Can there be MORE food in the newsroom???

The news must go on--just as the 'official' start of the 'holiday' of your choice has kicked into full throttle.

It's been a long week.

Everyone I've run into in the newsroom has given a huge 'thank God it's Friday' sigh. And of course I have my 'Happy Friday' sign from Chris Tye on display!!

This week and the next two to three weeks that follow will be filled with gift giving and receiving, the exchange of holiday cards, politically correct holiday greetings, a daily check of the schedule as staffers take end of the year vacations, and more food than usual on the newsroom community table --if you can believe!

Today when I arrived, there was a huge meat tray with the works: potato salad, pickles, olives, meat and cheese....on top of the cookies, Malley's candy, and hopefully a full bottle of Pepto Bismol, Tums, or Pepcid!

I made a final trek to the WKYC Company store to get the latest goods--the newest t-shirts, a very cool new sweatshirt that says WKYC Staff, and a few other mugs, caps and mouse pads. You can never have enough wkyc garb. I hope my family feels the same way!!

I've always thought how great would it be to bottle up the feeling of gladness and joy that engulfs the world the few weeks leading up to Christmas. Honestly, we're pretty lucky. Working in a newsroom so close with your fellow co-workers, I think we do capture this feeling year round. Not a bad gig!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

I'd like to take a stroll down memory lane with updates on a number of past Hidden Gems!

Good news to share one and all!

First and foremost, please tune into the 4th annual Q-104 Pledge for Pets Radiothon to raise money for the APL! All the money stays right here in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Radiothon kicks off Friday, May 8th and goes thru Saturday.

For background on last year's Pledge for Pets, please CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE!!!

My very first Hidden Gem was about Our Lady of Peace Church and their Run for Peace.

Well, this year's Run for Peace was the biggest yet. Over two hundred and twenty four runners took to the streets in the Buckeye-Woodland-Larchmere neighborhoods raising nearly thirteen thousand dollars in scholarship funds for the children of the city of Cleveland who attend Our Lady of Peace Catholic School. A big thank you for all the generous participants and sponsors who pounded the pavement and made this event come to life. Words can not describe the gratitude expressed by these children, their families and teachers. Please keep your eyes and ears open next year for the annual Run for Peace which usually falls in the middle of March.

Another update on an event at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. The Night of A Thousand Dinners exceeded all expectations ever imagined. This event, aimed at raising money for the elementary school over one weekend, expanded to the entire month and is a true testament that even in hard economic times, caring people open their purse strings. The school's pastor envisioned raising maybe five thousand dollars. To this day, the money is still rolling in but at last tally, a Night of a Thousand Dinners was 'the most successful fund raising effort in the long history of Our Lady of Peace School' raising almost thirty thousand dollars!

Pastor Chmura was speechless (and that's hard to believe if you know him, just kidding!). If I may read an excerpt from his thank you letter:

'I don't even know how to begin to thank you. I only wish that each of you could spend a day in our school to pray with our children and watch them grow in faith and wisdom and grace. You may not realize it, but in touching the life of a needy child you have touched the very face of God...'

This Sunday is Mother's Day. Malley's Chocolate covered Strawberries and Raspberries go on sale Friday at NOON until they sell out. Remember Mom, Gramma, Auntie or a loved one with a delicious gift from locally owned Malley's Chocolates!!

This year's International Film Festival was a smashing success--the largest ever! The Development Director at the Cleveland Film Society says 66,476 people attended the festival --figures up 27 percent from last year and up 89 percent from 2003.

The House of Swing will be celebrating their 32nd anniversary on May 30th, 2009. They are located at 4490 Mayfield Road in South Euclid. Owner Linda Kallie puts on a great party every year thanking all her patrons for their support. Pop in for Linda's delicious buffet, giveaways, live music, and a toast to Linda's husband, Lou, who got the whole thing rolling 32 years ago! This year Allan Greene with Mr. Stress will dazzle you as they rock the joint all night long! Stop in and dance the night away.

The 2nd World Alpaca Conference is being held right here in Cleveland, Ohio from June 3rd thru the 7th at the I-X Center. Believe it or not, Northeast Ohio has a number of Alpaca Farms. Last year I featured Alpha Omega Alpacas. I learned some interesting tidbits about the Alpaca world! I can only imagine how exciting and amazing the upcoming conference will be!

And last, but certainly not least, our very own Iron Chef, Michael Symon received a tremendous honor this week: The James Beard Award. It is the "Oscar" of the cooking world. He was named best chef in the Great Lakes Region. Something we ALREADY knew!!! Congratulations Michael!!!!

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane highlighting and updating some of my more memorable Hidden Gems of the past...which keep making history in the here and now!!! THAT is why these are Hidden Gems near and dear to my heart! Hopefully yours too!!!!!