Gloria Ferris

I just posted : “Impressive Stanard Farm Is a Must See” on Local Food Cleveland and I decided that this farm, greenhouse, and vineyard are things to celebrate about Cleveland.  All of these ventures were met with the usual naysayers in Cleveland but my friends preservered because they knew that had “an idea whoese time has come”.  These projects by people who love Cleveland, not because they think they can “get rich quick”, but because they believe in our community and they want to create jobs and offer excellent products to their fellow inhabitants of Northeast Ohio.  These people exemplify what “eonomic development” is.

Yesterday our local Cleveland Public Branch manager Mrs. Cheryl Diamond and I visited Stanard Farm for the first time.  Summer Sprout partnered with them this year to distribute the thousands of plants destined to feed Cleveland communities this summer and fall.  Since this was my first time to ever take part in this event, I have no comparisons but it was efficient, friendly and convenient- a good experience all the way around.

When you think about it, Superior Avenue seems a strange place for a farm, but is it?  Besides this farm, Community Greenhouse Partners has moved in to 6527 Superior Avenue, the original location of St. George’s Lithuanian Church and Blue Pike Farm is just up the road a piece.  I couldn’t resist using that phrase from my youth.  My grandfather and his pals ALWAYS  used that phrase to describe how far a lost traveler’s destination was.

If you are an "urban"  explorer on foot, by bike or car, you certainly should check out Stanard Farm, the other farms in the St. Clair-Superior area as well as Chateau Hough just a neighborhood away.  

The kickoff rally for the health and human services Renewal Levy will be12:30 pm at MetroHealth today.  This is a renewal and will not raise taxes but will continue services at  the  current level.  This levy is essential for people who need the miraculous services of MetroHealth (me),  the Alcohol and Mental Health Board,  reentry programs,children’s services, and too many others to name here  

Being a child of the Sixties, I have aged with this Hubert Humphrey quote in my mind :

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

and  The Golden Rule: 

¹²So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

   I believe all religions  have a form of  The Golden Rule , and therefore, religious or not, we should be able to come together to support  our brothers and sisters that need us myself included.

I will be watching to see which county council candidates rise to the occasion and support a large chunk of the core mission of county government, not with words but with action.

Last week I posted about our friend and neighbor’s Valentine’s Weekend Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters at his store mlangclothing&cocktails.

This week I am posting a bit more about the event and some of the artists whose work is for sale at Mike’s store.  Three of the artists like Mike are neighbors as well as friends and the fourth artist is a gal who has worked with us in the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood at some of our events.  All four women are incredibly talented and produce quality pieces again and again.

Deby Cowdin. You can see examples of Deby’s work at her website from the blue bag. The Civic Innovation Lab recently awarded Deby and her partners one of their grants to use in promoting the recyclable aspect of the artwork she produces and promotes at her gallery/studio.

Denise Donaldson. Denise is planning a very special necklace set for Valentine’s Day.  It will be displayed on Saturday, and as with all her pieces, she will make only one.  She uses mostly semi-precious stones, the more unusual the better. She does her own designing and welcomes custom orders.

Sharon Martyn. Sharon’s stained glass  designs are original and unique and the glass is hand cut and hand ground.. Her handmade wire work adds flow and beauty to each piece she crafts.  The addition of crystals  to her sun catchers adds a dimension of light and sparkle not often seen.  Sharon has created fan lights, fireplace panels and other custom windows for our neighbors. The pieces shown here are her donations to Mike’s raffle to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.  The heart on the left is light pink and the one on the right is dark purple.

Marge Pauls.  Marge creates original artwork that appeals to the romantic in each of us.  She paints fairies, angels, society moguls and a myriad of other subjects. She incorporates pen and ink in her work which gives it a sharpness and edge that adds “pop” to her work.  Her artwork is available as prints, matted or unmatted, and as note cards. We eagerly await her yearly Christmas card and the party invitation for New Year Eve’s because it will be a new, never seen mpauls original.  She also crafts unique jewelry which will also be at mlangclothing&cocktails. 

Mike tells me that the raffle this weekend will include theater and sporting event  tickets. There may be restaurant gift cards and Mike has thrown in a few items from the store as well.  Besides, the custom shirt deal for a $49 donation BBBS, there will be a pair of $95 pants raffled.   Did I say  that there is no minimum donation? Come buy raffle tickets, donate and get a shirt, buy a few drinks, and sample a few of the appetizers from area restaurants.

One of our neighbors in Brooklyn Centre is hosting a Valentine’s Weekend Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters at his establishment, mlang clothing & cocktails, located at 1275 Euclid Avenue in the heart of Playhouse Square. Mr. Lang is giving us plenty of opportunity to visit his establishment by holding the event not one day but two days!

I LOVE the flier don’t you?

I received a flier from Mansfield Frazier. I plan to attend “The Long Road Home”  a documentary narrated by Peter Lawson Jones tomorrow January 28th in MetroHealth’s Scott Auditorium. The presentation is from 3:00 to 4:30 pm.

The recession has hit everyone hard, but especially for those trying to reenter after leaving the prison system. Those who know me well are aware that I am a board member for C.A.T.S. –Community assessment and Treatment Services, Inc. We are presently finishing up our capital campaign to “build a Better Place for Women. We serve a population of offenders whose drug and alcohol additions have caused them to make very bad decisions.  I believe in second chances.

And, I am looking forward to seeing the documentary based on Mansfield Frazier’s book “The Long Road Home” and to listen to the panel discussion that will accompany the creening.

your own, your doctor’s, the hospital’s, in my case, MetroHealth Medical Center, your family’s, your friends’. When I spent those two months in the hospital last December and January, I learned that you need to speak up when you want to know something or you need a change in treatment, environment, or information for peace of mind.

The first time I really employed this advocacy thing was during the incident of the Jumping Bean Bed.  Because of that bed, I was not getting rest and I told my nurses I didn’t know how I was supposed to heal if I could not sleep. They told me to ask my doctors when they had rounds that morning for a new bed. Dr. Shwee said he didn’t see why I couldn’t have a new bed if one was available.  When I arrived back to my room from my physical therapy session, there was my new “old” bed.  The nurses had found a bed and moved everything in and out when I was gone. 

Now, I could have continued to suffer in silence complaining to friends and family, but they could have only sympathized.  By telling my doctors directly,  my problem was fixed quickly and efficiently. It gave me the confidence to ask questions about the drugs I was taking, to discuss the progress of my rehabilitation with therapists, nurses, and doctors.  During my stay at MetroHealth, I learned that this hospital is an “unsung hero” of our county. I have vowed to promote this awesome place of “miracles and hope” whenever and wherever I can. I also ask others who I meet who have experienced the quality care and compassion at this tremendous hospital to join me in my advocacy.

Yesterday, was the Shearer Family Christmas, and I was reminded of my Uncle Gene who was our family advocate. My mother and father divorced after 25 years of marriage. I was an adult but divorce affects any child no matter their age.  Uncle Gene would seek me out each year and ask me “What’s new”? We would chat a few minutes, and then, he would tell me a short story about something he remembered about my dad.  It might be a hunting story or an incident at one of the County Fair horse pulls.  He never failed to mention my dad. This conversation was held at the get together for my mother’s side of the family. Without lecturing or making a big deal out of it, he  would remind a 25 year old woman  that there were good times to remember when we were all together. I’ve never forgotten how I appreciated his attention and his compassion.

I learned from my uncle that too often people simply stop talking about people important in their lives because it is painful or because we think it might make others uncomfortable.  Uncle Gene always considered what was important to the person with whom he was conversing.  I never turned away from him without feeling just a bit better and walking a bit taller.  I work each day to be an advocate for my family and friends as he was.  He is a fine example of how an advocate of others should live.    Be an advocate by accentuating the positive to family and friends. Share stories of loved ones who are no longer with us.  Use those stories to strengthen bonds between generations.  

This lesson was again learned from one of my parents.  This time my mother was the one who gave the lesson.  My mother had polio as a young child; hence, my concern about her health I mentioned in yesterday’s post. She had coped for many years with a metal plate in her leg and scoliosis of her spine.  Each year our church back home had a big Chicken Barbeque on Fourth of July.  Each year my mother baked many, many pies for this event.

When I was 24 my mother called me to make sure that I would be coming home for the holiday because she wanted my help in baking pies for the church picnic.  I said I would be there to help, and she said good because there were fewer women who had volunteered for pie baking.

Well, at 24, I was not the responsible, reliable, predictable person I am today, and as young daughters will do, I arrived late with a hangover.  My mother didn’t say a word.  She just threw the apron at me and told me to start slicing apples for her famous Dutch Apple pie.  We worked in silence for what seemed like an eternity to me until I finally broke the silence with this question “so, is your leg aching today or is it your back”?

She flew around to face me, and with that look that only a mother can give, she said through clenched teeth “I am in pain every day of my life. This is not about pain, but about giving.  I gave based on what you told me you would give to me—help.  Because you did not see my giving as a priority I may not be able to give what I said I would.  You give what you can and I do but because you did not give what you could I may be short my giving”.  There was little I could say, but I began to work a bit more efficiently and faster, and we were able to make good on my mom’s promise to the other church ladies.

When I laid in that hospital bed for days on end needing help to eat, to dress, to accomplish the most basic of needs there was little I could give.  What I could give was a smile and a thank you which I did often and freely.  It was easy to remember my mother’s axiom of “You give what you can based on what you can accomplish”.

My doctors, nurses, and caregivers told me when I left how much they had appreciated my smiles and “thank yous”. They mentioned that my family and friends never failed to thank them, too.  They told me it wasn’t necessary, but it was greatly appreciated.   Sometimes, a smile and thank you is enough for those who give to you.    

This week heralds the yearly Brookside Center Thanksgiving food drive for my community-Brooklyn Centre as well as Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn. Part of the Westside Ecumenical ministry, Brookside Center helps those most in need in our community by stocking a food pantry, resale shop, and supporting people who need to find resources to help them through rough times. Donations of food or cash  can be dropped off directly to Brookside Center at 3784 Pearl Road.

Or, you can stop by The Ugly Broad Tavern tonight for a taco. And, your question is “what does Taco Night at 3908 Denison Avenue have to do with a local food drive?”  A lot, actually. Bring a food or cash donation  and YOU will receive a FREE taco. If you supplement that taco with a cold beer, some friendly conversation with friends and neighbors, and the good feeling you get  from giving you have the makings of a warm and cozy evening in Cleveland.

A friend sent me this article from the Plain Dealer concerning voting, poll workers and not much else.  I have served as a poll worker for Cuyahoga County and I can agree that the biggest reason for a provisional vote not counting was probably because the person was in the wrong voting location.  I can say with great certainty that NO ONE at my voting location was “possibly just a table away”.  How insulting for the thousands of citizens who take the time to become poll workers to suggest that they would turn a voter away when the precinct needed was in THEIR voting location. Shame on Olivera Perkins, Plain Dealer reporter, for suggesting such a thing.

Before I begin, I will say this,  the training in Cuyahoga County is considerably better under director Jane Platten where actual people who have “been there, done that” teach the classes.   In fact, we went over the provisional ballot in depth.   The training provided under Michael Vu which consisted of “hired guns” from local universities and community colleges was woefully inadequate.  At that session, when I asked  my “trainer” about provisional ballots as he was concluding the class,  his answer to me was “oh don’t worry about that they will be the exception”.  Although Provisional Balloting was a line item on our training schedule, we did not have the “time” to treat it. 

My first case scenario:  A woman comes to the voting location insists that she is registered to vote and has been for years.  When asked the last time she voted, she has no idea.  When asked if she registered from where she lives now she has no idea.  She demands to vote.  She says she has the right to vote.  She is correct.  She is given a provisional ballot.  She votes.  Did her vote count?  I doubt it.

Second case scenario:  A man comes to the polling place which is his “old” polling place.  The BOE has changed his voting location.  We explain that he is in the wrong place.  Tell him his NEW polling location.  He insists he does not have the time to go anywhere else.  Says “I have the right to vote.  I want to vote here.  Give me a provisional ballot.”  We explain that he is in the wrong place, his precinct is no longer located here and his vote will not count because it will be rejected for being in “the wrong precinct”.  He insists.  He votes.  Did his vote count?  I doubt it.

Third case scenario:    A young couple comes to our voting location. They just moved into the area.  They registered to vote.  They didn’t receive the voter location card sent from the BOE or least they don’t think so.  A poll worker takes them out of line asks where do they live?  They tell her the street.  She takes them to the Ward map posted on the wall.  None of the three recognizes much of anything on the map.  The poll worker asks the presiding judge for help, that’s me.

I walk over to the map.  Look at it.  I’ve lived in this Ward for 25 years.  I don’t recognize the streets.  Then we notice that our map is part our Ward and part of a ward in Fairview Park.  I tell her that she needs to call the Board of Elections.  She does.  She is put on hold. She is disconnected. She calls again.  She is put on hold.  This time she gets the correct location for voting.  Twenty-five minutes later the young couple leaves to vote for the first time as a couple. Did their votes count?  Yes.       

I would say to people who register to vote that you have only taken the first step in your “right to vote”.  The second more important step is TO VOTE.  Voting regularly keeps the federal law of not voting in the past two federal elections a moot point.

VOTING EARLY at the Board of Elections  should be an option. IF you haven’t voted in years and you are not sure you are registered, it is worth a shot, but don’t be surprised if you are NOT on the pollbooks and you CANNOT vote.  The other reason for voting early would be TIME.  We are all pressed for time.  If you cannot afford the time to have a twenty minute wait to vote on election day, VOTE EARLY. And, DO NOT wait until the end of the day to vote on election if you are not sure WHERE you should vote.  You may not have enough time to travel to the right polling place before the polls close.

If you registered to vote for the first time, call the Board of Elections for your polling place BEFORE election day.  Be prepared.

If you moved and registered at a new location, be sure to call the Board of Elections and find out your NEW polling place.  Do not rely on snail mail to get your polling place to you before election day.

When the emphasis is placed on a pollworker to KNOW where each and every voter is to vote rather on the VOTER knowing where he or she should be to vote, we have contributed to long lines, inefficient elections, and undermined the trust of our election process. 

With our constitutional right of voting comes the responsibility for each voter to know where they should go to vote, to research the issues before going to the polls so that they can make their vote quickly and efficiently, and to be thankful that they have the opportunity to vote without fear of reprisal.             

I picked up this article form the Cincinnati Enquirer about libraries and the Internet through Crain’s Business Round-up.  I LOVE getting that update everyday in my email.  It broadens my knowledge of what is going on throughout our state through the eyes of the Crain’s Business staff.  I tried to provide the link here but for some reason am unable to do so.  Sorry about that.

I realized how lucky I am to have wireless and a laptop because my access is instantaneous and complete.  Obviously, the American public knows the advantage of access to the Internet.  Education today comes in many different forms and in many different places.  People are willing to wait in line for it.

Our Cleveland Public Library is not called the People’s University just because it is a catchy phrase.  It truly is the people’s university. Voters know the importance of our libraries.  Time after time they vote to raise our taxes so that we can continue to have world class libraries in our communities.   

So how are we going to raise awareness of the advantages of using the Internet beyond those who already know and how are we going to broaden access to the very things that could help our communities prosper through their own efforts?  OneCommunity has begun the process with Linked Communities, but there is more work to be done.

Education comes in many shapes and sizes.  Time is of the essence.