Monthly News for Our Donors & Partners
November 2023
Join Us Starting Nov. 27 for a Cincinnati Philanthropic Tradition!
The Chatfield Edge is participating in the 2023 Cincinnati Gives Challenge. In this friendly fundraising competition, local charities compete to raise the most money, with the top teams winning cash prizes from Cincinnati Magazine. The challenge runs through Dec. 7.
How can you help? Share our social media posts and encourage your network to vote with their donations here.
Help us give first-generation and non-traditional students the gift of postsecondary education and life success.
National Apprenticeship Week
In recent years, the skilled trade industry in the United States has suffered from a lack of young people interested in pursuing careers as electricians, carpenters, painters, construction workers, plumbers, welders, steam/pipe fitters, and other trades. The pandemic saw many older trades men and women retire after successful and lucrative careers, without an influx of new workers to replace them.
The Chatfield Edge supports students who engage in all types of educational endeavors, including trade school programs. National Apprenticeship Week (November 13-19) showcases the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeships as the skilled trade industry works to rebuild the workforce. To learn more about this national focus and how The Chatfield Edge is poised to mentor students interested in skilled labor careers, click here.
Scholar Spotlight: Jackie Schmidt
Non-traditional students take many routes to pursue education, often in a manner and on a timeline that does not occur within four years of high school graduation. The Chatfield Edge knows that these students face barriers different from traditional students, which is why we are committed to walking with students like Jackie Schmidt.
While Jackie did purse a two-year degree immediately after high school at Chatfield College, it wasn’t until more than two decades later that she knew she needed additional education. In 2021, Jackie’s life took a turn as she was laid off from her job due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Unexpectedly, she found herself in her mid-fifties searching for employment alongside many others who had bachelor’s and advanced degrees. Read more about Jackie’s journey and how The Chatfield Edge is helping her better her life through education.
In Memoriam: Florence Reino Tafaro, mother of Chatfield College’s fifth president
The Chatfield Edge mourns the loss of Florence Reino Tafaro, mother of former Chatfield College president, John P. Tafaro. She was a loyal friend and supporter of Chatfield College and helped establish the Joseph W. Tafaro Scholarship Fund in 2009. Florence was 95 when she died on Tuesday, October 24 in Florida after a brief illness and long, happy life.
At the request of her family, memorial gifts may be directed to the Joseph W. Tafaro Scholarship Fund at The Chatfield Edge. Read her full obituary here.
Farewell to a Friend of Chatfield: Robert (Bob) Knueven
On October 15, 2023, the Chatfield community lost a loyal friend. Bob Knueven was a passionate supporter of the former Chatfield College, where he taught accounting, volunteered at events, and served on the board. It was not uncommon to see Bob around the St. Martin campus with a paint brush in his hand or helping out with landscaping projects.
We are forever grateful for his dedication to our mission and offer our condolences to his family and friends as they grieve his loss and celebrate his life. Learn more about Bob’s life and legacy here.
Fall Festival Wrap-Up
A brisk fall day found hundreds of people milling around The Chatfield Edge’s St. Martin campus for our Fall Festival. Friends old and new enjoyed the Quilt, Craft, and Car Show along with great food and music. The October 21 event also included the annual raffle featuring a quilt depicting the story of the Underground Railroad in southwestern Ohio (Winner: Eric Brown).
Thank you to our all the many volunteers who made the event possible:
Car Show judges and quilt show helpers; Tiffany Ellis and Diane Meeks for the Viewer’s Choice ribbons; volunteers from Peoples Bank, Boy Scout Troop #456, the University of Cincinnati, and Friends of Chatfield; raffle quilt makers Kathleen Johnson and Karin Burwinkle; The Chatfield Edge board members; and our amazing Fall Festival Committee.
We are grateful to our sponsors: Colonial Post and Fence, O’Reilly Auto Parts (Batavia), Wagner Subaru, and Wiederhold Painting LLC, and our many door prize donors. A special thanks to the Ohio Arts Council for generously supporting the Fall Festival and arts programming at The Chatfield Edge.
Click here to see more photos of the Fall Festival.
