goodcanton

May 5, 2021May 5, 2021

Calling Stark County to Prayer – May 6, 2021

Prayer is an important part of “everything good” about Canton and Stark County! There are more people than we know praying for our community! Thank you to all of them! Keep it up! We are passing along information we received from the National Day of Prayer Stark County planning committee this year. See this as an invitation to join in!

The National Day of Prayer 2021 will be on Thursday, May 6!

. A week of prayer, worship, praise and public Bible reading at Courthouse Square will begin on Sunday, May 2, at 3 p.m. Activities will continue through First Friday on May 7, with the highlight being a one-hour service of praise and prayer from 12 noon- 1p.m. on Thursday. All events are public and we welcome your participation.

Schedule of Events Kick-off, Sunday, May 2, Worship at 3:00 p.m. at the Stark County Courthouse followed by the Bible Reading Marathon starting at 4:00 p.m. through Thursday at 12:00 Noon. Thursday, May 6– 8:00 a.m. Prayer Breakfast at Arlington Ave. Church of God, 142 Arlington Ave. NW. RSVP Pastor Webb Parsons, 330-327-7126. 12 Noon- NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER OBSERVANCE at Courthouse Square. Prayer Station Sunday through Friday First Friday, May 7- 6-9 p.m.: Praise and Worship Celebration at Courthouse Square

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” – Alfred, Lord Tennyson

May 4, 2021June 9, 2021

The Sun is Rising Over Canton

by Connie Carmany 4/27/21

Tuesday morning at 6:15 a.m. with the looming edifice of the McKinley Monument barely visible in the lingering darkness, I trudged up the 96 steps to the platform on top, where a couple of dozen individuals, about half of them black and half of them white, were patiently awaiting. How strange, I thought, was this weekly trek up the steps of the monument to gather with a group of people I barely know, and didn’t know at all a year ago, yet feel strangely like family. So what and who brings us here, and why?

Some of you may have read an article in the Canton Repository, as did I, early last summer, featuring a young man named Brad Tyson, who, in answer to social unrest and tension over race relations, called for a “Reset” in Canton. He called for people of all races to come together to pray for our city and county and to talk with each other about important issues. “Why is it that white people don’t hang out with black people and black people don’t hang out with white people?” he asked.

City officials cancelled the event he had planned due to COVID-19 concerns, but I got to meet Brad. He is an impressive but humble young man of faith who has a genuine concern for the people of Stark County and wants to bring people together for the good of all of us. “Unity doesn’t start in the White House, it starts in our house!” he stated. Not to be deterred by the forced cancellation, he said he would re-group and find another way to get people together.

So he organized the “Sunrise Prayer” as he calls it, at the top of the McKinley monument steps where we can watch the sunrise over the city as we view the city itself. It is only organized by word of mouth. I have been to almost all of them. For about 45 minutes, we pray for the needs of our community, our schools, our youth, our children, our families our safety personnel, our churches, our leaders. We pray for an end to the violence, the drug addiction, the rapes, the shootings. We pray for the people in our community to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Brad also has organized outreaches to the community. We went into southeast Canton to pass out snacks and pray for people in need. We helped to pass out food and clothing on another occasion. We were asked to come to a local school building to pray for children and staff going back to school. We have handed out food and drinks and clothing and prayed over people and buildings and events in our community. If you are a school teacher, administrator, staff person, student, we have prayed for you. If you are a first responder, we have prayed for you. If you are a healthcare worker, we have prayed for you. If you are a drug addict, a criminal, a homeless person, the victim of a crime, and hurting in any way, we have prayed for you. So, Cantonians, Stark County residents, know that there are people who care about you and are praying for you!

The “Sunrise Prayer” group is still meeting, but we have been meeting in different churches and places around the city throughout the winter and spring so far. We are now in week 45, I think, and going strong.

This may be a small group, but it can have a far-reaching impact. Brad Tyson and the “Sunrise Prayer” group are definitely part of “Everything Good about Canton.” So, Cantonians and Stark County residents, know that you are not alone. Someone is praying for you!

Thank you, Brad!

The sun is rising over Canton.

January 5, 2021

First Friday

What a beautiful start to the new year it was to view “Illumination” in downtown Canton on First Friday, January 1st, 2021! The weather was mild, which made it easy to walk around observing the beautiful ice carvings and light displays around downtown. BTW, the creative lighting will be on display on Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. throughout January and February. (See the Arts in Stark website or Facebook page for details.) Unfortunately, the ice carvings have a shorter lifespan! But I captured pictures of some of them and will post them here. Kudos to the various ice carvers! Also, the “Hall of Fame City Ice Rink” on 2nd St. by the Courthouse is open for your enjoyment this winter! Do plan to come downtown to enjoy the local shops, restaurants, bars and breweries, light displays, ice skating, art galleries, art museum, First Ladies Museum, Palace Theater, etc. this winter, and don’t forget a mask (it doubles as a face-warmer on cold winter days). Thanks, Arts in Stark, for sponsoring “First Fridays” in Downtown Canton on the first Friday of each month!

Happy New Year ice carving on First Friday. Photo credit: Connie Carmany

Centennial Plaza on First Friday. Photo credit: Connie Carmany

Canton Ice Carving at Centennial Plaza on First Friday. Photo credit: Connie Carmany

April 25, 2020

BEAUTIFY CANTON

by Connie Carmany

Today is Arbor Day. It is a day when people are encouraged to plant trees. Wednesday was Earth Day, a day to remember to take good care of the earth. These days, I am proud to be an Ohioan and a Cantonian. Today, Gov. DeWine mentioned that trees are “critical to environmental health and beneficial to our physical and mental health as well.” He mentioned that “Ohioans lead the nation in having 242 cities, villages and townships that participate in the Arbor Day Foundation’s ‘Tree City USA’ program which recognizes cities practicing and investing in sound urban forestry.” He also said, “Planting trees, to me, symbolizes a faith in the future and optimism.”

Here in the Stark Parks, they are working hard to spruce up the parks and creeks and lakes so they will look beautiful this spring and summer. It is making a huge difference. If you are out in the parks, please help to keep them beautiful.

We are all going through a rough time together. I have a challenge for Cantonians. During this time, let’s celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day and springtime by bringing new life to Canton and making it the most beautiful it’s ever been. Let’s plant trees and flowers and clean up trash and decorate our yards, houses, sidewalks. Then send us your pictures!

Here’s to faith in our future!

Photos by Lydia Carmany

April 23, 2020

A MEMORABLE “EASTER IN THE STREETS” OF CANTON

By Connie Carmany

Easter was different this year. For the first time in my life, I was not in a church on Easter Sunday! That could have been a downer for me, but thanks to the ingenuity and efforts of Revs. JR and Amy Rozko, co-pastors of the First Church of the Resurrection in downtown Canton, my family and many others were able to do something new and quite memorable on Easter morning! The pastors, along with other local pastors and groups, organized the first “Easter in the Streets” sunrise service! We all gathered in our cars with signs and decorations at the J.C. Penney parking lot and were led by police escorts through Canton’s streets past schools, churches, homeless shelter, Hall of Fame, nursing homes, residences and businesses, praying for the people and playing uplifting Easter music as we drove along.

The most touching moment for me came as we pulled into Malone University’s parking lot at the end of our 2-hour caravan and saw all of the residents of the Canton Christian Home who were standing at their windows smiling and waving to us. What could have been a dismal Easter turned into a joy-filled and uniquely memorable day! Here’s a big virtual hug and kudos to Revs. J.R. and Amy Rozko, Jamie Szittai White, and Chad Minor, the organizers of “Easter in the Streets”!

Cars lined up waiting to caravan through Canton spreading Good News

One of the festive signs at Easter in the Streets

April 1, 2020April 1, 2020

The Helpers, Part 2: You Are Not Alone

By Lydia Carmany

Source: Tracy Foster for Stark County Helping Our Community (Facebook Group)

Amidst the deluge of news about closings, layoffs, and economic hardships, we are so proud that the residents of Stark County continue to take care of one another. From providing food and other basic necessities to students and families stuck at home due to school and workplace shutdowns, to small businesses looking out for their employees and local nonprofits, we have done a fabulous job of maintaining as much normalcy as possible during this unprecedented event. Many restaurants are offering carryout meals, allowing you to continue supporting local business while keeping a safe social distance. My brother Tim of The Hub Art Factory in Downtown Canton has been joining virtual open studio sessions with local artists, and some ~~bored~~ loving individuals have taken their downtime as an opportunity to clean up litter in public parks.

If you, like me, are lucky enough to live with or near family or have someone with whom you can check in during this time, please use this opportunity to treasure the time spent (even virtually) with those loved ones. If you don’t have anyone with whom you can connect, please let us know by emailing your contact information to info@goodcanton.org, and we will do our best to make sure someone gets in touch with you! This community is full of generous hearts and decent folks, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any needs you have right now. Isolation can be lonely, but please know that you’re not alone in this.

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020

Canton & Coronavirus: The Helpers, Part 1

By Connie Carmany

Okay, Canton, I see that you are already busy being “the helpers” in this time of crisis. Good for you!

First, businesses are stepping up and getting creative. One example – Gervasi Vineyard has transformed its distillery into a hand sanitizer factory – ingenius! Scott Swaldo, the General Manager, has announced that he will begin production soon and will be giving hand sanitizer to local healthcare professionals to help our community. Bravo for Gervasi!

Stark County communities are finding ways to keep up morale. Today’s Canton Repository had an article about Canal Fulton teachers and their students doing “the wave” prior to Ohio’s “stay at home” order taking effect. Teachers drove by homes of their students to beep and wave to them from their cars, with students “catching the wave” and returning it. Another fun way to keep up your spirits!

Our family is coping with the new order in several ways. I am using the time at home to write letters of encouragement to older friends and make phone calls to people with whom I have been out of touch for a while. It’s delightful to catch up! The other day, we got our entire family across the country onto Zoom (a group video chat platform) where we watched the antics of our grandchildren for ½ hour. Then, those of us at home played Scrabble and ate junk food, like we used to do when the kids were small. What a delightful time we had! We and our children are taking turns cooking our best gourmet meals for each other and expanding our meal repertoire. I’ve never eaten so well! So, this is the tip of the iceberg of creative ways to spend your time at home and connect with others.

At the same time, let’s keep in mind those outside our homes who still need help. One group is the recipients of Meals on Wheels. I understand that the number of requests has gone up and the number of volunteers has gone down. They are changing their delivery protocol from hot meals to delivering groceries every other week that the shut-ins can use to fix their own meals. They are in need of volunteers to deliver these groceries to homes of shut-ins. They have instituted safety precautions. So, if you would like to be part of “Everything Good About Canton” right now, this is one opportunity.

Look for the helpers! Be one! Continue to take good care of yourself and your neighbors.

March 20, 2020March 21, 2020

Canton and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

By Connie Carmany

“Once in a lifetime . . .” That’s what the coronavirus COVID-19 is supposed to be. It seems as if our whole world has changed overnight. Nothing stays the same. Everything is in a whirlwind. Leaders worldwide seem to agree that we are in a state of crisis. But what does that mean? According to the online Etymology Dictionary, the word “crisis” comes from the Latinized for of the Greek krisis which referred to the “point [in a disease] at which change must come, for better or for worse . . . recovery or death.” To be sure, crises bring danger, but they also bring opportunity. And crises have a way of revealing a person’s or a community’s character.

Fred Rogers (everyone’s childhood hero) shared an insight from his childhood: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ ” We will see who the helpers are– who reaches out to help their neighbors, the elderly, the children, the small businesses that will need help to get through this time.

We think that Canton (and Stark County) is the kind of place where people do and will reach out to help one another more than the average and will come together to get through this as a community. Canton has a strong and long history of coming together in times of crises and we will do it again.

For example, during the Great Depression, Canton businessman Sam Stone anonymously gave 150 families $5 at Christmastime one year (which, I am told, would be like giving them $100 today). Their stories are told in the book his grandson, Ted Gup, wrote called The Secret Gift. The Boston Globe reported that the book is “a wonderful reminder that economic hardship can bring suffering but also foster compassion and community.”

He wasn’t the only generous one during the Depression. Several Canton businesses and individuals showed kindness to others, from local grocers who let people run up credit tabs, not knowing when they would ever be paid, to companies like the Timken Company forgiving rent owed them from employees for housing, and countless other examples. During WWI, Cantonians were asked to raise money by buying a certain quota of war bonds. Many people said it couldn’t be done. But Cantonians came together and exceeded the quota. It was such a tremendous achievement that they had a ceremony to bury the saying, “It can’t be done”! You can still see the grave marker outside the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

Fast forward to today. Canton is still a “can do” kind of place. Already, we are seeing people rise to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. On the last evening that restaurants were open for dining in, a patron of TD Tailgate in North Canton left $100 tips for each of the employees working there that night. People are pulling together to be sure school children, seniors, and others get their meals in the wake of school and community center closings. I am sure we will see and hear about multitudes of acts of goodwill from residents of the greater Canton area . . . because that’s who we are!