Starry Night
A night for Lakewood to Shine
By Rita Ryland
“Lakewood Hospital is a cherished institution. This is a great idea. Hopefully, this is the first of many annual Starry Nights.†Mayor Tom George
On Friday evening August 4, as the sun begins its descent over Lake Erie, Lakewood Hospital and the Lakewood Arts Festival will host Starry Night  a patron benefit event that will kick off the widely acclaimed Lakewood Arts Festival, now in its 29th year.
This year, under the leadership of Lakewood Hospital Chief Administrative Officer Jack Gustin, the hospital is partnering with the Lakewood Arts Festival and adding the Friday evening event to begin the weekend festivities and raise funds for two worthwhile causes  the Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship Fund and expansion of diabetes services at Lakewood Hospital.
Uncontrolled diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and leg amputations. “One out of every 16 people in Greater Cleveland has diabetes and the numbers are on the rise,†says Gustin. “Part of our mission is to provide health care that meets the needs of the people we serve. With the prevalence of this chronic disease in our communities, we feel a duty to further develop and expand our diabetes services to provide state-of-the-art diabetes care and also increase our community wellness and education programs.â€Â
“This is a great opportunity to support community health,†said Dotty Buckon, Director of the Department of Human Services.
It’s also a wonderful opportunity to build community. Kathy Berkshire, President and CEO of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, participated on the planning committee for Starry Night. “It will be great to bring people downtown. We can turn this into a weekend event,†said Ms. Berkshire. She also pointed out that with Jack Gustin and Fred DeGrandis at the helm “this event will grow.â€Â
On Friday evening, August 4th, comeâ€â€listen to a jazz band from Lakewood High School, talk to many of the artists who will be displaying their work over the weekend, buy a handful of raffle tickets, feast on gourmet food such as grilled lamb chops or ancho chili rubbed salmon with chipotle tomato relish. And don’t forget, while having fun, you are raising money for diabetes education and arts scholarships.
This years’ scholarship recipient is John Sweeney, a 2006 graduate of St. Edward High School. John will attend the Cleveland Art Institute. A sample of John’s ceramics will be on display in the window of Landfall Travel on Detroit and Warren.
Tickets for Starry Night range from $100.00 ($50 tax deductible) to $150.00 ($70 tax deductible), which includes a VIP artists reception. To reserve your tickets, contact the Lakewood Hospital Foundation at 216.529.7009 or email Foundation@lkwh.org