LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Terrie Puckett

  • Local Charity Race Wins Big at Cincy Magazine’s Best of the East

    Local Charity Race Wins Big at Cincy Magazine’s Best of the East

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – With Spring just around the corner, competitive races and obstacle courses will soon be in full swing! Although it may seem that your local 5k’s, 10k’s and tough mudders are, all the same, there is in fact, one race that will be taking place right along the Little Miami Bike Trail that is anything but ordinary! The Amazing Charity Race is not only taking Loveland by storm but has now officially been named the “Best Charitable Race” in Cincinnati, according to Cincy Magazine’s annual Best of the East competition!

    For those who are unfamiliar with The Amazing Charity Race, the race itself was created in 2006 with a goal of giving 100 percent of its proceeds to charity! The ACR, which is set for Saturday, June 20th at 8 A.M. beginning at Fifty West Brewing Company, is a day full of fun challenges that venture along the Little Miami Bike Trail! This race is made to challenge contestant’s agility, balance, coordination, strength, intelligence, problem-solving skills, fine motor skills, and most importantly their sense of humor! This year teams of 2 can run, walk and ride through 20 strange, fun, and crazy challenges. But don’t worry you don’t have to be an extreme athlete to participate! All you have to have is the drive to challenge yourself and of course, be willing to push yourself for charity! Teens 13 to 16 can team up with a parent or teens 16 and up can team up with other teens over 16.

    Jenny Lytle, Tom Grome and Kevin McMillian standing by ACR’s well thought out slide show and flyers at Cincy Magazine’s Best of the East event!

    This year representatives from The Amazing Charity Race Board attended the Best of the East event on January 23rd hosted by Cincy Magazine at the Holiday Inn Suites on Eastgate Blvd. ACR’s committee put on quite a spread for the community at the Best of the East event, which included an excellent slide show and well thought out flyers. Kevin McMillian, Tom Grome, and Jenny Lytle pictured to the left represented ACR with pride at the prestigious event!

    Shortly after Cincy Magazine’s annual event, ACR ‘s Board was informed that the ACR was selected by the Cincinnati community to be this year’s Best in the East “Best Charitable Race!” One of the ACR’s loyal board members, Tom Grome, was beyond the moon when he received the news!

    “The Best of the East award is so important to the Amazing Charity Race,” Grome explained, “Receiving this award recognizes our effort to provide donations to other local charities and validates our approach to helping other local charities! We strive to make our event a positive experience for the racers and volunteers. Charitable giving has never been so much fun!,” Grome added. 

    Check out the crowd at Cincy Magazine’s Best of the East event at the Holiday Inn Eastgate!

    Thus far The Amazing Charity Race is now in its 15th year and has already given over $700,000 to local charities including more than 50 nonprofit organizations in the following areas: Teen and Youth Programs (e.g., scouting, music, sports), Church Groups, Community Groups (e.g., food pantries, land conservation, theatre, arts) and Health-related Groups (e.g., cancer awareness and research, programs for the disabled).

    Doug Portmann, co-founder and race director of the ACR, said the award meant so much to him “because of all the volunteer groups that put time and effort into making it such a great event! The community really appreciates it. If it was not for the almost 500 volunteers each year the event would not run like clockwork year in and year out,” Portmann added. 

    Kevin McMillian, the ACR’s marketing guru who represented the race at the Best of the East competition couldn’t agree more with Portmann!

    “Being at the Best of the East was an amazing experience. Getting to experience other nonprofits and businesses at this event, was a great way to network and make new relationships to further impact the community,” McMillian explained, “As for winning one of the Best of the East awards, it was rewarding to see the impact Amazing Charity Race has on this community and makes us more motivated to put on a fun event and to continue helping charities that need it,” McMillian said.

    Marjorie Blair, who is also on the ACR board, could barely contain her excitement when she found out ACR had one a Best of the East award!

    “It’s an honor to work with so many different people with the common goal of giving back and seeing the positive impact on our local community. Through the years, putting on the race has become a well-oiled machine,” Blair said, “We are constantly learning and always trying to improve to keep racers, volunteers, & sponsors coming back. The combined effort for the greater good is truly appreciated.”

    The Amazing Charity Race Board also includes Dustan Bray, Jenny Lytle, Terrie Puckett, Brian Garry, Scott Thompson, Michelle Ripperger, and ME, Cassie Mattia!

    With this big win, ACR will be featured in Cincy Magazine’s Best of the East 2020 issue.

    If you would like to join the best charity race in Cincinnati visit the race’s website at https://www.amazingcharityrace.com/ or follow the ACR’s Facebook page @LovelandsAmazingRace.

    Read this story from last year’s race…

    I may have volunteered at the most exciting and fun challenge station at this year’s Amazing Charity Race

    Loveland Magazine is extremely proud to be one of the many sponsors of the Amazing Charity Race!

    Learn more about the Amazing Charity Race, how your group can volunteer, how you can be a corporate sponsor so even more money is raised, or to register for the 2020 race.

  • Grailville places 40 acres in conservation easement

    Grailville places 40 acres in conservation easement

    Advancing its Mission of “Renewal of the Earth”

    Miami Township, Ohio, – Grailville, just on the outskirts of Loveland — a center of The Grail in the U.S. — announces that 40 acres of land has been placed into a conservation easement and purchased by Clermont County Park District through a Clean Ohio Fund grant. The grant requires that deed restrictions be placed on the acreage that prevents it from being developed. The Park District plans to manage the land as a natural area with hiking trails.

    The area will be open to the public once the trails and access are developed. The 40 acres of this sale raises the total placed in conservation easement and sold to The Park District to 113 acres. The initial sale—enabled by the Trust for Public Land—was for 73 acres in 2017.

    The grant requires that deed restrictions be placed on the acreage that prevents it from being developed.

    There have been concerns by neighbors and community members about the future of this land, considered a prime location to be developed, just outside the City of Loveland since The Grail in the U.S. voted to close the functions of the Grailville Retreat and Program Center in 2014. “The women of The Grail in the U.S. have taken their responsibility to this land seriously, voting that the number one priority for sale would be conservation,” according to Terrie Puckett, Executive Director of The Grail in the U.S. “It is important to them that what happens in this space that they love is aligned with our mission and values, which is why the process is now in year four.”

    Called by our spiritual values, we envision a world of peace, justice and renewal of the earth brought about by women working together as catalysts for change.

    Grailville, established in 1944, is a center in the U.S. for The Grail, an international women’s movement founded in the Netherlands in the 1920s. Their mission: Called by our spiritual values, we envision a world of peace, justice and renewal of the earth brought about by women working together as catalysts for change. The more than 230 members, 61% over the age of 80, reside across the U.S. in communities big and small and take part in a wide variety of actions and activities to live the Grail mission locally, nationally, and even globally, according to Puckett. Grail members meet in person every three years to evaluate how they are meeting the mission goals. At their meeting in 2014, they determined it was time to transition in order to meet new challenges facing members, communities, and the world. “The process has been one of prayer, discussion, exploration, and discernment,” said Puckett.

    While the Grail has voted to sell approximately 240 acres of land, mostly to the south of O’Bannonville Road, they have retained about 72-acres on the north side to develop a revitalized Grail center on a smaller footprint, where they will invite community-based nonprofit organizations to develop micro-land projects. “By welcoming and supporting these projects we hope to encourage innovation and continued education, in an atmosphere that has a 74-year history of challenging individuals to step outside the boxes they are placed in or have placed themselves,” explained Puckett.

    The remaining 100-plus acres on the south side, including 63 acres certified organic land, fields, and woodlands, are available for sale.

    The remaining 100-plus acres on the south side, including 63 acres certified organic land, fields, and woodlands, are available for sale. “The process is slow moving as our members work with intentionality, but our goal is to be able to bring new life to that land within the next year bringing to a close our 5-year time of transition,” said Puckett. 

    Deborah Sullivan, Grail member and member of the National Leadership Team added, “Grailville holds special meaning to our members. Over the last 73 years, members of the Grail have adapted to an ever-changing and evolving world, moving from private farm, to Year School, to programming like Semester at Grailville and the emergence of the Grail Women Task Force, to how most Cincinnati area people have known Grailville – as the retreat and program center.”

    What ails thee?

    Sullivan also said that at each point Grail members have asked the question of the world “What ails thee?” and then moved to create a space that provided solutions and opportunities. “Our goal over the last four years—in answering that question has been to reimagine the future of The Grail in the U.S. and then determine how this space at Grailville helps us move our mission forward,” said Sullivan.

    As in all transitions, our memories, relationships and knowledge stay with us even as the space changes to meet the challenges of a new generation.

    “The U.S Grail is committed to maintaining a vibrant presence on our property to the north of O’Bannonville Road even as we find new uses for the land to the south,” Sullivan said. She added that they recognize that their moving forward may mean significant changes to the property as people who have visited or participated in a program know it or remember it. “We are committed to finding solutions that are congruent with our mission and values. As in all transitions, our memories, relationships and knowledge stay with us even as the space changes to meet the challenges of a new generation.”