Talk of the Town

December is here, and what a year it has been. I hope your 2022 has been memorable. May you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Congrats to the 2022 class of Take a Second Make a Difference awardees. The annual award, presented by Hudson Community First, is bestowed on Hudsonites who make a difference in the lives of youths. The year’s class incudes Sheri Porter, a physical education teacher at East Woods Intermediate; Nancy Robinson, a van driver for special needs students; Pat Hanlon, a longtime Hudson resident; Leigh Ann Leugers, a volunteer for St. Mary’s Catholic Youth Organization; Carrie Rodstrom, a substitute in the Hudson City Schools; and Hudson High School students Noble Jones, Nick Savelli, Jeremy Lavoie, Grant Putnam and Jason Dement.

Attending the Hudson Community First Dinner were: (l-r) Ohio Rep. Casey Weinstein; Take a Second Make a Difference award winners Sheri Porter, Grant Putnam, Jason Dement, Noble Jones, Jeremy Lavoie, Nick Savelli, Carrie Rodstrom, Pat Hanlon and Leigh Ann Leugers; Ohio Sen. Kristina Roegner and Hudson Community First leaders Laura Jones and Jennifer Fisher. Photo by J. Stringer

Hudson Community First recognized these individuals at a Oct. 19 dinner at The County Club of Hudson, sharing nomination stories that were truly inspiring. Pat Hanlon, for example, was nominated (and joined at the dinner) by her new neighbor, an East Woods student, who cherished the way Pat greeted her family with a welcoming smile and homemade pie. Noble Jones, a junior who volunteers with the Hudson Youth Cross Country program, was nominated for running by the side of a young girl who was recently diagnosed with Type I diabetes and struggling to finish a run.

Amazingly, Noble’s mom, Julie, was at the awards ceremony with him and recognized Pat, who was her neighbor when she was growing up in Hudson!

Brady Yozwiak (r) started a business to rake leaves and raise money for ALS, a disease that has robbed his father Chris of his ability to walk and talk. Photo submitted.

A great big hats off to third-grader Brady Yozwiak. Brady started a business raking leaves, Clayton Rakes, to raise money for the only research facility in the U.S. for ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease. In June of 2020, Brady’s father, Chris, was diagnosed with ALS, a devastating blow to this family and this community. Chris can no longer walk or talk and uses an eye gazing pad that reads his retinas to speak. Brady, his mother, Jennifer, and sister have had to stand by, helpless against this disease.

A few weeks ago, Brady approached Jennifer about helping to find a cure for his father. He started the business raking leaves in his neighborhood, but it soon grew to other neighborhoods throughout Hudson. Brady has gotten help from teammates on the Hudson Hawks and in his baseball and basketball leagues, as well as parents and complete strangers who show up with rakes. The outpouring of support has been astonishing, according to Jennifer, who said she is beyond words when it comes to the appreciation she and her family feel. In just a few weeks, Brady has raised over $30,000, and an anonymous donor is matching this dollar per dollar.

“We never thought this would take off to the extent it has,” Jennifer said. “It truly is amazing. God knew what he was doing when he gave us Brady.”

“My dad always loved yard work,” Brady stated. “Clayton Rakes let’s me do something with my friends that my dad loved to do. WEe get to help people and raise money for a cure for my dad. I just want him to be normal again.”

All of the raking has been donation driven. If you would like to make a donation to Clayton Rakes, please Venmo Jennifer at @jennifer-yozwriak. Together we can find a cure!

Resident Katie Gallagher said that she and her helpers delivered 295 book and bear sets to Akron Children’s Hospital last month, thanks to  her friends, family and the greater Hudson community. This is Katie’s third year of taking part in the Cuddle Bear Drive, which she undertook after one of her own children was diagnosed with Kawasaki’s disease. Spending  many hours at Akron Children’s, Katie noticed how some children were incredibly lonely when visitors were not there to see them. For a donation, pediatric patients are treated to a book and a bear. Nice work!

A belated congratulations to the most recent class Hudson High School’s Distinguished Hall of Fame. Six members were inducted in early September. They include: Betty Banks-Burke, a business teacher in Hudson Schools from 1973-2016; Emily Mugler  (’02), a neuroengineer and brain interface computer researcher, David Russell (’73), a tour manager for major recording artists and bands; Harvey Shumaker, a teacher in the  Hudson Schools from 1960-1984; former Superintendent Joseph P. Siegferth Jr. and Barb Breedon VanBlarcum (’77), who is HCTVprogram manager.

Good luck to Jonathan Gregory. The Hudson resident and current senior at Cedarville University, where he is studying electrical engineering, is part of a team competing in a NASA Rocket competition. For the competition, Jonathan and nine of his peers will design and program a rocket that may soar up to an altitude of 6,000 feet and then land successfully, simulating potential exploration rockets on Mars. The Student Launch competition blasts off in Huntsville, Alabama, on April 15-16.

An adult dance team made up of residents from Hudson and surrounding communities recently performed at a Cleveland Cavaliers game. Photo submitted.

Ryan Rosinski has been teaching dance and choreographing for over 14 years and wanted to bring his love for dance to adults. He started an adult hip-hop dance team in Hudson this year to create something fun and inviting for everyone. The team consists of 30 women who love to dance. They recently danced at the Cav’s game, which was an amazing experience for all, Ryan said.

He is inviting others to join. Practice is once a week, and no experience needed, so come as you are. Currently, dancers range in age from 25 to 64. You can reach him at ryansdance@live.com.

If you would like to share your news, email me at dianedemuynck@scriptype.com, and make it a great day! ∞