Akron Velvet Cushion 3-4-10

By: Bunny Lacey
Date: 03/02/2010


The 13th annual “Red & White on Thursday Night” benefit for the Arthritis Foundation, NE Ohio Chapter, was held January 28 at the John S. Knight Center, presented by Akron General. Foundation president and CEO Mary Kudasick expressed her thanks to the more than 700 guests who attended and helped raise over $95,000. Among the attendees from Akron General were Debbie Foster, Mary Brackle, Geri Douglas Marshall, Dr. Mark Leeson, Dr. Gregory Vrabec, Dr. Michele Hatherill, and Amy Wollman. Co-chairs Debra Sherman and Megan Faust did a stellar job and the floral decorations from Gregg Lauck were magnificent. Kendra Mellar, from Hudson’s Restaurant and Catering, won the trip to Napa Valley. She’s planning to take her fiancé, Kevin Altomare, also with Hudson’s Restaurant. Katie Paschke, from Hitchcock Fleming & Associates, won the trip to Las Vegas.

The Cleveland Indians’ annual press tour visited Akron on Tuesday, January 26, and was presented by 1590 WAKR. Thom Mandel, Mark Biviano, Ray Horner, Karen Wadsworth, Mike Fete, Tim Davidson, and Kurt Leibensperger were among the hosts. Money raised from ticket sales and the oral auction was donated to the American Heart Association. Director Alice Luce was delighted with the turnout. Indians announcer (and local icon) Tom Hamilton served as emcee, while vice president of public relations Bob DiBiasio, director of player development Ross Atkins, new Tribe manager Manny Acta, outfielder Michael Brantley, and pitcher Jensen Lewis (originally from Medina) answered questions from the audience. I spotted Skip and Beverly Cromley among the many fans.

The Clarion Inn-Hudson hosted a delightful “After 5” event for the Stow Monroe Falls Chamber of Commerce last month. Guests took the opportunity to say goodbye and good luck to chamber board member and longtime volunteer Gail Moseley who recently moved to Palmer, TX (outside Dallas) to join a family business.

The “34th Annual Sugartown Express” was held Friday, January 22 at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton to benefit the Diabetes Association. The honorary chairman was Joseph Kanfer. Madeline Bozzelli chaired the event with help from husband Libert, Toby Gorant, Joyce Lagios, Art Sunday, Woody Wardward, Laura Lee Garfinkel, and Chris Krinsky. Jim O’Connor, Connie Withrow, and Denis Van Doros also contributed their talents to this successful event.

Spring is near and if you had any doubt a visit to the Great Big Home & Garden Show at the IX Center in Cleveland last month was a welcome reprieve. I ran into Cindy Staycheff, co-owner of Freedom Design, chatting with Cathy Berthold, from Market Place Events. Al Sabo, from WQMX, and his wife, Barb, stopped to say “Hi.” Ty Pennington from ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” was there checking things out and schmoozing with the crowd. I was thrilled to see that Joe Pavlovicz and Russ Lyster, from JTS Landscaping, in Wadsworth, won a red ribbon in the competitive garden category. Bravo!

Each month in 2010, Greg Hullinger, owner of Lighthouse Promotions, is donating a portion of his profits to a non-profit agency (minimum $500). In February, money went to the Coalition of Children In Need Association (COCINA), www.haiticocina.org. Greg first verified that 97% of donations go directly to the Haiti earthquake relief effort. Janet Rhodes, owner of Janet Rhodes Fair Trade, in Hudson, received a load of beautiful handcrafted items from Haiti that were shipped the day before the earthquake. She put all the items up for auction in her store, raising over $2,000 for the relief effort.

Bunny can be reached at Bunny@MimiVanderhaven.com.