Since April, Zinner & Co. staff members have worked hard to maintain regular communication with their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During some of our conversations, we have heard many uplifting stories of how our clients are making the most of the “Stay at Home” order. Here are few stories we wanted to bring to your attention:

Attorney Mark Gardner

Retiring is a life changing event, and for some, it can mark a difficult transition from one phase of life to another.

For Gardner, the “Stay at Home” order allowed Mark and his wife Laura to see what life may be like once they are retired.

In order to remain active, they turned part of their driveway into a pickleball court.

“I’m viewing this lockdown as a pre-retirement training session,” said Mark.

While he hopes his real retirement will occur in the not too distant future, he has enjoyed spending additional time with his wife.

“So far, I like how it feels,” he added.

EDWINS New Specials Prove Popular

Since the “Stay at Home” order has gone into effect Brandon E. Chrostowski, Founder, President and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, has essentially turned lemons into lemonade.

EDWINS gives formerly-incarcerated adults a foundation in the hospitality industry, while providing a support network necessary for a successful re-entry. Their goal is to enhance the community of Cleveland’s vulnerable neighborhoods by providing its future leaders.

At a time when people needed hope, Chrostowski’s organization stepped up.

Even though all classroom instruction was paused, all of their students are still receiving their stipends. Those, who utilize their housing, remain safe in residence halls and many of their students are helping with the restaurant’s nightly service.

“Returning citizens face so many obstacles and barriers when they return home, what’s another,” Chrostowski said. “We have rallied together at EDWINS and we keep on making it happen!”

The surrounding community has rallied behind the restaurant.

While they cannot serve people in the building, they are grilling out each night on Shaker Square, feeding families across the city with their 4 for $40 specials. Based on the early results, these specials have proven to be popular.

They have extended their hours at all of their locations and offer curbside pickup, takeout and delivery through their own drivers, DoorDash and UberEATS.

“I see the perseverance of Clevelanders each night on the grill on Shaker Square,” he added. “Each diner, every smile from a pedestrian or honk of the car horn shows me that our collective hope is ever-present. While we must keep our distance, we can truly all feel together.”

Cleveland Play House Continues to Serve Community

The crisis has brought out the very best in the Cleveland Play House family. 

Unfortunately, CPH was forced to cancel the final three plays of their 104th season and the indefinite postponement of their new play festival and annual fundraising event.

When this announcement was made, they asked ticket holders to consider donating the cost of their ticket purchase to Cleveland Play House in lieu of requesting a refund.

CPH subscribers generously declined refunds for canceled performances, choosing to either convert those dollars into donations or accepting credits for future performances.

Since the pandemic hit Ohio, the CPH education staff has remained dedicated to providing online instruction and education.

Their remarkable staff has provided more than 200 hours of online instruction per week, provided arts education and other support for Cleveland Municipal School District students. 

Additionally, their artistic team is hard at work developing exciting online content to share with their subscribers, supporters and friends on their Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

Their e-newsletter, CPH Stories, is now published weekly with the latest news and information about all things CPH.

While the show cannot go on, Cleveland Play House is doing all they can to reinvent themselves during this time and for the foreseeable future, as they wait for the day when the curtain will once again raise for performances.