Talk of Town

Happy fall! Hope you’re enjoying the colorful progression of Mother Nature’s creation as temps cool. Let’s take a moment to appreciate our wonderful community through the recent achievements and ongoing generosity of just a few people highlighted here.

Summit County native Peter Corvington said it’s Hudson’s sense of community that drew him to his new position at John Robert’s Studio Hudson. He joined the staff in August.

“I specialize exclusively in haircutting,” he told Talk of the Town.

Peter worked in New York City for 22 years studying and refining his craft at reputable salons like Vidal Sassoon, Aveda, Toni & Guy and Spoke & Weal. He intends to return to NYC for short trips each month to take care of haircutting needs of some of his longstanding client list. Over the course of his career, Peter developed a reputation for technical expertise, thoughtful consultation and beautifully crafted haircuts, according to a statement from John Robert’s Studio Hudson. He said the salon’s focus on education and level of care they put into the guest experience aligns well with his career experience and professional priorities.

He left his Akron/Stow upbringing for The Big Apple at age 19. His move back to Northeast Ohio now brings him closer to family. His mother has been a loyal customer of John Robert’s co-owner Kristen Finley for nearly a decade. “I’m looking forward to building relationships here and making Hudson feel like home,” Peter said. “People here seem to value quality, craftsmanship, and the experience that comes along with it, which is very much how I approach my work.”

Those of you who know and recognize Megan Archer may be seeing her in new commercials, social media posts and print ads if all goes well with a recent career move. She recently signed with CESD Agency, a talent agency in New York City.

“This is an incredible next step in my career. I’m currently living in New York City where I am auditioning and pursuing every opportunity I can,” Archer said.

The 2022 HHS alum credits her involvement in the HHS Drama Club and choir program with giving her a strong foundation to her musical theater career and a “safe place to take risks, build confidence and discover what I was capable of as a performer.” That support system was especially meaningful during the stressful college audition process. “Both of these programs helped prepare me for the challenges and opportunities that come with pursuing theater in college and beyond,” she said.

Megan’s performance roles while at Hudson included Ariel in The Little Mermaid, produced and performed outdoors at Hudson Memorial Stadium in 2021, Meg in Phantom of the Opera and Liz in Chicago. She graduated with a BFA in musical theater from Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina in the spring. While there, she primarily had roles as an understudy, swing and ensemble member. Her final collegiate performance was the role of Sandy in Grease.

During college, Megan worked alongside Broadway professionals and developed several new musicals through the college’s New Works program. She’s proud to say she’s been a Hudson resident since birth and is a twin.

“I am incredibly grateful that Hudson gave me the opportunity to discover my passion for theater and encouraged me to pursue it,” Megan said and urged people of our community and school district to continue investing in and supporting the arts. “I truly cannot imagine a better place to have grown up.”

Can you make a sandwich? Pack a lunch? Use Sign Up Genius? Then you can participate along with Hudson Faith in Action to feed people in need through Peter Maurin Center in Akron. About five years ago, Dee Verhas reached out to David Churbock, a fellow Hudsonite and parishioner at St. Mary Catholic Church, about restarting the lunch bag program that had fizzled when its prior leader retired from the volunteer role.

Since then, Dee has been doing what she can to help people in need, including providing her front porch as a weekly lunch bag drop-off spot and coordinating volunteer sign-ups for Hudson Faith in Action. Volunteers who are part of Hudson Faith in Action attend a variety of Hudson congregations: Christ Church Episcopal, Christ Community Chapel, First Congregational Church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Aurora and Temple Beth Shalom.

“It’s not enough to just pay our taxes and hope for the best for underprivileged individuals. God wants us to give of ourselves as well as sharing our resources,” Dee said.

Each week, volunteers use Sign Up Genius to say they’ll make 20 lunches, and six slots are listed, for a total of 120 lunches. “Whatever the amount,” Dee stressed, “we know it’s a blessing to those who receive them. This may be the only food eaten by someone that day.”

Dee welcomes your help and says it’s crucial to pack food that doesn’t require refrigeration and is high in protein. “We’ve had neighborhood HOAs get together to pack lunches. A local realty company donated lunches for a week. CVCA’s swim team packed lunches together as part of a service project.”

Each Sunday afternoon during the academic year, volunteers start dropping off their packed lunches on Dee’s porch, and collection ends Monday at 9 p.m. On Tuesday morning, volunteers deliver lunches to Peter Maurin Center. Most weeks, lunch bags are taken to unhoused people living in camps. To sign up signupgenius.com/go/10C084BA8AF2EA20-64999084-hudson#/.