It was a magical evening with sunbeams streaming through the grid of the geodesic dome at ASM International during Geauga Growth Partnership’s 6th Annual HomeGrown Geauga fundraising event. The weather was perfect; the guests satisfied their palates with tastings from some of Geauga’s best restaurants and chefs; and there was plenty of diverse entertainment to keep people occupied.
Geauga Growth Partnership (GGP) hosts this event each year to raise funds to support its highly successful Youth Workforce training programs, which are reaching students in nearly every public, private and parochial school in Geauga County with the skills they need to enter the workforce.
The theme of these HomeGrown Geauga events has always been to focus on all things Geauga County – its people, produce, products and places. This year the event was held for the second time at ASM International.
Twelve Geauga restaurants and chefs supported the event by donating their food and services for more than 350 guests. Each served a different menu item to give guests delicious and assorted selections. Featured eateries were Blazin’ Bills, Burntwood Tavern, DiBlasi’s Bakery, Element 41, Sirna’s Pizzeria, Tom’s Foolery, Warren’s Spirited Kitchen, Welshfield Inn, Chef Jonathan Bennett featuring Adams Reserve Cheddar, Chefs Timothy Willis & Joe Matteucci of UH Geauga Medical Center Nutrition Services, and Chef William Davis of ICASI & Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. Some tastings included blackened chicken tacos, grilled vegetable pesto pasta salad, tuna nachos, white garden pizza, house made gazpacho, pulled pork and more. Select cheeses were provided by Great Lakes Cheese, and wines from Vintage Wine Distributor helped stock the full bar.
Guests were entertained by “home-grown” talent, such as GGP’s favorite band No Moss, who performed throughout the evening, and St. Helen’s Unicycle Drill Team. There was no moss gathered on these musicians as they performed many musical genres including old standards, pop, country, blues and good old Rock-n-Roll spanning the past 50 years. A local band, No Moss has been playing together since the October of 2012. The band features Jim Anderson – lead guitar, vocals, harmonica. Bob Walker – drums, percussion. Denise Geisler – vocals. Bill Hanna – bass guitar.
There was magic in the air for visitors who opted to have Tarot Card Readings by Vitki, or who had an encounter with Magic Mike. “How did he know that!?” “How did he do that!” exclaimed guests. Magic Mike, acclaimed comedic Hypnotist, Illusionist, Mentalist, Magician and Balloon Artist has brought his entertainment skills to more than a million people in local theatres and venues throughout the greater Cleveland/Akron area, and GGP was pleased to have him at HomeGrown. Many took home a personal caricature created by artists from Kaman’s Art. Guests were motivated to support GGP’s Youth education programs by participating in various fundraising activities such as silent auction and raffle, using the latest cell phone donation technology by Qtego.
Funds raised at HomeGrown Geauga benefit GGP’s Youth Education programs, developed with the mission to “Prepare Tomorrow’s Workforce Today.” These programs include Career Readiness events and Career Awareness training, Ignite Your Career event, and the High School Internship program. The multi-faceted workforce training continuum was launched in 2012 under the leadership of GGP founding director Frank Samuel, who was passionate about preparing young people for successful careers. Since the program’s inception, when nine (9) high school students were matched with sponsoring employers for summer internships, the programs have grown exponentially.
In 2017 alone, more than 1,400 Geauga County students participated in GGP’s Youth Workforce training programs. On average, 90% of students report feeling more prepared to enter the workforce; 40% of businesses employing interns, continue that employment relationship beyond the internship period, and the Internship Program is making a direct economic impact on Geauga in the amount of $80,000 annually.
GGP would like to thank some of the graduated interns who volunteered their time to help at HomeGrown Geauga this year: Sofia DiCillo, Alissa Nevisson, Maggie Murray, Kaylee Klepper, Aaron Miller, Agnes Prosser, Deanna Swinerton, Sam Markel, Brendan Leininger, Ann McDougall, and Anne Creagh.
Geauga Growth would like to thank all sponsors who helped to make HomeGrown Geauga possible: Thank you to all our HomeGrown Geauga eateries and sponsors:
- Diamond: Great Lakes Cheese
- Platinum: ASM International; Richard & Christie Frenchie & The Frenchie Consulting Group; Kinetico Inc.; University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.
- Gold: The Arms Trucking Company; Hexpol Compounding/Burton Rubber Processing; Huntington Bank; Junction Auto Family; KeyBank; Patterson Farm;
- Silver: Company 119; Covia (formerly Fairmount Santrol); Honest Scales Recycling; HR Strategies & Solutions; Kent State University at Geauga; Middlefield Banking Company; POV Solution; Sheoga Hardwood Flooring & Paneling, Chris & John Steigerwald; Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan; Waste Management
- Valet Sponsor: Geauga County Maple Leaf.
- Bronze: Mark & Sheryl Clemson; Ebert, Owen & Associates CPAs; Exscape Designs; Federal Improvement Company; Heinen’s; iSTEM Geauga ; Newbury Business Park; R43 Limited; Ronyak Paving Inc. Waste Management
- Patron: Bechem Lubrication Technology LLC; Dr. Patra Duangjak; Electrolock, Inc.; Geauga Mechanical; Great Lakes Growers; Hess Engineering;Tracy & Bonnie Jemison; LaTourette for Ohio, paid by State Representative Sarah LaTourette; NMS CPAs; Ondrey for Judge, Paid for by Friends of Ondrey; Representative John Patterson; Rambo for Judge, paid for by Rambo for Judge;Red Maple Inn; Spooner Inc; United Way Services of Geauga County; Upward Solutions Coaching & Consulting; The Wealthcare Group of Raymond James; Committee to elect Chuck Walder for Auditor, Karen Walder, Treasurer; John Wilhelm
