Take a look at our February newsletter!
FEBRUARY 2023
BE SMART, GET RINEHARDT Rinehardt Law | RinehardtLawFirm.com | 419-LAW-2020
While the month of February is typically associated with Valentine’s Day, a time for significant others to celebrate their relationships by exchanging boxes of chocolates, a dozen red roses, and little gifts, the day I always look forward to during this time of the year lands on the day before Feb. 14. Feb. 13 has come to be known as Galentine’s Day, a day dedicated not to romance but to honoring friendship. Although not an officially recognized holiday, Galentine’s Day became popularized after the airing of a 2010 episode of “Parks and Recreation” where fictional character Leslie Knope describes an annual tradition of celebrating her girlfriends the day before Valentine’s Day. “Every Feb. 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast style,” Leslie explains in the episode. “Ladies celebrating ladies.” The fictional holiday soon became popular in real life. Now, more than 10 years after the debut of that “Parks and Rec” episode, women across the country gather on Feb. 13 for Galentine’s Day celebrations. In fact, you can easily find Galentine’s Day merchandise, gifts, and party ideas at stores and online. Perhaps the popularization of Galentine’s Day can be attributed to the way it seems to counteract the tradition of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day, reserved for love and romance, can feel alienating and exclusionary if you do not have a serious romantic Celebrating Galentine’s Day This Feb. 13
partner. G-Day pushes back against that kind of romantic pressure by celebrating platonic friendships, welcoming and including all women despite their relationship status. I have always felt grounded by my female friendships. When I was in college, I was part of a sorority and felt lucky to have the support of that sisterhood. My girlfriends are like sisters to me, so it seems natural that during a time when we are celebrating our chosen romantic partners, we make a little time to connect with our best friends and show them a little appreciation as well. Because Galentine’s Day is a relatively new tradition, there is no one way to celebrate it. Some like to go out for brunch, like Leslie Knope and her fictional friends in “Parks and Rec,” while others celebrate over happy hour, mani-pedis, or dinner. My girlfriends and I use the day as an excuse to get together, catch up, share stories, and laugh. Usually, one of us will host a little party and celebrate Galentine’s Day with appetizers, fizzy drinks, fun accessories and decorations. It’s hard not to fall in love with a holiday dedicated to celebrating friendship in all its forms. This February, I hope we all can spend a little quality time with our best friends and show our pals a little extra gratitude.
- Rachel
1 Rinehardt Law | BeSmartLegal.com
Spread the Love This Valentine’s Day! MAKE THE MOST OF THE HOLIDAY
Valentine’s Day is all about showing your dear ones extra love. But you don’t always have to focus on those close to you. Love can be shared with everyone — friends, coworkers, or the community! Here are some ways you and your family can spread the love this holiday.
Also, kids love helping out in the kitchen, so consider baking homemade cookies — or getting the store-bought kind; we don’t judge! Let the kids decorate them with festive Valentine’s designs to bring to school for their classmates and teachers! Get crafty. Nothing is more special than a one-of-a- kind card. Grab some construction paper, markers, glitter, stickers — the works — and have the kids make Valentine’s Day cards! You can work with various organizations to send letters to U.S. troops serving overseas, veteran hospitals, or nursing facilities that would enjoy receiving a handmade card. Fill them with positive words, smiley faces, hearts, and lots of love! You could even send their cards in a Valentine’s Day-themed care
package. But be sure to follow the rules of the organizations you work with. Volunteer or donate. Do you have any gently used clothing, shoes, blankets, or extra personal hygiene items? Make your way to the local Goodwill, church, or shelter that accepts donations. You could call around to see if any shelters or organizations need helping hands! This is also a great way to spread the love your kids can participate in. Check to see if they need help serving food or if you can prepare or drop off warm meals to those who need them most. You can find many ways to express love and kindness to those you love or complete strangers. No matter how you spend this day, remember to spread the love to everyone!
Make a homemade meal or some goodies.
They always say a way to a person’s heart is through their stomach! Everyone loves a warm, homemade meal, and it can be fun to get the entire family involved. Gather the ingredients of your favorite dish and make something tasty for your local fire or police department. These people work daily to keep us safe, and a simple gesture like this may bring a smile to their faces and remind them they are appreciated.
KARA J. TROTT Inspiration Corner
2 Rinehardt Law | BeSmartLegal.com A few years out of law school, Kara founded a health care company that has helped to reshape the health and wellness industry by putting the consumer first. Over the course of her career, Kara has been recognized as a leader in the health care industry and is one of the most successful women in business. During her first year of law school at OSU, Hillary became fast friends with a classmate, Kara Trott. Over their 20- plus years of friendship, Kara has been a continual source of inspiration for Hillary and so many others. Kara and Hillary competed on the National Moot Court team together and later studied together for the bar examination (a smart choice for a study buddy, as Kara achieved the highest score in the state that year!).
Kara generously gives back to the community. As a philanthropist, Kara has been instrumental in the formation of Heartland High School in Columbus, the first school in Ohio that provides students in recovery from substance use disorders with a recovery- centered education. Heartland High School is a much-needed resource for kids struggling with addiction who want to pursue recovery and a high school diploma. By providing a safe and supportive environment, the school gives the kids, whom most people have given up on, a fighting chance to achieve academic success, a goal that may have seemed impossible to them before. One of Kara’s favorite quotes is this: “It’s your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.”
We are proud to announce that Rachel has been selected for inclusion in the 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list! Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. The list of Rising Stars (attorneys who are 40 years old or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less) represents no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in the state. RISING STAR!
Congratulations, Rachel!
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, combine tahini, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla; whisk well to combine. 3. Add cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir until the mixture is smooth. 4. Fold in chocolate chips (or walnuts) and transfer mixture to prepared baking pan. Bake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired. 5. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift parchment and brownies from the pan and cut into squares. 6. Store brownies in an airtight container or gallon zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 7–10 days. To Freeze: Place brownies in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature.
HEALTHY FUDGE BROWNIES
This recipe was adapted from the website “Dishing Out Health” — a health- centric food blog focusing on all things delicious! You’ll never believe how fudgy and deceivingly decadent these healthy brownies are. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and super simple to make! Make them for someone you love this Valentine’s Day.
INGREDIENTS • 2 cups tahini, well-stirred • 1 cup pure maple syrup • 4 large eggs • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts
3 Rinehardt Law | BeSmartLegal.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
2404 Park Ave. W., Mansfield, OH 44906 419-LAW-2020 BeSmartLegal.com
INSIDE THIS EDITION
1 Galentine’s Day Is Feb. 13! 2 3 Ways to Show Love to the Community
Inspiration Corner: Kara J. Trott
3 Congratulations to our Rising Star!
Healthy Fudge Brownies
4 Rinehardt Gives Back
School Supply Refresh and Pizza Party In the fall, there are many resources to help kids get the school supplies they need to start the year, but teachers say that midway through the year, the supplies run thin and sometimes it is tough to get them restocked. Mentoring, the team at Rinehardt Injury Attorneys sponsored a school supply refresh pizza party at the Friendly House. The kids had a fun afternoon of swimming, basketball, and crafts, and got to take home school supplies to refresh what had been used up in the first half of the year. That’s why on Sunday, Jan. 15, in conjunction with Mid-Ohio Youth
4
Rinehardt Law | BeSmartLegal.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator