Everyday Heroes of Central Ohio 2021 by The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch Magazines

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

2S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES A Dispatch Media Group publication 62 E. Broad St. Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-461-5236

Columbus Site Manager Alan Miller

Publisher/Dispatch Magazines Ray Paprocki

Editorial

Editor Dave Ghose Contributing editors Lee Cochran Emma Frankart Henterly Kelly Lecker

Contributing writers Asia Atuah Brittany Moseley Stephen Borgna David Rees Tim Carlin Lily Roby Joe Dandron Gary Seman Jr. Grace Deng Sarah Szilagy Jess Deyo Tatyana Sarah Donaldson Tandanpolie Nate Ellis Erica Thompson Alan Froman Steve Wartenberg Suzanne Goldsmith Eliana Wright Ken Gordon Holly Zachariah Marla Kuhlman Contributing photographers Adam Cairns Lorrie Cecil Rob Hardin Tim Johnson Kyle Robertson Fred Squillante Dan Trittschuh

Design & Production Production director Craig Rusnak Designer Micaela Encinas

Marketing

Marketing director Eric Wygle

Meet our Heroes With this new class, we have now recognized 125 Everyday Heroes since we started the program in 2017. That translates to 125 singular stories of people helping to heal, unite and improve our communities — of selfl ess acts that inspire us to try to do better. The process of choosing the 2021 group of 25 Everyday Heroes started months ago when we asked for nominations. Plenty of them came in. It’s a diffi cult task for our judges to narrow the list. We chose fi ve fi nalists and 20 semifi nalists, who are featured in this special publication, which is created through the combined eff orts of The Columbus Dispatch, Dispatch Magazines and ThisWeek Community News. The Everyday Heroes also will be honored during a television program airing on NBC4 (WCMH-TV) the fi rst week of October. During that show, the overall Everyday Hero will be announced. We thank our honorees for making such a signifi cant diff erence in central Ohio.

Alan Miller

Site Manager Dispatch Media Group

Sponsors

Ray Paprocki

Publisher/General Manager Dispatch Magazines

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 3S

CONGRATULATIONS Everyday

HEROES!

Your kindness, dedication, and love for our community serves as an inspiration to us all. Thank you.

columbusfoundation.org

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Inside

Ram Upreti at the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Mark Sigrist photographed at the Grove City Buddy Ball Field.

Everyday Hero ﬁ nalist Debra McCauley. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Finalists Debra McCauley ........................ Pg. 10 Empathy without judgment Dave Baker ................................. Pg. 18 Baring himself Ram Upreti ................................. Pg. 26 The joy of helping Olivia Nathan ............................. Pg. 34

Equitas pharmacist Olivia Nathan at the pharmacy on Long Street.

Dave Baker is passionate about spreading the word on HIV/AIDS prevention in neighborhoods with predominately Black residents.

TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Passionate pharmacist Mark Sigrist ................................ Pg. 42 Everyone’s buddy

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Semifinalists Christi Scott Bartman ............ Pg. 8

Danella Hicks ........................ Pg. 30

Fighting human trafficking

Helping underserved teens

Sudarshan Pyakurel ............... Pg. 9

Mary Ann Grove ................... Pg. 31

BRAVE for his community

Feeding the hungry

Ray O’Neal ............................ Pg. 14

Julie Carpenter-Hubin ......... Pg. 32

Seeing differently

Making masks

Esther Flores ........................ Pg. 15

Adam Carr ............................ Pg. 33

A healing space

The wounds of service

Gia Jennings ......................... Pg. 16

Penny Kilcourse Comer ........ Pg. 38

Learning compassion early

Pantry leader’s passion

Doug Arnold ......................... Pg. 17

Joe Maroon .......................... Pg. 39

A devoted tutor

Hometown hero

Deneen Day .......................... Pg. 22

Colleen Moidu ...................... Pg. 40

A personal crusade

Committed to equity

Nancy Vermaaten ................. Pg. 23

Peggy En~Rose ..................... Pg. 41

Stepping up during the pandemic

Food and a friendly face

Tobi Furman ......................... Pg. 24

Yahaira Rose ......................... Pg. 46

For the love of art

Mentoring maven

Adrienne Hood ..................... Pg. 25

Amy Proctor ......................... Pg. 47

A voice for justice

A homegrown ministry

Judges Pamela W. Busby

Community relations consultant principal, AEP

Brandi Davis

Senior manager of Volunteer United, United Way of Central Ohio

Crystal Geitter

Vice president, marketing and membership development, CME Federal Credit Union

Suzanne Goldsmith

Senior editor, Columbus Monthly

Robyn Haines

Host, Daytime Columbus, NBC4

Christi Scott Bartman is pictured with Joker at L’Equipage horse farm near Sunbury. DAN TRITTSCHUH

Pictured here is Everyday Hero 7-year-old Gia Jennings with some of the items she puts in local Blessing Boxes. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

Danella Hicks is founder and executive director of All THAT, an East Side mentoring program. FRED SQUILLANTE/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Rachel Kilroy

Ray Paprocki

Scot Kirk

Abigail R. Poklar

Project manager, content innovation, Gannett Digital producer, Gannett

Steven Moore

Community counsel and director for donor services, Columbus Foundation

Publisher/general manager, Dispatch Magazines Vice president of philanthropy and institutional alignment, COSI

Erica Thompson

Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Christi Scott Bartman Helping prevent human traﬃ cking in rural Ohio with Eyes Up Appalachia Brittany Moseley Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

Christi Scott Bartman is not very good at sitting still. The Galena resident starts her days at 7 a.m. with a trip to the barn to take care of her 31-year-old horse, Joker. It’s also where she ends her days, 12 hours later. When she’s not in the barn, she fosters dogs through Canine Companions for Independence, teaches strategic management and public leadership at Ohio State and runs Eyes Up Appalachia, the human traffi cking awareness organization she started last year. Christi’s boundless energy and enthusiasm for helping others have always stood out to her daughter, Ashley Bartman Watson. It’s what inspired Ashley to nominate her mother for Everyday Heroes. When Ashley was a toddler, her mother attended law school, something Ashley, a lawyer herself, fi nds remarkable. Later, when Ashley was in high school, her mother went back to school again, this time for a doctorate in policy history from Bowling Green State University. So when Christi retired after a long career in academia and immediately launched Eyes Up Appalachia, her daughter wasn’t surprised. “She's not taking retirement very chill,” Ashley said. For Christi, Eyes Up was a decade in the making. She began researching human traffi cking as a professor at Bowling Green State University when a student was interested in writing a paper on it. “I didn't know a lot about it, but I did know (state) Sen. Teresa Fedor and asked her how I might fi nd some information to better inform the student,” Christi said. Sen. Fedor recommended Detective Pet Swartz from the Toledo Police Department’s Human Traffi cking Task Force. After speaking with Swartz, Christi had a new goal. “At that point, I was just like, wow, we have to do some-

Christi Scott Bartman is pictured with Joker at L’Equipage horse farm near Sunbury. DAN TRITTSCHUH

thing about this,” she said. Throughout the next several years, Christi helped with human traﬃ cking awareness when she could, while balancing a full-time career. (Before starting Eyes Up, she was the director of public administration, public policy and legal studies at American Public Univer-

sity System in Charles Town, West Virginia.) And she did her research. She learned that human traﬃ cking looks diﬀ erent across the state, which means education and outreach also varies from county to county. She learned that of the 32 counties that make up Appalachian Ohio, only 16 have coalitions that specif-

ically address human traffi cking. Part of the issue, Christi said, is “we really don't have good measurement of human traffi cking incidents in the state. But we do know these certain vulnerabilities that make someone more (likely to be traffi cked), which would be like substance abuse disorder, runaways, interaction with more than one government agency such as criminal justice and child welfare. There's clear indicators of risk factors.” Launched last August, Eyes Up Appalachia operates as an initiative within the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. Eyes Up provides human traffi cking education and training to community members that interact with vulnerable populations — health care workers, fi rst responders, hospitality workers — in Southeast Ohio. The organization’s goals are to help people understand what human traffi cking is, how to recognize it, how to prevent it and what to do if you see it. This year, Christi is working with the Ohio Hotel and Lodging Agency to provide training to hotel staff in Athens, Marietta, Cambridge and St. Clairesville. She’s developing programming at Shawnee State University for Human Traffi cking Awareness Month in January. She and the rest of the Eyes Up Appalachia team are planning training exercises for Ohio University’s nursing and social work students. Christi’s current focus is collecting data to better understand how prevalent human traffi cking is in Southeast Ohio and the rest of the state. The more she knows, the better equipped Eyes Up Appalachia and other organizations are to predict, and ultimately prevent, human traffi cking. “We can't always look at individuals after the fact. We have to get in there before it happens,” she said. “That’s really kind of my goal: taking this to the next level of, let's make this not happen. Let's not deal with it after the fact. Let's fi gure out how we can get in there before it happens and do something about it.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Sudarshan Pyakurel Keeping Bhutanese-Nepali community connected, informed during pandemic Lily Roby

Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe in early 2020, Sudarshan Pyakurel never once considered putting a halt to his work for the local Bhutanese-Nepali community. The 39-year-old Reynoldsburg resident is a “super leader,” said Uma Acharya, a longtime friend of his and fellow volunteer for both the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio and Pyakurel’s BRAVE program. After joining BCCO as its director and applying for grants that kept the organization from shutting down in 2016, Pyakurel threw himself into his work to represent Columbus’ Bhutanese-Nepali community and help it ﬂ ourish. Acharya was instantly moved by Pyakurel’s sheer passion for his work and his community. “(Pyakurel) has gone beyond, like way beyond, his capacity to make things better,” Acharya said, noting how Pyakurel has travelled to countless schools and small businesses to spread awareness about the Bhutanese-Nepali community. “There’s so many of us … and people need to know that we live here,” she said. “He’s just here for the community.” Originally from Bhutan, Pyakurel moved to Nepal at a young age due to ethnic cleansing in the 1990s. After spending eight years in a refugee camp with his parents, he earned a bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in English literature in India before moving to Cleveland in 2010 as a refugee. Pyakurel soon transferred to Ohio State University to earn an associais second bachelor’s degree, this time in anthropology, before beginning work with BCCO. Described by Pyakurel as a “small but mighty team,” BCCO served BhutaneseNepali community members with basic matters such as everyday case management until the pandemic hit and protecting the community became their primary focus.

Sudarshan Pyakurel is photographed in the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio offices on June 24. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

“People in my community didn’t understand much about COVID,” Pyakurel said. “We survived ethnic cleansing. We survived 17 or 20 years in a refugee camp. This fl u was not going to kill us.” But Pyakurel knew that COVID-19 was a deadly disease, and he wasn’t going to let misinformation spread within the community he loved. He began an eff ort to educate community members on the virus, inviting Nepali-speaking physicians, nurses and others to share information through platforms such as Facebook Live. Pyakurel quickly realized that many more resources were needed, such as PPE and grocery delivery to those quarantining, and in April, the Bhutanese Response Assistance Volunteer Eff ort — or BRAVE — project was born. The independent, volunteer-run project connects Bhutanese-Nepali fam-

ilies in need with nurses and physicians to answer COVID-related questions and uses an app to coordinate volunteer deliveries of groceries and PPE to those quarantining. Since its development, the project has grown to 258 volunteers in Columbus and has been adopted by 12 cities in seven diﬀ erent states. While BRAVE began as a Bhutanese Nepali program, Pyakurel’s branch in Columbus now also serves Latino, Arab, Middle Eastern, Somali and other local communities. “It really became a movement,” Pyakurel said. “Nobody knew, the media didn’t know, or I guess didn’t cover it so much. But we were doing it not because we wanted to highlight it, but because we wanted to address that immediate issue in our community. And it became very eﬀ ective.” Now, Pyakurel is launching phase

two of the project, which is intended to get community members vaccinated and prevent the spread of misinformation about the vaccine. Next steps will include oﬀ ering free transportation for vaccinations and hosting a six-week vaccination clinic with Columbus Public Health at BCCO. Post-pandemic, Pyakurel wants to begin discussing mental health and addiction issues within Bhutanese-Nepali communities. Pyakurel emphasizes that developing the BRAVE program was just him doing what he felt was necessary, and he wouldn’t have been able to do it without BCCO staﬀ members and BRAVE project volunteers. “All 258 of us are heroes in this project,” Pyakurel said. “If I’m recognized (as an Everyday Hero), I really wanted to say that there are 258 of us.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES FINALIST

Debra McCauley Without judgment, Columbus woman provides food for those in need Steve Wartenberg Special to Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

A steady stream of people began to materialize in the parking lot of a strip mall in the King-Lincoln Bronzeville section of the city. “What are you giving out?” someone asked. “I have beef stroganoff and some watermelon,” Debra McCauley answered. “And water. Do you want a bottle of water?” “Can I have another (beef stroganoff and water) for my girlfriend?” a man on a bicycle asked. He pedaled back a few minutes later. “There are four older people who want some watermelon, and they can’t get here.” McCauley loaded him up with several slices of watermelon wrapped in foil. “Just water please, have a blessed day,” someone else said. It’s a Thursday evening in July, and Debra McCauley is doing what she does every Thursday: Driving around the city, with the help of a couple of friends, distributing meals to homeless people, and anyone else who’s hungry and wanders by their two-car, mobile meal station. “I know where to fi nd them,” she said of people in need. “I know where they hang out.” For about a year, McCauley has been preparing meals in her tiny North Side apartment, which she calls “The Storehouse,” every Wednesday, and delivering them the next day to diff erent locations to some of the poorer pockets of the city. Her mission is to help others, even though McCauley is far from wealthy. “She has no resources,” said Brenda Chaney, who donates food to McCauley and sometimes helps deliver meals. “But she makes this happen through the strength of her personality. People believe in her and want to help her.” Everyday Hero fi nalist Debra McCauley is photographed on July 1. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Continued on next page

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The people McCauley feeds “do not easily have their voices heard,” said Roberta Morton, who also donates food to McCauley and helps deliver meals. “She’s so dynamic and committed to this cause.” McCauley knows what it’s like not to be heard, to be invisible, and to struggle to fi nd shelter and something to eat. “I’ve had a life that’s been a lot of ups and downs,” said McCauley, 56. The downs include a battle with addiction she has overcome, as well as being homeless four diff erent times. Destin Thomas, one of her six children, who she’d given up for adoption years earlier, was shot and killed in 2012 by a police offi cer responding to a 911 call that Thomas made to report a break-in at his home. The offi cer mistook him for the intruder. The fi rst time McCauley was homeless was when she was 17 and her mother kicked her out of the house after she became pregnant. The violence of what McCauley describes as an abusive relationship led to another homeless situation. “I was lost and confused,” she said of her life. The ups include her family, friends and church; rebuilding her life, and the joy she takes in cooking, especially for others, and preparing and serving meals to people in need. Due to a back injury, McCauley can’t work and is on disability. “I know what it’s like to be homeless,” she said. “I have compassion for these people because we don’t know what they’ve been through or why they’re in the situation and the condition they’re in. It humbles me. And I want to give them some hope and talk to them and listen to them and give them a nice meal and some encouragement.” Chaney has learned a lot about the struggles people face by helping McCauley. “Homeless people aren’t all the same; they don’t fi t into any one category,” she says. “One of the really good things about Debra is she doesn’t judge people. If you’re hungry, Debra will feed you.” McCauley walked around the KingLincoln Bronzeville strip mall, telling people to come over to the cars where she, Chaney and Morton were distributing food. “Let your friends know,” she told someone as she handed him a container of beef stroganoff . “Thank you, ma’am,” he answered. A little boy approached with his Continued on next page

What neighborhood or town do you live in? North Side What is a challenge you have overcome? McCauley has been homeless four times in her life. What inspires you? “It’s a blessing to be able to help others.” What keeps you engaged? “I remember being out there, homeless and hungry, and sleeping in abandoned houses.”

Top: Everyday Hero ﬁ nalist Debra McCauley. Left: Debra McCauley hands out food to members of Columbus' homeless population on July 1. PHOTOS BY ROB HARDIN/ DISPATCH MAGAZINES

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Debra McCauley gets a kiss from her granddaughter Alivia, 2, before handing out food to members of Columbus’ homeless population.

Everyday Hero ﬁ nalist Debra McCauley puts the ﬁ nishing touches on food for members of Columbus’ homeless population in her kitchen on July 1. PHOTOS BY ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES Continued from previous page

mother. McCauley asked if he’d like some cookies, and the boy shyly shook his head up and down. “Do you want Oreos or chocolate chip?” she asked. “Can I have both?” the boy asked, emboldened by the power of cookies. McCauley laughed and gave him a package of each. A few minutes later, the three women pack up and drive oﬀ to a homeless camp beneath a bridge on Greenlawn Avenue. This weekly mission to serve meals began in the fall of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. One of her daughters, Alicia Sanford, and ﬁ ancé, Marquan Napper, asked

McCauley to help them collect and deliver food to the homeless on a monthly basis. “I liked it so much I started doing it weekly,” McCauley said. “They have their own lives and are busy, and help when they can, so I looked for some volunteers to help me out.” Because of her lack of ﬁ nancial resources, McCauley needs help purchasing food. And delivering meals, because her “transportation situation is a little iﬀ y,” Morton said. A larger kitchen would also come in handy, but these are all mere obstacles to be overcome by determination. McCauley’s dream has always been to open her own restaurant. In a way, she has, and it’s open once a week. “I started cooking when I was 8,” she says.

“I had to cook for my family. My grandmother was a great cook, and she’d put me up on a chair (by the stove) and teach me things.” One of the dishes her grandmother taught her was chili. The recipe is top secret, but “it has to be nice and hearty, and I’m very particular about my spices,” McCauley said, adding that during the winter months she made and served chili regularly “and people started calling me the Chili Lady.” McCauley has a Facebook page (The Storehouse…Columbus, Ohio) she uses to spread the word about what she’s doing. In addition to food, she also distributes what she calls “survival items.” This includes battery-operated lights for people who live in tents, “so they

Debra McCauley hands out food.

won’t have to use candles that can start a fi re,” McCauley said. Other items include can openers, portable grills and sanitizers, as well as hats, coats and gloves in the winter months. Rebuilding her life has been a long, diffi cult process for McCauley. “I was so tired of holding onto all that pain,” she said. “But I’m still standing, and I had to go through all that pain and all those tragedies so I could be here for someone else going through that.” McCauley has also reconnected with her mother. “She never encouraged me growing up,” McCauley said. “But, at the beginning of this year, she said ‘I’m proud of you’ for the fi rst time, and she gave me a hug. It felt so good I asked for another.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Ray O’Neal Advocate makes Columbus more accessible to visually impaired people David Rees

Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

After his wife, Debra, died from cancer in 2001, Ray O’Neal was asked how he was going to leave his mark on the world. Blind and without children, O’Neal found his answer through advocacy and began having an impact through various roles in his community. “The mark I’m leaving on this world — I help change people’s lives,” said O’Neal. The 67-year-old West Side resident’s journey began at age 8, when an accident left O’Neal with intense burns and retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes gradual blindness. Subtle symptoms began within a few years; by age 36, he was fully blind and forced to retire early from his job as a custodian. After losing Debra several years later, O’Neal thought about what he was going to do next. “I sat down and said, ‘What do I do? How do I do this?’” said O’Neal. “I was never alone before.” Through help from the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired, O’Neal received workforce development training from Goodwill Columbus and was hired in 2004 as a call representative for auto auctions and donations. The work gave O’Neal the opportunity to talk to many new people, which drove him toward advocacy. “The more people I talked to that were helping (Goodwill Columbus), I thought, there has got to be a way to pay this back,” said O’Neal. Since then, O’Neal has been active in a host of advocacy organizations. He has volunteered for Voicecorps reading service and served as a board member for Accessible Arts of Central Ohio and the Columbus chapter of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio. The latter has given him the opportunity to host various workshops around visual impairment. For the past few years, O’Neal has led a program called “Seeing Life Diﬀ erent-

Ray O’Neal photographed at the Goodwill Columbus Headquarters on July 28. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

ly” through Seeds of Caring, a nonproﬁ t dedicated to community-service opportunities for children. The idea stemmed from a simple in-

teraction: O’Neal had met Seeds of Caring founder Brandy Jemczura and her son, Eliot, while O’Neal was on break outside of Goodwill Columbus. As a 5-

year-old, Eliot had many questions about O’Neal’s blindness. The conversation gave O’Neal the idea to create an outlet for kids and families who may have questions. “(Ray’s) goal with the program was to give kids a safe space to understand more about vision impairment, to feel comfortable asking questions and to show them that they’re really not that diff erent from someone with a vision impairment,” said Jemczura. Hosted twice a year, the program gives children ages 5 to 12 the opportunity to participate in a variety of handson experiences with others in the blind community. Participants learn diff erent scenarios, like how visually impaired individuals get from place to place or how they can approach a person who is blind. “(Ray) has such a positive attitude toward life, such an attitude of helping and giving back,” said Jemczura. “He’s one of those people that is always looking for the next way to make our community a better place and to make our community a stronger place for people with disabilities.” This past summer, O’Neal volunteered at Camp Lazarus to spread disability awareness with Cub Scouts and worked with Ohio State University at a football camp for individuals with developmental disabilities. Of all the programs O’Neal has been a part of, he is most proud of his work with the Accessible Arts of Central Ohio. While president of the board, O’Neal received a grant to install a system in the Ohio Theatre that provides blind individuals with audio descriptions of what is happening on stage. Now in his 60s, O’Neal hopes his advocacy inspires others to advocate to improve their own communities. “Inclusion, diversity and equality is for everyone,” said O’Neal. “I think respect, inclusion, diversity and equality is what everybody with a disability needs, even though all disabilities are diff erent.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Esther Flores Nurse provides a beacon of hope with safe houses for human traﬃ cking victims Sarah Szilagy Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Esther Flores always wears a bandana on her head. She wears it on the street. She even wears it when meeting city offi cials. Beyond mere fashion choice, the bandana serves a purpose. “The girls are so traumatized,” said Flores, 48. “They may not remember my name. But they’ll remember the bandana.” Most decisions Flores makes are similarly centered on the people she serves: victims and survivors of human traffi cking and domestic violence. Through her nonprofi t, 1DivineLine2Health, Flores off ers trauma-informed and responsive care to homeless women and girls and those with substance use issues. In addition to operating two safe houses in Linden and on the Hilltop, Flores runs a drop-in center on Sullivant Avenue where women and girls can eat a home-cooked meal, grab clean clothes, take a warm shower and rest. Also on the Hilltop is 1DivineLine2Health’s butterfl y garden, where the organization hosts a camp each summer for nearly two dozen children to play games, make s’mores and appreciate nature in the middle of Columbus. And, of course, there are the nonprofit’s two red “love bugs”: vans fi lled to the brim with bags of clothes and boxes of fi rst-aid kits that are handed out to people on the street. Since 2015, the trained nurse has been on the streets of Columbus treating infected wounds, saving people with the overdose reversal drug naloxone and off ering food, clothes and condoms to people experiencing homelessness. It was the kind of care she originally intended to provide to people abroad, but after a trip helping human traffi cking victims in Guatemala, Flores said she learned about the people in her own city who have been hurt and traumatized by human traffi cking.

Esther Flores stands outside the Hilltop 1DivineLine2Health, a drop-in safe house that provides resources for women and trans women, including victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and those with substance use disorders. ADAM CAIRNS/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The number of human traﬃ cking victims in Columbus is unclear. But Columbus ranked eighth among U.S. cities in numbers of calls to the National Human Traﬃ cking Hotline from 2007 to 2016. What Flores knows is that she

helped 3,094 women in 2020, most of whom had been at one point traﬃ cked, abused or sexually assaulted. Always aware of the trauma the people she helps have endured, Flores aims to make 1DivineLine2Health as safe and

welcoming as possible. The drop-in center, for instance, is decorated like a regular house — murals line the walls and teal chairs sit around a dining room table. Upstairs, there’s a play area for children with brightly colored toys and fi xtures. At the center, women color and paint, watch TV and take naps on the couch. Flores said she designed the center to engage all fi ve senses — an informed approach to trauma that helps people focus on the present moment of safety. “I wish I would have known you a long time ago,” Pam Gatewood, a volunteer at 1DivineLine2Health and human traffi cking survivor, told Flores one recent day. She said Flores is one of the most caring people she’s ever met. Vanita Lewis, who runs workshops on entrepreneurship for people who are currently or formerly incarcerated, spoke similarly of Flores. She heard Flores speak at a conference in 2018 and has followed her work ever since. Although Lewis only knows her professionally, she said Flores’ passion for the work she does and her compassion for the people she serves is what led her to nominate Flores as an Everyday Hero. “The energy she puts into just one individual, it just touches your heart,” Lewis said. On one Monday evening in 1DivineLine2Health’s drop-in center, Flores channeled that energy into making phone calls to a treatment center in Dayton for a bandana-clad woman. When the center didn’t answer and the woman began to cry, Flores asked if it was OK to touch her before enveloping her in a hug. “You are a warrior,” Flores said to the woman. Later, while wiping tears from her eyes, Flores laughed after recognizing the bandana on the woman’s head as one of her own. She's given her bandanas to many women and girls she's worked with over the years. It helps them remember each other, she said.

16S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Gia Jennings 7-year-old girl shares her blessings with those in need during the pandemic Nate Ellis ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Driven by compassion and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, a 7-year-old Clintonville girl has dedicated more than a year to rallying help for people in need. At the onset of the pandemic, Jeff and Jaylene Jennings were among the many Ohioans who found themselves out of work after health and safety restrictions shut down Jaylene’s childcare business for more than two months and Jeff was furloughed from his job in the beer and wine industry. While there was plenty of concern over what might come, the couple felt it was an important time to think about the needs of others, as well as ways their daughter, Gia, could help people in the community. “We were just kind of looking for a way to give back,” Jaylene said. “I was looking for kid-friendly ways for her to give back during the pandemic.” After baking cookies for an area women’s shelter, the Jenningses found their way, within the fi rst months of the pandemic, to Besa, a Columbus-based nonprofi t that seeks to connect people to community service. Through Besa, Gia began volunteering monthly, doing everything from making Rice Krispies Treats for victims of domestic violence and tending a community garden that provided free produce to people on the Near East Side of Columbus. She also delivered meals to homebound people and wrote holiday cards for isolated senior citizens. Additionally, Gia has collected items for “Blessing Boxes,” outdoor cabinets in public places around central Ohio that are stocked with nonperishable food items, basic toiletries, baby supplies and anything else that might be considered a blessing to someone in need. Items are anonymously donated and anonymously received. “During the shutdowns and other

Pictured here is Everyday Hero semiﬁ nalist 7-year-old Gia Jennings. Jennings is a second grader at Clintonville Academy. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gia pushed forward, knowing that all it takes is one person to make a positive diﬀ erence,” said Matthew Goldstein, founder and CEO of Besa. “She leveraged Besa’s innovative ways to give back during a time of uncertainty, and with the support of volunteers like Gia, we built the capacity of nonproﬁ ts to collectively combat issues that threaten the families who make our community stronger.” Gia’s motivation stems from recog-

nizing that there are people of all ages who may need a hand up. “I really wanted to fi nd a way to help those in need,” she said. “It makes me feel really, really happy that I know that people have the stuff they need.” Goldstein said Gia has contributed 27 volunteer hours through Besa since March 2020, but that doesn’t include all the time she’s spent fi lling Blessing Boxes, which she did through Besa and independently. As of July 22, she had fi lled more than

40 Blessing Boxes with items her family has donated and others she has helped collect, and she’ll roughly triple that amount over the next several months because of a pledge she made selling Girl Scout cookies for Troop 6664. After selling 250 boxes of cookies the previous season, Gia set a goal of selling 500 boxes and promised that for every 10 boxes sold, she would fi ll a Blessing Box pantry. Backed by a marketing blitz that included calling and texting friends and family, as well as making sales videos and soliciting via social media, she more than doubled her goal. “She sold over 1,200 boxes of cookies,” Jaylene said. “So we still have about 80 Blessing Boxes to fi ll.” Jaylene said Gia has learned a lot about sales and marketing from the experience. She’s launched canned-food drives at her school, Clintonville Academy, to help fi ll the Blessing Boxes, and she enlisted her fellow Girl Scout troop members to promote her cookie sales. “She went gung-ho,” Jaylene said. “She’s learned everything from diaper needs to feminine care to what things are shelf-stable and how we have to think about how you can’t put all macaroni and cheese in there because not everyone has access to a stove. She’s able to do pretty much everything for this besides drive.” Goldstein said Gia has shown tremendous empathy, particularly for someone so young. “Both of Gia Jennings’ parents lost their jobs after COVID hit, but she still understood others were worse off than her, and the high-energy fi rst-grader wanted to help,” he said. For Gia, community service is a thrill because she realizes work such as planting community gardens and donating food and toiletries can brighten someone’s day. “It makes me feel excited and helpful,” she says. “You know that you’re helping, and it’s a really good thing to do.”

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 17S

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Doug Arnold Domestic violence shelter volunteer inspires children during a time of great need Eliana Wright

Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

Doug Arnold would not consider himself a mathematician. Or a writer. Or a science wiz. Or even a teacher. But when he steps through the doors of Lutheran Social Services CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, the Pickerington resident becomes all of that and more. Since October 2020, Arnold has dedicated more than 100 hours to volunteering at LSS CHOICES as a Study Buddy in the organization’s child care unit. Study Buddies, created in October 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a program of LSS CHOICES, a shelter that provides safe, healing spaces for victims of domestic violence. Jennifer Hamilton, director of communications for Lutheran Social Services, says at aat least half of the residents at CHOICES are children. So when in-person school suddenly stopped, so did the children’s usual way of learning — and CHOICES wanted to help. “It started as kind of a homeworkhelp program where the kids could come and get dedicated one-on-one work with our educational assistant and the volunteers,” said Leslie Scott, the family service coordinator at LSS CHOICES. During that time, Scott said the children could receive additional help with their homework and ﬁ ll in the education gaps that arose once virtual learning began. Scott said thanks to Arnold’s dedication to the children and advocation for the program, Study Buddies grew into a consistent platform for CHOICES to help children learn and grow outside of the classroom. Arnold, who is now 59, retired from American Electric Power where he was a principal market risk analyst when he was only 55 years old. With so much free time, he began to ask himself the question: “Why have I been blessed with this opportunity?” That led to another ques-

Doug Arnold photographed at Wesley Ridge in Reynoldsburg on July 28. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

tion: “What can I do to help give back to others?” And the answer was to volunteer his time to people who needed it. Since then, his energy has been generously dedicated to myriad organizations that need volunteers like him. Arnold said one of the most profound experiences he’s ever had, that still inspires his volunteer work today, was the loss of his younger sister when he was just 9 years old. At such a young age, Arnold said it aﬀ ected the way he grew as a person. It taught him to be respectful and patient with other people, and to always give them the beneﬁ t of the doubt. “I think that’s where a lot of my patience comes from,” he said. Scott said Arnold brings those values to CHOICES every day. “He is so patient

with the kids,” she said, “and I think they need to see that. Just adults, especially men, being patient and understanding.” One of Arnold’s favorite experiences at CHOICES was teaching math to a little boy. “He was starting to get into his times tables, and so he was talking about some things, and so I talked to him about how you multiply by 10, and he just picked it up in a snap,” Arnold said. To Arnold, it may have seemed like a one-time thing, an experience he shared with just one child. But Scott said the experience had a much larger impact. “Doug doesn’t know this part,” Scott said, sitting across the desk from Arnold during a recent interview. “But the little boy he was talking about in the

beginning still constantly asks staﬀ and other volunteers to quiz him on math. That’s become his thing — he’s doing it with other kids, so that one positive interaction has spread and has become many positive interactions.” A look of satisfaction came across Arnold’s face, and soon Scott was smiling, too. Because of Arnold, CHOICES will continue the Study Buddy program into the next school year, to help kids reach their potential outside of the classroom. “His consistency, and the fact that we could rely on Doug and the families could rely on Doug, which is even more important, allowed us to grow the program. And it’s going to continue on next school year, even though the kids are returning to school,” Scott said.

18S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES FINALIST

Dave Baker Galloway resident shares his personal story in eﬀ ort to slow HIV’s spread Suzanne Goldsmith Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

Dave Baker is passionate about spreading the word on HIV/AIDS causes and prevention in neighborhoods with predominately Black residents. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

The man in the photo looked fearless, said Michael Weinstein. Indomitable. His face was chiseled, his eyes fi xed on the horizon. Printed on the jacket Dave Baker held stretched between his hands in the photo were the words, “A.I.D.S. IS PERSONAL. ASK ME WHY.” Weinstein, co-founder of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a worldwide provider of AIDS medication and advocacy, was impressed with the boldness of the man whose photo someone had hung in his conference room, and he thought they could do some good together. Over the ensuing years, Weinstein would seek Baker’s help in negotiating Columbus bureaucracies when his Los Angeles-based nonprofi t opened a Short North branch of its chain of Out of the Closet thrift store/pharmacy/HIV test centers. The agency also would offer testing at events Baker, a volunteer, organized in neighborhoods where AHF needed an ambassador. “What struck me the most was his honesty,” said Weinstein. “He is so real and relatable. He goes against the stereotype that HIV is only gay men. … And he was reaching an audience that wasn’t being reached.” New AIDS infections in the U.S. are far lower than at the peak of the epidemic, and new treatments off er hope to those with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But the disease is still a major threat — especially within certain populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 34,800 people were infected with HIV in 2018, and while infections are dropping among white males, they have not decreased among women or people of color. African Americans represent just 13 percent of the U.S. population but 44 percent of new HIV diagnoses. Latino people, at 18 percent of the population, Continued on next page

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 19S

account for 30 percent of new diagnoses. And for each diagnosis, there is very likely another person who does not know they are infected and could be infecting others. That’s what Baker, 56, wants to change by spreading a simple message: Get tested. It’s unusual for a white guy who lives in a suburban subdivision to appoint himself AIDS educator for the city’s Black community. But Dave Baker is an unusual guy. He goes out of his way to share his own gritty story — “I don’t allow the stigma, the embarrassment and the shame to keep me down,” Baker points out — and he has worked hard to develop relationships with people who give him credibility in the city’s Black and minority neighborhoods. His unconventional methods include providing cash incentives to get tested — something governmental agencies are prohibited from doing — and enticing them to his presentations with off ers of free pizza and raffl es, paid for by Baker and his wife. On a Wednesday evening in midJuly, Baker walked onto a platform at one end of an assembly room at the Milo-Grogan Community Center wearing a lime green T-shirt that read, “I Have AIDS. Do You? Get Tested.” Seated before him were a smattering of people, Black and white, young and old. Neighbors Donna Jones and Jackie Delbrugge said they came mostly for the pizza advertised on the fl yer. “You can only go to the local food pantry twice a month,” said Delbrugge. “I grew up in a privileged household,” Baker began, standing awkwardly alone on the stage and gripping a wireless mic. “Dad went out and worked and Mom stayed home as a housewife. We always lived middle class. We never was on food stamps, we never had our lights be turned off . We were stable.” Baker went on to say that when he was 15, his parents moved and he had to change schools. “I was angry because I had to move away from my friends,” Baker said, “and so I started experimenting with drugs: marijuana, alcohol.” Things went downhill from there. Baker, once a good student, quit the wrestling team, dropped out of school and moved out of his parents’ home. Soon he was robbing people and burglarizing homes to get the money for drugs. He went to jail for 90 days, then was arrested again while still on probaContinued on next page

What city or neighborhood do you live in? Galloway What inspires you? “Knowing that I have the ability to educate people and help to prevent them from contracting HIV.” What keeps you engaged? “Knowing that I am making a positive difference in people’s lives from the feedback I receive from them after my event.” What is a challenge you have overcome? “When I was diagnosed in 1995, my doctor said my prognosis to live was one to three years. So my biggest challenge was to survive, to live with AIDS and not die from it as many others have.”

Dave Baker often collaborates with Clinton and Brenda Joshua with Trumpet Temple Worship Center. PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Top: Dave Baker is passionate about spreading knowledge about HIV/AIDS causes and prevention.

20S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Dave Baker gives information on using condoms to greatly reduce chances of getting or spreading AIDS during one of his events at the Milo Grogan Community Center.

Mindy Baker is always supportive of her husband Dave Baker who is passionate about educating people on HIV/AIDS causes and prevention. PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES Continued from previous page

tion. He served six years in prison. It was shortly after his release in 1990 at age 25 that he contracted HIV, he thinks. (After his time in prison, he said in his typical blunt fashion, he “wanted three things: a hot shower alone, a hot meal cooked by my mom, and sex.”) He had intercourse with multiple women. Five years later, he became ill and was diagnosed with AIDS. Baker was lucky, though, because research into treatment for AIDS patients was ﬁ nally beginning to yield results. He recovered and today feels conﬁ dent he will live a full life, although he depends on a twice-daily regimen of pills that includes not only HIV/AIDS treatments but also medication for Wasting Syndrome (the reason for his chiseled

look) and bipolar disorder. It took another decade and one more stint in prison before Baker became the mission-focused advocate he is today. In 2006, he fi nally settled down. Three marriages had come and gone, but Mindy, 16 years his junior, was the love of his life — and he hers. “I said we’re going to get married the fi rst day we met,” said Mindy, who became an adoptive mother to his son Dominic, now 23. Since that time, Baker’s stayed out of trouble. Mindy, who works long hours as the director of environmental services at a private hospital, attends all Baker’s events. “People love her,” said Baker. “They love seeing that we’re a couple.” Baker researches policy and frequently buttonholes public offi cials to advocate for HIV treatment and testing. He met Franklin County Auditor Mi-

chael Stinziano that way when Stinziano was serving in the state legislature; the two have remained friendly, with Stinziano attending Baker’s birthday parties and getting to know Mindy. “His story, his passion and his willingness to connect people with resources, that has made him stand out,” Stinziano said. For 12 years, Baker told that story three or four times a month to new arrivals at Maryhaven, a drug and alcohol detox center, and then began organizing presentations on his own in the community. “What was most eﬀ ective was his advice,” said Clinton Joshua, who works as a teen counselor at Maryhaven. “Some took it to heart.” Joshua, who lost a brother to AIDS, came to the Milo-Grogan presentation with his wife, Brenda, who made four gift baskets for the rafﬂ es.

Mindy Baker holds a photo of Dave Baker as a young man on her cellphone.

On the stage, Baker told his story, then gave out hundreds of dollars in raffl e prizes, peeling fi ves, tens and twenties off a stack of bills he said came from an envelope where he and Mindy put a portion of their earnings each month (Baker is on disability). Due to COVID, he couldn’t off er testing that night, but the crowd seemed hungry for information. Nobody left the session early; at the end, he was peppered with questions. “I really appreciate you for sharing your story,” said a woman in the audience. “It takes a lot of guts.” Mindy packed up leftover pizza for people to take home. “If I could do an event every day, I would,” said Baker. “All I need is one person to show up.”

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 21S

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22S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Deneen Day Personal experience fuels eﬀ orts to boost education about Alzheimer’s disease Grace Deng Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

When the pandemic hit, Tillie Day didn’t understand why her daughter, who she knew only as her caregiver, couldn’t visit her in the Columbus nursing home. Deneen Day would visit her mother from afar, but Tillie couldn’t connect the voice on the phone with her daughter’s face at the window. Deneen tried FaceTiming her mother, but Tillie would cry because she didn’t understand why Deneen was trapped inside the little rectangular box. “I never wanted to cry in front of my mom, so I would just leave before I started crying,” Deneen Day said. Tillie had late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. For Deneen, that often meant she was “grieving in place.” Every time the disease took another part of her mother, Day had to grieve the loss. The 58-year-old East Side resident ﬁ lled the void in the way she knew best: by helping other people aﬀ ected by Alzheimer’s. Day said volunteering at the Alzheimer’s Association was a “healthy distraction” when she couldn’t visit her mom. Day has worked with the Alzheimer’s Association for about 10 years, after bringing her mother to some of its programs. Day facilitates support groups for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients and teaches community education programs about Alzheimer’s. “For me, it’s to put a face and a feeling and a family to the disease,” Day said. Elizabeth Murphy, who takes care of her mother who has Alzheimer’s, said Day helps normalize the emotions people feel when a loved one has dementia. Murphy organizes a group for older adults at the United Methodist Church, and Day has spoken at the group on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association several times. “Who wants to hear about dementia?” Murphy said. “But she makes it OK to talk about, and she lessens that anxi-

Deneen Day is heavily involved in the Alzheimer’s Association. She was the primary caregiver for her mother who had Alzheimer’s who recently passed away. Day has a tendency to always be there for people just when they need someone, those who know her say. KYLE ROBERTSON/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ety and stress about talking about such a diﬃ cult subject. People love her.” Melissa Rouse, a nurse and program manager at the Alzheimer’s Association, said Day has participated in almost everything the group has going on. “Everybody in the Association has always said you can rely on Deneen,” Rouse said. “Instead of being a volunteer, she could easily be mistaken for an employee – she just knows that much about the Association.” Day doesn’t stop with the Alzheimer’s Association; she also volunteers in the neonatal intensive care unit at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, mentors students through the BE THE ONE program in Columbus City Schools, escorts World War II and Vietnam veterans on

Honor Flights , and delivers meals to seniors through Meals-on-Wheels. Day also volunteers at the Franklin County Dog Shelter. Recently, Day earned her end-of-life doula certifi cation, allowing her to start professionally caring for terminally ill peoples’ physical, emotional and spiritual needs. While Day seems to spend every minute of her day volunteering, she said she feels blessed to volunteer and looks forward to her work. “I don’t feel overextended, because I always walk away fi lled,” Day said. Day’s friend and founder of the BE THE ONE program, Dawn Heideman, said Day is always fi lling in the gaps. Whether it’s speaking up for a student who isn’t sure they’ll graduate, serving

lunch at her son’s school cafeteria, or inviting a child in foster care to Thanksgiving dinner, Heideman said Day’s largest contribution to the community is being there for others when no one else is. “The world needs more Deneen Days,” Heideman said. Tillie Day died on July 8, 2020, at age 82. A year after her mother’s passing, Day is still volunteering with the Association. “Right now I have every reason to be mad about how my mom died and where she died. But, you know, I think I did good by her,” Day said. “I think she’s very proud of me for volunteering. I came out of it OK, so I want to help others come out of it OK.”

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 23S

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Nancy Vermaaten Selﬂ essness motivates food pantry volunteer to continue giving back for 15 years Stephen Borgna ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Nancy Vermaaten isn’t like many other retirees in central Ohio. Recently retired from her position as payroll manager at JEGS High Performance in Delaware, Vermaaten spends ﬁ ve to six days a week at the Vineyard Columbus 5th Avenue Food Pantry at 181 E. Fifth Ave. in Columbus. Vermaaten isn’t new to the pantry, having volunteered there for approximately 15 years, including when she was working full time. She is a key member of the pantry’s leadership team, coordinating the distribution of food in the Short North and near the Ohio State University campus. Vermaaten kept up her service at the pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the pantry being short on volunteers due to the perils of social interaction during the pandemic’s toughest months. "A lot of the regular volunteers didn’t feel comfortable coming inside the building with a group of people," she said. "So we were short-handed for most of the pandemic. “I have on and oﬀ gone in and bagged food by myself, just to prepare for the weekend. But during the pandemic in particular, it was a lot more, and a lot more critical.” When she’s not at the Vineyard food pantry, Vermaaten can be found volunteering at the NNEMAP Food Pantry at 677 E. 11th Ave. in Columbus, particularly on Mondays. Vermaaten, who said she’s “always had a heart to serve others,” spends so much time at the pantries because of a sense of community-oriented altruism. She said when her children were growing up, she would help prepare hundreds of sandwiches every month for homeless people as part of their church’s middle school youth group. “I would get the supplies and set everything out, and then these middle

Nancy Vermaaten said she spends ﬁ ve to six days a week volunteering at the Vineyard Columbus 5th Avenue Food Pantry at 181 E. Fifth Ave. in Columbus. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

schoolers would come in and, in half an hour, would make 150 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then leave,” Vermaaten. “And I’d clean up the mess and get them all wrapped up.” That sense of selﬂ essness naturally led her to the food pantries, she said. “My mindset is, if I can help others, I

want to, whatever the need is,” Vermaaten said. “And certainly in Columbus, there has been a need for people to receive help with food. It just seemed like a good ﬁ t for me to work at food pantries.” Vermaaten said she has stepped up her community service work since her

retirement. “Since I retired, I did want to continue to be active and engaged with others,” Vermaaten said. “I’ve continued because I do see the need and I do see the end result and how much good it does to give people sustaining help.” “She is a living, breathing example of commitment and integrity and has such a heart for helping others,” said Lori Peterson, a human resources manager at JEGS who worked with Vermaaten. “In the 10-plus years I’ve known her, she only missed her weekly commitment to the food pantry if she had vacation scheduled," Peterson said. "Meanwhile, people 30 and 40 years younger than her can be spotty at best in fulfi lling their promise to show up and help out, not just at the pantry but just in general.” Vermaaten said she spends most of her time volunteering at the Vineyard food pantry on Saturday mornings. Vermaaten said she arrives around 6 a.m. The pantry starts handing out food around 8:30 a.m. “I go in early to help get some things set up and get the meat ready and those things,” she said. The pantry fi lls up paper grocery bags with shelf-stable food. There’s a layer of canned goods consisting of such items as fruits, vegetables, tuna and peanut butter and jelly, followed by dry goods such as pasta and crackers, cookies, protein bars and cereal. Vermaaten said seeing the good her eff orts produce in the community has motivated and driven her to keep coming back to the pantry over the years. “I always say I get more back than I give,” she said. “The stories I hear and the situations I know that occur, and the idea that the little bit I do can help others is so rewarding to me. And I’ve been blessed in my life by so many things that I feel I need to give back to the community and to others. “I just feel that if there’s a need in the community, I want to be involved and try to help if I can.”

24S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Tobi Furman Artmobile created to bring art supplies to children who lack access to them Tim Carlin Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Tobi Furman is a New Yorker, through and through. The 65-year-old has a big smile that could light up any room, a quippy comeback for almost any comment thrown her way, and a thick New York accent that hasn’t faded after 23 years of living in Columbus. She’s also is full of what she described as purpose and passion. It is those driving factors that guided her through creating the Artmobile in 2017 to bring “art-inspired learning initiatives” to low-income neighborhoods across Columbus. “Art is one of those things that brings people together,” Furman said. Using the Artmobile, Furman employs a group of diverse, up-and-coming artists to help teach hour-long classes at various locations around Columbus between 10 and 12 times a week. Transportation is a constant barrier for kids in low-income neighborhoods, Furman said. So she decided bringing art directly to communities was the best way to engage as many children as possible. Furman incorporates projects and art styles that kids may not get to do in their schools. Beyond basic principles like line, color and shape, Furman brings more in-depth projects — such as mosaic pieces and reaction paintings to an opera performance — in an attempt to incorporate learning into each class. Her inspiration for the Artmobile is twofold: her love of children and her love of the arts. The former, she said, stems from her career with the United Way of Central Ohio after moving to Columbus. “I’m really about the kids,” Furman said. Her art inspiration dates back to her childhood. As a person who struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia for nearly 40 years, Furman knows ﬁ rsthand the power of art education.

Tobi Furman brings arts education to children across Columbus with the Artmobile. KYLE ROBERTSON/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

“The arts gave me the channel to really learn,” she said. Furman credits much of the Artmobile’s success to her ability to build a strong network of support. The world of nonprofi ts, she said, is “all about relationships.” One of those relationships is with Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano, who nominated Furman as an Everyday Hero. Stinziano could not recall his fi rst meeting with Furman — it was either at the Hilltop Bean Dinner Festival or the Summer Jam West music and arts festival on the Hilltop. But what fi rst caught his attention and what he will never forget, Stinziano said, is Furman’s “unabashed passion” for the arts. As a former member of both the Ohio and Greater Columbus arts councils,

Stinziano said he admires Furman’s use of art-focused programming to bridge the gap in services that aﬀ ects certain neighborhoods throughout the city. Furman uses creativity as a means of improving communities, Stinziano said. “She’s been a staple at any youth-oriented activity,” he said. And engaging Columbus youth is exactly what Furman hoped to accomplish with the Artmobile. “It makes me happy when I see my kids smile,” she said. The COVID-19 pandemic forced both Furman and the Artmobile to shift gears. She had to learn how to teach classes virtually, and her plans for retroﬁ tting a shuttle bus into an art classroom on wheels faltered. “The silver lining was that we didn’t

stop,” Furman said. She delivered nearly 800 individualized bags of art supplies to meal sites during the pandemic, hoping to give kids a creative outlet. As the world begins returning to a sense of normalcy, Furman is hopeful for the Artmobile’s future. She hopes to ﬁ nish retroﬁ tting the shuttle bus to use as a party attraction in order to make money that will then be redistributed to the communities where she works. Furman views art as a form of celebration, and when she thinks about slowing down, or even retiring, Furman thinks back to the kids she has come to know and love. “I really put my heart and soul into what I do,” Furman said. “It’s the right thing to do for the kids.”

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 25S

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Adrienne Hood A leader molded by pain speaks out in order to prevent future tragedy Joe Dandron Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Adrienne Hood wouldn’t wish her pain on her worst enemy. Her pain was sparked by the terrible loss of her son, Henry Green. Green, 23, was shot eight times by Columbus police in June 2016. Plain-clothes offi cers said they saw Green carrying a gun and that he was shot when he refused orders to drop his weapon and fi red at the offi cers. But Christian Rutledge, a friend of Green’s who was with him that night, said that the offi cers jumped from an unmarked SUV, did not identify themselves and gave Green no time to react. Hood’s son died that day. The offi cers were not indicted in the fatal shooting. That day fi ve years ago is when she was thrust involuntarily into a role as a leader for change in the Columbus community. Some call her an accidental leader, a voice for change — a “mother of the movement”. But she says she’s part of the “involuntary club.” “From that point forward, I just have been fi ghting for the wrongful death of my son,” said Hood, 49, of Forest Park. “Because of the situation and the policies that were broken, I truly feel that my son would still be here.” Her strength is immeasurable. She spent 22 years in the service: U.S. Army active duty and as a member of the Air Force reserves. After retiring from the military, Hood worked as a safety offi cer in Columbus City Schools and now works for the Defense Logistics Agency in Whitehall. On top of all this and maybe at the forefront, she’s a mother and grandmother. Now, she’s become a voice for change in the city. In June 2020, Hood helped lead a march on the Ohio Statehouse to demand change in wake of the murder of George Floyd. “I don’t want another mother or father or family to have to become members of what I call the ‘involuntary

Adrienne Hood’s son, Henry Green, was killed by police officers in 2016. Since then she has became an activist for police reform and a voice for change in Columbus as part of what she calls an “involuntary club” of parents who have lost their children to police violence. KYLE ROBERTSON/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

club,’” Hood said. “So I stay out here and do what I can to be pushing for these changes.” Over the past four years, Hood has become close with other mothers whose children have been killed by police across Ohio. “My pain has been turned in purpose and passion,” Hood said. “I’m passionate about my community, I’m passionate about my loved ones. I want to see them live their best life, and they should be able to do that without fear of coming across a police oﬃ cer who has the power of life and death literally in his hands and they do the wrong thing. That’s unacceptable for me. So I will stay out here on the battleﬁ eld and continue to push

for the changes that are necessary for all of us to be safe.” David Harewood, 40, of the East Side, has grown to admire Hood’s bravery in the face of adversity. “She has kept her obligations and her soul intact while addressing these egregious, egregious problems,” Harewood said. “To have that courage … through all of this, while, I might add, raising grandkids and her other son … it to me is the pinnacle of service. Even at the risk of occasionally ruﬄ ing the feathers of established civil rights organizations that have gone to a lot of nice meetings but not actually done anything. “The day that I met her, I shook her hand and I thanked her. And I’m still do-

ing it (every day).” Hood’s belief, she said, is “not being bitter, but better,” and she said she thinks the city has made progress but still has so much more room to grow. Notably when Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther signed an executive order requiring that all deaths involving police use of force or deaths in police custody be referred for investigation to the Ohio attorney general’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. For Hood, it was progress, but only the ﬁ rst page that must be written. “I’ve give them credit for the things that they have done,” she said. “I guess the ﬂ ip side with that is, what took so long?”

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EVERYDAY HEROES FINALIST

Ram Upreti Refugee helps vulnerable communities battle COVID and other adversities Holly Zachariah Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Ram Upreti at the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville during a Threading Ceremony. The Vedic Welfare Society is a community and religious center from members in the Bhutanese/Nepali community. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

As health care professionals transformed his organization’s offi ces into a pop-up vaccination clinic, Ram Upreti hustled from room to room to room, his cellphone on speaker as he made reminder calls to every name in the binder full of appointments he had personally booked. He stopped to photocopy fl yers so that those who came for a COVID-19 vaccine could encourage their friends and neighbors to do the same. He summoned the complex’s maintenance man because on this 92-degree day, the North Side building that houses the Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS) — where Upreti is site coordinator — was boiling even before noon, and he needed to check the air conditioning. When he fi nally stopped to take a breather, Upreti patted and rubbed the center of his chest. He had been in a car crash just a few days before this July 5 clinic, and the bruising was still giving him some fi ts. But this event was just one of several that this man who spent more than 18 years living in Bhutanese-Nepali refugee camps — including more than a year detained in a prison after those in power thought he was part of a movement to motivate refugee villagers to demonstrate — had organized, and it was too important for him to slow down now. “Back home, my grandmother used to give away the food we grew, give it away just like that. My grandparents, my parents, they were so generous. From them, I learned to be generous to others always,” Upreti said. “Our communities, our families, are always our base. We care for each other and together, we are stronger.” In 2009, he was part of one of several waves of Bhutanese-Nepali refugees accepted into the United States. After Continued on next page

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some time spent in Arizona, he arrived in Columbus in 2013. Since then, the 60year-old has dedicated himself to helping other members of his community get established and thrive in central Ohio, where the Bhutanese-Nepali people now number as many as 30,000. Since 2014, he had been a site coordinator for the Karl Road offi ces of ETSS, a Columbus organization that helps immigrants and refugees settle here and become self-suffi cient with employment and family care. It also helps them navigate the health care system and personal crises. “Ram is our hero at ETSS and for many of the immigrant and refugee clients he serves each day. The ‘T’ in ETSS stands for Tewahedo, which means coming together as one,” ETSS founder, president and CEO Seleshi Ayalew Asfaw wrote when nominating Upreti as an Everyday Hero. “Ram is an example of Tewahedo in how he lives his life to the service of others.” Although Upreti has always worked night and day to help the BhutaneseNepali community, it was really during the pandemic that everyone saw just how far his selfl ess dedication and unbending commitment would go, Asfaw said. At fi rst, Upreti hit the streets, going door-to-door to make sure that people understood the risks of COVID and what they could do to help protect themselves. He distributed masks, hand sanitizer and information, and explained the importance of social distancing and the need to take the coronavirus seriously. Once the virus took hold of central Ohio and more and more people fell ill, Upreti switched from mask delivery to care. He went to homes where he knew a family was sick and took them fresh vegetables to eat, as well as paper plates and plastic utensils so that the household wouldn’t cross-contaminate on dishes. He paid for and delivered honey and herbal medicines to help speed recovery. As people lost their jobs, Upreti helped them untangle the unemployment paperwork. Then, in June 2020, he contracted COVID himself. It aff ected his eyesight, with eff ects that still linger today. And he noticed some changes in his shortterm memory. “Ram sacrifi ced himself for the care of others,” Asfaw said. “Nothing stops Continued on next page

What neighborhood or town do you live in? Gahanna What inspires you? “ETSS is a great nonproﬁ t organization, which is a focal point to integrations for immigrations and refugees’ families. We assist them to improve their quality of lives and facilitate integration through education, jobs, support for self-development opportunities. We support people from more than 25 countries speaking more than 35 different languages, including the Bhutanese population in greater Columbus. I get to serve my Bhutanese community who are settled here with a population of more than 30,000. I love to help my community.” What keeps you engaged? “Organizing events that suit the community like COVID vaccine clinics and mammogram clinics. Visiting/outreach to the community and meeting people in apartments, stores, community centers and making them aware of the COVID vaccine and the day-to-day events.”

Ram Upreti talks with people at the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville during a Threading Ceremony. The Vedic Welfare Society is a community and religious center from members in the Bhutanese/Nepali community. PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

What is a challenge you have overcome? Upreti spent 18 years in refugee camps. His answer, though, rather than focus on himself, was about obstacles for others: “Eighty percent of our population (Bhutanese) were agriculturists back home and are illiterate even in their own Nepali language. So unless they are communicated with together or individually, they are not aware of the happenings of day-to-day things.” Top: Ram Upreti helps prepare food for guests at the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville.

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Ram Upreti greets visitors with a “namaste” as they arrive at the Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville for a Threading Ceremony.

Ram Upreti greets Hari Gautam and her children Samdeep, 5, and Supriya, 9, with a “namaste” at the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society in Westerville during a Threading Ceremony. PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES Continued from previous page

him from helping.” And then the good news spread of a vaccine. Within the immigrant communities, where a mistrust of Western medicine can be very real, there was some hesitancy. That’s when Upreti really kicked his coronavirus mission into high gear. Relentless in his work, he went to convenience stores, groceries, community centers and shops all over the North Side, looking to help not just his own Bhutanese-Nepali community but the Latino and Somali populations, Black and brown communities, and so many others as well. “It was so important to me to moti-

vate people to get vaccine,” he said one day, while sitting inside the Hindu temple and community center that houses the nonproﬁ t Vedic Welfare Society of Columbus, of which he is treasurer. He leafed through that thick binder of names of more than 500 people he had registered through July to be inoculated at a local hospital, doctor’s oﬃ ce or clinic. “I knocked on doors to tell people this was a must,” said the Gahanna man, who along with his wife, Pampha, has three children and six grandchildren, “We have to take care of ourselves, our families and our people.” Olabisi Eddy, the community engagement and health promotion supervisor with Franklin County Public

Health, worked closely with him as he helped to get people signed up for vaccinations. But Upreti’s work didn’t end there. He drove them to the appointments when they had no transportation and translated for them if no one else could. More importantly, Eddy said, he just made people comfortable — and, no doubt, saved lives in his community in the process. “For us, initially, we were trying to think of ways we could reduce barriers to immigrant, refugee, migrant communities, and having people like Ram to be able to step in and be a connector — to be able to [be] that trusted resource to get them access to this vaccine — it was pivotal for us,” Eddy said.

Ram Upreti rings a bell while saying prayers.

“And knowing all that Ram endured in a refugee camp, knowing his background, it doesn’t surprise me at all that he gets so invested. I am so blessed having such a generous and giving person to help us. He is my North Star.” For Upreti, he thinks back to the years in that refugee camp when he and thousands of others would go hungry, to the nights he spent on that concrete jail ﬂ oor fearing he would be beaten to death the next day, to the eventual long journey to this country where he and his family dared to dream that perhaps they would ﬁ nd a new life. And he smiled. “At night when I go home I am so tired,” he said. “But I have much joy.”

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EVERY MORNING WITH MONICA AND EVERY MORNING WITH MONICA AND

EVERY EVENING WITH COLLEEN AND KERRY

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Danella Hicks Mentorship program breaks down barriers to success for underserved teens Tatyana Tandanpolie Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Danella Hicks spends each workday making the day work. She fi lls out grant applications at the metal desk in her offi ce and leads employee trainings for her paid, 11-person staff . In between networking with potential mentors for the students in her youth mentorship program All THAT (All Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow), she patrols the East Livingston Avenue building to talk with the teens in each color-coded activity room. Sometimes, she sheds her executive director hat to become a back-up custodian, lunch hand or bus driver. Other times, she heads to her favorite store, Home Depot, to buy parts for mentees’ building projects, or grabs the wiper fl uid from her offi ce fl oor to refi ll the “All THAT”-branded buses in the parking lot. And when the workday ends, she returns to her Blacklick home to complete any outstanding administrative tasks. “I’m living the dream, and I guess that’s the thing that’s so humbling,” Hicks said. Since 2009, Hicks has dedicated her life to removing barriers to success for kids in under-resourced East Side communities. Driven by her faith and love of people, she and her team have led afterschool homework-help programs, created career development tracks to teach students about jobs, facilitated fi nancial literacy sessions, organized college and workplace tours to better prepare mentees for adulthood, and more. When the pandemic closed businesses in March last year, Hicks was undeterred. She reopened the newly purchased All THAT Center of Excellence in June 2020 and served nearly 150 students throughout the pandemic, she said, welcoming 20 to 30 into the building each day, Monday through Friday. Ami Peacock, Director of MENTOR Central Ohio, the mentorship-program incubator that supports All THAT, said

Danella Hicks is founder and executive director of All THAT, an organization on the East Side dedicated to mentoring under-resourced teens with academic help, career planning and life skills. FRED SQUILLANTE/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Hicks’ dedication to empowering Columbus’ youth drove her to nominate the 57-year-old as an Everyday Hero. “She really respects and honors youth where they’re at, and I think that our country and our community here, locally, needs programs like this more now

than ever,” she said. Zaniya Campbell, a former All THAT mentee and volunteer, would agree. When she felt like she didn’t belong in the program because of tension with other students, she says receiving Hicks’ check-in messages on days she

didn’t attend made her feel more welcome. “She cares about people a lot,” Campbell said. “She cares about the students, her staff , volunteers. She just makes sure everybody is OK.” Although Hicks appreciates the recognition, that’s not what drives her. For her, seeing the light in a child’s eyes when they’ve changed their outlook on life “makes it all worthwhile.” “It’s always hard to pat yourself on the back when your hands are busy doing the work,” she said. While growing up in the 1970s on the West Side of Chicago and later in Gary, Indiana, Hicks developed a love for fi xing things. She changed tires, cut grass and landscaped, and fi xed household items, completing those projects alongside her late father, who taught her everything she knew. She took refuge from her strained home life in two high school teachers, who became lifelong mentors to her. They made her feel loved when she felt she was unlovable, she said. “I want to give that back to another high school kid,” she said. “Sometimes we have kids who have such low self-esteem or who feel that they’re invisible, or they’ve been abused or whatever. I want to make sure that we give them that nurturing, that encouragement, a safe space to go.” This summer, she’s passing on the hope she received from her mentors through the love of gardening she cultivated with her father. Through planting the rows of fl owers stored in the room next to her offi ce, she hopes that her teens will see the possibilities in themselves that she sees. “What gardening helps me do is to see the process: plant a seed, nurture it, watch it grow and produce more seeds,” Hicks said. “So when I think about the lives we’re impacting, if we can help a kid and protect them and nurture them until they see their value, they will reproduce, and our community will change. I believe it’ll fl ourish.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Mary Ann Grove Driven to help feed, comfort those in need by making thousands of snack packs Asia Atuah Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

During the Great Depression era, Mary Ann Grove’s grandmother welcomed homeless travelers exiting trains onto her steps in Tell City, Indiana, and fi xed them a hot meal. Her mother and sister have dedicated themselves to feeding the poor as well. And that tradition of selfl essness continues in Grove, who chalks it up to her genes. “It is just sort of in there, you know? It may be in the DNA,” said Grove, 70, a retired substitute teacher who lives in Columbus’ Indian Hills neighborhood on the city’s Northwest Side. Over the decades, Grove has bought and collected warm clothing, blankets and candles for the homeless to keep them warm in wintertime. She has purchased suitcases, wheelchairs and medical supplies for people in need overseas. And when the hot food line at Holy Family Church in Franklinton closed down in March 2020 due to COVID-19, Grove sprung into action. Each week, she would assemble and deliver around 40 to 50 snack packages — consisting of a protein, drink, fruit, chips and a sweet treat — to the church for the homeless people it serves. Grove quickly worked her way up to 100 packages a week and added in more items, such as granola bars, tuna salad and cracker boxes, Vienna sausages, and Hostess cupcakes — anything to make sure the contents of the bags were tasty. “We’re not going to give them something that we’re not going to eat ourselves. So, you know, it has to be good,” Grove said. Grove said she has delivered more than 7,400 snack bags to Holy Family Church since the pandemic started. And that doesn’t count the food and supplies that she drops off at other churches, including Immaculate Conception Church in Clintonville.

Mary Ann Grove, 70, of Columbus’ Indian Hills neighborhood on the city’s Northwest Side, helped feed the needy during the pandemic by putting together 100 packages of food each week. So far, she has delivered more than 7,400 snack bags to Holy Family Church. FRED SQUILLANTE/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Grove said she’s never counted up the cost of the food and supplies for the bags. She said she spends to help others until she can’t anymore. She even used her stimulus checks to buy food that she

then donated. “It’s just like I don’t count when I give somebody a present, you know, like at Christmas. I buy until I’m done,” Grove said.

She said she’ll visit grocery stores every day, and if she happens to see good food on clearance, she’ll buy it to include in the bags that she typically assembles with friends. Grove said that she tries to make sure to add some holiday whimsy on special days. For Easter in 2020, she included chocolate bunnies and jelly beans in the bags. For Valentine’s Day, each bag containing a signed Valentine with a message like, “To our new friend.” Grove said there are “pockets of good people” who have helped her cause, whether by donating their funds, resources or time. And for her, providing this help was — and continues to be — a no-brainer. “I came home and told my husband, ‘How can we possibly eat three meals a day when these people are not even getting any hot meals anymore?’” she said. Jean Scholz Mellum, Grove’s neighbor who nominated her as an Everyday Hero, said she was not surprised to hear about her generosity. When Scholz Mellum ﬁ rst moved into the neighborhood in 2016, Grove gave her a pot of colorful mums as a welcoming gift, and one year she surprised the neighborhood by decorating the whole street with ﬂ ags for Labor Day. Scholz Mellum said the work that Grove has done for the needy over the past year has embodied the American way of showing kindness and respecting others. “It’s just a wonderful way to see someone live their faith. That freedom to live your faith in the way you see the best ... Mary Ann is demonstrating that,” Scholz Mellum said. “I’m so proud of her. She’s just a wonderful neighbor.” Grove said that she’s really happy to be able to help provide for those less fortunate, and that doing so is second nature. “There might be a lot of bad things going on, but there are so many good things going on also,” Grove said. “And it was fun. So, that’s what we did. That’s what we do. That’s all I know.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Julie Carpenter-Hubin Masks for expectant mothers help them breathe easier during pandemic Gary Seman Jr. ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Not one to sit idle, Julie CarpenterHubin found that the COVID-19 pandemic provided her an opportunity to explore two of her passions: fi nding solutions to problems and helping people. When it appeared the pandemic wouldn’t be going away quietly, Carpenter-Hubin fi red up her Brother XR1355 sewing machine and started making masks, fi rst for disadvantaged residents who live in an apartment complex near her home in the Olde Towne East area of Columbus. “I guess it’s just the way I was brought up,” she said. “Dad was a Methodist minister. My mom was a school teacher. I guess growing up, I learned from them [that] you need to think about your neighborhood; you need to take care of your neighbors.” For most of 2020, masks were required for the simplest tasks, from riding the bus to going to the grocery store. And they weren’t necessarily widely available or inexpensive, she said. “I was just worried about my neighbors,” said Carpenter-Hubin, 61, a retired Ohio State University administrator. She used materials left over from previous sewing projects. The best material, she said, is cotton or silk. “It turns out sheets make a really good mask,” she said. “I used a lot of sheets.” She was nominated as an Everyday Hero by her husband, Don Hubin, a retired OSU philosophy professor. “Julie’s a wonderful person and always focused on helping others,” said Hubin, 71. “And I thought that was a good thing.” “Yes, I was very surprised until I thought it about it and said, ‘that sounds like him,’” Carpenter-Hubin said. “I’m very fl attered by it. I very much feel honored. This is a big deal to me.”

Pictured here is Everyday Hero semiﬁ nalist Julie Carpenter-Hubin. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

Her sewing machine went into high gear when she reached out to Moms2B, a central Ohio prevention program founded through Ohio State University that helps expecting mothers at a high risk of infant mortality to deliver fullterm babies and keep them alive through their fi rst birthdays. “She’s literally the fi rst person to reach out and say, ‘How can I help you?’” said Twinkle Schottke, director of Moms2B. Carpenter-Hubin fi rst made adult masks, which led to a request for children’s masks. “It wasn’t a minute and she was back with kids’ masks and cool prints,” Schottke said. Moms2B was able to get disposable

masks out to its clients, but not washable ones, until Hubin got involved, Schottke said. Between April 2020 and May 2021, Carpenter-Hubin created 1,000 of the 1,200 masks that were donated to Moms2B, or roughly 50 masks every other week, save for holidays and other short times oﬀ . “Masks are easy to get now,” Carpenter-Hubin said, “and for any place you need them, you can get them at the door.” Shottke said Moms2B will forever be grateful to Carpenter-Hubin. “We think the world of her,” Shottke said. “She’s our Moms2B angel. We don’t even know what’s next. We’re over this hump, but we don’t know what’s coming.”

Carpenter-Hubin is on to her next volunteer role with MagLiteracy, a national organization that looks to put magazines in the hands of children in poverty, many of whom don’t have reading materials at home. “I think that literacy is what either makes or breaks your future, and that’s just really critical,” she said. “And they needed help organizing their data, so that fi ts in with my background at Ohio State.” Don Hubin isn’t surprised about his wife’s activism. “She’s sort of the personifi cation of: Be the change you want to see,” he said. “Sometimes you have to hold her back, because if she sees somebody in trouble, she just wants to fi x it.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Adam Carr Director of Save A Warrior guides veterans toward recovery from PTSD Stephen Borgna ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

As a 12-year U.S. Army veteran, Dublin resident Adam Carr knows the rigors of military life, the traumas that can result from service and the diffi culties of adjusting back into civilian life once it’s all over. That might be why Carr has been so eff ective and has helped so many throughout his fi ve years with Save A Warrior, a nonprofi t that specializes in suicide prevention programs for veterans and fi rst responders, helps them confront post-traumatic stress and guides them on a road to recovery. Now the organization’s executive director, Carr has helped more than 1,000 veterans and fi rst responders from around the United States on their path to healing from trauma, all while being a husband and a father to three children. “We take veterans and fi rst responders that are at the last house on the block,” Carr said. “They don’t have any hope in their lives. They’re in a pit of despair. And we, maybe for the fi rst time in their life and the fi rst time in a very long time, we inject hope inside of their lives.” Carr has also found academic success, having graduated with an MBA from Ohio State University, where he was selected as the Most Outstanding Student among his 2019 MBA cohorts. A Dayton native, Carr began his military career as a signal-systems support specialist with the U.S. Army while concurrently earning his undergraduate degree in security and intelligence at Ohio State. After talking with an active duty cousin in the Army, Carr said, he decided to pursue a career with the elite Green Berets, the Army's Special Forces operatives. “I was well aware of their work after the towers fell,” he said. “They were some of the fi rst soldiers in the world over there (in Afghanistan), on the ground, linking up with Indigenous

Dublin resident Adam Carr is executive director of Save A Warrior, a nonproﬁ t that specializes in suicide prevention programs geared toward veterans and ﬁ rst responders that helps them confront post-traumatic stress and guides them on a road to recovery. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

forces on horseback. “That inspired me. And I wanted to do that work. I wanted to work with other people; I wanted to go in and build relationships in communities.”

Carr entered the Green Beret pipeline with about 400 recruits and ﬁ nished roughly two years later as one of about a dozen left standing — a statistic that surprised him when he learned it from

one of the cadre. “It just blew my mind,” he said. “That just let me know, if you don’t give up and you go out there and give your best and learn how to work with people, that you can accomplish anything.” Carr went on multiple combat tours during his time in the Green Berets and was deployed about 10 months out of the year throughout his service, including time spent in Afghanistan and the Philippines. Carr said he decided to leave the Green Berets to spend more time with his family, but he found the adjustment to civilian life was harder than he thought. “What I didn’t realize was how tough that transition was going to be,” he said. From there, Carr sought help from Save A Warrior. After going through the program. Carr said, he was motivated to join it. “I was so touched, moved and inspired by the work (they did) that I said, ‘I’m going to reorient my life to help transform lives,'" he said. Carr began as a volunteer at Save A Warrior and was promoted to executive director within a few years. “Adam is incredibly ambitious and cares about people,” said Jake Clark, founder of Save A Warrior. “He thinks like an executive, and he sees the entire fi eld. He knows when he’s down on the fi eld and when he’s up in the executive suite; he knows the diff erence. “His ability to connect and meet someone wherever they are is very, very powerful. He’s really put together, very polished and unbelievably qualifi ed for the role.” Carr said he has found his calling at Save A Warrior, whose program incorporates “lifestyle changes that immerse warriors in new, healthier ways of being,” according to the organization’s website. “It’s really hard to put into words what happens when you see the light come back on in somebody’s eyes,” Carr said.

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EVERYDAY HEROES FINALIST

Olivia Nathan Pharmacist tackles disparities in COVID vaccine access and HIV care Erica Thompson Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Prayer changed everything for John and Tamara Nathan. When the married couple struggled to get pregnant, they turned to their congregation at Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church on the Near East Side. “They prayed, and that’s when Olivia came along,” said John, 76, who lives with his wife on the West Side. In Tamara’s eyes, her daughter was “meant to be here.” “She is God’s gift to us,” said Tamara, 67. “And we’re making sure that she is giving back to God everything that he’s given her, and she has not disappointed. Her passion for others is phenomenal.” Now a 34-year-old pharmacist, Olivia Nathan has lived a life dedicated to community service, from learning sign language to interpret for deaf communities to volunteering with programs supporting girls and teens. Most recently, Nathan went above and beyond her job during the coronavirus pandemic. She has hosted multiple pop-up clinics to vaccinate people in communities of color, who are dying of COVID at higher rates and facing myriad barriers to treatment. “There was this glaring disparity,” said Nathan, who lives Downtown and works for Equitas Health in King-Lincoln Bronzeville. “A lot of Black folks work jobs that don't allow them to take oﬀ during the day to come for an appointment. By having a weekend clinic, they had better access.” Nathan set up clinics in or near KingLincoln Bronzeville outside apartment complexes, in the parking lot of the Columbus Urban League, and at churches like Trinity Baptist and St. Paul AME. Nathan also was combating distrust within the Black community, due to a history of systemic racism in health care, including unethical medical experiments. Equitas pharmacist Olivia Nathan at the pharmacy on Long Street. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

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But Nathan was able to put people at ease. “Those pop-up clinics were gamechangers, because people were more relaxed,” said Nathan, who also vaccinated Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin at Equitas. “They had a Black pharmacist who they trusted, and for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) individuals, that's super important. People have cried and have been really grateful just because someone took the time to see them and hear them. At Equitas, we say everybody's health-worthy. And this was a part of that process for me.” One woman Nathan convinced was Alethea Gaddis, 65, of the Northeast Side. “I'm already a skeptic,” said Gaddis, a friend of the Nathan family. “I already have a distrust in our political structure. I remember the Tuskegee experiment. That's the ﬁ rst thing that came to mind when there was this big thrust to encourage African Americans to become vaccinated.” Neither Gaddis’ primary care physician — a white man — nor her pastor could sell her on the vaccine. But hearing a factual explanation of the vaccine’s safety and eﬀ ectiveness from a Black woman she knew and trusted is what sealed the deal. “I took my sister with me and we posted it on Facebook,” Gaddis said. “And because we posted it, some of our cousins said, ‘Wow, if you all went, then I'm going.’” Gaddis said she is impressed by the Nathan family’s legacy of serving. “The passion that (Olivia Nathan) has for serving people and the educational pursuit of a pharmaceutical degree is in her DNA,” she said. Nathan followed in the footsteps her father, who began his career decades ago as one of few Black pharmacists in Columbus. He worked for the SupeRx/ Revco/CVS chain, as well as West Side Pharmacy. He started bringing his daughter to the pharmacy at a young age, and she later worked beside him as a tech. “She would try to tell me how to do things — in a nice way — but I would have to remind her sometimes I was the one that had the license,” he said, laughing. Nathan said she admired her father’s role in the community. “He was the person that everybody Continued on next page

What neighborhood or town do you live in? Downtown What inspires you? "My patients inspire me. My patients are like my family. I will go above and beyond for them. I'm super proud of them. They inspire me to be better. I think I come from a privileged background, and they help me check my privilege. And that's inspiring to me." What keeps you engaged? "I'm a person of faith. I have a huge prayer life, and I think that that keeps me plugged in. God inspires me and he also keeps me engaged in the work that I do, because I see the fruit of what happens when you help people." What is a challenge you have overcome? "One example that comes to mind is overcoming fear and insecurities. Life is full of many challenges, often occurring without warning. Experiencing ups and downs is part of the world we live in, but too often we let these challenges take over and tear us down to the point of no return. Often this leads to fear, and we choose to run away instead of facing them head on. I overcome fear by knowing circumstances and challenges do not have to defi ne my life, nor do they defi ne who you are as a person. I overcome fear by changing my mindset and self-sabotaging behaviors. No matter the challenge, I remember that 'joy comes in the morning.'" Olivia Nathan,10, right, had a study partner in her dad, John Nathan, at the Center for Discovery of the Columbus Metropolitan Libraryin 1998. She was preparing for a history test on the American Revolution that her fi fth grade class at the Columbus School for Girls was taking. JEFF HINCKLEY

Top: Equitas pharmacist Olivia Nathan talks with Molina Healthcare volunteers at a community outreach event that provided free COVID vaccines to the public. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

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Equitas pharmacist Olivia Nathan gives a vaccine to Ka-Ron Martin who gets some emotional support from her daughter Amerihanna, 9, during a community outreach event that provided free COVID vaccines to the public. TIM JOHNSON/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Olivia Nathan won a Jefferson Award in 2005 for her work with hearing impaired people. MIKE ELICSON Continued from previous page

comes to because pharmacies are super accessible,” she said. “You don't have to make an appointment to see your local pharmacist. So, I saw the impact that my dad had, and I just wanted to be just like him.” Inﬂ uenced by her mother’s commitment to giving back, Nathan went on to win the Jeﬀ erson Award, which honors community service, as well as the President's Volunteer Service Award from then-President George W. Bush. She studied biology at Spelman College in Atlanta and went to pharmacy school at the University of California,

San Francisco. Working on the West Coast, she developed a passion for HIV/ AIDS prevention—especially making sure Black women have access to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication to prevent HIV infection. “The perceived risk for Black women is low,” Nathan said. “Gay males get most of the media push when it comes to PrEP. And so Black women don't think it's for them. All of my new diagnoses, for the most part, are Black people. We talk about ending the HIV epidemic. Well, that can't happen if we don't include Black women at the table.” Because of its commitment to HIV care, Nathan chose to work at Equitas

Health, which also serves the LGBTQ community. Equitas Director of Community Relations José Rodríguez has witnessed Nathan’s passion for HIV and COVID-19 prevention fi rsthand. “I think she was the right messenger at the right place with the right tool to help save lives,” Rodriguez said of her vaccination eff orts. “Anything that impacts a specifi c community disproportionately, you can count that Olivia will be there to serve those communities. She was a hero before there was COVID.” But Nathan said the past year inspired her to go back to school — she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health at Ohio State University.

A COVID vaccine is prepared at the Equitas booth during a community outreach event. TIM JOHNSON/ DISPATCH MAGAZINES

She especially is interested in addressing social determinants of health, like housing and food insecurity, for people of color. “This whole pandemic just showed me so many disparities and inequities in our health care system,” she said. “I saw the community band together in ways that I never had before. But as we are taking the masks oﬀ and we're getting vaccinated, I just feel like we're going back to business as normal. I think we lost our momentum. So, that's why I'm getting a master's in public health to try to keep the momentum up, because it's important.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Penny Kilcourse Comer Selﬂ ess devotion guides pantry leader to oﬀ er assistance to veterans Alan Froman ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Penny Kilcourse Comer served six years in the U.S. Army, but afterward, in her mind, her service had only begun. “What I’m doing now is really my way of giving back to those veterans who sacrifi ced so much more than I did,” she said. Kilcourse Comer, who manages the Grove City MASH (Military and Service Heroes) Pantry and Resource Center, 2996 Columbus St., said she was looking for a way to off er assistance to veterans when she learned about the pantry in 2016. “As soon as I talked with Amber (Hudson, founder of the pantry), I knew this was a good fi t for me,” she said. Kilcourse Comer began volunteering at the pantry and became the Grove City manager in 2018. MASH has three other pantries: in Delaware, at the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base and at the Defense Supply Center Columbus. Her instinct is to want to serve others, Kilcourse Comer said. “I wanted to join the military as soon as I graduated from high school” in 1980, she said. Her facility with foreign languages led to her assignment as a Russian interpreter. “I was trained to be fl uent in both conversational and military Russian,” Kilcourse Comer said. During her service with the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command — Military Intelligence, she listened to conversations between Russian military offi cials and then interpreted and forwarded what she had heard. It sounds like something out of a spy fl ick, but “it wasn’t quite like what you see in a Hollywood movie,” Kilcourse Comer said. She said she’s pleased to talk about the impact of the volunteer work she’s doing now for MASH. “A lot of military people, it’s not in their makeup to seek help, even when they need it,” Kilcourse Comer said. “Their mission is to serve and protect our nation, not look for assistance for themselves.” But some veterans, their families and survivors struggle to make ends meet after military service is completed and they reenter the private sector, she said. “That’s why we’re here,” Kilcourse Comer said. “We do the best we can with what we have. We rely totally on donations of money and items from the community and time and eff ort from our volunteers.

Penny Kilcourse Comer is the pantry coordinator for the Grove City MASH (Military and Service Heroes) Pantry and Resource Center, 2996 Columbus St. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

“Our mission is important to me,” she said. “The veterans we serve are my brothers and sisters in arms. I treat them all with respect and try to give them the help they need.” Kilcourse Comer is able to build a rapport with both veterans and volunteers, MASH vice president Elaine Fowler said. “She just wants to give back,” Fowler said. “She always goes the extra mile. If I call her and say there’s a veteran who can’t get to our pantry, she’ll make sure to arrange a way for items to be delivered to them.” The one word that best sums up Kilcourse Comer is selfl essness, Fowler said. “Penny’s the foundation of our Grove City pantry,” she said. “Everything she does is heartfelt.” When veterans register with the pantry, they are asked to provide proof of military service and their name and address and fi ll out a checklist of food and household items they need, Kilcourse Comer said. “We don’t ask for any fi nancial information,” she

said. “Our services are available for any veteran, military family or survivor.” Veterans receive more than just food nourishment at the pantry, though, Kilcourse Comer said. They also receive nourishment of the soul. “Sometimes it’s just a smile or someone who’s willing to listen to their story that they need,” she said. The pantry typically serves coﬀ ee and pastries to veterans, who often socialize with each other while they wait for their requested items to be assembled, she said. “It helps for them to talk with each other,” Kilcourse Comer said. Civilians can empathize but can’t really understand what military service is like, she said. While still providing service to clients, the pantry building itself has been closed since March 2020 but is scheduled to reopen to visitors in September. “We’re so looking forward to welcoming the veterans back into the pantry,” Kilcourse Comer said.

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Joe Maroon New Straitsville man is devoted to improving his Southeast Ohio town Jess Deyo Dispatch Magazines USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s no coincidence that Joe Maroon is known as a pitbull — he was coined as such for his go-getter mindset. If he has a goal, he’ll stop at nothing to get it done, he says, and over his 84 years, he’s done a lot. “Let’s grow and make our lives worthwhile, with Jesus Christ in our hearts. That’s what my life is about,” Maroon said. “Anytime I see somebody that needs help, regardless of what it is, if I can help them, by God, I’ll help them.” A fi rm believer in God, a brother and a friend to all, Maroon is a staple to the people of New Straitsville. His passion for volunteering comes from a desire to connect with people, and, if he could have it his way, he would touch the hearts of everyone he passes (or at least tell a quick story). Some of Maroon’s accomplishments include chairing the Keep New Straitsville Beautiful Committee, creating the town’s community garden and playgrounds, and even being named volunteer of the year by the Keep Ohio Beautiful Commission. However, two projects stand above the others: the town’s Christmas lights and the veterans’ memorials. Maroon tells it like a timeless Christmas tale. Fortyone years ago, the town of New Straitsville was dark throughout the holiday season, he says, and he knew he needed to bring some joy to the downtown streets. So he made it happen. He raised $1,700 and, with plenty of helping hands, he placed red and green strings of lights throughout the town. Every night during the holidays, he turned the lights on manually, and he did it with a smile on his face. Decades later, Maroon is placing those same lights and is the chair of the Christmas Light Association, which works to gain funding for the project, although Maroon funds much of it himself. There are now ornaments, garland and even a nativity scene he created. The lights are now automatic, and to help with hanging, there is always a local business willing to volunteer their box truck. His eff orts to bring beauty to the town don’t stop after the holiday season. Maroon organizes drives to rid the town of rubbish, cares for veterans’ graves across fi ve cemeteries, and inspired a Fourth of July celebration this year, the fi rst the town has seen in years. Over the years he has also placed three veterans’ memorials in the town’s memorial park. The fi rst monument, placed in 1997, along with the second monument, placed in 2004, are a collection of names of those in New Straitsville and beyond who

Joe Maroon is photographed July 21 with the New Straitsville veterans memorial he helped install. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

have served. The third, placed in 2008, is a memorial recognizing those who fought against Japan to capture the airﬁ elds on the island of Iwo Jima in 1945. The front depicts the Pulitizer-winning photograph of the United States Marines raising the American ﬂ ag above Mount Suribachi. On the back are the names of those who fought in the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, World War I and World War II, who were not yet recognized on the other monuments. To recognize as many as possible, Maroon hopes to eventually place a fourth monument.

“So many people are coming to me and saying, ‘Joe, my son, my daughter, my husband’s not on the wall, I want them remembered,’” he said. “And this just isn’t in this area. This is Columbus, this is all across the United States. People want their names on it.” Nominator Steve Hiles has known Maroon for seven years, and in that time, he became one of his best friends. “He’s really about the most selﬂ ess and giving person I’ve ever known,” Hiles said. “Not in terms of giving away money, but giving in terms of his time and energy. And he’s just really passionate about trying to make New Straitsville the best town possible.”

40S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Colleen Moidu Westerville Education Foundation executive director ﬁ ghts for racial equity Marla K. Kuhlman ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Colleen Moidu has integrity and drive to improve the community, even in the face of adversity or resistance, said Amy Raubenolt, who nominated her as an Everyday Hero. “She actively works to be inclusive of all perspectives and voices,” Raubenolt said. “Her work has not always been popular in the community because it challenges the status quo and demands change faster than our institutions and leaders are comfortable making. It forces our leaders to answer and address hard questions.” Moidu led her community to establish WeRise, an emerging anti-racism group in Westerville, Raubenolt said. Moidu said she’s truly honored to be part of such an incredible group of people who have created this organization from the ground up via Zoom during a pandemic. “I can’t fully express how excited I am for this dream to be a reality, thanks to community support,” Moidu said. “We now have an organization in our community dedicated to eradicating racism. And our community came together to make this happen.” Moidu was born in Westerville, and her family moved to Blacklick when she was 5 years old. They returned to Westerville when she started high school at Westerville South, from which she’s an alumna and National Merit Scholar. She graduated cum laude from Case Western Reserve University. As director of the Westerville Education Foundation, Moidu partnered with the school district to connect students with retired teachers to mitigate remote-learning challenges though a program called Academic Allies. Moidu also led the Many Voices project to meet the need for more diverse books and discussions in classrooms. “Many Voices is a collaboration between Westerville Partners for Educa-

Colleen Moidu is a graduate of Westerville South High School and is the executive director of the Westerville Education Foundation. She led the Westerville community to establish WeRise, an emerging anti-racism group. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

tion, the Westerville Public Library, educators and community members,” she said. “In less than one year, we have been able to provide $27,000 in funding to this project, bringing more than $1,700 [worth of] books into our classrooms.” Moidu also implemented the summer StoryBox program, networking with community members to build an online video library of readers so students could read along. She also advocated for the inclusion of diverse and anti-racism books in the selection. John Kellogg, Westerville City Schools superintendent, said that in just a few years, Moidu has taken the Westerville Education Foundation to new heights. “The energy and enthusiasm she

brings to her role with the WEF is refl ected in the success the organization has had since bringing her on board,” Kellogg said. “The foundation’s primary purpose is to fund grants that allow our teachers and staff to implement the innovative ideas they have that ultimately benefi t our students.” When it comes to innovation, Kellogg said, Moidu walks the walk. “She has engaged with numerous other community organizations and implemented many new initiatives, such as the Westerville Student Education Foundation, which we believe to be the only one of its kind in the country,” he said. “Despite her executive-director role being part time, she never stops thinking of ways to do bigger and better

things for the beneﬁ t of our schools, staﬀ and students. Her accomplishments are impressive, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the WEF under her continued leadership.” Moidu said the nomination itself truly warms her heart. “It means so much that Amy took the time and care to nominate me for this in the middle of such a tumultuous year,” she said. “The fact that I was chosen brings me a lot of joy. “ Raubenolt said Moidu makes the community better. “She pushes us forward,” she said. “She is an inspiration in our community, and it has been an honor to call her my friend.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Peggy En~Rose Despite personal risk, artist oﬀ ers food and a friendly face to those in need Sarah Donaldson Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

When the pandemic came down last March, a doctor told 71-year-old Peggy En~Rose to quit her job. Immediately. En~Rose, whose legal last name is Bierma but who prefers to go by the surname En~Rose, works as a delivery driver for Meals-on-Wheels at LifeCare Alliance in Columbus. Meals-onWheels off ers daily hot meals or a week's worth of frozen meals to homebound and elderly individuals. As someone delivering prepared dishes to people and places in Franklin and fi ve surrounding counties, En~Rose was regularly interacting with others. Her line of work likely would receive a hard "no" from any medical practitioner treating an older woman with diabetes during a pandemic. But En~Rose cut down on her hours, and then she went against her doctor’s wishes. She just couldn’t draw herself away from her delivery routes. “I can’t undo my age; I can’t undo that I’m diabetic,” she said. “As king corona made the rounds, I would tell people, ‘I’m still here … as long as I stay healthy.’” Molly Haroz, the nutrition programs director at LifeCare Alliance, said En~Rose is her “gold standard” delivery driver. En~Rose works hard to get to know the people on her route well. Meals-on-Wheels delivery drivers are sometimes the only people clients see in a given day, said Rebecca Hurd, vice president of advancement at LifeCare Alliance. Hurd considers daily deliveries to double as a wellness check. En~Rose does, too. En~Rose has been particularly essential in fi ling in-depth observation reports at the homes she delivers meals to, giving LifeCare Alliance the opportunity to investigate further for everything from unsafe structural conditions to elder abuse.

Peggy En~Rose joined LifeCare Alliance in 2016 as a frozen-meal delivery driver, and has served over 125,000 Meals-on-Wheels to nearly 700 central Ohio residents. FRED SQUILLANTE/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

“In light of the pandemic, the Peggys of the world, literally, were akin to our frontline heroes in the health care, fi rst responder arena,” Hurd said. “They were showing up every day, going out and delivering, in the midst of fear, and in the midst of uncertainty, and in the midst of unknowns.” Pandemic or not, En~Rose pours her heart and soul into her days — spent driving, dropping off prepared meals, checking in with the people she serves, rinsing and repeating. “I myself am benefi ting from laws,” she said. “I try and pass along benefi ts and protection for others.” En~Rose is transgender. She drives more than an hour to and from LifeCare’s West Side facilities, because while the city of Columbus has ordinances barring discrimination at work, Ohio does not have a non-discrimina-

tion law for its LGBTQ residents and federal anti-discrimination laws only recently, in June 2020, were interpreted by the Supreme Court to include sexual orientation and gender identity. She calls the state a “checkerboard.” One area feels safe for her, while another does not. From her time at Meals-on-Wheels down to the colorful bracelets that line her slender wrists, each with individual meaning whether it is made with beads or of rubber, En~Rose makes it clear that everything she does is done with intention. Outside of workdays, she previously volunteered as a camp counselor at Camp Lilac, which is for transgender youth, as well as a camp for children with diabetes put on by LifeCare Alliance. She has ice-skated for more than 40 years. She used to run, and still

walks, 5K races. She also dedicates a lot of her free time to anime and manga, the Japanese art forms similar to animated cartoons and comic books. On a given afternoon, En~Rose can be found in Carrie's Cafe, a congregate dining facility at LifeCare. With her ﬁ nished illustrations circling her, she might be drawing characters she's seen in other works of art or those of her own creation. Before the pandemic, she also regularly attended anime and manga conferences. In July 2021, she still had fears about contracting COVID-19. But she has stayed healthy, so she stays on route alongside her fellow workers and volunteers. "They’re quiet heroes that go about their work, day in and day out, delivering,” Hurd said.

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EVERYDAY HEROES FINALIST

Mark Sigrist Grove City resident provides help to others quietly and eﬀ ectively Ken Gordon Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

For Derek Somers, Tuesday nights in the summer are all about seeing his friend Mark. “He’s always asking, ‘Am I going to see him?’” said Debbie Varancini, Derek’s mother. “He’s very much attached to Mark.” Mark Sigrist serves as Derek’s “buddy” at Buddy Ball, a baseball league in Grove City for those with special needs. Derek, 42, has been partially paralyzed since being abused as a toddler by a babysitter’s son and suff ering a serious head injury. As Derek’s buddy, Sigrist stands by as Derek bats while seated in his wheelchair, then pushes him around the bases. But there’s much more to their relationship. “Mark is always bending down and hugging him, encouraging him — ‘you’re a good guy, you got this, you can do this’ — and there’s a lot of high-fi ves,” Varancini said. “It’s really warm and fuzzy. We’re very lucky to have him.” Many others feel the same way about Sigrist. As he does with Derek, Sigrist has made it a habit to come up behind or alongside someone in support. He has done big things, for sure, such as: h Founding the Thanksgiving Wattle 5K race in Grove City, which since 2012 has raised thousands of dollars for the Grove City Food Pantry and more recently, the Buddy Ball league. h Traveling to Cambodia in 2018 to help friends with a nonprofi t orphanage and school there. h Organizing a fundraiser to buy 26 memorial benches to send to Newtown, Connecticut, to commemorate the 26 victims of a 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. But Sigrist’s superpower is to simply spot a need and quietly fi ll it. Mark Sigrist photographed at the Grove City Buddy Ball Field on June 29. ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Continued on next page

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The 59-year-old Grove City resident calls himself a “roadie” (as in, a behindthe-scenes guy) and a “connector.” He does the little things that few others want to do — researching and planning — that make good intentions become reality. “I kind of sense something could be better or something could be done, and I have a way of connecting the right group of people,” he said. “Sometimes I think people want to do something of value, but they can’t do it alone, so I try to give them structure.” Annie Durbin, one of Sigrist’s six siblings (a seventh, sister Bethann, died in 2017), said of Mark, “I call it ‘cause and eff ect.’ If there’s a cause, he’s going to affect it.” His life is full of small outreaches that can turn into deeply meaningful contributions. For instance, in 2017 he noticed a man and his daughter riding around his neighborhood on a tandem tricycle. Sigrist turned to social media to ask if anyone knew who they were, and that resulted in his asking if then-14-yearold Laney Svetlick, who has Down Syndrome, wanted to ride as grand marshal in the Thanksgiving Wattle. It is a duty that she and her father, Matt Svetlick, have performed for three years and plan to do so again this year. “He called and had this brilliant idea,” said Laney’s mother, Amy Svetlick. “He really wanted to incorporate special-needs people into the race, and what a neat way to introduce that, to have a special-needs rider out front.” Sigrist also has added a 100-yard dash to the Wattle (the Turkey Leg) for people with special needs. Or in 2020, when he asked Jackie Worthy, one of the sanitation workers who picks up garbage from his neighborhood, about his missing front teeth. Upon learning they had been knocked out in a scuffl e while Worthy was defending his girlfriend, Sigrist organized an eff ort to have the teeth replaced. Or in 2018, when he asked Nivarado Cruz-Reyes, one of the owners of 3 Brothers Diner in Grove City, why they didn’t have a liquor license. The two had become acquainted after Sigrist had approached the brothers about helping sponsor the Wattle. It turned out that the brothers, who are originally from Mexico and are still working on their English, had been scammed by a woman who said she Continued on next page

What neighborhood or town do you live in? Grove City What is your inspiration for doing the work you do? “I enjoy serving the underserved, dignifying them, and somehow bringing them joy. More often than not, I see them as the heroes and am inspired by their lives, their examples of fortitude, hard work, perseverance, etc. They teach me valuable lessons. I believe everyone has at least one unique gift and if they look outward, they can ultimately give away that gift to make the world better. This is why I value the following quote: ‘The meaning of life is to discover your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’ (Attributed to both Shakespeare and Picasso)” Describe an obstacle you may have overcome. “The Grove City Food Pantry struggled to retain its senior volunteer staff early on during the pandemic. I was asked to help get replacement volunteers, but knew that inside work would carry the same risk for the replacements. Instead, I helped organize and implement a volunteer driver delivery service to eliminate social distancing concerns for all involved, and still deliver food to local residents.” What keeps you engaged in this work? “It is gratifying, especially working with others on something bigger than me, to play a small part in serving mankind. Serving others makes me tick even when it is unstructured. I feel my life would have no purpose if I did not or could not help others. Everyday Hero Mark Sigrist photographed with his buddy Derek Somers during the ﬁ nal Buddy Ball game of the summer session on July 14. PHOTOS BY ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Top: Mark Sigrist photographed at the Grove City Buddy Ball Field on June 29.

44S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Mark Sigrist photographed with his buddy Derek Somers.

Everyday Hero Mark Sigrist photographed with his buddy Derek Somers during the ﬁ nal Buddy Ball game of the summer session on July 14. PHOTOS BY ROB HARDIN/DISPATCH MAGAZINES Continued from previous page

could help them get a license, then took $2,000 from them and disappeared. Sigrist untangled the situation and helped the brothers get the liquor license. “He’s been such a nice guy helping us,” Cruz-Reyes said. “I told him we got lucky meeting him, because at this time it’s hard to ﬁ nd the kind of people you can trust.” Sigrist downplayed his role in the affair. “It was not a big deal, just a few missing signatures on a form,” he said. “I had no superpowers at all.” Growing up in Grove City, Sigrist and his sister Durbin both said they were inﬂ uenced by their parents, Gary and

June Sigrist, both of whom have died. Durbin said their parents took in foster children and also had an open-door policy when it came to their children’s friends. “The answer was always yes when we asked if we could have people over for dinner,” Durbin said. “We didn’t have chairs at our table, we had benches, and as many butts could ﬁ t on those benches, that’s how many people we could have over.” Sigrist attended Ohio University (graduating in 1983), where he met his future wife, Melissa. She recalls him as full of energy. “He was really spunky and energetic, in a really crazy way,” she said. “The ﬁ rst time he kissed me … he jumped up and ran afterward, like, ‘OK, I’ve got to go,’

and he literally ran oﬀ . I watched him run and I thought, ‘What an odd young person.’ As he’s gotten older, he’s learned to control that energy and really focus it in areas.” The couple has been married 37 years and have three grown children: sons Alex (who lives in South Korea) and Adam (Grove City) and daughter Emily (Worthington). His soft spot for the special-needs community can be partly explained by his experiences with his sister, Bethann, who had developmental disabilities. She died at age 54 from sepsis. “I just try to give families more of these opportunities that I don’t know were as prevalent when my sister was growing up,” Sigrist said. “I just want to give them some kind of avenue and out-

The Grove City Buddy Ball Field.

let to have more quality of life and have something on their schedules besides a doctor appointment.” Sigrist said he has enjoyed having more time for his various eff orts since retiring in 2018 from Honda, where he worked in information technology. He shrugs off those who marvel at his energy, saying, “If I don’t have something to do, I’d fi nd a way to be tired. I’d take a nap.” And then he would be missing an opportunity to fi nd someone in need and come alongside them to help. “That’s really it for me,” he said. “Anytime I think I can help someone with their dream, to take what they may be already doing to a higher plane, I love to be part of that.”

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EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Yahaira Rose Her Proyecto Mariposas connects members of Latino community with mentors Stephen Borgna ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Yahaira Rose was 19 years old in 1992 when she moved to Columbus from her hometown of Yauco, Puerto Rico, shortly after graduating from high school. She knew no English but planned to study at Ohio State University. Rose earned a degree at Ohio State and eventually attained a master’s in leadership development from the University of Denver. Since then, she has dedicated her life to helping immigrants and those who have walked a similar path, from girls seeking confi dence and looking to fi nd their way to teens seeking mentorship and adults looking to gain citizenship in the United States. Rose said in 2011, as a member of the St. James parish, she realized there were a lot of girls, particularly girls from the Latino community, at the church that could have used a mentor. “I was at a point where I wanted to do some mentoring and give back to my community,” Rose said. Rose said she started bringing together mothers and daughters from central Ohio’s Latino community for mentorship and support. That’s how her organization, Proyecto Mariposas, or Project Butterfl ies in English, was born. “It was out of a desire to mentor the girls and be able to bring the mothers and the girls together with some of the skills that I already have,” Rose said. Several years later, her work with the immigrant and Latino community in central Ohio expanded when she become the executive director of the Martin de Porres Center, a facility at 2330 Airport Drive in Columbus that is sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. “Yahaira is truly an Everyday Hero,” said Sister Patricia Twohill of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. “She is a dynamo and a natural connector, bringing together young people and their families across cultures. Yahaira is also a skilled

Yahaira Rose started Proyecto Mariposas, or Project Butterflies in English, to mentor girls and women in the immigrant and Latino community in central Ohio. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

instructor, facilitating team building with many groups. Her ability to not only make others see her vision, but to compel them to become a part of mak-

ing that vision a reality, has made her an invaluable resource to the Dominican Sisters of Peace in our mission of bringing peace to our world.”

Rose said she estimates she has helped more than 400 girls and 100 to 150 mothers with Proyecto Mariposas, and she has helped approximately 1,800 people at the Martin de Porres Center, which off ers programming in spirituality, interfaith dialogue, education and the arts, according to its website. “She truly walks in the steps of St. Martin de Porres, selfl essly giving of herself to make Columbus a city where all can succeed and people of color and those who are marginalized can be brave and strong,” said Alice Black, director of communications and development for the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Rose said things have begun to come full circle at Proyecto Mariposas, as girls who started with the program about a decade or so ago and are in college now are continuing with the program as mentors to younger girls. “The fact that they’re continuing together. ... That’s something that’s very inspiring to me,” Rose said. “Just to see that they’ve come back and they’re willing to work with younger girls and be mentors to younger girls, that just shows that we’re doing something right, and we’re building the trust and the faith that they need.” Rose said the potential she sees in her community is what has driven her advocacy and nonprofi t work. “I am so passionate about my Latino community and how they really show their potential and how they really show resilience,” she said. “... they work together and they solve problems in their community. “It inspires me to really continue talking about the potential they have – the potential the youth have in our community and their families. The parents care for their kids, and they work really hard. So that’s the most rewarding and the most inspiring to me.” Rose said she also is driven by a mantra to strive to be the person and leader that may have helped her in her youth. “Be the person you needed as a child,” she said.

dispatch.com | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | 47S

EVERYDAY HEROES SEMIFINALIST

Amy Proctor Homegrown resource ministry gives low-income folks a helping hand Stephen Borgna ThisWeek Community News USA TODAY NETWORK

Dublin resident Amy Proctor said her oldest daughter, Sarah, got off her school bus in 2011 after the last day of seventh grade with a large black garbage bag fi lled with unused school supplies. Proctor said her daughter’s classmates were throwing them out at the end of the school year, but she elected to take them home instead of letting them go to waste. “She had sort of noticed people were throwing them out and they were in perfectly good condition,” Proctor said. "We were all so excited. We went through it, and we reused it as a family." This was the beginning of Proctor’s homegrown resource ministry. Inspired, the Proctors decided the following year to hold a school-supply drive at Sells Middle School in Dublin. “We had more than a minivan-load full,” Proctor said. Proctor said she got in touch with the nonprofi t Communities in Schools, and the supplies ended up being donated to students at Weinland Park Elementary School in Columbus. “That kind of started my resource ministry,” Proctor said. “We started to get to know the kids in the school and the families in the area and what their needs were, and I started to do little drives to collect things that they needed. They needed playground equipment, they needed uniforms, belts, coats. And I would kind of ask around my network of neighbors and friends in Dublin and in our communities, and we would kind of get them the resources that they needed, and it started to build and grow.” Proctor said her ministry grew so much that she began sourcing such items as washers and dryers and furniture and helping families that previously were homeless set up shop in their new homes. Proctor’s resource ministry

Everyday Hero semiﬁ nalist Amy Proctor of Dublin runs a homegrown resource ministry. She is pictured with some of the donations she has collected to help children in low-income families. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK

has been going strong for approximately 10 years, during which time she has received and donated a variety of clothing, furniture, home goods, baby gear, books, games and appliances to people and families in Columbus. Her eff orts have helped hundreds of people and families suff ering through poverty, job losses, home and apartment fi res and other situations acquire the basic necessities. “She aff ectionately and unoffi cially calls it 'the river,' a reference to how you can put things in the river upstream and they fl oat down the river to someone else in need who pulls them out,” Proctor’s husband, Joe Proctor, said. “Her role has become listening to God as he provides 'haves' with matching 'needs.' Our garage gets crowded on occasion,

and she prays for more needs and the next thing you know, it empties out.” Proctor said although she has used warehouses in the past to store her items, most are stored at her home. However, she keeps a large amount of items, particularly baby items, at her church, Vista Community Church in Worthington. “But for the most part, (the items) are in my garage and in my basement,” she said. “And I just kind of see a need and ﬁ ll a need as it goes.” Proctor said one of her most rewarding jobs was helping a previously homeless family with seven children move into a home in the Hilltop neighborhood. However, they didn’t have any household items, including essential furniture.

She said that was the ﬁ rst time she used Facebook to ask for donations. She and other volunteers made about 10 trips to and from the house and got it completely outﬁ tted. “We had that place looking great,” she said. “It was a bed for every child, and they were just so grateful.” The broad support and attention she received from helping that family has helped drive her ministry since, she said. “The outpouring of donations from there is still kind of what is fueling my resource ministry,” she said. “The wordof-mouth has really come from that time. People love to know that their beloved treasures they don’t want anymore are going to be used by somebody that does need them.”

48S | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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