December 5, 2008

Jeweler donates blood and 'hearts'

BYLINE:    Kelly Mori,   Staff Writer
PUBLICATION:  Springfield News-Sun (OH)

Blood donor Rick Krauss has become a heart donor.

This month, the president of Ridgewood Jeweler donated 1,000 specially designed heart necklaces to the Community Blood Center to be distributed to blood donors in the center's service areas - Springfield, West Chester, Middletown and Richmond, Ind.

"I've been donating blood since the 70s and it's just something that I think is important for other people to do," Krauss said. "That's why I thought the hearts would be a good idea...there's always a need for blood and I don't know that they always have enough of it on hand."

The necklaces bear Krauss' exclusive "Window To My Heart" design, which he created shortly after the events of 9/11. The donated necklaces are a porcelain-and-gold version of the $1,600, diamond-and-gold necklace he offers at his store.

A copy of Krauss' poem "Window to My Heart," is enclosed with each necklace.

"This is great. It's wonderful," said Judy Blankenship, account representative for the Community Blood Center, "very generous."

She expects Krauss' generosity to spread even farther as many donors likely will present the necklaces as a gift to a loved one or friend.

"It's a gift from the heart," Blankenship said.

To donate blood visit donortime.com.

You can view the window on the heart design at

ridgewoodjeweler.com/windowtomyheart.php

For more information on becoming a blood donor,

visit donortime.com or call 937-399-2611.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.

(c) 2008 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - Springfield News-Sun

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July 21, 2008

Clark County Fair - Fair Queen Contest

One of the highlights of the Clark County Fair is the Queen contest. Contestants are judged on several different categories. The judging was held Sunday, July 20, 2008 in the Champion Center.

The donors for the Fair Queen Contest were Goodfellow Homestead Farms, Tackett for Senate Campaign, Ridgewood Jewelers, (the Queen's Tiara), Flower Craft Florist, Berner's Screen Print, Leithauser Photography and Country Customs.

The judges were Ken Ford (Triad FFA Advisor), Julie Goodfellow-Speakman (Former Clark County Fair Board Member Jeff King (Director, OSU Leadership Center & Associate Professor Ohio State University extension), Heidi Steinbrink (1995 Clark County Fair Queen & Ohio County & Independent Fair Queen; Oakwood High School Teacher) and Debbie Woods (Pageant Judge/Fashion Coordinator).

Photo by Dale Grimm

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Springfield News Sun

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The price of gold hit a record high of $1,000 per ounce this week, which might be good news for people looking to sell old jewelry, but not as great for jewelry businesses, industry employees said Friday, March 14.

Richard Krauss, president of Ridgewood Jewelers, said the high price of gold means that lighter-weight jewelry may be the same price people were accustomed to paying for solid gold.

"We've had to adjust a few items that we have had a while," Krauss said. "It had to be done because the replacement is going to be higher."

• Figure out what you are willing to part with, what it is and where you might be able to sell it.

• Look up current prices on the Internet. A good site is www.kitco.com.

• Keep in mind that prices quoted are for pure gold, while most consumer items are not, so you won't get the full per ounce price.

• Shop around and compare prices.

• Deal with someone reputable.

• Be leery of using the Internet to sell coins and jewelry, though sales and traveling dealers who set up shop for a few days in a hotel are options to consider and may give you a better price. But seller beware.

— Staff writer Lynn Hulsey contributed to this report.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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In print as well as on the internet: KYPost.com & WCPO.com
and on public radio from Cleveland to northern Kentucky and all over Ohio
as picked up by Associated Press (AP) members

Gold Rush In Ohio As Consumers Cash In On Record Price

Last Update: 3/17/2008 1:16 pm

(AP) - There's gold in those jewelry boxes, and Ohioans are rushing to sell it to take advantage of record-high gold prices above $1,000 an ounce.

Franz Fulkerson of Fulkerson Jewelers in Toledo says he's seen customers wanting to sell everything from scrap gold chains to full wedding ring sets.

In the Cleveland suburb of Eastlake, manager Marc Berman at busy Gold Star Pawn Shop thinks high gasoline prices have driven people to prospect for gold in their closets and drawers.

At Ridgewood Jewelers in Springfield, president Richard Krauss says the downside of high gold prices is that gold jewelry is now much more expensive for people looking to buy. He says lighter-weight jewelry now costs what people were used to paying for solid gold.

 

©2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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