“We are funeral directors, but our profession is really all about life. It’s about the events, large and small, that affect us every day. Our experiences have taught us how to help you honor your loved ones in a way that transforms fond memories into a truly meaningful, personal life celebration event. We are just like you … someone who appreciates living each moment.”
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February CONT ENTS
Want to know how you can make a difference by hosting a musician in your home?
Guest author, Marc Bowker, shares his findings from a very inspiring book that could help us all maintain our new year’s resolutions.
Learn more about
Electric and how they offer innovative electrical upgrades, fix your current problems, and operate as a family business.
Learn how Mercy Health supports the community
provides
hometown
Find out what event was considered to be worthy of being in our talk of the town section this
Our Junior Writers and special school correspondents share
about successful students,
or events in the two schools readers in our circulation attend:
See what’s cookin’ in Shawnee and meet the chef behind the recipe.
Everyone loves to share stories about their pets. Find out how many people tend to treat them like another member of the family. Also learn what cats and dogs are available for adoption from our local pet rescue organizations.
Securities, Real Estate, Tax Planning. We bring the sharpest minds with their practical advice of how to strategically invest your capital to meet your family’s goals.
Our sponsors love to welcome new families to the Shawnee area! If you have a new neighbor, let them know about the free welcome basket!
From Diane’s Desk...
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
This Valentine’s day issue is dedicated to my HONEY BUNNY, Nick, even though he could care less about Hallmark holidays! Each and every day is an adventure with ups and downs, but I couldn’t manage riding this course called life without him. I love you, Babe!
Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite times of year, especially when I was a teacher. There is nothing like a classroom Valentine’s Day party where kids pass out their Valentines to one another or do random acts of kindness for a friend or stranger. I hope adults will consider doing the same thing for one another. I know this is cheesy, but LOVE truly does make the world go round!
I also want to officially welcome Becky Diglia to the tribe. She is our new Know Your Neighbor writer and her first article debuts in this issue!
As usual, please keep the magazine in mind when you have a story, article to share, or a business you want to advertise! Feel free to contact me at Diane@ShawneeLife.com with your ideas.
Meet the Gronas family! Sean and Jessica have lived on Hopi Trail in Indianbrook since July 2022. They relocated to Lima after living in Marysville for seven years. Sean and Jess were very excited to find the perfect home in Indianbrook where Sean had always wanted to live. The family enjoys living in the neighborhood on their cul-de-sac where their kids play in the driveway and can safely practice riding their bikes. They even received gifts from each of their neighbors when they welcomed their baby boy into the family last July, which was especially touching. They really love living in such a welcoming and quiet neighborhood.
Jess graduated from Delphos St. John’s, while Sean graduated from Lima Central Catholic (LCC). After high school, Jess went to Bowling Green State University and then went on to Clemson, South Carolina for grad school. Sean graduated from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and then landed a position with Honda in Marysville. Interestingly, they first met through mutual friends when they were seniors in high school and then started dating when they were seniors in college. They have a shared Google calendar that is still called “one year nine months” because that’s how long they had their longdistance relationship when Jess was in Clemson and Sean was in Marysville. They always said “one year and 9 months, we can do this.” However, Jess hoped Sean would come join her in the south, but God had other plans when he went to work at Honda. After the long-distance relationship, they married on July 18, 2015. Their wedding day is their best memory together before having kids. They had a classic Catholic wedding with 400 of their closest family and friends, and it was the best party ever!
This family of five includes three kiddos: five-year-old Adeline (Lena) who attends pre-K at St. Charles, three-yearold Elise who attends Tiny Tech University, and seven-month-old John (JC) who adds to the daily family fun. Both girls dance at Lyn’s Academy of Dance.
Hope, their Brittany Spaniel, is also a very important member of the Gronas family. She is a licensed therapy dog and goes to work at LCC with Jess and they also volunteer at Rhodes State College. With three littles, five and under, the family is always up to something. They love to be outside, go on walks, visit the zoo, go to story time in the area, as well as attending LCC sporting events and spending time with family in the area.
Jess is a school counselor at LCC which is what brought them back to Lima. Sean no longer commutes two hours a day to Honda for work, because in January, he started working at PPG Coatings Services (MetoKote) as a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer. Working locally and having more time with family has definitely been a plus. Jess is extremely happy to have Sean’s help with three kids during the morning rush as they are trying to get out the door.
The Gronas family enjoys having the new additions to downtown Lima. They really like spending time at the Central District and Spring & Main. While they definitely have moments of missing the Columbus area, the downtown feel is very comparable now! Jess has enjoyed taking the girls to shows at the Civic Center, the All Abilities Playground and story times in the area. “Most importantly, being part of the Lima Catholic Schools and close to so much of our family has been the best part of being back in Lima.” according to Jess.
When Jess isn’t working at LCC, she teaches yoga throughout the Lima area. Fitness, nutrition, mindset and creating community are her passions. You can join her Facebook page, Lima Workouts with Jess Gronas, to learn more about getting motivated. Sean is an avid golfer and plays in a league. He also enjoys golf outings throughout the summer. Before kids, Sean participated in triathlons and Jess did duathlons, so they hope to get back into that when the time is right.
When Sean and Jess want to go out on a rare dinner date, they enjoy the food, atmosphere and the draft beer selection at The Met. As far as sports are concerned, Sean is a Cleveland Browns fan and as a family they cheer on Notre Dame, unless they play Clemson. Jess, of course, then cheers for her alma mater. The Gronas family values traveling and before kids, they had a plan to visit a different state for each anniversary and are slowly accomplishing that goal by continuing to take trips with and without the kids.
The Gronas family belongs to the St. Charles Parish. Jess feels lucky to be involved with many service opportunities because of her job at LCC, and as a family they like to do things for others in need. Sean is looking forward to working in the area so he can become more involved in the community. Our community is truly blessed to have the Gronas family.
Do What You Say You Will Do: A Framework
for Actually Achieving Your Goals
by Marc Bowker
How are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?
If you’re like 25% of the population, you may have given up on January 10th, AKA, “Quitters Day.”
Or, maybe you’re one of the 60% that didn’t set any resolutions this year?
Here’s the thing: we are teleological beings - we need to have targets. It’s in our DNA.
Science says that happy people have goals.
And not just any goals, but wildly important goals - goals that will push us out of our comfort zones. Goals that will inspire you, bringing you closer to being the best version of yourself AND that are in line with your core virtues. (Don’t know what your core virtues are? Take the free character strengths survey at VIAcharacter.org.)
So, what are your wildly important goals for 2025?
And for simplicity’s sake, think about your goals falling into one of three categories: Energy, work, and love.
Ask yourself, “what do I really, really, really want?” AND “who do I want to become?”
Energy goals could be related to fitness, diet, or sleep.
Work goals could be related to your income, service, or figuring out what your purpose is.
And love goals could be about creating micro-moments of awesome, (brief connections with friends, family, or strangers), or creating acts of service. Take a few minutes right now to write down as many wildly important goals as you can think of. Then label your goals with an E (Energy), W (Work), or L (Love).
Look over your list and circle your number one goal for the next 3 months.
Now think about the number one thing you could be doing to get you closer to that goal.
Got it?
How about the number one thing you could stop doing?
Let’s install that number one new thing and delete that number one old thing.
The Three Laws of Behavior Change
In the best-selling book, Atomic Habits, James Clear shares the Three Laws of Behavior Change, or, if you prefer, the three steps to install a new habit:
1. Make it obvious
2. Make it easy
3. Celebrate
Let’s say that you want to start running in the morning.
Following the Three Laws of Behavior Change might look like this:
1. Put your running shoes next to your bed so that you step on them when you get up
2. Start by running a quarter mile
3. Have a cup of your favorite coffee or tea after running
Maybe you want to start reading before bed instead of watching TV?
1. Put a book on your pillow
2. Start by reading one page
3. High-five your significant other
Real life example - we have a fruit bowl in our house, but it lives under the kitchen cabinets in a corner. When I wanted my kids to eat more fruit, (alright, I wanted to eat more fruit, too), I moved the fruit bowl to the center of our kitchen island. Bam! Fruit is front and center resulting in us eating more of it.
Focus on tiny improvements that will compound over time. Consistency over intensity.
Deleting Bad Habits
To delete your number one bad habit, you would follow a similar three step process:
1. Make it invisible
2. Make it hard
3. “Needs work” it
Let’s say you want to stop snacking after dinner?
1. Make sure that bad snacks aren’t available
2. If they are in your house, put them somewhere that’s difficult to get to (a high cupboard or closet)
3. When you slip up (spoiler alert - we ALL slip up from time-to-time), “needs work” it. Ask yourself what you can do differently next time
Or maybe you want to stop using your phone in the evening.
1. Put your phone on your nightstand or in your closet
2. Take it to the next level by putting the phone in a lock box
3. “Needs work” a better solution when you slip up
If something isn’t working, shine a flashlight, don’t use a hammer.
In other words, get curious about what’s working and what needs work instead of beating yourself up.
None of this matters if you don’t DWYSYWD (Do What You Say You Will Do)
How do we build trust in a new relationship?
We do what we say we will do and expect the other person to do the same.
How do we build trust in ourselves?
We do the same thing: Do What You Say You Will Do.
Discipline (or Temperance) is one of the cardinal virtues and is essential to achieving our goals.
When you say that you’ll go for a run in the morning, go for a run.
When you say that you’ll read before bed, then read before bed.
And when you say that you’ll stop using your phone in the evening, stop using your phone. It sounds simple, but it takes discipline and practice.
The world needs more people who do what they say they will do.
And I think that you’re one of those people.
Let’s go!
Marc Bowker is a husband, father of three, and owner of Alter Ego Comics in downtown Lima. He is also a Heroic Performance Coach, workshop instructor, and investor. Follow him on Instagram@marcbowker or LinkedIn for more personal development tools.
Brunk Electric is a family-owned business that was started in 2010 by Elida resident, Matt Brunk. Matt’s wife, Wilma, manages the administrative duties, while their son Nathan, who started as an apprentice in the summer of 2022, is now an integral part of the electrical contractor team. Their two daughters, Hannah and Katherine, are involved behind the scenes helping with projects in the office. Knowing that a second generation is now contributing to powering the business is extremely gratifying for Matt and Wilma. Four employees are also an important part of Brunk Electric. This innovative business is known for outstanding customer service and taking care of their clients every step of the way from beginning to end.
Matt’s first job after earning his mechanical engineering degree was building material handling equipment and this is where he realized he was particularly inspired by the people that did electrical work. “Electrical controls for industrial machin-
ery were what interested me at first. Diagnosing a problem and repairing something to make it work again is highly satisfying to me,” said Matt. After a five-year apprenticeship, the company he was working for eventually ran out of work for him during the economic downturn of 2008, so he decided to go out on his own. “Starting my own company was a lot of hard work, but has been very rewarding.”
Brunk Electric provides electrical service to residential, commercial and agricultural customers. Matt’s roles are varied, including, but not limited to, project manager, estimator, and purchasing agent. One of the most challenging parts of the job is dealing with the changes in technology in the electrical industry. Staying current with those changes enables Brunk Electric to help you as the customer with any electrical problem you may face, as you integrate or upgrade to newer electrical devices and technology in your home.
As the world is moving toward electrification in all areas of life, Brunk Electric offers you the expertise and experience to help you manage this transition in your home or business. They have installed hundreds of electric vehicle chargers over the past several years and expect this trend to continue.
More recently, they have begun installing V2H (vehicle to home) electrification back-up systems. Battery storage for both back-up power and solar power integration is another service they provide.
“We are currently certified to install Tesla, Ford and GM
Brunk Family
V2H and whole-home battery back-up systems. We expect to receive additional certifications in the future,” according to Matt.
Brunk Electric also offers comprehensive LED lighting upgrades to homes and businesses alike. Many of their customers have expressed how pleased they are with the results of the updated lighting. Not only will LED lighting upgrades increase the aesthetic appeal of your home or business, but they will also reduce the amount of your electric bill and increase your property’s value.
Matt strives to be your “go-to” electrician. When asked what he likes best about what he does, he replied with, “Solving our customer’s challenges and problems to make their things work again is very fulfilling. Sharing what is possible in the world of electrification is also exciting, because the possibilities are endless.”
- Hannah, Matt, Wilma, Nathan, Katherine
a Mark
Making
Fresh Start Reentry Clothing Store
Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution
by Brenda
It has been over two years since the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution (AOCI) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fresh Start Reentry Clothing Store. The goal of the program was to better prepare incarcerated individuals for their release and transition back into society. Although it’s called a “store,” there is no cost to the incarcerated population.
Typically, when an individual is released from incarceration in Ohio, they are issued a standard red-colored sweatsuit. This created a stigma of sorts, as the red sweatsuit quickly became well-known throughout the community as the clothing issued to someone who had just been released from incarceration.
Appearance and hygiene play a vital role in forming first impressions and may strongly influence other people’s perception of one’s skill set, trustworthiness, and intelligence. The clothing initiative aims to provide our incarcerated population with a means to make a more respectful transition back into society. Being appropriately dressed for everyday life and job interviews can help make strong first impressions. Not to mention the emotional impact: when we look good, we feel good.
Through the generosity of AOCI employees and our community partners, such as the Neighborhood Relief Thrift Store, Bob’s Cleaners,
Guice, Program Advisor and Corey Foster, Deputy Warden of Special Services
and the St. Rita’s Auxiliary, we can now provide an individualized clothing ensemble that includes anything from casual shirts and pants to formal suits. Additionally, each incarcerated individual receives a coat and hat, shoes and socks, underclothing, hygiene items, and a duffle bag.
From its inception, the AOCI Fresh Start Reentry Clothing Store has assisted numerous incarcerated individuals with their successful transition back into society.
If you would like to donate new or gently used clothing, you may contact Brenda Guice at Brenda. Guice@drc.ohio.gov.
Since 1975, All Service Glass has been committed to delivering quality and ensuring 100% customer satisfaction. Whether it’s providing crystal-clear auto glass, enhancing your home’s beauty with durable windows, or elevating your business with custom glass solutions, we’ve been proud to offer you a better view every step of the way. Whether
Physician of the Year - Dr. Nicole Nelson, M.D.
by Nicole Davis
When phrases like, “she is so humble given her extraordinary accomplishments, earliest in and one of the last to leave, kind to all, and could get this award every year,” were shared from her nomination, it was easy to see why Dr. Nicole Nelson, M.D., was presented with Mercy Health - St. Rita’s Medical Center’s Physician of the Year Award. Dr.
Nelson is a Diagnostic Radiologist at St. Rita’s. Each year the hospital selects one physician to win this prestigious award from nominations by hospital employees. As the entire room stood in applause, the only person surprised was Dr. Nelson herself. She expressed, “ I was truly honored.”
Dr. Nelson never imagined being a doctor at a young age, due to her mother being very sick. Nicole and her sisters took on many home responsibilities and she hated the smell when visiting her mother in the hospital. A few years later, while working at a veterinarian’s office in high school, the veterinarian encouraged Nicole to change her path from business to the medical field. Nicole thought to herself, “I am going to go for it!” With a new goal in mind, Dr. Nelson graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed a one year internship in internal medicine at Mercy HospitalUniversity of Maryland in Baltimore. Next on her career path was completing four years of radiology residency, including being Chief Resident, from Harvard’s Teaching Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She then continued building her medical expertise and chose to complete two fellowships at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for Neuroradiology and Cardiovascular Radiology.
Nicole credits her husband, Rob, with her choice of field in radiology. They met while in college in Cincinnati and after a few attempts, Nicole finally called him to go on a date! Rob, her boyfriend at the time, pointed out that during her radiology elective she was much calmer and less stressed. She made the change in her career path, despite her advisors thinking she was nuts, and matched in Boston! Rob and Nicole married on May 25, 2002, in St. Rose, Ohio and have three children. Jourdyn is 22, Elsbeth is 21 and at Xavier University, and Matilda is 19 and at the University of Chicago.
Nicole has a variety of hobbies, including spending time with her children, cooking and gardening. Not only that, but her time away from the hospital also includes running a restaurant with her husband! The couple owns a local favorite, The Met. Rob’s research, including his PhD thesis on what makes people happy, points out the importance of having a “third space.” The third space is the space not at home and not at work where people gather to make meaningful connections. The Met was created by Nicole and Rob along with a group of friends with a similar vision: Samir Patel, Manu Aggarwal, Farzin & Julie Fatouhi, Jim & Anne Gideon, Bob & Ellen Fitzgerald, Sally Duval, and Mark Clark. The Met is a combination of pieces of the places that Nicole and Rob enjoyed in their lives prior to living in Lima, including Cincinnati, Morgantown, Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago. For Rob, a true city guy, the space/place had to be in downtown Lima.
While life keeps her busy, she couldn’t be happier with the choices she has made and her father’s influence to get her to Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center. He was receiving care at St. Rita’s and would tell anyone that would listen about his daughter, the doctor from Harvard. Her journey to St. Rita’s aligned while being pregnant with her second child. She was called with a job offer from Mercy Health - St. Rita’s Medical Center at the same time she and Rob found their new home in Lima. Nowadays and depending on the day of the week, Dr. Nelson can be found in the Women’s Wellness department, Neuro, or anywhere that needs a cardiac image to be read. Radiology is, “the best gig, ever,” according to Dr. Nelson. “I love looking at the pictures and helping without bias. I truly get to help the people based on the images I’m looking at. It doesn’t matter who it is, everyone deserves my best care.”
Celebrating Sponsors!
Talk of the Town
by Diane Schoonover
All of our beloved Shawnee Life Magazine sponsors were invited to our annual appreciation dinner right before Christmas. These sponsors make the magazine free for all of the readers in our circulation and we are very grateful for their support. This event also allowed our various local business owners to network with one another, which was a marvelous site to see. Many of our sponsors advertise in the magazine year after year so our business relationships have turned into lovely friendships that I cherish.
I frequently get asked for recommendations of businesses to use, so I am proud to be able to recommend any of our trusted sponsors because I have experienced their service or products firsthand!
Guests were greeted with a mandarin orange infused glass of champagne and chatted over charcuterie. Chef Heather Hermiller prepared and served a wonderful, plated Frenchthemed dinner for everyone. She made everything in my kitchen, which added some entertainment for the evening while she was cooking and adding final touches to dessert. It was so nice to have her taking care of all the details so I could really mingle with everyone.
Chef Heather’s French-themed Dinner Menu: Coq au Vin, Beef Bourguignon, Garden Salad, French Bread, Crème Brûlée, Fruit Tart,
Stacey & Jason Cleaves American Heating & Air
Bev & Dave Beery Beery Insurance
Michael Ayers & June Carlston The Ayers, Inc
Myron & Ashley Meas Cowan Realtors
Nick & Diane Schoonover Shawnee Life Magazine
Ann & Stephen Welly All Service Glass
Zach Everett Light Up Lima
Matt & Tara Gilles Bare Image by Tara
Jared Wittenmyer & Nicholas Wheeler Dot’s Pet Center / Affordable Window Fashions
Chase Mason Padrone’s Pizza Lima West
by Diane Schoonover
The Shawnee Life Tribe!
The Shawnee Life Magazine tribe is a team that fuels all the content that you experience each and every month. I feel very fortunate to work with such a dependable, caring and passionate group of people, so I invited them all to enjoy an Italianthemed meal by Chef Heather Hermiller. Our photographer, Michael Ayers, and all our writers submit interesting images and articles that allow the magazine to uphold its excellent reputation. This tribe’s mission is to share stories, so we know each other better, in order to create a sense of community,
Mentalist and mindreader, Billy Gladwell, provided the entertainment for the evening by revealing answers to questions that he could never have simply guessed. Mouths were left agape as each “trick” was performed. How did he do that!?!? His extensive study of body language, handwriting analysis and mentalism, all contribute to his seemingly magical talent.
Thank you Julie, Nicole, Georgie, Janine, Michael, Tara, Maria, Becky, Nick and Evan for dedicating your time to making Shawnee Life Magazine the best it can be.
Back row: Vanessa Damschroder, Julie Lundin, Greg & Janine Douglass, Tara Reynolds, Diane & Nick Schoonover
Front row: Georgie Damschroder. Brownie, June Carlston, Michael Ayers, Nicole Davis, Evan Schoonover
Ashleigh & Billy Gladwell
Not pictured: Maria Pignataro and Becky Diglia
by Diane Schoonover
Chef Heather Hermiller
You may know Chef Heather Hermiller as the owner and operator of the Busy Mom Kitchen food truck. She is now branching out to the Private Chef arena. I reached out to her to help me with two appreciation dinners in my home for Shawnee Life Magazine sponsors and writers, with guests lists between 15 and 25. I had no idea what I wanted to serve so she presented me with a few various themed menu options. I ended up choosing her French and Italian themed menus and she even created beautiful menus that I could send to my guests with the invitation so they could make entrée and dessert selections.
The French-themed menu included two different stews: Beef Bourguignon and Coq au Vin. Both stews were very hearty and maintained a rich wine flavor. The beef and the chicken were very tender. She used cocktail onions in the stew which I had never had before in that way, which added a really nice touch. Chef Heather has established an excellent reputation in the dessert world, so the fruit tart and the crème brûlée were very tasty. This dinner party was considered the private chef experience because she cooked everything in my kitchen several hours beforehand and personally served each guest their plate. She brought everything and cleaned up everything! Heather is very personable, so she also interacted with our guests while she was putting final touches on the meal as they arrived.
The Italian-themed menu was served buffet style, which is another option Chef Heather offers. This means she made everything ahead of time, brought everything to my home, and set up warming trays for each item. The Chicken Scampolini and Stuffed Meatballs provided guests with a comfort food that warmed our bellies. And if guests could have opted to have seconds or even thirds of the fluffy and creamy cheesecake or the delectable Tiramisù, I’m sure they would have.
The only thing I had to do for the party was invite the guests, set the table, pour the champagne and put together a charcuterie board (which I love doing,) but if you don’t love doing that, of course Chef Heather can do that for you too. Her flexibility is really wonderful and she really works with you to figure out the best options for your event and budget.
This was my first time hiring a personal chef. We love to throw parties but afterwards, I usually regret not mingling with my guests more. Having Chef Heather allowed me to truly enjoy my own party, which I really appreciated! She even cleaned up a glass that fell on the floor before I could even get to it, boxed up leftovers in to-go containers, and made suggestions for serving options that I would have never thought of! Thank you, Chef Heather! I am excited to explore your other packages!
Meet Antoine Shears
Student Body President, Shawnee High School
by Georgie Damschroder
Student body president is one of the most important and iconic positions one can hold in their school. And this year, after a practically unanimous election, Shawnee High School has their president for the 2024-2025 school year! Antoine Shears is a senior at Shawnee who has taken on this role with pride. As president, Antoine is expected to oversee and conduct meetings of the student body, represent Shawnee Schools as a whole, uphold the Student Government code of conduct, and much more. Antoine is devotedly carrying out these duties, and he enjoys the leadership training and the exposure to planning that his role as president is providing him with.
Antoine conducts his position with such efficiency and professionalism that he makes being him look easy. However, don’t forget that along with upholding this demanding office, Antoine is simultaneously working to maintain his life as an accomplished and hardworking Shawnee senior. Antoine has challenged himself by taking a variety of advanced coursework this year, his favorite being CCP English, where he can allow his writing to grow and flourish. He has found that while senior year is challenging, it has been an excellent opportunity to finally see how far he’s come and how much he’s grown since his first years of school.
“This year has also been stressful…but pressure only causes growth, and it is all about how you respond to the pressure,” Antoine notes.
Besides Student Government, Antoine is an avid member of Shawnee’s track team, the Positive Peer Advocates Club, and of both the Red Cross Club, which works to volunteer for and assist charity organizations, and Shawnee’s Young Life, a group that helps children learn more about Christianity and how you can use God’s word to help yourself and your community. Antoine even volunteered at a Young Life camp in Virginia this past summer for nearly a month straight, and again for a weekend last November, where he was tasked with keeping the camp spotless and ensuring that all the campers had a clean place to learn and grow.
“I enjoyed my time [at camp] because it grew my faith more knowing that what I was going to do on these campgrounds was helping a camper experience Jesus each day more and more,” says Antoine.
Antoine wishes to continue working with Young Life to share his beliefs and experiences with others, and he plans to volunteer during the coming summers and hopefully become a Leader of Young Life at some point.
On top of school, volunteering, and extracurriculars, Antoine also works at the local Sky Zone as a party host, meaning he seldom has free time. When he does get a rare moment to himself, however, one of Antoine’s favorite hobbies to partake in is photography. He is an exceptionally talented photographer with
a deep understanding of lighting and position, and despite the fact that he is self-taught, he has already been commissioned multiple times for his impressive photography and videography. Antoine is also a gifted painter, dancer, and singer, and he enjoys occasionally singing for his church on Sundays.
After finishing up this year and graduating from Shawnee High School, Antoine hopes to attend the University of Cincinnati, where he will put his artistic skills to good use with a major in digital media or marketing and a minor in graphic design. And although Antoine’s dedication and avid involvement in our community will certainly be missed once he’s gone off to college, Lima is excited to see this incredibly accomplished and passionate student launch a successful future!
Home Away From Home
Hosting Traveling Musicians
by Joyce Tracy, Director of Development
Making our house the musician’s home for a few days has been a joy. We have a house with empty bedrooms, which have now been claimed as their “own” by Kristi, Allie and Paige. What an experience it has been for Jeff and I. Coming from a family of nine, I love having people in my house. I come home from work and Allie is in the basement practicing and Kristi in our dormer bedroom doing the same. Due to their many rehearsal hours, we don’t see that much of them. I sometimes leave a treat out or maybe some soup in the crockpot to make them feel at home.
Forever friendships have been born at our house after opening it up to traveling musicians with the Lima Symphony Orchestra that need a place to stay while performing. Allie and Kristi travel from Virginia and West Virginia to play with the Lima Symphony Orchestra. They now travel together and enjoy the camaraderie, as well as the savings on gas money. They receive
a stipend for their housing, but it is not completely paid for, therefore they often would have to double up in a hotel room with no place to practice or lounge.
I love coming home to find them all sitting at our counter talking about the show, favorite parts of the concert, fun things that happened and I’m asking a thousand questions! There are also perks; Kristi managed to fix my printer and TV that had been down for a while!
I find that I now watch for them as they play in the Symphony. I see their joy as they are part of a bigger group and their pride in what it means for them to be a part of the Lima Symphony Orchestra. We look forward to the next concert to invite the girls back to stay with us. It sounds like the musicians might also look forward to their return to Lima, after hearing their thoughts about staying with a host family.
“I am so grateful to be able to stay at the Tracy’s when I’m playing in the Lima Symphony Orchestra. Since I live in Bloomington, Indiana, I used to pay for up to five nights in a hotel, so I could rehearse and perform in Lima. I really appreciate that I no longer have to worry about this financial burden now that I can stay in Joyce and Jeff’s lovely home.
When my fellow musicians and I are able to stay in Lima with generous hosts, we are able to deepen our relationships with each other, symphony patrons, and the Lima community. I feel genuinely blessed. Making music in the Lima Symphony Orchestra is so much more meaningful when I’m connected with friends in the symphony and the audience.”
Allie - flutist
“Staying with Joyce and Jeff has made performing with the Lima Symphony a dream. It’s been the joy of my life to be a member of this orchestra, but traveling up from Virginia each concert definitely has presented its challenges over the past few years. Now, I am so blessed to be welcomed into a safe, wonderful home-away-from-home and I can focus on creating more meaningful music with my colleagues. I cannot overstate how thankful I am to the Tracys for their kindness in opening their home to me!”
Kristi - violinist
“I am so lucky to be able to stay with the Tracys when I come to Lima. Not only do I save money by not staying in a hotel all week, but I get to work/vacation in a beautiful home with a wonderful view. I can practice at full volume without bothering anyone, teach my private students online so they don’t miss instructional time while I am out of town, take over the basement with my music library work, or just hang out and relax.
I rarely have family or friends at my performances, so it is heartwarming for me to see Jeff and Joyce smiling and waving from the audience. Playing with the LSO is already an awesome experience but to have a home away from home is truly a blessing.”
Joe - harpist
“Playing with the Lima Symphony is a wonderful opportunity, but living two hours away in Cincinnati makes it unfeasible without lodging. Staying with someone in-town makes it possible for me to perform! I couldn’t do it without their generosity.”
Host Family
Linda and Dave Dorley had this to say about hosting a musician. “We saw that the symphony was looking for local homes for the musicians over the last couple of years. Our friends had hosted musicians and had enjoyed doing that. I always thought our house felt too small for an extra “boarder.” Then I saw a post from the symphony asking for a place that would be accessible for the harpist and their instrument. What we do have is a detached building which is outfitted like a separate apartment and completely accessible. So I called and offered the space. Our musician Joe was delightful. We loved his stories about beginning the harp and being a harp teacher in the Cincinnati schools. Before he left, we let him know he could stay with us again!”
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HOST
You too, can become a “home away from home” for a musician. Please send me an email at joyce@limasymphony.com or call the symphony office at 419-222-5701 if interested.
FEBRUARY 2, 2025
Grandma Theary’s Cambodian Eggrolls from the kitchen of Myron & Ashey Meas
by Janine Douglass
Myron and Ashley Meas live in the beautiful neighborhood of Homestead Farm Estates, right here in Shawnee. Grandma Theary Romeo is Myron’s mother, Ashley’s mother-in-law, who is originally from Cambodia and came to Seattle, WA in 1981, where she still resides, still making these eggrolls as well as many other Cambodian dishes.
Myron with his mother, Theary Romeo
Because Grandma creates these egg-straordinary eggrolls without written notes, Ashley and their children have watched them being made when she visits, eyeballed the ingredients, taken notes, and made these specialties, ensuring their mouth-watering finish by following their own, careful and exact instructions and using quantified ingredients.
Prep time – 30 minutes
Cook or bake time – 8 minutes
Ingredients:
• Eggroll or Lumpia Wrappers (about 40) room temperature
• Carrot – 1
• Small cabbage – 1 ¼ cup
• Taro – ¼ cup
• Jicama – ¼ cup
• Fish Sauce – 1 tablespoon or more to taste
• Cilantro – ½ a bunch
• 1.5 pound ground pork
• ½ lb shrimp
• Sweet onion ½ cup
• Vermicelli noodles 1 1/2 cups, cook according to directions
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Green onion – 3 stalks
• Salt – ½ tablespoon
• Pepper ½ tsp
• Flour – 1 tablespoon
• Oyster Sauce – 2 tablespoons
• Soy sauce – 3 tablespoons
• Sesame oil – 2 teaspoons
• Vegetable oil
Directions:
• Peel and devein shrimp, chop and place in large bowl.
• Place pork in large bowl.
• Prepare vermicelli and drain, then chop and add to bowl.
• Dice taro, cabbage, jicama, green onion, cilantro and add to bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together flour and water to create a paste to use to seal eggrolls.
• Place eggroll wrapper with the corner facing you, and add a medium spoonful of filling about an inch from the corner. Fold the corner over the filling, then tuck in the sides tightly and continue to roll tightly until a small portion of far corner is remaining. Use the flour paste to place on corner, and continue rolling and set aside. Continue
until all the filling is used.
• Fry eggrolls in medium pan on stove about half full of oil.
• Fry over medium high heat for about 8 minutes or until fully cooked.
• Toss eggrolls frequently while frying with chopsticks.
• Serve with soy sauce, Thai chili sauce or chili crisp. You may also prepare ahead and freeze before frying, or fry in an air fryer for a healthier option. An Asian grocery store usually has Lumpia wraps, which are a little thinner than eggroll wraps, and are a family preference. Meijer typically has Taro, but it and Jicama may be omitted if can’t be found locally.
Like Grandma Theary, the Meas family usually makes this dish as a highlight of any celebration, for holidays, family gatherings, and special occasions. Myron & Ashley’s kids (Landon, Pandora and Lincoln) love cooking with their grandmother whenever they get the chance.
Lincoln, Landon, Pandora
A Tradition Continues
Shawnee Luminary Night
A Heartwarming Event
This will be the last winter lighting display from the Johnson’s house as they are slated to move by the spring or summer due to Matt’s new Army assignment. Thank you Andrew and Matt for creating an incredible first impression to the Indianbrook neighborhood and for delighting all that go by during every holiday. You will be missed!
The 2024 Shawnee Luminary Night throughout the Indianbrook, Wildbrook and Timberfield neighborhoods was a huge success. Carloads of visitors drove around luminary-lined streets to view Christmas lights, collect cookies and hot cocoa, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and interact with enthusiastic sponsors. Indianbrook HOA Treasurer, Mike Beerline said, “There were a lot of creative Christmas displays this year, and it was nice to see the neighborhood work together to continue offering the tradition of luminary night for our community!”
Donations were also collected for the West Ohio Food Bank, as vehicles exited the neighborhood. The event raised $1,610 and collected 1,400 pounds of food for the food bank this year!
Precious Pets
Snuggly Sofi
by Georgie Damschroder
BREED BACKGROUND
Mixed breed dogs are becoming a very familiar sight, and you may have heard them referred to as one of their basic nicknames; mutts, mongrels, crossbreeds, and so on. But over the years, some cultures have developed their own terms of endearment for these diverse and unique pooches. In Australia, mixed breed dogs are commonly called bitsa dogs, since they have “bits o’ this” and “bits o that” sprinkled throughout their bloodline! And in the Bahamas region, people lovingly call the street pups of mixed ancestry potcake dogs. This refers to the fact that whenever a family’s cooking pot has bits of food caked onto it, they usually set out these scraps of pot-cake for the local stray dogs to eat. And in the southern United States, you may hear a mixed dog referred to as a Heinz 57 dog. This alludes to the Heinz ketchup brand’s old slogan, claiming they had 57 varieties. Just like the ketchup, these pooches come in varieties of all shapes and sizes!
COOLEY
One local mixed breed pup lives with the Cooley family! Sofi is a nine-year-old morkipoo, which means she’s part Maltese, part Yorkshire terrier, and part poodle. She was welcomed home as an early Christmas gift to mother Barb Cooley from her three children. Though Barb was given her pick of a large litter of puppies, when she met Sofi, she knew that she was the dog for her family! When Sofi was finally brought to her new home for the first time, she was so small that she could hide anywhere, even inside a boot.
Now, Sofi adores spending time with her people, as well as meeting new friends! Whenever someone comes to visit, Sofi is always there, ready to say hello with tons of doggy kisses and cuddles.
“She greets them all with such excitement, you would think she hasn’t seen you in forever!” exclaims Barb. The only thing Sofi loves more than people are blankets. No matter where she is or what she’s doing, if you pull out a blanket, Sofi will somehow know and come run-
ning to snuggle and bury herself deep in its folds! As such, the Cooleys are always sure to keep a blanket draped over the top of their couch, which they call Sofi’s perch, for her to curl up on. Whenever she’s left home alone, Sofi will dutifully hold vigil on this perch, watching the windows until her family finally returns.
One of Sofi’s favorite things to do is take long walks with her family, and she can hardly contain her excitement when her family pulls out the leash. When she gets back home, the fun doesn’t end for Sofi; she has a massive basket of toys, and Sofi loves to pull out multiple favorites at a time to make her own little play date. Her humans also serve as her toys, and Sofi adores chasing them around the house, though she has a hard time catching them with her tiny legs!
“Sofi has a spunky, yet stubborn at times, personality. She wants to be the center of attention quite a bit,” says Barb.
Sofi lives on Alexandria Drive in the Monticello subdivision with her fur-parents Barb and Kevin, who are both happily retired and able to give all their time to Sofi! Their neighborhood is the perfect place for them to enjoy their retirement years, as everyone knows one another and is always happy to chat. It is also a tradition in Monticello to put up flags during historical holidays, which makes the whole neighborhood feel patriotic and festive! The Cooleys have three grown children; daughter Jamie, who lives in Colorado with her husband and two young sons, and sons Jarred and Josh, who work in real estate and carpentry here in Ohio respectively.
No matter what mixed breed nickname you chose to call Sofi by, her family will always know her as the same snuggly and diva of a pup that they love more than anything, and every day in the Cooley household is made just a bit better by Sofi’s never-ending energy and enthusiasm!
by Michele
ALL STARR PET RESCUE
All Starr Pet Rescue is 501(c)3 foster-based rescue organization ran by founder Randy Starr, Michele Tvenstrup, and Cat Foster Coordinator, Alison Centeno. They rescue animals from all over the United States. The goal is to save as many dogs and cats as possible and place them into foster homes until they are able to be placed into their loving forever homes.
ADOPTION
Adoption is easily done by filling out an application which can be found as the featured post on the All Starr Pets Facebook page. Even if you are just considering adoption or just beginning to look, it is beneficial to become pre-approved, so when you do see that pet that is perfect for you, you will have the paperwork completed. They usually have adoption events at the Lima Mall twice a month so you can easily meet a selection of adoptable pets. You will also find a link to the PetFinder website on that featured post, where you can see photos and descriptions of what the humans have to say about each animal.
FOSTER HOMES
All Starr Pet Rescue has a facility in Elida that is used for intake, meet & greets, and supply storage. All animals are placed into approved foster homes until they are adopted. So if you are interested in fostering, fill out the foster application on the All Starr Pets Facebook page or contact Michele at 419-979-8434.
LONG-TIMERS
There are several pets that have been waiting an extra long time to be adopted, so they are considered “longtimers.” Take a minute to learn about a couple of longtimers that are in need of your love and care.
TUX is a mixed breed that is approximately 6-8 years old. We think he is most likely a Boston Terrier and is about 21 pounds. He was dumped at a shelter in Kentucky. He is going to need a special home because he is a special dog. Tux has an old injury to his back, so he is
paralyzed and has no use of his back legs. He does have a wheelchair and uses it when out of the house. He gets around great on his own in the house. He does wear a diaper, so he is not pottytrained. He gets along well with other dogs and is good with kids. He is absolutely obsessed with squeaky toys and is always on a mission to remove the squeaker. He will even bring the squeakerless toy to you in hopes that you will fix the situation.
XENA is a 1 ½ year old female, medium-sized, mixed breed, around 45 pounds. Her mother was a Catahoula Shepherd mix, but her father’s breed is unknown. She is spayed and up to date on shots. She is also potty trained, knows how to use a dog door, and is good with kids, cats, and other dogs. Xena loves to run and play. She loves her toys and bones. She would love to have a home with a fenced-in yard for her to run and play! She can be very shy, a little timid and stand-offish at first, but once she warms up she is the sweetest dog.
Tvenstrup, All Starr Rescue Foster Coordinator
What’s Your Money Story?Part 2
Saving, Spending, Investing & Gifting
by Ann Meiring, Financial Advisor - Citizens Wealth Management Group
In last month’s article, we talked about what a “Money Story” is, and what factors tend to influence it. This time, I want to dive in and explain how to identify what is in your personal money story, and how to change it if you need & want to.
I am a professed organizational nerd, so this first step is one of my favorites. To properly identify your own money story, it is important to recall the stories you have heard about money from your family. If money wasn’t something that was discussed in your family, that’s ok. There was probably a lot of things that were caught rather than taught.
First, make a list of your immediate family members; parents & grandparents. List their age & their occupation. Once you have your list, write down a word or a statement about the beliefs or behaviors of each family member next to their name. Once those are identified, think about how your beliefs & behaviors may be similar or different from your family. For example, my mother had a lot of debt. She didn’t talk about it much, but there was a lot that was caught by me. I saw that debt was a way to get something you wanted or needed if you didn’t have the money. So, when I was old enough to get a credit card, I got one. And it was exciting. Instead of learning that debt could be dangerous, and something to be used with responsibility, I learned the opposite.
These stories that have been identified about your family and yourself, are usually the most significant scripts in your upbringing. However, your money story is made up of many individual thoughts & scripts about money. The next step in learning more about your money story is to recognize the ideas you have regarding four different behaviors surrounding finances.
The first behavior is saving. Do you have a belief that saving money is good? Or burdensome? I know people that save every penny and never enjoy any of their money. They are constantly worried they won’t have enough. On the other side of the spectrum, I know people whose mantra is “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) and they never save anything. Both of these behaviors can be destructive. Most behavior on either side of a spectrum is usually too extreme. But again, recognizing the thoughts can show you where some tweaking may be needed in your behaviors surrounding finance.
The second behavior is spending. Do you feel you deserve to spend money? Or, do you feel guilty when you spend? Some people spend money based on emotions. If they are upset, sometimes spending makes them feel better temporarily. Do you buy something just because it’s on sale, whether you need it or not? Ask yourself what are your thoughts regarding spending. As with most things, a good balance is wise. There is nothing wrong with spending & enjoying money, as long as it is within your means.
The third behavior is investing. Do you feel like you don’t know enough to invest? Does the thought of investing scare you? Were you taught that investing is a wise way to grow your money. If you grew up like me, investing wasn’t
ever talked about. It was like a foreign language. Not until I started saving into an employer plan did I realize how important it is. You don’t need to have a finance degree to invest wisely. If investing is confusing and overwhelming to you, seek out a trustworthy professional to work with. Don’t let negative thoughts keep you from investing in your future.
The final behavior is gifting. What feelings come to mind when you think about charitable giving? Do you feel like it is only something that wealthy people do? Is it something that you are passionate about? Conversely, do you feel like you should give all of your excess money because you feel guilty to keep any of it? Charitable giving is a wonderful thing. It helps others, and also feels good. However, there are times that giving monetarily isn’t possible. Giving can also be with your time. Understanding what your feelings are about giving will help you to determine what behaviors you want to demonstrate regarding giving.
Before moving on, I want to make a point. The thoughts & beliefs you have about money are not good or bad in and of themselves. There is no reason to have shame about these beliefs. This was something I had to learn myself. Your thoughts & beliefs about money are what they are. The important thing to remember is that these beliefs can affect you positively or negatively, which is why identifying them & pondering on them is so important.
The next step is determining what aspects of your money story have served you well, and what has not. What beliefs have helped you in your financial life? If you were taught to save a percentage of your paycheck to keep for emergencies, this is generally a really healthy behavior. If you were taught to buy things you couldn’t afford on credit, that probably isn’t the best decision to make for your financial future. Once you’ve determined the aspects of your money story that are healthy and/or helpful, ask yourself how can you teach these good behaviors to younger generations, or to positively impact someone else’s thoughts & behaviors concerning money. For me, it’s so important to teach my kids about debt & how to use it wisely. I never want them to make as many mistakes as I did when I was young.
The final step is changing your money story- if you want and need to. First, identify the belief or behavior that you want to change. Next, ask yourself how this behavior negatively impacts your finances. Then think about and create a new belief to replace that old one. Instead of “saving money is boring,” it can change to “saving money allows me to have options and security.” Once all that is done, write down how you think that change will affect your finances (and life in general) in a positive way. All thoughts and behaviors can change with some intentionality and purpose.
Your money story is personal and unique to you. You can determine your financial future by utilizing your money story and creating positive, healthy behaviors. And as always, if there are questions, I am always here to help.
Ann is a long time resident of Lima, and loves living in this community. She was a career changer in 2018 when she found her passion for helping people manage their wealth. Although Ann doesn’t exclusively serve women, her practice is female-focused, and her passion is creating a better experience for women in the financial industry. She loves to educate about finance, and has spoken for different groups in the community. You can catch her monthly events “Savvy Women Invest on Purpose” on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at The Met in Lima. On a personal note, Ann is married to Paul, and they have three amazing kiddos, two of whom are still at home & attend Shawnee High School. She loves being outdoors, reading, listening to music, and spending time with her family.
You can reach Ann at the downtown Lima branch of Citizens National Bank, by phone at 419-358-8060 ext 338, or at ann.meiring@lpl.com.
Introduce yourself and your family by emailing our Welcome Wagon Coordinator, NICOLE DAVIS, at WelcomeToShawnee@ gmail.com, and we’ll deliver a gift basket to your doorstep. New to the
New to Shawnee? Welcome to our Community! If you’re new to the area, we have a beautiful gift basket full of wonderful donations from our magazine sponsors and friends.
Welcome Basket made possible by our participating sponsors:
