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PAPERS! Papers! Read all about it! Tomorrow members of the Old Newsboys Goodfellow Association will be out and about, selling their charity edition paper in return for donations.

It's the 78th year during which the Newsboys men and women have braved the weather in the name of charity. The 100-percent charity organization provides immediate, temporary help without administrative delay to Toledo children who are in need of clothing, food, or emergency medical attention.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: Jerry Baum, left, Tim Reny, and Gary Wyse hope the community will help their cause.
( THE BLADE/LORI KING )

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During the annual banquet Monday night at Gladieux Meadows, Mike Bell, president, said, "Imagine standing outdoors in the winter without coats, shoes, and gloves."

The guest of honor that night was member Tim Reny, who is better known as Mr. Hospitality, as he is always there helping in any way he can. And everyone celebrated the birthday of nonegenarian plus - he's 92 - Bill Glisczinski, chaplain. There were proclamations from the county and the city, too.

Emcee and member Jim Tichy, retired from WNWO-TV, Channel 24, kept the evening running smoothly. He was there with his wife of 35 years, Kay.

The list is endless of the many dedicated volunteers, but there is Laurie Renz-Gast, first vice president and paper drive chairman; Jim Melms, treasurer, who will be busy tomorrow keeping a running total, and Gary Wyse and Jerry Baum, banquet chairmen. Rex Maxwell is in charge of the paper distribution and Bill Sanford was the editor, so blame him if it's not to your liking! And there are many, many others, including Bob Wurst, Jim Taylor, Ron Shnider, Al Shnider, John Tharp, and Bob Standriff.

Scholarships of $5,000 each were awarded to nine area students: Tracey Wagner-Shiple, Alyssa Chegra, Gabrelle Cornelius, Natall Triplett, Andrea Kansorka, Sharae McCreary, Jacob Fox, Alexander Herrick, and Lauren Pever.

NEWLYWEDS: Mary Kay Kanary-Albregt and her husband, Henk Albregt, had their reception at the Toledo Club.

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The three finalists for the high school football player of the year were Eric Page of Springfield, Isaiah Ballard of Rogers, and the winner, Donnie Dottei of Whitmer, who was presented with the Hilton Murphy trophy and a $1,000 scholarship. Mr. Murphy, who was present, started the Shoe Bowl, a local football competition.

Kicking off the charity paper drive was The Blade, which gave the first check - $2,000 - for the cause, but as members are selling their papers tomorrow, they are glad to accept cash of any amount.

IT WAS a red, white, and blue event for United Way as the campaign total - $14,553,644 - was announced Tuesday night as the song "Celebration!" played. Some 200 volunteers, contributors, and staffers gathered at the new home of Fifth Third Bank, where Bob LaClair is president, in the old SeaGate building.

The total exceeds last years' total by nearly $1 million.

Mr. LaClair said of his experience as campaign chairman: "It was the hardest job but the most rewarding. I would do it again, but give me 10 years," He commented that he really learned that this is a very giving community that understands the importance of people in need. and that "what Bill Kitson [United Way President and CEO] does every day, changes lives." But it took the whole community of businesses and individuals to pull it off, and they did.

For instance, The Andersons corporate, employee and event gifts totaled $581,000. The O-I campaign was up $100,000 over last year's total, which includes the $60,000 from O-I retirees. And on and on, including Sunoco, giving $196,000, and First Solar, giving $186,619.

Among the guests present were Bob Helmer, Lourdes College president.

A COCKTAIL reception for Celebrate Toledo Jefferson Awards for Public Service was Tuesday night at the Toledo Club. Hosts of the event were Steve Mickus, president and CEO of Mercy Health Partners, and Joe Zerbey, vice president and general manager of The Blade, who were sponsors also with Buckeye CableSystem and WTVG-TV, Channel 13.

Mr. Mickus remarked that "The Jefferson Awards for Public Service recognize community and public service at the local and national level and these people are unsung heroes who quietly and effectively work their magic behind the scenes to make our communities a better place, to live, work, and raise our families."

Special guest was Sam Beard of Washington, who co-founded the awards in 1972, along with former first lady Jackie Kennedy and Sen. Robert Taft, Jr. They established a "Nobel Prize" for ordinary people who do extraordinary things, but the awards also strive to encourage other individuals to support community and public service.

Mr. Beard is also a founder of the American Institute for Public Service for the sole purpose of recognizing public service in America. He has initiated - then chaired - service programs for each of the last seven presidents of the United States. In 1992, Mr. Beard helped create the President's Youth Service Awards. In 2006, Mr. Beard founded Global Investment Foundation for Tomorrow to encourage individuals, nonprofits, and corporations to use the power of compound interest to double charity worldwide.

To apply for a Jefferson Award, entrants need to submit an entry form and letter of volunteer accomplishments by Dec. 14 during business hours to Matt Lentz at The Blade. Entry forms are available at The Blade, Buckeye CableSystem, and WTVG-TV, or look for the Jefferson Awards advertisement in The Blade.

Among community movers and shakers present were Brian Trauring of WTVG-TV, Ann Baker of The Toledo Zoo, Judge David Katz, Tom Manahan, Jim Stengle, and Anthony Armstrong.

MR. MICKUS continued his community involvement yesterday morning, bright and early in spite of the snow-covered streets, because he was a man with a plan. He was chairman with Dick Anderson of the Cherry Street Ministries breakfast with about 40 die-hard community supporters at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.

The breakfast is all about increasing awareness of what Cherry Street Mission Ministries is all about.

Everyone knows it provides meals and shelter to those in need, but it plans to meet the needs of the future, while at the same time addressing the root causes of homelessness.

Mr. Mickus' plan, known as 12/31 Plan, "will provide affordable housing, employment opportunities, education about the importance of the family structure and the continuation of a close working relationship with area agencies on homeless prevention initiatives" according to Mr. Mickus.

TUESDAY night was like the old days at the Toledo Club, a stately establishment that has been a city landmark for more than a century. The place, established in 1889, was in its holiday finest with greens, red ribbons, and twinkle lights while up stairs, downstairs, and all around the club, members and guests were everywhere.

Extra special and new this year is the Holiday Parade of Trees, a special event open to the public by reservation only that is already sold out. Tuesday was the members preview night.

After checking out the magnificent trees in the already elegant setting, many retired to the dining room which was filled to the brim and the level of chatter high as a string quartet played soft background music. The tree in the dining room was paid for by a group of members - the Tiger Table group by the fireplace - a table for people who come for lunch by themselves, including George Korhumel, Joe Pilkington, Bob Lynch, and others.

Among the diners were Bill and Jean Buckley, Dave and Ann Marie Quinn, Don Leary and Becky Fuhrman, Marlene and Tom Uhler, and John and Yolanda Szuch, Richard and Elizabeth Ruppert, Barbara Baker, and former Toledoan Jim Hannan and his wife, Sue, of the Greenville, S.C. area.

Newlyweds, Henk Albregt and Mary Kay Kanary-Albregt were there, too. They tied the knot last Saturday with a reception at the club, then honeymooned at the club for several days, since they want to enjoy the holidays with their families and friends, before traveling around.

About 25 elaborately decorated Christmas trees donated by area businesses will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of the season. The Toledo Mud Hens' tree, with baseball caps, balls, and cards, caught the interest of many fans as did the Toledo Zoo tree decorated in bronze and gold with birds.

Of course, I was especially proud of The Blade tree decorated with ornaments, including a likeness of the Pulitzer Prize award.

The opening bid for a decorated trees is $200 and bid increments are $20 or more. The bidding ends Jan. 2 at noon and winning bidders will be notified that day.

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