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Boy Scout Troop 110 of Grace United Methodist Church held its 35th annual Pancake Day March 10 and raised more than $925, which is double last year's profits. Not bad for a day's work!

More than 200 people were served traditional and chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, orange juice, coffee, and white and chocolate milk. And yes, they did have to run out and get more chocolate chips and milk!

Robert Kitson, left, and Matt McCauley serve breakfast to Sue Leimkuehler at the annual Pancake Day fund-raiser sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 110 of Grace United Methodist Church.

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Contributing to the day's success were donations from several area companies: Both of Bob Evans' Perrysburg restaurants and Schmucker's in Toledo donated the pancake mix; Rossford's Giant Eagle and Kazmaier's in Perrysburg gave gift cards for food and beverage items, and Target in Rossford provided gift cards for paper products.

Proceeds will help Scouts pay their way to summer camp and buy equipment for the troop.

Steve Way, the troop's scoutmaster, says he has been scouting for 36 of his 40 years. The troop, which was established in 1926, only has 27 members now, but he plans to increase that membership to 45.

Digging into breakfast were Mark Wasylyshyn, Wood County sheriff; Raymond Huber, Wood County engineer; John Alexander, Perrysburg city administrator; Perrysburg Municipal Court Judge S. Dwight Osterud, and others, including a lot of the city's hardworking firefighters.

Rob and Debbie Powers and sons Jack, left, and Brendan at the first Bowl For Kids’ Sake event at Southwyck Lanes.
( JOHN H. GREEN PHOTO )

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Bill Kitson of the United Way was this year's Pancake Day chairman; his son, Robert, is the senior patrol leader for the troop. Bill's wife, Diane, was working behind the scenes with other mothers, tending to details.

After the breakfast they had just enough time to skip over to Levis Commons for the parade to celebrate the Maumee Valley Girl Scout Council's 95th anniversary that afternoon.

THE CUB Scout Cake Bake was another fun time. Fourteen boys from first to fourth grades, with the help of dads, baked and decorated cakes with themes that included an Ohio State Buckeyes design and more. The annual event for Troop 104 of St. Joseph's Church, Maumee, was Monday night. Everyone - moms, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends - had fun seeing the finished products that were made over the weekend without mom's help.

The cakes were auctioned off with the help of Pat Ramlow of Liberty Center, Ohio, who also gave the boys a few lessons in auctioneering. Refreshments were served - cake, of course, and milk. Event chairmen were Mike Momenee and Dan Dick. Cubmaster is Kevin Taylor. The event raised more than $800 to support the troop's travels, plus the boys learned about baking, creative thinking, auctioneering, and making money.

Cleveland O’Neal III, left, with his mother, Brunetta, and sister, Daphne, in Los Angeles, where Mr. O’Neal was honored at the Minority Enterprise Development Awards dinner.

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"THINK of bowling as indoor golf," said Cynthia Ford of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio. She is coordinator of Bowl for Kids' Sake with Mike Zerner, event chairman. The statement was directed to her husband, Jack, who sometimes bowls for his daughter Jacqueline's team. But hmm, the bowling balls are a lot bigger and heavier than golf balls, and you don't hit them with a club. Mr. Ford was bowling Feb. 4 at Southwyck Lanes at the first of a series of bowling sessions that will continue this month and next.

Everyone had fun, including the honorary chairman, Indy 500 champ Sam Hornish, Jr., along with sportscaster Rob Powers of WTVG-TV, Channel 13, whose son, Jack, 3 1/2, bowled the first ball. Also seen were Fire Chief Mike Bell, Susan Burwell, president of the New Neighbors League, and individuals and corporate teams totaling more than 420, for a preliminary net of $60,000.

Contact the Big Brothers Big Sisters office for details on future bowling dates.

Board chairman is Jim Silk, Jr. Steering committee members include Mitchell Howard, Shelley Wilbert, Marcia Young, Deb Shufelt, Yvette Thompson, and Debi Mertz.

BRUNETTA O'Neal is still glowing after she returned last month from Los Angeles, where she visited her son, Cleveland O'Neal III, a graduate of Ottawa Hills High School and Boston University. The proud mother was there to attend the 12th annual Minority Enterprise Development Week Awards Dinner and Celebration, "The Next Level: Destination ... Wealth" at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel with her son, one of the honorees.

The event recognizes outstanding minority business enterprises. Mr. O'Neal is an executive producer for Connection III Entertainment Corp., which handles media production, marketing, and distribution. His accomplishments include producing two weekly TV shows, Made in Hollywood and Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition; they do not yet air in Toledo.

When traveling, Mr. O'Neal frequently takes time out to visit mom, who is a retired Toledo Public Schools teacher. His father, Cleveland O'Neal, Jr., of Philadelphia, is a retired research chemist. Also at the event was Mr. O'Neal's sister, Daphne O'Neal of San Francisco, and brother Brian O'Neal of Los Angeles.

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