U.S. soldier gets home for son's baptism

He was deployed two weeks before the birth of his son at Akron City Hospital.

Thanks to hospital staff who set up a webcam of the July delivery, Army Staff Sgt. Jason Warren managed to be in two places at one time.

On leave for a few days from Afghanistan, where he is a fire support specialist, Warren was personally on hand Sunday to witness the baptism of his now 4-month-old son, Griffin James Warren, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Stow.

"He's my hero. My super hero!" Devon Placko Warren said of her 29-year-old husband, who received a Purple Heart in Iraq.

The couple's 10-year-old daughter, Lily, is also solidly supportive of her father's service to the country.

Inspiration for students

Beautiful and unexpected friendships began to take root after Joe McCorvey's charity garden in Akron was vandalized. Much of the harvest, intended for area senior citizens in need, was stolen by thieves in the night.

"One of those groups who offered assistance was the student group I advise, the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) from the University of Akron," Denise Wray, professor and clinical supervisor at UA, reminded me.

"While we are not one of the groups who helped Joe salvage what was left of the garden, the students made a $75 donation to Joe for next year's seeds.

"You were nice enough to mention our name in the paper along with many other citizens who responded to Joe's dilemma and who respect what Joe tirelessly offers to our seniors every year."

Here is the association's latest outreach.

"Each December, our student group engages in fund-raisers and gathers donations for needy families who attend the University of Akron's Audiology & Speech Center," Wray said. "We select one evening in which we [about 40 students] wrap gifts for the children and their siblings [about 15 families] in order that we can present the gifts on the last day they have speech-language therapy for fall semester. . . .Joe was invited to be our guest of honor, and he has agreed to come. . . .Joe has become an inspiration for our students and we are anxious to meet him in person."

Benefit in Norton

Beautiful bouquets to the Norton Middle School music boosters, who are dedicating the proceeds from their holiday spaghetti dinner and Christmas tree auction to band parent Mary Neihaus. She is battling brain and lung cancer.

"As with most of us these days, the family has gone from a two-income family to one, and the expenses are mounting," writes music boosters spokeswoman Rhonda McGuire.

The benefit dinner is planned for 5 p.m. Friday, with the tree auction at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the dinner are $6 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. For information or to donate, please call Rhonda at 330-745-3154 or event chairwoman Stacy Childers at 330-825-5733.

Appeal for tolerance

Green High School is unwrapping a wonderful community gift it hopes will promote real healing among us.

Kevin Granito, school counselor, was kind enough to bring me up to speed: "I am one of the advisers for the Chain Reaction Group at Green High School. . . .Our group promotes tolerance and acceptance at our high school. On [Thursday] Dec. 3, our school will be hosting an event called Rachel's Challenge. Rachel is the first student killed in the Columbine School shooting. Her family has started an organization that goes into schools to promote Rachel's life goal, which is equality.

"This program reaches over 1 million students each year. It has been featured on the Today Show, Oprah and Larry King Live, to name a few. This program has prevented numerous suicides, drastically reduced bullying, and in three known instances in 2007 alone, prevented a planned school shooting. "

The morning sessions are restricted to members of the Green High School family. An evening session is open to the public. For information, please call 330-896-7536.

Benefit for assault victim

A fundraiser is in the works for Chuck Sandstrom, the Akron landlord who was seriously injured in an assault last summer in Highland Square.

"The money we're raising is to give him more aggressive therapy than insurance will cover," his wife, Auburn Sandstrom, wrote.

"Chuck has lost his position as executive director of the Barberton Community Foundation as a result of his traumatic brain injury. We are giving up our home as we can no longer afford it. The future is uncertain, but Chuck continues to emerge and make progress after 40 + days in a coma. We still have an active group of friends and community members offering rides and other assistance in Chuck's behalf. Our focus is on what we CAN do and on what's working.

"Chuck has forgiven his assailant (who has still not been apprehended) and he and I are doing what we can to stabilize some kind of future in the aftermath of our catastrophe. Funds are being used ONLY for therapy and medical expenses. We'll figure out the rest as we go.

"We still have an active blog: http://www.chuckscircleoflove.com."

The fundraiser will be 4 to 5 p.m Saturday at Casa del Ranchero on West Tuscarawas Avenue in downtown Barberton.

Memorial service

The Victim Assistance Program will sponsor its 15th annual Angel Tree Ceremony and Homicide Memorial Service from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Dec. 7 in the atrium of the Oliver Ocasek Building, 161 S. High St., Akron.

"The Angel Tree Ceremony is an opportunity for family and friends of homicide victims to remember their loved ones by displaying photographs and memorial angels on a tree," said Shelley Koch, Victim Assistance director of development. "The Angel Tree Ceremony is free and open to the public."

The Wall of Remembrance, featuring 5x7 photos of victims donated by survivors for permanent placement, will be displayed throughout the holiday season. Keynote speaker will be U.S. District Judge John Adams.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the survivors and the victims of crime during this holiday season, and throughout the year," said the Rev. Robert Denton, executive director of Victim Assistance, which dates back to 1972.

For information, please call 330-376-0040.

Donations accepted

The folks at Wyoga Lakes Commons -- the corner of Wyoga Lake Road and Chateau Drive, Cuyahoga Falls -- will be collecting the following items for Haven of Rest Ministries during regular office hours Tuesday through Dec. 22: personal-care items (toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, deodorant, lotion, disposable razors), individually wrapped candy, canned food, frozen turkeys and pies, winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves (new or gently used).