Currents June 19, 2025 issue by currentsneo.com

Northeast Ohio’s First Social Network

The primary mission of Currents is to feature and spotlight the nonprofit, arts, educational and cultural organizations so vital to Northeast Ohio, as well as the volunteers and philanthropists who guide, support and sustain them.

P.O. Box 150 • Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 • 525 E. Washington Street • 440-247-5335 / Fax: 440-247-1606 www.currentsneo.com

Published monthly by the Chagrin Valley Publishing Company

INSIDE

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B 13 C 6

THE ARTS

Thanks to Lake Erie Canopy Tours for our June Currents cover photograph. Located adjacent to The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake, Lake Erie Canopy Tours’ 2025 season includes ziplines of all kinds for people of all ages, golf cart adventures, kayaking and a popular Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line tour which offers sunset or moonlight views over Geneva State Park. Learn more about what’s in store this season on page B2 or visit thelodgeatgeneva.com/tours.

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Don’t miss Takashi Murakami’s ‘Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow’ exhibit at CMA

By Andrea C. Turner

COLLECTOR

Bay Villager Steve Hiltebrant fueled by firemantic hobby

By Cynthia Schuster Eakin

AT HOME

ON OUR COVER BENEFIT BEAT

Expansive, updated Cape Cod on Hemlock Point Rd. in Chagrin Falls for sale

By Rita Kueber

(If you have a nonprofit charity/fundraising event you wish to be included in this monthly listing, please send information to editor@currentsnews.com)

Saturday, June 28...Five Star Sensation, to benefit University Hospital’s Seidman Cancer Center. Exclusive evening of food and wine, to be held 7 to 11 p.m. at Cuyahoga Community College in Highland Hills. Chef Vinnie Cimino, Chef/Partner of Cordelia and James Beard Award Nominee, will lead the culinary talent as Host Chef of 50 acclaimed chefs and vintners from around the world. New this year will be French Quarter-themed tents with pastry tasting stations throughout the evening, a late-night tent featuring a DJ and dancing, VIP cabanas for top sponsors, surprises and more. Tickets are $350. Visit FiveStarSensation.org.

Saturday, June 28...Up! A Creek, to benefit West Creek Conservancy, 6 to 10 p.m. at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland. Up! A Creek brings together more than 500 supporters for an evening dedicated to celebrating and advancing local conservation efforts. Attendees will enjoy an array of activities, including: gourmet small bites and drinks, a selection of delectable appetizers and beverages. Live entertainment from local artists throughout the evening. Opportunities to win exclusive items and experiences with raffles and auctions. This year, guests will also have early access to the renowned Asian Lantern Festival and the zoo’s zipline attraction, providing unique experiences in support of a great cause. West Creek Conservancy is dedicated to enriching the lives of Northeast Ohio residents by conserving natural habitats, restoring the ecological value of the region’s lands and waters, and expanding opportunities for people from all cultures to connect with nature. Tickets for “Up! A Creek 2025” are now available for purchase at $150 per person. To secure your spot, please visit our Eventbrite page.

Saturday, July 12...Sunflower Wine Festival, to benefit Prayers from Maria, takes place from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Pre-sale general admission is $60, or $75 the day of the event. VIP admission is $250. Go to http://www.prayersfrommaria.org.

Thursday, July 24...Summer Soiree – Shine Bright Like a Diamond...Down by the Shoreby, to benefit Kidney Foundation of Ohio, at Shoreby Club in Bratenahl. Celebrating 75 years of service, Kidney Foudation of Ohio, this event will include dinner, games, live music, a silent auction, raffles, and more. For more information, tickets & sponsorship, contact Emily Powell, Assistant Development Director at epowell@kfohio.org.

SUMMER

FESTIVALS

Impressive lineup of fun festivals on tap for Northeast Ohio

By Cynthia Schuster Eakin

H. KENNETH DOUTHIT III

Publisher

KELLI COTESWORTH MCLELLAN

Editor

JUNE EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Maggie B. Cibik, Cynthia Schuster Eakin, Rita Kueber, Anastasia Nicholas, Andrea C. Turner, Jeannie Emser Schultz

LAYOUT: Christine Hahn

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE S: Shari Silk

AD DESIGNERS: Connie Gabor, Ashley Gier

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.

Takashi Murakami exhibit on view at CMA through September 7

By ANDREA C. TURNER

On May 15, members of the press and social influencers had a sneak peak into the new exhibit, “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” which opened to the public on May 25 at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA). The expanded exhibition of one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists is on view through September 7 in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall and Gallery.

It features more than 100 works, including some never-before-seen installations and exclusive new works, including pieces created to respond specifically to art in the CMA’s renowned collections of historical Japanese, Indian, and European art.

Much of Murakami’s work is rooted in graphic design and pop culture, leading him to create a plethora of work, including popular trading cards, toys, comics and anime-type ﬁgures.

Filled with paintings and sculptures that pulsate with color, sheen, and a vibrant energy, the exhibition reinterprets history through art, blending past and present with fresh perspectives. Through these qualities, the artist examines complex considerations of Japanese history and contemporary culture as they relate to our wider global society.

Patrons ﬁrst enter the exhibit through a lifesize Yumedono (Japanese-style temple) in the Ames Family Atrium. The full-scale recreation of the Japanese “Dream Hall” from the Hōryūji Temple complex in Nara Prefecture, houses four 15’ tall paintings on each interior wall surrounding a statue made by Murakami to represent Buddha. The temple serves as a place in traditional Buddhist culture where people go to ask for intercession of their pain. Arhats – or spirits – are called upon to oﬀer healing and a redemptive escape from the hurting world.

Murakami is an artist who has responded to seismic events and uses his Japanese identity to create work that is universal. The exhibit

honors the history of the suﬀering that Japanese people have undergone for centuries because of natural disasters on its island nation. The smallpox epidemic, earthquakes, tsunamis and the resulting Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011 are all examples.

Ed Schad, Curator and Publications Manager at The Broad in Los Angeles which ﬁrst curated the Murakami special exhibition, commented that most of Japanese architecture is built of wood, not stone, because of the natural landscape, which has led to many buildings being destroyed by ﬁre.

Murakami was inspired to incorporate an example of period architecture to house some of his paintings after viewing the 2024 awardwinning television series Shōgun. Working with the series’ art director and production designer, Helen Jarvis, along with the Shōgun co-creators, Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo,

who introduced them, Murakami developed the Yumedono as an entrance to the exhibition.

“This is a transformative space,” said Jarvis.

“Takashi visioned the re-creation of a sacred structure as a portal for the world of the ordinary into the hallucinogenic dream world of his art.”

Schad asserted that the CMA serves as an ideal partnership for this exhibit, primarily because of its extensive collection of historical Japanese art.

“Cleveland has the best collection of Japanese

art outside of Tokyo,” claims Schad. “It’s a treasure chest.”

Fans of all ages were thrilled that Murakami made a special appearance to meet them and take selﬁes with him – right here in Cleveland. The CMA recommends reserving tickets online by visiting the exhibition web page: https://www.clevelandart.org/exhibitions/ takashi-murakami-stepping-tail-rainbow Advance ticket sales are highly recommended. Tickets may also be reserved by phone at 216.421.7350 or on-site at one of the ticket desks. Tickets are expected to book quickly and are not guaranteed. Tickets for adults are $30; seniors $28; students and children ages 6 to 17 $15; children 5 and under and CMA members are free.

Takashi Murakami signs the custommade tie of a young fan at the Cleveland Museum of Art on May 15.

Yumedono in the Ames Family Atrium.

On April 11, the Sunbeam Board and Vocational Guidance Services (VGS) welcomed about 175 attendees – a nearly sold-out crowd – to Friday Night on 55th, a beneﬁ t to support VGS’ mission to “create pathways for individuals with disabilities to engage in the community, achieve greater independence, and attain employment.”

Special guest Terrance Johnson and his parents, Delinda and Jeﬀery Johnson, attested to that mission. Terrance has enjoyed his 24 years employed via VGS and has not missed a day at work.

“As a parent raising a child with a learning disability and has also had some handicaps of some sort, we worry about them and where they can go from here,” Delinda said. “My husband and I wanted Terrance to have as normal a life as possible and did not know which way to turn.”

During that time, Terrance’s teachers helped him ﬁ nd VGS. Since then, he has learned life skills from housework tasks to daily shopping and banking.

“He never wants to miss a day of work,” Delinda said. “He’s up and moving at 5:30 with his lunch pack and focused mindset for work. I can truly say that this is all thanks to VGS.”

VGS has connected Terrance with outsourced work at different places, but he always returns to VGS. VGS continues to

Sunbeam

Board and Vocational Guidance Services “Friday Night on 55th”

serve as a landmark in Terrance and his family’s lives, Delinda said. “I don’t know where we would be if it wasn’t for VGS,” she said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity that VGS has played a vital role in our son’s continuous growth.”

Auctioneer Bob Hale led the Call to the Heart, which raised $63,000, surpassing the goal. He told of the gift levels’ impact to VGS participants: safe and reliable transportation for individuals, devices with custom accessibility features and more. The option to “outbid” other guests for an exclusive Fount bag or a bottle of aged bourbon kept the proceedings lively.

Guests noshed on heavy hors d’ouevres by Marigold Catering and enjoyed music by the string quartet Opus 216. The evening’s signature cocktail, The Swingin’ Spritz, ﬁ t well with the springtime hues that ﬁ lled the room. Beautiful floral centerpieces

adorned the tables, and a display near the entryway paid homage to the beginnings of the Sunbeam Board.

In 1890, a group of young women known as the Sunbeam Circle came together to sell handmade items in order to brighten the

lives of bedridden children at Cleveland’s Lakeside hospital. Today, VGS and the Sunbeam Board carry on that commitment to those in need, serving 700 individuals each year. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY

ANASTASIA NICHOLAS

Delinda and Jeffery Johnson with son Terrance Johnson

Sunbeam Board Executive Board members Sarah Guyuron, Trish Dorsey, Carran Gannaway, and Annie Mitchell

Co-chairs Molly and Katie Panzica

Will and Portia Hyde with Cindy Halle (center)

Jason Samblanet and VGS President and CEO Susie Barragate

Vanessa Andrich and Morgan Connor

Solon’s North Coast Wine Club/Winery Strikes BEST OF OHIO RED WINE

The 2025 Ohio Wine Competition was held May 13th-15th at the Geneva Conference Center. The largest ever Ohio Competition saw over 500 entries.

North Coast Wine Club/Winery (NCWC/ Winery) was awarded Best of Show Red Wine and Best of Ohio Red Wine: “Left Side”- 2021, Grand River Valley Red. In addition, NCWC/Winery garnered Four Double Gold Awards, Two Gold Awards and Six Silver Awards for their wines.

As Solon’s only licensed and bonded winery, NCWC/Winery is a winemaking educational center and commercial wine tasting venue. It welcomes all visitors and wine enthusiasts each Thursday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Jointly operated by Dave Sabo and Tom Radu, the NCWC/Winery is pleased to offer all of the following to its broadest audience ever: • An array of international award-winning wines • A place to make wine, utilizing professional equipment in a friendly group atmosphere • Educational workshops, tastings, socials, and trips • An environment for forging new friendships with people of varied backgrounds over a common passion • An educational program “Vino Versity” hosted by level 3 Advanced

Gathering Place rolls out HOPE, mobile outreach unit to expand services

The Gathering Place, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting individuals and families impacted by cancer, proudly announces the launch of HOPE, a 28-foot vehicle mobile outreach unit designed to expand access to free cancer support programs and resources throughout Northeast Ohio.

The fully customized vehicle is equipped with private consultation space, professional wig fittings, and a wide selection of highquality wigs — all available at no cost to individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Additionally, the unit delivers a broad array of holistic services to meet the emotional, physical, and practical needs of those on the cancer journey, including family members, friends, and caregivers. The mobile wellness unit provides one-on-one emotional support, educational materials, healing arts, nutrition and movement, and wellness items to help anyone impacted by cancer no matter their age or location. The goal is simple: to meet people where they are and ensure no one has to face cancer alone.

The idea for HOPE originated with Michele Seyranian, CEO of The Gathering Place, shortly after she joined the organization in 2019.

“ HOPE is an acronym for Healing, Opportunities, Peace, and Empowerment,” said Seyranian. “We are reaching people in the midst of their cancer journey — often at their most vulnerable — and showing up with resources, empathy, and a commitment to walk beside them every step of the way. We want to do all we can to enhance quality of life - that’s what we’re all about.”

For more information about The Gathering Place’s free cancer support services, visit www. touchedbycancer.org or call 216.595.9546.

Sommelier Lorrie Sinkhorn• A wine-tasting room for private and corporate events.

Sabo, a native of Solon, is a graduate of Kent State University’s Enology program, with a degree in the Applied Science of Enology. Radu, a South Russell resident is a lifelong winemaker and member of the hospitality industry. Since its founding, they have overseen the NCWC/Winery as it has accrued numerous gold medals from industry leaders like WineMaker Magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition.

“We are dedicated to making only the most exceptional wines from the best sources of grapes. We have also taken great care in assembling an enthusiastic team of experienced winemakers and staff,” said Radu.

The NCWC/Winery sources its grapes from all over the world: California, Washington, Oregon, Chile, and right here in Ohio’s Grand River Valley. For more information, please visit NorthCoastWineClub.net., call (440) 821-4822 or email ncwcllc@gmail.com.

Hungry Bee team shares love for community at Hive & Honey Hill

By MARGARET CIBIK

The saying ‘go tell the bees’ comes from an old tradition in which beekeepers would go and tell their hives about the family’s big life moments. For one beekeeper’s daughter, the Chagrin Valley has always been her hive and as her next big life moment approaches, she wants people to know how much she couldn’t have done it without them, and that The Hive and Honey Hill belongs to them just as much as it belongs to her.

Even from far away, Chef Kimberly McCune Gibson could feel the tug of the invisible string that ties her to Chagrin Falls. The town has shaped her core memories from grilled cheese sandwiches at the Woolworth’s counter to ice-cream cones at the Popcorn Shop. From the time she was a little girl to having little girls of her own, this place has been her biggest cheerleader and support system.

In a letter the Hungry Bee owner wrote to the community, she says, “You lifted our spirits when wrenches were thrown in our plans. You trusted us with your celebrations. And with your most painful of gatherings. You gave us the opportunity to live our dream. But most of all… you gave us you. You’ve become family and dear friends. You are home, and there is nowhere we’d rather be.”

Gibson and her Hungry Bee team take pride in the fact that when someone walks through their door, they know that person’s name. They know their kids and most of the time, already know what that person walked in for in the first place. They know that air of small-town hospitality adds to the magic of Chagrin Falls and Gibson hopes that people will see The Hive and Honey Hill as a call back to a simpler time, a slower time with Sunday suppers, family gatherings and knowing everybody’s name. Which is why it has been so important for the Gibsons to be transparent about their life, because every aspect, both professionally and

personally has the power to resonate with everyone from owning a small business, to the struggle of building a family and so much more. “It’s not that we have a good story,” says Gibson. “We just have a lot of it.”

Because at the root of it all, The Hive and Honey Hill is a living, breathing love letter to a community she holds so dear and believes so strongly that they should be a part of the process. “This is for you after all,” she says in the letter. “So, you should have a seat at our table.”

To do this, the Gibsons have decided to reveal The Hive and Honey Hill to the community months before they open, letting them see this amazing venture through hard-hat tours, gatherings, field dinners and so much more, wanting this place to become a central location for people to celebrate and commemorate big life events. A place to make memories. A place where people can learn something, create something or just go on a random Wednesday night for a glass of wine and a charcuterie board.

What Gibson and company have created is so much more than just another restaurant and venue in town. It is a beehive for the community where stories are not only told but made and retold time and time again. It is a legacy built by a family that walk their talk and care about their community and the people that live there. They have created something bigger than anything they could have imagined and are ready to share it with the people they love the most.

Like the letter says, “We sincerely hope we will make you proud and excited for the experiences that are in store for you and your family. Just like you’ve made us so proud to be a part of this incredibly community.”

For more information about Hungry Bee, please visit: https://hungrybeecatery.com/ And to find out more about The Hive and Honey Hill, check out https://thehivechagrin.com/

Each month Wildscapes Gallery hosts their Wildlife, Wild Tales, & Wine Happy Hours from 5-7 p.m. at 516 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls. Join us to learn more about Peter Balunek’s wildlife photography captured over the years while taking guests on safari throughout Africa. Socialize and sip wine with others in the community and past safari guests. Each month features a presentation from one of his past safaris. June 19 will feature his recent trip to Patagonia, Chile. July 17, Tanzania, and August 21, Botswana. To sign up for email updates, visit WildscapesGallery.com and visit them on Facebook and Instagram.

your home for

Nancy Benjamin, an A.S.I.D. designer who has been in business for forty years launches the appointing of her new business….Transformation Today is an innovative, creative idea that uses your own furnishings and by giving suggestions for new wall painting arrangements, furniture layouts, suggestions for using your existing rooms and freshening them to include a new look.

In a two hour consultation suggestions are made to enhance and change the look of your interior without the unexpected delays and risks of placing orders. For a professional consultation today contact Nancy Benjamin A.S.I.D. for an appointment. Her work has been nationally published and she has completed interiors in Westport Connecticut’s, Nantucket, Maine, Chicago, Cleveland and Akron

Explore Cleveland with guided tour from Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corp.

Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation (HGNC) is excited to announce the oﬃcial launch of the 2025 Take a Hike season, oﬀering more opportunities than ever to experience Cleveland’s rich history, culture, and architecture through immersive guided tours.

The ﬂagship Summer Series returns through September 30 with FREE 90-minute guided walking tours across Cleveland’s historic and landmark neighborhoods. This year’s schedule features 17 distinct tours with over 140 tour dates oﬀered—crowd favorites like Playhouse Square, University Circle, Ohio City, and Veterans Memorial Bridge, as well as new additions like the Monroe Street Cemetery Tour and Look Up! Architecture Tour. Guided by expert storytellers, guests will explore fascinating stories and architectural gems that have shaped the city’s past and present.

New this year, the Stroll Series brings a fresh way to explore Cleveland with shorter themed tours oﬀered every Tuesday. There are 16 engaging strolls in the works – oﬀering

a deeper dive into the diverse communities that make up the fabric of Cleveland. Strolls are also diﬀerent in that they may include stops inside churches and/or museums, or food tastings.

Registration for all tours is available at TakeAHikeCLE.com. While most tours are free, selected tours require advance ticket reservations due to their popularity or amenities provided on the tour.

For more information, tour schedules, and registration details, please visit TakeAHikeCLE.com or follow @ TakeAHikeCLE across social platforms.

ABOUT HISTORIC GATEWAY

NEIGHBORHOOD CORPORATION

Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation is a 501c3 non proﬁt organization dedicated to promoting historic, cultural, and heritage preservation through advocacy, education, and programs that support the ongoing revitalization of Cleveland’s unique historic district.

Get set for ‘Movies after Dark’ at Great Lakes Science Center

Get your tickets now for this summer’s “Movies after Dark” on the big screen at Great Lakes Science Center.

On July 3, the Science Center will present the musical, “La La Land.” Emma Stone took home the Oscar for her performance as an aspiring actress who meets a struggling jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and falls in love in Los Angeles. The cast also includes John Legend, J. K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt and Finn Wittrock.

On August 7, come see the film that set the standard for modern superhero films as “The Dark Knight” comes to the DOME. The 2008 film featuring Heath Ledger’s Oscar winning

performance as the Joker, also stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman.

Watch these thrilling blockbusters projected on the DOME’s screen with 11,600 watts of ultra-real digital sound, creating a movie going experience like no other. All movies start at 6 p.m. and tickets are $10.95 for adults and $8.95 for children ages 2 to 12. The Science Center is now open late on Thursday nights, so guests can come early and explore the exhibits and the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. Tickets paired with Science Center admission are $24.95 for adults and $19.95 for children.

The Coco gown by Pen Liv from Radiant Bride commands attention in this dramatic silhouette with a satin fabric that exudes sophistication and elegance. The floral detail is a chic addition to this classic and couture gown. RADIANT BRIDE, 19415 Detroit Rd., Rocky River, 440.863.2000. radiantbridecle.com

Cindy Halle loves Susan Carson’s floral prints! Blouses, scarves...long skirts and dresses...the bases are covered! CINDY HALLE! store is in Gates Mills next to Sara’s place, 1501 Chagrin River Road, Gates Mills, 440.423.0300.

Celebrate the beauty of summer with Pasquale

alsonjewelers.com.

Bruni’s Petit Jolie Lunaire Collection. Available

ALSON JEWELERS,

Matching sets are perfect for effortless summer dressing. Wear both pieces together or mix them with other items from your wardrobe for endless outfit options. BASE BOUTIQUE, 100 N. Main St. #220, Chagrin Falls, 440.318.1012.

Inspired designs for your home … custom-made live edge furniture from CREATIVE EDGE, 440.834.4867, 14730 Patch Road, Troy Township. Visit our showroom.

With June brides in mind, bridal gown traditions from around the world

By JEANNIE EMSER SCHULTZ

Best wishes to all brides keeping alive the long-standing “June bride” tradition. Myths abound about “why” June became the most popular month to marry. It’s said in Roman times peasants bathed infrequently in winter but would “clean up” in June. Another explanation was the Christian tradition banning weddings during Lent and three weeks beyond which led to June as the ﬁrst available month.

Few other life events revolve around as many myths, traditions and arbitrary “rules” as weddings, starting with the old English checklist rhyme of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” and the last original line “…and a six pence in her shoe” (often dismissed because…well, “ouch!”). Myths include “bad luck for a groom to see the bride in her gown before the wedding,” to the morality of a “white” bridal dress.

Wedding dress history finds different cultures and time periods offering a wide range of styles and colors. White was not a commonplace color in which to wed prior to the mid-19th century; brides often just wore their best dress or a colored gown. Even royalty wasn’t expected to wear her wedding dress only once…an idea that would have been absurd even for the very rich before the industrial revolution.

Even Queen Victoria repurposed her own wedding dress and veil for subsequent use. If a non-royal woman did have a new dress made for her wedding, it was likely to become her new Sunday best, either as is or in an altered or dyed state, until she wore it out or the fashions changed beyond the powers of alteration.

White wedding dresses gained prominence after Queen Victoria wore a white satin and lace dress for her 1840 wedding. “White” suddenly became the symbol of purity and innocence, although white was worn in ancient Greece as brides donned white robes (whereas Roman brides chose brightly colored tunics representing joy and fertility). A white “Shiromuku” silk kimono has been the bridal wear in Japan since medieval times (and is still a popular choice). Medieval brides in Europe, on the other hand, wore dresses in rich colors made of silk, velvet or fur to reﬂect the family wealth and status.

While more brides worldwide are choosing western-styled white gowns, many still prefer the colors and style of their own culture. Red is a popular color, be it a “lehenga-styled” Indian wedding dress, a “hanbok” Korean gown or a “cheongsam” or “qipao” in China. (Chinese red wedding dresses are also traditionally adorned with elaborate gold dragons or phoenix symbols.). If you’re a bride-to-be having trouble deciding on a wedding dress, be thankful you’re not a Cambodian bride who, traditionally, would change into 30 different outfits during what used to be a three-day event. Today’s Cambodian brides (and grooms) still change outfits around seven times during a one-day wedding. Bridal outfits called “kompots” consist of skirts and tops sewn from expensive silk, gold thread and beading.

As a continent of diverse cultures and traditions, African wedding attire reﬂects the aesthetics and distinct style of each country. While a Moroccan bride’s traditional ﬂowing “kaftan” dress is characterized by ornate embroidery and embellishments, in other African countries, like Ghana and Ivory Coast, the material may be colorful Kente cloth, often handmade from local sustainable sources. Other sustainably sourced wedding dresses are found in Fiji where traditionally brides wear “masi” wedding gowns. These dresses are sewn from tapa cloth made from the bark of Fiji’s indigenous paper mulberry tree.

During and immediately after WWII, it wasn’t uncommon for brides to have their wedding dresses sewn from repurposed parachutes. The Smithsonian displays a 1947 wedding dress made from a nylon parachute from a pilot as he escaped his bomber plane’s fire. His fiancé had her wedding gown sewn from the parachute that saved his life, with the help of a seamstress who modeled the dress after the one in the 1939 film Gone With the Wind.

Similar nuptial dresses crafted from parachutes that saved airmen are in both the San Diego Air & Space Museum and the U.S. Air Force National Museum. A parachute dress was also worn in 1946 when two Holocaust survivors wed at a German displaced persons’ camp. (The bride paid the seamstress with her cigarette rations.)

Subsequently, two brides in similar camps also wore the dress, which is now among the treasured U.S. Holocaust Museum artifacts.

With the average cost of a 2025 wedding dress round $2000 (before alterations) and boutique gowns even higher, some brides

Japanese brides traditionally wear a white

are opting to scour thrift stores and online for “pre-loved” gowns. According to a Wall Street Journal article, price isn’t the only reason. Used-gown stores oﬀer vintage, higherquality fabrics, whereas even today’s luxury manufacturers are using polyester fabric and lace. Contemporary brides are also increasingly onboard with repurposed dresses as a sustainable choice.

While it has also become increasingly difﬁcult to ﬁnd seamstresses to create one-of-akind bridal dresses, one local bride managed to locate a lady to alter her dress for a very sentimental reason. Sthe bride asked to have a special pocket added to her dress. In it she would carry a photo of her late father to feel as if he was with her in spirit as she walked down the aisle at her wedding.

Queen Victoria popularized white for wedding gowns.

Colorful Hanbok gowns are traditional for Korean brides.

Traditional lahenga-style gowns are still worn by women in India.

kimono called a shiromuku.

Your neighborhood framer for over 50 years. WOOD TRADER, 13429 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, 216.397.7671 or visit woodtraderframing.com.

BENEFIT BEAT

Tuesday, Aug. 12....”Gift of Life,” a family-friendly event supporting programs for women and children at Fairview Hospital, takes place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Email events@cwfc.org or call 440.360.7354 for ticket details.

Friday, Aug. 22...Wish Upon a Star: A Night of Hope and Wishes, to benefit Make-A-Wish (Ohio Kentucky Indiana chapter) 5 p.m. at Encore Event Center, 16808 Pearl Rd., Strongsville. Community members are invited to join W.A. Smith Financial Group for an unforgettable evening of generosity and hope. This inspiring annual

fundraiser helps grant life-changing wishes for local children facing critical illnesses — and is open to the public. Guests will enjoy an uplifting night that includes dinner, open bar, raffle items, a live auction, and a powerful wish reveal shared by local Wish Families. Tickets are $150 per person, and include dinner, drinks and full access to the evening’s events. Visit WASmithWish.com. To date, W.A. Smith Financial Group’s commitment to the Make-A-Wish mission has helped fund more than 100 wishes for children across Ohio — including surpassing the $1 million milestone in total funds raised as of last year. The annual event continues to build on that impact, one heartfelt story at a time. Visit WASmithWish.com.

Special days deserve style, care, and attention to detail. Come see our impressive collection of formal looks. From classic to contemporary. From gala to beach. Whatever your plans, Kilgore Trout has a look for every kind of wedding, event style, and palette – and an experienced & attentive team to make you look and feel incredible. KILGORE TROUT, 28601 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere, 216.831.0488.

Rocky River

Ingenuity Fest “Ingenuity Bal: Rust Belt Renaissance”

On May 10, IngenuityFest celebrated its 2025 season with “Ingenuity Bal: Rust Belt Renaissance” and a return to its roots. The event honored the rich heritage of manufacturing, industry and innovation amid rebirth and revitalization in its St. Clair Superior home, IngenuityLabs at 5401 Hamilton Ave. The event was billed as a big, loud, dirty, messy space of innovation.

Ingenuity Cleveland ignites the creative spark among artists, entrepreneurs, and innovators through joy and collaboration, in service to social progress in a dozen communities throughout Northeast Ohio.

Emily Applebaum, Executive Artistic Director, announced that the organization is planning to add a 100,000-square-foot expansion to its existing building and incubator space for creative entrepreneurs. The IngenuityLabs Incubator Program is part residency, part accelerator. It allows select Ingenuity grantees access to shared shop space, shared tools, and in some cases their own studio or workshop space over the course of the spring and summer, generally culminating in an onsite exhibit at IngenuityFest.

Entertainment on the Main Stage featured Brian Kay, Grammy-award winning modern

troubadour; Uno Lady; Manow Violin with vocalist Abbey Stupor; DJ Lolo Knows; and Tesla Orchestra – all staged with stunning lighting displays, sets and costuming.

Judy DeAngelis played viola dressed as a “Misfit of the Forest,” Denis Michael Grimmer led the Poetry Psychic Project, Marottes performed with haunted synth pop music, and Theresa May played trumpet on the Cabaret Stage.

Guests enjoyed craft cocktails, an hors d’oeuvres station, wood-fired pizza, a silent auction, dancing and hands-on demonstrations. They had opportunities to participate in free workshops in blacksmithing, leather stamping, metal jewelry stamping, printmaking, soldering and welding, or they could simply decorate their own Venetian masks.

New this year was a fashion show, emceed by Darl Schaaff, Executive Director of the Darl Center for the Arts, featuring local designers and models. The youngest designer was merely 15 years old, modeling her own full-length gown inlaid with images of stained glass windows. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA C. TURNER

STYLE

The perfect summer outfit is effortlessly chic: blue jeans, a white top, and a strappy heel. Find your look at Knuth’s, featuring the Rails Angeleno Jean, Michael Stars Cassie Tank, and Sam Edelman Prance Heel. KNUTH’S, knuth.com.

Michael Bruder and Executive Artistic Director Emily Applebaum

Trish and Jim Campbell

Morgan Mekoleske and Tom Lund

Ian Toupin and Judy DeAngelis (Misfits of the Forest)

Cleveland Play House “Emerald City”

Like the lush spring Metroparks after a chilly damp spring, the Allen Theatre was awash in green on the last day of May for the 2025 Cleveland Play House (CPH) annual gala. Given the “Emerald City” theme, there were also red paper poppies, a wizard’s gold-trimmed coat, a yellow road, (okay, carpet) and plenty of ruby shoes, even if some were spangled sneakers.

Since “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was published in 1900, generations have loved L. Frank Baum’s novel about a wizard, a Kansas girl named Dorothy, her motley traveling companions, and Toto too! Stage and screen versions followed, beginning with “a musical extravaganza in three acts,” according to the “Chicago Tribune” in 1902. Then a young Judy

Garland sang about rainbows in the iconic 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz.” More recent spin offs include smash hits “The Wiz” and “Wicked.”

“We were thrilled to tap into all three of those pieces as our inspiration for the evening,” said Caitie Milcinovic, CPH director of development.

So were the 300-plus guests and artists, who mixed fantasy with formal wear in the theme of green to enter an Oz created by Christopher Kascsak of Design Studio Cleveland. Robed in fluid satins and sparkly turbans, members of the Inlet Dance Theatre peered through faceted goggles to greet the arrivals. The four Emerald Ambassadors then led the crowd to

Parker Towns, left, and Edith Foley, 11 years old, perform “Popular” from the musical “Wicked”

“Ease on Down” the yellow carpet into the Allen Theatre for the evening’s show-stopping performances On stage, Oberlin College senior Bebe Moss soared with “Defying Gravity.” Confident beyond their years, Edith Foley and Parker Towns, both 11, sang tips on being “Popular,” another song from “Wicked.” Broadway veteran Betsy Werbel crooned the indelible “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” and Colleen Longshaw Jackson declared a jubilant “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead,” both from “The Wizard of Oz.” In between songs, supporters of CPH artistic and educational programs pledged funds and bid on destination packages to Sonoma wine country, New York’s

“Emerald Ambassadors” from Inlet Dance Theatre sport whimsical goggles to greet guests

Broadway, golfing in Idaho and the Nonna Dolly family villa in Lake Como, Italy. Emcees Maggie Lacey and Colleen Longshaw Jackson presented the 2025 Cleveland Play House Honoree award to Karen White. Recently retired from KeyBank, she has focused throughout her career on the needs of individuals and nonprofits in the areas of the arts, healthcare, education and community development. Then Mariama Whyte summoned “The Wiz” and brought it all “Home,” before sending everyone out to the after-party and into June with “A Brand New Day.” STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY PEGGY TURBETT

Inlet dancers flow around the custom air balloon in the Allen Theatre rotunda

Ryan Cross, host committee chair, and Roe Green, past honoree, with Miss Figgy.

Mariama Whyte and ensemble close out the show with “A Brand New Day,” from “The Wiz”

Nano Zegarro and Ellen Cronin Zegarro pause in front of the mural depicting the yellow road to the Emerald City

Christopher Kascsak, event designer, joins host committee members Chuck and Char Fowler

Lake Erie Canopy Tours’ season includes new kayaking experience

Lake Erie Canopy Tours has launched its 2025 season. Guests can now enjoy the Half-Zipline, Kids Landlubber’s Adventure Course, kayak and golf cart rentals. The Double Zip and other Zip Line and Adventure Course attractions will be open for thrills Thursday through Monday. The daily summer schedule begins July 1 and continues through August 31.

This year, Lake Erie Canopy Tours oﬀers guests the opportunity to experience Lake Erie from a new perspective, kayaking along the shore. The popular Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line Tours will return Saturday nights at dusk, providing the ultimate nighttime rides with sunset or moonlight views over Geneva State Park.

Located adjacent to The Lodge at Genevaon-the-Lake, Lake Erie Canopy Tours oﬀers thrills for all ages, including the Zip Line Tour, Adventure Course, Kids Landlubber’s Adventure Course, Half-Zip Line Tours and combination packages. Golf cart rentals will be oﬀered daily through December 7, allowing visitors to explore surrounding areas, including The Strip in Geneva-on-the-Lake

“Lake Erie Canopy Tours guests love the new Double Zip introduced last season, a great shorter tour option for thrill-seekers. And for amazing views of the park after dark, there’s the Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line tours,” said Lodge General Manager Charlene Horgan. “This

season, we are excited to give our guests the opportunity to experience the beauty of Lake Erie while kayaking.”

Choose from a variety of Zip Line Tours and Adventure Course options:

• Full-Zip Line - The Full-Zip Line Tour with eight Zip Lines, includes two side-by-side Zip Lines that cross over Cowles Creek, swinging sky bridges and treetop towers up to 60 feet high.

• Half-Zip Line - The Half-Zip Line Tour includes the last four Zip Lines of the full tour from The Wheelhouse Hub Tower out along the lake shore.

• Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line - Lake Erie Canopy Tours will oﬀer the ultimate adventure with a Half-Zip Tour on Saturday nights. Zip through the treetops with a thrilling nighttime ride. These special tours will be available at dusk.

• Double Zip - This 30-minute tour includes the ﬁrst two Zip Lines of the Half-Zip tour. Starting at the Wheelhouse Hub, you will experience beautiful views and swinging bridges. You will ﬁnish your tour on our longest Zip Line where you soar toward Lake Erie.

• Adventure Course – The Adventure Course includes a self-guided timber and rope obstacle course with more than 30 elements ranging from easy to extreme diﬃculty levels. Course highlights include the Wheelhouse Tower, Shiver Me Timbers! Rum Runner’s Route and Peg Leg’s Plight,

along with an optional daring freefall rappel. Staﬀ are on site to monitor and assist.

• Full-Zip & Adventure Course – This combination package includes all eight Zip Lines and the Adventure Course.

• Half-Zip Line & Adventure Course – This combination package includes the last four Zip Lines of the full tour plus the Adventure Climbing Course.

More information on tours and pricing can be found at https://www.thelodgeatgeneva. com/tour/lake-erie-canopy-tours/#tours-rentals Book online. If you have questions, please call 866-601-1973 or email Adventures@ LakeErieCanopyTours.com

Walk-ins are welcome, and subject to availability with possible wait time.

Kids Landlubber’s Adventure Course

The little ones will turn into superheroes, ﬂying on the short Zip Line and exploring over 13 timber and ropes activities as part of this one-hour self-guided course for ages four to 10. The Kids Landlubber’s Adventure Course is built closer to the ground but features the same state-of-the-art continuous belay system as the adult course.

Kayak and Golf Cart Rentals

Kayak Rentals at the Lake Erie Canopy Tours’ dock oﬀer visitors a perspective of Lake Erie and Geneva State Park in seasonal splendor as zippers ﬂy overhead, with journeys along Cowles Creek, a Lake Erie tributary. Continue the adventure out onto Lake Erie. Reservations can be made online. Explore Geneva-on-the-Lake with a golf cart rental. Take in the sights on The Strip and visit nearby attractions. Reservations for four or six-seater golf carts can be made online or via walk-in (limited availability).

2025 Lake Erie Canopy Tours

Season Schedule

June 1-30

• Golf Cart Rentals available 7 days a week. Book online.

• Kayak Rentals available Thursday through Monday. Book online.

• All Zip Line and Adventure Courses available Thursdays through Mondays beginning June 1. Book online.

• Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line Tour available Saturdays only beginning June 7. Book online.

Walk-ins are allowed based on schedule availability.

July 1- August 31

• Golf Cart Rentals available 7 days a week. Book online.

• Kayak Rentals available 7 days a week. Book online.

• Zip Line and Adventure Courses are available 7 days a week. Book online.

• Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line Tour available Saturdays only. Book online. Walk-ins are allowed based on schedule availability.

September 1 – October 26

• Golf Cart Rentals available 7 days a week. Book online.

• Kayak Rentals available Thursday through Monday. Book online.

• All Zip Line and Adventure Courses available Thursday through Monday. Book online.

• Dusk and Night Half-Zip Line Tour available Saturdays only. Book online. Walk-ins are allowed based on schedule availability.

Group Rates

Perfect for school outings, club trips, corporate groups, reunions and large families, group Zip Line tours and the group adventure challenge course elements are oﬀered at a Group rate. Special pricing and options for groups of 10 people or more are available by calling 866.601.1973.

On Saturday, May 3, Lawrence School welcomed 250 guests to Bloom, its annual benefit held at the scenic Upper School Campus in Sagamore Hills. The event helped to raise over $390,000 for need-based tuition assistance.

Those at Lawrence School recognize that “Great minds don’t think alike.”

In most environments, diagnoses such as dyslexia – which impacts one in five students – are called learning disabilities. “At Lawrence School, we refer to these unique ways our students process information simply as a learning difference,” Head of School Doug Hamilton said. “Therefore, we teach in a different way, in order to ignite and inspire academic, personal and social success. Our kids are bright, and they are quite capable.”

Hamilton opened the program, handing sunflowers to audience members.

“So many of our students previously sat in the classrooms where they were in the dark,” he said. “Their learning differences hid behind gray clouds, their true potential lost in the cold blizzard of misunderstanding and confusion.

“For me, sunshine is a metaphor for what happens to our students when they find the right learning environment and those clouds begin to fade away,” he continued. “Our students soak in that warmth, and they truly begin to shine, and when they shine, they also bloom.”

Susan R. Karas, trustee emerita, was honored at the event for her lifelong commitment and devotion to Lawrence School. Several speakers lauded her amazing leadership capacity, stewardship for generative creativity, and ability to execute on the board of trustees’ ideas and plans.

Karas took the stage and acknowledged those who served before her and with her as well as those serving in leadership roles today.

“You could all be up here with me,” she said. “Lawrence can do what it does because it’s a collaboration.”

She also honored her family – her husband and children, saying, “You are the wind beneath my wings. Everything that I’m able to bring forth in heart, mind and soul is possible because of you. I am because we are.”

Guests donned florals and bright springtime hues, fitting with their surroundings. The Bloom Committee determined the event’s general theme, and then the marketing team created a visual outline and design, explained Director of Marketing and Development Laura Jones.

“Lawrence School parents Sheila Norwood and Molly Valent brought the vision to life and created garlands of hanging wisteria, with gently lit small trees and floral overhangs,” Jones said. “Faculty and staff assembled a student art gallery, with original works of art from our Lower and Upper School students. To complete the evening, guests stopped at our flower stand, overflowing with seasonal blooms, and took a bouquet home with them to commemorate the evening!”

Taste of Excellence catered the event, which included a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres and a three-course short rib and chicken pesto dinner or vegetarian option.

Guests enjoyed dinner and a show from the school choir and band, giving those students a standing ovation.

The silent auction included items like a panel basketball autographed by Tristan Thompson and other Cleveland Cavaliers swag, golf experiences, portrait sessions, and much more.

The night ended on a high note, with a guest learning that they won $15,000 cash in the raffle. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS

BY ANASTASIA NICHOLAS

Lawrence School “Bloom”

Trustee Emerita Jenifer Garfield and Jayne Eiben

The Risman family, Nathan, Trish, Rob, and Noah

Bloom Honoree Susan Karas with husband Arthur Karas and daughter Lexi (left)

Head of School Doug Hamilton, Board President Jennifer Kaufman, and Thomas Colaluca

Alumni parents Kathy and John Shahinian

Richard and Kathryn Edelman

Fans, families will flock to LeBron James’ House Three Thirty in Akron

By ANDREA C. TURNER

If you’re a fan of LeBron James (and to be honest, who in Northeast Ohio isn’t?), make sure to put House Three Thirty on your summer destination bucket list. In what was once the historic restaurant and cabaret venue, the Tangier, now stands House Three Thirty, at 532 W. Market Street in Akron, an innovative, multi-use facility filled with resources for “I PROMISE” families and the entire community to gather and engage in impactful programming.

With a commitment to redefining community and building stronger families, the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) invests in creating generational change for kids and families through a focus on education and co-curricular educational initiatives. This includes a community education program that trains and employs “I PROMISE” family members and allows them to explore various trade sectors as they prepare for careers and life-changing opportunities.

A clever nod to Akron’s area code, March 30, 2023 was designated “330 Day,” the day the LJFF officially opened the doors to House Three Thirty to convene critical community resources under one roof.

Creative Director Nick Lopez, one of 70 people employed at the facility, provided a comprehensive tour though LeBron James Home Court, a multimedia storytelling experience that offers a look at James’ life with never-before-seen items along his journey. Beginning with his early years as “the kid from Akron” from high school to the NBA, competing in multiple Olympics, developing entrepreneurial companies and engaging in philanthropic projects, it pays homage to his fans, coaches, teammates, and community. It is the world’s first and only museum offering a walk through of his life.

The Home Court tour starts in the Fan Gallery, an amalgam of artwork created by

James’ fans from around the globe. From there, enter a re-creation of Spring Hill, Apartment #602 – his childhood home, as remembered by his mother Gloria James.

Venture through a room named the “Akron Fab 5,” a re-creation of the St. Vincent St. Mary High School Fighting Irish locker room where James developed long-term friendships with Dru Joyce III, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee and Romeo Travis from 1999-2003. The tour continues in the LeBron James Arena, a mini basketball court with memorabilia from that era. At this phase in his life, he stated, “I promise to never forget where I came from” as well as “I promise to be a role model on and off the court.”

Next, fans learn about the NBA draft of 2003, when James was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers. A cornucopia of posters, #23 uniforms, basketball shoes, and his famous white suit worn the day of the draft are on display.

The exhibit then documents what is billed

as his “College Era” when he made the decision at age 25 to join the Miami Heat – a step out of his comfort zone. Considered one of the toughest periods of his life, the challenge was difficult but a necessary part of his professional journey.

Following his four seasons with the Heat, he decided, “I’m coming home” and returned to play for the Cavaliers, in which he helped Cleveland win the NBA championship in 2016. In 2018, he joined the Lost Angeles Lakers. Thus, by the time he reached 35, he earned his fourth Finals MVP and fourth NBA title.

The exhibit also documents the multiple Olympics he competed in with the U.S. Men’s Basketball team, his entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors, and multiple awards.

LeBron James’ Home Court is open to the public from Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is $23,

children five years old and younger are admitted free of charge.

Other retail, dining and community experiences inside House Three Thirty include:

JPMorgan Chase Community Space where Chase bankers offer specialized financial advice and products to promote financial literacy

Smucker Hometown Hall for large private and community events including family gatherings, weddings and graduations

Taco Shop, honoring the James’ family tradition of Taco Tuesdays

Starbucks Community Store/Cafe

The Sweet Shop featuring local favorites Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Metropolis Gourmet Popcorn, NORKA Beverages and Malley’s Chocolates

Retail Shop which carries official gear, signed items and other LJFF exclusives available for purchase. It also showcases the work of local artists and entrepreneurs as well as LeBron brand partners.

Secret Pizza serves up house made specialty pizzas and sandwiches

Kaulig Companies Club brings a new VIP view to the iconic Cabaret that hosts musical acts, open mic nights, and other entertainment while also serving as a performing arts space for the I PROMISE program

The Den by Mainstreet Advisors & LOBOS 1707 provides an intimate, private space for toasting to special occasions

The Family Room by SC Holdings brings LJFF’s We Are Family philosophy to life in a warm, welcoming space for the community to enjoy

The Wine Room offers a private space for family meals, wine tasting and other smallscale events

A barbershop with stylists

Full-scale commercial kitchen

Buckets: the next fried chicken restaurant on your “bucket” list (coming soon)

Photography by Andrea C. Turner

Entrance to LeBron James’ Home Court

His collection of basketball shoes

BENEFIT BEAT

Saturday, Sept. 13...Chefs Unbridled, to benefit Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center, at the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club Polo Field, Gates Mills. Under a tent, Chef Chris Hodgson of Driftwood Hospitality and his team of top culinary artists will serve up a menu that is sure to please. Guests will also enjoy cocktails, a wine pull, a bourbon and tequila raffle, food truck, live music carriage rides around Gates Mills Village and a visit from some of Fieldstone’s therapy horses. 21 and older. For tickets to this annual sellout event, visit fieldstonefarm.org.

Saturday, Sept. 20...Pickle Fest, to benefit Greater Cleveland Volunteers, at Mall C Downtown from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pickles from many local and regional companies, pickle-flavored beer, pickle-flavored desserts, drinks, candy and other fun food, plus a variety of pickle themed merchandise from dozens of foo and non-food vendors. Live music from Billy Likes Soda and Old Skool, plus Deejay JT. Two pickle eating contests, youth and adult divisions. General

admission ticketing, plus a special VIP tent with exclusive features. Find more information at clevelandpicklefest.com.

Tuesday, Sept. 16…Fall Into Fashion, to benefit University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shoreby Club in Bratenahl. Fashions will be provided by Toni-In-Style and the Mistress of Ceremonies will be Jennifer Jordan, of Fox 8 News. The event will include boutique shopping starting at 10:30am and a rose raffle and auction. For information on how to purchase tickets, or to sponsor the event, please contact Sandra Treppo at 216.287.1934.

Sunday, Sept. 21...2025 Historic Tea fundraiser, to benefit Cleveland Grays Armory Museum. “Dining with the Presidents, Presidential China & White House State Dinners,” presented by Janet Weir Creighton. 1234 Bolivar Rd., Cleveland. Tea, light fare, lecture and raffle baskets. 1 p.m. $60. Tickets EventBrite: 2025graysarmoryhistorictea.eventbrite.com or visit graysarmory.org.

Hale Farm & Village is open for the season! Explore hands-on history, farm fun, and historic crafts Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Come visit today!

Honoring Veterans with the Care They Deserve:

VA-Credentialed Home Care Services

At Home Instead, we believe that those who served our country deserve to be served with the same dedication, compassion, and integrity they once gave to us. That’s why we’re proud to be a credentialed provider of in-home care services for veterans and their families.

Many veterans and their loved ones are unaware that they may qualify for in-home care through VA programs. These services can include personal care, help with daily living tasks, companionship, and respite care for family caregivers. Our team is trained and ready to walk veterans and their families through the eligibility and application process, offering personalized guidance every step of the way.

Being credentialed to serve VA clients means more than just meeting a checklist, it’s about exceeding standards of safety, professionalism, and compassion. At Home Instead, our caregivers are thoroughly screened, background-checked, and trained to provide high-quality, dependable care tailored to each client’s needs.

We are honored to serve veterans across multiple counties, including Cuyahoga, Summit, Geauga, Lorain, Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana. Through our credentialing, we work in alignment with VA-approved programs, offering trusted, reliable care that supports independence and dignity.

If you or a loved one is a veteran in need of support, we encourage you to reach out. Even if you’re unsure about your eligibility, our experienced team is here to help you explore your options and connect you with the resources you deserve.

Veterans gave so much in service to our country now, it’s our privilege to give back. With Home Instead, veterans and their families are never alone. They are supported by a team that understands the unique needs of military service and is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care—in the comfort of your home.

To learn more or schedule a care consultation, call 440-914-1400 or visit homeinstead.com.

Cleveland-area residents invited to free Alzheimer’s Educational Conference

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will host a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference in Cleveland on Wednesday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square (1260 Euclid Avenue). The free conference is open to everyone and will allow participants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, caregiving, and aging. Register by visiting www.alzfdn.org/tour. Advance registration is highly recommended.

“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on July 16.”

Sessions during the AFA conference will include:

Early Identification of Cognitive Impairment – Many people mistake Alzheimer’s disease with memory loss associated with normal aging. Early detection is key. To determine if you do have a memory issue, it is highly recommended to get a memory screeni ng. Dr. Douglas Scharre will describe how to differentiate between normal aging and when to see your provider for early diagnosis of cognitive impairment. He will also compare various cognitive assessment tools. Dr. Scharre is the Director of Cognitive and Memory

Disorders in the Neurology Department at Ohio State University. A clinical neuroscience researcher and behavioral neurologist, he has over 30 years of specialized experience in the diagnosis and management of cognitive issues.

Caregiving Strategies to Prevent Burnout – Burnout is a very common threat facing Alzheimer’s caregivers, which is why it’s essential for caregivers to have a support network and make time for self-care. Katherine Judge will discuss caregiver burnout; how to spot the warning signs; the importance of caregiver self-care; and practical strategies caregivers can use to take care of themselves. Ms. Judge is a researcher and the Director of the Adult Development and Aging Doctoral Program at Cleveland State University, and a Scientist with the Center for Education and Research at the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging.

The Memory Disco: A Caregiver’s Tool for Music-Centered Care - Music therapy offers a wide range of emotional, cognitive, and physical benefits for people with Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in the middle and late stages of the illness. It is increasingly used in dementia care because music can access parts of the brain that remain preserved even as other cognitive functions decline. Kaylie Glenn will teach how music can be a powerful tool for dementia care. She will provide practical strategies to incorporate music into daily routines and create meaningful connections. Ms. Glenn is the President and Founder of the Day by Day Project, a nonprofit organization which she launched at the age of 14 years old to support individuals living with dementia. She founded

the Memory Disco Program, a multi-sensory music experience that transforms senior living and memory care by prioritizing preserved brain functions and fostering joy, connection, and purpose.

Driving Under the Influence of Dementia - Driving is a complex task that depends on attention, memory, judgment, spatial awareness, reaction time, and decision-making - all of which can be compromised when someone has a progressing dementia-related illness. Mary Molnar, OT, will discuss the role that dementia, memory and executive function play in older driver safety. She will teach techniques and best practices designed to assist older drivers and their families in making informed decisions about driving safety as cognitive and physical abilities change. Ms. Molnar is an occupational therapist and the Co-Owner of Senior Care Authority – Greater Cleveland, which specializing in eldercare consulting and senior living placement services. Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day. For more information or to register for the July 16 conference in Cleveland, visit www. alzfdn.org/tour Those who cannot participate in the conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National TollFree Helpline by calling 866-232-8484, texting 646-586-5283, or web chatting at www.alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the right-hand corner of the page. The web chat and text message features are available in more than 90 languages.

• SENIORS •

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month: Tips for Brain Health and Caregiving Support

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It’s the most common form of dementia, impacting millions of individuals and families worldwide. Raising awareness is essential for early detection, supportive care, and ongoing research into prevention and treatment.

While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can support brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Whether you’re looking to strengthen cognitive function or manage existing challenges, here are key strategies:

Challenge Your Mind and Stay Socially Engaged – Keep your brain active by

reading, learning new skills, solving puzzles, or using brain training apps. Social connections also play a vital role—whether through group activities, conversations, or community engagement.

Stay Physically Active – Regular movement supports cognitive health by improving blood flow to the brain. Walking, gardening, swimming, or yoga can help protect brain function over time.

Eat a Brain-Boosting Diet – Prioritizing nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats promotes brain and overall well-being. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to better cognitive health.

Prioritize Quality Sleep – Sleep allows

the brain to recharge. If falling asleep is difficult, establish a calming bedtime routine, reduce screen time, and opt for relaxing activities like reading or enjoying a caffeine-free tea.

Manage Stress and Heart Health –Chronic stress and conditions like high blood pressure can contribute to cognitive decline. Engage in relaxation techniques and maintain cardiovascular health to help protect brain function.

Support for Caregivers

For those caring for loved ones with cognitive conditions, self-care is just as important. Balancing caregiving responsibilities with personal well-being can be challenging, but support is available.

Seniors Helping Seniors Chagrin Valley offers compassionate respite care, giving caregivers a chance to take personal time while ensuring their loved ones receive quality companionship and assistance. Whether you need a few hours for errands, relaxation, or social outings, a trusted caregiver can provide peace of mind. For resources on Alzheimer’s and dementia, visit the Alzheimer’s Association website (alz.org). If you or a loved one could benefit from personalized care, Seniors Helping Seniors Chagrin Valley is here to help.

Call or text 216.998.2273 or email info@ shschagrinvalley.com to learn more.

Envision yourself in a beautiful residence with plenty of space to enjoy — then stepping out into a close-knit community surrounded by nature’s splendor. Centered around an active, fulfilling senior lifestyle, Hamlet at Chagrin Falls offers a desirable location, flexible living options and newly upgraded residences. Many of our generous floor plans offer over 1,600 sq. ft. to make your own, and include two bedrooms, a den and two full bathrooms.

Come see how Hamlet is a natural fit for a renewed lifestyle without the hassles of homeownership. Contact us at 440-375-6009 to schedule a tour.

Caring Transitions offers late-life relocation services, resale of household goods

Caring Transitions is the nation’s largest and most trusted solution for senior relocation services and the resale of household goods. Caring Transitions of the Cleveland Eastern Suburbs | Cuyahoga/Chagrin Valleys is a locally owned franchise that will provide a comprehensive plan to manage an entire home transition. Since many of our clients are older adults moving to Senior Living communities, our offi ce is independently certifi ed to support a “senior move” and help mitigate the effects of stress, health, and cognitive issues associated with late-life relocation. Through space planning, sorting, organizing, downsizing, packing, unpacking, and resettling, we thoroughly remove all items from your home, leaving your home ready for sale. Through an in-home estate

sale or on our in-house online auction platform, CTBids, which has a national audience of over 1 million registered online bidders, we will resell as many household items as we can to help oﬀ set the cost of transitioning.

Caring Transitions of the Cleveland Eastern Suburbs | Cuyahoga/Chagrin Valleys is passionate about helping people with the daunting task of transitioning. Our employees go above and beyond to create an atmosphere where our clients start and remain our number one goal through the entire process.

Please call 216.339.3787, email ghenry@caringtransitions.com, or visit our website, www.caringtransitionsccv.com , to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Artists Archives of the Western Reserve presents “Reunion”, A CIA Alumni Exhibition

The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR) will present a satellite exhibition of Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) Alumni guest curated by independent artist/ curator Mary Urbas in the Bostwick Design Partnership Gallery. This exhibition was conceived by Urbas as a way to honor her time as an artist at CIA and reconnect the wonderful artists that have graduated from this illustrious school. This year marks 45 years since her graduation in 1980, with a BFA and a double major in Textile Design and Weaving, and a minor in Printmaking. This exhibition features works by her classmates, mentors, and invited alumni, including some artists who were in her “rearview mirror” (up and coming) while she was a student.

Exhibiting artists include: Anna Arnold, Lori Bolt, Russ Bolt, Sue Bolt, Caroline K Burton, Catherine Butler, Neil Carroll, Danny Carver, Benita Cullinan, David Lee Csicsko, Dierdre Daw, Bob Dorsey, Loretta Eby, Juli Edberg, Pat Fallon, Marla Gutzwiller, John Jackson, Bill Jerdon, Larry Krause, Mara Lavitt, Dennis Long, Andrew McEachern, Alan Mintz, Laura Ospanik, Pam Pastoric, Peter Patterson, Cindy Peters, Catherine Robinson, Bill Root, Jack Rotar, Noreen Rotar, Andrea Seraﬁ no, Judith Salomon, Deborah Silver, Mary Jo Sinclair, Joe Stavec, Gerald Vandevier, David Verba, Ralph Woehrman, Jeﬀ rey Wright, as well as collaborative work by NewCelle artists John Jackson, Ed Mieczkowski and Bea Mitchell, and collaborative work by Mary Urbas and Jonah Jacobs.

Mary states, “This collection of artists represents the people I came to know, whose work I respected, and who impacted my life and career. As a curator, I had the opportunity to indulge myself, organize a REUNION exhibition, and ‘get the band back together.’ I was curious as to what they have been up to! I discovered that, in addition to our extensive exhibition resumes, many of us became art educators, gallerists and curators, and champions and advocates for the arts.”

Mary Urbas is a long-time ﬁ xture in the Ohio ﬁ ne art and craft world.

AAWR programs as well as the opening reception for the exhibition remain free and open to the public. The exhibition runs through August 9, 2025 at Bostwick Design Partnership Gallery, 2729 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland, 44115.

Recently, a drone photographer took to the skies over Laurel Lake Retirement Community’s 150 acre campus in Hudson. Talk about green space! LAUREL LAKE, 200 Laurel Lake Dr., Hudson, 330.650.0681.

• SENIORS •

June 28 Open House to provide resources for people with

Parkinson’s Disease

Living In Motion, an event for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to learn about the importance of exercise and other community resources, will be held on Saturday, June 28 from 9:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at InMotion, 23905 Mercantile Road in Beachwood. This fourth annual Living In Motion event is presented by InMotion, a leader in community-based, integrated wellness programs for people with Parkinson’s disease.

The event is open to anyone interested in learning more about Parkinson’s disease and InMotion’s programs. Registration for Living In Motion is open at www.beinmotion.org/livinginmotion Early registration is encouraged as event capacity is limited. There is no charge to attend.

In addition to information about InMotion’s evidence-based wellness programs, the event will feature professionals in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology, music therapy and more. Information on treatment options for Parkinson’s disease will be shared by medical and pharmaceutical partners. The event also offers tours of InMotion’s Allan Goldberg Center for Parkinson’s Wellness.

Keynote Speaker Jori Fleisher, MD MSCE FAAN will present remarks focused on “Living Your Best Life with PD” at 9:45am, followed by question-and-answer session for attendees. Dr. Fleisher is a movement disorders neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. She co-directs the Rush Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence and leads the Rush Advanced Interdisciplinary Movement Disorders Supportive Care (AIMS) Clinic, CurePSP Center of Care, and Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence. She is an internationally recognized speaker partnering with Parkinson’s Foundation, Davis Phinney Foundation, Lewy Body Dementia Association, and CurePSP, has mentored over 25 trainees, and is a proud Clevelander, mom, and believer in the power of movement as medicine.

“Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for managing Parkinson’s disease,” said Cathe Schwartz, CEO of InMotion. “Living In Motion is a wonderful opportunity to introduce more people to the wide range of free classes and programs we offer to support wellness and improve quality of life. We’re especially excited to welcome Dr. Jori Fleisher back to her hometown of Cleveland to share her deep expertise in movement disorders and the latest advancements in Parkinson’s care.” Living In Motion

Event date: Saturday, June 28

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm (doors open at 9:00 a.m.)

Location: InMotion, 23905 Mercantile Road, Beachwood OH 44122

Event capacity is limited; registration required. For event schedule/registration, visit www.beinmotion.org/livinginmotion

BENEFIT BEAT

Saturday, Sept. 27...Shine on Harvest Moon, to benefit The Two Foundation, 6 p.m. at Two & Co., 177 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls. For more information, visit twoandcompany.org. (use the events tab), email lisa@twofoundation.com or call 234.346.2228. Comfortable and Casual Attire. Tickets start at $300.

Explore a refreshing new view at Hamlet

Centered around an active, fulfilling senior lifestyle, Hamlet at Chagrin Falls offers a desirable location, flexible living options and newly upgraded residences. Every day at this close-knit community presents a vibrant array of experiences and activities to help area seniors enjoy all of life’s seasons.

First established in Chagrin Falls in the 1960s, Hamlet’s leaders were intentional about creating a welcoming senior living community set on 47 wooded acres that would serve area seniors for generations to come.

Hamlet’s expansive campus is the setting for both freestanding villas and spacious apartment homes. Through continued renovations, many of the community’s flexible floor plans now feature upgraded finishes and refreshed spaces. Residents appreciate the community’s simplified lifestyle with no need to worry about meal preparation, property taxes, or snow and trash removal

Hamlet’s close connection to the surrounding community is truly one of a kind – residents are easily able to enjoy all of the unique opportunities and cultural experiences provided in the beautiful village of Chagrin Falls. However, residents also remain happily occupied within Hamlet’s picturesque campus embracing as many opportunities as possible – from yoga classes and gardening to entertainment events and happy hours hosted in The Atrium and Clubhouse.

As a not-for-profit, full-service rental senior community, Hamlet provides greater flexibility and freedom while relieving residents of the extensive chores and additional costs of homeownership – which means more time and energy to spend enjoying new friendships and the incredible valley views.

We invite you to visit Hamlet and experience our beautiful community firsthand.

Pointing To Greatness! The Anna Maria Of Aurora crew shows their foam finger love after Newsweek named them Ohio’s #1 Nursing Home - Cheers To Team Spirit!

Use It or Lose It: Don’t Let Your Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums Go to Waste

If you or a loved one has a long-term care insurance policy, it’s time to ask a crucial question: Are you actually using the benefits you’ve paid for?

Every year, millions of Americans continue paying premiums but delay tapping into the services their policies were designed to cover. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, fewer than 5 percent of policyholders file a claim within five years of becoming eligible—often due to confusion, hesitation, or fear of exhausting benefits too soon. But here’s the truth: Delaying care can cost you far more—in physical health, emotional strain, and out-of-pocket expenses.

At Senior Solutions, we help seniors across Northeast Ohio remain safe, comfortable, and independent at home through trusted, compassionate caregiving. Services like personal care, meal preparation, medication reminders, companionship, and light housekeeping aren’t luxuries—they’re often essential to

aging well and safely.

Yet many families continue to overlook or delay activating long-term care benefits. Thousands of dollars in benefits go unclaimed when policies aren’t activated or paperwork is delayed

Why pay out of pocket—or worse, go without care—when you’ve already invested in a plan to provide it?

Senior Solutions makes the process simple. We work directly with long-term care insurance providers to confirm coverage, manage documentation, and file claims on your behalf—removing the guesswork and stress.

Whether you need a few hours of support each week or full-time care, we’ll match you with a trained, compassionate caregiver who fits your needs and schedule.

Call Senior Solutions today at 216.925.3042 for a free consultation. You’ve already invested in care—now is the time to use it. Don’t let your premiums go to waste.

Lifebanc Announces 2025

Gift of Life Walk & Run Set for August 10

Lifebanc will host its 2025 Gift of Life Walk & Run on Sunday, August 10, at a new location— Porthouse Theatre, located on the grounds of Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls. This new venue allows for an expanded event footprint and greater use of green space while preserving the spirit and beloved traditions of the Walk & Run. The Porthouse Theatre is situated to the right after entering Blossom Drive and before the stop sign. The move enables Lifebanc to retain favorite event features such as T-shirt Row, the FirstTimer’s Tent, and the Kids Zone, while also creating room for future growth. The Legacy Garden, the emotional heart of the event, will now have additional space for all who wish to

gather and reflect.

The event will open at 7:30 a.m., with both the 1-mile Family Fun Walk and the 5K Race beginning together at 9:00 a.m. The course will continue to utilize roads within Blossom, with only minor changes expected.

Lifebanc is proud to partner with Kent State University, which manages the Porthouse Theatre and has generously offered its support for the event. This new setting reflects Lifebanc’s continued commitment to creating a meaningful and memorable experience for all participants.

The fee to participate is $40 and to register, visit www.lifebanc.org. For questions or more information, contact events@lifebanc.org

Long Term Care Solutions

You’ve noticed the changes—mom forgetting her medications, dad struggling to keep the

in order, or a

one feeling

and overwhelmed. You want the best for them, but life’s demands make it hard to give the care and attention they deserve. The worry keeps you up at night: Are they safe? Are they eating well? Are they lonely?

You’ve noticed the changes—mom forgetting her medications, dad struggling to keep the house in order, or a loved one feeling isolated and overwhelmed. You want the best for them, but life’s demands make it hard to give the care and attention they deserve. The worry keeps you up at night: Are they safe? Are they eating well? Are they lonely?

That’s why you’ll always connect with our dedicated owner, Jamie Berns, to find the perfect care solution.

At Senior Solutions, we bring families peace of mind by providing personalized, compassionate care around the clock. Whether your loved one needs help with daily tasks, companionship to lift their spirits, or full 24/7 support, we’re here to make their life—and yours—easier.

Call Jamie Berns at 216-925-3042 or email jberns@seniorsolutions.site Visit seniorsolutions.site to learn how we can help. Because every family deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing their loved one is in

to learn how we can help. Because every family deserves the peace of mind that with knowing their loved one is in caring hands.

More than 400 guests dusted off their poodle skirts and blue suede shoes to attend “The Bebop Hop” at LaCentre.

The “funraiser” event helped Welcome House Executive Director Tony Thomas celebrate his upcoming retirement and the establishment of The Tony Thomas Fund.

Focusing on the passion points of Thomas’ career, the Tony Thomas Fund will help support getting Welcome House clients out into the community more, enjoying a variety of activities and experiences.

“After 25 cherished years at Welcome House, it is time for me to officially say goodbye this summer, not just to a job, but to a place that has been my heart, my soul and my home,” Tony Thomas said. “When I

Welcome House “The Bebop Hop”

first walked through the doors of Welcome House, I was struck by a deep sense of family. It wasn’t just a workplace. It was a community that embraced you, challenged you and celebrated every person, staff and residents alike.”

Welcome House provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Today, the organization has a staff of 300 dedicated caregivers who provide direct support services to more than 200 individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities living in group homes or supported living sites in Cuyahoga County, as well as to many others living in family homes.

STORY BY CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN/PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC EAKIN

Barbara Merrill, Mary Zale and Gabrielle Sedor

Dan Goodnow with Will and Greg Johnson Steven and Alex Klein

Tony Thomas, John Raffaele, Joe Macbeth and Amy Hewitt

Antique collector fuels his passion for fire memorabilia

By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN

There’s a collector for every object, from caskets to safes to prosthetic limbs, even glass eyes. Bay Villager Steve Hiltebrant is such a collector, but his passion is fire trucks and related fire memorabilia, a hobby called “firemantic,” an adjective that describes something related to firemen or firefighting activities.

Steve was born in Detroit in 1942. His father was employed by Bakelite, but left there for a new job in Elyria in 1946. Steve graduated from Wittenburg University in 1966. He was drafted into the Army after graduation and served until 1968. He went to work in 1969 for businesses that his dad managed. Steve made much of his own money from developing and marketing plastic materials. “Every month for the past 35 years you have used some of the materials I have sold,” he said.

Steve’s father had a number of antique cars, including a couple of Rolls Royces. Steve started attending the Antique Automobile Collectors Association fall meets in Hershey, Pa., with his father. The shows, the largest gathering of antique automobile enthusiasts in North America, featured between 7,000 to 8,000 vendors.

He acquired his first fire truck in 1979 from Robert Lee Ford near W. 130th St. and Brookpark Road. The dealership was going out of business and was offering a small fire truck for sale. The 1929 Whippet Boyer was made by Willys in Toledo. He bought it for $1,900. It had been owned by the city of Olmsted Falls.

His wife Sherry suggested that they should restore it. In 1981, Steve saw there was going to be a national antique ﬁre truck convention at the Westlake Holiday Inn, and that gave him the impetus to get started. “On the Friday night before the meet, after one year of restoration, I drove the truck from Elyria to Bay Village. I did all of the stuﬀ to the truck that isn’t mechanical. There were only 25 or 30 of these vehicles made, and mine is one of only two in existence now; the other is unrestored. Surprisingly, I won the award for best commercial vehicle.

“Two weeks later, there was another show at Hale Farm in Peninsula. Again, I won best commercial vehicle. Then I won best in show for the Vintage Motor Car Club of America. One of the judges called me and suggested that I submit the vehicle for a national award. So, I ﬁlled out all of the paperwork and won best restored vehicle at a show in Philadelphia.

“When I started restoring that ﬁre truck, I had nothing to go on but black and white pictures from the Olmsted Falls public library. When I won the national award, that told me that I had done something special. In the history of entering that vehicle in shows, I have only missed top honors twice. I won two ﬁrsts in Hershey, Pa.

“Next I bought a 1919 American LaFrance in Pittsburgh in the 1980s for $1,900. I had it ﬁve years and sold it to a restorer in Lodi, Ohio. Then I bought a 1924 American LaFrance type 40 in Fairview Park, Ohio. It was stored in the basement of the ﬁrehouse. The city put it out for public bid and I won it. It is 100 percent original.

“Then I bought a 1923 Ahrens-Fox. The owner said that if I wanted to buy that truck, I had to take a 1923 American LaFrance along with it. They were both on a farm in Hinkley. The catch was that they both had to be moved within a week. It took two years to tear the engine apart and rebuild the engine and brakes. I sold that truck ﬁve years ago.

“The biggest problem with this hobby is age,” Hiltebrant said. “It’s the age of the collectors and the age of the people who work on them. You just cannot ﬁnd skilled craftsmen to do this type of work anymore.”

Another problem with these old ﬁre trucks?

“They were slow,” Hiltebrant says. “They could go maybe 30 mph. They called them ‘foundation savers as many of the early small-town trucks had small-capacity pumps.’”

Why fire trucks? “My family comes from Kingston, N.Y. My grandfather owned a shipyard on the Hudson River. My three uncles were volunteer firemen. The fire truck would stop by the house and pick them up on the way to fires. That seemed pretty special to a ten year old.”

Hiltebrant also owns an 1878 four-wheel, hand-pulled hose carriage that is fully restored; a 1891 horse-drawn steam-powered pumper that is currently on display at the Western Reserve Fire Museum and Education Center across from Progressive Field; a 1918 Ahrens-Fox IK4, one of 15 ﬁre trucks that were built for the Army in World War I and the only one known to exist; a 1927 Ahrens-Fox M-S-4 that is also on display at the ﬁre museum, and the 1929 Whippet.

Hiltebrant’s home is also filled with fire-fighting memorabilia, such as lanterns, hose nozzles, framed artwork, models, alarm bells and gongs, awards and related items.

“As you can see, I have a very deep passion for my crazy hobby,” he said.

Hiltebrant’s holy grail? “There are two things I would like to have for my collection: A horse-drawn water tower from Pittsburgh, and a 1903 Waterous two-cylinder pumper.” Although, Hiltebrant will admit, he is more in the disposition phase of life than the acquisition phase

Lessons From The Tree of Life:

Lighting the Path Forward

An installation offering an intimate look at what happened during 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the community’s response, and the hope for the future.

Don’t miss these upcoming programs

Snowﬂake Stand-Up Showcase: Featuring Deena Nyer Mendolowitz and Leah Addison Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 pm

A Summer of Jewish Cinema Hosted by Ygal Kaufman: Scarlet Street (1945) Wednesday July 9, 6:30 pm

North America Holocaust Museum Tour with the Shul Boys (Cleveland) and Chai Riders (Detroit) Sunday July 20, 12:00 pm

Artist’s Workshop: The Slow Art of Papercutting Wednesday, July 23, 7:00 pm

Writing Workshop - Full Circle: Stories in the Making Wednesday, July 30, 6:00 pm

A Summer of Jewish Cinema Hosted by Ygal Kaufman: Second Chorus (1940) Wednesday August 27, 6:30 pm

Power of women revealed through groups such as 100+ Women Who Care

By MAGGIE CIBIK

Nobody knows the power of 100 women like the remarkable ladies of 100+ Women Who Care. Four times a year, women of the Western Reserve chapter gather to nominate, vote, elect and donate to a local charity, serving their community in an inclusive and convenient way without the distraction of pomp and circumstance. Together they plant the seeds, tending to a garden filled with endless generosity and boundless hope that will never cease to give and grow.

Ginger Azzolina first heard about 100+ Women Who Care through a co-worker whose wife was a member of the Cleveland chapter. She was awestruck when she heard that the organization had raised $10,000 for a local nursery school in less than an hour, and even more flabbergasted to learn that the group raised money like that four times a year for different charities. So, she called her friends: Mary Hogan, Patty Weingart, Laura Mackey and Mari Hageman, and together they created the Western Reserve chapter. They held their first meeting in January 2011, with a turnout that was far more than what the fivesome could have ever expected.

“We had like 90 people at the first meeting.” Says Azzolina. “We didn’t know if anyone would come or not. And it filled up and we raised $9,000 and it’s been going on ever since.”

The women of the Western Reserve branch have come together from different walks of life and backgrounds with one common goal: making a difference through collective philanthropy. These women understand that alone, making that difference feels daunting and near impossible, but together nothing stands in their way.

By rallying 100 women or more to donate $100 a meeting, they can directly serve their community with no third-party interferences and no strings attached. There are no galas or bake sales, just one meeting four times a year to nominate, elect and award a good, local cause like, the Solon Benevolent Fund which was awarded in the

spring or Rivers in The Desert (RITD) awarded this past winter.

“One hundred percent of the money goes directly to the charity,” explains Hageman. “There isn’t a cut for expenses or anything.”

It truly is as simple as that. Every meeting,

members can enter a charity for consideration. The nominees are tossed into a fishbowl and three are chosen. Members have five minutes to plead their case and five minutes to take questions. Twenty minutes or so later, everyone writes a check for $100 directly to the winning cause, collecting up

• CHARITABLE

to $10,000. (That is $40,000 per year).

And those unable to attend the meeting are not left out. Hogan says, “Anyone who can’t make the meeting that evening learns about the charity from our email and are able to look up the charity themselves and send checks in within 30 days.”

The low stakes with high results are what makes a philanthropic group like this so unique and enticing. In fact, most of the women who come just to observe and feel it out go ahead and join. Getting involved is so easy for those with a hectic schedule and equitable for those who may not have $100 to give but still want to help.

Weingart explains, “If a woman can’t afford $100 four times a year, we have teams of two where they each give $50 four times a year. If you want, you can make a team up of four women and do $25. But you only get one vote [per team].”

And because the members are the ones who choose, the charities they help are varied and diverse. They have helped mothers, children, homeless, soldiers, veterans and so many more with 50 percent of the donations matched by The Richard M. Shultz Family Foundation if the charity aligns with the foundation’s guidelines.

But the volunteerism doesn’t have to stop with a check. The meetings are a great way to directly give back, but it is also a great way to get exposed to the needs of the community and to continue to contribute in other ways.

“If you’re a member and you find that you’re interested in an organization, you can reach out and volunteer there. Many times, we have taken tours of different recipient’s places and gotten involved that way, which is wonderful,” says Mackey.

100+ Women Who Care: Western Reserve will hold their next meeting on July 22 at 76 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 at the Federated Church. All women are welcome to observe regardless of membership. For more information, please visit their website: www.100womenwr.com

Sharri Thomas, Clare Pickering (member) and Anthony Thomas. Sharri and Anthony have started an organization called Rivers in the Desert.

Stephanie Thomas, Mari Hageman, Patty Weingart and Mary Hogan present a donation to Shelter the People, Cleveland.

Ginger Azzolina, Valerie Walker of Teens With Purpose, Mary Hogan and Laura Mackey

Gotta Groove Records impacts lives through music

By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN

How many grooves are in a 45 RPM record? One. Just ask the experts at Gotta Groove Records.

Gotta Groove Records opened in Cleveland in 2009. At the time, it was one of the ﬁrst new pressing plants to open in the United States in decades.

It all started when Vince Slusarz left his long career with Kinetico in search of a new adventure. He purchased all of the machinery from Dynamic Sun Records, a long-established pressing plant in New Jersey, when its owner decided to retire. Slusarz, being a music fan and record head who once operated a record store out of his college dorm room, had a plan to bring high-skill manufacturing jobs to the heart of Cleveland city limits through record manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Matt Earley, who had been wholesaling records to indie record stores, was looking to launch his own record pressing plant. When he called around to pressing plants in the U.S., the former owner of Dynamic Sun told him, “We just sold everything to somebody in Ohio yesterday.” Sun’s owner would not reveal the identity of the buyer, but after

Gotta Groove Records’ vision is to,

“inspire, entertain and improve peoples’ lives and environment through the impact of music.”

sleuthing around, Early was able to connect with Slusarz. The two met and decided to go into business together.

The new partners worked toward a vision to, “inspire, entertain, and improve peoples’ lives and environment through the impact of music.” They set out to produce the highest quality records possible, at a fair price, with

personalized service. To date, Gotta Groove Records has worked on more than 20,000 releases.

The pressing floor includes eight

fully-automated record pressing machines, all controlled by modern electronics such as programmable logic controllers and temperature-controlled molds. Gotta Groove will press any record that is legal. The company will not do bootlegs. Its clients range from bedroom recording artists to indie musicians and bands to major labels. Orders may be as small as 100 records, or as large as 100,000. A minority of the work is local. Five to 10 percent of the jobs come from overseas. Typical

turnaround on a job is six to 10 weeks. The company now has 52 employees. The skilled staff is dedicated to learning the crafts of making records and to building a reputation for high quality records. Employees in every department, from pressing, quality assurance and packing, have been with the company ever since, or close to, its beginning.

In addition to its Cleveland plant on Superior Ave. in Tyler Village, a state-of-the-art plating facility is located separately from the pressing plant, in Columbus, OH. Still, Gotta Groove tries to consolidate as many services as possible under one roof. Its Cleveland location is situated near some of the country’s largest paper product suppliers. The largest PVC (polyvinyl chloride) supplier for the record industry in the U.S. operates a warehouse in Cleveland.

Gotta Groove employs a full-time mechanic, as well as more quality control workers than any other pressing plant in the country. One quality control employee per every two pressing machines listens to approximately every 25th record oﬀ the press during every shift. Notes are kept and adjustments are made as necessary. Every record pressed is sleeved by an employee as a ﬁnal visual quality checkpoint.

In April, 2021, Vince Slusarz sold the majority of the company, along with its day-to-day control to his son, Vincent “Jr” Slusarz and Matt Earley. Vince Sr. remains on the company’s board of directors. Vince Jr. is vice president of operations and Earley is the company’s president.

For more information about Cleveland’s record pressing specialists, visit www.gottagrooverecords.com

Quality control employees listen to records throughout their shifts, keep notes and make adjustments as needed.

PVC compounds for pressing records come in colors like blood orange, fuchsia, blackberry, strawberry with black, and gold.

Apollo’s Fire welcomed 215 guests to its Fire & Roses gala on May 18, at the Tudor Arms Hotel in Cleveland for a Spanish soiree of delightful feasting and friendship. Cleveland’s internationally acclaimed Baroque orchestra, led by Artistic Director Jeannette Sorrell, is an ensemble that continues to spread joy and wonder wherever they perform – whether it be in Cleveland, Akron, Chicago, New York, Puerto Rico, or throughout Europe.

Guests mingled at cocktail hour while perusing the silent auction. Apollo’s Fire members then performed a Spanish-inspired concert with works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Bologne, Santiago de Murcia, Francisco de Asis Tarrega y Eixea, Juan Aranes, and a traditional Mexican selection. Sopranos Sonya Headlam and Anna O’Connell performed alongside guest clarinetist Dan McKelway of the Cleveland Orchestra and ﬂamenco guitarist Jeremias Garcia.

Thematically dressed in black and red, the performers included Sorrell as conductor, Emi Tanabe as concertmaster, Andrew Fouts on violin, Yael Senamaud-Cohen on violin and viola, Rene Schiﬀer on cello, Tracy Mortimore on contrabass, Kathie Stewart and Ellen Sauer on traverso and piccolo, Anna O’Connell on harp, and Sandra Bohl played castanets.

Dinner was served in the hotel’s Crystal dining room with a live auction. The menu, catered by Tudor Arms included hors d’oeuvres, salad, and main entrees, followed by dessert and coﬀee. Floral arrangements were provided by Stems Fleur. Ed Weber served as gala beneﬁt chair.

Funds raised through the Fund-the-Need campaign and its silent and live auctions support Apollo’s Fire community access initiative, its MOSAIC Project; young artist fellowships, free family concerts, recording initiatives, international touring fund and a new musical instrument fund. The event raised more than $215,000 for these initiatives.

Sorrell explained that several National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants have been eliminated by the current administration, so the need for donors to step forward is especially crucial.

Apollo’s Fire 2025-26 season includes “Fencing Match, Round 1, Late Summer Nights” August 8-10; “Purcell: Dido & Aeneas” October 3 & 9-12; “Mozart Requiem” November 7-8; “Praetorius Christmas Vespers” December 12 & 18-21; “Winter Sparks from Bach & Vivaldi” January 29-February 1; “The Palace of Versailles” March 5-8; “O Jerusalem! Crossroad of Three Faiths” April 9-11; and “Fencing Match, Round 2, Special Tour Send-Off to London” April 16. Visit apollosﬁre.org for more information. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA C. TURNER

Apollo’s Fire performs at the Tudor Arms Hotel

Apollo’s Fire staff celebrate a successful evening

Jeffrey Strauss, Jeannette Sorrell, and James B. Rosenthal

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s first-ever

An April screening of Angelina Lee’s “Making a Mini-Forest” at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo brought together the Cleveland Zoological Society, nonproﬁt Rooted in Trees, the Holden Arboretum, and more to explore the growing mini forest concept. This event came on the heels of the organizations’ planting of a mini forest on Cleveland Metroparks Zoo grounds last September, representing the ﬁrst-ever mini forest in a United States Zoo.

Rooted in Trees, Zoo horticulturists, the Holden Arboretum’s Green Corps, and eighth graders from Urban Community School worked together to plant 850 trees and shrubs within a 2500-square-foot plot at the Zoo. The mini

forest will grow rapidly due to its use of the Miyawaki Method, a dense planting approach that helps create a multi-level forest community quickly. Developed in the 1970’s by Japanese botanist Dr. Akira Miyawaki, this method aims to reforest degraded areas, rejuvenate the soil, sequester carbon, and create habitat for native wildlife.

While the Zoo’s mini-forest is in its infancy, event attendees enjoyed the opportunity to see what its future might look like – and how it will engage Zoo visitors in ecological discovery. “Our mini forest will reach a stage of early maturity much faster than conventional forests, and with

noticeable growth and ecosystem development occurring within ﬁ ve to six years,”

Rooted in Trees Founder Paul Abbey said. “This lasting legacy for all visitors will showcase how urban spaces can support biodiversity and ecological health.”

The mini forest also represents Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s belief in the value of forests, a concept that will be central to its new Primate Forest facility currently under construction. Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar said, “Too often forests are discussed as only beneﬁting wildlife. One of the goals of our Primate Forest project is to emphasize how important healthy forests are to human

health, not just wildlife health. Our mini forest project allows us to expand that messaging.” Attendees of the documentary screening got a glimpse of the beauty, function, and unique significance of mini forests, brought to life through stunning imagery and storytelling by filmmaker Angelina Lee. In sharing her work, Lee hopes viewers are encouraged to appreciate and nurture beneficial flora close to home. “I hope the film nudges people to think about the trees and shrubs native to where they live,” she said. “Learning about that can be very empowering, and fuel the creation of more native plant nurseries, which we need for projects like mini forests.”

A Calendar of Fun that Lasts All Summer at Legacy Village

Legacy Village is hosting a full calendar of summer events including Legacy Live weekly concerts, Village Trivia, Art in the Village and North Union Farmers Market, as well as Meet the Machines for the little ones.

Legacy Live

Legacy Village’s free summer concert series, Legacy Live, continues every Saturday through August 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Enjoy a mix of live music, from pop and Motown to rock and R&B. For a complete schedule, visit Legacy-Village. com

The North Union Farmers Market

The North Union Farmers Market will run through Sunday, October 5 from 9 a.m. to noon each week. Located in the parking

lot across from The Capital Grille, local farmers will showcase their fresh grown produce, dairy and meat products, honey and maple syrup, as well as items such as breads and pastries, cheeses, jellies, flowers & more.

Village

Trivia

Test your knowledge at Legacy Village this summer during Village Trivia, which starts at 6:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: July 2, 16, 30; August 13, 27. Grab your friends and get comfy on The Lawn or on a restaurant patio and get ready to win some awesome prizes. Legacy Village’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) will be available throughout the evening. Enjoy various food trucks on The Lawn throughout the summer at this event. Stay tuned to Legacy Village’s social media for a full line-up (schedule subject to change).

Meet the Machines

Legacy Village partners with The City of Lyndhurst to present Meet the Machines on Sunday, August 3 from noon to 3 p.m. This fun event will oﬀer a unique opportunity for children to explore construction, emergency and service vehicles of all makes and sizes in a fun, family-friendly environment with games, safety demos, music and vendors. Meet the Machines is free and open to the public. For more details on the event, visit Legacy-Village.com.

Enjoy outdoor adult beverages while strolling, shopping

Adding to the summer fun, Legacy Village’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) allows guests to enjoy outdoor dining and adult beverages within Legacy Village from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day. As part of the DORA program, patrons age 21 and over may purchase alcohol from participating Legacy Village locations, including Brio Italian Grille, The Melting Pot, Chipotle, Hyatt Place and Wild Mango. Then, enjoy adult beverages outdoors and at select Legacy Village retailers with DORA decals on their doors. Alcoholic beverages must be in the designated plastic cups and no cans, glass bottles or drinks brought into Legacy Village are permitted. For more information visit www.legacy-village. com/dora

Stacey Reid, Mindy Phinney, Sarah Crupi, Larry Hatch, Joanne Kirk, Lori Kalberer, GiGi Benjamin, Muffy Boland, Mebby Brown and Tom Tyrrell

Angelina Lee, Paul Abbey and Dr. Christopher Kuhar

Zoo Executive Director Dr. Christopher Kuhar, filmmaker Angelina Lee, Rooted in Trees Founder Paul Abbey, Zoo Society CEO Sarah Crupi

Cleveland’s police and fire museums are partners in education

By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN

Cleveland’s police and fire departments have long been partners in making Northeast Ohio a safer place for area residents.

Today, both entities have teamed up to promote education. The city’s fire and police museums are partners in offering school tours.

The Western Reserve Fire Museum and Education Center, located at the base of the Lorain/Carnegie Bridge, is dedicated to preserving the history of fire fighting in Northeast Ohio. It is housed in a building that was formerly the home of CFDStation 28 and Cleveland’s Fire Alarm and Dispatch Center. Built in 1926, the fire station was the first mechanized fire station in Cleveland that did not require the use of horses to move fire equipment.

The museum, established in 1988, features fire service displays from Cleveland and many surrounding fire departments and a library of historic material. Besides collecting memorabilia, the Fire Museum is assembling and archiving fire department information. It houses more than 3,500 fire department logs going back to the 1800s, as well as an extensive photo collection. A current project is the publication of books on historic fires of the region and the history of fire fighting apparatus. Exhibits rotate annually. The current display features Ohio-based fire equipment manufacturers.

In addition to preserving history, the nonprofit museum offers interactive fire prevention and fire safety programs for children, adults, schools, scouts, churches and senior groups. The museum conducts merit badge training for boy scouts and girl scouts. Docents are primarily active or retired fire fighters. The recently renovated upper floor of the museum, once the fire station barracks, is available to rent as an event center for parties or corporate meetings.

The Fire Museum has held an annual Firematic Flea Market for collectors of firefighting materials for 40 years. It sponsors the Firefighters Memorial Ride each year, along with Dalmatian Day and a holiday visit with Santa. Visit www.wrfmc.com

or call 216.664.6312 for more information about the Western Reserve Fire Museum and Education Center at 310 Carnegie Ave.

Learn the history of the Cleveland Police Department from the mid-1800s to today at the Cleveland Police Museum, housed in the Justice Center.

Inspired by a visit to Scotland Yard’s Black Museum in London, England, Cleveland Police Detective Robert Bolton convinced Chief William Hanton that Cleveland should have its own police museum. Bolton, Hanton and Deputy Chief Lloyd Patterson and Deputy Chief Richard Kazmir incorporated The Cleveland Police Historical Society in 1983. Florence Schweing served as the first museum director.

The museum originally consisted of 1200 square feet of space on the first floor of police headquarters. It featured exhibits that documented the history of the Cleveland Police from its beginning in 1866. In the

The Fire Museum is housed in a building that was formerly home to CFDStation 28 and Cleveland’s Fire Alarm and Dispatch Center.

first seven months, 3,000 visitors toured the museum. By the end of 1984, the museum’s guest book recorded not only local visitors, but many from across the U.S. and 14 other countries. Today, visitors range from school children to researchers and PhDs.

Cleveland’s police museum continues to be one of the few law enforcement museums open to the public in the United States and has influenced police departments in other communities to create collections that relate to their own histories. In over 30 years of operation, the museum has grown from that initial 1,100 square feet to nearly 4,000 square feet of exhibits, office and storage. The historical society publishes a newsletter, The Hot Sheet, operates a museum store, and supports a website and Facebook page.

Visit www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org. The Cleveland Police Museum, at 1300 Ontario St., is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Police Museum documents the history of the Cleveland Police from its beginning in 1866

The Fire Museum houses fire equipment collected from all around Northeast Ohio.

Expansive, updated Cape Cod home with pool, pool house for sale

By RITA KUEBER

In a quiet corner of Geauga County, just over the Cuyahoga border, sits a classic Cape Cod that once inside, feels more like a country chateau in southern France, �illed with relaxed sophistication, in a bucolic setting. Built in 1933, the house has been meticulously maintained by its current owners and has been carefully updated, expanded, and improved by architect Tony Paskevich. In a word? Gorgeous.

The front entrance off the circular drive opens to a wide foyer with a �ireplace and wood mantel. This leads to a Great Room that has a visually compelling two-story vaulted ceiling with a gallery, augmented by graceful wood beams and wrought iron details, plus its own large, �ieldstone-fronted �ireplace. This room opens through French doors to a large stone terrace that holds the outdoor kitchen and overlooks the in-ground pool.

From the front entrance to the left, past the straight staircase, is a banquet-sized dining room, �inished with white beadboard, a �ireplace, and a charming window seat running along the front expanse. This room leads to a small parlor and private of�ice with doors for privacy, then opens onto a spacious family room that has large windows and its own �ieldstone �ireplace.

Two steps up lead the visitor to a cone-capped circular breakfast area with windows all around overlooking the pool. At the back of the house off this charming, light-�illed room is the gourmet kitchen. This has a Le Cornue range in an eyepopping blue that beautifully offsets the Delft-like tile backsplash in blue and white. The kitchen also has a farmhouse-style sink, marble countertops, a generous center island and a built-in Miele coffee maker. Just behind the kitchen is a roomy laundry room that has plenty of counter space, a sink and trim cupboards.

Upstairs are �ive bedrooms and three baths on one end of the house, and the owner’s suite on the other, connected by a hallway that overlooks the great room. The owner’s suite is a study in luxury with a vaulted ceiling, �ireplace, large sitting area and a spacious, airy feel throughout. The bath has twin sinks, a glassed-in shower and soaking tub, all updated, with a spa-like quality.

Downstairs is a casual media area. But then there’s a surprise speakeasy/game room including a �ireplace, all hidden behind a faux wall!

Adjacent to but separate from the main house is a pool house, that has a more rustic character, with a great room and �ireplace, a walk-in bar, covered terrace and an outdoor shower. Meticulous landscaping helps the various areas – pool, terrace, outdoor kitchen, pool house, driveway, and yard all connect and �low together, very much like a private resort. Nearly all of the back area is a green expanse that beautifully frames the wellsited buildings. Everything about this house says “welcome home.”

The attached garage has three bays. In-ground pool and detached pool house. Well water and septic system. Whole house generator. Seven �ireplaces. West Geauga school district. Represented by Adam Kaufman of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 15157 Hemlock Point is listed at $2,250,000 at press time with annual taxes of $20,106. Contact Adam Kaufman at 216-8317370, or adamkaufman@howardhanna.com.

Luxury Meets Nature: The Galápagos by Celebrity Cruise Lines

Step into a world where time stands still and nature reigns supreme. The Galápagos Islands are one of the most extraordinary destinations on Earth—a living museum of evolution, home to species found nowhere else. From ancient volcanic landscapes to pristine turquoise waters, this protected paradise oﬀ ers a rare and unﬁ ltered glimpse into the natural world.

Now, there’s an equally extraordinary way to experience it. Introducing the Celebrity Flora, the ﬁrst all-suites luxury mega yacht built exclusively for sailing the Galápagos Islands. With space for only 100 guests, Celebrity Flora delivers an intimate and immersive adventure like no other—combining indulgent comfort with expert-guided exploration, all in one seamless, all-inclusive package.

This ship isn’t just a way to get there—it’s part of the experience.

Designed with the environment in mind, Celebrity Flora includes advanced technology that minimizes its impact, from solar panels to an anchorless positioning system that protects delicate sea floors. And with the distinction of being the first vessel in the region to earn a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star

Rating, you can expect nothing less than world-class service.

On board, every suite features floor-to-ceiling windows, private verandas, and personalized touches. Enjoy locally inspired gourmet dining, spa services, and enriching programs led by certiﬁed Galápagos naturalists. On shore, daily smallgroup excursions immerse you in the islands’ raw beauty—snorkel alongside sea lions, hike past marine iguanas, and stand feet away from curious giant tortoises.

At Action Travel, we make your journey even easier. From the moment you start planning, we handle the details—international flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels, transfers, and travel insurance—so you can relax and focus on what matters most: experiencing one of the last truly wild places on Earth.

Whether you’re celebrating a milestone or checking oﬀ a bucket-list dream, the Galápagos with Celebrity Cruises is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

CONTACT ACTION TRAVEL

To book your vacation with Celebrity Cruises today:(440) 2484949 ActionTravelNow.com

Buckle up for a wild run of festivals in NE Ohio this season

By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN

You sat around all winter. Now is the time to get up on your feet and get out to enjoy all that summertime in Northeast Ohio has to oﬀer. There are enough festivals and street fairs planned to ﬁll the entire season.

Tri-C JazzFest: The 46th Annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland is June 26 through June 28. The lineup promises to be an eclectic mix of cultures and styles. Special tributes include a swinging centennial nod to Oscar Peterson and an homage to the enduring duo of Chick Corea and Gary Burton. Go to www.tri-c.edu/jazzfest

Put-in-Bay Pyrate Fest: Grab your wooden leg and your pet parrot, because you are going to need them. This festival includes a Pyrate marketplace and displays, a kid’s fun fest and black powder ﬁring demonstrations. It concludes with the infamous Cardboard Boat Races in the downtown harbor. Pyrate Fest is June 27 through June 29 in DeRivera Park. Visit www.putinbay. com

BAYarts Art and Music Festival: Join BAYarts on June 28 at its beautiful Huntington Metroparks campus for this annual festival, featuring more than 50 local vendors, food trucks and live bands. Admission is free. See www.bayarts.net for details.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Italian Festival: This annual ethnic festival takes place on July 9 through July 13 in the heart of Gordon Square at 1355 W. 70th St. This is the 98th annual festival. Go to www.olmc-cleveand.org

Cain Park Arts Festival: For more than 40 decades, the award-winning Cain Park Arts Festival has brought the work of hundreds of artists from across the county to Northeast Ohio. This free, juried arts festival takes place on July 11 through July 13. Attendees can also enjoy live entertainment, interactive mural painting for children of all ages and a variety of food trucks and concessions. Details are at www.cainpark.

com

Uncorked Cleveland: The sixth annual Uncorked: Cleveland Wine Fest is July 12 at the Great Lakes Science Center. Sip and savor more than a hundred wines and bubblies from across the globe, as well as beverages like seltzers and canned cocktails. Enjoy local food trucks and food vendors, and explore full after-hours access to the science museum. Two sessions include early admission at 7 p.m. for $80, and general admission at 8 p.m. for $65. This event is age 21 and over only. It beneﬁts local nonproﬁt the Art Therapy Studio of Cleveland. The Great Lakes Science Center is at 601 Erieside Ave. Go to www. uncorkedwinefestivals.com/uncorked-cleveland

BorderLight Theatre Festival: The BorderLight Theatre Festival takes place on July 16 through July 19 across 16 stages in the Playhouse Square District. This year’s program showcases 49 diverse and innovative shows representing 10 states, three countries and a wide range of artistic genres. Single ticket prices range from $9.25 to $36.25, with ticket packs from $43 to $156. The festival also oﬀers 13 free shows open to the public. Check www.borderlightcle. org for updates.

Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival: The 40th Cleveland Irish Festival is July 18 through July 20 at the Berea Fairgrounds, 19201 E. Bagley Rd. in Middleburgh Heights. The non-profit annual civic event benefits local and national charities while highlighting many aspects of Irish culture. Hear pipe bands and rock bands. See Celtic dancers and take in award-winning Irish plays. More than 50 vendors offer authentic Irish goods, foods and crafts. Go to www.clevelandirish.org to purchase tickets.

Lakewood Summer Meltdown: The Summer Meltdown on July 19 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. is one of the region’s most highly anticipated street parties, drawing about 15,000 attendees from across Northeast Ohio. The biggest block party in the city is free. It features

a 5K race, 1 Mile Family Fun Run and Walk, a street festival, outdoor activities, games, food vendors, beer garden and live music. Visit www. lakewoodalive.org

Taste of Tremont: This annual street festival on July 20 showcases the best of Tremont’s food, art and entertainment. The neighborhood is home to some of the region’s most talented chefs and you are invited to enjoy a day ﬁlled with exquisite cuisine, live music and shopping. The event is on Professor Ave. and is free, from noon to 8 p.m. Go to www.experiencetremont. com

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival: Vintage Ohio returns for its 29th year on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 with many new features. Wineries travel from every corner of the state to participate in the festival held at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Lake County. This year, there is a new cider focus, four musical venues, scores of artisans and craft vendors, several food trucks and caterers, as well as a cooking pavilion with food demonstrations, and food and wine pairings. Festival hours are noon until 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $39 in advance for tasters, and $45 at the gate. VIP tickets are $75. Non-drinkers tickets are $10 per person and $4 for children ages four to 17. Go to www.visitvintageohio.com

Lakewood Arts Festival: The 48th annual Lakewood Arts Festival is Aug. 2 on Detroit Ave. in Lakewood. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. On average, 165 artists are selected to exhibit. Musical entertainment is scheduled throughout the day. See www. lakewoodartsfest.org for vendor listings.

Feast of the Assumption: The 2025 Feast of the Assumption marks the festival’s 126th year at the parish of Holy Rosary in Little Italy. During the four days of the festivities, Aug. 15 through Aug. 18, booths are set up in the churchyard and throughout the neighborhood featuring Italian foods, desserts, live music and entertainment for young children. A candlelight procession

TRAVEL

is held on the final evening of the Feast. Visit www.holy-rosary.org for a schedule of events. Cleveland Garlic Festival: The North Union Farmers Market presents the annual Cleveland Garlic Festival, a celebration of bold flavors and garlicky goodness. The festival is more than just a foodie paradise. It is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit market. Proceeds help provide healthy food access to SNAP, WIC and senior customers are the farmers markets. The events include Top Chef Grill-Offs, a Miss Garlic 2025 competition, Ohio craft beers, an Ohio Cheese Guild tent, live music and entertainment for the entire family. The garlic festival takes place on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 at Shaker Square. Get tickets details at www.northunionfarmersmarket. org

Cleveland Taco Fest: Taco Fest on Aug. 29 through Sept. 1 showcases a selection of unique Mexican cuisine served by area food trucks. More than 35 vendors will be oﬀering up fare. The event also features live musical entertainment, Lucha Libre wrestling, daily contests like the hot pepper challenge and taco-eating contest, artisan vendors and a Kids Zone. Tickets are $10 at the door and free for children under age three and military, police and ﬁre personnel. Cleveland Taco Fest is at Jacobs Pavilion, 2014 Sycamore St. in the Flats. Go to www.tacofestcle.com

Cleveland Pickle Fest: Volunteers are a big dill at Cleveland Pickle Fest, a celebration of pickles and volunteerism in Cleveland. Proceeds from the event support Greater Cleveland Volunteers programs and services in Cuyahoga County. The festival, held on Sept. 20 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Downtown Mall C, invites thousands of people to enjoy diﬀerent ﬂavors of pickles, pickles on a stick, pickle pizza, pickle candy and even pickle ice cream. Live music plays throughout the event. Visit www. clevelandpicklefest.com for additional details.

Great Lakes Science Center “Anchor Ball”

The “Anchor Ball,” a gala event to benefit Great Lakes Science Center, brought more than 400 guests together to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Steamship William G. Mather. Attendees enjoyed a dinner menu inspired by the food served to Cleveland Cliffs’ executives and their guests while traveling on the Mather. An elaborate dessert reception followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the science center’s new “Steam and Steel” exhibit.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Ion Awards honoring community leaders who have transformed big dreams into reality at Great Lakes Science Center. The first award honored Tim Runyan, one of the founders of Great Lakes Science Center, whose leadership took the center from an idea to becoming one of the leading science museums in the country. A

professor of history at Cleveland State University, Runyan was also a leader in the campaign to create a museum out of the Steamship William G. Mather. His posthumous award was accepted by his family.

The second Ion recipient, Billie K. Rawot, served on the science center’s board of trustees for 22 years. She retired as senior vice president and controller from Eaton Corporation in 2013.

Kate Mathews and Adam Munson

Howard Lewis, Katinka Domotorffy and David Reynolds Bill, Joyce, Matt and Stacy Litzler

Senator Thomas Patton, Kirsten Ellenbogen and Steven Karklin

Mike Runyan, Kirsten Ellenbogen and Chris Runyan

Mike Runyan, Billie Rawot, Laurie Runyan and Chris Runyan

High School theater talent awarded at 10th Anniversary Dazzle Awards Ceremony

By ANDREA C. TURNER

The KeyBank State Theatre was packed to the gills with frenzied fans of Northeast Ohio’s High School Musical Theater programs on May 17, for the 10th Anniversary Dazzle Awards Ceremony presented by Pat & John Chapman and supported by PNC. Craig Hassall, Playhouse Square’s President and CEO called the Dazzle Awards its “loudest event of the year.” He was not kidding as applause and cheers for the show-stopping musical performances raised the roof!

FOX 8’s Natalie Herbick, of “New Day Cleveland,” served as the event’s host. The evening featured the talent and hard work of 200 students, as well as directors, choreographers, musicians, and staff from 38 participating high schools, up from 19 that competed in its ﬁrst year. Over 2,100 students were involved in the productions competing for the coveted awards.

The annual ceremony honors the excellence seen in high school theater programs. It oﬀers

arts education opportunities throughout the school year and is aﬃliated with The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (also known as The Jimmy Awards) presented by The Broadway League Foundation.

As recipients of the Best Actor and Actress Awards, Anthony Fritzgerald and Mira Cahalane will represent Northeast Ohio at The Jimmy Awards on June 23. Playhouse Square presented Anthony and Mira each with checks for $2000. Travel to The Jimmy

The evening culminated with the announcement of the Dazzle Awards winners. Top honors were presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 13 categories. Other winners of the 2025 Dazzle Awards recipients are:

Best Scenic Design (Tie)

Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition

St. Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical

Best Costume Design: Lutheran West, Hello, Dolly!

Best Choreography Execution: Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition

Best Student Orchestra: Rocky River High School, Matilda The Musical

Best Technical Execution: Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition

Best Ensemble/Chorus: Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition

Best Supporting Actor: Logan Cerrito, Bay High School, ‘Mayor Shinn’ in The Music Man

Best Supporting Actress: Molly Kessler, St. Ignatius High School, ‘Dragon’/’Witch’ in Shrek The Musical

The Spirit of the Dazzle Awards: Jack Ottaviano, Independence High School

This award goes to the student who most embodies camaraderie, passion and an infectiously positive attitude throughout rehearsal week as identiﬁed by the Dazzle Awards creative team.

Best Musical: l (Tier 1 – Budget less than $14,000): Lakewood High School’s Les Misérables (School Edition)

Best Musical (Tier 2 – Budget $14,000 or more): Hudson High School, Hadestown (Teen Edition)

The winners of the Best Musical categories each received a $1,000 award for use toward their next high school musical productions.

Public and private high schools located in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties were invited to apply for participation.

Information and applications for the 2026 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in August.

Awards is made possible by a gift from The Weisenberg Family Broadway National High School Musical Theatre Awards Fund. The opening number was directed by Broadway Director/Choreographer Connor Gallagher. Students took over the Playhouse Square District, singing and dancing their way from the Playhouse Square Chandelier presented by GE Lighting on Euclid Avenue into the KeyBank State Theatre. Six schools nominated for Best Musical showcased songs from their respective productions, and the Best Actor and Actress nominees wowed the crowd with their medleys. In honor of the Dazzle Awards

10th anniversary, alumni from the program delivered a special performance. Students worked behind-the-scenes as technical apprentices with the production team to create a smooth show, while musical apprentices performed alongside professional musicians during the ceremony. The excitement was captured by the Dazzle Awards student reporters who worked the “PNC Red Carpet” before the show, as well as backstage at the Dazzle Awards social station. One of the student reporters, Hailey Tramonte of Highland High School, is now a ﬁnalist in The Jimmy Awards Student Reporter Search.

Dazzle Awards Alumni perform a medley. Photo by Andrea C. Turner

Mira Cahalane

Anthony Fritzgerald

Tour ‘All Dolled Up’ exhibit at WRHS through August 31

By RITA KUEBER

Last year The Cleveland History Center, part of the Western Reserve Historical Society launched an exhibit about a common but often overlooked artifact in American life – dolls. The curated display runs through August 31 and is unique in the country in terms of artifacts, but also in terms of mining a deep pool of content that includes dolls, doll houses, artwork, miniatures, and more, that describe the history of the American family over the past two decades.

“I started thinking about this exhibit when the Barbie movie came out,” says Patricia (Patty) Edmonson, Curator of Costume and Textiles. “At the time I was also listening to a podcast called “Dolls of our Lives,” created by two Ph.D.s, [Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney] who discuss American Girl books. I also have two daughters ages three and seven, so we have a collection of dolls at home,” she adds. Edmonson, who has been in place for nine years, modestly refers to her Masters in American Material Culture from the University of Delaware. She also worked for The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

“We have a huge doll collection but it’s not always on view. We know that some people think of dolls as creepy, but we’re hoping to show dolls in a different light and also show a relationship between person and doll.” She says the oldest doll in the exhibit is from 1831. But fast-forward through decades, and there are examples of dolls from the Civil War and Victorian eras, as well as from the turbulent sixties, right up to modern day.

“We have a miniature that’s a tattoo parlor,” Patty says. “Cathy Lincoln is a sponsor of our show, and she loaned us some of the Barbies that she played with as a child. She’s an artist in her own right, who creates miniature rooms and doll

houses. We wanted to blend antique and contemporary objects, and balance out the older things in the show,” Patty says. “When I encounter people in the gallery, I hear the connection. I hear ‘I had one of those,’ or ‘I always wanted one of those.’ There is a lot of personal nostalgia. There’s also something magical about things in miniature, like a tiny tea set or tiny lunchbox. Working from that, in the gallery we have some life-size clothing, paired with dolls

in a similar outfit.”

She describes how the gallery’s perimeter has doll houses, Barbies, and American Girl dolls, as well as books about dolls that are all available for visitors to touch and children to play with. “It’s fun to see little kids experience the gallery,” she adds. The exhibit has about 130 artifacts split into several themes. The Secret Life of Dolls explores the idea of the inanimate coming to life (when no one is looking, of course.)

“The idea is both charming and unsettling, but easy to understand since some of our dolls are very realistic. But we’ve tried to create an environment that’s welcoming and pleasant,” she explains. Other themes are Fashion Dolls, Storied Dolls, meaning dolls based on stories such as Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. The fourth theme is Treasured Companions, which speaks to the importance of a doll in the life of a child. One artifact included under this theme is a photo of dolls arranged like a family portrait taken in 1860. “Within our collection we know who owned certain dolls and tell their stories. We think about who owned or played with certain dolls, and what the dolls mean to us as companions and friends or little family members.

“One artifact we have is a doll that belonged to Cora Hubbard, a woman who grew up in Gallipolis, Ohio, but lived in Cleveland around 1860. We don’t have a photo of Cora, who would have been referred to as ‘mulatto’ at that time, but we have a photo of her doll, which was white. Cora saved that photo her entire life, then donated it to the historical society, so it clearly meant something to her. Gallipolis happens to be the first place in the US that celebrated the Emancipation Proclamation. We enlarged the photo of that doll and have it displayed next to a life-sized manikin, similarly dressed. A simple photo of a doll leads us down all these research alleys and brings us all sorts of stories,” Patty says. All Dolled Up is available through August 31 with general admission to The Cleveland History Center. More than 100 friends made of ceramic, porcelain, cloth, wood, and wool, are waiting to meet you.

Cleveland History Center/Western Reserve Historical Society: www.wrhs.org

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The theme for the 2025 Red Wagon Luncheon to beneﬁt the Christ Child Society of Cleveland was, “Planting Seeds of Hope.”

More than 350 guests attended the annual fundraiser, which has been held for more than 70 years. It was held this year at the conference center at the Holiday Inn Independence. The theme of the society, which is in its 109th year, is, “Challenging

Christ Child Society of Cleveland Red Wagon Luncheon”

childhood poverty in Greater Cleveland.”

The 335 members of the Christ Child Society of Cleveland provided assistance for 12,000 children last year, through 1,800 hours of volunteer service.

The luncheon included a welcome message by President Kathy Michael and invocation by spiritual advisor Rev. Daniel Schlegel. Co-chairs for this year’s event were Cathy

Harbinak and Monica Bruck. In addition to basket drawings and raﬄ es, there was a Sweets and Treats cookie table and a fashion show by Toni in Style.

The Christ Child Society provides layettes for newborns, staffs and funds two area school libraries, oﬀ ers a reading enrichment program and distributes more than 10,000 books to children in Northeast Ohio.

“My Stuﬀ” bags provide personal items for children residing in shelters or transitional housing. The society also provides safe beds for children to sleep, clothing, winter jackets and school uniforms for children in need. The Red Wagon Luncheon raised more than $40,000 to support these programs. STORY BY CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN/ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC EAKIN

Ann Shamass, Lorene Varley, Kathy Cole and Liz Niehaus Lorraine Dodero, Cathy Caruso, Janie Nickodem and Kate Toma

Laurel Kaiser, Loreda Grbavac and Carole Hudac

Sheila Gulick, Paula Conrad and Yvonne Schiffler

Karen Bush and Lisa Leduc