Back to School means back to all things school related. And here in Lakewood, the premier school event of the year is also known as the Lakewood Home Tour. Disguised as a party or an afternoon with friends, this two-day event, celebrating its 47th year, is so much more. The Lakewood Home Tour brings our community together, raises an enormous amount of funds for the local schools, educates the neighborhood about our history and helps create memories for all those involved.

 

If you haven't attended, it is a must for any Lakewood local as well as a fun day out for outsiders. The Lakewood Early Childhood Parent Teacher Association coordinates and staffs a two-day event that showcases six neighborhood properties. Guests are invited to tour the homes staffed by volunteer docents armed with interesting history and fun facts about each property. Included in the two-day event are parties for sponsors and hosts, an evening candlelight cocktail bus tour and a two-day open house-style ticketed event (not to mention all the pre-parties leading up to the big event). Putting this on is a massive undertaking! It is a 12 month job that involves securing underwriters, sponsors, hosts & volunteers; months and months of marketing; parties & special events to celebrate all those involved; coordination & communication between hundreds of volunteers; protection of peoples' privacy & property, and attention to every detail. Last year the home tour raised over $350,000 for our local schools. 

 

In 2023, the 47th year of the Lakewood Home Tour, three amazing women will be co-chairing this beloved neighborhood tradition. Each brings different talents and perspectives to the coordination. Shelby Dolson, Genniva Bruce and Michelle Rehberger have graciously agreed to offer their time and talent to pull together the weekend’s events. Each of these ladies has multiple years of service to LECPTA, has served in many roles for previous years’ home tours, and each one of them told me how they loved the “small town community feel” of our neighborhood and that was what inspired their service. And in 2023 each are logging more hours on this volunteer job each week than many people do in their full time jobs!

 

I’m honored to introduce you to these wonderful women (in no particular order). 

 

Shelby Dolson, mom of girls Maddie (13), Claire (7) and Molly (4) is a former city planner that gravitated to Lakewood for two reasons. From a small town in Kansas, a community where “everyone knows your name” like Lakewood just felt like home. Additionally, Shelby considers herself a bit artistic. She was able to express that in her career in land planning & zoning. She enjoys and appreciates historic homes and as a former custodian of two Lakewood Clifford Hutsull homes and currently of another architecturally significant home, she loves the unique & distinctive visuals of these homes. She feels that they can create the best backdrops for childhood memories. As a homeowner, Shelby has previously been a host home which makes her position on the Home Tour a natural fit for her background. 

 

Michelle Rehberger, mom of Jack (8), Cooper (6) and Mills (3) says “The Lakewood Home Tour is such a special event to me because it not only raises money for our community schools and our children's education (which has always been a cause near to my heart), but it also really showcases a neighborhood coming together and celebrating the wonderful community we have created. I always say that Lakewood has a "small town feel in a big city" and that is so evident when I look around at all of the volunteers, homeowners, and sponsors that come together that weekend.”

 

Genniva Bruce, mom of Sterling (9), Cecily (6) and Pierson (3) can be found cruising Lakewood in her golf cart, playing mahjong or tennis or simply keeping up with her 3 busy kids and all their activities! She loves the close knit community that supports each other by shopping locally and volunteering locally. Genniva has held many positions in both LECPTA as well as the Lakewood PTA. She is involved in all things local and enjoys living within walking distance of Lakewood Elementary.

 

I am often asked by young moms or new homeowners in our neighborhood how to meet people. Each one of these ladies answered that question by telling me that you simply must get involved and volunteer. And they resoundingly said that LECPTA was the best way to do that. There is something for everyone in this group and it’s a great way to meet new friends for yourself and your kids. 

 

Lakewood is pretty special, full of people as diverse and unique as the architecture on our streets. The common thread seems to be the care and commitment to community, service to one another and the energy and vitality that has kept us changing and growing for over 100 years. 2023’s co-chairs embody this by caring for their own families, the families within our school and neighborhood community and by their willingness to work so hard (for free!). Supported by their husbands and hundreds of Lakewood volunteers working to make a local difference our neighborhood shines this weekend each year. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this November. Looking forward to November 11th and 12th. See you there!