ReUse-apalooza shattered records, with 400 people attending and $75,000 raised for programs that break down barriers to employment. Entertainment included a DJ and a return of the Lip Sync Battle, as well as a living statue, origami artists, magician Brett Sears and jugglers from Cincinnati Circus. Participating restaurants included Babushka Pierogies, Django Western Taco and Ruth’s Parkside Cafe.
The Designer Challenge featured more than 40 professional and amateur artists celebrating the beauty of second chances by creating something new from salvaged materials.
- Building Value employee Chris Miday and his TV aquarium
- Building Value employee Chris Pence and his beer bike, which was auctioned
- Ryan Ridgley of BarnRat Studio
- Board member Greg Hammond and wife Rebecca, performing with their children in the Lip Sync Battle
- Gary Dent, board member; Pam Green, president and CEO; and Carman Dent
- Dianne Todd, board member Craig Todd and Tracy Van Wagner
- David FitzGibbon; Warren Weber, emeritus board member; Pam Weber, board member; and Lisa FitzGibbon, former president and CEO
- Committee member Dave Rickerd with Barbara Scull, board member and ReUse-apalooza committee chair
- Dave Reuve’ s goal was to create something that would be fun to make, desirable to buy, fit in a car, be on budget, use distressed building materials and give a second chance to items that might have been discarded.
- Art Vogt’s bookcase won “Most Watched.” He made the piece using a five-panel door for the front, line flooring for the sides and galvanized roofing for the back.
- Cristy Siegrist and Ron Hotchkiss of Valley Central Bank
- Nathan underwent several heart surgeries at a young age and faced challenges finding employment because of his intellectual disability. After training with Easterseals, he worked in the Building Value store. Currently, he works at Walmart and has earned multiple promotions.