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Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Guest Contributor

Dayton’s Newest Mural Celebrates Dayton Firefighters

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Dayton’s incredible artist Tiffany Clark has done it again. Another incredible work of art and in her own words she tells us about this project:

“The Incredible History of Dayton Firefighters Union 136” is now complete. It is located on Buckeye with the timeline starting near Main Street and Ending on Warren (Brown Street).

The idea has taken almost two years to come to fruition. The theme was a collective idea between firefighter/medics and the artist. It is their history.. our history.. reimagined in the style of the Golden Era of Comics.


Most of these heroes are a part of someone’s worst day.. when we’re hurt, scared, and in need they are there to help. They are a part of our history and our memories. But they wanted to be a part of a beautiful memory for this city .. experienced through paint. They want you to see they’re just big kids, with big hearts that wanna make a difference everyday. Here are finished images in the correct timeline, but it’s always a wonderful experience to see public art in person and to scale.


On Thanksgiving we will be launching a website to sell prints of the panels and a comic poster version. Part of the funds will be going to the FF Union 136. They always do so much to give back to this city. 2020 has been especially rough on them for many reasons.. medics during a pandemic, lower funds, and loss of two firefighters this year. So be on the look out for that opportunity to give back and put a piece of Dayton history in your home or as a gift.


Thank you to Station11 for hosting me and being so kind. Thank you to Jimmy and Boomer for being my buddies and muses. Thank you Bryan Stewart for getting this going.. there’s a Dalmatian for you. 😉 Thank you to all of the volunteers who were able to add time, talent, and paint: Atalie Gagnet, Leslea Hipp, Sheena Whittemore, Amy Kollar Anderson, Tabitha Peters-Guidone, Laura Ess, Margie Harrell, Sophia Carey, Sarah Richard, Jordyn Grant, Lillian Herbert, and Jordan Freshour(for rolling out those first panels and for photos).”

 

Gem City Podcast R.I.P.

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When I started podcasting in 2012, I couldn’t find any podcasts about Dayton. Today if you search “Dayton” or “Dayton, Ohio”, a lot of podcasts are available. That makes me happy.

I started podcasting in 2012 with “Tales From The Hardside”, about my life growing up in East Dayton. That quickly became something more than I could have expected. I ended the podcast at episode 313 in 2018.

In 2013 I became a contributor to Gem City Podcast. Eric Ruiz started the podcast and contacted me before he released any podcasts. I advised him, but he had someone set it up.

In 2015, Eric told the group of people working on the podcast he was leaving town. He turned the podcast over to us. At that time it was myself, Libby Ballengee, Mark DaGrossa, and Scott Epic. We had help behind the scenes with Josh Gwin and David Sparks. 

Scott Epic & Izzy Rock are in the Oregon District doing “gonzo” style podcasting while they pub craw

My thought was the podcast should be a local audio magazine, similar to a ‘zine. I wanted three episodes a week that covered various topics.

Monday would be “Community Conversations” with Libby and Mark having long form conversations with personalities, politicians, police, professors, businesses, authors, filmmakers, comics, and also release some important discussions of redlining, disinvestment of West Dayton, and so many more historical conversations. I welcomed Libby to have full creative control of her episodes and would never censor her. It was an honor to edit her podcasts.

On Wednesday’s, I wanted to do Storyteller episodes and cover the local music and podcast community. Offering a voice and support to any and all, uncensored. We featured artists releasing new albums, we did live shows from Sideshow and Miami Valley Music Fest, and during that time I invested researching the various musical communities. I was proud that we gave a voice to hundreds of different musical artists in this historic area for music. 

When it came to podcasting, I didn’t believe in competition. I wanted community. I welcomed local podcasters, wanted to showcase them to the community. I hosted two Dayton Podfests, and a podcast workshop. I began listening in 2006 and they changed my life.

Mark DaGrossa, Libby Ballengee and “Izzy Rock”

I found a local podcast called, You Can’t Make This Up with DJ Killa Kev and Kev Nash of HOT 102.9 and invited them to release their show on our feed for our Friday episode. I believed if we were going to be about Dayton, we needed diversity in our audio magazine. Those guys would release their podcast on Sunday and then it would drop in our feed on Friday. They covered sports, pop culture, and we’re a welcome voice to the community. I love those dudes and thank them for the years of partnership. 

We won Best Local Podcast, I was named Daytonian of the Week, I was respected by my peers, and even Joe Rogan followed me on Twitter. I have influenced many people to podcast and if you’re reading this and want to do it, do it.

We made no money from the podcast because of how it was set up. We did have a GoFund me that raised a little bit of money, but we spent way more of our time and money putting content out because we love this community and believe in the people of Dayton and Southwest Ohio. We inherited the podcast, but did not have the email and phone number associated with the website host GoDaddy.

On the morning of August 10, 2020 I tried uploading Episode 900 and the website was down.

After reaching out to the person who set up the podcast, I was told that they no longer work in IT and could contact GoDaddy, but without the email and phone number of the website or at least someone willing to be on the other end of those, I could not get the website up and running.

I contacted the creator of the podcast for the info and was told, “no idea. social media is social conditioning and virtue signaling thru attention seeking. with countless studies of how it’s actually hurting people i can no longer allow myself to aid in the corruption of other humans, even when the majority of those humans are hypocritical hive minded sheep. good luck. I’m not sure who this is, and I’m not giving another second of my energy to anything on a screen. I got out for a reason. If you need a hug let me know. Sorry for being rude, but I’ve seen enough truths to know which side I wanna be on when this game comes to an end. peace.”

So that’s it. We can’t release a podcast right now and to be honest, we had flirted with stopping at Episode 937 since that’s the area code for the area.

I’m a bit burned out after releasing nearly 1400 podcasts since 2013. I’m not done podcasting by any means and I bought the LLC for Gem City Podcast a year or so ago. And you can still stream those podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Overcast. I could never get on Spotify because of the email situation.

So here we are, the end of an era of Dayton Podcasting. We’re not sure if we’ll return, Libby and myself are effectively ending the current version of Gem City Podcast. We love all of you. We loved having conversations with you. We loved sharing your music and projects and giving a community a voice.

I still love the local music scene. Like a lot. I’ve made some wonderful friends and some legendary memories. I hope 2020 and what we’re all going through makes us all stronger and better off. Please be kind to each other and especially yourself.

Thank you to all the people who made this kid from East Dayton who was inspired by the local scene in the 80’s and 90’s that was being covered by Spin magazine and producing artists like Guided By Voices and Braniac, feel part of the scene.

Terry @TheIzzyRock Martin

Citizen-Led Initiative is Re-Imagining Policing and Public Safety

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A citizen-led initiative to re-imagine policing and public safety has begun as a part of the Re-Imagining America initiative that was launched last month. The present policing model places unrealistic expectations upon police officers and magnifies our community’s inability to address social ills that are often outside the context of policing. Piecemeal solutions, tweaking here and there, promises of better training, and recruiting for more diversity will not accurately address the inequitable structure and culture that prohibits effective relationships between police and community.

The recent protests and acts of civil disobedience are reminders of a need for the community to approach public safety differently. We believe there is a better way to serve and protect our communities. The beginning of that process is to seek input from community members, as we work together to create a framework that equitably addresses the personal and public safety needs of the citizens of the Dayton region.

Re-Imagining Policing / Re-Imagining Public Safety is being led by local subject matter experts, citizens and Social Justice advocates, It is the beginning of what will become a community conversation and co-creation process. Phase 1 of the process begins with the release of a DRAFT Framework and Policing Survey, both of which can be found ​here​. Over the next month, volunteers will begin accepting and curating community input and reaching out to those interested in participating in Phase 2. Phase 2, a series of town hall style collaborative conversations based upon the input of the policing survey results, ​will formulate recommendations, that will be made public and shared with police departments within the Metropolitan Statistical Areas of; Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Preble counties.

“This Re-Imagining Policing project is starting with a clean sheet of paper. It offers a tremendous opportunity for citizens to participate in the process of creating a Department of Well-Being and Public Safety. The expectation is to create an organization that reflects a true partnership between the community and the government, of, by and for the people. Historically, policing, its policies, procedures, and discipline existed without much community input, we aim to change that. The creation of the Department of Well-Being and Public Safety is not about defunding the police but rather creating an organization that meets the needs of the entire community,” stated Peter Benkendorf, founder of The Collaboratory and one of the co-creators of the Re-Imagining America initiatives.

Re-Imagining America: Dayton, Ohio was borne out of the September 2018 Frontline/ProPublica documentary “Left Behind America”. The documentary featured Dayton as a manifest example of what has happened to too many great American cities and the people who live there as a result of our current socio-economic model… they have been behind or in many cases left out. Housed at ​The Collaboratory​, Dayton’s independent, non-profit civic innovation lab, Re-Imagining America seeks to build a more equitable and thriving community by focusing on eight Action Areas: Regional Economy/Employment, Education, Environment, Health and Wellness, Housing, Justice, Media and Transportation.

WSU Foundation Welcomes New Trustees

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The Wright State University Foundation has appointed six new trustees to its board, effective July 1.

Samia Borchers

Samia Borchers, M.D., a dermatologist in solo, private practice since 1984, was a member of the Wright State University Medical School charter class of 1980. She is a past president of both the Montgomery County Medical Society and the Ohio Dermatology Association. She has also been awarded Dermatologist of the Year in Ohio. She is a past chair of the Wright State University Academy of Medicine and is a current board member of the Discover Classical public radio station. Borchers has established an endowed scholarship for students in the Boonshoft School of Medicine.

Lauren Macgregor

Lauren Macgregor is a graduate student in Wright State University’s Student Affairs in Higher Education Program. She will be one of two Wright State students serving on the Foundation Board of Trustees.

 

 

 

Gary McCullough

Gary McCullough, a private investor, is a 1981 graduate of Wright State University. For more than 30 years, McCullough served in executive and board positions for such leading companies as TransDigm Group, Inc., The Sherwin Williams Company, Career Education Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and The Procter & Gamble Company.

 

Hernan Olivas

Hernan Olivas is CEO and president of O’Neil & Associates. Olivas has been with ONEIL, a technical publications and training materials firm, for more than 17 years. He serves on the board of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the board of advisors for the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science.

 

Randy Phillips

Randy Phillips is senior vice president for corporate development at Leidos, Inc. Phillips, a 1982 graduate of Wright State University, has held multiple executive roles at Boeing Company, TASC, Computer Sciences Corporation and Alcoa. He most recently served at Ellucian as senior vice president for corporate development.

 

Sharon Honaker Rab

Sharon Honaker Rab is an educator, writer and community activist. Rab taught English for a combined 47 years at Kettering Fairmont High School, Miami University and the University of Dayton. She received a Master of Education in Curriculum and Supervision from Wright State University in 1975. Rab founded the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the only literary prize honoring the power of literature to promote peace in the country.

“We are honored to welcome these outstanding business and community leaders from the Dayton region and beyond,” said Scott Rash, president and CEO of the Wright State University Foundation. “We appreciate their willingness to volunteer their time and talents to the Wright State University Foundation Board of Trustees. They will provide outstanding service to the foundation, the university and our students.”

The foundation board is also bidding a fond farewell to three trustees. Sonja Wolf, an MBA student who recently graduated; Stephen Hightower, president and CEO of Hightower Petroleum; and Barbara Duncombe, a partner at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP, will end their board terms on June 30.

“We are grateful to Sonja, Stephen and Barbara for their contributions,” said Rash. “They all have tremendous passion for Wright State University and our students. Even though they will no longer be serving on the foundation board, I know they will continue to support our students and serve as ambassadors for our great university.”

This article written by By .

Guest Post: Racism is a Public Health Crisis

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This morning Selena Burks Rentschler went to the OH Statehouse to testify in favor of the resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis. Over 200 people submitted written statements for today’s hearing.  She didn’t get the chance to read her  statement. They were running behind and she was way way way down on the list. But next week she’s planning to attend the second hearing for this resolution and hopefully she’ll have the opportunity to read it then.

Written Testimony for Resolution: Racism as a Public Health Crisis and to ask for a working group to promote racial equity in Ohio.

Today, I come here to express my solidarity as a citizen with Sen. Hearcel Craig, Sen, Sandra Williams, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and other Legislators who support the passage of this historical resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis statewide.

I have been an Ohioan all of my life. I was born and raised in Cleveland, attended college and earned my BFA from Wright State University in Dayton, became a wife and mother in Cincinnati and I sit here today as a new resident of Columbus.

I am here to testify and bear witness to the racism I have experienced on an interpersonal, social, institutional and structural level which has directly impacted my physical, psychological and emotional health. Among those health impacts are physician diagnosed Hypertension, PTSD, Depression and Anxiety.

For those of you who doubt that racism is a public health crisis, hear me out. Racism is a plague that has followed me everywhere I go, in all stages of my life. I have been confronted with racism from educators, medical professionals, neighbors, and law enforcement. Constantly being told that my voice had no power, and that I had no place in any of these spaces, has been a major hazard to my health and the health of millions of Black Americans in this state and the US as a whole.

I know what it feels like to be treated with less respect than a dog by a White kindergarten teacher in a predominately white suburban school. At the age of 5, she treated me like a burden and bullied me into silence.

I know what it feels like to be a child and afraid to go outside and play because white neighbors are calling my sister and me animals and niggers and yelling at us to go back to Africa.

I know what it’s like to experience extreme poverty, homelessness and food insecurity. Because my mother didn’t have access to the mental health resources she needed to help her navigate her trauma, she self-medicated through drug abuse. My mother’s trauma became my trauma.

I know what it’s like to be a foster youth, trapped in an overstretched system that’s unable to give foster youth the tools they desperately need to establish a successful start to adulthood. If it wasn’t for my foster mother cultivating in me a love of education and showing me how to grow into womanhood, I would have been lost.

As a Black woman, the shadow of racism still follows me. I’ve had college professors declare that because I’m Black, I’m less intelligent and am incapable of writing at a university level. I’ve walked into breakrooms at places of employment and felt the unspoken threat that as a Black woman I needed to shrink who I am because I wasn’t welcomed there.

I’ve been harassed by local law enforcement because I’m a Black woman – pulled over without probable cause, ticketed in accidents I didn’t cause, followed by cruisers to the driveway of a home I own, without any explanation why.

I have endured White doctors refusing to take my health concerns seriously when I was pregnant with my daughter. I had to go through five doctors in five months and lose over 20 pounds to eventually be put on bed rest with home IVs before I was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum. I have repeatedly had doctors dismiss my health concerns since. The sting of not being heard, of not having my pain taken seriously never fades.

Neither does the memory of my Mother’s final days. I was 23, it was right before Christmas, and I took my mother to the hospital because she was having complications caused by her Multiple Sclerosis. This was in Cleveland and I lived in Dayton, so my mother encouraged me to go back home after she was admitted. She was under the impression that she would receive some fluids and be discharged in a day or so. I left my contact information with the staff at the hospital, planning to return in a week.

When days passed and I hadn’t heard from my mom or the hospital, I returned to Cleveland sooner than planned. I walked into my mother’s hospital room and saw the awful shape she was in. Her legs and arms were covered with large blood clots and she was jaundiced. Not one doctor had thought to call me to tell me about my mother’s condition and by the time I had any chance to advocate for my mother’s health and treatment it was too late. She died two days later.

As a mother of a Black daughter I have already begun a lifelong conversation about how her brown skin and curly hair will have a direct impact on her life. To explain to her how an educated, accomplished Black woman can still, in the year 2020, be treated as a second-class citizen in this country. I can’t go for a jog without feeling anxious. My heart jumps when I see a police cruiser drive right behind me. I can’t even feel safe getting pizza from a local restaurant without feeling the threat of white supremacy. And some say, with a straight face, that racism isn’t a public health crisis? Would those of you who disagree ever trade places with me and live the life I have lived and still live?

So I implore you to ask yourselves what side of history do you want to be on when our children’s children look back and judge us? The whole country is watching this moment. Now is the time to take Black suffering seriously. To defund police departments who over police Black communities and invest those funds in mental health resources for children of color who are experiencing adult trauma. To combat glaring disparities in health outcomes for Black Americans. The list is expansive, the road is long and there’s a lot to do, but the first step is to acknowledge the pain and destruction that racism has caused to Black lives in Ohio. Take this first step and pass this resolution into law. It is the humane thing to do.

I’d like to thank the members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus for introducing this resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis on a statewide level. And thank you to Rep. Stephanie Howse for posting information about this hearing on social media. It’s because of her post that I am here and able to share my support of this resolution. Thank you.

Selena Burks-Rentschler is an award-winning filmmaker, foster-youth advocate, professional public speaker, film accountant, and now, screenwriter. Her stories reflect her harrowing childhood in and out of foster care and feature strong, self-reliant and creative female characters. Continuing to defy the odds, Selena earned her M.F.A. in screenwriting from David Lynch Cinematic Arts graduate program at the Maharishi University of Management.

Journalist Ron Rollins-Now Retired!

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Ron’s last photo from the Dayton Daily News.

Ron Rollins didn’t go to work today. And he won’t be going tomorrow either,  but we couldn’t let the newly retired journalist off the hook before we gave him one last assignment. We asked him to write about himself:

 

What brought you to Dayton?

I arrived at the Dayton Daily News in December 1986 as an assistant metro editor, working nights handling editing and rewrites on breaking and local news, part of a very talented team of about 6 other editors. Worked from 1 to 10 p.m. on the third floor of our old building at Fourth and Ludlow downtown (now gone; sigh), and it was a great way to learn the city, its stories and people. I worked very closely with my friend Vince McKelvey, who was the other nightside editor with me and who was an amazing mentor and teacher, a fabulous word editor and really taught me all about Dayton, its history and how it worked. He retired years ago, and I attribute a good deal of my success at the DDN to him.

I’ve been fortunate all my life to have great mentors at the times I’ve needed them. At the DDN, I’ve also been able to work with a long line of incredible and fabulously talented, creative journalists, some of the best in the nation. It’s been a gift and I treasure it.

 

Ron many moons ago!

What have your job titles over the years been:

Gosh, a lot. Rather than just dump a resume or CV, I went from assistant metro editor to some other local news editing after a few years, then became the Arts & Entertainment editor, a job I had for a long time and which I truly loved. We had much fun covering the local arts scene, from clubs to the DPO. I wrote a lot, learned a ton (Jazz! Hip-hop! Opera! Impressionism!) and did a weekly arts column that ran on Sundays. Eventually I also become the editor of the Life daily features section, and eventually an assistant managing editor, then one of 3 managing editors who ran the paper. I was usually in charge of features, arts, the photo desk, sports – all the fun stuff, basically. Eventually I helped run our company’s operations in Butler and Warren counties, which then consisted of two daily and six weekly papers, and was editor there. I came back to the Dayton Daily News about 12 years ago to run the opinion section, which we reframed as the Ideas & Voices community and opinion pages that we have today. I’ve had a variety of senior-editor type titles over the last few years; I use old business cards as book marks. During the recent decade when the DDN was aligned with WHIO TV and radio, I had the good luck to be able to do a weekly radio interview show, “Miami Valley Voices,” which I greatly enjoyed – so, add “radio host,” which I never thought I’d get to call myself.

 

 

Tell us about some of the changes you’ve seen in newspapers over the years?

Well, the big obvious one everyone knows about is the advent of and the move to online and digital journalism, which has been a massive change in every aspect of the business. In terms of content, reporting and getting information to readers, it’s been an amazing and wonderful boon, and a lot of fun. In terms of advertising, it’s been a catastrophic hit to the original business model of how newspapers made money, and you’ve seen the results – local news everywhere is on the ropes, trying its best to stay afloat. Here in Dayton, we have done a better job than in many markets of holding our ground, keeping up quality and managing our resources in a way that works best for our company, our staff and our customers. This community is very, very lucky to have Cox and the Dayton Daily News, and I hope and pray it will continue to support the newspaper as it has.

 

Is there a story you’ve felt particularly proud of putting out there? 

That’s a toughie. So many. The biggest stories I was part of were our coverage of the two-week prison riot in Lucasville, about 25 years ago, which I managed on site, and I was lucky enough to be near Centennial Park in Atlanta the night the terrorist bomb went off, and me and two friends got the big national story on that, back in 1996 – an actual “stop the presses” moment. It was scary, and sad, but also, I must admit, thrilling.

I’d say the stuff I enjoyed covering the most in general would be all the arts stories over the 10 years or so I was a part of that. I wrote a lot about the Dayton Art Institute and the local visual arts and music scenes, and really learned a lot and liked it.

Also, I had the chance with the DDN to produce and edit several books about Dayton history – “For the Love of Dayton,” “Dayton Ink,” and “Gentlemen Amateurs,” plus some others, and I still see them around town on shelves. That’s kinda cool. Few papers would have given me a chance like that.

 

Tell us about someone you met through your DDNews work that has become a friend?

All of you! Honestly, journalism is a business that gives you daily, endless opportunities to meet and get to know many, many fascinating and wonderful people – it’s the nature of the biz. A lot of journos say they got into the business because they love to write; I got into it because I enjoyed meeting new people and talking to them. I love interviewing people and getting to know how and why they tick. I’ve made many friends here over the years, and many other close acquaintances that I enjoy keeping in touch with – through the paper and also through the various boards and community organizations I’ve been part of as well over the years. That’s a long list of organizations, by the way, which is probably another story.

 

Ron painting with his grandson Duffy.

What do you envision your perfect day in retirement to look like?

Hmm, looking forward to finding out. I’m hoping I’ll be able to do more hikes in the woods, read even more books, write more poetry, have lunch with folks I’ve been meaning to catch up with, make dinner for my lovely wife a bit earlier in the day, and spend time in my Kettering studio making more art than I’ve had a chance to recently. Oh, and naps.

 

Fighting for charity in KnockOut

What advice you’d give others about getting along in Dayton?

Well, it’s been said a million times before by smarter people that Dayton is a semi-big small town (I like to call it a small town with two tall buildings that aren’t very tall), and that makes it a place where you can get things done quickly and well because it’s easy to connect with a lot of people in a meaningful way. Everyone knows everyone, and is happy to take their call, and say “yes,” if they can. It’s a place, too, where if you want to try something creative or a bit odd, folks will give you a shot and generally be encouraging. It’s meant a lot to me, for instance, that when I tentatively toe-dipped into the local arts community as a painter after years of having covered it, and was fairly shy about doing so, I found a lot of positive encouragement that was quite wonderful, and kept me going. People here are so nice. These things are of course true for lots of other communities, too, but I like the way it works here – our brand and flavor of it. It’s what I know. It’s one of the reasons we stayed.

 

Anything else you’d like to share….

My wife, Amy, also works at the paper and isn’t ready to retire yet; she and I raised two wonderful kids here (both grown now) and have loved our time in Dayton and Kettering (where we live and our kids went to school) and the whole area, and have never regretted that we chose this as a place to live and stay. It’s a great place to be and to make a home, and we consider ourselves lucky.

One of my favorite pictures of Ron, when he ran the Clothes That Work Hunks in Heels evetns!

 

We wish you all the best as you create new adventures Ron!

Having A Bucket List Could Increase Your Productivity

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How often do you spend a little time thinking about (or pursuing) items on your bucket list? Do you even have one? Most of us have some things we’d like to do or accomplish in life, and some actually write a formal list on paper. Others have a list in their head. Often, the bucket list resides in our personal lives, but having one in our professional lives can make us better leaders.

But before we explore that, do you realize that, by definition and logic, if you have a bucket list, you’re thinking about dying? That may seem morbid. But in fact, it’s a good thing to think about what you want to do before you die.

In their 2016 “Book of Joy,” the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu instruct us to consider our own mortality. They rightly contend that this will bring a sense of urgency, perspective and gratitude. Author and pastor Andy Stanley (2014a) similarly tells us that “priority determines capacity.” He points to an ancient Jewish text (Psalm 90) that says, “teach us to number our days” in order to achieve wisdom. “Numbering your days” is thinking about how long you have to live — just as the bucket list has us thinking about specific things that we want to do while we’re still alive. This can be powerful in helping us focus attention both at home and work.

Stanley also challenges us to “compound our minutes” (2014b), noting:

  1. There is a cumulative value to investing small amounts of time in certain activities over a long period. (e.g., exercise; spending time with family; mentoring a new coworker or student)
  2. Neglect is cumulative as well. (e.g., exercise; personal finances; not spending time with family; not sharing your life experiences; not fulfilling leadership opportunities when they arise)
  3. There is no cumulative value to the random things we opt for over the important things. (e.g., surfing the internet; micromanaging instead of delegating)

But if we’re attentive to the limited time we have, we can use it more effectively, and we can accomplish things that really matter. And as leaders, we simultaneously model this approach and behavior for others.

So how does all this come together?

A bucket list reminds us that we have only a limited amount of time here on this earth. Again, that’s not morbid. It’s simply a fact of life. So by holding that in mind, or even occasionally giving it serious thought, we can begin to be more deliberate about prioritizing the most important things in life. That prioritization allows us to say “no” to items of less importance, allowing us to free up time for what really matters. As noted, this increases focus both at home and the office. Prioritization increases capacity.

So do you want to get more done? Do you want to increase your capacity? Make a bucket list. Try having one for home (personal life) and one for work (professional life). Write down those items that are most important — ones you really want to accomplish. Then, start numbering your days. Follow the advice of the Dalai Lama, Bishop Tutu and Andy Stanley. Consider your mortality. I think you’ll be glad you did. If you’re mentoring someone, teaching a class, or leading a team, challenge them with this idea as well.

I might add: There’s a potential added bonus: you just might have some fun (and have time for) checking off one or two of those bucket-list items as well.

WRITTEN BY

Brian Raison Brian Raison, PhD

As first appeared on the Lead Read Today Blog

For additional reference / reading:

Dalai Lama XIV, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. New York: Avery, 2016.

Stanley, Andy (Nov. 15, 2014). Time Of Your Life 2 – At Capacity. Available at: https://youtu.be/mIsnLZqmk_4

Stanley, Andy (Nov. 15, 2014). Time Of Your Life 3 – Compounding Minutes. Available at: https://youtu.be/YomJ6TUXChM

A day in the life of The Winds Chef Roland Eliason

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It’s 9:30. I set the alarm on the back door and take one last look around a dark kitchen that just faintly glimmers with all the stainless I know is there. No worries. Come morning time she will hum again as MK starts the bread baking and prep for the sweets that adorn our ever changing menu. There will be no moss on the rolling stone that is The Winds.

Essential employees they called us. Granted we had the option to work or not. How could we not work. Kitchens are all we know. We cook for people. Sharing all the good things we come across is why we work tirelessly and tediously day in and day out. Lettuce is finally back. Asparagus season is here! 5 weeks. Thats it.

Unfortunately it seems not a single stalk will likely be served in the dining room. The same dining room that now has a fine layer of dust on it from being idle for so long. The last two butts to warm chairs there were an impromptu dinner for my daughters 2 days after everything came to a halt. They had quiche.
The thing that gnaws at me the most is how do we use this absurdly disruptive event to catapult us onto the way we want to live. I for one am quite enjoying the longer hours with my girls in the morning and better connections with my guests. It sucks not having access to all the usual products from my purveyors but we are cooking even more with what we get from farmers than before. The menus change every two or three days. It is really quite fun. I do miss putting food on plates. The togo boxes just dont complete the aesthetic.


Can we not shed the trappings we have shown we do not need. Everyone that wants to work should have the opportunity. I will never deny that to anyone. We could do with a few more ranchers and farmers in my opinion. I would love to have a good butcher around. Or a cheese monger.


Tipping should die with this pandemic. I hate the practice all together. Hospitality is a profession. Professionals shouldn’t have to work for tips. You may see a slight raise in menu prices. I would rather that than continue to have my guests feel obligated to give my staff monetary compensation after paying for my product. I hope we can find a way to make this reality.


3 guidelines:

Take care of each other
Aint nothin that damn serious
There is always time for a beer

The Winds Café

215 Xenia Ave
Yellow Springs, Ohio
(937) 767-1144
Updated dinner menu
www.windscafe.com/dinner

New Website Providing FREE E-Commerce Storefronts to Local Artists

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Times of crisis can act as a stimulus for the creative spirit. COVID-19 is no exception.

Art by Amy Kollar Anderson

Spending more time in his home office, Mile Two VP of Engineering and Code for Dayton co-Captain Dave Best really began to notice his bare walls. Our #DaytonStrong resilience has been demonstrated by our giving to the COVID-19 fund at The Dayton Foundation to our support for our essential workers, from healthcare to those working in grocery and drug stores to those delivering our mail and packages. Many Daytonians have made an extra effort to support our local restaurants by ordering carry-out or delivery, or purchasing growlers of locally-brewed craft beer. Musicians, on their own or through venues like The Old Yellow Cab, have set up virtual concerts where the audience can donate online.


TwinEbonyUrns by Katie Clark Gabbard



After staring at the walls, the obvious question was “What about our visual artists”? Aren’t they essential to helping bring beauty and meaning to our lives? How can the community help support them at a time when the studios, galleries, coffee shops and restaurants where they typically show their work are closed?

Drying by Eva Lewis

I have known Dave 5+ years. He reached out to me last Friday because on my connections in the art community and because The Collaboratory’s reputation for incubating projects from ideas to action. He  wanted to know if I thought it was feasible. I said hell yes and jumped right in. 

The idea behind Essential Artists Dayton is to offer a FREE (at least through May 30) platform for Dayton visual artists to set up an online storefront. And by FREE, we mean 100% of sales, less any processing charges, goes to the artists. In addition to putting this out to my artists friends and the major artist organization, I specifically reached out to artist Megan Fiely. We met when she came back to town, but really connect when she started raising Tornado Relief funds from the local community of artists. She have been helpful in the co-creation process, beta testing the storefront set-up and getting the word out.

Dayton Arcade by Matt Blair



All art purchased through Essential Artists Dayton will be available for pick-up at The Collaboratory, Monday – Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM or by appointment. The exchange will be made while practicing appropriate social distancing. The Collaboratory is located at 114 West First Street, Suite B, in Talbott Tower.

 
Currently eight storefronts are live and 10 sales have already been completed.
This guest post contributed by Peter Benkendorf, Founder & Catalyst of The Collaboratory

Own A Piece of Dayton History!

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On social media, we are seeing daily examples of small local business reaching out to their peers. We see it in innovative partnerships and heartfelt pivots to keep our local restaurants intact. It is the embodiment of #DaytonStrong.

As for the Century—our help has come from the Windsor Companies, other Fire Blocks District businesses, our dear friends at The Idea Collective, and all of you who have so generously ordered from our website.

Months ago we struggled with the hard decision to part with our original neon sign. But as we made way for the future and updated our brand, it just didn’t fit who we are today. Our dear friends at The Idea Collective(TenderMercy//Sueno) originally purchased it with the promise of trying to keep it in Dayton.

Then the world turned upside down. As most of you know we were closed for 32 days for construction and only allowed to remain open for six weeks before we had to shut down again because of the Coronavirus. We want to thank Dayton for the tremendous support you gave us in those few short weeks.

Much to our surprise, we received a call from The IdeaCollective saying that they wanted to help another small business. To aid in keeping the Century’s lights on, they are graciously giving us back the sign so we can raise funds with it.

We are grateful and proud to auction the Century Bar sign on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/383506677744

This sale will help us ensure that we can continue to serve you for the rest of the 21st Century. It is our sincerest hope that the sign remains in Dayton or perhaps gets donated to the American sign museum in Cincinnati.

The above post was written by Diane Spitzig, bar c0-owner.

The Century Bar

10 S Jefferson St
Dayton, Ohio 45402

You can also support The Century by buying a t-shirt, gift card or just making a donation online.

 

Solution for Paycheck-To-Paycheck Peeps vs The Virus

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Do you live paycheck-to-paycheck? Has this virus cut your hours partly or completely? Is your cash flow running low? Are you concerned about making rent? Here are a few suggestions as to how to weather this financial storm:

  1. Make sure you file for unemployment in your state. Your employers have paid into the system through payroll taxes. The states issue the checks. Don’t think of it as charity. Think of it as compensation from your employers for rainy days like this. If it still doesn’t sit well, you can always use it now and donate back to the state’s treasury when we get back to normal.
  2. Ask if your employer or union has a disaster relief fund to which you can apply. For example, my union has the SAGAFTRA Foundation COVID-19 Disaster Fund. The Fund covers “members who are in an emergency financial crisis related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) to cover basic expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, medical bills and other essential needs.”
  3. You know if there is a way to work a credit card to my benefit, I will! Get yourself a credit card that charges 0% interest on new purchases for up to 21 months. We’ll be out of the woods way before then! All you have to do is pay the minimum amount due to keep the 0% rate.

Get ahead of this financial problem – NOW. I know a lot of people do not have a cushion. Use the 0% card as a safety net – in case. Use the card to pay for everything you buy. When the credit card bill comes in a month, all you have to pay to keep the 0% interest is the minimum payment. This will give you the flexibility to use what cash you have to pay your rent / mortgage and taxes. I use a credit card to pay for everything possible in my daily life. Mortgage and taxes are the only things that would charge me a fee if I used a credit card.

How much is the minimum payment on a 0% card?

You will see the minimum payment in the terms and conditions of the card during the application process. The industry standard is now to calculate the minimum as all fees and interest due that month plus one percent of the principal amount owed. Since you would not owe any interest because you paid the minimum every month, and you would not use the card for a cash advance, you should not have any interest or fees. Therefore, for example, 1% of $1,000 is $10. YOU must confirm the minimum payment in the Terms and Conditions when you apply.

I heard I can’t get evicted because of COVID-19

That’s true in many cities. Remember, that does not mean you get to live rent-free. It also means you may get hit with late fees. In Los Angeles, where I live,  you have to get caught up on the rent you owe in six months.

Is it possible to pay your rent with a credit card?

Yes, but there is a fee. Use Plastiq to pay your rent/mortgage. Here’s my referral code: 1501567

Plastiq.com says they “enable payments to the 90% of businesses that don’t accept credit cards.”. Plastiq charges you 2.5%. That’s a $25 fee per $1,000, but that is probably cheaper than late fees. Signup and use my referral code 1501567 and you will get 500 FFDs off fees.

Find yourself one of the cards I mentioned here:

Apply Now 0% APR Credit Cards – By CreditCards.com

  • Reduce the amount of interest you pay with a 0% introductory rate interest card.
  • 0% introductory rates are available for up to 21 months on purchases and balance transfers.
  • Make your card work twice as hard — 0% introductory rates are available on reward earning products.
  • Save even more by looking for a card with no annual fee!
  • Terms vary by partner offer. Please see each bank’s application for terms and conditions.
  • Clicking Apply Now will take you to CreditCards.com to compare 0% APR cards from participating partners.

» Apply Now

 

This guest post from:

Chip Chinery is a skin-flint from way back. He started ChipsMoneyTips.com to give “Money tips in a candy-coated shell” through humorous, entertaining and informative videos and posts. Most people are clueless about money. Not you – them. Other people.

Read more: http://www.chipsmoneytips.com/2020/03/solution-for-paycheck-to-paycheck-peeps-vs-the-virus/#ixzz6HEYm9jco

Randy Phillips, Greater Dayton LGBT Center Executive Director Reflects on 2019

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As this year quickly comes to a close we are ever mindful of what this year has wrought.  We began 2019 with hopeful hearts ushering in all the hopes and dreams for a better time as we do with each New Year.  We did see and experience some wonderful things in 2019.  We saw the most diverse class of lawmakers ever elected and sworn in to the 116th congress.  This includes the most women ever, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who came out swinging right out of the gate.  We saw great strides in movies and music in 2019 with director Spike Lee finally winning his first Oscar after years of nominations.  Remember when a 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thurnberg and the rest of the youths around the world who walked out of school in May in protest of climate change?  Whitney Houston was right on the money when she sang “I believe the children are our future.”  Or when billionaire Robert F. Smith announced he would pay off every Morehouse student’s debt in his touching commencement speech?  So 2019 has had it positive notes!

2019 also had it challenges.  Early on we learned of an affiliated KKK group that wanted to come to Dayton.  As true believers in free speech, Dayton allowed them to come.  Yet, we saw a whole town rally together in meeting after meeting to show just how much our city exemplifies our acceptance of diversity and our non-tolerance of hate filled speech.  Thirteen KKK members came to Dayton, and thousands showed up to protest their hate filled speech.

Just days later on Memorial Day, fifteen tornados came through our area leaving behind a huge path of destruction.  Thousands of people would be impacted by this storm.  Many without electric and utilities for days and weeks, other homes were wiped out completely and lives forever changed.

In this dark time, Dayton’s humanity and compassion shown bright as the whole community rallied together to aid those affected by the storm.  With this massive destruction the re-building will be slow, but the re-building has begun as we continue to rally together, Dayton Strong.

The following week we celebrated Gay PRIDE in the city, with “50 years since Stonewall.”  And a true celebration it was with a record number of people participating in the parade and over 70 information booth at Courthouse Square.  Almost 5,000 people crowded onto the square as we celebrated PRIDE in how far our LGBTQ community has come since Stonewall, and pride in who we are.  Our Washington elected officials may continue to attack our LGBTQ community, especially our transgender brothers and sisters, but we are resilient and strong and we will not be erased nor will we go quietly into the night.  Dayton PRIDE was certainly a high point of the year for our LGBTQ+ community.  We are out, we are proud, we are Dayton Strong and we are Dayton PROUD!

Of course just after “PRIDE” in the morning hours of August 4th a gunman killed 9 victims and injured many others in the Historic Oregon District.  Not only was our community in shock and grief for the loss, but the ever presents of menace held on in the minds of many for such an extended period of time. But again Dayton is strong, Dayton is proud and the whole city rallied around our own to hold our community together.  Many celebrities offered their support and even the orange baby man came to Toledo, and mean came to Dayton to extend his support.  Springfield’s John Legend and Dayton’s Dave Chappelle led in the healing by doing free concerts for the city headlined by the great Stevie Wonder.

It has taken some time for the healing.  Many of our bars and establishments are still feeling the effect as people are not going out as they once did, choosing to stay in the safety of their own homes.  Our confidence has been shaken, but it is time to step out and enjoy the city again.

This year is coming to a close and while we have indeed been challenged this year, we will forever step out and embrace the joys this wonderful city has to offer.  Happy Holidays!  Let’s ring in the New Year with Style!!!

Randy Phillips is the Executive Director of the Greater Dayton LGBT Center

24 N. Jefferson ST, STE 200 Dayton, OH 45402

937-274-1776

“Our mission is to enhance lives and empower members of the diverse sexual and gender communities throughout the Miami Valley”

It Was a Busy 2019 For Dayton’s Smug Brothers!

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As we near the close of 2019 there are certain to be a plethora of “best of” and “hottest new” lists to commemorate the past year.  From a rock and roll perspective 2019 was a fine year, especially here in our own little Miami Valley.  Over the last few years there has been a uptick in the number of local artists publishing and producing excellent music, as well as a few reunions. 

Left to right: Kyle Melton, Kyle Sowash, Don Thrasher and Scott Tribble

The sheer quantity of releases this year has been staggering for a city this size, and the bands and artists represented in this year’s class is impressive in both number and diversity.  Within this veritable cornucopia of music, our own little embarrassment of riches, are a number of standouts.  Several new Miami Valley artists and bands released debut albums this year, with even more offering up sophomore efforts, which universally have been excellent.  A few veteran groups released full albums as well as a few releasing projects for local music day.  The tally is still climbing, but it is safe to say nobody is going to release more records in 2019 here in Dayton than the fellows in Smug Brothers.  Last month Smug Brothers released their third album of 2019.  You read that correctly, their THIRD album of 2019.  These are not singles or 3 song EPs.  Smug Brothers released three full-length albums this year, and they are ready to talk about it.

Kyle and Don with the vinyl version of “Attic Harvest”

Artistic process is part of the reason why Smug Brothers has been able to produce so much music this year.  Drummer Don Thrasher explains, “We have the choice of recording songs that are fun, and they sound like us, and they capture this idea.  We can spend a month on them or we can get that moment before it’s gone, and that’s what we did.  We are going to go that way every time.”  Don goes on to describe a bit of their methods for song writing.  “Kyle is so prolific, he will have dozens of ideas he will send us, and then we see what sticks.  He sent us 110 song ideas in one big drop.”  He expands on their process further stating that they absolutely love to record.  Kyle Melton, who is the principal songwriter and vocalist, did a lot of the recording himself this year which was a deviation from their previous work..  The pressures of recording three albums this quickly can add up and so can the financial impact of that much recording.  Recording technique wasn’t the only change for Smug Brothers in 2019 though.

Since their last release in 2017 the lineup has also changed with Scott Tribble and Kyle Sowash joining on lead guitar and bass respectively. The new members had no obvious difficulty finding their places, as the albums this year are cohesive and well voiced.  Perhaps the most impressive thing was that the Smug Brothers releases were only a part of the total output for the band members as they are very involved and active in their other projects as well.  Smug Brothers as of November actually has upwards of 30 more songs tracked and show no signs of slowing down.  Thrasher admits that it can get hard to mentally catalogue all that material, but they will keep producing records as long as the ideas are coming and fast is good.  Pedal to the floor, Gas-Daddy-Go as they say.  Or so I have been told.

“Attic Harvest“ was the first of their records this year and released in the late winter.  The record was a beautiful vinyl LP with abstract light-emanating Mickey Mouse head meets virus particles under a scanning electron microscope cover art  (you’ll get it once you see it) and punchy 2-minute hook and run songs typical of their craft. Their second album of 2019 was a surprise release in July, “All Blur and Spark.”  It was a short collection of odds and ends that the band decided to release and for most bands would have been a great addition to a big studio release.  Not to be outdone however, they marched onward. 

Their latest release “Serve a Thirst Moon” is a bit more evolved than the others, and that is no small feat when the average song is under 2 minutes.  The song order flows naturally, and the tones are less stark and more reminiscent of psychedelic and seventies rock while still frenetically introducing, expanding and then resolving the brief compositions.  For anyone new to the band’s work, this is a great album to whet your appetite.  For any music fans, it would make a great holiday gift.  For Smug Brothers it is a fine feather in their cap for a prolific and transformative 2019.  With over 30 songs ready who knows what 2020 looks like. 

 

Paul Levy submitted this guest post on the Smug Brothers

Louis CK Plays Dayton Funny Bone

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It’s been two years since comedian Louis CK admitted in the New York Times that the allegations of lewd behavior made about him by several women were true. He said in the statement that he planned to “step back and take a long time to listen,” but the Times reported on November 2 that the comedian is embarking on a world tour.

The tour started in Richmond, Va. and will see the comedian perform in such far-flung locations as Israel, Slovakia, and Hungary, as well as all over the United States.  He’ll be at the Dayton Funny Bone for five shows December 27-29.  Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online.

These are not his first performances since running afoul of the #MeToo movement. He took the stage in August 2018 at Manhattan’s Comedy Cellar and has made other appearances since then. However, the current world tour is his most ambitious attempt yet to put his career back on track.

When he admitted to the allegations against him, Louis CK became one of the most visible symbols of “cancel culture,” in which celebrities are boycotted and lose professional opportunities in response to allegations against them. In his case, his film “I Love You, Daddy” was dropped from distribution and he lost his lead role in “The Secret Life of Pets 2.”

Now that he’s returning to the stage, it raises questions about the effectiveness of “cancel culture.” After all, is it accurate to say that he’s been “canceled” when he can wait a few months for the uproar to blow over and then go right back to performing?

https://youtu.be/tWhuUI9MdDM

According to culture critic and writer SJ Palm, host of the Popculty Podcast, the answer is yes, although it has more to do with information overload than anything else.

“In this day of the 24-hour news cycle, stories that would have dominated a year’s worth of media coverage a decade ago are breezed past within a day,” Palm said. “People lose track of time, and they forget how bad the crimes were, so they figure it’s probably been long enough… we should just be honest and call it ‘time-out culture.’”

Comedian, writer, and actor Kevin Allison said that if Louis CK wanted to return to the spotlight, there’s a historical precedent for the way he should have handled it.

“When the story about Louis broke in the Times a couple of years ago, I figured he’d lay low for two or three years, then come back with an hour-long show that was more soul-searching than dismissive, a show that dared to get serious,” he said. “There’s plenty of great moments in stand-up where someone like Richard Pryor came out and basically said something like, ‘Look, I regret something. There’s a solid reason for me to get real up here now and attempt to repair some damage.’”

He added that while Louis CK acknowledged that the stories his accusers told were true, the comedian could have done more to recognize the damage he did.

“Louis’s case is not on the level of, say, Bill Cosby’s,” Allison said. “But several women have said that this whole thing with Louis has had a negative effect on their lives. I don’t know what he’ll ultimately do on stage, but I’d respect him more if he didn’t act like those women were making much ado about nothing.”

https://youtu.be/08ITsgiL6v8

Louis Carter, author and CEO of the Best Practice Institute think tank, said that if Louis CK’s “cancellation” seemed to end quickly, there’s a reason for that. He said that it’s in human nature to forgive, primarily because it feels good, and also because it’s easy to forgive when you’re not the victim.

“There are numerous studies on how forgiveness positively affects mood,” Carter said. “When the transgression is hypothetical to others, or others are far removed from the effects of the transgression, it is far easier to forgive.”

The real barometer of how welcome Louis CK’s return is will be the success or failure of his tour. If it sells out, then one can likely assume that he’s back in the public’s good graces. If he tells his jokes to the empty rooms of the world, then it probably means the opposite.

Whatever it means, author Collette McLafferty said that apart from choosing not to see the comedian perform, people who are still upset by his actions can take positive steps to offset that feeling.

“For anyone who is against Louis CK going on the road, I recommend taking that energy to actively seek out and support the projects of the women who told their stories instead – Dana Min Goodman, Julia Wolov, Rebecca Corey, and Abby Schachner,” she said. “They paved the way for women and men to come forward sooner than later.”

Written by Daniel Bukszpan and originally published on , NOV 10 2019 on CNBC

10 Things to Know about The DLM Umbrella Brigade

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Dorothy Lane Market will be joining the community this Labor Day as we participate in the 60th annual Holiday at Home celebration! Join us as we twirl our classic black and white umbrellas down Far Hills Ave. during the Holiday at Home parade, starting at 9:55 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2.

We’ve been working hard on our routine and we can’t wait to share it with the community! Here are some fun facts about the DLM Umbrella Brigade to know:

1. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into our routine! Participating associates attend a series of practices, which are always a lot of fun.

2. We take such pride in joining the fun that we even bring in a choreographer to help us craft a new routine each year. We’ve worked with Barbara Rethlake, a local choreographer, for many years.

3. It’s probably hard to tell how many DLM associates make up the DLM Umbrella Brigade as we dance by, but this year there will be about 85 members!

4. You may also notice a very furry participant. Oliver, our furry mascot, always leads the parade.

5. What happens after the parade? Associates enjoy a boxed lunch provided by DLM Oakwood’s Deli.

6. Rain or shine the show goes on, but let’s hope for shine. We usually have ponchos on hand just in case.

7. Speaking of the show going on, one year we forgot to do a sound check before starting. How did it turn out? Let’s just say we kept marching, even without our music.

8. Each year we feature a new song, which we choose to echo the theme of the parade. “Hit it Out of the Park” is the theme of the parade this year. Past years, we’ve marched to the Boot Scootin’ Boogie and the Ghost Busters theme song to name a few.

9. The DLM Umbrella Brigade has been at it for more than 20 years! Interestingly, the first year we started out with shopping carts and there were only seven of us. It’s been so cool to see how our presence has grown over the years!

10. You’ll also want to keep your eye out for Norman Mayne. He participates every year, sometimes in a golf cart and sometimes marching. We’ll have to wait to see what he does this year.

This event is definitely a source of pride for all of DLM. We hope to see you there!

This post originally appeared on by JO ANN POTTS  on the Dorothy Lane Market website.

Guest Post from Anthony Fisher: A Tale of Two Tragedies

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Everyone has a story about the night of August 3rd. You had friends or family who, that night, unwittingly ventured into the site of America’s 251st mass shooting this year. If you were fortunate, you probably woke up to a barrage of frantic texts or calls from loved ones desperate to assuage their worst fears. Some of you weren’t so fortunate. Some of you, at one moment, were on East 5th breathing in the late-night summer air that always smelled of BBQ and tacos but, at another, were witness death and carnage. Some of you were asleep, awoken by gunshots echoing into the night, forcing you out of your bed and down into your apartment’s lobby, where you’d pull in wounded victims from the now worn-torn sidewalk. And then there are those of you who will never even have a chance to read this.

In the coming days you’ll hear more stories, and new information, from your friends and on news channels. You’ll keep scrolling through Facebook and Twitter trying to make sense of it all, but you’re not sure you ever will. Because this just couldn’t happen, not where you live. Before August 3rd, these shootings all started to blend together and you’d always think how something needed to be done. But on August 4th you woke up feeling different. You’ve been there. You’ve walked the streets. You’ve dined at the restaurants. America, as it is, conditioned you to be numb to such tragedies, but not this morning. You’ll continue to follow up for weeks about the shooter’s motive, begging for an explanation you can wrap your hands around. Las Vegas has been searching for something like this since 2017.

This may be your story, but it’s not unique. It’s an all too familiar cycle in America. Your feelings are the same as those in El Paso or Gilroy or Chicago, and probably won’t be different from the next. I know, it doesn’t sit well with you. It’s hard for you to think about how common this feeling has become across the country. You fear the list will just go on.

So before you reach back into the depths of your memory to Memorial Day, you take a look at current list of mass shootings this year. This is what you see:

Chicago, Illinois; Dayton, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Pomfret, Maryland; Suffolk, Virginia; Elkhart, Indiana; Southaven, Mississippi; Haskell, Oklahoma; Rosenberg, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Gilroy, California; Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; Wichita, Kansas; Brooklyn, New York; Albemarle, North Carolina; Los Angeles, California; Pembroke Park, Florida; Chicago, Illinois;

Washington, D.C.; Jersey City, New Jersey; Clairton, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Lubbock, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Manson, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Flint, Michigan; Wichita, Kansas; Chicago, Illinois; Albuquerque, New Mexico; San Jose, California; St. Clair Shores, Michigan; Charlotte, North Carolina; Brooklyn, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Reno, Nevada; Gravette, Arkansas; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; Rockford, Illinois; Fresno, California; Katy, Texas; Washington Park, Illinois; Wellston, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Oakland, California; Yucaipa, California; Dallas, Texas; Bay Shore, New York; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Hartford, Connecticut; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Paterson, New Jersey; Hamden, Connecticut; Atlanta, Georgia; Akron, Ohio; San Jose, California; Abbeville, South Carolina;

Columbus, Ohio; La Jolla, California; South Bend, Indiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Hampton, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Saginaw, Michigan; Richmond, California; Chicago, Illinois; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey; San Antonio, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Louisville, Kentucky; Des Moines, Iowa; Shreveport, Louisiana; West Des Moines, Iowa; Charlotte, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Aurora, Colorado; Henning, Tennessee; Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; White Swan, Washington;

Chicago, Illinois; Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Santa Rosa, California; Portsmouth, Virginia;

Chicago, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Macon, Georgia; Allendale, South Carolina;

Virginia Beach, Virginia; Robbins, Illinois; Cleveland, Texas; Trenton, New Jersey; Washington D.C.; Stockton, California; La Crosse, Virginia; Washington D.C.; Chicago, Illinois; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Baltimore, Maryland; Chesapeake, Virginia; Trenton, New Jersey; Alexandria, Louisiana; Columbus, Ohio; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon; Cascilla, Mississippi; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Atmore, Alabama; Long Beach, California; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Muncie, Indiana; Sacramento, California; Cleveland, Ohio; St. Rose, Louisiana; St. Louis, Missouri; New Orleans, Louisiana; Paulsboro, New Jersey; Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania; St. Louis, Missouri; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Indianapolis, Indiana; Highlands Ranch, Colorado; North Bergen, New Jersey; Oceano, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Wilmington, Delaware; Baltimore, Maryland; Baltimore, Maryland; Dallas, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; West Chester Township, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; Baltimore, Maryland; Jackson, Mississippi; Jackson, Michigan; Poway, California; Hugo, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles, California; Memphis, Tennessee; Corpus Christi, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; Louisville, Kentucky; Germantown, Maryland; Stockton, California; Vallejo, California; Miami, Florida; Carbondale, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Kansas City, Missouri; Shreveport, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana; Winston-Salem, North Carolina;

Wilmington, Delaware; Chicago, Illinois; Tallahassee, Florida; Panama City, Florida; Stockbridge, Georgia; Hermanville, Mississippi; Covington, Kentucky; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; North Charleston, South Carolina; Baltimore, Maryland; North Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; Augusta, Georgia; Las Vegas, Nevada; Rochelle, Georgia; Camden, New Jersey; Mobile, Alabama; Missoula, Montana; Harvey, Illinois; Paterson, New Jersey; Denver, Colorado; Shreveport, Louisiana; Oakland, California; Chicago, Illinois; Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Oakland, California; Birmingham, Alabama;

Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Baltimore, Maryland; Houston, Texas; Covington, Tennessee; Solon Township, Michigan; Evansville, Indiana; Henderson, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Clinton, Mississippi; Aurora, Illinois; Jacksonville, Florida; Livingston, Texas; Petersburg, Virginia; Brooklyn, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; Houston, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Newark, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Albany, Georgia; Ascension Parish and Livingston Parish, Louisiana; State College, Pennsylvania; Rockmart, Georgia; Sebring, Florida; Miami, Florida; Gaffney, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Lebanon, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Owensboro, Kentucky; Jacksonville, Florida; Palmdale, California; Little Rock, Arkansas; Phoenix, Arizona; Roswell, New Mexico; Hurt, Virginia; Houston, Texas; Torrance, California; Texas City, Texas; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Columbia, South Carolina; and Tallahassee, Florida

You arrive back to your recent memory, Memorial Day. It wasn’t long ago you felt like this. Your heart ached as you watched more than a dozen tornadoes ravage the Miami Valley, killing one and completely destroying homes and neighborhoods. That was then, but astonishingly, it all feels the same now when you think about it. Both events rocked Dayton to its core, and both were followed by an outpouring of community support. But deep down, you know these are two separate tragedies. One born of earth and wind, and one born of hatred and violence. One targeted victims, the other indiscriminate in its path. One on a single city street, the other throughout the entire Miami Valley. And then you really come to terms with it. In 2019 America, a mass shooting can feel as unstoppable as a natural disaster.

You know mass shootings can happen almost anywhere, as long as you’re in the United States, and any time (even in 24 seconds). At least tornadoes only form in the areas where atmospheric conditions are right. You remember the drills for each when you were growing up. For tornadoes, you’d go into the hallway and stick your head between your knees until you were just uncomfortable enough. For lockdowns, you’d lock the door, turn off the lights, and remain in complete silence with the other twenty-some kids at a time of sheer hysteria. Back then, the drills were mostly just a chance for you and your friends to take a break from class and goof around. But what would happen if a tornado actually did rip through an elementary school, resulting in many student deaths? There’d be new precautions and maybe even new storm shelters built under every school. It’s a reactive response, but you’re content with the fact that these new safeguards might prevent such a loss from happening again. What if a shooter rampaged through an elementary school, killing young children in droves? Of course, you don’t have to imagine it. It happened more than six years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary when 20 children and six adults were killed. You think about the aftermath, or lack thereof. Nothing happened, nothing changed.

The debate will rage on whether it’s focused on mental health or the fact that someone in Dayton can order military-style weapons online from Texas, your prescribed medication can’t be transferred to a pharmacy across town because it’s a controlled substance. Here are a couple ways to arm yourself with knowledge in the hope of at least slowing the revolving door of shootings, thoughts & prayers, and silence:

  • Understand America’s gun death epidemic. FiveThirtyEight’s feature is a great place to start. Most gun deaths in America are suicides, a clear indicator that mental health needs to be more prominent in our gun ownership laws. While the incidence of mass shootings is much lower, it is the lowest hanging fruit. It’s timing. Ban assault rifles and high capacity magazines so save precious seconds and precious lives. Mental health and an assault weapon ban are not mutually exclusive, and they can’t be, for our children’s sake.   
  • Don’t allow the debate to sway. You will find pundits and talking heads framing any attempt at reform as a method to pull all guns from the hands of every American. Everytown has in-depth analysis of the correlation between assault rifles and mass shootings. The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban made sense then, and should be considered now. Let the debate start there.
  • Think Globally. This issue is uniquely American, so why not look across the globe to see what works? You will find gun laws that range from a lifetime ammunition maximums to restricting each firearm for a specific purpose.
  • Don’t be afraid to speak out. Gun control has become one of the most controversial and explosive topics for public debate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a productive discussion.
  • Contact your Representatives and Senators. But don’t yell at their unpaid interns. Having manned these phones before, there’s actually a system where elected officials log constituent concerns. State your concern and be sure it’s been logged. Contact Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, and urge him to allow lawmakers to vote on gun control legislation.
  • Don’t let anyone tell you nothing can be done, period.
  • Remain proud of the community we all call home. When racism came to town, Dayton responded by drowning out their bigotry with its love. When natural disaster struck, Dayton responded by showing up to complete strangers’ homes to help them rebuild their lives. This hatred and violence should be no different, let’s respond.

About the author:  Tony’s a current, but not yet disgruntled, government worker, aspiring fiction writer, and  in-apartment resident DJ. He’s a Loyola Rambler alum, but currently lives in Dayton where he was born and raised. He enjoys reading and writing science fiction that tries to explain the world when it won’t explain itself.