From November 29th thru December 10th join Team Cleary in collecting new or gently used winter coats! This year we’re partnering with the Van Buren Center to give the gift of warmth to our less fortunate neighbors. Also needed are hats, gloves, scarves and blankets but only new items can be accepted.
Does the coat you bought last year not fit? Are you planning to purchase any great deals for winter gear? Bring your new or gently used donations to our office at 989 Old Henderson Road 43220 during business hours Mon – Fri 8am to 5pm.
Did you know the 2022 The Old Farmer’s Almanac says we’re in for one of the coldest winters in years? Central Ohioans should be prepared for below-average temperatures that could also bring a lot of snow. The coldest periods can be expected to occur in mid- to late November and through much of the period from mid-December through January.
90% of homeless adults need a new, warm coat each winter because they have no place to keep one over the summer months. That means coat drives play an important role every year in making sure everyone has equal access to warm clothing during the colder months. Your donation will help make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate and give them hope, comfort, and warmth this winter season.
For more information about the Van Buren Center’s holiday wish list, giving needs and volunteer opportunities, click here.
On Saturday August 22, 2020, George Cleary, owner of The Cleary Company, & Team Cleary Cyclers, hosted their ride and only fundraiser for Pelotonia 2020. The event committee spent weeks scoping out possible routes for a 5k Run / Walk along with 10, 25 & 40-mile Bike Rides to start and finish at The Cleary Company’s headquarters at 989 Old Henderson Road. George gathered a group of eager volunteers to help with serving drinks & snacks to everyone at the finish line. Appreciation and thanks go to Cambria along with the Cleary & Greenlee families for donating all of the food, drinks & supplies! 100% of the funds collected at the event will benefit Pelotonia. Check out all of the photos from the day on The Cleary Company’s Facebook page.
Kudos to all who officially registered for the Team Cleary Cyclers peloton! 4 Riders – George Cleary (captain), Cathy Cleary, George Cleary Jr, Chase Greenlee; plus 20 Virtual riders – Jan Bjornson, Joe Hamlett, John Hamlett, Angela Parker, Ron Scott, Jill Scott, Leonor Carrasco, Theresa Passwater, Jen Sommers, Maureen Cleary-Holmes, Gary Hasenkamp, Robert Raskin, Nate Traucht, Katie Florjancic, Jonathan Neely, Sarah Wilkins, Michael Foley, Tim O’Connor, Emily Scott, Susie Wroble and countless unnamed volunteers. Combined they’ve raised more than $17,400.00 this year to support cancer treatments and research in Columbus, OH.
Team Cleary Cyclers is officially 24 members strong, but we all know there are many more behind the scenes who make events like this a success. George was excited to welcome 70 enthusiastic walkers, riders and volunteers turned out to participate. A special thanks to George’s sister, Kathleen, event manager and cancer survivor!
George Cleary – Why I ride
In 2010 my brother-in-law, Chip Greenlee, encouraged me to join him riding for Pelotonia. Over the last 11 years, I have had many of my friends (Tim, Adam, Sheila, Rick, just to name a few), as well as my mom, die from cancer. Betty, my mom, lost her battle with Leukemia in 2013 and that is when I kicked up my game to begin riding the 2-day 180-200 mile event. I wanted to show her that I could do more by grinding through a second day even though I’m tired and don’t want to get back on that little bike seat. This year to honor Chip and his fight against Glioblastoma brain cancer, I made the decision to start my own Peloton, Team Cleary Cyclers. We’re Riding for Chipper!
I have optimism and hope to find better treatments and ultimately a cure! A lot of that enthusiasm is due to the leadership efforts and hard work of the Pelotonia staff but also so many more – the dedication of doctors, researchers, interns, volunteers, and those that grind out 25-200 miles every August for the journey to achieve One Goal – kicking cancer’s ass. I get goosebumps thinking of all the supporters, both financially and spiritually. I will see survivors in the country with masks on, no hair in wheelchairs at the end of their driveway ringing a cowbell to encourage each rider to “keep on pedaling”, or the guy holding his sign “thanks for saving my wife”.
This year’s ride was different, not only because of the pandemic, but because my brother-in-law passed away that same day. My passion for the continued support of Pelotonia deepened just bit more. Team Cleary Cyclers continues to raise funds through October 31, 2020 to achieve the ONE GOAL – END CANCER!
The Cleary Company again will be hosting a collection for Volunteers of America’s Operation Backpack and in 2020 we’re partnering with our friends at Frog Hauling. We want to fill a dumpster FULL with backpacks and school supplies! Since 2015 our Team has been committed to giving kids in our community much needed school supplies. Let’s join together to help every child start their school year ready to chase their dreams and take on the world!
Why should you support Operation Backpack?
Did you know there are many families in our local communities who struggle meeting basic needs and can’t afford a backpack and/or school supplies for their children? It’s last on the list when they don’t have resources to meet expenses like food, utilities, mortgages or rent and so on. On average, school fees and supplies costs from $696 to $1,300 per child. When you can give a backpack and school supplies, you are helping children AND their parents who are working hard to make ends meet. You’re giving hope to the entire family!
Our Team had so much fun last year stuffing 25 backpacks so in 2020 our goal is to double that! We’re not competitive though, right? We welcome all our clients, friends, vendors, suppliers and trade partners to join us in helping to meet our ambitious goal. If you have supplies ready, you can drop them off at our office located at 989A Old Henderson Rd, 43220. To make sure we can get all of the backpacks and supplies to Volunteers of America office in time for distribution to the children, please drop off by August 12th!
Click here for the 2020 Recommended Supplies List.
Why Frog Hauling?
As part of our 2020 events theme Build Better – Live Better – Be Better, each month The Cleary Company is partnering with our trusted vendors to bring you useful information along with tips, tricks and trends for your home and Frog Hauling is our dumpster company of choice for our job sites. Their dumpster sizes range from as small as 6 cubic yards up to 20 cubic yards allowing any homeowner or contractor to choose the right size for their job. Additionally, Frog Hauling makes every effort possible to recycle items after their dumpsters are picked up. They are the only Columbus hauling service the provides the ability for the customer to help recycle their property. Our Team truly appreciates Frog Hauling’s fast reliable customer service and their uniformed professionally trained and helpful employees.
Since our in person events have all temporarily moved to online we hope you’ll join us on Facebook Live for our backpack stuffing event. Follow us on Facebook for updates!
Enjoy these photos from past year’s collections!
April Howe
– Marketing Coordinator2018 Our Team collected and stuffed 13 backpacks plus an additional 4 bags of supplies!2018 George trying to get Russell to pose for a photo!2013 Our Team’s first year collecting we stuffed 2 backpacks plus an addition 2 bags of supplies!
My first Pelotonia was 11 years ago and it’s been, without a doubt, the BEST 2 days of my year, every year. It is the most enthusiastic, positive experience that I have ever been part of. My brother-in-law, Chip Greenlee, encouraged me to join him and for several years we both rode with Stephanie Spielman’s Team of Hope Peloton. Chip and his wife, Sara, were great friends of Stephanie and her husband, Chris. The loss of such a strong-willed cancer survivor and friend encouraged Chip to do his part and he encouraged me to do the same.
Little did we know back then the impact of Chip’s ask, because today he’s fighting terminal Glioblastoma brain cancer and in the last 11 years, I have had many of my friends (Tim, Adam, Sheila, Rick, just to name a few), as well as my mom, die from cancer. Betty, my mom, lost her battle with Leukemia in 2013 and that is when I kicked up my game to begin riding the 2-day 180-200 mile event. I wanted to show her that I could do more by grinding through a second day even though I’m tired and don’t want to get back on that little bike seat.
2012 – George with Chip at the Gambier finishGeorge with his mom
We all have optimism and hope to finding better treatments and ultimately a cure! A lot of that enthusiasm is due to the leadership efforts and hard work of the Pelotonia staff but also so many more – the dedication of doctors, researchers, interns, volunteers, and those that grind out 25-200 miles every August for the journey to One Goal – kicking cancer’s ass.
Cancer survivors & their family members line the routes each year to thank and encourage riders
I get goosebumps thinking of the supporters, both financially and spiritually. I will see survivors in the country with masks on, no hair in wheelchairs at the end of their driveway ringing a cowbell to encourage each rider to “keep on pedaling”, or every year the guy holding his sign “thanks for saving my wife”.
Come on folks, I can’t make this stuff up, it fuels your legs and you keep on pedaling. Join me in this amazing positivity! There are too many neighbors, co-workers, friends, classmates and even beloved family members (Todd, Jeff, Kathleen, Chip, just to name a few) fighting their own personal journey with cancer. I am so fortunate and blessed to be healthy and I am driven to make a difference. Will you join me? I hope so!
P.S. In 2020, I made the decision to start my own Peloton, Team Cleary Cyclers! Click here to join me on Team Cleary Cyclers or find out how you can help support Pelotonia’s mission.
One Goal – End Cancer! George B. Cleary
2019 – George & Doug Ulman – President & CEO Pelotonia2016 – George with his sister Kathleen, cancer survivor!2015 – George & his buddy Adam, who lost his battle with lung cancer earlier this year.2019 – Geroge with his teammates on the Hamilton Parker Peloton
A native of Columbus, OH, George Cleary has been in the remodeling business for over 35 years. He founded The Cleary Company in 1994 with $10,000, a computer, a truck, some tools and a few of his buddies. He attributes his success to his honesty, integrity and his ability to build such a wonderful team. George is happy to be part of enhancing properties in the neighborhoods where he lives and works.
“The thing I love most is being part of the emotion of a remodeling project. Translating a customer’s vision into a design and then building their dream is the best part of what we do. This coupled with working with great friends makes what I do so rewarding”.
George is active with the local chapter of National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), and nationally with Remodeler’s Advantage (RA). The company has always maintained an A+ excellent rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). By volunteering his time and enthusiasm to various community, church and school activities George feeds his passion of connecting with people and having fun.
A 1984 graduate of Bishop Watterson High School, he’s also the proud father of 3 BWHS graduates, who all went on to earn their college degrees at the University of Dayton. George has been happily married to his bride, Cathy (Brownlee), for over 30 years. His hobbies are camping, fishing, enjoying live music and spending time with his large Irish Catholic family and many friends. He enjoys having his best pal Russell, his 13yr old Golden Retriever, in the office each day.
‘Tis the season to be GR8FUL and so many of us have so much to be GR8FUL for, sometimes we just don’t slow down enough to see it.
I have had the wonderful opportunity to rekindle a relationship w/ a good friend, Adam. He told Cathy and me at dinner one night the he was diagnosed w/ cancer 6 yrs. ago that day. He told us he has been to The OSU James Cancer Hospital 142 times! He said, “Every time I go there I get to receive hugs, no matter what, they always remember my name and make me feel important.” Imagine how GR8FUL that would make you feel, not to be alone, but to have a support system in a time like that. He is the most positive, faithful and forgiving person and that is all so exciting to me. Adam coming back into our lives this time of year has been nothing less than a blessing and a reminder. He says what he has needed at this dark time in his life is a friend and how important it is to have me now. Who is the lucky one here, who is getting the lesson on being GR8FUL?
Kudos to the leadership at The James Cancer Hospital for identifying what we all need~ to feel and be loved! I hope this holiday season you too can be slow down and appreciate all that is going on around you. A vivid reminder of how much impact we can have on those around us.
I am GR8FUL to be a dad, husband, brother, friend, client, remodeler, coworker and employer. I am so thankful for all the wonderful relationships w/ each and every one of you.
This Holiday season I’m reminded of the good fortune that I have and how GR8FUL I am to be me.
