Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: Janis Fogle

  • Loveland Magazine TV Introduces Debbie Murray and Lilly Hummer to the “Sweetheart of Ohio”

    Loveland Magazine TV Introduces Debbie Murray and Lilly Hummer to the “Sweetheart of Ohio”

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – With the end of January quickly approaching Loveland is preparing for one of the city’s most celebrated holidays, Valentine’s Day! For those who haven’t experienced the magic of Valentine’s Day in Loveland, you may be wondering why it is one of the most celebrated holidays. Well, other than the city itself being called “Love-land” it is also referenced to as the “Sweetheart of Ohio,” and for a VERY good reason! This year two very special “Sweethearts,” Debbie Murray and Lilly Hummer, were selected to join the historic Loveland Valentine’s Program. Of course, Loveland Magazine wanted to pay tribute by providing our readers with some Loveland Valentine history and an exclusive on-camera interview with Debbie and Lilly!

    This year two very special “Sweethearts,” Debbie Murray and Lilly Hummer, were selected to join the historic Loveland Valentine’s Program.

    The Loveland Valentine’s Program began in 1972 and quickly became a nationally-known cachet stamping and postmark program. Once the program was up and running the community of Loveland decided to broaden the program’s horizons adding more fun and exciting ways to spread love throughout the city. This included the addition of two very prestigious competitions, the selection of Loveland’s annual Valentine Lady and Loveland’s Valentine Card Design Contest.

    So what is a Valentine Lady? A Loveland Valentine Lady can be defined as “a woman who has distinguished themselves in the community, at local schools, and/or with family endeavors.” This lovely lady once selected is the ambassador for the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance’s Valentine program meaning she will spread both love and generosity by visiting area businesses, nursing homes, and schools. The Valentine Lady is chosen by the Loveland community and then picked by the LMR Chamber committee. In 1982 Loveland’s first Valentine Lady, Doris Pfiester was selected. Below is the list of Loveland’s past Valentine Ladies!

    Debbie Murray was announced on December 12th at Loveland’s legendary spot, The Works, as the 34th Valentine Lady! Murray has resided in Loveland since 1985 and is a highly decorated woman in all that she does for the community. Loveland’s 2018 Valentine Lady, Kay Bolin, when asked about Debbie Murray being selected as the 2020 Valentine Lady, had nothing but kind words to say about Murray!

    Debbie is indeed one of the nicest, most down to earth individuals you could ever meet.

    “I met Debbie Murray in 2018 when I was at that year’s, Loveland Valentine Lady celebration. As we all know, part of the Valentine Lady’s responsibility is to go around to the local schools, which is when I met Debbie as she was a teacher at Tender Years,” Bolin explained, “I have been fortunate to spend more time with Debbie since she has been selected. CeeCee Collins asked me to read one of the many nomination letters that the chamber received nominating Debbie for the 2020 Valentine Lady at the recent Valentine Lady kickoff event. I was honored and felt so fortunate to share this nomination letter to the community. Debbie is indeed one of the nicest, most down to earth individuals you could ever meet and what she has contributed to the Loveland community is wonderful. Deb is the definition of love and kindness! I am looking forward to personally getting to know Debbie better as well as seeing her continued contribution to our community. Debbie, we welcome you to our Valentine Lady Sisterhood!,” Bolin said.

    Lilly Hummer, a freshman Lacrosse player from Loveland High School, was recognized as Loveland’s Valentine’s Day card design winner.

    Check out the video of Debbie Murray being surprised at The Works with her 2020 Valentine Lady honor!

    Watch as Debbie Murray crowned 2020 Loveland Valentine Lady

    I’m sure everyone can agree that Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be what it is without a great Valentine’s Day card! The LMR Chamber realized this during the early stages of the Valentine’s Day Program so they decided to incorporate a Valentine’s Day Card Design Contest! The design contest is open to anyone in the Loveland community and the only stipulations are that the artwork must reflect or incorporate the theme: “Love is…..” and must also include (or provide space for) the phrase, “There is nothing in this world so sweet as love.” Allowing anyone in the Loveland community to participate in the design contest makes the contest itself both creative and diverse! There have been many great design winner’s in the past, one of them being Loveland Magazine’s very own David Miller.

    2020 marks one of the most creatively diverse card designs to date. Lilly Hummer, a freshman Lacrosse player from Loveland High School, was recognized as Loveland’s Valentine’s Day card design winner, on January 11th at the Valentine Kick-off at the Loveland Kroger’s.

    Lilly Hummer, a freshman Lacrosse player from Loveland High School, was recognized as Loveland’s Valentine’s Day card design winner

    Hummer will receive design credit on the back of the 2020 Valentine’s Day cards, local recognition, media recognition and two complimentary invitations to the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance Annual Valentine Breakfast on February 14, 2020. Click on the link to learn how you can join the community at the annual Valentine breakfast: http://business.lovelandchamber.org/events/details/2020-valentine-s-day-breakfast-event-6785.

    Some of the local businesses you can purchase Hummer’s Valentine card design at are the LMRCA office, the “stamping table” at the Loveland Post Office, Loveland Kroger, Loveland Sweets, Busy Bee Boutique, Lemon & Limes Boutique, the Valentine Ladies, and the Loveland Union Savings Bank Branch.

    Now that we have shared a little Loveland Valentine Program history and informally introduced the 2020 Valentine Lady and Valentine Card Design winner LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV would like to formally introduce to you, Mrs. Debbie Murray and Miss Lilly Hummer! Click below to view the exclusive on-camera interview with these two lovely ladies!

  • A Big Heart with an Artist Flair – Laurie Gordon

    A Big Heart with an Artist Flair – Laurie Gordon

    Laurie Gordon is in the Valentine lady spotlight

    by Janis Fogle,

    Volunteer extraordinar, Laurie Gordon, Valentine Lady 2016 is known to many in our community from her efforts to make our community better for all. Whether it is decorating tables for the Greater Loveland Historical Museum’s Herbal Delight’s luncheon, chairing the Loveland Women’s Club Ways and Means Chairman in charge of raising monies for Scholarships, serving as an Elder at the Loveland Presbyterian church, organizing volunteers at Bethesda North hospital or helping clients at both the LIFE food pantry and LIFE Christmas Giving Shoppe, Gordon does it with grace and enthusiasm that made her a natural choice for Valentine Lady! 

    Painting beautiful wine glasses for charitable events is yet another way that Laurie Gordon supports our community.

    If you are unfamiliar with the program, the Valentine Lady is a person who distinguishes herself in community, school, and family endeavors and serves as the official spokesperson of the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, Valentine Program in the Loveland area. If you are unfamiliar with the Chamber’s Valentine Program, it began 1972 and has grown over the years to include a variety of Valentine community activities, as well as a nationally-known cachet stamping and postmark program. Each year the team of Valentine Ladies hand-stamp Valentines with a unique cachet, which is modeled after a winning card design (selected annually), and then hand-cancelled with a special Loveland, Ohio, postmark. Each year, the Valentine Ladies – in conjunction with the Chamber – re-mail thousands of cards to all 50 states and many foreign countries.

    When asked about a favorite memory during her “reign” as Valentine lady, the first quick response was “the children”, their cute responses and the fact that the children wanted to know about Loveland!  Reflecting, Gordon stated, to the fact that special friend, Marirose Striver, Valentine Lady 2001, was at The Works when the committee named me Valentine Lady.  After another pause, Gordon went on to say that Kathryn Undercoffer, Valentine Lady 2003, had dropped her name tag at the naming of the Valentine Lady event at The Works, Mrs Gordon picked it up and returned it to Undercoffer who invited her in and they sat and talked about the duties of being a Valentine Lady for quite some time.

    Painting beautiful wine glasses for charitable events is yet another way that Laurie Gordon supports our community for its betterment and is just one more reason that she was a common-sense choice for Valentine Lady! 

    I encourage you to begin thinking about a nominee for the Valentine Lady to represent this program for 2018; it’s not too early to start thinking about someone you consider special who resides in the Loveland area (zip code 45140).  Send nominations to The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, 123 S. Second Street, Loveland, OH 45140 or by sending your nomination to meredith@lmrchamberalliance.org.

     

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