ON THE TOWN

Events honor service to country, community

Barbara Hendel

Barbara Hendel

Military men and women in uniform strolled into the Toledo Club Nov. 16 for the club’s annual Armed Services Recognition & Appreciation Dinner Dance.

Mingling ended when a trumpet signaled mess call followed by a drum roll to get everyone’s attention. Event chairman Mike Goetz welcomed everyone.

Navy Lt. j.g. Haraz N. Ghanbari gave the invocation. The Presentation of the Colors by the United States Marine Corps Color Guard followed with the National Anthem sung by Dawn Kingman.

Lieutenant Ghanbari then moderated the POW/MIA ceremony, and the empty table setting.

PHOTO GALLERY: Honoring service to country, community

The night was all about thanking those who are serving and have served our country. The band played the theme songs from each branch of the military present as the guests were introduced.

Lt. Col. Amy Whitehead and Col. Lindsey Whitehead attended this year's Armed Services Recognition & Appreciation Dinner and Dance at the Toledo Club.

The Marines, Army, ROTC University of Toledo, First Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment; Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard were represented.

Assisting Mr. Goetz and his wife, Sue, were committee members Bruce Foster, a West Point graduate and winner of three Bronze Stars, there with his wife, Patty; Dave Quinn, former Toledo Club president and former event chairman, there with his wife, Ann Marie; and retired Army Lt. Col. Tom Uhler, there with his wife, Marlene. Mr. Uhler is next year’s event chairman.

Members of the military who were at the event were:

MARINES

Maj. George R. Gordy IV and Shana T. Gordy.

MARINE CORPS COLOR GUARD

1st Sgt. Edward Ewing, HMC Leo Montiel, Staff Sgt. Joey Marquez, and Sgt. Jacob Ferguson.

TOLEDO ARMY RECRUITING COMPANY

Capt. Tim Welbaum, Commander, 304th Engineering Co. and Mrs. Summer Welbaum, Maj. Gregory Morris, Operations Officer, 983rd Engineering Battalion and Mrs. Stacy Morris, and Capt. Joseph A. Chavis.

ARMY: ROTC UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO

Major Taylor Jones III and Lisa M. Jones, CDT LTC Tyler Akers, CDT CSM Anthony Gardull and Ms. Allie Baidel.

FIRST BATTALION, 148th INFANTRY REGIMENT

SFC Wesley Martz and Mrs. Carey Martz, Sgt. Aaron Zdawczyk and Mrs. Sarah Zdawczyk, and Sgt. William Jones and Mrs. Christina Jones.

AIR FORCE

Col. Steven S. Nordhaus, Commander, 180th Fighter Wing and Mrs. Shannon Nordhaus; Col. Lindsey Whitehead and Lt. Col. Amy Whitehead; Col. Chris Belli, Operations Group Commander, 180th Fighter Wing and Mrs. Marney Belli; Maj. Gary R. Bentley, Executive Officer, 180th Fighter Wing and Mrs. Sue Bentley; Command Master Sgt. Tracy Troxel and Mrs. Cheryl Troxel, and Col. Scott Reed, 180th Fighter Wing Maintenance Group and Mrs. Mary Reed.

NAVY

LCDR Vidal Valentin, Commanding Officer, NOSC Toledo and Mrs. Jenny Valentin; Personnel Specialist Frank Smith, and Yeoman Jimmie Moore; Personnel Specialist Ronald Stemen and Ms. Amber Wilburn; Personnel Specialist Jordan Queen and Ms. Cynthia Venegas, and Hospital Corpsman Matt Kelsey.

COAST GUARD

Lt. John Adkins, Executive Officer, Marine Safety Unit Toledo; Lt. James Long, Response Department Head, Marine Safety Unit Toledo; Senior Chief Boatswains Mate Jay Galazin and Jill Galazin; Boatswains Mate 1st Class Stephen Loudermilk, and Mrs. Jessica Loudermilk; Machinery Technician 1st Class Eric Bechtel, and Mrs. Sarah Bechtel, and Petty Officer Timothy Mabry and Mrs. Julie Mabry

MARINE COLOR GUARD:

Rifleman Corporal Derek Molina, Staff Sgt. Jose Marquez, Sgt. Jacob Ferguson, and Rifleman Corporal Scott Arnold

Major Sponsors included The Blade, Hylant, University of Toledo, and TTL & Associates.

Bobby Kaplan pictured with his granddaughters Eleanor Byers, 11, left, Lilly Kaplan, 16, Abby Byers, 22, and Sadie Kaplan, 14, Novmeber 13, 2013 during the CASA Evening of Celebration and Hope at the Toledo Club.

CASA Evening of Hope “Turn Hurt 2 Hope for a Child” presented by The Blade was Nov. 13 at the Toledo Club. Emcee Shaun Hegarty of WTVG-TV, Channel 13 welcomed the 240 attendees.

Honored for 34 years of service was Phyllis Morton, an octogenarian who still volunteers. She and Kristi Rose were presented with the Power of One Award.

Richard Mendieta was honored as the Case Worker of the Year.

The Justice Award went to founders Judge Andy Devine and the Junior League of Toledo. Among the Junior League members who were there at the beginning were Marsha Molnar, Marna Ramnath, Sue Martin, and Penny Staelin.

Also among those recognized were Judge Denise Navarre Cubbon, former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, Teresa Gabriel, of city council; federal Judge Jeff Helmick, Paula Hicks-Hudson, of city council; Dean Sparks, Lucas County Children Services; Judge Connie Zemmelman, Magistrate Nedal Adya, and Joe Cousino of IBEW, Local 8.

From left, Sondra Gibbons, Nancy and Jim Bingle, Karen Merrells, and Nasr Khan at the State of the Child event presented by Kids Unlimited

Ending the evening was Bobby Kaplan, who drew a standing ovation for all his support over the years as a community and state-wide advocate for CASA and president-elect for the CASA/CRB Advisory Board. It was also his birthday, so everyone sang a round of the song.

In addition to being a reunion of volunteers, the event raised about $15,000 to hire another supervisor so more children can be served.

Honorary chairmen were sponsors John S. and Yolanda Danyi Szuch.

The second annual State of the Child event presented by Kids Unlimited was Nov. 11 at the Pinnacle with more than 500 guests. “Donations are still coming in, but so far more than $40,000 has been raised,” said president Chris Amato. The proceeds directly benefit the children who attend the five Kids Unlimited inner city schools. Kids Unlimited was started in 2006 and has served nearly 2,000 inner-city children.

Emcee and event chairman Mike Gibbons, CEO of Main Street Ventures, welcomed everyone. Toledo Mayor Mike Bell introduced Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, the keynote speaker, who encouraged guests to support the organization. Mayor Bing said he came from a similar background as the children of Kids Unlimited but luckily had mentors who had high expectations for him and encouraged him along the way.

Members of the Toledo Club of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. included, from left, Barbara tucker, north central district governor emeritus and district adviser, Sandra Coleman, national president emeritus and district treasurer, Denise Black-Poon, Toledo club president, and event chairmen Dee Bates and Clara Brank.

The Toledo Club of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. presented its annual Motown Cruise recently when the weather was still warm (Nov. 2) aboard the Detroit Princess Riverboat.

The about 200 attendees dined on a tasty buffet dinner as thePolifics vocal group performed Motown tunes.

Special guests were former NBPW National President, Sandra Coleman of Detroit and former North Central District Gov. Barbara Tucker of Toledo.

The local NANBPWC chapter is preparing for the 50th Anniversary year of the Club in 2014.

Clara Brank, chairman, was assisted by co-chairmen Delores “Dee” Bates and Denise Black-Poon, club president, estimates about $2,000 was raised for club projects.