Melissa Rosser

West Chester, OH- (December 16, 2022) After fifteen years, a local tradition is getting a new home. The Shamrock Shuffle, a charitable event featuring a 5k/10k Race and Community Block Party, will transition from the Northern Cincinnati Foundation to EDGE Teen Center over the next year, with the inaugural EDGE Shamrock Shuffle event to be held in March 2024.

“We are thrilled to pass The Shamrock Shuffle on to EDGE,” said Erin Clemons, Northern Cincinnati Foundation president & CEO. “The event has a long history in this area, and we are confident Sara and her team at EDGE will carry it forward with great success.”

The Shamrock Shuffle hosts 3000-5000 participants annually at The Square @ Union Centre in West Chester, raising upwards of $65,000 each year. 

Since its inception, proceeds from The Shamrock Shuffle have helped fund the Foundation’s operations as well as grants to local nonprofits and participating Charity Teams.  Recent growth and a shift in focus has allowed the Northern Cincinnati Foundation to become self-sustaining and carry out their mission without the need for annual fundraising efforts, according to Clemons. 

After a scaled-back Shuffle in September 2021, following a two-year pandemic hiatus, the Foundation made the decision to seek an alternative home for the event with a local non-profit organization.

“The Shamrock Shuffle has been a great event for us and the whole community, and we knew it could continue to make a positive impact going forward,” said Clemons. “We were seeking an organization with whom we’ve had a longstanding relationship, who was focused on sustainability, and who we knew would use the event to make tangible difference in the community. EDGE Teen Center was the perfect fit.”

While The Shamrock Shuffle won’t be back in 2023, planning efforts at EDGE are already underway for a bigger and better event in 2024. Participants can expect the event to run much the same way it has in recent years, including the popular Shuffle Gives Back Charity Team program that allows participants to create teams and raise funds for their own causes with a portion of each team member registration. 

“Creating a spirit of volunteerism and community service is at the core of what we teach teens at EDGE,” said Sara Gabbard, EDGE Executive Director.  “We are excited to support so many of our non-profit partners through charity teams.  With an event like the Shamrock Shuffle, the whole community wins.”

In addition to supporting the local nonprofit community with Shuffle Gives Back, proceeds from the event going forward will support EDGE Teen Center’s mission to empower local teens to impact the world, and will help fund existing programs as well as future growth. 

More information about The Shamrock Shuffle 2024 will be available in the coming months, for both participants and those interested in sponsoring the event. 

“We are so thankful for the opportunity to continue the tradition of The Shamrock Shuffle,” said Gabbard. “We are excitedly planning for 2024!”

To learn more about EDGE Teen Center, visit https://edgeteencenter.com/.

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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – EDGE Teen Center is pleased to announce that Sara Gabbard has been appointed its new executive director. She is only the second executive director in the 12-year-old organization’s history, taking over for Brenda Yablonsky who stepped down recently but will remain an active supporter and board member.

“We took our time to find just the right person,” said Sgt. Brent Lovell with the West Chester Police Dept and current chair of EDGE’s board of directors. “Sara brings a great mix of experience in non-profit organizations and youth and family advocacy.” Sara, who is from the local area, had worked with a youth organization in Indiana and prior to that held leadership positions with Hope’s Closet in Hamilton.

“There is a lot of excitement and energy around our recently approved three-year strategic plan,” said Lovell, “and Sara will guide those efforts to support the local community’s teen population in new and high-impact ways.” 

The local nonprofit that serves 700 local teens annually also shared that Melissa Rosser, who was manager of the Community Service Program, has been promoted to operations director. She will oversee the staff and programming for EDGE’s various programs focused on Community Service, Academic Success, Life Skills and Healthy Living.

The uniqueness of the EDGE model is that it is 100% tailored to the unique needs of teens – an often under-served segment of the community. The diverse teen center is dedicated to helping teens become confident in who they are and equipped to be successful in high school and beyond. 

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH, Feb. 2020 – EDGE Teen Center recently received a $25,000 grant from the Charles H. Dater Foundation for its After-School Program. The funding will be used to support the programs offered at EDGE’s two teen center locations in Butler County where any teen in grades 9-12 may take part in EDGE programs that encourage them to grow personally, socially, and academically.

EDGE is one of the largest exclusively-teen afterschool centers in Ohio. About 150 teens attend daily where they enjoy a safe, supervised space where all teens are valued and accepted. They may also take part in programs that challenge them to become the best version of themselves. Key program focus areas are: Healthy Living, Academic Success, Life Skills and Community Service. Approximately 820 teens take part in EDGE programs each year.

EDGE Teen Center’s mission is to empower teens to impact the world. The Charles H. Dater Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area such as EDGE to carry out programs that benefit young people and focus in the areas of arts/culture, education, healthcare, social services and other community needs.

The private foundation was established by fourth-generation Cincinnatian, businessman and philanthropist Charles Dater (1912-1993) to ensure that his resources would continue to fund worthwhile community programs after his death. The foundation has made more than 3,200 grants totaling over $53 million since its inception in 1985.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – As EDGE Teen Center wraps up its 10^th anniversary year, the local non-profit is launching an annual awards program to honor individuals and businesses who partner in its mission to empower local teens.

This year’s award winners are:

Legacy Award – Annie Droege, a longtime EDGE leader from 2013-2019 who was instrumental in creating the successful and sustainable model for programming used at EDGE, collaborating with community experts in ways that brought great impact to teens, and mentoring many current EDGE staff members.

GOAT Volunteer Award (greatest of all time) – Tony Siegmann, a jack-of-all-trades and selfless volunteer willing to be “on call” who works quietly behind the scenes to help maintain the EDGE facility and ensure EDGE remains a safe, welcoming place for all teens.

Trifecta Award – Barclays, a global financial services company whoseHamilton Operations Center has for several years contributed significantly to the EDGE mission through both financial support and colleagues volunteering their time, talent and skills to support EDGE teens.

EDGE will recognize the award winners at its premier annual fundraising event, Give Teens the EDGE, on February 8, 2020.

This adults-only event is held at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and starts at 6:30 pm. The talents of teens are showcased throughout the evening with entertainment provided by Lakota West High School jazz musicians and interactive dinner stations prepared by Chef Tyler Simpson and teens at the Butler Tech Culinary Arts program. Auction items, basket raffles, interactive games and teen trivia round out this casual annual event. Tickets are $50/person or $350 for a table of eight. Reservations can be made at www.edgeteencenter.com.

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November 11, 2019
For immediate release

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH – EDGE Teen Center is offering a new opportunity for teens ages 14-18. The Job Prep Program, sponsored by First Financial Foundation and Raising Cane’s, was created to give teens the initial skills needed to both attain and retain employment, and to supply local West Chester/Liberty Township businesses with prepared candidates.

This free job readiness certificate program offers two phases: 4.5 hours of interactive classroom learning, and 3 hours of on-the-job training.  Teens who participate in this program will work on soft skills such as applying for jobs, interviewing, financial literacy and dependability. They will also work on hard skills during optional on-the-job training days in the EDGE café, including customer service, working a register, managing inventory and more.

“We believe this program will fulfill an unmet need in the community,” said Annie Droege, EDGE’s operations director who created the job readiness curriculum with input from local employers who hire teens and grant funding provided by First Financial Foundation. “By the end of the program, teens will feel confident in both applying for their first job and will have the skills needed to retain their job.” Teens who complete both portions of the program receive a gift card they can use to buy clothing appropriate for an interview, and are guaranteed an interview with any of the seven local employers signed on as program partners.

This program will be offered several times during the year, with the first session held Nov. 12-14 at EDGE Teen Center, located at 7568 Wyandot Ln. Sign up at www.edgeteencenter.com or email annie@edgeteencenter.com.

EDGE Teen Center’s “dine to donate” dates are listed below. EDGE receives a portion of sales, but you must mention EDGE at time of order.

• November 20-Wings and Rings, Liberty Township
• December 18-Texas Roadhouse, West Chester
• January 15-Basil’s on Market, Mason
• February 19-City BBQ, West Chester

Tickets for the following shows go on sale on 5/28 at 9 am:

Disney’s FROZEN Jr. – Snow Cast: Sat, June 29, 7 pm; Sun, June 30, 5 pm

Disney’s FROZEN Jr. – Ice Cast: Sat, June 29, 4 pm; Sun, June 30, 7:30 pm

These shows are at Fitton Center, 101 S Monument Ave, Hamilton, OH 45011

To purchase tickets visit http://edgeteencenter.seatyourself.biz.