By Alicia Kelso

It is an idea that has proved successful regardless of its sheer simplicity: raising money by hosting a tour of upscale remodeled kitchens. And now, 22 years later, the volunteer members of Riverside Methodist Hospital Service Board VII are ready to host their latest Kitchen Kapers event from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 13 in Upper Arlington and Grandview.

The annual tour has raised more than $292,000, including $37,500 from last year’s record-breaking event, with proceeds benefitting Cancer Care programs at Riverside. Each year, members pick a different project at the hospital for the donation, and this year’s is the Healing Arts program.

“We decided on this program because there was a need to expand it. It has been proven to reduce stress, decrease anxiety and help with coping for cancer patients receiving treatment,” says Katie Nyhus, president of Kitchen Kapers.

The Healing Arts program also appealed to members because it was started by Upper Arlington High School students in 2007, who raised $11,000 as part of a senior class project.

“The majority of our members live in UA and we feel that Kitchen Kapers can help continue and expand the vision of these student leaders,” Nyhus says.

The program, the only one of its kind in Central Ohio, contracts artists-in-residence who are trained to bring their unique skills to patients’ bedsides and enhance their experience through a variety of creative outlets. They work hand in hand with physicians and nurses as part of the care team.

Programs include music, literary arts and visual arts.

The current artists are John Morgan, an acoustic guitarist who plays music at the bedside, in the hallways and in small group settings from 2 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; Ariane Bolduc, a creative writer/poet who helps patients express themselves through writing from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays; and Ayn Yezzi, a visual artist who helps patients create art that focuses on self-expression and having fun from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

The artist program is supervised by Jennifer Quinn, a registered art therapist with the American Art Therapy Association. Quinn believes the program has a positive impact on the healthcare experience by connecting individuals to creativity.

“Art has the ability to move beyond traditional beliefs. Music can even transform difficult situations,” Quinn says. “For example, we had a patient who was dying while her daughters sat vigilant for two days. When the musician played, the daughters danced and sang. When the musician made his way out the door, the patient peacefully died and the daughters believed they sang her into heaven.”

The program is currently offered on Seven Yellow, which is an oncology unit. The goal for Kitchen Kapers is to raise enough money to expand the program to eight additional surgical and medical units that care for oncology patients. Quinn estimates that amount to be $20,000, which would allow two artists the ability to work four hours on each additional unit twice a week.

“Donations from the Kitchen Kapers event will provide opportunities to place additional artists on other units, reaching more patients and transforming their experiences,” Quinn says. “Riverside considers the arts as an integral component of healthcare and acknowledges the artists as professionals and honors their valuable work.”

Although the event raised a record amount of money last year, Nyhus says there is no pressure to exceed any goals – the group’s mission is more simple than that.

“We have had to work much harder this year because of the economy, but we have an amazing group of women and incredible sponsors,” she says. “We don’t really have a monetary goal. We just try to raise as much money as possible for cancer services at (Riverside).”

This year’s tour includes six homes with renovated kitchens, as well as food, prizes and floral arrangements. This year’s main sponsor is Classico Tile & Marble and the spokesperson is Mindy Drayer, anchor of the Today Weekend Edition on NBC 4.

Tickets are $20 and are available at www.kitchenkapers.org.

Alicia Kelso is editor of Upper Arlington Magazine.

EXTRA:

Homes on this year’s Kitchen Kapers tour include:
Dr. William and Linda Miely, 2631 Abington Rd.
Thomas and Ellen Rubel, 2130 N. Parkway Dr.
Dr. John and Julie Leff, 1697 Berkshire Rd.
Chuck and Laura Pisciotta, 2375 Kensington Dr.
Paul and Debbie Krimm, 2088 Fairfax Rd.
Craig and Kathleen Cottingham, 1760 Upper Chelsea Rd.