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By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Nov 17, 2008
It's never too late to start a meaningful Thanksgiving Day tradition like the one that benefits this area's homeless citizens.
I'm speaking about Gennesaret Inc.'s 17th annual Home Run for the Homeless on Nov. 27, Thanksgiving morning, in West Akron.
Later in the day, when you sit down with your family for dinner, you'll feel more thankful for what you have.
The event includes a four-mile run (which features an electronic timing system) and a one-mile fun run/walk.
The four-mile run begins at Gennesaret's Family Nutrition Center, 517 W. Exchange St., near Maple Street, and winds through historic Glendale Cemetery. Open registration gets under way at 7:15 a.m. Akron police will direct traffic and lend support to the race.
Last year's event drew more than 2,200 registered runners and walkers.
Butch Reynolds, Olympic track gold medalist and former world-record holder, will again lead the walk and greet runners.
Participants have a chance to walk or run away with all kinds of prizes.
The top three male and female finishers in the 12 age divisions will win awards, and first-, second- and third-place finishers will receive a turkey, pumpkin pie and jam. First-place male and female finishers in the master (40-49) and grand master (50+) divisions will win awards, too.
The first 350 registered runners will receive holiday running socks. All runners are urged to bring like-new toys and used running shoes for needy families. Blankets also are in short supply.
Race fee is $9 for forms mailed and postmarked by Tuesday. After that day, race fees increase to $15. Additional registration and packet pickup is Nov. 25 at Vertical Runner, 134 N. Main St., Hudson, from 4 to 8 p.m.; and at Gennesaret, from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 26.
Cost of the one-mile walk is only $1.
Download forms at http://www.gennesaret.net. For information, please call Mary and Bob Dirgo at 330-923-2222; and be sure to thank them for the great job they do all year.
Gennesaret is an all-volunteer Summit County nonprofit that provides transitional housing to mothers, fathers and their children; and it serves hot meals to an average of 600 people weekly. Gennesaret is solely funded by grants and individual donations; no government financial support here.
Vital donation
I have Patrick ''Pat'' Smiraldo to thank for this one.
It has to do with the Stephanie Tubbs-Jones Congressional Gift of Life Medal of Honor. President George W. Bush signed this into law Oct. 14, after the Cleveland congresswoman's death in August from a brain aneurysm.
Tubbs-Jones, who worked on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, had requested that her organs and tissues be donated for transplantation.
Currently, there are more than 100,000 people on the organ donation waiting list; African-Americans make up 23 percent of those on the list.
''Representative Tubbs-Jones dedicated her life to public service and the kidney community was especially dear to her heart,'' said American Association of Kidney Patients President Roberta Wagner. ''This medal is a symbol of the tremendous work she's done on behalf of millions of Americans who will benefit from organ donation. It is believed that as many as 58 people will benefit from Representative Tubbs-Jones' organ donation.''
People interested in receiving the medal should contact their congressional representative and ask to be considered. For information about organ donation or the kidney association, please visit http://www.aakp.org or call 800-749-AAKP.
Akron's Smiraldo, a laboratory supervisor in the cytology section at Akron General Medical Center, was a kidney patient and on hemodialysis for a year ''before a co-worker offered me her kidney. That kidney lasted five years, and I'm starting my third year on the transplant list and have been on hemodialysis for almost two years.''
Smiraldo has hereditary polycystic kidney disease.
Please keep Smiraldo and all of those on the waiting list in your prayers.
Firewood needed
A young, disabled father in Orrville is asking only for firewood.
His need was brought to my attention by another dear reader — Karen Edwards — who wrote:
''I saw this interesting ad on Craigslist and thought of you. I know how generous your readership is and thought it might make an interesting story. It speaks of self-sufficiency, reaching out when you need to, etc.''
Here's the ad:
Hi,
My name is Josh. I am a 27-year-old guy who has been disabled from a fall off a ladder at work about a year and a half ago. Money has been extremely tight for us and heating most of our home with firewood proved to be very economical last year so I am in search of some firewood for winter. I am not able to pay much, but I would be able to pay you for your gas and a little bit for your time/wood. I have a 10-month-old daughter and my wife works but working for the county, she makes too much for assistance. Please help me out. I would be very grateful for any help at all.
If you can help, please reply to: sale-909865790@craigslist.org.
Sweet gesture
Beautiful bouquets to Chavonne Gaines of Green who, in celebrating her Sweet 16 birthday Saturday at a formal with about 100 friends, showed she has a heart of gold by reaching out to a child less fortunate.
Chavonne, a sophomore at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and the daughter of Donald and Liandre Gaines, credited her mother with planning her very memorable ''Just Believe'' ball.
Of course, the sweetest part of Chavonne's special day was her determination to pay it forward and put together an equally lavish Cinderella birthday party for a girl between the ages of 5 and 8, someone without the means.
''I think it will be a really great feeling passing my Cinderella dress onto another little girl,'' Chavonne said.
Call for help
I'm looking — on behalf of readers — for an organization that refurbishes donated, once-loved bicycles and then finds good homes for them during the holidays.
Please e-mail me as soon as possible at jcardwell@ thebeaconjournal.com.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
It's never too late to start a meaningful Thanksgiving Day tradition like the one that benefits this area's homeless citizens.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 07:42 AM, 11/17/2008
Thank you for the information.
Posted 11:59 AM, 12/21/2008
Dear Jewell,Iris Truman here. I have a bag of clothes and books to donate to the Delores Board story,(the one with the eight grandchildren),thanks to Grace Benson.Please e-mail me before Christmas, as to how I can drop these clothes off . Thank You for a wonderfull story and Merry Christmas to you and your family. Iris Truman
