AROUND TOWN

Gatherings for fun and awards

LEGAL eagles, politicans, and news makers and shakers swarmed about downtown Toledo on May 21. It was for the annual Gridiron Show presented by the Junior Bar Association of Toledo at The Valentine.

From left, attorneys Nic Linares, Ben Timmerman, and Andy McCarthy have fun at the Gridiron pre-show reception.

Many started early including those who attended the annual Pre-Gridiron party presented by CJC Law (Connelly, Jackson, & Collier) at ICE Restaurant & Bar.

From left, Mary Anderson, Eli Roth, and Matt Anderson attend the Gridiron preshow reception.

Later they joined folks at the pre-show reception at The Valentine where co-presidents Sarah Skow of Cooper & Kowalski and Justin Burnard of Owens Corning presided. Circulating was the edition of The Bar Rag, a witty publication of barbs of mainly locals but also a few state and national items.

From left, Janine Avila, Bob Hawker, and Shelly Musshel- Kennedy attend the Pre-Gridiron party.

Once the show of jabs of local, state, and national happenings and people began, it was off record.

Jeni Belt, 2013 Order of the Heel, left, with Justin Burnard and Sarah Skow, co-presidents of the Toledo Junior Bar Association.

But I can tell you the show opened with a tribute to Marty Mohler who was sworn in as the president of the Ohio State Bar Association at the convention on May 1st in Columbus. He officially takes office July 1, 2014. He and his band the Jingle Balls, had center stage. The other band members are Judge Michael Goulding, attorneys Larry Gold and Jim Anderson, and bass player John Rozic.

Samantha Rhodes, left, and Gina Todd were recipients of awards at the Press Club awards banquet.

Mohler, a partner in the Toledo firm of Shindler, Neff, Holmes, Worline and Mohler, is actively involved in the Toledo community. He volunteers at the Historic Church of St. Patrick soup kitchen, is on the Toledo Bar Association Pro Bono Board, chairman of the Facility Governing Board for the Correctional Treatment Facility of Lucas County, and is a former board member of the Toledo Legal Aid Society, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, and Legal Aid of Western Ohio.

And I can tell you Jeni Belt of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, last year's Order of the Heel awardee, was honored with being the guest speaker. Each year, when someone is selected as the Oder of the Heel recipient, they are not allowed to talk until the following year. This year Judge Jack Zouhary was honored with the 2014 Order of the Heel award.

Show director Damian Rodgers, attorney at HCR Manor Care, was assisted by more than 80 participants including show director emeritus Rob Koenig, attorney at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.

Special thanks go to a house band of local musicians directed by David Sayers of Toledo School for the Arts.

THE University of Toledo Department of Communication Annual Scholarship Luncheon was held before the spring semester ended at Gradkowski's restaurant. More than $54,000 was awarded.

The Press Club of Toledo awards went to Gina Todd, a junior studying multimedia journalism and the next UT: 10 News student producer (the university's weekly newscast) and to Samantha Rhodes, a junior studying journalism and the next managing editor for the Independent Collegian. The Doug Sinn Memorial Scholarship (a past Press Club member) went to Marisa Mindyas. The William Day Scholarship Fund, (a past Press Club member) went to Samantha Rhodes. The Buckeye Cablesystem Scholarship went to Gina Todd.

MAYOR Michael Collins, Police Chief William Moton, and other city officials will discuss crime in Toledo during the "Building Safer Communities" open forum tomorrow, 8:30 -10:30 a.m. at the Main Library downtown. The open-to-the-public event is hosted by the Press Club of Toledo. Admission is $8 for members. $10 for non-members. Go to info@toledopressclub.com.

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