women-to-watch-2010

Meet Jennifer Davis - Founder of Beaded Hope

Mon, 31 May 2010 04:22:25 +0100

Beaded Hope is a wonderful non-profit organization that provides education and employment to the women of Mamelodi, South Africa. Started by Jennifer Davis, Beaded Hope continues to grow and help more South African women to provide food, vitamins, medicine, and clothing for their families. Many of these families have been impacted by the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS. Not only is the beaded jewelry hand crafted and unique, but knowing that each purchase helps these women provide basic necessities for their families makes every purchase worthwhile.

You can read more about Beaded Hope on Associated Content.

For our Women to Watch page, I wanted to learn a little bit more about Jennifer and Beaded Hope. Here's our Q&A:

What is your favorite South African dish?

Great question, especially since I love to cook! My all time favorite South African dish is called Melk Tert which is a custard-like tart with a hint of cinnamon that is served any time that you have tea. I love that it isn’t just for dessert. If you are having tea then you have an opportunity to have a piece of Melk Tert to go with it. However I have to say that Melk Tert is reserved for the people who can afford it in South Africa and, typically, the ladies that we hire at Beaded Hope have never had even a slice. Click here for the Melk Tert recipe and more.

How many times a year do you return to South Africa?

Minimally I travel to South Africa once a year but the business is growing at a rate now that I am considering going twice a year.

What has been the biggest obstacle for you with staring the Beaded Hope and how did you overcome these? Biggest joy with Beaded Hope?

The answer to both of these questions is the same: building relationships. The biggest obstacle in developing the business of Beaded Hope has been building the relationships with the ladies in South Africa. “Little” things get in the way, such as: being on 2 different continents, a 6 hour time difference, language barriers, and totally different cultures. It has taken slow, patient effort to overcome these obstacles. But I can honestly say that the relationships between the women in the US and the women in South Africa is now one of mutual friendship, love and respect and this is my greatest joy.

How much time do you spend working on Beaded Hope? Is it now your full time job?

Despite the fact that I don’t earn a salary from Beaded Hope I consider it my full-time job. I spend as much time as necessary to keep the business moving forward and growing so that we can continue to bless the ladies in South Africa. At Christmas time, when our sales rise, I can easily work more than 40 hours a week. But during the summer, when sales are a bit slower, I get to slow down and enjoy hanging out with my kids.

How many kids do you have?

I have 2 boys, Connor who is 11 and Cole who is 8. My husband Mark and I have been married for nearly 14 years. We live in West Chester, Ohio.

What is your educational background?

Don’t laugh when you read this…I received my undergrad degree from Indiana University in Quantitative Business Analysis. That is just a big, fancy way of saying that I majored in business with a concentration in computer sciences. I received my Masters degree from Xavier.

Do you have any unique interests/hobbies that your friends may not even know about?

Honestly, I think everyone knows all about my hobbies and interests. I am an amateur cook, interior designer, and jewelry designer. I voraciously read anything associated with South Africa and anything else that piques my interest. If there is an adventure to be had then I am typically first in line to sign up. My favorite thing to do is travel and I dream of one day being able to just take off on all kinds of adventures. I love hiking outdoors and go on an annual trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota with my oldest son and several extended family members every summer.

In your spare time (not associated with Beaded Hope), Jennifer can be found………

enjoying a nice glass of red wine and a book.

If you had visitors coming to Cincinnati what are the top 5 places you’d tell them to visit?

The National Underground Railroad Museum is a must.
Shanghai Mama’s Thai restaurant in downtown Cincinnati, it’s my husband’s absolute favorite restaurant (I happen to like it too).
Jungle Jim’s because I love trying new ingredients, foods and wines and you’re sure to find something new at Jungle Jim’s.
Rowe Woods Nature Center in Milford is one of my favorite places in Cincinnati to hike, the trails are so beautiful.
Go to a Reds game. My boys live and breathe baseball so a Reds baseball game would be a required stop.

What 5 things would you recommend someone do if they are visiting South Africa?

The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg is a must.
No trip to South Africa is complete without a safari at Kruger National Game Park.
For authentic local shopping for beadwork and artifacts you have to go to the open air market at the Pretoria Zoo (now my secret is out).
If you can’t actually spend some time in a township in South Africa then I would suggest a tour of Soweto. Learning even a little bit about the lives of people in the townships is very moving.
Normally I don’t suggest something “touristy” but I have to say that getting your picture taken with a lion at the Lion Park South Africa just outside of the Pilanesberg Game Park is way cool.

What suggestions do you have for newbies visiting South Africa?

My approach to travel is to do what the locals do and this would be my advice to anyone traveling to South Africa for the first time. There is so much more to see and do than what is contained in the travel brochures. Get off the beaten path, meet the local people, eat what they eat and just step into an entirely different culture. It’s a wonderful way to experience South Africa. Click here for some travel tips to South Africa.

What do you love most about Cincinnati?

I love the sense of community that we’ve been able to develop in Cincinnati. My husband and I both grew up outside of Cincinnati and it’s really important to us to develop a community where we live. Cincinnati has been a great (and easy!) place to do this.

What do you love most about Mamelodi?

This is a tough question because, despite all the challenges in Mamelodi, there is so much to love. If I had to pick only one thing I would say: joy. The level of pure joy that people in Mamelodi have is very humbling. They are a group of people that has been hit hard by poverty, disease and suffering and yet they continually teach me what it means to be joyful.

Beaded Hope
The Child Wellness Center
P.O. Box 54770
Cincinnati, Ohio 45254
Ph: (513) 943-1900
Fax: (513) 943-1904
http://www.beadedhope.com
www.facebook.com/beadedhope
www.twitter.com/beadedhope

Renee Donoghue

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:27:08 +0100

Meet local Mason mom, Renee Donoghue. Renee has two wonderful children, Tommy (15) and Hannah (9). Renee has been an active volunteer and fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ever since her youngest daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed with CF as a baby. You can read more about Renee on Associated Content.

The annual Great Strides Walk is going to be held on May 8, 2010 at Pine Hill Lakes in Mason, Ohio. If you'd like to donate for the walk, please click here for more information. The Donoghue's have raised over $125,000 in support of CF with the help of family, friends and their community. Renee is amazing. She's not only an active volunteer and fundraiser for CF, but she also works for I Supply Company, (a great supporter of CF), is a Mom of two, and coaches Hannah's softball team.

Renee has a website, www.cure4Hannah.com, where you can read more about her family's journey with Cystic Fibrosis as well as links to make a donation for the upcoming Great Strides Walk.

Here's some of the Q&A with Renee (read more about Renee on Associated Content):

Q: How long have you been married?
A: Nineteen years.

Q: How long have you lived in Mason?
A: Eleven years.

Q: What are your big fundraisers that you participate in ?
A: All the Great Strides Walks - Mason (May 8), Cincinnati (May 15) , Dayton (May 16) & Mason plus the Run Like Hell run in Cincinnati.

Q: What are the top three things your family does for fun:
A: It is baseball season and Tommy is on the Mason Freshman White team. Hannah will be playing softball.
We love to go to Reds games. We like going to movies and we like to travel to various cities to see baseball games.
We have been to Boston, Milwaukee and Chicago (White Sox and Cubs), Cleveland and a couple of minor league teams.

Q: Is there anything unique about you that your friends may not even know about?
A: I actually enjoy public speaking and will go anywhere anytime to speak about CF. I also played the saxophone in high school.

Q: Where do you work and what do you do?
A: I work for the I Supply Company in Fairborn. I am Director of Vendor Management/Merchandising. I am responsible for all negotiations with vendors, researching and marketing new products. We are the food and disposable supplier to Arby’s, Popeye’s, Cinnabon to name a few. We also sell disposables and cleaning products to a variety of local businesses in Cincinnati, Dayton plus 11 states that we deliver to. A nice family owned business.

Q: If you had visitors in from out of town, where would you tell them to visit in Cincinnati?
A: The Zoo, I love the zoo. The Cincinnati Art Museum and Kings Island.

Q: What is your favorite family restaurant and why?
A: Toot’s, the kids have something to do and when they were younger you didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone when they got a little fussy.

Meet Meredith Raffel

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:32:29 +0100

If you've been touched by the arts in Mason, Meredith Raffel, most likely had a hand in helping you. She's the Executive Director of the Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance. This year, the Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance now has an official "home base" at the beautiful Snyder house in Cottell Park (thank you Deerfield Township). You can read more about how the Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance came about by seeing my latest article on Associated Content.

MasonMetu has selected Meredith Raffel for our April "Women to Watch" for her tireless commitment to bringing the arts to Mason, Deerfield Township and our surrounding communities. Without Meredith, the annual Mason Arts Festival would not be on our calendars. You can see all the wonderful programs and events they have to offer on www.masonarts.org.

Meredith, and her husband Tim have lived in Mason for sixteen years and they have been married for twenty-two years. The have three children, Kyle (20), Erik (17) & Parker (17). My daughter and I recently got to enjoy seeing The Ohio University Singing Men of Ohio (SMO) at Christ's Church in Mason and the MDAA was the organization responsible for getting them here for a unique, uplifting and fun choral ensemble concert. The concert was free and Meredith's son, Kyle was one of the singers. Of course, I am a bit biased with anything dealing with Ohio University since I'm an alumni and so is Meredith. I'm so glad her son, Kyle, now attends the best school ever! Go Bobcats! Meredith received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism in Broadcast News from Ohio University, but thankfully her career diverted her to a different path involving the arts.

I did a little Q & A with Meredith.........

KG: "What are you top 5 art venues in Cincinnati and if you had visitor coming from out of town, what would you tell them to do?" (no specific order)

MR:

The Cincinnati Art Museum. It’s free and it’s fabulous. I love it there and find myself there often. What a treasure this facility is to the people of Cincinnati and the entire region. I love to walk through the museum, enjoy the quiet, sit on a bench and enjoy the artwork.
The Taft Art Museum. A treasure. And it’s free on Wednesdays (until May 5, after May 9 the free day is Sunday).
Playhouse in the Park. I like the intimate setting of the Playhouse. It’s fun outing and I would encourage people to walk up the hills of Mount Adams and enjoy a coffee.
Sawyer Point, Serpentine Wall and Yeatman’s Cove for some of Cincinnati’s wonderful public art displays.
I am an architecture lover so I would tell my visitor to Walk…go to Findley Market, Over-the-Rhine, Fountain Square…just walk this city and observe the most lovely architecture.
One of my favorite Cincinnati spots is Holy Cross Immaculata in Mt. Adams…it offers magnificent views and the church is lovely.

KG: "Do you have any unique interests/hobbies that your friends may not even know about?"

MR: "I’ve been secretly (well… not so secret now) writing a screenplay. There’s a sometimes book always being written, too. I’ve had a story whirling around in my head for a long time and it’s taken even longer to get it down on paper."

KG: In your spare time, Meredith can be found…

MR: "With a camera in hand taking photos. I feel most comfortable when I’m taking photographs. Photography is what keeps me balanced. OR…in the kitchen…cooking is great therapy and I love the creative process and a finished product."

Next time you're at one of our local arts events in Mason, Meredith is probably somewhere near by. If you see her, please pass along your appreciation for all that she has done to enhance our art programming in our hometown.

The Starfish Academy LLC - A Special Needs Support School in Mason, Ohio

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:28:25 +0100

The Starfish Academy LLC is a wonderful school in Mason, Ohio that helps special needs children. Mitra Roberts is a great addition to our Women to Watch feature. She's not only the director, primary teacher and loving advocate for her exceptional students but she is continually striving to update her skills. She is in the process of obtaining her Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and is working toward becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Mitra and her husband Craig have lived in the same house in Mason for over twenty years and have three beautiful children, Alex, Emma & Sally. Sally is an exceptional child herself and is one of the reasons Mitra decided to initially be a stay-at-home Mom. But, in order to do this, she had to open a daycare in her home to help with finances. The day care experience as well as having Sally broadened her horizons and made her rethink how can you educate a special needs child and tap into all of their unique and wonderful abilities. Special needs students seemed drawn to Mitra and in 2003, The Starfish Academy made its debut. Currently there are openings in the morning and afternoon "skills group" sessions for kids ages 3 to 6 years. Mitra also offers before and after school care for students in first through ninth grade. She also facilitates a social skills group for high functioning autistic women and there are currently some openings.

Please see my article on Associated Content for more information on Mitra and The Starfish Academy.

The Starfish Academy
Mitra Roberts, Director
7060 Cheyenne Way
Mason, Ohio 45040
513-398-8332
513-678-6858
info@thestarfishacademy.com

Meet Lynne Wilkinson of The Gracious Giving Network

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:28:35 +0100

Lynne & Bill Wilkinson started the Gracious Giving Network over seven years ago after trying to donate a couch to a local women's shelter. The shelter was thrilled to have the items but could not accept them since they had no place to store large items and no means of delivering them. This is how Lynne & Bill got started. They knew that they could help by delivering the items. The GGN is an all volunteer effort and Lynne & Bill rely on a fantastic network of friends and family to help spread the word when a mother is ready to leave a local shelter. They work closely with the Abuse & Rape Crisis Center of Warren County to fulfill the "wish list" of the woman who is leaving the shelter. This is usually a quick process so having the Wilkinson's coordinate the requested items, pick them up and then deliver them is something to be commended. The items donated are tax-deductible and the Abuse & Rape Crisis Center of Warren County will provide you will a receipt for tax purposes.

The shelter can not accept large furniture donations or bedding but many times the families need these items. The GGN is able to pick up these items to deliver to the families, but they are also limited on how much they can accept due to space constraints on where to keep the donated items. If you know of any local businesses that have extra warehouse space, then please contact the Wilkinsons via email at blmkc@cinci.rr.com or call them at (513) 398-1583.

Please read more about Lynne Wilkinson and the Gracious Giving Network on Associated Content.