Two Winners and a Loser
Visible Voice, Shaw's Marching Cardinals and a Food Crisis

What do a marching band, a bookstore, and a fried chicken outlet have to do with each other? Absolutely nothing... unless they happen to be the disparate topics of my three-part column this week. The Mighty Cardinals Marching Band of Shaw High School, Visible Voice Books in Tremont (celebrating their first anniversary and pictured here) and a fried chicken outlet on Woodland... two of these entities are enriching and giving back to the community. And the third? Well, let's say garbage in, garbage out. Read on.

The Road to China

The Mighty Cardinals Marching Band of Shaw High School in East Cleveland is perhaps the “Best Band in the Land,” and it’s not just about the great music, the intricate marching steps, and the unbridled enthusiasm that has won the 47-member squad over 150 trophies in the last seven years; it’s more about what belonging to the band has meant in the lives of these kids who are so dedicated to excelling. And, coming from one of the most economically depressed cities in the State of Ohio, these young people need all of the encouragement and support they can get in their efforts.

Just in case you’ve been residing on the moon for the last couple of months, The Mighty Cardinals are one of only five high school bands in the nation to be invited to participate in events leading up to the Summer Olympics to be held in China this year. It is indeed a privilege and honor for this group of youngsters, who won out over some stiff competition. Far wealthier school districts from across America were vying for the honor, but the students at Shaw High School proved what inspired kids can achieve.

However, to make the China trip the band has to raise $220,000 by March 18 and the students are currently $60,000 short of their goal.

It would be extremely easy to dismiss this as just another field trip, but to these kids, the City of East Cleveland, and indeed the entire North East Ohio region, the honor of being invited to China demonstrates what’s possible when a heroic teacher/mentor/coach/father figure impacts on the lives of young people. The band’s director, Donshon Wilson has been all of the aforementioned things to his students... and more; a whole lot more. He’s been a stabilizing force in the lives of children that, in too many cases, have no other. And in the process he’s proven that any child — repeat, any child — can be successful with the proper mentoring and a whole lot of love. These are honor and merit roll kids, many of them from broken homes, that are all on track to go to college, and many of them will return after graduation and give something back. This is how communities are rebuilt... one child at a time.

This band, these kids, need and deserve our help — yours and mine. Lisa Lombardo, who works at Studio MZ Salon and Spa in Woodmere (27629 Chagrin Blvd.), read about the band and started her own fundraiser. She got the salon’s owner to donate salon and spa services, which she in turn raffles off. To date she had raised over $600 for The Mighty Cardinals. But you can do something too. If you can’t make it to the spa you can donate by making a contribution to:

Shaw High School Marching Band
14305 Shaw Ave.
East Cleveland, OH 44112
For more information, call 216-268-6570.

A Bookstore and More

The fact that Dave Ferrante opened Visible Voice Books (1023 Kenilworth Ave.) in Tremont on Valentine’s Day in 2007 is no mere coincidence; although he doesn’t come right out and say it, the book emporium (the term book “store” simply does not do the operation justice) is his “gift” to Northeast Ohio booklovers. Ferrante is giving the community what he loves... books.

“Books contain the thoughts that form, shape and move the world,” Ferrante explains, “and big box stores want to sell them like they’re mere commodities, like they’re widgets, and they’re not. They sell books the same way they sell wallpaper — there’s no love there, no passion, no respect for authors or the written word.”

This is not the case at Visible Voice Books; the moment you set foot inside you get the feeling that the floor space, wall shelves and racks were filled by people with an abiding love and respect for books and the people who write them. The cozy shop quite literally overflows with books; books, books and more books, but all displayed with a sense of order, propriety and purpose. The space is easy — and quite interesting — to navigate.

But don’t look for the top 10 or 20 bestsellers, you won’t find them at Visible Voice Books; they leave that end of the market to the big box retailers. “We don’t carry the most popular books, we just try to carry the best books by the most talented authors,” said Todd Whitten, the shop manager, “books you won’t find other places.” Indeed, shop has all of the titles by my favorite author, Tom Robbins — which is quite amazing, considering the space available.

The bookstore is a perfect compliment to the other businesses in the immediate area. Across the street is an art gallery, and within walking distance are dining establishments, shops and other amenities that are turning the Tremont area into a true “destination,” quite unlike the humongous, soulless, artificially created shopping districts created by developers. This is a real community, with real people.

Upstairs space at Visible Voice Books has been converted into a comfortable area for readings and other neighborhood events, and a brick patio will host an outdoor wine bar come summer. “I’ve attempted to create space people feel comfortable coming into, hanging out, and just spending some time browsing around,” said Ferrante, “and perhaps stumbling upon that magical, special book that can add so much to life.” A worthy goal indeed. Visit the store online at http://www.visiblevoicebooks.com.

Dying For Business Success

Which community in America isn’t interested in new businesses opening? None, that I am aware of... which makes this story somewhat difficult to write, especially when the businesses are opening in minority communities. But this business model is the equivalent of “burning down the village to save it.”

A new fried chicken outlet opened on Woodland Avenue near East 55th, and to my understanding others (all of which will probably be opened near housing projects) are on the drawing boards. Now chicken can be very healthy, but not the way it’s prepared in these modern-day, upscale-appearing, greasy spoons. Not that this outlet is any worse than the rest of them, it’s not. All of them are purveyors of unhealthy easting choices, offered largely to populations where little thought is given to eventual, long-term consequences of poor eating habits.

The jobs, although minimum wage, are probably welcomed by the community, but the eventual (and inevitable) clogged arteries certainly aren’t. The last thing — the absolute last thing — poor people need are more outlets for unhealthy foods ... or foods prepared in an unhealthy manner in their neighborhoods. The health costs down the line will be staggering, and guess who’ll have to pay it?

I’m the chief cook — and therefore the chief shopper — for my family, and what I see in the shopping carts of young parents at my local Dave’s Market makes me shake my head in disgust and disappointment. Carts literally chuck full of sugary snacks and cheap drinks that can only euphemistically be called “fruit juices.” The FDA should be ashamed of itself for allowing what is essentially colored water to be sold as something healthy.

Do schools teach nutrition any longer? I know that I’m beginning to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but we cannot allow junk food to be pumped into kids as a steady diet... and then expect kids to do anything other than act out. Garbage in, garbage out. I submit that a large part of the hyper-activity and aggression we see in kids today is, in large part, a direct result of what their parents are allowing them to put into their bodies.

While riding my bike mornings in my neighborhood of Hough I see kids coming out of the convenience store (conveniently located directly across the street from an elementary school) with their breakfast: A bag of chips, a Twinkie, and a can of soda. Both the store owner and the parents need to be hung up by their thumbs for allowing this.

Yeah, we need new businesses, and especially need them in minority communities, but at what cost to long-term health? Parents need education on this just as much as children... maybe more so. Geoffrey Canada has proven that both the parent and child can be educated with his program, the Harlem Children’s Zone in NYC... why can’t we do the same thing here? Why? Sorry, I didn’t hear you... why?

From Cool Cleveland contributor Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com
Comments: Letters@CoolCleveland.com (:divend:)