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Pounds: Gallagher Gone

By
Tom Pounds
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“The end of an empire is messy at best.”
— Randy Newman

Jon Stainbrook’s post at the Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) is not an empire; it’s more like a sandbox with one petulant kid trying to commandeer everyone else’s toys. But things are clearly getting getting messy for the contentious political power broker wannabe.

On March 4, after longtime urging by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, Meghan Gallagher was replaced as director of the BOE.

Stainbrook lobbied hard to keep his pal Gallagher, but the other three board members disagreed, naming board secretary Gina Kaczala to director by a 3-1 vote. Dan DeAngelis was retained as deputy director, with Stainbrook again the lone dissenting vote.

A Toledo Free Press photo tells the story. As Kaczala is being sworn in, Stainbrook is seen leaving the meeting, by all accounts carrying his anger and frustration out of the ceremony as fast as his sneaker-clad feet could carry him.

“I have absolutely no confidence in Gina Kaczala being capable of running this election for the primary in May,” Stainbrook said. “Gina has no management skills, no professional ability and is incapable of telling the truth. The voters in Lucas County deserve better.”
That’s a fine, cooperative note for the county GOP chairman to strike with the new director, isn’t it? It is also one of the great examples of the pot calling the kettle black you are likely to see enacted in politics.

It is no secret that the root problem at the BOE is not just the people he has maneuvered into place, but Stainbrook himself. Watching some of his former allies assert some actual independence in opposition to Stainbrook bodes well but is just a start; as long as he remains at the BOE, there will be, not healthy debate and discussion, but squabbling and confrontation.

Removing Gallagher, who will be less than a footnote in the history of Lucas County politics, is an encouraging step.

As we have since the beginning of this sad and sordid journey, we continue to urge Secretay of State Husted’s office to closely monitor Stainbrook and facilitate his removal from this crucial yet untrustworthy entity.

Miller: Tucked

By
Michael Miller
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It has been 18 months since the bariatric sleeve surgery that marked the beginning of my new life. I shed nearly 200 pounds and kept it off through a diligent daily exercise regimen and a disciplined approach to eating. There have been mistakes and backslides, especially during the holiday season, but they were thankfully minor and easily shaken off.

The culture shift for me has migrated from focusing on losing weight to focusing on maintaining the lifestyle required to keep the weight off. It’s not great insight that it’s more fun watching the needle on the scale drop than it is seeing it vacillate within a 5-pound range.

The payoff manifests itself with literally every breath I take. I am too deep into middle age and comfortable in marriage to be overly stressed about aesthetics (as anyone who has been treated to my revolving wardrobe of football team hoodies and comic book T-shirts will attest) but there is an element of ego gratification in the compliments when people notice that my hard work has paid off.

Yet the real treasures are the simple ones. There are new freedoms: not being tired all the time, not being a moth to fast food light boxes on highway exits, not being a liar when it comes to shuffling money to pay for secretive food indulgences.

I love the long outdoor walks, the increased activity with our young sons and the renewed intimacy in my marriage. Add in the health benefits of no longer trying to fill the space John Candy used to occupy and I do not have an iota of regret about forfeiting 85 percent of my stomach via medical science.

At my one year checkup in September, my doctor asked if I was considering the follow-up surgery for skin and remaining fat removal.

During my era of changing dietary habits,  I was an avid viewer of “Man vs. Food,” the TV show starring Adam Richman in which he travels the country participating in eating challenges, such as chewing through a bucket of what looks like 3,000 chicken wings in 45 minutes or eating a chocolate fudge sundae with enough ice cream to fill Sofia Vergara’s halter top. It was a vicarious thrill to watch somebody eat their way through eight feet of Philly cheese steak when the most I could nosh at one sitting was a half of a grilled chicken breast. But as I morphed from losing to maintaining weight, I discovered another gastric freak show to watch: “My 600 Pound Life.”

On that program, people undergoing gastric bypass surgery are documented for one year. Each episode starts with a somber black screen that informs viewers that fewer than five percent of such patients successfully keep the weight off.

That’s a greater failure rate than for those attempting to quit smoking.

A number of the people on “My 600 Pound Life” start their journeys at 700 pounds or more. More than a few die during their year of documentation. It is stunning to watch the depths of denial and gluttony in which some of these folks are drowning. It is a somber show, in stark contrast to the goofy hedonism of Richman’s food orgies. It’s not as simple for me as watching it as a cautionary tale to not go back to that lifestyle. It’s more of a relief that I was able to stop my catastrophic gain at 400 pounds, a number which haunts me for its irresponsibility and recklessness. I watch “My 600 Pound Life” with a pervasive sense of “There but for grace of God go Shamu and I.”

My doctor told me that although my body and skin had rebounded remarkably well from the weight loss, I undoubtedly qualified for the skin removal surgery and abdominoplasty, commonly referred to as a “tummy tuck.”

As I rapidly learned, referring to the procedure as a an abdominoplasty elicited far more gravitas than calling it a tummy tuck.

And I discovered, no matter what I called the surgery, I was tucked either way.

Next week: Compression garments, Davol drains and the 27-inch shark bite.\

Acoustics for Autism: Michigan teens Bulletproof Snow have ambitious dreams

By
Ashley Streichert
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Bulletproof Snow

A majority of great success stories come with equally fantastic tales of hard work, and Trey McLaughlin’s biography is no exception.

With help from his dedicated dad Brian McLaughlin, the 17-year-old started his self-described “modern rock” band two years ago and is already playing in impressive venues around the country.

Balancing his coursework, social life and family time, Trey has managed to grow the band’s recognition with three fellow rockers and create new music for the boys to perform at their various gigs.

Bulletproof Snow consists of four high school students  from Michigan’s Livingston County. Trey, who is lead vocalist and plays guitar, is joined by Connor Cheney, 17,  on drums, Jake Yacobelli, 17, on lead guitar and Matt Coon, 16, on bass. Cheney, Yacobelli and Coon also provide backing vocals.

Trey credits the group’s inspiration to big-name rock bands including Foo Fighters and the Goo Goo Dolls, along with ’80s metal crooners Skid Row. This mashup of catchy genres is vividly reflected by Bulletproof Snow’s sound.

Its single “Punished for My Innocence” left a lasting mark on the organizers of benefit concert Acoustics for Autism and snagged a four-minute slot on the nonprofit’s new compilation album. Proceeds from sales go to Project iAm, a group that benefits families affected by autism in Northwest Ohio.

“It’s something nice that provides a lasting memory for people,” Brian said of the album.

Though the band members are elated to have a spot on the playlist, it wasn’t earned simply with catchy lyrics and an upbeat track. The teens are seasoned pros on the benefit stage. The group has performed at the Acoustics for Autism benefit held at The Village Idiot in Maumee for the past three years.

“It’s a great event to get behind,” Brian said. “Trey had a friend he hung out with a lot when he was younger who had a little brother with autism. Trey actually spent a lot of time with him at their house and experienced firsthand what it’s like to deal with autism in the family.”

“It’s tough,” Trey said. “Just being able to support it, we’re extremely happy to.”

As for Cheney, Yacobelli and Coon’s futures, their goals are to pursue professional careers in the music industry after graduation.

“That’s Trey’s dream, so we’re giving it a shot,” Brian added.

Bulletproof Snow has a few events on the horizon, including a trip to Austin, Texas, for SXSW musical festival later this month and, of course, the Acoustics for Autism event March 9. The group is slated to play at 2 p.m. in the outdoor tent.

Higgins: Climate change denier

By
Tim Higgins
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I hereby freely admit to being a climate change denier. I’ve listened to all the accounts, from the news readers to the opinions of pundits, and have read some of the limited amount of scholarly work on the subject. I find nothing in this body of work to convince me the issues involved are anywhere near settled. Further, I deny that the arguments put forward on the subject appear to have any merit.

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This is not to say I disagree that the climate is changing. Instead, I’m convinced the changes occurring are little more than trends and natural movements that occur over time. Little if any of this movement appears to be man-made nor do man’s actions seem to have any significant effect on it.

Now for those of you already composing hate mail to me or to TFP Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller and canceling your free subscription, I’m talking about the political climate.

In spite of the endless stories (especially recently) regarding this notion of political climate change, little of it seems to actually be occurring. Some insist that the apparent cooling coming from the “Alphabet Fallout” cloud of the NSA and the IRS must surely prove the theory. Others are sure the “Benghazi Effect” and what it’s done to heat things up before the next election should be proof for all to see. Still others disregard these contradictory temperature claims and instead talk about the growing holes in the “Obamacare Layer” as proof that far-reaching and permanent political climate change is imminent. Nonsense!

Some even erroneously cite so-called statistical proof, using the alarming disapproval rate earned by Congress. Such claims are greatly exaggerated. While it’s true the current legislature carries a spectacularly low approval rating of 17 percent, the dirty little secret is Congress’ approval rate has seldom risen above 30 percent in the past 40 years.

Don’t get me wrong. The political tide certainly appears to be rising for the GOP, but this movement hardly seems permanent and may be a trend that ends with the 2014 election cycle (if not sooner). Part of this is because Democrats (and their media minions) seem far better at telling their story than their opponents, even when that tale is largely fiction. The rest, however, is because of the unfailing ability of the GOP leadership to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. (Can you say John McCain or Mitt Romney?)

Scholars have for years attempted to tell us that our nation is a center-right electorate. History shows us, however, that when the current group of neoconservatives in the Republican Party wins, they celebrate by apologizing to their opponents before moving in their direction, making that victory little more than a Pyrrhic one.

Instead of becoming evidence of change, such results are more likely to prove its absence. They highlight the inability of today’s political climate to show real change, regardless of who’s in charge. This entire process is reinforced by a plurality of low-information voters who seldom look beyond name recognition in choosing candidates, regardless of party affiliation or prior performance.

Available data, as determined by the length of Congressional service, tends to support this. Rep. Marcy Kaptur’s interminable 31 years in office, for example, doesn’t even rank in the top 100 on the historical “Groundhog Day” list of service in the national legislature. Michigan Rep. John Dingell currently holds the title of Congress’ “never-ending gobstopper,” but plans to retire this year after an uninterrupted 59-year tenure. Rumor has it his legacy will likely be carried on with his younger wife (a lobbyist) attempting a move from understudy to title role, and cashing in on said name recognition in her run for the open seat.

The climate of politics is not something easily influenced by the rhetoric of its participants, the heat of the issues nor the apparent coolness of the electorate to its representatives. It is perhaps far too placid (if not flaccid) to have its tides easily stirred. Those of you thinking you see a sea change coming, with a permanent rise in the depth of the Republican Party (especially that of some of its conservative elements) — think again. Wild and unproven theories may continue to exist, but real political climate change can and should be utterly denied.

Musicians unite for Acoustics for Autism fundraiser

By
Jeff
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From left, Thomas ‘Sully’ Sullivan of the Village Idiot, Project iAm Founder Nicole Khoury and Musician Dave Carpenter organize acoustics for Autism. Toledo Free Press Photo by Christie Materni

Acoustics for Autism. The name has a certain ring to it, Dave Carpenter said to fellow musician Nicole Khoury one night at a Toledo bar.

“He was like, ‘Isn’t this a cool name for something?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, and that was it. I didn’t think about it again,” Khoury said. “Two months later, I was like, ‘Remember when you said that? This is what I want to do.’

“That is literally how it happened. I developed a charity, Project iAm, so we could have the event. I thought it was going to be one benefit, one time. I had no idea it was going to turn into a full-blown 501(c)3.”

The event drew about 500 people and raised $8,000 in its first year.

“All of a sudden there were so many people saying, ‘You’ve got to keep doing this. This is awesome.’ I said, ‘All right, fine!’ Little did I know,” she said, laughing.

Now in its seventh year, Project iAm’s charity concert has grown into one of the area’s largest and most anticipated music events of the year. National acts like Skid Row, Rusted Root and George Clinton have taken notice and support the charity. Project iAm has given more than $40,000 to area families for autism treatments.

“It’s like kicking a snowball off a mountain,” Carpenter said. “It just started to get bigger and bigger.”

This year’s event, set for noon to 2 a.m. March 9 in downtown Maumee, will feature more than 30 bands on three stages. The main stage will be at The Village Idiot, 309 Conant St., with a second stage and a tent stage down the street at Buster Brown’s. There is no admission cost, but there will be a “karma box” for donations as well as raffle tickets and a silent auction.

Auction items include Coach bags, Kate Spade purses, a stay in  a Charleston, S.C., condo, a beach cruiser, a tailgate set, spa days, an asphalt sealing package, gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses and more. Keys to a Plexiglas “vault” filled with more items will also be sold. The winning key will be the one that opens the vault.

There will be pizza from The Village Idiot, gourmet bratwurst from Aunt Carla’s Boosh and a bake sale.

At least 20 of the groups have been involved with the event since day one, Carpenter said.

“Every single musician who plays is a headliner,” he said. “From a concert perspective, you just get to sit back and literally every 40 minutes see a new act. It would take you forever to travel around Toledo and see all these people. It’s an eclectic mix.”

Musician Kyle White is one of the local acts who performs each year.

“For me, it’s getting to see all the amazing musicians in Toledo that I never get to see because we’re all playing at the same time,” White said. “There’s just such crazy good energy. You can feel the positive energy when you walk in that room. Anyone who has ever been to this event always comes back.”

Before going into music full-time, White planned to work with children with autism as a school psychologist.

“I might still go into music therapy and one of the reasons I’d like to go into that is to work with kids with autism,” White said.

This year, for the first time, a benefit CD, “Acoustics for Autism,” will be available.

Musicians on the CD include Carpenter, White, Khoury’s band Arctic Clam, John Barile, Zak Ward, Jeff Stewart, Bulletproof Snow, Anthony Beck, Poormercy, The Eight Fifteens, Chris Shutters, Pat Lewandowski, Joe Woods, Wilson Lake and the Rock Bass and Empire Drift.

“We’ve been talking about doing this for years,” said Khoury, who approached Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller in December about helping her produce a CD. “It really came together pretty quickly.”

The CDs will debut at the Acoustics for Autism show and sell for $10. They will then be available online for $15.

Both Khoury and Carpenter have friends with autistic children so they knew a need was there.

“What people don’t understand is that this stuff isn’t covered by insurance,” Khoury said. “And there isn’t a single treatment. There are a gazillion different things you can try for your kid and it might work and it might not. The whole goal of the charity is to find something that makes you as a family and you as a parent feel comfortable that your child is progressing. They may never speak, but there are still different strides they can make.

“A lot of these kids don’t want personal contact. You can’t hug them. I’ve had hugs from some of these kids and you immediately just start crying,” Khoury said. “I’ve had applications that I’ve had to stop reading in the middle because it’s too emotional to deal with.”

Thomas “Sully” Sullivan of The Village Idiot is another of Khoury’s biggest supporters. He previously worked as a direct care provider for kids with autism.

“They do a lot of good with this event,” Sullivan said. “The bands are really interesting and a lot of kids benefit.”

Another big supporter is Skid Row. Khoury met the band in Toledo in 2000 after working security at one of their concerts. The group headlined a “Plugged-In” Project iAm fundraising concert in Toledo in 2009.

“Anyone that knows Nicole is aware that her dedication and tenacity is like no other,” Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan wrote in an email to Toledo Free Press. “When she first told me about Project iAm and Acoustics for Autism, I knew it would be successful.

“I knew immediately if Nicole was involved, it must be something special. [That] along with the fact that one of my best friends has a son with autism made the decision to participate very easy.

“We were honored when Nicole invited us to play. I believe that was a turning point for the foundation. She was bringing it to a new level. What was local became regional. And what was regional became national. Meeting some of the kids and their parents was inspiring. We would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Acoustics for Autism will always be held at The Village Idiot, Khoury said.

“You’ve got to be loyal to the people who have been loyal to you. This is where it needs to be. This is the CBGB of the Midwest,” she said.

It’s gratifying to see Acoustics for Autism succeed, Carpenter said.

“[Khoury is] the hardest working person ever. This would not be in existence if it wasn’t for her. I have a lot of great ideas, but following through on them is not one of my strong points. She is phenomenal. She’s like the Energizer Bunny.”

“It’s really, really cool to see everybody get together for the right reasons,” Khoury said. “It’s the best event in town.”

For more information, visit the website aboutprojectiam.com.

Gallagher out, Kaczala in as Lucas County BOE director

By
Jeff
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Lucas County Board of Elections chairman Ron Rothenbuhler, left, swears in deputy director Dan DeAngelis and director Gina Kaczala during a reorganization meeting March 4. Seated are BOE members John Irish and Anthony DeGidio. Walking out is board member Jon Stainbrook. Toledo Free Press Photo by Sarah Ottney

The Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) called a special meeting to order on March 4. Twelve minutes and two quick but contentious votes later, the board had a new director while retaining its deputy director.

Republican Jon Stainbrook lobbied hard to keep Meghan Gallagher, but the other three board members decided a change was needed, elevating board secretary Gina Kaczala to director by a 3-1 vote. Both Gallagher and Kaczala are Republicans.

Democrat Dan DeAngelis was retained as deputy director, with Stainbrook again the lone dissenting vote.

Both positions are two-year terms.

In a third vote, board member Ron Rothenbuhler, a Democrat, was unanimously retained as board chair.

Speaking to reporters after the reorganization meeting, Kaczala and DeAngelis called themselves a “united team” and promised “a fresh start” for a board that has been plagued for years by divisiveness and dysfunction.

“I’m going to bring consistency to this office,” Kaczala said. “We have in the last few years dealt with a division. We are dealing with the problem of the public not being informed the way they should be. … Together our one and only responsibility is to the public — informing the public of the election process, how it’s conducted and what we can do to better serve them.”

DeAngelis said he’s confident Kaczala can improve the BOE’s workplace morale.

“Having a different director can make a whole heck of a lot of change in terms of personnel, how the office functions, how the personnel is treated,” he said.

Both deflected questions about the board’s prior troubles.

“That’s not for me to discuss,” Kaczala said. “My focus is on tomorrow and a fresh start.”

“There were personnel issues, obviously. There was a lot of dysfunction in this office and that’s really all I’ll say. We’re going to move forward and hopefully make it better,” DeAngelis said. “To echo Gina, I’m ready to have a new start tomorrow. It’s a new beginning at the Board of Elections. We’re just going to move forward hopefully to have fair, accurate and efficient elections for the voters. That’s what we’re here for.”

Both said they are confident the BOE will be ready for the primary elections in May.

“Absolutely,” Kaczala said. “It’s teamwork. That’s all it is. … We are going to work hard and we are going to do our best. And I think the voters are going to see that.”

BOE member John Irish, a Democrat, served as acting chairman during the nomination and voting process. Stainbrook nominated Gallagher and BOE member Anthony DeGidio, a Democrat, nominated Kaczala.

As Irish started to call for a vote, he was interrupted by Stainbrook, who called for a discussion.

“I don’t believe there’s discussion on this matter,” Irish said.

“Well, there’s going to be discussion this time, John,” he said, before launching into a lengthy diatribe against Kaczala and DeAngelis. He continued to speak over several protests from other board members.

“I have absolutely no confidence in Gina Kaczala being capable of running this election for the primary in May,” Stainbrook said. “Gina has no management skills, no professional ability and is incapable of telling the truth. The voters in Lucas County deserve better.”

He accused both Kaczala and DeAngelis of being more concerned with trivial details — such as “picking out the color of the carpet squares and ordering new markers” for the new BOE headquarters  – than vital tasks, such as making sure the ballots are in order for the upcoming election.

“I have zero confidence that this board will be able to move forward with this May election,” Stainbrook said.

Stainbrook also questioned whether Kaczala met the minimum eligibility requirements for director. However, he was apparently citing an outdated document, and other board members pointed out there was a more recent set of directives.

Following the three votes, Stainbrook and Gallagher walked out of the room as Rothenbuhler began to swear in Kaczala and DeAngelis. Gallagher was unable to be reached for comment. Stainbrook did not respond to a request for comment.

Kaczala declined to respond to Stainbrook’s accusations.

“I have no comment to those type of comments,” she said after the meeting. “They are silly. They’re not appropriate. They’re unprofessional and they had no place in the boardroom.”

Rothenbuhler said after the meeting that — despite Stainbrook’s lobbying efforts on behalf of Gallagher that he said continued up to the moment the meeting started — he had came to the difficult conclusion it was time for a change.

“She has not, in my idea, gathered support from board members and from employees,” Rothenbuhler said. “This is a part of a movement to straighten things up so we have more of a confidence from the employees and the public.”

Rothenbuhler said his main issue with Gallagher was her people skills, citing the low office morale and high employee turnover rate during her tenure.

“I believe a new person with professional background in elections and a few public servant positions has a better chance of trying to have a better relationship among employees and board members than one I’ve already seen that doesn’t work for the last couple years. So I’m willing to take the risk, if there is any, in someone new.”

In August 2012, citing a dysfunctional board culture, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted placed the Lucas County BOE under the oversight of special masters and then appointed two consultants tasked with evaluating the board. Among the consultants’ recommendations last year were that Gallagher and DeAngelis be removed.

Rothenbuhler said he doesn’t like firing people and he’s been trying to come to a workable solution.

“If I personally in my heart feel that I can’t make any changes, I have to do what I have to do,”  Rothenbuhler said. “I don’t have any good feeling about eliminating somebody’s job. Never have, never will. But sometimes you’ve got to do the job that you got.

“I’ve tossed and turned over this for the past few months,” he added. “It’s the right thing to do. Period.

DeGidio also said he felt the board did the right thing.

“I take these issues seriously,” DeGidio said. “I think we did the right thing.”

Irish cited several recent occurrences that he felt “dictated a change in leadership,” including Gallagher’s decision to keep the office open during a level 3 snow emergency and her disregard of a board decision regarding an email access policy.

“I think we just needed a change,” Irish said. “Gallagher was not a good fit for our office. The staff morale was bad in the office and I think it was affecting productivity. And I think she wasn’t working well with the board as well.”

Rothenbuhler and Irish said they are cautiously optimistic the transition will be smooth.

“I always hope for smooth,” Rothenbuhler said. “I’m a person that believes in a glass is half full and I’d like to fill it up. But we’ll see.”

Irish said he hopes the change will help in the long-run, but predicted things may remain tense in the short-term.

“I think it was one important step for us to take,” Irish said. “I certainly hope it improves things. I think in the short run, things will probably be a little tough. I think [Stainbrook’s] a little angry at this time, but hopefully over time we get back to what we’re supposed to be doing and running elections.”

Baumhower: The celebration of 1 in 88

By
Jeremy Baumhower
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I knew he was different. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at things. I could see it in the way he played and by his inability to communicate with us verbally. My son was not like any other child I had seen before.

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My son was and is still obsessive. He would play with very specific things in a very specific way and in a very repetitive manner. At around 2 years old his favorite toy was the vacuum cleaner, not because of the noise it generated but because of its power cord. He was just as interested in the AV cords that connected the TV with the cable box on the back of the set as he was with watching “Thomas the Tank Engine” on the front.

He would run, hop or skip in a circle for extended periods of time as a way to calm himself. The most troubling thing we witnessed was how he reacted to discipline and being told that he wasn’t allowed to do something. It was a constant test. If we kept everything status quo then everything with him was status quo. If we tried to change even the slightest of routines or attempt a new food, all hell would break loose. He could be inconsolable.

For almost three years I thought and hoped my son would grow out of whatever was making him different, that he would become a “normal” boy, whatever that was. He never did. Looking back 10 years, I cannot imagine him being anyone other than who he is and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am blessed to see his gift for what it is, not for the stigmas that can be associated with it.

The only thing I knew about my son’s diagnosis was what I had seen in the movie “Rain Man.”But Dustin Hoffman’s character was nothing like my son. It was confusing. I have since educated myself and choose to see these six letters differently.

I refuse to label my son with a word that sounds like an affliction, because it is anything but. This does affect 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys. The word itself represents a diagnosis I believe is often misunderstood. I choose to see the beauty in the way these kids see things. My son’s brain is a gift — not a disorder.

One of these children is going to change the world because they didn’t allow emotion into the thought process or they will see something we all have missed.

The first course of action after a diagnosis was putting my son in a 30-day extensive intervention program. He had just turned 4 years old. Following this month-long course was one of the first times where I saw progress and felt a connection to my son.

This is where Project iAm makes an impact in Northwest Ohio.

Project iAm is for families like mine. The organization raises monies to help offset the cost of therapy and intervention programs for families dealing with these gifted children. All the monies raised stay here in Northwest Ohio and help local families.

One of the things that instantly drew me to Project iAm is how they incorporate music. Bands like The Killers, Green Day and Imagine Dragons have been used by my son as a calming mechanism ever since he was able to walk and hop in a circle. I have no understanding why but it’s been a miraculous tool.

Project iAm’s Acoustics for Autism happens March 9 at the Village Idiot in Maumee. It’s not just a fundraiser but rather a celebration for families with gifted children like mine. It is one of my favorite days of the year because the Village Idiot is packed like St. Patrick’s Day. The music performed is inspired, cold drinks are plenty and the atmosphere is so full of love it swells your heart.

Something magical happens in Maumee during Acoustics for Autism. The faces of those who attend hurt from smiling, our voices are strained from the constant singalongs, our feet ache from the dancing and our wallets are emptied but no one ever complains.

It has evolved into something more than an event. It’s a happening, it’s a moment. It’s beautiful.

Come and join me and experience the peace, love and understanding of Project iAm and our community. The money this day raises will help future families, possibly even yours.

It’s for the kids, man.

For more information, please visit www.aboutprojectiam.com.

Find Jeremy Baumhower on Facebook or Twitter @jeremytheproduc.

Local family turns random act of kindness into fundraising effort

By
Jeff
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When 8-year-old Myles Eckert found a $20 bill in a Maumee restaurant parking lot last month, he had no idea that simple act would lead to national attention.

Myles Eckert. Photo courtesy CBS

The Waterville boy’s first thought was to use the money toward a video game. But when he spotted a man in uniform eating lunch, he decided to give it to him instead, along with a note.

“Dear Soldier,” the note read. “My dad was a soldier. He’s in heaven now. I found this 20 dollars in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family. It’s your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid.”

The recipient was Lt. Col. Frank Dailey, a 27-year military veteran serving with the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.

Dailey, a Bowsher High School graduate who now lives in Perrysburg, was out to lunch on Feb. 7 with his wife, Lisa, and their 8-month-old grandson.

“My back was to the Eckert family as my wife and I sat at the table,” Dailey said. “Myles made a couple attempts to hand me his note, but he didn’t get very far and I think he got shy. My wife said, ‘Hey, I think this young kid wants to give you something, but he seems to be shy about it.’ Shortly after that, Tiffany, his mother, handed me the note and said, ‘Myles would like to give this to you.’

“They went back to their table and I opened the note and found a $20 bill in there. I thought, ‘Wow,’ and then proceeded to read it and it was just heart-melting immediately.

“Reading the note, he expresses that his father was a soldier and he’s in heaven now,” Dailey said. “But you can’t really discern what that’s about until the very bottom when you find his name and he states he’s a gold star kid. That immediately clued me in on how his father had died.”

Myles’ father, 24-year-old Army Sgt. Gary “Andy” Eckert Jr., was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on May 8, 2005, during his second tour of duty. Myles was just 4 weeks old and his sister Marlee was 20 months old.

The Daileys took a photo of the note and shared it with their daughter, who posted it on Facebook.

“We just thought, ‘Boy, this is just a neat story,’” Dailey said. “What a thrill this whole thing was. We shared it with our daughter, who placed it on Facebook and from there it just went gangbusters.”

Dailey and the Eckert family have since been interviewed by Steve Hartman of CBS and the story has been shared on social media more than half a million times.

“Our intent was to share it with friends and family that we had a pretty nice day and here’s why and that was that,” Dailey said. “So holy cow, I’m blown over.”

Dailey said he keeps the note on his dresser, where he looks at it regularly.

He said he took the $20 and paid it forward to someone else, but declined to share who or how.

“I think I’m going to leave that one discreet,” Dailey said. “I did it anonymously.”

Tiffany Eckert had no idea her son’s random act of kindness would generate so much attention. But when it did, the family was inundated with inquiries on how to send Myles money or video games.

Instead, they decided to redirect the requests to a fundraising website called Crowdtilt. The Eckert family set up an account so donations will go to a charity called Snowball Express.

Founded in 2006, Snowball Express provides “hope and new happy memories to the children of military fallen heroes who have died while on active duty since 9/11.”

The group offers the children a four-day experience filled with fun activities, like sporting events, dances, amusement parks and more, according to its website.

Myles and Marlee have both participated in Snowball Express events.

“What Snowball does for Marlee, Myles, & their gold star friends is life changing,” Eckert posted on the site. “We are thrilled at the opportunity to give back to an organization that means so much to us. Seeing people give to Snowball would mean so much more to all of us than any video game ever could. Myles isn’t the only little guy out there that’s hugging a headstone. This will benefit some of the others. Thank you!!”

In a recent Toledo Free Press guest column, Eckert wrote about how much she misses her late husband.

“He was a father, a husband, a son, a brother and a friend,” she wrote. “He was an athlete. He was a comedian. He was kind. He was handsome. He was so many things. No matter how much time passes, he’s going to be missed. He’s missed every Christmas. He will be missed at our daughter’s wedding, when our son graduates college, when our grandchildren are born.

“I didn’t think that our ‘normal’ would include my kids asking to make trips to the cemetery to show their dad their sports uniforms or talk to a headstone about a really big day that had just transpired. The reality of our situation is that when we want to share the moments in life that others take for granted, we have to do so in front of a large slab of granite.”

Since the exchange, Dailey has become friends with Myles and the Eckert family. They email almost daily and recently met for dinner.

Dailey said he’s glad to see that the Eckerts are continuing to pay it forward.

“They are just a wonderful family,” Dailey said. “That’s really nice that for the rest of the story that happens to be continuing.”

To donate, visit https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/myles-marlee-eckert-want-you-to-pay-it-forward.

From Idol to Idiot: One man’s journey bringing Green Day’s hit songs to Toledo on March 2.

By
Toledo Free Press
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‘American Idiot’ will be at Stranahan Theater March 2. Photo courtesy Quincy Kreps.

In 2004, Green Day released the song “American Idiot,” a song criticizing the state of the United States under then President George W. Bush.

“When it was written, it was that post 9/11, Bush era with sort of high paranoia and fear with all the propaganda being spit out,” cast member Carson Higgins said.

The song appeared on the album of the same title along with hits “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,”

“Holiday” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” The rock opera went on to win the Grammy

Award for Best Rock Album and, five years later, was made into a musical by Michael Mayer, known for “Spring Awakening.”

“‘American Idiot’ felt so complete to me,” Mayer said in an interview with RollingStone magazine. “[It] has a huge emotional arc. There was an amazing narrative that was, at times, perplexing and ambiguous, but also so full of possibilities with a multitude of voices. Some of the songs – I heard them as dialogue.”

The show will rock into the Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on March 3. The show is 90 minutes with no intermission.

“It’s the most physically demanding show I think you could even be in, apart from Cirque du Soleil,” Higgins said.

Higgins said the production has a story arch and characters, more like a musical than a concert. The show follows a group of suburban youths unhappy with the state of their home in Jingletown, USA, and makes their way to city life. The show deals with pregnancy, drugs and war.

St. Jimmy, played by Higgins, is a drug dealer character from the album’s sixth track. The role was once played on Broadway by Melissa Etheridge, “The Voice” contestant Tony Vincent and Green Day’s own Billie Joe Armstrong.

“He’s very much the rock star of the show,” Higgins said. “There’s a whole musical going on, I like to think, and then all of a sudden it’s the St. Jimmy show every once in a while.

“Literally, he comes out and he’s just very exciting and in your face,” Higgins said. “He kind of gets to break the fourth wall every once in a while … what’s not to like? I get to wear these awesome costumes and come out and sing some badass songs.”

Higgins has always been a fan of Green Day; the first album he’s ever owned was their 1994 release “Dookie.”

When “American Idiot” came out, Higgins said he remembers listening to the album, while delivering pizzas, thinking it would make a good musical.

“The second song on the album is ‘Jesus of Suburbia,’ and it’s like a nine-minute song. I was listening to it and I was like ‘God, this should be on a stage,’” Higgins said.

Higgins has been in the cast since 2012, working his way up from the ensemble to his current role. He’s traveled all over the world, including across America, Europe and Japan.

Some may notice Higgins, from Malibu, California, as a contestant from “American Idol,” who then-judge Steven Tyler, from Aerosmith, said about him “if we bottled your fire, we could light all of LA.”

“At the time, I was more nervous to be in front of J. Lo because she was so strikingly gorgeous,” Higgins said. “I had a crush on her when I was younger.”

Higgins got the idea to audition for the show from the kids at a beach camp he worked at as a counselor.

His goal was to just have his audition aired on television so the kids could see it.

“So when I went, they just kept saying yes,” he said. “I never, in a million years, thought I was going to make it into Hollywood week.”

He is glad he did “American Idol” because it opened doors for “American Idiot.”

“It taught me a lot about myself,” he said.

Tickets for the show start at $28 and are available online at theaterleague.com and stranahantheater.com, by visiting the box office or by calling 419-381-8851.

Higgins said the message of the show resonates with people of all ages, given the mature content.

“By the end of the show, what I found personally and [by] talking to people who’ve seen [it], they’re really kind of taken aback in the fact that the message winds up being that America is whatever you want it to be and you have to fight make it what you want it to be,” Higgins said. “It isn’t necessarily the

America that was sold to us when we were younger. This cookie-cutter, white picket fence American family is a minority and a rarity now-a-days … America has changed forever post 9/11.”

Leadership Toledo aims to nurture new generations of servant leaders

By
Jay Hathaway
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A group of adult Leadership Toledo members participate in a team-building and thought exercise. Photo courtesy Leadership Toledo.

Perhaps some of us are born leaders, but even those who seem to be genetically predisposed to leading others must undergo a nurturing process. Leadership Toledo has made it its mission to provide that service, from youth and continuing into adulthood.

The organization has become known for its programs like Youth in Philanthropy Encouraging Excellence (YIPEE), Youth Leadership Toledo and Students in Action, as well as Community Leadership Toledo (its adult program) and its annual fundraiser Restaurant Week Toledo.

This year’s adult program is currently in the midst of a nine-month series of classes, tours and brainstorming sessions aimed at giving adults of all ages the necessary tools and knowledge to serve their communities.

Leadership Toledo Executive Director Dave Schlaudecker, a former lawyer for Owens Corning, has been with the organization for 13 years. He described the humble beginnings and transformation of the small group that is now a formidable community presence.

“Leadership Toledo started over 35 years ago, when a group got together at a restaurant, ‘My Brother’s Place,’ above Trinity Episcopal Church on Adams Street, where our offices are located today,” Schlaudecker said. “They thought that there should be some opportunity to get together and learn more about Toledo, and figure out how to serve it.”

The lunches turned into half-day sessions, and by 1980, it developed into a full-on “servant leadership” program called ToledoScape, which was later renamed Leadership Toledo.

“That turned into a bit of the model that other cities used in taking participants through eight- or nine-month programs that expose them to all kinds of different aspects of the region, [like] the history of the region, issues facing the region, things that need help, areas that work well, poverty and criminal justice,” Schlaudecker said.

The organization started looking for those who wanted to become involved in the community, especially outside of the political arena.

Schlaudecker noted that Leadership Toledo seeks out those who want to become involved with nonprofit organizations, raise funds and look for opportunities to volunteer for community projects.

“A hallmark of what the program has with it is the opportunity for each classmate to be involved in a project in the community that would benefit a not-for-profit,” he said.

Schlaudecker said Leadership Toledo has served 80 different nonprofits over the years, helping with issues like identity, branding and mergers.

“It teaches [people] how to work with a nonprofit, and to work with each other in a very different setting.”

In the hierarchy of a nonprofit, everyone is essentially equal, so one must find ways to become a “servant leader” of the organization, Schlaudecker said.

Testimony

Anthony Ruth, area director for N2 Publishing, initially became acquainted with Leadership Toledo by consultation.

“They needed some help with some things, and they reached out to me, because I had some expertise with printing and a few other things,” he said. “Long story short, I fell in love with what they were doing, and I decided to become a member of the 2013-14 class.”

Ruth said that, though he was excited to jump into the program, he was not sure what he was getting into.

“I literally had no clue. As soon as I found out what they were really about, I couldn’t wait to get involved, primarily because I love Toledo. I’m passionate about Toledo.”

Ruth’s passion for his city helped him recognize the importance of programs like Leadership Toledo.

“If we support an organization like Leadership Toledo, and we put sincere energy into educating our business leaders through this program, in the long term, it can really change the psychological dynamic that is in this town.”

Ruth added that the “energy is right,” but there is still a need for investors to take Downtown and the city to the next level.

“We need to get over that hump to where we can get significant investors. We do have some who have already put their money where their mouth is and done what they can do to redevelop real estate into beautiful establishments. But on a large scale, we’re still not there yet.”

“Hopefully, the youthful energy that has come in as of late will continue to get over that hump,” he added. “Leadership Toledo, in my opinion, plays a vital role to achieve that end.”

Ruth cited the “Servant Leadership” session as one of his favorites so far.

“Instead of dictating from the top down how things are going to be, it really takes a new approach and asks the question, ‘How much more successful can we be as a community and in our personal lives, if we look at leadership as an opportunity to serve those who support us?’”

Sarah Beavers, executive director at the Eastern Maumee Bay Chamber of Commerce, found out about Leadership Toledo through a fellow board member, who invited her to a leadership breakfast.

The encounter prompted some research and opinion-gathering, and soon, Beavers asked the Chamber to back her in attending this year’s class.

“My overall impression is that this organization is such a well-oiled machine,” said Beavers, a member of this year’s class. “Dave and his staff all have such a wealth of knowledge that is immeasurable.”

Beavers said that, like Ruth, her favorite session was “Servant Leadership.”

“I found it very insightful, seeing that I report to a board,” Beavers said. “I learned so much of how I need to communicate in order to make my board and organization thrive.”

Beavers added that Leadership Toledo provides benefits for participants on both a professional and personal level.

“Professionally, it is helping me guide my chamber in the direction I feel is needed. It has given me ideas that I never would have considered prior, and has inspired me, personally, to want to give back as much as I can.”

Aaron Phillips, a program director at the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, saw Leadership Toledo as an opportunity to reach out and develop new relationships in the community.

“I was actually looking for networking opportunities, and after a meeting at home, and then looking them up online, I submitted my application, and was accepted as their first student for the class of 2013-14.”

Phillips said that his initial goals for the program were quickly reached.

“I thought it was pretty cool. There were enough people in the program that I knew several people in our class, walking in, but I [quickly] made a dozen connections with people I never met before.”

Phillips said he enjoyed the day-long session dedicated to health care because it pertains to his field, but noted another session that benefitted him, personally.

“The Tour of Toledo was a really fun day. We started at the top floor of the Fifth Third Building, and got a visual tour of how some of the neighborhoods in Toledo were created,” Phillips said. “We [also] visited some spots in Toledo that I never even knew existed.”

Schlaudecker said the tour is always among the most popular with participants and one of his favorites as well.

“It is just a fascinating day. We talk about the great leaders of our community, and what they did,” Schlaudecker said.

The tour highlights some of the original great Toledo families like the Secors, the Trilbys and the Stranahans, as well as lesser-known families like the Gunckels, who started the Boys & Girls Club of Toledo.

“We bring that around to current people who are doing wonderful things in the community,” Schlaudecker said. “Those are the kinds of things that open people’s eyes to what is going on right now.”

Class participants will also get the chance to experience a poverty immersion program provided by the United Way.

“You get a huge feel for the desperateness of the super-poor, without it being over-dramatic,” Schlaudecker said. “It is reality based.”

Schlaudecker added that the variety of topics tackled in Leadership Toledo sessions are part of what makes it effective.

“At the end of the day, what I want is for a class member to say, ‘Wow, I really learned something about Northwest Ohio, our problems, our opportunities, and this is somewhere I want to put my efforts into,’ or maybe they don’t, but they will after the next class,” Schlaudecker said. “That is why we try to offer a really broad spectrum in our programming.”

Youthful Energy

According to Phillips, friendships and connections have been a great benefit of the adult program, but the youth program, which follows a similar curriculum, is a primary strength of Leadership Toledo.

“That is really what the program is about — supporting the youth leadership program, and meeting some of the talented students, spending the day with them, and having great conversations with them.”

Schlaudecker was also eager to point out the importance of the youth program.

“About 17 years ago, the people in Leadership began to ask, ‘If this program is working so well for adults, shouldn’t we be trying to do something for the youth?’” he said.

After an initial rejection, it was picked up the next year, and soon a leadership development program for sophomores in high school evolved.

“[Sophomores] are acclimated to high school, and if we hit them [then], we still have two more years to help them influence their high school,” Schlaudecker said.

One of the strengths of the youth programs is they are tuition free, open to any student from any high school associated with the program. Annual fundraisers like Restaurant Week Toledo help cover the costs.

Participating high schools nominate students by various processes, then send names to Leadership Toledo. Names are then reviewed and one or two students from each school are invited to apply. Each year, Leadership Toledo selects 50-55 spots from 34 different area high schools.

“We’re not looking, necessarily, for the president of the student class,” Schlaudecker said. “We love to get those who have so much potential, and they haven’t quite hit it yet, so we can help bring them up to the next level.”

Schlaudecker said that this type of nurturing will help to form a new generation of servant leaders in Toledo.

“All this is based on service to our community.”

For more information about Leadership Toledo, visit leadershiptoledo.org.

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