September 15, 2017
a sneak preview of some of the items up for auction just 2 weeks from today (listed in no particular order):
--Chef's dinner for 8 (with food beverage, and server included) to be prepared and served in your home (Chef Kohlenburg of The Adams Street Cafe
--wallyeye fishing excursion for 4 on Lake Erie (with Matt Carder
--OWE Tea Party (with high tea service) (hosted by Linda L M Bigelow
--Private Party Bubbling with the The Bubble Sharks
--Bird's Eye View Circus package and swag (courtesy Erin Garber-Pearson
--custom pen and ink drawing of your home (by Kent Illenden)
--custom glass piece by Eamon King
--Leslie Odom Jr. (of Hamilton fame) tickets for show at Valentine (courtesy Michelle Keller)
--2 person 22 foot beautiful wooden kayak (donated by Cory Cripe and Mechelle Zarou
--House of Dow styling sessions and gift certificate (courtesy of Allison Dow)
--1 hour with Captain America and a custom birthday cake for your next child's birthday party (courtesy Zak Lyons and PM Cakes)
--OWE Air B-n-b and Brunch Package (courtesy of Mary Sawers and Black Kite Coffee)
--a weekend at Rusted Mare Farm (courtesy of Cheri Baker)
--beautiful necklace and earrings made by Jenny Gorkowski Klear)
--OWE dinner and cleaning services--let Deb A Kienzle cook for you while Lynn Laplante cleans!
--Custom artwork by Marcie Mills Sigrist
--2 hour Glass City Bar Hopper Bar Hopper Tour (with gift certificates to local watering holes (courtesy of Glass City Pedicabs and Ye Olde Cock n Bull - Toledo, Blarney Irish Pub Toledo)
--Wellness package--gift certificate for yoga with Michael Zerner and Boochy Mama's Probiotic Tonic (courtesy Yoga Mike and Stacy Jurich, respectively)
--TSA for a day--let teh band or ensemble play your next event (courtesy of Dave Gierke
--four vintage and gorgeous furs donated by Liz Wargo
--tattoo services by Brian Finn (and some swag to go with)
--gift certificates for 2 photo shoots, courtesy of Courtney Anne and Heather Ballmer Meyer
--relaxation package, including massage gift certificate, handmade soaps and more, cleaning services, and more (courtesy of Andria Dorsten Ebert and others)
--wine packages with amazing vintages and stemware, donated by Rob Rousseau
--handmade steampunk table made of recylced bike parts, made by Erik Bang
--popcorn machine! (donated by Liz Wargo)
--beautiful custom jewelry made by Andrea Heaps
--date night package--2 tickets to a Chorus Line at the Valentine, flowers, and gift certificate to Kengo Yakitori (courtesy of Bartz Viviano Flowers & Gifts, Kengo Sushi & Yakitori, and John Eikost
--Rayban sunglasses (donated by Carrie Ann Campbell)
--gift basket and certificate for services from Let's Train Dog Training (courtesy of Cory Cripe)
--Pub Cycle ride (courtesy of Glass City Pedicabs with gift certificates to local watering holes
--graffiti of the world painting by Zak Lyons-Artist
--downtown golf cart chaffeur (for you and your guests) for a 2 hour tour, with certificates at local stops (courtesy of EZ Shuttles - Toledo
--gift certificates from Ventura's Mexican Restaurant (courtesy of Valerie Mundt-Scott)
--ceramic art from Maria Thomas
--Key Largo condo (yes, it's intact!) for 4 nights/5days, donated by Ann Sanford
--"box of deliciousness" from Toledo Spirits (courtesy of Andrew C. Newby)
--gift certificates to Greg's Grill (courtesy of Greg HAyes)
--glasses and swag from Gathered Glassblowing Studio (courtesy of Gathered)
--a guitar (or 2!) donated by Keith Sparrow
--handmade wreath (courtesy of Dee Vogan Onnenga)
Stay tuned as other items continue to trickle in! As you can see, we've been working hard to bring some unique, local, and "jason-approved" items to the table! there's sure to be something for everyone! Thank you to all who have donated! Stay tuned for more details about the delectables we'll be serving, as well as the entertainment! IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND BUT WANT MORE INFO ABOUT ANY OF THESE ITEMS AND/OR WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE BID FOR YOU, let me know!!
April 27, 2017
new trackchair arrived on april 14 (good Friday). as a friend ironically noted, HE IS RISEN! it was so wonderful to see Jason standing and moving at the same time. and our trek to Oak Openings the following week was so special! keep on keeping on, Finn! Your Team is so happy for you and so proud of all you've accomplished to date.
March 22, 2017
we did a demo of this chair last weekend and are in the market for one! it will enable us to hit the woods and better navigate our potholed streets (don't even get me started on the sidewalks). unfortunately, it's not covered by insurance and will run a hefty $20k. sadly, most of the items that can so greatly improve quality of life for people in Jason's situation are prohibitively expensive. in case you wonder why we fundraise, that's one of many reasons why. be on the lookout this summer! hopefully in time for festival!!
January 6, 2017
Tomorrow we celebrate Jason's 48th birthday and Monday, January 9th, marks one year since the date he was injured. This holiday season, and this week in particular, has been one of physical and emotional ups and downs. We did our first road trip to Cleveland to spend time with my family over Christmas. Jason declared it a complete success and I can't tell you how good it was to have a change of scenery and to realize that, yes, we can do this.
As I reflect on the last year, I am so proud of what Jason and we have accomplished to date--some very small, and some rather large victories. In no particular order, these include:
-learning what we needed to to be able to adequately care for Jason once we left the hospitals
-renovating our home to move back in after nearly 5 months of being away
-purchasing an accessible vehicle to allow us to take him to the many appointments he has and the all-important therapy
-securing reliable in-home daytime care to allow me to return to work and ensure that he is well cared-for during my absence
-participating in cutting-edge and rigorous therapy to strengthen Jason's body and prepare him for curative interventions that may present themselves
-attending the Work2Walk conference to learn all we can about therapeutic options, research, and advocacy towards a cure
-seeing Jason go from feeding-tube and vent-dependent, to eating and breathing on his own, and strengthening his voice and cough
-dramatic gains in left arm mobility and strength, and new movement in the right arm
-greater trunk control
-ever so slight signs of signals firing elsewhere that lead us to believe that recovery continues and more is possible than what medicine may realize
-a new look for Jason as he shed his dreads in a symbolic and actual metamorphosis
-hosting several fundraisers attended by so many of you beautiful people!
-shifting from fear and devastation to acceptance and resilience
I share this with all of you because none of what we have accomplished or endured would be possible without the love, support, and generosity of our family, framily, and friends (both old and new) who have given so much to help us along the way. From meals to running errands, to financial contributions, to stretching Jason, helping me to clean our yard, fundraising events you've supported or held on your own, lending me an ear or shoulder, sharing well-wishes, or reminding us you care, all of these gestures have been immensely helpful and more important than you may ever realize.
As you may know, I have something of a photographic memory--this has been a blessing and a curse for me this year as my mind took me to years past and juxtaposed the unbridled sadness and difficulty of this year with the bliss and ease our lives used to be. I shared photos to share my feelings and to process these thoughts. Thank you for indulging me--for those who asked yourselves, others, or sometimes me "why is she doing that?", there you have it.
As we acknowledge the day that our lives changed so dramatically (and I irrationally, but wholeheartedly, curse Condado Beach and boogie boards), we will also celebrate life and all of you. And build on the foundation that we have slowly but deliberately constructed.
We will continue to work hard for Jason's recovery and fight for a cure and celebrate our incredible community. We will continue to challenge ourselves (and will likely continue to be challenging :)). We will continue to love each other and all of you in our own imperfect way. Thank you to each of you for sharing this journey with us.
August 8, 2016
Our 1st Annual FinnFest was a smashing success, thanks to each and every one of you!! We cannot express how grateful Jason and Jeni are for the outpouring of love and support. I think everyone who attended came away feeling incredibly moved by Jason and Jeni's love story, as well as the community that envelopes them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
August 1, 2016
Thank you to our 2016 FinnFest Sponsors! We are so grateful for your support!
Michael and Renee Snyder
Ronald A. Christaldi
Manhattan’s Pub ‘n Cheer
Joseph and Gail Simpson
Chicago Title Insurance Company
Aly Sterling Philanthropy
Scott Irwin and Jane Roman
Peter Silverman
July 29, 2016
Today is the last day to buy your tickets for the 1st Annual FinnFest at the reduced $40 price! Buy your tickets today and come celebrate Jason life, ongoing recovery, and incredibly strong community at Handmade Toledo on Thursday, August 4 from 6-10 p.m. in Uptown Toledo! Link to purchase tickets is below!
July 20, 2016
FinnFest is in the news! Be sure you all have your tickets - will be a fantastic event to support a beautiful person.
http://1230foxsports.iheart.com/calendar/august-04-2016/first-annual-finnfest-to-benefit-local-517700/
June 2, 2016
Jason and Jeni moved back into their home Memorial Day weekend and it was such a wonderful homecoming! Greeted by family and friends who have worked so hard on the renovations, we were overcome by all of the support and well-wishes. There's no place like home, and we're back where we belong. Pics to follow.
May 19, 2016
Don't forget to Flock Your Friends in the Old West End! The flamingo has long been a (somewhat inexplicable) symbol of the OWE, so now you can fill your friends yards with plastic flamingos, while helping Jason with his many medical costs at the same time! See the flyer below under "Fundraising Activities" for more details!
April 23, 2016
Jason and Jeni are doing very well, with lots of news to report. Jason finally received his electric wheelchair this week and has already mastered the hand controls with his left hand. He is gaining strength and control in his left arm each day, and is ready to start intensive outpatient rehab at least three days per week to see what he can really do. The sad reality is that this much-needed rehab is not covered by insurance at all, and comes with a hefty price tag (approximately $1,500 per week), so our fundraising efforts are now beginning in earnest. Please donate if you can, and check the photos below under the Albums link for pics of Jason's first outing to our beloved Manhattan's! And don't forget to Flock Your Friends during the Old West End Festival! Info is on the flyer linked below!
March 31, 2016
Coming home has been a wonderful thing for Jeni and Jason, as we can see the stress of hospital living start to slowly wear away. In Jeni's own words:
"We are home and with renewed hope and zest for life. There's nothing like family and framily and we are rich in both. Thank you, Cory, Kali, Mechelle and Morgan for transporting us, Karl and Lauren for giving us a home, Lindsey for bringing food to comfort us, and Ashley for pinch hitting nursing for us. And to Toby, for greeting us as we arrived. I am overcome with emotion."
Last night Jason and Jeni got to enjoy delicious Arabic food with friends, followed by the soothing guitar sounds of Jason Quick while sitting before a crackling fire. If that doesn't sound like home, I don't know what does! Some pics from their first two days home are in the album called "Home Sweet Home." Just click on the green arrows next to the header for Jason's Photo Albums to see all of the albums. Thank you for your continued support, love, and devotion. Jeni and Jason could not do it without all of you!
March 29, 2016
Guess who is on his way home! Just click on the green arrows next to the header for Jason's Photo Albums to see all of the photo albums, then click on the album called "Coming Home," for pics!
