LOVELAND HERALD
Your Community Press newspaper serving Loveland, Miami Township, Symmes Township
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
75¢
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
LIFE Giving Shoppe brings holiday cheer to Loveland needy By Chuck Gibson loveland@communitypress.com
Shawn Custis was inspired to call Loveland a "bedroom community for artists" in the Ohio Magazine story about hometown Loveland. CHUCK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Loveland: Best Hometown in Ohio By Chuck Gibson
YOUR TURN
loveland@communitypress.com
Beauty, adventure, fun, and new downtown development landed Loveland on the cover of the Ohio Magazine November issue for “Best Hometowns.” Excellent schools played a key role in a No. 2 rank in Ohio’s Top Ten “Best cities to raise a young family.” “I’m very excited about it,” Mayor Rob Weisgerber said when asked for his reaction to Loveland being highlighted as a “Best Hometown” in Ohio. “We’re extremely honored.” The feature in the regional magazine highlights a 15-year transformation which has seen a growing focus on art, artists and specialty shops in the community. “Loveland is becoming a bedroom community for artists,” Loveland Studios on Main owner Shawn Custis told the magazine. “They aren’t just bringing their studios here; they’re moving here for their art.” Art, and the art community, are not the only thing recognized in the article. Natural beauty and recreation provided by the Little Miami Scenic River is duly noted. Central location, and great highway access is cited as an advantage as well.
What makes Loveland a “Best Hometown”? Send your thoughts to loveland@communitypress.com
November issue Ohio Magazine Cover featuring Loveland as Ohio Best Hometown. PROVIDED
Paxton’s Grill, Tano’s and Loveland Sweets are credited with helping transform the historic downtown district into a community gathering space. Chef Gaetano Williams of Tano’s talks about the history of Loveland – all the way back to when Sparks Hardware occupied the space where patrons enjoy his culinary skills now. Loveland’s railroad history and historic buildings are highlighted in the article too. The transition of time from that history to today, and all this community does together is part of what Ta-
no says makes Loveland special. “It’s a really cool community,” Williams said. “For it to be recognized on a state, if not national level; I think it’s pretty exciting.” He’s heard “bits and pieces” from patrons, but hopes more press and publicity about the article will help spread the word across the whole community. Originally from Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL, Williams thinks there’s a feeling “across the board” in the community. “There’s such a resurgence here in terms of what this little downtown is,” Williams said. “You look at the makeup now, and there’s a sense of energy here now that I’ve never been aware of in the years I’ve been here. This is a lot of fun.” Plans by city leaders helped guide the transition and create the resurgence referred to in the Ohio Magazine article. Loveland Sweets proprietor See BEST, Page A2
SWEET TO ELITE B1
FRUITS OF THE HARVEST
Loveland seeks spot in state’s final eight
Thanksgiving recipes feature cranberries, pumpkin See Rita’s Kitchen, B3
Loveland Interfaith Effort is gearing up for its 15th annual holiday “Giving Shoppe” for Loveland’s needy. LIFE director Chris Rubenstein is excited about how the Loveland community has volunteered and made generous donations the last 14 years for the LIFE of Giving Shoppe. This year the need has increased by 20 percent over just one year ago. More volunteers are needed. More donations are needed to help bring the holiday spirit alive for more than 200 needy families in Loveland. “We hope to get volunteers, or people willing to donate items for the Giving Shoppe,” Rubenstein said. “Our schools pretty much take care of our holiday baskets.” The school children will deliver the holiday baskets the week before Thanksgiving. Baskets include enough food to help the families throughout the holiday season. Most families in need sign up for both the holiday baskets program and the “Giving Shoppe.” “Most everybody signs up for both programs,” Rubenstein said. “We’ve had a record number this year. We have 216 families signed up.” Those 216 families represent 594 people, 255 are chil-
dren, 287 are adults and 52 are senior citizens. Each head of household is given the opportunity to shop for every member of the family at the LIFE of Giving Shoppe. Rubenstein says the families receive an appointment slip in the holiday baskets to bring when they shop. “Everything is donated,” she said. “Everything is brand new. They get two critical items; choosing from socks, hats, gloves, or underwear for each person. Then they get two articles of clothing; like jeans and shirt, or, for the kids, two outfits.” Everybody gets a gift too. Children get toys. There are gifts for teens, and one household item the adults can pick out for themselves. Sheets, blankets, towels, toasters, coffee pots, and other small appliances like that are the kind of items needed. “We have a lot of requests for skillets, believe it or not,” Rubenstein said. “We have volunteers who drive our clients to the shop. We have clients that need their baskets delivered.” Charles A. Bingham Masonic Lodge has donated their facility to be used for the Giving Shoppe Dec. 15-18. They’ll have donation drop off hours Sunday through Tuesday, and shopping hours for the clients See GIVING, Page A2
Loveland InterFaith Effort delivers the holiday spirit for Loveland families in need during the holidays at the Giving Shoppe. CHUCK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
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Vol. 95 No. 35 © 2013 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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