Event
Join Me At Bark Out Against Battering This Weekend
This Saturday, bring your favorite pooch with you to Washington Park (across the street from Music Hall) for the 4th Annual 
Bark Out Against Battering Pet Fest, for some fun trick-or-treating (just for the dogs) and other activities. I’ll be there with a booth so if you come, please stop by and say hello!
The event runs from 11 am until 2 pm and is a partnership between the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, Women Helping Women, Washington Park, and 3CDC. There will be a pet parade, pet photo booth, animal adoptions and a costume contest.
Funds raised by the event will help support the Domestic Violence Shelter’s efforts to work with the SPCA in removing the worry women have, by assisting in providing protective shelter for pets during the women’s stay in shelter. That’s a great cause.
For more information about the YWCA, other Domestic Violence Awareness Month events, and ways to help abused animals please visit: www.ywcacincinnati.org , www.womenhelpingwomen.org , www.spcacincinnati.org
A note about dogs and costumes: If you dress your dog in an outfit, please make sure your dog is comfortable. Your dog 
will communicate that with his body. Some signs of a happy dog are: a relaxed body; fast, vigorous tail wag; loose lips or even open mouth with loose tongue; rhythmic panting. There are many creative ways you and your dog can look great for Halloween and have fun together!
Wearing costumes can be very stressful to many dogs and a stressed dog can be more likely to become reactive. If you try to put clothing on your dog, watch your dog’s body language. Some signs that your dog is not comfortable include: his tail may be down, his body may be tight, he may have a tense mouth, you will see the whites on the sides of his eyes, his ears may be back, he may yawn or lick his chops. Please click here and here for more body language signs.
If your dog is showing any signs of stress with a costume, an alternate option is to try a simple bandanna or Halloween themed collar instead.
Paw Joggers Run To Benefit Cincinnati Dog Rescues
I have always had a love for dogs. Our home in fact was never without one growing up. Jolie, our poodle, was a dear and special friend to me until she died at the age of about 18. Now training dogs as a second career is a real passion for me.
And for Billlie Mendoza, owner of Paw Joggers, keeping dogs healthy and happy is an equal passion. I am so impressed that 
now, this owner of a successful dog walking (and jogging) company is turning her business skills toward raising money for our area’s important rescue organizations.
The first annual Paw Joggers Run will be this Sunday, October 20 at Sharon Woods (11450 Lebanon Rd, Sharonville, OH 45241). There is both a 5K and a 2K course for runners and walkers. It is a pet-friendly and family event so bring your favorite four-legged friend with you. Registration that morning begins at 7:30 am and the race begins at 9 am.
What I love is that 100% of the registration fees ($35 to $35) will go toward one of 24 qualified organizations from our Cincinnati area animal welfare community. You can select a beneficiary as part of your online registration process if you’d like. NOTE that there is a $15 canine registration fee per dog.
The Paw Joggers Animal Community Fund (Paw Joggers ACF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the local animal welfare community through events, awareness, and monetary donations. The Paw Joggers ACF and its events are powered solely by 
volunteers.
Register to walk, run, or VOLUNTEER through the Paw Joggers Rescue Run website http://pawjoggersrescuerun.com
Mercy Neighborhood Ministries Is Improving Cincinnati Lives
Congratulations to these determined, hard working students! After an intensive, three-week program, they are recent graduates of the Mercy Neighborhood Ministries (MNM) Home Care Aide Training Class.
Many of the participants join the class having experience in taking care of a loved one. Others may be transitioning from being unemployed or underemployed to starting a viable new career.
How empowering it is for them to learn new skills in a positive environment and gain renewed confidence. After graduation MNM has seen a high success rate of helping them find full or part time jobs in neighborhoods where they live.
Home Care Aide Training is just one of many programs and services of Cincinnati nonprofit Mercy Neighborhood Ministries. Its website says it promotes the empowerment of individuals and families through programs that address their immediate needs, foster self-reliance, promote holistic health, and advocate for social justice. Other services include a monthly food pantry, crisis assistance, a grandparent’s support group, senior services, ABLE/GED classes and more.
Taste of the Neighborhood
On October 27, MNM will hold ist annual Taste of the Neighborhood from Noon until 3 pm at Purcell Marian High School (2935 Hackberry St Cincinnati, OH 45206). The event is free and open to the public.
This year’s participating restaurants include Eli’s BBQ, Kitchen 452, Eat Well Café and Take Away, Skyline Chili, Giminetti Baking Company, The Brew House, Café deSales, and Parkside Café with caramel apple cake from Bon Bonerie and Frisch’s pumpkin pie.
Children can enjoy strolling performances by Circus Mojo and take part in a scavenger hunt, costume parade, making balloon animals, and face painting while adults enjoy music by bluegrass band, Northbound Motion, and bid on gift baskets stuffed with great goodies and gift certificates to area restaurants, museums, performances, and sporting events.
If you can’t attend the Taste of the Neighborhood, you can buy a gift basket or certificate online now! Just visit www.mercyneighborhoodministries.org and click on the “Buy an Auction Item Now” link on the home page.
Dance With My Daddy Hosts Dads And Kids With Disabilities
I met Mark Walker over a year ago when he began coming to a nonprofit marketing group I lead for the American Marketing Association. I recognized him as a quiet man with a large, passionate heart. Mark told me he is a father to a wonderful little girl who he loves very much. She has a developmental disorder affecting many parts of her body, and so does things differently from many of her peers. He started attending my meetings because he was startin
g a nonprofit where other dads like himself could get together with their children for a fun, social, supportive gathering. His nonprofit – Dance With My Daddy – also offers access to other community resources.
Mark’s next dance for dads and their children is coming up this Friday, October 4 and will be held at The Centennial Barn (110 Compton Rd, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215) from 7 to 11 pm. It is free to families.
I asked Mark about his organization.
Tell me about your inspiration for the dances:
My inspiration comes from my awareness of how I am treated as a father of a child with a disability. I have noticed over the years that when nurses and doctors come in to a room to talk to me or my daughter’s mother they immediately talk to my daughter’s mother while I sit in the corner unacknowledged. Because of that I was inspired to do something special that my daughter and I could share.
What is your child’s disability?
My daughter was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange
Cornelia de Lange syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. The features of this disorder vary widely among affected individuals and range from relatively mild to severe.
Cornelia de Lange syndrome is characterized by slow growth before and after birth, intellectual disability that is usually severe to profound, skeletal abnormalities involving the arms and hands, and distinctive facial features. The facial differences include arched eyebrows that often grow together in the middle; long eyelashes; low-set ears; small, widely spaced teeth; and a small, upturned nose. Many affected individuals also have behavior problems similar to autism, a developmental condition that affects communication and social interaction.
Tell me about your child’s strengths/qualities that are not disability related:
My daughter is a fun child. She is always smiling and loves to play with her brothers and sister. Her greatest attribute is her compassion for other children. She will often cry when she sees another child crying.
How often do you hold the dances:
We hold the dances annually. They are usually held in the fall.
TEDxCincinnati Bringing Thought Provoking Presenters To Stage
They Are Among Our Region’s Most Intriguing, Thought Provoking People
On October 3, They Will Be Center Stage As TEDxCincinnati Presents “Sound Ideas”
What does the producer of a new romantic comedy film, ‘A Strange Brand of Happy’, have to do with Patti Ann Collins – wife of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bootsy Collins, Libby Hunt – the executive director of nonprofit WordPlay, Dr. Jason Singh – executive director of the international OneSight Foundation, and Ricky Nye – a driving force behind the annual Blues & Boogie Piano Summit have in common? They ALL have impactful messages of inspiration AND they will ALL be among the powerful lineup of presenters at the TEDxCincinnati’s Main Stage event on Thursday, October 3 at Memorial Hall in Over the Rhine (1225 Elm St).
With the last two events having sold out, TEDxCincinnati is an independently organized program licensed by TED that brings thought provoking ideas to life with engaging speakers and performers. Themed ‘Sound Ideas’, the October 3 event will feature a diverse collage of unique performers and speakers. Networking and time to meet the speakers/performers will run from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The speakers and performers will begin promptly at 7:15pm.
Please click here to register.
“Many Tri-State residents already watch TED Talks online to discover new ways of thinking about technology, entertainment, design, business, science, and global issues. But if you aren’t yet familiar with TED Talks, we encourage you to come to our “Sound Ideas” program,” says TEDxCincinnati Organizer Jami Edelheit. “Although TEDxCincinnati operates independently of TED.com, we try to give Cincinnati area residents the same type of unforgettable experience they would enjoy at a live TED Conference. In addition to seeing riveting talks and performances by remarkable people, you can get connecTED with people of all ages and backgrounds who are open to new ideas.”
The “Sound Ideas” program by TEDxCincinnati will be the Thursday-night keynote event for Cincinnati Design Week, September 30 through October 5. Cincinnati Design Week is presented by CODE and AIGA Cincinnati.
Tickets for TEDxCincinnati “Sound Ideas” are $25.00. A limited number of tickets for students are available for $20.00. Tickets must be purchased in advance on Eventbrite, http://www.TEDxCincinnati.eventbrite.com
“Sound Ideas” Presenters
Patti Ann Collins – The wife of Hall-of-Fame funk musician Bootsy Collins, Patti Ann Collins is President of the Bootsy Collins Foundation which was established to assure that all people, regardless of their finances, get proper treatment for health-threatening dental conditions.
Libby Hunter is the executive director and co-founder of WordPlay
Dr. Jason Singh is Executive Director for OneSight, a nonprofit organization providing sustainable access to quality vision care and eyewear in underserved communities worldwide.
Dr. Ingrid Bianca Byerly teaches ethnomusicology on the faculty of Duke University and the University of Virginia’s Semester at Sea voyages.
Joe Boyd is the founder and president of Rebel Pilgrim Productions, a film, television and web media production company that tells stories that spark people to hope and action.
PERFORMERS
Ron Esposito, M.A. plays Crystal and Tibetan Singing Bowls to create music that is quiet, dreamy, and introspective.
Dr. Tonya Matthews is an award-winning writer and poet who is known as the JaHipster
Ass Ponys was an indie rock band based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
For more details on the program, visit TEDxCincinnati.com.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with many initiatives. On TED.com, talks from TED conferences are shared with the world for free as TED Talks videos. A new TED Talk is posted every weekday.
