Events Calendar
In This Section
Researcher says she found text on Shroud of Turin
Ohio native takes second place on 'Project Runway'
White House at odds with bishops over abortion
End of an era: Oprah ending show after 25 years
Kin want right to sue after man assumed dead
Sen. Kerry's daughter arrested in LA on DUI
Raw Video: Cop Crashes Into Car Killing 2 Teens
Hundreds of rotting deer in yard cause big stink (with video)
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Review: You've never seen 'Sound of Music' like this
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Kim Hone-McMahan, Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:49 p.m. EDT, Jul 26, 2008
Derek Mattson gently held his sweetheart's hands. Nestled beneath a lush canopy of leaves, he looked into her eyes and leaned closer to speak.
''It's lane number one, two and three!'' a voice boomed over a nearby speaker.
Ever so slowly, as if his lover weren't aware, Mattson reached his hand into the pocket of his over-sized shorts and pulled out a box. With a grin and a tear, he opened it, revealing the shiny diamond tucked inside.
Almost on cue, the sweet aroma of funnel cakes filled the air.
Elizabeth Scheurman told him that the ring was beautiful. (He was surely thinking the same about her when he placed it on her hand).
For a while now, Mattson had been trying to decide on the perfect spot to propose. The couple first met while racing their cars in a derby when they were just kids. He was about 9 when he spotted the 10-year-old beauty, who went up against him on the race track. Even today, 15 years later, they teasingly argue about who beat whom.
Considering their backgrounds, it seemed only natural that Mattson would ask Scheurman to be his wife during the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron on Saturday. It was about a decade ago that she placed ninth in the master's division.
Each year, Scheurman and her family come to Akron's Derby Downs to support the boys and girls from the Cleveland area. Her father, Keith, has been involved in the derby in Cleveland since before his daughter was born.
''We come back here for the memories,'' the future bride said.
The couple — he a Mayfield Heights resident who works as a Web site developer for Rosetta and she, a fifth-grade teacher from Euclid — said they won't be getting married for a couple of years.
As glorious as the day was for Mattson and Scheurman, a couple hundred feet away, a little girl was falling apart.
Perched on her father's knee, the child was sobbing. Seemingly too embarrassed to look at her family after losing her heat, she hung her head.
Gently, her daddy lifted her chin to look into his eyes.
''Honey, I'm just so proud of you,'' he said, kissing her blonde locks.
The stories were many at this derby, an event that's drawn thousands to Akron in its 71 years. And for some, it was worth making sacrifices for the simple honor of attending.
Hoping to get some sleep, Kelly Albertoni rested her head on a roll of paper towels inside the pavilion near the starting line and closed her eyes.
It had taken the actress, whose family lives in Hartville, three full days to arrive in Akron from California, where she is on the popular television show, House.
''I had the best childhood anyone could ask for,'' she said, noting that her family has been involved in the racing community for decades. It was something that afforded her to bond with derby enthusiasts from across the nation.
A former local Soap Box Derby racer herself, Albertoni had to put up with bad weather and delays during her trip from the West Coast to Akron. Although exhausted, she was thrilled to be at the derby, interacting with old pals.
''The derby is a part of my life and always will be,'' she said.
It was a sentiment shared Saturday by actresses and lovers.
Derek Mattson gently held his sweetheart's hands. Nestled beneath a lush canopy of leaves, he looked into her eyes and leaned closer to speak.
''It's lane number one, two and three!'' a voice boomed over a nearby speaker.
Ever so slowly, as if his lover weren't aware, Mattson reached his hand into the pocket of his over-sized shorts and pulled out a box. With a grin and a tear, he opened it, revealing the shiny diamond tucked inside.
Almost on cue, the sweet aroma of funnel cakes filled the air.
Elizabeth Scheurman told him that the ring was beautiful. (He was surely thinking the same about her when he placed it on her hand).
For a while now, Mattson had been trying to decide on the perfect spot to propose. The couple first met while racing their cars in a derby when they were just kids. He was about 9 when he spotted the 10-year-old beauty, who went up against him on the race track. Even today, 15 years later, they teasingly argue about who beat whom.
Considering their backgrounds, it seemed only natural that Mattson would ask Scheurman to be his wife during the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron on Saturday. It was about a decade ago that she placed ninth in the master's division.
Each year, Scheurman and her family come to Akron's Derby Downs to support the boys and girls from the Cleveland area. Her father, Keith, has been involved in the derby in Cleveland since before his daughter was born.
''We come back here for the memories,'' the future bride said.
The couple — he a Mayfield Heights resident who works as a Web site developer for Rosetta and she, a fifth-grade teacher from Euclid — said they won't be getting married for a couple of years.
As glorious as the day was for Mattson and Scheurman, a couple hundred feet away, a little girl was falling apart.
Perched on her father's knee, the child was sobbing. Seemingly too embarrassed to look at her family after losing her heat, she hung her head.
Gently, her daddy lifted her chin to look into his eyes.
''Honey, I'm just so proud of you,'' he said, kissing her blonde locks.
The stories were many at this derby, an event that's drawn thousands to Akron in its 71 years. And for some, it was worth making sacrifices for the simple honor of attending.
Hoping to get some sleep, Kelly Albertoni rested her head on a roll of paper towels inside the pavilion near the starting line and closed her eyes.
It had taken the actress, whose family lives in Hartville, three full days to arrive in Akron from California, where she is on the popular television show, House.
''I had the best childhood anyone could ask for,'' she said, noting that her family has been involved in the racing community for decades. It was something that afforded her to bond with derby enthusiasts from across the nation.
A former local Soap Box Derby racer herself, Albertoni had to put up with bad weather and delays during her trip from the West Coast to Akron. Although exhausted, she was thrilled to be at the derby, interacting with old pals.
''The derby is a part of my life and always will be,'' she said.
It was a sentiment shared Saturday by actresses and lovers.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
