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Songs for an American Day
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Touching on the Browns, Cavs
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Opponent outlook: Northern Illinois
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Single-game ticket sales begin July 11
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Laffey making it tough on self
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Updated: Free Agency: Another Gone - Apparently
All Da King's Men:
The Obligatory Palin Post
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Wow….Sarah Palin Resigns Governorship
Akron Law Café:
Abraham Lincoln and the Fourth of July
Varsity Letters:
Highland senior receives honor
See Jane Style:
Picnic Wear
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Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Happy 4th of July!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Linda asks-where is the Ohio Chautauqua?
Sound Check:
Rundgren fans rejoice!: Second night of AWATS at The Civic added
HRLite House:
Morscruethal Behaviors or Just Lip Service?
Akron Gamer:
Hot link: Best of Nintendo at E3
Anonymous donor brings tears to eyes
By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Oct 20, 2008
Mature Services Inc. — formerly the Senior Workers' Action Program — has a gift for you — well, some of you.
''Summit County has free homemaker and chore services available to some residents — but they're not taking advantage,'' was the plea from Mature Services spokeswoman Suzanne Rymer. ''Can you help Mature Services Inc., the provider organization, spread the word?''
So, listen up. You don't want to miss your blessing. For that's exactly what this is.
''Persons with disabilities who have children living in their homes may be eligible for much-needed assistance around their houses,'' Rymer said. ''The problem is, not enough families who are qualified know this program exists — so they're not getting the help they need. In Summit County, there are 2,839 grandparents who live with and are responsible for grandchildren, and of these responsible grandparents, over 27 percent have a disability. Many of these families could benefit from the services.''
Here are the guidelines to qualify for this help: You must live in Summit County, be an adult with a disability, have a family income (based on a family of four) of less than $3,442 a month, and have a child in the home.
Homemaker services you could receive include light housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping and meal preparation. Other services are heavy cleaning in kitchens and bathrooms, washing walls and windows, trash removal, etc.
Qualified? Interested? I thought so. Please call Penny K. Holvey, director of Mature Services' home-care department, at 330-253-4597 Ext. 123.
Special recognition
The Summit County Board of MRDD recently tapped Paul R. Brown of Copley Township for recognition ''for comprehensive and diligent action in responding to a life in jeopardy and a consumer in need,'' the citation read.
The 48-year-old Brown, a driver with MRDD for seven years, summoned 911 help for the seriously ill father of one of the agency's clients.
Brown said he stopped by the client's Fairlawn home to take him to the Bath Center
workshop. But after three minutes of waiting, he never came out and the driver left.
''I talked with [the client's] instructor, who said his father hadn't called him off, which was uncommon,'' Brown said.
He then stopped by to reassess the situation. ''I knocked on the door and [the client] answered,'' Brown recalled. ''I could barely hear the father because the TV was loud.''
According to Brown, the father had fallen the night before. ''Paralysis had set in and he couldn't get up. He was also dehydrated.''
Fairlawn EMS took the man to the hospital, where he spent the next four or five days.
Brown, like the man's family, is just happy the story had a happy ending.
Many thanks
The folks who operate a day program called Sociabilities at United Disability Services are passing out a few thank-yous of their own.
''Once in a while our folks get to go out into the community as a large group of about 10 to 15 individuals with a few staff,'' the note began.
''They choose where they would like to go. The Orange group recently chose White House Chicken on Triplett Boulevard. When it was time to pay the bill, we were informed that another patron had already taken care of it. She instructed the cashier not to tell us until after she had left the parking lot. She didn't want any praise. She just wanted to do it. She also asked that we take the money that we would have spent on the meal and buy something for the group area. It brought tears to our eyes!''
Not only that, the restaurant had picked up the tab for the drinks. ''The staff at White House Chicken are always so good to us, helping us in and out of the building, setting up a special area for us, taking our large orders, and they even let those who have dietary restrictions bring in their specially prepared lunches just so they can have the experience of eating out with their friends. . . . Sometimes it takes an act like this to make you realize that there is some good that goes on even in these tough times.
''Love, Rhonda, Jacqui, Reggie and the Orange Group at Sociabilities.''
11,200 meals
Republic Services recently donated more than $1,600 to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which will result in 11,200 meals during the holiday season as part of the Long Haul Against Hunger campaign (October-December).
Republic employees at the Countywide Landfill in Stark County, the Massillon Hauling Operation and the Akron Recycling Center also will be collecting items for the foodbank for the holidays.
Warm and fuzzy
If you have any sewing skills and love in your heart for children, then Charlene Wood of Barberton has a warm-and-fuzzy mission for you.
''We are in desperate need of sewers again for [Akron] Children's Hospital's 'puppets program,' '' Wood writes.
''We gained 10 sewers from your article three or four years ago. . . . But it is not a glamorous job, and people burn out easily. Besides that, a lot of our old faithfuls have had strokes or so much arthritis that their fingers don't work well anymore. Or they have passed on.''
The volunteer program has been around more than 50 years, providing handmade, clown-faced puppets for each patient admitted to the hospital.
''I would hate to see the program disappear for lack of sewers,'' she said.
Me, too. Interested in doing your part to put smiles on the faces of sick children? Please call Charlene Wood at 330-825-5187.
Clothing giveaway
The Women of Purpose Ministry at Akron's Second Baptist Church, 690 S. Main St., is sponsoring the Second Closet, a giveaway of gently worn clothing, shoes and household items, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
For information, please call 330-762-6879.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Mature Services Inc. — formerly the Senior Workers' Action Program — has a gift for you — well, some of you.
Get the full article here.
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