AROUND TOWN

Legal community bestows awards

5/8/2014
BY BARBARA HENDEL
BLADE SOCIETY EDITOR
  • Barbara-Hendel-2


    • THE 15th annual Access to Justice Awards ceremony and dinner presented by Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc., Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc., and the Toledo Bar Association Pro Bono Legal Services Program took place April 30 at the Pinnacle.

    From left Chrys Peterson, Komen board president Teresa McHugh, Komen scholar Dr. Lori Pierce, and executive director Mary Westphal at the Northwest Ohio Susan G. Komen luncheon.
    From left Chrys Peterson, Komen board president Teresa McHugh, Komen scholar Dr. Lori Pierce, and executive director Mary Westphal at the Northwest Ohio Susan G. Komen luncheon.

    Guest speaker Lilly Ledbetter, an advocate for equal pay who spoke from her own experience, was a big draw, but it was also about the awardees who provide legal services to the disadvantaged.

    At the Access to Justice Awards ceremony and dinner are, from left, Carol Contrada, event cochairman Stuart Goldberg, guest speaker Lilly Ledbetter, Patricia McCormick, and Lenora Barry.
    At the Access to Justice Awards ceremony and dinner are, from left, Carol Contrada, event cochairman Stuart Goldberg, guest speaker Lilly Ledbetter, Patricia McCormick, and Lenora Barry.

    The Community Advocacy Award recipient was the Reentry Coalition of Northwest Ohio. The Public Interest Law Award went to the HCR ManorCare legal department and the Toledo office of Anspach Meeks Ellenberger, LLP, for creating and participating in a weekly Lucas County Juvenile Court Pro Se Clinic. The Distinguished Service Award recipient was attorney Cary R. Cooper for his commitment to legal aid in northwest Ohio.

    At the Toledo Bar Association's Take a Lawyer to Dinner are, from left: Said Orra, Bruce Gradkowski, Sanaa Orra and Judge Jack Puffenberger.
    At the Toledo Bar Association's Take a Lawyer to Dinner are, from left: Said Orra, Bruce Gradkowski, Sanaa Orra and Judge Jack Puffenberger.

    Event chairmen were Stuart Goldberg and John Siciliano. The event, attended by more than 550 people, is expected to raise as much as $45,000.

     

    THE Toledo Bar Association Auxiliary's annual Take a Lawyer/Friend to Dinner was held recently at Gradkowski's.

    NFL Steelers backup quarterback and former UT Rocket star Bruce Gradkowski was the featured speaker at his restaurant. He said both football and the restaurant take teamwork, hard work, and perseverance to succeed.

    Auxiliary president Sanaa Orra presented donations on behalf of the auxiliary. Checks for $1,000 each were given to Pat Intagliata on behalf of TBA Pro Bono Legal Services and Judge Jack Puffenberger on behalf of Toledo Legal Aid Society-Lucas County Public Defender's Office Division.

    Among the 70 attendees were Peter and Peggy Casey, Nancy Celusta, Peter and Claudia Handwork, Carole and Jim Nooney, Tom and Carol Pletz, Phyllis Ide, Jude and Sue Aubry, Linda and Clint McBee, Nancy Miller and Mike Mikkonen, Bob and Sandy Pollex, Dwight Osterud and Judy Reitzel, and Marie Vogt.

     

    THE Northwest Ohio Affiliate of Susan G. Komen luncheon May 1 at the Toledo Club awarded nearly $500,000 to 15 organizations to deliver breast health services to uninsured and underinsured women and men in northwest Ohio.

    Dr. Lori Pierce, professor of radion oncology at the University of Michigan, spoke about advances in the treatment of breast cancer.

    Among the 150 attendees were Komen board members Teresa McHugh, Michele Murnen Rice, Anne Loochtan, Mary Chris Skeldon, Lynn Schaefer, and Dr. Shenali Fernando.

    Also seen were Jane Wurth, Lisa Silverman, Cindy Hoeflinger, Mary Saddemi, Christine Spetka, Sherry Wainz, Karen Ridenour, Maria Diment, Karen David, Joyce Aughenbaugh, Rita Martin, Meg Ressner, Cari Stevens, and Eileen Conlon-Burchinow.

    The 15 recipients are:

    Avita Health System, Bucyrus and Findlay, $14,500; Blanchard Valley Regional Health Center, Findlay, $58,375; Center for Appalachia Research in Cancer Education, Whipple, Ohio, $14,500; Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio, Toledo, nearly $90,000; Mercy Health Partners – Northern Division, Toledo, $36,550; Mercy Memorial Hospital, Monroe, $21,760; Parkview Foundation, Inc., Bryan, $14,500; ProMedica Cancer Institute, Toledo, $61,655; Seneca County General Health District, Seneca, $14,500; The Victory Center, Toledo, $11,600; Toledo-Lucas County CareNet, Toledo, $58,560; University of Toledo, $21,760; Wood County Combined Health District, Bowling Green, $10,880; Wyandot County General Health District, Wyandot, $10,880, and YWCA of Northwest Ohio, Toledo, $25,000.

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