The Kandy Kane Express Holiday Festival hosted by the Dane Foundation came to the Stow City Hall Council Chambers on Sunday, December 7. The event featured a mini christmas tree display and auction, along with cookie,stocking and hat decorating. There were characters including Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Disney’s frozen, Kandy the Kandy Kane,the Ghostbusters and Rudolph made an appearance to take pictures with children. The festival also included The Elf shoppe, which had items for both children and adults. “I’m excited to see Kandy The Kandy Kane, and Santa maybe,” 11-year old Jenna said. The activities at the festival included cook
ie making, stocking and hat decorating, ornament making and decorating. The cookies were served and sponsored by Smith Dairy. Each activity cost a certain amount of tickets, and all the proceeds went to the Dane Foundation. To get into the festival, patrons were asked to make a donation of everyday toiletry items which included shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, paper towels, etc. All items and donations went to the Dane Foundation. The Dane Foundation tends to the unique needs of individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. Families were able to become an Elf at the Kandy Kane Express Holiday Festival. The festival also supports Project Elf. Project Elf is a fundraiser where families adopt families or individuals with disabilities and buy Christmas presents for them. The Dane Foundation also provides things that are not available through typical support services. The items include toilet paper, hygiene, cleaning, adaptive equipment and household items that offer comfort and enhance the quality of life. The Dane Foundation was named after Dane Edward Moser, who was born with multiple disabilities. His Cerebral Palsy affected his entire life, but he was said to never wallow in it and moved forward. Moser quietly passed away in August of 2009. Moser represents the successes people hope to have in their lives. His story tells of a young man who had overcome obstacles so he could inspire others. The Kandy Kane Express also supported Ms. Wheelchair USA organization on December 7. The Ms. Wheelchair USA promotes glamour, self-confidence and community service, celebrating achievements of women with disabilities. The Ms. Wheelchair USA organization was founded over 15 years ago as an Ohio-only competition, but has grown to national proportions in 2007 and is continuing to prosper The program provides opportunities for women with disabilities to show off their achievements and to educate and advocate others, while supplying a platform for community service and public decision. The program focuses on women’s abilities not, disabilities. The Ms. Wheelchair USA organization encourages professional advancement and require a public service. The program is not a beauty pageant, but has glamour, phases of competition including professional production numbers, entertainment and public appearances, and with crowning on national television. The program is presented by The Dane Foundation. Lowery Lockard, President of the Dane Foundation said, “Project Elf serves five hundred people with disabilities each year.”
Elec Simon inspires students with music
Every year, the high school invites someone to speak to the students. In past years, motivational speakers have included men like Marc Elliot and Jeff Yalden, but this year was like no other.
Self-taught musician, Elec Simon, spent his morning at the high school on Thurs., Oct 16.
Simon began his journey on Broadway, performing with STOMP, a music and theatrical performance combination, when he was just at the age of 22. Simon still occasionally performs with STOMP, marking 2014 as his tenth year working with the musical program. Since then, he has branched out.
Simon travels to schools to send a message to students. He talks less about an “anti-bullying” message and more about life itself.
“[Elec] really had a great message. He made us all think about how grateful we should be for the things in our lives and made us all realize that we don’t know what a person’s situation until you really get to know them,” junior Taylor Calvert said.
Simon was inspired by tragedy. When he was 16, he received the news of his best friend’s death. While his name was unmentioned, Simon says he does these presentations in honor of his friend who was bullied into taking his own life.
“Kids are mean nowadays, and respect is the number one issue,” Simon said. “Kids are dying and committing suicide, and the kids might get picked on, and they don’t tell the teacher and the next morning they wake up and hear about that kid blowing their brains out. Treat people right. It’s that simple.”
After working with STOMP full time, Simon made a decision while at a hotel in Lima, Peru.
“I left [STOMP] on my own,” Simon said. “I was like it’s time for me to go to schools and stuff like that so that’s when I left the show because I felt I had to give back and do something to help these kids.”
Simon reaches out to students with music. It is a way to get people involved and interested in what he is saying.
“I use music as bait to pull the kids in,” Simon said. “Like with the elementary kids, it’s tough…. A lot of people can come in and do assemblies, but… how can you get the kids attention?”
People were definitely intrigued by Simon’s association with music.
“[Elec] was different than any other speaker, which made him entertaining,” sophomore Gianna Flasco said.
Simon spoke about his life, telling stories and playing music. He says everyone should smile and speak nicely to others because kindness could change their mood completely.
“There’s always going to be someone mad at the world because they’re mad at their life,” Simon said.
Most students were very pleased by the show Simon put on.
“[Elec was] by far the best speak Stow has had since I have been here,” junior Taylor Calvert said.
Listening to Simon’s message inspired many of the students in several different ways.
“I think he taught us that believing in ourselves gets us extremely far and that you need to not worry about what other people think and just be yourself,” Calvert said.
Simon hopes students will remember not to “let anyone tell you can’t do anything. You want something? Go get it.”
SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING--Anyone can call the tip line: 1-844-723-3764 or email safehs@smfschools.org 