AROUND TOWN

Elves raise money for area kids

Barbara Hendel.

Barbara Hendel.

The Order of the Elves, a charitable organization at Toledo Country Club started by the late James Millon, gathered on Dec. 3 at the country club and raised more than $10,000 for Christmas gifts for hundreds of northwest Ohio children.

Andrea DeWood, Joanne Jackson, Joyce Okman, Susan Stahle, Courtney Cohen, and Cynthia Hoffman were par tof The Order of Elves

The group changed its name this year to the Jim Millon Order of the Elves. The committee included Mr. Millon's children, Dayna Stewart and Patrick Millon, his wife Candace Millon, and family friend Ned Hoffman.e7e00dc6-7d5d-4f5c-a377-2a881556f966

John Mangas (guest Bartender) and Jack Amlin

A Christmas Ale Tasting at Barr's Public House in Maumee was the setting Dec. 2 for the kickoff of the new Young Ambassadors for Opportunity Toledo. Mary Sabin of Perrysburg said Toledo is the 15th city in the nation with a chapter.

Opportunity International, founded 44 years ago, is a faith-based nonprofit organization that works to find solutions to global poverty. Last year it provided more than $1 billion in loans to the working poor and also offered savings, insurance, and education loans.

Leaders of Toledo's organization include Morgan Bayer, Tim Hanson, Kelly Krueger, and an energized committee of founding members including Bo Freeman, Chris Pollum, Taylor Dana, Connor Cucuro, Kelsy Grefe, Matt Bryant, Melissa Noe Freeman, Zak Jasinski, and Stefanie Mortensen.

More than 50 young people attended the event that raised $2,440.

Mikki Breese, Chelsea Griffis and her mother, Anita.

The American Association of University Women Wemmer scholarship winners breakfast was Dec. 7 at the Toledo Club. Over 36 years, the Wemmer scholarship has provided more than $1 million to University of Toledo women students. The 2013 winners are Chelsea Griffis, a graduate student in women's history; Anna Barnes, an undergraduate with a physics major; Namarata Maden, a graduate student majoring in biomedical research, and Karen Gallagher, a graduate student majoring in spatial integration.

Allison Kooser, Stefanie Mortensen

It was standing room only at the Claddagh Irish Pub Nov. 21 for the annual Mortgage Banker's Association guest bartender event to help the Family House.

The event netted nearly $700, including more than $103 in tips generated by Toledo Board of Realtors CEO Megan Meyer Foos.

Other bartenders included Nita Haas, Chris Hall, Ken Wood, Scott Seipel, John Mangas, Al Hotchkiss, and mystery bartender Jack Amlin of Amlin and Associates Auction Services.

Family House helps homeless families in crisis, many of whom are low-income single mothers with an average of three to five children. It provides professional, comprehensive housing, and social services in a safe environment.

Seen were Crystal Jordan of NOIC (Northern Ohio Investment Company), Larry Boyer (Waterford Bank), and John Martin (Louisville Title), who were talking shop with Kathy Kuyoth (RE/MAX Preferred) along with Michelle Bono-Stuckey, Alan Tinney, Nita Haas, and Ken Wood. 

Contact Blade Society Writer Barbara Hendel at 419-724-6124 or at bhendel@theblade.com