New Heights-based organization forms to benefit community heroes

Washington & Lee Service will repair donated vehicles.

Cleveland Heights community members J. Shorey, Nancy Landreth and Chip Ramsey have launched a new foundation to serve the heroes in our community—firefighters, police officers, teachers, military personnel and others whose unique gifts and talents make the Heights community stronger and better. Heights Heroes, a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization, seeks to identify and support those individuals, especially when they or their families need a little extra help due to injury or illness.

Heights Heroes is funded through donations of cars, motorcycles, boats—anything of value that can be rehabilitated and sold. Ramsey, owner of Washington & Lee Service, will repair the vehicles that have value; the organization will then sell them and put the profits back into the foundation. Items that cannot be repaired will be scrapped and the proceeds likewise put into the foundation.

“Often people can’t decide what to do with an old car or they don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to sell it before they replace it,” said Ramsey. “Donating it to Heights Heroes makes it easy. The donor gets a tax deduction and has the pleasure of knowing that she has helped someone else.” 

“If someone donates an item of a special nature, like a musical instrument,” said Ramsey, “we will work with members of our board and the community to either place that instrument with a musical student or an organization serving those in need of an instrument. Regardless of the item, we will find an appropriate home for it!  We call it ‘helping to turn your treasure into someone’s dreams.’” 

The organization seeks to support local heroes in the Cleveland Heights, University Heights and Shaker Heights communities. “Heights Heroes serves to promote and recognize those individuals whose lives make our community better, safer, stronger and special, whether it is someone serving in the defense of our country, the safety of our community, a teacher or student, a citizen who champions that one special ideal or value which makes us stronger,” said Ramsey.

Ramsey said the group’s board of directors will reflect the diversity of the Heights community and will include representatives from the city governments, fire and police departments, public schools, and other civic-minded people. The board will meet several times a year to consider nominations, and seeks to keep the grant nomination process as simple as possible.

The group will seek nominations from individuals or small groups. According to Ramsey, the ideal candidate could be a first-responder who displays exemplary service, a teacher who rises above and beyond the call of duty, a student or group of students who need an extra hand to achieve something remarkable, a community organizer who needs seed money to launch a program to help his or her community be better, or a civilian who displays exemplary leadership.

“These qualities represent the kinds of individuals we want to support and recognize,” he said. “To nominate a Heights Hero, visit www.heightsheroes.org, click on the Nominate a Hero tab, and answer a few easy questions.”

For more information or to initiate a donation, send a note to info@heightsheroes.org or visit www.heightsheroes.org.

J. Shorey

J. Shorey is a longtime Cleveland Heights resident and co-founder of Heights Heroes Foundation.

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Volume 10, Issue 8, Posted 12:12 PM, 07.31.2017