If children and the arts are two of a community's most precious commodities, then the Cleveland Foundation has got Northeast Ohio covered.

As part of an overall grantmaking surge totaling $21.6 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations, the foundation has authorized monies to separate programs focusing on youth development and arts and culture.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland received $250,000 to expand its reach, says foundation executive vice president Bob Eckardt. The grant will support after-school and summer activities at various club locations. It will also fund a development campaign seeking to raise money for general programming.

"We recognize that Cleveland's youth need more than just schools," says Eckardt. "There's a need for high-quality out-of-school programming."

On the cultural side of the slate, Cleveland Foundation continued its support of two capital campaigns in the arts - Gordon Square Arts District and the Power of Three: Allen Theatre Project. Each program was granted $250,000, bringing the foundation’s support for both campaigns to the $1 million level.

The Gordon Square district on Cleveland's West Side acts as an economic catalyst for the surrounding community, says Eckardt. The foundation's funding will solely be used for renovation of the Cleveland Public Theatre.

The Power of Three: The Allen Theatre Project, meanwhile, is a partnership among Cleveland State University, PlayhouseSquare and Cleveland Play House to build Allen Theatre into a multivenue performing arts and education complex.

Supporting the two arts programs was an easy call for the foundation. "Arts and culture is one of our strengths," Eckardt says, pointing to the thriving arts' enclaves in University Circle, downtown Cleveland and elsewhere. "It's part of our brand as a community and plays into or economic development strategy as a region."

 
SOURCE: Bob Eckardt
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth

The way Beachland Ballroom owner Cindy Barber sees it, Cleveland's music glory days are far from over. Yet our music scene could use some better amplification. That's why Barber has created a new nonprofit, Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future, to preserve the legacy of the city's rock-and-roll history while also promoting and shaping its future.

"The past is the legacy project of capturing Cleveland music history, the present is documenting what's happening now, and the future is figuring out what we need to do to grow it," says Barber. "There's already a huge amount of music business here. We need to take stock of what we have and what we're missing."

Barber cites music business startups like Gotta Groove Records, Fortune Drums, Audio Technica and Dr. Z Amplification as success stories. She also wants to highlight the local bands that are touring and getting signed nationally.

"The plan is to create a website to highlight the bands that are getting attention," she says. "If they're out touring the world, they can bring that energy back to share with other people in Cleveland and grow the music business here."

To kick off the project, Barber and others are organizing a series of live interviews with local legends that played a role in Cleveland music history. The first event is scheduled to place on Saturday, November 3rd at 1 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets cost $15 and include lunch and the opportunity to participate as Larry Bruner, former booking manager for the 1960s folk music venue La Cav, is interviewed by Steve Traina, DJ for the WCSB radio show "Steve's Folk."

Future plans include working with the Rock Hall to preserve oral histories and promote live music, helping musicians identify investment sources for growing their bands or recording albums, and marketing the music industry here.

"All the clubs that came together as part of the Cleveland Music Coalition [to challenge the city's admissions tax] are part of this," says Barber. "We want to use the nonprofit to support what they're doing to create live music in Cleveland."


Source: Cindy Barber
Writer: Lee Chilcote

A parent can cover their child's eyes when there is violence on television, but who will do that for a child when they're exposed to real-life trauma? That is the question United Way is answering with its 2-1-1 community access line, a 24-hour help number that's part of Cuyahoga County’s Defending Childhood initiative.

United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald hosted a news conference September 28 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to announce a $2 million Justice Department grant that will aid Defending Childhood programs including the community access line.

The phone line is manned by United Way staff members. These trained staffers determine if Defending Childhood services can help a child who has witnessed violence or experienced trauma. Diagnosing and treating children who have lived through violence can be a significant step in helping them avoid trouble later in life, says Stephen Wertheim, president/CEO of United Way.

 "The trauma a kid goes through can impact their function in society," Wertheim says. "We're trying to get to these problems at the root."

While at the high school event, Holder participated in a round-table discussion with students and teachers. He later met with a group of law enforcement officers and social workers that were also on hand.

The impact of violence on children has reached "national crisis" proportions, Holder told the audience during the Sept. 28 conference. Assessing and screening the young people victimized by violence must take precedence over merely prosecuting those perpetrating the trauma.

Studies have shown how post-traumatic stress can negatively effect children, says FitzGerald. 

"If a child witnesses horrific acts of violence, they're more likely to be involved in the justice system themselves," says the county executive. Through a preventative measure like the 2-1-1 help line, "the idea is to increase public safety rather than just incarcerating everyone."

 
SOURCE: Stephen Wertheim, Ed FitzGerald
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth

At the corner of E. 83rd and Carnegie Avenue, a dilapidated building has been transformed into a contemporary, glass-walled resource center. Inside these walls, youth will be mentored, adults will receive financial education and job skill assistance, and seniors will record their history within the community.

This is no ordinary redevelopment project. The PNC Fairfax Connection was designed with maximum community input to address the needs and aspirations of the Fairfax neighborhood, which lies just south of the Cleveland Clinic campus.

“We celebrate the opening of the PNC Fairfax Connection as a demonstration of what it truly means to work together to create a new relationship and a new bond between a bank and its community,” said Cleveland native James Rohr, Chairman and CEO of PNC Bank, in a press release. “PNC closely collaborated with the Fairfax community at every step to ensure the center's design and programs meet the interests and needs of this proud and historic community.”

The $5 million center, which was sustainably built and will likely receive LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), is a 6,400-square-foot space that is flexibly designed to meet the needs of the community. Two full-time coordinators, Susan Blasko and Brandon Lipford, will staff it.

Upcoming programs include SPARK, a web-based literacy initiative provided in cooperation with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cleveland; Senior Compass programs that help seniors with help and wellness and technology skills; and Financial Connections, which are weekly financial wellness workshops.

The PNC Fairfax Connection is open daily from Tuesday through Saturday, and programs are offered in the day as well as the evening.


Source: PNC Bank
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Everyone loves a potluck. They inspire people to bring their A-game and try new, exciting dishes, showcase diverse cultural backgrounds, and spark conversations about where our food comes from.

This Saturday from 4:30-7 pm, what one might call the mother of all potlucks is taking place at Edgewater Park. The grassroots "Potluck in the Park" aims to bring residents together from across the city to celebrate local food in Cleveland and share a meal together.

"The idea was inspired when a group of us went to Detroit and learned about their potlucks," says Lilah Zautner, Sustainability Manager for Neighborhood Progress Incorporated and a lead organizer of the event. "They get 200-plus people at their potlucks, a big spectrum of folks. You'll find super-delicious homemade quinoa next to a bucket of KFC fried chicken. Everything goes on the table and everyone eats."

Although the primary purpose of the event is to build a sense of community around local food, the potluck will also celebrate the city's Year of Local Food. Zautner says the effort, led by Sustainable Cleveland 2019, has been a success.

"New farms are coming online literally every week, the strength and number of farmers markets are growing, and we're getting lots of press," she says. "The quality, size and sophistication of these food-based businesses are growing."

Helping urban farmers in Cleveland grow to the next level was also a big topic of discussion at a Cleveland Connects event hosted last week by ideastream and The Plain Dealer. It raised the question, "Can distinctive restaurants, food-related businesses and urban farms nourish the rebirth of Cleveland's neighborhoods?"

"We want to use microenterprise programs to help bring farmers to scale and create value-added products," responded Colleen Gilson, Executive Director of Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition (CNDC). "These products will allow farmers to sell their products for more money and create more jobs."

"People have innovation and drive but not the facilities," Gilson added. "The growth of commercial kitchens would really help to spur more development."

"The sky is the limit," said David O'Neil with the Project for Public Spaces. "Cleveland, you have enormous potential to grow your local food system."

The Potluck in the Park is open to anyone; bring a dish to share and, of course, local food is encouraged. Guests can register in advance on the Eventbrite page.


Source: Lilah Zautner, Colleen Gilson, David O'Neil

For the next three months, artists from Sri Lanka, India, Armenia, Mexico and Chile will bring their talents, experiences and cultures to Cleveland through The Cleveland Foundation's international artist-in-residence program, Creative Fusion.

"The Cleveland Foundation does have a globalization agenda for Cleveland, and we think it's important for Clevelanders to see the city as a global, international city and that the rest of the world see us that way, too," says Kathleen Cerveny, Director of Institutional Learning and Arts Initiatives for the foundation. "The arts are a great tool to promote international understanding and exchange."

Creative Fusion brings in five international artists for a three-month stay in Cleveland. The program has been in the pilot phase for the last three years, and this year's roster of artists represents a complete relaunch for the initiative.

"Traditionally, arts organizations will bring in international artists, but there's very little lasting impact," says Cerveny. "We wanted to bring artists here for a longer period of time, especially cultures that are not represented in Cleveland."

While Creative Fusion artists are embedded within a cultural organization, they are required to complete community engagement activities and interact with the local artistic community. Cerveny says that the artists have gotten right to work.

"There's an Indian choreographer at the Rainey Institute who has been here a week and a day, and he's already taught two classes at Hathaway Brown and worked with inner-city kids at Rainey. This program has a significant impact."

Many of the artists consider Cleveland "a second home" after living here, she adds.

The artists are being hosted by Inlet Dance Theatre, Rainey Institute, Trinity Cathedral, Young Audiences and Zygote Press. More information about the Creative Fusion artists can be found on the Cleveland Foundation's website.


Source: Kathleen Cerveny
Writer: Lee Chilcote

The West Side Market is celebrating its Centennial year, prompting much discussion of the institution's past, present and future. Among other things, city leaders are discussing how best to ensure that the market remains successful for another 100 years.

Last week, however, the best ideas seemed to come not from local leaders but from others in Detroit, Santa Monica and Hong Kong as 250 market leaders from around the world attended the three-day International Public Markets Conference in Cleveland.

"The roots of our market are in local farmers selling their produce during the growing season," said Dan Carmody, Manager of Detroit's Eastern Market, during a panel discussion on the role of markets in the future of cities. "When I started there, it was a place where wholesale grocers dumped their product at the end of the week. Now we're trying to envision it as a revitalized local food system."

Eastern Market now sells locally-grown produce raised by urban farmers in Detroit, unlike the West Side Market, which only has a handful of vendors selling local produce.

Santa Monica's public market also was held up as an example. It offers valet parking for bicycles, works with a nearby cooking school to do demonstrations, and hosts "Meatless Mondays" to educate people about how to cook vegetarian.

And if you're looking for fresh, you can't get much more so than Hong Kong's Tai Yuen Market, which has fish swimming in tanks and live chickens. (The market recently installed a state-of-the-art ventilation system to deal with the offending odors.)

Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman, who touted his experience working in his uncle's butcher shop as a young man, said that change is coming to the market.

"People at the West Side Market are looking too much at last year's calendar," said Cimperman to the audience. "It won't survive unless they look at tomorrow."

Among the changes that have been recommended at the market are adding more local foods, creating more convenient hours and charging for parking. There is a proposal for a parking fee, but city leaders are still negotiating with vendors.

Cimperman vowed to continue the fight for change. "The city's lease with vendors runs out in 2014,"he said. "It's time to look at the market for the next 100 years."


Source: Joe Cimperman, International Public Markets conference
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Like many foundations, the Saint Luke's Foundation in Cleveland has emerged from the recession with a narrower yet deeper approach to grantmaking. Beginning this year, the foundation has eschewed responsive grantmaking for targeted grants in three primary areas: health, communities and families.

"This year our foundation turned 15, and as we thought about what our successes had been and how to serve the community in the best way possible, there was interest in focusing more narrowly," says LaTida Smith, Vice President of Programming, Outcomes and Learning at the foundation.

The change has been both challenging and rewarding. "This year, we're narrowing and doing responsive grantmaking at the same time," says Smith. "There are some projects we've funded in the past that we won't be able to fund anymore, and even though we've narrowed to three areas, those challenges are still broad."

One area where Smith says the foundation has been innovative and successful is in advancing the understanding of community health. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health was awarded a grant to develop its capacity to complete health impact assessments -- basically, determinations of how planning and redevelopment decisions impact neighborhood health -- while the "Place Matters" speaker series at the City Club prompted a broad discussion of place-based health disparities.

Examples of the foundation's changed grantmaking strategy include an increased emphasis on strengthening families -- as opposed to simply helping kids or adults in isolation -- and a strong commitment to the neighborhoods around the former Saint Luke's Hospital (Buckeye, Larchmere and Shaker Square in particular).


Source: LaTida Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote

There was no shortage of naysayers when Ward 13 Councilman Kevin Kelley and other leaders launched an effort to provide free wireless Internet access to residents of the city's Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

Yet three years later, wireless hotspots blanket 90 percent of the neighborhood, and about 20,000 individuals use the service monthly. Kelley says the project could be a model for other areas that are seeking to bridge the digital divide.

"We learned through [Case Western Reserve University's] NEO CANDO program that about 50 percent of the ward had a daily Internet subscription," says Kelley of the impetus behind the Old Brooklyn Connected project, which also offers a community website. "To me, when you look at how people now communicate and look for jobs, or how kids perform in school, that simply wasn't adequate."

Kelley led an effort to hire a contractor that installed wireless equipment throughout the neighborhood. The City of Cleveland, Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland Housing Network and Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation collaborated to train residents how to use computers.

Although the project cost over $800,000 to implement, Kelley says it was well worth it. "We were looking for a way to invest in people," he says. "That's less than two dollars per month per household when you look at it over a five-year period."

Most of the money came from the city, and equipment is expected to last at least five years before it needs an upgrade. The results speak for themselves, he says. "I'm now getting a better signal from my front porch than from paid service."

Kelley hopes the project will also attract new residents. "How do we make Old Brooklyn a young community, a progressive community? This is a tool for doing that."


Source: Kevin Kelley
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Mention Rivergate Park in the Flats in conversation and you'll likely be met with blank looks. Yet an eclectic alliance of skateboarders, cyclists and urban recreation groups are trying to change that with Rollin' on the River, an event that aims to put Rivergate on the map as a recreation destination.

Rollin' on the River, which takes place Saturday, September 29th at 1785 Merwin Avenue, will bring together skateboarding, cycling and music for an afternoon of fun.

"A lot of change has come to the Flats over the summer and 2013 will hold even more," said Vince Frantz, Executive Director of the skateboarding advocacy organization Public Square Group, in a release. "We wanted to celebrate that and highlight the amazing recreation organizations doing awesome work in the city.”

Rivergate Park is a new, 2.4-acre Cleveland Metropark that lies adjacent to the Columbus Road bridge along the Cuyahoga River in the Flats. The Cleveland Rowing Foundation also owns acreage there which includes its boathouse. In the coming months, there are big plans for this small slice of urban waterfront.

The City of Cleveland will break ground on the long-awaited Crooked River Skatepark by the end of the year. The Metroparks also plans to develop its new park and offer programming that will include adventure sports, canoeing and kayaking. Rivergate Park is already home to the Head of the Cuyahoga regatta race, the Ohio City Bike Co-op and the Cleveland Dragon Boat Association.

The free, all-ages event starts at 2 p.m. with a pop-up skateboard park, dragon boat rides on the river, live music, beer and food. Bike Cleveland is also organizing rides to Rivergate, and a contest will be held for the best bike carrier for a skateboard.


Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Horseshoe Lake in Shaker Heights is a great place to take a walk and enjoy the bucolic, well-preserved Shaker Lakes. Now this setting has been made even more beautiful by the addition of glowing lanterns that dangle from trees like glimmering fireflies.

As part of the Shaker Heights Centennial celebration, artist Barry Underwood has created a new public art installation in Horseshoe Lake Park. The light display illuminates the wooded path along South Park Drive between Park Drive and Attleboro. It opened Labor Day weekend and continues until September 17th.

"Barry was commissioned to create the projects to call attention to the unique setting and natural beauty of the lakes, but to do it in a more forward looking way," says Megan Jones of LAND Studio, a nonprofit organization that partnered with the City of Shaker Heights on the project.

In a news release, the City of Shaker Heights described the lighting installation, which includes very contemporary, brightly colored elements, as "otherworldly."

The ephemeral display, which is drawing camera-wielding visitors, is best viewed from the South Park trail. Underwood is a local artist and faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA). He is currently working on projects for the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) and the Cleveland Clinic.


Source: LAND Studio
Writer: Lee Chilcote

A local nonprofit has folded, but its services will live on. WECO, a community wealth building organization, dissolved this summer -- but thanks to a partnership between Neighborhood Progress Inc. and Key Bank, its Financial Education Center on Buckeye Road will continue to offer services.

"We are working to help neighborhoods regain their financial footing by starting at the very building blocks of community -- the residents," said Joel Ratner, President and CEO of Neighborhood Progress, in a release.

The Key Financial Education Center, which is located next to the Key Bank branch at 11461 Buckeye Road, has helped more than 16,000 individuals gain skills in financial management and personal investment since it opened in 2004. It offers free classes on topics such as credit, saving money and homeownership.

Neighborhood Progress has hired two former WECO employees to continue offering workshops, classes and coaching. Key Bank also has 140 employees that are certified to provide these services at the Center and in the community.


Source: Neighborhood Progress Inc.
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Tim Tramble of Burton Bell Carr Development Inc. tried for years to recruit a healthy eatery to the Kinsman neighborhood of Cleveland. When he found an entrepreneur willing to open a Subway here, however, the corporate chain nixed the idea.

The area, which has been dubbed "The Forgotten Triangle" because of the poverty and lack of opportunity rooted here, is a food desert that does not have a grocery store within a one-mile radius. That is a problem for the area's residents, many of whom don't have their own cars.

Faced with this problem, however, Tramble and his coworkers and board decided to open a community kitchen, healthy restaurant and community space. The $1.3 million project, which aims to create access to fresh foods, encourage healthy eating and support community market gardeners, opens later this month.

"This is a really low income neighborhood without much access to personal transportation, and people have to lug groceries and common things we take for granted," says Tramble of the project, which is called the Bridgeport Cafe. "They constantly shop for just two or three days at a time."

The community kitchen contains spacious, restaurant-style food preparation space that will allow neighborhood farmers to prepare their own foods for sale.

Tramble also plans to launch a Mobile Market, a specially built truck converted to an indoor market. Patrons can enter the truck, which will make stops throughout the neighborhood, pick out produce from two aisles, pay for it and exit the truck.


Source: Tim Tramble
Writer: Lee Chilcote

When musician educators with Roots of American Music hold workshops in Cleveland public schools, it almost goes without saying that they are entering a place that doesn't have a full-time music teacher. Most cannot afford to hire full-time music staff, so they rely on part-time faculty and visiting artists.

The 14-year-old nonprofit organization educates more than 15,000 students throughout Northeast Ohio each year, teaching social studies, financial literacy and health education through music.

"We do a lot of songwriting about topics that are important to kids," says Kevin Richards, ROAM's Director. "They work with authentic artist-educators who not only can teach but are also bluesmen, Cajun zydeco artists or rappers."

Richards likens ROAM's educational approach to parents who disguise healthy foods to get their kids to eat them. In general, the artists have little trouble convincing kids to participate. "Kids don't realize they're getting an academic message at the same time as they're fooling around with traditional music."

ROAM's curriculum has changed as educational goals have evolved. When Richards created the organization, the focus was on teaching social studies. Today, such staple courses are supplemented with programs about financial literacy and health education (the latter is in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic).

One popular program called "On the Move" teaches students in the Central neighborhood of Cleveland about migration patterns throughout history. Students learn the song "Kansas City" and change the lyrics to fit their family's story.

Roots of American Music will host its 13th annual Benefit for Education on Saturday, October 6th at the Beachland Ballroom. Multi-award-winning Austin singer-songwriter Guy Forsythe is the headliner. The tickets are $125 for VIP access including dinner and preferred seating, or $15 for the concert only.


Source: Kevin Richards
Writer: Lee Chilcote

An innovative software program developed by the Center for Urban Poverty at Case Western Reserve University is helping Cleveland neighborhood development practitioners reinvent their urban communities in strategic, data-driven ways.

NEO CANDO, a publicly accessible database, provides one-stop-shopping for anyone looking to research property information in their neighborhood. The site allows users to go beyond researching individual properties and look at snapshots of neighborhoods -- including which properties are at risk of foreclosure and which have been condemned. The site also contains social, economic and census data.

"In the past, information was collected from multiple websites, and by the time it was assembled, it was out of date," says Mike Schramm, a Research Associate in the Center on Urban Poverty in the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at CWRU. "We bring data together across domains. Our mission is to democratize data and to create data-driven decisions by both nonprofits and government."

In practice, NEO CANDO is used by foreclosure prevention agencies to research which properties are in danger of going into foreclosure. Armed with this info, grassroots groups can knock on the owner's door and attempt to intervene, thus hopefully preventing another vacant, bank-owned home in the neighborhood.

The information is also used to focus on areas with strategic assets in an effort to better protect them. "You need to know that the house across street from that recently rehabbed home is in foreclosure -- and then do something about it."

Projects like NEO CANDO are helping to facilitate a shift within the community development field towards creating more strategic, placemaking investments.


Source: Mike Schramm
Writer: Lee Chilcote

During a recent Tremont Art Walk, Lisa Turner took a break from running her busy pet store to chase an ailing, stray dog down Professor Avenue. After she and a friend chased it for half an hour, they caught him and took him to Gateway Animal Hospital. The Friends of Cleveland Kennel donated $1,200 for his surgery, and "Buddy" was put up for adoption.

Turner, who opened Tremont Tails earlier this year, isn't the only animal lover in the neighborhood. Tremont has always been a welcoming neighborhood for pet owners, with many of the restaurants allowing dogs on their patios. Scoops Ice Cream even serves doggie ice cream. Tremont animal rescue advocates are also helping to move dogs and cats off the street and into the hands of responsible pet owners.

"The rescue community is overwhelmed, and I saw a need to bring in more volunteers and raise awareness," says Turner of her boutique, which not only sells pet products but also connects people with animals in need of adoption. "We've been well-received by the community, and we have had adoptions here."

Becca Riker, owner of the Mutt Hutt, is another neighborhood rescue advocate. "Tremont is surrounded by dog-friendly amenities, and a lot of people who are interested in urban living want a dog for safety or companionship," says the 20-year Tremont resident, who also helped to create the Clark Field dog park.

Other Tremont organizations that are involved in animal rescue include the Animal Protective League (APL), Friends of Cleveland Kennel and Gateway Animal Clinic (which is well-known for treating rescued dogs and cats).

It's a goal that is shared by the entire community, says Turner, who has a bull mastiff she rescued from the industrial Flats. "Nine out of ten people who walk in here have a mutt. They're all rescued. People here really care about their pets."


Source: Lisa Turner, Becca Riker
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Jeff Griffiths launched Hands On Northeast Ohio in 2007 to "train and equip volunteers to be at the center of change in their communities." In 2011, the startup nonprofit organization helped connect nearly 5,000 volunteers with hundreds of worthy projects throughout the Cleveland area.

Last weekend, volunteers prepped bikes at the Ohio City Bike Co-op, served meals to the homeless, delivered meals to seniors, cleaned cat cages, and lended a hand at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Hands On Northeast Ohio offers accessible, well-managed opportunities to serve throughout the community. Volunteers attend an orientation session and sign up for opportunities on the group's website. With a point and a click, they can read descriptions of opportunities, find out which ones are available, and sign up.

"People wanted to help, but oftentimes accessing volunteer opportunities was filled with barriers -- the commitment was unrealistic, the training was too cumbersome, or the agency didn't have a way to recruit or train volunteers at all," says Griffiths. "By us managing projects, we make both parties happy."

In addition to 35-plus managed projects per month, Hands On also manages one-day national events such as the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Griffiths says the organization is part of a national network of similar groups. "We saw a need, took a proven model and adapted it locally to our needs here," he says.


Source: Jeff Griffiths
Writer: Lee Chilcote

When Earl Pike of the Cleveland Leadership Center helped design the new Civic Engagement Boot Camp, he tapped the popular national trend of half marathon benefits as a wellspring of inspiration.

"People want to be challenged," he says. "We didn't want to do the typical thing of getting a bunch of young people in a room to listen to an old person pontificate. We wanted to ask people to do something really hard and put their hearts and souls into it."

The result? A one-day civic engagement half marathon, if you will. The Boot Camp starts at 6:30 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m.

"At the end, you'll be exhausted and probably smell bad and be a little frayed," says Pike. "But you'll see every major sector of Cleveland and you'll be engaged in a way that changes you, challenges you."

In June, participants held a behind-the-scenes meeting with the editorial board of the Plain Dealer, worked out with an 82-year-old woman, dug in the dirt at Ohio City Farm, went on a bike tour of Cleveland, and honed their improv skills at Cleveland Public Theatre. And that was just part of the day. It concluded with a meeting of area foundation leaders at the Terminal Tower Observation Deck.

The next installment of Boot Camp, titled "Cleveland from dawn to dusk -- like you've never seen it before," will take place Thursday, October 4th. The cost is $500.

"It doesn't really matter what people do: We love seeing people inspired and getting active in whatever domain they choose," says Pike, who says the long-term goal is combining civic engagement with personal growth. "Now we're beginning to look at the coaching that might come after the experience."


Source: Earl Pike
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Thrive Cleveland, a new grassroots "happiness incubator," wants to amaze you. The goal is to provide experiences that are "surprising," "boundary expanding" and "beyond your comfort zone," according to cofounder Scott Simon.

"What we’re doing is creating what you could call a happiness gym," says Simon. "It will be a series of ongoing, curated experiences for Clevelanders. We want to get them to meet other people, be creative and hear from the best and brightest in Cleveland."

The group is composed of 13 Clevelanders who are volunteering their time to create happiness-inducing events aimed at engaging the city's residents.

The first experience, entitled "WTF? (What's That Food?) -- A Local Farm-to-Table Exploration," will take place on Saturday, August 25th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will meet at Cafe Benice and then travel as a group to the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Farmers Market, where they'll meet with farmers, taste just-picked produce, and learn how fresh food contributes to happiness and well-being. Afterwards, the group will return to Cafe Benice to participate in a hands-on cooking experience utilyzing the farm-fresh foods. 

According to Simon, the event is part of a national movement towards fostering greater happiness in cities across the country. He cites the Happiness Institute in San Francisco and Life Labs NYC in Brooklyn as two comparable organizations.


Source: Scott Simon
Writer: Lee Chilcote