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Vijendra: Manage your risk

By
Dr. Divya Vijendra
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As of  Jan. 1, there were 14.5 million Americans who have had or are currently living with a cancer diagnosis.

That’s a staggering figure when you consider some of the preventative measures that can be taken to minimize the risk of cancer.

Making healthy lifestyle choices can decrease the chances of developing a nonhereditary cancer.  Many major risk factors — like tobacco use, diet, physical activity, alcohol use and environmental exposures — can be managed.

Diet

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    Keep a diet rich in phytochemicals.  Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables like berries, grapes, apricots, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.  Whole grain bread, cereal, rice, and pasta are also important.  Consider drinking black or green tea instead of soda, coffee and alcohol.

Physical activity

  • Try to engage in moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes five or more days per week, or vigorous physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three or more days per week.

Environmental exposure

  • Limit sun exposure and wear sunscreen daily. Many moisturizers and cosmetics are now offered with an SPF rating.
  • Avoid smoking and repeated and prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke.
  • Avoid exposure to radon, lead and asbestos, or, if working in conditions that present regular exposure to these toxins, be sure to wear protective clothing and breathing gear.
  • Staying up to date with recommended screenings and checkups allows for early detection of cancer or precancerous cells and is critical to prevention. It is important to note that screening guidelines are different for men and women and for different age groups.

Breast cancer

  • Women in their 20s and 30s should receive a breast exam during regular health checkups at least every three years.
  • Women ages 40 and older should have an annual breast exam during regular health checkups and an annual mammogram.

Cervical cancer

  • Women ages 21-29 should have a Pap test every three years.
  • Women ages 30-65 should have a Pap test and an HPV test every five years.

Colorectal cancer

  • Men and women age 50 or older should have a colonoscopy every 10 years.

Prostate cancer

  • Men age 50 or older should speak with their doctor to make an informed decision on whether or not to be tested.

Lung cancer

  • Men and women ages 50 -74, with a high risk of lung cancer should talk to their doctor to see if they could benefit from a lung cancer screening.

Skin cancer

  • Men and women, especially those over age 18, should always request a skin exam during regular health check-ups.
  • To learn more about personal risk factors and the appropriate time for screenings, talk with your primary care physician.

Dr. Divya Vijendra is a physician with ProMedica Hematology/Oncology Associates.  For more information, call (419) 824-6599 or visit www.promedica.org/cancer.

Bunge: March is hungry

By
Jill Bunge
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The holiday decorations are long packed away, the sparkling white snow has turned gray and most of us have hunkered down into hibernation mode until spring arrives.

This is a normal, seasonal transition we experience year after year.

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Previous months were filled with service and philanthropy: Whole turkeys were schlepped to community meals, bell-ringing volunteers encouraged you to toss your spare change into bright red kettles and toys were collected for Toledo kids who would otherwise have woken up to a present-less tree. Good deeds and warm fuzzies are always abundant during “the most wonderful time of the year.”

The unfortunate reality, however, is our neighbors are not only struggling to make ends meet during the holiday season. Jobs can be lost in the spring, family members can get sick in the fall and other unpredictable, debilitating life events happen throughout the year. At Food for Thought, we provide food assistance to our patrons so they can leverage their resources elsewhere, and know that feeding their family is one less thing to worry about.

The 27,910 individuals we served last year are brutally aware of the fact that food insecurity is not confined to a particular month or season. This spring, we want to remind the Toledo community that “March Is Hungry.” Our strategy to remedy this is to invite you to help share our story and our cause. During the month of March, we at Food for Thought are calling on you to gather together with your friends, family and co-workers to host a fundraising party with a cause.

Yes, a party! Supporting a cause does not have to be a somber affair with a plea for handouts. It can be spirited and fun. We can celebrate selflessness and give thanks for thoughtfulness in a way that can be both enjoyable and impactful. Let us help you combat your cabin fever by facilitating a truly lovely soirée for you and your guests.

Make your party suit your style. You can have a five-course meal from a chef (we’ve got some great suggestions), a potluck or a tea party. Celebrate March Madness or St. Patrick’s Day. Hold a Spring Equinox moon dance if that’s your thing. The possibilities are endless! We’ll provide you with a package of party favors, promotional materials and talking points about food insecurity so you can express to your guests why their attendance is so meaningful. In addition, Food for Thought would be happy to send a representative to personally thank you and your guests and to further explain our mission and services.

Never been head of the party planning committee? No worries, we have excellent recommendations for venues, themes and local supply sources. All you have to do is invite some company and tell them why you support Food for Thought throughout the year.

Remember, for so many Toledoans, food insecurity and economic hardship are not seasonal problems. Make the choice to help, and accept our invitation because March is hungry.

You can find more information at marchishungry.com. Give, serve and learn more at feedtoledo.org.

Jill Bunge is executive director of Food for Thought. She can be reached at [email protected].

McGinnis: Hooray for Hollywood: Oscar win for “Birdman” continues trend

By
Toledo Free Press
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thoroughly enjoyed “Birdman.” It is a rare treat to find a film that so deftly swoops between the disparate tones of comedy, tragedy, surrealism and slapstick. I found the ending a bit of a letdown, as I felt there were a few loose ends  both thematically and on a character level that the film didn’t even try to tie up. But on the whole, I found “Birdman” an excellent moviegoing experience.

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I say this to establish that what I’m about to write doesn’t come from a place of bias against the movie because it won the Academy Award for Best Picture, or that I would have preferred any of the other candidates. “Birdman” is a wonderful film, very worthy of the honor. But its victory seems to solidify a somewhat disturbing trend — an indication that, in its attempts to honor the best of its art form, Hollywood is in danger of disappearing (even further) up its own backside.

The fact is that of the last four films that have won Best Picture — a prize meant to signify a movie that represents the pinnacle of achievement in show business — three of them have centered around one particular subject: show business itself. And I would argue that the trend goes back even further than that, leading an interested observer to deduce that Hollywood’s voters are a little too keen on rewarding work that they, and perhaps few others outside of moviemaking, can relate to.

Start with “Birdman.” A sly meta-satire of both Hollywood and Broadway, with a few dollops of pathos and self-doubt mixed in. The characters are all show business archetypes: the down-on-his-luck veteran actor, the egotistical method performer, the paranoid agent, the neglected daughter. These are all individuals that Hollywood types can easily relate to and see themselves in. Other nominees depicting historical figures, individuals struggling with their humanity or both didn’t have that natural in-road with the voters.

In 2014, Best Picture was awarded to “12 Years a Slave” — a harrowing and important film that interrupted the Tinseltown reverie. But in 2013, the winner was “Argo,” a film about a fake film set up by the CIA to rescue diplomats from Iran. Sure, the movie wasn’t focused on Hollywood, but show business certainly played a key role, with plenty of inside winks to moviemaking and film buffs added in.

In 2012, Best Picture went to “The Artist,” a nearly-silent movie depicting a famous actor who has hit the skids and is looking for a way back to stardom. Hmm, that sounds familiar. Hey, whaddya know, that sounds almost identical to the basic plot of “Birdman”! Now, sure, the two films could not be more different in terms of filmmaking style, tone and more, but the fact remains that once again the story Hollywood deemed the best of the year was largely focused on Hollywood itself.

So that’s three films in four years that featured a behind-the-scenes entertainment story Best Picture. And then we get to 2011’s winner, “The King’s Speech,” about British monarch George VI overcoming his stammer in an effort to become an effective leader. If you get right down to it, the story can be read as working to overcome fear of expectation, of not performing well, which isn’t too far removed from stage fright — something many actors can certainly identify with. (Coincidentally, actors make up the largest branch of the Academy’s voters. Go figure.)

Look, I’m not saying any of these films are bad — in my opinion, they’re all excellent. But when a long string of victors for filmmaking’s top prize share a common theme, it begins to indicate a sort of tunnel vision, no matter what that subject is. Imagine if four out of five Pulitzer Prize winners were war novels, or (much less likely) sci-fi thrillers. It would hint that the voting block may be naturally biased toward that subject matter, potentially to the exclusion of other kinds of stories.

The Oscars are supposed to spotlight great examples of filmmaking artistry, and encourage the audience to seek out great work. The filmmaking industry churns out an endless stream of vacuous garbage on a yearly basis, so working to bolster great, smaller pieces is always worth the effort.

But when those same awards seem focused on honoring a series of films that play better to a very select market — the same market doing the voting — one can’t help but wonder if Academy voters would be well served to widen their scope in the years to come.

Jeff McGinnis is Pop Culture Editor at Toledo Free Press. He can be reached at [email protected].

Toledoan searching for home for Libbey WWII plaque

By
Danielle Stanton
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A Memorial Plaque from the former Libbey High School honoring students killed in World War II was salvaged when the school was demolished. Libbey Alumna Sue Terrill is looking for a place to display it. Photos courtesy Sue Terrill

Despite a valiant fight from alumni and supporters, the former Edward Drummond Libbey High School fell victim to the wrecking ball in 2012.

Since then, a woman who led the fight to save the South Toledo school has been searching for a home for a memorial plaque  honoring students who died in World War II. It is one of the last remaining pieces of the public high school that held classes from 1923-2010.

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Libbey High School, which was part of Toledo Public Schools (TPS), was named after the founder of the Toledo Museum of Art and Libbey Glass. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, the only school in TPS with such an honor.

However, after a failed levy, TPS decided to shutter the school.

Sue Terrill, formerly of South Toledo, worked with a group of neighborhood residents with support from the late Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins (then a Councilman) to save the building but their efforts proved fruitless.

On Jan. 9, 2012, demolition began on the building, whose chief architect was Edwin Gee.

From the wreckage, Terrill, a Libbey alumna, was able to personally save a number of items, including two memorials. One memorializing Robert Craig, a Medal of Honor recipient from Toledo, recently found a home at the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic; the other was the Libbey High School World War II Memorial Tablet, which honors 106 Libbey graduates who died in the war.

Terrill believes the World War II memorial deserves a place close to its roots in South Toledo, but as of yet, no one has been willing to make room for it. Terrill said she has become increasingly frustrated with the lack of support for what she sees as an important piece of Libbey’s past.

“I want to find a place to put it in the community; I’m not saying it should be on the walls of city hall,” Terrill said. “[But] it deserves a place in South Toledo. That is our highest hope, to place it in South Toledo.”

A Memorial Plaque from the former Libbey High School honoring students killed in World War II was salvaged when the school was demolished. Libbey Alumna Sue Terrill is looking for a place to display it. Photos courtesy Sue Terrill

The memorial plaque still sits in storage at TPS, she said.

Information about TPS’ plans, if any, for the memorial was not immediately available.

Aside from the Craig memorial, Terrill said only the Harold Williams Memorial, also saved from Libbey, has found a home. Terrill still has an inventory of items she would like to place, she said.

As for the World War II plaque, Terrill said she contacted several institutions around the city, including One Government Center and the Toledo-Lucas County Main Library, but both declined.

“There were many places we tried,” she said.

Collins vowed on Memorial Day 2013 that he would put the plaque on the walls of City Hall, Terrill said, but they never discussed the issue again before his death.

“I never even brought it up with him the last year or so,” Terrill said. “There was never an appropriate time to talk about it.”

Terrill said she believes Collins would fully support finding a home for the plaque. He was one of the few government officials who spoke out against the demolition of Libbey and went to bat for the organizers who wanted to save the school, she said.

“Count me among the many who valued Mayor Mike Collins’ courage and support on important issues,” Terrill said.

However, she said, One Government Center is “not necessarily the best placement for it.”

A meeting to discuss placement of the plaque is set for 6 p.m. March 2 at the South Branch Library, 1736 Broadway St. Terrill said community members should come prepared for serious discussion.

Miscannon: Trust your body

By
Diane Miscannon
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When I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I didn’t cry because I had cancer, I cried because I was right.

Something was wrong with my body and I knew it. It took almost seven months of very invasive testing and being poked and prodded in places I didn’t know I had, but I was right! Nobody knows my body better than I do.

It all started with daily walks. I would get a quick, fleeting pain in my hips and groin area. At first I ignored it but as weeks went on, the pain became sharper and lingered longer. I made an appointment with a pain specialist with whom I had a history.

This specialist treated me for back pain in the past as I’ve been hit five times in various car accidents. (Earning a living as a driver in some capacity isn’t meant to be. Sooner or later, you will be hit.) I spent about five minutes with the specialist in the exam room. He dismissed the pain and attributed it to my back pain. He asked very few general questions and ordered no testing or follow-up. I left there thinking, “He is wrong, there IS something wrong with me.” I went to a second pain specialist and he had the same opinion as the first specialist in his five-minute appointment.

There were times I thought, “Am I crazy, am I making this up, am I looking for a quick fix, is this all in my head?” The answer was no. This is real. Someone, somewhere has to believe me.

So it was on to pain specialist No. 3. He ordered an MRI and it came back normal. He ordered an EMG, it came back normal. I had a spinal procedure that made me sick for a week and it, too, came back normal. For the next few months I had a number of tests; they all came back normal. We were both beyond frustrated, but he was determined. He ordered a second MRI  to see if anything had been missed. When it came back, there it was: a 17.5 cm (6.5-inch) tumor.

It was then I cried out of relief. I was right and it was real — I wasn’t making anything up. He told me to go to my family doctor ASAP and then to an oncologist.

My first visit to the oncologist offered a wealth of information. All I remembered was I was going to lose my hair and be very tired. Ha! They didn’t know who they were dealing with, I thought at the time. I am as stubborn as they come, determined to live my life as I always have. I do a massive amount of volunteer work and have a job. Cancer was just another obstacle to overcome.

Treatment was inpatient for two days, one week outpatient, one week off: a schedule to be repeated for the next five months. When I would go inpatient, I’d take my knitting, sewing or some project to work on. After my first treatment, I wasn’t tired at all.

“Chemo isn’t so tough,” I thought. But I was so wrong. Tiredness set in after the third treatment and it hit hard. I made numerous trips to the ER over the next few months for IVs of magnesium and potassium. It took great effort to stand or walk. Taking a “quick shower” turned into a hourlong step-by-step process. I would sit and rest on each of the landings to my third-floor apartment. When I entered my apartment, I would collapse on the couch without taking off my coat or shoes — that’s how tired I was.

After my last chemo treatment, it took about six months before I began to feel normal again. Some cancer patients vomit during treatment. I vomited for almost a solid month after my last treatment. For me, cancer wasn’t the hard part — it’s the neuropathy that remains and still hinders me.

I was honored when ProMedica Toledo Hospital asked me if they could use me as a case study for their conference in continuing education on ovarian cancer. I immediately said yes. If I can do or say anything to help educate, I am all for it. Which is why I am writing this column. Ovarian cancer is one of the hardest to detect. Some symptoms include hip and groin pain (the only symptom I experienced), bloating, back pain, constipation, changes in bowel movements and menstrual cycles and upset stomach. If you feel something isn’t right with your body, follow up until you get the answers you feel you need. Nobody knows you better than you do.

A big thank you to ProMedica Toledo Hospital’s oncology staff, Dr. Garth Phibbs and his head nurse at the time Sandy, and Priscilla Turner and Liz Woolaver at Restorative Concepts. Also, Milan Mihalek at the Victory Center is the best!

Diane Miscannon is a volunteer for the Toledo Police Museum, Keith Dressel Memorial Ride, Remembering Detective Keith Dressel, Marine Corps Kids and My Pink Scarf.

UTMC shop survives to help others

By
Danielle Stanton
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Cancer survivor Renee Schick is the manager of Renee’s survivor shop at UTMC’s Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni

At 36, Renee Schick found a lump in her breast during a self-examination. A doctor performed an ultrasound and discovered she had cancer.

In the wake of that diagnosis, she had a difficult time finding products and services that comforted her during her surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation.

“When I was diagnosed, I had drain tubes and I didn’t know where to put them,” Schick said. “But there are camisoles that have pockets that are billable to insurance that can hold the tubes for you. They even come with puffs for people who have had a mastectomy.”

Cancer survivor Renee Schick is the manager of Renee’s survivor shop at UTMC’s Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni

After Schick recovered, she opened Renee’s Survivor Shop at 5401 Secor Road in 2003. Last May, after 11 years in business, Schick decided to close the shop that catered to the area’s cancer patients and survivors.

She said the billing, paperwork and the uncertainty of a fluctuating business prompted the decision, one of the hardest she’s ever had to make.

However, Renee’s Survivor Shop did not close permanently. Schick contacted the University of Toledo Medical Center and now manages Renee’s Survivor Shop at the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center at UTMC.

Now cancer patients at the hospital have convenient access to the bright, airy shop tucked into a corner on the first floor. Cancer patients from other area hospitals have also found the new shop.

Schick loves what she does and is happy to be able to continue providing services.

“When you can help someone feel totally different about their situation than when they first walked through your door, what more rewarding job could you have? I have seen fear on the faces of many people who have come to my shop through the years. I’ve seen tears and anger.

“It is powerful to be able to help them find what they need and take away even just a little bit of that fear, and to let them know they’re not alone,” Schick said.

The shop provides items specially designed for cancer patients and survivors. Wigs line one wall and there’s a private fitting room for mastectomy patients. T-shirts, gloves, socks, koozies, fleece jackets, nonmetallic deodorant, hats, scarves, gloves and bracelets are available.

Some feature slogans such as “God Gives the Hardest Battle to the Strongest Soldiers” and “Life is Worth the Fight.”

The official grand opening was Jan. 15. The shop is owned by the hospital, which performs the billing and paperwork. Schick is an employee of the hospital.

Schick is a board-certified mastectomy fitter and has been fitting women for more than 10 years. The fittings and many of the products offered at the shop can be billed to insurance, she said.

Schick considers many of her patients friends and is empathetic toward their needs.

“When they come in and tell me they’ve just been diagnosed, I can relate to how they’re feeling,” Schick said, “especially the scary parts.”

The hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Private evening appointments are available by request.

For more information, call the shop at (419) 383-5243.

Mercy, Toledo Clinic announce plans for Perrysburg cancer center

By
Dock David Treece
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An artist’s rendering of the $14.5 million, nearly 40,000-square-foot Mercy Perrysburg Cancer Center set to open in early 2016. The center is the result of a partnership between Mercy and Toledo Clinic. Illustration courtesy Mercy.

A $14.5 million comprehensive cancer center is coming to Northwest Ohio, the result of a partnership between Mercy and Toledo Clinic.

The nearly 40,000-square-foot Mercy Perrysburg Cancer Center will open in early 2016, according to a Feb. 26 news release.

The center will be developed on the site of the Mercy Medical Center campus that house the freestanding emergency center and imaging services, at the intersection of Dixie Highway (Route 25) and Eckel Junction Road in Perrysburg.

The center will offer access to the region’s largest team of medical oncologists who together will provide a comprehensive treatment plan designed for the unique needs of each patient that may include diagnostics, surgical consultation, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and access to clinical trials, all provided in an integrated approach in one location, according to the release.

An artist’s rendering of the $14.5 million, nearly 40,000-square-foot Mercy Perrysburg Cancer Center set to open in early 2016. The center is the result of a partnership between Mercy and Toledo Clinic. Illustration courtesy Mercy.

Illustration courtesy Mercy

“This is an exciting day for Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan,” said Dr. Imran Andrabi, Mercy’s chief operating officer in a news release. “Today is about bringing full service, coordinated cancer care to one, central location for patients and their families. Mercy is proud to partner with The Toledo Clinic, the leader in medical oncology care in this region. Our model will have more than 12 oncologists, the largest group in the region, that will work together to enhance care and develop areas of specialization in cancer care that will attract additional high-caliber physicians.”

The center will improve oncology services, which are currently “fragmented” and not well-coordinated between hospitals and private practice entities, according to the release. As such, there are currently no collaboratively developed and shared care protocols, standards, registration and billing processes and quality measures.

“The Toledo Clinic and Mercy have come together to develop a program that will uniquely meet the needs of patients here in Northwest Ohio,” said Dr. Rex Mowat, Toledo Clinic’s managing partner and medical director for Mercy Perrysburg Cancer Center, in the release. “Through our size and scope we will enhance our research and provide patients access to clinical trials that are currently not available in the market. Our partnership will enhance care to patients by combining the benefits of a private practice model with the depth and access to services offered by a large health care system.”

According to the release, Mercy Perrysburg Cancer Center will offer four key benefits for patients, reducing the  need for patients to travel outside the community for care:

  • Improved care coordination and quality of care: By working in partnership, Mercy and Toledo Clinic can combine best practices and quality standards to provide a single, coordinated care pathway for all patients, improving efficiencies, accessibility and convenience for cancer care patients.
  • Enhanced integration with other physician specialists: The partnership will enhance alignment between medical oncologists with other radiation oncologists, surgeons, surgical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and other specialists. Having all cancer specialists under one umbrella allows for better coordination of care for patients.
  • Increased access to clinical trials: A more robust clinical research program will allow cancer patients and physicians access to more clinical trials, which often provide advanced and therapeutic treatment options and improve recognition of high quality care standards.
  • Increased supportive care services: The center will be committed to providing additional supportive care for cancer patients, including patient navigators, generics counseling and testing, survivorship program, nutritional counselors, social workers and clinical research personnel. These programs are incredibly important to overall health and management of cancer patients throughout their course of treatment, survivorship stage and end of life care.

Mercy is part of Mercy Health, Ohio’s largest health provider, and Toledo Clinic is the region’s largest group of independent physicians.

“At Mercy, our 160-year mission guides us, leading us on a journey of transforming how we provide healthcare in this community, caring for mind, body and spirit,” Andrabi stated in the release. “The new facility supports Mercy’s strategy to expand our ambulatory footprint in the market and align with physician partners to build a system of care that makes healthcare easier and provides enhanced access for patients and families. The Toledo Clinic is a key partner in transforming care and we look forward to this new endeavor with them.”

The Gold Knight: Questions after Oscar season

By
James A. Molnar
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Cartoon by Don Lee.

How has awards season gotten so long, and so exhausting?

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Feb. 22’s Oscars capped off a special season this year, filled with more dissent and vitriol than normal. (Or maybe I’m just watching social media more.)

This year seemed normal going into nominations on Jan. 15. There was a fantastic feeling around some of the nominated films, including “Boyhood” and “Birdman.”

Then #OscarsSoWhite happened.

People were up in arms over what they believed to be snubs for “Selma” in multiple categories, the result of a non-diverse motion picture academy. The hashtag on Twitter was created with this feeling in mind.

Oscars host Neil Patrick Harris awkwardly joked about this in his monologue.

“Tonight we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest — sorry, brightest,” he said.

While “12 Years a Slave” won for Best Picture just last year, it appeared that any progress made toward diverse inclusion had been reversed.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences voted for outstanding achievements of 2014. Members may not have meant to specifically exclude “Selma,” but surely not enough members voted to include it.

Was this specifically about the Oscars, or a larger question about the state of Hollywood and the studios that make the big films? What exactly is the problem and how can it be fixed?

Everyone brings his or her own perspective and opinion to the Oscars. After all, choosing “the best” is subjective. Look at previous winners of Academy Awards. Wouldn’t a film winning many awards for technical achievements or acting be a shoo-in for Best Picture?

Last year, “Gravity” took home seven Oscars in Best Director and the technical categories, yet lost Best Picture to “12 Years a Slave,” which ended the night with three Oscars.

RELATED: Toledo Free Press STAR at the Academy Awards

These awards are chosen by a specific group of people. They happen to skew more white and more male.

But the public holds the Academy to a higher standard because its awards are supposed to represent all facets of the film industry and honor the best achievements of the previous year. It’s the gold standard, a seal of approval. But again, that can be really subjective.

The ceremony itself lost 16 percent of its record-breaking audience from last year, which was the best in a decade.

The biggest film nominated for Best Picture at the box office this year was “American Sniper.” The movie-going public, which votes with its wallet, chose “Sniper.”

Yet it didn’t win.

Maybe the exclusion of big ticket films from the top category kept audiences away. Or maybe the Olympics helped the Oscars last year, by giving awards season a monthlong break.

Demanding change from the Academy, along with Hollywood, is healthy and important.

Hopefully this awards season taught us something. It has certainly left us with many questions.

Toledo Free Press Film Editor James A. Molnar blogs about the Oscars at TheGoldKnight.com.

Acoustics for Autism: March 8 charity fundraiser will feature 30-plus bands on four stages

By
Matt Liasse
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Acoustics for Autism founder Nicole Khoury, left, performs with Arctic Clam bandmates Scott Hayes and Steve Knurek at last year’s event. Photo Courtesy Project iAm

Nicole Khoury is not directly affected by autism, but the cause is important to her.

After watching parents of children with autism struggle to afford treatment and travel expenses, Khoury took matters into her own hands. She started Acoustics For Autism to raise money for Project iAm scholarships, which go directly to the families in need.

“It started off as me knowing people who were going through this and not having the money, going into so much debt to try to help their kids,” Khoury said. “The best thing I can say is that when something makes me mad enough, I do something and I do it with a statement. If it wasn’t for my anger, we probably wouldn’t be where we are right now so thanks for making me mad.”

The first Acoustics for Autism event, held in 2008, was a rousing success, Khoury said. This year’s event will take place March 8 in Downtown Maumee on four stages, the most the event has hosted to date. Live music will be heard at the Bier Garden tent, The Village Idiot stage, the Buster Brown’s stage and the silent auction tent. The outdoor Bier Garden tent will be heated, Khoury said.

More than 30 local musical acts are scheduled to perform including: Arctic Clam, Dave Carpenter & The Jaeglers, The Eight Fifteens, Jeff Stewart & The 25s, Flabongo Nation, Kyle White, Barile & May, Joe Woods Band, Brian Bocian, Judge Byers, Captain Sweet Shoes, Trey McLaughlin and more.

“This year, we’re really expanding so that we can get more people in,” Khoury said. “Sometimes we get so busy in some of the bars that people can’t even walk in the door.”

There will be donated merchandise up for grabs via a silent auction with a “Buy It Now” option. The merchandise will have Toledo flair, Khoury said. There will be raffles during the event as well.

Last year, the event brought in its highest profits yet with around $27,000 raised. This year, Khoury would love to break $30,000.

The need to help families affected by autism is now more important than ever as more children are diagnosed, Khoury said.

“When I started the charity in 2008, the statistic was one in every 150 kids was diagnosed with autism. Now the statistic is one in every 66 kids,” Khoury said. “More families now are more aware of it. I think that now they are starting to understand it.”

The original intent was to have the Acoustics For Autism event just once. But as it continued to grow, Khoury began to plan the event annually.

“What am I supposed to do, just throw in the towel at this point?” Khoury said.

Josh Whitney of The Eight Fifteens is returning to the event for the sixth year.

“I think it’s a great, great cause,” Whitney said. “It’s a way for me to give back to the community. … I’m very passionate for causes about kids. It just feels good that you can help in some small way.”

Project iAm is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the federal government.

For more information, visit acousticsforautism.com.

Glass City Beer Festival returns for ninth year March 6

By
Dave Kubacki
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By Dave Kubacki, Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

On March 6, area residents will find plenty of craft beers to fill their sample-sized glasses as the Glass City Beer Festival opens its doors for the ninth year.

The event, which will again be held at the Lucas County Recreation Center in Maumee, supports Camp Courageous & The Arc of NW Ohio and the Northwest Ohio Hemophilia Foundation.

The event will provide attendees an oasis from the reality of winter, said Carla Wells, executive director of the Northwest Ohio Hemophilia Foundation.

“People are ready to go out and do something fun,” Wells said. “It’s an indoor event so we don’t have to worry about the weather.”

The festival, which runs from 7-11 p.m., will offer pours of more than 200 beers from 40 breweries.

While the event will feature microbreweries from across the country, Lucas County will be represented well. Six area breweries will offer their beers: Maumee Bay Brewing Co., Great Black Swamp Brewing Company, Black Cloister Brewing Company, Black Frog Brewery, Sugar Ridge Brewery and Flatrock Brewing Company.

Black Cloister CEO Tom Schaeffer said the festival is one of the area’s premier events.

“The growth the Glass City Beer Festival has experienced since its inception has been amazing,” Schaeffer said. “It’s really a sizable festival at this point. It just shows that there is a growing craft beer culture in this area and that makes it very exciting for us to be a part of that and being a new brewery in the area. We have a starving public out there right now.”

Black Cloister, which is slated to open at 619 Monroe St. on March 20, is part of the growing craft beer scene in the Toledo area. According to Chris Harris of Black Frog Brewery, the festival provides an opportunity for the community to learn more about craft beers.

“It gives me a chance to reach a broader audience besides the core beer drinking community that follows craft beer,” Harris said. “A lot of people go to the Glass City Beer Festival so it’s a great chance to expand my audience and show everyone in Toledo what I have to offer.”

This year’s event will host new food vendors including PizzAroma and Granite City Food & Brewery, both in Maumee. Perrysburg’s Swig will again provide food for the VIP area, which opens an hour earlier and offers access to exclusive beers.

Wells said the festival offers an opportunity for people to try styles they might otherwise skip.

“Craft beers are not usually inexpensive so it is a great way to try a bunch of different beers that you may have seen at The Andersons or at Joseph’s Beverage Center and didn’t really want to pay $10 or $15 for a six-pack without knowing if you’d like it,” Wells said.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door ($50/$55 VIP). Advance tickets can be purchased at The Andersons customer service desks. Admission includes 12 taste tickets (18 for VIP) with additional taste tickets available for $1 each or six for $5. Parking is $5.

For more information, visit the Glass City Beer Festival Facebook page or glasscitybeerfest.com.

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