Editorial cartoon by Don Lee for the Toledo Free Press.
Power Tour educates voters
Reinvest Toledo wraps up its 4-show voter education initiative
Story and photos by Au’Ree Antoinette
TOLEDO – The nation is buzzing with anticipation as the 2024 presidential general election nears. Campaign signs dot neighborhoods across the country. Yet, despite these signs of engagement, many still feel uncertain regarding the future of both state and nation, as all 468 seats in the U.S. Congress are up for grabs.
Closer to home, Reinvest Toledo, a local nonprofit, took on the daunting task of educating Toledo residents on the importance of voting this fall.
On Sept. 22, Reinvest Toledo launched one of its pillar programs, the Power Tour: Unlock Your Vote. This initiative aimed to bring voter education to its target demographic: low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods. Each tour, held at the Collingwood Arts Center, included a 90-minute multimedia production that focused on voter education, and featured speakers and artists that spanned music, spoken word and film.
Power Tour shows:
- Sept. 22 | Bridging the gap regarding voter engagement | Host Montrice Terry
- Sept. 28 | Then & Now: How voting has impacted the queer community | Host Lexi Staples
- Oct. 6 | Your vote can impact issues facing your community | Host Morgan Harper
- Oct. 12 | How voting can change what you see everyday in your neighborhood | Host Rob Pasker
“The communities or wards with the lowest voter turnout are predominantly African American,” explained Amelia Gibbon, Reinvest Toledo’s executive director. “That’s why we chose to focus on the Englewood and Junction communities.”
The third Power Tour event on Oct. 6 was hosted by Morgan Harper, Columbus-based advocate and director of policy and advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. The event featured a panel of neighborhood leaders who shared their experiences and discussed how they’re applying their expertise to uplift their communities.
Panelists Sommer Clayborne, Chris Matthews, Dr. Brittany Jones, Matthew Smith Jr., and Coleena Ali tackled a variety of topics, including reproductive health, gun violence, food access and affordable housing.
Founded in 2015, Reinvest Toledo began as a partnership with the Lucas County Land Bank and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). Its intention is to act as a connector between neighborhood leaders and city officials. The founding members hope to empower residents with the tools and knowledge needed to advocate for change within their communities.
“We wanted to place power in the hands of the people,” Gibbon said. “Like the mother who sits on the porch or Miss ‘So and So.’ They are leaders, too, and for so long they have been denied the title of leaders. They need to be recognized for who they are because they have the influence, not us.”
Beyond their Power Tour, Reinvest Toledo runs several other impactful initiatives. One being the Raised Advocacy Project, a six-month program designed to equip eight participants with the skills to advocate for their neighborhoods. Additionally, participants collaborate with neighborhood leaders to build capacity for tackling community challenges.
Their Environmental Justice efforts are focused on the future of the Doehler-Jarvis site that has been abandoned for over 50 years.
“The Land Bank has identified funds for brownfield remediation,” Gibbon said. “Now we’re discussing as a community what we want to do with that land once the site is cleared.”
Reinvest Toledo’s mission is clear: Empower the voices within the community. Gibbon added, “I always tell people, don’t wait to be invited to the table. Create your own table and make them come to you. Otherwise, you’re just going to be an afterthought.”
For more information or to get involved in their mission, visit Reinvest Toledo's website.
Help with hurricane relief
Locals helping out
Toledo and our surrounding communities have committed to helping with hurricane relief efforts in many ways. Below is a list of recent efforts, as well as ways our citizens can chip in.
Members of Ohio National Guard called to serve
Gov. Mike DeWine has deployed members of the Ohio National Guard from Port Clinton to Florida to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. He recently deployed other Guard members to North Carolina to help in the recovery and relief efforts after Hurricane Helene. (WTOL)
Blood drive
The American Red Cross is seeking additional blood donors during the Hurricanes Helene and Milton recovery and relief effort. There are blood drives happening throughout the month. Schedule a donation at the Red Cross website.
Fund drives
Catholic Charities fund drive
Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo is collecting and forwarding donations to Catholic Charities agencies in impacted areas for this disaster relief effort. Donations for Hurricane Helene Relief can be made on its secure website. Checks can also be made out to Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo, with a Hurricane Helene Relief designation. Please mail to Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo, 1933 Spielbusch Ave., Toledo, OH 43604.
Jewish Federations fund drive
The Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo is seeking donations to a national fund to support Jewish communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. More information about the Hurricane Helene Emergency Relief Fund.
American Red Cross fund drive
The Red Cross is also accepting monetary donations to support its efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Supply and donation drives
Valley Freightliner of Toledo is collecting non-perishable food items and bottled water for hurricane relief. Supplies needed include toiletries, cleaning gear and new stuffed animals for children. Donations can be dropped off at 6003 Benore Rd. in Toledo. A complete list of needed supplies can be found on Valley Freightliner’s Facebook page.
Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church is leading a relief effort to help hurricane survivors in North Carolina. Donations are being accepted through this week: baby supplies, batteries, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and more. A complete list of supplies needed can be found on the Church’s Facebook page. Supplies can be brought to IAMBC during church hours at 640 Indiana Ave. in Toledo.
Lourdes University Athletics is running a relief drive for Hurricane Helene on campus through Tuesday, Oct. 15. Requested items include baby formula, pet food, plastic bags, energy/granola bars and more. Items can be dropped off on campus at St. Francis Hall, Canticle Center, Ebeid Recreation Center, Gubi’s Grind, or the Franciscan Center. A complete list of needed supplies and information about cash donations can be found at their Facebook page.
Girl Scout Troop 1268 is leading a supplies drive for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene at Hawkins STEMM Academy. They are seeking donations of winter coats, gloves, hats, sweatshirts, blankets and other items needed during cold weather. A complete list of needed supplies is at the school’s Facebook page. Please drop off donations at the school at 5550 W. Bancroft Street in Toledo through October 17.
Wild Side | Sassafras Tree
We are blessed to enjoy some of the best fall color anywhere. The parade of colors is courtesy of our wide variety of mixed hardwood forests that are joined by wonderful fall wildflowers and mature grasslands. They put our region among the best places to enjoy not just great fall color, but rich colors that persist over a period of weeks.
This year’s parade is already well underway.
The opening days of the season are dominated by sassafras, a smaller distinctively gnarled tree that loves establishing itself along woodland edges. Though in some local areas the color may be muted by the effects of our extended drought, sassafras can glow in a mosaic of colors that can include bright yellows and oranges, scarlet, even burgundy and purple.
Sassafras is especially common in the Oak Openings Region, notably Oak Openings Preserve Metropark along Girdham Road. One of the most obvious stands of sassafras is along the west side of I-475, north of Airport Highway.
Even if you haven’t noticed the tree itself, there’s a reasonably good chance you’ve tasted it. It’s the source of the root in root beer. Maybe you’ve been served sassafras tea, or maybe you’ve used fiÍe powder to thicken your gumbo. That powder is ground sassafras leaves.
As good as it is to taste, it’s even better visually, and not just or fall colors.
The tree has the unique distinction of having three distinctly different leaf forms. One is a simple unlobed leaf. Another is mitten-shaped. The third form is two-lobed and said to resemble a trident.
Especially this time of year, we think a better name for that third form is the ghost leaf. Check out the photo and see for yourself. It’s why children often call sassafras the ghost tree.
Art thrives on Huron St.
Downtown art studios bring life to ceramics, glassblowing, sculptures
TOLEDO – Art is a tool that can be used for limitless purposes, one of which is education. Art can grab the hearts and minds of young people, particularly children who crave more than just reading from textbooks or listening to lectures.
Graphite Design + Build
Few organizations understand this better than Graphite Design + Build, a small company located on Huron St. in downtown Toledo. The company has just five employees who make sculptures and other artistic creations for local organizations, including the Toledo Museum of Art, the Arts Commission, the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo School For the Arts and Metroparks Toledo.
The organization first hit the streets of Toledo in 2011 and has produced quality art for almost 13 years.
Graphite Design + Build co-owner Jeremy Link offered a glimpse into ongoing projects and showcased his studio, where the company’s life-like sculptures and other projects are created.
Recently, Graphite Design acquired new office space. Their office now has three floors to provide additional room to plan, create and allow their imagination to run wild. Materials from their past, present and future projects cover nearly every inch of the office.
Link has been passionate about art his entire life. He started the company with co-founder Douglas Kampfer because too many places mistreated young artists. Thus, he wanted to provide an environment that treats young artists fairly and be able to conduct business their way
“Our main mission is to help educate with art,” he said. “Our favorite thing is to make sculptures and design spaces for museums, park systems, libraries and zoos. Natural exhibits are our favorite thing to do. Having realistic sculptures and informational exhibits working together is the easiest way to teach people.”
Link notes that some people learn better with a life-size figure of an extinct animal or an interactive exhibit rather than reading from a plaque. Both he and Kampfer remember the impact of seeing exhibits of dinosaur skeletons when they were kids.
One of their most recent projects involved creating 10-foot-tall seated sculptures for a Brazilian street artist, Alex Seena. He is most known for producing large black and white murals in the streets of Brazil.
They were put into contact with Seena through LAND studios in Cleveland. After the sculptures were built, Seena came to the Toledo studio from Brazil to paint them. The sculptures will be displayed at Wendy Park at Whiskey Island for a year.
Huron Street Studios + Charmed Ceramics
Next to Graphite Design + Build is Huron Street Studios (formerly known as Gathered Glassblowing Studio). The studio is run by business/life partners Ryan Thompson and Kayla Kirk, who run their separate businesses inside. They each invest their time and energy into building their own creations while teaching others how to create art for themselves.
Thompson runs Ryan Thompson Glass. He creates glass sculptural objects, glassware and commissions and sculptures from his glass-blowing studio.
Thompson fell in love with glassblowing while he was originally studying graphic design at Bowling Green State University. To fill an art credit, he took a glassblowing course in his third year and decided to switch his major.
He also offers workshops where guests can sign up for a glass pouring experience and create a glass item, such as a vase, bowl, paperweight or other small projects. While glass blowing might seem scary for some people, Thompson still encourages people to try it.
“Glass is a little intimidating; there’s a lot of fire, and the space is very hot,” Thompson said. “But the team at Huron Street Studios is extremely skilled at working with glass, allowing people to have a safe, enjoyable experience while also getting to take home an object they made with their hands.”
Thompson recently gained popularity after appearing as a contestant on the most recent season of the Netflix show Blown Away. As a prize, he received a residency where he will travel to Tacoma, Wash. to work at the Tacoma Museum of Glass for a week.
Kirk runs Charmed Ceramics. She creates bowls, vases and drinkware in her studio. Her first exposure to pottery came in high school attending Northview. She returned to it after college, set up a studio in her basement, and practiced until she was able to make a living in the pottery field.
At her studio she offers a variety of different workshops. One option is to participate in wheel-throwing and hand-building for a one-off experience that lasts up to two hours. For people who want to dive into the world of pottery, she also offers a six-week beginner course and private events.
“They get to work in tandem with a working artist, try out the craft, get their hands dirty and play around in the mud,” Kirk said. “It’s a fun experience for adults to try something new and see what they can create.”
Kirk will be offering new classes in January or February. She also offered advice to aspiring artists.
“Keep trying the crazy ideas you have and see them to the finish line … keep trying. You need to be persistent and let failure fuel your forward progression because failing is the quickest way to learn something,” she encouraged.
Thompson and Kirk will have art available for purchase at the Local Artists’ Holiday Trunk Sale at the Edward D. Libbey House on Nov. 22-23.
Honoring Woodward HS
Golden Bear Luncheon honors first TPS tech school
Story and photos by Paula Wethington
TOLEDO – Woodward High School alumni, family and friends gathered at the school on Tuesday for the Golden Bear Luncheon to honor graduates and Toledo Public School’s first technical high school.
But none were more “golden” among the Woodward Polar Bears than Janet (Wozny Duszynski) Stoeckley, 100, who graduated in 1942 from the previous Woodward building in North Toledo.
Stoeckley was the oldest person in attendance, and one of multiple alumni across generations in her family who went to Woodward. One of those relatives is her daughter, Cathleen (Duszynski) Heidelberg, class of 1966, who accompanied her to the event.
Stoeckly’s sisters also went to Woodward, and “this is where we grew up,” Heidelberg said.
This was the second Polar Bear Golden Luncheon hosted by Woodward’s Alumni and Friends committee. Principal Jack Renz said anyone who graduated 50 years or more ago was invited.
“We celebrate them … we celebrate the school,” Renz emphasized.
More than 100 alumni made reservations for the event, ranging in graduation years from 1942 to 1979. For many of the golden alumni, this event served as an introduction to what’s new, as the old school building was replaced by the current facility in 2010.
Those attending the program had a chance to buy school spirit attire and tour the new building. The committee also reported on the results of their fundraising efforts, and TPS officials relayed stories from the history of the district.
Renz explained that Woodward High School’s origin was a vocational junior high school program for boys at the original Toledo Central High School campus. That site is now the location of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library downtown.
During the 1910s and 1920s, TPS opened a series of neighborhood high schools across the city. This was the era in which Woodward Technical High School opened in North Toledo and became a co-ed campus for grades 9-12.
With that, it was the first high school with a vocational curriculum in the city. Renz said the original building was near Wilson Park. The current building at 701 E. Central Ave. is on the other side of the park.
Woodward still offers what are now called Career Technology Education (CTE) programs. The CTE classes on site are diesel technology, graphic design and supply chain management. But it is primarily a comprehensive, neighborhood high school, with about 550 students in grades 9-12.
Heidelberg said the neighborhood connections remain strong, even as she has since moved to Columbus. Her mother was among the earliest members of the Woodward Hall of Fame project that started in 1980, which expanded its efforts to provide scholarships, field trip financial support and graduation gowns for students.
“We really want to support the kids in the neighborhood,” Heidelberg said.
Family ties also brought DeMita Baker, class of 1973, and her sister, Viveca Baker Crews, class of 1977, to the luncheon. Baker issued the invitation to her sister, and both wore spirit shirts in the school colors of blue and white.
“I liked music. I liked being in the choir and the orchestra,” Baker recalled from her high school years.
Crews said she participated on the track team and a future teacher’s club when she was in high school, later becoming a teacher. She remembered how the travel and opportunities as a student helped add to what she learned in class.
“I always took my students on field trips after that,” she said.
“It took them about six months to get organized and admit students,” added Robyn Hage, Bowsher High School choir director and TPS historian.
Several events, such as Woodward’s Golden Bear Luncheon, a classic car show at Beverly Elementary, a student reading challenge and a history lecture series hosted at the high school buildings, all have included an anniversary theme or presentation this year.
Toledo Public Schools formed on May 8, 1849 with the first classes taking place on Oct. 8, 1849. To learn more about the school’s history, go to woodwardhighschool.net.
