donate or volunteer as a skilled volunteer — in which your skilled labor is used for a year-round project or Rebuilding Day — or a capacity volunteer, in which you serve once a month with the Safe at Home crew.
3465 S. Arlington Road, Suite E 141, Akron, 330-773-4100, rebuildingtogetherneo.org
ENVIRONMENT
KEEP AKRON BEAUTIFUL
Established in 1981, Keep Akron Beautiful aims to keep the city of Akron polished through recycling initiatives, litter prevention and planting trees and flowers. It is currently working to plant 100,000 trees by 2034. Its Bicentennial Beautification — which involved volunteers removing graffiti and litter and planting flowers — took place throughout October. As of Nov. 1, 2024, volunteers picked up 216 tons of trash, a sizeable increase from 105.6 tons in 2023.
Get Involved: Donate to the nonprofit or volunteer to plant trees or clean up litter.
850 E. Market St., Akron, 330-375-2116, keepakronbeautiful.org
AKRON PARKS COLLABORATIVE
It seeks to improve the quality of neighborhood parks, support the Friends of Parks & Neighborhood Advocacy Groups, support tree canopy growth and more. Since 2018, the Akron Parks Collaborative has asked community members to share how local parks can be improved. The nonprofit also participates in KaBoom Playground improvement projects, which help to build more parks for children. In 2024, it completed four parks and 1,324 volunteers helped out.
Get Involved: Donate to the nonprofit, join a committee or create a Park Friends Group and help work with parks and
organizations, plant trees and more.
647 E. Market St., Unit 6, Akron, 330-801-5255, akronparks.org
LET’S GROW AKRON
Dedicated to creating and maintaining food gardens locally, this nonprofit also educates people on growing their own food. Additionally, Let’s Grow Akron teaches people how to cook healthy meals and make their fresh fruits and vegetables last. Let’s Grow offers free events, such as Good Garden Talks Nov. 6 and 20. It has 25 community food gardens and five community farm sites.
Get Involved: Donate or attend events and help make Akron a more self-sustaining place.
After having a stillborn baby, Ashlie, in October 2015, Erin and Anthony Maroon weren’t able to spend much time connecting with their daughter due to an absence of proper cooling units. Motivated by their experience, the Maroons started Ashlie’s Embrace to help other families facing stillbirth and infant loss. The nonprofit raises funds to donate CuddleCots — devices that keep babies cool and allow parents and families more time with the child before saying goodbye — to medical facilities across the country. Ashlie’s Embrace has reached all 50 states and donated a total of around 360 devices. It also offers education on how to support grieving parents.
Get Involved: Donate or volunteer to help with outreach, events and special projects. 1967 E. Maple St., Suite 186, North Canton, 330-418-4851, ashliesembrace.org
FAMILIES AGAINST FENTANYL
Founded in Akron by James Rauh after the loss of his son, Thomas Rauh, to a fatal fentanyl overdose in 2015, Families Against Fentanyl raises national awareness about illegal fentanyl through research and urging officials to fight the crisis. The nonprofit
promotes life-saving programs, as well as holds illicit fentanyl producers accountable. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45, according to its 2021 report.
Get Involved: Donate or sign a petition to declare illegal fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction — an initiative which over 40 legislators, state representatives, government officials and medical experts support. familiesagainstfentanyl.org
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES NORTHEAST OHIO
Akron’s Ronald McDonald House opened in 1985, extending lodging, essential resources and support to Northeast Ohio families with a child receiving treatment at an Akron-area medical center. In 2024, Ronald McDonald House programs in Akron and Cleveland provided over 28,000 nights of rest to 1,250 families. Families get access to meals, support services and more.
Get Involved: Donate to the nonprofit, attend an event, purchase items from its wish list or volunteer by cooking a meal, cleaning the home, doing laundry and more.
141 W. State St., Akron, 330-253-5400, rmhcneo.org
REPRESENTATION
ACCESS
Women and children experiencing homelessness can find emergency shelter at Access. Guests get three nutritious meals and snacks daily, plus access to laundry facilities, phones, computers and transportation — while receiving personalized support to help them take the next step forward. In 2024 alone, Access served 139 women and 174 children.
Get Involved: Donate to the nonprofit or volunteer by serving meals, watching children and more. You can also purchase items from its wish list.
230 W. Market St., Akron, 330-376-0997, access-shelter.org
hearts, meals Warm nourishing
BROKEN CHAINS MINISTRY
Akron’s Broken Chains Ministry aims to reduce recidivism through faith-centered Restorative Justice programs that help formerly incarcerated individuals get a fresh start. The nonprofit focuses on outreach and mentoring, workforce development training and employment through Urbean Cafe, as well as substance abuse recovery for women through Lydia’s Home. The average recidivism rate for former offenders is 43 percent within one year — but for Urbean Cafe participants of 90 days or more, it’s less than 2 percent. It has employed nearly 170 people.
Get Involved: Donate, volunteer in its outreach and mentoring programs or visit the cafe in the Robert K. Pfaff Metro Transit Center.
330-472-1166, brokenchainsministry.org
GLOBAL TIES AKRON
For 50 years, Global Ties Akron has been building bridges between Northeast Ohio and the world. Through educational exchange programs, speaker engagements and special events, this local nonprofit brings global leaders and ideas to the community, all with the goal of promoting citizen diplomacy and cross-cultural understanding. Through its Global Threads Boutique, local immigrants, refugees and globally affiliated artisans receive economic empowerment and earning opportunities. From 2013 to 2023, the nonprofit created over 23,000 local to global connections.
As your Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank remains committed to providing nourishing groceries for families, we encourage you to support local hunger-relief efforts. Make a donation, attend an event, volunteer or coordinate a food and funds drive for the Foodbank. When every $1 = 3 meals, you can make a significant impact.
Merry Meals Mixer
Dec. 3 at Ohio Christmas Factory
Be immersed in an interactive holiday experience. Enjoy samples of the area’s finest food and dessert while bidding on decorated trees, wreaths and silent auction items. MerryMealsMixer.com
Selfless Elf 5k run/walk
Dec. 20 in Akron
Dress in a festive holiday-themed costume or running gear and participate in the 13th annual Selfless Elf 5k run/ walk benefiting the Foodbank. Enjoy a morning of fun for the entire family while supporting local hunger relief. SelflessElf.com
Learn more at akroncantonfoodbank.org.
Get Involved: Donate, attend an event or purchase items, such as necklaces and purses, from Global Threads in the Northside Marketplace.
At The University of Akron, 259 S. Broadway St., No. 358, Akron, 330-5730923, globaltiesakron.org
PROJECT GRAD AKRON
Project Grad Akron was established in 2002 to provide support to underrepresented students from kindergarten up to their
careers. Project Grad offers programs and scholarships to students in the Akron Public Schools system. Through grants and donations, Project Grad has awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships to students. Dedicated volunteer mentors have given over 13,000 hours of their time to the nonprofit.
Get Involved: Help students build their academic careers and achieve their post-graduation dreams by volunteering. Become a mentor to students or volunteer to assist with programs and events.
10 N. Main St., Suite 503, Akron, 330-7613113, projectgradakron.org
BRIGHT STAR BOOKS
Christin and Keith Seher founded Bright Star Books in 2014, after their 3-year-old son said he wanted to get books to kids who don’t have them. Around 40,000 children have received at least one book from Bright Star Books, and 170,000 books and counting have been donated. Bright Star Books has made it its mission to not only distribute books, but to encourage reading through free book fairs for Akron Public Schools elementary students and weekly story time sessions at Summit County WIC clinics.
Get Involved: Those interested in helping foster a love for reading in kids can donate children’s books or money to the nonprofit or volunteer. Tasks range from sorting and packing books to assisting in the delivery of donated tomes.
1357 Home Ave., Akron, 330-705-4516, brightstarbooks.org
FALLEN FATHERS FOUNDATION
Founded by a man who had a drugaddicted single parent and grappled with crime in his youth, the Fallen Fathers Foundation mentors disadvantaged youth to build confidence, boost mental health and teach important life skills such as financial literacy. Through affordable programs, events and camps, the nonprofit helps adolescent girls and boys ages 5 to 17 thrive. Fallen Fathers also assists those in need with a transitional housing program, wraparound services and behavioral health referrals.
Get Involved: Those who want to help guide and support future generations of kids can donate, volunteer to work with the kids or help run programs and events.
VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS AT 300 with Les Arts Florissants
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 7:30 p.m.
Share the
Tuesday Musical has a 138-year legacy of sharing the power of music throughout our community by:
• Bringing world-class musicians to concert stages and schools — Joshua Bell, Akropolis Reed Quintet, Wynton Marsalis and many more
• Creating free, meaningful musical experiences at shelters, retirement communities, workplaces and more — including The Concert Truck throughout neighborhoods this past August
• Supporting students pursuing careers as music educators and performers through the Annual Scholarship Competition — in its 70th year in 2026
CHRISTMAS WITH CANTUS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 3 p.m.
OF MUSIC POWER
• Encouraging young musicians to develop skills — through Brahms Allegro Junior Music Club
• Providing free concert tickets for students of all ages and underwriting school bus transportation — offered by no other organizations in our region
Find more info at 330-761-3460 and tuesdaymusical.org.
STAR
CELEBRITY CHEF GORDON RAMSAY REIMAGINES LYLA’S FAMILY RESTAURANT.
Noel & Waleed El-qawlaq, inset: Gordon Ramsay
Since opening in Cuyahoga Falls in 2015, Lyla’s Family Restaurant has been a quiet neighborhood spot — until recently. After a dramatic fourday transformation led by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in June, surrounded by the buzz of cheering crowds and Fox camera crews, it’s now a must-visit culinary destination.
Blending Ramsay’s chef-inspired approach with heartfelt Mediterranean tradition, Ramsay’s team reimagined several dishes, as well as the interior design.
The journey began unexpectedly in March, when a producer from Ramsay’s team stopped in to sample the menu. Impressed, more producers flew in to try other dishes. They then offered to redo the entire restaurant with Ramsay’s team. That’s when executive chef and owner Waleed Elqawlaq and his wife, Noel El-qawlaq, realized a transformation was actually happening. “It is a dream come true to have this opportunity with Ramsay, and hopefully, it revives us,” Noel says. The renovation became part of one of Ramsay’s TV shows, marking his first shoot in Ohio in a decade. The episode will possibly air by the end of the year. Ramsay was hands-on — literally. When a grease fire from a Salamander tray broke out on a filming night, Ramsay grabbed a towel and helped extinguish it. “The filming crew says it’s real, but I think it was a setup,” says Waleed, a native of Saudi Arabia and Palestine. “The fire chief was invited that day, and there was a fire truck outside.”
The kitchen also became the setting for a clash of ideas during filming — something the fiery Ramsay is known for. “Ramsay tried to show me how to make hummus,” Waleed says. “I told him, What do you know about Middle Eastern hummus?, and he got really angry. He started shouting how he spent two months in the desert learning from the top chefs. Then we went to the kitchen with chickpeas and a blender, and he showed me how he makes hummus. His blender stopped working, and I was going to laugh but held back.”
{ By Lauren Bischof, photos by Erin Gulling }
The two made up. By the end of filming, Ramsay hugged Waleed and said, You got this. You’re a great chef and a hard worker.
Ramsay’s team invested tens of thousands into the renovation, ripping out old booths, installing new kitchen equipment, painting the restaurant and redesigning the dining area.
The most emotional moment came during the final reveal.
“I was totally shocked and almost in tears when I saw my family’s pictures included in the interior redesign,” Waleed says. The sophisticated interior features warm woods, copper accents, muted greens and browns and walls showcasing cookware — the restaurant can now be rented out for evening parties. Ramsay helped rework the menu, incorporating Waleed’s Mediterranean heritage while applying fine-dining techniques. “Food is Waleed’s love language,” Noel says.
Now, each Ramsayinfluenced dish bursts with flavor, precision and personal touches. The bold lineup showcases elevated Mediterranean comfort food.
Starting with an appetizer, the corn and zucchini fritters ($10) have a crisp, deep-fried exterior with a soft and moist interior that blends sweet corn and fresh zucchini. They’re served alongside a hot Mediterranean herb aioli that adds a tangy, savory contrast.
A part of Lyla’s all-day breakfast menu, the falafel waffle ($12) offers a Dubaiinspired twist on the classic waffle, made with a savory blend of chickpeas, parsley and spices. It’s topped with a bright herb salad of pickled onion and cucumber, then finished with a drizzle of creamy sesame-based tahini-yogurt sauce. “This is a new style of waffle that is very popular overseas,” says Waleed. The pistachio buttermilk pancakes
($10), also an all-day breakfast menu item, feature a stack of fluffy pancakes crafted with a house-made batter of flour, eggs, almond extract, orange peel and ground pistachios. The pancakes are topped with whipped honey butter, chopped pistachios and an almond-spiced sugar mix. “We make the mix with a lot of pistachio, not just crushed on top,” Waleed says. “When you eat it, you can taste the actual pistachio flavor in the pancake.”
A hearty entree, the fried chicken sandwich ($14) starts with a buttermilk- and hot sauce-marinated chicken, fried and layered with aioli and sumac slaw, consisting of crunchy cabbage, red onion, cilantro, tahini and sumac. It’s served on a brioche bun with fries and a pickle spear.
Finish off your meal with dessert and try the mutabbaq ($8), a combination of a sweet and flaky phyllo dough filled with ricotta and goat cheese, topped with chopped pistachios and drizzled in a light, simple syrup glaze.
“Now, I’m focused on fresh, everything homemade, nothing canned or frozen. … The customers have noticed the difference in everything,” Waleed says. “We’ve had people come in that have never been here before, and then they’ve come back multiple times.”
The experience left Waleed with more confidence and direction, walking away with new recipes, culinary techniques and Ramsay’s validation.
“I hope customers feel the food is made from the heart,” Waleed says.
1911 Bailey Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-922-4444, lylasfamilyrestaurant.com
STEAK AU POIVRE
The River Merchant, Kent’s Riverfront Restaurant featuring a chef-inspired menu, elevated beverage program, curated retail wine market and beautiful views of the Cuyahoga River.
Warm up this holiday season with our Steak Au Poivre entree. Enjoy this hearty dish as you visit with family and friends, celebrate achievements or dine with your holiday sweetheart.
The River Merchant 911 N. Mantua St., Kent 330-968-6376
Canton Importing co-owner Maria Varonis , photo by Erin Gulling
{
Artistic Life
EN-RICH-MENT TEACHES KIDS ABOUT THE ARTS AND SO MUCH MORE.
On an early October afternoon at EN-RICH-MENT’s Arts Education Center, 6-year-old beginner student River is seated at a drum set as drum set instructor Adam Grimm teaches him how to drum. River uses the drumstick in his left hand to beat a snare drum and then crosses his right hand overtop, using a drumstick to hit hi-hat cymbals.
“I like music a lot,” River says, adding that drums are his favorite instrument because “they make a lot of music.”
“You can definitely tell his love for music. He really has a passion,” says Grimm. “I hope that when they get older, they realize what they had — the opportunity to be able to play all these instruments, violin, strings, steel drums, small ensembles, large ensembles — it’s a really good thing for them.”
The Canton-based nonprofit provides free art, dance and music programming for many kids who otherwise might not be able to afford it. This year, over 185 students attended its 65 summer classes.
Executive director Betty M. Smith co-founded EN-RICH-MENT in 2012 to dismantle barriers to the arts for kids. It generally draws 5- to 18-year-olds from up to 77 schools throughout Stark County and beyond.
“I really felt like it was something God wanted me to do,” says Smith, now 85 years old. “A lot of our young people can’t afford music lessons. They can’t afford art lessons. They definitely can’t afford instruments — so it was all to be free.”
EN-RICH-MENT entered a new era when it opened its incredible 15,000-square-foot, $2.1 million Arts Education Center in 2024, with much help from Gervasi Vineyard owner and philanthropist Ted Swaldo. It now hosts over 50 fall classes, including acting, bio art, creative cooking, digital art, ballet, hip-hop, brass, steel orchestra and more. Sessions run Tuesdays through Thursdays after school or on Saturdays. Impressive spaces include dance studios, music rooms, art rooms, practice rooms,
a media room and a kitchen, where cooking students serve after-school dinners to kids. Many community members recognize EN-Corps drumline, danceline, color guard and pompoms from their 70-plus annual performances — including both Pro Football Hall of Fame parades and downtown Akron and Massillon’s holiday parades. They are an affiliate of the Bluecoats and get to attend its esteemed Blue Way camp and the Drum Corps International championship for free.
Students must go to school the day that they attend EN-RICH-MENT classes and get at least a C average. So, the programs inspire students to keep their grades up, have good attendance and follow rules — such as cleaning up their plates after meals.
“We teach them things they need to do at home, life skills,” Smith says. “The arts bring them to us, but then we’re able to keep the family motivated and inspired to do better.”
EN-RICH-MENT provides wraparound
by Kelly Petryszyn, photos by Erin Gulling }
Betty M. Smith
services, including tutoring and a library where kids struggling with reading can work on literacy.
Staffers are trained in traumainformed care. A parent-child Strengthening Families program invites family members to work on boundaries, positive relationships and emotional well-being. Sometimes, students are referred to the behavior specialist for counseling. The art teacher occasionally sees a need for a referral in students’ artworks.
“Art is good for therapy. Kids draw what they’re feeling and what they think about,” Smith says. “Our art instructor is very good with students with behavior problems, with adverse trauma. … People don’t imagine what kids are going through today with mental health issues. That’s why we have a behavioral specialist.”
Music can be therapeutic too.
“Drumming is really good for aggressive behavior,” Smith says. “It gives them an outlet — drawing, sketching, statistics show the arts make a difference in the lives of the children.”
The program has some children with autism. A sensory room, with oversized bean bag chairs and a sunset backdrop, provides a calm place to destress.
Smith has seen kids flourish. One student, Syhlas, started drumming at 3 and is now 12 and teaching younger kids. Former EN-RICH-MENT students have returned to work there, including Harley Núñez, a University of Akron music education major who is now the music director. His wife, former
student Aurora Ross, is now the director of programs.
Support EN-RICH-MENT’s 1,000 Squares to Grow fundraising campaign or attend its seventh annual Awards Gala Dec. 6. Its spring classes begin enrollment in January.
Smith hopes the building is used daily from morning to night. Currently, community groups meet there. She is looking into partnerships with day cares, senior centers and the department of developmental disabilities to get more people to use the space that the kids enjoy so much.
“We’re a safe haven. We’re very loving. We care about them, and they will learn anything they want to learn about the arts, about life,” says Smith. “We’re the full package of family, of inspiration, of motivation. We teach them how to love and respect one another, which I think is really key.”
901 Market Ave. N, Canton, 330-546-7724, en-rich-ment.org
River, and Adam Grimm
{ by James Bigley II, photos by Erin Gulling }
Culinary Creative
UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP, CANTON IMPORTING GROWS WITH INTERNATIONAL APPEAL.
There are two things you need to know immediately when you enter Canton Importing.
First: If you come for the feta, ask for the feta “from the back.” The barrel-aged variety is their No. 1 best-selling item. Almost anyone who’s had it from the 65-year-old international grocery store will tell you that all other feta pales in comparison.
Second: Customers are like family.
“That’s the Greek way — you treat people like family all the time, and there’s an openness, an intimacy and a closeness,” says coowner Maria Varonis, who has Greek heritage.
In February, Varonis and her husband, Justin Seeker, purchased Canton Importing from its longtime Greek owners. The decision stemmed from a lifelong love for food and creativity.
For decades, Varonis shopped at Canton Importing alongside her parents, Orestes and Litsa. For nearly every holiday feast and special occasion, they’d come to purchase olives, fresh deli meats, cheeses and other Greek treats and accoutrements.
“Canton Importing always had this really powerful energy during my childhood,” says Varonis, whose background was primarily in marketing and creative writing. “We really wanted to keep that energy going.”
They’ve stayed true to some of Canton Importing’s longstanding traditions.
As a wholesaler, its ingredients are used to create best sellers at several local restaurants — in the lamb burger and fried feta at Canton’s Desert Inn and the Danish blue cheese used as a steak
topping at Ken Stewart’s Grille in Akron. Imported olives, meats and cheeses from Greece and Italy have remained top sellers.
Canton Importing also continues to be a boon for local bakers. Angie Gaitanos, owner of Fournos Crafted by Angie, sells focaccia bread every Friday at the store. Each one undergoes a 12-hour fermentation process and is crowned with vibrant onions, peppers and other seasonal vegetables.
“Maria and Justin provide whatever I need to make my creations, including spices I can’t find anywhere else,” says Gaitanos. “I use mahlepi in pastries and Easter bread. I also use whipped feta in the focaccia.”
Varonis and Seeker have expanded Middle Eastern favorites to carry a number of newer items like creamy labneh and string cheese with caraway seeds. They also added Greek offerings such as kritamo (pickled sea fennel) and Papadopoulos cookies.
“We want people to walk into the store and feel they’re represented,” says Varonis. “If you see a specialty
item that … reminds you of home or summers with your family overseas, that’s going to elicit feelings you can’t find anywhere else.”
Seeker is a woodworker who’s created custom charcuterie boards, pizza cutters, ice cream scoops and bottle openers. Big sellers are pizelle irons and small olive wood bowls — sourced from overseas — to hold salt from the Aegean sea. These items sit on shelves alongside an abundance of international cookbooks, olive oils and Greek skin care products made with mastiha, a rare resin that comes from mastic trees that only grow on the Greek island of Chios, where Varonis’ family originates.
For next year, she’s planning interactive experiences.
focaccia
photo provided by
Fournos
Crafted by
Angie
On the agenda: cooking classes and workshops where customers can make and bake baklava or learn how to roll grape leaves using products bought in the store.
Every Friday, shoppers get to experience what Varonis has dubbed “Briki Friday.” Named after the traditional small pot used to make Greek or Turkish coffee, shoppers get to have a conversation with Litsa as she pours them a cup. While they talk about life, love and food, shoppers can try samples of traditional Greek dishes like spanakopita, a savory Greek spinach pie, or fanouropita, an olive oil citrus cake — all made with ingredients from Canton Importing’s stock.
“We’re really thinking about the user experience and how people like to shop,” says Varonis. “We run this business on vibes, and we want you to feel good when you’re here.”
The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority was established in 1997 as the public transit authority for Stark County. SARTA provides approximately 1.45 million trips per year across its Fixed Route network, as well as the Proline ADA Complementary Paratransit Service and Proline Plus Demand Response Service.
Gorman,
Taking Flight
AT A NEW LOCATION, RAPTOR HALLOW SANCTUARY EXPANDS ITS HORIZONS.
Enter a shaded stretch of woods at Alliance’s Butler Rodman Park, and you’re suddenly surrounded by the screeches, calls and squawks of birds of prey, echoing through the forest. You’re in the new location of Raptor Hallow Sanctuary — currently home to around 16 of its animals.
“They are very fierce, and people respect that,” says head trainer Aimee Sommer.
“Getting to come here and see them up close, see them fly for you, see them catch a piece of food in the air, that’s something that you are pretty much never going to see on your own in the wild.”
At Raptor Hallow, a nonprofit offering animal encounters, educational programs and events surrounding its animal ambassadors — chiefly birds of prey — visitors can see birds such as Eurasian eagle-owls, turkey vultures, Harris’s hawks and more.
“Watching it fly by during a show or getting to meet it up close on someone’s glove,” Sommer says. “That really makes people realize that these animals are super cool and have a personality of their own and deserve to be cared for.”
Founded in 2016 by Joshua Kuszmaul, Raptor Hallow began with one bird, a redtailed hawk named Cherokee. The bird was hit by a car at a very young age, pushing one of his eyes into his skull and reducing his depth perception. Because of his injury, Cherokee could not be reintroduced to the wild. Instead, he found a permanent residence at the nonprofit and is now at Butler Rodman.
car or maybe have an eye or wing injury … or they are human imprints, which means they don’t fully associate with other animals of their kind,” says Sommer. “We like to call ourselves a retirement home for them.”
Raptor Hallow was previously located in Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve in Alliance and started moving into its new location in May 2025.
“At Beech Creek, we had about an acre of land. Here at Butler Rodman, they offered us almost 15 acres,” Sommer says. “We have so much space to expand here.”
By December 2025, the remainder of Raptor Hallow’s nearly 90 animals — including reptiles, mammals and other birds — will be moved to Butler Rodman. Animals currently at Butler Rodman include Sammie, a Harris’s hawk who was electrocuted while hunting, Puke and Vladimir, human-imprinted turkey vultures, Bobby-Stanley, a human-imprinted sandhill crane and Aurora, a barred owl who was hit by a car.
“We use every single animal that we have in some sort of way to educate the public, whether that’s being on exhibit or going on outreach programs to schools, nursing homes, 4-H groups,” says Sommer.
Though Raptor Hallow is currently open at Butler Rodman, its official grand opening won’t take place until spring. There are plans for the new location to feature over 20 exhibits and a visitor center. Currently, guests can embark on a self-guided tour of the grounds, see birds swooping overhead during flight experiences and take part in activity stations. Events include Talons to Tinsel — which features a decorated trail of holiday lights, keeper chats, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus Dec. 13 and 20.
“It’s super cool just learning each individual animal and their personality, and I love educating people about them,” Sommer says. “I love getting to tell people a cool fact, and watching their jaw drop open or seeing a kid just staring at an owl, obsessed with it. Things like that make my day.”
2295 W. State St., Alliance. 330-600-8972, raptorhallow.org
{ by Cameron
photos by Erin Gulling }
Aimee Sommer
IT TOOK 250 YEARS
IT TOOK 250 YEARS
TO SEE THIS CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN FEMALE VISUAL ARTISTS.
For the first time anywhere, never before assembled in one place, see over 100 examples of women shattering expectations, barriers, and conventions to make a lasting impact on the art world.
For the first time anywhere, never before assembled in one place, see over 100 examples of women shattering expectations, barriers, and conventions to make a lasting impact on the art world.
November 25, 2025 – March 1, 2026
November 25, 2025 – March 1, 2026
CantonArt.org/shattered-glass
For the first time anywhere, see over 100 examples of women shattering expectations and barriers to make a lasting impact on the art world. Don’t miss this special exhibition, curated with impressive loans from museums across the U.S. and the Canton Museum of Art’s own collection!
November 25, 2025 - March 1, 2026
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROGRAMS BY
Plan Your Visit at CantonArt.org/shattered-glass 1001 Market Avenue North, Canton, OH, 44702 Open Tues - Sun | Closed Mon & Major Holidays |
SPONSORED BY
Independent economic study confirms why ACAR is opposed to POS inspections.
By Jill Sell
The Cleveland area is known for many attributes that appeal to homebuyers — a cost of living that is lower than in many areas of the country, a wide variety of housing styles and neighborhoods, access to green spaces and parks and a Midwest mentality that is known for its friendliness and hometown pride.
But there is historic practice involving residential real estate transactions that casts a shadow over the region, according to the Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS® (ACAR), which has approximately 6,000 members. Point of Sale (POS) transactions mandated by some municipalities require homeowners to obtain inspections of a home’s exterior, interior or both, and demand the homeowner (or the home buyer) make necessary and often costly repairs before the property can be sold and ownership legally changed.
Three major reports have concluded that POS inspections are detrimental, and several court cases have found portions of the practice to be illegal. The most recent comprehensive study, conducted by
the Alpaugh Family Economics Center, University of Cincinnati, was released earlier this year. The independent report echoes what ACAR has directly observed: POS inspections are “a barrier to home ownership, hindering housing transactions, reducing home values and limiting wealth-building opportunities for homeowners.”
Among the report’s findings for municipalities with POS inspections:
• Significantly higher vacancy rates (24.9% versus 7.1% in non-POS areas).
• Slower housing sales, with transaction rates per 1,000 households averaging 45.6 in POS areas versus 52.0 in non-POS areas.
• Homes in POS municipalities are sold for an average of 13% less than similar properties in areas without POS requirements. The decrease in sale prices reduces homeowners’ equity, limiting their ability to build wealth through property ownership.
• POS inspection communities experience higher unemployment rates and lower educational attainment, exacerbating local economic challenges.
Bottom line, according to the Economics Center: “This study’s results have found that POS ordinances function similarly to an implicit tax, as markets with POS ordinances have lower sale prices and decreased velocity of home transactions compared to nonPOS communities. These impacts additionally further burden low-income homeowners living in neighborhoods with POS ordinances.”
(The entire report can be read at akronclevelandrealtors.com/news)
“ACAR is opposed to POS inspections. Instead, we support and encourage our communities to employ a systematic exterior inspection of all the properties in their jurisdiction,” says Jamie McMillen, ACAR’s Vice President of Advocacy. “That way you are not just inspecting houses that are for sale or rent. It is a more equitable and efficient means to make sure all neighborhoods are being maintained.”
Seth Task, a member of ACAR’s Legislative Committee, has an extensive background of involvement in the National Association of REALTORS®
(NAR) Extended Leadership team for Public and Federal Issues. Except for a few pockets of municipalities in Illinois and Minnesota, Task says some Cleveland area municipalities are unfortunately unique in the country for insisting on POS inspections.
“ACAR did not pay for this recent, independent report to prove POS inspections were good or bad,” says Task. “We investigate policies and systems of governments to determine whether they are effective for homeownership. If the report came back saying POS inspections are good for a community, then we would have advocated for them. But we follow the logic.”
Task considers POS inspections to be discriminatory because, for one reason, they can eliminate potential home buyers as the amount of escrow some municipalities require to hold repair deposits may be prohibitive. The history of the POS inspection can be also traced to redlining and racist practices in past decades.
“The inspections also do not accomplish the goals they are set out to do,” says Task, noting many of those who more recently adopted the policy thought it would maintain the integrity of the community and housing stock. “Some people think we are trying to destroy their community and that we don’t want what is best for that community. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”
Task also pointed out that several communities have lost legal cases after they were taken to court for their POS inspections. He further believes required interior POS inspections can be “considered an illegal search.”
“It’s amazing to me that there are still cities that think it is OK to come inside a property owner’s property — whether that is the owner/occupant or an investor — and search for violations,” says Task. “Also, in reality, it would be much smarter and easier to facilitate an exterior inspection in a systematic amount of years. That way a municipality knows how many houses there are, and how many you have to inspect every month.”
Task also says there are practical and feasible ways to help homeowners who perhaps cannot afford those systematic inspections or repairs. Encouraging residents to apply for repair funding that helps prevent blight and encourage property maintenance is an important step, he says.
Sometimes it takes a face to really illustrate the damage a POS inspection requirement can do. In 2022, Northeast Ohio homeowner and banker Jason McGee was looking for a house to purchase after a divorce. McGee has owned a number of houses in his lifetime, enjoyed renovating several, and is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about architecture and design.
He found a mid-century modern house on the market in Shaker Heights that had only one owner and whose original style was intact. McGee was impressed with the home’s glass front exterior, ceiling-to-floor fireplace, classic covered walkway to the garage and other important mid-century elements.
“These kinds of properties don’t come up for sale a lot and when they do, they tend to be overpriced,” says McGee, who offered a $150,000 down payment. “I knew some of the cedar shake shingles
on the roof had to be repaired and there were a few aesthetic things I was going to change on the inside to match my preferences. I had done renovations before and could do a lot of the work myself.”
The transaction was nearing its closing when the city presented McGee with four pages of POS violations and a demand for 150% of the repair costs to be placed in escrow. An independent roofer estimated repairs at about $26,000, but the city insisted that it would only accept its $60,000 to $80,000 estimate for a new roof it wanted. McGee found himself not only looking at that cost but the cost of other repairs.
“I understand escrow. I understand the city not wanting someone to come in and mess up an area. But their insistence of not accepting the roof repair, making the escrow amount so high, made no sense. Shaker Heights may be a great place to live, but I will never buy a house there,” says McGee, who did purchase a home in Cleveland Heights, after also having to rent an apartment at a high rate for several months because he needed to vacate his former home by a certain date but POS complications caused delays in his moving.
“Jason’s situation was heartbreaking and stressful. It didn’t have to be that way,” says REALTOR® Katy Boscia with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty, who acted as his agent.
Boscia, vice chair of ACAR’s Legislative Committee, says POS inspections with escrow requirements are especially hard on first-time homebuyers or those with FHA Loans where cash flow can be tight. But that type of procedure “can also open the door” to out-of-town businesses, flippers, absentee landlords and investors with plenty of cash on hand, she says. Boscia also encourages homebuyers to connect with real estate professionals who are familiar with a city’s standpoint on POS inspections.
ACAR did not pay for this recent, independent report to prove POS inspections were good or bad. We investigate policies and systems of governments to determine whether they are effective for homeownership. —Seth Task
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BenevolentBond
Akron, 1941
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America, a fraternal organization, was formed in 1868 in New York. It barred African American men from joining until the 1970s — so the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World was formed in response in Cincinnati in 1898. Its Rubber City Lodge on Howard Street in Akron, like other Improved Order lodges and temples, worked to assist members of the community through programs, such as one to help community members pay off their mortgages. The Rubber City Lodge also held events, such as the parade pictured here, celebrating the Improved Order. Today, Alliance is home to the Improved Order’s Cantell Lodge No. 1417, which welcomes all and hosts several community events year-round. The Cantell Lodge joins the Gladys Merrell Temple No. 1049 to host an annual Thanksgiving giveaway and community dinner Nov. 24 and 25, providing food baskets, warm meals and fellowship to those in need.
{ by Lydia Koszegi, photo provided by The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections, Horace and Evelyn Stewart Photographs}
