Dublin Life February/March 2022

Hail to the Chief

OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital’s new president Armin Rahmanian

INSIDE City Council Members DublinThon Dance Marathon Ohio State Outpatient Care Aviation Academy w w w. d u b l i n l i f e m a g a z i n e . c o m

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inside

February/March 2022

Mike and Lorie Strange

8 Community Calendar

614-361-8853

10 faces Presidential Address

Meet the new president of OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital

Let us help you Open the Door to your New Home!

14 city of dublin Why We Serve

Meet Your 2022-2024 Council Members

16 in focus What’s in a Float?

Behind the scenes of St. Patrick’s Day Parade prep

20 A Reason to Dance

p20

DublinThon brings community together through giving back

26 Stop, Collaborate and Listen

Renovations allow space for community collaboration

Had a great experience with Mike and Lorie, both while getting the house ready to list and after.

We listed the day before Thanksgiving and closed the week of Christmas. Very happy with the p sale price too. Would deenitely use them again.

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28 One-Stop Care

OSU Wexner Medical Center’s Outpatient Care Dublin opens this summer

30 good ideas A Budding Activist

Student receives leadership award for equal opportunity advocacy

32 ARTifacts Rewriting the Narrative

p28

Dublin student creates opportunities for women artists

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36 student spotlight Passing with Flying Colors

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Aviation students pursue diverse career goals

38 dublin dishes Irish Immersion

Unique Irish food and drink experiences

40 living Wined, Sealed, Delivered

Renovating a wine cellar gives Dublin home new life

42 luxury living real estate guide 43 top homes sold in dublin 44 write next door Extended Field Trip

Dublin family spends year homeschooling and traveling

46 bookmarks

p38 On the Cover Armin Rahmanian Photo courtesy of OhioHealth

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

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February/March 2022 • 5

UNBENDING UNBENDING RESOLVE RESOLVE At the beginning of each year, it’s At the beginning each year, it’s customary to not of only look forward customary to not only look forward but to reflect on the past, celebrating but accomplishments to reflect on the past, our andcelebrating identifying our accomplishments identifying areas in which we can and grow.

Dublin areas in which we can grow.

Dublin continues to build on our previous continues to build on our previous successes, establishing a community successes, establishing a community that supports our residents and invites that supports our residents and skilled invites innovative businesses and their innovative businesses and their skilled workforce to create and test workforce to create and test cutting-edge technology in the city. cutting-edge technology in the city.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Despite thegrowth ongoing uncertainty ofin the COVID-19 pandemic, economic remains resilient Dublin.

Projects such as economic growth remains resilient in Dublin.

Projects such as The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Outpatient The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Outpatient Care, The Corners and further development at Bridge Park Care, The further development at Bridge Park ensure weCorners remain and at the forefront of responsible ensure we remain at the forefront of responsible development in Central Ohio. Capital improvement projects development in Central Capital improvement projects represent $251.9 millionOhio. in programmed projects through represent $251.9 million in programmed projects through 2026, and Dublin City Council continues to look to the future 2026,initiatives and Dublin CityasCouncil continues to look to process the future with such the Metro Center Visioning with initiatives such as the Metro Center Visioning process and Dublin 2035 framework. and Dublin 2035 framework.

We are proud to have earned top ratings from the three major We arecredit proudagencies to have earned top ratings from theand three major rating for the fourth year in a row rating credit agencies for the fourth year in a row and continue to celebrate robust financial security with the City’s continue to celebrate City’s General Fund Reserve robust at closefinancial to 60%,security which iswith 10%the above our General Fund Reserve at close to 60%, which is 10% above our reserve policy. reserve policy.

Under strong leadership from your City Council, this year we Under leadership from your City Council, this year we intend strong to move even closer toward our goal of becoming the intend to move even closer toward our goal of becoming most connected city in the United States. As we explore the most connected city infiber the United States.

As we explore options for extending to Dublin’s residential areas, we aim options for extending fiber to Dublin’s residential to enrich the lives of all who call Dublin home. areas, we aim to enrich the lives of all who call Dublin home.

While we recognize that advanced technology plays an While we recognize that advanced technology an and important role in Dublin, we understand that toplays support important role in Dublin, we understand that to support and

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sustain our high quality of life, it is imperative we create a sustain high quality offield life, itfor is all imperative we create a fair andour equitable playing our residents.

In 2021, fair and equitable playing field for all our residents.

In 2021, City Council passed a comprehensive non-discrimination City Council comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance topassed ensureaprotections for everyone in Dublin. We ordinance to ensure protections for everyone in Dublin.the We continue to advance our culture of inclusivity through continue to advance our culture of inclusivity through the ongoing collaboration of the Chief’s Advisory Committee ongoing collaboration of the Chief’sand Advisory Committee with the Dublin Police Department the recent creation with the Dublin Police Department and the recent creation of the Community Inclusion Advisory Committee. With of the Community Inclusion Advisory Committee.

With dedicated community engagement, we can fuel the future dedicated community engagement, weequitable can fuel the future of Dublin, crafting a city that supports access to of Dublin, crafting a city that supports equitable access to all the resources we have to offer. all the resources we have to offer.

I am excited to celebrate our signature events this year with Iall am to celebrate our signature events thistop year with ofexcited you, always remembering that safety is our all of you, always remembering that safety is our top priority. We will continue to monitor the status of the priority.

Weand willfollow continue to monitor thepeople status of the pandemic protocols to keep safe. pandemic and follow protocols to keep people safe.

We have been through so much together in the past year.

We have through somay much in the past And whilebeen the pandemic stilltogether have influence overyear. our And while the pandemic may still have influence over lives, we now know that we can persevere, support ourour lives, we now know that we can persevere, most vulnerable community members and support continueour to rise. most vulnerable community members and rise.

Dubliners embrace the pioneer spirit of our continue founders,toand Dubliners embrace the pioneer spirit of our founders, and though we know there will be challenges ahead, we though we know there will be continue forward, prepared forchallenges hard work,ahead, armedwe with continue forward, prepared for hard work, armed with unbreakable strength and unbending resolve. unbreakable strength and unbending resolve.

Sincerely, Sincerely,

Dana McDaniel, City Manager Dana McDaniel, City Manager

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FEB. 26 Dublin Coffman Drama Club’s 24 Hour Show Take 2 Dublin Coffman High School, 6780 Coffman Rd. www.dublincoffmantheatre.org FEB. 17-20 Winter Scrapbook Escape Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/Dublin, 500 Metro Pl. N. www.happeningnext.com FEB. 23 Multi-Chamber Business Expo & After Hours 4-6:30 p.m.

Scene75 Entertainment Center, 5033 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. www.dublinchamber.org FEB. 25-27 Dublin Scioto Theatre presents SpongeBob the Musical Dublin Scioto High School, 4000 Hard Rd. www.dublinsciototheatre.org MARCH 10 State of the City Location TBD www.dublinohiousa.gov MARCH 11 Riverside Celebration Riverside Crossing Park, 6635 Riverside Dr. www.dublinohiousa.gov

St. Patrick’s Day March 12

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264

faces

by Lindsey Capritta Photos courtesy of OhioHealth and Armin Rahmanian

Presidential Address

Meet the new president of OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital 10 • February/March 2022

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For Armin Rahmanian, taking on a new role as President of OhioHealth Dublin Methodist and Grady Memorial hospitals is not only an important step in his career but, as a Dublin resident, a meaningful merger of his professional and personal values.

“When I had the opportunity to join the team at OhioHealth, that was a big factor: to be able to, in my own backyard, have a positive impact on our community,” Rahmanian says. “That really makes me so proud. They already have a really strong track record and history of serving the communities they exist in.”

Rahmanian, who previously worked for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center as chief operating officer of Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital and associate executive director for University Hospital, also has a history with his community. He first moved to Dublin in 2007 with his wife, Shiva Rahmanian, who is a pulmonary and critical care physician for OhioHealth. He actively participates in activities with his two children, Ava and Kian, who attend Dublin City Schools.

“From early on at Deer Run Elementary, I was pretty heavily involved in their activities,” he says. “I was proud that I was the only dad who was a room mom. They had to change it to ‘room parent’ just to be inclusive.”

Rahmanian also volunteers as a coach for youth sports programs and serves on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Board.

What’s Next Rahmanian has begun putting together what is called the Dublin Methodist Hospital 2026 Plan, a strategy that focuses on www.dublinlifemagazine.com

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Rahmanian, his wife, Shiva, and kids, Ava and Kian, have lived in Dublin since 2007.

identifying services to introduce into the community along with expansions of the hospital’s physical space.

“That’s really a look into the future of what kinds of services we’ll need to provide at the hospital.” Rahmanian says, “We look to making sure the services the hospital provides match up to what the community needs are, not just today or tomorrow but five or 10 years down the line.”

He says that OhioHealth’s renovations and expansions will allow it to create a network of experts across its various facilities, both bringing services into communities and connecting those communities to more resources.

“What that means for the communities that we serve is that an expert is always just a phone call away,” Rahmanian says. “We’ve really leveraged that in terms of being able to develop programs. Otherwise, if it were a standalone community hospital, it may not have the resources, the capability, the talent to pull it off, but because we’re part of a large system we’re able to.”

The plan focuses on providing for a growing Dublin population, particularly for older residents. Rahmanian says that part of this is understanding the needs and preferences of patients. The hospital

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is working to become more consumercentric in the way it provides information to patients.

“How we communicate with our community and interact with our community, I think we’ve got to be mindful that different generations and different people like to be connected in different ways,” Rahmanian says. “Not necessarily just communication purposes but how they receive their health care as well.”

Having staff, including Rahmanian, that are a part of the Dublin community makes it easier to understand the specific needs of the hospital’s patients.

Rahmanian says that it’s a special thing to have Dublin residents taking care of other Dublin residents.

“It makes a real difference, especially in health care, when you are part of that community and it is your neighbor you are taking care of,” he says. “Any time you can see a familiar face, the sense of comfort that provides to our patients … It’s one of those priceless things you can’t create out of thin air.”

That value for community-connected care is something that Rahmanian says he sees reflected in Dublin’s overall approach to growth and city planning as well. Dublin Methodist Hospital is just one example of

positive developments to Dublin since he and his family moved to the city.

“They really are thoughtful about how they plan the city, plan the growth, make sure the residents of Dublin are well cared for, not just from a health care perspective but really their well-being,” Rahmanian says. “We’re very privileged to call (Dub-

lin) home and to be president of the hospital of this town we call home is just icing on the cake for me.”

Lindsey Capritta is a contributing writer.

Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Outside of the hospital, Rahmanian volunteers as a coach for youth sports programs in Dublin.

city o f du bl i n

by Andrew Kohn Photos courtesy of City of Dublin

Why We Serve Meet Your 2022-2024 Dublin City Council Members Amy Kramb, Ward 1 Member of Council since 2022 Council Member Amy Kramb is a fourth-generation Dubliner who has seen firsthand the transformation of Dublin from a village into the vibrant city it is today. Sworn in for her first term in January, Council Member Kramb has been directly involved with local issues from having run the East Dublin Civic Association for the past six years, an activity she plans to continue while serving on Council.

Inspired by the passion and involvement of Dublin residents in all aspects of the City, Council Member Kramb looks forward to ensuring that the City continues to retain and grow a strong workforce while also developing an infrastructure that supports those who call Dublin home.

During her free time, you can find Council Member Kramb enjoying the City’s parks, including her personal favorite, Thaddeus Kosciuszko Park.

Email: akramb@dublin.oh.us Jane Fox, Ward 2 Mayor Member of Council since 2018 Thoughtful economic development and dynamic community engagement are priorities for Mayor Jane Fox. With her back-

Amy Kramb 14 • February/March 2022

Jane Fox

ground in nursing against the backdrop of the international pandemic, she believes it is more important than ever to focus on the well-being of the Dublin community.

Mayor Fox is a strong advocate for maintaining and enhancing public services that nurture and care for all residents.

She is committed to ensuring a high quality of life for the community by preserving the City’s architectural and cultural heritage while also embracing innovation and protecting the beauty of our natural environment.

Mayor Fox finds inspiration from Dublin’s generous and engaged residents, knowing they truly care for one another. She enjoys conversations with her fellow Dubliners and the resulting suggestions, problem-solving and shared goals that result.

When she’s not in Council Chambers, you can find her creating memories with her children and grandchildren, enjoying neighborhood parks and community events, and strolling along the Scioto riverfront and Historic Dublin.

Email: jfox@dublin.oh.us John Reiner, Ward 3 Member of Council since 1997 Author of “The Dublin Landscape Code,” Council Member John Reiner has

John Reiner

been a strong advocate for ensuring the City is a walkable, green, well-planned community. Proud of the Dublin Link, he sees the bridge as a brilliant solution to a barrier like a river, connecting residents and uniting the City. Council Member Reiner believes the economic viability of Dublin must support growth while also ensuring the highest level of services and quality of life for residents.

Looking forward, Council Member Reiner is excited to continue working with Dublin Arts Council and the Community Development Committee to ensure Dublin remains at the forefront of innovation and excellence.

When he’s not engaging in City business, Council Member Reiner can be found exploring the Riverboxes along the Scioto River or grabbing a bite to eat at Lan Viet in the North Market.

Email: jreiner@dublin.oh.us Cathy De Rosa, Ward 4 Vice Mayor Member of Council since 2018 With an interest in supporting Dublin’s heritage while also looking forward, Vice Mayor Cathy De Rosa has worked to ensure that the City reflects the interests of all its residents. Her support of innovative

Cathy De Rosa www.dublinlifemagazine.com

projects and development initiatives is balanced with a commitment to retain the character and spirit of Dublin’s forefathers.

In 2022, Vice Mayor De Rosa hopes to build upon her years of service to the Dublin community and her professional background in technology and business to support Council’s strategic goals of advancing our infrastructure, connectivity and longrange planning in order to provide the workforce and residents world-class amenities and career opportunities.

Outside of the Council Chamber, you can often find Vice Mayor De Rosa enjoying a public art installation, biking our many great paths and parks, or visiting a Dublin City Schools building to teach students about Dublin’s history, form of government and role in the community.

Email: cderosa@dublin.oh.us Andy Keeler, At-Large Member of Council since 2020 Council Member Andy Keeler is honored to serve such a thriving and diverse community. He believes an important issue facing Dublin right now is attracting and retaining businesses that support onsite workers, ensuring a tax revenue that will continue to benefit the City. With a true sense of community and a strong identity, Council Member Keeler believes it is important to give back to a city that has given his family so much.

In 2022, Council Member Keeler is excited to continue the Metro Center visioning process and the revitalization of North Riverview Street. He also commends the work of the Historic District Task Force and looks forward to seeing im-provements to the area.

If he had to choose a favorite City event, it would be the Dublin Irish Festival. He enjoys visiting Coast-to-Local Market in the North Market for a lobster roll, which he says is a nice alternative to chasing down a food truck.

Email: akeeler@dublin.oh.us

design elements that integrate new development sites into existing neighborhoods.

Council Member Alutto enjoys spending time outside in Dublin parks and occasionally stopping at Johnson’s Real Ice Cream for a scoop of Buckeye Fever.

Email: calutto@dublin.oh.us

Christina Alutto, At-Large Member of Council since 2016 Council Member Christina Alutto firmly believes the Dublin community must make every effort to create lasting legacies that are nimble enough to withstand the test of time. With an eye toward economic development, infrastructure enhancements and historic preservation, Council Member Alutto works to ensure all residents have access to every service Dublin has to offer.

Excited for the coming year, Council Member Alutto points to projects that will have a positive impact on the surrounding community. She emphasizes the importance of walkability, green space and

Chris Amorose Groomes, At-Large Member of Council since 2016 In all matters Dublin, Council Member Amorose Groomes strives to put community first, for the benefit of residents and future generations. She believes we must look to the future and how our remaining land will be developed but also toward preserving what we have built.

In 2022, she is looking forward to emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than ever before. She is committed to remaining fiscally responsible, continuing to attract and retain prominent businesses and assisting entrepreneurs and the small businesses that are the backbone of our community.

Council Member Amorose Groomes enjoys spending time with her family, visiting Scioto Park and running into old friends around town, one of the great joys of being a lifelong Dubliner.

Email: cagroomes@dublin.oh.us To learn more about Dublin City Council, visit dublinohiousa. gov/dublin-city-council.

Andy Keeler www.dublinlifemagazine.com

Christina Alutto

Chris Amorose Groomes

Andrew Kohn is the public affairs officer for the City of Dublin; feedback welcome at akohn@dublin.oh.us.

February/March 2022 • 15

in f o c u s

by Cameron Carr Photos courtesy of City of Dublin and Jeff Glorioso

What’s in a Float?

Behind the scenes of St. Patrick’s Day Parade prep

A float custom-made by the Indian Run Elementary Cub Scouts.

After a year in reverse, the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade will return on March 12 in its traditional format with floats and festivities.

But don’t call it the luck of the Irish that everything falls into place on March 12; it takes a lot of hard work and preparation, too.

Whether it’s maintenance for events throughout the year or building something one-of-a-kind for St. Patrick’s Day, floats are anything but an afterthought.

Carina Dacierno, who helped organize several floats as an Indian Run Elementary 16 • February/March 2022

Cub Scouts leader in years past, says the process would often begin in early January in anticipation of parade participant applications opening up around the end of the month. For the Indian Run scouts, a month of planning could be followed by three to four weeks of actual building.

“First, we had the idea, then it was, ‘How are we going to execute this?’”

Dacierno says. “Then, OK, do we actually have people who know how to do this and execute it?”

Through the knowledge and skills of parents, leaders and scouts combined, the group would custom make its floats, often designing ones that nod to scouting activities or St. Patrick’s Day. One memorable float, towed by a yellow

convertible pickup truck, featured a Paddy 500 racing hill with pinewood derby cars midway down.

The Indian Run scouts don’t always have a float in the parade, sometimes marching with banners and flags instead.

As a smaller organization, sometimes the scouts simply don’t have the resources to make the float happen.

“Logistics to have a float are hard to come by when you are a group like scouts,” she says. “No. 1: You have to have a flatbed trailer, and you have to have somebody in the (organization) who has a vehicle that can pull that trailer.”

Storage throughout the year can be a challenge as well. Leo Knoblauch, parade coordinator for Honor Flight Columbus, an organization providing Veterans with trips to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials, says that his group purchased a float vehicle from a neighbor who was unable to store it.

That vehicle is a large hay wagon that Knoblauch, who estimates Honor Flight has participated in five Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parades, had to update to make street ready to drive to parade destinations.

Honor Flight participates in as many parades as possible to raise awareness of the program, so the wagon gets plenty of use throughout the year. Towing it is typically a pickup truck with Honor Flight painted on it. Knoblauch says that David Horner painted the truck after his father, George Horner, traveled to Washington through Honor Flight. When David Horner died, Honor Flight purchased the truck.

New to Honor Flight’s vehicle collection is an M35 style military cargo truck, commonly known as a deuce and a half for its 2.5-ton weight. That vehicle poses more extreme storage challenges, but Honor Flight is able to keep the deuce and a half at its headquarters. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

“It’s not like you can just park it in your driveway,” Knoblauch says. “A lot of cities have ordinances against you having these things in your driveway.”

Knoblauch says the truck may make an appearance in Dublin, as he hopes Honor Flight will be able to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year.

An alternative to storing a parade float is using it year-round. The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium’s float is used on site throughout the year for events or even as decor, says Jeff Glorioso, director of experiential marketing.

The zoo had a float professionally designed just before the COVID-19 pandemic began to minimize the work of preparing for parades.

“We decided we had enough presence in parades that maybe we should look at getting our own float,” Glorioso says, “and then we can put holiday decorations on it.”

The float matches the decoration style of the zoo’s entry gateway. It’s purposefully designed to be neutral so it can be styled to match any event and so no zoo animals or characters look out of place in the habitat depicted.

Glorioso estimates that creating the new float took two months of planning and another two to three months of

The Columbus Zoo had a float professionally built to make participating in parades easier.

production. The zoo hopes to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and Glorioso says the already complete float will simplify the process.

“Having a float that’s always here, it’s a lot easier to commit to being a part of things because you don’t have to do that planning in advance,” he says.

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The Honor Flight Columbus float is kept mostly the same with occasional decorations added for specific events.

Instead, the zoo can focus on other aspects of parade participation, such as which characters or live animals might be able to accompany the float. Glorioso says this often depends on the event as some animals – and some character costumes – have more difficulty with long, hot parades.

Organizing a group, not just animals, for any parade float isn’t always easy, especially once kids and families come into play.

“It’s like herding cats and dogs,” Dacierno says. “They’re kids. They want to have fun, but you want to make sure

they’re safe and you can accommodate all different ages.”

Dacierno says that, with enough planning, the float can be the easy part, leaving more energy to handle other logistical concerns.

For some groups the challenge can be finding participants. Honor Flight offers the dozen or so spots on its float to veterans in the area who have signed up for flights with the organization, which can result in a mixed number of respondents.

“The hardest thing is trying to get people to ride and answering all their questions and stuff,” Knoblauch says.

Still, the result is worth it.

“Going down and seeing all the people,” Knoblauch says, “that’s the fun part, seeing all the kids and the other people that thank us.”

Especially for parade participants who live in Dublin, it’s an opportunity to feel a part of the community.

“It is so much fun for the participants to be able to see people in their community shouting and waving,” Dacierno says. “I think the (scouts) felt like a little bit of celebrities.”

Cameron Carr is the associate editor. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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A Reason to Dance DublinThon brings community together through giving back

By Juliana Colant Photos courtesy of Deb Papesh

High school students in Dublin can’t stop dancing – not that anyone is asking them to. The students are participating in DublinThon, an annual dance marathon fundraiser that benefits Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

DublinThon, initially started by Dublin Scioto High School Student Senate, works in conjunction with The Ohio State University’s BuckeyeThon to help raise money and awareness supporting pediatric cancer research at Nationwide Children’s. All three Dublin City School District high schools participate.

The students’ time and effort have paid off, as DublinThon has raised more than $85,000 since starting in 2013.

“Raising money doesn’t happen overnight; it starts over the summer,” says Alyssa Ritchart, a math teacher and one of two Student Senate advisers at Scioto. “Even before the school year begins, students are putting in the time, effort and energy to plan and map out how they will reach their goal.”

DublinThon, typically held in March, is a five-hour dance marathon. Each hour has a different theme, such as a silent disco or drumline performances. Miracle children – children currently battling cancer – and their families attend and share their stories during the event. At the end of the night, event organizers reveal the total amount of money raised.

For most participants, the miracle children are the biggest sources of in-spiration and motivation to surpass the fundraising goal each year. Bonnie Gamary, a family and consumer science teacher and one of the two Student Senate advisers at

DublinThon participants reveal the fundraising total during DublinThon 2020. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

February/March 2022 • 21

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A miracle child runs through a tunnel of DublinThon participants.

Scioto when DublinThon began, says seeing those children the first year made a major impact and showed DublinThon organizers the power of the event.

“Once we got that awareness the first year, it was a given it was going to happen again because the children came and we got to hear their stories about their challenges and how important it is for that research to happen,” she says. “People come back to DublinThon year after year because they see the kids. They see what’s happening and then they become a part of the fundraising for Nationwide Children’s Hospital.”

DublinThon involves much of the community even beyond Dublin high school students. Local businesses support the event through sponsorships and donations as well as event partnerships.

For example, a restaurant might dedicate a portion of sales for a night to the cause.

The support of the Dublin community has been a primary contributor to DublinThon’s immense growth and success since it began nine years ago.

“It’s not just students who know about it anymore, it’s the community,” Gamary 22 • February/March 2022

says. “We have reached out to local philanthropy groups and have Student Senate members talk about why we do DublinThon. The adults in the community have made it a part of their mission too.”

Thanks in part to that growing community involvement, DublinThon 2020, held just a week before Ohio schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, raised more than $20,000.

Get What You Give For students and adults alike, DublinThon is a reminder to slow down and reframe perspective.

“It can seem like we all have the same healthy lives but hearing the stories of the kids’ struggles … puts into perspective we are not all the same person,” says Scioto senior and Student Senate president Rachel Villalobos.

“We all have different stories and lives growing up. That’s why I think it is so important to have this in high school because (there are) so many life lessons I have learned from it, and I know many other students have as well.” www.dublinlifemagazine.com

While the miracle children are the focus of the event, Villalobos says high school students benefit from DublinThon as well by learning real-world skills and life lessons. She cites experiences from communicating with businesses to teaching underclassmen how to present themselves as valuable takeaways.

“I have grown so much as a leader and as a person in general,” she says. “That is one of the biggest perks of DublinThon – you get the opportunity to make these connections with people that are very well known in our area.”

Several DublinThon student leaders have also used their skills to rise to leadership roles with BuckeyeThon.

Ritchart adds that the concepts students learn from DublinThon extend beyond the classroom and into everyday life.

“Whether students are going on to higher education, the military or the workforce, … being a part of a group is something that might not come natural to people and that might have to be taught,” she says. “The fact that students get this opportunity in high school to be a part of something greater than themselves, they can take that with them to wherever their future leads them next.”

The DublinThon team eagerly anticipates coming together in person this school year after hosting the 2021 event virtually due to COVID-19.

“I am excited to have that atmosphere back,” Villalobos says. “To have that moment where everyone is dancing and we’re all sweaty, we’re all tired, but happy.”

DublinThon is expected to be held in person from 5-10 p.m. on March 5 at Dublin Scioto High School. To learn more about how to get involved, check out Dublin Scioto High School’s Twitter @SenateDshs and Instagram @dshsstudentsenate.

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DublinThon participants after the event in 2020. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

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Stop, Collaborate and Listen Renovations allow space for community collaboration

By Juliana Colant Photos courtesy of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce

professionals to meet and gather at a place that is still business-oriented.”

Over the past two years, having a space to work outside of the home has become more important. Amorose says the chamber recognizes that shift and hopes the space can serve as an alternative option for those working from home or just hoping to escape their cubicle at work for a few hours.

The renovated chamber will include a cafe-style gathering space for chamber A main goal of the project, which members to use for meetings or work. began in August 2021, is to provide more “There are daily distractions while working opportunities for collaboration and growth from home, along with loneliness from little among business professionals, particularly human interaction,” Amorose says. “We emerging leaders. will provide the opportunity to gather and “The chamber of commerce is a great brainstorm in a collaborative environment. resource for the business community,” says It can be hard to be creative when in a spare Jennifer Amorose, chief operating officer bedroom working on a laptop.” at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to that space, planned “(It’s) a great way for young business renovations include three additional conference rooms, new offices and an informational corner highlighting Dublin businesses. The updated building will have complimentary Wi-Fi and large-screen TVs for projecting presentations and sharing videos.

Those technological upgrades will allow for expanded educational programming.

“The renovations will give space for educational programming for business community experts in specialized areas such as accounting and marketing,” Amorose says.

Bill Andrews of Andrews Architects and Jennifer Along with modern updates Amorose, COO of the Dublin Chamber, removing a comes the preservation of wall to construct a new kitchen within the chamber’s community room.

Dublin’s past. During con-

With age comes wear and tear. For the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, decades of wear and tear called for a makeover in the form of an office renovation. More than just a facelift, the chamber update modernizes its technology and gathering areas.

26 • February/March 2022

Dublin’s town hall building. When the dropped ceilings were removed, a plaster ceiling was exposed. While upgrading the lighting, heating and cooling, the plaster ceiling was removed, and the wooden logs and chimney were discovered.

struction, the chamber came across unexpected architecture dating back to 1967, when the space was used for administrative purposes after the Village of Dublin purchased it.

“We discovered the room right on High Street was the original town hall,” Amorose says.

During renovations, the ceiling panels were taken down, revealing a high cathedral ceiling with tree trunk wood beams in that room. In the updated chamber, that will serve as a conference space so community members can enjoy the beautiful, original architecture.

“We worked with officials for people to see the history,” Amorose says. “It allows people to reflect on where Dublin has been.”

The chamber expects renovations to be completed by St. Patrick’s Day. Juliana Colant is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

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One-Stop Care OSU Wexner Medical Center’s Outpatient Care Dublin opens this summer

By Brandon Klein

Photos courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has long had a presence in Dublin, but nearly all of its area services, including those provided at Ohio State Outpatient Care Stoneridge Dublin, will relocate to a new 272,000-squarefoot facility near state Route 161.

“Dublin is a vibrant and friendly city with abundant parks and bike paths and a wide variety of community events and activities for our residents to enjoy,” says Jodi Kuri, director of ambulatory service wellness for OSUWMC. “It’s no wonder the city of Dublin has been recognized nationally as one of the best places to live.”

28 • February/March 2022

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

Outpatient Care Dublin will begin offering limited services Aug. 1. Once fully operational its health care offerings will include ambulatory surgery, endoscopy, primary care, specialty medical and surgical clinics, and related support spaces.

“It’s really a dynamic one-stop shop for health and wellness care,” says Garth Dahdah, director of strategic growth and facility operations for ambulatory services for the OSUWMC. “Outpatient care at Dublin will help to reach more central Ohioans where they live and work, specifically in the Dublin community and the surrounding communities.”

The Dublin center will have more than 350 staff and faculty members offering 22 different specialties such as cardiology, gastroenterology, primary care, orthopedics, dermatology and physical therapy.

At Outpatient Care Dublin, patients can be diagnosed and treated on-site with the ability to schedule appointments with different caregivers on the same day.

An on-site pharmacy will enable them to www.dublinlifemagazine.com

pick up their prescription drugs following those appointments.

“We wanted to have a medical center that can see a good number of patients and it can be comprised of all these different specialties so (patients) are not bouncing from location to location,” Dahdah says.

“If they come in and see the primary care physician and they need to get a chest X-ray, they can do it right there. They need to get labs, they can do it right there.

They want to get their medications filled, they can get it right there.”

Following the opening of an Outpatient Care New Albany, the $161.2 million Dublin facility continues OSUWMC’s suburban outpatient care program aiming to provide health care, including emergency visits, closer to where people live and work. Dahdah says the expansions reduce wait and travel times in addition to saving patients the hassle of finding parking and navigating a more complex main hospital system.

“That same high-quality care that we are delivering at our main academic campus will be extended out to the surrounding communities,” Dahdah says.

“We’re finding that more and more people want to seek help and care within the area that they live and work in.”

Since its August opening, the New Albany facility has exceeded expectations, and Dahdah says he expects similar success at Outpatient Care Dublin.

There are differences between the two facilities though.

The Dublin facility will have a bistro and an outdoor courtyard for patients and their families to relax during visits. Dublin will have six operating rooms, two more than in New Albany, including a hybrid room that can handle vascular surgeries and offer interventional radiology. In

its endoscopy suite, for colonoscopies and other gastroenterology procedures, the Dublin center will have six rooms, Dahdah says.

The Dublin facility will also offer a specialized clinic to help people with diabetes and a men’s health program in urology. Those programs will complement a diabetic care program offered at OSUWMC Outpatient Care East and a women’s urology health program at Outpatient Care New Albany.

In addition, Dublin will offer same-day surgical procedures and services in areas such as vascular, ophthalmology and orthopedics. Dahdah says patients who don’t require longer hospital stays can take advantage of one of the outpatient center’s 12 extended recovery units for overnight stays lasting nearly a day.

Kuri says that Outpatient Care Dublin aims to provide total health care and wellness opportunities for both residents and business partners in Dublin.

“We are excited to be in the Dublin community,” Kuri says. “Our goal is to partner with Dublin to establish health and wellness in every corner of the community.”

Brandon Klein is the senior editor. Feedback welcome at bklein@cityscenemediagroup.com.

February/March 2022 • 29

g oo d i d e as

by Megan Roth Photos courtesy of Maya Valcourt

A Budding Activist Student receives leadership award for equal opportunity advocacy One class and its open-ended research project inspired Dublin Jerome High School senior Maya Valcourt to make a big impact.

While taking an International Baccalaureate class on global politics, Valcourt used the course’s research project to investigate affirmative action. Inspired by that work, she set out to spread awareness and eventually fundraised more than $1,000 for the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity, one of the United States’ leading advocates for affirmative action and equal opportunity programs.

Beyond advocating for affirmative action, Valcourt’s other leadership roles include work as a camp counselor for Stratford Ecological Center.

Valcourt with the Emerging Leader Award she received for fundraising and raising awareness of affirmative action.

30 • February/March 2022

As a result, the AAAED honored Valcourt with its 2021 Emerging Leader Award. She joins past winners including Taylor Dumpson, American University’s first Black woman president of the student government, and Nicholas Hartlep, Ph.D., a professor at Berea College and author in the field of education studies.

Valcourt developed an interest in affirmative action while taking the global politics class, in which students are able to conduct a research project on a topic of their choice.

As a Haitian American, Valcourt says she’s always been interested in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives but the IB class provided an opportunity to seek more concrete knowledge on the topic.

“I didn’t know very much about (diversity, equity and inclusion), so I

started researching and I stumbled upon affirmative action,” she says.

This piqued Valcourt’s interest and inspired her to conduct further research within the school to gauge what the student body’s understanding of affirmative action was.

“I found that only half of kids knew what affirmative action was,” she says.

“I saw this as an opportunity for me to educate them.”

Valcourt conducted extensive independent research, including interviewing leaders of diversity-related programs at Ohio University and Ohio Wesleyan University.

Using the information she gathered, Valcourt compiled a news segment that was broadcast on the school announcements.

She also conducted a letter writing www.dublinlifemagazine.com

When The Time Is Right For You

campaign that fundraised $1,125 for the AAAED. “I didn’t tell (the AAAED) I was doing it or anything,” she says. “I just mailed them a check and about a month later they emailed me and were like, ‘Wow, that was amazing. Let’s talk.’”

The AAAED wanted to discuss honoring Valcourt as its 2021 Emerging Leader Award recipient. “(The award) was kind of a surprise for me,” she says. “That made it even more special. I hadn’t been (raising money) for an award or anything, so it made me feel really seen that what I was doing was really making an impact.”

The AAAED’s Emerging Leader Award is given to someone who demonstrates leadership in their community, which Valcourt surely exhibited by raising awareness and money of her own volition.

“We were so touched by her activism and generosity,” says AAAED Executive Director Shirley J. Wilcher in a statement with the award announcement. “Maya is a role model for all of us.”

Valcourt’s fundraising effort isn’t her first independent initiative. Her interest in science compelled her to start a cardiovascular health education program with friends. What started as part of an IB diploma requirement expanded into the Your Heart Matters project where the group gave presentations about cardiovascular diseases and well-being to middle and elementary school students via Zoom. Valcourt and her group eventually placed second in a state-level competition organized by the Health Occupations Students of America.

She also serves as a leader through a camp counselor job at Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware where she educates kids about nature and the joys of exploring the world.

As a senior, Valcourt is looking ahead to her future and wants to ensure that DEI and affirmative action are incorporated into her life or career in some way. She plans on majoring in biology and business in college and is already thinking about ways she can increase affirmative action and diversity and inclusion in workplaces.

Megan Roth is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

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ARTifacts

Rewriting the Narrative Dublin student creates opportunities for women artists

By Janet Cooper Photos courtesy of Sonia Mehta

Dublin Jerome High School senior Sonia Mehta is a published writer, poet, editor, national award winner and entrepreneur with a mission to create a community for young women writers, a safe space where connections are shared and opportunities abound.

Mehta took initiative and founded central Ohio’s Celtic Literary Review two years ago. The online quarterly magazine,

which now has a staff of 10, serves as a launching pad to amplify the voices of girls and young women who write fiction, nonfiction, plays and poetry.

The publication started out of a desire to create opportunities that Mehta didn’t find when she started.

“It was very intimidating,” she says.

“There were very few resources for me.”

Mehta is the recipient of a 2021 National Gold Medal from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in the category of science fiction and fantasy writing, a departure which pushed her from her traditional comfort zone of fiction and poetry.

Student writer Sonia Mehta, director of the Solitude fellowship project 32 • February/March 2022

Mehta is eager to share her experiences with others through an apprenticeship with the BreakBread Literacy Project, a central Ohio initiative with the mission to elevate the voices of people under age 25 though a literary journal, internship opportunities and events. She is on the organization’s fiction team and works with a community of artists practicing in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual arts.

Solitude Fellowship Mehta sensed a communal feeling of isolation late last spring due to the pandemic and looked for a way to unite others to explore their feelings through art.

She began by contacting fellow poet Bea Bolongaita, a 2021 Dublin Jerome graduate currently studying political science and government at Kenyon College.

Mehta continued to reach out to other notable young writers, visual artists and musicians to ultimately collaborate in the creation of a 12-artist multimedia project titled Solitude, which is now available online. The project includes stunning visual artworks accompanied by impactful written and spoken word, underscored by music primarily composed and performed by students from Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The sense of community between the young artists grew organically, eventually resulting in the artwork that Mehta curated and produced over a seven-month period. Solitude provides an intimate view into a broad exploration of identity, trepidation, meditation, introspection and fortitude.

“We began with poetry and then built around the literary work,” Mehta says. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

the difference a year makes by Lily Wang

The Tomato Woman (detail) by Diana Vins www.dublinlifemagazine.com

February/March 2022 • 33

The visual artists felt an aura around the words, which the artists then expressed in their drawings and paintings. The composers stated they could hear the music while reading the words. The different mediums blended well, Mehta says, with the poetry’s vivid imagery initiating the multimedia artistic process.

The aural backdrop to Dylan Keessen’s drawing, The Invention of Lockets, is a lilting piano solo by Sam Braveman, combined with a selfreading of Mehta’s poetry, expressing feelings of doubt, angst, anger and loss. The combined elements clearly illustrate the myriad components of introspection.

Lily Wang’s painting the difference a year makes evokes thoughts of Salvador Dali’s work, perhaps The Invention of Lockets by Dylan Keessen attributed to a flaming watch face or the perspective and foreboding of a trip into the unknown. Poet Erin Ye Tomato Woman by Diana Vins and in speaks of individuals as legendary movie the arresting descriptions of the woman, starlets, “… where the ashes of burned-out stretching and bursting to fulfill her piles unfade; you would be there to smoke destiny in the poetic words of Bolongaita. an apology, to roll up a good-bye.”

The Solitude project, Mehta says, aims to The concept of identity is explored help resolve some of the negative emotions in the bright oranges and yellows of The that some are currently feeling, bringing

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the viewer into a mental headspace where they no longer feel alienated or alone.

Mehta aspires to use her resources as a young, relatable, multi-ethnic mentor to provide advice to others. Over time, she has learned that feedback or artistic criticism need not be daunting, scary or awkward. Her passions and projects connect around literacy and education as a means to provide opportunities for all to function in American society.

Next school year, Mehta will attend the University of Pennsylvania with a major in English, and she dreams to someday have a nonfiction novel on The New York Times’ Bestseller List.

Janet Cooper is director of engagement, Dublin Arts Council. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

MORE INFORMATION www.soniamehta.net/solitude-project www.celticliteraryreview.com www.breakbreadproject.org PARTICIPATING ARTISTS Poets: Bea Bolongaita (Ohio); Trini Rogando (Virginia); Erin Ye (New York); Sonia Mehta (Ohio) Visual artists: Dylan Keessen (Maryland); Lily Wang (Texas) Diana Vins (Ohio) Musicians: Sam Braveman (Ohio); Anaika Iyer (Ohio) Facilitator: Jadyn Miller (Tennessee) Director: Sonia Mehta (Ohio)

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s tu d e nt s pot l i ght

by Tess Wells Photos courtesy of Bo Cunningham

Passing with Flying Colors Aviation students pursue diverse career goals

Students in the Aviation Academy attended OSU’s Global Conference on Diversity in Aviation, Aerospace and STEM, which took place Oct. 26-27.

While many may immediately think of pilots when they hear the word “aviation,” Bo Cunningham is quick to say that there are 10 jobs within the industry for every single pilot.

Many of those career options are being explored by Dublin students at the Aviation Academy, where Cunningham serves as program coordinator. It’s the newest of 12 academies at Dublin City Schools’ Emerald Campus. Students participating in the program’s inaugural year are pursuing career goals ranging from flying helicopters in the military to becoming engineers.

“I realized about last year that I would want to go into physics as a major, just because I love science and it’s one of my strong suits,” says Kylyn Smith, a senior at Dublin Jerome High School. “After 36 • February/March 2022

joining this class, I realized how many different careers there are within the aviation industry.”

The year-long program is a partnership with The Ohio State University allowing for college credit opportunity and access to the university’s airport. The Aviation Academy merges career readiness preparation – through collaboration with the Emerald Campus’ Young Professionals’ Academy – with practical aviation skills.

Much of the practical skills are learned at OSU’s airport, says Lori Mesi, Emerald Campus administrator.

“Part of this course, a big piece, is students are going to be prepared to earn their drone pilot credential,” Mesi says.

“It’s great. I mean, it’s not only a valid and valuable industry credential, but it’s also something that can ultimately help students towards the graduation pathway for high school.”

While drones are an exciting and new technology students will learn to pilot,

the academy is for pilots of larger aircraft, too. Keegan Blevins, a sophomore at Dublin Coffman High School, says he wants to join the military to fly helicopters and is considering joining ROTC at OSU in the future.

“There have been some people in my family who have gone the military route,” Blevins says. “I don’t exactly want to follow in their footsteps, but I kind of felt the purpose to go there.”

Some students hope to take things one small step further and aim to work with devices outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Adil Jamal, a senior at Coffman, says he hopes to pursue an aerospace engineering career.

“When I was about to start high school, I used to follow a lot of the work that NASA used to do with their Mars rovers and their space shuttles,” Jamal says. “So when I actually did come to high school, I knew I wanted to do engineering.”

Some students have already taken to the skies. Grace Read, a junior at Jerome, says she wants to become an airline pilot and already has 30 hours of experience

Since her first time with a flying vehicle, Grace Read, who aspires to be an airline pilot, has logged dozens of hours of flight time. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

flying as of the end of November. Read hopes to have her pilot’s license by the time she graduates.

“There’s no specific word to describe (flying),” Read says. “It’s just an amazing feeling.”

Getting off the Ground Connections are key in any industry, and aviation is no different – not only have students practiced flying drones, built resumes and begun to pursue career endeavors, but students in the Aviation Academy have also been able to touch base with professionals in the industry.

“We have lessons, and we have tests, but what’s different about Aviation Academy is that we actually have engineers and CEOs and people from the industry come and talk to us,” Jamal says. “Just having that experience and making that connection, it shows us how we’ll apply what we learn into the industry.”

Students in the Aviation Academy received a helicopter visit from Officer Steven Kinsey from the Columbus Division of Police.

WATCH, READ, EAT...WIN!

Some of those connections come directly from the program. Cunningham, who is a member of the Ohio Air National Guard, helped guide Smith, who says she is interested in joining the military after graduating, in the direction of the Air Force ROTC Scholarship.

In part due to Cunningham’s guidance, Smith applied and was awarded a scholarship granting her full tuition to any university with an Air Force ROTC detachment in addition to a stipend for books and living expenses.

Regardless of specific plans, Cunningham says his goal is to make students feel ready for their futures.

“That hybrid program, with half the time being spent down on campus in the university environment at OSU airport, really gives them that exposure,” he says.

“I can’t think of anything that’s more college prep than, you know, being in a college class on campus.”

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Tess Wells is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

February/March 2022 • 37

du b l i n d i s h es

by Megan Roth Photo courtesy of Geri Ziemba

Irish Immersion Unique Irish food and drink experiences Here in Dublin, celebrating all things Irish is core to our culture, so St. Patrick’s Day is an especially important holiday. This time of year is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with some traditional Irish foods and even try your hand at making a modern update to those recipes.

Call it the luck of the Irish that you don’t have to go far to get great Irish cuisine.

Fado Pub & Kitchen features meals popular in Ireland including fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. McClellan’s Pub lays claim to one of the largest whiskey selections in Ohio with more than 500 bottles on hand. At Dublin Village Tavern, the menu includes traditional fare and riffs on Irish cooking such as Irish egg rolls, Irish sliders and a whiskey glazed salmon.

Making Irish food at home, however, can seem like a challenge. The multiple layers of a shepherd’s pie or the long brining process of corned beef might not fit into a busy schedule.

Dublin Village Tavern general manager Geri Ziemba has suggestions for what to try: In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, start easy but get creative with his recipe for Irish smashed prata with an Irish cheddar cheese sauce.

Megan Roth is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

38 • February/March 2022

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

Práta • 1 ½ lbs. small red potatoes • 1⁄3 cup olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste • Fresh ground black pepper • Fresh chives, minced In a large pot of water, add potatoes and bring to a boil. Bring heat down to a simmer and cook until they can be pierced easily with a fork, about 1520 minutes. While simmering, begin preheating oven to 450 degrees. Drain and set aside.

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Place a double layer of paper towels on the counter and set the drained potatoes on top to cool.

Using a clean dish towel or paper towel, gently smash each potato with the heel of your hand, then place potatoes on a baking sheet.

Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, making sure that a bit of oil gets under each potato so they are entirely coated.

Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes, flipping once with a spatula halfway through. Roast until the edges are crispy and brown.

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Garnish potatoes with pepper and chives.

Irish Cheddar Sauce • 1 tbsp. Irish salted butter • 4 tsp. flour • 12 oz. evaporated milk • 1 ½ cups grated Irish aged cheddar cheese • ¼ cup cooked and diced Irish bacon or regular bacon Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for one minute.

Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.

Add cheese by the handful and stir until cheese is melted.

Stir in cooked diced bacon. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of Geri Ziemba, general manager, Dublin Village Tavern www.dublinlifemagazine.com

February/March 2022 • 39

livin g

by Lindsey Capritta Photos courtesy of Jennifer Daniel and Danielle Kravec, Live Laugh Protography

Wined, Sealed, Delivered Renovating a wine cellar gives Dublin home new life

The interior of the Daniel’s new vault.

Vincent Daniel’s love of wine began when he visited Napa Valley in the late ’90s. Over the years he has amassed quite the collection, eventually prompting him and his wife Jennifer to consider the best way to store that wine.

“I started buying cabernets that are really made to be cellared for a number of years before drinking them,” Vincent says. “If I was 40 • February/March 2022

going to buy fairly expensive bottles that I’m not going to drink for the next five to 10 to 15 years, I wanted to make sure the conditions they were stored at were perfect.”

For Vincent, it was clear that his home wasn’t offering the right conditions. The basement had a wine closet but it lacked space and a cooling system.

“I did open some bottles and it didn’t taste the same as it did in Napa,” Wincent says. “I wondered if it had to do with the fact it was stored in less-thanideal conditions and it accelerated aging of the wine so it was not as good as it could have been.”

Jennifer was also unhappy with the basement and how the space was being utilized.

“One thing I didn’t like was this choppy little room we walked through to get to the back,” she says. “A lot of the space wasn’t being used.”

The Daniels brought in Dave Fox Remodeling to rethink and renovate the space. Design Consultant Stephen Dempsey came up with an idea to remove a wall and create a more open area.

The Daniels immediately loved the idea.

“All of a sudden that room you couldn’t do anything with became usable space,” Jennifer says. “I got a better designed basewww.dublinlifemagazine.com

The exterior of the new vault.

ment where you actually want to go down to hang out.”

Dempsey also proposed a distinctive, vault-like wine cellar with glass walls to better show off the wine itself.

“The entire cellar was designed to be displayed, kind of like art work to appreciate,” Vincent says. “I wanted that to be part of the experience. You are able to see the labels and are able to see wine itself as art.”

The glass design forced the designers to get creative during construction.

Rocks were added to a small ledge be-

The Daniels’ current basement space.

low the wine, for example, to allow for discreet lighting.

“We found innovative ways to make it work,” Dempsey says. “It’s not like there are a lot of glass, round wine cellars for us to look to.”

To add the climate control system, the Dave Fox team stripped most of the space – including the walls, ceiling and flooring – to re-insulate the area and rework the electric.

The original wine closet only held around 700 bottles. The space now can hold over 1,600 bottles.

“The area didn’t really have purpose before we revamped it,” Vincent says. “I’m just happy walking down there. As a family we spend time down there appreciating the cellar and the environment. We started to utilize the whole basement much more than we previously did.”

Lindsey Capritta is a contributing writer.

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February/March 2022 • 41

Luxury Living

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Newer carpet Laminate wood flooring. New HVAC 2019, some windows replaced, updated electric panel. Fenced in back yard with plenty of space and elevated deck.

Updated bathroom. Painted top to bottom 2021. New cellar door 2021. $309,900.

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Steve Smith (614) 205-3394 7150 S. Section Line Rd., Delaware – 1.01 acre wooded lot along the Scioto River with views of stream, ravines, wildlife & the river! Adjoining City of Columbus Scioto River, Ravine & wooded wildlife areas. The river inlet has a culvert under Riverside Drive large enough to take a small boat, kayak or canoe through to deep water. Not in flood plain. Great opportunity to build your home on. $224,900.

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Carolyn Redinger (614) 679-1274 7252 Fitzwilliam Dr. – Spacious great room w/ cozy fireplace! Near park, pool & grade school! Earlington Village - 4 BR, 2.5 BA 2 story with 2,293 Sq.Ft. 1st floor laundry, atrium doors to spacious yard and trellis-covered inlaid brick patio. $430,000.

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Dustin Hood (614) 537-2349 5598 Preston Mill Way – Newly constructed luxury custom home located on 8th tee of Muirfield Village Tournament Course! The materials on this home are authentic in every way w/hand cut Northshore stone walls, slate roof, & copper downspouts & gutters. Beautiful floor to ceiling windows offer fabulous views of the course. Ideal for hosting guests w/expansive patios. Unwind in the incredible natural stone scotch room or grab a glass of wine from the temperature controlled wine cellar. $2,750,000 KELLER WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS REALTY dustinhood.yourkwagent.com

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 5548 Riverside Dr. – You've driven along the Scioto and seen this gated circular driveway & the rolling front yard full of mature trees overlooking the water. The interior of this home is just as impressive as the view. Classic architecture meets modern living w/a spacious & bright open floor plan full of hardwood floors, stone, moldings, & walls of windows. The great room is the heart of the home w/soaring ceilings & two stories of natural light. 3.22 acres of natural beauty await to run & play on. $1,000,000.

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Don’t miss your opportunity to showcase your home listings to every homeowner in Dublin.

Your listings will also appear in the digital edition of the magazine, hosted on the Dublin Life Magazine home page: dublinlifemagazine.com

Contact Tracy Douds today for more information: 614-572-1250 tdouds@cityscenemediagroup.com 42 • February/March 2022

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

Top Homes Sold in Dublin

43016

43017

8360 Riverside Dr. 3 beds 2 baths $745,000 Sold on 11/22/21

4789 Carrigan Ridge Ct. 4 beds 3.5 baths $872,500 Sold on 11/23/21

5589 Newtonmore Pl. 4 beds 4.5 baths $665,500 Sold on 12/7/21

3223 Scioto Bluff Ave. 3 beds 3 baths $629,900 Sold on 12/17/21

6451 Monaghan Dr. 4 beds 2.5 baths $551,000 Sold on 12/15/21

4908 Applecross Dr. 3 beds 2.5 baths $539,000 Sold on 11/22/21

6382 Norshire Ct. 4 beds 2.5 baths $525,000 Sold on 12/10/21

6250 Balmoral Dr. 4 beds 3.5 baths $525,000 Sold on 12/14/21

6693 Stone Circle Way 3 beds 3.5 baths $500,000 Sold on 12/2/21

6225 Balmoral Dr. 4 beds 2.5 baths $520,000 Sold on 11/22/21

5639 Marmion Dr. 3 beds 3 baths $480,000 Sold on 12/14/21

4592 Bridle Path Ln. 4 beds 2.5 baths $505,000 Sold on 12/21/21

Information gathered from Franklin, Delaware and Union County Auditors

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February/March 2022 • 43

wr it e n e x t d oor with columnist Colleen D’Angelo Photos courtesy of the Swenson family

Extended Field Trip Dublin family spends year homeschooling and traveling When our youngest daughter was 10, she gave a persuasive presentation for her fifth grade class on why she should be homeschooled. Catie wanted the flexibility of setting her own schedule and spending more time on subjects of interest. Homeschooling become a conversation point for somewhat different reasons as the COVID-19 pandemic sunk in as parents dealt with online classes, scattered start times and hybrid learning models.

With many classes and jobs moving virtual, some saw possibilities for shifting their normal routines and finding new experiences.

That’s exactly what the Swenson family of Dublin did in the summer of 2020. Remote work allowed Ashley, her husband Todd, their 9-year-old son Ryan, twin 8-year-old daughters Alexis and Avery, and their dog, Finnegan, to travel to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with a small pop-up camper and a thirst for adventure. The trip would ultimately inspire a year of homeschooling and travel.

On that trip, Todd worked outside using a solar unit to power his computer and a tall antenna to magnify cell signals for video calls. The test trip went well and the Swensons started the search for a larger motor home, eventually settling on a 29-foot

RV in Canada, complete with a shower, toilet, folding bunk beds and a propanefueled kitchen. Ashley spoke to Dublin Schools about her plan to homeschool the children while they traveled throughout the coming school year, and she received a lot of support.

The family decided to begin their adventure in San Antonio, where Ashley’s mother was fighting pancreatic cancer.

The Swensons wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, so they drove their camper to Texas and made that their base. From there, the Swensons traveled 44 • February/March 2022

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

to national parks including the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree and Death Valley, even venturing as far as the Florida Keys.

During those travels Ashley taught the children a literature-based curriculum with additional instruction in science and math.

“I tried to select books that corresponded with the places we were visiting,” Ashley says. “We read them aloud together in the evenings.”

The Swenson children also completed workbooks from the U.S. National Park Service Junior Ranger program, earning badges along the way.

“I feel like the kids have a better appreciation now for protecting our land and taking care of the earth,” Ashley says.

Studying life outside of the classroom can be an incredible way to learn, retain and pass on information. When my middle daughter was 12, we took her out of school for a three-generation trip to China.

Courtney had been learning Mandarin and was fascinated by Asian cultures. She kept a drawing journal of the people, buildings and landscapes in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. When Courtney returned to seventh grade, she gave a presentation on the differences between ancient and modern architecture in China as well as Chinese brush painting.

Valuable life skills are learned while traveling, including patience and creativity when dealing with missed trains, full hotels, language barriers and lost luggage. These teaching moments can be achieved during time off from school as well, but travel is much more expensive during breaks and summer vacation. There’s also a more relaxed feel to traveling during an offseason that can lead to less stressful experiences.

During the Swensons’ travels, the family found preparation was key as some visitor centers were closed and campsites were full due to pandemic-related limitations.

Ashley says that planning proved especially important during busier travel seasons.

“Over the winter you may not need as many reservations but plan well in advance if visiting popular destinations like Zion or Yellowstone in the summer,” Ashley says.

She recommends www.campendium. com for reviews and links to book campsites, www.harvesthosts.com for unique and free locations to park an RV, and www.roadtrippers.com to map out a trip and stops along the way.

Planning a trip can be a delicate balance of time, especially if one or both parents is working remotely. In the winter

months, Ashley says that shorter days can further limit the time for enjoying outside activities. Adapting to the needs and challenges of travel can be part of the experience though.

“We cooked most of our own meals as this was an adventure not a vacation,” Ashley says. “The important thing is to embrace the nomadic spirit.”

In April 2021, Ashley’s mother passed away, and the family was grateful for the extra time they’d been able to spend together creating long-lasting memories.

Ryan, Alexis and Avery returned to elementary school this year, but the Swensons plan to head to Utah, Colorado and Yosemite National Park in California this summer. Future goals include an East Coast historical battlefields trip, adding to the 26 states the family has explored and visiting all of the U.S. National Parks.

Colleen D’Angelo is a Dublin Life columnist and freelance writer. She and her husband, Tony, raised 3 children in Dublin over the last 25 years.

Colleen enjoys playing and teaching pickleball; walking her pup, Mason; and traveling internationally.

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b ook mar ks From the Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Librar y

By Guiseppe Fricano, Youth Learning Specialist

The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes and the Unwritten History of the Trans Experience

by Zoe Playdon

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Gianna Barrett 614.572.1255 gbarrett@cityscenemediagroup.com 46 • February/March 2022

Until the 1990s the secret legal case of Ewan Forbes, an aristocratic transgender man born in Scotland in 1912, was known by few people.

Assigned female at birth, Forbes later received synthetic testosterone and lived a peaceful life as a doctor, husband and crucial member of the community. In the 1960s, when a family death led Forbes to inherit the baronetcy, he was forced to contest his gender status in Scotland’s supreme civil court and he prevailed. Had Ewan Forbes’ case not been kept secret, it would have been a critically important case for transgender individuals around

the world. The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a crucial text in trans history and the ongoing struggle for trans rights around the world.

Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes

by Phoebe Robinson A collection of essays equal parts hilarious and deeply thoughtful, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes takes on race, travel, relationships, genuine human connection and Black excellence with unparalleled wit. Packed with authenticity and pop culture references, Robinson’s writing is heartfelt, accessible and made to stick with you for years to come.

Bewilderment

by Richard Powers Pulitzer Prizewinning author Richard Powers presents a brilliant novel filled with profound wonder and worry for the natural world as it faces destruction.

Bewilderment tells the story of an astrobiologist single father and a son who feels kindness and love for animals and the natural world so deeply that his rage at their mistreatment becomes nearly allconsuming. Rich in prose and brimming with striking imagery, this novel explores the nature of empathy, pain and the beauty of all living things.

Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism

by Elsa Sjunneson Ever since movies began playing on silver screens in the early 20th century, their ability to sway public perception has had a tremendous impact on society.

Cinematic depictions of disabilities and disabled individuals have long done more harm than good.

Elsa Sjunneson, a deafblind media studies professor, knows the damage caused by silver screen portrayals all too well. Part cultural critique and part memoir, Being Seen deconstructs negative tropes and stereotypes in myriad film genres and calls out the myths around disability that have been perpetuated by popular cinema for generations.

Dublin Life Book Club Selection Editor’s note: To be added to the Dublin Life Book Club mailing list or for more information, email Brandon Klein at bklein@cityscenemediagroup.com. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 with location to be determined.

The Nature of Fragile Things

by Susan Meissner A mail-order bride finds herself tied to two other women as she navigates the circumstances of her new marriage on the eve of the devastating 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. This story from the acclaimed author of A Fall of Marigolds and As Bright as Heaven conjures images of friendship and female solidarity. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

And the winner is...    Nominate Columbus’ best arts, entertainment, food and events for CityScene Magazine’s annual Best of the ‘Bus!

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