Get ready to go wild with the Toledo Children’s Hospital Foundation, as it hosts its annual event, Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg, to benefit a new community-wide autism initiative. Going Wild for Kids! features a live and silent auction, as well as a raffle for a one-week stay in a beachside condo on the island of Kauai, HI.
The event benefits a new autism initiative to bring together local health care organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and parents of children with autism to improve access to much-needed services and support.
Cassie Basting, director of TCH’s autism program, says, “We believe this initiative will unlock the potential of children with autism spectrum disorder, enrich their lives and empower parents.”
Tickets for Going Wild for Kids! are $150. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 419-291-5463.
Wild about you
Seeing stars
The Gliding Stars of Greater Toledo shows off their skills at the annual Ice Show on Sunday, March 28 at Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter Sports. The program provides weekly adaptive ice-skating lessons, equipment, and on-ice volunteer support to people with physical, mental, emotional, or multiple challenges. The Stars learn important skills like balance, coordination, endurance, strength and self-esteem, in addition to the chance to make friends and develop socially. Don’t miss your opportunity to see and support these Stars on the ice at this special event! For more information, visit www.glidingstars.org/toledo.html.
419-882-1582.
Sharing the art of dance— one step at a time
“I’ve been dancing since I was 5,” said Tenethia Beamon, owner of Beamon DANCE studio, along with her operating manager, Connie Hicks. The studio opened this past December and is located on the second floor of the St. James Club on Bancroft. “It was amazing. It (the facility) was exactly what we were looking for,” said Beamon.
The new studio offers classes in tap, jazz, ballet, point, jazz technique, and hip hop. With Beamon’s formal training and her performing background, she brings much experience and expertise to her students. “When I was 19 I was on tour with Aretha Franklin,” said Beamon. She also made it to Las Vegas for the reality show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Aside from Beamon having many years of teaching experience, the other instructors at Beamon DANCE have a combined 25 years of teaching experience.
Along with teaching various classes at the studio, Beamon is the competition instructor as well. It’s no wonder — she began competition dance at age 7. “Competition was the best thing that could have ever happened to me,” she said.
Classes are available for beginners, intermediate, and advanced, and for children as young as 3. More information on Beamon DANCE, classes, and instructors can be found on their website, www.beamondance.com, or contact Tenethia Beamon at 419-377-0297.
Toledo’s shining star
The Toledo area may already know that the Lourdes College Appold Planetarium offers an out-of-this-world experience, but now families throughout the state are learning about this beautiful gem. The Planetarium was recently named “Best Place to See the Stars” by Ohio Magazine. Dr. Laura Megeath, Planetarium Coordinator, says, “I’m so pleased that the Appold Planetarium received this award. This is such an exciting time for astronomy and Lourdes Planetarium is the ideal destination for teaching and learning about the latest discoveries and space missions.”
Renovated in 2006, The Planetarium features SciDome, a single projector fulldome video system, with astronomical detail and teaching capabilities. Head to www.lourdes.edu/appold to see what programs the stars have in store.
The race is on!
The YMCA/JCC’s annual Scholarship Campaign is already in full swing! This year’s theme is The Amazing Race to Make a Big Difference and will run through Wednesday, March 10. Staff and approximately 1,000 volunteers are working to raise $2 million to help fund programs at every local YMCA facility and Jewish Community Center. The campaign is open to any member of the community who would like to help fund scholarships for more than 70,000 individuals to participate in programs like camps, child care, spiritual development programs and Splash, a free program that teaches 3,500 young people each year water safety and basic swimming skills. For more information, head to www.ymcatoledo.org.
Safe feeding
Due to growing concerns of the safety of BPA plastic and other chemicals in plastic bottles, O-I resumed production of glass baby bottles in the summer of 2008. Since then, O-I has partnered with two Toledo-area hospitals, Mercy St. Charles and Flower Hospital, providing more than 1,000 bottles, free of charge, to new mothers. While the debate surrounding the safety of BPA continues, O-I assures that glass is the only 100 percent pure, all-natural packaging material. It can be frozen and heated without risking the transfer of harmful chemicals, and is made of abundant, renewable resources that can be endlessly recycled without loss of quality or purity. O-I and its hospital partners encourage breastfeeding first and foremost; mothers’ milk can be pumped directly into the glass bottles for safe storage. For more information, visit www.healthybabybottle.com.