Bath Grapevine

by Jen Towell

Miles McIlvaine, son of Dave and Stephanie McIlvaine of Bath, is a junior at University School, where he is a varsity lacrosse player. He has spent the past two years as a member of Carrie Patterson’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraising team. This year, he was nominated to participate in LLS’s Student of the Year Fundraising Campaign to help fight for those living with blood cancers. The seven-week competition is for high school students in Northern Ohio, and the student who raises the most receives a $2,500 scholarship.

Miles was a newborn baby when his father was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His family experienced guidance and assistance from LLS firsthand, and Dave is cancer free.

Miles is the leader of his team, Miles 4 the Cure, comprised of supportive friends from University, Hathaway Brown, Laurel and St. Vincent-St. Mary schools. The team set a goal to raise $50,000 from Jan. 26 to March 15. If the team raises that amount, it will be able to name a grant after its team name. 

The McIlvaine family has been helping with fundraising efforts, gathering auction items and selling raffle tickets. Fifth-grader Violet McIlvaine gave a presentation to her Bath Elementary class about cancer and distributed red awareness bracelets for LLS. Siblings Gavin, a freshman at University School, and Lilly, an eighth-grader at Old Trail School, have also supported fundraising activities.

The family received support from the Bath community and local businesses that donated silent auction items. The teens and kids were motivated by their personal stories of loved ones suffering from many types of cancer, as LLS contributes to research for other cancers, as well.

Janine and Dick Patterson hosted a euchre fundraiser on March 9 to raise money for the team. Bath residents in attendance included Kristy and Ryan Huffman, Hitesh Makkar, Julie Ghoubrial, Nancy McIlvaine, Margaret Rhee, Jacqueline and Jason Opal, Deb Spatz, Angie and Patrick Craig and John and Mary Kay Chlebina. The event raised at least $5,000. Thom and Lisa Mandel donated Indians tickets, raffled as the big prize of the night to winners Donna and Mike Sapp.

Since the 1960s, the five-year survival rate for blood cancers has quadrupled. Even so, 1.2 million Americans are still fighting or in remission from blood cancers, and about every three minutes, another person joins that fight. LLS is the largest contributor to blood cancer research in the nation, and LLS-supported therapies treat patients with rare forms of autoimmune diseases, as well. The society is funding $1.2 million in research in Northeast Ohio.

Shelly and Mark Allio’s daughter-in-law, Laura Ritter Allio, was granted her angel wings on Jan. 23, surrounded at home by family and friends. Laura was born in Southfield, Mich., to Raymond and Janet Ritter. She attended Loyola University Chicago, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration, and she earned her master’s in business administration from the University of Notre Dame. In 2012, she married the love of her life, Michael Allio. Laura and Michael met while studying at Loyola and welcomed their son James Michael on Sept. 9, 2016.

The couple founded the L4 Project on April 9, 2017, when Laura was diagnosed with breast cancer just six months after delivering James. L4 stands for “Live Life Like Laura.” The courage, determination and selflessness she demonstrated over the next 24 months inspired thousands to look inward and make drastic changes necessary to lead a life worth living.

Laura’s regular updates on social media created a community of survivors, advocates and followers who learned from her, were inspired by her and were rooting for her. Throughout her two-year battle, Laura remained positive and used her illness as a platform to positively affect the lives of others. While Laura’s life was cut short, her memory and legacy live on through her advocacy, faith and family.

The message of the L4 Project is that “regardless of age, race, bank account, education or luck, we all can overcome adversity and possess the ability within ourselves to help create a positive impact onto our society.” The project is a call to action for all to become the change they would like to see in the world; to stop complaining and making excuses and instead identify injustices and get their hands dirty in the process of improving the world.

The website describes the foundation’s mission as “a place where life is celebrated and good deeds are encouraged.” The site offers a variety of products, including shirts, bags, tennis shoes and high heels. Money raised is awarded to individuals and organizations to help further their missions, and those organizations are highlighted to show appreciation for the value they bring to the community. To nominate a person or organization, or to purchase merchandise, visit L4project.com.

Ron Garman, retired Revere teacher and creator of Devil’s Delight Mustard, has raised an additional $4,100 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, increasing the total he’s raised over 10 years to $68,000.

Musketeers Bar & Grill continues to host a Relay for Life night on the second Thursday of each month in which funds raised go toward Garman’s fundraising efforts. To purchase a jar of his spicy mustard, call him at 330-620-4669.

Baldwin Wallace junior All-American distance runner Kelly Brennan qualified for the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships. Brennan is making her second appearance at a national track meet and her first at the NCAA Indoor Championships. At the 2018 outdoor championships, she became an All-American by placing sixth in the 800-meter run.

Brennan broke three school records during the indoor season, including the 5,000-meter run record, twice. She posted times of 2:14.03 in the 800 at the Buckeye Tune-Up, 10:07.86 in the 3,000 at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic and 17:19.51 in the 5,000 at the OAC Indoor Championships. She was named OAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week in back-to-back weeks.

Lisa Mandel of Women in Touch with Akron’s Needs asked her fellow Bath Volunteers for Service ladies to join her in celebrating the ladies of WITAN at their annual French market.

It was an enjoyable event, as the ladies shopped to their hearts’ content. The booths took up both buildings at St. George Antiochian Church on Ridgewood Road in Copley. Everyone came home with several bags of precious items. There were not only clothes, jewelry and specialty items, but also fresh flowers and pies.

The women also lunched at the catered affair and traded stories of what they bought and where they were going next.

I’m excited to learn about your news and good deeds in 2019. Keep sending notes about the great things going on in Bath to jtowell@scriptype.com.