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The Moxie mixes things up on Adams Street

By
Joel Sensenig
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Aggie Alt is the owner of The Moxie, an art house pub at 1205 Adams St. The Moxie features a bar, dining space, art gallery and performance space for a variety of performing arts. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni.
Aggie Alt is the owner of The Moxie, an art house pub at 1205 Adams St. The Moxie features a
bar, dining space, art gallery and performance space for a variety of performing arts.
TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY CHRISTIE MATERNI

It’s not easy making art blend into its audience.

Just ask Aggie Alt.

She and her husband, Jamie DeKay, recently opened The Moxie Art House Pub at 1205 Adams St. The establishment is equal parts art gallery, performance space, restaurant and bar.

The Moxie, which opened in January, is 25 years in the making. Alt, a performance artist herself, wanted to open such a business back then, but fell ill, moved away and operated other businesses, including a pizzeria and dinner theater. Through the years, she never lost her vision for The Moxie, a venue for a wide range of artists to display their work, as well as a comfortable place to enjoy the arts with food and beverage.

“It’s definitely a niche,” she said during an interview in the middle room of the establishment, located in an 1852 building next to Wesley’s Bar and Grill. “We’re finding repeatedly what an odd duck we are. Because we’ve got really good food, but we’re not a restaurant. We have, obviously the bar, but I don’t necessarily want to be known as a bar. We are really an arts center that happens to have food and liquor.”

Art from local artists hang up on The Moxie’s walls, all for sale. In its first couple of weeks in business, the business has hosted live theater performances, poetry readings, a blues open mic session and a comedy night.

“I really want to use this as a place where artists can not only mingle and hone their art, but that they can get exposure, make some money and find a home,” Alt said. “And then I also want to kind of blur that line between audience and performer. I want people who love the arts to not be intimidated by it, to feel that they come in jeans and engage with the artist, whatever kind of art that is.”

Helping set the mood in The Moxie is its eclectic mix of furniture and décor: an old couch sits parallel to a vintage arcade-style bowling game Alt picked up at a garage sale. The game works perfectly and is available for patrons to use, free of charge. Her favorite piece is an old jukebox she purchased for $163 at an online auction. Among its album selections are Bob Seger’s “Live Bullet,” Bruce Springsteen’s “18 Tracks” and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ “Greatest Hits.

“Other than some kitchen equipment, there’s nothing new in here,” she said proudly.

Alt, who has a background in nonprofit organizations, would eventually like to establish a program at The Moxie to teach art to inner-city children. Students from the nearby Toledo School for the Arts developed the establishment’s logo, and she hopes to be able to give back to the students by allowing them to show their work there.

“I think there’s a lot of talent out there who are 15-year-old kids,” she said. “How often do they get to perform somewhere? I think that’s important.”

Although The Moxie may not be your typical restaurant, that doesn’t mean its kitchen can’t hold its own in making the location a dining destination.

Chef Jeff Albright has concocted a small-but-diverse menu that leans heavily on creativity.

Starters ($4-$6) include “Bacon & Eggs” (deviled eggs topped with bacon jam); Caprese “kabobs” (fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes and basil pesto); and buffalo chicken plate (dip with celery sticks, crackers and glacier penta crème blue cheese).

The Moxie “Picnic Board” ($10) is a choice of meats (smoked pancetta, duck salami, serrano ham and Borsellina Salami); cheeses (glacier penta crème blue, aged gouda, fresh mozzarella, prairie breeze cheddar, manchego and Parmigiano-Reggiano); and gherkins, olives, cucumbers, artisan bread or gluten-free crackers, along with mustard or fig jam.

Pizza ($11) varieties include a pesto, pacific rim, white and chef’s specialty.

“Jeff started out just giving me advice on food and then I made him stay,” said Alt. “He really took it to another level. The bacon jam made from scratch is to die for. He has a tomato soup that is vegan and gluten-free that is the best tomato soup you’ll ever have. … We’re actually getting people here where this is the destination for food, and that’s crazy.”

As for the kitchen hours?

“If we’re open, the kitchen’s open. I think that’s an important part,” Alt said, adding the midnight to 1 a.m. time slot is a popular time for patrons to order pies.

Although it’s been a long time coming, Alt is pleased with where The Moxie stands in its first month in operation.

“There are so many artists in this area that are so talented,” she said. “There are some outlets, but I think there are very few that mix medias, where an artist can work with a theater performance or a musician can warm up for a poetry [night]. I think that’s so important to have it be a hangout.”

When describing The Moxie’s appeal, Alt couldn’t come up with a better description than what an artist recently told her.

“She said, ‘This is the place that kids who used to put shows on in their backyard and grew up and still want to put shows on, can come here and still be that kid that puts shows on.’ That’s the concept,” Alt said.

Although the concept has been hers, Alt does not shy away from giving credit to her neighbors on Adams Street for helping her business get up and running.

“Adams Street has been so supportive,” she said. “Bar owners have given me advice, things and loaned me their staff. To me, that’s just mind-boggling. That’s what is going to make Adams Street work, because it’s just an amazing group of young, aggressive business owners.”

The Moxie is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Friday; 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, call (419) 982-8810 or visit The Moxie’s Facebook page.

Beard: Comic book convention to land in Glass City this spring

By
Jim Beard
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Incredible as it may seem for such a geek haven, Toledo has never truly hosted a real comic book convention. That’s all about to change: the city that’s harbored comic shops for over twenty-five years and nurtured multiple writers and artists will welcome its very own comic show, Fantasticon, this April 11th and 12th at the Grand Plaza Hotel downtown.

“We’re very excited!” enthuses Joe Nieporte, owner and president of FunFest Productions, based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. “We have a lot of friends in the [Toledo] area, and the comic book shops in town are amazing. We believe that there is a huge fan base here that is dying for a show to call their own. So far we have had a tremendous response from the community. We believe that we have made the right decision bringing a show to Toledo.

“We have branded our show in the Detroit market for a few years now, [and] it’s considered a mid-size show that draws a few thousand people and is growing rapidly. We are proud of the fact that our show is very affordable to the fans, as well as artists and vendors. That being said, we want to bring this business model to other markets in the mid-west that do not have large established comic cons. Toledo was the first city we thought of. Toledo is the biggest city in the Midwest that does not have a comic con.”

Fantasticon Toledo promises celebrity guests on a national scale, dozens of local and regional creators, and collectible dealers from Chicago, Indiana, and Ohio who specialize in comics, action figures, and vintage toys and games. “Serious collectors will have a great opportunity to add something special to their collections,” notes Nieporte. “There will also be cosplay contests, and artist panels scheduled throughout each day.

“This show will be like going back in time twenty years before comic cons became corporate money grabs. It will be very affordable, fun, and fan friendly.”

Though Nieporte and his staff will be busy those two days insuring the show goes off without a hitch and all attendees have a good time, they’ll be looking forward to Fantasticon as fans themselves. “Watching all the people in costume is always enjoyable,” he says. “It will be even more gratifying to bring smiles to all the faces from the Toledo area while they are walking around having fun and enjoying the event we brought to town.”

Interested parties should check in regularly at www.fantasticon.net for updates on special guests and all other news before the show hits town in April.

Company grows bones at UT with grant funding

By
Duane Ramsey
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Anand Agarwal of OsteoNovus, Right shows the clean room under construction to Molly Reams Thompson, director of UT ’s LaunchPad Incubation, Christopher Mancino, manager, and Jessica Sattler, director of Economic Engagement and Business Development Programs at UT .
Anand Agarwal of OsteoNovus, Right shows the clean room under construction to Molly Reams Thompson, director of UT ’s LaunchPad Incubation, Christopher Mancino, manager, and Jessica Sattler, director of Economic Engagement and Business Development Programs at UT .

OsteoNovus, a startup company that is regenerating bones through a unique technology developed at the University of Toledo, is benefiting from two Technology Validation and Start-up Fund grants from the Ohio Third Frontier commission.

The commission awarded OsteoNovus $100,000 last October following an original grant of $250,000. The firm has raised a total of $1.5 million from Ohio Third Frontier partners such as UT’s Rocket Innovations and other investors, according to Anand Agarwal, co-founder, president and CEO.

OsteoNovus is an early-stage, orthopedic medical device company focused on the development of biologic materials to support and regenerate bone. The company employs innovative technology developed at UT by Agarwal and co-founders Sarit Bhaduri and Vijay Goel.

The company’s primary product, NovoGro, is a regeneration biomaterial that grows robust bones in just six weeks with excellent handling properties, Agarwal said.

The technology encompasses novel synthetic calcium phosphate-based cements suitable for several clinical applications, such as bone voids, and treatment of various fractures and spinal disorders. The firm has developed moldable bone putty for use as an injectable bone substitute, Agarwal said.

OsteoNovus is preparing to move into office and laboratory space as one of the newest tenants of the LaunchPad Incubation Program housed in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex on UT’s campus.

Agarwal is also CEO and cofounder with Goel of Spinal Balance Inc., another LaunchPad tenant. Spinal Balance is an early-stage orthopedic medical device company focused on the development of complex spinal implants for the treatment of degenerative disease and deformity of the spine.

The State of Ohio has funded Spinal Balance with a one-to-one match for a total of $1.2 million in seed funding. The firm hopes to have Food and Drug Administration clearance by July, at which point they would enter the commercial market, Agarwal said.

UT’s LaunchPad now has 21 tenant clients in the incubation program and their facilities are 80 percent occupied. It has experienced 450 percent growth and marked two client graduations since fall 2014, according to Molly Reams Thompson, director of LaunchPad Incubation at UT.

LaunchPad works with early stage technology-based startups in the biomedical, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing and information technology fields. Thompson said they provide mentoring to clients along with access to funding and talent with additional help from other partners.

Another LaunchPad client, Grypshon Industries, has been operating out of co-working space for the past year but is about to sign a lease for incubator space at UT, according to its founder Tom Burden.

Burden launched Grypshon to manufacture and market safe, slipproof friction mats on which aircraft mechanics can stand or place tools. Burden saw the need for such a product while working as an F-16 weapons maintainer for the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing operating at Toledo Express Airport.

Burden used both his experience as an aircraft mechanic and his education as a mechanical engineering student at UT to develop the product. He said his current challenge is to find sources for manufacturing and distributing the mats. In addition, Company grows bones at UT with grant funding Toledo-themed T-shirts benefit Great Lakes protection agency Burden has developed a new type of scope for military weapons. With his scope, the green dot turns to red to alert the shooter of low ammunition. He is looking for sources to help him produce and market the scope.

Burden graduated from UT in December with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He has also re-enlisted for another six years in the Ohio Air National Guard.

Burden won the student category in the Pitch & Pour business pitch competition at UT last year. He also was among the top 40 semifinalists in the International Business Model Competition at Brigham Young University in May.

Neighbors Against NEXUS now CORN

By
Don Lee
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Opponents of a proposed pipeline’s route through eastern Fulton County are finding strength in numbers — and their local organizer is finding optimism in negotiating from that position of strength.

The company behind the proposed NEXUS natural gas transmission line took interest in the group’s proposal to route the line away from heavily populated areas in the county, said Liz Athaide-Victor, the Swancreek Township woman who first organized local opposition.

The group, which started in December as Neighbors Against NEXUS, is now calling itself the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the Coalition to Reroute NEXUS (CORN), she said. CORN is a grassroots group centered around Medina County, south of Cleveland, that has had some success getting NEXUS to change its proposed route.

Athaide-Victor said she learned of CORN when researching the NEXUS pipeline after she received a letter from Spectra Energy, the Texas company behind the NEXUS project. She said she attended a meeting of another group opposing the pipeline in Medina County, but later heard from Paul Gierosky, the organizer of CORN, and realized she and the Medina County property owner shared the goal of rerouting, not stopping, the pipeline.

“We started talking, and people started calling Paul, and we decided to work together all along the pipeline [route],” she said.

Athaide-Victor thinks the strategy might be working; at a recent meeting she noticed Spectra looking over a proposed re-route she presented in December at a Swancreek Township Board of Trustees meeting.

The renamed group still allies with other groups simply opposed to the pipeline, citing such concerns as safety of the pipeline itself, property rights, groundwater protection, preservation of natural areas and the fact that the pipeline won’t benefit residential and small business customers because it’s designed to carry gas in large volumes to an export hub. Permanent buildings can’t be built over a pipeline, nor can trees be planted. However, farming can take place.

Athaide-Victor said she’s more hopeful lately because of the apparent receptiveness of pipeline officials to her alternate route, as well as news that the pipeline “study corridor” will be routed away from Oak Openings Preserve.

NEXUS spokesman Arthur Diestel has said in previous public statements the route as proposed last year is merely a “study corridor,” which will be narrowed and “tweaked” as safety, land use and environmental factors are taken into account.

Though Athaide-Victor says she’s now “cautiously optimistic” that neighbors and NEXUS can work something out, not everyone in her group is willing to go that far.

Laura Cole, who hopes to start a residential farm for adults with autism on her Swancreek Township property that’s in the study corridor’s path, said she’s hesitant because of the way NEXUS representatives have behaved in the past.

Group members have said NEXUS representatives told them, incorrectly, their neighbors supported the pipeline, or threatened them with eminent domain seizure if right-of-way agreements couldn’t be negotiated. A letter from Terry Lodge, a Toledo lawyer representing five local advocacy groups, accused NEXUS of “bullying” and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which makes the rules governing pipelines, of allowing it.

Leaders in Summit County in Northeast Ohio were the first to approve a countywide resolution against the pipeline going through their county. The Ohio Farmers Union recently approved the first statewide resolution against the pipeline.

In Medina County, several townships approved resolutions against the pipeline nearly identical to resolutions approved locally by Swancreek, Providence and Waterville townships.

The next public forum on the project is set for 5-7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at Swanton High School, 601 N. Main St. Northwest Ohio CORN members plan informational pickets outside the forum. Another forum will take place 5-7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Central Park West, 3141 Central Park West Drive.

72 Degrees and Rising to kick off garden’s 50th anniversary events

By
Toledo Free Press
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For the past 50 years, the Toledo Botanical Gardens brought life and color into the community and now it’s getting ready to celebrate its golden anniversary with a slew of exciting exhibits.

The gardens that Toledoans know today got its start in 1964, when 20 acres of lush land was donated to the city by George Crosby. Now, that lot tripled into 60 acres of beautiful gardens located off Elmer Drive. The TBG is also housed in its downtown campus, which is home to The Robert Anderson Urban Agriculture Center and acts as the hub for the Toledo GROWs program.

The garden’s 50th Anniversary brings about plenty of events, new and old. Although each holds a different theme, all are geared towards community involvement.

“Engaging all generations headed our priorities. We want to give the community reasons to visit the Garden,” Gretchen DeBacker, 2015 Board President and Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Committee, said.

“[We want the community] to experience its natural beauty, to enjoy entertainment such as Jazz in the Garden, and to discover the joys of gardening through our annual spring and fall plant sales.”

TBG’s anniversary season kicks off on February 8 with its 72 Degrees and Rising event. Held inside the gardens’ greenhouse located off its Bancroft entrance, this family-friendly, tropical exhibit allows community members to escape the bitter cold temps and enjoy a cozy greenhouse experience. There will be plenty of information on the plants, along with children’s activities and refreshments for Botanical Garden members.

“Delightful hands-on activities and exotic refreshments will accompany this behind the scenes peak at where banana plants and other tropical species spend their winter months here at the Garden,” Karen Ranney Wolkins, Executive Director of TBG, said.

Celebrations continue with an event specifically geared towards millennials on May 30. The Garden After Dark ties together art, music and performance while focusing on light-related art exhibits.

“We are working with University of Toledo students to develop content for projection installations that will be placed throughout the Garden,” Nathan Mattimoe, TBG board member and Chairman of the After Dark committee, said.

“The Work Collective is going to set up ‘The Cube’ a large, interactive projection project that responds to movement.”

In addition, DJ Rob Sample is slated to provide musical entertainment, while Birds Eye Circus performs. Also, there will be delicious grub provided by local food trucks.

On the Saturday before Mother’s Day, May 9, ladies can enjoy Tea in the Garden. This multi-generational event is geared towards daughters, mothers and grandmothers.

Finally, the garden will display “dramatic, large-scale sunflower plantings” around the city of Toledo providing an “explosion of color” and beautiful scenery for community members throughout the 50th anniversary season.

“It wouldn’t be a garden celebration without flowers,” Matt Killam, TBG Marketing Director, said.

Traditional events will still take place at the gardens and feature an anniversary celebration twist. Those events include:
72 Degrees and Rising to kick off garden’s 50th anniversary events
*Seed Swap (Feb. 28)
*Spring Plant Sale (May 7-10)
*Crosby Festival of the Arts (June 26-28)
*Jazz in the Garden (Every Thursday beginning July 9 through Sept. 10)
*Arts in the Garden (Aug. 9)
*Harvest Market Dinner (Sept. 17)
*Heralding the Holidays (Dec. 4-6).

St. Hedwig weathering roof damage, rumors of demolition

By
Tom Konecny
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The Catholic Diocese of Toledo and City of Toledo said rumors that North Toledo’s St. Hedwig Church will be demolished due to dis repair are not true.
The Catholic Diocese of Toledo and City of Toledo said rumors that North Toledo’s St. Hedwig Church will be demolished due to dis repair are not true.

Good has arisen from growing rumors that historic St. Hedwig Catholic Church would be demolished, after initial concern when its roof lost some shingles.

Not only has the Diocese of Toledo confirmed that St. Hedwig “is not being torn down,” said Sally Oberski, communications director, but a group of 20 grade school alumni and nearby residents are starting a grassroots crusade to breathe new life into this North Toledo neighborhood landmark.

A Facebook account titled, Save St. Hedwig Catholic Church, seems to have initiated the stir – at least online – when it posted on Jan. 22:  “We have received reports that Saint Hedwig will be torn down. The ceiling over the main altar fell down a few months ago and has not been repaired.”

This spurred a wave of unsubstantiated worry, with one account offering that the City of Toledo was demanding church repairs, ones it couldn’t afford. According to city commissioner of inspection, Chris Zervos, that is also false, as his department has made no contact whatsoever with St. Hedwig.

Upon learning of the shingle damage, Fr. Jacob Gordon, pastor, immediately scheduled a meeting to discuss the church’s condition with new Bishop Daniel Thomas, but that appointment was cancelled due to unrelated circumstances, and is to be rescheduled. Oberski said Fr. Gordon is willing to publicly discuss news concerning St. Hedwig once he knows more definitively what might be the next step.

In the meantime, that’s when rumors swirled online, and also within the tight-knit Polish Village community.

“All this about a roof falling in, it’s not true,” said Tom Jesionowski, a St. Adalbert/St. Hedwig parishioner. “There’s also stories going on that the roof is costing $100,000 to a half million, and that’s not true. I talked to (Fr. Gordon) on Sunday, and once the weather clears up, he’s going to get three bids on the roof.”

St. Hedwig merged with nearby St. Adalbert in 2010, becoming one parish. The St. Hedwig church structure has largely remained closed for regular mass since 2012, used only for special occasions such as weddings, funerals and baptisms. Its recent shingle episode created the need to close its doors temporarily in the name of public safety.

After watching the gossip spread, former St. Hedwig School student Racheal Nadrasik also met briefly with Gordon to get the facts, and now is hoping to start a drive to help the church make its necessary repairs.

“Everybody’s all up in arms that the church was shut down, but at the same time, no one’s doing anything to save it,” said Racheal Nadrasik, Toledo, “So, my friends and I decided to take it upon ourselves.”

This Friday, Nadrasik and a group of 20 St. Hedwig school alumni from 1998-2003, plus some neighborhood friends who never even attended the school, are meeting with Gordon to tour the church, assess damage and take photos – all with the intention to introduce an online Kickstarter-type campaign to raise funds for St. Hedwig’s necessary repairs.

“(St. Hedwig is) just gorgeous, and so rich in history,” Nadrasik said. “Basically all it needs is a new roof. None of the rumors are true. We’re hoping if we can get the word out there, and get our community back together and tell everybody what Toledo is really about, that we’ll get people to donate time and materials. We’re trying to have faith, and I know a lot of original Polish residents have passed away or moved out of the area, but we can still do this. There’s no reason why we can’t do it.”

Nadrasik attended St. Hedwig School from preschool through the 8th grade, and she wants to give back to a place that gave her so much.

“We all need to pay back our debts, and this is the least I could do,” Nadrasik said.

Letters to the Editor, Feb. 8, 2015

By
Dock David Treece
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Toledo needs Jeep museum

Why doesn’t Toledo have a Jeep museum? We have a glass museum because we’re known as the Glass City, but don’t just as many people remember Toledo, Ohio, as Home of the Jeep?

It could contain any or all models of the Jeep ever made. It could include all of the Willys Motors and Overland vehicles. We could even include Chrysler in the mix. It could make Toledo a destination and not just a place to pass through. Toledo’s largest employer might even want to chip in.

It might even include my very first automobile: a blue-gray 1937 Willys Coupe with a 1941 engine. She was a beauty. I bought her in 1950 from my high school buddy, “Popeye” Shanks. The hood was so small it looked like it must house a sewing machine motor and the trunk large enough for camping. The electric starter switch didn’t work so you engaged the starter by pushing a large screwdriver though the floor boards to press on the solenoid. Worked every time (almost). The car was so light you didn’t really have to park it at the curb. You just pulled the nose in, then picked up the rear and bounced it to the curb.

Yes, we need a Jeep museum. Wonder who might be interested in starting the movement? Could it be you?

— Jim Hartman, Toledo

Baumhower: Fight, Mayor, Fight

By
Jeremy Baumhower
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Yesterday felt familiar, didn’t it?

It was just 53 weeks ago, on another cold and snowy Sunday, when the city of Toledo was struck with tragedy and the loss of two of our bravest.

How fitting that today is Groundhog Day?

Shortly after 2 p.m. Feb. 1, Toledo Mayor Mike Collins experienced cardiac arrest while driving his vehicle home. His car hit a pole in South Toledo, where he was found unresponsive and is currently in the ICU at UTMC.

As Northwest Ohio was getting hammered with 10-plus inches of snow, residents were preparing for an announced Level 3 snow emergency and trying to figure out new Super Bowl party plans — the shock from the unexpected news felt like our breath was stolen.

Sucker-punched yet again.

The biggest game of the year didn’t feel so important. I no longer cared about commercials or “Deflategate.” My soul started cheering and praying for a different team, a different family.

Like last year, my cell phone exploded with numerous texts and calls, filled with heartbreaking updates and rumors. There were two conflicting reports being given. Neither were good, but one carried hope.

I’ve known Collins since his Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association days. I have watched his continued commitment to public service, and I have been inspired by his evolution. I consider Mike a friend, and yesterday truly sucked. My children witnessed a rare side of their dad.

There are a couple of things we know about Mayor Collins: the man is not afraid of a fight and he is believer in the city of Toledo. He’s an Irish cop, who loved walking his beat, completely resolute in his convictions. If there is anyone who is going to survive this, it would be Mike Collins. This man carries a vast vocabulary and the word “quit” isn’t in his arsenal.

There was a bright spot in all the darkness, a moment of humanity that reminded us where we live and who we are.

It started during the 5:15 p.m. news conference, when cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cooper started getting choked up about an heroic act from a complete stranger that saved Mayor Collins’ life.

Learning the story behind Evelyn Johnson, and how she and an unnamed person saved Mike’s life acted as temporary medicine for the pain we were feeling.

Ms. Johnson was on her way to work at Rally’s when she saw the disabled vehicle. She immediately sprung into action, checked the car and found an unresponsive driver behind locked doors.

She did not panic. She called 911, went to the trunk of her car, pulled out a hammer and did something that will forever change two lives.

Ms. Johnson took a swing.

Johnson and another passerby who stopped, an unnamed male, used the hammer to break out one of the car’s windows. The duo proceeded to administer CPR for the next five minutes until help arrived. It was Toledo firefighters who informed her of the identity of the driver. She had no idea he was the mayor.

Ms. Johnson immediately left the scene and made it to work.

How amazingly Toledo is that? The woman saved a life and didn’t miss her shift, all in the minutes before a Level 3 went into effect. The other man doesn’t leave a name and drives away. No big deal, just another day.

There is something beautiful about the people who live in Northwest Ohio; we are not afraid to help those in need, we do incredibly unselfish acts and still make it to work on time. It must be something in our tainted water that instinctively makes us get out of a car and a swing a hammer when it’s needed.

Collins’ entire career has been dedicated to helping others, from his days in the military, to his foot patrols walking the beat as a Toledo Police officer, as a professor and now as our mayor.

With snow-covered grounds and no rock in sight, karma found him a hammer in a trunk and a person courageous enough to swing. Karma bought our Irish friend some more time.

When Collins finally needed help, it came via a tap on the glass.

How poetic that it was a hammer that saved this man’s life? Some might relate his political prowess to that exact tool.

As we continue praying for Mike Collins, and his family –  be inspired by the acts of two complete strangers and find a way to pay it forward. Show your appreciation to this man with random acts of civic compassion — in other words, do something nice for your neighbor.

Get well, Mike Collins.

#FightMayorFight

Jeremy Baumhower can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jeremytheproduc.

Crowdsourced fundraiser Tribute to benefit nonprofits

By
Ashley McMahon
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“The best gift you can give someone is often something in honor of someone else. It’s a way to tribute who they are as a person. Your best dinners are where you get together, raise a glass and toast someone. That’s what it means to tribute, to care about the work of nonprofits.”

That’s how Sam Melden explained the idea behind Tribute, his newest project.

Melden is currently the executive director at the Center for Servant Leadership and has a background in nonprofit work, including three years with Food for Thought in Toledo.

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Together with his friends Kevin Marsh and Jordan Justice, Melden created Tribute, a Web-based space in which community members can raise money for their favorite organizations.

Melden, Marsh and Justice are all Toledo born and raised and have worked in the nonprofit circuit.

“With every organization I have worked for, Kevin and Jordan have always been involved,” Melden said. “They are tremendous developers and anything they work on is very high-quality. When I was at Food for Thought, they were responsible for us being ahead of the curve.”

Tribute offers the opportunity for Melden to once again work with Marsh and Justice on a project that pairs high technology with high ideals.

Tribute is a nonprofit charity space located on ShareYourDay.org. Its users can raise funds for their favorite charities by centering their initiatives around a special date. Donors and supporters promote their day along with the cause they love and get family members and friends to donate. This, in turn, spreads positive awareness about the nonprofit organizations throughout the supporter’s own community.

“Often, donors and supporters of nonprofits are just donating or asking people to give money. Most of us, after a while, realize that gets old,” Melden said. “This allows people to be more creative with the way they support their organization.”

Tribute allows donors and supporters of nonprofits to create a campaign on ShareYourDay.org. These campaigns are similar to Kickstarter campaigns, but raise money for the donor’s favorite nonprofit, rather than a personal goal or project.

“If you watch anyone’s Facebook on their birthday, you’ll see their wall lit up with ‘Happy Birthday’ messages. Similar to an anniversary. You’ll see people react differently on social media. You might see a photo from their wedding day, or photos from celebrations,” Melden said. “What Tribute does is allow quick access to turn these events into a social experience.”

Sam Melden. Toledo Free Press File Photo by Christie Materni

Anyone can create a Tribute on ShareYourDay.org and anyone can donate money to the creators’ favorite causes.

As for the charities, organizations must be nonprofits to join Tribute. If supporters don’t see their favorite nonprofit listed on Tribute, they can take the necessary steps to help the charity register.

“We’re convinced that we can help hundreds of organizations raise money in a new way,” Melden said. “We want as many organizations as possible to have access to Tribute.”

After experiencing the nonprofit struggles firsthand, Melden and his team seized the opportunity to offer charities a way to reach an entirely fresh group of donors without directly asking for funds. Melden believes this is a huge advantage for organizations.

“Tribute allows nonprofits to have access to a new community of donors,” Melden said. “If I supported this organization for the last three years, they’ve always had access to me. They can send me newsletters and information, but they can’t send letters to my friends because they don’t have access to them. But now, they have access to them because I’m going to that community and asking them for money. And that’s amazing for them.”

Melden said this benefits nonprofits because they are raising money without asking. In addition, he believes this program is essential for helping nonprofits make advancements in technology and marketing strategies. He believes organizations are lacking in this area.

“If we can bring the best developments and best technologies to nonprofits in this area, let’s do it,” he said. “They don’t need to have an amazing website or a staff of 50 people. Any organization, it can be a staff of one with the executive director doing everything, can use Tribute to raise money.”

Tribute will begin its initiative with Toledo-area nonprofit organizations and advance outward to other interested organizations.

Melden and his team plan to launch Tribute in early March. Meanwhile, nonprofits interested in participating in the program will have the opportunity to learn more or register from  9-10 a.m. Feb. 19 when United Way of Greater Toledo holds an information session at its Jackson Street headquarters.

As for future donors, Melden urges everyone interested in Tribute to sign up at ShareYourDay.org.

“They will be the first in line to find out when we launch this program,” he said.

Overall, Melden, Marsh and Justice’s goal is to bring the best technology to Toledo and assist nonprofits by reaching out to an entirely new audience.

“We want to help every single organization. No matter how big or how small, we want to take a step forward,” Melden said.

Maumee cat show offers purr-fect feline fix

By
Matt Liasse
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Glass Citicats will host its annual cat show at the Lucas County Rec Center Feb. 14-15. Admission is $4. Toledo Free Press photo by James A. Molnar

Last year, because snow covered a third of the parking spaces, people wanting to attend the My Stormy Valentine Cat Show had to turn around and leave. This year, plenty of staff will be directing traffic so that doesn’t happen again, organizers say.

Glass Citicats will host its annual cat show at the Lucas County Rec Center Feb. 14-15. Admission is $4. Toledo Free Press photo by James A. Molnar

“We never expected it to find so much success,” said Jamie Christian, president of the Great Lakes Cat Consortium and manager of the show.

The three-day event (a private show Feb. 13 and a show open to the public Feb. 14-15) will bring together close to 250 cats and their owners from all over the world.

The show has been running since 2000 and is sponsored by the Glass CiTICAts Cat Club.

There will be cats from the Toledo area competing in addition to cats from as far as Japan and Mexico, Christian said. Each cat will be seen by 20 judges, each selecting those they think are best in show for awards.

Motzie, a 10-year-old Savannah cat, will make an appearance at the show. Motzie is the second tallest cat in the Guinness World Records, standing 16.75 inches at the shoulder. He will be available for petting, holding and pictures with the public at no cost.

Elaine Zalewski, from Furry Agape Pet Therapy in Grove City, Pennsylvania, will also attend the event and present a seminar on cats as therapy pets.

The event will also show two new breeds of cat: the Aphrodite, a natural cat breed from the island of Cyprus, and the Lykoi, a new breed that resembles a werewolf, Christian said. There will also be more than 30 vendors at the event.

Christian said the show is perfect for families and will feature plenty for any cat lover.

Show Manager Jamie Christian SAID the Feb. 14-15 cat show Will offer something for cat lovers and non-cat lovers alike. Photo courtesy Jamie Christian

“We’re kind of geared to everyone,” Christian said. “If you already love cats, you’re going to find a new cat that you love. If you’re not particularly a cat fan and someone drags you along, I guarantee you’re going to find something that will turn you into a cat lover.”

Throughout the year, the Glass CiTICAts Cat Club puts on shows as educational events throughout the country.

“The only way the next generation is going to learn how to respect cats is by exposure,” Christian said.

The cat show will be open to the public 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key St., Maumee. Admission is $4. There are still some openings for cats to compete.

For more information, visit www.toledocatshow.com.

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