December 2023 / January 2024

ARTS & CULTURE | COMMUNITY | PHILANTHROPY

DEC ’23 / JAN ’24

‘Fiona’

From hippo hype to holiday musical

FOCUS ON:

Event production Pro tips for success + reader favorites 30 pages of photos from recent events

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Publishers’ Letter 4 Arts/Culture 6 Cincinnati rises in arts vibrancy 6 ArtsWave Sachs Fund winners 6 ‘Fiona,’ from hype to holiday musical | By David Lyman 8 Books for holiday giving | By Hillary Copsey A/C List: December/January arts and culture events 11

The Datebook 18 Social calendar with a spotlight on the movers and makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s fundraisers, friend-raisers and community events.

FOCUS ON: Event Production 22 Professionals give their tips for success 22 Reader survey results: favorites in event production 26

Nonprofit News 30 Names in the News 32

Gifts/Grants 34 Snapshots 35

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Nature Center draws flock of supporters 35 CAC celebrates 20 years in Zaha Hadid’s gem 36 OneSource Center recognizes sponsors and partners 37 Justice & Policy Center addresses incarceration issues 38 Design Lab diners feed Learn + Build program 40

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Genesis at Work celebrates job success stories 42 St. Vincent de Paul dazzles guests at Retrofittings 44 500 volunteer for Rotary Do Days 45 ERS gala shows benefits of music for seniors 46 Hats Off to Cincinnati Parks Foundation 49 ArtWorks transforms TQL in display of creativity 51 NKY Advocates raise $310K to help abused children 57 PWC recognizes mission movers 59 Ronald McDonald attracts 600 for Hopes and Dreams 60 Passport to Success promotes Santa Maria community 63 Root Ball supports Great Parks projects 65

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The Last Word 66 Polly Campbell: Why dress up in an informal age?

On the cover: Fiona illustration courtesy of Loren Long; rehearsal photo courtesy of ETC; design by Elizabeth Mariner

Movers & Makers

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

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PUBLISHERS’ LETTER

F

or 28 years now, Movers & Makers has spotlighted the fundraising ecosystem in Greater Cincinnati, but only from the nonprofit side. We decided to flip the coin and hear from those who plan, produce and host these events.

Choreography can keep your steaks from burning.

Or so says master caterer Jeff Thomas. This is just one of numerous “pro tips” offered by our esteemed quartet of event industry panelists, as we examine nonprofit fundraisers this month from the other side of the curtain.

See Page 22.

We also asked our readers – most of whom have attended a fundraiser and many of whom have been involved in planning or producing one – to weigh in on the companies and individuals who rise to the top in their field of expertise. See Page 26 for the results of our first-ever event vendors survey.

In the turbulent month that Donald Trump took office, much of our nation found a small bit of comfort in the birth and successful struggle of a prematurely born hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati has generated a new musical based on Fiona’s tail … er, rather, tale. David Lyman shares its creation story on Page 8.

We are so grateful to our small team of dedicated publishing fanatics who help us bring you M&M each day, week and month: Tess Brown, Casey Weldon, Rick Endres, Ray Cooklis, Meg Howes, Phil Fisher and

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Help keep nonprofit news FREE to all in Cincinnati Fiscal sponsor:

The publishers at the 2023 Cincinnati Opera gala

occassional volunteer proofreaders: Shasta Taber, Cathy Heldman and Joan Kaup. And our cover photographers for 2023: Tina Gutierrez, Helen Adams, Wendell Gibbs Jr. and Amy Spasoff.

Without them, M&M would be a mere shadow.

And we thank you for a banner year. Because of you, our readers, advertisers and supporters, we are truly excited about what lies ahead for 2024. We hope you’ll stay in touch.

We wish you a joyful and meaningful holiday season. See you online between now and February!

Elizabeth & Thom Mariner, co-publishers; Doug Bolton, board chair

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In it, you will find a link to our Culture FIX column, posted every Wednesday morning at MoversMakers.org. We outline the best local arts & culture events for the week ahead, based on decades of experience working in the Cincinnati arts scene.

Also in the newsletter – links to our latest posts of local nonprofit news, people on the move, gifts and grants and much more.

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Movers & Makers

• Tess Brown and Casey Weldon, associate editors • Phil Fisher and Ray Cooklis, copy editors • Shasta Taber, proofreader • All the nonprofits who contributed news and photos.

Arts coverage supported by:

Thom & Elizabeth Mariner Co-publishers

Get your Culture FIX every Wednesday

moversmakers.org/subscribe

For their work on this issue, our gratitude to:

Movers & Makers Magazine @moversmakers Advertising & distribution Thom Mariner, 513-543-0890 or tmariner@moversmakers.org Creative & accounting Elizabeth Mariner, emariner@moversmakers.org News/calendar submissions editor@moversmakers.org

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Publishing schedule Issue FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST

Deadline DEC 22 JAN 26 MARCH 1 MARCH 28 APRIL 26 MAY 31 JUNE 30

Available JAN 24 FEB 21 MARCH 27 APRIL 24 MAY 22 JUNE 26 JULY 26

Full 2024 schedule available at: www.moversmakers.org/publishing-schedule © Copyright 2023 Movers & Makers Publishing We make every effort to verify information submitted for publication (print and online), but are not responsible for incorrect information or misidentified photos provided to us.

Readers are advised to confirm event dates and other important details and check for last-minute changes with the organizations or advertisers involved.

Publication of this magazine and its website (www.MoversMakers.org) does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of any information contained within, including advertisements and links.

Movers & Makers Publishing is a nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship provided by Cincinnati Cares.

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Arts/Culture ARTS/CULTURE

Cincinnati region jumps to No. 11 on national arts vibrancy list Greater Cincinnati is one of the most vibrant arts communities in the United States.

The region – which includes parts of Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana – claimed the No. 11 position on this year’s SMU DataArts’ eighth Arts Vibrancy Index.

That’s a nine-spot jump from its debut on the list in 2020.

The index, supported by the National Center for Arts Research, identifies the 40 most arts-vibrant communities in the United States through an analysis of supply, demand and government support for the arts.

The report provides insight into which of more than 900 communities

across the nation have the highest scores on three key measures: arts providers, arts dollars and government support. Each region is organized into one of three groups based on population size – large, medium and small.

Greater Cincinnati is in the large category, which is for regions with populations of more than 1 million people.

ArtsWave leaders stressed the ranking affirms two things about Cincinnati: arts organizations continue to play an important role in driving economic vibrancy and social connectivity, and residents of the region are highly arts-engaged.  culturaldata.org

The Well’s Mindful Music Moments program is in schools across the country, including Parker Woods Elementary

Creative upgrades enhance local school-based music program The Well partnered with Pixel Fiction and Lightborne to enhance its school-based music program, Mindful Music Moments.

Mindful Music Moments combines creative prompts with three minutes of orchestral, jazz, world and new music into 40 weeks of daily audio and video journeys for schools to play during daily announcements and in classrooms.

To take the program to the next level, Camp Washington-based The Well worked with the creative team at Lightborne to develop audio responsive designs that animate the daily music 6

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

Movers & Makers

selections. The goal was to craft what Lightborne President Scott Durban described as “bespoke audio reactive visuals that enhance and deepen the Mindful Music Moments program.”

Pixel Fiction has a cartoonish mascot for the program – Mel O. Dee – to help engage young students.

The Well offers Mindful Music Moments to 320 schools and other organizations serving kids from prekindergarten to 12th grade, including more than 50 in Greater Cincinnati.

The program reaches more than 135,000 students daily.  thewell.world

Quilt artist Carolyn Mazloomi

Photo by G ale Z ucker

ArtsWave announces 2023 winners of Sachs Fund Prize Quilt artist Carolyn Mazloomi and longtime Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra cellist Norman Johns have been honored by ArtsWave as the 2023 winners of the Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for their artistic accomplishments and contributions to the cultural life of the Cincinnati region. The award comes with an unspecified cash prize.

Mazloomi is the founder of the National African American Quilt Guild and the Women of Color Quilters Network. She views quilt-making as a unique way to begin sometimes difficult conversations about everything from race to gender to politics.

Johns has spent the better part of the past five decades performing in the CSO. Throughout his career, the Philadelphia native has championed the advancement of talented high school orchestral students from traditionally underrepresented communities. In 1995, he helped to pioneer the Norman E. Johns Award to support young African American, Latine and Native American students with fulltuition scholarships to the Youth Orchestra.

“Norman Johns and Carolyn Mazloomi have each shown lifelong dedication to perfecting their craft, and they have also uplifted marginalized people and stories,” said Alecia Kintner, ArtsWave’s president and CEO. “We thank them both for their many contributions, and we honor their artistry.”  ArtsWave.org Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra cellist Norman Johns

Clearly Indigenous Native Visions Reimagined in Glass DECEMBER 15, 2023–APRIL 7, 2024 Ticketed. Free for members.

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Presenting Sponsor:

Beaver Women Transformation Spindle Whorl, 2000, Susan Point (Musqueam, b. 1952), cast and etched glass with maple, Courtesy of Janet and Stephen Seltzer, © Susan A. Point, Photography by Stephen Meckler

Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass was originated

by The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The traveling exhibition was curated by Dr. Letitia Chambers and is toured

by International Arts & Artists.

ARTS/CULTURE

‘Fiona’

By David Lyman

From hippo hype to holiday musical

By David Lyman

A

musical about Fiona the hippo? Why not? When that chunky little critter was born in 2017, she quickly turned into a marketer’s juggernaut.

Fiona was everywhere. There were T-shirts and mugs and all manner of plush creatures, of course. Nothing particularly imaginative about those. But once she’d been on network TV and had her own Facebook show – remember “The Fiona Show?” – the hype grew into near-hysteria.

People couldn’t get enough of Fiona. Or Fiona merch. There was a Fiona wine-stopper.

Fiona dance hoodies and socks. And tiny Fiona the hippo ears. Graeter’s hopped onto the bandwagon, too, introducing us to Chunky, Chunky Hippo ice cream. (For the record, it was toffee ice cream with salted, roasted peanuts and caramel truffle pieces. And it was very tasty.)

There was an appearance in Cincinnati Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” a pair of books and, for her third birthday, a limited-edition Rookwood blue ice cream bowl.

So when Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati announced that the holiday show of its 2023-24 season would be a Fiona musical . . . we should have seen it coming.

What we might not have seen coming was who birthed the idea for the show.

A playwright as local as Fiona Zina Camblin is her name. She is pure Cincinnati. Raised in Clifton, educated at SCPA, she went on to a career as a TV writer (“Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” “Let’s Stay Together” and “Almost Family,” among others) and educator (Northwestern, LSU, Butler and more).

She had plays produced all around the country, most notably her 2008 work “And Her Hair Went With Her,” which appeared on stages in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City and elsewhere.

But not in Cincinnati.

“I don’t know why that was,” Camblin said.

“It just never happened. The thing is, Cincinnati is my place. Yes, I live in LA. And I live in New York. And I go back and forth. But I have this really strong connection to this city.”

However, something happened this year.

Maybe it was a post-pandemic quirk or the light bulb suddenly going on in producers’ minds.

Or perhaps it was just a lucky coincidence.

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Movers & Makers

“Fiona” costume designs by Maria Ortiz

Whatever it was, this fall two of Camblin’s scripts have made it to Cincinnati stages.

“Wrecking Ball” had its world premiere in October at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

There was more than a little autobiographical material in the play as it recounted the experiences of a young, queer, biracial woman as she deals with the hidebound world of a Hollywood writers’ room.

And now there’s “Fiona: The Musical,” running Nov. 29-Dec. 29 at ETC, directed by producing artistic director D. Lynn Meyers.

Love at first hippo It wasn’t a show that Meyers had gone searching for. For most of her decades-long tenure at ETC, Meyers has looked to the local team of playwright Joseph McDonough and composer/ lyricist David Kisor to create new holiday shows.

“But when Zina walked in with this fabulous idea, I fell in love with it,” Meyers recalled. “I said ‘OK, we’ll do it.’ ” Impulsive? Absolutely. But Meyers has run ETC since 1995 with a mix of guts and savvy that defies logic. Remember, when she arrived as interim artistic director, the board’s charge to her was to shutter the theater – permanently.

Meyers just shrugs.

“We happen to get things right now and then,” she said. “Sometimes, the best thing is not to stop and think about it. The idea for the show was just so fun. Besides, I don’t think you

can go wrong with Zina. She is such a talent.”

Still, there remained the challenge of writing music for the show. Camblin isn’t a composer.

Meyers thought about bringing Kisor on board again. But how would he work with a new playwright? Musical theater history is littered with talented artists who turned out to be utterly incompatible as creative partners.

As it turned out, she needn’t have worried.

“I didn’t know Zina,” Kisor said. “But it wasn’t awkward at all. It was definitely different from working with Joe, though.”

Kisor and McDonough had worked together for so long that they were like an old married couple, finishing one another’s sentences and fleshing out the other’s ideas. Every couple of weeks, they would meet at Skyline Chili – “probably the same booth,” Kisor said – toss around a few more scenes, return to their respective homes and expand on the scenes they had come up with. Then, they’d do it all over again.

Index cards and the lesser kudu “Working with Zina, who has written highprofile television shows, was completely different,” Kisor said. “She would put things on little cards and then shift those ideas around and . . . well, it was pretty exciting, actually. She has this pretty nice organized thing going on.”

The first time they met, it was at the Cincinnati Zoo. They wanted to see Fiona,

ARTS/CULTURE of course. But they also wanted to explore the various animals that would come to be Fiona’s supporting cast.

“We picked animals we had never heard of before – like a lesser kudu,” Kisor said. “So you know what a lesser kudu is? Me, either.”

(For the record, it’s a medium-sized antelope in East Africa. How does it differ from the greater kudu? It has smaller horns – but more stripes. Go figure.)

In time, there came to be an entire menagerie of characters: a pink pelican, a colobus monkey, and a pair of oxpeckers (birds from sub-Saharan Africa) – one red, the other yellow.

“I know that people know me for my television work,” Camblin said. “But musical theater has always been my happy place. When I was at SCPA, we used to do our musicals at the Taft Theatre and . . . I don’t know. SCPA just planted that musical theater seed in me. I’ve always, always wanted to take my shot at writing a musical.”

Upbeat story in a turbulent world Besides, there was something so inspirational about Fiona’s story that it captured Camblin’s attention the same way it did for millions of others around the world.

Fiona was born just four days after Donald

Trump was inaugurated as president. And the news was filled with uncertainty and unrest: a mass shooting at a mosque in Quebec; Romania decriminalized corruption, setting off massive demonstrations all around Europe; savage tornadoes raced through Mississippi and Georgia; more than a half million people converged on Washington, D.C., as part of the “Women’s March” against the new president.

And then, there was the premature birth of a hippopotamus in Cincinnati. No one knew whether the newborn would live or die.

“I grew up right around the corner from the zoo,” Camblin said. “I was a zoo kid. And like everyone else, I was obsessed with the story of that little hippo. I followed the story every day.

It was incredible. And then when those amazing nurses from Children’s Hospital got involved?

They saved the day. I say forget the Bengal tiger, forget the bearcat, Fiona is really the symbol of this city. She’s our mascot.”

You can see why Meyers volunteered to commission the show. It is precisely the mix of hopefulness and optimism that Meyers loves to capture in ETC’s holiday shows.

“You can’t bend the world,” Meyers said.

“But you can push it. This is a big and expensive show for us.” And, Meyers might have added, this is a time when nearly every theater in the country is struggling to restore attendance to its

pre-pandemic levels. Fiona’s struggle to survive mirrors that of so many theaters today.

“What better play could we give our audiences than one about an underdog facing a situation that looks hopeless? The zoo never gave up on Fiona. We’ve been in similar positions in the past. And we never gave up, either. So I know how hard it is. I have so much respect for the zoo and what they did. And for all the people whose love for Fiona made such a huge difference. The question isn’t, ‘Why did we do this play?’ ” It should be, ‘Why wouldn’t we do it?’ ”  Brooke Steele, Hannah Beaven and TaShauna Ajoi Jenkins at a rehearsal of “Fiona”

Photo courtesy of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

Movers & Makers

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ARTS/CULTURE

Gift yourself (or someone else)

By Hillary Copsey The Mercantile Library recommends books from local authors to give this holiday season. Spread some extra cheer by purchasing your gifts from one of Cincinnati’s many local bookstores.

FOR THE CINCINNATI FAN  “It Was Always About The Work: A Photojournalist’s Memoir,” by Melvin Grier Maybe no one knows the Queen City better than Melvin Grier. The West End native was a staff photographer for The Cincinnati Post for 33 years. In more than 100 photos, Grier shares the stories behind his most famous exhibitions and news articles.  “100 Things to Do in Cincinnati Before You Die,”

by Rick Pender This wide-ranging to-do list, now in its third edition, hits all the Cincinnati highlights you can think of – Findlay Market! Graeter’s!

Chili! – but also directs you to lesser-known delights.

FOR THE SPORTS FAN  “From Bulldog to Bengal: The Joe Burrow Story Through The Eyes of His Hometown,”

by Scott Burson & Sam Smathers Through dozens of interviews with people from Joe Burrow’s hometown, Athens, Scott Burson takes readers through the highs and lows of the Bengals quarterback’s trek to NFL stardom.  “Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments,”

by Joe Posnanski You might already have read “The Machine,” Posnanski’s account of the Cincinnati Reds’ thrilling 1975 season. In this new book, the Ohio-born, award-winning sports writer takes a long view of America’s pastime.

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FOR THE LITERARY READER  “Dayswork,” by Chris Bachelder & Jennifer Habel Poet Jennifer Habel and her husband, Chris Bachelder (“The Throwback Special”), both with the University of Cincinnati, collaborated on this slim, elliptical novel about a couple navigating family life and their own work, including a project about Herman Melville, during the pandemic.  “On Earth As It Is On Television,” by Emily Jane What happens when aliens land?

This funny, heartfelt debut novel considers the effect spaceships might have on our modern world.

FOR MORE THRILLING READING  “The Last Caretaker,”

by Jessica Strawser Cincinnati author Jessica Strawser’s newest novel is out in December. A woman looking for a new beginning by caring for a nature preserve finds herself trapped in a mystery.  “Come With Me,”

by Erin Flanagan The third novel from Wright State University professor Erin Flanagan is a tense and twisty mystery in the vein of “Single White Female.” You’ll be dying to discuss this one with a friend.

Hillary Copsey is the book adviser at The Mercantile Library, where she leads and organizes book discussions, creates personalized book recommendations for members, and tries hard to resist the temptation to spend every day reading in the stacks.  www.mercantilelibrary.com

The A/C List Also online at moversmakers.org

ARTS/CULTURE | The List

Cultural Exhibits/Tours American Legacy Tours | 859-951-8560. americanlegacytours.com Historic tours American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org Permanent collection Archaeological Research Institute | Lawrenceburg. 812-290-2966. exploreari.org Hands-on educational experiences Behringer-Crawford Museum | Devou Park, Covington. 859-491-4003. bcmuseum.org Thru Jan. 7. Holly Jolly Days Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center | ​ Over-the-Rhine. 513-604-9812. brewingheritagetrail.org Exploring Queen City brewing heritage Cincinnati Fire Museum | Downtown.

513-621-5553. cincyfiremuseum.com Permanent collection Cincinnati Food Tours | Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine. 513-602-5602. cincinnatifoodtours.com Exploring Queen City food heritage Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate.

513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org Thru Jan. 8. Duke Energy Holiday Trains Cincinnati Nature Center | Milford. cincynature.org Dec. 1-30, select dates, 5:30-9 p.m.

“Light in the Forest” Cincinnati Observatory | Hyde Park. cincinnatiobservatory.org Oldest professional observatory in US Cincinnati Type & Print Museum | Lower Price Hill. cincinnatitypeprintmuseum.org Equipment, tools and artifacts Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale.

513-281-4700. cincinnatizoo.org Thru Jan. 7. Festival of Lights Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Happy Zoo Year Jan. 8-March 15, Fridays-Sundays & holiday Mondays, 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.

Penguin Days

Greater Cincinnati Police Museum | Pendleton. 513-300-3664. police-museum.org Permanent collection Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills. 513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org Interior tours paused during renovation.

Heritage Village Museum | Sharonville. 513-563-9484. heritagevillagecincinnati.org Dec. 1-2 & Dec. 6-8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

19th Century Holiday Guided Tour Dec. 9-10, noon-4 p.m. Holly Days Dec. 20-22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Train Days Dec. 5, 7 & 12, 6-8 p.m. Christmas by Candlelight Dinner Holocaust & Humanity Center | Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal. 513-487-3055. holocaustandhumanity.org Media, artifacts, art and interactive exhibitions regarding the Holocaust Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati | West Chester. icgc.us Dec. 2, 1 & 3 p.m. “Know Your Neighbor” Krohn Conservatory | Eden Park. 513-421-4086. cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks Thru Jan. 7. “Golden Days of Yule” Lloyd Library and Museum | Downtown. 513-721-3707. lloydlibrary.org Permanent exhibit. George Rieveschl Jr.: History of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Milford Historical Society | Milford.

513-248-0324. milfordhistory.net Historical art, artifacts and more National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | The Banks, downtown. 513-333-7500. freedomcenter.org Permanent collection exploring themes of individual freedom RAPTOR Inc. | Milford. raptorinc.org Birds of prey sanctuary

“Hollapolooza,” a new holiday musical review directed and choreographed by Exhale Dance Tribe’s Andrew and Missy Hubbard, is performed twice on Dec. 16 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson Kaplan Theater.

Skirball Museum | Hebrew Union College, Clifton.

513-221-1875. csm.huc.edu Permanent exhibit: “An Eternal People: The Jewish Experience”

School for Creative & Performing Arts | Over-the-Rhine. 513-363-8100. scpa.cps-k12.org Dec. 1-3. “The Nutcracker” Synergy Dance Series | Artsville, Madisonville. synergydanceseries.com Jan. 20, 6 & 8 p.m. “Series 2”

Dance Cincinnati Ballet | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-621-5219. cballet.org Dec. 14-24. “The Nutcracker” (Music Hall) College-Conservatory of Music | Patricia Corbett Theater, University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu Thru Dec. 2, 8 p.m. “An American In Paris + Other Works”

Fairs/Festivals/Markets Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt | Moerlein Lager House, The Banks, downtown. cincinnatichristkindlmarkt.com Thru Dec. 31. Holiday festival with a European theme Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale.

513-281-4700. cincinnatizoo.org Thru Jan. 7. Festival of Lights Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Happy Zoo Year

DE LA Dance Company | Kennedy Heights. 513-871-0914. deladancecompany.org Thru Dec. 10. “The Nutcracker, Jazzed Up!”

City Flea | Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine. thecityflea.com Dec. 9, 3-8 p.m. Winter Flea (Factory 52) Dec. 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Encore Dec. 16, 3-8 p.m. Winter Flea (Washington Park) Dec. 17, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Encore

Exhale Dance Tribe | Jarson Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown.

513-621-2787. exhaledancetribe.org Dec. 16, 5 & 8 p.m. “Hollapolooza” Mutual Dance Theatre | Mutual Arts Center, Hartwell 513-494-6526. mutualdance.org Dec. 1-9. Up-Close Series

Civic Garden Center | Avondale.

513-221-0981. civicgardencenter.org Thru Dec. 2. Holiday Weekend

Revolution Dance Theatre | Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown. revodance.com Dec. 1-9. David Choate: “Hot Chocolate” Jan. 19-20. “Wear Me Out”

Coney Island | California. coneyislandpark.com Thru Dec. 31. Nights of Lights

Movers & Makers

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

11

ARTS/CULTURE | The List Covington Farmers Market | Braxton Brewing Company, Covington. greatneighborhoods.org Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Great Parks of Hamilton County | Parky’s Farm, Winton Woods.

513-521-7275. greatparks.org Thru Dec. 17, Fridays-Sundays, 5-9 p.m. Holidays on the Farm Dec. 21-23 & 26-31, 5-9 p.m.

Holidays on the Farm Kings Island | Mason. visitkingsisland.com Thru Dec. 31. WinterFest Northside Farmers Market | Heart of Northside, Northside. northsidefm.org Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m. Regional food and beverage market Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum | Hamilton. pyramidhill.org Thru Dec. 31. Pyramid Hill Lights

Film The Barn / ARTFlix | Mariemont.

513-272-3700. artatthebarn.org Jan. 11, 7 p.m. “The Horse’s Mouth: Sir Alec Guinness Art Adventure” Cincinnati Museum Center | OMNIMAX, Union Terminal. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org/omnimax Now playing. “Serengeti: Journey to the Heart of Africa” • “Jane Goodall – Reasons for Hope” Thru Jan. 8. “Rocky Mountain Express” Cincinnati World Cinema | Garfield Theatre, downtown. cincyworldcinema.org Films from around the globe Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine.

513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. “The Story of Dinosaur Jr.”

Literary/Lectures Barnes & Noble | Virtual. 513-972-5146. stores.barnesandnoble.com Dec. 4, 4 p.m. Discussion: Mary Kay Andrews “Bright Lights, Big Christmas” Dec. 4, 6 p.m. Discussion: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone “A Holly Jolly Ever After” Dec. 6, 3 p.m. Discussion: Alice McDermott “Absolution”

12

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org 4th Tuesdays. Live Virtual Speakers Bureau Presentations (virtual) Cincinnati Poetry Slam | Artsville, Madisonville. cincinnatipoetryslam.com Dec. 2, 5 p.m. Winner Slam Fitton Center | Hamilton.

513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org Celebrating Self Series: Dec. 6, 11:30 a.m. Ben Smolder: “The Joy of Christmas” Jan. 10, 11:30 a.m. Maria Schmidt: “Chasing Ghosts” Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills Branch Library and virtual.

513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Discussion: “Parting Words for the Parting Year” Hebrew Union College | Clifton.

513-221-1875. huc.edu Dec. 12, 12:30 p.m. Klau Library Lecture Series: Panel Discussion: “Backwards and Forwards: Facing Antisemitism through Looking Back” Holocaust & Humanity Center | Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal.

513-487-3055. holocaustandhumanity.org Wednesdays, 11 a.m. Holocaust Speaker Series (virtual) Dec. 10, 11 a.m. Upstander Conversation Series: “Building Community Through Food” Joseph-Beth Booksellers | Rookwood Commons, Norwood.

513-396-8960. josephbeth.com Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Discussion: Mia Sheridan “Archer’s Voice” Jan. 18, 7 p.m. Discussion: John Philip Drury “The Teller’s Cage” Urban Appalachian Community Coalition | Clifton. uacvoice.org Final Wednesday, 5-6:30 p.m.

Place Keepers Wide Open Mic (virtual)

Music American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org Dec. 14, 7 p.m. Signs and Songs: Holiday Edition, Matt Tolentino Band

Movers & Makers

The Cincinnati Symphony showcases the artistic leadership of Kevin John Edusei and emerging piano star George Li in music by Rachmaninoff, John Adams and Canadian composer Samy Moussa. Jan 19 & 20.

Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas | St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Terrace Park. 513-831-2052. bachensemble.org Dec. 3, 5 p.m. Bach Vespers for Advent Dec. 12, 7 p.m. “Messiah” Sing-Along Jan. 21, 5 p.m. Bach Vespers for Epiphany Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra | Summit City Church, Montgomery. 513-549-2197. bamso.org Dec. 3, 7 p.m. Kindel Memorial Holiday Concert Bogart’s | Short Vine, Corryville. bogarts.com Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m. Lukas Nelson + POTR Dec. 5, 6 p.m. Fit For An Autopsy & Exodus Dec. 7, 7 p.m. Steel Panther Dec. 16, 6:30 p.m. A Very Motherfolk Xmas w/ Foxing Jan. 6, 6:30 p.m. That Arena Rock Show Jan. 13, 7 p.m. Restless Road Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m. Noah Reid Jan. 19, 6 p.m. The Devil Wears Prada & Fit For A King Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m. Story Of The Year Brady Music Center | The Banks, downtown. bradymusiccenter.com Dec. 2, 8 p.m. Ashley McBryde, Bella White Dec. 3, 8 p.m. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Meshuggah Dec. 13, 8 p.m. Home Free Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Foxy Shazam, Starbenders Jan. 12, 6:30 p.m. Beartooth

Bromwell’s Härth Room Room | Downtown. bromwellshearthroom.com Wednesday-Saturday evenings.

Live jazz Butler Philharmonic | Parrish Auditorium, Hamilton. 513-844-5151. butlerphil.org Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. Holiday Pops Caffe Vivace | Walnut Hills.

513-601-9897. caffevivace.com Most evenings, live jazz performances Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption | Covington. 859-431-2060. cathedralconcertseries.org Dec. 3, 3 p.m. Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols Jan. 7, 3 p.m. An Epiphany Epilogue Chamber Music Cincinnati | 513-342-6870. cincychamber.org Dec. 10, 4 p.m. Michelle Cann (Word of Deliverance Ministries) Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. Michelle Cann (Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine) Christ Church Cathedral | Downtown. 513-621-1817. cincinnaticathedral.com Most First Sundays, 5 p.m. Choral Evensong Dec. 3, 4:30 p.m. An Advent Procession with Lessons and Carols w/ Stephan Casurella, organ Dec. 19, 12:10 p.m. “A Ceremony of Carols” Dec. 30, 5 p.m. Annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival Dec. 31, 2:30 & 5 p.m. Annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival

Christ Church Cathedral (cont.)

Jan. 7, 4:30 p.m. An Epiphany Procession w/ Shiloh Roby, organ Jan. 28, 3 p.m. Jonathan Ryan, organ ◆ Tuesdays, 12:10 p.m. Music Live@ Lunch (Christ Church Chapel): Dec. 5. Ricky Nye, jazz piano Dec. 12. Heri et Hodie Women’s vocal ensemble Dec. 19. Christ Church Cathedral Choir “A Ceremony of Carols” Jan. 9. James Loughery, piano & Jefimija Zlatanovic, organ Jan. 16. Vista Winds – Music of Rick Sowash Jan. 23. Phil DeGreg Trio Jan. 30. Paul Patterson & friends Christ Church Glendale | Glendale.

513-771-1544. christchurchglendale.org Dec. 7, 12:05 p.m. Genèse String Quartet Dec. 17, 4 p.m. The Canterbury Brass: “A Festival of Lessons & Carols” Jan. 11, 12:05 p.m. Brenda Portman, organ Cincinnati Arts Association | Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center, downtown.

513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org Dec. 3, 7 p.m. “Dirty Dancing” in Concert Cincinnati Camerata | cincinnaticamerata.com Dec. 9, 3 p.m. “Carols and Barrels” (Urban Artifact’s St. Patrick’s Church, Northside) Dec. 10, 3 p.m. “Carols and Barrels” (St. Catharine of Siena Church, Westwood)

Cincinnati Song Initiative | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. cincinnatisonginitiative.org Jan. 14, 3 p.m. An Afternoon with Will Liverman & Myra Huang Cincinnati Sound Chorus | The Carnegie, Covington. 513-554-2648. cincinnatisound.org Dec. 16, 2 & 7 p.m. Yuletide Celebration Cincinnati Symphony & Pops | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300. cincinnatisymphony.org Dec. 1-2. (CSO) “Bach’s Fourth & Mahler’s Fifth” Case Scaglione, conductor Dec. 8-10. (Pops) “Holiday Pops” Capathia Jenkins, vocalist Dec. 29-30. (Pops) “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” Anthony Parnther, conductor Dec. 31, 8 p.m. (Pops) “New Year’s Eve: Ellington at 125” Denzal Sinclaire, vocalist Jan. 5-7. (CSO) “Brahms: Runnicles & Trifonov” Sir Donald Runnicles, conductor; Daniil Trifonov, piano Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. (Pops) “Steve Hackman’s Notorious B.I.G. x Tupac x

Mahler” Steve Hackman, conductor and creator Jan. 19-20. (CSO) “Rachmaninoff & Adams” Kevin John Edusei, conductor; George Li, piano Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m. (Winstead Chamber Series) Music of Beethoven, Schubert and Dvorak Jan. 27, 10:30 a.m. (Lollipops) “Goldilocks & the Three Dinosaurs” Jan. 27-28. (CSO) “Symphonic Mozart” Dame Jane Glover, conductor; Stefani Matsuo, violin; Christian Colberg, viola Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra | Music Hall. cincinnatisymphony.org/csyo Dec. 3, 2 p.m. (Philharmonic Orch.)

“Childhood Memories” Dec. 10, 7 p.m. (Concert Orch.) “Across the Stars” Cincinnati Youth Choir | Corbett Auditorium, College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. cincinnatichoir.org Dec. 9, 5 p.m. “Merry and Bright”

Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. Chamber music in casual bar setting College-Conservatory of Music | Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati.

513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu Dec. 2-3, 2 & 5 p.m. Feast of Carols Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. UC Symphony Orchestra Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. UC Bearcat Bands Collegium Cincinnati | Christ Church Cathedral. collegiumcincinnati.org Dec. 1-2, 7 p.m. Handel: “Messiah” Concert:nova | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. concertnova.com Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. Schoenberg Perspectives featuring a North American premiere of “Pelleas and Melisande” DownTowne Listening Room | Memorie Makers Cafe & Cupcakery, Florence. downtownelisteningroom.com Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Showcase: Brittany Gillstrap, Charlie John and Jonathan Cody White

Classical Revolution | The Loon, Northside. classicalrevolutioncincinnati.com

The best memories are made together.

Cincinnati Community Orchestra | Church of the Savior United Methodist, Montgomery. 513-317-0300. cincinnaticommunityorchestra.org Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. “Holiday Celebration” Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra | 513-280-8181. cincinnatijazz.org Dec. 13-14, 7 p.m. Big Band Series: “Jingle Jazz” (The Redmoor, Mt. Lookout) Dec. 10, 2 p.m. Jazz@First Series: “Charlie Brown Christmas” (First Unitarian Church, Avondale) Cincinnati Men’s Chorus | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-542-2626. cincinnatimenschorus.org Dec. 9 & 10, 2 p.m. “Silver and Gold” Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. Nathan Laube, organ; Christopher Pell, clarinet

featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains

ARTS/CULTURE | The List Fitton Center | Hamilton.

513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. “A Motown Christmas” Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m. The Wayfarers Friends of Music Hall | Music Hall Ballroom, Over-the-Rhine. 513-621-2787. friendsofmusichall.org Dec. 8. Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer Hard Rock Casino | Downtown. hardrockcasinocincinnati.com Jan. 27, 7 p.m. The Commodores and The Spinners Heritage Bank Center | Downtown. heritagebankcenter.com Dec. 29, 3 p.m & 7:30 p.m.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Jan. 4, 7 p.m. Aerosmith Kentucky Symphony Orchestra | Greaves Concert Hall, Northern Kentucky University. 859-431-6216. kyso.org Dec. 15-16, 7:30 p.m. “Merry Christmas, Darling” Knox Church | Hyde Park. 513-321-2573. knox.org/music Dec. 10, 2 p.m. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, Parts I-III Dec. 10, 4:30 p.m. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, Parts IV-VI Lakeside Music Concert Series | Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Lakeside Park. lakesidechurch.org Dec. 8, 7 p.m. Come and Sing: “Messiah” Linton Chamber Music | 513-381-6868. lintonmusic.org Jan. 21, 4 p.m. “Changing Winds of Time” (First Unitarian Church) Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m. Encore of previous (Congregation Beth Adam) Longworth-Anderson Series | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. longworth-andersonseries.com Dec. 6, 8 p.m. Preservation Hall Jazz Band Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Branford Marsalis Ludlow Garage | Clifton. ludlowgaragecincinnati.com Dec. 2, 8:30 p.m. Aja Dec. 7, 8:30 p.m. Loose Ends Dec. 8, 8:30 p.m. Christmas with the Celts Dec. 9, 8:30 p.m. Lez Zeppelin Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. Jake Shimabukuro Dec. 15, 8:30 p.m. Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone “An Olde English Christmas” 14

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

Dec. 16, 8:30 p.m. Atlanta Rhythm Section Dec. 23, 8:30 p.m. Kenny Lattimore Dec. 29, 8:30 p.m. Eric Darius Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m. The Ultimate Doors Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m. Najee Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dead Letter Office Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m. Kashmir Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. Mr. Big Madison Theater | Covington.

859-491-2444. madisontheater.com Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. Normundy and FiveByFive Dec. 6, 8 p.m. Joe Samba Dec. 9, 8 p.m. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong • Welshly Arms Dec. 11, 7 p.m. (Hed) P.E. Dec. 13, 8 p.m. Action Bronson Dec. 15, 8 p.m. Pink Talking Fish Dec. 16, 8 p.m. The Orphan, the Poet Jan. 12, 7 p.m. September Mourning Jan. 13, 8 p.m. Louisville Loves Emo Jan. 20, 8 p.m. Schwabfest • Signs of Life MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation | Newport. promowestlive.com Dec. 13, 7 p.m. Kissmas Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Memorial Hall | Over-the-Rhine.

513-977-8838. memorialhallotr.com Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. Christmas with the Petersens Dec. 5, 8 p.m. Jazz is Dead: Alphonso Johnson, Steve Kimock, Pete Lavezzoli & Bobby Lee Rodgers Dec. 7, 8 p.m. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas Dec. 11, 7 p.m. Pamela Mallory Quartet “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas” Dec. 15-16, 8 p.m. An Acoustic Christmas with Over the Rhine Dec. 17, 4 p.m. An Acoustic Christmas with Over the Rhine Dec. 18, 7 p.m. “A Merry Christmas Big Band Evening” Cincinnati All-Star Jazz Ensemble w/Carmon DeLeone Jan. 8, 7 p.m. Cincinnati’s King Records: A Musical History feat. Ben Levin Jan. 14, 8 p.m. George Michael Reborn! w/Robert Bartko Jan. 15, 7 p.m. Wendell Anderson & Friends Celebrate MLK Day Jan. 21, 7 p.m. “All You Need Is Love” All-Star Celebration of The Fab Four Jan. 22, 7 p.m. Ron Jones Jan. 29, 7 p.m. A Tribute to John Coltrane feat. Four Strangers Quartet No Promises Vocal Band | nopromisesvocalband.com ◆ “Christmas with No Promises” Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. (Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, Ft. Mitchell)

Movers & Makers

Pianist Terrence Wilson offers a tour de force program of Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” Jan. 13, at Xavier University’s Gallagher Theater.

Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. (The Carnegie, Covington) Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. (St. Columban Parish, Loveland) Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. (Community of the Good Shepherd, Montgomery) Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m. (Incline Theater, Price Hill) Northern Kentucky University | Greaves Concert Hall. 859-572-5464. music.nku.edu Dec. 1, 7 p.m. Vocal Jazz Dec. 3, 5 p.m. Choirs (St. Thomas Church) Dec. 3, 7 p.m. Percussion Ensemble Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Steelband Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Orchestra Dec. 7, 7 p.m. Jazz Ensemble Queen City Cabaret | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. queencitycabaretcincy.com Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Rosemary Clooney’s “White Christmas” St. Peter in Chains Cathedral | Downtown. 513-421-5354. stpeterinchainscathedral.org Dec. 3, 3 p.m. Advent Carol Service Schwartz’s Point | Over-the-Rhine. thepointclub.weebly.com Thursday-Sunday. Live jazz and blues Southern Gateway Chorus | Landmark Church, Evendale. southerngateway.org Dec. 9, 7 p.m. “A Cincinnati Christmas” Dec. 10, 2 p.m. Encore of previous Southgate House | Newport. 859-4312201. southgatehouse.com Nightly rock, alternative blues, etc.

Sycamore Community Singers | Sycamore Presbyterian Church, Symmes

Twp. sycamorecommunitysingers.com Dec. 11-12. Holiday Concert Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org Dec. 1, 8 p.m. Straight No Chaser Dec. 14, 8 p.m. Tab Benoit TempleLive at River Front Live | East End. riverfrontlivecincy.com Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. Thunderstruck: America’s AC/DC Tribute Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m. Highwaymen Christmas Special Vocal Arts Ensemble | 513-381-3300. vaecinci.com Dec. 16, 2 & 7:30 p.m. Christmas Concert (Christ Church Cathedral) Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. Harmony Across Traditions: An Evening with Isaac Cates (Zion Baptist Church) Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine.

513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com Dec. 9, 8 p.m. Heartless Bastards Dec. 12 & 13, 6:30 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.

Candlelight: Holiday Special Dec. 29, 8 p.m. Sylmar and Bendigo Fletcher Jan. 19, 8 p.m. King Buffalo Xavier Music Series | Xavier University.

513-745-3161. xavier.edu/musicseries Jan. 13, 8 p.m. Terrence Wilson (Gallagher Theater) Jan. 20, 2 p.m. Berta Rojas (Bellarmine Chapel) Young Professionals Choral Collective | 513-601-8699. ypccsing.org Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. “The Merriest Hour” (Northside Tavern, Northside) Dec. 16, 4 p.m. Holiday Concert (St. Francis Seraph Church, Over-the-Rhine)

ARTS/CULTURE | The List

Theater Broadway Across America | Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center.

513-721-3344. cincinnati.broadway.com Dec. 5-17. “Mrs. Doubtfire” Jan. 16-28. “Beetlejuice” CenterStage Players | Arts Center at Dunham, Price Hill. centerstageplayersinc.com Jan. 5-14. “Only Rose” Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati | Taft Theatre, downtown. 513-569-8080. thechildrenstheatre.com Dec. 9-18. “Narnia The Musical” Cincinnati Arts Association | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org Dec. 20-23. David Payne: “Christmas with C.S. Lewis” Cincinnati Landmark Productions | Covedale Center, Price Hill. 513-241-6550. cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com Thru Dec. 23. “White Christmas” Jan. 25-Feb. 18. “Wait Until Dark”

Fitton Center | Hamilton.

513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. River City Puppets: “Gingerbread Jamboree” Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m. Mr. Molecule’s Bing Bang Boom Science Show Footlighters | Stained Glass Theatre, Newport. 859-291-7464. footlighters.org Thru Dec. 17. “The Music Man” Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre | Parrish Auditorium, Hamilton.

513-737-PLAY. ghctplay.com Thru Dec. 3. “All Wrapped Up For Christmas” Hard Rock Casino | Downtown. hardrockcasinocincinnati.com Jan. 19, 7 & 10 p.m. Ron White, comedian Improv Cincinnati | Clifton Performance Theatre, Clifton. improvcincinnati.com Most Friday & Saturday evenings. Weekly comedy shows

INNOVAtheatre | Sorg Opera House, Middletown. innovatheatre.com Dec. 11-17. “White Christmas” Inspiring Arts | Parrish Auditorium, ​ Hamilton. inspiringartsproductions.com Dec. 14-17. “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” Kincaid Regional Theatre | Falmouth. 859-654-2636. krtshows.com Thru Dec. 17. “Winter Wonderettes” Ludlow Garage | Clifton. ludlowgaragecincinnati.com Dec. 1, 8:30 p.m. Heather Land, comedian Dec. 14, 8:30 p.m. A John Waters Christmas Lumos Players I Maineville. lumosplayers.com Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. “A Sherlock Carol”

by Mark Shanahan Madcap Puppets | Westwood.

513-921-5965. madcappuppets.info Dec. 23, 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. “Madcap’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas” (Madcap Education Center) Dec. 23, 6 p.m. “Madcap’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (Warsaw Federal Incline Theater)

Cincy Shakes shakes off convention for the holidays and brings a flock of fresh faces to this wackiest of holiday humdingers. “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” runs Dec. 7-30.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-2273. cincyshakes.com Thru Dec. 2. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Dec. 7-30. “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)”

Jan. 26-Feb. 11. “The Amen Corner” ComedySportz Cincinnati | Madcap Education Center and Clifton Comedy Theatre. cszcincinnati.com Fridays, 8 p.m. Short form comedy improv Sundays, 2 p.m. Short form comedy improv Drama Workshop | Cheviot.

513-598-8303. thedramaworkshop.org Dec. 1-17. “Winter Wonderettes” Jan. 19-21. “Home View Theatre VII” Ensemble Theatre | Over-the-Rhine.

513-421-3555. ensemblecincinnati.org Thru Dec. 29. “Fiona: The Musical” Falcon Theatre | Newport.

513-479-6783. falcontheater.net Thru Dec. 2. “Two Point OH” Jan. 26-Feb. 10. “Vincent”

Movers & Makers

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

15

ARTS/CULTURE | The List Mariemont Players | Mariemont.

513-684-1236. mariemontplayers.com Jan. 11-28. “Rumors” Middletown Lyric Theatre | Finkelman Auditorium, Middletown. 513-425-7140. middletownlyric.org Dec. 1-9. “Nuncrackers” Oxford Community Arts Center | Oxford. 513-524-8506. oxarts.org Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Madcap Puppets: “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas” Jan. 26, 7 p.m. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati: “Harriet Tubman - Straight Up Outta’ The Underground” Playhouse in the Park |Mt. Adams.

513-421-3888. cincyplay.com Thru Dec. 17. “Late Night Catechism” (Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre) Thru Dec. 30. “A Christmas Carol” (Rouse Theatre) Queen City Vaudevillians | queencityvaudevillians.com Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Holiday Hijinks (Falcon Theatre, Newport) Dec. 30, 7 p.m. Season Closer (Artsville, Madisonville) Sharonville Cultural Arts Center | Sharonville. 513-554-1014. sharonvilleculturalarts.org Jan. 12-14. “Boeing, Boeing” Sunset Players | 1945 Dunham Way, Price Hill. 513-588-4988. sunsetplayers.org Dec. 1-10. “Charlotte’s Web” Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org Dec. 2, 5 & 8 p.m. Chelsea Handler, comedian Jan. 13, 7 p.m. Ronny Chieng, comedian Tri-County Players | Bell Tower Arts Pavilion, Evendale. 513-471-2030. facebook.com Dec. 1-10. “A Seussified Christmas Carol” with Five Holiday Shorts True Theatre | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. memorialhallotr.com Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m. “trueMONEY” Village Players | Ft. Thomas.

859-392-0500. villageplayers.org Dec. 1-10. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”

16

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

Visual Art Art Academy of Cincinnati | Over-theRhine. 513-562-6262. artacademy.edu Jan. 26-March 1. AAC Faculty Exhibition 2024. Reception: Jan. 26, 5-8 p.m.

Artist Aaron Peters (work pictured) is joined

by Brianna Gluszak and the creative duo Byproduct Studios in filling up both floors of downtown’s Weston Gallery with intriguing, large-scale works.

Jan. 19-March 3.

Art on Vine | Rhinegeist Brewery. artonvinecincy.com Dec. 10, noon-6 p.m. Holiday Gift Sale Dec. 17, noon-6 p.m. Holiday Gift Sale Jan. 14, noon-6 p.m. Happy New Year 24 ARTclectic Gallery | Silverton.

513-822-5200. artclecticgallery.com Thru Dec. 31. “Eclectic Small Works” Arts Alliance | Sinclair College, Mason.

513-309-8585. the-arts-alliance.org Thru Dec. 30. Rick H. Jones: “New Works” ArtWorks | V² Gallery, Walnut Hills.

513-333-0388. artworkscincinnati.org Dec. 1-Jan. 12. “Future Heirlooms” Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center | Covington. 859-431-0020. bakerhunt.org Thru Feb. 23. DBL Law Regional Art Show The Barn | Mariemont. 513-272-3700. artatthebarn.org Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Showcase of Arts Dec. 3, noon-4 p.m. Showcase of Arts The Carnegie | Covington.

859-491-2030. thecarnegie.com Thru Feb. 3. “Exhibition X: An utterly incomplete examination of collage in contemporary art”

Contemporary Arts Center | Downtown. 513-345-8400. contemporaryartscenter.org Thru Dec. 10. “Wounded Healers: Transforming Pain to Wholeness and Health,” collaboration with Zonta Club of Cincinnati Thru Jan. 28. “A Permanent Nostalgia for Departure: A rehearsal on legacy with Zaha Hadid” Thru April 14. Tai Shani: “The politics of emancipation through a female lens” Essex Studios | Walnut Hills.

513-476-2170. essexstudioscincinnati.com Dec. 1-2, 6-10 p.m. Art Walks Fitton Center | Hamilton.

513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org Thru Jan. 5. “Home Free/Being Good”

Cincinnati Art Galleries | Downtown. 513-381-2128. cincyart.com Dec. 1-Jan. 15. Panorama of Cincinnati Art. Reception: Dec. 1, 5-8 p.m.

Iris BookCafe and Gallery | Over-theRhine. 513-260-8434. irisbookcafeotr.com Thru Dec. 3. Bruce Checefsky: “Mixed Salad”

Cincinnati Art Museum | Eden Park.

513-721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum.org Thru Jan. 7. Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Thru Feb. 25. Charles White: “A Little Higher” Thru June 30. Modern and Contemporary Ceramics Dec. 15-April 7. “Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass” Jan. 26, 5-9 p.m. Art After Dark

Kennedy Heights Arts Center | Kennedy Heights. 513-631-4278. kennedyarts.org Thru Dec. 14. Local Talent 2023 Thru Dec. 30. Kennedy Collective Exhibition

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org Thru Jan. 15. “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)”

Movers & Makers

Lloyd Library and Museum | Downtown. 513-721-3707. lloydlibrary.org Dec. 9-April 20. “Flora Mania” Manifest Gallery | East Walnut Hills.

513-861-3638. manifestgallery.org Thru Dec. 8. “Momentum” works of art about movement • “Self” works exploring identity

Dec. 15-Jan. 12. “Tapped 14” paired works by artists and their instructors • “Illustrated” works that explain, clarify, illuminate, or communicate • “Disquiet” art that unsettles • “14th Annual Manifest Prize.” Reception: Dec. 15, 6-9 p.m.

Jan. 26-Feb. 23. “Foodstuffs” art about food • “Waxworks” art about or made of wax • “Paperwork” works made about or of paper. Reception: Jan. 26, 6-9 p.m.

Middletown Arts Center | Middletown.

513-424-2417. middletownartscenter.com Thru Dec. 13. Brendan Higgins • Area Art Exhibition Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights. 859-572-5148. nku.edu/gallery Thru Dec. 12. Fall BFA Senior Exhibitions Pendleton Art Center | Pendleton.

513-421-4339. pendletonartcenter.com Dec. 15 & Jan. 26, 5-9 p.m., open studios Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum | 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., State Route 128, Hamilton, OH 45013.

513-868-1234. pyramidhill.org Thru Jan. 6. “Salon de Refusés” Ruth’s Parkside Café | 1550 Blue Rock St., Cincinnati, OH 45223. 513-542-7884. ruthscafe.com Current exhibition. Jeff Smith & Diane Debevec: “Landscapes and Close-ups” Sharonville Cultural Arts Center | Sharonville. 513-554-1014. sharonvilleculturalarts.org Thru Dec. 9. Art North 2023

ARTS/CULTURE | The List Skirball Museum | Hebrew Union College, Clifton. csm.huc.edu Thru June. Modern Israeli art, Mark Podwal prints and recent gifts Thru Feb. 4. Ellie Beth Scott: “Eve: I Understand,” “Motherhood Essence and the Feminine Divine: Cincinnati and Israeli Artists Interpret The Female Experience,” curated by ish

Warren County Historical Museum | Lebanon. wchsmuseum.org Thru Jan. 6. Celebrating 220 Years of The Golden Lamb in Art

Solway Gallery | West End. 513-621-0069. solwaygallery.com Thru Dec. 15. “Tree Conscious

Wave Pool Gallery and The Welcome Project | Camp Washington. wavepoolgallery.org Thru Dec. 16. “Preservation Reading Room” • “Inter/Intra (2023)”

Studio Kroner | Downtown. studiokroner.com Jan. 20-Feb. 17. “Another Ukraine” featuring Ukrainian artists from Kharkiv Photography School. Reception: Jan. 20, 1-4 p.m.

Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery | Mount St. Joseph University, Delhi. msj.edu Jan. 16-Feb. 19. Michael Thompson solo show Taft Museum of Art | Lytle Park, downtown. 513-241-0343. taftmuseum.org Thru Jan. 14. “Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960” University of Cincinnati Clermont College | Park National Bank Art Gallery, Batavia. 513-558-2787. ucclermont.edu Thru Dec. 14. Saad Ghosn: “Circles and Circles”

CSO names Langrée music director laureate In recognition of his extraordinary tenure and artistic accomplishments, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has named Louis Langrée as its next music director laureate.

Langrée’s new role will allow him to conduct the CSO in select concerts each season beginning with the 2025-26 season. The term will run through the 2027-28 season.

This is the maestro’s final season as CSO's full-time music director.

Langrée stressed appreciation for the musicians, administration, board of directors and the musical

Wash Park Art | Over-the-Rhine.

513-291-3626. washparkart.com Thru Dec. 16. “Here and Now: 10 Years On”

Weston Art Gallery | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-977-4165. cincinnatiarts.org Thru Jan. 7. “Summerfair Select” Jan. 19-March 3. Brianna Gluszak: “Late Bloomer” • Aaron Peters: “We Felt Everything Without” • Byproduct Studios (Molly Jo Burke & Nathan Gorgen): “Perceptions of a Material’s Purpose.” Reception: Jan. 19, 6-8 p.m.

Xavier University Art Gallery | A.B. Cohen Center. xavier.edu Dec. 1-20. Nick Namyar: Graphic Design Solo Thesis Exhibition.

Reception: Dec. 1, 5-7 p.m. 

Louis Langrée

community for their decade-plus of “enthusiastic and unwavering support.”

Langrée has appointed 31 of the CSO’s current musicians, more than a third of the orchestra.

“I am delighted to continue our relationship into the future, and I look forward to joyous reunions with the CSO family in this new relationship,” he said.

Since taking over as music director in 2013, Langrée has commissioned 65 new works – the most in the orchestra’s 128-year history – and conducted 31 premieres.  cincinnatisymphony.org

Henry Mosler’s “Girl with Water Jug” is one of the pieces in the Cincinnati Art Galleries exhibition.

Downtown gallery’s benefit supports Cincinnati Art Museum Cincinnati Art Galleries is hosting a month-long exhibit and art sale to benefit the Cincinnati Art Museum.

“Panorama of Cincinnati Art XXXVIII’’ includes more than 150 works by artists from Cincinnati and across the region, including the gallery’s in-house team.

Artists include Paul Ashbrook, Tom Bacher, Paul Chidlaw, Charles Courtney Curran, Julie Morrow DeForest, Frank Duveneck, Henry Farny, Reggie Grooms, James R. Hopkins, Edward T. Hurley, Jens Jensen, Charles Salis Kaelin, Thomas C. Lindsay, Lewis Henry Meakin, Charles Meurer,

Henry Mosler, Elizabeth Nourse, Edward Henry Potthast, Dixie Selden, Joseph Henry Sharp, Louis Charles Vogt, Edward Charles Volkert, John Ellsworth Weis, Bessie Hoover Wessel and Herman Wessel.

“Panorama” runs through Dec. 31 at 225 E. Sixth St. in downtown Cincinnati. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

A percentage of art sales will benefit the Cincinnati Art Museum. The gallery is also donating ticket sale proceeds from a preview event on Dec. 1.  cincyart.com

Get listed Arts/Culture listings are free.

Send event info to: editor@moversmakers.org Visit moversmakers.org for more

Click ARTS CALENDAR for A/C listings Click SUBSCRIBE to sign up for our Wednesday email which includeds Culture FIX – a rundown of our top picks of things to do each week.

Stand out with advertising Email tmariner@moversmakers.org for digital & print options.

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The Datebook DATEBOOK

NOV. 28, TUESDAY Companions On A Journey, Morning of Hope Breakfast | 8-9:30 a.m.

Centre Park of West Chester. DETAILS: Speakers: Steve and Julie Raleigh, founders of Madi’s House. Tickets: $25. ¼givebutter.com/morningofhope

With a Spotlight on the Movers and Makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s Fundraisers, Friend-Raisers and Community Events

Holocaust & Humanity Center, Upstander Conversation Series | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Union Terminal. DETAILS: Building Community Through Food, featuring founder of La Soupe Suzy DeYoung, live food demonstrations and samples. ¼holocaustandhumanity.org DEC. 16, SATURDAY

NOV. 29, WEDNESDAY American Jewish Committee, Community Service Awards | 5:30-8 p.m. Mayerson JCC. DETAILS: Honoring John Stein. Heavy appetizers, drinks and desserts will be served. Tickets: $250. ¼eventbrite.comNOV. 30, THURSDAY Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center, Sip & Shop | 4-8 p.m. Baker Hunt.

DETAILS: Drinks, snacks and vendors.

Admission: $5. ¼bakerhunt.org/events Covington Business Council, Annual Dinner | 5:30-8 p.m. Northern Kentucky Convention Center. DETAILS: Founder Award to Patrick Hughes, partner at DBL Law. Tickets: $150. ¼cbcky.com

Women’s Alliance Inc., Bourbon Showcase | 7-10 p.m. Home of Dr. Joe and Lana Hackworth. DETAILS: Food with bourbon tastings, open bar, raffle items, dancing, music and outdoor cigar smoking.

Tickets: $75; VIP $100. ¼womensallianceinc.comJAN. 20, SATURDAY School for Creative and Performing Arts, Future of the Arts Gala | 6-10 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. DETAILS: Program, dinner, black-tie optional, complimentary valet parking. Table of 10: $2,000. ¼scpa.cps-k12.org/donate/benefit-gala JAN. 26-27, FRIDAY-SATURDAY

Cincinnati Art Galleries, Annual Panorama of Cincinnati Art | 5-8 p.m. Cincinnati Art Galleries. DETAILS: Exhibition and sale with works by artists from the region. Proceeds benefit Cincinnati Art Museum. Tickets: $125. ¼cincyart.com

Rockdale Temple, Bicentennial Celebration Weekend | Rockdale Temple. DETAILS: Friday, 8 p.m. 200th anniversary Shabbat in Messer Chapel, followed by dessert reception. Saturday, 6 p.m. Bicentennial gala with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and walk through Rockdale’s history. 7:30 p.m. dinner and dancing with the Chuck Taylors at Mayerson JCC’s Amberley Room. ¼rockdaletemple.org/200

DEC. 2, SATURDAY

FEB. 3, SATURDAY

Junior League of Cincinnati, Tour of Kitchens | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Anderson Township. DETAILS: Tour homes, kitchens and entertaining spaces in Anderson Township. Tickets: $50. ¼jlcincinnati.org/tourofkitchens

Good Samaritans, Annual Gala “Artrageous” | 6-11 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. DETAILS: Cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. Black tie. 2024 Gala Physician Champion: Dr. Stephen Blatt.

Tickets: $300. ¼thankyou4caring.org

DEC. 1, FRIDAY

DEC. 9, SATURDAY

DEC ‘23/JAN ‘24

The Good Samaritans of the Good Samaritan Foundation will honor Dr. Stephen Blatt as their 2024 Gala Physician Champion at “Artrageous,” the nonprofit’s 39th annual gala on Feb. 3.

FEB. 6, TUESDAY

Letteria Dalton Foundation, Evening of Elegance | 6 p.m.

Sharonville Convention Center. DETAILS: Scholarship fundraiser. Black tie optional.

Tickets: $90. ¼eventbrite.comDEC. 10, SUNDAY

18

Women’s Alliance Inc. is partnering with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey to host a bourbon tasting on Dec. 16 at the home of Dr. Joe Hackworth and Lana Hackworth.

Movers & Makers

Stepping Stones, Open Your Heart | Eddie Merlot’s, Sycamore Twp. DETAILS: Chairs: Stephanie and Leo Dalle Molle. Cocktail hour, raffle, and artwork created by Stepping Stones participants.

Tickets: $185. ¼cincyopenyourheart.org

Event chairs Stephanie and Leo Dalle Molle (left) and vice-chairs Susan and David Eltringham are leading Stepping Stones’ 2024 Open Your Heart dinner, the 16th year for the fundraiser, Feb. 6 at Eddie Merlot’s.

Your support today transforms their tomorrow.

A Season of Giving, A Lifetime of Change for Children Alone we may only change the lives of a few. Together we can change a community.

Help fund Best Point’s mission through end of year giving to our annual fund. All

donations go directly into our mission of empowering those in need in our community through over 40 mental health and education services.

Office of Advancement advancement@bestpoint.org 513.242.3542 | bestpoint.org

Give Today to Secure a Brighter Tomorrow for Our Children.

DATEBOOK

The American Heart Association returns to celebrate 100 years at its 2024 Heart Ball on Feb. 24. The gala, chaired by David Spaulding, will feature honorees Rodney McMullen, CEO of Kroger, and St. Elizabeth’s Dr. DP Suresh.

50 years of preventing gender-based violence and empowering ALL survivors JOIN THE MOVEMENT Become a sustaining donor

FEB. 8, THURSDAY

MARCH 14, THURSDAY

The Well, An Evening with Alan Lightman | 6-8:30 p.m. The Well.

DETAILS: Physicist and best-selling author Alan Lightman, along with The Well founder Stacy Sims and composer Brian Raphael Nabors, will discuss science and music. Tickets: $100. ¼thewell.worldFEB. 17, SATURDAY

Clovernook Center, Vision Over Sight | Nicola’s Ristorante.

DETAILS: Five-course dinner and awards ceremony. VIP preview event.

Patron tickets: $250; general admission: $150. ¼clovernook.org

American Heart Association, Heart Ball Gala | 6 p.m.-midnight. Duke Energy Convention Center. DETAILS: Chair: David Spaulding. Honoring Rodney McMullen and Dr. DP Suresh.

Celebrating 100th year of American Heart Association. ¼heart.org, new.event.gives FEB. 21, WEDNESDAY Clovernook Center, Sixth Annual Ohio Regional Braille Challenge | Cincinnati Museum Center. DETAILS: Students tested on fundamental Braille skills for a chance to earn a spot at the National Braille Challenge Finals. ¼clovernook.org FEB. 22, THURSDAY Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Trivia Night for Brighter Futures | Rhinegeist Brewery. DETAILS: Cocktails, raffle baskets, split the pot, dinner, trivia and prizes. ¼cycyouth.org/cyc-trivia-night

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MARCH 20, WEDNESDAY Dan Beard Council, BSA, Good Scout Award Luncheon | 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Duke Energy Convention Center. DETAILS: Honoring Paul Verst, chairman and CEO of Verst Logistics. ¼danbeard.org/gsal APRIL 13, SATURDAY Lighthouse, Beacon of Light | 20th Century Theater, Oakley. ¼lys.org APRIL 14, SUNDAY American Lung Association, Fight for Air Climb | 8 a.m.

Great American Ball Park. DETAILS: Designed for every type of climber, from beginners to competitive climbers. Complimentary snack and water. ¼FightForAirClimb.org/Cincinnati

APRIL 27, SATURDAY Dragonfly, Grand Gala | 6-11 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom.

DETAILS: Dinner, music, entertainment, open bar, silent auction, grand raffle.

Black tie optional. ¼dragonfly.org/gala MAY 14, TUESDAY Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Fore Youth Golf Outing | Vineyard Golf Course. DETAILS: Morning and afternoon rounds, contest holes, raffles, split-the-pot, swag bags, lunch and dinner followed by celebrity sports Q&A session. ¼cycyouth.org/golfouting OCT. 5, SATURDAY Christ Hospital Health Network, 2024 Gala| Northern Kentucky Convention Center. DETAILS: Benefiting comprehensive oncology program. ¼thechristhospital.com 

The Well will host an evening on Feb. 8 filled with conversation around music, science and wonder.

Physicist Alan Lightman, composer Brian Raphael Nabors and The Well founder Stacy Sims will kick off funding for The Wonder Commission - new music for The Well’s Mindful Music Moments program.

There is more Datebook online . . .

Make sure your fundraiser, friend-raiser or community event is listed at www.moversmakers.org/datebook Listings are free.* NPOs may send event details and photos to: editor@moversmakers.org Stand out

Consider advertising. Contact Thom Mariner at tmariner@moversmakers.org for digital and print options. *See Page 4 for print deadlines. Events must meet our editorial standards. Featured content is chosen at the discretion of editorial staff.

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FOCUS ON: Event Production

The professionals weigh in:

By Thom Mariner

Pro tips for optimizing fundraising events B

y the end of 2023, our Movers & Makers Datebook will have listed more than 550 fundraising, friend-raising and communitybuilding events from across Greater Cincinnati, an average of more than 10 each week. Let that number sink in for a minute.

Events are at the core of our publication, and in fact a primary reason for its founding as Express Cincinnati back in November 1995.

(Happy 28th Anniversary to us!) Express was an extension of what had been previously known as the “society pages” – weekly photos of sponsors, volunteer leaders, honorees and other benefactors that newspapers published to publicly acknowledge their contributions.

We at M&M thought it might be helpful to hear from event industry professionals and share some of their “pro tips” for optimizing fundraisers. Toward that end, we recently held a roundtable conversation with people from four segments of the event production process: • Event planner Janet Hill • Caterer Jeff Thomas • Abby Gerwe of for-profit venue MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport • Tifani Winkfield of nonprofit Price Hill Will and its ARCO event space The main thrust of our conversation covered what nonprofits can do to create more successful fundraisers and also to make their event production partner’s lives easier.

Start earlier From our conversation, it seems as if the number one piece of advice is to “start earlier,” as event planner Janet Hill recommends. She and other panelists listed numerous advantages of beginning the conversation as soon as possible, providing ample time to …

• Secure the best professionals available to assist you.

• Effectively determine the appropriate nature and scope of the event.

• Book the ideal venue.

• Divvy up responsibilities internally and externally to optimize resources.

• Allow time for creativity to blossom and for suppliers to take full advantage of their capabilities and resources.

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Hill: If (nonprofits) would approach us earlier, while they’re thinking about the event and what they might want to do, we can give them a lot more direction about what kind of event might work best and the number of people that might work best under that situation.

Gerwe: I have found that for some of our nonprofit clients who have utilized professional event planners, professional party planners, professional nonprofit event organizers, that’s money well spent. Having someone who is experienced in executing the event, of course, is going to take a lot of stress off of the nonprofits and ensure that they are focused on raising money.

NOTE: Always remember to let us at M&M know the date and basic event details as soon as you have them nailed down. Put your stake in the ground for your preferred date by listing in our online Datebook as long as a year in advance.

Janet Hill, executive producer and consultant, Janet Hill Events  janethillevents.com

Define the purpose of the event Winkfield: Think about what you want from your event. Are you trying to do this simply as a fundraiser? …a marketing opportunity? Or are you trying to connect with your community? All of those mean different things and will determine your space, your vendors, so think about your event and its identity.

Don’t overthink Thomas: Some organizations throw all these obstacles at you. I just came from a fifth meeting for a party of less than 200 for a nonprofit. And they’re measuring walls and all this crazy stuff. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Be honest about budget limitations Winkfield: I totally appreciate organizations having a limited budget. But be honest with us about that budget when you go in the gate. That’s okay. We can work with a budget.

We just need to know what it is.

Jeff Thomas, owner and creative director, Jeff Thomas Catering  jeffthomascatering.com

Have a point person and a chain of command Hill: It’s really important to have that point person. You don’t want a bunch of other people trying to call vendors. So it helps if you can just channel everything through your event planner or your internal person. And I’ve worked with some fabulous teams and we pulled off some amazing things with that internal team doing different parts. So we just say, figure out what your chain of command is.

Clearly define the event committee’s role and harness hosts and hostesses Hill: You have to determine what it is you want from your committee, and be clear about what expertise they can give you. In some committees, the best thing they can do for you is sell your tickets. They’re connected to a lot of people. They don’t really want to get into the details of it. Sometimes you have a committee that really wants to jump in, and they really want to make the centerpieces, etc., and they have the ability to do that. They can marshal the talent. I think it’s just really important to figure out what you want from them and what they can give you.

Thomas: One of the trends that’s totally gone, and needs to be reconceptualized is: In the old days, when you signed up to be a host and hostess for an event, it was expected that you’re gonna fill that table. Now we don’t do that anymore, and we just throw it out there and hope and cast fate to the wind. But it’s really a concept of working smarter instead of harder.

When you can find 30 people to fill a room with 300 people…

Maintain focus; don’t let individual demands distract you Gerwe: Sometimes I feel that meeting the demands of internal clients has been one of the largest hindrances for nonprofits. Some organizations have maybe five of their top donors that they have to make happy and all of those topfive donors are expecting different things. So the organizers are a little restricted as to what’s possible because they have to check the box of each big donor. I’ve always found that a unique challenge for nonprofits.

Prepared to adapt and adjust Winkfield: Having talented flexible players is the way, I would say, those individuals who

have been in enough positions where they know how to shorten or lengthen the time span of what you need, and at the same time are not so fixated on a hyper-organized schedule that they can’t adapt when inevitably something happens, because something will. So those talented, flexible players can really help make the event.

Rehearse live portions of the program Hill: I try to work with people to get them to rehearse these scripts together, and review them back and forth to each other to see if the timing is right.

Thomas: Choreography, choreography, choreography. I’ve done events where they allow somebody to speak instead of doing the video because video is so expensive. But I’ve seen (organizers) think (speakers) are going to be up there for five minutes and they ramble on for a half hour. And then my beef tenderloins are medium-well instead of medium-rare.

Effectively communicate with guests about vendor needs Thomas: From a caterer’s perspective, our biggest challenge – and it’s the nonprofit’s challenge, too – is that the sponsor tables often

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FOCUS ON: Event Production aren’t filled until the day before, and they’re scrambling to fill their table, or they don’t. And then people finally get to the table, and we don’t know whether they’re gluten free, or vegan or no nuts, or what have you, it’s a stumbling block in the whole process of getting the food out in a timely manner. I wish (nonprofits) could get a little more organized and, you know, politely demanding, to determine if there are any special needs for the people at the table.

Honor your guest count Winkfield: If you have a set number of tickets, you have a set number of tickets. Please stick to that number. We cannot grow walls, we cannot grow square footage. It is set for a reason, and if you sell out of tickets it’s a great thing.

And you know what then? That just proves that you did something right. And hopefully, you have the same problem next year.

Be creative; inject fun elements Gerwe: I love doing new and unique things.

I just reached out to a former vendor from BLINK to potentially do a digital art installation for a client coming into Cincinnati. We have such a unique city. We have such talent in the city, such different abilities from what most

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outside the city expect. And so I’m just excited and looking for clients who are open to trying new, unique, interesting things.

Winkfield: Try to find a way to infuse your nonprofit identity with fun elements, something that makes the event memorable. For so many nonprofit events, even the smallest unique component makes it more successful. Everything from wigs to interesting takes on announcements or fun games and prizes, stuff like that.

So, finding little, fun things people can identify with: marketing items, print materials, doing things with lights and sound, AV. I think there are little ways you can improve and make your identity stand out in a fun way.

Thomas: There’s a huge shift away from the ‘rubber chicken’ dinner. Nobody wants to sit through all that stuff anymore.

Learn from what worked and what did not work Hill: Really look at your event, like the one I did last weekend. I had left space, even though it wasn’t supposed to be a dance. I thought with the timing of the program there’d be some time to dance afterwards with a DJ. And we left it open, and they were dancing all over the entire hall having a blast and coming up to the people

Abby Gerwe, director of special events, MegaCorp Pavilion  promowestlive.com

FOCUS ON: Event Production I was working with. ‘Can we do a dance next year?’ So you’ve already got them all fired up about coming next year to dance. Listen to what your people say.

Thomas: One thing I’d like to see back is the recap afterwards. What did we do right? What do we do wrong? What can we improve on?

New trends Hill: Galas used to mean ‘gala.’ You know, long dress, cocktail dress, tuxedos. For the last two I worked on, they encouraged wearing costumes. One was a disco theme, and another was a ‘Wizard of Oz’ theme, and I saw everything from tuxedos to the Cowardly Lion, plus somebody in just a sports jacket. So I think it seems like people are feeling a little more comfortable being who they are.

Winkfield: Because of (COVID), we are left in this place now where people really are wanting to dive more into fun. What comes to mind are trends around romance and novels, and people getting to actually dress up – more like ‘Bridgerton’ costumes, more classically elegant things. So I think we will get there. I think we’re probably at the very beginning of that.

Gerwe: I totally agree. I think we’re seeing a trend that moves more towards the experience of your evening. Uniqueness and standing out are a huge piece of that experience for guests.

Key elements of successful events beyond fundraising Hill: What’s important is that people enjoy themselves and reconnect. What I see is people getting back together again, and just absolutely thrilled. And then that’s part of what you’re trying to do in fundraising is the friend-raising. You want to have this group support as well, and they’re gonna come out to be there for you on your other development ‘asks’ throughout the year. So I think it’s really important that you find a way to make that experience as enjoyable and fun as you can.

Gerwe: A lot of what we’re seeing at Megacorp Pavilion is that our nonprofit clients are hoping to gain new audience. Of course, they want to keep and nurture their current supporters, but it is imperative to bring in new and fresh support. And so we’re seeing that new fresh support is becoming as important as the dollars raised for our clients. 

Tifani Winkfield, venue and marketing director, ARCO, Price Hill Will  arcocincinnati.org

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FOCUS ON: Event Production

The favorites

The event production vendors and suppliers our readers love We surveyed Movers & Makers readers who told us what companies and individuals they consider to be the best at serving nonprofits in producing their fundraising events. Here are the 2023 Event Vendor winners:

Large event venue (capacity of more than 250) Winner: Music Hall Ballroom  cincinnatiarts.org/rentals/music-hall-plan-your-event Runner-up: Memorial Hall  memorialhallotr.com/event-space-rental

Medium event venue (capacity up to 250) Winner: ARCO, Price Hill Will  arcocincinnati.org

Music Hall Ballroom

Runner-up: Metropolitan Club  metropolitanclub.net

Small event venue (capacity less than 100) Winner: Metropolitan Club  metropolitanclub.net Runner-up: The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum  thecarnegiecenter.org

Caterer

Music HallCelebrations Ballroom & Feasts Eat Well

Winner: Eat Well Celebrations & Feasts  www.eatwellonline.com Runner-up: Jeff Thomas Catering  jeffthomascatering.com

Event planner Winner: Janet Hill Events  janethillevents.com Runner-up: Chrissie Blatt Creative  facebook.com/chrissieblattcreative Metropolitan Club ARCO, Price Hill Will

Janet Hill Events

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FOCUS ON: Event Production

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FOCUS ON: Event Production

Rental company (equipment and/or supplies) Winner: All Occasions Event Rental  aorents.com Runner-up: Cincinnati ToolBank  cincinnatitoolbank.org

Specialty lighting Winner: Prestige Audio Visual & Creative Services  prestigeav.com Runner-up: Vincent Lighting Systems  vls.com

Event audio/video

All Occasions Event Rental

Winner: Prestige Audio Visual & Creative Services  prestigeav.com

Prestige Audio Visual & Creative Services

Runner-up: ITA Audio Visual Solutions  ita.com

Florist Winner: Robin Wood Flowers  robinwoodflowers.com Runner-up: Adrian Durban Florist  adriandurban.com Robin Wood Flowers

Event photographer Winner: Paige Pederzani Photography  paigepederzani.com Runner-up: Alex Davis Photography  facebook.com/alexdavis.photo

Auctioneer Winner: Susan Johnson  susansauctions.com Paige Pederzani Photography

Runner-up: Steiner Auctions  steinerauctions.biz

Event designer

Sterling Cut Glass

Winner: Chrissie Blatt Creative  facebook.com/chrissieblattcreative Runner-up: Joe Rigotti, Accent on Cincinnati  accentcinti.com

Award creator/supplier Winner: Sterling Cut Glass  sterlingcutglass.com Runner-up: Gilson’s  gilsonsengraving.com

Susan Johnson Chrissie Blatt Creative 28

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FOCUS ON: Event Production

Emcee Winner: Local 12’s Bob Herzog  local12.com Runner-up: Q102’s Natalie Jones & Kiss 107’s Jon Jon Curl  wkrq.com, kisscincinnati.iheart.com

Printing company Winner: Seemless Printing  seemlessprinting.com Runner-up: Graphic Village  graphicvillage.com

Bob Herzog

Seemless Printing

Valet service Winner: ​​Tri State Parking  tristateparking.net Runner-up: Prestige Valet  513-871-4220

Live music or entertainment Winner: Airwave Band  airwaveband.com

Airwave Band

Tri State Parking

Runner-up: The Sly Band  theslyband.com 

CinnParks_Direct Mail_MoversMakers_final.pdf

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11/8/23

3:17 PM

C c nati

Mo Invi re ting

We’re doing more in

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

More Vibra nt

Mo r Fun e

Join us and let’s make parks. . .

More Accessible

More Sustain able

Since 1995, the Cincinnati Parks Foundation has believed in the power of parks, working to create vibrant, accessible, and resilient parks for all. By doing more in our parks, we ensure every visitor gets the most from them. Every hike, every litter clean up, and every tree planted shapes the experience of the next visitor.

A donation, no matter the size, has a big impact on our parks and the communities they serve.

Toge er, we c do even more for C c nati Parks!

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Nonprofit News

Xavier University President Colleen Hanycz and St. Xavier High School President Tim Reilly sign the historic direct-admission agreement.

Xavier, St. X sign historic direct-admission partnership St. Xavier High School graduates will be admitted automatically to Xavier University under a new partnership between the two Jesuit schools.

Direct admission is conditional on each student’s successful graduation from St. Xavier while maintaining good academic standing through all four years of high school. They must also remain in good disciplinary standing.

Each St. X student still will have to submit a formal application during the fall of their senior year.

As part of their admission, all St. X graduates who enroll at Xavier will receive an annual $1,831 merit scholarship, emblematic of each school’s founding year.

The program begins in fall 2024.  xavier.edu

Cincy Children’s breaks ground on $85M Eastgate facility Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has broken ground on an $85 million medical facility in Eastgate, designed to make world-class medical services more accessible to families in Clermont County, other counties along the Ohio 32 corridor and parts of Northern Kentucky.

The Eastgate development will be built at 4315 Ivy Pointe Blvd., in a commercial park area next to TQL headquarters.

The two-story building will encompass nearly 110,000 square feet and employ about 200 people – physicians, registered nurses, therapists, mental and behavioral health specialists, medical assistants and support staff.

Some offerings include outpatient medical and surgical specialty clinics, occupational and

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Cincinnati Children’s had a groundbreaking ceremony for a facility in Eastgate.

physical therapy, sports physical therapy, speech therapy, audiology services and ophthalmology as well as partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for mental health. There will also be an on-site laboratory to expedite test results, along with a pharmacy, X-ray and MRI services.

Opening in summer 2025, this will be Cincinnati Children’s first medical facility on the East Side.  cincinnatichildrens.org

Cincinnati Zoo uses major events to continue zero-waste mission The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s major events were more than just fundraisers this year. They also were milestones in its effort to reach net zero waste status by 2025.

During Zoo La La, Wild About Wine, Zoofari and Zoo Brew, the Cincinnati Zoo diverted 2.5 tons of waste from local landfills and also recycled three tons of material.

In addition, the Avondale facility donated all excess food to Cincinnati-based Last Mile Food Rescue. The nearly 3,000 pounds of food items became 2,434 meals for food-insecure residents of Greater Cincinnati.

In 2018, zoo leaders announced a plan to achieve total net zero status by 2025. One of the biggest challenges has been dealing with waste.

Every year, more than 1.5 million people visit the Cincinnati Zoo, each one creating trash and other forms of waste. The thousands of plants and animals housed there produce organic waste as well.

To help address those issues, the zoo is testing an aerobic bio-digester to turn food waste into a soil-amending product for its gardens or to sell in the gift shop.  cincinnatizoo.org

MadTree head brewer Ryan Blevins holds a pint of a Kōkua session IPA.

Cincinnati breweries craft aid for victims of Hawaii wildfires A group of beer makers from across Southwest Ohio have joined an international coalition of breweries working to raise money to support victims of devastating wildfires in Hawaii.

More than 700 breweries have volunteered to take part in The Kōkua Project led by Maui Brewing Company, Hawaii’s largest brewery.

Breweries with local roots include 16 Lots Brewing Brands, BrewDog USA, HighGrain Brewing Company, MadTree Brewing, Rhinegeist Brewery, Streetside Brewery and Third Eye Brewing.

As part of the pledge, each brew team is creating a variation of a session IPA called Kōkua. Kōkua translates to “extending help to others” in the Hawaiian language.

Most are making the beer available in the taproom, and some are distributing kegs to bars, restaurants and beverage stores. The breweries plan to donate proceeds to the Global Empowerment Mission, a nonprofit organization facilitating the Maui Brewing Company Fire Fund.

Money raised will support recovery from wildfires in August 2023 that engulfed much of the island of Maui. FEMA estimated that more than 2,200 buildings had been destroyed, mostly residential homes, as well as crucial infrastructure and many historic landmarks in Lahaina. Damage estimates are nearly $6 billion.

The fundraiser will continue through at least a portion of 2024. The goal is to raise at least $1.5 million for construction of new homes.  mauibrewingco.com/kokua

NONPROFIT NEWS

Queen City Book Bank honored for work to promote literacy

Joe Burrow Foundation raises $100K to address food insecurity

The Queen City Book Bank has received statewide recognition for its work to support reading and literacy among school-aged young people.

QCBB staff traveled to Dublin, Ohio, in October to receive the 2023 Literacy Leader Award from the Ohio Educational Library Media Association. The annual award goes to community organizations for their support of literacy that reinforces student learning. The American Association of School Librarians also selected QCBB for a special commendation.

Founded in 1986, QCBB – previously known as the Literacy Network – has worked to promote literacy through a variety of initiatives, including Little Free Libraries, literacy outreach and its new curated book distribution program. OLEMA President Gayle Schmuhl praised QCBB for its work partnering with local colleges, sports teams, authors and educators to “bring books to all children.”

During the awards ceremony, QCBB CEO Michelle Otten Guenter thanked her organization’s “army of volunteers” for its effort. She specifically noted the work of volunteer Karen Reiber.  queencitybookbank.org

The Joe Burrow Foundation’s “Dine for 9” initiative raised $100,000 to help overcome food insecurity in Cincinnati, Baton Rouge, La., and Athens, Ohio.

More than 300 participating restaurants donated 9% of their profits from sales on Sept. 9 to the foundation. Fans also supported the effort by donating “$9 for 9.”

The No. 9 reflects quarterback Joe Burrow’s jersey number for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Burrow grew up in Athens and starred at quarterback for Louisiana State University before being picked first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Funds raised through “Dine for 9” will go toward the foundation’s “Do Good” grants, which support projects for mental health protection and food insecurity that are sustainable and designed to have a lasting impact.

“We want to thank all of the restaurants and fans in Cincinnati, Athens and Baton Rouge who supported the Joe Burrow Foundation with our ‘Dine for 9’ initiative,” said Jimmy Burrow, vice president of the foundation.  joeburrow.org 

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The Queen City Book Bank has received statewide recognition for its work to support reading and literacy among school-aged young people.

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NAMES in the NEWS Caitlin Carter Margie Zyble Dee Henry Kathy DeBrosse Ryan Strand Karen Ecker

Lori Burkhardt Samuel Baker Melisse May Jackie Reau Byron Stallworth Leigh Fox

Van Jones Nancy Strubbe Santi Missy Spears Spencer Jenkins Erin Saul Mike Behme



Music Teachers National Association appointed Caitlin Carter to the position of digital communications and marketing manager.

Carter will be responsible for the development, execution and evaluation of organizational communication and marketing efforts, with a focus on digital and social media platforms.



UC Health has named Margie Zyble as chief human resources officer. Zyble brings more than 25 years of human resources experience to UC Health. She was most recently the chief people officer at 80 Acres Farms in Hamilton, Ohio, and previously served as interim CHRO and chief talent officer for GE Aviation.



Dee Henry joined Center for Independent Living Options as its new disability rights and advocacy specialist, bringing years of experience as a disabled person in secondary school, university, the healthcare realm and in previous positions.



ArtsWave has restructured its team ahead of its 2027 celebration of 100 years. Kathy DeBrosse’s responsibilities will shift to alternative revenue and engagement opportunities as VP of new products & initiatives. Ryan Strand is promoted to senior director of marketing and communications, to continue to build the annual ArtsWave Community Campaign. A new position of director of legacy gift planning will be filled by Karen Ecker, who comes to ArtsWave from Robbins, Kelly, Patterson & Tucker. Lori Burkhardt is promoted from coordinator to manager of grant programs.

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

Samuel Baker has joined Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub as program director. He brings project management know-how and lived experience to the Flywheel team. Baker will be responsible for growing Flywheel’s equity programming as well as overseeing Flywheel’s program lineup.

Flywheel also welcomed three new members to its board of trustees: Melisse May, Jackie Reau and Byron Stallworth. May is the owner of Lead from Insights LLC, a consulting company focusing on helping businesses create consumer-preferred products and services with sustainable business models. Reau is CEO of Game Day, a media and marketing agency she co-founded with former ESPN anchor Betsy Ross in 2002. Stallworth is the founder of Inclusion Building Solutions LLC., providing drone-aided assessments of large commercial buildings to identify maintenance needs.



Leigh R. Fox, president and CEO of altafiber, has been appointed chair of the University of Cincinnati Foundation Board of Trustees. Fox, MBA ’01, is a first-generation college student, and his role will advance the missions of UC and UC Health through philanthropy.

Two new trustees were also elected to the board: Van Jones, BBA ’08, and Nancy Strubbe Santi, BSED ’84. Jones is a deal lead at Wellington Access Ventures, the early-stage fund for Wellington Management Company.

Santi, a former elementary school teacher, serves on several boards supporting the arts and education.



The Queer Kentucky board of directors unanimously voted Missy Spears to be the nonprofit’s next executive director. Spears has been working as the organization’s director of operations since late August 2023. Queer Kentucky founder Spencer Jenkins will begin his new position as editor-in-chief. Spears will lead the organization’s expansion as it focuses more on programming in Northern Kentucky, as well as growth into rural areas of Kentucky, which face unique experiences and barriers for the LGBTQ+ population.



GreenLight Fund selected Erin Saul as the new GreenLight Cincinnati executive director. Saul will provide on-the-ground support to GreenLight’s five portfolio organizations as well as lead the process to bring the next set of social innovations to address unmet needs. Saul was previously at the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she led a community coalition of nearly 50 schools, healthcare and early-childhood organizations to reduce the incidence and impact of earlychildhood trauma in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.



Mike Behme is the newly appointed board chair for the Center for Respite Care. He is a certified public accountant and assurance director with FORVIS. Mike was first elected to the Center for Respite Care’s board of directors in 2012, serving as its treasurer and chair of the finance committee over several terms. 

A GIFT FOR FRIENDS A TREASURE FOR YOURSELF Foreword by NPR host Scott Simon

GIFTS/GRANTS

Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command, and Peter Kobak, a former Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy graduate researcher, now associate director of the Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement project

A Duke Energy Foundation grant is helping Price Hill Will renovate this Warsaw Avenue property.

Green Umbrella and its partners are using U.S. EPA funds to improve energy efficiency in affordable housing.

UC alum bequests $10M gift to Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy

Jill Miller, Bethesda’s president and CEO and founder of bi3, said her organization uses its grant program to fuel innovation and improve health equity. She said she views these grants as vital to reducing infant mortality, improving birth outcomes for Black families and addressing social barriers to better health.  bi3.org

by Bank of America.

The annual recognition goes to organizations working to advance economic mobility and build up underserved neighborhoods.

The Neighborhood Builders program provides leadership training on financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling, and offers the opportunity to join a national network of peer organizations.

Black Achievers will use the funding to increase staffing, implement new technology, produce marketing materials and train more volunteers. CityLink Center is using the grant to increase client volume and service capacity at its recently expanded West End facility.  about.bankofamerica.com

The University of Cincinnati received a $10 million gift to advance the school’s Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy, providing programs and opportunities for its students.

The center evaluates and develops approaches to secure cyberspace from foreign adversaries, criminal activity and misuse that can harm the United States.

UC received the gift from the estate of Patrick and Malle Portway. Patrick Portway graduated from UC in 1963. The Portways’ support connects to Patrick’s career and Malle’s heritage; her family escaped Estonia during World War II. Beyond its policy influence, the CCSP collaborates with the Ohio Cyber Range Institute, a state-funded platform at UC. Its mission is to advance cybersecurity education, workforce and economic development throughout Ohio.

The gift will support the creation of the Portway Cyber Strategy Student Research Fellows program, which will send students to NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. Funding will also help bring industry and government experts to UC and create a cyber awareness series to educate the general public.  artsci.uc.edu/departments/spia

Black-led nonprofits get $6.5M to improve health equity A Greater Cincinnati grantmaking organization awarded $6.5 million to four Black womenled nonprofits focused on improving health equity across the region. bi3 – a philanthropic initiative created by Bethesda Inc. – selected Cradle Cincinnati, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, YWCA Greater Cincinnati and Me & She Doula Services. The three-year grants range from $200,000 to $3 million.

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EPA grant aims to improve energy efficiency in affordable housing The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Green Umbrella and several partner agencies a $1.1 million grant to study how electrification and weatherization of homes affects energy consumption and indoor air quality for residents in affordable housing.

Plans call for the installation of energy-saving technologies – such as insulation, heat pumps and electric stoves – in roughly 50 affordable housing units in Over-the-Rhine.

The team is prioritizing apartments in the greatest need. Researchers will compare the results to data from other OTR Community Housing units over the three-year grant period.

Goals are to improve energy reliability, affordability and comfort for the residents while helping researchers and policymakers come up with broader approaches for improving efficiency in other communities burdened by energy costs. Data from the city of Cincinnati shows energy costs are overburdening about one in four local households.

Residents will play a role in data collection and will be paid for their participation.  greenumbrella.org

Black Achievers, CityLink Center earn grants as ‘Neighborhood Builders’ Black Achievers and CityLink Center each received $200,000 in grant funding for being named this year’s Neighborhood Builders award

Grant helps Price Hill Will improve gateway to West Side A long-blighted building in the heart of Cincinnati’s West Side is going to receive some much-needed love thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation.

The Urban Revitalization grant aims to help Price Hill Will make crucial improvements to the vacant building in the 3500 block of Warsaw Avenue. Much of the funding will go toward design work.

Price Hill Will – a nonprofit community development corporation serving Lower, East and West Price Hill – considers the Warsaw Avenue Historic District the gateway to Cincinnati’s West Side. The major thoroughfare runs through East and West Price Hill.

Price Hill Will has focused on Warsaw Avenue in recent years. This grant enables the organization to build on the success of its Warsaw Avenue Creative Campus, a redevelopment of seven historic East Price Hill buildings, including an old firehouse that now serves as the home of the MYCincinnati youth orchestra.  pricehillwill.org 

Snapshots Who, what, where & why Nature Center event draws flock of supporters

Kristi Masterson, Mary Hovis and Gregg Hovis with Back to Nature co-chairs Cindy Carducci and Tammie Lyon

More than 200 supporters attended Cincinnati Nature Center’s Back to Nature fundraising event at Rowe Woods in Milford. The evening included a silent auction of nature-inspired art, gourmet dinner stations, drinks, a dessert/coffee bar, activity stations and live music.

At the VIP pre-event, guests also enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the Nature Center’s animal ambassadors including Unicorn, a gray morph Eastern screech owl.  cincynature.org

CNC Executive Director Jeff Corney and Sarah Corney

MJ Jagadish and Christi Nageleisen

Will Fry, Nina Fry, Shelly Quick, Jason Ader, Nikki French and Andrew French

Bill Hopple, former CNC executive dbuiirector, Mary Hopple, Mike McGraw and Mike Mauch Anna Albi, Frank Albi and Joy Albi

Peter Alpaugh, Rick Block, Cory Christopher and Tim Werdmann

Sharon Mitchell and Graham Mitchell meet Unicorn the owl.

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SNAPSHOTS

CAC gala celebrates 20 years in iconic building The Contemporary Arts Center celebrated 20 years in its iconic Zaha Hadid-designed Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art with dinner and gala. More than 300 guests enjoyed an evening dedicated to the late Hadid and the building that transformed the downtown corner of Sixth and Walnut.

The dinner included special recognition of the generosity of the Rosenthal family. After the presentation, a benefit auction raised more than $100,000 to support the mission of the CAC to bring art and the creative process to all people.

The evening featured an art auction, one-nightonly light and video installations by Lightborne, creative food and drink presentations by East to Vest Productions and dancers from Pones.  contemporaryartscenter.org

James Miller, Lauren Miller, Karl Brown, Kitty Rosenthal, Dick Rosenthal, Jennie Rosenthal and Mae Rosenthal Roy Roy Robbins, Beverly Thomas, Alex Aguirre, Janet Schlegel, Cheryl Stamm and Carlin Stamm Colleen Houston, Amy Goodwin and Christina Vassallo

Emcee Bob Herzog, Jennie Rosenthal and Dick Rosenthal

Dancers from Pones perform at the after-party.

Former CAC Executive Directors Dennis Barrie, Charles Desmarais and Raphaela Platow with current Executive Director Christina Vassallo

Rick Miller, Anne Miller, Maureen Vignola and Larry Vignola Jeana Ripple and Kara Boyd from Mir Collective

Michelle Vance Waddell and Sara Vance Waddell bid during the benefit auction.

Marcene Kinney and Jim Kinney

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Shayne Manning peruses the offerings on a drink dress by East to Vest Productions.

Guests enjoying the dinner

SNAPSHOTS Honorees: Justin Flamm of Taft Law Morgan Whaley of Love in Action Mike Brauning of EMCOR Laura Berkemeier of Life Learning Center

OneSource Center party recognizes sponsors

OneSource volunteer consultant Cecelia Benford and Marva Christon

OneSource Center’s annual Celebration of Partners party raised $170,000, with 170 guests enjoying activities and dinner catered by Funky’s Catering/DelightMore at Drees Pavilion.

The evening recognized the support of 42 corporate and foundation sponsors as well as volunteers, donors and leaders in the local nonprofit scene. Four special awards were presented: Justin Flamm, partner at Taft, Stettinius and Hollister, received the Founder’s Award; Morgan Whaley, CEO and founder of Love in Action, received the Emerging Leader Award; EMCOR Facilities Services was recognized as the Corporate Community Partner; and Life Learning Center received the Nonprofit Community Partner Award.

Event proceeds will support OneSource Center’s consulting, coaching and training OneSource board member Stacey Hill-Simmons, volunteer programs. In addition, proceeds allow consultant Sandra Perry and CEO Christie Brown nonprofit agencies and their clients to secure office furniture and household/personal products Fun & Games committee member Alyson Best, at a 75% discount in the OneSource Common OneSource board member Joe Hartmann, event Good Store. co-chair and board member Andi Sempier, event  onesourcecenter.org co-chair and board member Julianne Bell and Fun & Games committee member Charlie Best

Katie Zboril and board chair Aaron Zboril with Deloitte sponsor guests Jack Streicher and Jill Stock

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SNAPSHOTS

Law center’s fundraiser focuses on incarceration issues Ohio Justice & Policy Center held its annual fundraising event at the Cincinnati Museum Center. This year’s theme – “50 through 50: 50 years of mass incarceration told through 50 years of hiphop” – celebrated the milestone anniversary of hip-hop music and recognized the rise of mass incarceration in the country since the 1970s. The event featured a panel discussion around this theme, moderated by Julia Beverly. Panelists Serena Nunn McCullers, Wendy Day and Chuck D, leader and co-founder of Public Enemy, spoke about personal experiences and shared their industry wisdom with an audience of over 250 people, including OJPC staff, clients, board members, donors and friends.

OJPC is a nonprofit law center with offices in Cincinnati and Columbus.  ohiojpc.org

Moderator Julia Beverly with panelists Serena Nunn McCullers, Wendy Day and Chuck D

Panelists Serena Nunn McCullers, Chuck D and Wendy Day with OJPC board chair David Zimmerman and CEO Gabe Davis

Stephanie Kennedy, Neal Schuett, Amy Gerspacher, Charles M. Rittgers, Elias Demeropolis and Casey Conrad

OJPC board member Susan Noonan, Barbara Myers, Jane Anderson and Harriet Kaufman

Michelle Gardner, Megan Park, Robert Pohowsky and Stephanie A. Smith

Kwahyia Jones, Keli Blackshear and Chaka Powell

OJPC board member Lillie Shockley, Dr. Thomas Shockley and Renee Mahaffey Harris

Jean Sepate, Sandy Kesner and Gwen McFarlin

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SNAPSHOTS

Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired

THANK YOU Gloria Robinson, CABVI team member David Perry and CABVI President/CEO Teri Shirk

TO CABVI’S 7TH ANNUAL

White Cane Safety Day promotes symbol of indepence

DINING IN THE DARK SPONSORS!

The Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and National Federation of the Blind of Cincinnati hosted a walk in honor of White Cane Safety Day. It began at the steps of Union Terminal and ended at CABVI’s Hornbeck Social Enterprise Center with a reading of the White Cane Safety Day proclamation by Gloria Robinson, president of the Cincinnati Chapter of NFB. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, friends and team members of both agencies, visually impaired and sighted, gathered after the walk to celebrate while enjoying pizza and music. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of the white cane as a symbol of independence and mobility for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  cincyblind.org

EXCLUSIVE PRESENTING SPONSOR

CABVI VP of community relations Aaron Bley, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, CABVI team member Angela Taylor and CABVI President/ CEO Teri Shirk kick off the White Cane Walk.

cincinnati

DIAMOND SPONSOR

INDEPENDENCE SPONSORS

HOPE SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

CABVI team members Ana Hammons and Scott Hogan NFB Cincinnati Chapter President Gloria Robinson and Mayor Aftab Pureval hold the White Cane Safety Day proclamation.

GOLD SPONSORS

PRINTING SPONSOR

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SNAPSHOTS

Design LAB diners feed Learn + Build K-8 program

Christen Lubbers, executive director of Design LAB: Learn + Build, and Volunteer of the Year Michelle Mahoney of Al. Neyer

More than 250 guests gathered at the Contemporary Arts Center to celebrate Dine with Design, Design LAB: Learn + Build’s annual fundraiser. Starting at the CAC, groups separated and experienced three surprise downtown restaurants before returning to the museum for an after-party. The event offered a chance for industry professionals to network while raising $70,000 for Design LAB’s education program.

The K-8 program is tailored to broaden and deepen student awareness, appreciation and participation in natural and built environments. Local professionals team with educators to guide students through a realworld design problem.

The work helps develop skills in research, critical thinking, financial literacy, problem solving, verbal and visual communication, creative expression, collaborative team-building, STEM and presentation skills.

In 2023, the program reached 1,800 students in 83 classrooms around Greater Cincinnati.  designlearnandbuild.org Chris Quigley and Ashley Bielefield of Messer Construction with Marcus Thompson of TriVersity Construction

Band PushPlay at Dine with Design after-party Attendees travel to their next restaurant stop.

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Juan Imeroni and Brittany Collins, both of J.S. Held

Design LAB: Learn + Build board President Gregory Hammond of Hixson and Educator of the Year Emily Yellman of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati

Jason East of Champlin Architecture, David Wright of The Kleingers Group, Gregg Hothem of Huseman Group, and Krutarth Jain and Mark Thurnauer of Champlin Architecture

Attendees in the lobby at the Contemporary Arts Center

SNAPSHOTS

Tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis benefits two health groups Musicians for Health and Cincinnati Cancer Advisors held A Tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis at Memorial Hall to benefit both organizations’ initiatives. The event featured performers Michael Kaeshammer, Henri Herbert and the Josh Christina Band. The musicians performed a setlist of the late Jerry Lee Lewis’ music.

Musicians for Health’s virtual reality headset project provides headsets to cancer facilities for patients receiving infusion treatments and other procedures. The organization has distributed 19 headsets to seven cancer centers in our region. Its Senior and Artist Connection project, created during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect isolated seniors and out-of-work artists, provides companionship for those who cannot access their daily routine and social community activities.

Cincinnati Cancer Advisors provides no-cost, world-class consultative oncology, genetic counseling and financial navigation services to Greater Cincinnati cancer patients.  musiciansforhealth.org  cincinnaticanceradvisors.org

Dr. Bill Barrett and Steve Abbott as The Blues Brothers

Tom Schiff and Mary Ellen Goeke

(Back left) Barb Weber; (front) Judith Lewis, widow of Jerry Lee Lewis, with Tracy Leming and Julie Goldman

Joyce Elkus, Martha Slager and Jim Slager

Musicians for Health co-founder Zac Greenberg, president Joyce Elkus and Amberley Village Fire/ Police Chief Rich Wallace

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SNAPSHOTS

Genesis at Work celebrates job success stories The Genesis at Work Foundation, which seeks to find meaningful careers for those with special needs, hosted its annual Celebration Gala at the Sharonville Convention Center, raising $183,000 and drawing 300 guests. The event, which included cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dinner, was emceed by Fritsch from the Jeff and Jenn Morning Show on Q102. Music was provided by The Seasons. Former Cincinnati Reds players Doug Flynn, Ron Oester and Billy Hatcher participated in a meet and greet.

The event recognized the foundation’s 2023 Meaningful Work Success Stories, which featured Meghan Leonard, Seth Mischne and Zack Philpott. The foundation honored Paul Daugherty as the Genesis Advocate of the Year and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) received the Genesis Enriching Lives Through Business Award.  genesisatwork.org

Emcee Fritsch and Genesis Advocate of the Year Paul Daugherty

Emma Glickberg, Genesis at Work director of customized employment, Success Story recipient Zack Philpott and CEO Bryan Holland

From Genesis business award winner PwC: (back) Jen Couser, Lauren Richey and Doug Torline; (front) Kevin Kreger, Pravin Tyagi and John Roberts

Maddy Scott, Gary Walton, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame member Ron Oester and Dan Long CEO Bryan Holland, 2023 Success Story recipient Seth Mishne, his mother Anne Mishne and Genesis’ Emma Glickberg

2023 Success Story recipient Meghan Leonard

Assistance League gathers supplies for women leaving shelters Montgomery Woman’s Club sponsored a donation drive to support the Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati. The drivethrough collection gathered essential household supplies for a 48-piece New Beginnings Kit for women leaving domestic violence shelters. The kits contain kitchen, cleaning, bed and bath supplies. The estimated $3,000 worth of items donated will help 17 women and their children set up new living quarters. The club has been a donation partner for eight years.  assistanceleaguecincinnati.org 42

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Raji Ramprasad, Nancy Cottrell, Montgomery Woman’s Club President Jackie Lang, Sandy Phelps, Chris Mallette, Holly Dahmus, Arlene Wojcieszak and Lois Gushin

Salvation Army luncheon kicks off Red Kettle effort The Salvation Army in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky held its 67th annual luncheon to kick off the 2023 Red Kettle Season at the Cintas Center. The event raised more than $263,000.

Jim Scott, former 700 WLW broadcaster and 10-year volunteer for the Salvation Army, used the platform to announce his virtual kettle planned for this year.

A first for the annual luncheon, the Salvation Army also introduced the Doing the Most Good Award, which honored Scott, Sister Melanie Blair and Dr. O’dell Owens (in memoriam).  easternusa.salvationarmy.org/greater-cincinnati

Honorary luncheon chair and advisory board member Dean Gregory and honoree Jim Scott

SNAPSHOTS Casey Boland and Jim Scott E. Thomas Arington, Sister Melanie Blair and Patrick Burke

Salvation Army Major Richard Lopez, Major Timothy Lyle and Gary Millerchip Cincinnati Police Lt. Germaine Love, Officer Mandy Vineyard (standing), Sgt. Michelle Winslow and Police Chief Teresa Theetge

Christopher Owens, son of Dr. O'dell Owens

Janeen Coyle, Amanda Orlando, Stephanie Schneider and Chris O’Brien

Donna Walsh, Linda Lake, Mario San Marco, David Nevers and Charlie Thomas

Reception kicks off Women’s Cardiovascular Symposium

Dr. Garima Sharma, Dr. C. Noel Bairey-Merz, Dr. Odayme Quesada and Dr. Geetha Bhat Eileen Barrett and Geraldine “Ginger” Warner

The Christ Hospital Foundation hosted a welcome reception and dinner to kick off the second annual Women’s Cardiovascular Symposium, presented

by The Christ Hospital Women’s Heart Center. Symposium speakers, donors, sponsors and board members gathered at the Summit Hotel in Cincinnati to hear about advances in women’s heart care and philanthropy’s role in supporting those efforts. Speakers included Dr. Odayme Quesada, medical director of The Christ Hospital Women’s Heart Center, and Dr. Annabelle Santos Volgman, medical director of the Rush Heart Center for Women.

The annual event brings together health care professionals nationwide to learn from clinical experts on specialized women’s heart care.  thechristhospital.com/about-the-network/foundation

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Models end the fashion show with a final walk down the runway.

Runway-ready designs dazzle guests at RetroFittings St. Vincent de Paul-Cincinnati hosted the 19th annual RetroFittings, presented by Protective Life, at Music Hall.

Over 400 guests, volunteers, sponsors and community partners came together, raising more than $200,000.

Every year, SVDP partners with students at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning to transform items from SVDP thrift stores into unique, runway-ready fashion.

Guests enjoyed thrifting at an exclusive boutique, featuring high-end items hand selected from SVDP thrift stores. The evening included a live auction and a silent auction with over a dozen packages, culminating in a program emceed by Warm 98.5’s Jim Day and the featured fashion show.  svdpcincinnati.org

Laurie Boiman, Lori Stenger and Pam Miller

Brenda Sheffield and Kathy Sackett shop at the boutique.

DAAP students’ designs lit up the runway during the fashion show. SVDP Cincinnati District Council President Alison Zlatic and board member Tiffany Thomas

Floral piece from UC DAAP student designer Aleiya Douglas

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Emcee Jim Day from Warm 98.5

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550+ volunteers blanket the region at second annual Rotary Do Days The Rotary Club of Cincinnati rallied more than 550 volunteers from across Greater Cincinnati for the second annual Rotary Do Days – a three-day service blitz that provided more than 1,500 hours of free labor to 34 area nonprofits.

Volunteers served meals, cut brush on a muddy creek bank, built tables, packed school supplies, painted walls, packaged 12,000 meals, stuffed envelopes and turned fresh produce into hearty soups.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval launched the event with a proclamation and donned an apron and hairnet to help package non-perishable breakfasts for schoolchildren and hungry families.  cincinnatirotary.org

Danni Romine from Truepoint mixes paint at Matthew 25 Ministries.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Rotary Club of Cincinnati President Doug Bolton with the Rotary Do Days proclamation

Kristina Gehring of Wealthquest stabilizes a tree at Gorman Heritage Farm.

Steve Easley helps fellow Rotary volunteer Bill Stille load a carton of non-perishable meals.

Volunteer Jeff West from U.S. Bank uses a router on a table edge at New Life Furniture Bank.

FC Cincinnati staffers Tori Priest and Taylor McCarthy package cheese cubes at La Soupe.

Cincinnati firefighter recruit Has Taylor drags branches of invasive honeysuckle from the creek bank for the Mill Creek Alliance.

Mayor Pureval packages meals with Rotary volunteers.

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ERS gala shows how music benefits seniors

Howard Helvey, Kirsten Smith, the Rev. Allison English and the Rev. Robert English John Hassel, Patty Hassel, Jonna Thompson, the Very Rev. Owen Thompson, Martha Camele and The Rev. Darren Elin

Episcopal Retirement Services held its Music Through the Ages gala, showcasing how music bridges people from all walks of life, including the older adults served

by ERS. Musical entertainment featured cellist Nat Chaitkin, who explained the universality of music by showcasing a journey from Bach to the Beatles.

Other performers included jazz guitarist Carlos Vargas-Ortiz and ERS’ own Elise Hyder, an opera singer.  episcopalretirement.com Joan Wetzel, Jimmy Wilson, Alexia Zigoris and Kent Wellington

Emerson Stambaugh, Elise Hyder and Drew Hyder

Guitarist Carlos Vargas-Ortiz Cellist Nat Chaitkin and vocalist Elise Hyder

JoAnn Welsh, Doug Welsh, Kathy Brockman and Jim Brockman

Nat Chaitkin

Jeff Lamb, Laura Lamb, Brady Swearingen, Nicole Redus and Jonna Morales-Thompson

Stanley Hooker, Virginia Cox and Michael Williams

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Adventure Crew event helps connect city teens with nature More than 150 supporters attended Adventure Crew’s Summits & Horizons at The Mercantile Library, making it the largest installment of the event to date.

The evening included a keynote by Isaiah Scott of Ike’s Birding Hikes, a rising leader in ornithology and environmental justice and a student at Cornell University. Three Adventure Crew teens offered remarks about their experiences, and Executive Director Libby Hunter shared a preview of the coming year for young adventurers. Adventure Crew also presented the Vanguard Award to dedicated volunteer Erin Harper.

Through support from donors and sponsors, including speaker sponsor Duke Energy, the event raised a record $31,000 to support Adventure Crew’s mission of connecting Cincinnati teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures.  adventurecrew.org

Sonja Scott, Cincinnati City Council member Meeka Owens and keynote speaker Isaiah Scott Adventure Crew alumna Zaire Jones talked about her experiences with the Crew.

Bob Harper, 2023 Vanguard Award winner Erin Harper and Lisa Harper

Mollie O’Neil, Heather Spanbauer and Megan O’Keefe

Keynote speaker Isaiah Scott, a student at Cornell University and a rising leader in ornithology and environmental justice

Adventure Crew Executive Director Libby Hunter addresses the crowd.

Great Neighborhoods honors great neighbors More than 100 community members came to the Hellmann Creative Center in Covington to honor the 2023 Heart of the Community and Key to the Future award winners and to support the Center for Great Neighborhoods.

The awardees – residents and people invested in making Covington a better place for all – are nominated by neighbors, peers or teachers. The event also raised $10,000 for the community development work of the Center for Great Neighborhoods.  greatneighborhoods.org

Amanda Wood, Jamie Flynt, Courtney Barlow-Schulte and Melissa Silberstang

Board chair Dietra Bohannon and Chris Ragan

Regina Watts (center)

Key to the Future Award winners, all Holmes High School students: Angela Lemus, Kylee Butrick and Misha Salaah

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Stellar event marks Cincinnati Observatory’s 150 years The Cincinnati Observatory commemorated 150 years in Mount Lookout with a fundraiser hosting around 140 guests. The event celebrated the National Historic Landmark, known as the birthplace of American astronomy.

Guests enjoyed solar and nighttime viewing, musicians, dinner by-the-bite, a silent auction, architectural tours of the Samuel Hannaford-designed building and a meteorite display. They were also able to view Saturn through the observatory’s historic Mitchel scope, the oldest public telescope in the Western Hemisphere still in use.

The event raised about $35,000. Proceeds benefit the observatory’s preservation efforts.  cincinnatiobservatory.org

Emcee Allison Rogers from WLWT

Guests gather at the observatory.

Observatory Executive Director Anna Hehman addresses the evening’s crowd.

Ohio State Sen. Catherine Ingram presents Executive Director Anna Hehman with a resolution commemorating the observatory’s 150 years in Mount Lookout.

Observatory volunteer Valerie Niemi (right) shares information on collection items with guests.

Author Erik Larson gives Mercantile Library’s Niehoff Lecture The Mercantile Library held its 34th Niehoff Lecture at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Cincinnati. Erik Larson, author of “The Splendid and the Vile” and “The Devil in the White City,” spoke to a crowd of nearly 700.

Sherri Prentiss and Mike Prentiss co-chaired the event, the library’s only annual fundraiser. This series was first imagined by Buck Niehoff and Patti Niehoff as a way to bring the best writers to The Mercantile Library and the city, and the two have underwritten the event since its inception.  mercantilelibrary.com Erik Larson, event co-chairs Sherri Prentiss and Mike Prentiss

Libby Hunter, John Faherty, Erik Larson, Buck Niehoff and Patti Niehoff

Peter Niehoff, Erik Larson and Betsy Niehoff

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Backers tip hats to parks foundation The Cincinnati Parks Foundation celebrated its 17th annual Hats Off Luncheon at the John G. & Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park. The event was presented by the Women’s Committee of Cincinnati Parks.

Honorary chairs this year were Michael Betz and Rhiannon Hoeweler. The nearly 1,000 attendees were entertained by Lance Boyd & The Last Knights, as well as six artists who painted their perspectives of Smale Riverfront Park. As the artists completed their works, each piece was featured in a silent auction.

This event highlights the Phyllis W. Smale award, which this year recognized the Cincinnati Parks’ Riverfront Team for maintaining the beauty of Smale Park and for creating Cathy’s Garden and Kaleidoscope in memory of former board member and parks advocate Cathy Smale Caldemeyer.  cincinnatiparksfoundation.org

Honorary chairs Michael Betz and Rhiannon Hoeweler Cincinnati Parks Riverfront team members were named winners of the Phyllis W. Smale Award: Corrie Carswell, Mary Uetrecht, Casey McCann, Lou Sand, Jay Fowler and Ally Cecil (not pictured: Ellis Fowler).

Clark Sole and Cincinnati Parks Foundation board of directors Vice President Brian Tiffany

Delores Dodson with Cathy Crain, a former Cincinnati Parks commissioner and Parks Foundation board president 

Lindsay Wilhelm, development director for Cincinnati Parks Foundation, with Carole Rigaud, Simone Rigaud and former Cincinnati Parks commissioner Merri Gaither Smith

Kristen Ellsworth and Denise Strasser, with chairs of the Women’s Committee of Cincinnati Parks, Lindsey Moreton and Lee Lindner

Lois Conyers, founding board member of Cincinnati Parks Foundation and founding member of the Women’s Committee of Cincinnati Parks, with Dr. Boyd Wright

Cincinnati Parks Foundation Emerging Leaders members Liz Rains, Megan Busam, Brian Bartish, Liz Mason and Katie Arendt Movers & Makers

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300 hear of mentoring’s impact at BIG event More than 300 people gathered at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center to hear stories about the importance and impact of mentoring, shared by leaders in the region’s construction industry.

This was the fifth annual BIG Breakfast, hosted

by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, which pairs children with adult volunteer mentors, so children can reach their full potential.

The Building Futures panelists were: Tim Steigerwald, president of Messer Construction; Michele O’Rourke, CEO of O’Rourke Wrecking; Bill Baker, vice president and managing partner at MSA Design; and Molly North, CEO of Neyer.

The group talked about personal and professional successes and challenges, life lessons that set them on their path and how they now make it a priority to mentor the next generation.

Ben Haenning and Kyle Shumate, members of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati board of directors, co-chaired the event.  bigsforkids.org Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith poses questions to panelists Tim Steigerwald, Michele O’Rourke, Bill Baker and Molly North.

Little Brother Andrew McClanahan and Big Brother Jay Shatz share stories about their 20-year mentoring friendship.

Big Brother Matthew McGrath (right) talks with his Little Brother Mitchell and Mitchell’s sister, Little Sister Miracle.

John Heater, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati president and CEO, encourages guests to pledge financial support to the agency.

Molly North and Rico Grant compare their fashion statement outfits.

Event emcee Rico Grant, a social entrepreneur and startup adviser, shoots a brief video with BIG Breakfast guests to encourage his 12,000 Instagram followers to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Light the Night walk nears $1 million in funds raised The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Ohio River Valley Region held its 25th annual Light the Night walk at Yeatman’s Cove to bring light to the darkness of blood cancer through research and cures. The event’s presenting sponsor was Furniture Fair. Participants have raised $925,000 so far for LLS’s efforts to find cures for blood cancers and to ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments. Funds can be raised through Jan. 31 to help Light The Night Cincinnati reach its $1.3 million goal for 2023.

The event began with a ceremony featuring its 2023 Honored Hero, Jackson Guyer, whose parents shared his journey of being diagnosed with leukemia at age 2. The opening ceremony and lantern lighting were emceed

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Bill Daniels, Furniture Fair president and CEO; Dawn Berryman, LLS executive director; Craig Daniels, Furniture Fair marketing director

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ArtWorks transforms TQL Stadium, celebrates creativity

At the Art Off the Walls event, apprentices from the dance company Pones celebrated the “Love Wins” mural: (back) AJ Oliver, Khalana Kelly and Lilliana Grandy; (middle) Glenda Figueiredo; (front) Hattie Clark, Alexandra Leurck, Jillian Kreimer and Fiona Bradley

Nearly 400 art enthusiasts and supporters gathered at the First Financial Club in FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium for Art Off the Walls to celebrate ArtWorks and the power of creativity and collaboration.

The event sought to raise funds for the organization’s mural projects and support its mission of community-based public art and provide professional opportunities for artists of all ages. Event sponsors were Delta Dental and Brave Berlin. Co-chairs were Kim Hoeting and ArtWorks board member Mike Hoeting,  artworkscincinnati.org Colleen Houston, ArtWorks CEO and artistic director, models her custom-created ensemble for the event in honor of the West End murals, designed by artist Susan O’Malley.

Joel Mellon, FC Cincinnati’s Corben Bone, ArtWorks artist Radha Lakshmi and Austin Berry

DJ Monet

Emcee Bob Herzog of Local 12

ArtWorks supporters Alex Saba, Kathy Saba, Brian Major, Cathy Major, Lauren Shafer and Tom Shafer

Supporters help Envision assist people with disabilities Nearly 200 people came together to support Envision’s annual Go the Extra Mile Walk, presented by USI. Celebrating its 60th year, Envision partners with people with developmental disabilities to achieve their personal best.

This’s years walk at Winton Woods provided entertainment, prizes, miniature therapy horse petting, face painting and more.

The event raised nearly $41,000, which will support existing agency programming and provide access to new social, recreational and educational opportunities for the organization’s clients.  envisionohio.org

Getting to know the therapy horses at Envision’s Go the Extra Mile Walk

Crossing the finish line

A little face painting fun

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Golf event drives success for Dragonfly Foundation

Randy Wolf of Titan Siding and Roofing with guests Everett Brackett, Mike Schum and Mark Goins

The Dragonfly Foundation held its 13th annual Golf Classic, presented by Titan Siding and Roofing. The foundation provides support to children with cancer and their families.

Donors, sponsors and golfers made the annual event a success.

Golfers heard from Matt Neitzke, the son of Dragonfly’s founder and Executive Director Christine Neitzke. He shared the story of his personal battle with cancer, which led his mother to start The Dragonfly Foundation.

The Dragonfly Foundation provides strength, courage and joy to pediatric cancer patients and their families by providing opportunities, events, and community building for patients and families.  dragonfly.org

Matt Neitzke speaking to golfers Maria Fox and board member Mike Fox

Board member Dave Cook, University of Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham, Chris Pacetti and Blake Vaughn

‘Guys Who Get It’ supports Women’s Fund More than 60 supporters attended the “Guys Who Get It” happy hour at Alcove by MadTree, presented by Three Corners Capital. More than $22,000 was raised to support the research, advocacy and civic engagement efforts of The Women’s Fund, whose mission is to advance gender and racial equity for women by addressing barriers to upward mobility.

The event was supported through sponsors and more than a dozen co-hosts, including Chris Flores, Julie Sporing, Rhiannon Hoeweler, Brad Hoeweler, Wijdan Jreisat, Patrick Points, Robert Killins, Karl Preissner, Juan Santamarina, Ann Schwister, Bill Tucker and Ilene Tucker.  gcfdn.org/womensfund Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval 52

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Bill Tucker, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Karl Preissner and Chris Flores Tiwana Henderson and Sherri Jones

Victoria Karamanoukian, Henry Karamanoukian, Brad Hoeweler and Rhiannon Hoeweler

Rick Cocoran, Holly Schnapf and Brendon Cull

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Boys Hope Girls Hope gala marks 40 years Boys Hope Girls Hope of Cincinnati celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gala at The Lempicka by Jeff Ruby. Western & Southern Financial was the title sponsor for the event, which featured a live auction led

by Susan Johnson. More than $230,000 was raised for the program during the event, which celebrated the milestone with current and past scholars, collegians, leaders and supporters. BHGH board chair and event host Steve Arnold introduced the organization’s new executive director, Maurice Huey.

BHGH’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.  bhghcincinnati.org

BHGH executive board member Graham Mercurio with parents Jane Mercurio and Mark Mercurio

BHGH Executive Director Maurice Huey BHGH YP board member Joey Mileham, Caitlyn Slaasted, George Thacker and Robert Bucheit

BHGH board chair Steve Arnold

Barb Conway and Sister Melanie Baire, a past BHGH executive director  Team members from sponsor Ernst & Young: Andi Orschell, Jeff Orschell, Dylan Johnson, Alex Greene, Holly Gabrielson and David Rueth Collegians Gideon Fomba and Kingsley Fomba

BHGH YP board member Maria Dodd with her father, Tom Dodd

Guests from Western & Southern Financial

BHGH young professionals board chair William Volck with his wife Abby Chermely Movers & Makers

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NKY Development District honors staff, volunteer, partner Elected officials, community leaders and local businesses joined Northern Kentucky Area Development District staff and board members for its annual meeting and awards celebration at Elk Creek Winery.

Honorees included Volunteer of the Year Dean McKay, director of organizational development with Skilcraft, and Partner Organization of the Year Legal Aid of the Bluegrass.

NKADD also honored employees who exemplify the organization’s values: • Katie Jo Berkshire Kirkpatrick, strategic initiatives manager: Employee of the Year, Communications • Bethany Breckel, district long-term care ombudsman: Employee of the Year, Customer Service • Alicia Campbell, waiver quality assurance manager: Employee of the Year, Collaboration Keynote speaker Beverly Service spoke about the services her daughter Sarah receives through the acquired brain injury long care waiver program, which assists adults with an acquired brain injury who have reached a plateau in their rehabilitation level.  nkadd.org

CycleNation raises $400K for brain and heart research The eighth annual CycleNation event raised $400,000 for the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. The event brought together hundreds of participants at Rhinegeist Brewery to help fund lifesaving stroke and heart research and promote brain and heart health. This fundraising total makes CycleNation Cincinnati the number one CycleNation campaign in the country. Sam Privitera of presenting sponsor AtriCure served as chair for the event.  stroke.org Hundreds of participants gathered at Rhinegeist to help fund stroke and heart research.

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Angela Zeek, Karen Ginn and Robert Johns of Legal Aid of the Bluegrass with NKADD board Chair Matt Elberfeld Dean McKay and Matt Elberfeld Tara Johnson-Noem, Katie Jo Kirkpatrick, Alicia Campbell, Bethany Breckel and Matt Elberfeld

The UC Health Stroke Team raised more than $5,000: Marchele NowellBostic, Yasmin Aziz, Jordan Bonomo, Aditi Stanton, Lauren Menzies, Robert Stanton, Oluwole Awosika, Ahmed Mortis and Stacie Demel (on bike).

Alyson Poling and event chair Sam Privitera of AtriCure

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Business Hall of Fame inducts five local leaders More than 400 friends and colleagues of five Cincinnati business leaders gathered for the 29th Junior Achievement Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Music Hall.

This year’s inductees were Cynthia Booth, president and CEO, Emerge Manufacturing; Bob Coughlin, founder and CEO, Paycor (retired); Ron Koetters, founder, president and CEO, Monarch Construction Company (deceased); Craig F. Maier, president and CEO, Frisch’s Restaurants Inc. (retired); and James “Chip” Pease, CEO AAA Club Alliance (retired).

The Hall of Fame recognizes people who have been pioneers and leaders in their industries and have risen to the pinnacle of business success – all in support of tomorrow’s business leaders and entrepreneurs.

The event raised more than $335,000. Proceeds go to support programs in financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship.  cincinnati.ja.org

Susan Zaunbrecher, Dan Neyer, Laura Brunner, Kim Vincent and George Vincent Past laureate Dick Rosenthal and Junior Achievement CEO Jeff Taylor

Event chair Scott Robertson

Laureate Cynthia Booth and Paul Booth

2023 Business Hall of Fame laureates Chip Pease, Florence Koetters (widow of Ron Koetters), Craig Maier, Cynthia Booth and Bob Coughlin

JCC celebrates Sukkot with community artwork exhibit

Kayla Bernstein, Stephanie Ganson, Laura Berger, Rebecca Garfinkle, Jess Davidson and Julie Miller

The Mayerson JCC celebrated Sukkot with its annual Under One Roof Sukkah Art Exhibit. Artists and other community members gathered for an opening reception, and the artwork was displayed for 12 days in the sukkah.

More than 40 individual artists, organizations and community groups created works of art centered on the theme of “Dream.” Community members were encouraged to visit the display during the exhibit. Participants also made pressed-flower pieces in the sukkah as part of the celebration of the holiday.  mayersonjcc.org

Edvard Hayes Tsygansky, Brittany Hayes Tsygansky and Luka Hayes Tsygansky

Max Gise performs.

Photos by G ailya Sanders and Eowyn G arfinkle Plymesser

Shiri Avisar and Shaked Vatavu

Panel by Adrienne Varady Panels by Stacey Bie (top) and by Skirball Museum (bottom) Movers & Makers

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Stepping Stones clay shoot hits target

Event co-chairs Brian Folke and Peter Borchers

Stepping Stones hosted its seventh annual Sporting Clays Tournament at the Sycamore Pheasant Club in Loveland. The event netted more than $95,000 to benefit year-round programming for children, teens and adults with disabilities.

Attendees hit the course for a clay shoot featuring 75 targets and a flurry game. Supporters raised money for the organization by participating in a ra­ffle and a live auction. Scott Stough, Chris Belletti, Graham Vollmer and John Taylor, representing Seasons Best Landscaping, won the team competition. Scott Stough was the winning individual shooter.

Platinum sponsors for the event included the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation and PLK Communities. Gold sponsors included Johnson Investment Counsel, Seasons Best Landscaping and the Wyler Family Foundation. Guests enjoyed a dinner sponsored by SugarCreek.  steppingstonesohio.org

Committee members Mark Hill and Ryan Moeller with Nikki Hill and Matthew Hill

Scott Stough was the winning individual shooter.

Ann Gibson and Polly Brennaman

Bengals’ Save The Dey adds 500 lifesavers with CPR training The Cincinnati Bengals welcomed fans to Paycor Stadium to learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR with the American Heart Association, Cintas and Kettering Health.

The Bengals Save The Dey event, presented by Cintas, trained 500 participants to act with confidence and capability in the event of a cardiac emergency at home, work or in the community.

Additionally, select local schools received CPR and AED kits following the event.  heart.org

Taylor Meyer, AHA development director; Todd M. Schneider, Cintas president and CEO; Rachel McCarthy, AHA associate VP of development; Mark Carter, Cintas president and COO; and Alyson Poling, AHA executive director Attendees practice CPR 56

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Advocates’ gala raises funds to help abused children More than 350 people gathered at the Marriott Cincinnati Airport to raise more than $310,000 for the Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center. The Advocates, a group of dynamic female influencers, hosted the annual Onyx & Ice Gala.

NKYCAC provides services to children who have been sexually abused, physically abused or trafficked, as well as children who have witnessed violent crimes. NKYCAC ensures children are protected and their non-offending caregivers have support so all can begin to heal.  nkycac.org

Gala chairs Diane Kidd, Kimberly Carlisle and Candyse Jeffries Dr. Viral Patel and Bina Patel

(Back) Jennifer Mitchell, Emily Bennett, Terra Marinacci, Charlotte Ellis, Lauren Pack, Ashley Skiljo and Amy Millay; (front) Jessica Ester, Taylor Deters, Josie Napier and Chelsey Sullivan

$95,400+ Net Raised for Stepping Stones Thank You, Supporters!

Platinum Sponsors The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation PLK Communities Gold Sponsors Johnson Investment Counsel, Inc. Seasons Best Landscaping Wyler Family Foundation Key Sponsors The Anning Group - UBS Brian Albach, Stephen Dauer & Gregory Wells Brock & Scott PLLC Carpetland Daley Design + Build HighGrain Brewing Co. Jersey Mike's Little Kings SugarCreek

(Back) Bill Brash, Tim Zoz, Sarah Zoz and Mark Skiba; (front) Maggie Rettig, Brent Collins of presenting sponsor Commonwealth Inc., Alicia Collins and Tara Lucas

Stepping Stones, Inc. | CincySportingClays.org | 513.831.4660

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Thrive Network’s Powerhouse event boosts female professionals

Jason Jackman, Marianne Lewis and Tara Adams

Johnson Investment Counsel’s Thrive Network hosted nearly 150 female professionals for its third annual Powerhouse event at the OTR Stillhouse. This year’s featured speaker was Marianne Lewis, the first female dean of the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati. Lewis shared insights from her career, delving into challenges that women encounter in both their professional journeys and personal lives.

In addition to Dean Lewis’ presentation, guests enjoyed cuisine from Crown Group Catering and signature cocktails from Knox Joseph Distillery, Ohio's only female-owned distillery.  johnsoninv.com

Annie Menegay, Kayla Umberg, Shelley Volpenhein, Haydin Hutson, Diana Veid, Shaumia Turner, Tiffany Huffman and Maria Mallon

Jenny Watts and Cara Carter Adrienne Russ and Brooklyn Addis

Jamie Horn and Kelly Snyder

Emma Kellerman and Stef Martinez Llosa

McKenzie Wallster, Evette Maddox and Emely Burkhart

Qiana Graham and Jessika Wood

Gayle Renfro, Veronica Steffen and Colleen McSwiggin Carrie White, Rachelle Phillian, Annie Horn and Rose Kaplan

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Marianne Lewis

Movers & Makers

Jaime Koller and Lisa Oliverio

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PWC recognizes those who help its mission

Jordan Vogel of Allied Construction Industries and Jock Pitts Ron Henlein and Ohio Rep. Dani Isaacsohn

People Working Cooperatively hosted its annual Recognition Celebration at The Grand Ballroom in Covington to honor individuals and organizations in the community that have made an impact on its mission to save homes and restore pride.

The 2023 award recipients: • Chairman’s Award: Allied Construction Industries • Friends of PWC Awards: The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, Prus Construction Co. and Huber Lumber • David Legg Volunteers of the Year Award: Mike Beeby and John King • PWC Employees of the Year Award: Ron Henlein and Brad Pierce • Dan Ober Volunteer Hall of Fame Inductees: Larry Barber, Charlie Patty and Tanya Simpson  pwchomerepairs.org John King receives the David Legg Volunteer of the Year award from PWC’s Brian McLaughlin

Nina Creech presents an award to Tom Huber and Randy Huber from Huber Lumber

Larry Barber with PWC vice president of development Chris Owens

Brad Pierce and Ohio Rep. Dani Isaacsohn

Jock Pitts, current executive director, with PWC’s founder and first executive director Chuck Hirt

PWC President Jock Pitts addresses the celebration.

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Ronald McDonald House celebrates hopes and dreams Nearly 600 supporters attended Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati’s Red Tie Gala.

The theme was Hopes and Dreams, where hopes, dreams and the house’s mission intertwined with food, drinks and entertainment. The organization also honored Al Koncius for his decades-long support of the charity, and a 15-minute appeal for the nonprofit’s Adopt A Family program raised more than $315,000.

All proceeds from the evening will help children staying at the house. The event was also supported by Cincinnati Children’s, altafiber, Carrie Gould and Rob Gould, Hills Properties, and co-chairs and supporters Kelly Janszen and Brandon Janszen.  rmhcincinnati.org

Jennifer Loeb, CEO of RMHC of Greater Cincinnati, and honoree Al Koncius Camryn Leavens, Jason Leavens, Caryn Leavens and Elijah Leavens from Goshen, Ky., represented the guest families who live at Ronald McDonald House.

Photos: WDD Photography

Bruce Ross, RMHC board Chair Tina Ross, Jenny Rankin and Rob Rankin

Lisa Roberts-Rosser and Kennedy Roberts-Rosser Gala co-chairs Brandon Janszen and Kelly Janszen

(Back) Tony Pike and Richard Ritz; (front) Meredith Pike, Laurie Frye, Kyle Frye, Jeff Capannari, RMHC board member Brianna Ritz, Laura Capannari, Kelly MacDonald and Ryan MacDonald

Michelle Hudgens led efforts to raise more than $315,000 in 15 minutes through RMHC’s Adopt a Family fund appeal.

Jane Popoola and RMHC board member Howard Popoola

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Table décor celebrated Hopes and Dreams, the theme of the evening.

Movers & Makers

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School Board School shows training’s impact

CPS board members Eve Bolton, Carolyn Jones and Kareem Moncree-Moffett CPS board member Eve Bolton and YWCA COO Alex Kuhns, a former CPS board member

School Board School’s Breakfast Benefit brought together elected officials, nonprofit leaders and community partners to celebrate the program’s impact on students in Greater Cincinnati and beyond.

Guests at the annual event learned how School Board School has grown its programming over the last year, and is now equipping thousands of aspiring school board members and education advocates with the knowledge and network to create school systems where every child can thrive.

Event table sponsors included University of Cincinnati-CPS Strong, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati and ZoneCo. UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services donated space for the event at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub.  schoolboardschool.org Ohio Rep. Dani Isaacsohn, Ohio School Board member Katie Hofmann and Leslie Maloney

Bryan Hatcher

Dr. Lori Wright and Dr. Michael Dantley

Harold Brown and Felicia Zakem at jun gl e ji m s i n te rn ati on al m ar ket

8871 N. Gilmore Rd. Fairfield, OH 45014

oPen eVeRY thursday 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Tammy SolomonGray and Christopher Grant

Jorge Perez CPS board member Carolyn Jones and Sylvia Nelson

Elevated Street Food · Bourbon Bar · Cigar Lounge · Open-Air Seating · Craft Cocktails

Junglejims.com/TheStation Movers & Makers

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Insuring the Children gala breaks record Insuring the Children hosted its annual Have A Heart Gala at Cooper Creek Event Center. The 2023 event generated a recordbreaking $50,000 in donations. The Jerry Clark Humanitarian award was presented to Ron Eveleigh, a recently retired ITC board member and insurance industry icon.

Insuring the Children is a local nonprofit dedicated to ending the abuse of children. The organization has contributed over $3 million to medical and social agencies in the Cincinnati area.  insuringthechildren.org

The ITC board: (back) Brady Grimm, Christy Miller, Melissa Brunner, Jina Goans, Missy Ramey, Ian Orr and Casey Connor; (front) Dave Dietrichson, Julie Kadnar, Betsy Ertel, Ron Eveleigh, Amanda Woeste, Matt Dent and Emily McNicholas Missy Ramey, Jenelle Moore and Joseph Moore

CityLink Center soars past goal at MashUp event

Justin Mostellar of Crossroads Music enjoys the after-party with friend Adam Midkiff.

CityLink Center's performance-focused fall event, MashUp, showcased live performances with interactive art, food and storytelling of clients on their journey to positive life change. This year, The Greatest Show transformed CityLink Center into a big top.

Act l featured a monologue by Deondra Means, Children’s Theatre resident playwright, and School for Creative and Performing Arts student Paul Hahn singing “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman.” Act ll featured Cincinnati Circus acrobats swinging from the flying trapeze to sounds from DJ Pillo.

Guests then enjoyed food and drink with tunes from the Music Resource Center and a fire juggler from Cincinnati Circus. Guests shot paint out of water guns to create a collage reminiscent of Jackson Pollock. The night culminated with a grand finale “Under the Big Top” with vocals from Crossroads Music’s Justin Mostellar and dancers from the newly opened Hairston School of Dance.

Donations exceeded the night’s goal of $125,000, raising $139,490.  citylinkcenter.org

Ali Weibel of the Cincinnati Circus

DJ Pillo spins at the after-party. SCPA student Paul Hahn sings “A Million Dreams.”

Gia Bolton of the Cincinnati Circus performs on the flying trapeze. 

“Under the Big Top” decor

Deondra Means performs a monologue.

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Santa Maria’s Passport to Success celebrates community

Events committee member Tom Martin with board members Barb Martin and Maureen Maxfield

Santa Maria Community Services’ new fundraiser, Passport to Success, raised more than $90,000 at the Miami Township Event Center. The event, emceed by WLWT-TV’s Courtis Fuller, celebrated cultural diversity and community. Guest speaker Dominique Badji, forward for FC Cincinnati, shared his journey here from Senegal, emphasizing the importance of nonprofits in supporting immigrant populations.

The event featured raffle baskets, a silent auction, cultural demonstrations, dance performances and diverse cuisine.

The event supports Santa Maria’s programs in early childhood and youth development, education, employment, finance and health.  santamaria-cincy.org

Former board members Julieta Simms and Tony Simms-Howell with Santa Maria Chief Development Officer Dr. Nune Sargsyan

Santa Maria President and CEO H.A. Musser Jr.; SM board vice chair Christopher Owens; FC Cincinnati’s Gerardo Garcia Pantoja, Trevor Phillips and Dominique Badji; SM development coordinator Heather Kuhn; and SM board chair Guillermo Villa

Lisa Myers and Alfonso Cornejo, president of the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati

Board member and events committee member Mike Gentry with development and events committee members Peggy Dehne and Steve Dehne

SATURDAY 6:30PM CET SUNDAY 8:30PM CET ARTS Join Barbara Kellar as she showcases artists and cultural leaders from the Greater Cincinnati community.

Emcee Courtis Fuller with the guest speaker, FC Cincinnati forward Dominique Badji

Volunteers Julian Sibert, Jed Sibert and Jen Sibert

www.CETconnect.org

Emmy Award Winner Regional - Interview/Discussion Program

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If you missed the final M&M happy hour of 2023…

Peter Landsman of Nonprofit Leadership Institute and Jennifer Clark from Miami University Julie Brock of Keys for Success Music Therapy and Bruce Kintner of Samaritan Car Care Clinic

Movers & Makers held its final Mix & Mingle Happy Hour of 2023 in November, hosted by the Kinley Hotel, Downtown. Attendees came from as far away as Oxford, Middletown and Union, Ky. We thank everyone for attending our monthly get-togethers this year and we look forward to more in 2024. Please stay tuned for announcements by subscribing to our email list. Visit moversmakers.org and click “Subscribe.” It’s free!

Donna Harris from Over-the-Rhine Museum and Paul Kroner of Studio Kroner

Tonya DiTucci, Nicole Kmetz and Kris Stone, all of Boone County Arboretum

ShaQunna Sardin from First Commonwealth Bank and Kayla Lowe from Cincinnati Public Schools Madeline Mason-Maier from Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Allison Dardinger from CTI and Kristen Gallagher from St. Vincent de Paul

Beth Benson from Leadership Council for Nonprofits Berdy Wagnac with JaCasta Rex and Cameron Lee, both of design firm Ora Krespuko Desegni

Phil Fisher, Polly Campbell and Meg Howes from the Movers & Makers team

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Cindy Browne and Connie Springer

James Noel of James Noel Law and Karen Silver of KTS Advocacy

SNAPSHOTS

Root Ball celebrates Great Parks’ projects, goals Great Parks celebrated its fourth annual Root Ball, a rustic-chic evening of celebration and support for the organization’s conservation work. Nearly 200 guests and more than 15 participating sponsors enjoyed an evening of dinner and cocktails at Rhinegeist Brewery’s event space while learning how Great Parks is positioning the region as a vibrant place to live, learn, work and play. Great Parks conservation and design experts led a panel on the new Shaker Trace Seed Nursery restoration project, followed by questions from the audience. Root Ball was presented by the Oliver Family Foundation and supporting sponsor Arcadis.  greatparks.org

Great Parks Forever board members Jeff Yund, Scott Keller and Kay Bornemann with Executive Director Tom Carleton

Ben Dusina, Kellie Pike and Kerry Gerich from sponsor Environmental Design Group John Wocher, Tina Wocher, Commissioner Melissa Wegman and Kelly Burke Commissioner Marcus Thompson (back, in vest) and guests from sponsor TriVersity Construction

The team from event sponsor Truepoint Wealth Counsel: (back) Bryan Sicking, Great Parks chief of philanthropy Tom Carleton, Chris Carleton, Great Parks Forever board member Scott Keller and Dan Reagan; (front) Deanna Sicking, Bridget Hughes, Haley Schutzenberger and Victoria Reagan Guests from event sponsor Stantec enjoy the cocktail hour.

Guests from event sponsor Champlin Architecture Paige Riestenberg, Chris Rust, Jillian Kreinbrink, Adam Athmer, Jeff Heimann and Stephanie Glossner from event sponsor Strand Engineering

Commissioners Bill Burwinkel and Caren Laverty, CEO Todd Palmeter, and Commissioners Melissa Wegman and Marcus Thompson

Paula Manning; David Whittaker from event sponsor Human Nature Inc.; Jared McFaddin, Katie Magee, Henry Frondorf and Jackie Frondorf from event sponsor Prus Construction Movers & Makers

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THE LAST WORD | Polly Campbell

Black-tie events: Why we dress up in an informal age

I

intended to go to the Mercantile Library’s gala fundraiser this year. They had a good speaker for the annual Niehoff Lecture, I love the library and a lot of friends would be there. But I was a little worried about the “black tie” bit on the invitation.

I am not a black tie person. I do not live a black tie life. Its traditional requirements are a tuxedo and a floor-length evening gown, two items I can’t find anywhere in our closets. I believe jeans are the best item of clothing ever invented and sneakers with a wide toe box are the best footwear.

As it turns out, we were out of town for the date in question and couldn’t go. But I’ve been wondering what I would have worn. What does black tie even mean in the athleisure era? And why do we ever have to wear it, or otherwise worry about what we wear to the galas and charity balls and weddings

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that request it? Or really, why do I stand in front of the full-length mirror and try on a pile of different clothes, trying to get just the right thing to wear even if it’s just a backyard party?

“Dressing well is a form of good manners,” said designer Tom Ford, and that seems as good an explanation as any to start with.

I was talking to Regina Russo for this column because she was the chair last year of one of the fanciest dressy events, the Cincinnati Opera gala. She said she was brought up to think of dressing appropriately as a form of respect. “Respect for the occasion, respect for the performers at an opera, say, respect for who you’re with.” Amy Hunter, who works on the event for the Mercantile, said “I think I behave a little better when I’m dressed up, don’t you?” I do, actually. I bring my party manners.

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and rules about gloves for women and hats for men, dressing for dinner, opera hats and when to wear diamonds, were maybe a form of social control, a way to tell the social climbers from the old money, the nice girls from the not-nice.

Good riddance to that.

But I think the “black tie” and “cocktail attire” and “semi-formal” that still exist are less about control, and paradoxically about permission. They say: “Wear your fanciest dress, the one with the sequins, the one that makes you feel like a movie star, and we promise you will not be overdressed. Go ahead and shine.”

Russo was the chair of 2022’s Operaganza. For an event like that, “black tie” is more about beautiful exuberance, artistic self-expression and glamor than it is about correctness or setting a fine line between overdressed or underdressed. “It’s about expressing yourself in a fun, elevated way,” Russo said. “Last year, people wore some of everything. There were bursts of color, velvet tuxedos, long opera gloves.

The clothes expressed a full range of emotion, just like opera does.” She sees the event not just as a fundraiser, but an opportunity to create “a joyful and artistic community together.”

“But people have to be comfortable,” Russo said. “Organizations don’t want to create barriers for new people.” And when I look at photo galleries of events, I conclude that people will not be forced to wear anything they don’t want to.

It’s not all ball gowns and tuxedos; some people seem to be dressing in inconspicuous black, others have on whatever is the nicest thing they own.

Russo tells a story of an older gentleman at the Cincinnati Art Museum, when she worked for them, looking at a younger man dressed in hipster shabby, and asking him “What are you saving the good stuff for?” What, indeed?

Clothes may be a source of anxiety for lots of people, including me.

Polly Campbell

I have spent my share in fitting rooms, feeling dark despair. But when I find the perfect pink silk blouse or embroidered jacket or swishy dress in purple, that wearable aesthetic experience keeps me going back.

I could certainly have pulled off the Mercantile event. “People understood the assignment pretty well,” Hunter said. As for me, I could only in my dreams carry off the beautiful Grecian-style draped dress in blue or the gold feather bodice with white pants, or pearl-encrusted sheath that more elegant women than I wore. But I certainly could have contrived to fit in. “We added ‘cocktail attire’ to the invitation," Hunter said. “The men rebelled against tuxedos.”

My husband dresses up nice in a dark suit, and I have a few shorter dresses that I don’t look too shabby in, comfortable and fairly elegant, with a piece of jewelry or a silk scarf over my shoulders.

I would have had fun. I tend to at parties, no matter what I’m wearing. And surely it helps to wear the fine clothes sometimes known as “glad rags.” 

Polly Campbell covered restaurants and food for the Cincinnati Enquirer from 1996 until 2020.

She lives in Pleasant Ridge with her husband, and since retiring does a lot of reading, cooking and gardening, if that’s what you call pulling weeds.

She writes monthly on a variety of topics, and she welcomes your feedback and column suggestions at editor@moversmakers.org.

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