Life + Culture

Use Food to Protect Your Health

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Karolin Saweres offers recipes and tips to help establish consistent, nourishing habits. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Kelly Settle–Kelly Ann Photography For Karolin Saweres, MS, RDN, LD, her passion for nutrition began long before it became a profession. Growing up in Egypt, she was immersed in a culture where food represented family, tradition and connection. She watched her parents navigate their own health journeys with strength and resilience...

Wellness

Finding Balance in the New Year

Learn how reflection, self-compassion and therapy can support mental well-being and renewal. Article by Nina Weierman | Photography by Provided A fresh new year offers us the opportunity to reset after the holiday season's rush. While many take this time to slow down and reflect, the pressure to set resolutions or chase a “new me” is everywhere, filling our feeds and conversations with messages about improvement and change. “So many people feel pressured to start a new year doing things...

Life + Culture

Aging in Place with Compassion and Grace

Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio helps older community members stay active and protected. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Provided Aging impacts each of us in different ways. Seventy percent of people will need some sort of long-term care in their lifetimes, but the overwhelming majority would also prefer to remain at home as they age. Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) is here to bridge that gap and help those who wish to stay active in their homes and communities...

Fitness

Root Causes, Real Results

A personalized wellness approach helps families understand their health journeys. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Mark Lyons–Lyons Photography Many people set out to take better care of themselves in the new year: drink more water, go to bed earlier and dust off that gym membership. What if, instead of muscling through ambitious resolutions, we started by asking one simple question: “What’s really going on inside my body?” That question is the heartbeat of The Wellness Way - Mason...

Life + Culture

Healthy Comfort Food

Keep your family and friends nourished with a crowd-pleasing spread courtesy of The Heirloom Chef. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Cathy Lyons–Lyons Photography As chilly weather settles in, we yearn to cozy up with a comforting meal. Comfort food and healthy don’t often go hand-in-hand, but for The Heirloom Chef’s Jackie Djordjevic, the focus is on creating a balance so all foods can fit with mindful swaps in her recipes. “For instance, if I’m making a chicken pot pie, I may use...

Arts + Culture

A Stage Set for Holiday Magic

Celebrate the season with festive local performances throughout December. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Provided Mason Dance Center: The Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up!  Mason Dance Center’s (MDC) The Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up! returns to the Mason High School Theater on Dec. 19 and 20. Now in their 23rd year of performances, MDC has honed their unique retelling of the original story of The Nutcracker while switching music genres and dance styles. Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up ...

Arts + Culture

Candlelight, Carriages and Christmas Joy

Lebanon’s horse-drawn carriage parade offers hometown holiday splendor. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Provided There’s something timeless about the sound of jingling bells on a frosty December afternoon. The rhythmic clop of hooves against brick streets, the laughter of children clutching steaming cups of cocoa and the sight of horses draped in ribbons and holly—it all feels like a Christmas card come to life. For the city of Lebanon, that holiday vision is a reality on December 6...

Life + Culture

Follow the Jingle of the Bell

Red Kettle season is the most wonderful time of the year to give to The Salvation Army. Article by Mike Burcham | Photography by Provided The act of giving is part of what makes the holiday season so magical. There may not be a better example of giving than the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. “I like to say that we were the original crowdfunders,” shares Julie Budden, divisional director of development for Salvation Army’s Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky Division. The Red Kettle...

Life + Culture

Fostering a Sense of Belonging

Mason City Schools CommUNITY Holiday Help provides students with essential items. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by CommUNITY Holiday Help Committee Over the years, several Mason organizations have provided holiday assistance for students and their families. In 2024, many of these groups joined forces to work together under a single mission of supporting people in Mason experiencing food insecurity. Mason City Schools CommUNITY Holiday Help program was designed to provide students...

Life + Culture

Collaborating for the Good of the Community

The United Way of Warren County refocuses its mission under new leadership. Article by Nan Paraskevopoulos | Photography by Provided When Jane Conn took the helm as executive director of the United Way of Warren County in May 2024, she brought a wealth of experience in nonprofit management and a genuine passion for community service. Jane is focused on bolstering the nonprofit organizations the United Way supports, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed. “Nonprofits are the...