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And The New UpDayton Projects are…

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Tonight a crowd of 250+ packed the Gothic Cloister of the Dayton Art Institute with Daytonians who were ready to take #Ideas2Action.  After time to mix and mingle, grab a drink at the bar and a quick nosh, 12 presenters at the UpDayton Summit shared their projects with the crowd.
From rooftop parties, to soap box derbies, carnivals and days of discomfort, it was easy to see the passion and plans many had for ways to ignite our community around ideas of making a difference.
Guests were given two votes each and the following presenters ended up being selected and given $1000 seed money to start putting their ideas into action!

Bryan Stewart
Project Rebound

Bryan is a huge advocate for a more connected community. His project seeks to use basketball and other sports as a way to bridge divides and boost Dayton children.

Devon Stinson
Comfort Bags

Devon is a former foster youth with a passion for giving back and telling her story. Her projects seeks to partner with Agape for Youth to expand their Comfort Bags program, we can ensure that children stepping into a new home have something to call their own.

 

Karlos Marshall & Moses Mbeseha
The Reading Park Project

Karlos and Moses are the co-founders of The Conscious Connect, Inc., a nonprofit with the mission to eradicate urban “book deserts.” Their project seeks to turn underutilized spaces along the Salem Peace Corridor into welcoming places to read a book, have an event, or learn something new.

Stay tuned for more info on how you can get involved and help make these plans come to life!

 

West Side Grocery Selling Co-op Shares

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The Gem City Market will be a full-service 15,000 square foot grocery store and deli located in the 100 block of Salem Avenue in West Dayton, just across the bridge from downtown Dayton, with a planned 2019 opening.

 

According to a 2015 study by FRAC, Dayton is the 2nd worst city in the nation for food hardship for families with children.

A recent Gallup poll shows 29.4 percent of households in our region report trouble obtaining healthy food.

 

Why Grocery stores matter

  • People who live near a supermarket have lower rates of diet-related
    diseases than their counterparts in neighborhoods lacking food
    access (Food Trust)
  • 20% percent higher obesity/diabetes rates in least
    healthy “food environments,” controlling for income,
    race/ethnicity, age, gender, and physical activity.

To open the market and provide fresh food for the area, organizers need to raise $3.9 million. The grocery store is being set up as a co-op business, with a goal for the store to sell 2,000 shares at $100 each to customers and community supporters. They hope to fund the rest  through donations, grants, the business community and loans.

 

 

 BECOME A MEMBER 

What a membership share will get you:

  • access to member-only sales prices (similar to a Kroger Plus card)
  •  a vote on or run for community seats on the board of directors. participate in annual meetings where the general direction of the store is set
  •  petition the store to make changes in terms of product mix or what we sell
  • Once they are profitable, the community will share in a percentage of profit not reinvested in the store, based upon level of patronage (how much you shop at the store).

What a membership share will cost:

  • $100 one time membership fee, can be payed $10 per month for 10 months.

Subsidized shares

  • Individuals who qualify for financial assistance can apply for a subsidized share. Individuals will be able to securely upload concurring documents (snap benefit card, employment insurance statement, etc) when purchasing their membership.

Dayton Police Want Your Unused Drugs

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On Saturday, April 29, from 10 am to 2 pm, the Dayton Police Department will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Drug Take Back Day. The event gives residents a chance to help prevent drug abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring prescription drugs for disposal to one of the following five drop-off sites in Dayton (please note:  liquids and needles/sharps cannot be accepted; pills or patches are acceptable).

.Dayton Police Headquarters – 335 W. Third St.
Central Patrol Operations Division – 248 Salem Ave.
East Patrol Operation Division North – 417 E. Helena St.
East Patrol Operations Division South – 2721 Wayne Ave.
West Patrol Operations Division – 951 Washington St.

The drug drop-off is free and anonymous, no questions asked. If you can’t drop off your expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs on April 29, the five Dayton sites all have drug drop off boxes available for use Monday through Friday during business hours (8 am – 4 pm).

Last October, Americans turned in 366 tons of prescription drugs. Overall, in its 12 previous Take Back Day events, the DEA and its partners have taken in more than 7.1 million pounds of drugs.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. In addition, Americans are now advised that disposal of unused medicines by flushing them down a toilet or throwing them in the trash poses potential safety and health hazards. For more information, visit the DEA online.

Luminaries of Dayton: Paul Laurence Dunbar Window

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Dunbar’s Willow Window

This window depicts the words written in the Negro dialect associated with the antebellum South by Dayton poet and author, Paul Laurence Dunbar, in the poem A Death Song published in 1913. You can also find the poem on the bronze plaque at his grave site in Section 101.

Lay me nigh to whah ’hit makes a little pool
 An’ de watah stans’ so quiet ‘lak un’ cool
 An’ de little birdies in de’ spring
 Ust come an’ drink an’ sing
 An’ de chillun waded on dey way tu’ school

You are invited to visit the Mausoleum to view all of the beautiful stained glass windows within at your leisure or join us for a guided tour on Thursday’s June 8, July 13, August 10, September 7 or October 5 at 9:00 a.m. Please RSVP to 937-228-3221.

The Mausoleum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

2017 UpDayton Summit Project Previews

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The UpDayton Summit is tomorrow (Thursday, April 27th), starting at 5:3opm at the Dayton Art Institute. What, you’re not registered- there’s still time!  Do it online now!

The annual UpDayton Summit is a launchpad for volunteer-powered community projects. At the event,  participants vote to decide which creative young community leaders will receive $1,000 in seed money and the support of UpDayton to bring their ideas to action. Examples of past winning projects include The Longest Table event, the #DaytonInspires campaign and selfie wall, purchasing and installing 70 bike racks in business districts and neighborhoods in the Dayton community, and many others.

. Once all the ideas have been presented, the audience will vote to select the top 3 ideas for implementation in 2017. The event will also include opportunities for participants to connect with project team leaders and other ways to get involved in the community.

Meet the  2017 UpDayton Summit presenters and read about their projects: 

Jason Antonick
Rooftop RendezView

Jason knows that downtown Dayton is booming with new development, but word has only just begun to reach the rest of our region. His project brings a one-of-a-kind event to life on the roof of the Transportation Center garage.

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Tom Everhart & Beth Miller
Wagtown™ Dog Track

Beth and Tom believe dog-friendly communities are better communities for everyone. Their project seeks to create a dog-friendly walking route connecting Webster Station and the Oregon District.

Jerod Frenzl
Community Garden Expo

Jerod came to Dayton through the AmeriCorps program and has been too involved in the community to think about moving anywhere else. His project teaches residents of all ages how to grow their own produce and use it in everyday cooking.

Christine Hamilton
Third Street Three

Christine Hamilton is a City of Dayton police officer. She sees first-hand how community pride counteracts vandalism and strengthens neighborhoods. Her project brings together police, artists, neighbors and the courts to create three murals along the East Third Street corridor.

Wes Hartshorn & Jeff Paul
Carnival on a Corner

Wes & Jeff, performing artists themselves, want to fill the streets of downtown Dayton with fire jugglers, musicians and more. Their project seeks to inspire new audiences and support for these artists.

Nick Hrkman Project Title: Artruist A little bit about Nick's project.

Nick Hrkman
Artruist

Nick is generous with his time volunteering to support all kinds of organizations in the community. His project inspires volunteers to give more by rewarding them with works from local artists.

Karlos Marshall & Moses Mbeseha
The Reading Park Project

Karlos and Moses are the co-founders of The Conscious Connect, Inc., a nonprofit with the mission to eradicate urban “book deserts.” Their project seeks to turn underutilized spaces along the Salem Peace Corridor into welcoming places to read a book, have an event, or learn something new.

Amanda Miller & Lauren White
Beyond Addiction

To Lauren & Amanda the heroin epidemic isn’t just a headline—it’s personal. Their project challenges us to think differently about people challenged by addiction and our role in supporting them.

Bryan Stewart
Project Rebound

Bryan is a huge advocate for a more connected community. His project seeks to use basketball and other sports as a way to bridge divides and boost Dayton children.

Devon Stinson
Comfort Bags

Devon is a former foster youth with a passion for giving back and telling her story. Her projects seeks to partner with Agape for Youth to expand their Comfort Bags program.

2017Summit_BobbyWalker.png

Robert Walker
It’s All Downhill from Here

Robert is a downtown entrepreneur and a champion for Dayton. His project brings the soap box derby, a Dayton invention, back to our city with some new twists.

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Marshall Weil
Day of International Discomfort (DID)

Marshall believes Dayton is a place where you can make anything happen. His project challenges us to go beyond our comfort zone to explore Dayton places we’ve never been with people we’ve never met.

Luminaries of Dayton: Medal of Honor Recipient

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Charles Goodwin Bickham (1867 – 1944) 

Lt. Bickham received his Medal of Honor for “distinguished gallantry” on May 2, 1902, in the Battle of Bayang, during the Moro Rebellion.

Lt. Bickham “crossed a fire-swept field, in close range of the enemy, and brought a wounded soldier to a place of shelter.” His medal was awarded by Theodore Roosevelt on April 28, 1904.

Charles Goodwin Bickham is located in Section 101 Lot 1420.

 

 

 

 

Woodland Honors All Veterans

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick and there was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them. Often times, they were left to care for themselves.

Today, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.

Woodland is the final resting place of veterans of every war in which the United States has been engaged.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

UpDayton Summit To Debut Dayton Icon Chocolate

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A New Dayton Icon was a project idea pitched in April 2016 at the UpDayton Summit by Kelly Sexton of K12 Gallery & TEJAS. The project set out to bring a new, iconic public sculpture to Dayton, designed and built by the community.  After the votes (200+) were cast, the Dayton Icon became more than just an idea.

UpDayton put out a Call to Artists  and last October a panel of judges gathered to select the winning design.

Nick Gaskins and the Bing Design team were selected as the winner. They call their design “Dayton’s Duality” with each letter consisting of two pieces – a rough steel portion which represents our city’s solid and sturdy past, and a shiny steel portion which represents our bright, promising future. All pieces would be upwards of 5 ft. tall, flat, offset slightly, and staggered so the word DAYTON can be read at an angle. Shifting shadows add interest by constantly changing the presentation. They envision the icon mounted on a long, low base that could double as a place to sit or creatively pose with the sculpture.

Funding and constructing the Dayton Icon project is a big endeavor and  UpDayton has partnered with Winans Chocolatees & Coffees to launch a chocolate version of the design as a fundraiser to help bring the actual Icon to fruition.  Those attending the 2017 UpDayton Summit on Thursday, April 27th at 5:30pm at the Dayton Art Institute will have the opportunity to purchase the first release of the  chocolate version of Dayton’s Duality for just $5.

The chocolates will go on sale to the general public sometime later this spring. All of the proceeds of the chocolate bars will go to support the Dayton Icon Project. 

Another project that came out of the 2017 Summit is The Longest Table. Hundreds of Daytonians gathered on Saturday, October 15th, 2016 for a community meal and dialogue on the Third Street Bridge – Dayton’s Peace Bridge. The goal of the event was to connect Daytonians from every corner of the city and region, to meet people we never would have met otherwise. People were randomly assigned to a table and spent the afternoon learning about each other and the neighborhoods we love. The event was such a hit, it’s continued brining folks from the Miami Valley together over meals around town.   The next  community meal is this Saturday, April 22nd from 1:30 – 3:30pm, co-hosted by East End Community Services in Dayton’s Twin Towers neighborhood.

If you’d like to  be part of the team that selects the 2017 projects register now to attend the UpDayton Summit. Ten individuals (or teams) will each have 3 minutes to pitch their project idea to the Summit audience. Once all the ideas have been presented, the audience will vote to select the top 3 ideas for implementation in 2017.

The event will also include opportunities for participants to connect with project team leaders and other ways to get involved in the community.

 

WYSO Teaching PodCasting

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This one day seminar will be taught using WYSO’s Community Voices training model to explore the history of podcasting, recent trends in listening, and the basics skills participants will need to create their own podcasts.  The workshop will also include a roundtable discussion with regional podcasters and a chance to try out ideas for podcasts with instructors and fellow participants.

Instructors include WYSO General Manager Neenah Ellis, Community Voices coordinator and Wright State University New Media Incubator manager Will Davis, WYSO Morning Edition host and reporter April Laissle, and WYSO webmaster and deputy operations director Juliet Fromholt.

How To Go:
When: Saturday, May 6th, 9am-5pm
Where: The WYSO Studios, 150 East South College Street in Yellow Springs
Cost: $150/$100 for graduates of WYSO’s Community Voices

Contact Juliet Fromholt at [email protected] with questions about the workshop.

Preservation Dayton Accepting Nominations

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Preservation Dayton, Inc. (PDI) is accepting nominations for outstanding individuals businesses, or organizations that have contributed to PDI’s mission to promote, protect, and enhance greater Dayton’s architectural heritage, its setting, and its contributions to the region’s quality of life. Awards will recognize and celebrate historic preservation leaders in the following categories: Dayton historic neighborhoods—Recognizes an outstanding preservationist in each of Dayton’s officially designated historic neighborhoods; At-large—Outstanding preservationist(s) for the greater Dayton region; Life time achievement—A major contributor to preservation causes over multiple decades.

These awards will recognize creative, inspirational leaders whose efforts have contributed to the protection, renovation, and revitalization of historic neighborhoods, individual structures, or strengthened the historic preservation movement or the quality of life in Dayton’s historic communities.  Nominations should be submitted by May 1, 2017. See Preservation Dayton website for nomination forms and further information.

Awards will be presented in a ceremony and reception held May 25, 2017 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Requarth Lumber, a business which has made major contributions to historic renovation in Dayton. It is located at 447 East Monument Avenue in downtown Dayton.

Preservation Dayton, Inc. has advocated and promoted historic preservation in greater Dayton for nearly 40 years, with the mission to promote, protect, and enhance greater Dayton’s architectural heritage, its setting, and its contributions to the region’s quality of life.

 

 

Call for Submissions: All the Sex Monologues

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PUSH (Professionals United for Sexual Health) is seeking submissions for All the Sex Monologues, a project in its second year that addresses a wide spectrum of sexual health issues.

Submit a 1-2 page monologue by July 1, 2017 about sexual identity, relationships, sexual experiences, pride and/or sexual health to be included in a performance in the fall. We are an inclusive group looking for a diversity of voices. Can be written anonymously, can be fictional.

Some monologue topics include, but are not limited to, sexual awakening, motherhood, fatherhood, coming out stories, sexual violence, sexual healing, sexual acceptance, odd sexual experiences, normal sexual experiences, being asexual, etc.

All the Sex Monologues will take place in early November. All funds raised from the project will go into Planned Parenthood’s unrestricted fund.

Submit your piece of writing to [email protected]. Contact Sarah, the show’s director, with questions or for more information.

PUSH is a professionals group advancing sexual health awareness in the greater Dayton area on behalf of Planned Parenthood since 2008. PUSH hosts fundraising events, social gatherings and educational programs throughout the year.

Style Encore Brings More

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This week is the Grand Opening of Style Encore

It’s going to be a busy week at Cross Pointe Center in Centerville! After a lot of planning and a TON of clothes-buying, the doors will finally open at Style Encore.

Style Encore is easily the best way to clean out your closet and find a new wardrobe all in one place. They buy and sell gently used women’s clothing and accessories.

Sure, that sounds nice, but you never know what you’re going to find, right? WRONG! I stopped in the other day and instantly fell in love with a pair of shoes I’m not going to tell you about because BACK OFF. But seriously, the walls are bursting with the brand names we all know and love. Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Gucci…the list is long and illustrious. 

Not only do they have a huge variety out on the sales floor ready for their big day, but they have more inventory than you could imagine so they are able to put out NEW merch every day.  

Buckle up, it’s going to be a big weekend – you aren’t going to want to miss any of this:

ALL DAY THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

  • Register to win a BRAND NEW Kate Spade handbag & mini-pouch and receive an extra entry when you check in to Style Encore Centerville on Facebook
  • Get a free gift* when you spend $100+ plus get an extra entry for the BRAND NEW Kate Spade handbag
  • Tons of prizes throughout the day* Follow us on social media for updates
  • Post a pic with your great finds, tag Style Encore Centerville on Facebook or Instagram and be entered to win brand NEW handbags daily*
  • Use #stylestartsnow Thursday through Sunday to be entered to win the brand new Kate Spade bag in drawing Sunday

THURSDAY, APRIL 13TH | DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

– Ribbon cutting event with Chamber of Commerce and elected officials at 8:30 am

– Local radio personality Gina Ferraro from 9-11am

– Treat yourself to refreshments – coffee & snacks

– First 20 guests in line receive a $20 gift card*

– EVERY guest in line by 9:45 am receives a discount coupon*

– Like us, check in with us on Facebook, spin the wheel and get your deal at checkout*

– 11:30 AM NEW Coach cross-body handbag giveaway**

– Treat yourself to sweet treats – candy bar & snacks

– 2:30 PM NEW Michael by Michael Kors handbag giveaway**

– Food, Fashion, and Fun 5-8 pm – Finger foods & prizes

– With every purchase, receive a coupon to use the next day & a $10 coupon to use in May*

FRIDAY, APRIL 14TH  | DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

– New inventory added daily!

– First 20 guests in line receive a $20 gift card*

– Treat yourself to sweet treats – coffee & snacks throughout the day

– Like us, check in with us on Facebook, spin the wheel and get your deal at checkout*

– 10-4 Spruce up your Spring look with make-up artist Joy Rentz

– 2:30 PM NEW Michael by Michael Kors handbag giveaway**

– 5-7 Cosmo Happy Hour – Free gift with purchase* & prizes!

– 6:45 PM NEW Kate Spade Wristlet giveaway**

– With every purchase, receive a coupon to use the next day & a $10 coupon to use in May*

SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH | DOORS OPEN AT 10 AM

– New inventory added daily!

– First 20 guests in line receive a mystery gift card ($5-$50)*

– Treat yourself to sweet treats – coffee & snacks throughout the day

– Like us, check in with us on Facebook, spin the wheel and get your deal at checkout*

– 10-3 Take a relaxation break with a chair massage from A Touch of Zen’s Oriana Adam

– 1:30 PM NEW Kate Spade handbag giveaway**

– 3:30 PM NEW Coach handbag giveaway**

– 5-7 PM Wine Tasting Happy Hour – Free gift with purchase* & prizes!

– 6:45 PM $50 Style Encore gift card giveaway**

– With every purchase, receive a coupon to use the next day & a $10 coupon to use in May*

SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH | DOORS OPEN AT 12 PM

– New inventory added daily!

– 11:30-1PM Mimosa Brunch

– Like us, check in with us on Facebook, spin the wheel and get your deal at checkout*

– First 20 people through the door get a gift*

– Easter Egg Hunt – Find an egg, win the prize inside*!

– 2:30 PM $50 Style Encore gift card giveaway**

– With every purchase, receive a $10 coupon to use in May*

– 5:30 PM Drawing for the BRAND NEW Kate Spade handbag & mini-pouch (Do NOT have to be present to win)

*While supplies last     **Must be present to win

Lots of goodies, give-aways, and fun! 

Get here early to have first pick of all the great gently used items that they have purchased. Jeans, tops, skirts, blazers, dresses, shoes, boots, jewelry, handbags, and much more – you name it, and they’ve bought it.   

Style Encore is the preferred store of fashion conscious, spending savvy women. We buy and sell the latest styles and brands in gently used casual and business clothing, accessories and handbags all day, every day.

 

Worth The Wait

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A few weeks ago I met a couple girlfriends at the Yellow Cab Building for the Brunch Food Truck Rally.   Since brunch is my favorite meal of the week, I was geared up to go.  I was properly caffeinated, had cash in my pocket, and my pants had a little stretch to make way for all the yummy food ahead of me.  When I got there I was shocked by the amount of people who had the same plan in mind.  Everywhere I turned the lines were long.  I thought to myself that surely no food that came out of a truck could possibly be worth waiting for, but wait I did.

We landed on the always fresh and delightful Shakery Juice Bar since my friends and I were looking for something light and healthy to eat…but smells of waffle batter and maple syrup kept wafting in my direction.  Where was this heavenly scent coming from…? Of course the truck with the longest line of the day: The Drunken Waffle.

As I practically licked the last of my acai berry bowl, I made a mental note to wait for some waffles the next time.  Fortunately the next time came around much sooner than I had expected.  The Drunken Waffle was parked out back of the Cannery Loft Apartments the very next weekend, so my husband and I decided to give some waffles a whirl.

We ordered two meals and decided to split them.  I went relatively traditional with the “50 Shades of Swine,” a bacon wrapped breakfast sausage cooked into the waffle batter.  It was accompanied by a jalapeno maple syrup that wasn’t overly spicy, but left a nice lingering tickle on the tip of my tongue.  My husband took a left at classic and went with a dish that was full of twists and delicious turns:  The War Pig.  This dish had ham, bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and a scrumptious herbed mayo sandwiched in between a spicy, 3 pepper waffle.  He also got a side of asparagus that were perfectly seasoned and cooked.  

All in all,  the meal was as whimsical as the names of the dishes, the flavor combinations were spot on, and the portions were not overwhelming.  Most importantly, the waffles tasted good, they were fluffy and flavorful.  I always appreciate when a restaurant (or in this case a food truck) can introduce some creativity into their food without losing focus of the basics.  The Drunken Waffle’s food is fun and exciting while still keeping the flavors at the forefront.

So the next time you find yourself in a long line at a food truck rally asking “How good can food from a truck really be?”  

Trust that it can be really, really good, and yes, it may even be worth the wait!

Where you can find the Drunken Waffle this week:

Wednesday | Air National Guard Base in Springfield (Military access required) from 11am-2pm
Thursday | WHIO (1611 S Main Street in Dayton) from 11am-2pm
Saturday | Home Depot Rally in Centerville from 11am-6pm

Brunch! Food Truck Rallies at the Yellow Cab are held on the first Sunday of every month, through September.

Luminaries of Dayton: The Anchor as a Cemetery Symbol

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Early Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross and as a marker to guide the way to secret meeting places. It is a Christian symbol of hope, it is found as funeral symbolism in the art of the catacombs. It is also an occupational symbol in sea-faring areas or the attribute of St. Nicholas, patron saint of the seaman, it symbolized hope and steadfastness. An anchor with a broken chain stands for the cessation of life. Anchors are also a Masonic symbol and often found on Mason’s graves as they were a symbol for well-grounded hope.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

 

Dayton at Work and Play: Colleen Kelsey

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Colleen Kelsey is amazing. Just listing all of her activities makes me tired. In addition to making art she’s raising three kids, teaching at three local colleges, organizing pop-up gallery exhibitions under the name Kelsey Projects and founding the Dutoit Gallery, a cooperative exhibition space.    

 

Most recently, she’s become the Director of the Dayton Society of Artists.The DSA is hosting  a Collaborative Drawing Event on Wed, April 12th from 6 – 7:30pm.  This community drawing performative act involves bringing your own still-life object(s).   We will be building a collaborative environment to draw from.  Brown craft paper and charcoal will be provided but it is suggested individuals bring their own drawing materials if desired.  Tables, chairs and art easels are also available. This drawing event is part of DSA’s monthly drawing program.  This is free and open to the public.

Colleen is also active in groups such as the Dayton Chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and she went to the Women’s March in Washington.

I asked Colleen why she had chosen to pack so much into her life and she said “We might live just this one life so I want to make mine count. I don’t want to have regrets about things I didn’t do.” I asked about her art process.

“When I start to make art I start with a free form gesture, something organic and curvilinear. That often morphs into figures and the figures impact the space. I don’t know where it will end up. It depends on what I’ve experienced or thought about that day. The meaning and content are only discovered after I’ve finished the piece.”

“Sometimes I do have some forethought before beginning a work. I did a series called the Artist and Her Husband. Those works reference pieces by important male artists, with a switch. In my works my husband (artist Jeremy Long) wears the dress.”

Montgomery County Fair A ‘GO’ After Recent Wind Damage

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The 166th Annual Montgomery County Fair will start 7/10/17.

The Montgomery County Agricultural Society Board of Directors announce the July 10-15, 2017 Montgomery County Fair is ‘all systems go’ after some minor wind damage during last week’s storms.

 

“Our grandstands suffered a little damage which will be repaired in plenty of time before our #FAIRwellOnMain in July. Also, some older unused horse stables along shed row were damaged.” Says Montgomery County Agricultural Society President John Yancik.  “Wind gusts knocked down some siding and blew off a garage door at the grandstands with zero structural damage.” The popular Demo Derby, Rodeo and other events take place on the track in front of the grandstands during fair time.

“We encourage everyone to enjoy the fair, relive memories where many of us spent our childhood, July 10-15, for the final time on S. Main Street. Come celebrate as we look to the future with our new fairgrounds and event center at Arthur O. Fisher Park in Jefferson Township.” Yancik shares.

 

Again, the 2017 Montgomery County Fair is Monday, July 10, through Saturday, July 15, 2017 on South Main Street across from Miami Valley Hospital.