Luncheons wrap up Women's History Month

From left: Randy Oostra with Nancy Eames and his wife Barb.

Dr. Victoria Kelly, left, and husband Dr. Kristopher Kelly at the People of Vision Awards for Prevent Blindness Ohio at The Hotel.

Women's History Month in March ended with a few luncheons that highlighted female pioneers.

The Ability Center Auxiliary hosted a luncheon at Rosie's Italian Grille March 20 that included a talk on Aviator Amelia Earhart, portrayed by Mary Ellen Pratt of the American Association of University Women/Toledo's Women in History Project. Dorothy Price, who was in attendance, recalled as a young girl reading news stories about Amelia. The aviator frequented Toledo and was responsible for the red arrow on the top of the Hillcrest Hotel building as a signal for fliers.

A Women in History luncheon titled "The Contributions of Florence Scott Libbey" hosted by the Historic Woodlawn Cemetary, Historic Perrysburg Society, and the Toledo Museum of Art in the museum's Glass Pavilion was March 30.

Phyllis Hyder of Historic Perrysburg, gave an enlightening talk written by historian Renee Jayne, also of the organization. It was about Mrs. Libbey, who with her husband, founded the museum.

Among the more than 170 guests were Patrice Spitzer, Dorothy Price, Posy Huebner, Susan Reams, Cindy Rimmelin, Jean Voss, and event chairmen Maureen Anderson of the museum, Patricia Toneff of Woodlawn, and Becky Visser of Historic Perrysburg.

Prevent Blindness Ohio hosted its 10th annual People of Vision Award Dinner presented by Medical Mutual at The Hotel at University of the Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio, March 28. Honorary chairman and host Gary Thieman of Medical Mutual welcomed everyone.

From left: Randy Oostra with Nancy Eames and his wife Barb.

Honored was Jeffrey Gold of the University of Toledo. He is chancellor and executive vice president for biosciences and health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences.

The Vision Care Outreach Award recipient was OptiVue, accepted by Mary Martin.

Touching everyone's heart was Glynece Zimmerman, a client who told how Prevent Blindness helped her.

Speakers also included Sherry Williams, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio; Betty Montgomery, chair-elect of the board of directors, Prevent Blindness Ohio; Shelly McCoy-Grissom of Mercy College of Ohio and chairman, Northwest Executive Council, Prevent Blindness Ohio.

Approximately $34,000 was netted thanks to the nearly 30 sponsors and about 120 attendees.

Seen were Mayor Mike Bell, Dick and Fran Anderson, Jack Ford, Pat Williams, Rebecca Anderson, Lee Hakel, Rhoda Miller, Terri Parker, Greg Rosenthal, John Satkowski, Pam and Bill Davis, Tom Hurley, Tom and Susan Palmer, Marty Connors, and UT presdient Lloyd Jacobs.

Planting a Seed to Read: The Early Literacy Campaign presented by the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and the Library Legacy Foundation is closer to reaching its goal of $2.2 million. The announcement was made March 28 during a reception at the home of Randy and Barb Oostra. So far $1,066,510 has been raised and $1 million will go into an endowment to sustain the program.

The Early Literacy Fund, to prepare children for kindergarten, will provide essential early literacy skills and training to parents, caregivers, and teachers of children up to 5 years old through special programs and supplies and a specially equipped library van to target at-risk neighborhoods.

The library works in collaboration with several other area outreach literacy programs including Read for Literacy, YMCA, and Job and Family Services. Campaign chairman is local community philanthropist Pat Appold. Nancy Eames, youth services coordinator at the library, said reading, talking, writing, pictures, and rhymes are all good learning tools for children at this age.

Committee members include honorary co-chairman Brian Bucher of PNC, formally of Toledo, but now in Birmingham, Ala.; library board chairman Michael Dansack, and library foundation president Frank Jacobs. Also on the committee are Allan and Susan Block, Leslie Chapman, Bob and Kathy Chirdon, Dan DiSalle, Paula Fall, Adele Jaison, Denny Johnson, Charles Schaub, Rasesh Shah, Erica Silk, Olivia Summons, Yolanda Szuch, Dennis Wisebaker, Kathryn Fell, and the Oostras.