MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: HEATHER LOVE

from The Devil Strip, July 2021 | Vol. 9, Issue 7

URINE LUCK NOW

Trivia Night at Vinifera Wine-toWhiskey Bar

As folks got vaccinated and the world began to reopen, we at The Devil Strip were wondering if anyone would actually show up for an event if we held one. The answer was a resounding yes on Wednesday, May 19 at Vinifera, which was the perfect place to restart our members-only events.

That’s because this new restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls not only has a killer patio and an incredible selection of whiskey and wine, but it’s owned by Michelle and John Bisson, who are active members and avid readers of The Devil Strip. Local trivia master Rob Core, who also joined The Devil Strip member ranks, made this a member trifecta, quizzing our crew with his Akron-centric questions.

If you’re a member, keep an eye out for the next meet-up coming soon. If you aren’t yet, visit thedevilstrip.com/ co-op to learn how we’re creating a community of people making the most of their lives here!

Member Spotlight

If Heather Love had to put a label on themself, it would be an “anarchist witch through and through.”

For Heather, that means working with crystals or tarot, spending time in nature and helping the community anyway they can.

After growing up on a 1,000-acre property where they were free to explore nature, Heather moved to Akron to live in the Merriman Heights and Highland Square neighborhoods.

“Small towns just aren’t as friendly to LGBTQ, so not only do I identify as queer, but our youngest child identifies as queer in a way as well. So it came down to safety. Akron is a very safe space for us because we just kind of go unnoticed. There’s other families that are similar to ours so no one really bats an eye,” they explain. Heather and their family spend a lot of their time exploring the different trails of Summit County’s metroparks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on “anything with two wheels.”

“We love Cuyahoga Valley because we ride motorcycles. We’re big cyclists. So we try to ride, that’s usually the route we take, is through the park,” they say.

Before the pandemic, Heather and their wife used to volunteer at Lock 3 in the summer.

“It was a great excuse to leave the kids at home, to have a date night, to not spend any money and we usually ended up pooling tips at some point in time, at least enough to buy fast food on the way home.”

Heather decided to become a member of the co-op because they felt it was another way to contribute to the community, and it reflects their own views.

“I don’t care what USA Today has to tell me. I care about what’s directly impacting me. Where does the community need help? What’s going on that’s great in the community? What voice am I overlooking or not understanding? And I think that’s what The Devil Strip does,” they say. “We waste more money on gas station stops and Redbull. It just makes sense. Where’s our money going and how is it impacting, not only us, but maybe our membership is what keeps it free for everybody else.”

OUT SIDE OUT SIDE AKRON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES july 9 hale farm & village july 11 August 1 - Goodyear Metro Park August 8 - Firestone Park August 15 - Forest Lodge Park Christopher Wilkins, conductor July 9 — ASO Strings July 11 — ASO Symphonic Winds VOICES VOICES 2021 A FREE community-wide celebration featuring the works of: