There are a great many ways to measure a year: personal relationships, professional success, community impact. By any of those standards, we have a lot to be thankful for as we look back on 2012.

2012 saw Toledo Free Press receive its fourth consecutive honor as best weekly newspaper in Ohio from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. But the thing we are perhaps most proud of is the increasing number of philanthropic projects we have been able to sponsor.

Some of these events are original and just beginning what should be very long legacies. To name just a few, there is the “Holiday Wishes” series of local music CDs benefiting Make-A-Wish. There is the explosive growth of Restaurant Week Toledo, our partnership with Leadership Toledo. We are humbled to be the media partner for the summer Round Up Hunger campaign for Feed Lucas County Children and the American Red Cross Ready U series. We enjoyed a tremendous night for the Red Cross with our Titanic re-creation dinner and dance on the 100th anniversary of the ship’s April 14 sinking.

We were also pleased to assist the first Ghoulwill Ball for Goodwill Industries, Ken Leslie’s 1Matters and Tent City and the latest Cattle Baron’s Ball for the American Cancer Society.

We have been pleased to work with Toledo’s LGBT community for the Toledo Pride Festival and parade, and to have served three years as media sponsor for the Holiday with Heart Charity Gayla. We also sponsored the Jennifer Rockwood-directed play “8” at the University of Toledo, which centered around marriage equality.

On the business scene, we saw another successful year as a media sponsor for the Better Business Bureau Torch Awards and the Entrepreneurial & Business Excellence Hall of Fame.

On the arts side, we helped with such projects as Grugelfest, the PechaKucha series, 2445 events at the Toledo Museum of Art, the Sur-Saint Clair exhibit of the works of Robert Heindel and the upcoming New Year’s Eve concert by the Johnny Knorr Orchestra. We also had one of the best nights of the year at the Schedel Gardens gala.

There were many others, each of which we were proud to be associated with, including Multiple Sclerosis Society (Leadership Class), Junior Achievement, the Owens Community College Foundation (Backpack to the Future and the Alumni Golf Outing) and the ProMedica Advocacy Fund.

At this year’s Holiday with Heart event, Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller commented that our partnership with the Gayla was not about Toledo Free Press accepting the gay community; it was about the gay community accepting Toledo Free Press. That sentiment carries through each and every one of our partnerships. Our philanthropic efforts are never about our choosing a cause; they are about the honor of these causes choosing us.

Toledo Free Press looks forward to another full slate of events and philanthropy in 2013.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

Tags: 1Matters, Ghoulwill Ball, Goodwill Industries, Grugelfest, Holiday Wishes 2, Holiday with Heart Charity Gayla, Jennifer Rockwood, Junior Achievement, Ken Leslie, Leadership Toledo, Make-A-Wish, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, Owens Community College Foundation, PechaKucha, ProMedica Advocacy Fund, Publisher's Statement, Restaurant Week Toledo, Tent City, Toledo Free Press, Tom Pounds

This entry was posted on Friday, December 21st, 2012 at 12:00 am and is filed under Opinion, Publisher's Statement.
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Local musician Steven J. Athanas describes himself as “a Christmas fool.”

“The day after Thanksgiving I’m at the tree farm getting a tree,” Athanas said. “My eldest son usually competes to see who started playing Christmas music first. It’s my favorite holiday, so being a songwriter I felt the need to express it.”

The Toledo native contributed an original song, “Looks Like Christmas Is Here,” to “Holiday Wishes 2,” a Make-A-Wish benefit CD produced for the second year by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller. The two-disc CD featuring 44 tracks by local artists is available for $15 at local Panera Bread stores and select shops at Levis Commons. All proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to help grant wishes for Northwest Ohio children with life-threatening medical conditions.

“I saw the editorial Miller wrote earlier this year and was pissed off because I didn’t get involved [in the CD project] last year,” Athanas said. “I was determined to make sure I got in this year.”

Choosing the song to contribute was easy.

“Basically it’s the only Christmas song I’ve ever written,” said Athanas, who is also an artist and a DJ at 107.7 The Wolf.

Athanas recorded the song with his now-defunct band, The Ogres. The song features Athanas on vocals, Wes Linenkugel on mandolin and keys and E.J. Wells on “everything else,” Athanas said. Linenkugel also appears on the CD, playing hammered dulcimer on “Up On The Rooftop.” Wells contributed an original track, “Santa Got A Jump Jet!”

The lyrics of “Looks Like Christmas is Here” contain a compilation of childhood Christmas memories, Athanas said.

“I’m a visual artist and I think it’s safe to say that Christmas, more than any other holiday, is an assault on all of your senses — sight, sound, even touch — and that’s what attracts me,” Athanas said. “Being an artist, you’re always trying to stimulate your senses, so that’s where I’m coming from.”

Athanas said he’s glad the song is part of the CD and he hopes it leaves listeners with “a warm, fuzzy feeling” this holiday season.

Tags: E.J. Wells, Holiday Wishes 2, Make-A-Wish, Steven J. Athanas

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 20th, 2012 at 4:51 pm and is filed under Music, Star.
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Many of the artists on “Holiday Wishes 2,” the benefit album for Make-A-Wish Foundation, are veterans when it comes to recording. However, Ashley Rose Norris, who sings “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” is new to the business.

“I’m really excited to be a part of [“Holiday Wishes 2”] and I can’t think of a better way to support a great cause,” Norris said.

Ashley Rose Norris

The two-disc set features 44 tracks by local artists and is available for $15 at local Panera Bread stores and select shops at Levis Commons. All proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to help grant wishes for Northwest Ohio children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Norris serves as the Monday night bartender at Manhattan’s (in addition to being jack of all trades at the restaurant). During open-mic nights, she often sings with the bands. A friend noticed her skills and recommended that she lend her voice to “Holiday Wishes 2.”

Jeff Williams, an “amazing blues artist,” helped arrange the track for Norris, she said. The result is a slow, bluesy version of the popular track.

“We just kind of played it and went for it,” Norris said. “We just jibed really well together.”

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” was first sung by Judy Garland in the film “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Norris said she chose the tune because, “It’s a classic Christmas song. It’s one of my favorites and I have always remembered that I enjoyed singing along to it.”

She moved to Toledo from Indiana at age 10. She grew up singing in church and with family.

“My dad and his family, they’re all singers and it was kind of me and my dad’s thing that we always did together,” she said.

Norris said she enjoyed meeting other musicians and exchanging business cards at the Make-A-Wish benefit concert earlier this month.

“This entire experience is completely new for me,” she said. “I had a great time getting to meet different people.”

Still, Norris said she has no concrete plans for her career — yet.

“I enjoy taking it a day at a time. I’m excited about what we’ve accomplished this far. I’m hoping that it does open up some more opportunities.

I would love to be able to make a career out of singing and music, but right now it’s at the beginning,” she said.

Tags: Ashley Rose Norris, Holiday Wishes 2, Make-A-Wish, Manhattan's

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 18th, 2012 at 10:44 am and is filed under Holidays, Music, Star.
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In 2011, the first “Holiday Wishes” CD was released. With 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, local celebrities gave generously of their time and talent in an effort to raise money for a wonderful cause. Luminaries such as Pat Dailey, Crystal Bowersox, Alyson Stoner, Sheri LaFontaine and Jamie Farr all contributed.

“I am so honored and proud to be able to do positive things for my hometown,” Farr said in a 2011 interview with Toledo Free Press.

That kind of generosity — by artists and the public alike — led to an album which grossed more than $25,000 for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. This year, another outpouring in the spirit of giving has led to the creation of “Holiday Wishes 2,” a two-disc, 44-track collection featuring an even wider array of area talent. The CD was produced by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller.

WTOL-11's Jerry Anderson, left, and 1370 WSPD's Fred LeFebvre recorded tracks for this year's Make-A-Wish CD. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr.

“We all find different ways to help,” said Jerry Anderson, WTOL-11 news anchor. “The holidays, to me, are a great time of family and reflection. And to me, it always refocuses [me] on the things that are most important in my life, which to me are faith and family.”

Anderson performs a reading of the Edgar Guest poem “At Christmas” on “Holiday Wishes 2.” Though this is his first year directly contributing to the project, he helped promote the original CD with coverage on his show “Leading Edge,” and was eager to directly participate this year.

“I think it was as casual as, ‘Hey, would you be interested in doing a reading for the CD this year?’ And I was thrilled to say yes. I mean, my partner Chrys Peterson sings on the record every year, and she’s a really accomplished performer. And I certainly don’t have that kind of skill,” Anderson said.

Also skilled behind the microphone is WSPD morning host Fred LeFebvre, who lends his voice to “Holiday Wishes 2” with a reading of “The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus.”

“Miller got ahold of me this year and asked if I’d get involved, and I said yes right away,” LeFebvre said. “I wasn’t even sure what he was going to have me do. And then when I found out it was an Ogden Nash poem, that made it even better, because those are always a lot of fun.”

Miller said opening the project to readings expands the types of contributors he can pursue.

“In addition to serving a great cause and being a lot of fun, this annual series can serve as an archive of Toledo history,” he said. “To have tracks by legends such as Jamie Farr and Dennis Staples, and contemporary media talent like Harvey Steele, Rick and Mary Beth from The River and now Jerry and Fred, is to preserve Toledo’s culture and legacy.

“Jerry, Fred and our media participants have been incredibly gracious with their outreach and helping us spread the word about the CD, and we can’t thank them enough,” Miller said.

LeFebvre recorded his piece in the same studio from which he broadcasts daily on WSPD, though he said his performance on the CD was a deliberate attempt to present another side of himself than his regular listeners usually hear.

“I was going for not so much a dramatic reading, but more of a fun type thing. Not the radio voice that people normally hear, but there’s a little bit of personality in there that I think people will enjoy when they listen to it,” he said.

Anderson, meanwhile, recorded his piece just down the same hall —at the 101.5 The River studio at Clear Channel headquarters. His moving reading of “At Christmas” is all the more impressive given that he didn’t know the piece before getting involved with “Holiday Wishes.”

“I wasn’t familiar with ‘At Christmas,’” Anderson said. “The message in it was just so on point. There’s just something about this time of year that should bring out the best in people. Petty differences don’t matter. When you’re thinking more of others than you are of yourself, you’re less selfish and you’re more giving.”

Of course, the spirit of giving can be heard in every track of “Holiday Wishes 2,” with the money raised going toward a cause that both Anderson and LeFebvre say they were honored to support.

“What I like about this one — the Make-A-Wish, and some of the other ones that we do — is, No. 1, they’re local. I like it when the money stays here,” LeFebvre said. “I like it when the organization has a great reputation, as Make-A-Wish does. And when you know the majority of money is going for what it’s intended for, not for administrative services and things like that.

“Plus, the stories that they have to share, after they take a kid out and give them that wish — that’s just amazing. That’s what Christmas is about.”

“To me, it’s what we should be doing — like the poem says — we should be doing all year long,” Anderson said. “To do something that was just fun to do, had meaning for me, and then to be connected to this tremendous group of talented people — I’m the least of all of them — these tremendously talented people on the CD.

“And the bottom line is, there’s going to be wishes granted, there’s going to be smiles on people’s faces, there’s going to be times that the individuals and their families are going to forget about their circumstances for a while, when a wish is granted. It’s just very humbling and satisfying to think that you in some little way might be able to help somebody else.”

“Holiday Wishes 2” is available at all area Panera Bread locations and select stores at Levis Commons, including Lily’s, Second Sole, The Flying Joe and the Levis Commons management office.

Tags: Fred LeFebvre, Holiday Wishes 2, Jerry Anderson, Make-A-Wish

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 13th, 2012 at 5:09 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Featured, Fundraiser, Music.
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Native Toledoan Yvonne Ramos loves the Christmas season — from the time spent with family to the sight of twinkling lights, taste of hot cocoa and warmth of sitting near a fireplace.

The local singer along with songwriter John “Butch” Phillips contributed the original song “Christmas Time Again” to “Holiday Wishes 2,” a Make-A-Wish benefit CD produced for the second year by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller.

The two-disc CD featuring 44 tracks by local artists is available for $15 at local Panera Bread stores and select shops at Levis Commons. All proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to help grant wishes for Northwest Ohio children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Ramos recorded the song last year.

Yvonne Ramos

“We had no intentions for the song, so to be asked now to be part of this project, it’s awesome,” Ramos said. “I feel like the song had a purpose.”

While working on the song, Ramos said she and Phillips wanted to embrace “that feeling of family and togetherness.”

“That is the real reason we love the holiday,” Ramos said. “Yes, the presents, those are good, but in the big scheme of things, I wanted to focus on that togetherness and that gratefulness. No matter which god you worship or what higher being you give praise to, we all come from something and to be able to be thankful, that’s what the meaning is to me.”

Ramos started singing at age 14 in her family’s Tejano band.

“My first language was English, but my first singing language was Spanish,” Ramos said. “[Music] is just so inbred in my family. It’s just one of those things we do. At family gatherings, someone always pulls out a guitar and then we’re singing for the rest of the night. For us, it’s family bonding.”

Ramos said she believes in supporting local businesses and nonprofits, so she’s happy to be able to help support Make-A-Wish.

“I am kind of a sucker for nonprofit organizations. I have a soft spot for them. Anything I can do,” Ramos said. “But it has to be an organization I believe in and I believe in Make-A-Wish. I think it’s a wonderful organization that really helps people in their time of need that other people don’t understand or can’t understand or are lucky enough not to understand.”

Ramos said she hopes the CD helps remind people to slow down and just enjoy the season.

“I hope people take away from it a sense of thankfulness,” Ramos said. “Yes, we have things in our lives that don’t go according to plan and we get stressed out. Everyone is rushing around with the hustle and bustle of what has become an economic season, but instead of focusing on that, I hope they just slow down, listen to the music and enjoy their family and enjoy what it looks like to see twinkling Christmas lights, have a cup of hot chocolate and feel the heat of the fire on your face. It makes you want to slow down and say, ‘You know what? I’m going to take this hour and devote it to being thankful.’”

For more information, visit the www.reverbnation.com/yvonneramos.

Tags: Holiday Wishes 2, John “Butch” Phillips, Make-A-Wish, Yvonne Ramos

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 11th, 2012 at 10:46 am and is filed under Music, Star.
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Joe Choate, plant manager of GM Powertrain Toledo, knows the pain of losing a child, while Art McCormick, president of A&D Glass & Mirror in Perrysburg, is thankful for his family’s continued health.

Both men’s companies provided financial support to “Holiday Wishes 2,” a Make-A-Wish benefit CD organized for the second year by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller.

Also supporting the CD were UAW Local 14, WNWO, 101.5 The River, Levis Commons and Panera Bread.

GM Powertrain Toledo, UAW Local 14 and Panera Bread also sponsored last year’s inaugural benefit CD, a 25-track compilation that raised more than $25,000 for Make-A-Wish.

This year’s two-disc package features 44 tracks contributed by local artists. CDs are available for $15 at area Panera Bread stores and select Levis Commons locations. Digital downloads are also available.

Art McCormick, of A&D Glass & Mirror, with his daughter, Ally McCormick.

Because of the local sponsorship, all proceeds will go directly to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to help grant wishes for Northwest Ohio children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Make-A-Wish does not receive federal, state or local government funding. Wishes are paid for by donations and donations-in-kind. The average cost of a wish is $8,000.

The mission of Make-A-Wish is especially meaningful to Choate, whose 12-year-old son, Matthew, died of a congenital heart defect in 1989.

Although his son was not involved with Make-A-Wish, Choate later served on the organization’s regional board for several years.

“I know what it’s like to have a very sick child,” Choate said. “I found out about Make-A-Wish way back when. [Matthew] never received a wish, but I was always really curious about what they did and how they did it. When I was transferred to Toledo, I was asked to serve on the board.”

Choate heard about the 2011 “Holiday Wishes” CD project from Eric Slough, former executive director of Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Northwest Ohio Regional Office.

“Eric was telling me about this idea [for the CD] and expressed the need to find someone to fund some of the costs and we jumped on it from year one,” Choate said. “We wanted to help give people an awareness of what Make-A-Wish is all about and what they do for families and to promote the mission itself. That’s why we’re involved in it. We’re looking for Make-A-Wish to be successful at granting wishes. We’re not looking for it to sell an extra car. We did it to help out Make-A-Wish.”

GM Powertrain Toledo has a community relations board that regularly allocates funds to help support local charities and community organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio, the NAACP and more.

“We’ve been active in the community in a lot of different ways. We stick pretty well to the needs of the community,” Choate said.

“A lot of people in the Toledo area affiliate Toledo with being a Chrysler-Jeep town. We like to get the General Motors name out there too, and make sure people understand we’re a big part of the community as well. The CDs are great. They make nice Christmas gifts. It’s just a unique idea and it’s nice to be able to be associated with that.”

McCormick, whose daughter Ally McCormick is vice president of A&D Glass & Mirror, recently attended a Make-A-Wish fundraiser, where he learned more about the organization and wanted to support it.

“My daughter is partner with me in this company and I just feel very fortunate to have a successful business and a healthy daughter,” McCormick said. “I feel very lucky from the standpoint of having succeeded during the tough times of this economy and am still able to give back. We’re very fortunate.”

McCormick, a Toledo native who has been a Toledo area business owner since 1990, founded A&D Glass & Mirror in 2006. He said he tries to support local nonprofits and organizations, including the YMCA and the Sisters of Notre Dame, whenever possible.

“The opportunity to help arose and Make-A-Wish just seemed to fit into the realm of what we were doing and fit well with me,” McCormick said. “Michael [Miller] was telling me how they do so well with the CDs and being part of that was just a great opportunity for us. Our supporting role is really small compared to others involved, but we’re fortunate to be able to help out where we can. Make-A-Wish is a great organization, it really is. I think it’s very important as a business owner in Northwest Ohio to give back. I try to do everything locally and to give back to my local community.

“It’s a great CD,” McCormick said. “It’s very diverse. It pulls in local talent, which is really great, and again it goes back to the community. That’s what it’s all about, our community. I think as you get older you realize that. Helping each other is the only way you make it through life. We’re very fortunate and lucky to be able to give back.”

Tags: A&D Glass & Mirror, GM Powertrain Toledo, Holiday Wishes 2, Joe Choate, Levis Commons, Make-A-Wish, Panera Bread

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 6th, 2012 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Music.
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The mission and passion of Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant wishes for children with medically life-threatening conditions.

“We want to grant the heartfelt wish of every child,” said Emily Denholm, marketing communications coordinator for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. “Every wish is different. We really try to focus on the uniqueness of every wish.”

Being able to grant more wishes for children in Northwest Ohio is the reason Denholm is excited about “Holiday Wishes 2,” a benefit CD project organized for the second year by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller.

For Christmas 2011, Toledo Free Press produced “Holiday Wishes,” a CD of holiday songs performed by Northwest Ohio musicians. The 25-track compilation sold out quickly, raising more than $25,000 for Make-A-Wish.

“The response was immediate and there was no doubt we were going to try again this year,” Miller said. “At the end of summer, we had 87 minutes of great music, but a CD only holds about 80 minutes. So we had to either cut seven minutes or find another 73. Not only did we find what we needed, we have several great songs on hold for 2013.”

This year’s project, “Holiday Wishes 2,” is a two-disc CD package featuring 44 tracks contributed by local artists. CDs are available for $15 at area Panera Bread and select Levis Commons locations. Digital downloads will also be available. The project, from the recording to the mixing to the artwork by Dustin Hostetler (UPSO), was created locally.

Because the project was sponsored by GM Powertrain Toledo, UAW Local 14, WNWO, 101.5 The River, A&D Glass & Mirror, Levis Commons and Panera Bread, all proceeds will go directly to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to benefit children in the 21-county Northwest Ohio region.

“People really enjoyed it last year,” Denholm said. “This year we added more songs to make it even better. People love Christmas music and this gives them the opportunity to go out and buy a CD that not only features local artists, but promotes a local cause. I think people are very excited about it and we are, too.”

Make-A-Wish grants wishes for children 2½ to 18 who have a medically life-threatening condition that is progressive, degenerative or malignant — although not necessarily terminal. Many “wish kids” recover and go on to lead healthy lives, Denholm said.

Many children are referred to Make-A-Wish by doctors or social workers while others come through family inquiries. Doctors decide whether a child’s condition qualifies for a wish and whether the child is healthy enough to experience his or her wish.

The Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky chapter has granted more than 11,000 wishes since it started in 1983.

Among the most popular wishes are visiting a theme park, traveling, going on a shopping spree and meeting a celebrity. Recent wishes granted in Northwest Ohio include a trip to Yellowstone National Park and a trip to Nickelodeon Studios to get “slimed,” Denholm said.

“Wishes typically fall into four categories,” Denholm said. “To go, as in go on a trip. To be, as in to be a police officer for example, which was the first wish ever granted, in Arizona in 1980. To have, such as a laptop or a shopping spree. Or to meet, such as dolphins or a celebrity.”

The Make-A-Wish experience has positive effects on the child and everyone in their lives, Denholm said.

“The wish helps not only the child, but the family, the volunteers, the medical professionals. They all get to be a part of what this child’s big dream is,” Denholm said. “When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, they are constantly told ‘No.’ Make-A-Wish is an opportunity for us to say ‘Yes.’ We work very hard to make sure we find out what the heartfelt wish of each child is and then do our very best to make it come true. I think that’s the magic of Make-A-Wish. That’s when you really see our mission come to life.”

Ninety-eight percent of parents surveyed by Make-A-Wish said they felt the wish experience allowed them to put aside fear and stress for a time and feel like a “normal” family again. Eighty-one percent of parents said they noticed an increased willingness from their child to comply with their treatment. A combined 89 percent of nurses, doctors, social workers and child life specialists surveyed said the Make-A-Wish experience can have a positive impact on a child’s emotional and even physical health.

Make-A-Wish does not receive federal, state or local government funding. Wishes are paid for by donations and donations in kind, including gifted airline miles. The average cost of a wish is $8,000, Denholm said.

“The holiday season is a celebration of giving and family, and I think that’s really where the heart of our mission is,” Denholm said. “We give back to our community and give back to our kids. Our hope is that people are not only touched by the holiday season but also our magical mission and just continue to help our wish kids.”

For more information, visit makeawishohio.org.

Tags: Holiday Wishes, Holiday Wishes 2, Make-A-Wish

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2012 at 6:54 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Community, Music, Philanthropy.
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Music and Make-A-Wish will be the stars of the show at a CD release party celebrating the “Holiday Wishes 2” benefit CD.

The event is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at The Blarney Event Center, 601 Monroe St.

Many of the local musicians and media personalities featured on the two-disc, 44-track CD will perform. There will also be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

Tickets are $5 for adults. Children 12 and younger are free.

“We hope people will join us to meet the musicians, mingle with the Make-A-Wish families and organizers, and just have a great Christmas party,” said Michael S. Miller, Toledo Free Press editor in chief and the CD’s executive producer. “Last year, we saw Chrys Peterson sing live with Hepcat Revival and Ramona Collins singing Christmas songs with Voodoo Libido. We’re expecting even more jam sessions and surprises this year.”

Music will start around 6:30 p.m., said Greg Tye of Hepcat Revival, who is organizing the performers. Among other performers will be Chrys Peterson with Hepcat Revival, Kerry Patrick Clark, Kyle White, Krystal Monique, The Wanna Bees, The Sanderlings, Skoobie Snaks, Russ Franzen, Steven J. Athanas, Voodoo Libido and more.

“It’s going to be a great selection of talent and we’re trying to mix it in as best we can to make the magic happen that night,” Tye said. “There will probably be some sort of jam component for those artists who might not be able to have their whole group there. They’re all very talented people.”

The two-CD set will be available for $15. CDs are also available at area Panera Bread locations, select Levis Commons stores and as digital downloads.

All parts of the project, from the recording to the mixing to the cover art, were done locally. Because the CD was sponsored by GM Powertrain Toledo, UAW Local 14, WNWO, 101.5 The River, A&D Glass & Mirror, Levis Commons and Panera Bread, proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to benefit children in the 21-county Northwest Ohio region.

Last year’s inaugural “Holiday Wishes” CD sold out quickly, raising more than $25,000 for Make-A-Wish.

Make-A-Wish, which grants wishes for children with medically life-threatening conditions, does not receive federal, state or local government funding. Wishes are paid for by donations and donations in kind, including gifted airline miles. The average cost of a wish is $8,000.

“We want to grant the heartfelt wish of every child,” said Emily Denholm, marketing communications coordinator for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. “Every wish is different. We really try to focus on the uniqueness of every wish.”

Tye said he hopes area residents come out to support Make-A-Wish and hear some great local music.

“I hope people walk away with an appreciation for how talented the musicians and performers are here in town and how passionate they are about supporting a good cause,” Tye said. “People will be exposed to some of the premier acts in town. It’s an opportunity to hear someone they may never have heard before. It may be a real ear-opening experience.”

Tags: Chrys Peterson, Hepcat Revival, Holiday Wishes 2, Kerry Patrick Clark, Krystal-Monique, Kyle White, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Russ Franzen, Skoobie Snaks, Steven J. Athanas, The Sanderlings, The Wanna Bees, Voodoo Libido

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2012 at 2:24 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Music.
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Local group The Wanna Bees brings some children’s music to “Holiday Wishes 2” with its song “Party on the Roof.”

Band member Chuck Riepenhoff said the song tells the story of a sleepless child anxiously waiting for Santa Claus and the reindeer to land on his roof.

The band’s goal for the pop-rock song was that it be lyrically geared toward children while still catchy enough for parents to enjoy.

“The concept is geared toward the kids, but we think the music is good old pop-rock. The style is for adults to like,” Riepenhoff said. “It’s a whole movement for the kids’ music market — going to a more catchy pop-rock that the parents would enjoy, but the lyrical content is geared more for the kids.”

The Wanna Bees’ debut album was “Work Together.”

Riepenhoff, who wears scrubs and a surgical cap while performing under the stage name Doctor Dan, said the song involved a few extras other than himself and Rob Donaldson, who goes by Builder Brad while performing.

Bill McDevitt, aka Officer Ollie, who plays bass for The Wanna Bees’ studio work, played bass for the track.

In addition, Donaldson’s wife Amy and their son Ryan and daughter Rachael as well as Riepenhoff’s son Ethan contributed with background vocals and the introduction. Tom Pokornik played the keyboards on the track.

Riepenhoff said he was first inspired to form a children’s group in 2002 when watching an episode of “The Wiggles” with his kids.

“The songs were good and catchy and the kids were reacting well. I was always into writing and performing music and the concept hit me. I was thinking, ‘This is something I could get into,’” he said.

Each band member has a stage character with a different profession. The name of the band refers to asking children what they want to be when they grow up.

Besides Doctor Dan, Builder Brad and Officer Ollie, there is also Mailman Mike.

Riepenhoff said the group’s debut album “Work Together” involves various friends of the characters who help teach children important lessons.

Riepenhoff said Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller approached him and asked him to contribute to the CD benefiting Make-A-Wish.

“2012 has been a very good year for us in terms of getting our name out there,” he said. “There aren’t very many bands who do what we do.”

Tags: Holiday Wishes 2, Make-A-Wish, The Wanna Bees

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 at 9:11 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Music.
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Oregon-based choir Teutonia Männerchor and Damenchor is best known as a sponsor of the annual German-American Festival, where it performs each year at the opening ceremonies, singing the United States, German and Swiss national anthems.

The Teutonia Damenchor

But many people don’t realize the group practices and performs all year, including a holiday concert and a spring concert, said director Eric Graber.

The group contributed “O Tannenbaum” (“O Christmas Tree”) to the “Holiday Wishes 2” CD to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“It’s one of the few German carols we hear in this country,” Graber said. “That and ‘Silent Night,’ or ‘Stille Nacht,’ but what better than ‘O Christmas Tree?’ Everybody likes a Christmas tree. We just did it a cappella with a little bit of keyboard behind us. All three verses are in German.”

Graber said the choir jumped at the chance to get some publicity while helping Make-A-Wish at the same time.

“We’re a charitable organization, too, so this is a nice way to help out with another charity,” Graber said. “It’s another way of giving back.”

The Teutonia Männerchor, founded in 1867 as a German male chorus, is the oldest continuing performing arts group in the Toledo area, Graber said.

The ladies’ chorus, the Teutonia Damenchor, was founded in 1969 and the two have become one performing ensemble.

The Teutonia Männerchor

The choir will present its holiday concert, “Weihnachtsglocken!” (“Christmas Bells!”) on Dec. 8 at Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Road, in Oregon. Half the songs will be sung in German and half in English, Graber said. Translations will be printed in a program.

Doors open 5 p.m., dinner will be served 5:30-6:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. followed by dancing until about midnight. A cash bar will be available.

The handbell choir from First St. John’s Lutheran Church will also perform. Dance music will be provided by ENCORE!, which offers polkas, waltzes, line-dancing and more, Graber said.

Tickets are $24 for dinner, concert and dancing or $13 for the concert and dancing.

Reservations are required. No tickets will be sold at the door. Reservation deadline is Dec. 3.

For more information or to reserve tickets, contact Nancy Waters at (419) 290-3229 or nwaters212@bex.net.

Tags: Holiday Wishes 2, Make-A-Wish, Teutonia Damenchor, Teutonia Männerchor

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 at 9:07 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Music.
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