A SUPPLEMENT TO CHAGRIN VALLEY TIMES, SOLON TIMES, GEAUGA TIMES COURIER AND WEST LIFE
The entire staff at Currents wishes everyone a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, AND a joyful start to the holiday season just ahead! Before the stress of shopping and preparing for your Thanksgiving feast this year sets in, take a moment to read Beth Schreibman Gehring’s contribution to our November issue on pages A10 and 11, entitled “The Quiet Choreography of Care.” ’Tis the season for giving, so don’t miss Section B of Currents this month, with our annual focus on Charitable Giving. And for gifting suggestions and ideas, see Section C, to be continued in the next issue of Currents, publishing a week early, on December 11.
INSIDE
A 8 FOOD/HISTORY
All you ever wanted to know about the cranberry, and recipes in which to use them before, after the feast!
By Jeannie Emser Schultz
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
Shop locally this season to find unique gifts at seasonal events
By Cynthia Schuster Eakin
BENEFIT BEAT
(If you have a nonprofit charity/fundraising event you wish to be included in this monthly listing, please send information to editor@currentsnews.com)
Thursday, December 4...16th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, to benefit May Dugan Center, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Center, 4115 Bridge Avenue. Enjoy a fun family evening with Santa, The Grinch, local choirs, the Urban Community School and the May Dugan Seniors. Supporting the May Dugan Center’s mission of “enriching lives and strengthening communities through comprehensive support services.” Sponsorships are available; for more information, email Patty Kaplan, pkaplan@maydugancenter.org, or call 216-631-5800, ext. 125.
Saturday, December 6 … Hospice of the Western Reserve Warehouse Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, December 7, noon to 3 p.m., at Hospice of the Western Reserve Headquarters, 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland. Find gently-used home furnishings and accessories—all priced at a fraction of their original retail prices! This sale only – all wall art, wall décor and mirrors 50 percent off. Holiday décor 10 percent off Saturday only. Sale often includes fine china, glassware, antiques, jewelry, collectibles and oneof-a-kind treasures. Proceeds benefit patients and families. Call 216.255.9090 for more information.
2026
Saturday, Feb. 7...Haute for the House, to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at InterContinental Hotel Cleveland, 9801 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland. Enjoy an unforgettable afternoon featuring fashion, raffles, auctions, shopping, and more. Experience an exclusive runway show spotlighting the creativity of students, faculty, and alumni from Kent State University’s School of Fashion. Student designers will compete for a $1,000 scholarship — and you’ll help choose the winner! A day where fashion meets compassion to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio. Every ticket, every raffle, every bid helps families stay close to their children receiving medical care. For more information, contact kspring@ RMHCneo.org.
Saturday, April 18, 2026...25th Anniversary Gala Celebration, to benefit The Gathering Place, 7 p.m. at InterContinental Hotel, Cleveland. Festive evening featuring dinner, live entertainment, and stories of impact –past, present and future. Cocktail attire. Visit touchedbycancer.org/25 years.
B 6
C 1
D
2-3
MUSIC
Jim Brickman makes hometown stop at Hanna Theatre for Christmas tour
By Jeannie Emser Schultz
HOSTESS GIFT GUIDE
Hostess gifts sure to show your appreciation By Margaret Cibik
AT HOME
Magnificent Fairlawn Heights home for sale
By Rita Kueber
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
H. KENNETH DOUTHIT III
Publisher
KELLI COTESWORTH MCLELLAN
Editor
AUGUST EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Margaret Cibik, Cynthia Schuster Eakin, Rita Kueber, Andrea C. Turner, Jeannie Emser Schultz, Beth Schreibman Gehring LAYOUT: Christine Hahn
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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.
As we gather around the table this Thanksgiving, we would like to take the time to thank all of our customers for their patronage over the years and look forward to continue to provide the
Beck Center to present magical new production of ‘The Nutcracker Ballet’
In celebration of five decades of dance excellence, Beck Center is proudly producing a dazzling new staging of the beloved “Nutcracker Ballet.” It brings to life the enchanting story of Clara and her journey to the Land of Sweets. With fresh choreography, vibrant costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, this classic ballet promises to delight audiences and honor the rich legacy of dance at Beck Center.
This year’s production showcases a talented ensemble of more than 80 performers. The ballet is double-cast, giving each dancer the opportunity to perform in both Act I and Act II. Members of Beck’s Dance Workshop bring to life Drosselmeier’s magical dolls, the swirling Waltz of the Snowflakes, and the colorful dreamland of Sweets.
Performances will be held in the Music and Creative Arts Therapies Building Oatey Recital Hall, beginning with SensoryFriendly shows on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. To reserve specially priced tickets, email Kelsey Heichel at kheichel@beckcenter.org
Public performances run from December 6 through December 14, 2025. Saturday, December 6 at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m.; Friday, December 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, December 13 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m.
Each performance runs approximately one hour without intermission, serving a delightful dose of holiday magic for families and audiences of all ages. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children. Purchase tickets by calling 216.521.2540 or visit beckcenter.org.
Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.
Let the experts help with beverage pairings this Thanksgiving
By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN
Are you having turkey troubles this Thanksgiving?
Pairing beverages with Thanksgiving dinner can be tricky. With all of the complex yet traditional flavors of the holiday, picking the perfect wine for your table may be more challenging than you think.
The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley take out all of the guessing when it comes to selecting the right wine for your feast. From Gewurztraminers, Rieslings and Dry Rose wines to more non-traditional options like wines infused with the flavor of cranberries, there is something for everyone’s table.
Turkey Trot is an event held in the fall right before the holiday season. Join Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery and Ristorante, Grand River Cellars Winery and Restaurant, Laurello Vineyards and Cask 307 Winery for wine samplings paired with the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal. Participants can visit each of the five wineries in any order they choose. Each winery will provide samples of their wines along with an appetizer and recipes. Then, each winery will make a monetary contribution to area food banks.
“Ferrante’s is doing Mama Jo’s homemade sausage stuffing paired with our Cranberry Blanc,” Alyssa Ollis, marketing director at Ferrante Winery said. “We are pouring our Golden Bunches Dry Riesling, as well. We will have our featured Hot Toddy and our
Caramel Apple-spiced Martini.” Ferrante Winery and Ristorante is at 5585 St. Rt. 307 in Geneva. Phone 440-466-8466 or visit www.ferrantewinery.com
Grand River Cellars, 5750 Madison Rd. in Madison, will feature turkey pot pie over biscuits and a fall cocktail menu. Call 440298-9838 or go to www.grandrivercellars. com for additional details.
Debonne Vineyards, 7840 Doty Rd. in Madison, is preparing sweet potato casserole and pairing it with Apple Sangria. Contact Debonne Vineyards at 440-466-3485 or visit www.debonne.com
Cask 307, 7259 Warner Rd., Madison, will feature cranberry cheesecake cups served with a featured cocktail. Phone 440-307-9586 or visit www.cask307.com
Laurello Vneyards, 4573 St. Rt. 307 in Geneva, is offering turkey rolls with featured fall beverages. Call 440-415-0661 or go to www.laurellovineyards.com
The cost to take part in Turkey Trot is $9 per person at each winery. A single ticket price of $37 per person, a savings of $10, includes Turkey Trot 2025 for all five wineries. The price includes wine samples, hearty appetizers and recipes. Turkey Trot takes place through Nov. 26 from noon to 5 p.m.. There are no advance ticket refunds.
Optional overnight packages are available. The all-inclusive overnight packages include shuttle service for two to participating wineries from your chosen hotel, two Turkey Trot tasting passes for each location,
overnight accommodations at your choice of the Hampton or Holiday Inn Madison and continental breakfast. Weekday packages include a bonus $15 dining voucher. To purchase tickets, go to the Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley website at www. wggrv.com
Ferrante Winery is serving Mama Jo’s homemade sausage stuffing with a Caramel Apple-spiced Martini.
Photograph courtesy of Ferrante Winery
Guests at a benefit for the Cleveland History Center had the opportunity to take a front row seat for “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies” exhibit grand opening.
The exclusive cocktail reception for 160 attendees recognized the region’s important contributions to the movie industry, which brings more than $100 million to the local economy each year. The exhibit complements “Ohio Goes to the Movies,” a statewide film festival and signature event of America 250-Ohio in 2026 that features Ohio actors, directors, writers, composers and others who bring the magic of movies to life.
“Hollywood on the Cuyahoga is a first for our community,” Kelly Falcone-Hall, Western Reserve Historical Society president said. “While people are becoming more aware that
movies are made in Northeast Ohio, there has never been a comprehensive look at how this industry has, over the years, blossomed into a major part of our cultural landscape and an economic engine for the region and all of Ohio.”
In recent years, the birthplace of the first American superhero, Superman, has become a go-to place for filming superhero films such as The Avengers, Spiderman 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Project Manager Dennis Barrie of BarrieProjects explained that, “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga uncovers these stories, from The Deer Hunter, Christmas Story, Shawshank Redemption, Superman and more. Yes, we do make movies in Ohio.” STORY BY CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN/PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC EAKIN
This season, we’re especially thankful for the people who make what we do so meaningful – our clients. Your trust, your stories, and your homes are at the heart of it all.
Maddie Clegg, Kelsey Wolf, Jane Shami, Karen Eagle Not pictured: Liz Murphy, Cheryl Clegg
Kathy and Dennis Barrie with Gov. Mike DeWine and Fran DeWine
Patrice Aylward, Christopher Johnston and Betty Weibel
Chris Ronayne and Angie Lowrie with a bust of Superman by David Deming
Joseph and Nancy Keithley with Karen and Eric Kaler
Francine Teller and Hilary Beatrez
Cranberries … Thanksgiving’s love-hate side dish
By JEANNIE EMSER SCHULTZ
Cranberry sauce…that jiggly, gelatinous side dish that shows up annually on America’s Thanksgiving Day tables but often goes missing the rest of the year! Long before the Wampanoag tribe feasted with the Pilgrims, the tribe was utilizing cranberries for food, dye and medicine. If cranberries were served at that first Thanksgiving, they likely tasted nothing like today’s sweetened sauce because the settlers in 1621 had yet to cultivate sugar cane in their new country.
But a little more than 50 years later, according to a 1672 account cited by The Washington Post, the new Americans and Native Americans had both started to enjoy cranberries much like we do now. The 1672 account stated, “Indians and English use it (cranberries) much, ‘boyling’them with sugar for a sauce to eat with their Meat.”
In 1796, Amelia Simmons (who wrote “American Cookery” - considered the first-ever American cookbook) recommended cranberry sauce be served with roast turkey. Since the Library of Congress included the book on its list of “Books That Shaped America,” it’s possible her suggestion reverberated through American kitchens.
Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to America and one of the few commercially grown. In the early 1800s Ocean Spray
revolutionized the labor-intensive process of hand-picking cranberries with the wet harvest: farmers flood cranberry bogs and wade into the water to collect the floating berries en masse. This was a more efficient technique, but mass harvesting meant more cranberries were damaged. So, in 1912, Ocean Spray decided to maximize the yield by crushing them into canned, jellied cranberry sauce. This made it easier than ever for every American home to slice up their cylinder of solid, sugary, berry goodness.
Cranberry sauce is one of the few Thanksgiving foods that can be served with
no real kitchen know-how. Just open the can, loosen the gelatinous contents with a knife, and watch it slide out in one piece. In fact, the straight-out-of-the-can ridges on jellied cranberry sauce are a common source of nostalgia. You know from your childhood, it’ll taste the same every time, and you probably noticed something odd: It’s canned upside-down! That is, the label is on upside down so the rounded edge end faces up. A can opener must be used on the lipped bottom (which actually looks like the top) to remove the contents.
There’s a reason for this strange packaging choice: to allow the jelly to slide out smoothly
without breaking apart. Part of the can is deliberately left empty so an air bubble can form on top. Instead of having to flip the can and shake the sauce out, a quick swipe of a knife around the bottom edges lets it slip out in one plop… ridges and all. The product has been manufactured this way for more than 20 years. If you aren’t a fan of the processed look and want an “upgraded” homemade version, you may upset a good portion of your guests. Americans are particular about their cranberry sauce (if they even eat it at all, as—according to one survey-- it’s actually the most disliked Thanksgiving food).
According to another Ocean Spray survey, 46 percent of people care just as much about the type of cranberry sauce served at Thanksgiving as they do about their favorite sports team. But good luck pleasing everyone! The battle between canned and homemade is real; 60 percent of the survey respondents preferred canned cranberry sauce, while 40 percent opted for homemade. So, what to do with leftover cranberry sauce besides being an addition to turkey sandwiches? It can be added to jarred sweet and sour red cabbage. Or use whole berry sauce to top a wheel of baked Brie cheese. Melt jellied or whole berry to create a sauce for leftover turkey, chicken breasts, pork or salmon. Or...incorporate leftover cranberry sauce into one of these following easy recipes.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine turkey, ¼ cup enchilada sauce and salt and pepper.
Tortillas: On a microwave-safe plate, microwave for 30 sec. to 1 min. until warm and pliable. Assembly: Fill each tortilla evenly with turkey mixture and top with 1 T cranberry sauce in each tortilla. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the divided shredded cheese on the tortillas, then roll tortillas tightly to close and place seam side down in a large baking dish. Pour remaining 1¾ cup enchilada sauce over the tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining 1½ cups shredded cheese. Use remaining cranberry sauce to dot on top of each tortilla. Bake 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with selected toppings. (Serves: 4 portions, 2 tortillas each.)
CRANBERRY SWEET & SOUR PORK STIR FRY
• 1 T cornstarch
• ½ c unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 c whole-berry cranberry sauce
• ½ c barbecue sauce
• 1&1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1T oil (avocado, canola or peanut)
• ½ t salt ¼ t pepper
• 1 each medium red and green peppers, julienned
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• ¾ c drained pineapple tidbits
• Cooked rice (enough for 4 servings or two 8.5 oz. packets of a ready rice)
Directions: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and pineapple juice until smooth. Stir in cranberry and barbecue sauces; set aside. In a large skillet, stir-fry pork in oil until no longer pink, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove pork to a bowl to keep warm.
Add green and red peppers, onion and pineapple to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened, 2 minutes. Add pork and heat through. Serve over rice. (Serves 4.)
The Quiet Choreography of Care
By BETH SCHREIBMAN GEHRING
Thanksgiving, for me, begins quietly. Not with the meal itself, but in the tender work that leads up to it. The week before, you’ll find me in the kitchen polishing my mother’s silver, tracing a soft cloth over each piece as if restoring memory itself. I bring out her aprons too. I never wear one otherwise, but on Thanksgiving, I tie one around my waist. It’s a small ritual of remembrance, a way to keep her close while the house fills with the smells she once made her own.
There’s comfort in those early, solitary tasks, a rhythm that steadies the heart. On the stove, butter turns nut-brown and fragrant. Sage leaves sizzle and curl, and the scent alone feels like a prayer. These are the small movements that make up what I think of as the quiet choreography of care—gestures so ordinary they might go unnoticed, yet together they create the rhythm of love. Gratitude, I’ve learned, often reveals itself through these motions, the things we do with our hands long before we ever speak a word of thanks.
Every year, as the table fills, our family pauses to speak aloud what we’re thankful for. It’s a simple tradition, yet it never fails to undo me a little. Hearing those words, sometimes clumsy, sometimes tender, reminds
me that gratitude isn’t something you declare once a year. It’s a practice of allowing. To be thankful is to let yourself feel it, fully and without hurry. To sit in it. To notice the warmth of the room, the hands that reach for yours, the meal made with care.
These small rituals tether us to something larger, a lineage of love and attention. We inherit recipes, yes, but also gestures: the way my mother bent close to test the seasoning of a sauce, the way she’d hum softly as she worked, the way I now find myself doing the same. Every motion says, I am here, and I am thankful to be here. Each act, however small, joins that same choreography, a dance of gratitude repeated across generations.
Thanksgiving is the one holiday I’ve always tried to keep just as she did, because she made it so special from start to finish. I can still remember waking as a child to the sounds and smells of her kitchen: the steady rhythm of her chopping onions for the stuffing, the butter melting in the pan with sage, the browning of sausage that filled the house with the first scent of the day. And always, in the background, Aaron Copland’s “Simple Gifts” played through the stereo. My mother and father listened to it every Thanksgiving morning, and now, when I hear it, I’m right back in that kitchen. Somehow, it has become the sound of the holiday itself — gentle, steady, full of
These were some of Mom’s holiday recipes, many of which are family favorites still to this day.
grace, like a perfect bowl of mashed potatoes. My mother’s mashed potatoes were a thing of beauty. Sadly, she took the recipe to the
grave with her, with one exception. The only person who truly knows how to make them is my nephew Michael; she passed the secret to him. He’s tried to teach me, but she gave him the touch. Every year I try, and every year my son takes a bite, looks at me, and says, “Almost, Mom. You’ve almost got it.” Last year, I came pretty close. We’ll see what happens this year.
She also insisted on serving mashed sweet potatoes crowned with a layer of marshmallows and run under the broiler until bronzed. I have always hated them. I hated them as a child, and I still do. To this day, we have both kinds of potatoes on the table which feels like the perfect truce. And every year there was her oyster casserole, a family recipe she’d eaten since she was a little girl. When I was young, I absolutely hated it. Now I absolutely love it. It’s funny how tastes change with time, how memory softens and flavors deepen. That casserole has become one of the truest tastes of home for me.
Barbara’s Scalloped Oyster Casserole
Ingredients
• About 1½ to 2 pints fresh shucked oysters, drained (reserve their liquor if it’s clean)
• 1½ sleeves saltine crackers, lightly crushed
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (plus more for garnish, if you like)
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (or to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a medium casserole dish.
2. Butter the saltines: Melt about 6 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and toss in the crushed saltines until they’re lightly coated and golden. Set aside about one-third for the topping.
3. Layer the casserole: Spread a layer of buttered saltines across the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of oysters (about one-third of them), sprinkle with a bit of fresh dill, then repeat with more saltines, oysters, and dill until you have three layers, finishing with oysters on top.
4. Season the cream: Warm the heavy cream gently with the Old Bay seasoning and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste it before pouring. If it needs a pinch of salt, add it now, but remember the oysters and saltines will bring plenty of their own.
5. Make the topping: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Toss with the reserved saltines and chopped pecans. Scatter this mixture over the top.
6. Bake for about 30–35 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Let rest a few minutes before serving. I always wanted to add some cheese to this, but she’d look at me, shake her head, and say, “It does not need cheese. Why gild the lily?”
The Thanksgiving that she passed was the Turn to Care on Page 11
“Every family has a dish … that hums with memory,... one that anchors the day, connecting past to present.” Beth Schreibman Gehring about her late mother Barbara’s Scalloped Oyster Casserole pictured here.
Care continued from Page 10
first time I made it myself. And of course, I ignored her advice and sprinkled cheese on top. It made the casserole too gooey, masking the freshness of the cream and the delicate herbaceousness of the dill. My father, who was having Thanksgiving dinner with us that year, was very sweet about it. He took one bite, clearly too polite to say anything, and then didn’t eat any more. I knew right then that it had lost something essential. It had lost her touch. It took away all the elegance.
So now I make it her way, exactly her way, and every time I do, I feel her smiling at me for finally understanding. It’s perfect in its quiet simplicity: buttery and briny, rich but refined, layered with flavor and love. The kind of dish that doesn’t shout, only hums with memory.
Every family has a dish like that, one that anchors the day, connecting past to present. It’s what turns a meal into a memory, and a table into a home.
Thanksgiving is such a warm, family holiday. Some people watch the parades with their children; in our family, we often begin the morning with a beautiful hike, just being together with a warm thermos of coffee. When our son was young, we’d gather friends and play a football game before coming home to the smell of roasting turkey. There are so many ways to celebrate, to be with each other in gratitude, before the day settles into its slow rhythm of cooking and conversation.
This year, I want to widen that circle of thanks. Gratitude, after all, grows when it’s given away. So I plan to spend part of the day serving meals at a church, or perhaps at the Salvation Army, an act of giving back, but also of grounding. It feels right that Thanksgiving should hold both comfort and compassion: the warmth of the table and the wider kindness of the world beyond it.
Because that’s the quiet truth of this holiday. Gratitude is both intimate and communal. It lives in the home, and it lives in the heart of service. It can be found in the laughter of family, or in the steady rhythm of ladling soup for a stranger. It’s the same grace, simply extended outward, the same choreography, performed in a different room
When I return home, the house will be warm and fragrant, carrying the day’s echoes of voices, of prayer, of shared labor and simple joy. The pies will already be baked, the turkey roasted, the fragrant cranberry sauce ladled into my mom’s Waterford bowl. This year, I’m truly blessed. My brother and his wife have moved home, and I have more family to share the holiday with. My niece and nephew will be here, and the house will be full again: laughter in the kitchen, stories in the corners, every room alive with gratitude. I don’t have to cook the whole meal this year, but I will be making the scalloped oysters. And I know my mother would be pleased, that same quiet care continuing through us, the house alive with her warmth once more. The holiday will end, the dishes will be done, but her presence will linger, fragrant as sage, and just as comforting. From my kitchen to yours, may your day be filled with love, laughter, and the simple gifts that linger long after the dishes are done. ~ Beth
Medwish Medworks held its benefit at Globe Iron, Cleveland’s newest concert venue on the west bank of the Flats. The event drew 300 guests.
Attendees at the rock and roll-themed evening enjoyed a farm to table family-style meal prepared by Cleveland Field Kitchen. Musical entertainment was provided by Apostle Jones. Medwish Medworks is a humanitarian nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity and
Medwish Medworks “Med Bash World Tour”
environmental sustainability. The organization provides essential care, redistributes surplus medical supplies, and connects medically underserved communities with vital resources in Northeast Ohio and around the world.
According to Britta Latz, chief executive officer for Medwish Medworks, the nonprofit serves close to a million clients annually through a network of about 4,000 volunteers. In 2025 alone, Medwish Medworks shipped
more than $3 million in aid internationally to countries as diverse as Zambia, Ukraine, Haiti and the Philippines. A navigation team works nonstop throughout the year to connect individuals to Medicaid, medical homes and other resources. The $400,000 raised at “Med Bash World Tour” will help to support those efforts. STORY BY CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN/PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC
EAKIN
Fran and Jules Belkin Sam Friedman, Amy Pappas, Jerry Mizer and Jamie Belkin
Dr. Matt Kroh, Dr. M. Jean Uy-Kroh, Zac Ponsky and Austin Ponsky
Britt Latz, Dr. Josh Miller and Dr. Jill Miller
Spread cheer by shopping locally this holiday season
By Cynthia Schuster Eakin
Spread cheer throughout Northeast Ohio by shopping locally this holiday season. The unique and often handmade gifts you purchase will delight the recipients and benefit the community at the same time.
Cleveland Christmas Connection returns to the I-X Center through Nov. 23. Shop more than 550 booths filled with unique gifts. Stop by Santaland with the kids and visit the Sugar Plum Shoppe. There will be live entertainment on the main stage and onsite gift wrapping with donations welcomed for the Prayers from Maria Foundation. Special guest is Karolyn Grimes, “ZuZu” from the film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” sharing her cookbook filled with 200 recipes inspired by the fictional town of Bedford Falls. Go to www.clevelandchristmasconnection.com for ticket information.
Get a jump start on holiday shopping Black Friday weekend and celebrate Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Avon Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show. This large event features artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. Admission is $3. Children under age 12 get in free. The show includes full concessions provided by the Emerald Event Center. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a local non-profit, the Haven Home. The Emerald Event Center is at 33040 Just Imagine Dr., Avon.
Experience the best of the Akron community as House Three Thirty brings back its successful Small Business Saturday Market on Nov. 29. Shop and engage with local artists and homemade creators in a unique and inviting setting. A special menu of delicious food and beverage options will be customized for the market. LeBron James’ Home Court will be open for self-guided tours. Admission is free. House Three Thirty is at 532 W. Market St. in Akron. Call 330-572-2885
or go to www.housethreethirty.com
Cleveland Bazaar has lined up several holiday shopping events. Winterland at the 5th Street Arcades, 530 Euclid Ave., is Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Akron Bazaar at Summer Artspace, 140 E. Market St. in Akron, is Nov. 28 through Nov. 30. Lake Effect Studios at 1615 E. 25th St. in Cleveland are open on Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. The holiday shops at 78th Street Studios will be bustling with shoppers on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14 beginning at 10 a.m. The Last Minute Market at 78th St. is Dec. 19 from 5 p.m. and Dec. 20 starting at 10 a.m. Details can be found at www.clevelandbazaar.org
The spirit of the season comes to life when Light Up Lakewood takes place on Dec. 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This free, family-friendly event on Detroit Ave. features a holiday parade, lighting ceremony, beer garden, holiday train, live music, ice carvings, food trucks and children’s games. Attendees are invited to stroll Lakewood’s downtown districts and visit local shops and restaurants while taking in the sights and sounds of one of Northeast Ohio’s largest holiday celebrations. For more information, go to www.lakewoodalive.org
Solon Hometown Holiday Market is Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than a hundred artisans and crafters will be in attendance. Admission and parking are free. Visit www. avantgardeshows.com for more information.
The Holiday Market at Stonewater is Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring more than 30 local vendors, as well as food and music, it is a great place to shop for holiday gifts. A toy drive will support Toys for tots. For every new and unwrapped toy brought in, guests will be entered into a raffle to win club seats to a Cleveland Cavaliers home game. The event is at Stonewater Golf Course, One Club Dr. in Highland Heights. Phone 440-461-4653. Stroll through the historic streets of
Cleveland’s Little Italy on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 and immerse yourself in a festive celebration of art and community. Specials holiday guest artists will be located in the Murray Hill Schoolhouse. Discover hidden gems, support local artists and celebrate the season in style at this free event. Go to www.littleitalycle.com for details.
The E.J. Thomas Arts and Crafts Show is an annual holiday event on the University of Akron campus in Akron. The event features more than a hundred professional artists and craftspeople on Dec. 5 through Dec. 7. General admission is $5 and $4.50 for seniors. E.J. Thomas Hall is at 198 Hill St.
Cleveland Orchestra to bring music of Disney and Pixar’s UP! in concert to Severance Music Center in February
The Cleveland Orchestra and conductor Brett Mitchell will bring the music of Disney and Pixar’s UP! to Severance Music Center on February 13 and 15. In the Oscar-winning film directed by Pete Docter, a 78-year-old curmudgeonly balloon salesman is not your average hero. When he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America, he finally fulfills his lifelong dream of adventure. But after Carl discovers an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell, this unlikely duo soon finds themselves on a hilarious journey in a lost world filled with danger and surprises. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. For tickets, contact the Severance Music Center Ticket Office by phone at 216-231-1111 or by emailing boxoffice@ clevelandorchestra.com, or visit clevelandorchestra.com.
Trumbull Art Gallery’s “Trees at the Gallery” returns to Warren
The Trumbull Art Gallery is again holding its popular “Trees At the Gallery” Holiday Marketplace event at the gallery in downtown Warren through January 3, 2026. Admission is free.
This annual event features a curated walkthrough marketplace with over 20 displays showcasing unique gift items handcrafted by local artists including art, pottery, woodworking, jewelry, seasonal and holiday décor and more. Additional items will be on display and available for purchase in the TAG Gift Shop.
Artists are encouraged to use imagination when designing their spaces—to enhance presentation of their handcrafted and unique items.
Holiday shopping continues through January 3, 2026. Daily hours are Wednesdays (Noon-4 p.m.); Thursdays (Noon-6 p.m.); Fridays (Noon4 p.m.); and Saturdays (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
to attend any of TAG’s classes or workshops.
The Trumbull Art Gallery, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit formed in 1957, is located at 158 North Park Avenue on
Courthouse Square in downtown Warren. To find out more about this holiday event visit TAG’s website at www.TrumbullArtGallery. com or check the gallery’s Facebook page.
In addition to a holiday tree raffle featuring a fully-decorated tree, visitors to the show can also enter a second raffle for a collection of handcrafted ornaments donated by participating artists. A third raffle features a TAG Gift Certificate that can be used to purchase an item in the Gift Shop or Gallery or used towards a TAG class. The drawings will take place Saturday, December 20 at 3 p.m. Winners need not be present to win. A special Opening Reception will take place Small Business Saturday, November 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will include music, holiday treats and hot cocoa.
“We have a
Cooler and It’s Blue”
For those we haven’t yet met, we’re Kimberly and Jimmy Gibson — the couple behind Hungry Bee and the soon-to-open Hive and Honey Hill in the former Chagrin Cinema space.
For several years, we’ve kept a Blue Cooler outside of our Hungry Bee storefront filled with free food for anyone in need. We are confident it has been going to the right people and has never been taken advantage of. Lately, we’ve found ourselves refilling it several times a day. What began as a small act of kindness is now becoming something bigger — a national nonprofit we’re in the process of establishing called The Blue Cooler Project, uniting the hospitality industry to help fight food insecurity. After all, there’s nothing better than breaking bread together… except perhaps ensuring that everyone has bread to break.
Given the season, the challenges facing local food banks, and the uncertainty around SNAP benefits, we feel compelled to do more — and we hope you’ll join us. Together, we can make a real difference for those right here in our own community. No one should ever go without a meal.
To our Hospitality/Culinary “Brothers and Sisters,” We have an ask - Would you be willing to place a Blue Cooler outside of your establishment and keep it stocked, no questions asked? We’d be happy to drop off a cooler to make it easy, and we’ll help spread the word so those in need know where to find quiet, dignified support.
Thank you for your time, generosity, and heart. If you’re in, please let us know — and if you’d like us to provide a cooler, just say the word.
With gratitude, Kimberly McCune Gibson & Jimmy Gibson Hungry Bee, The Hive, Honey Hill, The Tanglewood Golf Club
“The Date Night Couple”
And as it has since 2021, TAG will again continue its “Angels for Art Education” fundraising campaign. Proceeds generated by the sale of handcrafted angel ornaments made in the Clay@ TAG Studio provide financial assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford the opportunity
We Northeast Ohioans are a hardy lot. We’ll watch football in a blizzard and attend a charity event outdoors on hot/high humidity evenings or even in torrential rain. Fortunately, the weather gods smiled upon the much-loved Chef’s Unbridled event, to benefit Fieldstone Farm. This is the magic evening in which the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club’s polo field grows an enormous white tent and sprouts a fire pit, outdoor tables, and attractive lighting for an enchanting setting under the stars.
Sold out with 600 attendees, six food stations were open for more than two hours,
Fieldstone Farm “Chef’s Unbridled”
keeping the chefs and staff extremely busy. Add a wine pull, carriage rides, live auction, a bourbon raffle, bourbon and beer tastings, full bar, a dessert table and coffee cart, and guests were very busy too. Fieldstone Farm knows how to show their patrons a great time.
Food is the centerpiece, of course, and having attended many previous events, this year’s dishes were arguably the most intriguing and diverse: roasted cauliflower and saffron toast, truffled French onion spread (10 out of 10!) crackling wings, cured Hamachi crudo, pork belly, carne asada, and a
choose-your-toppings taco station. “Interactive shrimp and grits” turns out to be the chef serving your portion while other stations plated individual servings for guests to grab. To graze and eat or collect all your plates and chow down? Everyone has their own strategy.
This year the chefs were from The Last Page, The Pompadour, Hook & Hoof, Flour, and Driftwood restaurants/food truck, from which Chef Chris Hodgson takes the lead in gathering up some of the most talented professionals to serve guests for the event – and on a Saturday evening to boot!
And why? Fieldstone Farm is one of the largest therapeutic equine centers in the country with 35 horses, and over 1,000 students ages four to older than 80. From the smallest children with autism or a physical disability, to teens, adults, and seniors, there’s an interaction for everyone. Some ride, some drive wagon teams. Horses are
groomed, and their paddocks are mowed and maintained. This year, board member Kyle Merrill explained how he and his wife Sarah greatly appreciated all the farm has done for their daughter Tessa, who is an autistic person.
Another glimpse into the farm’s world was their video on their veteran’s program. “[Our programs offer] them an opportunity to interact with horses in a way that promotes grounding, … to build relationships and form a community with their peers that creates a safe space for them and creates very deep bonds,” says Valorie Machovina, instructor and equine director for Fieldstone. “A horse can change a life,” says one veteran. “A horse does change a life.”
The gorgeous evening was a record breaker – with the farm netting more than $380,000, which will help over 1,000 students achieve what they didn’t think possible. Visit filedstonefarm.org for more information. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RITA KUEBER
Robyn and Marc Hays, Kristen Healy, Tom Murphy, Andrea Maher and Meg Cooper
Greg and Jennifer Fritz
Marti and Jeff Davis with Maureen Foster Winni Spisak with Remington, and Kim Zemba with Maverick
Tony Drew and Margo Parr
We’re Better ‘TWOgether’
Two Foundation launches Two16 Show, plans
opening of
Bed & Breakfast
By ANDREA C. TURNER
The Two Foundation, based in Chagrin Falls, recently launched two new initiatives that connect the community even further to its mission: creating opportunities for people of every ability to connect, work, grow, and thrive. Two Foundation provides the structure and funding for Two & Company – a collection of people, places, and experiences, including the Café, Shops and Services – that enable people with exceptionalities to find happiness and success in the workplace and beyond.
Inspired by Shari Hunter’s love of her son Derek’s willful journey toward independence, the Two Foundation was established in 2013 as a nonprofit organization. Hunter’s son taught her that people are not defined my a medical diagnosis, that all people deserve the same opportunities, and that when high expectations and pathways are provided — each person can achieve their full potential.
The TWO16 Show
Their newest project, a podcast named The TWO16 show is all about highlighting Cleveland changemakers. The podcast’s goal is to inspire, inform, and entertain with an emphasis on Cleveland sports – all to affect meaningful change by featuring people in the community that are truly making a difference. Episodes are released monthly and feature an individual guest who is working toward positive change.
Hosted by brothers Christian and Derek Hunter (sons of founder Shari Hunter) and co-host Jack Kotheimer, the three have interviewed the likes of sports legends Bernie Kosar (football quarterback); Rosalyn Sumners (Olympic figure skater); as well as sports leaders David Gilbert (Greater Cleveland Sports Commission); Bob Kain (former president and CEO of IMG); Len Komoroski (former CEO, Cleveland Cavaliers/ Rock Entertainment Group); as well as influencers Brandon Chrostowski (EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute) and Matt Dolan (former state senator and CEO of Team NEO).
Filmed on Mondays in front of the fireplace at Two & Company, episodes air on YouTube and Spotify (@TheTwo16show). The seventh episode should be out now for viewers and listeners. Interested in being a guest or sponsoring a show? E-mail christian@twofoundation.com for more information.
Twogather Inn
When the nonprofit organization purchased the former Euro Motor Sports building in 2023, the property came with a white homestead house, located about 24 feet from the main building. Built in 1853, the approximately 1200-square-foot house has been renovated and will be open in January 2026, as a bed and breakfast for visitors. The charming “Twogather Inn” is an ideal place to stay in Chagrin Falls, perfect for wedding parties, long weekends away, and holiday family gatherings. The location is only a seven-minute walk to Main Street.
The B&B will provide a fully-integrated model of learning and working in the hospitality and housekeeping industries for students of
The Two16 Show co-hosts Christian Hunter, Jack Kotheimer, and Derek Hunter interview Len Komoroski, Senior Advisor of Rock Entertainment Group and former CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Twogather Inn’s 2nd bedroom features two twin beds.
Two & Company. The home sleeps six people comfortably in two bedrooms (primary with queen bed and second bedroom with two twin beds), and includes two bathrooms, a living room (with full-sized pull-out couch), and a fully functional kitchen.
Shari Hunter has a background in design and has put personal touches on the house to make it cozy and beautiful. The entire house can be rented for $600/night with a two-night minimum. Price subject to exceptions for special events and holidays. Guests will have access to the TV, Wi-Fi, sitting area with gas fireplace, dining area, and two parking spots. To learn more, visit twoandcompany.org
The living room of the Twogather Inn.
Twogather Inn on E. Washington St. in Chagrin Falls.
Photograph by Margaret Cibik
Photograph courtesy of Two Foundation
Photograph by Margaret Cibik
Photograph courtesy of Two Foundation
Photograph courtesy of Two Foundation
A 1975 Thanksgiving Eve church offering helped launch CF Meals-on-Wheels
Fifty years ago, a simple Thanksgiving church offering helped launch a program that still serves our community today. At the 1975 Interfaith Service at Federated Church, parishioners gave $252, joined by $52 from the Women’s Fellowship Organization, to support the creation of Chagrin Falls Mealson-Wheels (CFMOW).
Formally incorporated in January 1976, CFMOW delivered its first meals that March. Though similar in name to the national program, CFMOW is an independent nonprofit that receives no government funding. Today, clients pay $6 per day for two meals, but donations remain essential
to cover the true cost of meals.
The mission remains the same: delivering nutritious, affordable meals to neighbors who are elderly, disabled, chronically ill, or otherwise unable to cook. Rising food prices make this service more critical than ever. In 2025, CFMOW volunteers will prepare and deliver more than 26,000 meals across the Chagrin Valley.
This Thanksgiving, we give thanks to the community whose generosity and service have sustained CFMOW for half a century. Please consider supporting our fall fundraiser at chagrinfallsmeals.org/donations to help continue this legacy of care.
Museum’s Legacy Match Campaign Allows Donors to Make an Immediate Impact
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has launched an innovative Legacy Match Campaign, offering donors the chance to make planned gifts—such as bequests, trusts, or designating the Museum as a retirement plan beneficiary—that will have an impact now and in the future, helping to preserve natural wonders and advance scientific knowledge.
For a limited time, a total of $450,000 has been pledged by the One Candle Foundation and a gift in memory of Joseph Urich to match each documented planned gift with a $10,000 contribution in the donor’s name. Donors can choose to allocate this match toward the area most meaningful to them, such as education, natural areas, research
and collections, wildlife, or the Museum’s area of greatest need.
The campaign will kick off on January 1, 2026, with matching funds available on a first-come, first-served basis. The campaign will run until June 30, 2026, or until all funds are awarded. Seize this moment to make a lasting impact that will shape the Museum’s future!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What types of planned gifts qualify for the Legacy Match Campaign?
A: Many giving mechanisms qualify, including bequests via will or living trust; beneficiary designations from a retirement account, bank account, or donor-advised
fund; charitable remainder trusts; charitable lead trusts; or life insurance policy given to the Museum (the match would be based on the existing cash amount in the policy).
Q: How do I document my planned gift for the Legacy Match Campaign?
A: Document your planned gift by submitting a 2026 Legacy Match Gift Confirmation form, which you can download at cmnh.makeaplannedgift. org/gift-intention. Please print the document, complete it, and return it via email to dstrachan@cmnh.org or by mail to Philanthropy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Q: If the value of my bequest exceeds
$100,000, will I qualify for more than $10,000 in matching funds?
A: We are deeply grateful for your extraordinary generosity. Matching funds are limited to $10,000 per documented estate commitment, allowing many supporters to participate in the campaign. By doing so, your gift not only strengthens the Museum directly, but also helps inspire others to make their own commitment.
For further information about the Legacy Match Campaign, estate planning, or other types of planned gifts to support the Museum, please contact Diane Strachan, CFRE, Director of Planned Giving, at 216.231.2060 or email her at dstrachan@ cmnh.org
Kitchen Volunteer, Paula Aveni, helps prepare meals at the Family Life Center kitchen in Bainbridge.
Driver Volunteer and Board Member, Tom Kress, loads his car to make deliveries.
The Season for Intentional Generosity
Aligning your giving with your goals can turn a simple donation into a lasting expression of what matters most Giving feels simple. You write a check, or click a button, and hope it helps. But behind every gift is a story of what you care about, how you live, and what you want to leave behind. That story is worth shaping.
For many families, giving happens in the moment. It’s after a campaign letter arrives, or when a friend asks for support. The generosity is real, but the approach is reactive. When gifts come from cash flow instead of strategy, the outcome can be less efficient than intended. The dollars leave
“Tiger,” who needs an adoptive home, is a neutered, vaccinated two-year-old male cat who tested “positive” for an immune deficiency condition called FIV.
This condition is only transmissible to other cats, and only through sex or deep bite wounds.
Many FIV-positive cats live long healthy lives if they are well-fed and are strictly indoor pets.
Interested potential adopters should call 440.759-0076.
quickly, but the opportunity to create lasting impact slips by.
We see this every year: investors who give thoughtfully, but without coordination, end up paying more in taxes than they need to, or selling investments that could have been donated at full value. The market rewards precision, and generosity deserves the same level of attention.
At LaChance Wealth Partners, November is our season for intentional generosity. We help clients give with both heart and
structure. Sometimes that means donating appreciated stock instead of cash, using a donor-advised fund to simplify future gifts, or involving family members in shared causes. By connecting giving decisions to the overall portfolio, we help ensure that generosity strengthens rather than disrupts your broader financial plan.
A few strategic adjustments can raise the value of a gift without increasing the amount. More importantly, they connect wealth to purpose in a way many clients describe as
deeply fulfilling. When giving becomes part of the investment conversation, it moves from transaction to legacy.
Money always leaves a trail. You get to choose whether that trail reflects consumption, accumulation, or contribution.
If you want to explore how thoughtful giving can fit naturally into your financial plan, visit LaChanceWealthPartners.com/ giving. You do not have to change a thing. Just take a look. Sometimes clarity is the most generous thing you can give yourself.
Embrace Values-in-Action’s Kindland movement this season
“Kindness is often mistaken for softness. It is not. Kindness is courageous. It is the decision to act with compassion without expecting anything in return, even when it’s inconvenient or unpopular.”
“Kindness does not necessarily involve grand gestures. Everyday actions such as holding a door, checking in on a neighbor, forgiving a mistake, or apologizing add up. And they matter. Research shows that kindness reduces anxiety and depression, boosts academic performance, improves workplace morale, and fosters a sense of belonging.”
Stuart Muszynski
President & CEO, Values-in-Action Foundation Excerpts originally published in The Akron Beacon Journal article, “A Time to Be Kind”
Foundation, the Kindland movement is bringing together communities, businesses, organizations, and schools by recognizing and sharing acts of kindness to inspire a ground swell of positivity and goodness.
Kindland relies on the power of the people to do, recognize, report, and share the acts of kindness happening every day.
Founded in 1994, Values-in-Action’s school programs have trained over 2,600,000 students in 73 Ohio counties and across all 50 states to lead with kindness, caring, and respect. Its programming provides a variety of ways we can share acts of kindness and inspire others to do the same.
History has shown that just as easily as people can come together, we can be torn apart by meanness, intolerance, and hatred. Kindland focuses on how kindness can continue to be the inspiring link and the bridge that brings us together. The goal is to create schools and communities that can sustain a unified sense of kindness, compassion, empathy and understanding. To learn more, visit BeKindland.org
Presented by Values-in-Action
We’re thankful for your support of our mission to empower children and adults to lead with kindness, caring, and respect in our schools, workplaces, and communities. Kindness can change the world. You can, too. Visit viafdn.org to learn more
Hometown fans to flock to Hanna Theatre for ‘Gift of Christmas Tour’
By JEANNIE EMSER SCHULTZ
Holiday Quiz: who is the worldrenowned Cleveland-born pianist who is also a two-time Grammy nominee, multi-platinum selling recording artist, radio and podcast host and holds the distinction of the most #1 albums on Billboard’s New Age Chart?
From the headline, you’ve already guessed that it’s Jim Brickman, whose national holiday concert tour has fostered the holiday spirit for audiences the past 18 years.
This season’s cross-country “The Gift of Christmas” tour celebrates Jim’s hometown stop at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre for three performances: Sat., Dec. 20 (2 and 8 p.m.) and Sunday, Dec. 21 (2 p.m.). Jim will be joined by his special guests: longtime friend and fellow Shaker Heights High grad, singer-songwriter Anne Cochran plus Canadian singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer Luke McMaster.
For the uninitiated Brickman concertgoer, don’t expect your mother’s piano recital! Jim’s shows are a mix of holiday classic carols, plus his well-known hits like “The Gift” and “Love of My Life.” Humorous banter with guest performers, along with Jim’s self-deprecating stories about growing up in Cleveland lend a lighthearted note to the performances. (At one Christmas concert Jim confessed that as a kid taking piano lessons his teacher had him playing Chopin while all Jim wanted to do was play music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”)
It’s apropos his Cleveland Christmas concert should be at Playhouse Square as he was once quoted in the performing center’s Annual Report that the center’s historic theaters were impetus for his dream to become an entertainer. Jim remembers his parents taking him to see his first musical at Playhouse Square when he was a little boy. He left thinking, “That’s what I want to do…perform on stage.”
After graduation from Shaker Heights High, Jim went on to study composition
and performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) where his involvement and current philanthropic endeavors include support of the “Entertainment Community Fund” offering CIM scholarships in his name. (Jim’s additional philanthropy includes an endowment to Playhouse Square and the Berklee Valencia Brickman Scholars Program which fosters artistic innovation and academic excellence for students worldwide).
While at CIM, Jim was concurrently
taking business classes at Case Western Reserve University, which would be put to work in1980, when he founded his own advertising music company, The Brickman Arrangement. That business would specialize in writing commercial jingles for companies nationwide. (Many of the commercials you’ve heard for McDonald’s, the Ohio Lottery, Pontiac, Isuzu and the City of Cleveland were composed by Jim.)
His business acumen led him to also create additional companies like Brickhouse Direct (BD) in 2003 (which provides strategic marketing and e-commerce solutions for clients in a variety of industries and for musicians promoting new acts and reinvigorating veteran careers). In 2005 BD bought the marketing firm Viawerk and its founder on board, and now the company’s many marketing clients includes such performers as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Richie McDonald (Lonestar) and
Point of Grace.
There’s also Brickman Music, through which Jim uses his own labels to release albums for himself as well as other artists, along with booking and marketing services. The label also published works by saxophonist Dave Koz, comedian Anita Renfroe, and singers Chris Sligh and Mark Masri.
Year after year Jim follows an ambitious touring schedule. For example, the schedule from this Nov. 1 through the end of the year includes 49 performances in 37 cities! Then in February he’s back on the road, beginning his next tour on an international note in Singapore. It’s amazing he also finds time to continue
to host the four-hour radio show he began in 1997, Your Weekend with Jim Brickman, heard nationwide featuring a blend of music, celebrity interviews, lifestyle features and entertainment news.
Keeping up with changing technology, in 2018 Jim began The Jim Brickman Show Podcast, debuting on Pandora. (Two years later, the podcast would move to Spotify as The Brickman Bedtime Story.)
Since revolutionizing the sound of solo piano with his pop-style instrumentals and star-studded vocal collaborations, Jim has sold millions of records worldwide, earning 22 Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles. He’s garnered two Grammy nominations, Gospel Music’s Dove Award, two SESAC Songwriter of the Year Awards, a Canadian Country Music Award, and is a member of Pandora’s “2 Billion Streams” Club.
Crossing musical genres, his vocal collaborations have included Martina McBride, Carly Simon, Lady A, Michael W. Smith, Herb Alpert, Michael Bolton, Donny Osmond, Kenny Rogers, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Mathis, Kenny Loggins, Jane Krakowski, plus a host of country, R&B, Broadway, pop and jazz musicians.
Hope, faith and peace are at the heart of Jim Brickman’s passionate songwriting. “I write music to be shared—to soothe, to inspire, to celebrate, to love,” Jim says. “To me, music is the pure and simple soundtrack to life’s most memorable moments.”
Although his performing and business ventures take Jim all over the world, he continues with deep ties to Cleveland, maintaining his Brickman Music, Brickhouse Direct and Brickhouse Network offices in the city, while splitting his time between residences in New York City and Cleveland.
(Tickets are available for Jim’s December 20 & 21 Hanna Theatre performances by visiting www.playhousesquare.org.)
Megan O’Bryan President, Tri-C Foundation Howard Lewis Chairperson, Tri-C Foundation
Jim Brickman
Molto Bella Charity Car Show
The 12th Annual Molto Bella Charity Car Show was held at Hale Farm and Village in Bath Ohio on September 14. More than 7,000 visitors observed everything from a 2025 Rolls Royce Phantom to the fastest Ferrari racing cars to the nostalgia of the past preserved by loving car owners. There were more than 450 cars displayed, by invitation only, to grace the grounds of Hale Farm Village for the enjoyment of all the families who attended. All monies were donated to local charities.
Legal Aid to host 120th Annual Meeting
Featuring remarks by The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.
The Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. – civic leader, theologian, and pastor – is the featured speaker at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s 120th Annual Meeting. The event features a late afternoon program and reception to be held Monday, November 24, 2025 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The event will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.). The one-hour program will be followed by a social reception with food and drinks.
Reverend Moss, a lifelong advocate for civil rights and social justice, served as senior pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland for thirty-three years. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. in Selma, Alabama, and played an active role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He will deliver his keynote remarks in conversation with longtime Cleveland news anchor Leon Bibb.
Reverend Moss joins a list of distinguished past Legal Aid keynote speakers, including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Senators Portman and Brown, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Ruby Bridges, who each highlighted the importance of civil legal aid during previous gatherings.
In addition to the keynote remarks by Reverend Moss, Legal Aid executive director
Colleen M. Cotter and board president Harlin Adelman will share highlights of Legal Aid’s work, and reflect on 120 years of the organization’s role as the guardian of liberty.
Legal Aid’s dedicated staff, volunteers, and strong regional partnerships will be celebrated during the event. Awards will be presented to outstanding employees and volunteers who demonstrate profound support for Legal Aid’s mission. Additionally, Reverend Moss will be presented with Legal Aid’s highest honor, the Louis Stokes Paragon Award.
This event is a chance for community members, philanthropists, nonprofit
organizations, and business leaders to gather and reflect on Legal Aid’s accomplishments, as well as learn about new initiatives and plans for the year ahead. The program will underscore the importance of civil justice in our democracy and present a call-to-action for how we can work together to extend justice in our community.
A limited number of sponsorships for Legal Aid’s 120th Annual Meeting and individual tickets ($200) are still available. All proceeds from ticket sales support Legal Aid’s work to extend justice across Northeast Ohio. Learn more at lasclev. org/2025Event.
UH is here— Because of You.
At University Hospitals, every smile, every breakthrough, every moment of hope is possible…because of you.
As the most ambitious campaign in our history, Because of You is a $2 billion effort to advance care for patients in every corner of our community and beyond. Your generosity is changing lives, fueling discovery and shaping the future of health.
Because of you…anything is possible. Learn more at UHGiving.org/BecauseofYou
Don’t miss a full lineup of holiday happenings in NE Ohio this season
By RITA KUEBER
Currents would like to offer a roundup of holiday entertainment. Some are as familiar as the closing lines to A Christmas Carol, (“…as Tiny Tim observed…”) If you love the tried and true, who are we to argue? Yet Currents challenges you to go out and seek new venues – new styles of entertainment, because our list of available concerts and presentations is not only long, but mostly local. A quick note about how we did this: limited by space on paper, our list is hardly comprehensive (no school or church concerts). But we wanted our list to be diverse.
Some of these are productions and concerts presented by our professional venues with touring artists, but we also list local arts organizations who crave your attention and need your support. Have we missed something? Given the incredibly rich tapestry of concerts, plays and more, of course we have. Nevertheless, here’s our imperfect list that focuses on the company, date and venue. For tickets, times, and prices, Google is our best friend.
Apollo’s Fire - Praetorius Christmas Vespers This Cleveland-based Grammyaward winning baroque orchestra weaves the work of 17th century composer Michael Praetorius into a Vespers (evening prayer) service in a haunting and moving concert. Four venues, December 12 - 21
Beck Center for the Arts - The SpongeBob Musical Family fun without an ornament in sight. In this musical based on the Nickelodeon series, SpongeBob and his neighbors in Bikini Bottom come together to save the fate of the undersea world. Beck Center for the Arts - December 5 - January 4
Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings What could be more festive than classic carols played by a string quartet surrounded by scads of dreamy, flickering candles? Sing-along included! Maltz
Performing Arts Center - December 18
Chagrin Falls Studio Orchestra - Wassail
Christmas Concert This 40-piece orchestra on stage creates a beloved community event with timeless melodies and sing-along favorites. A family-friendly event. Chagrin Valley Little Theater - December 22-23
City Ballet of Cleveland - The Uniquely Cleveland Nutcracker Student dancers offer a wildly unique take with locations from Public Square to League Park as settings for this classic tale. Lakewood Civic Auditorium - December 13
Cleveland Ballet - Now in its ninth season, the resident ballet company of Playhouse Square presents the enduring classic The Nutcracker with Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable music. Connor Palace Theatre - December 12 - 21
Cleveland Play House - A Christmas Story We triple dog-dare you not to enjoy this live adaptation of the 1983 film based on writings by Jean Shepherd. Ralphy has one wish – will Santa come through? Allen
Theatre - November 30 - December 21
The Cleveland Orchestra - Handel’s Messiah CLE’s most venerated ‘band’ presents the granddaddy of all Christian compositions, Handel’s Messiah (1741). Part opera, part oratorio, the full orchestra is conducted by Bernard Labadie. You’re humming the Hallelujah chorus now, aren’t you? Severance Music Center - December 4-6
The Cleveland Orchestra – Holiday Concerts Yes, we’re double dipping here, but in a complete mood swing the Orchestra goes from Handel to a Holly Jolly Christmas. Directed by Sarah Hicks, the orchestra performs with The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, the Blossom Festival Chorus, the Children’s Chorus, Youth Chorus Chamber Ensemble and the Wooster Chorus of The College of Wooster. Guaranteed to be a memorable event. Severance Music Center - December 13-21
The Cleveland Pops - Jingle Bell Jamboree Hear dozens of seasonal favorites, with classic to modern interpretations, plus singalongs. Adoptable pets in the lobby and
bring a toy or game to help The City Mission distribute gifts to children in need. KeyBank State Theatre - November 30
Dave Koz Saxophonist Dave Koz brings smooth jazz to his Christmas Tour. KeyBank State Theatre - December 7
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas “All the Who’s down in Whoville love Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Whoville, did not!” Until... This magical musical expands on Dr. Seuss’ beloved story in a family-friendly format (just 85 minutes and no intermission). KeyBank State Theatre - December 10 - 14
Great Lakes Theater - A Christmas Carol Dickens’ ageless tale of redemption brought to life with thoughtful story-telling and splendid visuals. Don’t miss the pre-show choir and ensemble program! Mimi Ohio Theatre - November 28 - December 21
JD McPherson - A Rock & Roll Christmas Tour This singer-songwriter from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma brings his rockabilly swing with tunes from his Christmas album Socks (as in the worst gift a kid can get.) Beachland Ballroom - December 17
Jim Brickman - The Gift of Christmas Cleveland’s own songwriter and pianist Jim Brickman shares the spotlight with lead touring vocalist, another Clevelander, Anne Cochran in this heart-warming concert filled with his own compositions as well as timeless yuletide tunes. Hanna Theater - December 20-21
Jinkx and Dela Holiday Show These alums of RuPaul’s Drag Race reunite to make the yuletide “gay” with classic songs, dance numbers and irreverent drag comedy. KeyBank State Theatre - December 5
Karamu House - A Motown Christmas
This joyful production includes hits from Motown legends with soulful sounds that defined the Christmas season for generations. Hanna Theatre - November 28 to December 14 North Coast Men’s Chorus - Underneath the Tree Northeast Ohio’s largest LGBT arts
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Cleveland Ballet - The Nutcracker will be staged at the Connor Palace Theatre Dec. 12-21.
Help make the holidays special for children in crisis! Host a Holiday Giving Tree, Donation Drive, or shop our Holiday Wish List to help provide loving care to the babies and children at Providence House! Visit provhouse.org/ holiday to learn more!
Friday, December 12, tune in to Rainbow Radiothon, presented by Petitti Garden Centers, on Cleveland’s Star 102. Support UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s now: Uhgiving.org/Radiothon.
Happenings cont’d from Page 10
organization brings a mix of stunning vocals, festive humor and heartfelt moments to the stage with a blend of traditional and updated songs and carols. Maltz Performing Arts Center - December 13 – 14
Peter Mayer - Stars & Promises Christmas Tour Singer songwriter Peter Mayer (and lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer band for three decades) has released four Christmas albums since 1999. His concerts are half acoustic sets and half productions with all the bells and whistles. Music Box Supper Club - December 16
The Singing Angels This region-wide children’s chorus founded in 1964 has several concerts planned, from a benefit on November 23 at Independence Middle School to a performance at Cassidy Theater - December 22
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghosts of Christman Eve TSO crosses Pink Floydinspired heavy metal with pyrotechnics, lasers, and more to create a poignant story about a runaway who takes refuge in an old theater on Christmas Eve. Rocket Arena - December 26
Voctave - It Feels Like Christmas An 11-member acapella group made up of singers
with a wealth of diverse backgrounds and musical experiences, and they bring it all to this holiday concert. Severance Music Center - December 11
White Christmas - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Presented by BOOM Theater. In a live-theater adaptation, WWII veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a super-successful song and dance routine but a detour to Vermont to follow the Haynes sisters to a venue owed by their former commanding office causes all sorts of complications. Akron Civic Theatre -December 5-21/weekends only
Could we go on? We could. But we won’t, except to remind you of the upcoming lighting events:
Frost - An Ice-Capped Garden Experience Cleveland Botanical Garden -November 22 - January 4
Wild Winter Lights Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - November 12 - December 30
WinterLand Family-oriented events and lights - Public Square/Downtown Cleveland - November 29
Currents wishes you a joyful season.
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Open Doors Academy (ODA) hosted its Fifth Annual Benefit Clambake fundraiser, presented by AAA Auto Club Enterprises on October 11, on the grounds of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation.
Open Doors Academy “Fifth annual Clambake”
ODA provides high-quality afterschool and summer programs that help more than 1,900 students across Northeast and Northwest Ohio thrive. They partner with families and invest in educators on their team across the state. ODA scholars achieve better academic results, gain valuable work experiences, stay in school, graduate from high school, make lasting friendships, and find lifelong mentors in the ODA team.
The organization was on track to reach its $300,000 fundraising goal, which supports kids and families and closes the gap between restricted public funding and the true cost of delivering educational programming, especially as the demand rises for its foundation partners.
Through rigorous academic learning tools, tutoring, diverse enrichment activities, community partnerships, field trips, family workshops, and travel opportunities, it makes out-of-school time a space that can be truly transformative.
This year’s emcee was ODA alumni AJ
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Its Effect on Charitable Donations
President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4, 2025. Among its many provisions, this widely publicized bill will impact charitable donations and how they can be deducted, starting in 2026. As these changes impact all taxpayers, regardless of whether they take a standard deduction or itemize, it is important to look at the new deduction rules and what they mean for potential donors, especially with the end of the year quickly approaching. As a firm that specializes in domestic relations, we at Zashin Law represent clients who are navigating the mirky waters of tax liability within the context of separations, divorces, and support payments. Many of our clients have regular and ongoing donations that need to be considered throughout our representation.
The OBBBA affects taxpayers who take the standard deduction and those who itemize their deductions differently. I will focus on each scenario separately. At the end, I will give a general takeaway on how the OBBBA will impact charitable donations moving forward.
Standard Deductions
The OBBBA’s impact on those who take standard deductions is fairly straightforward. The OBBBA reinstated a deduction for cash donations for individuals who do not itemize. This deduction is up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly, in addition to the standard deduction. It is also important to note that these deductions are for cash donations only; donor-advised funds are ineligible for this deduction.
Because this deduction does not start until 2026, individuals who take standard donations will not be able to benefit from the OBBBA deductions in 2025. Anyone who takes the standard deduction would be better served to wait until 2026 or beyond to make a donation. This will impact a larger number of Americans, as a majority of Americans take the standard deduction.
Itemized Deductions
Conversely, the OBBBA reduces the tax benefits for people who take itemized deductions in two main ways. First, itemized filers are limited to deducting charitable donations to 35% of their adjusted gross income (AGI), regardless of your tax bracket. Furthermore, the OBBBA creates a floor of 0.5% of an itemized filer’s AGI, further reducing what donations may be deducted. In simple terms, an individual with an AGI of $250,000 can only deduct charitable donations in excess of $1,250.
In short, taxpayers who itemize their deductions will see a reduced impact on their tax returns. Consequently, individuals who typically itemize their deductions would be better served making their donations in 2025 to maximize their deductions.
Practically, the OBBBA will be beneficial for a majority of Americans, as approximately 90% of tax filers take the standard deduction. It remains to be seen whether the average American will take advantage of this potential deduction – whether because they are not making any charitable donations or through ignorance of this new provision in the OBBBA. However, this is a significant reduction for the ~10% of Americans who do take the itemized deductions. The OBBBA seems to want to encourage more, smaller donations from the average earning American at the cost of larger donations from some higher net-worth individuals.
The OBBBA will undoubtedly impact the lives of many Americans, especially those involved in a domestic relations matter. It is important to identify how it may affect your situation before the OBBBA takes effect, as it may influence your decisions. Please note that this article does not purport to give legal advice. If you have any questions regarding how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will apply to your unique financial situation, please contact your lawyer or tax professional.
Brewer, a 2023 graduate of Cleveland Heights High School and current freshman at Tri-C Eastern Campus.
Dr. Dorothy Moulthrop, ODA’s Chief Executive Officer, presented the 2025 Luminary Award to Kevin Clayton, Executive Vice President and Chief Impact and Equity Officer at Rock Entertainment Group–home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Monsters, Cleveland Charge, and now the WNBA’s 16th franchise. Clayton has been instrumental in helping ODA benefit from the Cleveland Cavaliers Foundation. He was presented with a framed custom jersey with the number 92, symbolizing the year 1992 – the year ODA began at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. The matte background was designed by ODA scholars.
“We need each one of you to be a luminary,” said Clayton, after citing that 30 schools will be closing in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as state and federal funds are declining, and district expenses far exceed revenue.
“ODA is the root of my soul,” said Ruby Lyde, godmother of a 2025 ODA alumna, reflecting on how the organization taught her daughter to survive and be powerful, and gave her family hope. She stressed that many seniors like herself are raising children too, so ODA “means the world to me and my family.”
Brothers Brandon (eighth grade) and Braxton Worthen (second grade) read from the published book they co-authored, “Brown Boys Affirmations,” available on Amazon. Braxton thanked “Dr. Dot” and ODA for “making us more courageous and confident.” The boys have now published a second book, “Brown Girls Affirmations.”
Guests enjoyed specialty cocktails, clam chowder, a sit-down buffet dinner, dessert, raffles, and music served up by sixth grader DJ Lily Jade. All attendees received an exclusive ODA orange umbrella. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY
ANDREA C. TURNER
Brothers Brandon and Braxton Worthen
Celina Cunanan, Mark Belle and Elizabeth Kirby, CH-UH City Schools Superintendent
Dr. Dorothy Moulthrop, Kevin Clayton and ODA Board President Jerry Schneiberg
Erica and Giuseppe Pappalardo Timothy and Kathryn Connors with Cosmo Danielly
Hunger Network works to sustain a
By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN
When you look at your plentiful holiday table this festive season, think of those in our Northeast Ohio community who have little or no food to sustain them.
The Hunger Network food rescue program gathers food that once went to waste and uses it to nourish families in need.
Hunger Network has been working to end hunger and build a healthier community for more than 25 years. The Interchurch Council of Greater Cleveland created the Hunger Taskforce more than 40 years ago due to cuts in public welfare programs and the national recession. The two-person staff focused on addressing the increasing need for emergency food for children in Cuyahoga County. In 1995, the Hunger Taskforce became an independent organization renamed Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland. Headquartered in Downtown Cleveland, the Hunger Network has expanded services to families, men, women, children and the elderly. In 2018, it broadened services to make a bigger impact in reducing food insecurity and promoting environmental sustainability by launching Hunger Network Food Rescue.
The food rescue program collects unsold or unserved food from about 200 donor sites, including restaurants and grocery chains, and then delivers them to food pantries, Head Start programs, senior centers and transitional housing facilities to be handed out or incorporated in meal services. They take fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and baked goods, as well as prepared foods from catering events. GetGo gas stations routinely provide premade sandwiches. The program is
becoming all the more important given that the Greater Cleveland Food Bank recently lost 553,000 pounds of food and millions of dollars in state and federal funding. These resources typically stock the shelves at area pantries, including Hunger Network’s MidTown Market. That means sites might have less inventory or close altogether.
While the food rescue program helps offset grocery bills and save millions of pounds of food from the trash, food insecurity and hunger persist, according to Krystal Franklin, Hunger Network’s partnerships manager. Hunger Network is working on opening a food rescue kitchen in 2026 to help fill the gap and support the hot meal sites long-term, she noted.
“We are in extreme need of food donors for our program. In the last two weeks, I have heard from just under a dozen non-profit agencies interested in receiving assistance from our program. However, we do not have the food donor pool to meet our needs,” Franklin said.
“We ask all food businesses in the Cleveland area to assess their food waste. Do you throw anything out at the end of the day? If so, we are just one call or text away and can have a volunteer at your doorstep to pick up that excess and deliver it directly to an agency in need. We run a dispatch line designated specifically for rescuing foods at 216-618-0638.”
Hunger Network not only assists families and individuals in need of food. It helps them to keep their pets, as well. Founded in 2016, Neighborhood Pets was created with the understanding that for many low-income households, the emotional bond with a companion animal is one of the most meaningful and stabilizing connections in their lives.
Its mission is to preserve those connections by providing accessible, affordable pet care.
Neighborhood Pets currently serves more than 9,600 households across the city of Cleveland, with an average of 100 new pet owners seeking assistance each month, according to Becca Britton, director of Neighborhood Pets. “We provide low-cost vaccines, spay/neuter support, pet supplies, and individualized counseling and resource referrals,” she said. “Equally important, our model enables us to engage
clients who may be isolated or hesitant to seek help for themselves, often providing a bridge to housing, food, healthcare and other vital support through our partnership with human services organizations.”
Together, Food Rescue and Neighborhood Pets are working to make sure that no one in the community, two-legged or four, has to go hungry. Visit www.hungernetwork.org or www.neighborhoodpetscle.org to learn what you can do to support these vital organizations.
The Hunger Network food rescue program gathers food that once went to waste and uses it to nourish families in need.
Photograph courtesy of The Hunger Network of Great Cleveland
ODA hosts Lights on Afterschool panel at The City Club
By ANDREA C. TURNER
Open Doors Academy (ODA) hosted a small panel discussion with Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel and his colleague Stan Jefferson, Superintendent of Mansfield City Schools to celebrate Lights on Afterschool at the City Club of Cleveland on October 23. Dorothy Moulthrop, Ph.D., CEO of ODA, moderated the panel’s reflections on the role of out-of-school time in shaping Ohio’s future.
Lights On Afterschool is part of part of a national celebration of afterschool programs, as well as Cleveland’s Thriving Youth Series, a collaboration between the City of Cleveland, ODA, Starting Point, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, University Hospitals, and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The series brings together students, professionals, and civic leaders to drive positive outcomes for youth through out-of-school time learning and innovation. It brings thought leaders, educators, and decision-makers together to highlight how these programs unlock opportunity for youth, support working families, and strengthen communities.
For 30 years, ODA has provided programming that protects, inspires, nurtures, and challenges youth to reach their full potential. This statewide conversation about the impact of high-quality afterschool and summer programs directly affects the 1,900 children and youth ODA serves.
Welcome remarks were delivered by Valerie Kunze, Administrator, Office of Whole Child Supports for the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce, who discussed Ohio’s problem of chronic student absenteeism. One in four students are not in attendance during the school day, leading to the question, “Where are they?”
Neema David, Career Specialist Instructor and alumna of Youth Opportunities Unlimited, introduced the panel. David and her family are no strangers to struggle as they escaped the wartorn Democratic Republic of Congo and lived
in a refugee camp in Uganda before eventually immigrating to Cleveland. Since then, she has graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in International Relations and Communications. Despite her early challenges, she was given opportunities to grow locally through workforce and leadership development.
Tressel spoke of the influence of his father (an educator at Baldwin Wallace) and older brothers who modeled what was expected: to go to school and participate in after-school activities. Early paper routes delivering The Cleveland Press and The Plain Dealer newspapers helped instill discipline and accountability (for a 5 a.m. delivery route).
Tressel and Jefferson have known each other
since 1978; the two were colleagues at The Ohio State University and worked together to instill academic accountability in the OSU college football team. Eventually, the team went on to win the National Championship.
While Jefferson lost his father at a young age, and came from a poor family, his mother valued education. “After-school programs saved my life,” said Jefferson, who knew from a young age he wanted to be an educator.
Both men emphasized the importance of a trusted adult in each child’s life. Jefferson’s philosophy is that adults must never give up on the child, help them develop as a whole person, and usher them to the next rite of passage.
In other words, move students to one of the
four E’s: Enrollment (2 or 4 year college), Enlistment (US Armed Forces), Employment (skilled trades); or Entrepreneurship (starting a business.) Tressel added a fifth: Expectations (accountability).
Tressel explained that since the state has dramatic needs and finite resources for afterschool programming, it’s crucial for organizations like ODA to be able to tell compelling stories to a wide delegation, with verifiable data. “We can’t just preach to the choir,” said Tressel. “Go outside of your bubble. We need to be efficient and co-create together.”
The ODA Lights on Afterschool event was sponsored by RPM International Inc., and was free and open to the public.
Photographs by Andrea C. Turner
Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel (center) shares a laugh with colleagues Stan Jefferson (left) and Dorothy Moulthrop (right) at the City Club of Cleveland.
By MARGARET CIBIK
The holidays have arrived, and the party invites are piling up. On top of all the to-dos for the season, finding the perfect hostess gift can slip the mind altogether until the very last minute and no one wants to be that guest who shows up empty handed. Luckily, three local shops have shared their expertise with unique and thoughtful gift ideas ready to wow the hostess with the mostest this festive season.
With Thanksgiving just right around the corner, bringing something that can be used throughout the holidays is truly the gift that keeps on giving and any hostess will not only be thankful for but will keep for many holidays to come.
“My sister-in-law always hosts Thanksgiving, and she loves kitchenware.” says Maria Hoenigman, shop specialist for Two and Company in Chagrin Falls. “I’ve always bought her a cute, little Thanksgiving oven mitt or potholder.” With their 25 percent off Thanksgiving Day sale, it’s the perfect
time to pick out a Turkey Day themed hand towel and pair it with a bottle of wine and a gorgeously crafted serving tray to create a fun and impressive DIY gift set.
Another great gift hack Hoenigman serves up, particularly if one’s been assigned to bring a dish, is gifting a beautiful platter, ovenware or cake stand filled with seasonal goodies for the party guests to enjoy and the hostess to keep afterward.
Rita Sachs, co-owner of Mulholland and Sachs at Eton Chagrin Boulevard, recommends Simon Pearce Silver Lake Tea Lights and Hanover bottle coasters. “These are gifts that you could give to a home with any kind of décor, and it would fit.” says Sachs. These are small yet elegant items that can be used all year long.
At Hedges, shop owner Sharon Tortola agrees that bringing something useful to the party is always a good idea, but she also loves an unforgettable keepsake that can be treasured and looked back on with fond memories. “We have these bells every
year. They are all leather and handmade in Pennsylvania. It’s a great little keepsake. The quality and workmanship are beautiful.”
In addition, games shouldn’t be overlooked, especially for those staying with family, cooped up on a snowy night with everyone under one roof. Both Hedges and Two and Company have great options for puzzles and with Mahjong growing in popularity, Hedges offers a variety of Mahjong inspired gifts to bring to game night.
Another idea to consider is getting a little something for the hostess that is just for her. Bringing a ready-to-go cocktail mix from Hedges with Chagrin themed flavors like “Deck the Falls” and “Cozy by The Falls,” that they can sip on as they prepare dinner. Or cozy, Pantuss microwavable slippers from Two and Company they can slip on afterwards, shows how much her hard work is appreciated and didn’t go unnoticed.
All shops agree that consumable gifts like chocolate, candy and cookies are a yummy classic. Decadent sweets like a tin of Louis
Sherry chocolates from Mulholland and Sachs, Chiostro Di Saronno panettone from Hedges or scrumptious baked treats from Two and Company can be enjoyed by everyone and are always a big hit.
All in all, these three remarkable shops are here to help anyone make a lasting impression this yuletide season with unparalleled treasures and treats that are hard to find anywhere else. And when it comes to the perfect hostess gift, it really is the thought that counts and brightens the holiday spirit. Two & Company is located at 177 E Washington St, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022. Mulholland & Sachs is at Eton Chagrin Boulevard at 28699 Chagrin Blvd Suite 230, Cleveland, Ohio 44122. Hedges can be found at 21 N Franklin St, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022. For more information, please visit their websites: twoandcompany.org, mulhollandsachs.com and hedgeschagrinfalls.com
Exceptional artists, cultural leaders recognized at 65th annual Cleveland Arts Prize Awards
By ANDREA C. TURNER
On October 22, the 65th Annual Cleveland Arts Prize (CAP) Awards event took place at Tri-C East’s Simon and Rose Mandel Theater. Longtime Ideastream Public Media TV and radio host and 2016 CAP winner Dee Perry served as Master of Ceremonies.
The CAP, established in 1960, is the nation’s oldest municipal arts award, dedicated to recognizing and supporting exceptional artists and cultural leaders in Northeast Ohio, with more than 400 winners.
A Special Citation by the Board of Trustees was awarded to photographer Jennie Jones for Visual Art, presented by Paul Westlake, Jr. FAIA (CAP 1995 winner). Jones’ career began in her 50’s photographing much of
Cleveland’s architectural wonders. “She’s a cultural anthropologist whose remarkable visual acuity produces powerful images,” said Westlake.
Poet Kisha Nicole Foster (CAP 2019 winner) presented the Emerging Artist Prize to Ali Black for Literature. Black knew early on she wanted poetry and writing to be a big part of her life. She’s authored two books, including “We Look Better Alive,” an anthology dedicated to Black women and girls in Cleveland that have died needlessly. Black dedicated the award to her deceased mother.
Robin Pease of Kulture Kids received the Martha Joseph Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts. Presenter Kristan Rothman shared how for 24 years Pease has celebrated cultures around the world with optimism, joy, and courage. Her storytelling weaves music, dance, and the visual arts into original interactive programming to encourage life-long learning.
In honor of CityMusic Cleveland’s late co-founder Dr. Ronald Strauss, musicians Johanna Cox Pennington (oboe), Khari Joyner (cello), and Christine Fuoco (piano) debuted a world premiere performance titled “Inside the Calder Room” composed by Clint Needham, last year’s recipient of the Mid Career Artist Award for Music.
The Lifetime Achievement Artist Award was presented to Mark E. Howard for Visual Art. Presenter Susan Channing (CAP 2007 winner) shared that when Howard was a child, he painted a Black Madonna, which was placed in a church in his hometown of Newark, NJ.
A self-taught artist who later attended the Cleveland Institute of Art, Howard’s color-filled paintings and murals draw from African art. “Growing up, I received no art education at school, thus CIA gave me the blueprint for being an artist,” explained Howard.
Dan Moulthrop, the City Club of Cleveland
CEO, surprised the audience as he rode his bike on stage to present the Robert P. Bergman Prize to Greg Peckham. On Peckham, Moulthrop said he’s the “Wizard of Whimsy and the Duke of Delight” because of the public art that he’s produced for the past two decades as Executive Director at Cleveland Public Art and LAND Studio. “Art and nature are inherently linked,” says Peckham, who became President and CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park in June. “We should help people experience and see those things together.”
Liza Grossman (CAP 2016 winner) presented the Mid-Career Artist Prize to Jason Vieaux, an elite classical guitarist, for Music. Vieaux’s versatile and acclaimed renditions of Bach, jazz, pop, and contemporary music have earned him performances with 100 orchestras. While unable to be at the event in person,
Vieaux performed mastery of “Misionera” by Jorge Morel via video.
The Barbara S. Robinson Prize for the Advancement of the Arts went to the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. Richard K. Smucker, of J.M. Smucker familyowned brands, presented the award to the foundation’s chair Stephen Hoffman. The award recognizes the foundation for its vision, generosity, and belief that art supports civic life. To the delight of organizers, Hoffman announced a matching grant dollar for dollar of up to $20,000 from the stage to support CAP.
A special “In Memoriam” celebrated the lives and contributions of Clara Rankin, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Tom Hinson, Dr. Ronald Strauss, Oliver “Pudge” Henkel, Walter Kalberer, and Agnes Gund.
2025 Cleveland Arts Prize presenters and winners: Richard K Smucker, Greg Peckham, Robin Pease, Ali Black, Stephen Hoffman, CAP Executive Director Effie Nunes, Susan Channing, Mark E. Howard, and Dee Perry. Seated: Jennie Jones.
Ali Black reads an excerpt from her book, “We Look Better Alive.”
Photograph by Andrea C. Turner
Our Wellness-Based collection makes gifting easy. From lotions to perfumes, cosmetic multisticks to candles, and more - these products are great sets or gifts add-ons. BASE BOUTIQUE, Chagrin Falls, 440.862.1389 or shopbaseboutique.com.
Crafted from brass, a pair of sculpted bird figurines rest atop a substantial black marble base, accented with warm caramel brown veining. True to the nature of natural materials, each piece will have unique marbling and veining throughout. Sizes: S-5x6x3, L-3x7x3. EARLA’S FURNITURE & DESIGN CENTER 13750 York Road, N. Royalton, Ohio 44133
Discover 5301 Charlotte Way, a vibrant 55+ Community with 63 lots, 53 still available! More than just a neighborhood; enjoy amenities like club house, fitness center, bocce and pickleball courts, swimming pool, fire pit and serene lake. Luxury single-family ranches with private court yards await. Snowbirds look for their preferred summer retreat!
Discover stunning floor plans in our luxury ranches! These single-family homes feature private, fenced courtyards for your favorite pets, embrace a lifestyle of comfort and elegance. A lock and leave community.
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A Holiday Destination inChagrin Falls
A Holiday Destination inChagrin Falls
A Holiday Destination inChagrin Falls
Visit the cafe for delicious, made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch. Try a vegan pumpkin chocolate cookie or sip a gingerbread latte by our cozy fireplace. Reminisce on childhood trips to downtown Higbees while sitting in chairs and tables from the Silver Grille Restaurant. There is an original brass Higbee's sign and animated window characters from the Christmas Story movie. The Shops at Two and Company feature unique clothing, jewelry, toys, and home goods - something for everyone on your gift list. The real magic of Two is our grads. Two Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for people of every ability to connect, work, grow, and thrive. Over 130 businesses have hired Two graduates.
Visit the cafe for delicious, made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch. Try a vegan pumpkin chocolate cookie or sip a gingerbread latte by our cozy fireplace. Reminisce on childhood trips to downtown Higbees while sitting in chairs and tables from the Silver Grille Restaurant. There is an original brass Higbee's sign and animated window characters from the Christmas Story movie. The Shops at Two and Company feature unique clothing, jewelry, toys, and home goods - something for everyone on your gift list. The real magic of Two is our grads. Two Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for people of every ability to connect, work, grow, and thrive. Over 130 businesses have hired Two graduates. You can help support Two Foundation - Eat at the Cafe, Order from our Catering Menu, Shop, Become a Business Partner, or Donate.
Visit the cafe for delicious, made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch. Try a vegan pumpkin chocolate cookie or sip a gingerbread latte by our cozy fireplace. Reminisce on childhood trips to downtown Higbees while sitting in chairs and tables from the Silver Grille Restaurant. There is an original brass Higbee's sign and animated window characters from the Christmas Story movie. The Shops at Two and Company feature unique clothing, jewelry, toys, and home goods - something for everyone on your gift list. The real magic of Two is our grads. Two Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for people of every ability to connect, work, grow, and thrive. Over 130 businesses have hired Two graduates. You can help support Two Foundation - Eat at the Cafe, Order from our Catering Menu, Shop, Become a Business Partner, or Donate.
You can help support Two Foundation - Eat at the Cafe, Order from our Catering Menu, Shop, Become a Business Partner, or Donate.
177 E. Washington St. Chagrin Falls
177 E. Washington St. Chagrin Falls
177 E. Washington St. Chagrin Falls
Open Tuesday through Saturday 8am – 3pm (440) 384-3236
Open Tuesday through Saturday 8am – 3pm (440) 384-3236
Open Tuesday through Saturday 8am – 3pm (440) 384-3236
www.twoandcompany.org
www.twoandcompany.org
www.twoandcompany.org
Come explore three floors of books. There’s something for everyone at FIRESIDE BOOK SHOP, 29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls.
Stop by the DP Farr Gallery for the gift of traditional or contemporary paintings and prints. Any size. Open House Thursday, Dec. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. 147 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls.
Photograph by Margaret Civik
Discover the Pasquale Bruni collection at ALSON JEWELERS, Woodmere, AlsonJewelers.com
Say yes to couture with the newly arrived Hayley Paige collection— think sculptural silhouettes, artful detail & fearless charm, exclusively at RADIANT BRIDE.
‘Voices in the Valley’ to bring Roots Music twist to ‘The Nutcracker’ at G.A.R. Hall in Peninsula
By SARAH JAQUAY
“I’m glad she [Peninsula Foundation
Executive Director Karen James Walters] asked that question before we came out here,” quipped fiddler, banjo player, guitarist and vocalist Ben Molsky. On October 10, 2025, Molsky appeared with Grammy-nominated fiddler, composer, producer and educator Darol Anger at one of the Northeast Ohio’s coolest performing venues, the G.A.R. Hall on Main Street in charming downtown Peninsula. What prompted Moslky’s comment was Karen Walters introductory inquiry asking the 86 members of the audience, “Does anybody else here tonight play the fiddle?” About a quarter of the audience raised their hands. And while it’s clear local roots music musicians and cognoscenti know about this premier listening space, it may be news Peninsula’s G.A.R. Hall is undergoing a major restoration and now boasts a new pre-concert bar area and patio. Walters says there’s also a lot more happening at G.A.R: Insulation has
been blown into the walls; the exterior is being painted and the windows are all being restored, along with the original Civil War medallions that have become so darkened over time. “They look kind of like dark blobs flanking the stage right now,” she notes. Walters has been leading the Peninsula Foundation, the organization that preserves and programs G.A.R. and other historic properties in downtown Peninsula, for many years. The foundation is an arts organization whose mission is: “To preserve the heritage, character and vitality of Peninsula and Cuyahoga Valley through arts, education and historic preservation.” The organization started in 1977 and some of its best-known programming is the Voices in the Valley series of concerts that began in 2012. Voices in the Valley’s reputation and audience has grown to where it now brings in nationally-known folk, bluegrass, Celtic and jazz musicians for much of the year. (The Hall is completely closed every August.)
This reporter and her husband are fans of Darol Anger so we bought tickets online
and headed down to the G.A.R. Hall for the first time in several years. We were surprised to walk into the cozy waiting area where there’s complimentary coffee, tea and cider, plus a full bar. Patrons used to have to wait outside this historic structure that was originally built in 1851 as a schoolhouse until the concert was ready to begin. It became a gathering place for Civil War veterans and was renamed the G.A.R. Hall for Grand Army of the Republic. The comfortable room where performers entertain has great acoustics, a stage and often is set up with tables for four where patrons can bring their drinks and listen intently to the music. There’s really no chatter except for laughter at the musicians’ jokes between songs. Walters calls it, “one of Northeast Ohio’s premier listening rooms.” When asked why Voices in the Valley chose to focus on roots music, she explained, “Maybe it’s because my father and brother were in a bluegrass band… I think if you want to be an arts organization, you have to put the artists first. That’s why we pay the people who make the art to come
Famed fiddlers Darol Anger and Ben Molsky performed everything from Molsky’s “Lockdown Breakdown” to Smokey
here.” And indeed the musical artists who have graced G.A.R. Hall over the years have mostly expressed delight in the newlyrenovated intimate gathering space. It’s much more comfortable for artists and guest alike.
Just as the work to renovate G.A.R. Hall, that’s located in the Peninsula Village Historic District listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, is ongoing, so is Peninsula Foundation’s fundraising needs. Besides offering musical programs, the Peninsula Foundation preserves many of the historic buildings in downtown Peninsula. Voices in the Valley offers other popular programs such as Music on the Porches the third weekend of every September. The concerts aren’t actually on people’s porches. “This year, we had four stages,” Walters said. It brings hundreds of visitors and roots music fans every year. Being located in the heart of the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park makes Peninsula an even more desirable destination for visitors looking for food, beverages and entertainment before or after hiking the trails or biking along the Ohio-Erie Canal Towpath. Walters notes the Foundation has several donor opportunities that directly benefit Voices in the Valley. There are single concert sponsorship opportunities that include reserved seating for from four to eight guests, plus recognition from the stage for that evening’s performance as well as entire season sponsorship opportunities. The G.A.R. Hall presents an average of 2-3 concerts per week for nine months of the year. The two seasons are: September through mid-January and mid-January through May. The current Voices season offers offer numerous concerts throughout November and December. And Darol Anger made a surprise announcement during his October concert he’s returning to G.A.R. Hall on Friday, December 12, 2025, with a four-piece string band, Mr. Sun, to play Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite. Darol Anger will be on violins; Joe K. Walsh on mandolin; Grant Gordy on guitar; and Aidan O’Donnell on bass. It’s a twist on the traditional ballet that seizes upon the “inspiration of Duke Ellington’s brilliant, sly and urbane re-interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Suite through the lens of the American string band,” according to promotional materials. When asked if there will be costumes, Walters says, “Darol’s actually a pretty funny guy. He may show up dressed as a mouse, but I can’t guarantee it.” For more information or tickets to Mr. Sun plays Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, please see https://thepeninsulafoundation. org and click on Events or call 330.657.2528.
Robinson’s “Abraham, Martin & John” at G.A.R. Hall in October.
This holiday season, give the gift of style. KNUTH’S handpicked collection offers timeless fashion, unique finds, and little luxuries that make every celebration shine. Stop in and find something special — just in time for the holidays. Landerwood Plaza, Pepper Pike.
Adam Kaufman named 2025 REALTOR of the Year
The Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS (ACAR) has named Adam Kaufman of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services as this year’s REALTOR of the Year, recognizing his decades of leadership, service, and impact on the Northeast Ohio real estate community.
With 37 years in real estate, Kaufman began his career at just 18 years old, building a legacy defined by hard work, deep relationships, and unwavering loyalty. Over the years, his “Just Ask Adam” brand has become synonymous with trust, excellence, and concierge-level client care. In his acceptance speech, Kaufman reflected on what continues to drive him after nearly four decades in the business: “AI might change how we do our jobs, but it’s never going to hug someone when they’re down. It’s not going to hold someone’s hand when they need it, or look them in the eye and say, You’re making the right decision—and I’ll walk with you every step of the way.” Kaufman credited his remarkable team, whose tireless commitment and shared passion for people have been central to every success. “Real estate, at its core, is still a people business,” he said. “This recognition belongs to all of us—the heart, humanity, and care that make what we do matter.”
The REALTOR of the Year honor is awarded annually by ACAR to a member who exemplifies professional excellence, community involvement, and ethical standards that elevate the profession.
About Adam Kaufman: Adam Kaufman is Northeast Ohio’s top-producing realtor with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Known for his integrity, market knowledge, and commitment to clients, Adam has consistently set record sales across the region and earned a reputation as a trusted leader in luxury and residential real estate. Learn more at www.justaskadam.com or on Instagram @justaskadam.
Come to BELLA CHANELA BOUTIQUE for your holiday gift shopping. We’ve turned our boutique into a sparkly winter wonderland filled with unique gifts. We have vintage Christmas trees and Santas along with a variety of whimsical ornaments and holiday décor. 14 Bell St., Chagrin Falls.
Anne barge black label Splendor gown. LISA MORAN Ltd. at Chagrin Eton Blvd. will help you find the perfect dress for your very special occasion.
Can’t find the perfect gift for Grandma or Dad that shows how unique and special they are? Come into SEDLAK INTERIORS to find that perfect gift for that someone special! Clocks, lamps & lighting, mirrors, wall art, ornamental rugs and so much more! Sedlak Interiors SedlakInteriors.com 4300 Solon Road, Solon, OH 440-248-2424
Butcher’s Pantry & Restaurant
On November 1st, I celebrated the One-Year Anniversary of owning the Butcher’s Pantry & Restaurant, my Labor of Love........I’d even call it self-actualization with being able to Donate 100 percent of its profits to charity. Little Mountain Animal Sanctuary (https://littlemountainanimalsanctuary.org/home) also opened as a Labor of Love in Memory, Honor, and Legacy of my late wife, Sharon-Marie Rhoads-Kozar. She led me to this life that no one who’s ever known me (including myself!) ever imagined I would be doing after my corporate/business career. And that now I wouldn’t trade for anything as it is truly the most rewarding and enriching experience of my life. Heartbreakingly, she passed away from cancer before seeing her lifelong dream of rescuing farm animals from cruelty, abuse, abandonmment, etc., but her Farm Animal Sanctuary dream now has nearly 25 animals onsite, thanks in good part to being able to support it from owning The Butcher’s Pantry & Restaurant. www.thebutcherspantry.com/ So it is with deep gratitude, humbleness, and appreciation, that I say THANK YOU to all that have supported it, for an amazing first year of restaurant ownership which is giving me so much, including many new and wonderful friendships along this exciting journey!”
With appreciation, Bradley K. Kozar Owner, The Butcher’s Pantry & Restaurant Co-Founder/CEO, Little Mountain Animal Sanctuary
Versatile elegance: Interchangeable necklace and gemstone centerpiece by Clara Williams Company, handcrafted for effortless transformation from day to night. Available at the CINDY HALLE! boutique, Gates Mills.
Two & Company
As we head into the holiday season, Two Foundation, dba Two & Company, is excited to share comfort and joy with our fantastic community. It has been one year since we opened the doors of our new location and ten years since Two Foundation started the job readiness training program. Our amazing community of stakeholders, including donors, schools, businesses, exceptional trainees and their families, and, of course, our customers, has made this possible.
Two is your gift shopping destination for unique and beautiful items for women, children, and men. You can find everything from jewelry to clothing to toys to home goods. Some of the brands include Kut from the Kloth, DIFF Eyewear, TravisMathew, Gentle Fawn, Thistle Farms, and Arcona Skincare, plus clean-burning candles hand-crafted by Two graduates. Buy once, give twice!
Please stop in and try our delicious seasonal drinks and pastries. Our cozy fireplace is a great spot to relax with friends. Enjoy memories from Higbee’s, including our front window character displays, tables and chairs from the Silver Grille restaurant, and other fun memorabilia. Start new family traditions at Two.
Think of Two for your holiday catering sides, desserts, and pastries. Thanksgiving orders are now through November 15, and Christmas orders are now through December 17. Place your orders online at https://twoandcompany.org/cafe/#catering. Questions? Contact 440.384.3236 or ask at the bakery.
Preparing Your Home for the Holidays — The Maison Maison Way
As the days grow shorter and the scent of pine and cinnamon begins to fill the air, there’s a certain magic that takes over our homes. At Maison Maison, we believe the holidays aren’t just a season—they’re a feeling. Preparing your home for the celebrations ahead is about creating spaces that invite warmth, connection, and beauty.
Start with the Heart of the Home
Every home has a heart. Begin your holiday prep there. Declutter surfaces to make space for festive touches, and let texture take the lead. Think soft throws, rich velvet pillows, and the subtle glow of candlelight. At Maison Maison, we love layering—mixing materials like linen, wood, and brass to create depth and warmth that feels both timeless and lived-in. Set the Stage for Gathering
The holidays are about togetherness, and your home should feel ready to welcome at a moment’s notice. Update your dining area with fresh linens and a centerpiece that feels natural—evergreen branches, berries, and unscented candles make for a chic, understated look. Consider extra seating or a statement chair or two—pieces that can live beautifully year-round but shine brightest when surrounded by company.
Let Lighting Tell the Story
Lighting has the power to transform any space. Swap harsh overhead light for layers of warm glow—lamps, sconces, and even a string or two of twinkling lights can bring instant atmosphere. Maison Maison’s philosophy is simple: light should flatter both your space and your guests. Think golden warmth, not glare. Infuse Personality Through Detail
Holiday décor doesn’t have to be all red and green. Instead, choose pieces that reflect your style—ceramic vases filled with winter greens, woven baskets for firewood, or elegant ornaments that feel collected rather than themed. The most beautiful homes tell a story, and yours should whisper comfort, care, and personality. End with the Feeling
In January, we will open the Twogather Inn, a charming 1853 house on our property that sleeps six, with two full bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining, and living room. You can book at twoandcompany.org/stay/
We have a dedicated team of 60 employees who work together to provide job training, job development, job placement, follow-along support, non-medical transportation, summer camps, TwoStrong fitness, and The Two16 Show.
Two Foundation is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization. Please consider donating to Two Foundation with your year-end giving. You can make a huge difference and change lives! Twoandcompany.org/donate
When the tree lights glow and the music hums softly in the background, your home should feel like an embrace. At Maison Maison, we believe in creating spaces that make people feel. This holiday season, let your home reflect the joy, gratitude, and love that make the holidays truly special.
Garden Star Ornament
Leandra Drumm
Three Trees Ornament
Leandra Drumm
Bird Ornament
Leandra Drumm
Leandra Drumm
Photographs by Margaret Civik
Bring your home to life for the Holidays and every day! BUDGET LIGHTSCAPES - NE Ohio’s Premier Nightscape Experts- high quality, affordable RGBW color-changing LED Lightscaping produces powerful vibrant colors, or choose the 2700K warm white option- both integrated into one fixture - True value combination! Now’s the time to creatively upgrade your outdoor spaces to reflect the beauty of the seasons! Call Budget Lightscapes @ 216.406.1900 to schedule your free design consultation
The nonprofit Cleveland Angels believes every child in foster care deserves the opportunity to flourish and thrive. The organization held a benefit at the historic Harcourt Manor in Cleveland Heights on October 16, for 100 guests. The organization was on track to reach its $50,000 fundraising goal.
The Cleveland Angels’ mission is to walk alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship.
Founded in Austin, TX, in 2018, the organization has replicated around the country – now with 19 chapters nationwide. Greater Cleveland is its third chapter. The goal is to to have a chapter in every major US city by 2050.
Currently, there are 52 individuals locally in the Dare to Dream mentorship program for youth ages 11-22. This matches mentors with youth to support them as they navigate life’s celebrations and challenges. Mentors address practical and emotional needs while guiding youth through personalized developmental milestones.
The stats for children and youth in foster
Cleveland Angels “Change the Stats”
care are staggering: 50% will not graduate from high school; 97% will not graduate from college; 60% will fall below the poverty line, 80% of inmates experienced foster care; and 20% become homeless. Cleveland Angels asserts it doesn’t have to be this way. Consistent, healthy relationships can rewrite the story for children and youth in foster care by teaching them about unconditional love and empowering them with life skills.
Guests enjoyed specialty cocktails, passed hors d’oeuvres from Edwin’s and The Fairmount on the first-floor porch and outdoor gardens; chamber music by Zachary Moskowitz and Ruby Wang; crudités and sliders on the terrace and lower level speakeasy, followed by chocolates by Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates, cupcakes and the speakeasy open bar.
Owned by Anya and John Rudd, Harcourt Manor was built in 1906, and is a rare example of Elizabethan Revival architecture – a beautifully restored home that honors Cleveland’s past while welcoming its future. STORY
AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA C. TURNER
Cleveland Angels Executive Director Gretchen Dupps with Rosemary Pierce and Anya Rudd
Kathy and Ken Baxter
Apryl Rashid, Craig Coffey, and Kristen Gates
Brenda and Michael Avant
The Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development hosted its biennial Harvest Homecoming benefit under a large white tent on the Center’s grounds in Shaker Heights’ Malvern neighborhood.
More than 150 guests gathered for fall cocktails prior to a sit-down dinner, presentation celebrating 75 years, and a live and silent auction. The event helped to raise $290,000 to support the nonprofit’s work for young children.
Since its beginnings, Hanna Perkins has honored the emotional lives of children and helps them grow into confident, compassionate, and resilient individuals. Children build the tools they need to navigate life’s challenges, form healthy relationships, and discover who they are.
To kick things off, Rique Sollisch engaged the group in a heartfelt singalong on guitar – a song she’s taught to preschool children about feeling each emotion. Board President Mary Reed opened with remarks celebrating the
Hanna Perkins Center “Harvest Homecoming”
care, growth, and community that reflects the Hanna Perkins promise.
Jennifer Harris, the organization’s new CEO, asserted that at Hanna Perkins, “parents aren’t left to struggle in the dark, and no family feels alone.”
Allie Hadden Hanna presented the Hadden Award (named in honor of her late parents Elaine G. “Lainie” and Dr. John A. Hadden) to retired CEO Karen Baer (from 2012-2025) and longtime board member and co-trustee of the Perkins Charitable Foundation, Tod Oliva for their longtime contributions.
During the closing moments, Sheldon and Terry Adelman announced a philanthropic gift of $100,000 in honor of Baer. This contribution is designated to provide financial assistance to children in need who are served by Hanna Perkins School and the Hadden Clinic for Children & Families.
The Adelmans’ gift reflects their ongoing commitment to the emotional well-being and developmental needs of young children. It
will assist families facing financial barriers through scholarships, ensuring access to the specialized care and education that Hanna Perkins provides.
Cocktail hour music was provided by the
Rifferees with Jim Wright on saxophone, Jason Sherman on drums, David Rothenberg on Keyboard, Bob Rosenbaum on saxophone, and Dave Huddleston on bass. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA C. TURNER
Jocelyn Benson, Kimberly Bell, Debby Paris, and Kate Vinciquerra
Jennifer Harris, Karen Baer, Tod Oliva, and Mary Reed
Allie Hadden Hanna and Barbara Streeter
Renee Weiss, John Potts, Joyce Braverman, and Jim Posch
Event Co-Chairs Jordan Javier and Louise DiLullo Layton
Seasons maybe, but much warmer, with parquet flooring, high ceiling and chandeliers. Even on a gloomy day, natural light floods the wide expanse of this hallway. It connects the great room to the first-floor bedroom suites, an elevator (with seating and wood paneling!), a kitchenette and laundry.
The suites on the main level are beyond luxurious. The owner’s suite has a fireplace and a sitting area easily the size of a living room. The spa-like bath, beautifully designed using cream, floral wall covering, and Sherle Wagner fixtures, leads to an oversized dressing area. A second suite adjoins the first, and this suite has its own fireplace, bath and dressing area.
But then, further down the hallway is an area the previous owners referred to as the Colonnade. This is a
very special room, nearly sixty feet long, with glass walls that overlook the three-plus acres of lawn and plantings, water feature and walking paths. The exterior wall is actually a series of telescoping doors that open fully to the outside. What an amazing space for entertaining!
The rest of the house includes a finished lower level that has a sitting room with fireplace, and a game room with another fireplace tucked into a brick wall. Further along, there are two private offices and a nearly hidden wood-working room, not to mention hallways nearly the length of the house currently used for storage. The lower level opens to a garage large enough for a limo. There are also two private suites at the far end of the Colonnade, one on the second floor overlooking the lush backyard, and a second, larger suite also facing the back
of the house. Each has its own kitchen, bedroom, living area, and full bath.
48 South Wheaton has 10,525 square feet over three levels. Eight bedrooms, seven full baths and two half baths. There are seven parking spaces in two garages, one attached. Public water and sewer. Zoned heating. Eight fireplaces. Akron City Schools. Set on 3.41 acres of private, professionally landscaped park-like yard with a water feature and many ornamental trees.
Represented by Laura Duryea of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Stouffer Realty. At press time the property is listed at $2,500,000 with annual taxes of $32,850. Contact Laura Duryea at 330-606-7131 or lauraduryea@ gmail.com.
NE Ohio’s holiday tradition returns to Cleveland Botanical Garden
Year three of Northeast Ohio’s indooroutdoor winter tradition, “Frost: An Ice-Capped Garden Experience” at the Cleveland Botanical Garden is just around the corner! Each season, the Botanical Garden is transformed into a dazzling celebration of nature showcasing the magic of the season, inviting families and friends to return and make new memories together. With sparkling displays, festive activities and the warmth of the season woven throughout, Frost captures the timeless joy of winter in the Garden.
Frost will open to the public on Saturday, November 22 at 10 a.m. and will run through Sunday, January 4. Nonmember adult tickets are $24 - $28, nonmember child tickets are $15 - $17, member adult tickets are $7 - $16, and member child tickets are $0 - $9. Advance online ticket purchase is required. Prices vary by day of the week and entry time. Tickets are on sale now at holdenfg.org.
“Frost is back for year three with more lights, immersive seasonal displays, and family friendly activities than ever before! Expect classics like our gingerbread house competition and evergreen trees decorated by local garden clubs alongside all new photo ops and a magical tale intertwined throughout the gardens. This year’s Frost will not be one to miss!” - Ryan Sandy, associate director of guest experience.
SHOW DETAILS:
Frost will transform familiar spaces into a dazzling celebration of light, nature, and seasonal wonder. Journey through reimagined indoor and outdoor scenes, following the story of Verglas, the winter spirit, through the changing of the seasons. Verglas will greet you as you enter the Ellipse, along with shimmering displays of plants and lights at every turn.
Raine & Shine, spirits of the wet and dry seasons, return to our glasshouse biomes celebrating winter in other parts of the world. Lights will guide people into the Spiny Desert of Madagascar and through the Costa Rica Cloud Forest, where they will be met with a captivating ring of waterfall lights.
Family favorites abound, with Clark Hall offering extra seating and an expanded kids’ play zone, including an oversized slide, back by popular demand.
Outdoors, the gardens sparkle with densely lit displays and plenty of photo opportunities including a light tunnel and a disco-lit Her shey Children’s Garden. Indoors, the Japanese Overlook will evoke the magic of a grand winter hall—an enchanting new setting for educational activities.
Rounding out the journey with familiar favorites, the Garden Room delights with creative gingerbread houses, and Woodland Hall once again hosts a stunning display of decorated trees by our affiliate garden clubs.
ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMMING
Family-friendly activities, interactive displays, a storybook trail and marshmallow roasting in the evenings are just the beginning. Kids of all ages will be immersed in the joy and wonder of the winter season!
The six-week experience will include a full calendar of solstice season educational activities and events. Special nighttime hours will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 9 p.m. Saturday evenings will feature live performances reflecting the holiday spirit. On Sundays, Frost will have special performances from 2 – 4 p.m. by a variety of local musicians.
KRAMPUSNACHT, Saturday, December 6, 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Krampusnacht is a folklore filled evening with Krampuses seeking out deviant attendees throughout the night. Attendees will encounter costumed Krampuses roaming through festively decorated indoor and outdoor gardens while shopping from local vendors and enjoying live music by Girl Cologne—all set within the enchanting atmosphere of Frost. Swing by the Garden Café for delicious food and drink specials available for purchase. Your ticket purchase to Krampusnacht, featuring the Ohio Krampus Society, supports RePlay for Kids. Price: $35 per nonmember, $20 per member. Advance registration is required.
STORYTIME WITH SANTA , Sundays, November 23 & 30, December 7 & 14, 10 a.m. – Noon
Join us for a magical holiday event where Santa himself will read a festive story and take photos with each guest. While waiting for your table’s turn to capture a picture with Santa, enjoy crafting and fun holiday-themed activities. Light refreshments will be provided to keep the holiday spirit going. After the event, stay and experience Frost. Price: $25 per member adult, $20 per member child & $30 per nonmember adult, $25 per nonmember child. Storytime with Santa Registration is required BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, Sunday, December 21, 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. seatings Join us for a magical breakfast experience! Look forward to a special visit from Santa himself as he stops by each table. You’ll have plenty of time to take photos with Santa after he’s made his rounds, ensuring everyone gets a memorable moment during each seating. Price: $60 per adult, $50 per child. Breakfast with Santa Registration required.
GINGERBREAD COMPETITION
The Gingerbread Competition is entering its 19th year and will have openings for approximately 100 gingerbread houses from local bakeries, families, and kids of all ages. Registration will remain open until the space is filled. Gingerbread drop-off is Monday, November 17 from 8 a.m. - noon. Gingerbread creations will be on display during the duration of Frost.
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
Stop by the Japanese Overlook for Plant Explorations, a series of hands-on activities designed especially for kids. Each day offers a different experience that blends creativity, learning and seasonal fun. Children can make dried orange decorations, craft a peppermint-scented candy cane, create a pinecone reindeer, or mix their own cinnamon mulling spices to take home. The cacao exploration invites kids to get up close with a real cacao pod and sample different types of chocolate. Activities rotate daily, giving families something new to explore with each visit. On Sundays, little ones can also gather for a cozy story time, making the season even more magical. Check holdenfg.org for the program schedule.
Photograph by Audriana Carmona
Garden affiliate trees decorated for the holiday season at CBG
Adult-sized derby cars were carted to the track for Senior Day at Derby Downs.
Senior Day at Derby Downs is a thrilling and bumpy ride
By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN
What’s it like to ride in an adult-sized Soap Box Derby car down the fabled 989-foot Derby Downs track in Akron? Exhilarating, thrilling, and bumpy!
That was how my husband described the trip after he, and many others, took advantage of the 2025 Senior Day at Derby Downs, sponsored by the Western Reserve Hospital in partnership with University Hospitals.
More than 75 individuals who are young at heart turned out on a blustery day for the annual fall fest, which included a ride down the hill, a senior wellness expo, lunch, and live entertainment. The expo was presented in the historic Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame, which houses hundreds of cars, trophies, photographs, and other Soap Box Derby memorabilia.
“When I heard that tickets to the senior expo included a ride in a Soap Box Derby car down that historic track, I was in,” Eric Eakin said. “This was sort of a once-in-lifetime opportunity, although I later learned they have offered this event annually for years. Now I’m hooked. I’ll be back again next year for sure. It was a blast.”
The idea of the Soap Box Derby grew out of a photographic assignment of newsman
Tradition cont’d from Page 4
NEWLY RENOVATED GARDEN CAFE WITH SPICE CATERING CO.
The Garden Café re-opens late November, with a brand-new experience from Spice Catering Co. Visitors can savor a regional + seasonal menu filled with fresh flavors and rotating drink specials made for Frost. The newly renovated café offers a cozy, inviting spot to relax, recharge, and enjoy delicious seasonal bites and beverages between Frost festivities. Check holdenfg. org for updates.
ART ON DISPLAY –
During the run of Frost, local artist Bonnie O App will have work featured in our Perennial Playspace’s Guren Gallery. Bonnie’s work showcases the delicate beauty and fragility of plants through intricate illustrations and cyanotype photograms. These works feature the rich blue colors of the cyanotype process and a classic illustration style that isolates the plants they represent in a frozen moment, fitting right into our celebration of the natural world through the lens of cold and ice. Bonnie’s work will be available for sale in the Garden Store.
Myron Scott, of Dayton, Ohio, who came across a group of boys racing their homemade cars in the summer of 1933. Scott was so impressed with the event that he acquired a copyright to Soap Box Derby and went in search of a corporate sponsor to establish a national program.
The first race in Akron was in 1934. It wasn’t until 1970 that a female won.
The International Soap Box Derby (ISBD) serves as the official sanctioning body of Soap Box Derby racing, holding exclusive licensing partnerships with over 80 race cities worldwide. These cities organize official Soap Box Derby races, where champions qualify for the annual FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby world championships each summer in Akron.
The ISBD also stresses a STEM-based (science, technology, education, and mathematics) program dedicated to youth education and leadership development. It encompasses a STEM curriculum, the Gravity Racing Challenge STEM team competition, the Mini-Car Program, and STEM summer camps.
The 88th FirstEnergy Soap Box Derby world championship race week will be Sat., July 11, through Sat., July 18, 2026. More than 300 racers, ages seven to 20, will compete for the world championship title in six different divisions.
Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be open on Sundays from 12 p.m. –6 p.m. except for Dec. 21 & 28 when Frost will be open from noon – 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be closed on Mondays except for Dec. 22 & Dec 29 when Frost will be open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. The Botanical Garden is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Additionally, the Botanical Garden will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Please check holdenfg. org for registration and updated information. About Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Forests & Gardens
Frost hours are Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Thursdays, Fridays and
Cleveland Botanical Garden, located in Cleveland’s University Circle cultural district, is an ever-changing 10-acre urban oasis where visitors find enrichment and inspiration through fabulous gardens, an exotic Glasshouse, and seasonal events. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is part of Holden Forests & Gardens along with the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. Holden Forests & Gardens is making an impact in Northeast Ohio through urban greening and forestry initiatives, environmental research, educational programs, and world-class visitor experiences at its two campuses. For more information, visit holdenfg.org.
The Soap Box Derby Hall of Fame houses hundreds of cars, trophies and photographs.
The ride down the fabled 989-foot Derby Downs track was described as exhilarating, thrilling and bumpy.
Photographs by Eric Eakin
Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland launches ‘She Leads’
Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland will launch She Leads, a new mentoring initiative designed to empower young women across Greater Cleveland in November.
She Leads will connect 50 professional women with 50 students in grades seven through 11 from schools throughout the region. The program will empower young women to explore their potential in college and career readiness, financial literacy, leadership development, and relationship building.
“When a young woman can see herself in a professional setting, she’ll believe she can do that job too,” said Jennie Becker, manager of experiential learning at MAGNET and supporter of the program. “She’ll believe she belongs in that field, she’ll see the path
forward, and she’ll know she has a cheerleader pushing her toward her goals.”
Mentors will share their professional journey, offer guidance, and build a genuine connection with students. They will have the power to inspire confidence and open doors that can change a young woman’s future.
“Empowered girls become women who empower others,” said Dameyonna Willis, executive director of Queen I Am. “A great mentor doesn’t just teach — they inspire a lifetime of confidence, courage, and possibility in girls.”
The program runs from November through May and includes hybrid meeting sessions, regular mentor-mentee check-ins, and a job shadowing experience that brings career
McKinley Presidential Library & Museum to host Holiday Party
The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum will host its Annual Holiday Party in the Street of Shops on Friday December 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $8 per person, free for members. Tickets are available online at www.McKinleyMuseum.org or at the door. Museums for All EBT/WIC rates will be available for admission purchased in person.
Guests will enjoy dozens of decorated Christmas trees, complimentary cookies and punch, holiday games and crafts for kids, live music by the East Canton Echoes, Winter Celestial Night Sky in the Hoover-Price Planetarium, new exhibits in Discover World, unique gifts in the Museum Shoppe, and a visit with Santa.
“Merry Christmas Charlie Brown,” a traveling exhibition from the Charles Schulz Museum, will be on view in the Keller Gallery. The exhibition includes
50 daily and Sunday “Peanuts” comic strips, more than 50 vintage “Peanuts” novelties, a video exploring the making of the animated special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and a Santa letter-writing station.
The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum is located at 800 McKinley Monument Dr NW in Canton. The Keller Gallery is the Museum’s temporary exhibition space and features a variety of topics each year. The Museum also includes the McKinley National Memorial, McKinley Gallery, Street of Shops, The Stark County Story, Discover World, Ramsayer Research Center, and the Hoover-Price Planetarium. The Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The Museum is closed on Monday. For more information, visit McKinleyMuseum.org.
exploration to life.
“I’m excited to launch a girls mentoring program because I believe every young woman deserves guidance, confidence, and a circle that lifts her higher,” said Larrasea Goodman, program manager of Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland and the creator of She Leads.
Programming begins in November 2025.
Learn more here: She Leads is JA’s newest program focused on young women | Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland or contact Larresea Goodman larresea.goodman@ja.org
About Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland: Since 1941, Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland has been dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and
skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA learning experiences are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland is an affiliate of Junior Achievement USA and JA Worldwide. Today Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.4 million students per year in 102 markets across the United States as part of 12.5 million students served by operations in more than 100 other countries worldwide. For more information, visit cleveland.ja.org.
Get set for inaugural WhoVillage Holiday Dash on Saturday, Dec. 6
The Fairport Harbor Opportunity Development Corporation (FHODC) announces the inaugural WhoVillage Holiday Dash to be held on Saturday, December 6. It is a two-mile timed race and family fun run through the heart of Fairport Harbor. This festive event is perfect for runners, walkers, families, friends, and fur babies who want a unique and healthy way to celebrate the season.
The WhoVillage Holiday Dash is a Chip Timed Race designed to positively contribute to the well-established Harbor Holiday Celebration in Fairport Harbor. As such, FHODC is pleased to say GCXC, Northeast Ohio and Midwest’s premier chip timing and race management company has been engaged to manage the Dash.
Whether you are a seasoned runner or just in it for the jingle bells and joy, this event promises holiday cheer, community spirit, and
a chance to win big. Participants are encouraged to dress in your best Whoville attire, from the Grinch to Cindy-Lou Who, or any holiday creation that turns heads and spreads smiles. The WhoVillage Holiday Dash will award $500 for the Best in Who costume and $200 to the Best Max Dog to celebrate the most paws-itively festive pup in the race. Registration is $25 and includes a finish medal and race day T-shirt (you must register 2 weeks in advance to receive the T-shirt). Interested participants can register at: https:// register.chronotrack.com/r/88959 Race day check-in and day of registrations take place at the Fairport Harbor Veteran’s Memorial Park from 8– 8:45 a.m.and the race starts at 9 a.m. Participant parking is throughout the village. For race-specific question, contact holidaydash@fhodc.org and for updates connect with the FHODC Facebook page.
By CYNTHIA SCHUSTER EAKIN
ace it. Football is show business. And who helps direct this huge production when the traveling show comes to our lakefront? Avon Lake’s own Bob Sevel. By day, Sevel, 64, is an account manager for the U.S. Postal Service. Since 1999, Sevel has served as the “TV commercial timeout coordinator” for Browns home games, one of 50 or so television production people and about ten camera operators.
Working for CBS or Fox Sports and wearing elbow-length Day-Glo orange gloves and a headset, you will find him near the visitors’ 20-yard line, where he steps onto the field during natural breaks in the action (extra points, field goals, turnovers) to signal to the officials when to start and stop the game for television timeouts.
“I’m the link between the decision makers, the production truck, and the referees,” he said. “I sometimes cue whoever sings the national anthem. It’s not a game. It’s a three-hour television program.”
Sevel grew up in Old Brooklyn and graduated from Rhodes High School in 1979. He earned a journalism degree from The Ohio State University and a master of education in sports management from Cleveland State University. “I interned at Ohio State in sports information, then got a Browns internship. I worked at training camp as a runner, and helped edit the media guide. The networks needed runners, so I used to disguise guys like Joe Namath when he was an announcer, to get them through the stadium crowds.”
“We have four commercial breaks per quarter, each lasting two minutes and 20 seconds,” Sevel said. “There are 23 stoppages.
Five from when the game starts to the end of the first quarter. Then there’s a break. Then five more in the second quarter, including the two-minute warning. Then a halftime break. And so on.
“When I cross my arms, it signifies we’re requesting a timeout. A hand in front of my chest and behind my back denotes that we’re in commercial,” he said.
“I show up at 10 a.m. for a 1 p.m. game. We have an officials’ meeting where we talk about the sequence of time outs. We go to the press box to introduce ourselves to the visiting radio announcers and talk with the scoreboard guys about our format. Then I walk on the field to test out my headset with the truck.”
Sevel, who has been to nine Super Bowls working in television and three as a fan, said he also has worked games in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Detroit when needed.
“The toughest game we had was ‘Bottlegate,’” he said. (Bottlegate was a fan riot during a 2001 game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Browns. A controversial call led to fans throwing objects onto the field, mainly plastic beer bottles and trash cans.) “And we’ve had six or seven really bad snow games over the years. That wind really blows off Lake Erie. You have to basically stand for three hours, and there is no time out for me. You have to be prepared and always on the ball,” Sevel said.
“I say that it’s no cheer, no gear, and no beer for me during a game.”
“I have the best job,” he said. “It requires minimal time, and I have an optimal role. It’s a privilege to do this. I am an average fan with extraordinary access.”
Photograph by Eric Eakin
As TV commercial timeout coordinator at Browns home games, Bob Sevel of Avon Lake wears Day-Glo orange gloves to signal to officials for television timeouts.
