May 07, 2025
Each year, our celebration of Volunteer Appreciation Week concludes with a special event—a small but heartfelt token of our gratitude. Volunteer Coordinators Christine Lee and Bryce Cooney worked hard to ensure this year’s event was memorable. THE VENUE On Friday, May 2, Seeds served up scoops of gratitude—sprinkled with love …
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May 01, 2025
When Cleveland resident Maria Pelleschi retired, she found more time for the things she enjoyed: gardening with her husband (vegetables for him, flowers and herbs for her), racking up 3 to 4 miles a day on her pedometer, cooking, quilting — even teaching herself to crochet. But something was still …
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April 21, 2025
In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation each year, our program staff submit blurbs on stand-out tutors. It takes more than a bit of arm twisting because they don’t want to pick JUST ONE when every single volunteer we have is outstanding! But choose they must. It can’t be overstated: our …
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April 10, 2025
James Thomas Garrett III – aka Chef Jay Le Soul – is a private culinary artist in some of the city’s most exclusive homes and events. “This is the spread I made for The Whispers concert. And here’s me with Don King,” he says as he scrolls through his business …
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April 02, 2025
Silver Linings: Lee Markowitz (This article was originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News 3/28/25, Lydia Kacala) Solon resident Lee Markowitz has been volunteering since he graduated from college, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Kenyon College in Gambier and his Ph.D. in social psychology from Bowling …
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March 01, 2025
[Summer 2024 Intern Erika Scharf wrote this article. She attends Oberlin College] If you don’t believe in you, what’s the point? The first step is always the hardest. Amanda Murphy knows that better than anyone. Amanda, 45, has been coming to Seeds of Literacy on and off since 2011. The …
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October 24, 2024
[Summer Intern Erika Scharf contributed to this article. She attends Oberlin College] For much of her life, 53-year-old Charise Mayfield has been focused on taking care of others. But at Seeds of Literacy, she finally has the opportunity to do something for herself. Charise began studying at Seeds of Literacy …
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October 09, 2024
[This article was written by Intern Erika Scharf. She attends Oberlin College.] When you walk into the classroom at Seeds East, you might see Shanta Moore, hard at work studying or making friends with the new people that came in. Either way, you’ll be able to tell it’s her from …
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August 22, 2024
[This article was written by Intern Erika Scharf. She attends Oberlin College.] BIRDS OF A FEATHER Danyale Vaughn and Lenora Wilson are both Student Ambassadors at Seeds of Literacy—Danyale at the East location and Lenora at the West. Though they don’t know each other, their stories are very similar. Both …
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August 05, 2024
[This article was written by Intern Erika Scharf. She attends Oberlin College.] Carol Baraga is not a know-it-all, but she does know a lot. Growing up, Carol liked school. She self describes as an easy learner, someone who could enjoy all the subjects. But she had a wicked adversary: algebra. …
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