LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Author: Cassie Mattia

  • Local Pet Groomer Shares her Recipe for Success; Passion, Heart and a lot of Dogs!

    Local Pet Groomer Shares her Recipe for Success; Passion, Heart and a lot of Dogs!

    Our continuing search for Loveland’s kindest, sweetest people and what they’re made of. What is our DNA match?

    Loveland Magazine columnist Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland

    Loveland, Ohio – Walking around Loveland it is not hard to see that the community has a special place in their hearts for pets. Whether you’re walking the Loveland Bike Trail, wandering around Nisbet Park or enjoying a beer and bite to eat outside at Narrow Path Brewery, there is a significant chance you will be greeted by one of Loveland’s furry friends!

    Local Pet enthusiast and business owner, Tara Bubemyre, brought her talents to Loveland after being in the pet grooming business for more than 11 years.

    “A woman that had been grooming for more than 20 years took me in under her wing and taught me everything she could. I loved all the places that I worked and gained experience from, but it was just a dream to have my own shop,” Bubemyre explained, “I wanted to give all pets the care and attention they deserved. I opened my own shop in January 2015 and it’s been wonderful. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!”

    Tara’s Pet Boutique, located on Loveland Madeira Road, is not just any other pet grooming shop. What really sets this unique shop apart from the rest, according to Bubemyre, is the pet is not just groomed they are also shown love, care and attention from the moment they arrive – to the moment their owner picks them up.

    It’s impossible not to notice the passion that shines through each and every word Tara Bubemyre speaks.

    “My goal when I decided to open my shop was to take all the amazing things that I’ve learned and make it the best I can. I did not want to have the type of grooming salon where people would drop off their dogs then the dog would be there all day sitting in a cage. It’s not good for the mental health of the dog,” Bubemyre said, “I wanted to do what we call ‘dogs straight through.’ This means as soon as the dog gets here we start on them immediately. They aren’t sitting in a cage. My biggest focus is that all the animals we see are as comfortable as possible when they are here.”

    Bubemyre is no stranger to taking care of and nurturing pets as she herself has 4 dogs, 8 chickens, a pig, a chinchilla, and 2 cats! Sitting and talking with Tara Bubemyre about her business, her love for pets, the Loveland community, and her family it’s impossible not to notice the passion that shines through each and every word she speaks.

    Tara’s Pet Boutique groomer, Bethany Hellwig.

    “I’m just an entrepreneur at heart! I love organizing things for the community. I run the Loveland Youth Volleyball Organization,” Bubemyre said, “I love all the people and Loveland and all the people I have met and get to work with. Someone asked me ‘Do you think Loveland really needs a new groomer? And I said I really don’t know, but I just know I want to be here. This is where I live, this is where we do everything, this is what I want. I try to do as much I can for the Loveland community. I also want to inspire my daughter. We get special needs kids involved by having them come over so they can learn about grooming and owning a business. I also try to donate as much as I can to the local sports teams. I like getting the kids in here and interacting with them. I’ve lived in Loveland for 5 years and one of my biggest goals is to give back to the community. I also like to give back to other organizations that are doing good things,” Bubemyre added.

    So where did all this passion come from? Bubemyre says she gains encouragement and positivity from a lot of different people in her life, specifically her step-dad and husband.

    “My stepdad really just connected everything for me. He was there 24/7 and still to this day is. As I got older my husband became the person that really shaped me into who I am today,” Bubemyre explained. “When we met we just clicked and he has made me a better person. He is just uplifting. Any time I have a problem and I go to him he tells me, ‘Ok what are you going to do about it?’ and that’s all it takes to keep me going. We met 2 months before I opened my store and he was there every step of the way encouraging me. Any time I thought about giving up he would say ‘You can’t do that – this is your dream,” Bubemyre said.

    The road to Tara’s Boutique wasn’t always easy as Bubemyre worked alone for quite some time. As months passed Bubemyre began building a reputation for her shop that people just couldn’t resist causing the shop’s sales to soar. She had to hire in some individuals that understood the goals she had for Tara’s Pet Boutique; to present great customer service and truly care for the animals.

    “Bethany is my shop manager now and when she first started she wanted to learn grooming. She came from a Vet’s office. I taught Bethany all of her grooming and she already had great customer service skills,” Bubemyer said, “She came in wanting to learn and that’s what has made her so successful here. I also have Bailey Becker and she is a high school student who is going to Live Oaks for Animal Science. She also has the drive and wants to learn more every day. There are groomers out there who like the money, but they don’t like the career and I don’t appreciate that. You need the heart. You have to have the drive and passion to want to do this.”

    Tara’s Pet Boutique is seeing the results from putting the pet and their owner above all, as the shop’s sales are doubling last year’s number every month. “It’s growing at an insane rate. I’m so happy people want to keep bringing me their pets,” Bubemyer said.

    Bubemyer does her best to keep up on the most current grooming trends and products as well as offering grooming packages that fit the needs of any breed of dog including those that have long hair and need consistent maintenance.

    “We also do 2-week maintenance packages that help with the longer haired dogs. It’s a discounted price as well,” Bubemyer added. “Parents don’t have to stress out as much about the haircutting and the matting of the hair!”

    What does the future hold for Tara’s Pet Boutique? Bubemyre says she wants it all, as in a facility for her furry friends to have it all right here in Loveland!

    “My end goal is to have everything, boarding, daycare, grooming, and training. I would like to have a top-notch facility where we can take great care of animals in Loveland,” Bubemyer said. “I also would like to do a self-serve dog wash. That’s my next big project. People go on the bike trail and maybe their dog gets muddy and we don’t always have time to fit them into the schedule at the last minute so another option would be to come in and do it yourself! I would like to get this going within the next 2 years. I also thought about opening another location in the Madeira area.”

    I asked Bubemyer why she felt so passionately about giving back to the Loveland community and just why she was adamant about not only keeping her current business in Loveland but possibly opening a new one in Loveland as well. Her response displayed the Loveland “LOVE” we are all too familiar with.

    “I love everything about Loveland. I know a lot of the local business owners and they all are just so wonderful and caring. We can really all just rely on each other. We are truly building a community together. My favorite thing about Loveland is the community,” Bubemyer said. “Everyone knows everyone and it’s just so nice to see everyone else thriving as well.”

    Bubemyer also has some soft spots for some places in Loveland like Magnolia Springs Assisted Living. She said, “I go there and pick up their dogs and groom them for free. They are so loving and caring and just happy all the time.

    Bubemyer also loves the bike trail. She said she loves Paxton’s for breakfast and thinks the owners of Tano’s are amazing. “They are the sweetest people and they always give to our fundraisers which is so nice. I also love Loveland Canoe and Kayak. The owners there are wonderful and really contribute to the community. Their heart is in what they do. If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life,” Bubemyer said with a huge smile on her face.

    Tara’s Pet Boutique will be holding a fundraiser for “4 Paws 4 Ability,” in celebration of the shop’s anniversary.

    “Every year I benefit some organization. This year we are doing 4 Paws 4 Ability, which trains service dogs for kids with disabilities. We will be grooming the service dogs at half price which will also raise more funds for the organization,” Bubemyer said. “It’s just a fun event! We will be doing face painting, an obstacle course and just things families can do together. I am really big on family. It’s May 4th from 1 to 4.”

    If you would like to learn more about what services Tara’s Pet Boutique offers or the upcoming fundraiser you can visit Tara’s Pet Boutique LLC on Facebook or call 513-283-6051.

    This year all proceeds will go to – 4 Paws For Ability

    We will have a “fill the truck” where you can donate items they are in need of as well as a jar for cash donations!

    We will also have lots of local fun such as

    • DJ snowstorm
    • Free face painting
    • Tie dye for you and your pets with Funky Sunshine
    • Blow up obstical course from All Star Event & Party Rental
    • Info booth with Cincinnati Dog Trainers- Off Leash K9 Training
    • Plus much more!

    Tara’s Pet Boutique LLC.
    807 Loveland Madeira Rd, Loveland, Ohio 45140
  • Former Loveland Graduate Hits a ‘Homerun’ With Cancer Foundation

    Former Loveland Graduate Hits a ‘Homerun’ With Cancer Foundation

     

    “This is a picture of my mom and dad before his colonoscopy that revealed the details of my dad’s stage IV colon cancer and the details of its spreading throughout his body. One of the last pictures in which my dad looked like the man I knew for my whole life.”

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland is full of individuals who inspire us in one way or another. Whether it’s through simple acts of kindness, like planting beautiful flowers throughout downtown, or holding events that bring the community together for a good cause, Loveland people are always giving back. Chris Dombroski, a 2016 Loveland High School graduate, has made it his personal mission to not only give back to the Loveland community but give back to an entire community of those fighting cancer.

    Dombroski has always had a passion for the city of Loveland as his hometown has provided him with some of the best memories.

    “I have lived in Loveland my entire life before moving to Oxford, Ohio to start my educational career at Miami University, and always consider Loveland to be my home. I graduated from Loveland High School in 2016 and I am very proud of where I come from,” Dombroski said, “From the coaches on the field to the teachers in the classroom to the mentors I am lucky enough to have in our great community, I am very proud to be a Loveland Tiger. One of my main motivations as to why I want to be successful is to have the opportunity to give back to the great community I am from and hopefully inspire other members of our community to find their passions and never stop until they are fulfilled. I think what makes Loveland so special is the people in our community. Our community has helped mold me into the man I am today and I have been lucky enough to get to know so many amazing individuals along the way, each who have made a positive impact on my life,” Dombroski added.

    Registration for The Scramble Against Cancer golf outing closes Friday April 5th. (www.heavensgamefoundation.org/events).

    Growing up in Loveland, Dombroski was inspired daily by his father, John Dombroski, to “enhance the lives of others through acts of kindness and generosity.” After Dombroski’s father passed in March of 2018 from stage IV colon cancer, he came to the realization that now was his opportunity to create something that not only he could be proud of, but his dad could look down and be proud of as well. That’s when the “Heaven’s Game Foundation” was created.

    The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve Victory Over Cancer®. Since its formation in 1993, the V Foundation has awarded over $225 million in cancer research grants nationwide and has grown to become one of the premier supporters of cutting-edge cancer research. Due to generous donors, the Foundation has an endowment that covers administrative expenses.

    “Following my father’s passing, I realized I had the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others and honor my dad’s memory, while incorporating members of the Loveland community and passionate college students,” Dombroski explained, “This combined with the national impact of our partner foundation, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, I feel like the Heaven’s Game Foundation team has two incredibly unique aspects that differentiate us from other foundations. In short, our foundation utilizes passionate college students to achieve victory over cancer by providing a national impact delivered locally.”

    The “Heaven’s Game Foundation,” which is a Cincinnati-based charitable organization, is unique in that the foundation is run entirely by young adults who are dedicated to saving the lives of those battling cancer. Dombroski says that one of his foundation’s main goal is to raise money for cancer research.

    “When I created this foundation I based it on the idea of creating a platform for college students to collaborate in the name of impacting the lives of others battling cancer while recognizing that one of the primary difficulties with this positioning is a lack of developed networks for college and overcoming that obstacle through our association and relationship with the V Foundation,” Dombroski said, “To me, this foundation represents hope for the future as it is run entirely by the next generation of world leaders and people who are passionate about living in a world where no one has to feel the pain of losing a loved one to cancer and we are motivated to work until that dream is a reality.”

    “This is a picture of my dad and I one of the times I was home visiting him. If I wasn’t in class at Miami or at a required event here at school, I tried my best to be home and supporting my family and dad. This is also one of the last pictures taken with my father. This image represents a middle point in his battle against cancer and it is pretty evident how much of a toll it took on him when you compare how he looks in the other images.”

    Since the foundation’s start, it has gained quite a bit of support as well as a dedicated following here in the Loveland community. The “Heaven’s Game Foundation” is run by a team of 11 college students that attend universities in the Midwest and a team of adult advisories from the Loveland Community.

    “What is particularly special to me is the fact that some of these college students happen to be fellow Loveland alums, passionate members of our great community, and lifelong friends of mine,” Dombroski said, “Additionally, seeing as we are a student-run organization, I have also established an advisory board of adult members of the Loveland community who serve as advisors for the foundation through providing insight, assistance, and recommendations and opening their networks for the benefit of the foundation. I very much enjoy collaborating with the people and businesses in our community in an effort to keep the foundation within the community.”

    Dombroski and the “Heaven’s Game Foundation” has a couple of huge focuses right now, which is their flagship event, The Scramble Against Cancer, which will be held at TPC River’s Bend at 1 p.m. on April 15th, and the establishment of a yearly scholarship for a graduating senior at Loveland High School called the “Heaven’s Game Foundation” Impact Scholarship.

    “The Scramble Against Cancer golf outing on April 15th is an opportunity for members of the community to come together for a good cause at the premier golfing venue in Cincinnati. It is an opportunity for community members and businesses to support the ambitions of college students whose mission is to impact others. The profits of the outing will be donated to our partner charity, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and will be put towards funding cancer research endeavors of National Cancer Institutes,” Dombroski explained, “The golf outing represents something my dad and I enjoyed doing together before his passing and opens the door for a light-hearted and fun day for community members to enjoy each other’s company, play golf at amazing facilities, and support a great cause. It is an opportunity to start establishing our organization as a member of our great community and to honor the life of my father and thank all of the people and businesses who chose to support our team’s ambition.”

    Dombroski and his team are truly excited to see what the future holds for the “Heaven’s Game Foundation,” and couldn’t think of a better way to honor Dombroski’s father’s life.

    “This is a picture of my dad, brother, and I after the operation that removed the 90% blockage and part of his colon discovered in the colonoscopy. This image marks the start of the decline in my dad’s health until his eventual passing in March 2018. My dad was in the hospital for a couple of days and ultimately confirmed how far along the cancer was and confirmed his sooner-than-expected passing that was on the horizon.”

    “I am inspired by my father and the fact that I have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others with a group of like-minded college students who are entirely selfless and not at all interested in the glory, recognition, etc. of this foundation but are inspired by their desire to help others,” Dombroski said.

    If you would like to learn more about the Heaven’s Game Foundation or register for the Scramble Against Cancer golf outing go to www.heavensgamefoundation.org/events. You can also visit @heavensgamefoundation on Facebook, @heavens_game_foundation on Instagram, or www.jimmyv.org to see how you can get more involved.

    Registration for The Scramble Against Cancer golf outing closes Friday April 5th. (www.heavensgamefoundation.org/events).

     

  • [VIDEO] Mosaic Climbing doesn’t disappoint Cassie Mattia!

    [VIDEO] Mosaic Climbing doesn’t disappoint Cassie Mattia!

    Columnist Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown

    Loveland, Ohio – On March 15th, I got the opportunity to visit a brand new climbing facility right here in Loveland. It’s called Mosaic Climbing and believe me, you want to check it out!

    Before I walked into Mosaic’s opening day I envisioned a small facility with a rock climbing wall set up like the ones you see at the YMCA. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Inside the building are several rooms with state of the art climbing walls with routes that go from easy to hard depending on the color of the pegs. The Mosaic staff, both passionate and full of energy, gave me an in-depth introduction to climbing as well as walked me through the entire facility, which not only had multiple climbing walls but also includes a fitness room, yoga room, and a quiet nook for meetings or checking your work emails.

    The orientation the friendly staff provides is a must before you’re allowed to climb, which I think is great for those who have never climbed before.

    There is a bouldering room with shorter climbing walls, where you are able to train and work on your climbing skills with no harness, no ropes, and with or without a partner, all over large thick pads for safety. I highly recommend this room for those who are a bit afraid of heights or for small children just looking to climb a short distance.

    The first room I chose to start my climbing journey had climbing walls that extended more than 50 feet into the air. In this room, you are able to do “Top Rope” or “Auto Belay” climbing which includes a rope suspended overhead. I took on the auto-belay challenge and let me tell you it wasn’t easy! This is coming from someone who works out 6 days a week. The climb itself took skill and quite a bit of strategy when it came to what peg you were going to grab next or put your feet onto. Yes, I made it to the top and wanted to yell ‘I’m the queen of the world,’ but it definitely wasn’t without effort! After I finally convinced myself to come down (it was very high up and that was a bit scary for me) not only did my forearms burn but my muscles were shaking as well! It was a great workout and I felt very accomplished!

    Fortunately, Loveland Magazine Editor, David Miller, got my climbing experience at Mosaic Climbing on their opening night all on film so that you the Loveland Magazine readers could see what an unbelievable new business Loveland has added to its repertoire!

    Click on the video below to get the full Mosaic climbing experience right from your living room couch!

  • “Junebug” Delivers The Memories for Those Looking for a Loveland Airbnb Getaway

    “Junebug” Delivers The Memories for Those Looking for a Loveland Airbnb Getaway

    Columnist Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland.

    Loveland, Ohio – As you enter the City of Loveland the first thing you expect to experience is Love, hence the sign when entering Loveland says “The Sweetheart of Ohio,” but what a lot of people don’t expect to experience when visiting Loveland for the first time is all of the history, the nature and the one of a kind businesses. For the longest time Jean Kresge, who has resided in Loveland since 1993, wanted to keep Ohio’s little slice of heaven a secret, but as new living establishments, restaurants, unique shopping spots and nightlife were added into the historical city people couldn’t help but notice that Loveland was quickly becoming the ideal vacation or staycation destination. So what do all vacation destinations need? A perfect getaway spot and well, Jean Kresge just couldn’t ignore the opportunity to introduce “June Bug” to those looking to make everlasting memories.

    Kresge moved from Atlanta to the Loveland area and began working as the President of The Creative Worx Inc, which was a family-owned business that featured creative designs made by her mother, June Kresge.

    “My mother designed jeweled dog collars, leashes, and horse halters. We patented, licensed, and took products to market with a major distributor,” Kresge explained.

    Kresge eventually began working for Cisco Systems, where she has now worked for over 11 years as a Project and Program Manager. Though Kresge admits her job has been demanding throughout the years, as she has led the build-out of hundreds of high-end Video Conferencing Studio and TelePresence solutions for fortune 100 companies across the Globe, nothing could have prepared her for the hard work that she put into making “Junebug” what it is today.

    A photo of Jean and June Kresge is in the “Junebug” cottage.

    “After my mother, June Kresge passed away with complications from frontal lobe dementia in late 2015, I saw a ‘for sale by owner’ sign on the bike trail pointing to the cut-through street just past the bridge crossing over to the trail from Nisbet Park. I met the owner, Jen Gruber, and agreed to a quick purchase the very next day,” Kresge explained, “I wouldn’t recommend making major decisions or purchases like this for at least a year after experiencing a death, but the whole process was a cathartic and healthy way to deal with the immense grief. I wanted to honor the memory of my mother. The house was built in 1908 by a nurse who made home visits to tend to the sick in Loveland. She was a single mother with two kids and purchased the property next door for her parents using the same basic footprint. There are 2 other very old farmhouses on the street that have been in their families for generations,” Kresge said.

    When purchasing the historic cottage, Kresge, of course, knew there would need to be some renovations, as the property was extremely old, but she had no idea how both physically, mentally and financially demanding it would be to renovate the cottage from the ground up. Kresge reflected on what her mother had once predicted, which was Loveland was going to grow exponentially. With that in mind, Kresge decided to make the cottage an Airbnb and name it “Junebug” in memory of her mother June.

    “I had not intended to make ‘Junebug’ an Airbnb, it was a financial necessity to cover a two-year-long renovation. I had stayed at an Airbnb before in Cape Cod and thought it might be a good and affordable way for me to supplement income in retirement, and not put all my eggs in the stock market,” Kresge said.

    After Kresge made the decision to make “Junebug” an Airbnb, she wanted to be sure that every part of “Junebug” represented a piece of her mother.

    “My mom liked to go ‘junkin’ for treasure’s, so every piece of the cottage was either purchased at antique auctions or was one of my Mom’s hand me downs,” Kresge said, “My mother would have been proud that ‘Junebug’ is a refuge and a healing space, as she was a bit of a physic healer who loved opening her house to friends, family, and even strangers on holiday’s. She said ‘everybody hugs a fat lady,’ before they crossed the front door. ‘The more the merrier,’ she used to say,” Kresge added.

    Luckily, Kresge extended the offer to me to stay at “Junebug,” for a weekend so I could experience the historic cottage myself. I packed up my belongings, my 2 dogs and my boyfriend and made the short journey from Loveland Station Apartments to “Junebug!” As I approached the cottage I immediately noticed the whimsical charm Kresge had told me about. The porch was covered in colorful rustic antiques along with 2 signs that read, “Junebug sold here.” Walking up the path to the cottage I not only felt a sense of warmth but also happiness. Kresge had told me she had hosted guests from all over the world and that they always left the cottage with stronger bonds because of the feeling the cottage gave them. That ambiance continued as I walked into the cottage. As soon as I opened the door it was hard for my mouth not to drop at what I saw. Original wooden floors, wood panel ceilings, stained glass windows, quality vintage furniture and of course beautiful pieces handcrafted by June Kresge herself. The cottage was also fully equipped with anything and everything I could possibly need! Cooking supplies, coffee, wine glasses, toiletries, books, games, food, Wifi as well as a computer and of course if you’re into binging on Netflix, Kresge had that set up on a gigantic flat screen TV along with Hulu, Prime Video and Apple TV. The added bonus for me? The spacious backyard for my dog children! I felt such happiness watching my dogs run around with my boyfriend while I relaxed on the elevated wooden porch that overlooked the backyard. Although I didn’t get to use every amenity because it was raining and cold the weekend I stayed at “Junebug,” the shed in the backyard had bicycles and fishing poles that guests could use! With Downtown Loveland and the Little Miami Bike Trail being within walking distance to “Junebug,” I loved the idea of being able to hop on a bike to go enjoy all Loveland had to offer. I could definitely see why people that had experienced “Junebug” kept returning. The weekend at “Junebug” was everything I had imagined it to be and everything Kresge had promised it would be. Oh, and did I mention “Junebug” had a massage chair?! I don’t want to spoil all the surprises “Junebug” holds, but I will say that I couldn’t have asked for a better getaway.

    The house was built in 1908 by a nurse who made home visits to tend to the sick in Loveland. She was a single mother with two kids and purchased the property next door for her parents using the same basic footprint. There are 2 other very old farmhouses on the street that have been in their families for generations,” Kresge said.

    I asked Kresge what her favorite part about opening “Junebug” to the public was and after staying the weekend I wasn’t surprised by her answer.

     

    Jean invited me to bring my family to Junebug and Nala enjoyed her “staycation” 2-minutes from the Loveland Bike Trail, Nisbet Park, Historic Downtown, and the State and National “Scenic” Little Miami River. Nala also enjoyed her freedom and playing in the fenced-in back yard.

    “I like to go the extra mile with southern hospitality to make people feel extra special. I love it when people relax to the point that they spend more time in the cottage than they anticipated. I often notice guests invite friends and family to come to visit the cottage versus going to their place,” Kresge said, “I especially like their first and lasting impressions. Many times I’ll get an immediate text about how awesome the cottage is and at the end of their stay I’ll get personal notes about their magical experience which really warms my heart and makes all the hard work worth it. I’ve been blessed with awesome guests who have all provided 5-star ratings for the overall experience which is ranked by accuracy, cleanliness, communication, check-in, location, and value! The guest comments provided afterward help me realize I’ve created something really special and I already have a lot of repeat customers,” Kresge said, “Guests really love seeing their names on the blackboard, the warm and cozy bed and comfortable studio feel, chefs kitchen, luxury bathroom, high tech amenities, fenced in backyard, outdoor seating areas, hammock, and access to bicycles and fishing poles in the shed. They love it that they can walk to the end of the street and be in complete nature or historic downtown in just a couple of minutes. My next door neighbor is Woody ‘the Norm’ of Loveland, a retired postman, and native that volunteers at the Farmer’s Market. He is an awesome neighbor. It’s really impossible to pick a favorite guest, but I guess the most memorable was hosting a young newlywed couple who celebrated their wedding night here. Thanks to guest referrals, the cottage is now being recommended by several downtown businesses, like Schildmeyer’s funeral home,” Kresge added.

    Read the full list of amenities found at Junebug.

    “Junebug” has definitely made its way into the hearts of many. Kresge says since Memorial Day last year she has hosted over 35 guests with 70 percent occupancy for peak season. So just what does Kresge see for the future of “Junebug?” Well besides filling people with the joy and healing spirit of her mother when they stay at her Airbnb, she has quite the vision for “Junebug.”

    “I would like to promote more guest discounts with local businesses, provide low-cost alternatives to guest hosting daytime events and parties, and accept donations to help organizations like battered women heal at ‘Junebug’ and get back on their feet,” Kresge said, “I would like to add a private master suite off the back deck, finish the loft to open this cozy space to guests and install a major storm drain system to protect this historic home from the next big flood.”

    If you would like to spend the weekend at “Junebug,” or treat your out-of-town relatives or friends to the Loveland experience visit https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25107720?guests=1&adults=1 to rent out the cottage.

  • [VIDEO INTERVIEW] With new Head Coach Andy Cruse

    [VIDEO INTERVIEW] With new Head Coach Andy Cruse

    Columnist Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland.

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Magazine would like to officially welcome Head Football Coach Andy Cruse to the Loveland High School football program. Andy visited the LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV studio last Thursday to talk about why he’s so passionate about football, coaching, and making sure the Loveland football team are true student athletes.

     

    Read more about Andy Cruse
    Andy Cruse will be next LHS Head Varsity Football Coach

    Jarvis Global is an investment advisory firm in Symmes Township, Ohio which offers private portfolio management and retirement services to high net worth individuals.

  • There’s no obstacle this local retired Pastor can’t overcome

    There’s no obstacle this local retired Pastor can’t overcome

    Our continuing search for Loveland’s kindest, sweetest people and what they’re made of. What is our DNA match?

    Loveland Magazine columnist Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland

    Loveland, Ohio – Life presents opportunities in the most unexpected ways. The opportunity could display itself at work, in nature, through another person or while you are simply enjoying an intense session of Netflix. What’s important is when an opportunity presents itself, you run with it because that opportunity may never present itself again. This is one of the many life mottos, former Loveland Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (POP) Pastor, Tom Stroeh lives by.

    Tom Stroeh became very active in a church congregation at a young age as he was growing up with his sister in Wisconsin.

    Cassie Mattia interviewing Tom Stroeh at the Loveland Magazine office.

    “My parents were very important. Hospitality was really important to them. They were very welcoming. All of that kind of carried over into my involvement with the church congregation,” Stroeh explained.

    Both of Stroeh’s parents went to church on a regular basis, but his pastor at the church he attended took a particular interest in Stroeh telling him on multiple occasions that he was going to be a pastor when he grew up.

    My hometown pastor was very influential in getting me to where I wanted to be as a pastor,” Stroeh said, “At the congregation, when the choir was singing or the offering was taken up, the pastor would leave after the sermon and go visit Sunday school classes. The next thing that would happen would be the prayers of the church. One Sunday I was the acolyte and I was sitting near the organist and the pastor didn’t come back! I said, ‘The pastor’s not here yet,’ and they said, ‘Well then you go lead the prayers!’ I was 13 at the time. It was what I call an ‘Isaiah’ moment. So with a quivering voice, I led the prayers from the service book.”

    That one moment inspired Stroeh to follow his heart and work towards becoming a part of the Ministry. After graduating with an English degree from St. Olaf College, a small Lutheran college in Minnesota, Stroeh went to the Northwestern Lutheran Seminary in Minneapolis. He then conducted his internship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he met his wife Joan, who was a member of the church congregation Stroeh was interning at. Shortly after meeting the love of his life, the couple married and moved to Northern Texas, where Tom got his first opportunity to start a congregation.

    “We started a ministry in Denton, Texas of basically knocking on doors! There were two universities in town so there was definitely a ministry to students,” Stroeh said.

    As Stroeh and his wife worked hard, using their church congregation to unite a divided community that was affected heavily by racism, another opportunity arose. The Stroeh’s took in an African American boy named Alan and raised and nurtured him for 6 months.

    “There was no one to take care of him at the time,” Stroeh explained, “So we took him in until they found good care for him. We didn’t think we could have any children, then we had 3 in 18 months!”

    During The Stroeh’s time in Texas, they had twins, Dave and Kristen and their son John. In 1971, unfortunate events brought some very fortunate opportunities for Stroeh in the “Sweetheart of Ohio.”

    “My wife and I were having health problems at both ends of our family. Joan’s dad had serious heart problems and my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer,” Stroeh said, “I felt the need to try and get close to both parents so we could travel to see them when we needed to. Turned out there was availability in greater Cincinnati. We took John and the twins, who were at the time 1 and 2, and drove through the night from Denton, Texas to Loveland, Ohio. We moved into Loveland Heights in a fairly small house, but with an expanding family, we moved a year later to another subdivision. Things in Loveland were really quite different then! Loveland was a great town to raise our kids in,” Stroeh added.

    Immediately upon arrival to Loveland, Stroeh was welcomed by the POP congregation as their new pastor and by the Loveland community as their newest family member.

    “I knew I was a welcomed member of the community back in the summer of 1971 when Mayor Viola Philips invited me to ride with her in a red convertible in the 4th of July parade and throw out candy to the kids along the parade route,” Stroeh said, “One time I even got the opportunity to play the part of Reverend Kemper. It was the bicentennial for Loveland. I came riding in on a horse in a reenactment of Loveland’s first wedding!”

    As Loveland and the POP congregation welcomed Stroeh with open arms he began to give back the love and support to the community in more ways than anyone could have ever imagined. Stroeh, the POP congregation, and other Loveland area churches formed Loveland Inter-Church Youth. Every Thursday at 6:30 AM the group would meet at POP for breakfast, listen to a speaker, worship, then the group would walk down to the high school. Stroeh and the POP team also led Bible study, tutoring, and parent support groups at subsidized housing

    complexes in Loveland as well as lead worship at the Loveland Health Care Center. Stroeh continued the trend of always taking advantage of opportunities given to him by surveying the neighborhoods that surrounded Loveland and asking those people how he could serve them. By doing that, POP Kids School, a Christian Pre-School, was established. Stroeh and the POP congregation, along with St. Columban Church and Loveland United Methodist Church, also sponsored a family with 6 children from Laos.

    While doing so much for the Loveland community and POP, the Stroeh’s added a 4th child to the family and the Loveland Community. Joan then returned to her passion teaching. She taught first grade at Loveland Elementary School and retired in 2005. “Joan made quite the impact on the Loveland school system,” said Tom Stroeh.

    “Our youngest son Dan has quite a story. When he was freshman at Wittenberg University he was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, which is where tumors form around the nerves. Sometimes the tumors are external but his were internal. We were told they were inoperable.

    One of the things about Loveland that I appreciate so much is that we are close to a lot of things especially medical facilities. Dan was a participant in a drug test through the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda Maryland and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital was instrumental in getting him accepted into the program, hoping that maybe it would decrease the size of the tumors and decrease the amount of pain. Along with the tumors against nerves you can imagine what it would do with the pain level. He went back to school and was on this drug for 28 days, then would be off it for 2 weeks and come back to get examined. He continued that cycle for a whole year.

    Dan was a creative writing and drama major. For his senior thesis he decided to write a play and he called it ‘‘it is no desert.’ He performed it himself as it was a one person play. By this time he has a brace on both legs and walked with a cane. Every once in a while he had to use a wheelchair but now he is mostly in a wheelchair.

    His theater professor called him over summer break and said ‘I think we should enter your play into the Kennedy Center Theater competition.’ It’s a national competition for student playwrights. During Homecoming weekend for the school he performed his play and the judges for the competition were there. We found out a few weeks later that he made the next round. He performed his play again in Milwaukee and then after Christmas that year he found out he won the competition.

    He performed his play at the Aronoff Center a couple of times. Again I appreciated the support from the Prince of Peace congregation the Loveland Community. He also to perform it at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in D.C. People came all the way from Loveland to the Kennedy Center!

    The play is about him being an athlete on the soccer team and then he got this disease – and the whole diagnostic process and sort of what he had to do to adjust to it. It was sometimes gut wrenching but other times it was actually really funny. One of the rewards for winning was that he got his play published by Samuel French.

    It’s quite something for a parent to watch something on stage that’s a story you know all too well.”

    “My wife Joan went through cancer in the ’80s. She was a real inspiration to me,” Stroeh said. “She also inspired a lot of her students, so when she got sick, the Loveland community was great. The Loveland teachers brought us food and of course, the POP congregation was there too.”

    Stroeh retired after being a pastor for 34 and a half years at POP. During that time Stroeh gave everything he had to his church congregation and to the community of Loveland.

    Stroeh said, “I think one of the needs we have these days is that we need to truly listen to what drives a person and what has shaped and molded that person. What value system do they have? What gives them joy or a sense of accomplishment.

    “I loved to hear people’s stories,” Stroeh said, “I think one of the needs we have these days is that we need to truly listen to what drives a person and what has shaped and molded that person. What value system do they have? What gives them joy or a sense of accomplishment. We don’t hear each other enough. I remember one story in particular about a Vietnam veteran. He would come to my office at night usually drinking. When he was drinking he would often reminisce about his experience in Vietnam,” Stroeh explained. “Unfortunately he had a friend in Vietnam who would take pictures of the people this guy had killed. So he had this stack of pictures that when he would drink he would go through and become filled with guilt. There were adults and children in those photos. It was terrible. We talked many times about it and finally one night when he came in and it was obvious he had been drinking, I said ‘Come to the sanctuary with me.’ We knelt at the altar and we prayed. Then I said

    “Will you give those photos to me? I want to put them on the altar and after you leave I’m going to destroy them.”

    ‘Will you give those photos to me? I want to put them on the altar and after you leave I’m going to destroy them.’ And he did. Every time he looked at those photos he was reliving the experience. It was destroying him. He probably had those photos for 6 years. Eventually, the family moved from Loveland and I haven’t heard from them since, but it’s my hope that by letting go of the past he was able to find some peace.”

    If you ask those around the community about Tom Stroeh many will say that during his career as a pastor he was instrumental in helping those less fortunate and in welcoming diversity into the community of Loveland.

    “One of the things that came out of the ministerial association when I was still working was the Loveland food pantry. It was one of the things that I felt was very important for those less fortunate in the community,” Stroeh explained, “It was important to me that the church provided a space for the food pantry and so now the life food pantry is still at Prince of Peace. Loveland has always had a variety of incomes. It’s my hope that we could continue to become more diverse and anything that I can still do to encourage that I want to do,” Stroeh said.

    Since retirement Stroeh has been staying heavily involved in the Loveland Community as well as the Prince of Peace congregation.

    “I am still singing in two choirs at church. Music is a ministry to me. The fellowship of singing in a group is beyond words. We just started an all men’s choir a year ago that goes to a nursing home once a month and it’s just a really fun experience,” Stroeh said, “I also go to a senior group where we talk about our medications. I also visit retired pastors and their spouses and that’s really fun visiting them. A couple years ago I got involved in local politics as well. My two biggest passions are teaching and preaching,” Stroeh added.

    Just last year the Loveland community got their turn to show Stroeh their appreciation for what he has done for them.

    “Last May, I had a stroke and when I was at Good Samaritan Hospital I went blind. The next day I was able to see and when I woke up my family was surrounding me. All of my kids were there so I knew that what happened had to have been serious,” Stroeh explained, “I stayed a week in the hospital and then I was told I would need bypass surgery. In July, I had quadruple bypass surgery. It gave me the opportunity to reappropriate the gifts that I have been given. What was truly amazing was what the Loveland community and POP congregation did for my family and me. The church brought us food and of course prayers. They visited and just did everything they could to support Joan and me.

    “Gratitude is a prominent theme and motivator for me.”

    Gratitude is a prominent theme and motivator for me. I don’t take things for granted like I used to because it could be gone,” Stroeh said.

    Stroeh successfully recovered from his bypass surgery and is now focusing on living every day like it’s going to be his last.

    “I now take every opportunity that I can to get outdoors and enjoy creation,” Stroeh said.

    Stroeh family photo around Christmas dinner table

    A note from Pastor Stroeh:

    Of course, after I got home from our interview, I thought of some things I wished I had said.  For what they’re worth here they are:

    • I knew I was a welcomed member of the community back in the summer of 1971 when Mayor Viola Philips invited me to ride with her in a red convertible in the 4th of July parade and throw out candy to the kids along the parade route.

    • Prince of Peace Church has a long history of outreach and service to the community:

    a. Back in the 1970s as an alternative to the prevalent drug culture in the area, we and area churches formed Loveland Inter-Church Youth (ICY —  Cool Christians!) — the group would meet in our building for breakfast, a speaker and worship every Thursday at 6:30 a.m. and then walk down to the high school which was on Lebanon Road at that time.

    b. A.A. and Al-anon have been meeting at POP since the sixties.

    c. We once housed the Hamilton County Well-baby Clinic.

    d. For many years:  a team from POP would lead worship at the Loveland Health Care Center;  a team would lead Bible study, tutoring and parent support groups at the subsidized housing complexes

    e. After surveying the surrounding neighborhoods and asking people how we could serve them, it was decided to establish POP Kids School – a Christiian pre-school.

    • In the 1980s we helped (with St. Columban and Loveland United Methodist) to sponsor the Sinanthas – family of mother, father and six children from Laos.

    • In the 1990’s we established  a partnership with a Lutheran congregation in the state of Mecklenburg, in the former East Germany, just after the wall came down.

    • Now POP supports the Haitian TImoun Foundation.  Each year a number of our members spend time in Haiti.

    • Among the things I like about Loveland is the school system.

    • A watchword for me in life is “Where God guides, God also provides.”

    • We have on our front lawn a sign (which was distributed by our church) that says:  “HATE HAS NO HOME HERE.”

    If you think you know someone in the community that has made a huge impact on Loveland and would be a great candidate for our Loveland’s DNA segment feel free to contact us.

    Read MORE about the people who make up Loveland’s unique DNA…

     

  • Loveland’s very own Valentine shares her love for the community

    Loveland’s very own Valentine shares her love for the community

    The third installment in our continuing search for Loveland’s kindest, sweetest people and what they’re made of. What is our DNA match?

    Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland.

    Loveland, Ohio – Define love. Is it the moment you first look into your child’s eyes, is it when you see you mother and father gently graze each other’s hand or is it when you lock eyes with the person you know you were truly meant to be with for the rest of your life? We all have an idea of what love is, based on how we were raised or what society has taught us, so why do we find it so hard to truly express love towards the ones we care for the most? Why is it often so hard to say “I love you?” I couldn’t think of a better person to ask these common questions to than Loveland’s newest Valentine Lady, Kathy Lorenz.

    Growing up, Lorenz, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, was taught to love many things; three of them being education, reading, and learning. Lorenz ran with those three passions and ended up developing a love for teaching.

    Kathy Lorenz with writer Cassie Mattia at Loveland Magazine for a DNA test.

    “I wanted to be a French teacher, but at the time I graduated, there was no use for French teachers. I worked in HR, Greetings Cards, and I was an Editor for a Magazine for a while,” Lorenz said.

    Kathy Lorenz taught in the Romance Language Department at U.C.

    When Lorenz’s children were 2 and 4 she moved to Loveland with her husband where she finally got the chance to teach at UC in the Romance Language Department as a French Teacher. Lorenz spent 25 years at UC inspiring one student after another to reach their highest goals while still enjoying life’s most treasured gifts. One of those gifts being the ability to travel and see the world.

    After Lorenz received her Doctorate in 1991 she decided she wanted to extend her love for education into Loveland by becoming a part of the school board. Lorenz has been on the school board ever since!

    “While I taught at UC I got to take students to France,” Lorenz said, “I took about 10 trips with students to France. I always thought wow this is the best job in the world, I get to make memories, teach my students, and travel!”

    After Lorenz received her Doctorate in 1991 she decided she wanted to extend her love for education into Loveland by becoming a part of the school board. Lorenz has been on the school board ever since! She is the current Vice-President of the Board and has been elected President several times. She has served for the past 18 years as Loveland’s representative to the Great Oaks Board of Directors. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati and a former member of the Governor’s Task Force Ohio. Lorenz was named Rotary Northeast 2017 Educator of the Year.

    Kathy Lorenz said, “We have really great families and really great kids. Parents in Loveland truly care about getting their kids educated.”

    “I am passionate about education, which is why I have been on the school board so long. Public education doesn’t get the respect it deserves and isn’t considered by a lot of people the necessity I think it is,” Lorenz explained, “I think if you don’t have public education it’s pretty hard to have a democracy. I want to have the best public education we can have in Loveland for the kids. We have really great families and really great kids. Parents in Loveland truly care about getting their kids educated.”

    Over the years Lorenz has made the quite the impact on her students and the people of the Loveland community, which she says is easy to do when you have such good people surrounding you.

    “I’ve always tried to be a good citizen of the Loveland area because I know so many people who are. I have such good examples of people who have done good things,” Lorenz explained, “I have been willing to say I will do this or do that especially being on the school board. I think this is how people can have an impact on Loveland. The school board has really given me a voice which has allowed me to impact the community.”

    “The Valentine’s Ladies showed up for the dinner and brought me flowers and balloons and told me I had been selected to be this year’s, Valentine Lady.

    Although Lorenz has a clear passion for education, many people know her best for being a huge advocate for spreading love and its meaning all around Loveland. In December, Lorenz was nominated by 2015 Valentine Lady Suzanne Lundy to be Loveland’s 33rd Valentine Lady, a position that is highly coveted in Loveland.

    “My daughter asked me if I wanted to go to The Works for dinner. She was a part of arranging the whole announcement thing,” Lorenz said, “The Valentine’s Ladies showed up for the dinner and brought me flowers and balloons and told me I had been selected to be this year’s, Valentine Lady. I did not expect it at all! I always admired Valentine’s Ladies and how they represented Loveland and I always thought wow I want to be a part of that group. I was very surprised and very honored.”

    Kathy Lorenz said, “Love is unconditional and complete.”

    The duties of a Valentine Lady typically consists of going to the local schools, Pre-K through 3rd grade, and sharing with them the history of the Valentine Lady and how they can send Valentines from Loveland around the world. The kids also get involved in a coloring contest as well as a poetry contest. Lorenz also plans on adding on to the Valentine Lady agenda by spending time talking to the kids about love and how you can find it in the most ordinary places.

    “I would like to tell the kids how we find love in all kinds of different places. You find love at home, with your friends and at school so I created a book with photos of hearts that you can find all over the place,” Lorenz said, “I have a rock that’s shaped like heart, a picture of a spider web that looks like a heart and I also have picture of a horse with a white spot on his head in the shape of a heart. I want to talk to the kids about where you find love, what it means and how you say I love you. We love all kinds of people for all kinds of different reasons,” Lorenz explained, “When my children were born I knew finally what the word love totally meant. Knowing that I could have those children and that I could help those children become the people they are and knowing that they looked at me in a certain way has made me be a better person. Love is unconditional and complete. Love is this connection we have with people. I try to say I love you to the people that truly mean something to me in my life because I don’t think we say it enough.”

    Kathy Lorenz passed the Loveland DNA test administered by columnist Cassie Mattia

    Inspired by her words and actions, many people among the Loveland community claim Kathy Lorenz is not only one of the kindest people in Loveland but is truly What’s In Loveland’s DNA.

  • An Inspirational Loveland Family “Canoes” Their Way Into People’s Hearts

    An Inspirational Loveland Family “Canoes” Their Way Into People’s Hearts

    My second feature story in a continuing search for Loveland’s kindest, sweetest people and what they’re made of. What is our DNA match?

    Cassie Mattia is a columnist for Loveland Magazine and lives in Historic Downtown.

    Loveland, Ohio – The City of Loveland is known for many things such as its beautiful scenery, its historic buildings, and the famous Loveland Bike Trail, but what a lot of people don’t know is Loveland has become one of the top destination spots in Ohio for families. And the Bersani family is dedicated to that family-friendly atmosphere. What could be better than grabbing an ice cream cone from Loveland Sweets after a sunny afternoon canoeing on the Little Miami River? Well, that’s something Loveland Canoe and Kayak Owners Mark and Robyn Bersani couldn’t agree more with!

    Mark and Robyn live right above their canoe and kayak shop on Karl Brown Way in Historic Downtown Loveland with their 5 dogs and their daughter Elena and quite frankly couldn’t be happier with where the journey to owning Loveland Canoe and Kayak has taken them. 

    The Bersanis knew they had some challenges ahead of them, but were committed to making Loveland Canoe and Kayak a family affair and family-friendly.

    “We were not canoeists or kayakers we were outdoors people. We loved being outdoors and doing physical things,” Bersani said, “We were training for the Chicago Marathon in 2003 and we were running on the Loveland Bike Trail and Robyn said ‘Hey the Canoe business is for sale we should buy it! Robyn said ‘I’m off in the summer I don’t like to sit still and we will hire some kids and we will do it!’ We went into the process of negotiation. Initially, we were not going to get it because someone else had a better offer than things fell through and they came back to us and we put together an offer and essentially ‘We bought a Zoo,” Bersani explained. The business was formally owned by Bruce Crutchfield who at one time had a caged chimpanzee at the business named Sam who canoeists and locals fed a regular diet of beer and cigarettes.

    The Bersanis didn’t always live in Loveland, in fact, they lived in Buffalo where their parents went to school together, which led them to eventually meet each other in high school.

    Elena Bersani is not only an incredible hard-worker, an outstanding runner and Loveland’s very own “Sweetheart,” according to her parents, but she also has a soft spot for the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department.

    “It took me 7 years to get a date,” Bersani joked, “But it was well worth the wait! We moved to Dallas a year after we got married. I started in Telecom and Robyn started teaching then I got transferred to New Orleans. We moved back up here to Cincinnati not knowing much about it except that we both had driven through it and thought it was beautiful coming from the Kentucky side,” Mark Bersani said, “Robyn started teaching in the Kings district and at that point, I had been in sales for 25 years in Telecommunications.”

    After finally closing on the canoe and kayak property right before Memorial Day in 2004, the Bersanis knew they had some challenges ahead of them, but were committed to making Loveland Canoe and Kayak a family affair.

    It was a challenge early on because Robyn and I had a vision for the business that was different from what others had seen it as before we took over,” Mark Bersani explained, “We wanted it to be a place where families could come and enjoy nature. At the time people knew the place as a sort of ‘Cabrewing’ venue. It was frustrating at times as we were trying to change the culture and dynamics. It wasn’t always easy but we were committed.”

    The Bersani’s daughter Elena admitted at a young age of just 11 years old some of the people that came through Loveland Canoe and Kayak in the beginning quite frankly scared her.

    Robyn Bersani was the first to experience what a difference the family-friendly atmosphere they created with Loveland Canoe and Kayak made for many locals and out-of-towners.

    “It took 2 or 3 years of education, policy enforcement and talking with the local authorities to see what we could do to achieve our vision of that family-friendly environment,” Mark Bersani said, “People told me if you do away with alcohol your business is going to be gone. I was told if you make the decision to go alcohol free and you stick with it you’re going to have a couple of years that are going to be really difficult and then it’s going to get better because people are going to find out that they can bring their families, sports teams and scout troops because of what the business stands for. People from Loveland started pulling me aside after they saw what we were doing and would tell me thank you for doing this because they used to have to go an hour up the river to do this with their families because they did not want to be around the alcohol and what it brought along with it,” he explained.

    Robyn Bersani was the first to experience what a difference the family-friendly atmosphere they created with Loveland Canoe and Kayak made for many locals and out-of-towners.

    “Five of the original kids we hired stayed with us for 9 summers because of the atmosphere we created. My principal at Kings called me in the office and I thought she was going to tell me I can’t be a teacher and run the canoe and kayak business and she called me in and said ‘My son needs a job!,” Robyn Bersani said, “It’s the little things like the comments from people saying, ‘Thank you so much this was the best day my son and I have ever had.’ When people get out there on the river they realize how good it makes them feel. Our vision always was to get families out together in nature,” she said.

    Robyn Bersani, who has now been a 3rd grade teacher for 28 years at Kings, knows a little something about inspiring our younger generation to not only reach their goals but to not be afraid to try something new even if they don’t succeed at it the first time.

    “It took 2 or 3 years of education, policy enforcement and talking with the local authorities to see what we could do to achieve our vision of that family-friendly environment,” Mark Bersani said.

    “I always wanted to be a teacher from a young age, but my parents pushed me to do something different, so I got a bachelor’s degree in psychology,” Robyn Bersani explained, “But then I thought to myself what better way to serve the world than to educate children. I want to prove things to the world like there are more important things than how an 8-year-old scores on a standardized test!”

    Of course, Robyn Bersani isn’t the only one in the Bersani family making an impact on the Loveland community; both Mark and Elena Bersani do their fair share of helping and encouraging others. Mark is on the board of the Adventure Crew, which is a non-profit where the objective is to get urban kids in outdoor activities. 

    “We get about 125 kids out into nature and get them to experience things they would never get to experience otherwise,” Mark Bersani said, “This year they have skiing on the curriculum, they ,of course, will have biking on the Loveland Bike Trail and kayaking in the Spring and the Fall. This is all funded through donations and grants.”

    “Elena has a place in her heart for firemen so she will make cookies and brownies for them all the time,” Robyn Bersani said.

    Mark also takes part in what they call a “River Clean-up,” where they spend the day taking trash out of the State and National Scenic Little Miami River.

    “We are big on doing what we can to stop the trash that is thrown into the river. With the River Clean-up, I have found a hot tub, a boat and one time I pulled out 65 tires!”, Marl Bersani said, “People don’t realize that 90 percent of trash and plastic in the oceans comes from rivers and streams. We used to get our dumpster emptied twice a week now it’s once every 4 to 5 weeks, so we have definitely made an improvement.”

    Elena Bersani is not only an incredible hard-worker, an outstanding runner and Loveland’s very own “Sweetheart,” according to her parents, but she also has a soft spot for the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department.

    “Elena has a place in her heart for firemen so she will make cookies and brownies for them all the time,” Robyn Bersani said, “I think she recognizes how much they have done for our family and our business and of course all they do for the Loveland community. The Fire Department has really looked out for us.”

    Elena ran cross country for Kings and made it to State in 2010. She also attended the Art Institute where she focused on her love for baking, which led her to win “Best in Show” for her cannoli’s.

    “Both of our girls have worked in the business for a number of years. They have unbelievable work ethics that we tried to instill through our example,” Robyn Bersani said, “It has always been important to us to be good role models and of course get involved in the community. We do a lot of things to somehow give back to the community. We try to donate to the community and local non-profits as much as we can so they can further their causes.”

    The Bersani family have also been a part of some very successful fundraisers, such as Paddlefest, where 2,000 people paddle along the Ohio River, in which proceeds go towards the Adventure Crew, and one of Loveland’s most famous events the Frogman 5k. Last year in October the Bersani’s took part in a Film Festival that was held in Loveland’s very own Nisbet Park, where proceeds went towards the Little Miami Conservatory. 

    Loveland Magazine columnist Cassie Mattia interviewing the Bersani family. She writes, “Mark and Robyn live right above their canoe and kayak shop on Karl Brown Way in Historic Downtown Loveland with their 5 dogs and their daughter Elena and quite frankly couldn’t be happier with where the journey to owning Loveland Canoe and Kayak has taken them.”

    “It’s the big picture. It’s about being involved in the community as a business owner and resident. We want to connect with people and share resources. Everyone in this community really watches out for each other,” Robyn Bersani said, “We love telling the story of Loveland!”

    The Bersanis are looking forward to the up and coming canoe and kayaking season and hope to see families from all over Ohio come and experience the beauty of Loveland and the Little Miami River. If you would like to learn more about the Loveland Canoe and Kayak you can visit their Facebook page, their website at lovelandcanoe.com or check out their location at 174 Karl Brown Way.

    Read more about the Bersani family adventures…

    Loveland, Ohio (Nov 9, 2015) – Mark Bersani and his wife Robyn own Loveland Canoe and Kayak on the bank of the State and National Scenic, Little Miami River in downtown. This Summer the weather was not kind to their business. Too much rain and too often, keeping river levels unsafe for canoers and kayakers. Business was dismal.

    Mark’s staff made a dare. If they could muster enough customers to match last season, Mark would get tattooed, a tattoo like many of his young staff had already gotten.

    This LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV VIDEO is the rest of that story….

    Bersani keeps word: Canoes for Tattoos from Loveland Magazine on Vimeo.

  • Loveland Police and Fire answer: What to do in an active shooter situation

    Loveland Police and Fire answer: What to do in an active shooter situation

    Cassie Mattia is a columnist for Loveland Magazine and a resident of Historic Downtown.

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Have you even taken a minute and thought about what you or a loved one would do if an active shooter came into where you work, where you get your morning coffee or even where your child attends school? The question has been asked in many conversations that I have partaken in, which made me wonder; what exactly are the Loveland Police and Fire Department doing to help our community not only be safe, but feel prepared in an active shooter scenario. In the interview below Loveland Police Officer Jessie Moore (Loveland School Resource Officer) and Loveland-Symmes Fire Department’s Deputy-Chief Mike Books (EMS Chief of Operations) talk to Loveland Magazine about the active shooter training they will be teaching in schools, churches and local businesses!

    Watch this LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV interview hear how your safety as well as your family’s safety is Loveland’s number one priority!

    Active Shooter Event – An active shooter event involves one or more persons engaged in killing or attempting to kill multiple people in an area occupied by multiple unrelated individuals. (https://bit.ly/2RFpPV0)

    EMS – Emergency Medical Services

    The acronym for Emergency Medical Services. This term refers to the treatment and transport of people in crisis health situations that may be life threatening. … EMS are staffed by trained medical professionals, called EMTs, or emergency medical technicians.

    ALICE – Active Shooter Civilian Response Training

        ALERT is your first notification of danger

        LOCKDOWN is to secure in place, and prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER, if needed.

        INFORM is communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time.

        COUNTER is to create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction with the intent of reducing    the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.

        EVACUATE is to remove yourself from the danger zone when it is safe to do so.

    Department of Homeland – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security works to improve the security of the United States. The Department’s work includes customs, border, and immigration enforcement, emergency response to natural and manmade disasters, antiterrorism work, and cybersecurity.

        Ohio Homeland Security is established to “Improve statewide terrorism prevention and protection programs by maintaining appropriate policies, developing staffing plans, and providing for continuity of operations”. They, “Maintain a process for intelligence analysis and production that emphasizes the development and distribution of strategic and actionable intelligence. Strengthen the resiliency of Ohio’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) by collaborating with public and private partners to identify vulnerabilities, share information, and facilitate the development of protective programs”.

        The Hamilton County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (EMHSA) is authorized by Ohio Revised Code to coordinate and administer countywide all-hazards emergency management and disaster preparedness functions for Hamilton County and its political subdivisions.

    Run – Hide – Fight

        RUN. • Have an escape route and plan in mind. • Leave your belongings behind

        HIDE. • Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view. • Block entry to your hiding place

        FIGHT. • As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.

    See Something, Say Something – “If You See Something, Say Something™” is a national campaign that raises public awareness of the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement.

    To report suspicious activity please contact your local law enforcement. Describe specifically what you observed, including:

    • Who or what you saw;

    • When you saw it;

    • Where it occurred; and

    • Why it’s suspicious.

         If there is an emergency, call 9–1–1.

    Stop the Bleed Program – Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and call-to-action. Stop the Bleed is intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.

    Stop the Bleed Kit – A Stop the Bleed Kit contains basic products for emergency responders or civilians to address a traumatic bleeding situation. Many kits for civilian use are available for on-line purchase.

    Tourniquet – A device for stopping the flow of blood through a vein or artery, typically by compressing a limb with a cord or tight bandage.

    Loveland PD – Loveland Police Department is located at the Loveland Safety Center, 126 S Lebanon Road Loveland, OH 45140 and can be reached at: 513-583-3000

    Loveland-Symmes Fire Department – Headquartered at the Loveland Safety Center,126 S Lebanon Road Loveland, OH 45140. For non-emergencies they can be contacted at 513-583-3001. Located throughout the city and township there are four firehouses, which house personnel and equipment that respond to emergencies when needed.

      Relaxed atmosphere and friendly service welcomes you back time and time again! Located in the heart of the Historic Loveland District Just outside Cincinnati.

  • A Nutritious Way to Begin a New Year

    A Nutritious Way to Begin a New Year

    Cassia Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland.

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – People all over the world begin every New Year with a resolution. Some vow to learn a new skill or hobby, some to spend more time with friends and family, but what do 71 percent of Americans hope to do in the New Year; diet or eat healthier. Well what’s a better way to achieve that New Year’s resolution goal than to enjoy an energizing Fuzzy Naval cocktail tea or a Dulce De Leche smoothie filled with health benefits? The Loveland community added to its repertoire of new businesses with the grand opening of Vibe Nutrition on Wednesday January 23rd, a business that is sure to help you reach your New Year’s goals.

    Vibe Nutrition, located on Loveland Madeira Road, offers much more than just nutritional shakes, smoothies, teas and protein bars. Owner Jennifer Kavensky says her vision in opening Vibe Nutrition was to not only provide a place for people to become healthier and happier, but to also show that within her shop there is “a community of people wanting to love on other people.”

    “Our mission and what we are trying to accomplish is to reach the community and create a place where they can come and hang out and meet other people that are trying to get healthy too,” Kavensky said, “There’s not enough places out there with positivity so we want to be a place where people feel welcome and are getting results.”

    The grand opening of Vibe Nutrition was just what Kavensky envisioned. It was full of Loveland residents and other business owners and employees just wanting to come together as one big healthy community.

    “Getting this business up and running along with our grand opening was definitely a team effort. The community really stepped up. We had so many people give gift cards and help us give back to the people that are coming in. Businesses in Loveland are so good about promoting each other,” Kavensky said.

    Cassie Mattia interviewing Vibe owner Jennifer Kavensky

    Those who attended the opening were able to see the unique décor along with trying some of Vibe’s shakes, teas and protein bakery items. Of course a grand opening isn’t necessarily grand without games, prizes and raffles, which Vibe had plenty of!

    “Anyone that came in and upgraded to our energy cocktails or added on a donut shot could spin the wheel and get one of our prizes,” Kavensky explained, “650 fitness gave everyone who came in a free workout, Paxton’s gave us 10 dollar gift cards and Exquisite Design Salon and Spa were giving away free shampoo and haircuts!”

    Some of the other sponsors for the grand opening included Kirby’s, Championship Martial Arts, Jack Rabbit, Subway, Texas Roadhouse, Jessica’s Light and Ron’s Market.

    So just what are these products that everyone is “Vibing” out to? I was given a nutritional cocktail called the “Fuzzy Navel,” which included an Orange Liftoff, Peach Tea and Mandarin Aloe, and I will admit I was pleasantly surprised on how great it tasted! The cocktail menu also included a “Cosmopolitan,” which included a Lime Liftoff, Lemon Tea and Cranberry Aloe and a “Hot Tamale,” which had a Pomegranate Liftoff, Cinnamon Tea and Cranberry Aloe. 

    Vibe also has a nutritional smoothie menu with out of this world flavors like French Vanilla, Orange Creamsicle and Chocolate Chip as well as a “protein bar” Bakery Menu with flavors such as Roasted Peanut Cookie, Apple Pie and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. 

    “One of our most popular shakes is the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup. This shake has 30 grams of protein and it’s loaded with nutrition. It has about 200 calories,” Kavensky said, “Our most famous cocktail is either a Starburst or Scarlet-ini. Most of our cocktails have our ‘Lift off’ in it, which helps with mental focus and short term memory.”

    And yes Vibe has something called a Donut Shot and surprisingly enough it is a fat burner!

    “People love our Donut shots! My favorite one is either the pumpkin pie or salted caramel,” Kavensky said.

    As Kavensky and her team were making my Fuzzy Naval there was something that caught my attention about the cups they were delivering to each customer.

    “One of the things we do that I think is really cool is we write a special message on our customer’s cups when they come in,” Kavensky explained, “Whether it’s a message of encouragement or a just a message to brighten that particular person’s day, we really want to make coming to Vibe a personal experience for each and every person.”

    Although Kavensky doesn’t have a nutritional background she can attest to Vibe’s products because she herself lost 100 pounds using them.

    “The products we have help you lose weight; they help you have more energy. We also work with athletes who need something that will help them with recovery after they work out or just need a healthy breakfast. We were actually voted number one healthy breakfast! We want to help people reach their goals,” Kavensky said.

    Kavensky is full of passion when it comes to helping people and making people feel a part of a community that is both accepting and welcoming, but just where did all this passion for living a healthy lifestyle come from?

    “My mom passed away at 52, she had pancreatic cancer. I saw myself really becoming like her in the best ways and the worst ways,” Kavensky said, “Sometimes we just develop habits when we grow up. I really just started looking for a way after I lost her, to be healthier. I started to do research and started to see what options were out there and then I found Vibe. It really empowered me to help other people. I didn’t have a coach or have anyone there to help me and when I started Vibe this not only helped me to really have place to come to, but it also had people that I had to be accountable for. Losing my mom was really hard, but it empowered me to change. The hardest things in life are really the things that make you become better.”

    Vibe Nutrition also offers those looking for a healthy lifestyle another piece to the healthy living puzzle; a good workout. Kavensky discovered “Cardio Drumming” after a trip to Michigan and decided to get trained on how to teach it.

    “We take a 17 gallon plastic bucket, an exercise ball and drum sticks and we jam to music,” Kavensky said, “It’s really a great way to get out aggression and get a good workout!”

    Vibe Nutrition offers Cardio Drumming classes Monday’s at 7:30 PM at 650 Fitness and Friday’s at 9 AM at the Championship Marshall Arts Academy. Vibe also offers a Fit Camp on Monday’s at 9 AM at 650 Fitness.

    “The Fit Camp is light weights, resistance bands and exercise balls. It’s really just to get people active. I feel like it’s important once you get the nutrition down to start adding in the working out aspect. It really takes people where they are to where they want to be,” Kavensky said.

    Kavensky and her Vibe Nutrition team couldn’t be more thrilled with the success of Vibe and the community involvement, but are even more excited for the future and the up and coming events. 

    “On February 9th from 8 AM to 1 PM we will be doing a fundraiser for Kinley, a little girl who has DIPG. We will be giving 50 percent of all smoothie sales to Kinley’s family. We want to do things like this to give back to the community. We want to support those who need it,” Kavensky said.

    If you would like to learn more about Vibe Nutrition you can visit Vibe Nutrition on Facebook or Instagram. You can also go visit their location at 10484 Loveland Madeira Road.