Alec wants to travel the world. Devon is good at memory games. Heaven watches “Degrassi” and likes fashion. These are just three profiles out of more than 60 featured on the Summit County Children Services website.

Throughout the month of November, cutout figures, symbolizing all of the waiting children in these profiles, are visible on the front lawn of the agency’s building located on Arlington Street. November is National Adoption Awareness Month, and the agency hosted an event earlier in the month to celebrate.

The cutouts were created by the Construction Trades Program students at Ellet High School and hand-painted by agency staff and volunteers. The event featured Magistrate Diane Stevenson from Summit County Probate Court and two couples who recently adopted, Doug and Carol Hausknecht and Jerry and Pam Kusar. At the event, the two families “ceremonially” removed two cutouts to signify the two children who were adopted.

Brenda June Cares, a charitable organization based in Akron, has been founded with the mission of raising awareness for prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men. The group will host its first fundraiser Oct. 27 at Firestone Country Club.

“Our ultimate goal is a world without prostate cancer. The way to achieve this is by raising awareness and impressing upon men, and the women in their lives, just how important it is to be tested,” said June DeAngelis, RN, executive director, Brenda June Cares.

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2011 approximately 240,890 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 33,000 men will die from the disease.

A number of area children are looking for permanent homes with a foster or adopted family. Summit County Children Services is sponsoring a free Foster Care and Adoption Information Meeting Sept. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the agency, located ta 264 S. Arlington St., Akron.

Those attending the meeting will learn more about foster care and adoption, including: what and how long the process is; what kind of support is provided by the agency; and the costs involved with adopting a child. Agency staff will also share basic information about the children coming into care.

Guests will also view the agency's recruitment DVD that features children in permanent custody who are waiting to be adopted, and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the entire community and reservations are not needed. For information, call (330) 379-1994.

The South Akron Neighborhood Council Block Club celebrated the 28th Annual National Night Out (NNO), a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), earlier this month, along with other Southeast Akron organizations, like East Akron Community House, Byrd’s House Groceries, F. Lee’s Tax & Accounting Services, Inc., Akron Summit Community of Action, Inc., The Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Akron and Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic.

Involved since 1984, this year’s Southeast Akron site hosted an array of activities, including an Anti-Crime Walk sponsored by the South Akron Neighborhood Council Block Club, starting from Cole Avenue and continuing throughout the neighborhood. Also provided was information about safety and health issues, along with music, activities, games, door prizes, back-to-school giveaways, food and refreshments. Anti-crime signs were available, along with Block Watch sign-up information.

A-Minus brings positive entourage to ‘A New Way’ presentation

The students of Hope Academy were full of energy; it was the final day of classes at the Arlington Road charter school, and the children were raucous as they packed the gym, waiting for local hip-hop artist A-Minus to perform.

But this rap concert would be much different that many of them anticipated. It would be a showcase featuring motivational speakers, positive messages and even a segment where the students themselves displayed their talents through performance.

The mentoring showcase, A New Way, was created to tap into the interests of area youth through music.

Neighbors who know one another better tend to build safer overall neighborhoods, according to the city of Akron, which encourages each area to promote their own event for the fifth annual Neighbors Day. The celebration takes place May 28, Memorial Day weekend, and centers around residents getting to know their neighbors better.

This year's theme is Living Together Better: 5 Years of Strengthening Neighborhoods. Once residents decide their preferred activity,  city officials encourage organizers to choose a location, adding they may want to host it on their porch, front yard or driveway. Neighbors Day Akron is designed to help residents get to know one another, especially those in closest proximity.

A minority health expo this Tuesday will enable residents to get a number of free health screenings.

The Minority Health Roundtable expo takes place April 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Open M, 941 Princeton St., in Akron. Along with free admission, door prizes and health information, participants also will receive health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure. diabetes, HIV/STDs and sickle cell, along with dental services, prostate screenings and free haircuts.

Losing weight usually means looking good. Losing weight as part of the Pound for Pound Challenge, however, means that there’s the possibility of feeling even better. For the third consecutive year, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank has partnered with "The Biggest Loser" television series and other national organizations in support of the Pound for Pound Challenge Event.

Between now and the season finale of "The Biggest Loser: Couples TV" series later this season, those that live within the eight Ohio counties covered by the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank can visit the official website and pledge to lose weight. Every pound pledged during the challenge equals one pound of food (or 11 cents) donated to the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank.

A strange phenomenon.  A cross appears at sunset on Easter Sunday in 2009 and again in 2010.

 My son was looking out the kitchen window on Easter Sunday 2009, and to his surprise he saw an image of a cross in our back yard.  He called me to come and look out the window.  Certain that he didn’t realize what he was viewing, in utter disbelief, shock and awe, my first reaction was to grab my camera as I rushed out the patio door and began snapping shots hoping the cross wouldn’t disappear before I finished taking its picture.  I’ve never seen anything so remarkable and neither had my family.  Not knowing what else to do I just kept shooting pictures.

Finding local, healthy and affordable food is but one of many problems facing the inner city. So to address this challenge, community gardens have sprung up so residents can use a dedicated plot of land to grow their own food.

But are urban gardens always the answer? In order for community gardens to be a success, the “community element” must be firmly in place, said Denise Ellsworth, educator for The Ohio State University Extension in Summit County.