AROUND TOWN

Fund-raisers to help kids near and far

RIDE for Kids Sake presented by the Harley Boyz on July 26 was for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio. A little over $7,000 was raised to support seven match relationships for one year according to Johnny Mickler, Sr., who came on board as president two months ago. The theme, Roll Out for Mentoring, featured about 60 bikers who enjoyed a scenic escorted route. The ride started and ended at GM Powertrain Oscar Bunch Park on Jackman Road followed by the agency’s annual youth picnic with the kids and their mentors, called the Littles and the Bigs. Board chairman, Wayne Blanchard, who started the event, led the pack through the 60-mile ride. There were bikers from the Toledo area, Detroit, Chicago, Findlay, and more.

Charlotte Hall treats Toledo Club members to her popular ribs dinner prior to the club temporarily closing for maintenance for August.Charlotte Hall treats Toledo Club members to her popular ribs dinner prior to the club temporarily closing for maintenance for August.

Food, fun, prizes, music and activities were all part of the fun attended by nearly 200 people including the Littles’ parents and their Bigs, plus bikers and volunteers. The Littles also received book bags with school supplies. The food was donated by Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission. Walmart, The Anderson’s, Kroger, Target, Sams, Meijers, Costco, and Fresh Market, gave gift cards and items for the event, too.

Jordon Neuenschwander, left, and Matt Gomez attend the recent Heart for Haiti fund-raiser.

Sponsors included the Chrysler Foundation, Chrysler Toledo Machining Plant, UAW Local 1435, Honda East, Indian Motorcycle of Toledo, Local Union No. 8 IBEW, Maumee Bay Lodge, Monster Graphics, Solar Gard, TAS Electronics, Team Super Fitness, and Toledo Area UAW Cap Council.

From left, Glenn and Beth Gaewsky and Ann Marie Rodgers enjoy the music at the Heart for Haiti event.

AL FRESCO dining was finished just in time before the rain started. It was Charlotte’s Hot Ribs and Cool Jazz with the Calvin Hughes Jazz Trio at the Toledo Club on July 25 in the parking lot. The popular night is a return of Charlotte Hall cooking up a storm for fans since 2009 and it enticed 250 diners and 50 togo orders, equating to more than 135 full slabs of ribs. It’s fun for Mrs. Hall, who has been her family’s chef since she was 12.

It takes three days to prepare the dinners: The first day is cooking the ribs, the second day is making the barbeque sauce, which is done by taste, with no recipe. The third day, while the spices are all coming together in the sauce, she makes the baked beans.

Making all of the rest of the grub was executive chef Mike Rosendaul and his crew who prepared the potato salad, cole slaw, corn, and fruit cobbler from Charlotte’s recipes. To show how much the members appreciate Charlotte, who has been with the club since 1988, she was presented with a country frog plaster sculpture by George Carruth . Doing the honors was Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak.

Seen were Art and Maria Bronson, Bill and Paula Fall, Denise and Stu Cubbon, Barbara Baker, Tom and Traci Schwann, Cindy and Jack Niggemeyer, Barbara and Bob Bettinger, Elizabeth Foley, Joe Jordan, Greg and Helen Emmert, Mark and Shelli Jacobs, Diane Rusk, Tom and Karen Klein, Lou Tosi and Mary Ellen Pisanelli, George and Kathryn Fell, and club president John Fedderke and wife Mary. Also, the Spencer, Holmes, and Hadley/ Metzger clans.

Speaking of ribs, today begins the 31st annual Northwest Ohio Rib-Off presented by The Blade at the Lucas County Fairgrounds in Maumee.

HEART for Haiti, a fund-raiser on July 19 at the Blarney Event Center, showcased emerging talent from over 20 local and regional artists including Jeremy Holloway, Earl Cookie, Angel Tipping (from the Midnight Flowers), Dooley Wilson, Citizen Banned, and the Right Angles. Local businesses, such as Chipotle and Jimmy John’s, provided food. Adding to the fun were caricature drawings by Isaac Klunk and a raffle drawing . More than $1,000 was raised from the event attended by 130 supporters and the online donations via GoFundMe. The event was presented by an independent fund-raising group, To Raise a Home, founded in 2013 by Aubrey Crosby, to benefit the children at the Foyer des Enfants in Les Cayes, Haiti.

Crosby has made routine international service trips since 2011, including traveling to Haiti four times, and has volunteered at a juvenile delinquent home in Manchester, Jamaica. Plans are being made to obtain non-profit status in order to continue her fund-raising efforts for the global community. The fundraising aims at meeting immediate needs for educational and medical supplies, clothing, food, livestock, and school sponsorships. For information go to raiseahome.weebly.com, email crosbyaubrey@ gmail.com.

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