Today is March 28, 2024.

• Good morning! It’s going to be mostly sunny today with a high of 50 degrees, with temps dropping to 29 tonight as spring continues to try to shake winter’s icy grip. Of course, the weather forecast everyone’s watching is the one for the total solar eclipse Monday, April 8. Here’s what it looks like 11 days out: Intervals of clouds and sunshine with a high of 66 degrees and a 25% chance of rain. Fingers crossed …
  

• The City of Stow is seeking sponsors for its 2024 Concerts on the Green series, which begin in late May and run throughout the summer. A $500 sponsorship includes two yard signs at four separate concerts, social media advertising (Fun In Stow & City of Stow) and City of Stow website advertising. Sign up as a sponsor before Wednesday, May 1 at this page.
  

• The Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library’s Local Author Collection display is growing. The collection, located to the right of the Information Desk, features authors who reside in Summit County or books that are set in Northeast Ohio. All of these books are available for checkout, including my own book, “Glimpses of Heaven.” If you are a published local author who would like to see your book in this collection, visit https://www.smfpl.org/about/localauthors for the complete guidelines on how to donate your published book to the library.
  

• The Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library is hiring. The library is expanding its services and has created a new position called Head of Community Outreach and Partnerships. Go to this page to apply and for more information on the position.
  

• The Stow-Munroe Falls High School Student Council will hold a city-wide clothing drive from April 4-9 at the high school. Donations of shirts, pants, sweatshirts, sweatpants, coats, gloves and scarves will be accepted. Undergarments, stained clothes, and ripped/overly worn/unwashed clothes will not be accepted. Go to stowstuco.org for more information.
  

• If you just subscribed or missed something in an earlier newsletter, don’t fret: Subscribers have access to every edition of The Spotlight at www.stowmunroefalls.com. Check out back issues to catch up on everything that’s going on in our communities — you never know what you might have missed!

⭐ Several stories in this issue are only available to premium subscribers: New driving range, night hike, safety town, catching up on obits and more local news. Full access is $2.99/month.

Sponsored by Brandon Heating and Air Conditioning

Stow

A night to remember: Ex-Foreigner singer Lou Gramm will headline the CarsonStrong Foundation’s Night of Hope benefit concert

The Stow-based CarsonStrong Foundation has loaded up on the star power for its upcoming Night of Hope Gala and Concert fundraising events. The two-night extravaganza will raise money for children and families who are affected by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

It’s going to be a big weekend of music in the area:

• The Gala part of the event will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, April 19 at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls, located at 1989 Front St. The Gala will feature Fox 8 News morning co-anchor Todd Meany and his band, Ace Molar, with Cleveland comedian Ricky Smith serving as the Gala’s emcee.

• The next night, legendary singer Lou Gramm, the original voice of the rock band Foreigner, will take the stage for a benefit concert at the Goodyear Theater, located at 1201 E. Market St. in Akron. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the concert starting at 7 p.m.

• Gramm will perform his solo hits as well as those from his days with Foreigner, a 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee. Gramm has announced that he will retire from touring at the end of this year.

• Tickets for the two events as well as sponsorships can be purchased at www.carsonstrong.org/events. Night of Hope Gala tickets for April 19 are $100 per person, while the Night of Hope Concert on April 20 offers tickets ranging from $45 to $100. Concert attendees can also purchase a Lou Gramm VIP Soundcheck Experience for $200.

Proceeds from the events support the non-profit CarsonStrong Foundation’s mission of helping children and families impacted by cancer and other life-threatening diagnoses, including the new Gift of Time Together program, which helps families affected by cancer enjoy time together.

The CarsonStrong Foundation, founded in 2017, honors the legacy of Carson Higgins, a local youth who faced a 10-year journey with neuroblastoma and served as the Cleveland St. Jude Dream Home patient ambassador until his passing in 2016. Learn more at www.carsonstrong.org.

And now, the rest of the story …

So how did the CarsonStrong Foundation get none other than Lou Gramm to headline its first benefit concert? Debbie Higgins, the foundation’s co-founder and CEO, detailed the fortuitous chain of events for The Spotlight:

“We randomly met Mark & Diane Delaney while were doing a college visit in Phoenix, as we were dining in the same restaurant,” Debbie said. “After talking we learned they were doing fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and our son Carson was a patient there for 9 years. We spoke at their next fundraiser and became good friends. We learned that they know Lou well, and in speaking with our friend Mark, we asked him if he thought Lou might be interested in doing a benefit concert for us. He spoke to Lou, and he agreed and has been excited to do the show with us. It is a big deal, and we are so thankful for our friend and for Lou Gramm agreeing to do this concert and support our Foundation!”

Subscribe to The Spotlight to read the rest.