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Sound Check:
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HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Dec 01, 2008
Her telephone messages pretty much begin the same, sweet way:
''Hi, it's me, Gracie!''
Then Grace Benson, 11, of Akron, proceeds to let me know she's making arrangements to pass along yet more boxes filled with gently worn girl's clothing she's outgrown and once-loved stuffed animals for me to deliver.
Of course, Gracie's intended subject, like it has been for the past several months, is Delores Board, a struggling Akron grandmother who is taking care of eight grandchildren who became orphaned when their mother died a short time after giving birth.
Gracie began her charitable work on this family's behalf after reading my August column detailing the plight. She is a sixth-grader at Akron's Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts.
''It's because I know how they feel,'' Gracie has said. ''I was in third grade when my mother found out she had cancer. Then she passed away.''
The beauty of Gracie's altruism is that she not only donates beautiful things, but she also makes sure they're clean, ironed and carefully packed.
And there's this: Gracie has managed to inspire other members of her family to join her in helping this family, who has so many needs.
Fight against cancer
Beautiful bouquets to the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer Foundation and the huge — albeit quiet — good it's doing in our community.
Here's some background, as provided by foundation spokeswoman Marisa Lamkin: ''The foundation was founded in April of 2006 to honor the memory of Stephen Comunale Jr. and his aunt Amy Comunale Klein, who both waged their own battle against cancer.''
Stephen lost his battle in 2006 and Amy, in 2007.
''Since the foundation started, we have been able to help over 140 individuals and families battling cancer in our community in a number of ways. Below are some examples of how we have helped:
• Assisted with the cost of day care so parents could attend treatments or have time to rest.
• Assisted with purchasing clothes for children.
''The ways to help are endless and we try to be there for each individual or family and their specific need,'' she said.
The foundation will host its second Spin for Life fundraiser — indoor cycling from one to six hours — at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn. More about that later.
For information about the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Foundation, please call 330-835-5985. To make a donation, please send to: P.O. Box 13805, Akron, OH 44333.
Help for family
Major kudos to Norton Middle School eighth-graders and their teachers, who are involved in an aggressive fundraising campaign to help fellow student Alexis Hodges and her father, Bob. Both are battling for their lives.
Bob, who has end-stage cirrhosis as a result of hepatitis C, desperately needs a liver transplant.
Alexis, who suffers from myelodysplastic syndrome, needs a bone-marrow transplant.
''With the help of principal Joyce Gerber, Alexis designed a 'power bracelet' with the words 'Lexie's Love' and has sold them to middle and high school students and staff, raising over $3,000 so far,'' wrote Chuck Kaufman, the school's band director.
Students and teachers also have managed to raise more than $1,000 from the sale of cookies they baked.
''This coming Friday, Dec. 5, during the Norton Music Boosters' Holiday Tree Festival, they will auction off over 20 trees,'' Kaufman wrote. ''But one tree's proceeds will go to Lexie and her family. This tree — with the colors and theme picked by Lexie — was donated, and students have been raising money to win the auction so they can then give the tree to Lexie and her family. . . . The tree will be displayed on Lexie's floor at [Akron]-->
Birthday benefit
Major kudos as well to Alicen Hutson, freshman class president at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, who showed a lot of leadership in celebrating her 15th birthday.
In lieu of gifts, she encouraged her birthday guests to bring nonperishable food items, which will be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society for its weekly food distribution to those in need.
Alicen, daughter of Kathleen Hutson, collected five large boxes of food essentials and meal stretchers: peanut butter, tuna, spaghetti sauce and other items.
Holiday outreach
Bouquets to Jake's Good Life in Hudson and Jake's Life Rocks in Rocky River for their creative holiday outreach.
Owners Randy Baun and Patrick Russell have joined with Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Cuyahoga counties to supply decorated wreaths and grocery store gift certificates this holiday season to families who live in new Habitat for Humanity homes.
Stop by either location from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday . and decorate two holiday ornaments. Keep one for yourself and the other will be given to a Habitat for Humanity family.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Her telephone messages pretty much begin the same, sweet way:
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 03:33 PM, 12/01/2008
Thank you, Jewell.
