ThisWeek Bexley 3/24 by The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch Magazines

March 24, 2011

Drexel Theatre becomes nonprofit By JEFF DONAHUE ThisWeek Community Newspapers

A closer look

Friends of the Drexel, Inc., has announced the completion of a deal to purchase the assets of Drexel Theatre Inc. and create a nonprofit organization to run the Bexley landmark. Richard A. Stoff, founding chairman of Friends of the Drexel, said the purchase strengthens the theatre and secures its future as Columbus’ premier arts cinema. Friends of the Drexel has also entered into an agreement with CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) to manage the theatre and the adjoining Radio Café on its behalf. “We have received tremendous community support since forming our organization last year,” Stoff said. “The Drexel is a well-loved, cultural jewel, and with this new business model and the expertise of CAPA, we are confident it can be a sustainable provider of unique arts content and a vibrant community meeting place for many years to come.” CAPA assumed management responsibilities

Friends of the Drexel has entered into an agreement with CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) to manage the theatre and the adjoining Radio Café on its behalf.

on March 18, including programming, marketing, accounting, operations and development. CAPA will also begin evaluating potential structural and aesthetic renovations as well as technology updates. “The preservation and renovation of historic theatres is obviously something near and dear to our hearts,” said CAPA board chair Michael Petrecca. “To have the opportunity to help support an arts and cultural staple such as the Drexel is simply a thrill for us.” Former Drexel owner Jeff Frank will continue serving as operations manager of the theatre. “The support and stability provided by both

CAPA and the Friends of the Drexel assures the continued success of the theatre as a community asset,” Frank said. Bexley Mayor John Brennan said he welcomed the announcement. “The Friends of the Drexel are working hard to assure the historic theatre will continue to positively contribute to the development of Main Street and entertain the citizens of Bexley and central Ohio,” Brennan said. “We wish them the best of luck.” Friends of the Drexel Inc. was established in late 2009 by a group of community leaders and arts patrons. It is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to a more creative and prosperous future for the Drexel, with a mission of securing and sustaining the future of the historic theater as a cultural asset to Bexley and Columbus. For more information, visit www.friendsofthedrexel.com. CAPA is owner/operator of downtown Columbus’ historic theatres and manager of the Riffe See DREXEL, page A2

File photo

Soccer coach puzzled by contract controversy By PAUL BATTERSON ThisWeek Community Newspapers

By Chris Parker/ThisWeek

Emma Gardner, left, and Ryan Steinbrook sing as they and members of the Bexley community pay tribute to Cassingham Elementary teacher Molly Davis during a candlelight vigil in front of the school. Davis died March 14 after a car accident in Clintonville.

Cassingham community remembers teacher By TARA STUBBS-FIGURSKI ThisWeek Community Newspapers

In a letter announcing her retirement at the end of the current school year, Cassingham Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Molly Davis wrote: “Now it is time to close this chapter of my life. There will be tears of sadness and tears of joy.” On March 15, Davis, 61, died as a result of injuries she sustained in an automobile accident in Clintonville. As the final chapter of her life was written last week, the tears flowed freely. More than 300 parents, students, teachers and Bexley community members gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of the elementary school March 16. They remembered a woman whose 40-year career as a teacher was dedicated to the students she served. Superintendent Mike Johnson said the district was devastated by Davis’ death.

“It is taking us some time to recover,” he said. “She was just a beautiful human being. She worried about other people before herself. She wanted to make sure before she taught one lesson that she connected Molly Davis emotionally with her students. She has affected a number of individuals and I’m sure shaped who they are as human beings and their value system.” Both of Cheryl Jacobs’children, Ben and Ari, had Davis for a teacher. Jacobs recalled how Ben and his friends tested Jacobs as youths. “Molly had a lot of patience,” she said. “She was one of those teachers who didn’t lose her patience. She loved those kids.” Davis also initiated a popular fifth-grade class project at Cassingham. Each year the

class would put together a time capsule, then return as juniors in high school for a special luncheon with the current fifthgraders and open their time capsule. “She used a lot of creativity with the children to make learning come alive,” Jacobs said. Davis started the tradition with her sister, Mary McMullen, who also taught fifth grade at Cassingham and retired in 2007. The sisters taught next door to each other for many years and were best friends, Jacobs said. “She was so positive,” Jacobs said. “As high school juniors with more experience they realized not everyone has that attitude.” Davis taught first grade her first year in Bexley and Amos White, who graduated from Bexley High School in 1983, was a member of that first class at Cassingham. “My heart lies heavy with tonight’s news,”

Scott Dempsey said he is still trying to figure out why he is no longer the coach of the Bexley High School girls soccer team. At the March 14 school board meeting, Superintendent Mike Johnson did not present the board with a new one-year supplemental contract for Dempsey. Johnson said he couldn’t discuss why because it was “a personnel matter.” “The whole thing has been a bit surreal,” said Dempsey, who compiled a 224-36-24 record in 13 years as coach, including 142-5 last fall. “When you have a

supplemental contract, you don’t have to be given a reason why.” Bexley’s soccer community also is looking for answers. “With the reaction that you’ve heard, you would think this would be the lead story on ESPN,” said Sarah Gewirtz, whose daughter, senior Kendra Wilson, played for the Lions last fall. “There’s one group of people who said this is ridiculous and there’s another group that says this has been an ongoing process.” Few argue with Dempsey’s achievements as a coach. Prior to his arrival, Bexley had never won a postseason game. In his time with the program, the Lions won 10 league titles, 11 district chamSee DEMPSEY, page A3

See DAVIS, page A2

Visiting Japanese student returns to family, friends By TARA STUBBS-FIGURSKI ThisWeek Community Newspapers

When news of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 reached Bexley, a Japanese foreign exchange student scrambled to get home to check on friends and relatives. Ai Kegata spent nearly a year in the Bexley area as part of the Rotary Club of Whitehall-Bexley exchange program from August 2007 through June 2008. She was back in town vis-

iting friends when the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunamis struck her homeland. “She had come back to visit …” said Sherry Coutant, English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher for Bexley schools. “I believe she was taking turns staying with her different host families. She contacted us. She was good friends with a lot of my kids.” Kegata and the Bexley students have stayed in touch through Facebook, Coutant said. In January, Kega-

ta notified the school district that she was coming for a visit in March. “She spent a day here,” Coutant said. “We had such a wonderful time. She had lunch with the ESL kids. She visited with the middle school classes.” When she was an exchange student, Kegata lived with Bexley resident John Koetz and his family for part of her stay. Koetz said Kegata was on spring break and decided to visit Bexley. “She came and spent about a month

with us,” he said. “We had a great time. (But) tragedy struck while she was here.” Koetz said Kegata, a resident of Hiroshima, flew back to Japan on March 14. Hiroshima was not severely affected by the natural disasters. “She was not affected directly at all,” he said. “The whole country is suffering, but the family was not directly affected. She definitely wanted to get back to be with her family.” Ai Kegata, right, reads a book with English as a

See JAPAN, page A2 Second Language teacher Sherry Coutant.