LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Blade gala helps lives of Toledoans

5/25/2011

Last December, The Blade celebrated its 175th anniversary with a gala evening called "About Our Town -- The Blade, Toledo and Its Neighborhoods." The elegant crowd of nearly 300 filled the main floors of the Toledo Club, which was open exclusively for this event. Throughout the evening, the movers and shakers of our community applauded The Blade for its many contributions to the lives of Toledoans for nearly two centuries.

Although The Blade's anniversary clearly was the focus of the evening, the executive leadership and the board of Block Communications Inc. saw an opportunity to let celebration of their special milestone raise awareness and funds to support neighborhood development in Toledo.

The evening's two dozen corporate sponsors gave more than $109,000 to back the work of the Local Initiatives Support Corp. in Toledo, which was in turn marking its 20th anniversary. LISC volunteers organized the event. The Blade generously printed invitations, and Block Communications Inc. was one of the sponsors with a contribution of $10,000.

After all the evening's bills were paid, approximately $85,000 remained for LISC. By sharing its special celebration with us, The Blade made our 20th anniversary celebration very special indeed, while helping us secure needed resources to help with our work in Toledo's oldest and least economically powerful neighborhoods. Many people commented that it really impressed them that a private corporation would intentionally let its milestone directly benefit a civic purpose.

I am writing again to thank The Blade's leadership for its generosity, and to be sure that the Toledo community is aware that The Blade's anniversary celebration helped LISC pursue its mission to strengthen Toledo neighborhoods.

Hugh W. Grefe

Senior Executive Director Local Initiatives Support Corp. Toledo

 

Prophets of doom need to do good

A schoolteacher once warned me about prophets of doom, saying they have been around since time began ("Judgment Day passes, world goes on," May 22).

We have just witnessed another self-proclaimed messenger of the Bible interpreting May 21 as "the end." Dissect, decipher, and desecrate it all you wish, and interpret it to fit personal needs, but there is one basic message throughout the Bible, and that is simply to love and help one another.

Imagine the good that could have been done for those in need if the cost of this campaign of doom had been spent with the Red Cross or any other deserving charity.

Susan Lowell

Oregon

 

Will Mayor Bell top Marco Polo?

Take heart, Toledo. Marco Polo in his journeys to China many centuries ago introduced to the Western world many things, including spaghetti.

Mayor Bell, can you top pasta ("Toledo delegation promotes relations," May 21)?

Jesse Otto, Jr.

107th Street