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Opponent outlook: Northern Illinois
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Single-game ticket sales begin July 11
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Marte is IL’s Batter of the Week
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Stallworth test showed marijuana
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Men's Basketball Scheduling update
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Free Agency Update: Frye in View?
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The "Limbaugh Babies"
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The Veil and the Burqa – Constitutional to Ban or Restrict?
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Solon’s Baldwin could decide soon
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Picnic Wear
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
ID My Bug
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jennifer inquires about a bus tour to Atlantic City
Sound Check:
Rundgren fans rejoice!: Second night of AWATS at The Civic added
HRLite House:
DDI One of Best Places to Work
Akron Gamer:
Hot link: Best of Nintendo at E3
Woman's team raises $260 from MS Walk
By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Beautiful bouquets to former Akron resident Kauisha Smith.
But not for the impressive share of medals in track and field that the graduate of Akron's Buchtel High School has under her belt.
And not for being named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete in 2002 at her Alabama State University alma mater.
Rather it's for what Smith did last month.
Smith, now a tax auditor with the Ohio Department of Taxation's Los Angeles District Office, mettled in still another arena. In the hospital.
The 27-year-old, who resides in the Los Angeles area, donated a kidney to her 56-year-old uncle, Melvin Brown, at the UCLA Medical Center.
Brown, also a native of Akron, resides in Covina, Calif. He moved West in the 1970s to pursue a music career.
''Prior to the transplant, he had kidney failure for the past five years and was going to dialysis three to four days a week,'' Smith shared.
Niece and uncle are doing well and enjoying a bond stronger than ever.
Local charities
The area chapter of Zonta International again is generous in its dispersal of gifts to local charities that elevate the status of women.
The presentation of $5,100 in awards by the Zonta Club of Akron, Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls (Zonta ABC) will take place May 21 during a ceremony at Haven of Rest to the following groups: $1,700 each to Harvest Home at the Haven of Rest, Victims Assistance of Summit County and the Verna Trushel Displaced Homemakers Scholarship fund at the University of Akron.
Zonta ABC also is awarding $5,200 for its international mission projects: $1,750 to the Zonta International Service Fund; $1,750 to the Zonta International Strategies to Prevent Violence Against Women Fund; and $1,700 to Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.
Project Shoes
Akron Public Schools recently recognized Project Shoes at its 16th volunteer recognition award dinner as Volunteer of the Year.
Project Shoes, founded in 1972 by the late Ralph McIntyre and his wife, Carolyn, provided vouchers for new shoes to needy children as identified by school counselors and principals. Crown Shoes/Value City on Arlington Road has long been the redemption center.
Akron schoolchildren have benefited from the McIntyres' generosity to the tune of 42,000 pairs of shoes.
Kay and Art McIntyre have continued the tradition, following in his parents' footsteps, and have even expanded the mission of Project Shoes since 2000.
''Besides donating school shoes for Akron schoolchildren, the McIntyres also have made a commitment to children who want to play sports but do not have the money for athletic shoes,'' said a school spokeswoman.
''The McIntyres, who are members of Bath United Church of Christ, also recently donated vouchers to Interfaith Hospitality Network of Summit County to distribute to the children who are served by IHN in the Akron Public School district.''
Interested in helping Project Shoes? Send donations to Project Shoes, P.O. Box 13028, Akron, OH 44334. Questions? Please call Kay McIntyre at 330-958-4576 or Patty Dyer in the Akron schools' Health and Services Department at 330-761-3027.
Autism fundraiser
Kudos to St. Hilary Catholic School's Katelyn and Emily Hissong, who, along with principal Patricia Nugent and the Student Council, organized a Dress-Down Day that brought in $700 for the Autism Family Foundation of Northeast Ohio.
Katelyn is in seventh grade and Emily is in fifth grade.
Their grandparents, Fred and Kathy Ost, are board members of the foundation.
''As you know, I'm sure, autism affects one in 150 births and while there is no cure, early detection is imperative and helps these children tremendously,'' Kathy Ost writes.
Generous student
Kudos also to Bryan Borodkin, a fourth-grader at St. Hilary, who requested that friends attending his recent 10th birthday party at Medina Skateland donate, in lieu of gifts for him, toys and books for children in the oncology/hematology unit at Akron Children's Hospital, where his mother, Theresa Borodkin, is nurse manager.
''He will be delivering the gifts with some friends to the hospitalized children in the next few days,'' writes his understandably proud father, Jeff Borodkin of Medina.
Bryan received a Create and Paint Your Own Fort and a Create Your Own Castle, along with 20 books and various other gifts to donate.
Courage to move forward
Hats off to Cuyahoga Falls resident Tracy Mobley for the never-say-no strides she makes every day, in spite of major health problems. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, a few days before graduating from the University of Akron, and multiple sclerosis the following year, while she was in graduate school.
Unfortunately, it was no longer possible for her to get around, so she abandoned her studies and drifted into a major depression.
''But I made a promise to my twin sons that I would not stay in bed all day,'' the 42-year Mobley said, noting that the change in attitude helped in her rehabilitation.
Mobley said she continues to be propelled forward by her 16-year-old twin sons Lambert and Lawrence McElrath; her pastor, Bishop Joey Johnson, and his wife, Cathy, from the House of the Lord; and her faith.
In fact, since 2002, Mobley, who is a sales associate at Macy's Summit Mall store, has been a regular presence in the annual MS Walk.
Her team, Blessings From Above, made up of seven people and a yellow Lab named Sam, raised $260 for the cause. Her colleagues also collected money.
That's why she feels incredibly blessed.
Service award
The Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be presented Tuesday, May 20, at Akron Goodwill to an extraordinary team of volunteer members with the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) and Consumer Advisory Council (CAC).
CAC members, who all have disabilities, earned recognition after logging 871 hours of volunteer time to educate, mentor and advocate on behalf of others with disabilities.
Local winners are Linda Edington, Rootstown; Nelson Freed, Canton; Donald Sample, Green; Bernadene Ulichney, Barberton; Emilee Weis, North Canton; and Arthur Young, Akron.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
Beautiful bouquets to former Akron resident Kauisha Smith.
Get the full article here.
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