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Vintage car show to feature classic originals

By
Erin Holden
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Fans of classic cars won’t want to miss the second annual Toledo Vintage Car Show this month.
The July 21, 2012, show will feature vehicles at least 30 years old and at least 90 percent original, said show chairman George Louthan, director of the Northwest Ohio Region Cadillac & LaSalle Club.
“None of the other shows in Toledo have that,” said Louthan, who plans to display his 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible at the show. “All the shows in Toledo are what I call combined shows. You have restored cars, original cars, street rods, street machines, muscle cars — just about everything imaginable that’s collectible in the way of an automobile. It’s a little bit unfair to the original cars. They don’t attract attention like the guy with $5,000 worth of chrome on his engine. This show was conceived last year to recognize and feature the original and restored cars of past eras. People like to see cars how they were from when they were manufactured, and this show is dedicated to that.”
The show is set for 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 21 at the Margaret L. Hunt Senior Center, 2121 Garden Lake Place, in South Toledo near the intersection of Arlington and South  Detroit avenues. Admission is free. Registration is from 9-11 a.m. Cost to display a car is $12 with preregistration by July 14 or $15 on the day of the show. Those who preregister will also get one free lunch.

Registration forms are available at the senior center, Beverly Auto Care at 3734 S. Detroit Ave. or by contacting Louthan at (419) 382- 7820 or [email protected]. The rain date is July 22.
There will be eight categories: 1927 and earlier, 1928-1934, 1935-1940, 1941-1948, 1949 1954, 1955-1960, 1961-1970 and 1971-1982.
New this year will be three categories for vehicles that appear stock, but have modern updates: vintage trucks(1910-1982), vintage sports cars (1910-1982) and modified stocks (1910-1982). Trophies will be awarded in each class as well as first-, second- and third-place trophies for best of show.
The show will also feature a DJ playing music from the 1920s through the 1960s, a 50-50 raffle, door prizes, vendor booths and more. Lunch will be available inside the senior center.
Proceeds from the show will go toward programming at the senior center as well as to local nonprofit Students for Other Students (SOS).

SOS is a peer-to-peer mentoring program started by Toledo area entrepreneur Ford Cauffiel, a member of several area vintage car clubs who owns about 20 classic cars. Cauffiel started SOS in Perrysburg in 1989. The program is now used in 21 school districts in six states, including Toledo Public Schools, Perrysburg Schools, Springfield Local Schools and Evergreen Local Schools.
“It’s a very simple program,” Cauffiel said. “We pay children to tutor other children. The idea is based on a highly efficient, cost-effective way of improving public education.
A struggling child will listen to another child before they will listen to an adult in many instances. The tutor gets as much out of it as the tutee. It gives the tutor an opportunity to make a little money and at the same time raises self-esteem. It’s great to watch a child learn and grow.”
Cauffiel said older people especially enjoy the vintage car show. “Senior citizens like to go back in time. They like to see the old cars. Old cars bring back old memories. It’s a form of history and art. It’s a form of connecting with the past,” Cauffiel said.
“There’s a lot of history in these different automobile companies. I enjoy the technology of the cars — how it’s improved and different technological advancements made over time.”
Supporting local clubs include Buick, Cadillac and LaSalle, Classic Chevrolet, Model A, Pontiac Oakland and Veteran Car Club, but the show is open to any make or model.
Sponsors include Taylor Cadillac, Cauffiel Industries and Beverly Auto Care. For more information, visit gotutor.org/index.shtml.

Glass City Gourmet: Registry Bistro welcome addition to downtown

By
Toledo Free Press
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Registry Bistro is at 144 N. Superior St. in downtown Toledo. www.registrybistro.com

Registry Bistro, on the first floor of the renovated Secor Hotel, is another great addition to Downtown Toledo’s renaissance of attractions, special events and nightlife.
Erica Rapp, Chef de Cuisine, burst onto the Toledo dining scene with a handsome and minimalist space featuring a changing menu of New American Cuisine. For the uninitiated, New American Cuisine started in California as French-trained American chefs began incorporating fresh, local, seasonal ingredients along with more global influences to update American cooking.
Chef Rapp trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and hasa devoted audience in Toledo from her previous roles as the Executive Chef at the Toledo Museum of Art and at Diva Restaurant.

Unlike Diva, Registry is a bistro, an inviting place with a moderately priced menu that demonstrates the chef’s creativity with a focus on seasonal ingredients.
My dining companions and I started the meal with the Nibbles and Nosh. We enjoyed the Scotch Olives with Saffron Aioli ($8), Sprout and Fennel Roll with Smoked Brook Trout and a Verjus-Yuzu Dipping Sauce ($7). We also had Bistro Frites with cracked pepper and sea salt ($4) served with a Moody Blue Fondue.

The Moody Blue Fondue is a smooth, creamy and delicate blend of four cheeses that creates a single harmonious flavor, making a generous portion of crispy French fries quickly disappear.
The Scotch Olives are a take on Scotch eggs with hearty green olives stuffed with herbed goat cheese, surrounded by chorizo and coated with bread crumbs before being deep fried.
Sounds absurd. Tastes delicious. Especially when consumed with a Dirty Dill ($8), one of Registry Bistro’s signature cocktails. The Dirty Dill includes Hendricks gin, dry vermouth and a cornichon stuffed olive. All three of the appetizers were artfully plated and brought both original and subtle flavor combinations.
Moving on, we selected the Mixed Field Green Salad with Smoked Blue Cheese featuring Lacquered Walnuts and a citrus dill vinaigrette ($4). This is a plate of mesclun leaves with blue cheese and spiced walnuts, candied in maple syrup. While the citrus and dill flavors of the dressing are imperceptible, the candied walnuts are a sweet contrast to the sharpness of blue cheese. The Spice Lacquered Walnuts may be ordered as an appetizer for $5.
The night we dined at Registry Bistro, the day’s market soup ($5) was an elegant vichyssoise. Normally pureed and chilled potato soup, was prepared instead with sunchokes and a sprinkle of roasted duck confit that leaves a hint of orange rind. It takes hours of prep work to be able to make a soup with this complexity.
Chef Rapp’s talent lies in seamlessly balancing all of the tastes into one extraordinary flavor.

Part of the thrill of New American Cuisine is trying something unpredictable. While sitting at the bar another evening having a cocktail, one diner could be heard commenting on the Butcher’s Board with Charcuterie & Savory Cheesecake ($15),
“I’ve never even heard of any of these meats before, but they are all delicious,” the guest said.

This is the right attitude. Put yourself in Chef Rapp’s capable hands and try something that
defies your imagination.
The entrees are divided between “Light Fare” and “Main” and offer a range of game, fish, fowl and vegetarian dishes. They are priced between a $10 Midwest Meatloaf Burger with bacon jam served with brioche and frites and a $25 Hanger Steak with black garlic and butter presented with smoked roasted potatoes with bacon.

I ordered the Pan Roasted Corvina, a white fish similar to sea bass (aka corvina drum), with cannellini beans served with braised fennel and dandelion greens.
One of my tablemates ordered the Rabbit Potpie with carrots and English peas and the third ordered Pot Roast Ravioli that was also served with braised vegetables.

The entrees we ordered were all delicious. For my taste, salt overpowered the broth served over both the fish and the ravioli entrees.
I would like to see the summer menu place a greater emphasis on crisp and colorful summer vegetables, fresh garden herbs and main courses that are grilled or seared rather than braised or roasted. As the heat index surges above 90, I’d love to try Chef Rapp’s take on ceviche or maybe her preparation of a fresh catch from the Great Lakes. She can go back to potpie, fondue and pot roast as well as assorted wild game with earthy, roasted vegetables in the fall.

For those with dietary restrictions, the menu is well marked for vegetarian and gluten-free diets.
There is, of course, a great selection of homemade desserts. For $9, you may have a sampling of the sweets. My favorite is the rich and creamy chocolate stout and pretzel tart.
Chef Rapp does an outstanding job creating a comprehensive and food-friendly wine list. Wines range from “Old World” European red, white, rose, champagne and sparkling to “New World” varietals.

Wine may be ordered by the glass, by the bottle or in a half-bottle served in a whimsical vessel that reminds me of a glass beaker in a science lab. Our waiter, Brian, was engaging and knowledgeable about the wines and
food pairings.

The service at Registry Bistro is still a little clumsy but bears the hallmarks of proper training. I suspect it will continue to get even better as everyone becomes more comfortable with the shape of the dining room and the new menu.
Impress a date or client with Toledo’s sophistication, rekindle a romance, or just come on your own to discover the sensuality of New American Cuisine with a dinner at Registry Bistro. It’s a great place for a light bite before or after an evening at Huntington Center, Fifth Third Field, the Peristyle, the museum or the Valentine Theatre.

If you come with an open mind and an appetite for adventure, you will not be disappointed.

The Glass City Gourmet blogs at www.glasscitygourmet.blogspot.com.

Restaurants team for Aug. 8, 2012, Make-A-Wish benefit

By
Brigitta Burks
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About 30 Toledo restaurants will offer a chance to sample their delicacies at the Make-A-Wish Holland Gardens Night Out on Aug. 8.
“There’s just a good vibe about the whole event,” said Ellie McManus, development officer for Make-A-Wish of Northwest Ohio. “It’s so grassroots that it’s like a movement. It’s so cool.”
Lynne Carroll, life enrichment director for Arbors at Sylvania, organizes the event and gets restaurants to come on board. She started the first event in 2006 after encountering a distraught woman at Kroger.
“She was sobbing,” Carroll recalled.
Carroll learned the woman’s child had osteosarcoma, a bone tumor.
“Being a parent myself I was like, ‘What can I do?’” Carroll said. Since then, she has worked tirelessly in support of Make-A-Wish.

The organization is behind on granting 80 wishes, so community events like Carroll’s are a big help, McManus said.
“We’ve been encouraging community members to host events to raise funds to benefit Make-A-Wish,” she said. “[Carroll’s] just such a hard worker and so loyal and dedicated and she’ll just do anything to make it successful.”
The last event raised about $15,000, a number Carroll hopes to double.
Each wish costs about $7,500 with airfare being a major expense.
“I want to grant as many wishes as possible,” Carroll said. A suggested donation of $10 at the door is recommended for the event, which will also feature a cash bar, entertainment and an auction offering hotel stays, private dinners, massages and jewelry,
The participating restaurants range from independent Toledo eateries like Rockwell’s, ICE Restaurant and Bar and Bar 145 to national chains like Panera Bread, Applebee’s and Don Pablo’s.
“This is up there with Taste of the Nation, without $150 to get in,” Carroll said.
Applebee’s will present Make-A-Wish with about $9,000 raised from its Make-A-Wish star promo, where customers could purchase paper stars after their meals.
“Applebee’s is so better than spectacular to us,” McManus said.
Don Pablo’s also has a special promotion where any extra change thrown in the courtyard fountains of the Mexican restaurants is donated to Make-A-Wish. This raises about $100 every month.
According to studies, children whose wishes are granted perform better and accept their medical treatment better, McManus said. Recently granted wishes include a girl swimming with dolphins and a boy who wanted his own special space.

“We did a huge room redo. The whole basement had a room redone for him, kind of like a man/boy cave. He loves it,” McManus said. She estimated that her chapter has granted about 70 wishes this year.
Carroll has a new understanding of Make-A-Wish parents. Last year, her then 23-year-old daughter, Amy Radecki, returned from a trip with a painful neck and shoulders and a swollen left arm. She was diagnosed with a rare condition with an extra rib pinching an artery, which caused blood clots.
She is now OK after treatment, but Carroll said, “Now I really know how parents feel because I almost lost my own daughter last year.”
The support of Carroll and the restaurants means a lot to Make-A-Wish, McManus said. “Northwest Ohio is just amazing. It’s such a giving and kind, roll-up-your-sleeves kind of place to live and I’m just so proud of all of the assistance that we get. It just means so much to us,” she said.
Make-A-Wish Holland Gardens Night Out is 6-8 p.m. Aug. 8, 2012, at Holland Gardens, 6530 Angola Road. To become involved with your own event, contact McManus at EllieM@ makeawishohio.org.

Treece: Understanding your 401(k), your second-largest asset

By
Ben Treece
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For the average working family, their 401(k) plan is the second largest asset that they own, aside from their home. It provides them with an opportunity for future savings and a substantial source of income during their retirement years. In some cases, a 401(k) may be the only plan for retirement that a family has. Unfortunately, many 401(k) plans have failed their participants for a litany of reasons.
A company establishes a 401(k) plan strictly for the benefit of its employees. An attractive 401(k) will make a company more competitive when looking for new employees.
Many plans will encourage savings by offering matching contributions up to a certain percentage. Unfortunately, many of these same plans have failed to provide their participants with the guidance they need for a successful retirement, a deficit which could be devastating to their futures.
A common trend in the 401(k) industry over the past two decades has been the creation of an investing “easy button.” One way this perception has been advanced is through the sales of target date funds such as “Retirement 2020” funds.
These funds serve more as products and less as investments.

The idea behind offering these funds is simple; if a participant can easily see a fund closely catered to his or her retirement goals, then the adviser does not need to be present to assist in a self-explanatory choice.
If participants were approached regularly by their advisers, they would know that these funds tend to have a high exposure to bonds, which is a foolish investment when interest rates are at historic lows.

If advisors were doing right by those whom they are privileged to serve, they would offer a vast array of products and make themselves present on a regular basis to explain the pros and cons of each investment. Sadly, few participants know what funds they are even invested in, let alone who their adviser is.
We have been warning 401(k) sponsors and participants for months to keep an eye out for fee disclosures that regulators have told advisers to release by Aug. 1, 2012. Many participants do not know exactly how much they are paying in fees and what these fees pay for.
It is my opinion that once plan sponsors and participants receive these disclosures, they will be appalled by how high their fees are, how their fees have been layered to appear lower, and by how much their adviser is earning while rarely making an appearance to answer their questions. These fees are often negotiated without the participants having asay in how much they should pay or what the fees go toward.
All 401(k) participants should do their part to educate themselves if they are feeling neglected by their plan adviser. Seek the advice of an outside professional; many will even sit down with you and explain what you have free of charge. If you are wary about looking for advice outside of your plan, speak with your Human Resources (HR) Department and ask them for assistance. If your co-workers feel the same, voice your frustrations within the company. Remember, these
plans exist for your benefit.

If you do not feel that you are benefiting, then it is time for a change. Plan advisers and administrators can usually be changed with minimal work on the part of the sponsor within one month, if done properly. In today’s economic environment, your 401(k) is an incredibly valuable asset that requires careful attention in order to maximize your future earnings.
Take a moment, whether it is on your own time, with HR or with another professional, and analyze exactly what you have, and if it meets your expectations. If you are unhappy with your fund options, service or fees, it might be time to start asking questions and seeking better answers.
Ben Treece is a 2009 graduate from the University of Miami (Fla.), BBA International Finance and Marketing. He is a partner with Treece Investment Advisory Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and a stockbroker licensed with FINRA, working for Treece Financial Services Corp. The above information is the express opinion of Ben Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Rathbun: Just the facts, Ma’am

By
Gary Rathbun
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Almost every day, as I prepare for various radio shows, I read headlines with the words “unexpected” or “surprise” in them. It seems that just about every piece of data that is released, the actual outcome is different from what the experts or certainly the reporters were planning on.
So why is everything a surprise? Why didn’t anyone see the result coming, especially when the data makes sense after the fact? My experience tells me there are a couple of reasons why.
The first reason is that so many of the articles written today are based on surveying or polling economists or other experts. Often I will see a headline that says something to the effect, that consumers “probably” increased purchases last month according to the expertssurveyed. Probably? How can you make a decision for a portfolio today based on information that contains the word “probably?”
Now I ask myself, what is the purpose of this story when nothing is based on facts but rather a group of opinions? If the actual data comes out and doesn’t match the average of the economists surveyed, then it is a surprise. Economists participate because if they get close to predicting correctly they get quoted in the article.
Second, it seems some of these writers have to print something because they get paid for writing and other websites are doing the same thing. It seems a shame that we have come to the point where a story needs to be put out even if there is incomplete information as the premise.
The point I’m trying to make is that while the market reacts to headlines, it is important that your decisions are based on facts. The strategy you develop is the one you need to stay with no matter what the headlines say.
The market itself has gotten away from using to determine pricing. Everything lately has been based on whether or not the news is bad enough to warrant additional quantitative easing from the Federal Reserve. If fundamentals mean nothing then all you are investingin is the betting on the actions of a small group of men and women at the Fed.
Scary thought.
One of the problems with sticking with fundamentals in a “bad news is good news” world is that good fundamentals are often seen as bad news. In the end, however, good fundamentals will always make for a good long-term investment. Today, for example, we are looking at blue chip companies that have consistent, or increasing dividends and very little, if any, debt.
Also, we look at companies that will continue to survive in an inflationary environment. No matter how bad the economy gets there are certain things that people will always purchase.
Toothpaste, toilet paper and deodorant (we hope they continue buying anyway) are examples of products that are needed during recessionary times. Drugs (the legal kind) and overall health care companies are usually strong in recessionary times, at least for a while yet.
And, finally, food and energy, will always be in demand regardless of economic conditions. These are tough times to invest with confidence especially when companies are doing things that violate our trust. Instead of companies being too big to fail, I am starting to believe that there are some companies that are too big to trust.
Gary L. Rathbun is the president and CEO of Private Wealth Consultants, LTD.

Common plant offers remedy for spider bites

By
Marie Eye
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By MARIE EYE

After waking up one morning with an itchy ankle, I looked down and saw two distinct red fang marks about one-sixteenth of an inch apart. I nonchalantly assumed aspider had gotten me during the night.
Then it became very itchy. Two days passed and it became even more itchy! When I looked next, yellow blisters had formed and the whole bite area had become bright red. Black tissue started to appear in the center of the wound — dead cells, called necrosis.

At that point, the itch was out of control and I could feel an annoying sting in the deeper tissues.
Concerned, I started researching. In this area, only a few spiders can cause that kind of skin damage, including the brown recluse and the wolf spider. Wolf spiders are very unlikely to end up in your bed at night because they are mostly garden spiders. Brown recluses, onthe other hand, tend to roam in search of food and can accidentally end up in bedsheets or a shoe.

Because of our climate, they are rare; however, due to this year’s warm winter, it would not be a stretch to assume their population has grown. All the indications were there, so I researched what to do based on this assumption.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying calm. That’s a start. It then advises identifying the type of spider if it is possible to do so safely. In my  case, it was not possible. The CDC then recommends washing the bite area with soap and water and doing a simple first aid technique called the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), with specific instructions to not attempt to remove venom. Of course, the CDC also advises seeking professional medical attention immediately.
It all seemed like sound advice, but I wanted to know more. I wanted to stop the progression of the venom before it did too much damage. It soon became clear that modern medicine does not have an answer.

There is no known antidote for the brown recluse bite in America, and those bitten must simply let the venom take its course, watching the area closely and keeping the wound clean to prevent secondary infection.
I called a friend, a specialist in herbal remedies, who told me to use the plantain weed. I followed my friend’s instructions. I made a poultice — chew a leaf, apply the chewed leaf to the bite and bandage it. It is supposed to work by pulling the poison out of the wound, so the sooner you use it the better.
Miracle! In less than a minute, the itch and the sting disappeared and I was left with a peaceful and refreshing sensation on my ankle. I spent the next three days chewing plantain and applying it to the bite.
It didn’t take all the darkened cells out immediately but it definitely removed the swelling and drained the blisters. I can proudly say now, 11 days later, that it is completely healed and no skin is missing.
The plant works because it contains the iridoid glycoside aucubin, a powerful antitoxin. Its components include vitamin C and salicylic acid, one of the main active ingredients of aspirin.
It is also an antibacterial, an expectorant and vermicide (kills parasitic intestinal worms). And all that time, I have walked on plantain weeds without even paying attention.

Marie Eye offers a variety of personal healing solutions for mind, body and soul, including weight loss, meal planning, physical training, mentoring, meditation and other services. 

Kuron: Tecumseh the “Panther Across the Sky”

By
Frank Kuron
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There’s not much better than leaving the world behind and living for a week as our ancestors did — in the woods. I’ve always loved camping.

Oh, I hear you naysayers who can’t handle a few daddy longlegs prancing about your stall in those plush campsite latrines. But the opportunity to build your own fire, sizzle bacon over it in the morning, and in the evening gaze up at galaxies that hide among city lights simply makes every bite of a mosquito worth it.
One night in 1768, Shawnee tribesmen in the vicinity of Chillicothe, Ohio, anxiously paced around their campfire as they heard the moans of a mother-to-be emanating from a nearby wigwam.

Incredibly, a star shot across the sky just as the cry of new life echoed through the village. Tecumseh, the panther across the sky, had arrived on Mother Earth.
The adventures of this man are legendary. Tecumseh is arguably the greatest leader hisculture has ever produced. Eventually we’ll discuss particulars of his life in our region, but first a few fundamentals should be cited. He was far from any Hollywood Indian stereotype.
Tecumseh had five brothers and a sister. Of all the family members, he certainly garnered the most attention. One brother, known as “the Prophet,” became infamous rather than famous due to his historical antics. Another sibling, Cheeseekau, was instrumental in molding his younger brother into the fiercest of warriors, after their father was killed when Tecumseh was but 6 years old.
Other brothers fought alongside him in frontier conflicts, one being killed at Fallen Timbers.
He treasured his relationshipwith his sister, Tecumapease. After Tecumseh’s marriage to Mamate had soured, his sister raised his son, Paukeesa.

There are plenty of claims of relationships and marriages throughout Tecumseh’s life, but because records are vague they must be viewed with a wary eye. One frequently cited account regards his wooing of a white woman living near modern-day Xenia, Ohio. He purportedly offered Rebecca Galloway fifty brooches of silver to be his bride, but sherefused, not wanting to join his culture.
Physically, Tecumseh was known to be about 5-feet-10-inches inches tall, well-proportioned and generally quite handsome.

One friend said he was “square, with a well-built form for strength and agility.” One woman noted that he was the “proudest man” she ever met, that in his walk he “seemed to disdain the ground he walked upon.”
Aside from this, Tecumseh was defined by his personality traits. Character topped the list. He was not only admired by his fellow men, but by his enemies as well.
Many noted his vision, honor and eloquence.
He repeatedly proved himself to be brave, charismatic, fearless and fair.
On the battlefield he was fierce and disdained cowardice.

Adamantly, he insisted that prisoners be treated humanely. This was evidenced during
the siege on Fort Meigs and again at the River Raisin massacre in Monroe, Mich., where one historian notes that he arrived late to the slaughter of defenseless POWs and “actually put to death, with his own hand, a chief who would not desist from murdering the American soldiers.”
Some people just take things too far, don’t they? One chief almost deified Tecumseh, claiming, “Bullets shot at him would go through his shirt and fall harmlessly inside.”

His humanity, at least in his youth, becomes clear in an account of him indulging a little too heavily in liquor and then encountering a large, powerful man. Tecumseh “became very insulting and annoying,” said the man, so he “tied him to a tree until he became more sober and quiet.”
Tecumseh was not naïve. He often expressed his sorrow over the inevitable loss of his ancestors’ lands to the ever-increasing numbers of Europeans moving west. He strove to at least delay this influx, and perhaps stop it, by uniting all tribes in this common goal. It was
not an easy task, as tribes not yet impacted saw no need to get involved.

But by the time Tecumseh was killed in 1813, he had brought together dozens of tribes. Had he survived and garnered support of hundreds more, the lines on a map of North America just might be otherwise drawn today.

Frank Kuron is author of the War of 1812 book, “Thus Fell Tecumseh.” Email him at [email protected].

Bugle Call: Upcoming events
Some key websites to learn of upcoming 1812 Bicentennial events:
✯ www.warof1812.ohio.gov — Most Ohio events are listed.
✯ www.opsail.org — Details of the U.S. Navy’s OpSail tour of the eastern seaboard and Great Lakes. The Niagara and ships of today’s military will be in Toledo from Aug. 22-27,  2012.
✯ www.fortmeigs.org — Numerous activities year-round.
✯ www.riverraisinbattlefi eld.org — Numerous activities year-round. ✯

Chicks for Charity 2012 event to benefit boxing club

By
Brigitta Burks
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Toledo women of all ages will gather July 11 to attend Chicks Mix ’12, a night of mingling and fun.
Proceeds from the event benefit IBC Beat the Streets (International Boxing Club/Institute for Building Careers).
The event is put on by Chicks for Charity, a group that picks a new charity to support every two years.
Women and girls do all kinds of things to raise money during that time, from bake sales to card games, said Sue Hague-Rogers and Rita Mansour, “Chicks in Charge.”
“You have women there that have millions of dollars and you have little girls who have $20 that they’ve worked weeks for,” said Mansour, a partner at Thomas McDonald Partners and head of Mansour Wealth Management.
Martha Vetter, president of R-P Marketing Public Relations, started Chicks for Charity in 2006. Hague-Rogers and Mansour have been involved since then and what began as a group of 100 now has about 1,800 “chicks.”
“It brought the walls down for all those people who may just want to put their toe into it and contribute and feel good, whatever that means,” said Hague-Rogers, senior exhibit specialist for 2020 Exhibits, a local exhibit production company. “The whole idea that it didn’t matter how much you gave, it was really good. It was a spectrum of teaching little girls to adult women the art of giving,” Mansour said.
The group raised $65,000 for IBC in 2011. IBC provides free programming like boxing, sports, leadership training and homework help to give city youth an alternative to drugs and violence. The nonprofit recently collaborated with Beat the Streets, a national nonprofit that promotes wrestling as another alternative. It also recently moved to a new facility on Earlwood Avenue and expanded its services to include more girls.
The kids involved with IBC have continually impressed Mansour and Hague-Rogers.

“Their demeanor and how they greeted you, it was like ‘Wow’,” Mansour said.
Picking a new charity to support every two years is the hardest partfor Mansour and Hague-Rogers.
In the fall, the chicks will select 10 charities from several applicants before narrowing them down to three. A new charity will be named around December.
A charity’s involvement with Chicks for Charity provides more funds and increased visibility.
“A lot of these organizations are more grassroots and they don’t get the exposure,” Mansour said. R-P’s involvement with Chicks for Charity helps, she added.
“Martha and her team will never tell you this, but they put so many man hours, woman hours, chick hours, behind this,” she said.
At Chicks Mix ’12 several items will be up for auction and raffle. These include a one-week stay at a villa in Puerto Rico complete with free surfing lessons and a Chicago weekend with tickets to “Dreamgirls.”

A “College Chick” basket with university essentials is also available. IBC will also present while men tend the bar.
“You can take your daughter, niece, mom. I take my mom every year,” Hague-Rogers said. Six hundred women attended the event last year.
To learn more or join Chicks for Charity, visit www.chicksforcharity.net/become.html. Chicks Mix ’12 is 5:30-9 p.m. at the Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Drive. It costs $37 to attend for general admission and $20 for those 20 and younger.

Tickets are available at the door, although reservations are preferred. Call (419) 241-2221 or email [email protected] for tickets.
To donate to IBC, visit http://www. ibcprograms.org/. Check donations are not made to Chicks for Charity, but directly to IBC. ✯

Rathbun: Let’s get back to independence

By
Gary Rathbun
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As I contemplate Independence Day, I can’t help but think back to our Founding Fathers — what they were like and what they would think of us today.

My perception of them is of rugged individualists who wanted to be left alone to create and do for themselves. They came here to escape tyranny and oppression and knew the price to be self-reliant would be high.
They worked very hard through very harsh conditions. I can’t imagine how difficult it was to settle a chunk of land with nothing but hand tools, a horse and a strong back.
Banks back then were little more than depositories for people to store their money in a safe place. Loans from banks were nothing like they are today and the modern stock market didn’t exist.

There are days when I wish for these much simpler times even though it would be much more work.

Enough of waxing nostalgic. How can we be more independent today?
In advising my clients, one of the first  things I recommend is to get out of debt. Especially on non appreciating assets, e.g., cars and appliances but also on personal real estate, like your house.
There are many advisers who will recommend that you mortgage your home to the max for the longest period you can and lock in the interest rate.

The thought process is that we are due for some serious inflation and you will be able to pay off that debt with cheaper dollars in the future.
While mathematically this may be true, there is a psychological aspect tobeing debt-free.

It is very liberating when no one has a claim on you or your property. Owning your own home free and clear is the very foundation of personal property rights.
Personal property rights are the basis of all rights. If you don’t have the right to private property, you don’t have the right to much of anything else.
Secondly, those of you who have listened to me on the radio or read other columns know I am a believer in hard assets. Everyone should have some gold and silver investments.
I also think it is a good idea to own some physical precious metals, just in case. I doubt that the U.S. will ever get back to a gold standard for our currency but it doesn’t hurt to have some insurance in case we hit a serious stretch of inflation.
Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, we need to resist the temptation to look to the government for solutions to our problems. Each of us has the power to take controlof most aspects in our lives and we should strive to do so. You need to make arrangements to take care of any catastrophic needs you may have in the future that can’t be handled quickly and locally.
Don’t get me wrong; I am not predicting the collapse of the economy. Nor am I saying that you should build a bunker in the back yard and stock it with a couple of years’ worth of dehydrated food. What I am saying is think about how independent or dependent you are and what would you do in the event of a problem, either personal or community-wise?
When Benjamin Franklin was asked what he and the other Founding
Fathers had created in the meetings they were holding he answered, “A
republic, if you can keep it.”

Can we keep it? We are definitely at a turning point in history and it is up to us as individuals to keep the republic or lose it. As the German officer Otto Von Bismarck stated, “We march individually but we fight together.”
As you observe July 4 this year, think about where we came from and where we are going and what role do you want to play. Let’s truly celebrate our independence.
Gary L. Rathbun is the president and CEO of Private Wealth Consultants, LTD. 

Professor, librarian library collaborate on book

By
Erin Holden
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0

A Lourdes University professor and a local librarian collaborated recently on two projects related to veterans.
Lourdes University professor Holly Baumgartner and Amy Hartman, formerly adult services librarian at the Sylvania Branch Library, created a series of veteran’s writing workshops co-hosted by Lourdes and the library.
They collected the stories into a book, “In Our Boots,” which chronicles the experiences of veterans who served in Iraq, Korea, Vietnam and World War II, according to a news release.
The book is available at the Main Toledo-Lucas County Public Library andSylvania branch and has also been submitted as one of the many memorialized artifacts in the U.S. Army War College Library and U.S. Army Heritage & Educational Center.

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