Save the date: November 6, 5pm.
That’s when we gather for Barberton Community Foundation’s Annual Dinner to celebrate two Game Changers who embody what it means to build community from scratch.
And yes, I chose those words carefully.
This year, we’re honoring Ray Leach Jr. of Leach’s Meats & Sweets and the Barberton Police Department. If you’re wondering what a baker and our police force have in common, stick with me.
Built From Scratch
Ray Leach Jr. knows something about grit, grace, and growth.
His father, Ray Sr., was a self-taught butcher and baker. The kind of person who figured things out because he had to. Ray Sr. used to say, “We’ll never be rich, but we’ll never be hungry.” That philosophy didn’t just feed a family – it built one. It’s the same philosophy that later launched a trade-based scholarship, because Ray Sr. understood that learning a skill could change everything.
Ray Jr. learned the trade from his dad. He didn’t love it at first. But here’s the thing about true craftsmanship – sometimes you have to knead it before you understand it.
Today? Ray Jr. knows two and three generations of Barberton customers. He knows when they’re coming. He has their orders ready. When you’ve served a community for decades, you don’t just know the recipe – you know the people.
To some families, Leach’s is a treat. It is my house, whether it’s those monster cookies or the morning-after-a-sleepover jelly donut!
To others, it’s a staple. Some folks walk up because it’s part of their weekly neighborhood routine. Others drive across town because, well… it’s worth it.
Ray grew up in a home where meat was expensive. Too expensive. Now he’s paid for his kids’ college as a small business owner. How? By building relationships. Taking care of people. Showing up.
Like a proofing dough, Ray’s built a business that has helped families, and a community, rise.
And here’s what we can’t take for granted: Ray’s dependability. In a world that’s constantly changing, there’s something sacred about a business, a person, who shows up. Day after day. Generation after generation.
The value of dependability, and how it creates community, is sometimes lost through the generations.
But it won’t be if Ray has anything to do about it.
Running Toward What Others Run From
Now, about the courageous men and women in our police department.
If Ray Leach is the guy who feeds our community, Barberton’s police officers are the ones who protect it.
And the way they do it makes all the difference.
Visit any school building and you’ll see our School Resource Officers hard at work inside. Not as an afterthought, but as an intentional investment. They know the kids. They know the families. Every SRO has the most training possible because this isn’t about checking a box – it’s about caring for the people who define our community.
They’re like the older sibling who always knows what to do and is willing to help.
They take their job seriously. But not themselves. That’s a skill they build intentionally, and it shows. They’re approachable. Present. Available.
Three shifts. 24/7/365. There are no off days from safety. While we’re sleeping, celebrating, and living our lives – they’re ready. They run toward danger when everyone else is running away.
Think about that.
In their line of work, they meet people on their worst days. But they show up anyway. When called upon, they always step up.
We’re not just honoring what they do. We’re honoring how they go about it.
They protect and serve.
We respect and thank.
Why You Should Be There
Aside from celebrating Ray and the Barberton Police Department, we’re auctioning off something special that night. A piece of Barberton history. If honoring Ray and our police department aren’t enough reasons to come (and they should be), come because you love Barberton and want to own part of its story.
More details to come. But mark your calendar. November 6. 5pm.
Tickets and sponsorships? All available online now at www.barbertoncf.org.
This dinner isn’t just about recognizing Game Changers. It’s about all of us – gathered together – acknowledging the people who knead our community into something better. The ones who protect what matters. The ones who show up.
Will you?
I hope to see you there.
In community,
Josh Gordon
