Event
Art From Cincinnati Students And Artists On Display
photo credit: Pete Bender
The talents of Cincinnati artists and young students will be on display at an exhibit at University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College through the end of March.
The annual Festival in the Woods is open to the public. It runs through March 29 in Muntz Hall on the UC Blue Ash campus, 9555 Plainfield Road. (Monday – Friday, 10 a.m.to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.)
Started in 1989, Festival in the Woods features more than 1,500 original works of art this year.Several local and private schools will be represented. They include Loveland, Deer Park, Indian Hill, Loveland, Madeira, Mariemont and Sycamore.
Featured artists
• Marcie May: author of “The Adventures of Penny and Tubs,” selling and signing books.
• Valerie Woebkenberg: author of “The Story the Little Christmas Tree Told,” selling and signing books and she has notecards.
• Trudy Roesch: Watercolor artist-paints a variety of winter scenes, flowers, herbs, and will have pictures and cards for sale.
• Gary Overmann: a collector of children’s’ books especially those by Beatrix Potter, Tasha Tudor. He will sell books.
• John Kraimer: director of disability services, artist, musician.
Visitors are encouraged to support a project incorporating the love of art and reading. Through the Festival in the Woods event, UC Blue Ash is partnering with the national First Book organization to provide handmade bookmarks to give to children in need. The bookmarks will be distributed with their new books.
For more information about the Festival in the Woods, visit the UC Blue Ash website at www.ucblueash.edu/performingarts/festival/festival or call (513) 936-1573.
People Working Cooperatively Oscar Gala Gave Family Dignity
Louise wasn’t asking for luxury, a gift, or even charity. She’s was looking for dignity. Dignity for her brother Jerry who suffered neglect and abuse at the hands of his caregivers.
Support of the PWC 2012 Oscar Night brought Jerry that dignity and the comfort of home he very much needed.
Louise, 57 and Jerry, 66, are siblings born in Moultrie, GA. They grew up in a hard scrabble life picking cotton in a rural community without many luxuries. Jerry was born with Cerebral Palsy and profound learning disabilities. Their mother worked 
hard teaching Jerry to be as independent as possible. Their father had been killed when they were young, and the family worked hard to make ends meet.
At best, their daily life was challenging. But what little they did have was violently shattered the day their mother was shot and killed – in front of the children.
“It’s something that stays with you forever,” says Louise, with tears in her eyes. “Our mother loved us and did everything she could for us and she was taken away in a horrible violent death. We saw it, we saw everything, and it just never leaves you.”
Jerry was sent to live at an adult group home in Florida. Louise and Gina made their way to Cincinnati, where other relatives were living.
As the years passed, all seemed to be well with Jerry’s care until one day when an uncle made a surprise visit to Jerry’s group home. He was shocked with what he found. Jerry was malnourished and had suffered horrible physical abuse. When Louise received the phone call, she knew the decision had already been made – Jerry would come to live with her and her friend Marietta.
But the Bond Hill home wasn’t ideal for a person with disabilities. Jerry can’t walk, so Louise had to carry him up and down the steps to use the toilet or for a bath. Louise has had had two knee replacements; Marietta has bone spurs and nerve pain in her back. They worried about dropping him.
“We didn’t want to hurt him – or us,” said Louise.
What the family needed to care for Jerry was a basement bathroom and shower. It was a difficult, expensive job due to the plumbing which was dug up from the basement floor. Also, the door where Jerry accesses the basement and his chair lift was 
widened and made more accessible. The size of the job was beyond the scope of what People Working Cooperatively typically performs.
But support from PWC’s Oscar Gala helped Jerry receive the care he needed. He now has a beautiful state of the art bathroom in his basement, and an expanded doorway to help him get in the house.
You can support PWC’s Oscar Experience: Cincinnati by buying event tickets or raffle tickets to win $5,000 at www.pwchomerepairs.org or calling 513-351-7921.
Cincinnati Students Raising Money For Pediatric Cancer Nonprofits
Local Cincinnati high school students are organizing a 13 hour, overnight event to raise awareness and funds for three area nonprofits focusing on pediatric cancer.
Night for the Fight will include walking, team challenges, guest speakers and entertainment. At the end of the event, participants will have input as to which programs funded by The Cure Starts Now, CancerFree Kids or the Jeffrey Thomas Hayden Foundation will receive their fundraising dollars.
It all takes place April 13 to 14, 2013 at the Xavier University Cintas Center, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Student leaders can register on the website (www.nightforthefight.org) and form teams of 6 to 15 peers. All fundraising is done online.
Interested schools and students can also contact Todd Forman at tforman@mndhs.org or at 513-550-0518.
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.
‘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)
