October brings a big final month of major outdoor events in Uptown Westerville for 2022, beginning this weekend. 2022’s last Saturday Farmers Market The last Saturday Farmers Market of the year will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 8, in the parking lots behind Westerville City Hall, 21 S. State St. Pink with a Purpose A special guest at this Farmers Market will be Pink with a Purpose. A collaboration of Sunny 95, The James, and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Pink with a Purpose is a monthlong campaign to encourage women to sign up for a mammogram at Ohio State University’s The James Comprehensive Cancer Center. Those who stop by the Pink with a Purpose booth at the Oct. 8 Farmers Market and schedule a mammogram at The James, will receive a $10 Cameron Mitchell Restaurants gift card, good at any of the group’s more than 20 restaurants in Central Ohio. “We’ve been trying to get this event for the last two years,” said Kris Thompson, events director for Uptown Westerville Inc. “A lot of women, and people in general, have been skipping regular checkups the last two years due to Covid,” he said. Pink with a Purpose will be a great way to re-emphasize resuming routine health examinations, he said, and “I feel very honored they wanted to work with us on this.” October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, staged internationally each year by major breast cancer charities to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cure. Sunny 95 (94.7 FM radio), The James, and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants are using Pink with a Purpose to encourage women to sign up for their James Mammogram, and bring attention to the importance of early detection with a series of Pink Ribbon Stops throughout Central Ohio. Women can schedule their James Mammogram and fill out a tag in remembrance or honor of a loved whose life has been touched by breast cancer. Stop by the Pink with a Purpose tent at Uptown’s Saturday Farmers Market Oct. 8, or find the other “Pink Ribbon Stops” at Sunny95.com. Special Tier 3 sandwiches In a separate breast cancer awareness event at the Oct. 8 Farmers Market, vendor Tier 3 Heritage Products will be grilling up pork sandwiches for visitors. The sandwiches will be free for Farmers Market visitors while supplies last, with a donation to The James requested. Tier 3 Owner Nelson Shuff will donate the proceeds to The James Breast Cancer Awareness Fund. Ghost Story Tours Also on tap Uptown through the end of October is the of the popular Ghost Story Tours through Uptown, staged by talented cast members of Westerville’s own Good Medicine Productions. Uptown Westerville Inc. has collected stories for the Tour from across the community, “and combined them into this slightly theatrical, largely historical and highly entertaining walking tour,” according to UWI. The 90-minute walking tour begins at the Otterbein Cemetery (corner of Walnut and Knox streets) and concludes at Morgan’s Treasure Custom Jewelry. Participants are encouraged to park at the Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. Tickets are $25 per person, and tours are held at 7 and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings through the end of the month, plus Oct. 31. Only a few tour dates remain with availability! Please read the waiver at this link, and purchase your tickets at the link below. Book your Ghost Story Tour October 8th and 9th is Ohio Valley Weekend in Uptown! Check out the list of events and activities surrounding the premier of this event. Midnight Madness is 2022’s final 4th Friday Alas, all good things come to an end, and that includes fall weather in Ohio. The year’s final 4th Friday Uptown Westerville street festival is set for 6-9 p.m. Oct. 28. Presented by Mount Carmel St. Ann's Hospital, Uptown Westerville Inc. stages the monthly street festival on the fourth Friday of each month from May through October. The entertainment, food trucks, and pop-up vendors will be back for the year’s last 4th Friday Oct. 28, with the theme of Midnight Madness. Vendor's bring candy for those who want to visit them for a treat, and many of the younger community members enjoy trick or treating at Midnight Madness! Of course, your favorite Uptown Westerville restaurants and retail merchants will be open for the event as well. Special to the October 4th Friday, will be our Thriller Flash Mob led by AJ Blankenship and the dancers of Generations Performing Arts Center. The Flash Mob will be at 8PM and start right in front of Westerville City Hall (21 South State Street). Want to be in the Flash Mob? Join AJ and the others for a practice run on Wednesday, October 26th at the Generation's satellite studio behind Dairy Queen at 33 East Park Street (Westerville, 43081). Practice begins at 6:30PM! We need your help to make this a memorable moment in Westerville! Be sure to check out the Wizards and Wands Festival from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Westerville Public Library and an axe throwing booth staged by Ace of Axes Mobile Axe Throwing on State Street in front of the police station and across from Union Savings Bank. Come out to enjoy the final Uptown street festival of the 2022 on Oct. 28. Find more information at UptownWestervilleInc.com.
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Uptown’s most prominent school building is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The stately building at the northeast corner of S. State and Park streets opened in 1922 as the new Westerville Junior-Senior High School. Today of course, the same building is Hanby Elementary, 56 S. State St. Its new principal, Caley Nestor Baker, said the Hanby community will spend this whole school year celebrating the 100-year milestone. “We want to do things throughout the year,” she said. “We’ll be getting kids out in the community and bringing the community in.” Public kickoff at September 4th Friday The September 4th Friday festival, set for Sept. 23, will see a “Walk Down Memory Lane” set up on Hanby’s front lawn, Nestor Baker said. An audio booth – for former students and parents to record their memories of the school – and a photo booth with props from different decades past, will be part of the event. The social media hashtag #Hanby100 will be used to spread the word online. School officials hope to use “living interviews” with alumni as the launch point for current students to study the history of the school. A different decade will be featured monthly, with a Decade Day celebrated at the end of each. The look back will begin with the 2010s, and progress backward. Other ideas are under consideration. It’s rumored that Hanby once had a school song, but it has been lost to history, Nestor Baker said. Today’s Hanby students may take up the task of creating a new one. A rich century of history Over its century of use, the building has filled many roles for the Westerville City School District. Designed by Columbus architect F. F. Glass and built at a cost of $165,019, it contained classrooms, a gymnasium, and an auditorium that could seat 700. When the building opened, it became the Westerville Junior-Senior High School and the old Vine Street School – today Emerson Elementary – was transitioned to new use. The Vine Street school, built in 1896 and enlarged in 1908, housed all grade levels until the Hanby building opened. But growth of the community led to severe overcrowding, and the Westerville school system briefly lost its accreditation in 1921 – adding urgency for the new school to open. The building today known as Hanby opened on Nov. 9, 1923, and served as the Junior-Senior High School until 1960. When the next new Westerville High School – now Westerville South High School – opened on South Otterbein Avenue in 1960, the State Street building was renamed Hanby, in honor of early Westerville resident and famed composer, Benjamin Hanby. How many different uses has Hanby had? According to a flyer produced for its 80th anniversary and updated for its 90th, here’s a list that may not be complete:
Also according to the school history flyer: In 2002, Hanby Elementary became Hanby Arts Magnet School. The program utilized an arts-integrated approach in all areas of the curriculum. That approach remains evident inside and outside the building. The iconic stained-glass transom window above the center State Street doors was designed and created by students and parents. The five colors in the window represent the five grades, 1-5, and the name Hanby can be read from both inside and outside the building. In 2012, the Math and Science magnet strand was added at Hanby, with a curriculum that makes connections between concepts of math and science in all areas of study. Practicing mathematicians and scientists are brought in grow students’ understanding of how math and science can affect future employment and success. The current approach investigates the intersections between Math, Science and the Arts, or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), while maintaining the uniqueness of the two magnet programs. Changes for 2022-23 Nestor Baker in July was named the new principal of Hanby, replacing Megan Rose Forman. The Westerville native and Westerville schools graduate has been an educator in the district for 15 years, previously serving as a classroom teacher, an educational technology coach, and the district’s gifted programs coordinator. Besides a new leader in the principal’s office, Hanby welcomed an additional six classrooms of students this fall. Enrollment is at 360 and the building now houses two classes each in grades 1-5 – one for each magnet program – plus two classrooms for the districtwide gifted student program for grades 3-5. That’s a full 16 classes of students, and for the first time in many years, no district administrative staff is housed in the building. “I think it’s an exciting time for Hanby,” Nestor Baker said. “Not only do we have the benchmark (100th anniversary), we have more students and teachers. It brings energy.” “I’m excited to be here as we make the turn into the next century,” she added. Concord Counseling is planning a huge bash Saturday, Sept. 10, to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the Westerville community.
Founded in 1972, the mental health agency will mark its golden anniversary with ConcordFest, a festival celebration to be staged in in the parking lot of Concord’s Westerville offices at 700 Brooksedge Blvd. “We’re celebrating the last 50 years and how we want to move into the next 50,” said Linda Jakes, Concord’s Executive Director. From 2-6 p.m., ConcordFest will feature live music, food trucks, face painting and games, a photo booth, and a special exhibit of art for sale by members of the He’ART of Concord, a group of clients who create original artwork as part of their therapy. A giant tent will be erected in the parking lot to permit the event to proceed rain or shine. The live music will come from two outstanding local acts: soul and jazz singer Ka Tanya Brewer from 2-4 p.m. and the ‘60s and ‘70s cover rock band Avec Amour (formerly Midlife Crisis) from 4-6 p.m. All of Westerville is invited to ConcordFest,“to celebrate 50 years as your behavioral health ally in the community,” Concord’s invitation to the event reads. Jakes said the mission of Concord is to “instill hope and serve with heart.” It’s a mission that’s brought the agency to grow organically in offered services over the years. Named Executive Director in 2020, Jakes said she has worked at Concord for 35 years. Many of the nearly 100 employees – counselors, psychiatrists, case managers, vocational specialists, and support staff – have been with Concord for 10-plus or 15-plus years. Moving for Mental Health A special fund-raiser is being held as part of the 50th anniversary and will conclude with recognition for participants at ConcordFest Sept. 10. Moving for Mental Health is a challenge event that will run Aug. 11 through Sept. 8. Participants are asked to walk, run, or bike a total of 50 miles to raise awareness for mental health between those dates. They are asked pledge at least $1 per mile, and encouraged to seek sponsors for their physical activity. T-shirts and prizes will be awarded at the ConcordFest Sept. 10. Read more about the fundraiser and register to participate at CharityFootprints.com/Concord. Facts about Concord CounselingAccording to its website, ConcordCounseling.org, Concord was formed in 1972 by a group of volunteers – Westerville residents working with students, faculty, and administrators from Otterbein College. They saw the need for an organization that would help students and others in the local community deal with mental health issues. Today Concord serves people as young as age 3 and as old as age 98 and every age in between. It treats more than 4,000 individuals and families annually. “Dedicated to healing people in mind and spirit with programs and services that change lives,” Concord is a lead provider agency for the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin County. It also provides services for the City of Westerville, the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, and to students and staff in several Central Ohio school districts – Westerville, New Albany, Gahanna, Groveport and South-Western. In Westerville Counseling Services As a Community Partner with the City of Westerville, Concord provides an array of services to city residents, including some that are free of charge. Up to 10 outpatient counseling sessions are provided for free to uninsured or underinsured residents. They can include teaching coping skills, understanding feelings and behaviors, or helping to change behaviors. Call Concord’s Trish Schnell, SWA, at 614-882-9338, ext. 205 for more information on this City of Westerville-funded program. Senior Support Program To help keep seniors (ages 55 and older) active, Concord provides a range of free services to residents of Westerville and New Albany (Zip codes 43081, 43082 and 43054), in partnership with the City of Westerville and Franklin County Senior Options. The agency’s Senior Support Team provides free:
Find out much more about Concord Counseling, its history and the services it offers at its website, ConcordCounseling.org or Facebook page. Uptown’s Green Haven Living is taking its eco-friendly game up another notch, with the opening of a “Refill Shop” within its store on Saturday, July 23.
For the seriously environmentally concerned, the cozy little shop – located in an historic Uptown building at 20 W. Main St. – already is one of the coolest destinations in town. Whether you’re looking for a neat gift for someone special, or really working to lessen the footprint of your personal impact on the planet, Green Haven Living is packed with options. “Everything here is sustainable or eco-friendly,” says shop owner Angie Scheu. The shop’s website describes it succinctly: “Sustainable + Eco-Friendly + Zero Waste,” reads the headline, followed with a sort of mission statement: “Thoughtfully curated inspiration for your journey to live and give more sustainably.” Products in the store are nontoxic, sustainable, and where possible, locally sourced – from body and hand soap, to glass cleaner and dishwasher gel, to flea repellent for dogs and fizzy toilet bombs that remove stains from ceramics. The packaging is reusable or recyclable. And that’s where the new Refill Shop within Green Haven comes in. Another trim of the waste stream Customers can now bring back their empty bottles of eco-friendly shampoo or face wash and have them refilled. Reuse cuts a whole side off the recycling triangle, or trims the stream of single-use containers entering the waste stream. If you walk in without a container, you can head over to the super cool “Jar Bar” to find a suitable, reusable vessel for just about any product in the store. In either case, you then head to the Filljoy digital scale to weigh the empty container, and obtain a tag that will list the container’s “tare weight” – otherwise known as the unladen weight. Then visit to the carboys or other large containers full of product, fill up your container, and return to the checkout counter. A second scale weighs the filled container, subtracts the tare weight and produces a second tag to charge just for the product in the vessel. Scheu says a majority of the refillable products are sourced locally (in Ohio), from makers whose values align with Green Haven Living's environmentally friendly ethos. In step with the mission The refill service is just the latest eco-step for Green Haven Living, which has become an Uptown Westerville community hub for those who are serious about sustainability. Since opening in its first location at 12 W. College in 2018, the store has prided itself on being a destination for unique, thoughtfully made gifts and home goods. Think upcycled, reclaimed, and vintage-made-new items. Scheu said she set out from the start to prove everyday products could be designed and made in a more eco-friendly way by offering those alternatives in the store. But the small business has evolved and expanded since those early days. Following a three-month closure during the pandemic, during which “free front porch delivery” kept the business going, it opened in August 2020 at 20 W. Main, in the space formerly occupied by the Westerville Visitors Bureau. Bags to benches, electronics recycling Other services available at Green Haven Living include recycling drop-off programs. Green Haven Living has been the primary drop-off point for the Plastic Recycling Program started by the Westerville Lions Club in the spring of 2021. Every 500 pounds of collected plastic grocery bags or other film plastic nets a nifty recycled plastic bench. Six of the benches now grace the Uptown streetscape, including one outside Green Haven Living, two at Barrel & Boar, one at the J. Carmen Salon, and two at Middlefield Bank. In June of 2022, Green Haven Living launched an electronics recycling drop-off program in collaboration with TDR Total Computer Recyclers, based in Pataskala. More details, with a list of accepted items (including cables and cords, lithium batteries, computer components and much more), are available at greenhavenliving.org. Refill Party to open Refill Shop The refill shop at Green Haven Living is being introduced Saturday, July 23, during a Refill Party. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the public is invited to learn more about the refillable products and service. Amish Originals plans party to celebrate 30 years Uptown
Amish Originals is throwing a big bash this week to thank customers and mark the 30th anniversary of opening in Uptown Westerville. “Thirty years is a long time, and we couldn’t have done it without our great customers,” said Beth Allen, who runs the custom furniture store with her sister Kelly Winbigler and their partner Mike Derringer. “It’s going to be fun. It’s kind of a thank you” to customers and the community to celebrate the milestone. Amish Originals opened its doors in historic Uptown on June 8, 1992, as one of Ohio’s leading suppliers of handcrafted Amish furniture. Originally located in the old theater at 8 N. State St., it expanded to its current location at 38 N. State in 2013. Allen invited residents to bring their whole families to the celebration in the Amish Originals showroom. They can enjoy corn dogs and beverages both days, delicious funnel cakes on Saturday, and much more. As part of the anniversary – on Friday and Saturday only – the store’s accessories and floor models will be on sale. Visitors attending Friday or Saturday also can enter a drawing to win a beautiful Amish-crafted patio table and chairs. Find more details on the shop’s Facebook page at facebook.com/AmishOriginals More about the store’s goods, also available at amishoriginals.com: Amish Originals works closely with families throughout Ohio’s Amish heartland who provide quality furniture for every room of the home. All of our furniture is made from responsibly harvested, kiln-dried American hardwood. The quality materials are matched with outstanding craftsmanship — fine, classic detailing that produces heirloom-quality furniture that cannot be matched or replicated. Each piece of furniture is custom made, allowing you to select the style, size, wood species, and finish that will complement your décor. Warm weather has arrived in Westerville and that means two of our most popular events are about to get Uptown hopping!
Uptown Westerville Inc.’s Saturday Farmers Market returns this week (May 21), and our first Mount Carmel-St. Ann’s 4th Friday Festival of the year follows next week, on May 27. Here’s the deets: Saturday Farmers Market Our weekly Saturday Farmers Market makes its first appearance of 2022 on May 21. Central Ohio-grown food and produce will be offered each Saturday morning rain or shine, through Oct. 8. The Market is open from 9 a.m.-noon in the parking lots behind City Hall, 21 S. State St. A pre-event fitness activity is offered monthly beforehand in the City Hall Courtyard, by The Max Challenge of Westerville. Our vendors list is growing again! We will be up to 63 vendors on May 21, and we have a waiting list of another 28 who hope to join soon. Since opening the Farmers Market in 2018, our vendors list has grown by 15 percent each year. We take special care to avoid duplication and redundancy, so each exhibit you visit will offer a unique selection. Chef Cindy also will be back this year! Her monthly lessons in farm-to-table cooking are scheduled to take place in the Ria Room, a soon-to-open event space that’s part of – and adjacent to – DiCarlo’s Pizza, 20 S. State St. (across the street from City Hall). Chef Cindy is scheduled to appear during our Saturday Farmers Market days on June 11, July 9, Sept. 10 and Oct. 8. Come on out to the first 2022 Saturday Farmers Market May 21, and make us part of your weekly routine! Mount Carmel-St. Ann’s 4th Friday 4th Friday returns for its first rendition of 2022 on May 27. Our monthly street festival is staged on State Street as well as sections of College Avenue, Main Street and Home Street on the 4th Friday of each month, from May through October. Essentially, all of our Uptown historic business district becomes a festival site for 4th Fridays. The streets are closed from 6-9 p.m. to accommodate the event. Entertainment, musical acts and dozens of popup vendors set up throughout the district to sell goods or share information with visitors. (See the full list of registered popup vendors here.) The lead musical act for May 27, performing from the City Hall Courtyard at 21 S. State St., will be the country-inspired Luke Mossburg Music. Check out a selection of the group’s music at reverbnation.com/lukemossburg. Other live music will be offered on West Main Avenue, and a DJ from Tempo Entertainment will set up near the food court on East Home Street. Food trucks join your favorite Uptown eateries to offer food to the 4th Friday crowds, which can range up to 20,000 people. The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) where adults 21 and older can walk between sites with alcoholic beverages, expands this year. It will stretch from the Northstar Café at 109 S. State St., to Birdie Books & Cafe, 74-C N. State St. (The beverages must be in a DORA cup and only consumed within the DORA boundaries.) Each 4th Friday has a theme. May’s is “Americana.” June follows with a “World of Dance,” then by “Listen to the Music” visits in July. August will be “all about Sports,” and in September comes “Homecoming.” The year’s 4th Fridays Festivals conclude in October with our traditional Midnight Madness theme for the Halloween season. Science Street and Arts Alley Be sure to visit Science Street (a.k.a. East Home Street) to check out some cool interactive science activities. Visiting for the May 4th Friday will be scientist Jack Brown Jr., with a planned Webb Space Telescope activity, and GrownNextGen, presenting in partnership with the Ohio Soybean Council to show how the next generation of the food industry hopes to feed the world. We’ve also just added Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, who will bring a turtle, snake and amphibian to the party! Roll on up to the festival! Free and secure bicycle parking will be offered at this year’s Mount Carmel-St. Ann’s 4th Friday Festivals, at LifePoint Real Estate, 168 S. State St. (southeast corner or Walnut and State streets). Free minor bike maintenance will be offered at LifePoint by roll: bicycle company. Water, some freebies, and a chance to win a raffle also will be offered at the site. Bike with the whole family to the event and park your bikes at LifePoint, then stroll north on State Street into the heart of the festival. Be sure to sure to check out the 4th Friday activity on the front lawn of the Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. May’s activity on the Library lawn will be a preview of Westerville Parks & Recreation’s Civic Theater production of Junie B. Jones Jr. Enjoy a preview of songs and readings from the upcoming performance of play, then make a family-friendly craft inspired by the popular Junie B. Jones book series. Arts Alley And don’t forget Arts Alley! Arts Alley will return to West Main Street in May as well, courtesy of the Arts Council of Westerville. Near our David Myers Art Studio and Gallery, and Sunbear Studios and Gallery, artists will display their work, more live music acts will perform, and crafts activities for the kids will be offered. Uptown looks forward to hosting your visit to our Mount Carmel-St. Ann’s 4th Friday Festivals in 2022! Pizza in Uptown Westerville We are fortunate to have two incredible pizza places in Uptown Westerville. DiCarlo’s Famous Pizza The first is a hall of famer and as historic as pizza can get in Ohio but is new to Uptown: DiCarlo’s Famous Pizza. Founded in 1945, DiCarlo’s is the first pizza shop to get a license in the state of Ohio. Located at 20 South State Street, a building which coincidentally was erected the same year DiCarlo’s was founded. DiCarlo’s pizza is double baked to give it a unique steamed taste. Provolone cheese goes on at the end, so it’s cold. DiCarlo’s taste profile is hot, crunchy pizza with cold toppings. If melted cheese is mandatory for your taste buds, DiCarlo’s pepperoni rolls are a must-have. Westerville resident and franchisee Mike Carlson chose where he lives, specifically Uptown, for the latest location for the family’s venture. “We wanted to bring our favorite pizza to town, so that we could have it more frequently, but also share the pizza I love so much with the people who live here and have it become a local favorite, like I grew up on,” he said. This is the third central Ohio location, of which all are run by the original or extended family. The Uptown location will have an event room called The Ria Room, a play on pizzeria, and a brick patio with outdoor seating within the DORA boundaries. “Our family of six loves everything about Westerville,” Carlson added. “We plan to be very involved in the community supporting and giving back!” DiCarlo’s can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Cardinal Pizza Established in 2019, Cardinal Pizza was the first pizza shop on the Uptown scene and quickly became a Westerville favorite. Owner Bob Williamson was born and raised in Westerville and has maintained a strong presence in the community, including serving on the Board of Directors for Uptown Westerville Inc., and Cardinal Pizza sponsoring athletics at Otterbein University. Nearly all of Cardinal Pizza’s menu is from scratch, made fresh daily. Serving both “Columbus” and “New York” style pizza, their menu also includes wings, salads, subs, appetizers, and a full bar - all of which can be delivered to local residences. “I knew I wanted to be a chef since I was 11 years old,” Williamson shared. “Since then I knew I would have a restaurant in Uptown. After spending 20 years working in fine dining, both locally and across the country, the time was finally right. Now I get to feed my neighborhood while spending time with community members and getting to know them even better. It is truly a dream come true.” Located at 10 E. Main Street, Williamson describes his business as “local, driven and engaged.” “Westerville has changed a lot in my time, but one thing that has not changed is the vibe. Westerville is always welcoming, proud of its history and growing in better ways. Westerville is the type of community that has everything a person needs." Williamson added. Cardinal Pizza can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Tell Us a Bit About Yourself, Including Your History in Westerville?
I was first introduced to Westerville in 2001 when I started with the Westerville Parks and Recreation Department. I moved into the community in 2009 and became more involved with different organizations. I joined the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club in 2013, where I’m currently the club secretary. I recently became the vice-chair for Leadership Westerville after serving on their board for the past five years. Through these organizations, I have been involved with a variety of service projects throughout the community. I recently obtained my MBA through the University of Dayton and enjoy lifelong learning. A friend from Rotary told me that they believed I was the Kevin Bacon of Westerville because of the six degrees (or less) of separation and how my name somehow comes up in various circles. If Someone Asks You "Why Westerville?", What Do You Say? Westerville is connected through its over 45 miles of leisure paths allowing people to get out and see all parts of the city. It's a welcoming and friendly community that brings people together at events throughout the entire year, and the Uptown is alive with a variety of shops and restaurants. What Are You Most Proud of or Excited for for Uptown Westerville Inc.? As a new board member, the Saturday Farmers Market has become one of the best markets in a short amount of time. Looking forward to the events that are held throughout the year and provide a variety of activities, such as Fourth Friday and Uptown Untapped. When You Think of Uptown Westerville, What Comes to Mind? The history of Uptown is quite unique from how our community was part of two amendments (18th and 21st) to the bustling of the sidewalks as more people discover all that it has to offer. Once you park, you can safely stroll through Uptown, where you will always see a friendly face. What's Your Favorite Thing About Uptown? The history of prohibition through Uptown and how Westerville was considered the “war machine of prohibition”. The book, Westerville: The War Machine on Prohibition, is very informative and educational to learn everything that has happened in the past and now being able to look at some of the landmarks and their place in our community. Tell Us a Bit About Yourself, Including Your History in Westerville?
I’m originally from Wilmington Delaware and moved to Circleville, Ohio at 14. I attended The Ohio State University and Franklin University. I’m an ex-wrestler and former nightclub DJ at many of the top night clubs in the 80’s and early 90’s. I’ve been married for 27 years and have a son who is a freshman at Ohio University and a daughter who is a sophomore at Big Walnut High School. I opened the first office of Edward Jones Investments in Westerville in 1993. I’ve been in Uptown Westerville since then. I’ve served as president of WUMA and led the Uptown Review Board under the leadership of both Rich Kite and Bassam Batar. I’m a past president of Sertoma and The Rotary Club of Westerville. I’ve also been actively involved with the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce over the years. If Someone Asks You "Why Westerville?", What Do You Say? This answer has changed over the years. When my mom first came to visit in the early 90’s, I described Westerville as being like Mayberry. No sooner did I say that when officer Dick Foster walked by twirling his baton and looking to mark tires. Now I say Uptown Westerville is the envy of all the surrounding communities. It's a destination rather than quaint little Mayberry. The uniqueness of the shops, the variety of the restaurants and the variety of activities available across the city make it a great place to be. What Are You Most Proud of or Excited for for Uptown Westerville Inc.? I think Uptown Westerville inc is the continuation of things that were started long ago. From the old Uptown Merchants sidewalk sales and farmers market, to the development of the 941 and the coordination between the city and service clubs to hold citywide events, UWI consolidates, coordinates and executes many of these things. UWI has upped the quality and size of almost all of these things. When You Think of Uptown Westerville, What Comes to Mind? A clean, pleasant place to spend the day or build your business. Like an updated cooler version of Mayberry. What's Your Favorite Thing About Uptown? It's safe. It's clean. It's home. Tell Us a Bit About Yourself, Including Your History in Westerville?
My family moved to Westerville for the schools when my sister was 6 and I was 2 (go All-Stars, Huskies and Wildcats!) After graduating from Ohio University I came back to Westerville, which my sister affectionately nicknamed my "bubble," and in 2013 I moved Uptown, where community involvement became very important to me. I'm a founding board member of Uptown Westerville Inc., a board member of Westerville Habitat Partnership and on the leadership team for 100+ Women of Westerville. Even after all this time my love for The Bubble continues to grow and evolve. If Someone Asks You "Why Westerville?", What Do You Say? Westerville is home. It's where you can go Uptown for a drink and they remember what you like. Or catch the bike trail just a couple blocks from your house. It's a big enough city to have a variety of activities to do, but small enough to run into friends. Such a great balance. What Are You Most Proud of or Excited for for Uptown Westerville Inc.? I'm most proud of Uptown Westerville Inc. for how much we've engaged the community in the short time we've been an organization. We saw the potential for Uptown being a space to bring us all together for a variety of fun, positive events and programs, and now people are excited to see what we'll do next. I just love that! When You Think of Uptown Westerville, What Comes to Mind? When I think of Uptown I think of positivity. I feel happy and excited to shop, eat, drink, or even just walk around. Uptown is a place that lifts you up. What's Your Favorite Thing About Uptown? My favorite thing about Uptown is the people. It's easy to chat it up with a business owner or find myself in a conversation with someone I've never met before. The people here will bring a smile to your face. Guaranteed! |