Dublin Life August/September 2012

dublinlife

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Chief Executive Officer

Dave

Christa

President/Publisher Chief Creative Officer

Lisa

Colleen

Creative Director Editor

Contributing Editors

Contributing

Gianna Barrett

Pam

Natalie Kish

Molly Pensyl

Sadie Bauer

Lynn

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It’s time to join in on Dublin’s biggest celebration of the year –The Dublin Irish Festival! We’re very excited to host this year’s 25th anniversary edition. On our cover is the design for the event’s commemorative poster. After one of the first Dublin Irish Festivals closed, guests were not ready for the fun to end. Cars were parked in a circle with their headlights shining, illuminating the Irish dancing that continued long into the night. For all the Festival details, check out the story on page 18.

As you know, the Festival celebrates all things Irish, especially the culture. If you would like to discover more about the Emerald Isle, the Columbus Metropolitan Library Dublin branch staff have provided a wonderful list of Irish books and stories for all ages – from Flying Feet: a Story of Irish Dance by Anna Marlis Burgard to James

Joyce’s Dubliners

You also can read all about how one Dublin teacher is giving back over the summer months by running a free lunch program and making sure area schoolchildren have a healthy, well-balanced meal even when school isn’t in session.

Teachers aren’t the only ones keeping active this summer. Local student artists are getting the chance to experience what it’s like to have their artwork displayed in a professional gallery. The Dublin Arts Council’s annual student art exhibit, emerging, kicks off with a reception Aug. 14.

This issue also includes the popular Shutterbugs feature allowing you to explore your City through photos taken by your friends and neighbors. We look forward to seeing you at all the happenings taking place in Dublin.

Slàinte, Kathleen K. Gill President/Publisher The Publishing Group, Ltd.

This month, Dublin will roll out the emerald green carpet to welcome guests from near and far to the 25th anniversary of the Dublin Irish Festival.

This is our signature event and we couldn’t be more proud to celebrate this significant milestone as we reflect on the great successes of past Festivals: from that first year with headlights serving as the spotlight for the handfuls of guests dancing on the tennis court, to last year’s event with headliners performing under klieg lights as thousands of fans swayed to the music.

Today’s Dublin Irish Festival functions almost as a minicity with staff and 1,300 volunteers serving a variety of functions to ensure that everyone has a great time. And with nearly 100,000 people attending over the course of three days, the number of guests rivals the population of a mid-size city.

The City of Dublin’s core principles help guide us as we prepare for the Festival and throughout the weekend.

Prior to the Festival, volunteers are trained in skills such as serving alcohol, handling money and overseeing the Wendy’s Wee Folk Area.

We partner with businesses to help present the Festival. Without their sponsorships and support, we would not be able to offer the world-class event that we do.

We also support local causes – last year, more than $102,000 was raised for community organizations through the Sharing O’ the Green program, and Sunday admission is free until 11 a.m. with a donation of a nonperishable food item to support the Dublin Food Pantry.

The Festival is dedicated to the City of Dublin’s philosophy of keeping it green. In 2011, 3.5 tons of refuse were recycled and nearly 1.4 tons of food were composted. More than 800 people rode their bikes to the Festival, reducing the carbon footprint and promoting health and wellness.

The mission of the Dublin Irish Festival is to produce an internationally recognized event that promotes Irish music, dance, culture and tradition. The Festival strives to significantly impact the Dublin economy through overnight stays in hotels and increased sales at area businesses.

We hope that you will join us for this year’s Dublin Irish Festival Aug. 3, 4 and 5 and help celebrate 25 years of family fun and Irish culture.

Sincerely,

Marsha I. Grigsby, City Manager

Left to right: Richard S. Gerber, John G. Reiner, Mayor Timothy A. Lecklider, Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, Vice Mayor Amy J. Salay, Cathy A. Boring, Michael H. Keenan

2012 Dublin City Council

Sandra Puskarcik, ABC Director of Community Relations City of Dublin

CommunityCalendar

Aug. 1-Sept. 26

Dublin Farmers’ Market

3:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Oakland Nursery, 4261 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., www.dublinfarmersmarket.com

Local vendors will purvey their own homemade produce, jellies, honey, baked goods, dog food and more at the Dublin Farmers’ Market.

Aug. 2

Dublin Irish Festival IGS Energy 5K Run and Dub Crawl

5:30 p.m. to midnight, Historic Dublin, 1 N. High St., www.dublinirishfestival.org

Runners and walkers alike are invited to compete in the traditional Dublin Irish Festival 5K. New this year is the Kids Fun Run/Walk that allows the little ones to get involved, too. The race begins at 7 p.m., but the Dub Crawl takes place before and after.

Aug. 3-5

Dublin Irish Festival

4 p.m.-midnight, Coffman Park, 5200 Emerald Pkwy., www.dublinirishfestival.org

More than 100,000 guests are expected to attend the annual Dublin Irish Festival, complete with seven stages, 535 performers, shopping, art displays and dancing. Festival gates open Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. and tickets for adults are $10 a day, while kids under 12 get in free. Weekend tickets are available online for $22. See page 16 for details.

Aug. 11

Tinis for Autism

2-4 p.m., Mary Kelley’s Restaurant and Pub, 7148 Muirfield Dr., 614-760-7041

Sip martinis for a cause. For an entry fee of $40, guests can indulge in five specialty martinis created with Ohiomade Buckeye Vodka, as well as an array of Mary Kelley’s creations. All proceeds benefit the Columbus Walk Now for Autism Speaks.

Sept. 3

Labor Day

Sept. 14-15

Stream

6:30 p.m., Dublin Arts Council, 7125 Riverside Dr., www.dublinarts.org

Experience a live, outdoor contemporary dance performance by Stream. Expect to see a theatrical 40-minute performance inspired by the Scioto River. Members of the project come from OhioDance, The Ohio State University Department of Dance, University of Akron Dance Program and the Ohio Department of Education Division of the Arts.

Sept. 20

Sláinte Thursdays

6-9 p.m., Historic Dublin, 1 N. High St., www.historicdublin.org

Visit Historic Dublin each third Thursday of the month for an evening of shopping, upscale dining and entertainment.

Sept. 22

Rwandan Fête

5-10 p.m., Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell, 614-724-3485, www.colszoo.org

Open your eyes to a different culture and enjoy music, dinner, live auctions and an authentic open-air African Market at the annual Rwandan Fête, presented by Partners in Conservation. Proceeds from the event fund conservation and humanitarian projects in Central Africa. Tickets are limited and the event sells out each year.

Aug. 14-Sept. 14

emerging: An Exhibition of Student Art Dublin Arts Council gallery, 7125 Riverside Dr., www.dublinarts.org

The annual exhibition features art by Dublin City Schools students. Opening reception is Aug. 14, 6-8 p.m. The exhibition will be open to the public Tuesdays10 a.m.7 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Aug. 17

Northwoods Foundation Derby

5-8 p.m., Northwoods Foundation, 5815 Wall St., www.northwoodsfoundation.org

Compete or come cheer. Awards will be given out to the fastest, slowest and bestlooking cars. All money raised will go to a fund that helps local families and individuals recover from catastrophic hardships.

Aug. 21

CityScene Movie Night

5:30 p.m., Arena Grand Movie Theater, 75 W. Nationwide Blvd., www.arenagrand.com

Catch The Bourne Legacy on the big

Sept. 22-23

Jack Hanna’s Fall Fest

10 a.m.-5 p.m., Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell, www.colszoo.org

Celebrate fall with live music and the Country Character Caravan parade, and watch your favorite animals bob for apples. Visit Jungle Jack and his friends on the Safari Stage at the zoo at noon and 2 p.m. daily.

Sept. 25-Nov. 2

Shifting Perspectives: In the Community

Dublin Arts Council Gallery, 7125 Riverside Dr., www.dublinarts.org

This exhibition will be an exploration, as well as a celebration, of acceptance in regard to living with Down syndrome. Four Ohio photographers and one international photographer are paired with those who have the disorder, and will guide them through creative workshops

screen for just $7, plus special prices on concessions.

Aug. 26

The Emerald City Half and Quarter Marathon

7 a.m., Dublin Methodist Hospital, 7500 Hospital Dr., www.emeraldcityhalfmarathon.com

Sprint, jog or walk through either the half marathon or the quarter marathon course. Every finisher will receive a medal and every participant will receive a free shirt.

Aug. 27

First Day of School

Aug. 27

Dublin Springs Open House

4-7 p.m., Dublin Springs Hospital, 7625 Hospital Dr., www.dublinsprings.com

Dublin Springs Hospital will host a tour of its new facility, including its Internet based e-learning and computer assisted treatment model “Cognit.” The hospital specializes in mental health care and addiction treatment services for adults and senior citizens.

and help break down the stigma of Down syndrome through images.

Sept. 27

HOOfit Walk

9:30-10:30 a.m., Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell, www.ohiohealth.com/hoofit

Work on your fitness while admiring the wildlife at the Columbus Zoo and talk with an OhioHealth doctor along the way. Reserve your spot by registering online.

Sept. 29

Cruisin’ at Max & Erma’s

11 a.m.-4 p.m., Max & Erma’s, 411 Metro Pl. N., www.irishisanattitude.com

It’s cruisin’ night at Max & Erma’s. Enter your favorite car for a chance at an award or come see your neighbors’ hot rides. Registration is $10.

Lunch Lady

SSOME TEACHERS look at summer as a break from the routine of the school year.

For Sheryl Hardin, a first grade teacher at Dublin’s Daniel Wright Elementary School, it means a different kind of routine.

Hardin lives with her husband, Scott, in Ballantrae. Their son, Nathan, is a business major at The Ohio State University, and their daughter, Kylie, is entering her senior year at Hilliard Davidson High School.

Hardin – along with a group of volunteers – spends her summers running a free summer lunch program, which she basically created and developed, at Meadow Park Church of God near the school district’s boundary on Bethel Road.

A Dublin schools teacher for 15 years, Hardin started as a middle school reading teacher, and then became a reading support instructor, coaching other teachers. She decided to take more college courses so she could be certified to teach first-graders.

“I became fascinated with how much they learn in one year,” Hardin says.

And at Wright with 540 students, many of whom don’t speak English, it’s a huge challenge to teach them everything they need to learn. Many of the children have no school experience, and Hardin and other teachers provide early literacy intervention. The school has five first-grade classes, one more than required for the number of students, creating smaller class sizes and helping students get reading and math support, as well as English as a Second Language.

Wright, located on West Case Road near the Ohio State University Airport, is in the city of Columbus. About 57 percent of the students get free or reduced price lunches during the school year, Hardin says.

When she started teaching at Wright, Hardin learned of a free summer lunch program in Hilliard and felt there should be one for her school’s students. Two years later, she began working on a plan for a similar program in Dublin – one that would not cost Dublin school district taxpayers a dime.

She learned that Northwest Presbyterian Church in Dublin wanted to participate in such a program, as did Meadow Park Church of

Sheryl Hardin

God, which has a center for child and parent activities including an eating area, classrooms, recreational facilities and a teen lounge.

Serve Our Neighbors, a nonprofit ministry of the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, secures U.S. Department of Agriculture grants for the Hilliard program and one on Columbus’ West Side. It would secure money to buy food for Dublin students, too, Hardin learned. And Northwest Presbyterian pledged to pay for a bus to transport kids daily, while Meadow Park would provide facilities and assist with staffing the program.

Meanwhile, Hardin found volunteers among fellow teachers, students, parents and church members to help make the program flow. She and others knocked on doors and sent flyers home seeking participants. She recruited

Volunteer Kylie Hardin, Sheryl’s daughter, sits with a table of younger children to encourage them to eat their lunches.

Teacher Sheryl Hardin pioneers free summer lunch program

volunteers from fellow teachers and students.

Last summer, the program’s first, it averaged 45 to 50 kids, ages 1 to 18, during its nine-week run. For summer 2012, the number swelled to about 90 during each of its first four days.

On a typical day before starting time, the volunteers prepare. While Hardin places name tags on a table in the lunch room, answers questions and handles other matters without a pause, Kris Baker, a Meadow Park member, prepares for food distribution in the kitchen. Arlene’s Cuisine, a Grandview Heights company that offers USDA-compliant meals, delivers bagged lunches daily. Each day, Hardin estimates the previous day’s need and calls it in. In case there are not enough, Baker prepares some extras using donated non-perishable items.

As the youngsters arrive around noon, a volunteer applies a dab of sanitizer on each pair of hands. Then the children find their name tag, color-coded to signify whether they rode the bus, came with a parent or are on their own. This day, Gina Cornwell and Laura Douce, third grade teachers at Wright, help with check-ins.

All students get the same meal, regardless of age.

“They are less picky when you don’t offer them choices,” Hardin says.

But the meals are grounded in good nutrition. Each contains 2 oz. of meat or meat alternative, 4 oz. each of fruit and vegetable, a serving of grains/bread and 8 oz. of milk.

Volunteers sit with the kids and encourage them to eat. If there are leftovers in the kitchen, they’re placed on the “share table” so older kids can get extras and children of all ages can trade in unwanted items for something they find more appetizing. Those who finish their lunches

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are entered in a weekly drawing for various prizes. About 10 are awarded weekly.

While the focus is on free food, the program is also part educational and part recreational.

The kids are shuffled to other activities beginning at 12:30. For 15 minutes, they may be reading, playing in the gym or in an enclosed playground area, or doing a craft project. Then they move to another activity until 1:30. The program uses donations of gift cards, books and art supplies.

Hardin says she’s in the lunch program for the long haul. How much more can it expand is a question that remains unanswered. The church is big enough, but how much federal money is available? How far can money be stretched for the bus service? Will there be enough volunteers?

“We’re always looking for volunteers,” she says.

But with Hardin at the helm and the enthusiastic support of volunteers, its future is bright.

Duane St. Clair is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@pubgroupltd.com.

Josie Stewart, Kris Baker, Kristina Neff and Sheryl Hardin form the core of the volunteer group.

Mary Neff assists a table of young students.

By HEINz vON ECKARTSBERG Dublin Chief of Police

Dublin Division of Police

Proactive Policing for the 21st Century

TTHE DUBLIN DIvISION of Police and the City of Dublin have seen many changes over the last 30 years. We have grown to become the largest suburban community in central Ohio, with more than 42,000 residents – an increase of more than 800 percent since the early 1980s. We now have more than 15,000 private homes and more than 3,800 businesses.

Our City of 24.5 square miles is home to more than 35 business headquarters, including Cardinal Health, The Wendy’s Company and OCLC, as well as seven of the nation’s 5,000 fastest-growing companies. Dublin also has received national and international recognition as a great place to live and work, including the following honors:

• Forbes.com – 25 Best Places to Move in America

• Columbus Monthly – Best Suburban Community in Central Ohio

• Fox Business News – Best Small City in the U.S. to Start a Business

• Intelligent Community Forum – Top Seven Intelligent Communities in the World

To keep up with this growth and prosperity, the Dublin Division of Police also has grown and adapted over the years to become a highly effective, fullservice police agency. The Police Division, under the leadership of then-Chief

Ron Ferrell, first received recognition as an accredited police agency from the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies in 1990, and has been re-accredited six times since. The last three accreditation awards have been the highest offered by CALEA: Accreditation with Excellence. In addition to traditional policing methods, our agency offers a wide variety of services to our community, including K-9 officers, school resource officers, bicycle and motorcycle patrols, vacation house watch services, and in-house training capabilities.

Our efforts to prevent crime and apprehend those who commit crimes begin with our community policing philosophy. We develop and focus each year on goals that take into account the community’s feedback via the City’s biennial community survey and from meetings with various community groups, our employees’ feedback, and our analysis of crime and traffic crash intelligence. This information has helped us to concentrate our efforts in

recent years on the issues we feel are most important to our citizens: reducing property crimes, burglaries and traffic accidents; and preparation for addressing major crimes, critical incidents and community concerns.

Our efforts paid off in 2011, as we recorded significant reductions in all of these areas. Our efforts, however, cannot be successful without the cooperation of our residential and corporate neighbors. In working to partner with the community, we have strived in recent years to meet with as many of our neighborhood and business groups as possible to get your feedback and solicit your help in reducing crime. Our “Meet the Police” events have given us the chance to meet with more than 20 neighborhood and business groups in the last two years and hear their concerns.

In addition, we will be hosting our first-ever Citizen’s Police Academy in August. This will be an opportunity for members of our community to get a better feel for how the Police Division works within the community. We will

LEFT: Officer Mike Dunson instructs a Safety City participant on how to signal a left-hand turn from a bike. MIDDLE: Mobile computing allows Officer Rick Brorein the opportunity to file reports from his cruiser without having to return to the Justice Center following police calls. RIGHT: Bicycles allow Dublin Police, such as Officer Sara Hall, better access at public events.

Crime and Crash Reductions for 2011*

Heinz von Eckartsberg

feature sessions on investigations, firearms, K-9 patrol, defensive tactics and crash investigation. In 2013, we’ll begin recruiting volunteers from our community to help serve as additional eyes and ears for the police by becoming volunteer Community Service Officers. CSOs will help the police by assisting with vehicle lock-outs and traffic control, working special events and conducting vacation house watches.

We also have partnered with our corporate neighbors through a cooperative group consisting of representatives of businesses within the community and members of the Division of Police. This group meets to share information and intelligence on issues occurring in the City and in central Ohio in an effort to reduce crime within the business community.

Another partnership example is our cooperation with Franklin County Safe Communities and the State of Ohio to provide programs to make Dublin a safer place to live and work. Programs such as Safe Ride (providing taxi vouchers to bars and restaurants to prevent driving while under the influence) and “Click it or Ticket” (promoting seat belt use) are partnerships to help us make our roads safer.

The City and the Division of Police cannot fight crime alone without the cooperation of our residents. Two ways in which everyone who lives in Dublin can help us reduce crime is by remembering two very important messages: “Like it, Lock it” and “Don’t be a Social Host.”

The “Like it, Lock it” message is our effort to remind everyone to help reduce the opportunities for crime to occur. Help us fight property crime by:

• Remembering to keep valuables out of your car when left unattended,

• Locking car doors,

• Installing and using a car alarm,

• Parking in a lighted area at night,

• Locking the doors and windows to your home,

• Keeping your garage door closed,

• Keeping shrubs and trees trimmed around doors and windows, and

• Using lights outside your home.

Our “Social Host” message is a request to the community to help us fight underage drinking by being aware that it is a crime to negligently allow anyone who is under the age of 21 to possess or consume alcohol in your home or other private place. More information can be found on the City’s website at www.dublinohiousa. gov or the Dublin Cares website at www.dublinohiocares.me.

We also encourage anyone who is a witness to or has information about a crime to contact the Division of Police. To provide information about a crime, residents can contact the Division of Police by calling us at 614889-1112 or by going to the City of Dublin website at dublinohiousa.gov/ police and scrolling down to “Submit an Anonymous Tip.” There you can submit detailed, anonymous information to the police and also receive a disposition as to what has been done to investigate the issue presented. This feedback from the community is one of the most important factors in helping us to fight and solve crime in our community.

Dublin has grown over the years to become a vibrant, thriving, world-class community. With your help, we also can continue to be one of the safest communities in Ohio.

Heinz von Eckartsberg was appointed Dublin Chief of Police in March 2011. He has been a member of the Dublin Division of Police since February 1983. His career has included assignments as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, operations bureau commander, services bureau commander and interim police chief.

As operations bureau commander, he supervised the Division’s patrol section and K-9 unit and was instrumental in developing the Division’s Problem-Oriented Policing and motorcycle units. As services bureau commander, he was charged with managing the Division’s Community Education Unit, which includes DARE and school resource officers; investigative section; and the coordination of safety for all City special events, including the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament, the Dublin Irish Festival and the Can-Am Police and Fire games. He also has been responsible for managing the Division’s accreditation section, community relations and recruiting efforts.

Chief von Eckartsberg holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Franklin University. He also is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command, and the Ohio Police Executive Leadership College. He is a member of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Chief von Eckartsberg is a lead management consultant for the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and has been a member of the OACP’s Advisory Services Committee since 2003.

By L T. J OHN F. D E J ARNETTE ,

Safety First

year-round planning helps maintain safety and security at City events

The City of Dublin and the Dublin Division of Police begin planning for the next Dublin Irish Festival as soon as the last one is completed. The Festival has grown from its initial roots as a small community event when it started in 1988 to the largest City event in Dublin with nearly 100,000 attendees every year. With an event this large, the City and the Division of Police take very seriously our responsibility to plan for a safe and secure Festival. While some safety statistics are confidential, the Division of Police will field officers in more than 100 security positions over the course of the three-day Festival. In addition, a large contingent of private security officers will augment the staff of the Police Division to help monitor Festival entrances, patrol Festival grounds and assist with crowd safety at all the concert stages.

I am a 19-year veteran of the Police Division, and responsible for planning and supervising the safety response to this year’s Irish Festival. I work closely with the Festival’s Director, Alison LeRoy. Together, we have fine-tuned an event safety plan that has contingencies for any type of emergency that may arise, including inclement weather, fire or criminal activity. The plan also identifies shelter areas – The Dublin Community Recreation Center, City Hall and Dublin Coffman High School – in the event of an emergency.

The Festival has had to utilize the safety plan twice in the last several years, both times for limited closures due to heavy rains, lightning and wind. To give police and event staff the most up-to-date information possible about weather safety, the Festival also utilizes the services of a professional meteorologist

who is assigned to the command post throughout the event. This provides safety officials real-time information on any possible weather hazards as they evolve. The same meteorological service is utilized for the City’s Independence Day event.

Having a weather professional on site during our largest events is a huge asset when it comes to planning and making decisions about crowd safety. Weather hazards are the most common, and, potentially, one of the most dangerous threats to our events.

Other priorities for police during the Irish Festival are maintaining order, providing directions to patrons, locating lost children and enforcing alcohol and underage drinking laws. To assist with this last effort, the Division of Police employs civilian “R U 21” staff to help serve as extra eyes and ears to spot underage alcohol violators. This initiative has been used as part of the Festival’s safety plan for the past nine years.

Enforcing underage alcohol laws is a priority during City events. This year, just like every year, we will be out in force to ensure that the event and event-goers are safe.

We hope you enjoy this year’s Dublin Irish Festival, but most importantly, we want you to be safe.

Operations Bureau Commander

of the

Green

IT’S BEEN MORE than a quarter-century, but Kitty Munger still remembers standing in the kitchen of her newly-built Indian Run Meadows home, reading a story in the newspaper about the effort to connect Dublin to its namesake across the pond.

Local resident Mary Margaret McLernon was trying to set up a sister city relationship between the two, Munger remembers.

“When Dublin, Ohio was celebrating its first year as a city (in 1987), Dublin, Ireland was celebrating its 1,000th year as a city,” says Munger, director of communications for Wendy’s. “She wanted to bring Irish cultural events to Dublin, Ohio.”

Munger, a competitive Irish step dancer, was intrigued and connected with McLernon. They became the core of a small band of volunteers calling themselves the Dublin 1/1000. The group reached out to the Columbus Feis (pronounced fesh), an annual step dancing competition.

“We’d heard (they) were looking for a new home,” Munger says. “They wanted a new place to go that maybe was airconditioned, and through people being in the right place at the right time, we worked to get the Feis moved to Dublin (Coffman) High School.”

The first Dublin Irish Festival, held in 1988, featured the Columbus Feis and a concert by traditional Irish band The Chieftains.

“It started with a musical group and some vendors, just like that, and it’s grown year after year after year,” Munger says.

Twenty-five years later, the event has practically exploded. More than

Dublin Irish Festival Founders recall first Festival and look forward to new attractions

100,000 patrons are expected at the 2012 Dublin Irish Festival Aug. 3-5, says Dublin Events Administrator Mary Jo DiSalvo.

The 25th annual event runs 4 p.m.-midnight Aug. 3, 11 a.m.midnight Aug. 4 and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 5. Kicking off the Festival is the IGS Energy Dublin Irish Festival 5K and Kids Fun Run/ Walk at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 in Historic Dublin.

This year’s Festival will feature more than 75 vendors selling Celtic goods, not to mention 65 different music acts on seven stages.

“Vendors that come here have to go through a selection process so that we know that the items they’re bringing are authentic Irish goods,” DiSalvo says.

And for the first time, the Festival will host the International Highland Games Federation Women’s World Team Championships on Sunday, Aug. 5.

Also new this year is the Irish Authors’ Corner, a meet-and-greet with five Irish-American authors from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. Authors Arthur Cola, Jay Dolan, Mary Carter, Larry Kirwan, John O’Brien Jr. and Kevin O’Hara will

also hold readings from their works at other times during the festival.

The Pet Palace Celtic Canine area, featuring Irish dog breeds as well as grooming and training demonstrations, long has been a family favorite. This year, for the first time, guests will be able to see all eight Irish breeds.

“There’s new, there’s old, there’s the traditional things that people have always liked in our Irish Cultural area and the workshops where they can get very up close and personal with the people who make instruments and tell stories,” DiSalvo says.

The Irish Festival couldn’t have grown into the event it is today without the involvement and support of the City of Dublin, Munger says.

After about five years of the volunteer group running the Festival, the City stepped in and offered to take over the planning, promotion and execution.

“We had big decisions to make,” says Munger. “This was our baby. This was our thing we created, and we wanted to make sure it retained its focus on Irish culture.”

“They’ve done such an outstanding job every year,” Munger says.

“It started with a musical group and some vendors, just like that, and it’s grown year after year after year.”

- Kitty Munger

Irish Dance School

“Every year it gets better.”

The City’s involvement has been indispensable, says Kay McGovern, another Festival Founder.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with the City of Dublin and I think they’ve done a marvelous job,” says McGovern, who was on the board of the Columbus Feis 25 years ago. “It’s very emotional every year when I see the crowds. It started out just as a dream and it turned into all this.”

Just as she does every year, Munger plans to reserve a spot at a table where

she can listen to the traditional bands.

“I’m a big fan and have been forever and ever,” Munger says. “I sit and watch all the great musicians.”

And, of course, as a former dancer herself, she’ll watch the dancing.

“Over the years, a person’s knees give out, so I haven’t danced in a while, but I still love it,” she says.

Tickets are $10 per day for adults and $8 for seniors 60 and older, military and students with a valid ID. Children 12 and under are free.

The gates open at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 5 for Sunday Services and breakfast. Entrance is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item. Donations benefit the Dublin Food Pantry.

For more information on the 25th annual Dublin Irish Festival, visit dublinirishfestival.org.

Lisa Aurand is editor of Dublin Life Magazine. Feedback welcome at laurand@pubgroupltd. com.

Chubby Cheeks by Christine Benadum

By Michelle Hammett

Disco Swan by Leo Landry

Summertime Fun, North Community Pool by Fred Comparato

Dublin residents aim their cameras at their hometown

Butterfly by Christa Gable

In Remberance by Farid Masri

By Elizabeth Johnson

Heron on Fence by Glacier Ridge Wetlands by Don Robinson

Survivor by Teik Siew Lim

By Linda Mitchell

Morning Sun Lit Pond Lilies by Christine Benadum

By Aubrey Bower

ArtistsEmerge

DDUBLIN STUDENT ARTISTS will have the valuable opportunity to see what it’s like to show their work in a gallery setting.

emerging, a Dublin Arts Council annual exhibit since 2002, features artwork by students who live within Dublin City Schools’ attendance area. Arts Council Executive Director David S. Guion says the exhibit was developed to “offer student artists the opportunity to experience the process of exhibiting artwork in a professional gallery.”

This juried exhibition will be judged by Exhibition Curator Ben Knepper, a Columbus artist. He looks for “an interesting, and even exciting, visual experience,” when judging students’ pieces.

“The young artists in this exhibition are very free and experimental,” Knepper

says. He hopes to see the student artists involved in emerging encouraged and excited to create more artwork in the future.

As in past years, there will be four Best of Show cash prizes given, one for each of the four entry categories: grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

“I was really excited when I won Best of Show,” says last year’s K-2 Best of Show winner, Paulina Esguerra. Her piece, Owl, is a clay sculpture of an owl that she made at an after-school camp. Paulina aspires to be an artist when she grows up. “I like when you’re painting and you can paint however you want. It’s like a free thing,” she says.

Another 2011 Best of Show winner, 13-year-old Kevin Crossland, says he prefers math to art in school, but enjoys art as a hobby. He takes after-school classes at the Dublin Arts Council and enjoys geometric abstract art, which combines his love for math and creativity. He hopes to be a computer engineer someday and create art in his spare time.

The 2011 grades 3-5 Best of Show winner, 10-year-old

Ring of Fire by Alvin Anand

Owl by Paulina Esguerra

Arts council show features young talent

Alvin Anand, who won for his oil and pastel piece Ring of Fire, was surprised when he found out he won. “I didn’t think I would win; I wasn’t prepared for it,” he says. He still has his prizewinning painting hanging up at home, and continues to enjoy art, especially drawing. He hopes to re-enter the contest this year.

Kicking off the 2012 exhibition is a reception 6-8 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Dublin Arts Council Gallery. Beverages and snacks will be provided, and it will be “a wonderful opportunity for students and their families to visit Dublin Arts Council and view their artwork displayed in the gallery,” says Guion. Visitors can also see the four Best of Show pieces at the reception.

Hillary Doyle is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@pub groupltd.com.

Setting Sun by Kevin Crossland

ShadeMade in the

Punched-up patio offers the opportunity to dine in style

DUBLIN INTERIOR DESIGNER Terri Coratola recently made over the back deck and patio of Tartan Fields residents Pete and Cid Rhomberg. Coratola and Cid Rhomberg shopped at a variety of area stores to create the summer dining look. Coratola has more than 25 years of interior design experience. For more information, visit terricoratolainteriordesign.com.

Sources: Patio furniture, Fortin’s Home Furnishings; Umbrella, Scioto Valley; Pillows and Accessories, Crate & Barrel/ Pottery Barn/Pier 1; Rugs and Florals, Frontgate; Plants, Lowe’s/Strader’s Garden Center; Draperies and Tie Backs, New View Window Creations/Pottery Barn.

The Tile Top Coffee Table from Pottery Barn, covered with hand-painted green tiles, became the star of the Rhomberg’s ground-level patio.

Left: Coratola hung draperies from Columbus-based New View Window Creations to turn the outdoor lounge area (complete with flat screen TV) into an outdoor oasis.

Right: Small touches — such as sunflower napkin rings, a tiered tray of appetizers and hanging candles — elevate the space and make it ideal for entertaining.

A Meal to Die

The Morgan House hosts live murder mystery dinner theater

TTAKING A PAGE out of a history book – the 1950s, to be exact – The Morgan House, in coordination with the Murder Mystery Company, is presenting its third season of murder mystery dinner theater.

“Death at the Doo-Wop” takes place at the restaurant every Friday and Saturday through Sept. 1.

Chris Meadows, executive chef at Morgan House, handles the food for the performance. He prepares three different entrees that guests can choose from: chicken divan, cheese-filled manicotti or a stuffed pepper.

“The chicken divan is a sautéed chicken and it’s been topped in hollandaise and steamed broccoli,” he says. “The cheese-filled manicotti uses ricotta cheese and a flat pasta. We do a meat sauce with olive oil and marinara. The sauce has fresh mushrooms, onions and ground beef. The stuffed pepper is a red pepper that we roast first and it is stuffed with a vegetable rice pilaf.”

Guests are treated to an orangestrawberry salad at the beginning of the show and dessert toward the end.

“We try to have the salads served before the first act begins,” Meadows says. “It’s a spring mix with celery, purple onions, mandarin oranges, fresh strawberry slices and poppy

seed dressing. For dessert, we serve a brownie and ice cream.”

The chefs have to be on top of their game each night of the dinner theater, Meadows says.

“This is just another facet of being a chef,” he says. “We’re serving a large group and our timing has to be impeccable. If we’re a little bit off, then the whole night is shot, but we know what we are doing. We’ve got our act together. We can serve the entrees to the entire audience of 100 in about 15 minutes.”

Dispersing the courses can be complicated due to the unpredictable nature of the show.

“We try to correlate with the show, but it’s an improv show, so they can be on time, behind or ahead on any given night, depending on the audience,” Meadows says.

Vera Cremeans, director of the Ohio branch of the Murder Mystery Company, says this show sets itself apart from any other form of entertainment.

“The audience can expect to be completely immersed in the show instead of just watching it,” she says. “They could be playing a character themselves and they won’t know it until they get there. Our shows completely hinge upon the audience actually acting. The audience will have props, clues, secrets

Vera Cremeans, director of the Ohio branch of the Murder Mystery Company, introduces the plot of the game to a welcoming audience at The Morgan House.

Executive Chef Chris Meadows prepares meals for the Friday evening group of diners.

and goals. They become full, rounded characters.”

Guests are encouraged to dress as if they were attending a 1950s doo-wop prom.

“You dress up, socialize, sit at a table with your friends and play an interactive, live game of Clue,” Cremeans says. “The show unfolds right in front of your eyes.”

Tickets are $60 and guests should arrive 30 minutes early to be seated.

For more information, call the Murder Mystery Company at 888-643-2583 or The Morgan House at 614-889-5703 or visit www.morganhse.com.

Stephan Reed is a contributing writ er. Feedback welcome at laurand@ pubgroupltd.com.

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From left to right: Lindsay Meadows, Peggy Seymour, Billy Cseplo, Anthony Venetta, Bill Cseplo, Edward Snyder, CFP®, Ozzie Fishman, CFP®

BACKSTAGE

Take a look behind the scenes of Irish dance competitions

MMOST PEOPLE LIvING in Dublin are accustomed to seeing curly-haired Irish lasses in sparkly dresses and handsome lads with fast feet dancing at festivals or bars on St. Patrick’s Day.

Occasionally the girls are compared to the stars of television show Toddlers in Tiaras, which follows the pageant scene, because of their makeup, glitter and spray tans. The boys are compared to Michael Flatley, one of the original leads in the show Riverdance. What many don’t know is that these dancers are serious athletes who spend hours sweating in the gym and the dance studio, balancing school work and battling injuries, while trying to achieve their competitive goals.

Most of my dance mom friends wonder how they ended up in this crazy world, but I came upon it honestly. My Irish father started taking me to lessons at the Gaelic-American Club in Fairfield, Conn. when I was 5. He would socialize in the bar while I learned my skips and hop, two, three’s. During St. Patrick’s week, we danced at many social events and I would fall asleep in the back seat of the car in between performances. I wanted to compete, but those lessons weren’t held at the GAC and I was already a competitive gymnast.

When my husband and I moved to Dublin many years later, we quickly became involved in the Dublin Irish Festival, and soon my little girls were clapping their hands and tapping their feet to Irish fiddles and accordions. I hoped that my daughters would love the Gaelic music and culture that tied me to my father, and now Courtney, age 15, and Catie, age 12, are both championship-level Irish dancers. I love watching them shine on stage, but I get weary of the subjectivity. Any sport that leaves your success in the hands of judges is tough to handle. I always tell the girls that dance is not like swimming; the first one to touch the wall doesn’t always win. You have to do your best and dance for yourself because you can’t guess what the judges are looking for that day.

An Irish dance competition is called a feis (pronounced fesh), and levels range from Beginner 1 to Open Championship. Dancers move from one level to the next by obtaining a certain number of first, second or third place finishes. Adjudicators

are certified through the Irish Dancing Commission to judge the competitors, give comments and suggestions, and help dancers to move through the ranks.

I make the arrangements for the Columbus Feis adjudicators and we fly them in from all over the U.S., Canada, Ireland and England. Dancers aim to compete at Regionals, called Oireachtas (pronounced a-rock-tus), where they try to qualify for Nationals and the World Championship. The 2012 Senior Men’s World Champion is actually a Dublin, Ohio resident named Michael Holland from Richens-Timm Academy, so our city was well represented in Belfast, Ireland.

Top level dancers take group classes several days a week, along with private dance lessons and a fitness class. Injuries to the foot, knee and hip are common, but strength and flexibility training can help prevent problems. Unfortunately there isn’t much that can be done about blisters on toes and heels that are constantly ripping. The shoes are partly to blame. Dancers

Several under 16 Championship Level dancers from central Ohio competed at the Dayton Feis in June.

D’Angelo’s daughter, Courtney, hugs Madison Hyatt of Westerville. Both girls dance for Regan Rankin Academy in Hilliard.

wear hard shoes made of stiff leather with solid tips and heels, as well as soft shoes that are like ballet slippers with long laces crossed and tied. The hard shoes take months to break in and the soft shoes offer no support, so both contribute to foot problems.

The dance mom or dad job is certainly a hard one, especially with multiple dancers in a family. Parents need to have a feis bag filled with food, water, hair and first aid supplies, and extras of everything. Most of that is manageable, but the price of costumes is over the top. Solo dresses, one-of-a-kind costumes that dancers purchase around their third year of competition, cost between $1,000 and $3,000. Fortunately they can be resold for about 75 percent of the original price, as champion dancers usually only keep their dresses for a year or so. Here is a breakdown of some other costs: wig – $150; tiara – $100; shoes – $150 hard, $80 soft; crystal buckles – $35; makeup/hair accessories – $100.

Then add on the price of lessons and travel. Most dance schools try to offset the cost of trips by holding fundraisers and sending their dancers out “bar hopping” or performing at schools, weddings and festivals where they receive donations.

So what do these dancers do after high school if colleges don’t offer Irish dance scholarships? Some of the top athletes will try out for a show such as Lord of the Dance or Feet of Flames. My daughters’ teachers, Katie Regan and Nicole Rankin, both toured with Riverdance and they encourage their dancers to reach for that goal as well. Auditions are held regularly and there are multiple Celtic music/ dance shows touring the world right now.

If dancers are looking for a less competitive route, some schools have clubs such as The Ohio State Irish Dance Club that was started last year. Students enjoy the Irish music, camaraderie, dance and fun, just like the people of Ireland did centuries ago when step dancing began – and just like you and I can at the Dublin Irish Festival every year! -CD

Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling.

Children’s Reads

By Tamra Headrick, Library Assistant, Youth Services

Look What Came From Ireland

By Miles Harvey

Harvey describes the many things that originally came from Ireland, such as holidays, food, sports and musical instruments, all illustrated with great pictures. (Ages 4+)

Adult Reads

Flying Feet: a Story of Irish Dance

By Anna Marlis Burgard

Two champion dancers compete to become the village dance master in this story inspired by a true event. (Ages 6+)

Planet Tad

By Tim Carvell

Carvell writes this hilarious story of a boy who starts a blog and posts his adventures as he tries to survive seventh grade. First featured in Mad Magazine, the book will appeal to fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. (Ages 8+)

By Mary Biscuso, Library Assistant, Adult Services

Dubliners

By James Joyce

Joyce’s collection is the best portrait of Dublin at the turn of the 20th century ever written. In these 15 stories, Joyce captures Dublin and its inhabitants with his unsentimental eye for detail. The main character in this collection is Dublin itself: brawling, sooty, a beast that would devour its own.

On an Irish Island

By Robert Kanigel

Kanigel details early 20th century life on the Great Blasket, a wild and beautiful island off the coast of Ireland. Throughout the book are accounts of some of the hardworking, fun-loving folk of Great Blasket and the many scholars who visited the island to collect legends, fairy tales and more.

Angela’s

Ashes

By Frank McCourt

McCourt details his life of poverty while growing up in Limerick, Ireland. His father spent his meager earnings on alcohol, leaving the responsibility to feed his family on young Frank’s shoulders. The story is also a love letter to McCourt’s mother, Angela, a woman who refused to be cowed by poverty, and a testament to the collective Irish spirit.

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Urgent care should be expert care. So always call your child’s doctor first and remember we’re here when you need us. For directions, hours and location-specific information, visit NationwideChildrens.org/UrgentCare.

Dublin Methodist Hospital

Dublin Methodist Hospital has been named to the list of 100 Top Hospitals® by Thomson Reuters.

The award recognizes hospitals that have achieved excellence in areas such as clinical quality and outcomes, patient safety and patient satisfaction.

This award places Dublin Methodist Hospital alongside some of the top medical hospitals in the country. It’s our associates, physicians and volunteers who make this recognition possible by providing extraordinary care each day.