Currents August 2023 issue

An Absolute Hidden Gem - Listed at $1,995,000 Magnolia Manor is an ultra - private, 7.6 Acre Grand Estate located in prestigious Gates Mills This Luxury Property includes 2 Gorgeous Homes, Stunning Grounds and a Fantastic Location!

DEPARTMENTS

A5 IN THE CLE Cleveland Foundation moves to MidTown

By Andrea C. Turner

A9 BOOKS

Vivien Chien pens mystery series with latest release entitled “Misfortune Cookie”

By Linda Feagler

A10 EDUCATION

Area colleges help students prepare for today’s job market

By Lauri Gross

FEATURES

B4 HISTORY Sheffield Lake’s 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation

By Cynthia Schuster Eakin

B6 TRAVEL

Hot springs, train rides, ancient ruins among many highlights of SW Colorado tour

By Sarah Jaquay

B2 COMEREAL ESTATE

Karen Eagle shares information, advice for first-time homebuyers

By Rita Kueber

EDITOR’S NOTE

We know you will enjoy this month’s issue of Currents as a supplement to the Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier and WestLife, where it first appeared in 1985! We’ve come full circle headed into our 39th year, and we certainly want to thank our many valued and longtime advertisers for their continued support of Currents in this new iteration! As a supplement to the award-winning Times papers, Currents is now being printed on heavier 50-pound white paper offering advantageous and attractive pricing for your advertising dollars with circulation monthly of 25,000 inserted into all four newspapers, delivered to our list of requestors and with an E-Edition at currentsneo.com. Content remains the same with a focus on the best news there is to share about Northeast Ohio.

While sitting in the office getting this month’s issue of Currents set to go to press, I learned of the devastating wildfires on Maui through alerts on my computer. The shocking video footage I saw of Lahaina simply brought me to tears. It’s truly where part of my heart resides and my mind is flooded with great memories of so many good times spent there, thanks to my ex-husband’s grandmother who was a fearful flyer. In order to see her great-grandchildren, our two sons, she generously arranged for us to fly there at least once a year, sometimes twice, as the boys were growing up so that she could spend time with them and see them grow and develop. Most of the buildings along Front St. in historic Lahaina were constructed of wood (hence the destruction), including the Lahaina Yacht Club, one of our favorite spots, where we often dined at sunset on the outdoor deck where ocean water splashed up through the cracks in the decking, which the boys just loved. The shade of the giant Banyan Tree, breakfast at the Pioneer Inn, boats in the harbor to charter for an afternoon of deep sea fishing, surfing lessons, catamaran rides, beautiful jewelry and netsuke to be seen at The Gallery…you name it, we took it all in and enjoyed every minute of it, year after year. But the scene since yesterday certainly fits the description “apocalyptic” which they are using on the news, and as much as I would love to visit once again, I think it would break my heart. Once a whaling village, and always a busy tourist hub, I can’t imagine how those small businesses along Front St. will begin to rebuild. And the many displaced homeowners not too far from there. I pray that the International Colony Club, a colony of wooden cottages with shake roofs, which was always our home base while there, somehow survived. My heart is heavy for the beautiful and gracious people of Maui, yet once the Aloha spirit returns, I am certain they will overcome. ~

Kelli Cotesworth McLellan

ON OUR COVER

Northeast Ohio’s First Social Network

Cynthia Schuster Eakin, Lauri Gross, Sarah Jaquay, Rita Kueber, Jeannie Emser-Schultz, Peggy Turbett, Andrea C. Turner

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Peggy Turbett

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE S: Jim Dalessandro

AD DESIGNERS: Connie Gabor, Ashley Gier

Northeast Ohio summers allow for beautiful, outdoor tented gatherings, such as this one taken by Kofi Amponsah at The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Park’s “Topography”

Please call 440.247.5335 for editorial, advertising and deadline information. Currents is distributed in: Auburn, Avon Lake, Bainbridge, Bath, Bay Village, Beachwood, Bentleyville, Bratenahl, Brecksville, Chagrin Falls, Chesterland, Cleveland Heights, Fairview Park, Gates Mills, Hudson, Hunting Valley, Kirtland Hills, Lakewood, Lyndhurst, Moreland Hills, North Royalton, Orange Village, Pepper Pike, Rocky River, Russell, Shaker Heights, Solon, South Russell, Strongsville, University Heights, Waite Hill, Westlake, Akron, Copley, Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn, Hinckley, Montrose, Peninsula, Richfield and Silver Lake.

fundraiser held in late June. Read more about “Topography” on page A11.

“I do” destinations…from Vegas to Venice

By JEANNIE EMSER SCHULTZ

Once a rarity, destination weddings have become commonplace with creative couples saying “I do” in exotic locales including beaches, ski slopes, vineyards, European castles and Cinderella weddings in any of Disney’s three park properties.

There were 350,000 destination weddings in 2022 (roughly 25% of all U.S. weddings), with the most popular U.S. destination states (per Group Travel) being Nevada (Las Vegas), California and Florida. The Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii listed as the most popular sites outside the continental U.S. An ever-increasing number of organizations in foreign countries are taking advantage of the destination wedding surge to extoll the virtues of tying the knot in their locale with weddinghoneymoon packages offering fairy tale settings.

So how to begin planning the perfect destination wedding? The first hurdle is… “should you” or “shouldn’t you?” Are destination weddings a dream solution or a nightmare?

Money savers or budget busters? (Answer: they can be either.) Second marriages, vow renewals or couples who are self-funding their nuptials may enjoy more say than if parents are footing the bill. (Will Mom have a meltdown at the prospect of the ceremony not being in the local church or available to elderly relatives not able to travel?)

Hurdles #2 and #3 are symbiotic: “ample planning time” is as crucial as the “time of year” chosen. It is advised to choose a location before you pick a wedding date to avoid the conflicts or limitations of some resorts’ high season or choosing a beach wedding that coincides with hurricane season. Google “weddings in Tahiti” or “Italy” or nearly any location, and you’ll be bombarded with websites for both U.S. wedding planners as well as ones located in foreign countries. Many hotels and resorts also have their own wedding planners to aid couples.

Wedding planners, in fact, are an advisable expense for destination weddings. Professional planners can often help with travel arrangements as well as being current on the regulations of marrying in foreign countries including: licenses; age and document requirements; if same-sex marriages are legal (e.g. they are NOT yet in Jamaica); peculiar local regulations (such as the Cayman Islands disallowing live outdoor music on Sundays, so Saturday outdoor receptions must wrap up by midnight);or, as a non-resident, in which countries may a wedding ceremony be only symbolic, not legal (you would need to first be legally married in your own country).

(Jerry Hall learned this the hard way when filing for divorce from Mick Jagger, only to be told their 1991 Hindu ceremony in Bali had not been legally recognized by either the UK or Indonesia!) And, for example, should you choose to wed in Tahiti, expect to say, “Je le

fais” instead of “I do,” as all weddings must be conducted in French.

My own destination wedding plans encountered such stumbling blocks as we considered Bermuda…until learning of its six-week residency requirement (at that time).Ultimately, we discovered an organization in Hawaii which could marry us on any of the islands… “in the jungle, on the beach, near a waterfall, the summit of a volcano (inactive!) at dawn, or on a cliff overlooking the ocean at sunset.” We chose the latter in Maui. (One of those peculiar requirements for a Hawaiian marriage license—since cancelled—required documentation assuring the bride had either previously contracted measles or been vaccinated against them!)

For our traditional Hawaiian ceremony, we

and our witnesses chose Hawaiian print outfits, with the wedding package including flower leis, a wedding bouquet, photographer, videographer and being collected at our hotel by a chauffeured Rolls Royce limo (sporting a trunk sign that announced “Just Mauied!”). Post ceremony we were treated to champagne as our Hawaiian officiant, complete with ukulele, sang “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” (claiming a wedding in the Islands isn’t considered official until that song is performed).

We followed the advisable suggestion to go with a reception after returning home so family and friends could celebrate with us (and view photos from our wedding!).“Cons” of a destination wedding can include hurt feelings/jealousy by those who may not have the available time or finances to travel. And, unless you are planning to fund travel/hotel expenses for the wedding party, you might shave their expenses (and any guests who attend) by considerately insisting, “Your presence will be our gift.”

Destination wedding costs naturally vary. A Tahitian beach ceremony might be less

than renting an Italian villa, but airfare to Tahiti will cost more than a flight to Europe. All-encompassing websites such as destinationweddings.com can help you calculate your own costs with a questionnaire based on dates, location and number of guests. Destination wedding “pros” can include an adventure. (One friend married wearing scuba gear on a boat in the Cayman Islands. After saying “I do,” the couple jumped into the ocean). Another colleague and her fiancé (both avid Browns fans) selected a Jacksonville, FL beach ceremony at dawn to be able to attend the afternoon Browns-Jaguars game.

A recent U.S. News & World Report listed the current Top 12 European Wedding Destinations as: ITALY (Tuscany, Venice, Amalfi Coast, Lake Como); FRANCE (Provence, Parisor Loire Valley wine country); GREECE (Santorini, Mykonos); PORTUGAL (Porto); SPAIN (Mallorca); SCOTLAND (Edinburgh); CROATIA (Dubrovnik on the Adriatic).Sicily is also making inroads as a destination following the popularity of The White Lotus hit TV series.

Destination weddings have been the celebrity nuptials of choice with George Clooney, John Legend, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Tom Cruise and Rachel Ray choosing Italy; Cindy Crawford, Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz marrying in The Bahamas and Halle Berry, Alicia Keyes and Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie holding their vows in France. If budget isn’t a consideration, couples can even wed in the same resorts chosen by celebrities, such asthe Taj Bhawan Palace in India where Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas exotically tied the knot. Victoria “Posh” and David Beckham married at Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin, and closer to home, Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello chose The Breakers in Palm Beach. The key to planning a destination wedding is research-with-a-capital R. A plethora of helpful websites are available with some of the most informative ones the aforementioned destinationweddings.com, as well as withjoy.com, skitheday. com (for ski weddings) and brides.com (the latter even offering “11 Real-life Castles Where You Can Be Married”). Free wedding planning tools are also available at theknot.com.

The Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s most picturesque wedding sites.

A downhill wedding ... not for everyone. Photograph by Gabrielle Stowe

Cleveland Foundation hosts opening of its new headquarters

By ANDREA C. TURNER

The world’s first community foundation and one of the largest in the nation, the Cleveland Foundation, hosted the grand opening of its new headquarters at 6601 Euclid Ave. on July 15. The event coincided with MidTown’s Opening Day neighborhood festival and block party, open to all.

Guests witnessed the official ribbon cutting with musical fanfare by a trio of brass musicians from The Cleveland Orchestra. Members of Cleveland City Council and the Foundation cut the ribbon as emcee Ahmaad Crump, on-court host of the Cleveland Cavaliers, gave the signal.

Cleveland Foundation’s retiring president and CEO of 20 years Ronald B. Richard said, “We’re planting seeds in Cleveland’s neighborhoods,” referring to the foundation’s move to MidTown Cleveland at E. 66th St. on the border of the Hough neighborhood. It marks the first time in nearly a century that it has a front door to the community.

The Foundation’s mission is to enhance the lives of all residents of Greater Cleveland by working together with donors to build community endowment, address needs through grant-making, and provide leadership on key community issues.

Visitors toured the new three-story building, which shares the block with the historic Dunham Tavern Museum. The project was led by architectural teams S9 Architecture (NYC) and Vocon (Cleveland), with construction by Panzica and Regency. The first floor is dedicated to community space, as well as the Fred & Laura Ruth Bidwell Exhibition Space. The second floor holds staff offices, and the third floor contains a boardroom and catering kitchen. The upper floors have access to an outdoor terrace.

Attendees enjoyed live dance and music performances in the first floor KeyBank Studio by the Tri-C Community Dance Mastery Program, Djapo Cultural Arts, Dancing Wheels, and Singing Angels. Guests could visit neighborhood organization booths, eat lunch in the new Susanna’s Cafe, and kids could participate in a bouncy house, outdoor roller skating rink, and bumper cars.

Susanna’s Cafe is named for the daughter of CEO Richard, and his wife Bess. This casual coffee and lunch spot is a part of the HELP Harvest program, a seed-to-table concept launched in 2022. The cafe is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Every piece of the HELP Harvest program includes paid vocational training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A one-year educational curriculum leads them

BENEFIT BEAT

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Friday, August 18…Twilight Soiree, to benefit The Foundation for Geauga Parks, 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Meadow Ridge Events, 17305 Mayfield Rd., Huntsburg Twp. Enjoy an evening of dinner, music, live and silent auctions, and socializing with others who have the common interests of protecting natural resources and educating our next generation. Proceeds from Twilight Soiree directly impact our support of land conservation, park improvements and nature education in Geauga County. Tickets & details are available now at https://bit.ly/FGPTwilightSoiree.

Sunday, Aug. 20…Cleveland’s Top Chefs, to benefit International Culinary Arts & Sciences Institute’s Scholarship Fund, Inc., 4 to 7 p.m. at International Culinary Arts & Sciences Institute, 8700 Mayfield Road, Chesterland 44026. More than a dozen top chefs from Cleveland will donate their time and talent to raise needed scholarship funds for students to pursue their dream of becoming a chef in the Culinary and Pastry Arts despite their economic status. Enjoy tasting plates and sweet treats, Brix Chocolate Wine Pairing, Wine and Beer, Bourbon Tasting Bar, Music and Complimentary Valet Parking. Opportunities to win amazing prizes. Tickets are $150 per person. Visit icasischolarshipfund.org.

on a path to employment. The program includes a 4000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse in Euclid, a Lakewood facility where produce grown in the greenhouse is used to prepare healthy packaged meals, and two HELP Harvest

cafes – Susanna’s Cafe and The Bistro in Lakewood – which sell that food and other products to consumers. The organization serves 800 individuals per year in Northeast Ohio.

Lillian A. Kuri, who

President and CEO, commented, “This [new building] is a manifestation of our values — everyone can see themselves as part of our foundation.”

Opening day visitors also entered raffles to win tickets to Cleveland’s favorite professional sports teams, including the Cavs, Guardians and Browns.

Future plans for the campus include the building of the MidTown Collaboration Center in the lot next door, which will house seven community partners, as well as two Black-owned businesses, and a music venue — scheduled to open in early 2025.

succeeds Richard as

The Cleveland Foundation’s new headquarters. Photograph courtesy of the Cleveland Foundation.

Constance Hill-Johnson, Lillian A. Kuri, Pascale Sablan, Carol Malone and Carey Jaros

Participate in Cleveland’s largest public photography exhibition

By ANDREA C. TURNER

The Cleveland Photo Fest, (CPF) now in its fourth year, takes place September 1-30, at Bostwick Design Art Initiative, 2731 Prospect Road in Cleveland. Its mission is to strengthen the appreciation of photography as a major force in today’s visually driven culture throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. CPF seeks to promote worldwide “Unity Through Photography.”

The festival is not just for professional photographers; amateurs can get involved too. The public is invited to participate in the largest public photography exhibition ever held in Cleveland: The Cleveland Open Photo Show, a photography exhibition for all residents of Northeast Ohio. The fee to enter is $10 per image. All family-friendly photographs will be displayed.

On August 26 and 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., bring a submission and $10 to the Bostwick gallery. Have two submissions? Bring $20. No size limitations (within reason). Framed or unframed is OK. No judging, opinions, or comments will be rendered. This is a show for everyone.

BENEFIT BEAT

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Wednesday, Aug. 23…Jam for Justice, to benefit Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, at The Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in the Waterloo Arts District of Cleveland. The event will include a staggered schedule of bands on two stages for non-stop fun! Doors will open for the August 23 show at 5:30 p.m., with the first band taking the stage at 6 p.m. Event emcees Stephanie Haney (WKYC), DJ Brad Wolfe (Brad Wolfe Law), & Delanté Spencer Thomas (President,

On opening night, Friday, September 1, vote for a favorite image. A $100 prize will be awarded that night for the Best in Show, chosen by the public. The opening reception begins at 3 p.m., and features food, refreshments and live music.

Visual artist Suber Huang makes a presentation from 6-7 p.m. to discuss his exhibit, “See and Be Seen,” a celebration of eye-catching photographs juxtaposed with images from his inspirational work as Founding Curator of the American Society of Retina Specialists Retina Image Bank. Since its inception, the Image Bank has garnered over three million page views and has been used in over 180 countries to become the world’s largest and most comprehensive open access retina platform. His collection has been selected as a featured artist and his photography was awarded a solo exhibition at the prestigious New York Foundation of the Arts in 2021.

Photographer and activist Joan Lederer presents Friday, Sept 8, from 7-8 p.m. to discuss her exhibit, “Diary of a Congolese Asylum Seeker and His Family.” For 10 months, she has photographed a family of four Congolese who are seeking asylum in the US.

Norman S. Minor Bar Association) will keep the party going throughout the evening. Participating bands for 2023 include: Faith & Whiskey; Hayden Gilbert and The Ruckus; K.G. Mojo; Luke Lindberg & The Hung Jury; The No Name Band; Out of Order; Razing the Bar; State Road; and Six Sometimes Seven. These bands are made up of many local bench and bar leaders –attorneys, judges, law faculty, and law students who moonlight as musicians and donate their talents to raise money for Legal Aid. Jam for Justice tickets are $50 each, and available online: www.lasclev.org/2023Jam.

Saturday, Aug. 26...”Summer Soiree” to benefit Dunham Tavern Museum and Gardens, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Dunham Tavern, 6709 Euclid Ave. The evening includes live music, a buffet-

“The family has been remarkably generous in allowing me into their lives,” said Lederer. “The photos show emotions and relationships that are generalizable to all of us. And yet, what this family has gone through is something none of us should ever have to experience.”

Jimena Horta speaks on her work “Adentro (Inside)…Self Portraits” on Friday, September 15, from 7-8 p.m. of photography she captured of herself in Mexico City in 2017.

style dinner and silent auction. The event is honoring Lillian Kuri of The Cleveland Foundation. Tickets are $125 for general admission and $250 for VIP tickets. Visit http://www.dunhamtavern.org.

Tuesday, Aug. 29…Night at the Shoreby, to benefit Shoes and Clothes for Kids, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Shoreby Club. Enjoy cocktails, heavy hot d’oeuvres, delicious desserts, and Cleveland’s most breathtaking sunset - all while helping Shoes and Clothes for Kids begin an exciting new chapter in its 54-year history. This year’s Night at the Shoreby will be an exciting moment for Shoes and Clothes for Kids. Join us to be among the first to see how Shoes and Clothes for Kids is expanding to deepen our impact and meet the growing needs of our com-

“The project is an exercise about exploring introspection and all the uncomfortable emotions and feelings along that internal process,” said Horta. “Self-portraiture was the tool I decided to use in this dialogue with myself. It became my most important instrument for self-learning. Adentro also opened the door for the mental health journey through which I had intended to walk,” she added.

The final presentation, “Nihil Omnia Audio Visual Sludge Noiseadelic” (by Jim Szudy and Shawn Slowburn) takes place Friday, September 22, from 8-9 p.m.

CPF also features work of Jon Passow, “The West…Pinhole Color Landscapes,” five large format photographs taken throughout America’s Wild West.

Finally, the Second Annual Volunteer Appreciation Show features a collection of images from all of the CPF volunteers. The closing reception is Friday, September 29, from 3-9 p.m. with a live show, food and refreshments.

CPF is sponsored by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Ohio Arts Council, NEO Pro Imaging, and Bostwick Design Art Initiative. Visit clevelandphotofest.org for more information.

munity.

Individual tickets cost $200 and can be purchased online at www.sc4k.org

Saturday, Sept. 9…Chefs Unbridled, to benefit Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center, 6 p.m. at Chagrin Valley Hunt Club Polo Field, 7620 Old Mills Rd. , Gates Mills. Enjoy an evening of delicious food prepared by amazing chefs led by Chefs Chris Hodgson and Scott Kuhn of Driftwood Hospitality, along with a food truck, cocktails, a wine pull, a bourbon barrel raffle, live music, horse-drawn carriage rides and more. Proceeds to benefit the programs and students at Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center. Tickets start at $175. To purchase, visit fieldstonefarm.org/support-us or call 440.708.0013, ext. 123.

August 26-27 2023

The Hudson Society of Artists • Hudson, Ohio

The Hudson Society of Artists • Hudson, Ohio 41st Annual Art On The Green

Located at 5555 Darrow Road, Hudson

FINE ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

FINE ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

FOOD • FREE ADMISSION

FOOD • FREE ADMISSION

Over 140 Exhibitors Selling a Variety of Fine Arts & Crafts

Over 140 Exhibitors Selling a Variety of Fine Arts & Crafts

Saturday, August 26 | 10-5PM

Saturday, August 26 | 10-5PM

Sunday, August 27 | 10-5PM

Sunday, August 27 | 10-5PM

www.hudsonsocietyofartists.com

www.hudsonsocietyofartists.com

Cleveland Photo Fest Directors: Jim Szudy, Laura D’Alessandro, and Herb Ascherman, Jr. Photograph by Duane Hudson

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BENEFIT BEAT

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Saturday, Sept. 9…BLOOMFEST, to benefit BigHearted Blooms, 6 to 9 p.m. at The Conference Center at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, 11890 Fairhill Road, Cleveland, 44120. This festive evening will include cocktails, food, live music, silent auction and community building. We celebrate five years of spreading joy and hope through recycled and repurposed flowers. Every five dollars raised will deliver another floral bouquet that brings comfort, healing and a sense of connection to those in care facilities throughout the Greater Cleveland area. Tickets are $100 per person. Visit bigheartedblooms.org to purchase tickets or learn about sponsorship opportunities.

Playhouse Square “Center Stage”

On Saturday, June 10, Playhouse Square hosted its annual Center Stage Benefit presented by The Cleveland Browns and KeyBank. Co-chaired by Dee Haslam and Beth Mooney, the event raised $500,000 to support Playhouse Square’s innovative arts education programs, including streaming initiatives, sensory-friendly performances and social justice series. Six hundred attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception in the Connor Palace & Mimi Ohio Theatres to begin the evening, followed by a seated dinner in the Allen Theatre. Guests had the opportunity to experience a performance of the KeyBank Broadway Series show “Moulin Rouge! the Musical” at the KeyBank State Theatre, and they ended the evening with dessert and dancing in the KeyBank State Theatre lobby alongside “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” cast members. STORY SUBMITTED BY

BY

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE/PHOTOGRAPHS

DAN MILNER

We teach the child. We reach the heart.

As Northeast Ohio’s only independent and Catholic school, Gilmour creates endless possibilities for students to not only learn about the real world, but how to positively impact it.

Saturday Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10… Hospice of the Western Reserve to Host Warehouse Sale, September 9, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, September 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at Hospice of the Western Reserve Headquarters, Cleveland. Hospice of the Western Reserve’s Warehouse Sale is the place to be to find gently-used home furnishings, accents and accessory pieces— all priced at a fraction of their original retail prices! In celebration of the sale’s 10th anniversary, all purchases will be 10 percent off! This Sale Only. The proceeds benefit patients and families. Call 216.255.9090 for more information.

Saturday, Sept. 9…Pandemonium, to benefit Cleveland Public Theatre, at the Cleveland Public Theatre campus, this year to honor Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group, which includes the Cleveland Cavaliers. In its 21st year, Pandemonium returns to transform the CPT campus into a labyrinth of theatre, dance, visual art and performances in every corner. Tickets are all-inclusive, featuring fabulous local food, free valet and complimentary drinks served all night long. Attendees highly anticipate the announcement of the theme each year so they can start planning their attire which has included people coming dressed in anything from jeans to dinosaur costumes. Details to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will be available to purchase in July. Visit cptonline.org.

Chase Rynd and Beth Mooney with Amy and Stan Brady

Helen Forbes Fields, Lorna Wisham, Darnella Robertson and Ariana Kirkpatrick

David and Julie Greene

Nidha and Ravi Chirumamilla with Amy and Madison Brady

Denise and Norm Wells

Shelly and Terry Adelman with Craig Hassall

Parma author Vivien Chien pens ‘Misfortune Cookie’ mystery

By LINDA FEAGLER

Vivien Chien’s passion for writing began when she was a second-grader at Parma’s Pearl Road Elementary School.

“My classmates brought in toys for showand-tell, but I decided to write a story about a day at the zoo that featured all of my friends,” the 42-year-old Parma resident recalls. “They loved it, and I was hooked.”

After traversing a career path that included working as a trainer for U.S. Bank Home Mortgage and a receptionist at GIE Media Inc., Chien decided to get serious about the craft to which she aspired.

The budding author joined the Northeast Ohio chapter of Sisters in Crime, a national organization devoted to offering advice and support to women crime writers. In addition to authors, members include publishers, booksellers, agents, librarians and fans united in their love of whodunits. During meetings, she got to know Cleveland author Casey Daniels, who introduced her to an agent on the lookout for a writer who could develop an Asian American mystery series. Chien took a chance, submitted a proposal and was awarded a three-book contract.

Her first cozy mystery, “Death by Dumpling,” was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2018. It introduced readers to the life of Lana Lee, the 20-something, full-time manager of her parents’ Ho-Lee Noodle House — and sometime amateur sleuth. Kirkus Reviews lauded the plot as “A charming debut with plenty of red herrings,” and predicted a bright future for the new novelist.

The praise was spot-on. The book garnered legions of fans and led to the series Chien continues to pen. Her ninth offering, “Misfortune Cookie,” published in June, follows Lana’s adventures at a restaurant convention in California, where she’s caught up in the mayhem surrounding the suspicious death of a journalist at the iconic Hotel Laguna. It’s a story Library Journal calls “Delectable … another tempting, too-good-to-miss treat for culinary cozy fans.”

“I think readers respond to Lana because she’s easy to relate to,” Chien reflects. “Many tell me they have women like the ones Lana knows in their lives, or that they grew up in an Asian family, and what Lana experiences is true for them, too.”

Here, the author talks about her favorite writers, what makes a good mystery story and ways in which her readers inspire her.

You mention that your experience with writing began as a child. Back then, did you dream of becoming a mystery writer?

Not at all. I really got serious about writing in 2007, when I was 26 years old, and started taking courses at Cuyahoga Community College. I signed up for a class called Fiction Writing because I thought it would give me a broad overview of fiction in general. But on the first day, the instructor announced that the focus would be only on mysteries, and that we’d have to write a short story in order to pass. My first thought was, ‘I’m not having any of

BENEFIT BEAT

Visit currentsneo.com to submit your event or wedding.

Tuesday, Sept. 12…Fall into Fashion, to benefit University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Shoreby Club (40 Shoreby Drive, Bratenahl.) Fashions are provided by Toni-In-Style. Mistress of Ceremonies is Hollie Strano, meteorologist at WKYC Studios; and the speaker, Kerianne Hearns is sharing the story of her son, Brendan Hearns, “A Trauma Journey”. The event is a luncheon and fashion show to also include boutique shopping starting at 10:30am. A rose raffle and auction will be present as well. For information on how to purchase tickets, or sponsor the event, please contact Sandra Treppo at 216.287.1934.

this. I’m going to drop the class.’ But then I thought, ‘Wait a minute. This might be a really good opportunity to broaden my horizons as a writer.’ I decided to challenge myself and write something I’d never attempted to write before. So I stuck it out and fell in love with the genre. The story I wrote for the class was called ‘It Takes Two to Strangle.’ Maybe someday I’ll turn it into a full-length novel. What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Back when I was a child writing stories, I learned that the idea of creating something was very important to me. It’s a gift to be able to do so.

What makes a good mystery?

The story should have many working pieces that confuse the reader. You’re reading the book, and you think, ‘Wait a minute, this just happened. But then there’s also this.’ So many possibilities arise and you have to decide which one you want to focus on.

Who are your favorite writers and why?

Anne Rice compelled me to write. Sue Grafton propelled me to write mysteries. When I read Anne Rice’s ‘Interview With The Vampire’ for the first time, I was 13 years old. It wowed me like nothing ever did before. Although I’ve never set foot in New Orleans where the novel takes place, I felt like I was there. That’s when I realized that I wanted to take readers on the kind of journey Anne Rice took me on — one in which I would meet characters who would feel like friends.

I read Sue Grafton’s ‘A is for Alibi’ — the

first book in her Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series — in that class I took at Tri-C. It was then that I understood the impact of creating a female private investigator in a genre that is not predominantly female. Kinsey feels like an old friend, and it’s such a comfort to go back to the series and re-read it.

It was heartbreaking when Sue Grafton and Anne Rice passed away. I wish I could have shaken their hands and told them how they changed the course of my life.

The titles of your mysteries are playfully clever. How are they chosen?

The publisher suggests the titles, I roll them over in my head for about a month, and then develop the plots around them. When St. Martin’s Press asked me to write the first book, they understood that the Asian voice in America is not represented enough in fiction. The only parameters the editors gave me were they wanted a story involving an Asian American who worked in a restaurant. I took the next steps and decided to make her mixed race like me, and include the way I felt when I was in my 20s. During that time of life, many people believe their life is going to go one way, and think something is wrong with them if it doesn’t. I want to be the voice that says, ‘That’s not weird, that happened to me, too.’

Although Cleveland’s east side is home to a vibrant Asian community, you opted to set Asia Village, the plaza where Ho-Lee Noodle House is located, in Fairview Park. What led you to make the west side a star in your stories?

One reason is that I’m a west sider, so I wanted a plaza over here. The other reason is that I knew I was going to be writing about crime, so I wanted to make my own fictitious place where a lot of crazy things happen.

Your mom is from Taiwan and was raised there. Your dad is an Italian American who was born in Cleveland. Were there any challenges growing up in a mixed-race family in Parma in the 1980s?

It was very hard. I didn’t look the same as the white kids in my classes and I was made fun of a lot, especially when it came to my eyes. I tried to hide the fact that I was Asian until my late teens. It was then I realized that I had to be the one to stick up for myself and embrace my heritage.

What are the distinct similarities and differences between you and your heroine Lana Lee?

I look at Lana as my alternate timeline. At

one time, my mom owned a Chinese gift shop at Southland Shopping Center. Lana is who I would have been if I’d been expected to work there. But I did add pieces of my personality into her character. Like me, Lana’s hair is always an odd color, and when she mentions a song she’s listening to it’s usually one I was listening to while I was writing.

You dedicated your eighth novel, 2022’s “Hot and Sour Suspects,” to “cancer survivors and fighters.” In the book’s acknowledgments, you shared the news that you’d been diagnosed with stage 3 clear cell ovarian cancer during the summer of 2020, underwent surgery and chemotherapy which led to a clean bill of health in March 2021 and that the cancer returned later that year. You credit writing as a labor of love that kept you grounded. How did you keep your spirits up and cope during this traumatic journey?

Writing was an escape for me. I used the Ho-Lee Noodle House as someplace else to go. One of the things I struggled with and worried about during chemotherapy was a condition known as chemo brain, in which my mind would draw blanks. The biggest thing about cancer I want everyone to know is: It’s more mental than anything else, and it’s crucial for you to keep your spirits up and your mind sharp and clear because you can go downhill superfast if you don’t. I’m a private person when it comes to medical issues, so at first I was reluctant to let people who read my posts know that I was going through treatment. But when I did, the outpouring of support was overwhelming. Many offered to help in any way they could, and some shared their own poignant experience with the disease, mentioning they took my books with them to read during their treatments. Sadly, others wrote that they’d felt shame in telling people they had cancer and I was helping them dispel that misconception. When I read that, I knew I had to keep writing because I had a purpose that would propel me forward through my own treatment.

How are you feeling now?

My last chemo treatment was in April 2022, and I started writing ‘Misfortune Cookie’ a month later. I’ve passed the year mark of being cancer-free, and I feel mostly good.

What’s next for you?

My 10th cozy mystery in the series, ‘Peking Duck and Cover’ will be released next year. Since Peking Duck is a favorite dish during Chinese New Year, the book will focus on that beloved time of year.

Vivien Chien photographed by Ed Dubiel

NEO colleges prepare graduates for ‘real world’ jobs, careers

By LAURI GROSS

Last year, when a Case Western Reserve University senior was set to graduate, he had solid internship experience under his belt and a couple of good job offers in his desired fields of marketing and data analysis. But still, Drew Poppleton knew the student wasn’t that excited about his job offers. As the director of post-graduate planning and experiential education at the university, Drew had come to know the student well. “I knew he was the announcer for some sports on campus and I knew he was a big sports fan,” Drew recalls. Drew happened to also have connections at the Guardians. “The Guardians’ strategy team needed someone to do data analysis and strategy,” Drew says. “They don’t normally hire at the entry level but I reached out to this student, who said this would be his dream job.” After what was described as a rigorous hiring process, Drew says, “The student is now with the Guardians and is very happy.”

While not every new college grad can land their dream job with a professional sports team, they are in fact likely to find that their campus career center is indeed there to help them along their path to achieving their potential.

Drew cited an alumni career mobility survey that Case Western Reserve did this year. It tracks students five to 10 years after graduation. “It’s notable that the survey showed 94 percent of our grads five to 10 years out said they are satisfied with their career so far. That makes us happy. They are not just making money but they are satisfied.”

Other area universities also offer solid career help for their students. Brittany Wampler, director, career development & exploration at Cleveland State University says CSU’s Career Center “is a comprehensive preparation center for all students – undergraduate, graduate, and alumni – to help students best leverage CSU and their education to achieve their own career goals. We provide forward-thinking programming, career coaching support on anything from resume writing to job/internship search strategy, and more. We also connect meaningfully with faculty and staff in the institution and employers in Cleveland and the region to help them best connect to potential hires: our talented students.”

Rhonda Y. Butler, director of career services and employer relations coordinator at Lakeland Community College says, “Lakeland employs a staff of counselors in our academic advising center who work with students first to

determine their program of study. Lakeland’s Career Services Department then works with students to solidify their career interests through job-shadowing experiences, paid internships, classroom presentations on resume writing, interview techniques, job search, etc. Special events and workshops are also offered for students, such as Life After Lakeland. This workshop, sponsored by the Lakeland Business Management Department, provides networking opportunities with Lakeland alumni and other area professionals. In addition, some courses feature service-learning opportunities for students.”

In addition to helping students with career prep, colleges work to ensure that their students are prepared to fill vacancies that actually exist. Working with employers is key here.

Brittany at Cleveland State says, “Our work is centered around meeting students where they are and helping to teach them the tools they need to achieve their goals, finding employers that meet the students values and goals, and learning key skills in negotiation so they feel they are getting their best salary for their first role post-graduation.”

Handshake is an online recruiting platform

that universities and employers use to streamline and simplify the recruiting process. “All colleges and universities in the greater Cleveland area are Handshake schools,” Brittany says. “Employers can post positions to all schools in the area and we strive to teach students how to leverage both Handshake for applications and LinkedIn for networking and research about companies where they are applying. There are so many tools that students can utilize to brush up on their resume, ensure they are writing a strong cover letter, as well as practice interview. More than that, we also help students with the technology and are there for students throughout the process with our amazing career coaches ready to help students; preparing for what comes after graduation is a team effort and we view our role as being there for our students in any way we can to ease their process.”

Drew says that Case Western Reserve also uses Handshake to post career fairs and even on-campus jobs. “Students can chat with each other and employers and practice their interviewing skills,” he explains. “There’s even an AI component to evaluate their mannerisms, how many times they say ‘uh’ etc. Employers might send an invite to do an online interview with pre-recorded questions and the student records themselves responding to questions. Then, after that initial screening, maybe they’re invited to an actual one-on-one meeting which could be in-person or virtual. On the employer side, we also we see a demand for in-person recruiting events.”

Drew adds, “We organize our programing around interest areas,” referring to career categories such as arts and culture; business; engineering, technology and science; entrepreneurship; healthcare; public service; and one called exploratory (focusing on exploration and decision making). “Alumna and employers and others come talk to students about career paths and opportunities at their companies and networking,” he explains. “My staff is organized around these interest areas and they are specialized so if a student is interested in Wall Street and they meet one-on-one with my staff member, they know that person is knowledgeable about the field and has connections and is up to date on trends.”

As for what fields are attracting today’s grads, Rhonda at Lakeland says, “Lakeland students seem most attracted to occupations in the healthcare industry. They are interested in clinical fields such as nursing, medical assisting and dental hygiene, as well as non-clinical fields such as health information management technology and medical coding. Contributing factors include the vast and ever-growing number of health care facilities in Northeast Ohio and the region’s aging population. There is a growing need for professionals in health care. Each facility is competing for talent. Thus, the rates of pay, benefit structures, and hiring incentives such as signing bonuses and leave structures are extremely lucrative.”

“One of the best parts about Cleveland State,” Brittany says, “is that there is something for everyone to study and we support every industry in Cleveland from healthcare to engineering, public service and non-profit work, IT and business career pathways. Our successful students head into every pocket of industry in the city; on average, 80 percent of our graduates stay in the Cleveland area. This is the single largest group of alumni in Ohio that stay close following graduation and drive our economy.”

Drew at Case Western Reserve says, “When you look at the top industries, you see engineering, research, healthcare, and information technology. We have a sizable pre-med and pre-health population but even students who don’t want to necessarily be a direct-care person, may want to go into that industry. One of the effects of the pandemic is a heightened awareness of how many issues there are in healthcare. This generation of students is values-driven and they want their work to be meaningful and they want to solve big problems for society. Even a data analyst or a software engineer wants their work to apply to issues that matter.”

Each year, the Jarvis Scholar Program awards ten fully-funded, four-year merit scholarships to students entering the ninth grade. The application for fall 2024 admission is now open.

Whether college grads stay in the Cleveland area or move elsewhere, career fairs offer great insight into the possibilities. Photograph by B. Thomas Hart Photography

Colleges help students in their career search, from resume writing to practice with interviewing. Photograph courtesy of Case Western Reserve University

Conservancy

for

Cuyahoga Valley National Park “Topography”

The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) hosted its 12th annual fundraiser, Topography, to support its Trails Now Fund on Saturday, June 17, 2023. It was a picture-perfect evening on the shores of Indigo Lake (near Howe Meadow) in Northeast Ohio’s national park. This was Topography’s first year hosted at that location. Many of the revelers preferred it to the Ledges area, which is a popular, public place to watch the sunset over the Cuyahoga Valley.

Approximately 400 guests were delighted with the dulcet sounds of string ensemble OPUS 216 while sampling fabulous appetizers, including a smoked trout dip that was chock-full of fresh fish. Guests could see the trout being smoked by the lake upon arrival.

Ben Bebenroth’s Spice Catering Co. laid out a sumptuous spread in a full-sized canoe as CVNP supporters mingled before dinner.

Conservancy President & CEO Deb Yandala says the $70,000 raised that evening will go to projects supporting the park’s trail needs right now, such as a footbridge on Salt Run Trail and bridle-hiking trail improvements.

As benefits go, this celebration was one for the books: short on speechifying but long on fun and socializing with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. Almost everyone has strong feelings about their favorite “topography” or landscape within the CVNP’s 33,000 acres.

Sarah and Michael Knoblauch of Cleveland Heights love the Ledges area and Brandywine Falls, respectively. Their friends Elinore Evans and John Rampe of Willoughby Hills enjoy Brandywine Falls but also like to bike the Towpath from Rockside Road to Peninsula. Perhaps the most unique topographical favorite belongs to Cindy Moore of Richfield. She likes the Riding Run Trail (of which this reporter has never heard.)

“You go to the covered bridge at Everett, then go through Furnace Run to get to it. It’s very hilly and you cross several streams,” notes Moore. She and her husband Roy, who volunteers for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, are both Trailblazers in the park. Trailblazers help visitors with way-finding and can assist with safety and emergency concerns by contacting park staff in the event of medical or other emergency.

After a hearty meal of lamb, smoked chicken sausage and Spanish-style porchetta with to-die-for corn, cotija cheese and Aleppo chiles polenta, guests lingered around the campfires with s’mores and other late-night sweets. If all fundraisers could be this comfortable (no pantyhose and no tuxedoes) with some of Ohio’s best topography on display, they would sell out faster than a Taylor Swift concert. Mark your calendars for Topography 2024 next June with the exact date to be determined.

STORY BY SARAH JAQUAY, PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH JAQUAY AND KOFI AMPONSAH

BENEFIT BEAT

Visit currentsneo.com to submit your event or wedding.

Thursday, Sept. 14....Duets, to benefit Our Lady of the Wayside, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gordon Green, 5400 Detroit Ave. The evening includes inspired pairings of food and drink by Spice Catering and musical entertainment. Tickets are $100 for general admission and $500 for the VIP package with a private wine and craft beer bar. Call 440.934.6007 or visit http://www. thewayside.org.

Thursday, Sept. 14…Cross Out Cancer, to benefit Seidman Cancer Center & Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at Rainbow Babies & Children’s, 5:30 p.m. at The Shoreby Club, Bratenahl, 44108. An evening to benefit immunotherapy cancer care and research in memory of Mary Ann Cross. Enjoy a stunning sunset while sipping cocktails and samplings of exquisite wines on the shore of Lake Erie, followed by dinner, live entertainment. The evening will showcase cutting-edge immunotherapy clinical trials and celebrate the pediatric, adolescent and adult patients benefiting from this life-saving care and research. The evening includes a stellar silent auction. Complimentary valet parking. Sponsorships, tables and tickets available. Contact Sharon. klonowski@uhhospitals.org.

W. Todd Kiick, Janice Matteucci, Dan Blakemore, Margaret Medzie and Laura Lederer. Photograph by Sarah Jaquay

Michael and Sarah Knoblauch of Cleveland Hts. and Elinore Evans and John Rampe of Willoughby Hills.

Photograph by Sarah Jaquay

The women of Spice Catering Co. greet guests with a cocktail in the woods near Indigo Lake. Photograph by Kofi Amponsah

Topography guests indulged in a panoply of appetizers prepared by Spice Catering Co. Photograph by Kofi Amponsah

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

LYNDHURST | 300 Eagle Point Dr

$999,999 | 3 Beds / 5 Baths

Located in sought after Acacia Country Club Estates, this one owner custom designed and built home is absolutely stunning! Sited on a quiet cul de sac lot offering privacy and serenity, this home was built with the finest of everything! The floor plan is open and ideal for today’s living featuring hardwood floors, walls of windows, and gorgeous decorating!

Karen Eagle group shares advice for first-time homebuyers

By RITA KUEBER

Last year during the fourth quarter, the National Association of Realtors (NAR)*released a snapshot of the national market and some startling statistics about housing affordability and inventory challenges. In 2022 the portion of first-time homebuyers was just 26%, the lowest percentage since the NAR started tracking the data. Simultaneously the average age of the first-time homebuyer was the highest ever at 36 years old. The NAR points to demographic and economic changes for these two extremes including the rising cost of houses, student loan debt, and competition for starter homes from investors.

Karen Eagle, an agent with Elite Sotheby’s International Realty sees this struggle every day. Her market is the Chagrin Valley and other eastside communities, and she tells Currents it’s a challenge to buy an affordable starter home

in 2023. “There used to be decent homes in Chagrin Falls on the perimeter of town that were affordable for the first-time homebuyer, but now those houses cost more just like all the others in the area,” she says. She describes how some buyers are looking in areas closer to Cleveland, but there are challenges there too. “Once you’re in the Heights, the housing prices are lower, but the taxes are higher, so your monthly mortgage payment can be just as high as buying a more expensive home further out. You have to ‘pick your poison,’” she says. “You have to decide what works best for you.”

Eagle describes how years ago a buyer could enter the market with a starter home and then trade up for a bigger home a few years later, even keeping the first home as a rental property. But it just doesn’t happen like that anymore.

“It seems like a lot of people are moving into

the area, but not a lot of people are moving out,” Eagle adds, saying this imbalance contributes to the lack of housing inventory in northeast Ohio. In their remarks last year, The NAR pointed to several additional causes for the seeming lack of enthusiasm from first-time home buyers. They indicated student loan debt was preventing many from saving for a down payment on a first home. Competition from investors is fierce as well. The most affordable homes are getting snapped up as rental properties for people with ready cash. Finally, the NAR said career changes are also making an impact in housing sales- millennials tend to change careers more than baby boomers and many make a change just at a time when traditionally families decide to commit to a mortgage.

So what’s a first-time buyer to do?

What starting buyers need to do is talk to a mortgage broker, Eagle advises. “There are a lot of loan products available now that could enable them to buy what they can afford now. She points to “hero loans,” available to doctors, and those in social services – firefighters, nurses, and teachers may qualify for these loans that offer a lower down payment with no penalty.

“I recommend people look into a home they’re interested in, and to buy what they can afford now,” she adds. “Some first-time buyers hesitate because they’re waiting for the interest rate to come down. But while they’re waiting for that, the price of the house is going up. “Don’t wait,” she says. “It’s going

to be harder to get a house since I see prices holding steady for a long time.” Eagle says now a ‘starter home’ in her market hovers around $300,000, although a buyer would be pressed to find something like this in the Heights or around Chagrin Falls, two of the most desirable areas. Unlike first-time buyers, however, homeowners with equity already built up will have better luck finding the next house.

Eagle and her group have also conducted some research of their own into local housing prices. Going by school districts, the eastern suburbs from Shaker Heights to Moreland Hills are all seeing an uptick in the price of homes, while the Geauga school district remains steady in its pricing.

“We read all the time that people are moving out of the older cities to places like Florida, but I’m not seeing that many people moving out of Northeast Ohio, yet many people are coming in from other cities to live here. This keeps our inventory tight. We’re just not seeing hundreds of houses for sale every year. There is a finite amount of houses and people are fighting for them.

She also recommends that first-time buyers work with a realtor they trust; someone who will pay attention and help guide them through the process, and someone willing to expend some energy and effort. “A good realtor can help a buyer get a house with some energy and effort,” she says.

*https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/narfinds-share-of-first-time-home-buyers-smallerolder-than-ever-before

Gates Mills Garden Club event

The Gates Mills Garden Club presents “Jewels from the Garden” flower show & “Sparkle!” expanded youth division flower show.

Gates Mills Garden Club is putting on a spectacular “Jewels from the Garden: flower show on September 15 and 16, “Jewels from the Garden” is an NGC standard flower show which features an expanded youth division,

“Sparkle!”, which in itself is a small standard flower show, with contributors ages 3 to 18.

The flower show takes place at the Gates Mills Garden Club located at 1280 Chagrin River Road in Gates Mills, 44040. It is free and open to the public on Friday, September 15 from 1pm to 5pm and Saturday, September 16 from 10am to 5pm.

Prayers from Maria Foundation

“Sunflower Wine Festival”

It isn’t summer without the Sunflower. One of the season’s most popular events, the Sunflower Wine Festival, brought more than 3,000 party goers to the Depot Street area in Rocky River to raise funds for the Prayers from Maria Foundation.

Festival-goers enjoyed wine and craft beer gardens, food from area restaurants, bourbon and handcrafted mixology classes and live music by Ed Purcell, Max Stack, Medusa and the Sunset Strip.

Ed and Megan McNamara started the Prayers from Maria Foundation after their daughter Maria died from a brain tumor in 2007. The foundation is dedicated to funding global research into the causes, prevention, treatment and cure for childhood brain tumors. The foundation’s medical board includes some of the best doctors in the country searching for a cure for this disease. Because childhood brain tumor research is underfunded, the McNamara family works to make a difference by raising public awareness and bringing hope to children and their families affected by the disease. This year’s Sunflower Wine Festival raised more than $100,000 to support that cause. Over the last 14 years, the event has brought in close to $8 million dollars to support research.

STORY BY

CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN/ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC EAKIN

Allie and Debbie Kendig, Aryn and Abby Pecoraro, and Kristen Haslett

Eva Bongiovanni, Ed McNamara, Laurel Anderson and Megan McNamara

Angela and Ken Smith with Kate and Ed Purcell

Brad Bockman, Kim and Ryan Crance, Cristine Torek and Mike Jach

The 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation is a bridge to history

By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN

The families of a band of brothers that formed more than 160 years ago are still holding annual reunions in Sheffield Lake, OH.

The members of the 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation are the lineal descendants of the men from Northeast Ohio who fought in the Civil War.

In 1861, the war was not going well for the Union Army. So, in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln put out a call for volunteers to serve. At the time, Ohio was the third most populated state. More than 300,000 Ohioans served in the Union Army. A total of 1,078 men and some boys from Lorain County, Cuyahoga County and Medina answered the call. This unit became known as the 103rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The members of the 103rd went to Camp Cleveland for three weeks to train and then went to battle in southern Ohio, where they defeated Morgan’s Raiders. They spent the next three years together, fighting in several of the most historic battles of the Civil War. As infantrymen, they were on foot. They fought as far south as Atlanta, GA, and as far east as the Carolinas. They formed tight bonds and when they returned to Cleveland in 1865, they did not want to go their separate ways. They held their first reunion in Cleveland in 1867. Their next reunion was held in Elyria. In 1907, the 103rd O.V.I. Association incorporated and purchased five acres of land along the lakefront for $3,000. This property became the permanent home of the corporation. The veterans and their descendants have held an annual reunion every year since 1867.

They built a mess tent on the land, then a dance hall and a two-story barracks. There are

now 27 homes and cottages on the property, with 25 of them being remodeled over the years. The barracks was empty, so the members of the corporation decided to restore the building as a museum in the 1970s. The first floor is dedicated to events that took place during the Civil War. The second floor covers events that transpired after the war. History is passed on in honor of those Civil War veterans. Their descendants live all over the country and reunite for one week each summer. The reunion camp week includes three meals a day, prepared by hired Amish cooks, a daily children’s hour, activities like swimming and card games, evening programs and a dance to the music of the Big City Swing Band. The

bugle blows every morning and before events. Bald eagles are sometimes spotted flying along the coastline. There is a daily flag-lowering ceremony, and a solemn memorial service takes place on Thursday of reunion week.

One of the main functions of the 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation is to house, preserve and display the Civil War relics and artifacts which have been inherited, collected by or donated to the descendants of the men in the 103rd Regiment. The Civil War Museum is open the third Sunday of every month, June through Sept., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment. The 103rd O.V.I. has four fund-raising pancake breakfasts annually, staffed entirely by volunteers, and featuring

all-you-can-eat, made-from-scratch buttermilk pancakes and real maple syrup made on the grounds. The next pancake breakfasts are scheduled for Sept. 10 and Oct. 8. The 103rd O.V. I. is at 5501 E. Lake Rd. in Sheffield Lake. Phone 440.949.2790 to schedule a tour, or visit www.103ovi.com for more information.

“The 103rd O.V.I. is unique. It is the only organization like it in the world,” O.V.I. Memorial Association President Cliff Riedel noted. “The O.V.I. has a history of honoring every veteran and celebrating the freedoms that we enjoy.”

One of the first cottages on the 103rd O.V.I. grounds remains much the same as when it was built. Photographs by Eric Eakin

The 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to perpetuating the heroic deeds of Civil War veterans.

Tour of Colorado

By SARAH JAQUAY

Colorado is a stunningly beautiful state. That much we knew from prior trips to Fort Collins, Boulder and the town of Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s also incredibly large. So when we visited our niece and her family in Fort Collins a few years ago, I realized we’d have to see Telluride and Mesa Verde National Park on a separate trip. This summer our niece invited us to her vacation home in Steamboat Springs for July 4th. For afterward, we planned a grand circle tour of Southwestern Colorado, including Telluride, Mesa Verde National Park and Durango for the famous train ride through the Rockies.

We started in quaint Steamboat Springs, originally a summer resort before it became famous for its “champagne powder” and earned its moniker, “Ski Town, USA.” We loved the laid-back Alpine vibe and the fact that natural springs seem to bubble up all over Routt county. There are hot springs in downtown Steamboat but our niece wanted us to experience Strawberry Hot Springs about 20 minutes outside town. These springs are nestled in the mountains with attractive stone masonry separating a series of pools ranging from lukewarm to almost scalding. The adjacent bracing waters of the Yampa River were ideal for cooling off. It was the perfect way to unwind from the previous day’s plane ride. We could only imagine how rewarding soaking tired muscles would be after a long day on the slopes. There was plenty to do in Steamboat over the Fourth, including watching their annual rodeo. It even featured a downhill ski jumping event on some sort of synthetic surface. But we opted for riding the Steamboat Gondola to the top of Mt. Werner and hiking an “easy” loop trail. Easy enough for locals, but hiking at altitude is a bit of a challenge for those living at Great Lakes level.

The holiday weekend passed quickly and our niece’s family had to head home. So we picked up our rental car at nearby Yampa Valley Airport (HDN) and started the six-hour drive to another famed ski destination, Telluride. I’ve been curious about Telluride because it seems to attract celebrities without the hype of Aspen or Vail. We spent the night there as a stopping point on our way to Mesa Verde National Park and we were delighted we did. Not only did it give me a chance to catch up with my cousin, it was really interesting to see what a dead mining town has done to reinvent itself as a charming mountain hamlet. We stayed downtown at the New Sheridan Hotel and had a scrumptious dinner at their restaurant, the Chop House. My cousin moved there after college more than 10 years ago

and stayed. Everything is super expensive but she explained their local and regional governments are proactive about making sure important people such as firefighters, teachers and nurses can afford to live there. It reminded us of a Chautauqua in the Rockies. Telluride has lovingly restored its grand (and small) Victorian housing stock and residents routinely express their unbounded gratitude to be able to live there. After we rode the free Telluride Gondola to Station St. Sophia, the mid-point of Coonskin Ridge, where visitors can access hiking and biking trails with sweeping vistas, we were wondering, “Why didn’t we decide to learn to ski the powder after college?”

Our next stop was a bucket list destination, Mesa Verde National Park. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s where visitors can spend a few days learning about the ancient

Ancestral Pueblo people (f.k.a the Anasazi) who lived in the area for centuries. There aren’t many options for lodging, so we reserved a couple of nights at Far View Lodge early in the year. The accommodations are spartan, but it’s a great location for restaurant access and for looking out over the parklands. Be sure to ask for a room in a non-pet-friendly building. We were next to an incessantly barking dog whose owners violated park policy by leaving it alone in their room. We’re dog lovers so we were mostly concerned for this frantic pup left in strange surroundings.

We thoroughly enjoyed the “700 Years” bus tour that covers a range of stops from the earliest “pit houses” (think wide holes with covering to keep out the elements) to climbing around the complex sandstone dwellings of Cliff Palace. These guides work for the park’s concessionaire, Aramark. Our excellent guide was an anthropology major who worked with the Tarahumara people in Mexico’s Copper Canyon before taking this job. Another huge advantage of the 700 Years tour is it includes an NPS ranger-guided tour of Cliff Palace, the most famous (and probably most photographed) of Mesa Verde’s ruins. Our ranger was knowledgeable and vividly described what daily life below the top of the Mesa was like. No one knows exactly why the Ancestral Puebloans moved from dwellings on top of the mesa to the cliff dwellings below, but several theories include better defense, cooler temperatures and easier water collection because the structures were built near seep holes in the sandstone. Caveat: Climbing down into and up out of the Cliff Palace dwellings isn’t for the faint of heart or the unfit.

It requires descending wooden ladders and ambling along uneven, worn rock paths leading to the dwellings. If you miss a rung or a step, it’s a long way down to the Mancos River Valley.

After we left the ancient world of Southwestern Colorado, we headed for remnants of America’s Wild West in Durango, about an hour east of Mesa Verde. We’d read a lot about the scenic train ride through the Rockies from Durango to Silverton, another dead mining town. We stayed at the lovely General Palmer Hotel in Durango. It’s a few doors down from the train station. (Fortunately

the locomotive excursions stop about 10 p.m. so we didn’t feel like the couple in “My Cousin Vinnie” whose sleep was constantly interrupted by jarring train whistles.) The scenery was incredible as we climbed up the Animus River Valley with mountains on one side and the rushing river on the other. It’s a three-hour ride each way and guests may opt to take the faster motor coach up to Silverton or down to Durango; but we wanted the whole train enchilada. We chose the most comfortable/ cushioned seats that are in the San Juan car in the deluxe class of service. The most affordable seating options are open-air cars where guests sit facing sideways instead of facing front. Some who chose those cars said it got extremely warm and there was a lot of smoke from the steam engine. Maybe those cars are a better choice in spring or fall. Silverton is a town that probably wouldn’t exist but for the train travelers arriving from Durango. The most interesting story was about a murder.

On August 24, 1881, Marshal Clate Ogsbury was shot and killed in front of the Diamond Saloon on Blair Street. Burt Wilkinson was his killer and was apparently a member of an outlaw gang wanted by Durango’s sheriff. Silverton’s tiny newspaper, “The Silverton Standard & Miner,” covered the shooting and many other local disasters, including the 1906 St. Patrick’s Day snowslides that killed some 20 miners in various camps. The paper started in 1875 and is still publishing today. It’s the oldest-continuously operating business on Colorado’s Western slope.

After another six-hour drive to Denver we checked into the Grand Hyatt just around the corner from the iconic Brown Palace Hotel. (Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the mansion of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” of Titanic fame.) The hotel is known for its high tea served from noon until 4p.m. When our return flight was pushed back to 5:30p.m., we knew we’d have time to savor scones with clotted cream and other delicacies with some freshly-brewed tea in their elegant lobby. We may not have struck gold like Molly Brown’s husband, but we experienced a platinum-level circle tour of Colorado in summertime.

For more information, please see www. colorado.com and https://www.nps.gov/meve/ planyourvisit/index.htm.

The Durango-Silverton train ride offers beautiful mountain and Animus River views. Photographs by Sarah Jaquay

Mesa Verde National Park boasts hundreds of Ancestral Pueblo ruins, but none is more impressive than the sandstone dwellings at Cliff Palace built below the Mesa top.

Cleveland Museum of Art “Summer Solstice”

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) welcomed 4,000 summer solstice party-goers to its 13th annual Solstice fundraiser on June 24, celebrating Cleveland’s long summer days and hot summer nights.

Multiple international bands performed outside on a south terrace stage, in front of a glorious sunset. Later, a moonlit night graced the event as spectacular art was projected on the CMA’s exterior walls. Indoors, the Ames Family Atrium was transformed into a lightinfused dance floor where 3-D illuminated lanterns designed by Inflatabill were suspended from the ceiling.

Solstice featured live music by OKAN (Cuba/Toronto), the Bazurto All Stars (Colombia), La Sra. Tomasa (Spain) and GoldFish (South Africa). In addition, Sanctuary, one of Cleveland’s favorite dance parties, showcased DJ Red-I, DJ Nuera, DJ Mark Who? and DJ Selecta for an unforgettable evening of mixing, mingling, dancing and fun.

“Solstice is a night like no other,” said Gabe Pollack, director of CMA’s performing arts. “Energizing music from four continents and incredible visual displays electrify the museum at the party of the year.”

Guests enjoyed prepared food from Provenance Cafe, beer, wine, and canned cocktails. The galleries stayed open late into

BENEFIT BEAT

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Thursday, September 21…Chagrin Falls Community Builders Award, to benefit The Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, at the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club. This year’s honoree is Marcia Snavely, well known keyboardist whose talents are shared with many. This event is sponsored by the Free and Accepted Masons Golden Gate Lodge #245, Chagrin Falls. Tickets are $100 and include two free wine or beer, cash bar, dinner and dessert. Make reservations online at www.CVCBA.org.

the night with flash talks by museum staff, providing intriguing insights into the CMA’s world-class collection.

Some have compared the event to Cleveland’s version of the Met Gala, as it’s the iconic summer party of the year. The area’s best dressed gather to celebrate a night when art and music come together.

“This was an exceptionally great year [for Solstice],” said Jacqueline Bon, CMA’s Director of Communications. “The dynamic between the audience and the performers throughout the night was electric. There was so much dancing, the joy was palpable.”

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA

C. TURNER

Saturday, Sept. 23…Discovery Ball Cleveland, to benefit American Cancer Society’s Joseph S. and Jeannette M. Silber Hope Lodge in Cleveland, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. More details at clediscoveryball.org.

Saturday, Sept. 23…Play the Night Away Gala, to benefit Children’s Museum of Cleveland’s Wonder Fund, 7 to 11 p.m. at the Children’s Museum. Adult-only play date after-hours Museum experience to showcase your favorite destination for play in a whole new light. Dance and mingle, explore strolling dinner stations, and cheers at the open bar. Proceeds benefit the Wonder Fund, supporting programs that make the Museum experience accessible to all families in our community. For more information, visit CMCleveland.org/gala.

Saturday, Sept. 23…Evolution Gala, to benefit Ohio Guidestone, 6 to 11 p.m. at Cleveland Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside Ave. E, Cleveland 44144. Event to join the region’s most influential individuals and leaders from the corporate and philanthropic communities for a roaring good time. Honorees include Paul Hanna of Blue Technologies, Kristin Warzocha of the Greater Cleveland Foodbank, Betsy Kling of WKYC TV. with Monica Robins & The Whiskey Kings as entertainment. Sponsorship opportunities or registration to molly. martens@ohioguidestone.org.

RICHFIELD

SHAKER HEIGHTS

Chad Gross and Rachel Whitehawk (wearing an original Ungaro creation), with Benjamin Manista and Troy Licklider

Madelaine Mavec and Helen Stirn Mavec, CMA’s Board Chair

Kerri Dray, Mike, Mackenzie, and Dori Hollis with Sophie and Amy Mangano

Kahla Fury, Kaitlin Stedtefeld, Alex Crute and Whitney Rutledge

Elliott Posner, Gillian Weiss, Kate Gill and Johnbuck Creamer

Danielle and John Foley