Lisa Desatnik
Pones Inc. Livens Up Bus Ride With Surprise Dance
Pones in Public and TANK present “Ride with an Artist Day”!
I love it! It began as any ordinary ride for the passengers about the #25 TANK bus in downtown Covington, Kentucky last week. Unbeknownst to them, the group that boarded together carrying a boom box was actually a group of dancers from Pones Inc. Within a few blocks, music began and suddenly the bus was filled with dancing!
You can imagine, there were a lot of smiles being passed around. By the second song, riders were invited to join along – and many did. One person even learned all of the moves by the time the bus 
reached NKU.
Founded in 2008 by Kim Popa and Lindsey Jones, Pones Inc. has collaborated with over 100 artists and 50 art and service organizations. The company creates site-specific performances through a fusion of movement and dance with other art forms. Pones Inc.’s accessible and participatory performances have been seen in over 30 Greater Cincinnati locations, as well as, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Ongoing programs are available year round for artists and art groups, schools, and businesses.
A Conversation With Cincinnati Volunteer Fred Neurohr
Fred Neurohr is a volunteer, a husband and a father. I met him through his involvement as a board member for
“My work with him at Elementz really drives home the notion that everyone has a gift, and our duty as members of a community is to help nurture and bring those gifts into the light.”
the Cincinnati nonprofit Elementz, an arts center dedicated to encouraging young people’s creativity and positive choices, the promotion and development of Urban Arts, and the betterment of our city. Fred’s passion for bringing out the best in young people is loud and clear. He is an inspiration.
I asked Fred about the GOOD in his life. This is what he had to say.
What is something really good that has happened recently or in your life?
I recently took a position at the Council on Aging, which combines several of my passions: working with data to tell a story, working in service of people in our community, and contributing toward a better Cincinnati.
Who is someone who has inspired you in your life and why?
Peter Block. My work with him at Elementz really drives home the notion that everyone has a gift, and our duty as members of a community is to help nurture and bring those gifts into the light.
What is one of your favorite quotes that inspires you?
“Everything in moderation, including moderation.” It reminds me that it’s okay to let things escape the cold, everyday calculus. In truth, we need not count everything all the time and can choose not to impose quantitative judgments in all corners of life. It’s good for the soul to both recognize and exercise the pleasant randomness life brings, and to act with passion and helpful excess from time-to-time.
What is something that is sure to make you smile?
A trip home to my native New York City, especially sharing it with my family. Watching my kids light up at the sights and sounds of Times Square, or when they stare in wonderment at the awesome characters of Coney Island, or when they try food they’ve never seen before – it’s the best! Unless we attend a Mets or Jets game. That doesn’t leave me smiling so much lately. 😉
‘Pass It On’ CD Benefits Animal Shelter
Dr. Dan Meakin of All Creatures Animal Hospital is as known for his veterinarian skills as his music skills. His band, The Stray Dogs, performs regularly at local festivals and events.
Now he is combining both passions for the common good of helping animals in need.
Dr. Dan has wanted to record some of his original music for years, and began production of his CD ‘Pass It On’ this past
fall. It is a fun, musical look at life from a veterinarian’s perspective, and the songs are truly written with animal lovers in mind. “Learning From My Hound” and “My Dog Loves Me”, are upbeat songs about man’s best friend which remind us that dogs often seem to have insight that we sometimes overlook as mere humans. Meakin’s version of John Shipe’s “Pit Bull Blues” gives the breed a chance to tell their story and defend their reputation.
The best thing about ‘Pass It On’ is all that all profits from the album will go to help animals. Friends of Noah (FON) non-profit animal shelter was founded 12 years ago by Dr.s Dan and his wife Dr. Linda Meakin. The Meakins provide the building facilities in Amelia, which offers medical care and housing for around 20 dogs and 25-30 cats. “They are always full, and we are hoping that CD sales and more gigs for the band will trigger more donations or recognition for the FON shelter. We’re just strumming for strays!” laughs Meakin.
Want to support the cause?
The ‘Pass It On’ Release Party is this Saturday, February 2, 2013 beginning at 9 p.m. at the Southgate House Revival in Newport, Kentucky. (111 East 6th Street, Newport, KY)
Hundreds Of Volunteers Packed Nearly 86,000 Meals For Kids
What a wonderful sight. Over 300 volunteers gathered last weekend at nonprofit Kids Against Hunger of Cincinnati just as they do many Saturdays to pack nearly 86,000 meals for hungry and starving children in our Greater Cincinnati region and abroad.
Over 30,000 children die every day around the world from preventable causes. They die from hunger, dirty water and the lack of basic medical care. Over 10 million children each year – every year.
Kids Against Hunger food packets are a specially formulated rice-soy casserole that nourishes starving children and their families in nearly 40 countries. The simple ready to eat meals have been developed by some of the world’s leading food scientists at Cargill, Pillsbury, General Mills and ADM. Just one package provides six nutritionally-complete servings to feed starving children around the world as well as the hungry here at home, and all for the low cost of 25 cents per serving.
Volunteers and monetary donations are always welcome. Please visit their website at this link to learn more.
How Many Random Acts Of Kindness Can $1 Buy?
What can you buy with a $1 bill? Well, a random act of kindness for starters. How about many random acts of kindness?
One hundred students at John Jay Middle School in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district in Cross River, New York were asked to spend one dollar on something good for someone else. The assignment was given one week after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Teachers Laura Atwell, Gail Bergman, Amy Baisley, Nick Stathis and Jim Egeler gave the kids 26 days for the project (representing the number of students and teachers killed).
“We were all stunned after Newtown,” Atwell told Lisa Buchman of the Bedford-Katona Patch. “It might seem to seventh graders that there isn’t a lot they can do after a situation like that, so we wanted to empower them to do something good.”
The teachers donated $20 of their own money so each student would receive one dollar to spend on someone else.
The results?
Many of the students increased their funds by soliciting matching donations through social networks.
Mills Reed purchased three copies of the book The Three Questions by John Muth, and donated one copy each in memory of Anne Marie Murphy, a Katonah native and teacher who died at Sandy Hook. Reed arranged for the books to go to the Mount Kisco Library, Katonah Village Library and Somers Public Library—where Murphy was born, raised and buried.
Ryan Kingston of Cross River used social media to raise matching $1 contributions for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of his best friend whom he lost to the disease a few years ago.
Caleigh Boyer-Holt of Katonah also grew her dollar which she and six other students used to buy supplies to hold a bake sale in Katonah. They raised $200 and donated it to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Here are some other examples, as relayed by Atwell to the Bedford-Katona Patch:
Three students (independent of each other) used the dollar to buy stamps, and wrote and mailed letters to their elected officials asking for sensible laws around guns.
One student obtained matching funds and pre-paid for 26 coffees at Noka Joe’s, leaving 26 slips of paper at the counter to be handed to each customer, explaining their coffee was pre-paid in honor of the lives lost at Newtown.
One student traveling in Belize gave her dollar to a girl of apparent little means there.
Many students did extra chores at home, earning extra money to donate to local nonprofts such as the Outreach ALS Foundation.
“One dollar was the seed for these kids to spread kindess,” Atwell said. “This may turn into a team tradition.”
