Love in the air and on the breakfast table at annual Valentine Breakfast

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OH (February 10, 2023) – There were winners everywhere at the annual Loveland Valentine Breakfast this Friday morning

Close to 100 people gathered for the annual Valentine Breakfast at the Oasis Conference Center Friday morning February 10th. That number did not include the honored guests at the head table – past and present Loveland Valentine Ladies. Of course the most honored among them the 2023 Loveland Valentine Lady Donna Barnes.

While breakfast was served, community chaplain Bill Hounshell served as the emcee and shared the history of the Valentine Ladies program, a roll he has relished for many years now. He offered the invocation, followed by a welcome from Chamber President and Valentine Program host Cee Cee Collins. Loveland Mayor Kathy Bailey was introduced and gave some opening remarks.

Love filled the air, but this event is all about honoring the winners including Valentine Card Artist Rosemary Shumaker (Yes, same related to previous Valentine Lady Jeannie Shumaker – keeping it in the family.) In fact, it was Jeannie Shumaker turning over her Valentine Lady crown to the 2023 Valentine Lady Donna Barnes. She shared some of her story from the surprise of being named Valentine Lady to the fun and surprises of visiting the Loveland Schools students in their classrooms.

“I knew that I had been nominated,” said Barnes. Valentine Lady Kay Bolin told her she was nominating her to be sure she could accept if she won. It is a big time commitment requiring taking some time off work. “Yeah, I’d be honored. She didn’t tell me I’d won. I thought, okay, I didn’t win. It really was a surprise.”

Jeannie Shumaker took her aside after that surprise luncheon announcement and gave her the “scoop” on what is expected. Next, Barnes was officially introduced to the community at the annual formal Loveland Valentine Program kick-off held the first week of January at the Valentine Ladies Wall (aka Sweetheart Alley) along the bike trail.

“My sisters came to that and it was wonderful,” Barnes said. “My neighbors turned out and everything, so it was really cool. There were probably 50 people there. It was kind of cool.”

After all that, she worried about what she would talk about to all the school kids as she visited them. Ultimately Barnes chose to talk to them about the pollinator garden topic. It is something she has developed a love for and became active with the Love our Land group here in Loveland promoting the pollinator gardens. That turned out to be a highlight for her when visiting the school children. Speaking of the schoolchildren, they were a highlight of the Valentine Breakfast as well.

Loveland School Superintendent Mike Broadwater was introduced and in turn introduced each of the poetry contest winners from Loveland Schools.

Winners were introduced one-by-one including Kindergarten (Mikey Furey), second graders (Vibha Nataraj and Roman Lyke) Roman was making his second consecutive appearance as a poetry winner and dressed for the occasion. He was looking very sharp in his all white suit and white cowboy boots as he read his “My Doggie Valentine” winning poem. 

The rest of the poetry winners included:

• Landon Gummow  and Amalie Lyke – 4^th grade,
• Behruz Usmanove and Audrey Gibson – 6^th grade,
• Lily McDonald – 10^th grade,
• and former Loveland School teacher Susan Craig in the adult category.

The Valentino Coloring Contest Winners came from other participating schools which included Loveland Elementary and Loveland Primary Schools, Tender Years Preschool, St. Columban School, Goddard School- Loveland, All Saints School and Children’s Meeting House Montessori. They were recognized as Zoey C, Andie M, Sydnie, Corbin F, Isabella S, Filip, Kyle B, Adam M, Ellianna L, and Lilly T.

Another highlight of the Valentine Breakfast was the entertainment provided by the “Barbershop Quartet”, The Delta Kings a group of far more than just a quartet. Upon being introduced, they brought the guest of honor up to the front and serenaded Valentine Lady Donna Barnes with a sweet loving rendition of “Let me call you sweetheart” much to the delight of everyone on hand. The Delta Kings came back with several more songs chosen especially for Valentine ’s Day and the season of love here in Loveland.

“There was at least four kids, while I was still in their classroom, made me a Valentine Card and gave it to me before I left,” Donna Barnes said.

It was a great way to kick off this special Hearts Afire Valentine’s weekend in the city of Love.

CLICK HERE to read about the Loveland Hearts Afire Weekend activities