Cocktails for a Cure: Turning Type One Into Type None

Working Together for a Cure 

Photo by Tracy Doyle

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a difficult experience. Being diagnosed with a chronic illness just before your 10th birthday is even more difficult. But Bentley Osgood, diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just three weeks ago, is tackling diabetes in good spirits.

"It’s definitely overwhelming, but we’re learning day by day," says Leah Osgood, mother to Bentley and three other children. Just after Bentley’s diagnosis, Leah jumped into action, rallying friends to form a team for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) One Walk to raise money.

"The walk was awesome. It was amazing. It was great to see everybody out there and the support for what they were doing. It was great to see so many people come together," says Osgood. "Everyone was welcoming. It’s nice to be able to have people to bounce things off of so that I don’t feel like I’m the only one feeling these things."

Bentley will be honored at JDRF’s Cocktails for a Cure event. In late August, JDRF will host an event in partnership with Dwellings, an interior design company, called Cocktails for a Cure. At this event, guests will have the opportunity to view a newly constructed Craftsman Properties home in Indian Hill. This event will be in held in honor of Bentley, and 100 percent of event proceeds will benefit JDRF.

"We are excited to bring back our popular Cocktails for a Cure event, which was first held in Northern Kentucky two years ago, and look forward to bringing this event to Cincinnati," says Dr. Melissa Newman, executive director of the Southwest Ohio chapter of JDRF. "Bentley’s family has been involved with JDRF for many years, and we’re sad that they now have personally experienced their own diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes, but we welcome them to the JDRF family." 

When a House Becomes a Home

Photo provided by Craftsman Properties 

Sean Cole is a man who wears many different hats.

"We really have three different businesses that we operate under our umbrella," says Sean Cole, realtor and owner of Craftsman Properties. "Since 2012, I’ve been buying, fixing up and selling houses. Since 2014, I’ve been working as a real estate agent. We’ve also been representing other investors when they are looking to fix houses and resell them. Finally, we represent buyers and sellers looking to buy their own home. We’ve now started doing new home construction and custom remodels as well."

One of the new homes Cole is constructing is a unique project that’s also being used for a good purpose.

"We wanted to build a house that was unique in a couple of ways. First, the location for us on this project was important; it’s in Sycamore Township and the Indian Hill school district. We also wanted to differentiate ourselves in the market by using spray-foam insulation to be really energy-efficient and to save money. We’re trying to demonstrate our ability to deliver exceptional value to the buyer." While the home was originally intended to be a Craftsman Properties market home, Cole and his family fell in love with the property and decided to work on the home for themselves.

Cole and his family have decided to open this exceptional home for JDRF’s (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Cocktails for a Cure event, partnering with JDRF and Grace Jones, owner of Dwellings on Madison.

"I got in touch with Grace Jones because of another house she had worked on. Her interior design choices and selections were a great fit for the design aesthetic that we were looking for. She demonstrated the ability to put the finishing pieces on our designs that we were missing that tied everything together," says Cole. "From the JDRF perspective, we have some friends with a young boy who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few years ago. The emotional and financial impact that had on their family was really touching to us. We could not be more excited to partner with JDRF for this event."

Craftsman Properties is located at 8040 Hosbrook Road, Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45236. For more information, call 513.477.9647, email sean@colegroup.net or visit www.buildwithcraftsman.com.

Designing to Give Back

Photo by Wes Battoclette

Award-winning designer Grace Jones has been transforming rooms and homes with her business, Dwellings on Madison, since its opening in Cincinnati in 2011. Committed to not only luxury interior design but community involvement, Jones has joined forces with both JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and Craftsman

Properties for JDRF’s Cocktails For a Cure event.

"One of my designers had worked on fundraising for JDRF and introduced me to them. So, we decided to do a design house two years ago in Kentucky…we did a huge fundraiser with a silent auction, a private tour and everyone got to meet and greet the designer, the builder and the architect. It was a huge success," says Jones. "This will be the second design house fundraiser for JDRF.

"They are a wonderful organization; they’re one of the biggest charities here in Cincinnati. We are all committed to making this happen," Jones adds. "I’ve been in the business for almost 40 years. I love what I do, and I try to give back to my community all the time. This is very close to my heart. I’m excited to be part of this again, and trying to help raise money that evening for the kids and the research and this charity."

Dwellings on Madison is located at 2003 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. For more information, call 513.321.6900 or visit www.dwellingsonmadison.com.