Every Sunday my family is fortunate enough to have lunch at Gigi’s house. Gigi is an amazing chef and baker!
On special occasions we eat sarma or paprikash… always with potica.
While every Sunday dinner still feels special to me, they don’t all warrant those marquee, traditional dishes.
There are eight of us around that table, usually. Others are invited from time to time, making this tradition extra special.
Recently a guest arrived that wasn’t in the plan for that day’s meal… and so we had to “scramble” and grab an extra chair from the basement, put out a new place-setting, and take a little bit less in our portion to make sure everyone had enough.
Nobody minded accommodating a surprise guest at Gigi’s table! Their arrival is a compliment, not an inconvenience. Grabbing an extra place-setting is a worthy scramble… because it means someone else wants to be there!
Once a year, the Foundation sets a table like that. We call it our Annual Dinner.
And last year, we “ran out of chairs.”
After last year's Annual Dinner, we sent out a survey. We wanted to know what worked, what didn't, and what we should do better.
One piece of feedback came back louder than anything else. The room wasn't big enough!
It means more people in our community want to stand up and celebrate Barberton than we had room for. I'll take that problem every single year.
So we're “pulling up another chair” for this year’s annual dinner.
This year's Annual Dinner - Celebrating Barberton's Best - will be held at John S. Knight Center in Akron, the premier event venue in our region.
I have been asked by many people… “why are you having a Barberton celebration in Akron?” If Barberton had a venue for our dinner that could hold 400 folks, we’d love to have it here!
For now, let’s all remember that a celebration isn't defined by its address. It's defined by who's in the room. And we would much rather add space to the celebration than turn people away.
In fact, we ran into the same situation with our awards.
Historically, the Game Changer Award has been awarded to one individual and one organization.
This year, the nominations we received from everyone were too good – so we made more space!
Alongside our two Game Changer recipients, we'll also recognize two Honorees in each category - outstanding nominees whose work deserves to be named out loud in front of our community.
And an important note: being named an Honoree doesn't use up anyone's “Game Changer” opportunity. Honorees remain eligible and can be nominated again in future years.
We're also adding something else brand new this year.
The Blooming Impact Award recognizes a community-nominated young leader, age 35 or younger, who is a rising star here in Barberton.
Our nickname is the Magic City, and a lot of that magic comes from people who are still early in their story. This award is our way of saying “we see you!”
So, who are we celebrating?
Ms. Donna Alherimi will receive the Individual Game Changer Award.
Akron Rubber Development Laboratory, Inc. (ARDL) will receive the Organization Game Changer Award.
And Mr. Ryan Struckel will be the first recipient ever of the Blooming Impact Award.
There's more to the evening than the awards, too.
Guests will experience The Art of Possibility, a showcase and auction of artwork created by Barberton students and professionally framed by White Rabbit Galleries. Student work, treated like the real thing. Because it IS the real thing.
We're also debuting Barberton Bites, Sips, and Magic Moments, a one-of-a-kind auction adventure through our community - with a few surprises we're keeping under wraps (for now).
And I'm especially excited for guests to see how much has taken shape in the first year of the Foundation's Strategic Plan: new partnerships, bold initiatives, and real momentum across early learning, workforce development and career pathways, downtown revitalization, and basic needs.
Tickets are $85 right now and increase to $100 on October 1, so don't wait!
We’d also welcome sponsorships, including our Believe in Barberton sponsorship! Sponsorships range from $500 to $10,000, with different levels of visibility and recognition, and they're open to individuals, families, businesses, and organizations alike. You can explore them on our website barbertoncf.org or just call the Foundation and ask for Melissa, Kim, or Josh.
While we can’t make Gigi’s house bigger, we are pleased to offer more space at this year’s Annual Dinner! So, come enjoy a celebration of our awesome community!
In Community,
Josh Gordon Executive Director Barberton Community Foundation
