2023 LFYO Fundraising Luncheon Is Right Around the Corner

On behalf of my wife, Monya and I, we are excited to meet attendees, many of you, at the LFYO fundraising luncheon on September 15, 2023. We will be celebrating 25 years of service to Ohioans. Over the years, we’ve offered empowerment-based initiatives in every corner of the state. Our mission is straightforward … To improve the life prospects and legacy pathways of vulnerable populations through targeted programming in the following areas: financial wellness, personal branding, professional development, college and career readiness, mentoring guidance and life coaching, social and emotional learning (SEL), and brain development exercises for autistic children with IDDs.

In sports, setting the tone for success early in the game improves a team’s chances of achieving a favorable outcome when it ends. That “early start” can segue into sustained, positive momentum throughout the season.  What happens when an individual, family, or community struggles in the first quarter of life? They often scramble to play catch up, swinging for the fences with get-rich-quick schemes to combat poverty’s plight, throwing hail Mary bombs down the field to make up for punishing life penalties, or taking long-distance threes, really ill-advised shots, when two-point layups are more effective as the opportunity clock winds down. As time moves on however, the compounding effects of life quarter hangups and hiccups create an even deeper scoring deficit for them and their unsuspecting offspring to overcome.

At our fundraising event, we’ll highlight this sports-based life theme by asking a simple question: What if our country, companies, classrooms, communities, and civilities played team ball? How much better would Team America be? Why should we really care in our me-first world? Who would be willing to come off the bench and play a supporting role? Where do we even start, let alone navigate this tumultuous course? Ohio State Athletic Director, Gene Smith, gets it. Non-revenue sports teams at OSU are given the same opportunity to succeed as the two revenue-producing sports teams — men’s basketball and football. For nearly two decades, that’s how OSU athletics, under the guidance of Smith, has played team ball. That’s why we’re recognizing him at our luncheon. Other Buckeye greats in attendance will include Coach Chris Holtmann, Clark Kellogg, Ron Stokes, Dee Miller, and 2003 national champion Mike Doss, among others. (Yes, I understand some of you aren’t Buckeye fans.)

Take a look at the event details for our fundraising luncheon on September 15 …

First-Half Lineup  11:30 AM — 12:30 PM

Registration, Networking, Hors D’Oeuvres, and Silent Auction

Second-Half Lineup  12:30 PM — 1:30 PM

Lunch, Program Opening Remarks, Guest Speakers, and Closing Comments

We will have 12 spectacular silent auction-item packages to bid on. Yes, packages. Here are five of them …