Convince your Fitness Facility to host a Pedal for Heroes event.

On Feb 26 fitness centers across Northeast Ohio will be hosting Pedal For Heroes events to benefit local veteran organizations.

Participants will raise money and awareness of veterans groups by pedaling for 262 minutes (one minute for every Ohio soldier fallen in the Middle East since 9/11.)

Convince your fitness center to host an event!

Watch this Pedal for Heroes video for more information. Give a little for those who gave it all. Saying thank you to our veterans is not enough.

AKRON, OHIO (January 28, 2012) – As part of the year-long celebration of the Akron Symphony Orchestra’s 60th Anniversary, friend and supporters will cruise along Europe’s legendary Danube River, with extended stays in Budapest and Prague. From August 30, 2012 until the September 12, 2012, participants will explore a variety of historic sights and sail on a luxurious river boat. A special project of the Akron Symphony Guild, a portion of the trip cost is a donation in support of the many orchestra programs.

The trip is in conjunction with Avalon Waterways, a division of Globus, the largest supplier of European vacations, and includes 2 nights in Budapest, 7 nights on the new 150-passenger ship Tranquility, and 3 nights in Prague. In addition to Budapest and Prague, the group will visit Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensburg, and Nuremberg. Highlights include visits to legendary castles and churches and opportunities to sample world famous wines and beers.

As Donna Zabel, owner of DreamMaker Destinations explains, “There is no better way to explore Europe than on a lovely small river ship. The great cultural centers of Europe flourished around the rivers. River cruise chips are small enough to sail right into the heart of many cities. Often you can walk off the ship directly into the center of town.”

“River cruising has grown tremendously in popularity as more and more people realize what a great value it is,” continued Zabel. “You have the benefits of interacting in different cultures, while enjoying the comfort, ease, and security of the river boat experience. I have traveled on several river cruises and loved it”

More information about the trip is available at www.dreammaker.org/asgcruise2012 or contact Donna Zabel, DreamMaker Destinations, 330-689-1920, dz@worldtravelmgt.com. For more information about Akron Symphony concerts or the Akron Symphony Guild call 330-535-8131.

More than a dozen Fitness Clubs are Considering Participation in the Charitable Event to Honor the 262 Fallen Ohio Soldiers

HUDSON, OHIO (January 25, 2012) – Many of the area’s top health and fitness clubs are interested in supporting local charitable veterans’ organizations through the first annual Pedal for Heroes Fundraiser to be held on February 26, 2012.  Teams of participants will cycle at their local fitness club for 262 minutes representing the 262 Ohio lives lost in the Middle East since 9/11/01. 

“Any NE Ohio Heath and Fitness Center that has Spinning or indoor cycling should be participating in this important charitable event,” said Jerry Lynch, co-owner of LifeCenter Plus Health and Fitness Club.  “There is still time to get involved. We are hosting an informational session on Saturday, January 28 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. where we’re inviting fitness directors from around the area and local veteran charitable organizations along with Senator Frank LaRose, an Iraq War Veteran,  to learn about how the Pedal for Heroes will support our Ohio veterans.”

The deadline for fitness centers to sign up for Pedals for Heroes is February 1, 2012. The centers are invited to participate in this event and to challenge their members to form teams to cycle on stationery bicycles for 262 minutes on February 26. The date of the event honors the day when Marine Lance Corporal Andy Nowacki, of Lake County, gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

“Ohio veterans have given so much for us. We are excited to spearhead this worthy cause and hope that it will become an annual fundraiser for Ohio veterans,” said Lynch. “We challenge all of the fitness and recreation centers in Northeast Ohio to participate with us in this Pedal for Heroes event that supports local veterans and recognizes those who have given their lives.”

All proceeds from the event on February 26, 2012, will be donated to local veterans’ charitable organizations.  The donations from LifeCenter Plus will go to Wheels4Change.org, an organization that raises funds for Warriors Journey Home.  At the event on Saturday January 28, fitness directors will have any questions answered, participants will be preparing for the 4 hours of cycling and representatives from local veterans’ groups will be available to discuss how the money donated will serve the veterans in need.

Fitness center directors interested in learning more about how to participate in Pedal For Heroes should contact Fitness Director, Jessica Schodowski at LifeCenter Plus at 5133 Darrow Road in Hudson, Ohio at 330-655-2377, ext. 138.

AKRON/CLEVELAND, OH ( January 6, 2012) – Michelle Riley, CLT, Horticulturist, President of All About You Signature Landscape Design Inc. will be presenting Understanding Garden Maintenance, Saturday, March 10th at 11:00 a.m. to around 1:00 p.m. at Dayton Nurseries Owl Barn, 3459 Cleveland-Massillon Rd. Norton, Ohio 44203.

Learn what garden maintenance practices you should be performing to keep your garden healthy and thriving. We will explore the most important practices not to be missed and why as well as practices that could be postponed on account of a busy schedule. We will discuss weed suppression, proper watering practices, common disease and pest issues that can be avoided with proper maintenance and much more.

We will also present the most common garden maintenance practice questions received in 2011 and how to get your own Homeowner’s Landscape Survival Guide. We’ll make understanding your garden as easy as 1-2-3.

This event is sponsored by Dayton Nurseries. For registration and pricing information please contact: Dayton Nurseries at 330-825-3320.

Club Invites Fitness Centers Across Northeast Ohio to Participate in Honoring 262 Ohio Veterans Who Have Sacrificed for Our Freedom

HUDSON, OHIO (December 21, 2011) – LifeCenter Plus Health and Fitness Club is challenging all Northeast Ohio fitness centers to join in an effort to honor and support our Ohio veterans. On February 26, 2012, fitness centers across Northeast Ohio will host “2012 Pedal for Heroes” events, where hundreds of participants throughout Northeast Ohio will cycle for 262 minutes representing the number of military personnel from Ohio who have sacrificed their lives for our country since 9/11/01.

“Ohio veterans have given so much for us. We are excited to spearhead this worthy cause and hope that it will become an annual fundraiser for Ohio veterans,” said Jerry Lynch, co-owner of LifeCenter Plus. “We challenge all of the fitness and recreation centers in Northeast Ohio to participate with us in this Pedal for Heroes event that supports local veterans and recognizes those who have given their lives.”

Fitness centers are invited to participate in this event and to challenge their members to form teams to cycle on stationery bicycles for 262 minutes on February 26. The date of the event represents when Marine Lance Corporal Andy Nowacki, of Lake County, gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Proceeds for each event will be donated to a local Veteran’s charitable organization selected by each local fitness center. LifeCenter Plus offers a few example benefactors such as Wheels 4 Change, Warriors Journey Home, Freedom House and the Andy Nowacki Foundation, Inc.

LifeCenter Plus is providing participating fitness centers with planning materials as well as an educational presentation to show during the event. LifeCenter Plus will include participating fitness centers in the media marketing communication.

Fitness center directors interested in learning more about how to participate should contact Fitness Director, Jessica Schodowski at LifeCenter Plus in Hudson, Ohio at 330-655-2377, ext. 138. The deadline for fitness centers to sign up for Pedals for Heroes is February 1, 2012.

About LifeCenter Plus Health and Fitness Club
A premier health and fitness facility, LifeCenter Plus has served the Hudson, Stow and surrounding communities since 1978. The 103,000-square foot multi-purpose facility is a full-service, four-season health and fitness club with five swimming pools. For more information call 330-655-2377 or visit the website at www.LifeCenterPlus.com.

AKRON, OHIO (October 11, 2011) — At midnight on November 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 200,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists.

Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing challenge and nonprofit literary crusade. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and entries are deleted from the server before anyone even reads them.

So what’s the point? “The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity,” says NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and twelve-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. “When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month.”

More than 650 regional volunteers in more than 90 countries will hold write-ins, hosting writers in coffee shops, bookstores, and libraries. Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. That sense of community even extends beyond the page—so much so that more than a dozen marriages and at least four babies have resulted from NaNoWriMo over the years.

“This will be our second year as Municipal Liaisons for the Greater Akron region,” said Deborah Chaddock Brown, co-ML for Greater Akron. “We look forward to getting together in person and virtually with the more than 600 novelists in our area. Our group consists of writers as young as 12 and as experienced as they come. My co-ML, Jennifer Beaujon and I will be hosting the kick off event on October 24 at the Cuyahoga Falls Eat N’ Park from 7-9pm. During the event we’ll talk about our upcoming novels, share some writing exercises and check out cool writing tools and software to aide in this monumental challenge.”

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, nearly 60 novels begun during NaNoWriMo have since been published, including Water for Elephants, a New York Times #1 Bestseller by Sara Gruen.

“Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike,” says NaNoWriMo Program Director, Lindsey Grant. “Completing a draft of the novel they’ve been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves them wondering what else they’re capable of.”

For more information on National Novel Writing Month, or to speak to NaNoWriMo participants in your area, visit www.nanowrimo.org or contact press@nanowrimo.org. For information about the Greater Akron chapter and our in-person writing schedule visit our Facebook page, AkroNaNo.

The Office of Letters and Light is a California-based international non-profit organization. Its programs are the largest literary events in the world. Learn more at www.lettersandlight.org

Contact: Deborah Chaddock Brown 330-414-8792, deborah@allwriteink.com for more information about the regional group.

Children Ages 4-13 Enjoy Swimming Games, Peanuts Film and Healthy Snacks on October 21
 
HUDSON, OHIO (October 6, 2011) – Celebrate fall at a fun pool party on Friday, October 21 at the LifeCenter Plus Health and Fitness Club located at 5133 Darrow Road in Hudson, Ohio. Pre-registration is required for this two-hour event featuring a floating pumpkin patch and a viewing of the classic Peanuts movie It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

“We are excited to offer a fun evening event for the children of our community,” said Jerry Lynch, co-owner of the LifeCenter Plus. “We hope this event will encourage those new to the facility and to the community to experience all of the great programs and equipment our health and fitness club offers.”

Pre-registered swimmers will enjoy a game of “save” your pumpkin, by swimming out to rescue their pumpkin and then take it home as a souvenir. The Great Pumpkin Patch Pool party, which is from 7 to 9 pm, will include healthy, fall associated snacks like popcorn and apple cider.

Kids must be able to swim one pool length or be accompanied by their parent or guardian. Parents are required to stay with their non-swimming child or children under the age of six and the parents or guardians of a non-swimming child must be in the water and within arms length of that child at all times. Pre-registration is requested. Members and non-members can call, stop in or visit the website at www.lifecenterplus.com to register your swimmer for a night of great fall fun.

About LifeCenter Plus Health and Fitness Club
A premier health and fitness facility, LifeCenter Plus has served the Hudson, Stow and surrounding communities since 1978. The 103,000-square foot multi-purpose facility is a full-service, four-season health and fitness club with five swimming pools. For more information call 330-655-2377 or visit the website at www.LifeCenterPlus.com.

Entrepreneur Provides Insights and Benefits of Starting a Business with Students in Two KSU Classes

HUDSON, OHIO (September 15, 2011) – Since our current economical struggles began at the end of 2008, it has been the vision and hard work of entrepreneurs and small business owners across the United States that have helped to create new jobs and new opportunities.  On Tuesday, September 6, 2011, students at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (CEBI) at Kent State University heard from a local, award winning business owner and entrepreneur on the value of owning your own business.

“I didn’t plan to start my own business after I graduated from Kent,” said Chris Brown, owner of Marketing Results and Results, Inc. and member of the CEBI Advisory Board. “But after seventeen years of working in large companies in the corporate world, I decided to tap into my entrepreneurial spirit and open my own branding and marketing firm.”

During her presentation, Brown shared the story of transitioning from a successful career in the corporate world to opening a small marketing firm and growing her business to become one of the most respected branding firms in Northeast Ohio.

“Kent State offers a wonderful opportunity for students in any course of study to obtain a minor in Entrepreneurship,” said Brown. “Students today need to be prepared for the fact that obtaining their college degree does not guarantee a job. By learning how to develop, operate and build a business they can be more prepared to create their own. 

The CEBI supports students in their efforts to develop and operate their own company. Several student-run businesses are currently in operation including the café at the Kent Library, a laundry service and a company distributing biodegradable bottles.

Chris Brown presented to two entrepreneurship classes, including the Introduction to Entrepreneurship and the Speakers Series Entrepreneurship Class. After sharing her story she answered questions from the students about the struggles and challenges of owning a business.

For more information about the CEBI, visit http://www.kent.edu/cebi.

About Marketing Resources & Results
Founded in 1998, Marketing Resources & Results, Inc. companies nationwide in developing strategic marketing plans and provides market research, graphic design, website development, press releases and other marketing tactics designed to help companies achieve their sales and marketing goals. For more information call 330-656-9793, or visit www.Resources-Results.com.

Five Month Program has 62% of Employees Participating; President to Cook Winners’ Meal

AKRON, OH (August 31, 2011) – GMP Friction Products, a leading manufacturer and supplier of powdered metal friction products for clutch plates and brake pads, has created a voluntary wellness program with 62% of the employees choosing to participate.  The employees are working out, counting calories and reducing stress to win the 2011 Healthy Lifestyle Challenge. 

“The purpose of this challenge is to increase awareness about the importance of fitness and have some fun as well,” said Jerry Lynch, president and COO of GMP Friction Products.  “Focusing on the healthy behaviors of exercise, weight management, and good nutrition improves concentration while reducing stress.”

The five month program began April 1 and winners will be named on September 1, 2011.  The challenge features multiple prizes, culminating with the president acting as a healthy chef to make the top winners a special home-cooked dinner.

“We estimate that during the course of this program, the total weight loss of our participants added together is the equivalent of one person,” said Lynch.  “Employees are telling me that they’ve never felt better.”

The challengers are following the tips from the renowned cardiologist Dr. Oz’s website of dieting, exercise, vitamins and reducing stress.  The company has scheduled a series of healthy luncheons throughout the year and has developed a Health Day for next quarter with glucose screenings, flu shots and cholesterol screenings to encourage employees to make maintaining a healthy lifestyle a long term goal.

Since 1929, GMP Friction Products has designed and manufactured brake pads and clutch plates for use in a variety of industrial and automotive applications. They provide friction material products to non-automotive industrial manufacturers such as off-road vehicles, construction, industrial equipment, aerospace, heavy truck, and other specialty markets. GMP Friction Products is a privately-held woman-owned small business.  As a world leader in sintered metallic friction materials, they specialize in working with clients to engineer and create customized parts in a range of materials for controlling, stopping, or transmitting power. For more information, call 330-633-1226 or visit their website at www.gmpfriction.com.

by Kristi Upole
NORTH ROYALTON, OHIO  (August 27, 2011) – Thirty-three contestants competed at the Northeast Ohio Bible Bee, as part of the National Bible Bee, on Saturday, August 27th at Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Royalton, Ohio.

Local finalists recited Bible verses during the Local Final Challenge Round, including winners by age division: Primary National: 1st place winner, Ronnie Matthews (Girard); 2nd place, Samuel Huth(Atwater) ; 3rd place, Sarah Rose (Doylestown).

Junior National: 1st place, Brandon Denney (Parma Heights); 2nd place, Joshua Toth (Newton Falls) and 3rd place, Caleb Toth (Newton Falls). Senior National: 1st place, Nathanael Toth (Newton Falls) and 2nd place, Christian Alexander (Copley).

Based on their test scores from Oral and Written Rounds relative to other Local Contests across the nation, the Northeast Ohio Bible Bee had 5 National Qualifiers who will compete at the National Bible Bee in November: Christian Alexander (Copley), Nicolas Alexander (Copley), Brandon Denney (Parma Heights), Sa muel Huth (Atwater), and Hannah-Abigail Toth (Newton Falls).

Bible Bee contestants Cliff Yang (Highland Heights) and Forest Yang (Highland Heights) also qualified for Nationals while competing in the New York City Bible Bee during their stay at the Ronald McDonald House.

Cliff Yang’s dedication to Bible study and Scripture memorization throughout his victorious battle with neuroblastoma is an inspiration to all contestant families!