UNION RECORDER
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Union, Richwood and Walton
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
75¢
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
FILE PHOTO
Weeds and grass more than 8 inches tall would be a violation of Union’s proposed nuisance ordinance.
PROVIDED
Mike and Debbie Rabidoux have donated more than $745,000 to charities since 2006, and hope to make that $1 million this year.
$1 million to charity Amy Scalf ascalf@communitypress.com
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Cards for Causes, Mike and Debbie Rabidoux’s business offers options for corporations or individuals and donates 20 percent of all sales to charities chosen by customers.
House Charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Wounded Warrior Project. “We are very grateful for the generous support of Cards for Causes for the past 10 years,” said Trish Smitson, regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Greater Cincinnati/Dayton Region. “The Red Cross relies on the generosity of our donors to fulfill our mission of helping families and individuals start to recover from the tragedy and devastation of disasters.” The couple started the card business when they were inspired to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. “We just felt compelled to do something,” said Debbie Rabidoux. They set up the site, www.cardsforcauses.com, and soon had an order for $10,000
cards from a law firm in New Orleans. What they had hoped would be a $1,000 contribution to the American Red Cross quickly became more than a $4,000 donation. Then they were in business. “If we were able to do this for Hurricane Katrina victims, we wondered who else we could help,” said Mike Rabidoux. The site offers hundreds of cards, some exclusive designs, and all are customizable. Thanksgiving cards are becoming more popular, said Mike Rabidoux, perhaps to beat the big crush of cards that start arriving in late November. Cards for Causes has sent greetings to Great Britain, France, Australia, Sweden and Canada, but most of their busi-
ART GOES TO MOVIES
RITA’S KITCHEN
Burlington’s Chalkfest takes on cinema theme. 5A
Try oven “fried” zucchini spears with Romano cheese crust. 7A
Amy Scalf ascalf@communitypress.com
Union couple close to donating
UNION — Getting a greeting card with a little cash tucked inside is sweet, but Cards for Causes has gone a little further. Cards for Causes, established in 2006 by Mike and Debbie Rabidoux, has donated 20 percent of each sale’s proceeds to charities around the world. They’re getting close to their goal of donating $1 million. In July, their contributions totaled $745,792.34. “We send donation checks every quarter. Of course, the big one is the quarter ending in December,” said Mike Rabidioux. He expects the next check to top $100,000. “I think the million is a possibility this year but it’s a for sure next year,” he said. “We’ve grown in excess of 58 percent a year every year since we’ve been in business.” Every time a company or individual purchases cards, the customer can choose from 593 listed charities or submit a new cause. Twenty percent of each sale is directed to that charity. Those donations add up. Mike Rabidoux calculated their donations, and based on contributions to hunger-related charities, the company’s donations have fed 147 families of four for an entire year. To date, the top causes supported by their customers have been Alliance for Lupus Research, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Feeding America, Habitat For International, Humanity Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ronald McDonald
Union leaders fight nuisances UNION — City leaders are working on an ordinance to manage nuisances within Union city limits. The next Union City Commission meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the Union City Building, 1843 Mount Zion Road. Second reading for the ordinance could take place at that meeting or at a later date, depending on when they can agree about details. Drafted by City Attorney Greg Voss, the nuisance ordinance was discussed during the July Commission meeting and at a special meeting on July 15. Twenty-six categories of possible nuisances are listed in the ordinance, 11 of which were tabled for further discussion. Temporary signs were the biggest topic, and it was one Mayor Larry Solomon and commissioners agreed on easily. Solomon wanted to “have something in the books” to address problems with signs, particularly at intersections and on property owned by the city, such as the grounds of the City Building and Community Center. “If you put a yard sale sign up or a business sign up and it’s blocking somebody’s view and somebody can’t see, then it doesn’t matter what kind of sign it is. It’s blocking somebody’s view,” he said. One thing Commissioner Ken Heil mentioned was the ordinance does not “take into account the size of the signs.” The ordinance requires a permit for signs placed on city property and doesn’t allow tempor-
See CARDS, Page 2A
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ary or permanent signs within 15 feet of roadways, in order to provide “an unobstructed view for motorists and bicyclists.” Another section of the ordinance covers commercial signs that aren’t “in a condition of good repair, and in a clean, neat, safe and functional condition.” Under the proposed ordinance, weeds or grass cannot grow more than 8 inches high on city parcels of fewer than four acres. Other sections of the ordinance deal with dilapidated or dangerous buildings, limited hours of commercial trash collection, growth of trees or shrubberies that obstruct rights-ofway, noise, open wells and “unkempt bodies of water.” Items for future discussion include storage of inoperable vehicles, accumulation of trash not enclosed in a municipal solid waste container with a lid, noxious odors or smoke and graffiti. Animals, either unleashed pets or livestock and fowls, as well as their sounds or odors, are other possible topics. In order for property owners to be cited for violations, residents will have to call the city building to register a complaint. Violations will result in notification to the property owner by certified mail, and if arrangements aren’t made to correct the violation, fines up to $500 per violation will be instituted. Residents who wish to contest violations will meet with the Nuisance Hearing Board, comprising City Administrator David Martin and City Clerk Kathy Porter.
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Vol. 3 No. 36 © 2015 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED