Museum Center mines collections for America’s 250th 5
CAM highlights fashion icon Elizabeth Hawes 5
American Legacy Theatre debuts ‘Bridge City’ musical 5
‘Sweeney Todd’ unites CCM programs | By Rick Pender 6
The A&C List 7
FOCUS ON WATER 16
Todd Palmeter: Making Great Parks greater | By Thomas Consolo 16
Notables enhancing water resources 18
The Datebook 20
Social calendar shines a spotlight on the movers and makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s fundraisers, friend-raisers and community events.
Names in the News 24
Snapshots 26
Heart Ball raises $2.2M for heart and stroke associations 26
Chamber fetes Great Living and Black History honorees 27
Game-show gala a winner for Madi’s House 28
Green Umbrella marks impact of climate progress 28
Adventure Crew party launches Paddlefest’s 25th 29
Miami games benefit Ride Cincinnati 29
Art Academy welcomes returning dean Stolar 30
Beech Acres Rises & Shines for sponsorship kickoff 30
Gala for Literacy honors Queen City Book Bank’s 40th 31
Newport Car Barn hosts M&M 31
Cure Starts Now bids to beat cancer 32
Annual meeting updates Mill Creek Alliance results 32
Galentine’s Gala celebrates Aviatra alumni 33
Reception opens Jewish and Israeli Film Festival 33
The Last Word 34
Polly Campbell: Immigration is good for us all
Water is life. Water is death. Water giveth. Water taketh away. It shapes the fabric of our lives and is part of every breath we take and meal we eat. Then why do so many of us take it for granted?
This month we are spotlighting people who enhance the quality of our water resources, whether that be for sustenance or recreation. Our Thomas Consolo profiled Great Parks CEO Todd Palmeter just as Sharon Woods Lake, at Hamilton County’s oldest park, is about to re-open after a two-year refreshment. See Page 16. And meet other Notables working within the water resource space on Page 18.
Opera and musical theater rarely intersect these days, but that was not always the case. I point to “A Chorus Line” as representing the shift from singers who dance to dancers who sing. How about you?
But it’s truly newsworthy when a production at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory
of Music brings the opera and musical theater programs together, as in this month’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd.” Rick Pender, who literally wrote the book on Sondheim (“The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia”) and the show (“Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd’: Behind the Bloody Musical Masterpiece”) serves as dramatic consultant for this upcoming production and shares his behind-the-scenes insights on Page 6.
Polly Campbell has been pondering the issue of immigration lately and shares her thoughts as to why immigration, done right, can be a very healthy thing for our country from a variety of perspectives. See Page 34 to learn whether you agree.
As always, we have hundreds of events in our A/C List and Datebook. Sometimes it makes my head spin going through these listings: so many Cincinnatians working together to shape our quality of life. But nonprofits are going through a particularly tough time right now. Government cutbacks and economic uncertainty are hampering nearly every organization. Please give a little extra, and if you have a product or service that might benefit from being in front of our readership, in print or online, please reach out. M&M could really use your help, too, and it’s a pretty great audience.
Gratefully,
Thom & Elizabeth Mariner, co-publishers
For their work on this issue, our gratitude to:
• Casey Weldon digital editor
• Phil Fisher and Ray Cooklis, copy editors
• Melanie Picazo, intern
• All the nonprofits that contributed news and photos.
Support comes from:
Arts & Culture
Museum Center exhibits celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the Cincinnati Museum Center is turning to its own collections to show how the Queen City helped shape the nation’s history, with two exhibitions opening July 3 at Union Terminal.
The first exhibition, “Declarative Acts and Revolutionary Actors,” illustrates Cincinnati’s role in the American Revolution and its aftermath. At its center is a rare broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence by New York printer John Holt, dated July 9, 1776. The display, which runs through Aug. 23, also includes artifacts tied to Cincinnati’s former Fort Washington, which played a pivotal role in the expansion into the Northwest Territory.
The second exhibition focuses on photography in 19thcentury Cincinnati. “Equal to
Any in the City: Ball & Thomas Photographs 1840s-1870s” will feature more than 100 original images from the museum’s J.P. Ball collection, which includes more than 400 daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes and cartes de visite (“visiting cards”). Ball, a free man of color, built one of the country’s most successful photography studios. The exhibit continues through Oct. 14. cincymuseum.org
Mariner, emariner@moversmakers.org Free
An exhibition opening at the Cincinnati Art Museum in April will highlight the life and work of Elizabeth Hawes, a designer and author who pushed back against the fashion industry’s reliance on European trends.
Opening April 24, “Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion” includes more than 50 garments produced between the 1920s and 1960s, plus sketches, illustrations and archival materials that document Hawes’ approach to design.
Though Hawes was well-known during her lifetime, her role has faded from public awareness since her death in 1971, said Megan Nauer, the museum’s acting curator of fashion arts and textiles. Hawes built her reputation during a period when Paris dominated global fashion, challenging the industry’s tendency to treat French couture as the standard. She argued that American designers should create clothing based on how women actually lived – prioritizing comfort, practicality and individuality. The exhibition will continue through Aug. 2. Admission is free. cincinnatiartmuseum.org
American Legacy Theatre’s new musical “Bridge City,” inspired by the social and cultural dynamics of Cincinnati, opens April 10 at Hughes STEM High School Auditorium in Clifton.
Rooted in rhythm and movement, ALT’s “Bridge City” explores identity, belonging and the tension between two communities – one wealthy, one under-resourced – through a lens of joy rather than trauma. Drawing from hip-hop,
R&B, funk, soul and ’90s club influences, the score by Kennen Butler “is reminiscent of conversations between neighbors through their windows,” said Stephen Felton, the show’s music director.
The show was developed through ALT’s Playwrights for Change program, shaped by public readings and community discussions. Performances run through April 26.
americanlegacytheatre.org
Elizabeth Hawes dress, 1935, silk, cotton, Cincinnati Art Museum
Portrait of Frederick Douglass by James Presley Ball
Double-teaming ‘Sweeney Todd’
Production unites CCM’s opera, musical theater programs
The University of Cincinnati’s CollegeConservatory of Music has two of America’s most renowned performance training programs. Its opera/voice program is ranked second nationally by InsideMusicSchools.com.
Playbill routinely places CCM’s musical theater program near the top of its annual list of schools that train talent for Broadway.
Despite their reputations, these programs have led distinctly separate existences even while sharing performance venues and backstage support.
Until now. On April 15-19 their co-production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical theater masterpiece, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” bring together opera and musical theater.
Two years ago Amy Johnson, chair of CCM’s opera department, and Vince DeGorge, chair of musical theater, proposed the joint endeavor.
Rebecca Bromels, head of the division where their programs reside, said recently, “I knew it would be worth the time and investment. The entire faculty was excited by the idea, as were our colleagues in orchestral music.”
After two years of planning, designing, casting, rehearsing and building, Sweeney Todd will soon swing his bloody razors at UC’s Corbett Auditorium. Thanks to donor Suzie Kleymeyer, the production features a newly constructed trick barber chair for the “demon barber” to dispose of his unfortunate victims.
This production is a perfect choice for merging the disciplines. Broadway stars Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou won 1979 Tony awards playing the vengeful barber in 19th-century London and his partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett, an amoral meat-pie baker. Big names from Patti LuPone (2005) to Josh Groban (2023) have performed in Broadway revivals. Tim Burton’s 2007 movie starred Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
Productions by major opera companies in New York, Chicago and Houston have wowed operagoers, and orchestras such as the New York and San Francisco philharmonics have featured opera stars in key roles, including international performer baritone Bryn Terfel. Nevertheless, the differences between musical theater and opera training at conservatories such
By Rick Pender
as CCM have kept the disciplines separated, even though singing is at the heart of each.
Opera voices are trained for volume and diction; they perform in works with centuries of history and tradition, frequently in foreign languages. Musical theater stories are told through singing, to be sure, but also rely as much on acting and choreography. Voices are amplified using microphones. With just a century of history, musical theater typically features more contemporary musical styles and vernacular English.
Earl Rivers, professor emeritus of music at CCM and a veteran choral director, oversaw the University Singers, a well-received ensemble that blended the disciplines in the 1970s and ’80s. He says today’s voice students need to be much more versatile than 30 or 40 years ago, as today’s opera companies frequently seek singers who can also handle musical theater scores.
“Sweeney Todd” offers a rare opportunity. Its roots are in sensational British “penny dreadful” tales. From a young age, Sondheim, a venerable musical composer and lyricist, was fascinated with scary stories. He and book writer Hugh Wheeler adapted “Sweeney Todd” from a melodrama into what’s been called a “horror musical.”
Lots of blood is spilled, and numerous characters die tragically. That’s familiar turf for operas.
“Sweeney Todd” is full of complex songs – some resembling operatic arias – and orchestral music that underpin more than 80% of the show. For this joint effort at CCM, Sondheim’s masterpiece was the logical choice.
The production has double-cast the major roles with musical theater and opera performers alternating in performances. But it’s not a competition. In fact, the large cast is more about blending and collaborating, and singers from both disciplines are learning from one another. According to music director and conductor Ian Axness, the educational goal is cross-training.
“That’s exactly the word for it, and ‘Sweeney Todd’ affords that opportunity,” Axness said. “It has a depth of sophistication. The harmonics of Sondheim’s score are actually closer to opera. The script uses such rich text, almost Shakespearean, giving it a kind of literary heft. This production is a real stretch for performers from either discipline.”
Peyton Kern, a fourth-year CCM musical theater student from Cooksville, Maryland, and one of two Mrs. Lovetts, calls Vince DeGeorge “the perfect person to direct this piece. He’s worked on so many operas and musical theater productions, he always knows exactly what to do.” DeGeorge came to CCM in 2013 as a teacher of acting for the lyric stage.
Harrison Hancock is one of the two Sweeney Todds. He began performing in musical theater in high school in Lexington, Kentucky. At the University of Kentucky he became an opera
Cultural Exhibits/Tours
American Construction Toy Museum | Norwood. actmuseum.org
Preservation and history of threedimensional building toys
American Legacy Tours | Over-the-Rhine. 859-951-8560. americanlegacytours.com
Historic tours in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org
Permanent collection of preserved and restored signs
Friends of Music Hall | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-621-2787. friendsofmusichall.org
Indoor and outdoor tours of Queen City landmark
CCM students rehearse a scene set at Fogg’s Asylum for “Sweeney Todd.” Declan Smith (center) as Fogg; Jack Hicks (left) as Anthony Hope; Zoè Meier-Juhlin (right) as Johanna.
Scenic design model for “Sweeney Todd.” Scenic designer: CCM professor Mark Halpin; assistant scenic designer: CCM student Ann Bradbury
(Inset) Costume rendering for “Sweeney Todd” by CCM professor CJ Kelly
singer, and he’s now a second-year master’s voice student at CCM.
“Singing in ‘Sweeney Todd’ is borderline operatic,” he said. But extensive theatrical skills are necessary, too. Hancock appreciates how DeGeorge led all the actors during table work, the initial rehearsal phase where directors, performers and designers read, analyze and discuss the script before staging.
“I’ve finally married the two schools of thought,” Hancock explained, answering his “natural inkling to be a performer. I’m using every bit of knowledge that I’ve obtained over the past 10 years of my life.”
Harrison Hancock (behind chair) as Sweeney Todd shaving a customer, played by Matthew Juhlin. CCM’s Vincent DeGeorge directs.
Anargha Pal from Alpharetta, Georgia, is the other Sweeney.
“The more you dig into Sondheim’s works, the more you find,” said Pal, a fourth-year undergraduate in musical theater. “Even the accompaniment has meaning and entendre.”
Claire Strong, a first-year opera grad student from Mobile, Alabama, trained in musical theater as an undergrad in her hometown. Now she’s fully engaged in classical voice training. She’s the other Mrs. Lovett.
“Very few people start in opera and only do that,” she said. “Most begin in musical theater, and it’s an easier segue.” But she’s quick to add she’s finding cross-training to be absolutely essential, asserting that opera singers need to be able to perform in musical theater for more opportunities.
That’s the experience that “Sweeney Todd” offers, Strong said.
“CCM has a renowned musical theater program. I enjoy working with them as performers. They’re fun and passionate.”
Veteran chorusmaster Lisa Hasson’s experience with training an ensemble chorus of downtrodden London denizens for “Sweeney Todd” with Des Moines Metro Opera in 2021 gave her a firm grounding for this CCM rendition.
“I think this collaboration is great and probably somewhat overdue,” she said. “The line between the disciplines is disappearing. You get the power of the vocal training from the classical side, and with musical theater you get the specificity of the text and all the time talking about characters. You can’t tell me that doesn’t make both disciplines better.”
Conductor Axness is leading the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra for the show’s six performances.
“We are aiming to instill a spirit of company with a fully engaged room,” he explained. “That kind of team building is more the hallmark of a musical theater room, engaging everyone on every level. For operas there is much more focus on individual performers.”
Again, this supports the mutual learning experience for CCM students.
“I think this kind of production should happen more often. So many people are a part of it,” Peyton Kern said. “That makes you feel like you’re part of a bigger thing. It’s helpful to be around people who have different strengths so you can learn from them. It’s like adding another teacher, learning from your peers.”
For Johnson, this collaboration between her opera program and the musical theater department represents “an opportunity for CCM to be celebrated by the Cincinnati community.”
“I hope more people will learn how exceptional our programs are,” she said. “The level of our performances is really extraordinary, not to mention affordable. CCM is one of the really exceptional things about this city.”
April 15-19 CCM’s Corbett Auditorium. ccm.uc.edu
Glendale Heritage Preservation |
Village Square, Glendale. 513-771-8722. glendaleheritage.org
Permanent exhibit. Displays of Glendale's history
Current exhibit "Glendale: Looking Back Over 250 Years," an America 250 exhibit
Greater Cincinnati Police Museum | Pendleton. 513-300-3664. police-museum.org
Permanent collection. Historic artifacts and equipment
Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills. 513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org
April 11, 10 a.m. Walking Tour: African American History along the Cincinnati Riverfront (Covington)
Thru May 9 Clay Waiscott and Jim Waiscott: “Convergence”
Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills. 513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org
Current exhibition: “The Presents of our Presence: Black Women as Art”
Kennedy Heights Arts Center | Lindner Gallery, Kennedy Heights. 513-631-4278. kennedyarts.org
Thru April 11 “We’re All Healing: Tending to the Wounds We Were Taught to Hide”
Manifest Gallery | East Walnut Hills. 513-861-3638. manifestgallery.org
Thru April 3 “Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana”
• “Totally Open” • Sean Caulfield • Anita Cooke
April 17-May 15. “Drawn 2026” • “Aquatica” • “Ex Nihilo” • Mary Johnson.
Reception: April 17, 6-9 p.m.
Miami University/Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum | Oxford. 513-5292232. miamioh.edu/cca/art-museum
Thru June 13. From the Collections (Douglass Gallery) • “Culture Crops,” photos by Tina Gutierrez (Farmer Gallery) • Art & Architecture History Senior Capstone (McKie Gallery)
Middletown Arts Center | Middletown. 513-424-2417. middletownartscenter.com
Thru April 23 “Textiles to Art: Contemporary Quilt and Fiber Artists”
Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights. 859-572-5148. nku.edu/gallery
April 16-May 1 BFA senior exhibitions
Reception: April 16, 5-7 p.m.
Pendleton Art Center | Pendleton. 513-421-4339. pendletonartcenter.com
April 24 5-9 p.m. Open studios
Pendleton Art Center - Middletown | Middletown. 513-465-5038. pendletonartcenter.com
April 3 5-9 p.m. Open studios
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum | Hamilton. 513-868-1234. pyramidhill.org
Thru July 26 Michael Dunbar: “New Works” Reception: April 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Queen City Clay | Norwood. queencityclay.com
Thru April 24 Lalana Fedorschak
Studio Kroner | Downtown. studiokroner.com
April 16-May 23. Paul Kroner: “What Have Done?” Opening reception: April 16, 6-9 p.m. Artist talk: April 25, 1-2 p.m. Closing reception: May 23, 1-4 p.m.
Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery | Mount St. Joseph University, Delhi. msj.edu
April 13-28 2026 Senior Thesis Degree Exhibition. Reception: April 17, 6-8 p.m.
Taft Museum of Art | Lytle Park, downtown. 513-241-0343. taftmuseum.org
Thru May 17 “Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White”
April 11-26 Duncanson Artist-inResidence: Ayana Ross
April 11-July 26 “Beyond the Picturesque: The American Landscape as a Site of Memory, Identity and Continuity”
listed
Warren County Historical Museum | Lebanon. wchsmuseum.org
Thru May 16 Marcus Mote: Quaker painter and 19th-century folk artist
April 1-June 13 “Folk Art: Self-Taught Artists, Self-Told Stories”
Weston Art Gallery | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-977-4165. cincinnatiarts.org/weston-art-gallery Thru April 12 Weston Works Art Challenge
April 24-June 14. Xaviera Simmons: “According to the Seasons” • Jared Thorne: “26 Planned Parenthoods” Reception: April 24, 6-8 p.m.
Xavier University Art Gallery | A. B. Cohen Center. xavier.edu/art-department
Thru April 3 Christopher Manos, graphic design; Sean Poletynski, graphic design; Natalie Stadt, photography; Kezia Vi Copeland, graphic design/sculpture April 10-24. Elle Rockford, ceramics/ sculpture; Ellie Flaherty-Lovy, painting
Arts/Culture listings are free. Send event details and photos to: editor@moversmakers.org See Page 4 for print deadlines. Visit moversmakers.org for more
MAKING GREAT PARKS GREATER
Todd Palmeter draws public into parks and into process
By Thomas Consolo
ToddPalmeter doesn’t want buildings named for him. The CEO of Great Parks of Hamilton County is building his legacy outdoors.
As he approaches his seventh anniversary in the system’s top job, he’s overseeing a major overhaul of its facilities and a refinement of its mission. The direction of those changes is the result of expanded public engagement and of collaboration with peer organizations across the region. He spoke with Movers & Makers at Sharon Woods, the system’s oldest park, which also is in the midst of renovations.
Palmeter smiles easily through his short beard. He grew up in Ashland, Kentucky, which simultaneously offered the benefits of a small city, the close-knit ties of a small town and close proximity to nature. He decided to pursue landscape architecture after reading about the profession and visiting the University of Kentucky, where he would go on to earn his degree. He was drawn to the creativity he saw.
“I visited the campus,” he said, “and saw the models of what kids were making on the wall, doing renderings.”
A multidisciplinary field
While the great landmarks of landscape architecture are certainly outdoors – think of the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of U.S. landscape architecture who designed New York’s Central and Prospect parks, and entire systems of parks in Buffalo, Milwaukee and Louisville – Palmeter said the biggest misconception about the profession is believing it’s a job for those who want to work mostly outdoors.
In fact, landscape architecture is a fairly rigorous multidisciplinary field that combines facets of art, architecture, engineering and science, especially soil studies. Nevertheless, Palmeter said he loves the time he spends in nature.
“That’s what feeds me,” he said. “I have to spend time outdoors.”
Palmeter came to Great Parks in 2003 as a park planner after spending almost a decade post-graduation working on commercial projects. That included three years working on resorts at Hilton Head, North Carolina. “I didn’t
“
We’ve changed who we are. Instead of saying, ‘This is what we should do for the public,’ we want the public to be champions of the outdoors with us.”
know that public parks and recreation was even a choice,” he said.
The resort work gave him valuable experience.
“I learned so much,” he said. “I wouldn’t have gotten the job here without it.”
Hilton Head gave him something more personal, too. One spring, he met a young woman there who was taking part in a tennis tournament over spring break. The two celebrate their 30th anniversary this year.
‘Champions of the outdoors’
Jobs he worked on in the late 1990s in Charlotte, North Carolina, introduced him to others working in the public park system there and showed him the opportunities in that field. (Charlotte’s Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation system manages hundreds of facilities from recreation centers to parks, nature preserves and even sports stadiums.)
In March 2003, Palmeter applied for and got a park planner job – essentially a landscape architect, he said – with what then was known as the Hamilton County Park District. One of his first jobs was to design a children’s play area. It’s still a personal favorite, in part because his young son served as a consultant.
“Instead of saying ‘This is what I think kids want,’ I could ask him, ‘What would you want here?’ ”
Getting that kind of stakeholder input has become a Palmeter trademark. Since becoming CEO in May 2019 – “It’s easy to remember because my first day was my daughter’s 13th birthday” – he has led Hamilton County’s parks
through impressive changes in response to public input he was integral to gathering.
“We’ve changed who we are,” he said. “Instead of saying, ‘This is what we should do for the public,’ we want the public to be champions of the outdoors with us.”
It’s a formula that seems to be working. In November, a 10-year property tax-levy renewal to support Great Parks passed with nearly a 50-point margin; more than 74% of county voters supported it.
Experiences are key to Palmeter’s vision for Great Parks. “Come here, have an amazing experience and then you’ll want to come back again,” he said.
Trails, conservation and wildlife
Shaping those experiences are annual surveys that ask the public what it wants to see in its parks. The surveys were key to refining the system’s current master plan, which was adopted in 2019 and defines major goals through 2028. Two consistently rank at the top of the list: trails and protecting water quality.
A look at Great Parks’ projects page shows several trail projects, many of which link park system trails with the many existing trail systems across the region, including the Crown – the Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network. Others improve options in existing parks. Those include linking Glenwood Gardens and Winton Woods, and trails at Otto Armleder Park and the Werk Road park being built on the site of the razed James N. Gamble House in Westwood.
It also includes leading the planning and design of the Oasis Trail, a 4.75-mile stretch that will run from Sawyer Point downtown to Lunken Airport on a retired part of a freight rail line. By connecting there to the Little Miami Trail, part of the Ohio-to-Erie trail network, it should allow people to walk or cycle from downtown Cincinnati to Cleveland almost entirely free of public roads. In a major milestone, the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Metro’s parent, secured rights to the land’s easement in February.
Palmeter said the system’s conservation-based model resonates with the public. “Wildlife speaks the most to people,” he said. To support that, Great Parks’ goal is to preserve 80% of the land it manages as undeveloped natural space. That so far covers more than 28 square miles of natural habitats like forests, prairies and wetlands, and it’s growing. Projects across the county, for example, will reclaim wetlands that had been developed.
Water recognizes no boundaries
Water quality is integral to the parks’ mission. Palmeter said people are surprised to learn that Great Parks properties include more than 25 miles of river frontage. Because water doesn’t notice political boundaries such as county lines, the park system collaborates on conservation efforts with several area water conservancy districts and the park systems in neighboring counties.
Palmeter measures success not just by human feedback. He’s excited to see the growing diversity of wildlife found at the parks. Particularly symbolic is the recovery of bald eagles. A rare sight 20 years ago, they’re now spotted at 10 parks all across the county – from
Shawnee Lookout to Miami Whitewater Forest to Woodland Mound, and even in more urban facilities like Fernbank and Otto Armleder parks. (Great Parks manages the latter two in partnership with Cincinnati Parks.)
Parks renewed and new parks
Two of the system’s most popular lakes have undergone reconstructions. The Army Corps of Engineers last year drew down Winton Woods Lake (officially West Fork Lake) to repair the flood control dam there. Sharon Lake was slated to reopen in March after a two-year project to dredge years of built up silt from the lake bed. That clears the way for a $17 million overhaul of Sharon Woods Harbor. That two-year makeover is to include an educational amphitheater, nature-integrated play areas, a new permanent boathouse, refreshed snack bar, expanded parking and updated restrooms.
“We’ve created a design that highlights the lake’s beauty and opens dramatic new recreation opportunities on and near the water,” Palmeter said. With the other improvements undertaken at Sharon Woods, he said, “our guests will be getting a new park.”
Guests are getting more parks, too. During Palmeter’s tenure, Great Parks has added about 5,000 acres to its holdings, which now stand at about 18,000 acres. With few large tracts of privately held undeveloped land remaining in the county, the focus is on expanding existing parks and adding unique spaces where possible. Palmeter is particularly proud of adding the former Gamble estate. The April 2013 demolition of the estate’s historic Victorian mansion by the land’s former owner, the Greenacres Foundation, and its potential commercial development, led to an outcry from neighbors
and preservationists. Great Parks was able to step in, acquire the 22-acre site and ensure its public use.
“It’s a really underserved area,” he said. Slated for the site are forest, meadow and wetland restorations, a mile and a half of trails, nature-themed play areas and support structures.
Taking inspiration
When he’s not helping to create experiences for the rest of us, Palmeter loves to be – you guessed it – out in nature. “That’s what feeds me,” he said. “I have to spend time outdoors.”
“National parks are a huge inspiration,” he said, starting with a trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park in the 1990s. Bryce Canyon and Zion are also favorites. He’s particularly enjoyed being able to travel with his children now that they’re older. His daughter is a student at Ball State University, and his son now works at Rhinegeist Brewery. They’re all “huge hikers,” he said.
That doesn’t mean work isn’t on his mind. He said he always pays attention to details of park operations when he visits. “We joke that we visit parks and send pictures of trash cans home.”
Visiting other places – especially big-city parks like Boston’s and New York’s – make him appreciate Greater Cincinnati’s assets. “It’s got big-city opportunity without big city headaches.” Palmeter remains dedicated to improving our quality of life with new and better outdoor experiences. Fortunately, he’s far from alone in that effort.
“If that ties back to me as a leader, that’s great,” he said. “But it’s not about me. It’s the whole staff. I don’t need my name on anything.” greatparks.org
Todd Palmeter at Sharon Woods Lake
Notables
Movers & Makers reached out this month to organizations that work to enhance our regional water resources. We asked them to help showcase their notables as part of M&M’s continuing effort to recognize individuals making a difference in Greater Cincinnati’s nonprofit ecosystem.
Jaeydah Edwards, Groundwork Ohio River Valley
Jaeydah Edwards has been involved with Groundwork ORV since its founding. Her dedication shines in every interaction, and has allowed her to grow within the organization to become senior program director.
Groundwork ORV works with communities to improve urban environments and address climate challenges such as flooding, air pollution and urban heat islands.
Drawing from her childhood experiences enjoying outdoor activities, she inspires others by teaching future generations that Black people do belong outside and in environmental fields.
Beyond her professional impact, Edwards is a vibrant presence in her community, enjoying reading, thrifting with her sister and stargazing. Her commitment, energy and advocacy embody the values of leadership, mentorship and inclusivity in environmental work.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, nature walks, and visiting local thrift stores with her sister.
Nicole Clements, Banklick Watershed Council
When you drink your clean tap water or enjoy the beauty of creeks and lakes in Kenton County, thank Nicole Clements for championing Banklick Watershed Council’s efforts to restore and protect local waterways. As watershed coordinator, Clements leads the council’s activities to reduce pollution, preserve habitats and strengthen creek ecosystems to better serve both wildlife and the community. Clements partners with federal, state and local agencies to identify pollution sources and implement long-term solutions. She also prioritizes public access, helping transform restored waterways into greenspaces that invite recreation, education and connection.
NicoleClements
BWC was named the 2025 Kentucky Watershed Group of the Year, thanks largely to Clements’ leadership. Through thoughtful stewardship and community engagement, she is helping to ensure that clean, healthy water remains central to our region’s future.
When she’s not traveling or volunteering for her daughter’s marching band, Clements can be found gardening or tackling home renovation projects.
Annette Shumard, Foundation for Ohio River Education
Water connects communities across our region, and Annette Shumard is working to ensure people understand and protect the Ohio River and its shared waterways. As executive director and board president of the Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE) and communications and outreach director for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), she bridges water quality science with community engagement. FORE supports ORSANCO, an interstate pollution control agency with authority to operate water quality programs. FORE teaches people to become stewards through hands-on programs that highlight ORSANCO’s water quality data, and Shumard works to transform this data into public programming. At ORSANCO she works with member states and partner agencies to develop communications that make water quality data more accessible and relatable.
Outside of work, she enjoys riding her bike and walking along local trails with her senior dog, Rihanna, and she believes that meaningful connections to nature inspire lifelong stewardship.
Claire Carlson, Green Umbrella
Claire Carlson is Green Umbrella’s greenspace alliance manager. An avid environmental conservationist, Carlson is devoted to protecting our natural resources. In her home state, she served as the Northeast Iowa watershed planning coordinator. In her role at Green Umbrella, she leads, informs and equips local partners to collaborate on greenspace planning and protection.
Most recently, Carlson has focused her efforts on exploring green infrastructure and riparian restoration solutions to protect and improve water quality and supply, and reduce flooding impacts in our local communities. She is passionate about sharing her love of hiking, leading “meet a green-space” hikes throughout Greater Cincinnati. Her favorite swimming hole is Gunpowder Creek in Burlington, Kentucky.
Carlson is always ready to share her belief in the healing, restorative power of nature, and her enthusiasm is so contagious that she is helping to inspire the next phase of local climate action.
Melinda Voss, the Ohio River Foundation’s education programs manager, continues to raise the bar for exceptional conservation education in Greater Cincinnati. Voss manages 14 professional educators who engage students and teachers in ORF’s innovative, hands-on, STEMbased education programs including River Explorer, the ground-breaking Mussels in the Classroom and the foundation’s summer conservation course.
Under her leadership, ORF education programming has increased more than 100% in the last two years to reach more than 9,000 students with 40,000 hours of instruction at 60 schools. Voss is leading the drive to increase the capacity of the state-of-the-art mussels facility to meet the extraordinary program demand. The expansion also will support opportunities to establish endangered freshwater mussel populations in regional waters as a part of an ongoing habitat restoration program that has reconnected and restored more than 300 miles of rivers.
Growing up in the Winton Terrace projects, Beth Knox experienced the negative effects of poor air and water quality firsthand. That inspired her to work in wastewater treatment; she now serves as a plant operator for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati and is an outdoor specialist for Adventure Crew. During high school, Knox joined Adventure Crew as a teen participant. She loved the experience so much that she has stayed on as a part-time outdoor staff member for more than a decade.
Knox recently traveled to Nicaragua to dig water wells and install pipes, helping provide a community with clean drinking water. She is working on a project to introduce girls in her former neighborhood to the joys of camping, and is studying Spanish to improve communication with the Crew’s immigrant population. When she’s not working at MSD or Adventure Crew, Knox enjoys camping and salsa dancing.
As the first executive director of Oxbow Inc., Sara Brandts is making waves in wetland conservation. Oxbow is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to protecting and improving the floodplain at the confluence of the Great Miami River and Ohio River. Since joining in April 2025, Brandts has embodied this mission in all that she does, from habitat restoration and community engagement to cultivating donor relations and hiring additional staff.
Before Oxbow, she spent more than 15 years with a nonprofit focused on improving the health and water quality of the Ohio River watershed, building partnerships and advancing conservation across the basin. A career environmentalist, she brings extensive nonprofit leadership and field experience to her role. Brandts is committed to protecting the Oxbow in perpetuity. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her three children and being outdoors – especially near the water.
Beth Himburg is a rare emerging leader who combines experience in natural resource management, water quality and outdoor recreation with community organizing skills and genuine love and empathy for people.
As director of programs, Himburg oversees Mill Creek Alliance’s water quality monitoring, recreation, environmental education and recreation programs. She’s also passionate about building diverse, resilient and connected ecosystems and communities through public engagement and civic investment.
When not working, Himburg loves to spend time mountain biking and baking. She is also a vocalist who loves making music and being inspired by live performances.
Melinda Voss, Ohio River Foundation
Sara Brandts, Oxbow Inc.
Beth Himburg, Mill Creek Alliance
Beth Knox, Adventure Crew
BethKnox
BethHimburg
ClaireCarlson
APRIL 4, SATURDAY
Cincinnati Parks, Bloom Zoom 5K |
8:30 a.m. 907 Riverside Dr. 5K run and walk. Registration: $40.
runsignup.com
APRIL 8, WEDNESDAY
Ghostlight Stage Company, Beer For Humans | 5-8 p.m. Rhinegeist Brewery Over-the-Rhine. Purchase a drink to support efforts to make the arts accessible.
theghostlightstageco.com
University of Cincinnati Foundation, United For Justice | 6-10 p.m. Music Hall. Keynote: Tony Goldwyn. Cocktail reception, dinner and presentation. Benefitting Ohio Innocence Project.
foundation.uc.edu
APRIL 9, THURSDAY
Over-The-Rhine International Film Festival, The Reel Deal | 6 p.m. The Spot, downtown. Celebration of film festivals and music by The Ophelias. Tickets: $50.
otrfilmfest.org/events
Reset Ministries, More ... NKY | 6-9 p.m. Receptions Event Center, Erlanger. Annual banquet. Tickets: $125. resetministries.org
APRIL 10, FRIDAY
Adventure Crew, Derick Lugo: “The Unlikely Thru-Hiker” | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Mercantile Library, downtown. Author Derick Lugo discusses “A Fabulous Thru-Hike,” social hour, presentation and Q&A session. Tickets: $20; VIP: $90.
adventurecrew.org/events
Cincinnati Zoo, Zootanical | 5:30-9 p.m. Cincinnati Zoo. Display of tulips and spring blooms, signature cocktails, food, discussion by Director of Horticulture Steve Foltz, silent auction and networking. Tickets: $400.
With a Spotlight on the Movers and Makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s Fundraisers, Friend-Raisers and Community Events
Emcee: Terry M. Foster. Honoring Yung Family Foundation.
onequesthealth.org
APRIL 11, SATURDAY
Chatfield Edge, Celebrating Our Scholars Brunch | 9:30 a.m.-noon. Ursuline Academy, Blue Ash. Brunch and program. Tickets: $100. chatfieldedge.org
Karen Wellington Foundation, Annual Karen’s Gift Gala | 7-11 p.m. Mercantile Immersive, downtown. Drinks, hors d’oeuvres and dancing. Tickets: $175; VIP: $225.
karenwellingtonfoundation.org
Oxford Community Arts Center, Annual Gala | 6-10 p.m. Route 66 theme with music, dinner by-the-bite, cocktails, interactive experiences and silent auction. Tickets: $125.
oxarts.org/waystogive/gala
Women’s Alliance, Hats Galore 2026 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Cincinnati Woman’s Club, Clifton. Brunch, silent auction and raffle baskets. Honoring Amber C. Simpson as the Jewel of the Community. Tickets: $85.
givebutter.com
APRIL 15, WEDNESDAY
Contemporary Arts Center, The Artist’s Table | 6:30-9:30 p.m. Contemporary Arts Center, downtown. Cocktails, dinner, artist conversations and harp performance by Victoria Lekson. Tickets: $250.
contemporaryartscenter.org
APRIL 16, THURSDAY
Character Council, 2026 Heroes of Character | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Delta Marriott, Sharonville. Honoring heroes for making a difference in their community. Reception, dinner, awards program and silent auction. Tickets: $125. charactercincinnati.org
Junior Achievement of OKI Partners, Greater Butler & Warren Counties Business Hall of Fame | 6-9 p.m. The Oscar Center, Fairfield. Hors d’oeuvres, wine tasting, open bar and raffle baskets. Tickets: $225. japartners.org
Hall of Fame Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman and wife Amanda Brennaman chair the Dragonfly Foundation’s Grand Gala at the Music Hall Ballroom, April 18
Santa Maria Community Services, Cheers for Charity | 5-9 p.m. West Side Brewing. Drinks, pizza, snacks and raffle prizes. 20% of all sales will be donated to Santa Maria.
santamaria-cincy.org
APRIL 17, FRIDAY
CISE, Party at the Museum 2.0 | 6-10 p.m. American Sign Museum, Camp Washington. Food, open bar, silent auction, raffles, dessert and DJ. Tickets: $85. cisekids.org/party
Cincinnati Animal CARE, Shelter Slumber Pawty | Cincinnati Animal CARE, Northside. 6 p.m.-10 a.m. Match donors to pledge $2,500-$5,000 for overnight fundraiser where volunteers and staff sleep in kennels alongside homeless dogs to reach $100,000 fundraising goal.
cincinnatianimalcare.org
APRIL 18, SATURDAY
4C for Children, Block Party | Gather five to seven teammates and put Lego building skills to the test in raising funds to support 4C’s programs. 4cforchildren.org
Matthew 25: Ministries, Hunger 5K Run/Walk | 8:30 a.m. Summit Park, Blue Ash. Family-friendly walk and run. Virtual option available. m25m.org/h5k2026
Montgomery Woman’s Club, Spring Fling Luncheon | 10:15 a.m. Manor House Event Center, Mason. Gift basket raffles, silent auction, cupcake raffle and grand raffles. Proceeds benefit Hope’s Closet and more. Tickets: $45. montgomerywomansclub.com
Saint Joe’s, Incline to the Finish Line 5k | Saint Joe’s Main Campus, Sharonville. 5K run, walk and roll options. Registration: $40.
stjoescincy.org/events
1N5, Spring4Life Gala for Mental Health | 6 p.m. Bacon Barn, Blue Ash. Cocktail reception, silent auction, live auction, dinner by-the-bite, music and program. Tickets: $150. 1n5.org
Cincinnati ToolBank, Building on our Community | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Camp Friedlander, Loveland. Volunteer to aid in projects aimed at improving grounds and facility.
cincinnatitoolbank.org
Devou Park Trail Collective, Party in the Park | 6:30-10 p.m., Devou Golf and Event Center, Covington. Cocktail hour, dinner stations, open bar, silent auction, program and music. Tickets: $100.
e.givesmart.com/events/Mnb
Dragonfly Foundation, Grand Gala | 6-11 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Chairs: Marty and Amanda Brennaman. Emcees: Sheree Paolello and Mike Dardis, WLWT. Dinner, music, open bar, silent auction and grand raffle. Black tie optional. Tickets: $300. cincinnati.dragonfly.org
Hope’s Closet, Hope in Bloom | 5:30 p.m. Oscar Event Center, Fairfield. Dinner, dancing and silent auction. Tickets: $125.
hopesclosetohio.org/gala
Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, Opening Day Parade | 10 a.m.
Sacred Heart Church, Fairfield. Parade and on-field ceremony. nuxhallmiracleleague.org
Chairs Litany Webster and Missy Byrne lead Art in Bloom where floral arrangements reflect fine art, April 23-26 at Cincinnati Art Museum.
APRIL 22, WEDNESDAY
Upspring, Benefit Bash | 6 p.m. Sports Club, Great American Ball Park. Dinner, open bar, music, silent auction, live auction and raffle. Tickets: $100.
upspring.org/benefitbash
APRIL 20, MONDAY
Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, Annual Glorifying the Lions Luncheon | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cintas Center, Xavier University. Honoring leaders who have made a lasting impact on the community. Social, remarks and luncheon. Tickets: $150.
ulgso.org/lions
Pregnancy Center Plus, Annual Evening for Life | Cintas Center, Xavier University. Keynote: Cincinnati Archbishop Robert G. Casey. supportpcplus.org/evening-for-life
APRIL 23-26, THURSDAY-SUNDAY
Cincinnati Art Museum, Art in Bloom | Floral artistry meets fine art with displays, workshops and programming. Headliner: Susan McLeary. Co-chairs: Litany Webster and Missy Byrne. Tickets: $175. cincinnatiartmuseum.org
APRIL 23, THURSDAY
Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Dream Makers Celebration | 5:30-9 p.m. American Sign Museum, Camp Washington. Reception. Co-chairs Ashleigh DuBois and Clare Zlatic Blankemeyer. Induction of Chuck
Ackerman and Eugene Blalock into CYC Hall of Fame, and celebration of scholarship recipients. Tickets: $175. cycyouth.org/dreammakers
Hearing Speech + Deaf Center, Communication Advocacy Gala | 6-10 p.m. Union Terminal. Online auction, games, drinks and Shining Star Award Recipients. Tickets: $175. hearingspeechdeaf.org
WAVE Foundation, Community Hangout | 4-10 p.m. HighGrain Taproom & Kitchen, Silverton. Pint night fundraiser, conservation games, raffles and prizes. Free. wavefoundation.org
APRIL 24, FRIDAY
Atrium Medical Center Foundation, Care in the Air Gala | 6-11 p.m. Wright Bros. Aero hangar, Dayton
Council on Aging’s 2026 Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration presented by TriHealth
Empowering Generations: 55 Years of Impact
May 15, 2026 | 8-9:30 a.m. Cooper Creek Event Center, Blue Ash
Featuring an inspirational keynote by IRONMAN World Championship finishers Brent and Kyle Pease sharing their unforgettable journey of brotherhood, inclusion and impossible made possible. Join Us!
(513) 721-1025 www.help4seniors.org/55
International Airport. Cocktail hour, aircraft blessing, dinner, program, music and dancing. Tickets: $300. atriummedcenterfoundation.org
Council on Child Abuse, Reach for the Stars | 6:30-10 p.m. Kenwood Country Club. Honoring Don Oeters and Gayle Oeters, Entertrainment Junction. Dinner, drinks, raffle and online auction. Tickets: $125. cocachild.org/events
Great Miami Riverway, Riverway Summit | 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Fitton Center, Hamilton. Speakers, sessions, breakfast, lunch, reception and networking. Tickets: $125. greatmiamiriverway.com
Master Provisions, Windows to Hope Golf Classic | 9:30 a.m. Boone Links Golf & Event Center, Florence. Breakfast, lunch and golf. $600/foursome. masterprovisions.org
Stepping Stones, Kart Race | Motorsports Country Club, Batavia. Lunch, safety briefing, practice, qualifying round, kart race, dinner, awards, games and raffle. Registration: $1,000/team. steppingstonesohio.org
Ticket & sponsorship info:
Brent & Kyle Pease
APRIL 25, SATURDAY
Clifton Cultural Arts Center, Gala | 6-10 p.m. Clifton Cultural Arts Center. Recognizing Leslie Mooney, former executive director. Games, arts experiences, silent auction, dinner bythe-bite and drinks. Tickets: $125.
cliftonculturalarts.org
DCCH Center for Children and Families, Swing Into Spring | 6-10:30 p.m. Turfway Park, Florence. 20th anniversary with dancing, raffles and games. Tickets: $125.
dcchcenter.org
DePaul Cristo Rey High School, Rey of Light | 5:30 p.m. DePaul Cristo Rey High School, Clifton. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, silent auction and live auction.
Tickets: $150.
depaulcristorey.org
Giving Voice Foundation, Mimosas for Memories | 10:30
a.m.-2 p.m. Cincinnati Club, downtown. Mimosas, brunch, red carpet photo booth, silent auction, bourbon raffle, live entertainment, pop-up shops and
Purcell Marian, Grand Event |
4 p.m. Purcell Marian High School Alumni Hall. Mass, cocktail hour, dinner, program, awards, live auction and after-party. Tickets: $180.
Viva Voices, 5th Anniversary Celebration Gala | 3 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Emcee: Elaine Diehl. Drinks, performances and silent auction. Tickets: $35.
vivavoices.net
APRIL 28, TUESDAY
Cancer Family Care, 2026 Unsung Hero Awards | 5-9 p.m. Cintas Center, Xavier University. Cocktail reception, program, dinner and awards ceremony. Tickets: $50.
cancerfamilycare.org
APRIL 30, WEDNESDAY
AIA Cincinnati, CRANawards Banquet | 5-8:30 p.m. The Summit, Madisonville. Cocktails, dinner and awards program. Tickets: $90. aiacincinnati.org
Cintrifuse, StartupCincy Awards | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Union Hall, Overthe-Rhine. Hors d’oeuvres, open bar and awards ceremony. Tickets: $95. luma.com/SUCAwards2026
Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, Leading Ladies Night Out | 5-8 p.m. Topgolf, West Chester. Hosts: Sheila Gray and Amanda Brennaman. Buffet dinner, drinks, silent auction, live auction and Topgolf gameplay. Tickets: $150. nuxhallmiracleleague.org
YWCA, Career Women of Achievement Luncheon | Noon, Hard Rock Casino. Keynote: Soledad O’Brien. Chairs: Michelle Hopkins and Susan B. Zaunbrecher. Tickets: $125. ywcacincinnati.org/careerwomen
MAY 1, FRIDAY
APRIL 29-MAY 3, TUESDAY-SUNDAY
| Online auction.
Matthew 25: Ministries, Open House | 5-7 p.m. Mettey Chapel & Event Center, Blue Ash. Vendors and walk-through of spaces.
Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky, House to Hom e | 6-9 p.m. The Loft at Braxton Brewing, Covington. Food, cash bar, live music, silent auction and bourbon raffle. Tickets: $100. honkhomes.org
Broadcast journalist
Soledad O’Brien provides the keynote address for YWCA Cincinnati’s Career Women of Achievement Luncheon at Hard Rock Casino, April 30
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Eleven new members are joining Green Umbrella’s Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council, bringing fresh expertise from across the food system to help shape policy and strengthen the region’s food network. New members include Chef Jared Beckman Sable Bender of WESTIL; Dominic Bley of Garden of Joy; Nick Bliven of FUEL NKU; Rosa Christophel of HomeBase Cincinnati; Nicole Gunderman of the Hamilton County Conservation District; Nate Hale, an agricultural professional; advocate Taylor Newman; Rachel Powers of CORV Local Food Guide; Jacob “Possum” Strous, a community garden steward; and Adrienne Wiley of the Healing Center. They join 12 returning members.
The board of Junior Achievement of OKI Partners selected veteran nonprofit fundraiser Mike Hogan to succeed longtime president and CEO Jeff Taylor. Hogan has more than 24 years of nonprofit and fundraising experience, including 18 years with the University of Cincinnati Foundation and George Washington University Law School. Most recently, he was chief advancement officer at Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio & Northern Kentucky. Junior Achievement of OKI Partners offers programs in financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship.
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Cincinnati Chapter named Catherine Hann its 2026 president. Hann serves as assistant director of individual giving at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where she leads a team overseeing the organization’s annual campaign. A certified fund raising executive, she has spent more than nine years with the orchestra after fundraising roles with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the American Red Cross and United Way of Greater Toledo. Hann first became involved with AFP Cincinnati in 2019 as a volunteer. As president, she’ll help guide the chapter’s new strategic plan.
Grace Lobono is bringing her experience back to Santa Maria Community Services as a board member. Lobono recently retired from HBC Facility Management Group, where she was part of the company’s start-up team and supported facility operations, client relations and strategic growth initiatives. Her background also includes work in project management, marketing strategy and training development. Lobono served on Santa Maria’s development board from 1993 to 1999.
Freestore Foodbank is turning to veteran operations and finance leader Kreg Keesee as its next president and CEO, succeeding Kurt Reiber, who plans to step down this summer after 15 years leading the organization. Keesee most recently served as interim chief financial and operating officer at The Springer School and Center. His career includes executive roles at Cold Jet, Michelman, Sun Chemical and Procter & Gamble.
Mackenzie Dulaney has joined The Christ Hospital Foundation as director of development, supporting The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She has considerable nonprofit fundraising experience with Ignite Philanthropy, the Cincinnati Art Museum and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. She also worked in marketing for Western & Southern Financial Group.
The Cincinnati Choral Societ y picked Scot Buzza as its next artistic director. Buzza brings decades of experience as a choral conductor in university and community settings. He serves as professor of musicology and conductor of the Early Music Collective at the University of Kentucky, and directs the KIIS Institute in Salzburg, Austria. He taught for 12 years in the graduate sacred music program at the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music. Buzza succeeds Phil Clary, who has led the choir since 2015.
Jenny Berg of Impact 100 Cincinnati is this year’s recipient of the Willoughby Award from Philanos, a national network supporting women’s collective giving circles. The award is the organization’s highest honor recognizing visionary leadership in collaborative philanthropy. An Impact 100 member since 2004, Berg chairs the board of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati and serves on the board of the Freestore Foodbank, where she led the recent CEO search committee. She will serve as Impact 100’s president-elect in 2026 while helping to lead planning for its 25th anniversary.
Longtime nonprofit fundraising professional Mary Kay Koehler will build support for People Working Cooperatively as the organization’s new director of major gifts. Koehler most recently was director of institutional giving at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, where she led corporate sponsorship and foundation grant efforts. Her background also includes fundraising leadership with ProKids and Cincinnati Youth Choir, where she later was executive director for nearly five years.
TriHealth is welcoming back Ginger Madden as its new chief people officer. Madden held several leadership roles at TriHealth between 1995 and 2021, including vice president of total rewards and human resources. Most recently, she served as vice president of compensation and human resources at Mass General Brigham in Boston.
The Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation added Tricia Tomich and Leah Zipperstein to its board of directors. They bring backgrounds in business, accounting and community engagement. Tomich is an attorney and chief compliance officer and general counsel at Gateway Investment Advisors. Zipperstein is a business consultant, facilitator and writer.
Prominent arts supporter Daniel Pfahl and supply chain executive Lori Zeig joined the board of trustees of the Cincinnati String Project a nonprofit promoting chamber music. Pfahl works in financial services with PNC Financial and has long been active in the region’s arts community, previously serving as board chair of Summermusik. Zeig is senior manager at L3Harris Technologies and a former U.S. Air Force officer.
The Loveland LIFE Food Pantry named Kurt Trombley as board president and Sharon Ames as board secretary. A long-time board member, Trombley has volunteered with LIFE for about 15 years, supporting the pantry while bringing insights from his career as a packing engineer. Ames, a new board member, is also an active pantry volunteer whose background includes public health nutrition, clinical research, project management, and software development and implementation.
A Kid Again welcomed three members to its Southwest Ohio Advisory Board: Steve Baker commercial lending officer at General Electric Credit Union; Jane Josshua , senior director of provider success and provider partnerships at Elevance Health; and Mike Robinson project executive at Messer Construction. A Kid Again is a nonprofit providing cost-free programs and activities for families raising a child with a life-threatening medical condition.
Nonprofit leader Carrie VanDerzee is the new executive director of the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance Foundation. She leads staff and volunteers in producing the annual Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance car show at Ault Park and its weekend of related events. VanDerzee was CEO of The Victorian at Riverside and director of development at One Way Farm Children’s Home. She is also coowner, editor and publisher of The Blue Book of Cincinnati.
Christina Mullis has returned to the Chatfield Edge as director of development. The Chatfield Edge is a nonprofit that supports first-generation and nontraditional students pursuing education beyond high school. Mullis, a first-generation college graduate, brings experience in fundraising, donor engagement, recruitment, marketing and organizational leadership. She previously served at Chatfield College as director of admissions and marketing.
College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation promoted Hannah Stanchfield to director of community development. As community relations manager, she led major events, expanded programming and helped secure funding and partnerships supporting the College Hill business district. She will oversee district programming, community engagement initiatives, events, partnerships and grant strategy.
Best Buddies in Ohio swore in three members to its Southwest Ohio Advisory Board. Joining the board are Ryan Druffel, director of innovation and new models, e-commerce, at The Kroger Co.; Lindsay Flesher, employment practices analyst at Kroger; and Tammy Martin, head of total rewards, HRIS, people analytics and payroll at The Gorilla Glue Company. The board supports expanding partnerships, awareness and fundraising for programs serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.
Chad Planner has been named executive director of the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub. Planner joined the nonprofit last May on a contract basis, supporting development and marketing efforts before stepping in as interim executive director. He has spent more than three decades in branding and marketing.
Tracy Smith is the new marketing and communications manager for the Scripps Howard Fund Smith most recently served as director of marketing at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, where she led a team overseeing digital, print and public relations campaigns. She managed marketing at the Cincinnati Nature Center and spent more than a decade with Kroger.
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum hired Jake Bajwa as senior director of development and marketing. Bajwa joins the Hamilton-based arts organization after 14 years with the Cincinnati Arts Association, where he held a range of leadership roles supporting fundraising, partnerships and audience engagement.
Owen Nyswonger recently joined the Mill Creek Alliance staff as recreation program coordinator. He’s a veteran of the Mill Creek Yacht Club, who explore the Mill Creek via canoe.
The OneQuest Health Foundation added Derek Haught to its board. Haught is a director of the Yung Family Foundation, which recently committed a $1 million investment to support OneQuest Health’s behavioral and mental health initiatives in Northern Kentucky and the surrounding region.
Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati added a pair of leaders from Interact for Health to its board of directors. Julian Collins is senior program manager of community engagement at Interact for Health, while Michelle Lydenberg serves as senior manager of data and learning. Both Collins and Lydenberg are filling unexpired terms of directors who were unable to complete their service.
Taylor Newman Nate Hale Nicole Gunderman Rosa Christophel Nick Bliven Dominic Bley Sable Bender Jared Beckman
Catherine Hann Mike Hogan Mary Kay Koehler Jenny Berg Scot Buzza Mackenzie Dulaney Kreg Keesee Grace Lobono
Adrienne Wiley Jacob Strous Rachel Powers
Leah Zipperstein Tricia Tomich Ginger Madden
Hannah Stanchfield Christina Mullis Carrie VanDerzee Mike Robinson Jane Josshua Steve Baker Sharon Ames Kurt Trombley Lori Zeig Daniel Pfahl
George Vincent, Kim Vincent, Dr. Frank Noyes, JoAnne Noyes, Alyson Poling, Dr. Creighton B. Wright, Carolyn Wright, Darren Hall, Vera Hall, Steve Mullinger and Gail Mullinger
Heart Ball celebrates heroes, raises $2.2M for medical work
The Greater Cincinnati Heart Ball, held at First Financial Center with the theme “Everyone Can Be a Hero,” raised $2.2 million for the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. The event honored George Vincent and Kim Vincent with the Heart of the City Award and Dr. Frank Noyes and JoAnne Noyes with the Creighton B. Wright Healthcare Leadership Award. The annual gala, presented by St. Elizabeth Healthcare and chaired by Steve Mullinger and Gail Mullinger, included silent and live auctions, an after-party and a special “Open Your Heart” moment featuring the Kroner family’s inspirational story about how a soccer coach’s awareness led to lifesaving treatment to correct Kate Kroner’s heart defect.
heart.org/en/affiliates/ohio
Chamber honors Cincinnati greats at 2026 Annual Dinner
Over 1,300 business and civic leaders joined the Cincinnati Regional Chamber for its 2026 Annual Dinner at First Financial Center to recognize this year’s Great Living Cincinnatians and Making Black History honorees.
The 2026 Great Living Cincinnatians are Karen Bankston, Francie Hiltz, Pete Strange and Jeff Wyler. Receiving the Making Black History awards were Jeffrey Harris, Max Langenkamp, Stephen Langenkamp, Shauna Murphy, Monica Posey, Joel Stone and Meggan Thompson.
The chamber has presented the Great Living Cincinnatian Award annually since 1967, honoring recipients for their community service, leadership and accomplishments. Its Making Black History Awards, presented since 2019, honor Black professionals for their leadership, innovation and community commitment. Learn more about the honorees on the Chamber’s webiste, cincinnatichamber.com
Tonia Elrod and Adam Elrod
Kevin Kroner, Kate Kroner, Abby Kroner and Emilie Kroner
Speed painter Evan
Struck
Michael Fisher, Kay Geiger and Jack Geiger
Alyson Poling, Mark Carter and Deborah Hayes
Greater Cincinnati American Heart Association board members: John Mongelluzzo, Alyson Poling, Michele O’Rourke, Dr. Creighton B. Wright, Marcus Romanello, Kristin Coppage, Steve Berke, Terri Hanlon-Bremer, Mark Carter, Beverly A. Grant, Dr. Evie Alessandrini, Sam Privitera, Vera Hall, Dr. Stacie Demel, Dr. Brett Kissela, Deborah Hayes, Tim Steigerwald, Kevin Jones, JoAnne Noyes, Dr. DP Suresh and Jim Creeden
Jim Watkins, Allison Kropp and Brendon Cull
Maureen Bickley, Barb Smith, Devona Stripling, Jeffrey Harris, Stephen Langenkamp, Max Langenkamp, Meggan Thompson, Monica Posey, Shauna Murphy, Joel Stone, Brendon Cull and Jim Watkins
Brendon Cull, Pete Strange, Karen Bankston, Jeff Wyler and Jim Watkins
Photos by Ross van Pelt
Emcee Kyla Woods
Game-show gala a winning night for Madi’s House
Madi’s House raised more than $250,000 during its sold-out Hollywood Squares: Game Show Gala FUNraiser at Music Hall Ballroom.
Attendees cheered for “Wheel of Fortune,” “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Price is Right.” The big game was “Hollywood Squares” with local celebrities in a 35-foot-high reproduction of the classic tic-tac-toe set. Celebrities included sportscaster Marty Brennaman and his wife, Amanda; former Bengal Jim Breech and his son, John; former Red George Foster and his wife, Vikki; Mike LaRosa; Dr. Tim Kremcheck and his wife, Hilary; “Mr. Entertainment” Mike Davis as Elvis Presley; Patti Collins and Freekbase; Tony Da Tiger; and Ben-Gals cheerleaders.
Funds raised during the gala will help Madi’s House provide a safe, stigma-free space for anyone facing substance use and mental health challenges, and to help build The Simon Leis Wellness and Fitness Center for those under age 18. All Madi’s House programs are free. madishousecincy.org
Madi’s House co-founder and CEO Julie Raleigh introduces Madi’s House members after a video highlighting the organization’s services.
Green Umbrella marks climate progress
At its Annual Impact Celebration, Green Umbrella highlighted regional climate and sustainability progress. It also honored the 8½year tenure of outgoing Executive Director Ryan Mooney-Bullock.
The event brought partners together to celebrate collective impact and to look ahead to the next chapter of climate leadership in Greater Cincinnati. greenumbrella.org/stories-and-announcements
Paddlefest embarks on 25th anniversary with Launch Party
Adventure Crew, the organizer and beneficiary of the Ohio River Paddlefest, kicked off the paddling event’s 25th anniversary year with a free Paddlefest Launch Party at Cincinnati Public Radio. The party was the first of several events leading up to the Aug. 1 edition of Paddlefest, the nation’s largest paddling event and a Cincinnati tradition.
During the party, attendees got a sneak preview of Paddlefest’s music lineup thanks to performances by Jake Speed & The Freddies, Ma Crow & Co. and Ripple Effect. It was also the first opportunity to sign up for Paddlefest, which 112 attendees did.
Organizers aim to host a record number of participants at this year’s Paddlefest, which allows paddlers in kayaks, canoes and other human-powered craft to travel either 4.5 or 9 miles on the river while it’s closed to motorized traffic. Registration for the event is open to the public.
ohioriverpaddlefest.org
Miami games boost Ride Cincinnati’s cancer-fighting mission
The Miami RedHawks basketball teams hosted their 11th annual Love. Honor. Care. weekend at Millett Hall, combining championship hoops with support for a local cancer-fighting nonprofit. For the fourth consecutive year, Ride Cincinnati served as the event’s benefiting partner. A donation was made for every fan in attendance to support the organization’s mission of advancing cancer research, education and care across the region.
The games, presented by Western & Southern Financial Group, highlighted a historic season for Miami basketball, as both the men’s and women’s teams captured Mid-American Conference regular-season titles. The nationally ranked men’s team faced Ball State Cardinals before a sold-out crowd of more than 10,000 fans, while the women’s team secured a win over the Bowling Green Falcons.
The weekend concluded with a $27,792 check presentation for Ride Cincinnati, while also raising awareness for the organization’s mission to change the story of cancer in the community through research, education and patient care.
ridecincinnati.org
Angie Burke of The Nature Conservancy; Van Sullivan, Green Umbrella interim executive director; Ryan-Mooney Bullock, outgoing executive director; and Jaime Love, Green Umbrella board president
Local sports and media celebrities field questions from “Hollywood Squares” contestants. A 35-foothigh reproduction of the classic game show set was constructed in the Music Hall Ballroom.
Scott Bernes, Gay Hammon, Linda Oldendick and Jenny Hoeting
Jake from Jake Speed & the Freddies with Peg Moertl and Steve Saunders
Dottie Thompson and Mike Thompson Adventure Crew employees and Paddlefest organizers Shauna Steigerwald, Sam Glew and Miriam Wise
Volunteers Cyndi Springer and Jenny O’Donnell Tom Gilker performs at the Paddlefest Launch Party. A couple dances to Jake Speed & The Freddies.
Renate Crawford, Miami University ambassador; Greg Crawford, Miami University president; Miles McDowell, Ride Cincinnati director of marketing & production; Todd Henderson, Western & Southern SVP, chief actuary, risk & data officer; and David Saylor, Miami University director of athletics
Art Academy fetes Stolar’s appointment as dean
The Art Academy of Cincinnati celebrated alumna Sarah Stolar’s return to Cincinnati as executive director of academic affairs and academic dean. The event, hosted by AAC trustee Mu Sinclaire, was held at Queen City Radio in Over-the-Rhine.
Entertainment included fire dancer Gabriel Ford, aerialist Ariana Rinehart and a Sarah Stolar Day city proclamation from Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. The event was catered by Jenn Hughes and produced by AAC’s Anh Tran. Over $50,000 was raised for the Dean Sarah Stolar Scholarship at AAC.
artacademy.edu
Beech Acres draws support with Rise & Shine breakfast
Beech Acres Parenting Center welcomed guests for their annual Rise & Shine sponsorship kick-off breakfast.
Beech Acres has been supporting strong families for stronger communities for 177 years. Upcoming activities this year include the Love Grows Here breakfast, the For the Love of Kids festival in the fall and the Equip-a-Kid and Inspire-a-Family donation drives.
beechacres.org
Queen City Book Bank marks 40 years
Queen City Book Bank celebrated 40 years of literacy impact at its fourth annual Gala for Literacy: One for the Books at the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. The milestone celebration brought together supporters from across Greater Cincinnati and raised $525,000.
The evening featured cocktails, dinner, raffles and silent auctions, along with recognition of individuals and groups whose dedication has strengthened QCBB’s mission to ensure every child has access to books and literacy support.
Two supporters, Ken Feldmann and Ed Jung, were recognized for their longstanding commitment and enduring impact.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, all donations made that evening and through the month of February were matched up to $200,000.
queencitybookbank.org
Newport Car Barn hosts M&M
More than 80 friends and fans of Movers & Makers braved the elements — and a presidential motorcade — to join us at the Newport Car Barn for our March Mix & Mingle. Thank you to host Al Fedders and event producer Janet Hill for the warm hospitality, and for donating a special-edition bourbon for our drawing. And if you haven’t been yet, the Newport Car Barn is now open year-round, offering 40,000 square feet of entertainment space.
The next Mix & Mingle is April 8, 5:30–7:30 p.m., at Fueled Collective in Rookwood Exchange, Norwood.
Hope to see you there. Scan to RSVP.
Ohio state Sen. Catherine Ingram, AAC President Joe Girandola, Jenny Roesel Ustick and party host Mu Sinclaire
Leslie Mooney, Mu Sinclaire and Jenny Roesel Ustick
Kristin Martin Solhaus, Joe Girandola and Kim Jostworth
Katy Martinez, Sarah Stolar and Tamara Harkavy
Joe Girandola and Sarah Stolar
Aerialist
Rinehart and Sarah Stolar
Board members Tracy StillwellHoskins and Rogelle Hackworth Eric Kearney, CEO and president of the African American Chamber of Commerce, with Laura Mitchell, CEO and president of Beech Acres
Brittany Speed, COO and CFO of Beech Acres, with John Webster, board chair
Board member Britney Hamberg and Zack Ward
Alex Bochenek and Christine Bochenek of the Haile Foundation
Photos by
O’Brien, Kim Kemen, Jenny Hartman, Hamilton
Driehaus and Leslie Putz
Dave DeLaet, winner of the Diamond Seat Raffle, sponsored by Great American Insurance Group
Premiere Event Sponsors Rob Gould and Carrie Gould join volunteers from UC’s women’s basketball team and staff from Springer School: Kirstin Eismin, Rob Gould, Mya Perry, Carrie Gould, Delaney Snyder and Destiny Thomas.
Denae Williams, Balbina Maniet and Chantalle Robinson of General Electric Credit Union, a sponsor of the gala Lin Jung with Ed Jung, QCBB education director, who received the Heart of Literacy Award
Feldmann
QCBB’s 2026 Lifetime Ambassador Award.
QCBB CEO Michelle Otten Guenther and emcee Carol Williams
City Book Bank welcomes Nedria West, principal
Aerin Shaw, Kimberly Baker, Elizabeth Fung, Melissa Gray, Xeng Karns and Allison Chandler Shauna Steigerwald and Miriam Wise
The Cure Starts Now bids to beat cancer
The Cure Starts Now’s 19th Once in a Lifetime Gala raised more than $875,000 for childhood cancer research, marking another milestone for the Greater Cincinnati-based foundation.
More than 1,000 people attended the event at Sharonville Convention Center, gathering for an evening of celebration, recognition and Mardi Gras-themed fun. The sold-out crowd of families, supporters and business leaders bid on more than 400 auction items and dozens of Once in a Lifetime Experiences while enjoying a three-course gourmet meal. The event, presented by Graeter’s, highlighted The Cure Starts Now’s growing impact and the community that continues to support its mission to beat childhood cancer.
The Hero of the Year award went to Brandon Reis of Reis Promotions for his support of all 59 chapters of TCSN. The Changemaker Award went to Julie Cohen, whose efforts began on day one of the foundation.
thecurestartsnow.org
Mill Creek Alliance reviews its water quality monitoring efforts
Mill Creek Alliance’s annual meeting included the annual State of the Mill Creek Address. The meeting, at The Sanctuary in Lower Price Hill, provided organizational updates and the results of the water quality monitoring program for the 2025 season.
Over 100 guests, including students, residents, community partners and stakeholders, attended the meeting.
Mill Creek Alliance’s Water Quality Program operates nine months out of the year, sampling at 57 sites throughout the watershed. This citizenscientist volunteer opportunity brought together nearly 100 volunteers in the 2025 season. themillcreekalliance.org/wqm
Aviatra Accelerators hosts Galentine’s fashion show
Aviatra Accelerators, a nonprofit supporting women entrepreneurs in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, hosted its third annual Galentine’s Gala Fashion Show & Fundraiser. Held at the Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine, the event celebrated and supported entrepreneurial women through a paddle raise, silent auction and other fundraising activities.
The fashion show, emceed by Catrena Bowman, executive director of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission and owner of Inspired Fashion Boutique, showcased local womenowned businesses, including Me by Lee, Handzy Shop & Studio, Lusheous Collection and Inspired Fashion. Aviatra alumni who have achieved significant entrepreneurial success shared their stories.
The gala raised nearly $30,000 for scholarships that will be awarded to women entrepreneurs later this year.
aviatraaccelerators.org
Festival shows variety of Jewish and Israeli films
This year’s Mayerson JCC Jewish and Israeli Film Festival featured films, both virtually and in-person. Several community organizations supported the films, which ranged from romantic comedies to dramas and documentaries.
On opening night at Memorial Hall in Overthe-Rhine, moviegoers enjoyed refreshments while watching “Ethan Bloom,” a coming-of-age comedy that follows one boy’s spiritual search. Before the show, attendees were treated to a reception, and those in the young adult group gathered for a special happy hour.
The Rockwern Charitable Foundation was the presenting sponsor of the festival.
mayersonjcc.org
Amanda Thomas, warrior Wyatt, Jared Thomas and brother Braxton
Tony Ramstetter, Cathy Ramstetter, Lisa Shandersky and Cameron Shandersky
Manuel Hernandez, Constance Palazzolo, Denys Lau and Victoria Garland
Criswell leading the New Orleans band Jazz Coasters Keith Desserich, Hero Award winner Julie Cohen and husband John Cohen
Montgomery, Brooke Desserich, Keith Desserich and Martha Montgomery
Heidi Varns and Melissa Weiner win an auction item.
Schmitt and
Tom
Bennett Kottler
Becky Robinson, Jessica Clark and Amanda Stanken
Jill Morenz, president/ CEO of Aviatra; Jasmine Hughes, Aviatra director of marketing and development
Vashti Chatman, Nadirah Mutala and Mariecshka Bosley
Tess Shapiro, Steven Shapiro and Blake Canowitz
JCC’s Ellen Daniel, Marc Fisher, Evelyn Fisher, John Stein, Jen Stein and 2026 festival committee chair Aaron Weiner
Allison Gildenblatt, Evan Gildenblatt, Alexa Fisher, Julien Teitelbaum and Adam Teitelbaum
Eowyn Garfinkle of the JCC
Opening night
Photos by tam Photos
Fashion show models:
Donise Coleman, Christy Carlson, Amber Sloan, DeAngela Mann, Courtney Bussell and Alishia Lee
Susana Ramirez and Alexia Zigoris
It was pure emotion that led my husband and me to donate money to the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center early last year. It was a sort of general outrage over policies that seem unnecessarily cruel, like family separation, a desire to line up on the side of the long-standing American tradition of welcoming new residents. But when looking over our donations at the beginning of this year, my husband realized we didn’t know in detail what the IRLC actually does. So my husband emailed the Center for more information to share with us. And the executive director, Mayra Jackson, invited us to meet up for coffee.
That’s not the kind of response we would expect given our modest monthly contributions. But the IRLC has a lot to do, they need support and allies. They are a local nonprofit that offers pro bono legal services and other aid to low-income immigrants. They use legal channels
to help immigrants legally stay in the United States, largely through asylum claims. They need support, both monetary and moral. Jackson wants to spread their message about the rights of immigrants as widely as possible.
They have three attorneys and two paralegals on staff. When we talked, they were in the process of hiring another. That made me wonder – who would want to be a pro bono immigration attorney right now? What draws people to this work instead of something emotionally easier for higher pay?
“All of our attorneys have always worked in the nonprofit sector,” Jackson said. “They do this to serve justice, to protect human rights.”
Much of their work is helping victims of trafficking and children who’ve come here alone. They are experts in the extremely complicated and overloaded immigration legal system, which is only getting more so. Lately, rules change, fees change.
We’ve all seen the chaos and fearbased tactics, not just in Minneapolis and Portland, but everywhere, in immigration courts and detention centers around the country. People being picked up at their court hearings, others being held in detention until they’re pressured to give up and go home.
And behind it, the emotional antiimmigrant rhetoric and policy that’s based on arguments easily disproved: that immigrants are taking our jobs and somehow are also here for welfare, that they’re more criminal than the native-born, that they eat cats and dogs, a particularly egregious one that’s older than the insult to German immigrants to Cincinnati that they ground up cats and dogs into sausage.
It all looks so completely different to Jackson and her colleagues.
reduction in the U.S. deficit of $15.4 trillion in the years 1994-2023, according to the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
The construction industry cannot operate solely on U.S.-born labor. Farming relies on immigrants, as does the restaurant industry. Deporting them means increases in the price of building and repairing houses, eating out, buying food.
Winning More Grants Starts Here.
“We love this work because it truly changes people’s lives. We help families stay together.” she said. “It’s incredible to witness what immigrants can accomplish when they’re allowed to work and live here.”
It is inspiring what immigrants will do to leave behind corruption, persecution and violence, for a chance to make something of their lives and their children’s lives. Many make journeys of thousands of miles, through jungle and desert, to get here. Then they get to work.
“You just don’t see immigrants begging for money,” Jackson said.
“Once they get work permits, they’ll often be self-sufficient within three to six months, with jobs and an apartment and a car. We’ve witnessed that over and over. This is emotional work. We try not to, but we get very emotionally attached to our clients.”
Jackson knows that not everyone cares about human rights or success stories. But, she said, “Perhaps they can care about it as an economic issue.”
The Center has been distributing “Know your rights” materials, and making sure every immigrant with children has applied for passports for them and powers of attorney given to someone they trust in case the family is separated. Because they could be taken, without their kids, at any time. “I tell them, don’t think that just because you’ve done everything right, and you’re a good person, that you won’t be arrested,” Jackson said. Meanwhile, the IRLC has been getting hateful messages and death threats. “We do not publish our physical address, you can come to our office only by application,” Jackson said. They have to turn down people who want to volunteer, because they can’t vet them all for bad intentions.
There is pull and strength to that ancient emotional fear of the other. But that’s why we have governments and law. The IRLC attorneys believe that the rule of law can keep working. Maybe we’ll come up with good immigration policies sometime. But with all the heat and noise, a rational plan seems impossible.
The IRLC will have to keep fighting one case at a time. irlawcenter.org
In other words, look at what immigrants bring to the community: Immigrants pay taxes and contribute to Medicare and Social Security. But they are not eligible to receive those benefits or Medicaid or Section 8. This imbalance resulted in a
Polly Campbell covered restaurants and food for the Cincinnati Enquirer from 1996 until 2020. She writes monthly on a variety of topics, and she welcomes your feedback and column suggestions at editor@moversmakers.org
