Ronin Tested, Ronin Approved

Every 2 weeks, we take our dog to get bathed.

At almost 160 pounds, he has long since outgrown our small house and ability to perform this task ourselves.  Like plumbing and brain surgery, this is a task best left to professionals.

We adopted such this schedule because Ronin was showing signs of allergies and was not getting the relief we thought he should from a course of allergy shots. 

We consulted a specialist and it was recommended that we add a regular course of bathing and this has worked so well that we were able to discontinue the allergy shots.

Finding someone who would and could work with our little one was not easy.  Grooming a purse-size dog is one thing, but when the "client" is the size of a steamer trunk it requires an entirely different mindset.

That's why we count ourselves lucky to have found Michelle.

From the very beginning, Michelle Maxwell was not intimidated by Ronin's size and they took to one another right away so much so that when we drop him off he is not the least bit concerned that we leave him.  In fact, he doesn't give us a second look.

Michelle now works with Bath & Biscuits in Granville and they have kindly donated a gift certificate for our auction.

If you like to bathe your dog, you can use one of their tubs.  If you want to have a pro take care of your best friend, we cannot recommned Michelle highly enough.

Bath & Biscuits is located at 1616 Columbus Rd, in Granville.

This is How You Get Magicians!

We have adopted a magic theme for this year's auction.  (Not the Harry Potter kind, but the Harry Houdini kind.)

We don't have a lot of money to decorate the Reese Center, but you may see strolling performer Marty "Moe Magic" Miller and you will see a selection of photos and poster reproductions from the "golden age" of magic when performers like Houdini and Kellar, Blackstone and Thurston criss-crossed the country  with full evening shows.

It seems only fitting then that we support that theme with an auction item that is designed to inspire the next great entertainer.

On offer is a book of magic tricks designed for the beginner and written by Richard Kaufman, editor and publisher of the country's oldest continually published magazine for magicians, Genii.  Also included is a kit of magic tricks assembled by Joshua Jay, a Canton native and one of the most creative minds in magic today.

With this kind of a start, can a show on the Las Vegas Strip be all that far away.

Take A Picture, It'll Last Longer

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It's amazing what you can learn from a photograph.

I don't have a lot of things from my father's house--baggage, but that's another story.  What I do have are a lot of pictures.

My parents didn't really take a lot of pictures, but my grandfather was an avid photographer.  He documented life at home and he took a lot of pictures on his trips.

What's fascinating to me about these images is that they were capured by a photochemical process that resulted in deeply saturated colors that make the subjects look like they walked off a movie set in the late 1940s.  It's the same kind of heightened reality. 

Connected the people in these images with people I actually knew is a real challenge.   When I knew my grandfather he was in the twilight of his life and seemed to react to having his picture taken in the same way that mobsters and Sean Penn do.  What comes out in the pictures I have is someone who was a bit of a clothes horse and who loved to pose.  And in just about every shot, he looks as though he is too busy to deal with the photographer.  He is always looking off to one side and seems to be making plans for whatever the next thing is.

A really good picture can capture a lot of different truths about is subject.

We are fortunate to be able to offer the talents of a really good photographer through the courtesty of Marcy Lane Photos.  The winning bidder will receive an 11 x 14 print of a family photo, graduating senior, or special birthday girl.

One Week in Salvo, NC

At our Annual Meeting last November, we elected new members to our Board of Trustees and we also said goodbye to some good people who had served Mental Health America with distinction as volunteer members of our Board.

One of those who completed 9 years of service to the Agency was Mr. Dave Douglas.  Dave was always ready to help us when we needed him. 

Dave has also been a tireless supporter of our auction.  He helped us pick up donations, helped transport them to the Reese Center for set-up and he has been a generous donor to the event.

Again this year, Mr. Douglas is donating a week's stay at his home in Salvo, NC on the Outer Banks.


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Here is the description of the house from last year's Auction catalog:

Located on the beautiful Hatteras National Seashore, the BUC-n-EER 3 is directly in the path of the pristine natural wonder that is the OBX.  Drive south and see the lighthouses of Cape Hatteras in Historic Buxton and on Ocracoke Island.  Drive north and you'll find Bodie Island Light and the towns of Nags Head and Kitty Hawk.  Unit is 5 bedroom and 4-1/2 bath.  This home is situated 160 yards from the beach.

This year, Dave's home is available from September 30th to October 6th.

<<Note:  Dates have changed.>>

We are grateful for Dave Douglas and his family for their support of our Agency.

Overnight Stay at the Granville Inn

http://janetwaggoner.com

We are pleased to be able to offer our Auction guests the opportunity to bid on an overnight stay at the Granville Inn.

From their website:

Granville Inn is a historic English manor inn, and a landmark, in the heart of Granville, Ohio. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Inn’s old-world charm, hand cut oak paneling, native sandstone and rural hospitality have made it a destination for great escapes for over 85 years.

Dine with us in the Oak Room restaurant, Acorn pub, seasonal covered patio or outdoor biergarten. Restaurant awards include "Best New Restaurant" by Columbus Monthly magazine, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and one of Columbus' Most Romantic Restaurants.

The  Granville Inn is located at 314 E. Broadway in Granville. 

$20 Gift Card from Goumas Confections, LLC

I like candy.

I have worried for most of my life about the stigma of being one of "those" people:  the candy-likers. 

Maybe you're one of us.  Maybe you've learned how to decode the swirl patterns on a box of assorted chocolates so that you're never surprised.  Can you tell the nougats from the chocolate-covered cherries?

If you are then you know how fortunate we are in our community to have a tradition of skilled candy makers.  And as an Agency, we are fortunate that those candy makers support our work with theirs.

As a result, you can indulge your innner candy-liker with this $20 gift card courtesy of Goumas Confestions.

Goumas Confections have locations in Newark and Granville.

More information about Goumas Confections is available here.

In Case You Were Wondering....

Earlier, I posted that we had received a donation of this print by Ms. P. Buckley Moss and that I didn't know anything about it.

I mentioned that I contacted a gallery in Zanesville that represented Ms. Moss's work and was waiting for them to get back to me.

They did more legwork on our behalf than I could have expected and Mr. Mike Nelson reported back that this print is called "Kinsman House" and was published in 1990. 

This is a real building in Hiram, OH

Canoe or Kayak Trip for Up to 4 People

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Are you a canoe person?  (No..., not the fragrance, the watercraft.)

Do you like to 'yak? 

Is your idea of a great way to spend a couple of hours to be on the water?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then the odds are pretty good that this next item up for auction at this year's "Java & Jazz" will be of interest to you.

Our friends at Hocking Hills Canoe Livery have provided us with the opportunity for you and up to three friends to go out to Logan and spend some time on the river.

You'll want to choose a time when you can really commune with nature and not be distracted by all of the chaos of a weekend or holiday.  If you can make the time to get there, you and your friends will "enjoy one of Ohio's most scenic rivers located in the beautiful Hocking Hills."

Hocking Hills Canoe Livery is located behind this Arby's in Logan. 

Pair of Tickets to DanceTech

What is DanceTech?

As the name implies, it is a marriage between dance and technology.

This is the description from the BalletMet website:

Contemporary dance and cutting-edge technology come together to create an experience like no other. Choreographer Jimmy Orrante, video game composer Sean Beeson and media artist Alan Price from OSU's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, create an interactive environment affected and influenced by the choreography and the audience. Internationally recognized software artist Frieder Weiss joins acclaimed contemporary choreographer Amy Seiwert to produce a piece where real-time video images are created in direct response to the movement of the dancers.

You know you're curious. You can find out for yourself what it's all about by bidding on a pair of tickets to this BalletMet production at this year's auction.

Local Guitar Hero Plays For You

We are fortunate to have Mr. Tom Carroll play for us again at this year's auction. Tom has an international reputation and has played and recorded with many of the greats.


Here he is playing with the great Hank Marr and Jim Rupp as part of "Organic Chemistry/Live."

In addition to playing and recording, Tom teaches at Denison University and helps to organize the annual Granville Hot Licks Blues Festival.  At their most recent event, the Festival raised money for Mental Health America's YES Clubhouse.

Mr. Carroll has agreed to donate an hour of his time to perform live for you at your next event.

There's a lot of talent in that guitar case and you can borrow some of it, if the price is right.

Licking County Library In the Bag

Main Branch, Licking County Library on West Main St. in Newark.

For me, going to the library is like going on a treasure hunt.

I'm old enough to be of the generation of the card catalog and when every one of the thousands and thousands of entries in that catalog lead to a different part of the building.

The Internet is a wonderful resource of information, but it is not the same as going to the stacks and looking for one book only to come away with 3 or 4 others that you didn't know you were even interested in.

The Licking County Library invites you to pay them a visit and see what treasures you can find.

To sweeten the deal, they have provided us with a T-shirt, button, a book mark and a tote bag so that when you do visit, you can look like a serious regular.

The main branch of the Licking County Library is located at 101 W. Main St. in Newark.

Arbonne Gift Certificate & Consultation



I don't know how they do it.

I walk through the department stores and the drug stores and the specialty stores and there are whole sections devoted to what are called "beauty products."  We are talking large amounts of retail real estate dedicated to selling pastes and creams and pencils and serums that, to a guy, look all pretty much the same.

Red is red, right?

You would think, but yet there are countless variations.  There is even one brand that makes what looks like a green pencil that, when applied, is actually red!

Make-up is a mystery to me, but it's also serious business. 

One lucky bidder at this year's event will have the chance to work with a personal guide to help make sense of it all.

We are pleased to be able to offer a consultation with a local representative of Arbonne a company specializing in high-end botanical-based skin care and wellness products.  In addition to the consultation, the winning bidder will receive a $100 gift certificate for the purchase of Arbonne products.

$50 Gas Card

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The Safety Council of the Licking County Chamber of Commerce recently held a contest for a new slogan.  Many entries were received, but there can be only one winner and that was us! 

Executive Director Paddy Kutz's submission, "Work Safely Today.  Be Here Tomorrow" is now emblazoned on the Council's safety tokens.

In addition to all of her other skills, who knew that Mental Health America had it's very own advertising copy writer.  In the tradition of "Pepsi Cola hits the spot," "It's the real thing" and "Where's the beef?" Paddy has come up with the phrase that pays.

And who benefits from this heretofore hidden talent?

One lucky bidder at this year's auction, that's who.

Paddy's prize, a $50 gas card will be up for grabs at this year's event. 

And, who knows, for the right price, she may even autograph it for you.

4 Tickets to The Nelsons

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They are coming!

Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are coming to Newark and you and 3 friends can be there.

On April 28th, the former 1990's twin hearthrobs and sons of 50's hearthrob Ricky Nelson, who was the son of radio and TV stars Ozzie & Harriet Nelson, will be performing live at The Midland Theatre right in our own backyard.

While you might remember them from their hit "Love and Affection" this show is all about their dad and his music:  hits like "Travellin' Man," "Hello Mary Lou," and "Garden Party."

Fun fact:  Rick Nelson performed "Garden Party" as part of a 1972 episode of the NBC TV series McCloud.

We are grateful to The Midland for making this opportunity available to our auction guests.

The Midland Theatre is located on Courthouse Square in Downtown Newark.


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How the States Got Their Shapes - Season 1 DVD Set

A little less than a year ago, Granville native, TV's Brian Unger, kicked off a series of programs on The History Channel investigating the nation's history as reflected in the lines on its map.

His travels took him from the southernmost tip of Florida to the wilds of Montana, from California to Maine and to many places in between.

Along the way, he and his crew uncovered some false starts, some human errors and some deep-seated differences of opinion that combined to determine why our states look the way they do.

Central to this exploration were person-on-the-street interviews about their perspectives on and abilities to draw the states in which they live.

The series was fast-paced, light-hearted and surprisingly educational.

It has been renewed for a second season which should show up later this year, or perhaps early in 2013.

While you're waiting, you can, through the courtesy of Mr. Unger, enjoy Season One with this authographed set of DVDs.  As a bonus, the set includes the original 90-minute special that launched the show.

This item can be yours, for the right price.

More information about the show is here.

Mr. Heater!

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Courtesy of The Energy Cooperative, we are able to offer for auction a Mr. Heater patio heater.

These are just what you need to be able to enjoy your patio all year round.

The Energy Cooperative continues to be a generous partner with Mental Health America and we are grateful for their support.

The Energy Cooperative is located at 1500 Granville Rd. in Newark.

You can follow them on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

Complimentary Admission for 2 to COSI

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Born out of a trip to Chicago and a desire to reconnect with a museum that engaged and inspired him as a young man, the Center of Science and Industry was the brainchild of Mr. Sanford Hallock, II of Columbus.

Officially opened to the public on March 29th of 1964, the museum has inspired generations to learn about science and the world around them.

And for one lucky bidder at our March 10th event, it will be their turn to be inspired as we are offering, through the courtesy of COSI, a pair of passes.

COSI is located at 333 W. Broad St., in Downtown Columbus.


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2 Tickets to a Licking County Players Show

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Is it any wonder that I found this photo on a website featuring Ohio's haunted places?

According to the website, there are 2 "active areas" in the former funeral home:  the make-up room and the workshop.

Every theatre I have ever worked in has claimed at least one ghost.  I think it has more to do with the amounts of time that actors and technicians spend getting ready for a show than it does with anyone "dying on stage."

Not only does it make for a good story, but it does help to keep the audience on their toes and paying attention.  Not knowing what might "materialize" at a performance helps to enhance the magic of live theatre.

Should we make too much of the semantic similarities between specter and spectator?

For the brave of heart and the successful of bidding, we are offering two tickets, courtesy of the Licking County Players, for a production in their current season.

Coming up are:

• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) - March 22nd through April 1st.
• She Loves Me (Musical) - May 3rd through 13th
• Messiah on the Frigidaire - June 7th through 17th
• Willy Wonka, Jr. - July 19th through 29th

More information on the Licking County Players is available here.

The Licking County Players are located at 131 W. Main St. in Newark.

The Works From The Works

Championed by the late Howard LeFevre, The Works has evolved into a vibrant community center for art, education, science and history and has been one of the engines driving a revitalization of Newark's downtown.

A highlight of any visit to their facility is to stop by their glass studio and to watch their artisans blow and form glass into works of art.

One lucky bidder at this year's Java & Jazz benefit auction will have the chance to not only visit the Glass Studio, but also take home a sample of their works as we offer a one-of-a-kind gift basket.

The basket features a handmade vase and a 1-year family or grandparent membership to The Works, Central Ohio's hands-on learning, creating and doing place.

The Works is located at the corner of First and Scheidler in downtown Newark.


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You Can Find It All in the Akron/Canton Area

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Oh sure, when you think of Canton, you think about Brannon Braga and his work on multiple Star Trek television series and on the Keifer Sutherland vehicle "24."  But did you know, there are some people who associate Canton with football?

Hard to believe, but it's true.

Apparently, there is some sort of "Hall of Fame" in Canton and it's all about football.

Well, one lucky bidder and their guest, will be able to check this out for themselves.  We have two adult passes to the Hall where visitors can see artifacts from the history of the game.

Make a day of it.  Once you start looking, you never know what you might find in the Akron/Canton area.



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Welcome Park National Bank as a Java & Jazz Sponsor

We learned this afternoon that Park National Bank will be a helping us make Java & Jazz possible through their generous financial support.

We are very grateful.

Some Mid-Winter Magic

From 1956 comes this rare video of a performance by the master manipulator, Channing Pollock.

He makes it look so easy, but I can tell you from personal experience that you can tie handkerchiefs together all day long and still not get the results he was getting 56 years ago.

Moe Magic, Moe Magic

Moe Magic will be appearing at our March auction.

A Royal Lunch and Look

This photo is from the deck of the Cleveland-based Nautica Queen that cruises the lakefront and riverways providing passengers with some of the most spectacular views of that city's skyline.

All cruises include an unlimited buffet meal, coffee, tea, or iced tea, and musical entertainment (Disc Jockey or Band!)  When your relaxing cruise abord the Nautica Queen ends, more adventure awaits a the dynamic, year-round Nautica Entertainment Complex which includes the century-old, restored First Energy Powerhouse just steps away.

There might be snow covering her decks right now, but come April, the Queen will be back at work and totally ship-shape.

We are fortunate to be able to provide our auction guests with the opportunity to bid on a lunch cruise for 2 and you can leave your snow shovel at home.

All aboard.

$50 Gift Card to GFS

We are grateful to GFS for their continuing support of Java & Jazz.

Again this year, they have provided us with a gift card for the auction.  One lucky bidder will have an opportunity to shop their Heath store for a variety of prepared food items, and all manner of kitchen supplies.

Each year, when we get ready for the Eve Elliott Easter Basket project, we look to GFS for the packing supplies for the hundreds and hundreds of fruit baskets that we prepare.

GFS Heath is located at 240 Central Parkway in Heath.

Overnight Stay at Courtyard by Marriott

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Sometimes, you just need to get away.

That doesn't mean you have to leave town, but just change your surroundings.  Sometimes one night can make all the difference in the world.

Thanks to the generosity of the Newark Courtyard by Marriott, the winning bidder at this year's auction can have just that opportunity.  We are pleased to be able to offer an overnight stay for 2 in a standard Deluxe room.

The Courtyard by Marriott - Newark is located at 500 Highland Blvd. in Newark.