Let’s hear it for the teenagers, about 200 strong, who descended on Akron on Saturday, recruited from Pennsylvania and all over Ohio for the massively productive Big Day of Serving.
Tony Myles, pastor of Medina’s Connection Church, helped coordinate the service project, part of a national movement, the brainchild of the nonprofit Group Mission Trips.
Eighteen different work sites were on the receiving end of this good will.
With the blessings of city leaders, who were part of the planning process, this is what the teens accomplished: Rebuilding park benches, laying down mulch, beautifying community service areas, working on a BMX track (rebuilding bleachers and putting down mulch), and preparing downtown Akron’s Lock 3 for the Christmas season. “One project involved painting a gazebo with professional painter William Stuart of Medina teaching them how,” Myles noted.
Opening and closing band-led rallies at Lock 3 helped dictate the upbeat mood of the day, added Myles, who credits a strong assist from representatives from four other local churches: Nate Day, student pastor of First Baptist Church in Medina; Pete Ryder, pastor of Medina Church of the Nazarene; Jeremiah Isley, youth director of Victory Life Church in Stow; and Brad Deetscreek, pastor of student ministry at Grace Church in Bath Township.
“One of the highlights was watching the kids really step up, have fun and treat a hammer like a hammer and not like a toy,” Myles said.
Sikh speaker
St. Mark Lutheran Church, 158 North Ave., Tallmadge, in an effort to be a bridge of understanding between different religions, is opening the doors of its fellowship hall at 9:15 a.m. Sunday for the public to hear speaker Harjot Singh Raina.
The American-born Raina is a member of the Sikh Temple in Richfield.
Diane Pencin, communications chair at the church, explained the open invitation: “Last summer there was a tragic event at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin that brought attention to the Sikhs and their religion and culture. In order to learn more about this fifth largest religion in the world, St. Mark Lutheran Church has arranged the visit. … We look forward to this opportunity to listen, learn and ask questions about the Sikh religion. This is a free event and open to all.”
Rebuilding Together
Hats off to Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together Greater Cuyahoga Valley, whose people worked tirelessly Aug. 17 and Sept. 11 to complete much-needed energy and efficiency upgrades for Robert and Carol Bowman of Akron, reports Paul Holm, executive director of the local Rebuilding Together.
Lowe’s, a President’s Circle Sponsor of Rebuilding Together, contributed $8,000 to each of the organization’s 65 national affiliates for the weatherization work for low-income homeowners. This gift reflects $520,000 of the overall $2 million Lowe’s has donated to Rebuilding Together for 2012.
“While the Bowmans’ home had been weatherized last year, a number of moisture and mold issues remained as well as old appliances that needed to be replaced,” Holm said. “Lowe’s and other Rebuilding Together volunteers contributed more than $16,000 in market value improvements to help reduce the moisture issues throughout the home, lower the Bowmans’ energy costs, and improve the safety of the home.”
Fundraiser for Yoak
Victory Chapel, 32 W. Bellisle Drive, Akron, is sponsoring a Rick Yoak Pancreatic Cancer Fundraiser 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 27, with proceeds going to assist the Yoaks with his care, living expenses and sadly his funeral fund. Cost is $8.
Debbie Yoak said her husband, 57, was diagnosed in July and has undergone a number of procedures.
Rick Yoak, who has worked since he was 16, was a maintenance mechanic and supervisor and always one to fix the cars of those in need.
Throughout this emotional and financial ordeal the family has been unable to get food stamps or any other aid. Presently, part of the house is on a jack, needing some foundation repairs.
The Yoaks are grateful to the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Foundation, which picked up one month’s house payment.
On tap for the benefit is a spaghetti dinner and bake sale, silent auction and raffles (including four one-month gift certificates to tae kwon do at Norton Plaza) and gift baskets (Avon, items from a race car driver and more).
A Rick Yoak Benevolent Fund has been set up at FirstMerit.
Hope, strength, healing
Hope, Strength and Healing is the fundraiser planned for 33-year-old cancer patient Deborah Carzoo noon to 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at Beef O’Brady’s, 3975 Cascades Blvd., Brimfield.
Deborah was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer of the gall bladder with multiple areas of the body and major organs (liver, pancreas, ovaries and uterus) now involved. She and her husband, Nicholas, a Tallmadge native and 1996 graduate of Tallmadge High School, reside in Mesa, Ariz.
“This is our family’s way of trying to help out,” said Christina Carzoo, Nicholas’ sister.
A 50/50 is planned along with other raffles. The restaurant has agreed to donate a portion of its proceeds.
Adoption benefit
Jenni and Mike Guld of Akron are hosting a Guld Family Adoption Fundraiser Nov. 18, in an effort to help them realize their dream of becoming parents.
Here’s a little of their story as shared by Kent’s Terri Woodliff (“Nana to our yet unnamed grandbabies”):
“Mike is a firefighter and Jenni is an escrow assistant at a real estate title agency. I know they are not alone in this tough journey, but they are my family and I love them and want to do what I can to help them know the joy of having children.
“To make a long story short they struggle with infertility and have prayed and prayed that God would answer their prayers and bless them with a child. Indeed, their prayer was answered, but shortly after realized the horrible heartbreak of a miscarriage. Throughout their pursuit they found an agency called All God’s Children International. Knowing that God works in mysterious ways sometimes and that His plan may not always be our plan, they have realized that their children are in Ethiopia and are now working extremely hard to bring those babies home, but it is an expensive process. In this effort they are having a raffle to held on Nov. 18. …
“Maybe their story will give other couples the hope and inspiration of having a family.”
The raffle prizes are $1,000 for first place, $400 for second, two Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game tickets for third. Raffle tickets are one for $10 or three for $25.
To make this fun, the family is offering a $25 Applebee’s gift card to the person selling the highest number of tickets and to the person selling the first-place ticket. Please call 330-554-6227 or 330-554-3323.
Heat the Town suppliers
Two more major suppliers contributed to the success of the recent Heat the Town, which sent volunteers from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America/Akron-Canton chapter into more than 70 homes of low-income elderly and disabled homeowners to do furnace inspections and repairs.
The two companies left off that earlier-reported list are Famous Supply and Ferguson Heating & Cooling. Major league thanks to them, too.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com