westerville magazine

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDColumbus, OhioPermit No. 4697

4 www.westervillemagazine.com

Chief Executive OfficerPresident/Publisher

Chief Creative Officer

Creative Director

Editor

Contributing Editors

Contributing Writers

Advertising Director

Advertising Sales

Controller

614-572-1240

Community Affairs Administrator

781 Northwest Blvd., Suite 202Columbus, Ohio 43212

614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241

www.cityscenecolumbus.com

The publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manu-scripts, drawings, photographs, or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or e-mail [email protected]. Publisher does not as-sume responsibility for loss or damage.

The appearance of advertising in Westerville Magazine does not constitue and endorsement of the advertiser’s prod-uct or service by the City of Westerville.

Westerville Magazine is published bimonthly in January, March, May, July, September and November. For advertising information or bulk purchases, contact Emily Steel at 614-572-1252.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Westerville Magazine is a registered trademark of The Publishing Group Ltd. Printed in the U.S.A.

www.wester vi l lemagazine.com

The Publishing Group Ltd. also publishes:

CityScene Magazinewww.CitySceneColumbus.com

Dublin Life Magazinewww.DublinLifeMagazine.com

Tri-Village Magazinewww.TriVillageMagazine.com

Healthy New Albany Magazinewww.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com

Pickerington Magazinewww.PickeringtonMagazine.com

Westervillemagazine

TM

Charles L. Stein

Kathleen K. Gill

Dave Prosser

Christa Smothers

Garth Bishop

Duane St. ClairLisa Aurand

Tyler DavisGail Martineau

Emily Steel

Gianna Barrett Molly Pensyl

Pam Henricks

Lynn Leitch

Circulation:

Christa Dickey

City of Westerville

5www.westervillemagazine.com

16

20

Inside

Read more online at www.WestervilleMagazine.com

06 Community Calendar

09 City Reporter News and Information from the City of Westerville

16 Faces Fro-Yo Flavored Fundraising Franchisees are committed to supporting community causes

18 A Chili Reception Wendy’s Chili Open returns for the benefit of children’s charities

20 In Focus Walk Like a Physician Weekly walks pay big dividends to physical health

24 Living Well Done Wellness company owner’s home gym keeps her in shape

28 On the Table Brazilicious Westerville baker serves up all-natural goodies

30 Bookmarks Recommendations from the Westerville Public Library

News and Information from the City of Westerville

City Reporter

09

Find Westerville Magazine on Facebook and Twitter

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 VOL. 11 NO. 3


Through Jan. 20 Poetic Vision: Ink Paintings by C.Y. Woo Frank Museum of Art, 39 S. Vine St., 614-818-9716, www.otterbein.eduSelections by ink artist C.Y. Woo, donated by Lois and Al Augur, will be on display.

Jan. 4-Feb. 15Core Studies – Jonathan JuravichMiller Gallery, Otterbein Art and Communica-tion Building, 33 Collegeview Rd., www.otterbein.eduThe artist uses screenprints to explore his role as a coach and elementary school teacher.

Jan. 4-May 20Des de Mi Ventana (From My Window) – Eliana Calle SaariFisher Gallery, Roush Hall, 27 S. Grove St., www.otterbein.eduThe artist’s black-and-white woodcuts serve as memories and visions of her family and re-membered locations.

Jan. 7 Stories and Signs 11-11:30 a.m., Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St., www.westervillelibrary.org, 614-882-7277Stories, songs and rhymes for the whole fam-ily to enjoy will be part of this special session of Family Tales. Sign language interpretation is included.

Jan. 8Byron Stripling and the Bobby Floyd Jazz Trio7:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 E. Schrock Rd.As part of its A Joyful Noise free concert series, the church presents a night of jazz.

Jan. 10Teen Volunteer Training 6-6:30 p.m., Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St., www.westervillelibrary.org, 614-882-7277, Teens interested in volunteering at the library can learn more at this informational session.

Jan. 10-31 Disney Princess Celebration 6-7 p.m., Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave., 614-901-6500

Bring the kids to celebrate their favorite Disney Princess through music, crafts, games, stories and refreshments.

Jan. 13Teen ARC! Advanced Readers’ Club 4-5 p.m., Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St., www.westervillelibrary.org, 614-882-7277The club, which allows local teens to get their hands on books before they are published, meets monthly.

Jan. 16Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration8 a.m., Villa Milano Banquet and Conference Center, 1630 Schrock Rd., www.westerville.org

The Dream Lives on: A Tribute to Hope is the theme of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast. Awards will be given out to stu-dents and community members, and featured

presenter Valarie Holmes will give a dramatic interpretation of the relevance of Dr. King’s dream.

Jan. 22 Inniswood Winter Hike 2012 2 p.m., Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., www.inniswood.org, 614-895-6241Enjoy a two-mile winter hike through Inniswood.

Jan. 24 Westerville Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner 5:30-9 p.m., Conference Center at Northpointe, 9423 Columbus Pike, www.westervillechamber.comThe annual dinner acknowledges the Cham-ber’s honors and accomplishments.

Jan. 26-29Steel MagnoliasWesterville South High School, 303 S. Ot-terbein Ave., www.westerville.k12.oh.usSouth students present the play set in Truvy’s Beauty Salon in Louisiana, where a motley crew of characters assemble to have their hair done.

Jan. 29Jukebox Revue2:30 p.m., Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mount Royal Ave., 614-523-6800This third annual event raises money for Honor Flight Columbus, helping veterans visit the National World War II Memorial in Washing-ton, D.C. The variety show includes live music, dance and other entertainment, in the tradition of The Ed Sullivan Show.

JANUARYcommunity calendar

Sponsored by the Wester vi l le Visi tors & Convention Bureau6

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

7

14

21

28

1

8

15

22

29

2

9

16

23

30

3

10

17

24

31

4

11

18

25

SUN MON TUE WED THUFRI SAT2012

7

FEBRUARY

For more events, vis i t www.visi twester vi l le.org

Feb. 1-May 11ETCHINGS: Old and New by Vijay KumarFrank Museum of Art, 39 S. Vine St., 614-818-9716, www.otterbein.eduThe museum presents a retrospective print ex-hibition by the noted Indian artist.

Feb. 2PRISM Concert7 p.m., Westerville North High School, 950 County Line Rd., www.westervillenorthbands.orgThis annual concert includes performances from a variety of Westerville North musical en-sembles.

Feb. 4Wendy’s Chili Open Noon-5 p.m., Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., www.wendyschiliopen.com The Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club’s annual event supports a variety of local children’s char-ities. See Page 18 for details.

Feb. 4 Making Hair Bows 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave., 614-901-6500Girls ages 5 and up can learn how to make three hair bows – including bows for their fa-vorite dolls, if they choose.

Feb. 4The Early Interval7:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 E. Schrock Rd.As part of its A Joyful Noise free concert series, the church presents the Early Interval, a medi-eval and Renaissance music band.

Feb. 10-26Crossing Delancey Curtain Players Theatre, 5691 Harlem Rd., www.curtainplayers.com,614-360-1000This romantic comedy set in New York City explores the traditional roles of women by contrasting the views of a sharp-witted grand-mother and her liberated granddaughter as the former tries to arrange a date for the latter.

Feb. 11Music and Romance

8 p.m., Aladdin Shrine Temple, 3850 Stelzer Rd., www.musicandromance.comThis night of music from Otterbein’s jazz and popular music ensembles is a fundraiser for the university’s chapter of the Music and Entertain-ment Industry Student Association.

Feb. 16Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 6-8 p.m., location TBA, www.westervillepack966.org The local Cub Scouts present their annual din-ner fundraiser.

Feb. 20-March 8Fifteenth Annual Juried Student Art ExhibitionMiller Gallery, Otterbein Art and Communica-tion Building, 33 Collegeview Rd., www.otterbein.eduOtterbein presents its annual exhibition of student art. A reception and award ceremony event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 24.

Feb. 25Annual Bowl-a-Thon10 a.m.-5 p.m., Columbus Square Bowling Palace, 5707 Forest Hills Blvd., www.wester-villeeducationfoundation.comProceeds from the annual Bowl-a-Thon benefit the Westerville Chamber Foundation, Westerville Education Foundation and Westerville Symphony.

Feb. 26Otterbein University String Orchestra7:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 E. Schrock Rd.As part of its A Joyful Noise free concert series, the church presents Otterbein’s premier string orchestra.

SAVE THE DATE March 1-4The Arnold Sports FestivalDowntown Columbus, www.arnoldsportsfestival.comThe Arnold is back! The lineup features long-time favorites like the Arnold Classic and the Arnold Fitness Expo; popular recent ad-ditions like Art at the Arnold and the Ama-teur MMA Festival; and new events like the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Weightlifting and the Arnold Morning Weekend Review.


Westerville City Council has approved legislation that makes it illegal to text while driving. The new ordinance de-scribes this as use of an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication or otherwise interact with text-based internet content.

Westerville joins many other communities in Central Ohio and around the nation in an effort to address this major public safety issue by enacting what is commonly known as a “tex-ting and driving” ban.

As texting has increased in popularity and utilization, in-creases in traffic accidents and incidents have been directly correlated. Texting while driving is characterized as distract-ed driving, which is typically defined as driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. These activities – texting, talking on the phone, and eating – dramatically increase the risk of a motor vehicle crash.

According to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of adults ages 18-29 admit they text or e-mail while driving, having reported doing it at least once in the last 30 days. More than a quarter say they do it “regularly” or “fairly often” while driving.

The results are often tragic, resulting in more than damage

to vehicles in some traffic crashes. The CDC also reports that more than 15 people are killed and more than 1,200 people are injured each day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.

Experts say this type of driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. The Westerville Division of Police has posted infor-mation on social media accounts reminding drivers that talk-ing on the phone while driving is like driving with a .08 blood alcohol content, and texting while driving is twice that. Stud-ies consistently show that most people are unable to multi-task while driving.

“The bottom line is just choose your safety and that of oth-er drivers, and don’t attempt it,” said Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer. “Texting while driving is extremely danger-ous, and if that’s not enough of a deterrent, then know we’re going to cite drivers now.”

The Police Division will continue to build awareness on the dangers of distracted driving and potential penalties. Mean-while, the state of Ohio continues discussions on legislation that would enforce a texting while driving ban statewide. While the state House of Representative has introduced a bill, it is currently being discussed in the Senate. To view the Ordinance online, visit www.westerville.org.

Westerville Passes Distracted Driving Legislation

CityReporterNews & Information from the City of Westerville

w

ww

.wes

terv

ille

.org

www.westervillemagazine.com

News & Information from the City of Westerville

WēConnect® Community Data Center Open for Business

The nation’s first municipal community data center has of-ficially opened in our back yard. The WēConnect® commu-nity data center, five years in the making, began as a vision to bring the technology of the future to the City of Westerville.

The center serves as a connectivity hub – or data hotel of sorts – for local and regional business, offering world-class support for cloud computing, co-location, broadband ser-vices and server rack space and security. A carrier-neutral facility, the data center provides businesses of all sizes ac-cess to the most advanced technologies so that they can thrive locally but compete globally.

“The City has invested in a fiber backbone that spans the circumference of our corporate limits, and the data center is the physical building that makes Westerville a truly progres-sive community,” said Chief Information Officer Todd Jack-son. “It’s by choice, not chance, that Westerville can offer access to advanced infrastructure that supports our com-munity partners and businesses.”

Construction on the 16,000-square-foot facility was com-pleted last November, with the first business moving into space last December to take advantage of a suite of ser-vices designed to help local businesses grow. And by allow-ing businesses to offer their own services through the data center, Westerville plans to attract new business to the com-munity. It is part of the program meant to provide an edge to Westerville’s economic development efforts and bring or keep jobs in the community.

“This is an opportunity for businesses to have advan-tages to grow without increasing capital costs,” said Jason Bechtold, Westerville’s Economic Development Administra-tor. “What they save in time and money gets reinvested back

into their business and benefits the community as a whole.”

The data center is being managed by Data Recovery Servic-es (DRS), a Youngstown-based technology firm. The unique relationship between DRS and Westerville maintains the City-owned infrastructure (data center and fiber) while data center services are provided and managed by DRS and broadband services are provided by commercial carriers.

“We developed a model that leverages the strengths of both the public infrastructure and private service sectors in order to bring unmatched opportunities in both access and afford-ability,” said Jackson.

DRS, a regional provider of data center design and opera-tion services, worked with the City since the beginning of the data center’s planning stages.

“We’re excited about leveraging an award-winning service platform combined with the innovative thinking that the City has embraced to make Westerville a technology destination for businesses,” said DRS CEO Mike Meloy.

In WēConnect®, Westerville has created a distinctive at-traction that should appeal to businesses looking to start or looking to grow. “This is what we heard when we asked busi-nesses what they needed in Westerville in order to be a world-class destination for business,” said Jackson. “A community data center centralizes the technology, security and infrastruc-ture within a technology commons, enabling businesses of all sizes in and around our community to reduce costs of doing business and compete on a global level.”

The WēConnect® community data center will be formally dedicated in February. For information on the date and other upcoming events, please visit www.westerville.org.

10

11

w

ww

.wes

terv

ille

.org

Here’s to another 10 years!

The Westerville Community Center, one of the PROS-fund-ed projects, opened its doors November 2001. The Com-munity Center has helped to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for the citizens of Westerville by offering easy access to year-round recreational and leisure opportunities. Whether it’s sports, fitness, creative activities or just for fun and enter-tainment, the Westerville Community Center has something for everyone. Here are some fun facts:

• 4,598,450 visitors have come through the doors of the Westerville Community Center since its opening.

• 96,881 PASSport Members have participated in recre-ational programs.

• 2,093,188 people have participated in drop-in activi-ties, including the Leisure Pool, Gymnasium, Preschool Classes, Climbing Wall and much more.

• 2,159,725 people participated in hundreds of programs offered at the Westerville Community Center.

10 Years: Westerville Community Center

Earlier this summer, the City partnered with TechColumbus, Central Ohio’s regional entrepreneurial program, in order to spark ideas and create momentum for local entrepreneurs. At its core, the program helps advance technology-oriented ideas generated by entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Westerville community.

As part of the TechColumbus TechStart program, the effort focuses on accelerating successful development of startup and fledgling technology companies located or considering establishment in Westerville. By engaging local entrepreneurs with an array of targeted services and professional resources, the partnership expects to produce successful companies that create high-quality jobs in the community – all part of the City’s economic development goals.

“It’s a ‘contact sport’ to improve the chances of establish-ing successful technology businesses,” said Jason Bechtold, Westerville’s Economic Development Administrator. “This phase of the part-nership takes us through 2012, so the time is right for residents to bring their ideas to the table and find out to how to take them from concept to reality.”

The partnership also provides a local TechColumbus representative to ex-

clusively serve Westerville opportunities. This provides direct business assistance through one-on-one coaching, market-ing consultation, business plan development and guidance through capital investment and financing opportunities. Local entrepreneurs who engage are then integrated into the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem in Central Ohio.

Access to the program requires no cost to the entrepreneur. The first six months of the partnership has yielded technical assistance for 28 local technology-based startup companies, of which 21 have generated opportunities for expanded sup-port. The sectors of these companies include applied materi-als, information technology, health care/bioscience and clean energy/clean technology. In addition, entrepreneurs have had access to multiple networking and education programs.

Westerville and TechColumbus together intend to be a “one-stop” resource for business startup and development

opportunities. To get connected with resources and services, contact Jason Bechtold at (614) 901-6403 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about TechColum-bus, visit www.techcolumbus.org.

City Partners with TechColumbus for Entrepreneurial Engagement

“This phase of the partnership takes us through

2012, so the time is right for residents to bring their ideas to the table and find

out to how to take them from concept to reality.”

- Jason Bechtold



Pete Otteson Joins Westerville City Council

What inspired you to get involved in local government and run for a seat on Council?

I was and always have been interested in local government, and what’s involved in the process of running for Council. I took it on to meet with people and sit down and learn step-by-step what is involved and more about local issues. I’m motivated in general to be involved in the way we operate socially and culturally, so there’s always been a personal and educational interest in government for me.

How long have you lived in Westerville?My wife, Carol, and I have been in Westerville for more

than 30 years. I have two daughters who graduated from Westerville North. I’m originally from Alliance, in the Canton area. I was transferred here for work, to manage the opera-tions of Consolidated Freightways. At the time, I knew noth-ing about Westerville, but remember being impressed with the area when we drove through. We had originally put an offer on a house in Reynoldsburg, but someone else bid on the same house for full price. So, thankfully, we shopped elsewhere and have lived in Spring Grove all these years.

What else can you tell us about your background?I served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps on active and

reserve duty, and was awarded a Meritorious Mast in Japan with the first Marine Airwing for administrative duties. I also volunteer with AARP and the Senior Center doing income tax returns for senior citizens. And I work on a volunteer ba-sis with CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate), assist-ing Westerville families in need or crisis. We visit with the families and work with them to correct problems so they can become whole again. I’m also a member of the Westerville American Legion.

What do you believe the future holds for Westerville?That’s simple: nothing but positive things. I think we’re on

a good path, and my intention is to work to keep us on that

path. Westerville is financially in good shape, better than most cities, and our community is strong and supportive when it comes to progress.

How would you encourage a member of the community to get involved in order to have their best experience in Westerville?

In terms of community service, do like I did and start from zero and move forward. I took petitions out to learn, and ended up with the great opportunity to serve on Council. In terms of enjoying the community, there’s a tightly-knit fam-ily environment available here. People often don’t have the time to be involved in everything that comes their way. But I would always recommend residents come out to events and take advantage of programs in order to enjoy a pretty sound quality of life here.

What are your hobbies and interests?My doctor says to keep your brain working, so I like to stay

busy. For me, I love to walk, which is about five miles a day. I also have a strong love for animals, and like to engage with the wildlife around our home. We’ll put corn out for the ducks and squirrels, and watch them.

Do you have a personal philosophy?It’s not quite a philosophy, but I try to live life by identifying

problems and looking for solutions. I think there is value in being able to talk to people and negotiate without arguing or meeting an impasse.

What is the last good book you read?I listen to audiobooks, usually about current affairs or his-

tory. I recently finished Nothing to Fear about FDR, and Bob Woodward’s The War Within.

Are you a New Year’s Resolution maker?I make a few “resolutions” every Sunday morning at church.

Pete Otteson was interested in the educational process one might experience while running for a position in local government when he initially ex-plored the idea of serving on Westerville City Coun-cil. After spending his entire career in business man-agement, it was the opportunity to learn more that attracted him to this form of community service. On December 1, Otteson was sworn in to begin his first term on Council.


The seventh annual Westerville Community Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration centers on celebrating and restoring hope in a time when economic uncertainties and social conflicts remain prominent on the world stage. The Dream Lives on: A Tribute to Hope was established as this year’s theme in an effort to create a living example of Dr. King’s belief in hope for stronger, more united communities.

The morning celebration will take place on Monday, Jan. 16 at 8 a.m., featuring entertain-ment, song, guest speakers and recognitions for student and community leaders who em-body the ideals of Dr. King. The annual Alston Award, named in honor of Miriam Alston and the group of slaves she freed who traveled to the Westerville area in 1859, will be awarded to a member of the community who has dem-onstrated the characteristics of Dr. King – toler-ance, respect, kindness, bravery and tenacity – and who respects differences in others and will take action when he or she sees an injustice. Two Westerville City Schools stu-dents will be named 2012 Fouse Award recipients, an honor named after William H. Fouse, the first black graduate of Westerville Public Schools and Otterbein University.

Featured presenter Valarie Holmes will present a dramatic interpretation of the relevance of Dr. King’s dream and en-during messages of hope and determination. Holmes is a historian from Newport News, Va., and regularly performs in re-enactments in Colonial Williamsburg. For the first time in the Celebration’s history, an honorary co-chair has been named to represent local commitments to charity, hope and giving. Scott Marier, Executive Director of WARM (Wester-ville Area Resource Ministry), will be recognized in this new role.

Additionally, in its annual tradition of continuing the cel-ebration throughout the day, Otterbein University will host service projects through its “Day On” community service program. Breakfast attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in a “Messages of Hope” campaign to benefit soldiers of the Ohio National Guard 684 Medical Unit, cur-rently serving in Afghanistan. The Unit, which formerly oper-ated out of the Armory located in Uptown Westerville, was officially adopted by the community earlier this year. Each attendee can write a hope-based message of thanks, in-spiration or encouragement that will be sent to the men and women currently serving our country.

Presented by Leadership Westerville, the breakfast cel-ebration registration prices are $20 per adult and $10 per student. Businesses may sponsor a table for $250, which includes 10 breakfast registrations and the recognition as a table sponsor in the event program.

The event is being held at the Villa Milano Banquet & Con-ference Center (1630 Schrock Rd.). Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at 8 a.m. For more information, please visit the event site on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestervilleMLK.

w

ww

.wes

terv

ille

.org

Hope Featured as Theme of 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

3,851 Cubic yards of leaves were collected in

the 2011 leaf collection program.

2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast


Wes t e r v i l l e C i t y Coun c i l(Back Left-Right) Craig Treneff, L. Pete Otteson, Vice Chair Larry Jenkins, Vice Mayor Diane Fosselman(Front Left-Right) Chairman Michael Heyeck, Mayor Kathy Cocuzzi, Jenifer French

C i t y Manage rDave Collinsworth


Follow your City of Westerville accounts on Twitter:All-City news and information: @tellwestervilleWesterville Electric Division: @WvilleElectricWesterville Parks & Recreation: @WestervillePark Westerville Division of Police: @WestervillePD

Important Phone NumbersFIRE/MEDICAL/POLICE EMERGENCY 9-1-1

Gas/Carbon Monoxide Leaks 9-1-1

Fire, non-life threatening emergency 614-882-2213

Police, non-life threatening emergency 614-882-7444

Community Affairs 614- 901-6411

City Manager’s Office 614-901-6400 TDD 614-901-6413

www.westerville.org

The Westerville community – including the City, schools, citizens, businesses, service clubs and others – will host its third annual concert, the Jukebox Revue, to benefit Honor Flight Columbus on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2:30 p.m. at Westerville Central High School. Proceeds from the event will benefit the 2012 community-sponsored Honor Flight, a program honoring veterans of World War II with a guided tour of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The show is produced each year in the tradition of The Ed Sullivan Show, featuring musicians, bands, dancers, singers and other entertainers. Granville piano prodigy, 8-year-old Gavin George, will make his third appearance as a featured performer. This year’s concert introduces local entertainer Eric Gnezda as MC.

Tickets for the event are available at Westerville City Hall (second floor) or by calling (614) 523-6800. Prices are $20 general admission and $10 senior, child or veteran. World War II veterans are admitted free of charge. For more informa-tion, visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westerville-forhonorflight.

The 2011 flight will be the fourth the community of Wester-ville has sponsored, with the last three flights sending more than 300 World War II veterans to the nation’s capital for their day of honor.

About Honor Flight ColumbusHonor Flight Columbus honors and celebrates veterans by

flying them to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials dedicated to their important service. Veterans of WWII are provided this tour of honor at no charge. For more information on the Honor Flight, please visit www.honorflightcolumbus.org.

Jukebox Revue to Kick Off 2012 Community-Sponsored Honor Flight

Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/cityofwesterville

Delicious though the product may be, the Rosses

wanted to give more to the Westerville com-munity than just frozen yogurt.

Their local Orange Leaf franchise, 750 N. State St., opened in June. The frozen yogurt company offers a self-serve operation – customers can get their fro-yo straight from the dispenser and choose their own top-pings from the topping bar. The store offers 16 yogurt flavors per day, and the number of toppings tops 50.

But mother-and-son team Maureen and Brandon Ross – who co-own the franchise with partner Mike Jones – decided to go a step further when it comes to serving the community. Westerville is a closely-knit community, and they wanted their business to be about more than just making money.

Just a month after opening, they es-tablished Fund-Day Mondays. Every

Monday, the store offers 20 percent of its proceeds to a worthy local cause.

The concept proved very popular, very quickly among community mem-bers – to the point that, while the name remains intact, the Rosses no longer limit the effort to one day a week.

“We actually had to go to Tuesday and Wednesday too,” Maureen says.

Organizations apply directly to the store’s franchise owners for con-sideration, and since July, Fund-Day Monday has helped raise money for PTAs, sports teams, youth groups, so-rorities and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. It has also helped purchase a wheel-chair ramp for a little girl with cystic fibrosis and raised money for a cause in Cambodia, among a huge assort-ment of other causes.

“We were booked all the way into February by August,” Brandon says.

In October, the store partnered with Komen Columbus to offer 20 percent of all Sunday proceeds to the orga-nization. The endeavor raised about $2,800 to aid local efforts to increase awareness of breast cancer. The store will repeat the promotion in May.

Franchisees are committed to supporting community causes


Fro-Yo Flavored Fundraisingfaces By Garth Bishop

Maureen and Brandon Ross


Franchisees are committed to supporting community causesFro-Yo Flavored Fundraising

Even a small amount can make a huge difference to a smaller organization in need of a boost, Brandon says.

Whether it’s the popularity of the fro-yo or the commitment to fundraising, Wester-ville has responded well to its Orange Leaf. The store was actually the top-selling franchise in the country for a time, an im-pressive feat considering Orange Leaf has close to 200 franchises in 28 states.

“Our line was out the door for three hours every day for two to three months,” says Maureen.

The Rosses and Jones are all Westerville residents.

Maureen is no stranger to business in Westerville – she owned Nature’s Collec-tions for more than 10 years and was also owner of Infusion dance studio. Brandon, who was in vacation real estate prior to opening Orange Leaf, is an avid Buck-eyes fan and outdoorsman. Jones is an attorney.

Interested in setting up a fundraiser of your own? Call 614-898-5323 for more information.

Garth Bishop is editor of Wester-ville Magazine. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

“Like” Westerville Magazine

on Facebook!Community informationContestsGiveaways and More!


The Westerville Sunrise Rotary is hop-ing the community shows up in droves for this year’s Wendy’s Chili Open.

The annual fundraiser for central Ohio children’s charities, organized by the lo-cal Sunrise Rotary, is slated for Feb. 4 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It will run from noon to 5 p.m.

This will be the third year the Open has been held at the zoo, having moved from the Anheuser Busch headquarters on Schrock Road in 2010. It was a good move, says event chairman Pat Kemmer: Revenues increased by 22 percent in 2010 and by 24 percent in 2011.

“Even though we had 14 inches of snow on the day of the event (in 2010), over 2,000 people attended,” Kemmer says.

Last year was even better. More than 2,500 people attended and more than $200,000 was raised through individ-ual and corporate sponsors, donations, live and silent auctions, and ticket sales.

The Rotary hopes to realize than $250,000 from this year’s event, which will be the 16th annual, Kemmer says.

“As a service organization, the abil-ity of our club to serve the community is directly related to how much money we can raise, and this event has allowed our club to do many great things and support several deserving causes,” says Kemmer. “As our largest fundraiser and signature event, the Chili Open is also one of the largest one-day Rotary Club-sponsored fundraising events in the country.”

Beneficiaries of this year’s Open will include Children’s Hunger Alliance, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Flying Horse Farms, the Dave Thomas Founda-tion for Adoption, the Special Care Nurs-ery at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, Ohio Troopers Caring Inc. and the Westerville Area Resource Ministry. Charities are chosen each year by the Rotary founda-tion’s board of directors.

Kemmer’s favorite part of the Chili Open, he says, is the celebration break-fast, at which checks are handed to the charities.

“I enjoy attending, because I know that the efforts of hundreds of volunteers come to fruition in an event that is now a signa-

ture charity fundraiser in central Ohio,” he says. “It is very rewarding to see all the people having such a good time in the middle of winter in an environment where there is something for everyone at-tending to enjoy.”

This year’s Open will look a lot like pre-vious years’, but Kemmer hopes to see attendance grow even further.

“We are expanding the areas of the event to handle larger volumes of at-tendees and positioning the event for significant future growth in future years,” he says.

Tickets cost $25 in advance online at www.wendyschiliopen.com and $30 at the gate the day of the event. Children 12 and under are free.

Tickets include admission to the zoo, all-you-can eat food, drinks, promotional items and entertainment by local cover band the Debits. A silent auction and raffles will also be part of the day’s fun.

Though a casual observer might be tempted to think Wendy’s chili is the only highlight of the food menu, such an impression would not do the event

A Chili ReceptionBy Gail Martineau

Wendy’s Chili Open returns for the benefit of children’s charities


justice; a sizable variety of restaurants contrib-ute to the day’s dining. Providing the snacks will be Wendy’s, Bel-Lago Waterfront Bistro, Nicole’s Catering, the Old Bag of Nails, City Barbeque, the Spaghetti Warehouse, CaJohn’s Flavor and Fire, and many more.

Back again this year is the Children’s Open, which will feature live animals, a bounce house, pizza, crafts, miniature golf, Wii games and more.

Jack Hanna will return as honorary chairman of the Chili Open.

Gail Martineau is a contributing writer. Feed-back welcome at [email protected].

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Director Emeritus Jack Hanna serves as honorary chairman

of the Chili Open.

Wendy’s Chili OpenFeb. 4, 2012

12 p.m. - 5 p.m.


in focus By Duane St. Clair

Walk Like aWeekly walks pay big dividends to physical health

In 2005, a Westerville cardiologist de-cided to take 30 minutes of each week to lead a free, voluntary, 30-minute walk,

accompanied by some doctorly advice.Six years later, Dr. David Sabgir’s program

has taken on a life of its own.It was, as they say, “just what the doctor

ordered” for Westerville financial adviser Jon Volpi. For two years, he has been among the throngs who “Walk with a Doc,” a program that’s underway now in 45 communities na-tionwide and which will be available in at least 73 next year.

Sabgir was discouraged by the frequency with which his patients would listen to him advocate for the health benefits of walking and active living, promise to follow his ad-vice on the way out of his office, then never follow through.

So he posted a simple sign in his office: “Let’s walk.”

As word spread to potential participants, Sabgir was hoping for an attendance level of 30 to 35 people at Sharon Woods Met-ro Park. His plan: a quick meet-and-greet, a brief talk – “I can tell when people are getting ants in their pants and it’s time for me to shut up,” he says – and a subsequent half-hour, at-your-own-pace walk. Sabgir hoped the 30 minutes would help attendees reach a goal of 150 minutes of walking per week.

He was nearly overwhelmed when 101 people showed up on that early spring day in April. The unexpected turnout quickly sent Sabgir a message about the importance of what he was offering.

It was as clear as day, he says: “You know what you have. You have to keep it up.”

So for that year, he spent each week meeting a varying number of people for a walk-and-talk, all organized and financed by Sabgir. The cost included healthy snacks, such as fruit and granola bars, and pedometers.

Sabgir considered joining forces with a potential food sponsor, but opted not to and dropped the walks in 2006. The up-shot was that “We lost the trust of some people who felt ‘You abandoned me,’ ” he says. So he started it back up in 2007 with some financial support from pharma-ceutical companies.

In the meantime, word spread about the acceptance among participants who were thrilled with the free medical discussions – not to mention the camaraderie that abounds on the walks – and other doctors and physi-cal fitness organizations, among others, sought information about the walks.

Word reached the Cleveland Clinic, and a staff director there organized a walk, which led to others in that area. The repu-

Physician

Dr. David Sabgir


Walk Like atation of the walks continued to circulate by way of medical associations, physicians, health agencies and individual participants. Sabgir continued providing information and organizational help through his office and at his expense.

In 2009, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield gave Sabgir a grant that allowed him to open a headquarters and hire an executive director, Kathryn Stephens – an Otterbein Col-lege graduate, Westerville resident and moth-er of two young sons. The office is a building near Mt. Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital. Sabgir, a hospital staff member, has his office in the adjacent building.

Thanks to the annual Antrim grants and other support, the office provides a “tool kit” to those who want to start a walk program. It contains information, posters, guidelines to be followed, pedometers and even prescrip-tion pads with pre-printed invitations to walk, which physicians can hand out to patients. Sabgir still pays for the website.

Sabgir, a 41-year-old father of two, works out daily – swimming, biking or running. He’s quick to point out that simply walking regularly can help prevent strokes, heart attacks, dia-betes and various forms of cancer, as well as reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to name just a few benefits.

While obesity is the most common problem

Physician


walkers have, Sabgir says, “Ninety-five percent of the people we see are under 150 minutes a week” being active. Re-cently, Sabgir attended an American Heart Association scientific conference in Orlando, Fla., where he heard numerous reports about research into genetics and related physiological traits, seeking clues for cures for all sorts of diseases.

He wasn’t especially impressed.“We have a miracle drug (walking, ex-

ercise) right in front of us,” Sabgir says. “Let’s do this instead of spending a bazil-lion bucks” on endless research for cures.

In the Westerville area, Sabgir weekly meets a group that ranges in size from 10 to 200 people, depending on the weather, in Highbanks Metro Park. Dur-ing the winter, that group, one from the Westerville Community Recreation Center and two others in northern Franklin County meet each Saturday at the Polaris Fashion Place mall before it opens.

Other groups meet in Tuttle and East-land malls, Stephens says, while a Grove City group walks outdoors year round. Sabgir goes to about 42 walks a year.

For indoor sessions, doctors from the other groups rotate as leaders. Sabgir attends no matter who’s leading, though. Stephens, also physically active, visits var-ious groups to become acquainted and join the walks.

Walkers go at their own speed. Some can walk “only five minutes.” Participants are urged to walk as fast as they can and still carry on a conversation, so speeds vary and are not set in stone. Nor is dis-tance. It’s time that matters, Sabgir says.

Volpil serves as a prime example of the effect the program can have on people who are inactive, ailing or overweight.

“I was in poor health, I am overweight. I have heart disease and diabetes,” says Volpi, 65. “Since I started the program (two years ago), I have lost 40 pounds and have, by doctors’ orders, stopped taking two medications.”

Volpi sometimes walks a while before Saturday sessions, and usually afterward as well. As a result, “endurance and vitals have improved,” Volpi says. In addition, he tries to take 10,000 steps during the week. Walk with a Doc has made a huge difference in his outlook, he says.

“I have found doctors who believe in working with people at no cost to help them stay and get better,” says Volpi.

Volpi’s not short on praise for Sabgir, ei-ther. “He provides education, inspiration to help people,” Volpi says. “He’s very encouraging. It’s a tremendous program.”

Not everyone who participates starts in less-than-optimal health. Anne VanBuskirk of Westerville has joined most weekly out-ings, but she walked regularly before they started.

“I am a distance walker, having com-pleted four marathons and about 18 half-marathons,” VanBuskirk says. “I really enjoy the social aspect of the walks and the opportunity for people to get medical information to which they might not other-wise be exposed. The message is terrific – to help people be more proactive about their health in a non-threatening, non-judg-mental environment.”

For more information on the program, visit www.walkwithadoc.org.

Duane St. Clair is a contribut-ing editor. Feedback welcome at [email protected].


living Story and Photography By Lisa Aurand

Well DoneWellness company owner’s home gym keeps herin shape

When former Fusion Fit-ness and Wellness stu-

dio owner Katy Henn closed up shop in Uptown Wester-ville, she sold most of her equipment.

But the sentimental and monetary value of her Pilates Reformer machines made it impossible for her to give up her last two.

“I had a small business in Westerville doing personal training, yoga, Pilates classes and when I closed it to … focus on my other business, I sold off some of it,” Henn says. “But my husband and I had invested a lot, and we knew we would use it and it’s really convenient.”

Fortunately, she knew right where to put them – in the 800-square-foot base-

ment rec room of her new house on Af-rica Road. After moving into the house in May 2010, Katy and her husband, Bryan, only needed to slap a coat of paint on the basement walls and replace the flooring before moving in their own equipment to turn the downstairs den into a well-appointed home gym.

“We painted, we changed the floor-ing. It was carpeted before, and that just pulls all the dirt and traffic,” Katy says. “The space we use is kind of interesting because if it wasn’t where our workout equipment is, I don’t know what it would be. I don’t know what someone would use it for, so now it has a purpose.”

The L-shaped room is split into two parts. The eastern side, with sliding glass doors that open out to the Henns’ drive-way, has a desk where Bryan can work from home, a couch and a television.


Well DoneBryan uses the TV to follow along with the P90X extreme home workout DVDs, while Katy prefers yoga videos.

The western half of the room has a bar up against one wall with cabinets where the couple store medicine balls, weighted plates and resistance bands and tubes. It also does double duty as a coffee bar for their Keurig coffee maker – perfect placement, as it’s within arm’s reach to the right of Katy’s desk. Katy works from home as the CEO of Well-ness Collective, a consulting firm that helps companies develop their own well-ness programs.

To her left, the two remaining Reform-ers are a constant reminder for Katy to keep up with her fitness routine.

“I would say I’m down here (to work out) not as much as my husband,” she says. “I work out for my job, so I’m work-


ing out all day long. I especially used this space on maternity leave to help me get ready to go back to work, so I’m probably just down here a couple days a week.”

Having two Reformers is a boon when Katy has a friend over or when she can talk Bryan into working out with her.

“I like to get him on the Pilates equip-ment with me so I can show him all the things he can work on,” she says. “It’s really fun to work out together. We like to do that. It’s sometimes challenging with our schedules. He comes down in the morning. I come down whenever I can.”

The Reformers provide a full-body workout and offer a variety of exercise options. “It’s such a phenomenal work-out. It’s a great piece of equipment. Some people liken it to a total body gym; you can pretty much do every-thing on it,” Katy says. “You can get resistance training and flexibility train-ing and a little bit of an elevated heart

rate all in one workout.”A water cooler, a BOSU Ball and

a full rack of dumbbells ranging from three to 50 pounds round out the Henns’ home gym. “I feel fortunate to have this space, for sure,” Katy says, but even a small space with less equip-ment can be as effective in motivating wellness.

“I would encourage other people to invest a little bit of time and money in carving out their own space in their home dedicated to health and well-ness, because a lot of people try to use a little corner of their basement, and because it’s not the most pleasant envi-ronment, they don’t want to go down there and use it,” she says. “It’s worth figuring all that out so you can have the convenience of having it in your own home. That sort of takes out the excuse of ‘I couldn’t get to the gym.’”

Lisa Aurand is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

“I would encourage other people to invest a little bit of time and money in

carving out their own space in their home dedicated to health and wellness...”


Brazilicious

The tasty pastries of a Brazilian baker are offering all of the goodness with none of the gluten.

Westerville resident Daiane Bobka started Rio Delights in May, shop-ping her exotic, home-baked offerings around at farmers’ markets, as well as at Celebrate Local, an Easton Town Center store. Rio Delights baked goods are all-natural, gluten-free and, in many cases, lactose-free and vegan.

Those options are not new in Brazil-ian cuisine, which emphasizes a wide range of natural flavors.

Gluten-free products are continuing to gain popularity in central Ohio, and Bobka, who has lived with Brazil-ian cooking all her life, saw an invit-ing opening in the market. She hopes to eventually open her own storefront

to answer central Ohioans’ desire for healthful and special dietary foods.

“Some people need to eat differently, and some people just want to try some-thing new or healthy,” Bobka says. “No matter what, we have delicious foods for every type of person.”

Bobka’s specialties include cocadas, muffin-shaped coconut sweets; biscoi-tos de polhilvos, miniature cookies; corn bread; sesame seed sticks; and cheese and potato bread. She also of-fers up an assortment of bonbons, with varieties including Brigadeiro (choco-late chip), Coconut Kiss, Samba (wal-nut), Caipirinha (lime), Copacabana Café (chocolate with coffee) and Bossa Nova (chocolate with walnuts).

For now, Rio Delights is a one-woman business operating from a home kitch-

en, but Bobka plans to keep looking for cafes and restaurants to sell her prod-ucts so she can have a presence in as many more places.

Though Rio Delights’ No. 1 offering is baked goods, Bobka has an impres-sive library of Brazilian recipes, includ-ing a passionfruit mousse that can be enjoyed even by those whose diets for-bid gluten and eggs.

More information on Rio Delights, including ordering, can be found at www.riodelights.com.

Tyler Davis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

on the table By Tyler Davis


INGREDIENTS:• 1 cup sweetened con-

densed milk• 1 cup cream• 1 cup passion fruit juice• Pulp of 2 medium passion

fruits• 1 cup water• ½ cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:Pass passion fruits through a

sieve until you fill one cup with juice. Blend together condensed milk, cream and passionfruit juice until the ingredients are mixed. Place mixture in a bowl.

Reduce pulp, water and sugar on a stove for about 20 minutes until formed into a syrup.

Brazilicious

Passion Fruit Mousse

Westerville baker serves up all-natural goodies


American College of Sports Medicine Complete Guide to Fitness & Health By Barbara BushmanSeeking to achieve and maintain good health through the years? The Ameri-can College of Sports Medicine provides the latest research, advice and recommenda-tions you can trust.

Fitness Illustrated By Brian Sharkey You’ll see exercise from a new per-spective as Sharkey takes you inside each activity to learn what works, what doesn’t and why. Discover how your body changes with increased activity.

The Strong Women’s Guide to Total Health By Miriam E. Nelson and Jennifer Ackerman Dr. Nelson reveals preventive measures that can be taken now to avoid health problems down the road. “Strong” means optimizing your potential for health and well-being.

Unlimited: How to

Build an Exceptional Life By Jillian Michaels The Biggest Loser celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels shares a three-part motiva-tional program for overcoming mental obstacles to fitness endeavors.

Stretch (Picture Book)By Doreen Cronin The playful pup from Wiggle and Bounce hops into this bright, colorful rhyming book, inviting the preschool set to stretch in fun ways – to ride a breeze, grab a snack from a tree or catch a wave.

Gym Candy (Teen Fiction)By Carl Deuker Mick Johnson prac-tices hard and takes vitamin supplements, but can’t resist a trainer’s offer of “gym candy,” or steroids, to give him an edge. Action is balanced with food for thought in this gripping sports novel.

The Do It Myself Kids’ Cookbook: Nothing Sharp, Nothing Hot (Juvenile Nonfiction)By Laurie Goldrich Wolf From ranch dress-ing to raspberry lemonade, these 45 recipes are illustrated with step-by-step drawings and photos that guide even the youngest cook.

Crunch (Juvenile Fiction)By Leslie Connor Fourteen-year-old Dewey and his older sister have been en-trusted with running the family bike shop. As the nation’s gas pumps are about to run dry, everyone soon will need a bike. Can Dewey handle the crunch?

Youth Reads

Adult Reads

The Westerville Public Library126 S. State St. • Phone: 614-882-7277 • www.westervillelibrary.orgMon.-Thurs.: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sun.: closed.

bookmarks From the Westerville Public Library

westerville magazine

Documents