Barbara Hendel: Volunteers get head start on summer projects

Barbara Hendel, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio
·3 min read

Jun. 24—SUMMER is here, but events involving volunteers drifted in before the solstice.

INDUSTRIAL Power Systems volunteers began work on a home June 18 for future homeowner Leticia. A Project Blessing was in Rossford with Rossford Mayor Neil MacKinnon and IPS CEO Kevin Gray, who thanked everyone for their support of the Habitat for Humanity of Wood County project. The Bacon Street home which was built in 2015 in partnership with Penta Career Center, was sold back to Habitat by the previous homeowner who has moved on in life, but wanted a new family to benefit.

"This home is a blessing ..." Leticia said, as she was welcomed to the city of Rossford.

Leticia's son has a medical condition that requires much equipment and a lot of care. Right now, the family's living room is being used as his bedroom, and she sleeps on a mattress on the floor near him. The Habitat home will provide an affordable place that will include a bedroom for her son big enough to accommodate his medical equipment.

Volunteers will prepare the home for move-in by the end of summer. Call 419-481-8100 or go to wchabitat.org/how-to-help/ to help or donate.

A VIP grand opening reception at the Schedel Arboretum & Gardens in Elmore for the Blair Museum of Lithophanes was June 17 at the gardens.

Special guests were Laurel Blair's nieces GeeGee, Carrie, Donna, and Robin Blair along with GeeGee's husband, Alan Lomax, and granddaughter Haley from New Jersey, Georgia, and North Carolina.

The four sisters are daughters of Toledoan "Banana George" Blair who often accompanied his brother on trips abroad in search of pieces to add to his collection of nearly 3,000 lithophanes that were donated to the Schedel Foundation last year by the city of Toledo. The museum's first home was at Toledo Botanical Garden where it stayed for 17 years until Metroparks Toledo announced in late 2019 that other plans were being made for the space. Mr. Blair had donated the collection before his death in 1993.

Lithophane enthusiasts Steve and Julie Taylor, along with the Taylor Automotive Family, sponsored the reception. "We are thrilled to be a part of making this wonderful collection more accessible to the public so more people can enjoy this little-known artform," Mr. Taylor said. Twenty North Gallery owner Eric Hillenbrand and art director Condessa Croninger agreed.

Also present was Margaret Carney, the original curator of the collection, member of Friends of the Blair and author of the book Lithophanes, which presents research and information on the history, forms, and techniques involved in lithophane. Each guest received a copy.

Rod Noble, executive director, Schedel Foundation said many people deserve credit, including: Friends of the Blair board president Pat Scharf; members Dennis Seffernick and Mary Karazim; Julia Labay Darrah, museum curator;

and longtime Toledo arts benefactors, the late Posy and Bob Huebner.

Lithophane is a European decorative art form, dating to the early and mid-19th century, of images carved into beeswax, cast, then followed by fine layers of translucent porcelain. When the lithophane is backlit, the lights and darks in the carving are seen in minute detail, making the pieces look three-dimensional.

Schedel is open Tuesday -Saturday 10:00 AM — 4:00 PM and Sundays noon-4:00 PM. There is an admission fee to tour the 17-acre garden estate and arboretum and the Blair Museum of Lithophanes. Visit schedel-gardens.org or call 419-862-3182.