Tag: marriage

Ohio newlyweds donate and serve wedding reception food to local shelter

On By A.P.In UncategorizedLeave a comment


Ohio newlyweds turned their canceled reception into an act of service by donating their reception food to a local women’s shelter.

By Kelsie Smith

Ohio newlyweds turned their canceled reception into an act of service by donating their reception food to a local women’s shelter.

Before the pandemic hit, Tyler and Melanie Tapajna, of Parma, Ohio, had arranged to celebrate their nuptials in a more traditional way. They had planned a large 150-person party, and booked a DJ and local caterers to help ring in their big day in August.

But as venues began to cancel events due to coronavirus, the couple — like countless others with scheduled ceremonies in 2020 — had to change their plans.

The couple opted to ditch the large gathering, for safety reasons, and donate what would have been the food at their party — from Ohio-based food truck and catering service Betty’s Bomb Ass Burgers — to a shelter.

“It was really either have the big wedding or donate the food,” Melanie Tapajna told CNN. “We were actually kind of excited I think more about donating the food than being stressed during the wedding.”

On Saturday, after a small backyard wedding with immediate family members, the newlyweds headed over to Laura’s Home — a women and children’s facility run by The City Mission in Cleveland, Ohio — to make their donation.

Tyler, who dressed in a black and white tuxedo, and Melanie, who wore her white lace wedding gown, kept their face masks on and put on gloves and hairnets to serve the food.

They served fried chicken, green beans, salad and mac and cheese to a total of 135 women and children, according to Rich Trickel, the CEO of The City Mission.

“Something like that had never occurred before,” said Trickel, who coordinated with the couple and the caterer to get the food delivered. “It was really unbelievable especially when you think of many of our clients, the women and kids that are in our building, possibly have never been at a wedding like that before.”

The couple said they hope their donation inspired others whose plans have been derailed by the virus.

“You can definitely give back in times like this,” Melanie said.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/17/us/newlyweds-reception-food-shelter-trnd/index.html?utm_term=1598097748471417f0510cc0f&utm_source=The+Good+Stuff+08%2F22%2F20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=237792_1598097748472&bt_ee=0HjTDVQDBK2MZ33xeNriHA0bGimGQlUj%2FhnqaNLNvfPybgWkGSLhm0TJ5utn0Syn&bt_ts=1598097748472

Man gets married an hour after receiving 40 year prison sentence.

On By A.P.In Crime, Human Behavior, Marriage, RelationshipLeave a comment

By Rich Cholodofsky

A Monessen man convicted of the robbery and assault of a 91-year-old Rostraver woman was sentenced Thursday to serve up to 40 years in prison. About an hour later, Greg Howard appeared in another Westmoreland County courtroom to marry his girlfriend.

Howard, 47, had nothing to say standing before Judge Rita Hathaway as she ordered that he spend at least 20 years behind bars for the October 2014 home invasion that left Frances Tekavec severely injured and her savings stolen. He was given credit for the time he has served in jail since early November.

“Thank God she is here today and didn’t die in the incident,” Hathaway said.

Howard’s silence was in sharp contrast to his demeanor during the three-day trial in July in which he served as his own lawyer. Howard gave a rambling closing argument during the trial, referencing Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and other cultural icons. It took jurors 43 minutes to convict Howard of robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy.

During the trial, prosecutors said Howard and two other men broke into Tekavec’s home. The men used a Levin’s furniture truck as a ruse to get into the home by asking her to sign a fake delivery receipt, according to trial testimony. Witnesses said they took $13,000 and jewelry and left Tekavec lying on her bed with her ankles and wrists bound.

Tekavec identified Howard as one of her attackers. She made no comment in court on Thursday, but Hathaway read a letter she wrote about the impact of the crime.

In the letter, Tekavec said she is now confined to a wheelchair, and because of the injuries she suffered in the attack, she is in constant pain and is restricted from performing basic personal chores, such as brushing her hair.

“Certainly there are very serious effects she has suffered because of the crime committed against her,” Hathaway said.

Defense attorney Tim Dawson asked that Howard receive concurrent sentences because two other men were more responsible for the violence.

Charges are pending against co-defendants Lamont Dixon, 35, and Branddon Danilchak, 28.

Howard was allowed to wear civilian clothing in court instead of a prison jumpsuit. Deputies said Howard remained shackled during a brief wedding ceremony later in the afternoon presided over by Judge Richard E. McCormick Jr.

The ceremony was attended by five deputies and the bride’s baby, who was born last month.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/westmoreland/9191589-74/howard-gets-prison#ixzz3nbzLDYFm

Couple married 75 years die in each other’s arms

On By A.P.In death, loveLeave a comment

A California couple, married for three-quarters of a century, took their “til death do us part” vow seriously, passing away in each other’s arms last month.

Jeanette and Alexander Toczko were born in 1919, met when they were just 8 years old and fell in love immediately, their children told KGTV in San Diego.

The couple married in 1940 and moved to San Diego in 1970, according to their daughter, Aimee Toczko-Cushman. She told KGTV that her parents couldn’t bear the thought of being apart and said they hoped to one day die in their bed, holding hands.

“Their hearts beat as one from as long as I can remember,” Toczko-Cushman said.

Until recently Alexander, 95, was healthy and playing golf every day, their son, Richard Toczko, told the news station.

“He must have fallen. He broke his hip,” Toczko said. He told KGTV that his father never fully recovered and his health began fading quickly.

Unwilling to keep their parents apart, they had hospice bring Alexander Toczko’s bed into the couple’s home and place it beside his wife.

On June 17, he passed away.

“And he died in her arms, which is exactly what he wanted,” Toczko-Cushman told KGTV. “I went in there and told my mother he was gone; she hugged him and she said, ‘See this is what you wanted. You died in my arms, and I love you. I love you, wait for me, I’ll be there soon.’ ”

Within 24 hours, she passed away, holding her husband’s hand.

The couple was buried on June 29.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/2015/07/03/couple-dies-in-each-others-arms/29662581/