AROUND TOWN

Parties promote health and help

Dentists Brad and Amy Barricklow attended A Toast to Teeth.

From left, Bobby and Sharon Kripke with Meg and Bob Milano at the Wellness Concert.

Dentists Brad and Amy Barricklow attended A Toast to Teeth.

A Wellness Concert presented by It's My Turn Fitness & Wellness Spa in Temperance was Aug. 4 at Sylvania Country Club. Guests dined on healthy appetizers as Bob Milano and Brett Dennisson warmed up the audience with love songs. Singer and motivational speaker Steve Gold of San Diego continued with inspirational songs about love and feeling good.

The concert was in memory of event chairman Sharon Kripke's mother, Norma Conn Cohen, who died of endometrial cancer, and in honor of spa owner Meg Milano's mother, Mary Catherine Rusnak, a two-year survivor of ovarian cancer.

The $6,000 netted pays for about 25 cancer survivors to attend a spa day, which includes facials, massages, movement classes, and lunch with fellow survivors. For information call 419-340-0362 or go to www.itsmyturnfitness.com.

The Dental Center of Northwest Ohio fifth annual "A Toast to Teeth" was Aug. 3 at Premier Banquet Complex to create awareness and raise money for people in need. This year's event, which raised more than $16,000, benefited the Smile Express mobile dental office, the Dental Assistance Program, and the Blanchard Valley Dental Center/Hancock County Christian Clearing House collaboration.

From left, Susan Block, Molly Reams Thompson, Marianne ballas, and Brooke Olson at the kickoff party for Art and Autism.

Guests grazed from international-themed food stations while shopping the silent and live auctions. Emcee was Sashem Brey of WTVG-TV, Channel 13. Referring agencies were recognized, including Mercy St. Vincent's Emergency Department, Toledo Lucas County CareNet, Wood County Health Department, Help Me Grow, City Mission Findlay, Port Clinton City Schools, and Black and White Cab. For information go to www.dentalcenternwo.org.

Art and Autism, to benefit the Toledo Children's Hospital autism programs and the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, is scheduled Aug. 30 at the home of Barbara Steele and Alan Kimpel. A kickoff party was held earlier in the season at their home in Perrysburg. In attendance were honorary chairmen George and Leslie Chapman and event chairman Rita Mansour. Also seen were Dave and Jodi Venable, Sandra Sauder, Lars and Brooke Olson, Michelle and Ivan Jaffe, Ben and Kate Trumbull, Labib and Karyn Hajjar, Catina Harding, Erin and Brad Betz, Mary Martin, Mollie Thompson, Marianne Ballas, and Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications, Inc., the parent company of The Blade, and his wife, Susan.

Serving up their specialties at the event will be national chefs including Celina Tio of Julian Restaurant, Kansas City; Sameh Wadi of Saffron Restaurant, Minneapolis; Chris Pandel of The Bristol and Balena restaurants, Chicago, and Andrew Husbands of the Tremont 647, Boston. Numerous popular local chefs will be providing their tasty treats too.

The headline entertainment is Eliott Lewis, who plays with Darryl Hall and John Oates. Many boomers recall him when he was a member of the Average White Band.

Erin and Brad Bretz at the Art for Autism party.

The goal is to raise $1 million. They are more than half-way there  thanks to the many sponsors.

Also at the event will be a raffle to benefit Great Lakes Autism -- a week in Kauai, Hawaii, that includes accommodations for up to four and $1,500 for air fare. No attendance is required. There will be two winning tickets: One ticket will be drawn at the Art and Autism event on Aug. 30 at 8 p.m. and the second ticket will be drawn Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. at another fund-raiser. Raffle tickets are $25, and can be purchased at www.artandautism.org, where folks also can get a first chance on auction items and purchase tickets.