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I believe you can learn something from every person you meet, whether they are a CEO of an international corporation or a college freshman trying to find their way. There are many fascinating people on the Thought of the Day distribution list, and Liz’s THD Reader Feature is a way to share that wisdom.
KENT WELLINGTON AND ANGELINE WELLINGTON
Kent Wellington is a Dad, friend, mentor, Buckeye, Graydon attorney, cheerful giver, hard worker, and overcomer.
Angeline Wellington is a daughter, friend, singer, writer, aspiring world traveler, and people lover.
1. How did you get on the Thought of the Day distribution list?
- Kent: Karen Wellington used to get the Thought of the Day. I also knew Bill. I actually started following the emails when I took over Karen’s email after she passed away.
- Angeline: My dad, Kent Wellington, sends me them everyday.
2. What is your favorite Thought of the Day and why?
- Kent: Bill once used a Woody Hayes quote that my son Robby sent him (“Nothing cleanses the soul like getting the sh*t kicked-out of you.”). But I really like the Christmas story of the kid who bought the coat for another kid and the wisdom of his grandmother. We’ve used that at Saturday Hoops, a group of friends and vulnerable kids who get together on Saturday mornings for some fun, faith, and positive role modeling through a variety of activities. We have an Alexander Hamilton Award each week where we give one of our Hoops kids $10 that they have to spend on someone else (not a family member) without that person knowing about it. They come back the following week and tell us how the money was spent.
- Angeline: My all time favorite Thought of the Day was about Charles Schwab. He talked about how he learned the biggest lesson of his life in college. He had a 4.0 GPA and was about to take his final business exam that he studied hours for. When the professor told the class to flip their papers over and begin, both sides were blank. He asked them one question – “What’s the name of the lady who cleans the building?” Charles later said her name was Dottie, and it was the only test he ever failed. I think the world would be a much better place if everyone stopped to meet and thank the people that serve them.
3. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
- Kent: Mint chocolate chip – I’m also a fan of all the other chips at Graeter’s. Ice cream without chocolate chips is a waste of cream and butter.
- Angeline: Mocha Chip
4. What is your life’s purpose?
- Kent: We have two family ministries – one we picked (vulnerable kids – mentoring through the CYC and Saturday Hoops); one picked us (breast cancer – Karen Wellington Foundation for LIVING with Breast Cancer). Fortunately I work at a place (Graydon law firm) that shares a commitment to our community and making it better.
- Angeline: My life’s purpose is to bring joy and light to the people around me. And to slow down and realize that life is better when you take it day by day, season by season.
5. (Besides marriage/having kids/etc.) What are you most proud of in your life?
- Kent: Doing those things in #4 with my family and growing/ever-changing friend group. I also really admire the paths my two kids, Robby and Angeline, have taken and the people they have become. They are so much further along than I was at their age and a lot more talented.
- Angeline: I am most proud of the relationships/friendships I build and maintain. There is nothing better than surrounding yourself with people you love and for those people to love you back.
6. From your experience, what’s most important in life?
- Kent: I have two great parents, so I never take that for granted. In fact, the more I meet people who didn’t have such strong parents, the more I appreciate them. Also, I went to Yellow Springs over the holidays for a few days in 2018 and my girlfriend, Alexia, walked me through writing a personal mission statement. I was skeptical and really just went to Yellow Springs to hike in the woods. But it was a really cool process. And she is VERY good at directing this process. My mission: “To build and inspire a community of goodness for healing others.” That’s important to me as I think we need more people pointing out all the GOOD in the world. At Saturday Hoops, we tell our volunteers each week that they can help our kids see GOD or help them see GOOD. We don’t care – our vulnerable kids need to see a lot more of both.
- Angeline: I would define success as reaching a point in my life where I am genuinely happy and financially stable enough to reach back and help those who may have not been dealt as fair a hand as I have.
7. What do you believe in?
- Kent: Faith and a sense of humor. And I’m not sure which is more important. Although they are related. Since I’m writing this w/her, I believe in my daughter, Angeline. And I couldn’t be more proud of her or excited about her future. She has far more natural talent and positive energy than I will ever have. She hasn’t harvested it all yet, but she’s on the right path.
- Angeline: I believe that there is far more good in the world than bad, although sometimes we may not see it. It is our job to fill in the gaps.
8. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- Kent: I wanted to play football on Saturdays in the horseshoe at Ohio State. I also liked the fact that the attorneys in the small towns I lived in were the leaders in town. The people who got things done in creative ways. Fortunately, we live in a town with attorneys like Bill Keating, Jr. who also are (or were) committed to improving it.
- Angeline: A dolphin trainer…yikes.
9. What is the one thing you need to do every day to get ready to take on the day?
- Kent: I do like to start the day with a Bible App in community with anyone who wants to join in. A strong faith foundation has always been important in my life.
- Angeline: Have a coffee and listen to music.
10. What is the one defining moment that changed the course of your life?
- Kent: The way our family has responded to adversity has defined our lives in a positive way. That started with Angeline’s mother, Karen, who LIVED with breast cancer (and a lot of joy) for 10 years and has continued in a variety of public and private ways after she died in July 2007.
- Angeline: Along with an amazing team, I am helping send women LIVING with cancer on vacation through our family mission – The Karen Wellington Foundation for LIVING with Breast Cancer.
11. What are you currently doing to positively impact your community and why?
- Kent: See #4 for more about Saturday Hoops and The Karen Wellington Foundation for LIVING with Breast Cancer.
- Angeline: Along with an amazing team, I am helping send women LIVING with cancer on vacation through our family mission – The Karen Wellington Foundation for LIVING with Breast Cancer.
12. What difficult situation happened to you that, in hindsight, turned out to be a blessing in disguise?
- Kent: First, when we were in the throes of breast cancer, we wondered if we could still mentor two vulnerable kids. We did the only logical thing and took on a third. That turned out to be a great decision. The kids we have mentored have made our family better. Second, we’ve tried to live a life of faith and follow a Give First mindset. This year we’ll reach our 1,000th woman LIVING with cancer who we’ve given some FunNow through Karen’s foundation. Lemons into lemonade. That started very modestly with a decision to do 1 vacation for someone rather than flowers at Karen’s funeral in 2007. God took it from there along with a large number of caring friends and strangers who have given time, resources, and joy to women and families going through the most difficult times of their lives. The vacation, spa, etc. pictures on the KWF Facebook page say it all.
- Angeline: When I was 10, my mom passed away from breast cancer. It is horrible losing a mom, especially at such a young age. Although it is difficult to see silver linings in heartbreak, it is our ability to make something beautiful out of rubble that eventually helps build us back up. We started The Karen Wellington Foundation for LIVING with Breast Cancer after she passed in 2007. Since then, we’ve sent over 800 women and families on vacation and countless others on spa days and other fun outings. Without the chance to carry on my mom’s legacy, thousands of lives wouldn’t have been touched by this foundation.
13. When was a time your beliefs were challenged?
- Kent: I think one of the hardest things we need to do is to move-on from certain people. And forge new relationships with people we would not otherwise meet. I was fortunate to have moved 7 times when I was young, so I was forced to do this in each new city. But it’s challenging as we get older. It’s easier and less risky to just muddle through. But in doing so, we lose opportunities for new relationships. We only have so much energy and so much time. So we need to find those people who share our interests, core values, and spirit for those things we believe in and believe in making better. It’s hard. But worth it in the long-run. Plus, we meet more people and grow more in the process.
- Angeline: I think my beliefs get challenged everyday as I work on becoming rooted in faith.
14. If you could change one thing in your personal or professional path from the past, what would it be and why?
- Kent: During the breast cancer years, I would have worried less about clinical trials and ways to fix the problem and prayed more. We have a great healthcare community in Cincinnati and we are grateful for their good work and kindness towards our family.
- Angeline: I think I would change the way I approached creative or artistic endeavors. I would have less fear and more drive knowing that it doesn’t really matter what people say, as long as you’re creating something you love.
15. How do you find balance and fulfillment in your life?
- Kent: I get energized from interacting with others. I love being with a gym full of vulnerable kids and caring volunteers on Saturday mornings. It’s exhausting, but I leave each Saturday with my tank more full than when I came. Fortunately, we have hundreds of regular volunteers who feel the same way and who I love to hang out with on Saturdays or over a beer later. There are some really GOOD people in our community.
- Angeline: I find both fulfillment and balance by writing music, traveling, and surrounding myself with positive people.
16. When was the last time you took a leap of faith?
- Kent: We (quietly) just opened our second location of Saturday Hoops in Winton Terrace (one of the most depressed parts of town, but filled with kids in these apartment projects who are full of spit, vinegar, and potential). It’s a 12-week pilot led by my son, Robby, and his old man. The safe move would have been to just stay in OTR in year 16 (we had over 1,300 vulnerable kids and volunteers in 2019 – it’s awesome). Or, the safe move would have even been to go to a couple of the other neighborhoods we looked at which are less depressed. Winton Terrace was the bold move. It also was the right move. In our 4th week, we had 75 vulnerable kids, 18 volunteers, and 1 tasing outside the rec center! It’s a new group of vulnerable kids and a new group of volunteers. We’re going to turn some lives around, meet a bunch of new people, bring some positive energy each Saturday, and have a lot of fun in the process.
- Angeline: I recently got reconstructive foot surgery. I definitely underestimated the recovery both physically and emotionally. I have had to rely on many different people for help over the past few weeks which is frustrating. Overall I took this leap to a better future self.
17. What do you want your legacy to be?
- Kent: Hopefully helping people see more good in themselves and in the world around us. That would be a pretty cool legacy. I could live (and die) with that.
- Angeline: I would love for people to remember me by remembering how good they felt about themselves when I was with them. I think we underestimate the power of how our words and actions affect the people around us – when we figure out how to use those as fuel for others we can know we’ve done our part to change the world.
Previous THD Reader Features:
Kelly Higgins
Kathy Fish
Candace Kendle
Bill Keating, Sr.