Nonprofit Organization
YMCA Seeking Nominations Of Professionals Who Give Back
The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati is looking for professionals who share its vision of nurturing the potential of young people, and promoting healthy living and social responsibility. Selected and sponsored by their companies to represent them, YMCA Achievers who will be honored at the 2012 Salute to YMCA Black & Latino Achievers Gala will also commit to volunteering a year to inspire students toward paths of success. Nomination sponsorships are being accepted through June 1, 2012.
The 2012 Salute to YMCA Black & Latino Achievers Gala will be held November 16, 2011 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Sharonville Convention Center. For nomination, sponsorship or gala information, the public should call Toni Miles, YMCA Black & Latino Achievers executive director, at 513-362-YMCA (9622) or email her at tmiles@cincinnatiymca.org; or visit the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati website.
One of the largest regional programs of its kind, the YMCA Black & Latino Achievers Program motivates students of color to further their education and goals with help from successful, professional role models. Since its beginning, the Program has served over 6,000 teens, awarded over $250,000 in scholarships, assisted youth with over $4 million dollars in awarded scholarships and engaged more than 4,500 adult volunteers through a network of corporate and community partners.
Tender Mercies Needs Books To Enrich Lives Of Homeless
Do you have any extra books to share? If you donate them to Tender Mercies for their new library, you’ll be enriching the lives of Cincinnati’s homeless…not only by giving residents something to read and talk about, but also by giving them an opportunity to be productive because the library is run by people who live there.
Tender Mercies provides housing and supportive services for people who are homeless and who have a mental and/emotional disability. For the 150 people who call it, they offer an environment conducive to recovery – where an individual’s strengths are celebrated daily and barriers to success are addressed in a strengths-based, solution-focused manner. They partner with residents to help them achieve maximum self-sufficiency according to their ability. The residents run a Snack Shack to provide the needed personal items and food and its newly opened Library that has books, CD’s, video’s and games.
If you’d like to learn more about Tender Mercies or make a donation, visit www.tendermerciesinc.org or call them at (513) 721-8666. They’re located at 15 West 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202.
At 102 Years Old, Jo Got Back On A Motorcycle
Do you dream? What is on your bucket list?
Well, at 102 years young, Jo Millhouse – a resident at Cantebury Court in Cincinnati’s Episcopal Retirement Homes – still had a dream to be fulfilled. Notice I wrote that in past tense.
Jo’s dream was simple, relatively speaking. She wanted to ride a motorcycle again. Much time had passed since she celebrated her 80th birthday going 80 miles an hour with the wind at her back. “I really enjoyed that one,” she said. “I thought then that I’d keep adding one mile per hour in speed every birthday.”
But that was 22 years ago. Lucky for her, staff there are all for achieving dreams. And this was her week to do it. One dream had changed though. This time around, as they were fitting her with her helmet, she told onlookers, “I’m not doing 102 miles per hour!”
Who needs to go 102 miles an hour anyway? I say, “Way to go Jo!”
Northern Kentucky Anti-Bullying Campaign Needs Your Help
A few weeks ago I introduced you to Ryan Courtade, founder of a non-profit, all-volunteer organization called Northern Kentucky Youth Foundation. It is a resource and partner for educators and organizations committed to the success of young people; and the Foundation is a strong advocate for youth in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties with programs that now include bullying prevention.
And Ryan needs your help. He is in the process of developing an anti-bullying campaign to launch in the fall with a focus on empowering the bystanders. It will use various media to relay information including a video, printed materials and 
the internet. Ryan wants to engage youth rather than using only school-wide assemblies and other traditional methods.
Do you have some time and resources to give to help? Any businesses, agencies or community members interested in assisting with the anti-bullying efforts should call him at 859-795-1506 or visit www.nkyyouth.org for more information.
In Hanna’s Memory, The Butterfly Walk Is Fighting Cancer In Kids
I can’t think of anything more tragic for parents than losing their beautiful, precious child far too soon to the senseless and vicious enemy known as cancer.
Hanna was a happy, healthy 2 ½ year old girl who loved to smile and laugh and spread sunshine where ever she went. It was just two days after she told her mom and dad her back hurt, that she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops in the nervous system in embryo. Suddenly a family who was counting their blessings was entrenched in a war against an enemy that had no sympathy.
After only seven short months, many surgeries, and 6 rounds of chemotherapy, Hanna lost her battle with this disease on Father’s Day 2006.
Her gift to this world continues.
But while the little girl with a smile that spread as quickly as her disease was no longer on this earth, cancer could not remove her spirit. What a true sense of bravery and love her parents have shown in allowing their daughter’s gift to touch so many other families and children.
In Hanna’s memory, Amy and Mike Paribello began the Butterfly Walk to benefit CancerFree Kids. “We can only hope that with further research funding, children like Hanna will have a better chance for a cure in the future. Hanna showed us all how to fight a battle, how to be courageous, and how to dream,” Amy said.
The Butterfly Walk is May 12.
The Butterfly Walk and Fun Festival brings together people and businesses who share in the celebration of love and support for children. The name was inspired by the magical metamorphosis of a caterpillar into an enchanting symbol of peace and harmony. That transformation into maturity is something not all children with cancer have an 
opportunity to experience.
“But,” said Amy, “together we can make a difference and help further the research towards treating and curing this disease, forever.”
If you visit the Butterfly Walk website you will read the stories of so many other children who are the reason the Paribello’s and all of the other volunteers work so hard.
I asked Amy how it feels to know they are making such an impact. “I am fueled by the constant need to continue our fight. Over the past 6 years, we have lost 3 of our “heros”, who have lost their battle with cancer. It is heartbreaking to know that one year they are up on stage receiving a medal for their courage, and then the next year they are an angel in heaven. We are truly committed to giving these children a voice, and fighting for their survival by advancing the progress of pediatric cancer research. Our mission is for one day for all kids to be CancerFree.”
Butterfly Walk & 5K
Registration will begin at 8 a.m.
Cottell Park in Deerfield Township
Cincinnati nonprofit CancerFree Kids was founded by Ellen and Sam Flannery after their baby daughter was diagnosed with cancer at 5 months of age. Today, due to advances in cancer research and the grace of God, that baby is a healthy 8th grader. But there is much work to do. The organization raises funds to support research in pediatric cancer.
