In the wake of the good news coming out of Cleveland about the three rescued missing girls (now women), and the still-missing young Akron woman, an upcoming event should hold interest for all of us.
Guardians Advocating Child Safety and Protection (GASP) is sponsoring a “National Missing Children’s Day” event 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Summit Mall (near the Dillard’s women’s store entrance).
GASP, a local nonprofit, provides programs to help keep children out of dangerous situations, sexual offenses, abuse and abduction, working in tandem with the Summit County Sheriff’s office as well as local police and other organizations that care about children.
Fingerprinting of your children and ID discs will be provided at no cost, and a special presentation in honor of missing children is planned. For more information, please call Debbie at 330-247-1402.
Garfield beautification
Garfield High School principal Frank Kalain and Akron Councilman Donnie Kammer (Ward 7) are calling for an all-hands-on-deck participation in “Garfield Beautification Day” 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the school. Students, staff and others are asked to show up to pull weeds, plant flowers and spread mulch. A picnic will follow.
Good Grief benefit
The Good Grief Golf Outing, a fundraiser for Stow’s GriefCare Place, is planned for Friday at Fox Den Golf Course, 2770 Call Road, Stow, with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.
GriefCare Place, founded by Lou-Ann Redmon, provides a safe place where grievers gather to be encouraged and educated throughout the healing journey after the death of a loved one.
Cost is $90 per golfer ($60 tax deductible). The 18-hole scramble includes cart, beverages, a gift, prizes and dinner (catered by Outback Steakhouse). For more information or reservations, please call 330-686-1750.
Bowling fundraiser
Jennifer Bessemer-Marando — owner of Fast Lane Bowling and Party Center, 193 Wooster Road N., Barberton — has graciously consented to make her facility available for the Last Day of School Bowling Party to Strike Out Mitochondrial Disease, 6 to 10 p.m. June 5, with all proceeds going to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.
The $10 admission includes cosmic bowling, shoe rental, a cornhole tournament, two-story slide and karaoke.
Medical literature defines mitochondrial disease as “a group of disorders caused by dysfunctional mitochondria, the organelles that generate energy for the cell. Mitochondria are found in every cell of the human body except red blood cells. … Mitochondrial diseases take on unique characteristics both because of the way the diseases are often inherited and because mitochondria are so critical to cell function.”
Fore more information please contact Julie Rovellicq at Julierovelli@msn.com.
Girls on the Run
Two local Girls on the Run (GOTR) organizations are hoping the community will help them make great strides on behalf of girls.
• Girls on the Run of Greater Summit, founded in 2007, will complete its 10-week session with a spring 5K at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Lock 3, downtown Akron, with participation of more than 725.
Susan DiMauro, advisory board member/media relations coordinator for GOTR Summit, is cheerleading for the cause, encouraging the community to come out and participate in the run or walk.
The goal is to empower pre-teens with confidence. “They talk about peer pressure, bullying and the ‘mean girls’ they have to deal with on a daily basis, but they know Girls on the Run is a safe place for them to be themselves and receive love and support from other girls just like them,” said volunteer coach Chrissy Snider of Avon Lake. “They come to practice and know they aren’t alone.”
For more information or to register or volunteer, please visit www.gotrgreatersummit.org.
• The fourth annual Stark County Girls on the Run 5K/walk is extending an open invitation to local women to walk or run at 8 a.m. June 1, at Walsh University in North Canton.
“The event is a wonderful opportunity to rally around the 500 girls who have been training for the past 10 weeks to do their first 5k,” wrote Patty Lovell, council director for GOTR of Stark County. “Join us as we celebrate these girls’ accomplishments and promote a healthy lifestyle for all.”
To register, please go to www.rsracingsystems.com or www.gotrstarkcty.org. The $25 cost includes a race T-shirt (if registered by May 27), and a goody bag with music and fun activities provided by Mix 94.1.
Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization that offers a 10-week learning program for girls ages 8 to 13 years old. The program combines training for a 3.1 mile running event with sessions to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development. The goal is to reduce adolescent pregnancies, eating disorders, depression and suicide attempts, substance/alcohol abuse problems and encounters with the juvenile justice system.
Breast Oasis golf outing
Breast cancer survivor Barb Basco sent along this worthy reminder: “Breast Oasis is one [nonprofit] that provides new and gently used bras for women in need. They have two local drop-offs: Akron Plastic Surgeons, Dr. John Pedersen, 1 Park West Blvd. #350, Akron, 330-253-9161; and Elegant Essentials, Reserve Park Bldg. 1, 3637 Medina Road, #130, Medina, 330-723-8880.”
The main fundraiser is Breast Oasis Charity Golf Outing at Stow’s Roses Run Country Club, 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15. See www.breastoasis.org for information.
Fit for the Cure
Wacoal bra manufacturers and Susan G. Komen for the Cure are sponsoring Fit for the Cure, an educational and fundraising event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Macy’s Summit Mall store.
You get a complimentary bra fitting with a Wacoal fit specialist (research shows eight out of 10 women are wearing the wrong-sized bra) and sign up to receive a monthly email reminder to do a breast self-exam. For every woman who participates, Wacoal will donate $2 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for breast cancer research and community health programs, and another $2 for every Wacoal bra, shapewear piece or b.tempt’d bra purchased.
Bra display at Civic
The Celtic Club Fights Breast Cancer/Bras Across the Crooked River breast cancer awareness campaign will return to Akron’s Civic Theater on Wednesday, May 29, for its fourth annual outdoor bra display on the fire escapes.
“May 29 would have been the 59th birthday of Celtic Club co-founder Rita Murray Klein, who passed away from cancer in 2007,” said club spokesman Jim Collver.
The club began its breast cancer awareness campaign with an indoor bra display “that encircled the entire lobby” of the theater on Jan. 26 for Girls’ Night: The Musical, Collver continued.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com