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Dion Lack: From The DYT To Hollywood

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Dion Lack in the famous Doritos commercial.

You all saw it. The hilarious Dion Lack Doritos Commercial (see below) that aired during the 2010 Super Bowl. The one where the cute kid pimp slaps a grown man for dating his Mom and eating his Doritos. Here’s where things get interesting. The adult male in the commercial is from Dayton. And his name is Dion Lack.

Dion has been in the entertainment business as an actor/comedian for eleven years. And as you can guess, his career got a nice boost from the Doritos ad. Lack took some time out of his busy schedule to talk about what he’s been working on, and life as a Dayton transplant living in La La (Los Angeles)

Greg Simms Jr.: The Doritos commercial. That made a lot of noise when it aired. How did that come about?

Dion Lack: “Yeah, the commercial was surprisingly a HUGE success. It came about from a buddy of mine that I worked with as an extra on the set of Fast Furious 4. He approached me a couple months prior with the idea and we collaborated and made it come to life. A lot of people thought I came up with the commercial because I have my own production company. (LackToast Entertainment) but I was just the actor in it.”

 

G.S.: What was the response to the commercial (from your perspective)? How did the commercial affect your career?

D.L.: “My honest opinion, I didn’t think it was that funny but I kept getting rave reviews from my surroundings that made me fall in love with it. I praise God for the commercials buzz because it had definitely got me a lot of acting and writing jobs that boasted my drive to be more successful.”

G.S.: You are from the Dayton area. when did you move to California? And why?

D.L.: “Yes I’m a proud Dayton native! I was born and raised in Dayton View and moved to Los Angeles in 2001. I came out here to act and was forced to get into the stand-up comedy world. Which I do not regret. Comedy has been my best move yet as far as networking and growing.”

G.S.: Obviously, you are a comedian. When did you know you wanted to pursue this career? And why?

D.L.: “Like I said on the previous answer, I’ve done comedy in high school but never thought I would pursue it as a career. When my family and folks got word I was in L.A., people started hooking me up with the right people that were already established for encouragement and motivation. I slid in just fine and performed and traveled with some of the greats. ”

G.S.: How often do you perform stand-up comedy?

D.L.: “That’s kind of a hard question seeing that I do open mics all the time to try out new jokes. Just like exercising, comedy is a muscle you need to workout. But I average about four scheduled comedy performances a week.”

G.S.: Have you been to the Dayton area lately?

D.L.: “No I haven’t been in back home since April of 2011. Which was a Redemption Comedy show at the RTA Center. It was a lot of fun with my Good Comedian Comrades Mark Gregory, Nate Washington, Will Speed, and produced by Terrance Dorsey. ”

G.S.: If you had to talk to any Dayton area up and coming entertainers, what you tell them?

D.L.: “Dayton is a small market and you can easily be unmotivated because there’s not a lot of encouraging people inspiring your dream. Please stay encouraged!!! Surprise yourself and allow you to be your only competition. Don’t follow and compare someone else’s success with the speed of yours because it will always frustrate you. Everything you do in life should make your life better. ”

G.S.: Do you have anything that you are working on currently?

D.L.: “I am always working on something. I have a Comedy CD that I’m working on which is full of pranks, sketches and most importantly comedy! It will be complete in the Fall of 2012.
I’m working on a fantasy trilogy that was inspired by my oldest daughter a few years ago. Its an analogy novel that I’ve done intense research on and been working on the 3 simultaneously for almost a year now. The working title is Boats which should be complete early Winter.
Like I said on my previous answer, I’ve developed a production company (www.LackToastEnt.com) with my Best Friend Twilla Tanyi. We provide full service to help anyone bring out that vision they have on paper. We’ve done skits, short films, Reality shows, sketches, commercials etc. Check out our new YouTube page (www.Youtube.com/TheLackToastEnt.com)Also, you can follow us on Twitter : @LackToastEnt, and
“Like” us on Facebook : LackToast Entertainment”

G.S.: What is your ultimate goal?

D.L.: “My ultimate goal is to live out all my dreams with no regrets. If I say I’m going to do it, it will be done! I want to be an example of “It Can Be Done!” I don’t cut corners and try to inspire the people around me to stay encouraged. And I will leave you with this: don’t allow money to be your motivation. God Over Money!”

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qIkou5oNXo’]

My Mother…Myself Part 3

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Thank you to Kristi and Mary for sharing their stories. Both of these ladies are very special to me. Kristi has become one of my biggest supporters and is the sweetest woman you can meet not to mention a true beauty 🙂 Mary and I go way back to junior high. I was lucky enough to spend alot of time with both her and her mother especially on one very fun vacation to Alabama! I can attest that her mother is trully beautiful and is one lady that I have never forgotten.

Mary

I remember my mother as being a bit of a hippie when I was a young child.  I don’t remember her spending more than 5 minutes putting make-up on, or spending time putting outfits together, or obsessing over how her hair looked before she went into public.   I actually can only remember her owning 2 pairs of shoes at that time, a white pair of knock-off Keds and a pair of flip-flops.   And yet, I remember thinking how beautiful she was and how I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.  Then, at the beginning of my teen years, she took a job at a cosmetic counter of all places.  I remember her asking me for my magazines so she could get tips on how to put make-up on and even had me showing her how I did it.  She became a natural over the years at both selling and applying cosmetics.  Throughout high school my friends and I would take full advantage of the free makeovers for our school dances, and then as we got older, for their weddings too.   Yet still, even as I saw my mom embrace this new world of aesthetic merchandising, I still always thought she was such a beautiful woman no matter what and how lucky I was to even resemble her.

Now at 30, I realize exactly why my mother was always so beautiful no matter what she did and why she continues to be even more so to this day, and that is because she exudes it from within.  Her heart is bigger than the universe and her love fills it to the brim.  Everyone that knows her or has known her can’t help but to fall in love with her.   My mother taught me by example that whether you exude beauty naturally or you do the things that all of us women do to ourselves to portray that beauty that we all have and feel from within, it is the heart of a woman that is truly beautiful.  Thank you Mama for teaching and showing me by example the true meaning of beauty, I will be a lucky girl to become half the truly beautiful woman that you are.

Kristi

I have been blessed in this life to have the love and support of both my beautiful mom and her mother, my grandma. They both taught me and still teach me daily about true beauty.
From my mom I have learned most importantly to be kind and considerate to others, which really makes a person beautiful from the inside out. As far as physical appearances, she taught me the art of shopping LONG ago! We would drive 3 hours just to go “school shopping,” (my small home town had and still has no mall to speak of!) We had to make our trips count and she taught me the fine art of “mixing and matching,” wearing, for example, one nice sweater in a variety of ways, from casual to more dressy…a skill I have to this day.

Her mom, my grandmother has always been one of my most favorite people in the world. Ironically, we lost her yesterday so when Michelle asked me to write a few paragraphs about Mother’s Day and beauty, I had to include my grandmother. She taught me to always wear a smile, which is the best accessory ever. She also taught be to love others and never hold a grudge against anyone, true beauty. I miss you Grandma and flying to Seattle in just a few hours and not having you there waiting for me just makes me miss you even more.

I hope I can carry onwhat these 2 ladies continue to teach me about “beauty.”

My Mother….Myself Part 2

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In this multi part series I will be posting local women’s stories about how they have been inspired by their Mother’s beauty advice. Thank you to all the ladies who sent in submissions. I am so excited and honored to share these beautiful stories.

 

Ashley

When I think back to my earliest memories of my Mom, I always remember how glamorous she was (and still is by the way!)  She and my Dad had date night every week and it was clear she loved the process of getting “pretty” almost as much as going out!  She would spend 2 hours taking a long bath, putting on her make-up, doing her hair, and picking out the perfect outfit.  I remember very fondly watching at her make-up counter as she would meticulously apply Chanel make-up to her face, thinking “Wow, I can’t wait to do that one day too!”.  Sometimes she would put a little on me and I used to think I was a movie star!

 

Today, I’ve inherited this same ritual (unfortunately for my husband, a love for Chanel came along…), but it wasn’t just about watching my Mom make herself more beautiful on the outside that made these memories so fond.  It was here, at this make-up counter, that she would teach me big life lessons: what it means to be a good person, how to pick and choose your battles, how to deal with heartbreak, how to problem solve and think critically…..and the list goes on and on.

Her make-up counter was my classroom for life and for beauty!  I, one day, hope to do the same with my daughter!  We no longer live in the same state so I, unfortunately, can’t sit next to her every time she does her make-up and ask inquisitive question about life. I can, however, call my Mom while we both do our make-up and pick up right where we left off!  25 years later, and I’m still learning big lessons from my Mom…..and I wouldn’t’ have it any other way!  I love you Mom. Happy Mother’s day!

Lea

What I learned from my mom was to see & appreciate beauty in life. She’s an early childhood expert and my favorite activity she teaches is to get paint sample cards for preschoolers and have them compare colors to their skin so they aren’t black or white but are beautiful colors like creamy hazelnut or sunset peach, encouraging everyone to appreciate their own skin. She constantly read us poetry and encouraged us to appreciate the beauty of the words and to learn to use our own vocabularies to create beautiful descriptions of our feelings. My mother is an accomplished world traveler; I have tried to follow in her footsteps despite my many irrational fears of airplanes and being more than 10 minutes from a Target; but, I have seen some of the most beautiful places like the rain forests in Costa Rica and the endless sand dunes under a star lit sky in Dubai thanks to her encouragement to appreciate the beauty of the world.

She taught me that my own beauty will shine through when I feel most fulfilled and happy. She taught me that if I love and respect myself, other will love and respect me. She taught me that beauty is so much more than looking pretty, but that it is being able to laugh at myself, being generous to a fault, helping others without judgment or expecting anything in return, and always appreciating what I have been given.

I have never felt more beautiful than on my wedding day. Yes, I was perfectly glammed up and had done more crunches the preceding months that I ever thought possible, but I felt beautiful because I was facing the man I am going to spend forever with, and I knew that even if I never shaved my legs again, or stopped wearing mascara, he would still love me unconditionally for the rest of my life. Without my mom’s teaching I never would have felt such confidence in my own beauty to find such wonderful love.

Want to read more?  My Mother…Myself Part 3

Hunks in Heels Race for a Good Cause

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Photo by Andy Snow

Clothes That Work presents its fifth annual “Hunks In Heels” fundraising event on Saturday, May 12, at The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek. Nearly 100 men will become “Hunks” as they don a pair of high heels and race around The Greene in support of the women in their lives.

“Hunk” racers will participate as individuals and teams. There will be approximately 10 Racing Heats. Each Heat winner will participate in the Final race in a heated competition to be named Hunks In Heels Race Champion.

In addition to Racers, the winner and runners-up of the Hunks in Heels, Best Legs Online Competition will be revealed. In this contest, local men slipped on heels, had their photos taken and then pranced around the Wine Loft to garner voters at a Kick-Off Party in April. Since then, their photos have been posted on the Clothes That Work website where they have been campaigning for votes of $5 each which will also raise money for the organization.

Clothes That Work, Executive Director, Lindsay Ackley says about the event, “I have so much respect for the men in our community who are willing to step into a pair of heels to honor a woman in their life and help a job seeker put their best foot forward. Hunks In Heels participants raise awareness for Clothes That Work programs and generate funds that provide area job seekers with interview appropriate clothing and image coaching. What an amazing gift to give to a man, woman or teen who is hoping to make their one and only first impression count!”

Event festivities start Saturday at 1:00 as the “ hunks” select their running heels. Races begin at 2:00 with the award ceremony starting around 3:15. There is still time to become a Hunk; men can register onsite for a $100 donation. A team of 5 men can register for a $400 donation and a team of 10 for $700. All fees are fully tax deductible.

Event emcees are Jim Bucher of WDTN, and Hunks in Heels Committee Member Lisa Grigsby of Dayton Most Metro & ARC Ohio.  DMM publisher Bill Pote will also be running in his second year!

For more information about the event or to cast a last minute vote for a Best Legs Hunk, visit: www.clothesthatwork.org. Voting for the Best Legs Competition closes at Midnight tonight!

(Submitted by Clothes that Work)

 

My Mother…..Myself

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Michelle Drake Richardson

Admiration may be the perfect word to describe how I feel about my mom. She’s beautiful despite everything she has been through with her health and personal life. She never lets things get her down and can move forward and overcome the odds. My mom is not just beautiful physically but she is beautiful as a person. She is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on or when I have a life situation I don’t know how to handle. She is the first person to tell me that I am beautiful and the first one to say what did you do to your hair? The lessons that my mom has taught me are infinite and even though we may not see each other as much as we would like my mom is still the most beautiful woman I know inside and out. I can never replace what she has taught me about myself and what beauty means. It’s not all about fancy clothes and perfect makeup. Beauty comes from within and until you can be happy with yourself your true beauty will not shine through.

One of my favorite stories from my mom was about Calgon. When I was little we always had it in our house and I loved turning my bath water into a pretty blue, pink or green. My mom always told me you need three things to make a perfect night, a bath, new pajamas and clean sheets on your bed. Calgon was something very simple that meant a lot to my mom and now to me. When she was in her early twenties she was married and had a son. It turned out not to be a picture perfect marriage and after barely escaping the situation she moved out with an infant on her own. She barely had any money to buy food but when she had a little extra she always treated herself to a Calgon bath. It was something so simple yet so meaningful to her that it has stayed in my brain to this day. My mom taught me from the beginning that you have to treat yourself even if it’s the littlest thing. You have to put yourself first every now and again even if it’s for a thirty minute bath.

I learned a lot of life lessons through my mom not only about beauty but how being yourself makes you beautiful. Being yourself and not letting others bring you down can be one of the best beauty secrets. My mom and I were on our own for most of my childhood and adolescence. After my parents divorced it was just her and I and we became the best of friends. I can remember going out and getting new pajamas and sheets then coming home climbing into her bed and fall asleep watching a movie. It was a simple thing but at the time she was a single parent going to college full time. Our time together was limited but we always made the best of it. No matter how hard things got my mom always looked picture perfect and did everything she could to make me happy.

I remember watching my mom get ready for dates with my dad and she would always be meticulous with the perfect outfit, hair and makeup. She always had her own style from piles of cowboy boots to little black dresses. She kept it simple and minimal but always classy and ladylike. She always said to be a lady no matter what situation you are in. Cross your legs, sit up straight and chew with your mouth closed even if you are at a bar. Although my mom was very ladylike she always knew how to have a good time. She loved parties, music and most of all dancing. My mom taught me to have a good time, look like a lady and always smile because no one likes a raincloud.

It’s funny when I sat down to write this article the memories and ideas flooded through my head about my mom and beauty. I thought I would write about us doing each other’s makeup or when she would crimp my hair for hours. When writing this it occurred to me that my mom taught me so much more about beauty than just the physical product of makeup. Beauty is about so much more than what mascara to buy. Beauty is something that we should all feel no matter who we are. You can have all the bags, lipsticks and concealer in the world but when you truly feel beautiful for who you are; that is the greatest life lesson my mom could have taught me.

Love you mom Happy Mother’s Day!!! xoxo

If you enjoyed this article, check out My Mother…Myself Part 2

Art in the Window

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Activated Spaces is back at it. Just in time for Urban Nights (whoo-hoo!), ten new art displays are up filling once-vacant storefront windows. As you’re out an about enjoying the food, music, fun, festivities, action, art, entertainment and more that comes with Urban Nights, keep your eyes open for Activated Spaces windows.  Just another way that downtown Dayton is becoming vibrant before your eyes – 10 art installations at a time.

From Activated Spaces:

It’s a brand-new season for Activated Spaces Street Team artists. This session’s theme is “Naturally Dayton.” We challenged local artists to  to focus on our beautiful outdoor assets.  Whether it’s a favorite spot is along the rivers, in a park, or a lush rooftop garden, we wanted to see unique perceptions of Dayton’s natural appeal.

And, boy, did they deliver! The great creativity, technical capability and unique visions of our artistic community are filling storefronts downtown starting on Urban Nights (5/11/12). Visit each window and find out how local artists interpreted this prompt to show off Dayton’s best natural features. Vote for your favorite by May 31!

Visit 100 E Third Street for:

Stop by Talbott Tower (131 N Ludlow) to see:

  • Philipe M. Payne’s triple pane glass visions of “MIAMI RiVERE DAYTON”
  • Spire Arts “Natural Dayton” installation to showcase work by artists affiliated with the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services.
  • Talia Shade’s view of how industry mixes with nature to form “Consolidation.”

See photography in Main Street Garage (223 N. Main) by:

Check out Biltmore Tower (210 N. Main) for:

  • The Dayton Creative Syndicate’s showcase of PNC’s Second Street Public Market for natural food and fun in “A Taste of Dayton”

Visit all of these great spots to see local art beautifying our city and vote for your favorite to win the People’s Choice Award! Thanks to our talented artists who explored our region through the theme Naturally Dayton and shared their vision of the parks, gardens, shops, farms, neighborhoods and more.

PLUS: Out of love for the project and sharing her art, interior designer Tracy Kraft’s great work is filling the Ohio EPA office at 401 E. Fifth Street. Tracy has added beauty to this window in the Oregon District and brightened up the day of many walking by. (See featured photo)

Get Out & Give Back Day Improves Community, Engages YPs

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Thanks to Carly Short Photography for covering last year's event!

They’re coming. On Friday, May 4, a sea of blue shirts will roll through downtown Dayton, leaving a wake of good karma in its path. That’s right, the annual Get Out & Give Back Dayton day has returned! The event is hosted by Generation Dayton but young professionals from all walks of life and varying professional organizations are participating. More than 100 volunteers will take up their shovels, hammers, dust mops, work gloves and other tools of do-goodery to spruce up the area. This event is important because it not only connects young professionals directly to the Dayton area, it reminds local residents of the positive attributes young professionals have and the amazing contributions we make to the city. In other words, us whipper-snappers do more than prop up the economy via beer and taco sales.

This is my second year participating in Get Out & Give Back Dayton day, and the aspect I enjoy most about this event is the opportunity to meet other YPs in a non-professional setting. How many networking events have you attended where you sit through one lame, Internet-template elevator speech after another? I like to loosen the ol’ corporate necktie every now and then and get to know someone on a more intimate basis. You find out a lot about someone when you have to trouble-shoot trash hauling or develop a synchronized mulch distribution strategy! OK, the happy hour at the end also helps meet new people, but we earned it, gosh darn it!

Volunteers will be mulching, planting, scrubbing, wiping, sweeping and digging their way across nearly 30 locations in the greater Dayton area. The event kicks off with lunch at the Excelsior Building (off Sixth Street in the Oregon District behind Jay’s Seafood), and later the mottled motley crew will convene at The Vault for well-deserved refreshments and regaling the day’s events.

***Updated with new rain date: Can’t make it to Get Out & Give Back Dayton day? You can participate in another cool project, this one by updayton’s Unifying the Divide bridge painting project taking place this Sunday, May 6. This service group is working to connect two adjacent neighborhoods—South Park and the Oregon District—via a pedestrian bridge that goes over U.S. 35. Sign up online for a shift.

Get Out & Give Back Dayton day is about more than donating a few hours of your time to a worthy cause. For lots of YPs, this is an introduction to many of these organizations and for some, their first foray into downtown Dayton. Engaging this group of people is an investment in Dayton’s future. Retaining young talent isn’t about members of any single professional organization—it’s everyone’s prerogative. What better way to help retain people than giving them a reason to care about their community? Now each time they walk past that landscaping (or drive past that overpass), they’ll remember the personal investment they made in Dayton. They’ll tell their friends about this cool place they visited for the first time (“yeah, it’s called the Dayton Visual Arts Center and they have some really cool exhibits right now. Want to check it out tonight?”). Most importantly, they’ve got one more reason to stay.

I can’t wait for Get Out & Give Back Dayton day; it’s a reminder for me that, even though I feel inundated with bad news about terrible people, I can and will make a difference in my little corner of the universe. I can fix something, I can make it better, and it feels great to know I have a couple hundred people who are on my team.

Volunteer For Dayton’s Premier Wine & Gourmet Food Fest

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On Sunday, May 20th over 1000 folks will converge on Carillon Park for one of Dayton’s most anticipated wine festivals, Fleurs et Vin. Now in it’s 20th year, the fest has proved to be a spectacular party in the park.  This years event will benefit AIDS Resource Center Ohio and Dayton History.

To pull off this event, that features over 300 wines and 25 of Dayton’s finest independent restaurants,  hundreds of volunteers are needed.  From helping to direct parking, checking ID’s, handing out glasses and plates, distributing ice and water, helping in the beer garden and monitoring the live and silent auctions, there are lots of jobs to do.

And one of the fringe benefits for volunteers at this event, free tasting.  That’s right, once you’ve completed your work, you can get a glass and enjoy!    Of course all voluteers do need to be 21 or over.  So grab your friends and sign up today.

WYSO – Movin’ On Up

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Public Radio station 91.3 WYSO in Yellow Springs began broadcasting from new studios on Tuesday May first at noon.

Since 1995, the station has been housed in Sontag Fels Hall on the campus of Antioch College.  The new studios are located across the street in the former Kettering Laboratories at 150 East South College Street.  The building belongs to Antioch University and until recently housed their central administrative offices.   “The new studios will expand our capacity to make local programs, and we’re totally focused on that,” says Neenah Ellis, WYSO General Manager.  The new broadcast studios were funded by Antioch University with supplementary funds the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.

WYSO began broadcasting in 1958, with studios on the second floor of the College student union building.  The new facility is its third location.

On Tuesday May first, the switch to the new studios will take place at noon, during “Excursions”  hosted by WYSO Music Director Niki Dakota.  “Listeners will be able to hear the old studio transmitter link shutdown and the new one start up,”  says Ellis.  “We expect to be off the air for less than a minute.”

91.3 WYSO is licensed to Antioch University.  It carries  programming from NPR, Public Radio International, American Public Media and others, in addition to 40 hours of locally- produced programming weekly. It distributes programs on multiple platforms: FM, HD,  via on-line streaming at www.wyso.org and on the Public Radio Player for iPhone users and the NPR News App for Android users.

National Open House Weekend 2012

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For at least a few years now, the National Board of REALTORS has held a National Open House Weekend. REALTORS across the country are encouraged to hold their listings open on the same day or weekend, typically during the height of home shopping season. This year, National Open House Weekend is April 28-29, but our local custom in Dayton is to hold Open Houses on Sunday, so for Dayton, today is the day.

Some people love Open Houses, it’s a bit of a hobby for them. Some people would love Open Houses if only they didn’t have REALTORS attached to them. Well, can’t do anything about that. We are there to show off the home and answer questions about the home. Last year in this space I wrote a post called 4 Quick and Dirty Tips for Making the Most of an Open House and that advice still holds up today:

1)Don’t try to avoid the Realtor. We do need a record of who is visiting the home, it’s something we are obligated to do for the sellers.  You wouldn’t want random folks walking in and wondering around your home, would you? No one does, and an Open House doesn’t change that. We know there are a plethora of reasons why people visit Open Houses- we are okay with that, but realize you are a guest and will be expected to sign in with at least a name.

2) About the reasons you are there? Whatever they are, it’s fine. The best thing to do, as always, just be honest about why you are there: You are a neighbor and always wanted to see the home; or you are looking for decorating tips; or you are looking for a home for yourself or a family member- whatever your reason, it’s okay for you to admit it up front. The Realtor will appreciate the honesty, and then she can be helpful. If you are there for decorating tips, the Realtor can find out where items were purchased, what the color the master bedroom walls are painted, and who does the landscaping.

3) If you are working with another REALTOR, tell the hosting REALTOR upfront. Realtors have cooperating agreements with each other, which means that even if you are working with another Realtor, we will be happy to give you details about the property, because ultimately we are there to sell the home. Just remember that hosting Realtors work for the seller, so be careful about what you say- it could be shared with sellers.

4) If you are not currently working with a Realtor, you can use Open Houses to interview them. When an Open House is busy, you may not get the time to talk in private or indepth, but you will certainly get a good indication of whether or not you want to have that Realtor help you with such an important transaction.

Go have fun today at an Open House! Enjoy yourself and do a little dreaming. A complete list of homes in the Dayton area that are participating in National Open House Day, or any given Sunday, can be found via the Dayton Area Board of REALTORS Open House search link.

Simple Steps: Paint a Bridge for Community Vibrancy

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***This project has been postponed to June 2 on account of rain! Please follow the event Facebook page for updates!***

On Saturday June 2, 2012, updayton, will be holding an event at the Burns-Jackson Park to paint the pedestrian bridge spanning highway US 35.  The event invites everyone from the Dayton area community to assist in painting a colorful mural onto the 2,800 sq. ft bridge deck.

Titled “Unifying the Divide,” this team strives to bring positive attention to a bridge that was built to unify the South Park and Oregon District neighborhoods when they were divided by US 35.

On July 16, 2011, the Creative Communities committee held its first event to clean-up the bridge. Approximately 20 volunteers attended to cut bushes, and remove trash and debris off and around the bridge. After further brainstorming, street painting projects in other cities got the groups’ attention, and thus, the idea for the “Unifying the Divide” project was born. In February, the committee placed a call for mural designs to grace the floor of the bridge, and received a dozen submissions from local artists. After a public online poll, ‘Dayton Wags’ provided the winning design which features a stained glass and floral motif to represent the history and aesthetics of both the South Park and the Oregon District.

The committee used the fundraising website Kickstarter.com to help collect funds for paint supplies and over $1,500 was raised in less than 30 days. The Creative Communities Team also received help from various community partners including Citywide Development, South Park Historic Inc., Oregon Historic District Society, Emerson Academy, and DJ What Not. An aerial photo of the completed paint project will be provided by Perfect Perspectives Aerial and posted on the updayton website once the project is completed.

“It’s been an amazing year of effort on this project,” Laura beamed with pride. “I am so proud of our team and can’t wait to celebrate the successful completion of this project.”

With a design selected and funds raised, only one component remains to implement the Unifying the Divide project: the community. The Creative Communities Team needs the people of Dayton to volunteer on May 5th to paint the mural. The first shift begins at 8am with other sift times throughout the day. Groups or individuals can sign up for a job based on their skill level. The event is expected to end by 8pm.

For more information on how to register to volunteer for the Unifying the Divide project, email [email protected].  Get involved and paint the town!

New Businesses Popping Up Downtown

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Peace on Fifth in the Oregon Arts District is a success story from the pilot phase of Activated Spaces' Pop-Up Project.

Peace on Fifth in the Oregon Arts District is a success story from the pilot phase of Activated Spaces' Pop-Up Project.

Three businesses will be up and running by May 4, the next First Friday art hop downtown, as part of the second phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown Dayton storefronts called Activated Spaces. The businesses selected for the second phase of the project are:

• American π, 37 S. St. Clair St.: This gift and accessories boutique will carry items made in the United States, including handbags, greeting cards, candles and food items. The store will be open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Arin, 27 S. St. Clair St.: Shop owner and jewelry designer Brooke Medlin will collaborate with Dayton artists and other creatives to showcase beautifully designed goods for self and home, along with Medlin’s line of jewelry that includes rings, earrings, personalized necklaces and more. Visitors will be able to watch the creation process in action in Arin’s on-site studio. Rotating guest artists will set up mini-studios in the store and spend two weeks working on a collection of products to be launched at every month’s First Friday art hop. The store will be open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call 937-640-0117.

• Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.: This old-school, classic barbershop will offer haircuts, hot steam towel shaves, facials and more. Haircuts will be $12 and shaves and facials will be $16, with special pricing for seniors. “Our goal is open a classy, professional barbershop while doing our part to make downtown a better place and trying to influence other businesses to follow suit,” owner Ron West said. The barbershop will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 937-321-6165.

The women who participated in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project.

The entrepreneurs who participated in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Lisa Scott (far right) of Beaute Box extended her lease, as did London Coe (second from right) of Peace on Fifth.

These businesses have three- or six-month leases, although the hope is the business owners will extend those leases ― as happened in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Indeed, the second phase of the project builds on the success of its pilot, launched in November 2011 for the holiday shopping season. Two of the three business owners in the pilot extended their leases: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. In addition, Amore! Designer Consignment Boutique, 16 Brown St., which opened at the same time as the Pop-Up pilots, plans to remain open on a long-term basis, and Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, 521-523 E. Fifth St., opened in a space occupied by a Pop-Up retailer after becoming interested in the location due to the buzz surrounding the project.

Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project, which helped fill 2,300 square feet of retail space during its pilot phase, is led by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box and the Vintage Barbershop. Razauskas and other participating downtown property owners have supported the project by providing reduced rental rates. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

A kickoff event for the Pop-Up Shops will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. It will start at Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and end at Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St., with stops at all the Pop-Up Shops in between.  Raffle tickets will be sold that night $5 each, with all proceeds benefiting Activated Spaces, and prizes will be drawn at each stop. Additional details will be available soon at www.activatedspaces.org.

Basho Apparel

Basho Apparel was attracted to open a downtown location in part due to the buzz surrounding the Pop-Up Project. (Photo courtesy of Carly Short)

“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local businesses while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, past chair of Generation Dayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional destination for shopping for one-of-a-kind items and retail services.”

“This project also supports local, creative entrepreneurs as they take a risk and test out their business concepts while bringing renewed life to downtown storefronts,” said Scott Murphy, immediate past chair of updayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “Visitors who support these pop-up shops will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Square One hosts Hair Show Sunday to Benefit Sierra Club

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The stylists of Square One Salon will have some hair raising do’s on parade this Sunday, April 29th, to raise funds to help the Sierra Club of Ohio.  Aveda’s April 2012 Earth Month campaign has inspired its network of beauty professionals and consumers in more than 30 countries to raise $4.5 million for the protection of clean water — a basic human right that nearly 900 million people worldwide fight for daily.  

In support of achieving this goal, the Aveda Square One Salon And Spa will host a Hair Show to raise money for clean water.  Guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail compliments of The Venue, lite hors d’ oeuvres’ compliments of Olive, Coco’s, and Roost, a hair show put together by the staff of Square One, as well as a silent aution.

There will also be a a DJ playing great music, a cash bar, and each guestleaves with a goodie bag. The event will run from 1 – 3pm at The Venue, located at 905 East Third Street in Dayton.   Guests can RSVP at 937-461-2222 or [email protected].  Guest can purchase tickets for $15 at either Dayton Square One location or at the door the day of the event

 



Escape to the Island’s for Hannah’s Treasure Chest

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On Sunday, April 29th El Meson hosts the annual fundraiser for Hannah’s Treasure Chest, a local charity that provides clothing, furniture and toys to enhance children’s lives.

Your $60 reservation includes:

  • Mojito or Margarita Tasting Flight*
  • Tapas Buffet
  • Islands of Indulgence Dessert Bar
  • Treasure Digs* – sponsored by Centerville Coin & Jewelry –   Dig for $10K in gemstones and coins, including a pair of dazzling diamond earrings and a genuine gold coin, sponsored byCenterville Coin & Jewelry (Coins4Me)

Enjoy the Silent Auction, Salsa Dancing, Limbo Contest, Cooking Demonstration, Live Entertainment, and a Cash Bar!

* You may purchase additional Mojito and Margarita Tasting Flights for $12 (will be $15 at the event) and additional Treasure Digs.

Advance reservations can be made for $60 through Thursday online or call (937) 438-5039.

Luke Dennis joins WYSO

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Luke Dennis (photo by Andy Snow)

(from WYSO)

Public Radio station WYSO in Yellow Springs has hired Luke Dennis as its Director of Development. Dennis is the former executive director of the Muse Machine in Dayton.

Most recently Dennis was the curator for the Harvard University Theatre Collection. He will return to the area and assume his role at WYSO on May 14.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Luke to the WYSO staff. His skills will help us solidify our recent successes into greater financial sustainability,” says Neenah Ellis, WYSO General Manager.”

“What an honor to be chosen to join the amazing WYSO team. The next few years are going to be an exciting time of growth and innovation at the station – I am ready to jump in and start raising dollars to support the new directions WYSO is heading.”

WYSO is poised to move into new studio facilities at 150 E. South College in Yellow Springs on May first and recently announced a major collaboration with Academy Award nominated filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar that will be housed in the new facility.

A graduate of Wittenberg University and a native of Wilmington, Ohio, Dennis was a member of the first WYSO “Community Voices” class in 2011 and the story he created for his final project was singled out by “This American Life” producer Ira Glass from the stage of the Victoria Theater during a presentation last June.  He was a participant in the Dayton Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Dayton” program in 2010-201, and a lecturer and director of school programs for the Dayton Opera Association.

 

Change is in your hands with updayton

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It’s almost time for the annual updayton Summit!

What? You’re not excited? Well, maybe it’s because you don’t know what it is or how much it’s impacted the Dayton area. Allow me to fill you in!

updayton was conceived in 2007 as a way to attract and keep young talent through engagement, connection and empowerment of the young creatives in the Miami Valley. The organization partners with and is sponsored by other local organizations and businesses.

Current updayton Director Yvette Kelly-Fields says, “The Summit provides a platform for people to use creative thinking and problem solving to address issues that affect the attraction and retention of young talent to the region. We are starting to see the fruits of our labor as we see more young professionals moving into the downtown, opening businesses and filling local jobs.”

Former Director Scott Murphy said he believes the summit has helped to spotlight critical issues to help keep more young people in the region. He enjoys the energy and excitement associated with the event and said he’s “particularly proud of how we’ve been able to take the feedback we receive from Summit attendees and turn that into recommendations for local leaders.”

As a graduating college student, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard my fellow students complain there isn’t enough opportunity for them as young entrepreneurs around Dayton. They’d rather try their luck in a different city, or even a different state that seems to have better employment options.

But as the updayton site says, we can be the change we want to see, and it has been successful in its endeavors for community and economic change.

“Each project last year created both community and economic impact,” said Maria Norman, in charge of public relations for the organization.

In fact, the current iteration of this very website (Dayton MostMetro.com) was born out of the first updayton summit three years ago, when summit participants in a live survey of various community project ideas voted overwhelming for a comprehensive online resource for the Dayton Region.  Since then, the site has grown with the help of over 40 volunteer interns, writers and editors, and has become the go-to site for tens of thousands of people in the region wanting to connect with things to see, do and get involved with.

Winner of the "Unifying the Divide: Bridge Paint Project" - Dayton Wags

Currently, the Creative Communities project is continuing to work on a major beautification project between the Oregon District and South Park neighborhoods called “Unifying the Divide: Bridge Paint”. “This will raise the visibility of both areas and serve as a new attraction and destination point for the City for native Daytonians and visitors,” said Norman.

The focus this year is on increasing residents’ use of alternative transportation, aiding the integration of diverse immigrants in the area, reviving the Twin Towers neighborhood, and developing a sustainable program to improve community’s college students’ perceptions of downtown and encouraging them to participate in and experience all downtown has to offer. Also, for the first time, updayton will present a panel of experts in urban revitalization and who will show how they are changing the game in their community. They’ve been appropriately named, Game Changers.

“It  has been said, if you want to change the world, start with your city, start with the updayton Summit. Change starts there,” says Director Kelly-Fields.

The updayton Summit will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012 at the Dayton Art Institute. For more information or to register to attend, visit their website at updayton.com or check them out on Facebook.