Tony Troppe is an experienced Urban PlaceMaker focused on creating synergistic mixed-use environments. Commencing with the first Federally designated Historic District redevelopment of in 1996, Troppe has renovated/owns/manages 20 historic building (over 335k sf of office, residential, mercantile space) that have received National attention and accreditation. The Dept. of the Interior and State Preservation Office (Ohio) have recognized the preservation and rehabilitation of these properties by creating the Main/Market Historic District.
Taking vacant, blighted space Troppe and his team have developed and opened numerous restaurants/entertainment venues (BLU Plate,, Mocha Maiden, Musica, Uncorked Winebar, High Street HopHouse, and el Patron Tequileria). Musica opened in 2006 and annually averages over 225 shows featuring national, regional and local Indie-Alternative performances. BLU Jazz opened in 2014 and has celebrated 1600+ performances. Initiating a residential renaissance (LoftsAkron.com), Cascade Lofts is a restored Tire Factory that has been repurposed as 24 residential units, a 150 person Trailhead Event Center Facility and a MicroBrew Restaurant as Lock 15.
In 2022, the BLU-Tique Hotel re-opened as 71 room Marriott Tribute as recognized regional hospitality leader with a most popular restaurant known as 1: Food/Spirits. BLU Social has emerged as a banquet center for community receptions catering to corporate, private and hotel functions.
Continued interests in special event planning EventsAkron.com has led to redevelopment of the Temple Israel as the Highland Universal Gatheringspot a creative arts community collaborate center with 250 seat banquet hall—and 300 seat auditorium. Artists in residence housing will accommodate 14 studio/lofts for extended stay suites for artistic endeavors and continuing education.
Adjacent to the Summa Healthcare campus, Historic District Management continues the process and pattern of saving distressed buildings and re-building with a Mission-based purpose and has recently completed the new home for Akron Pregnancy Services in the 1904 Robinson Mansion
Plans continue for the redevelopment of the distressed St. Paul’s Chapel as aLewis Miller Horticultural Innovation and Conference Center bringing flexible tech space and sharing new light in the Bio Medical Corridor.
Volunteer at the Chili Open! February 4, 2023 ∙ Hale Farm and Village
Dear fellow Rotarians,
The 33rd Chili Open is fast approaching and we will need all hands on deck to make this a successful event for our guests! Join us for a fun day of volunteering, friendship and celebration of all the good work that Rotary is doing in our community!
The Chili Open will be held on February 4, 2023 at Hale Farm and Village. Set-up day will be on Friday, February 3rd. We need volunteers for both Friday and Saturday! There are various places to help, - indoors and outside. Please dress for the weather! Lunch will be provided on Friday too!
We are using Signup Genius for the Chili Open so it is simple to include family, friends, other Rotarians and Rotary prospects as volunteers.
Saturday Volunteers will be able to park at Old Trail School and can take the YMCA shuttle bus to Hale Farm.
Thank you for your Service Above Self! Please sign up here to volunteer for a shift or two!
Please reach out if you have any questions, hauskne@uakron.edu. See you at the Chili Open!
Dr. Doug Hausknecht Volunteer Chair, 2023 Chili Open
The Chili Open is only days away and we need your support to make this year’s event successful! Thank you to those who have supported with sponsorships, raffle tickets, auction and door prize items! To-date we have raised $316,640 towards our goal of $350,000!
We need your help with the following:
RAFFLE TICKETS Please turn in your raffle tickets as soon as possible to the Camp office. If you still need help selling, reach out to family, friends and business colleagues. For only $20 you stand a chance to win some great prizes! Tickets can also be purchased here.
WAGON OF GOOD CHEER
The Silent Auction will feature Dr. Rob’s "Wagon of Good Cheer!"
Food and activity baskets, sports memorabilia, golf packages, or family entertainment packages make great auction items.
If you know of anyone that will be able to donate something, please let us know. If you need someone to pick up any items, please call or email Amanda at Akron Rotary Camp (330.644.4512 / amandaw@akronymca.org), and we would be happy to make those arrangements.
Thank you in advance for your donations to help make the Chili Open a continued success to benefit Akron Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs!
See you at the Chili Open!
Jeff Sheeks and Cindy Kane 2023 Chili Open Golf Classic, Co-Chairs
Ian Riseley, 2022-23 Trustee Chair of The Rotary Foundation has announced the trustees’ establishment of The Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund to address humanitarian crises caused by flooding in Pakistan and the war in Ukraine.
The Pakistan Flood Response Fund will help communities recover from the disastrous monsoon season that affected millions, displaced people, and destroyed crops. The Ukraine Response Fund will support grants for districts affected by the war’s humanitarian crisis. Grants from these funds will provide items such as water, food, medicine, shelter, and clothing. Both funds are temporary, accepting contributions, including District Designated Funds, until December 31st of this year and distributing grants until the end of June 2024 or until the funds are spent. Any unused money will then be transferred to the general Disaster Response Fund.
The Rotary Club welcomed Steven McGarrity, Esq to our Tuesday, January 31, 2023, Club luncheon meeting. Mr. McGarrity has served as the Executive Director of Community Legal Aid since 2017. Click here to view the presentation.
Mr. McGarrity has over 25 years of legal experience with Legal Aid. He began with the organization as a staff attorney in Canton, Ohio in 1997, focusing his practice on family law and consumer debt. In his time with Legal Aid, he has held various management positions, including nine years’ as Associate Director, where he oversaw all client services, outreach, and technology.
What is Legal Aid?
Civil Legal Aid can be traced back to the 1870s when the first legal assistance program was founded in New York. It took almost another 100 years before any national structure was developed by the federal government. The Office of Economic Opportunity’s Legal Services was established in 1965 which eventually led to the independent Legal Service Corporation (LSC).
Following the establishment of OEO’s Legal Services, 260 legal aid programs were established across all states. Programs and funding increased as LSC began conducting studies on the needs of the poor, ultimately recommending to Congress, a funding model that would provide one legal aid attorney for every 10,000 poor people.
In 1952 Summit County Legal Aid Society was incorporated “to secure justice for and to protect the rights of the needy and of individuals of moderate means, to promote measures for their assistance, and to enable them to obtain competent legal advice and representation.” This organization would go on to become Western Reserve Legal Services, serving Summit, Portage, and Medina counties. In 2000 Stark County Legal Aid merged with WRLS and in 2014 Northeast Ohio Legal Services merged with Legal Aid resulting in Community Legal Aid serving eight counties and making it the third largest legal aid organization in Ohio.
What Does Legal Aid Do?
Community Legal Aid structures it's work around advocacy priorities, legal practice groups, and projects. Community Legal Aid’s practice groups define the organization’s advocacy priorities within each legal practice area. Their current priorities are:
Supporting Low-Income Families and Special Populations
Preserving the Home (supporting access to affordable and safe housing)
Maintaining Economic Stability (resolve issues with the IRS, protect individuals from predatory lending and unfair sales practices.
Ensure Safety and Health
Protecting Access to Justice
What are the Projects?
Population-based projects provide holistic legal services to specific at-risk populations. Several other projects are aimed at mitigating a threat or barrier specific to low-income residents.
A few of their projects include:
Advocating for Returning Citizens (ARC)
Debt Relief
Fair Housing
Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law (HEAL)
Homeownership
Immigrants and Refugees
I Promise
Legal Assistance to Victims
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)
Tenant Assistance Project
Veterans
Is There a Demand for Services?
Last year 4500 individuals were served, however the number of requests were 16000
The Community Legal Aid organization has 70 staff of which 38 are attorneys. They have approximately 200 other volunteer attorneys.
Approximately 92% of citizens requesting services are not able to be served based on limited resources.
This lack of resources is not limited to just these 8 counties served by Legal Aid. It is a nationwide concern.
For more information about Community Legal Aid, I encourage everyone to check out their website at www.communitylegalaid.org.
Saturday Volunteers will be able to park at Old Trail School and can take the YMCA shuttle bus to Hale Farm. 
We need your help with the following:
Mr. McGarrity has over 25 years of legal experience with Legal Aid. He began with the organization as a staff attorney in Canton, Ohio in 1997, focusing his practice on family law and consumer debt. In his time with Legal Aid, he has held various management positions, including nine years’ as Associate Director, where he oversaw all client services, outreach, and technology.
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