Vision to realize. Dreams to pursue. Desire to lift a community.

Sitting around the dining room table which occupies Steve Frisch’s Deer Park home is where the vision was cast, pursuit began and shared desire was inspired. He’d gathered 12 friends to share an idea for a fundraiser. That idea grew into The Rusty Ball, Cincinnati’s largest collaborative fundraising event, presented by The Rusty Griswolds and The Spirit of Cincinnatus, which has generated nearly $2,000,000 benefitting 333 local charities since November 2008.

What Steve hadn’t shared to any great extent was a deeper vision, one that stirred within him and would later begin to surface.

Inspired by his love for Cincinnati and motivated by his Christian faith to make a difference, he had a vision of a city that identified itself by a commitment to family value, civic virtue, service to a greater good, strength and leadership. A city whose identity should be defined more by the characteristics of a legendary warrior than a winged pig.

The vision really began in Lyon, France where Steve had visited on a business trip. There he learned of a French puppet character known as Guignol.

Guignol is a fictional historical character from the late 1700s whose identity has become synonymous with the city of Lyon. Multiple marionette and puppet theaters still have productions featuring the Guignol character. His image can be seen at restaurants, in advertising and on local products. As you travel through the airport or any other venue that may be visited by tourist, there you’ll find Guignol. He is the beloved character of an entire community and once you’ve experienced him, you can’t forget Lyon, France.

Steve was intrigued by this puppet character’s popularity, as he has been the music composer for many of his twin brother, Kevin Frisch’s Frisch Marionette Company productions.

He recognized that Cincinnati had an iconic, under-utilized, historical figure and he began writing a children’s story/screenplay called "The Spirit of Cincinnatus" featuring the character Cincinnatus as the narrator, and highlighting the history and all things good about the City of Cincinnati.

He envisioned a multipurpose location in downtown Cincinnati where tourists and families could visit for an entertaining show about the history of our city, buy tickets to local attractions, souvenirs highlighting our iconic sights and uniquely Cincinnati products from local companies.

During this same time period, Steve had an idea of a collaborative fundraising event that would become the all-inclusive solution to a problem he was having regarding the number of requests he was getting for his band, The Rusty Griswolds, to perform at charity events. This idea led to the meeting around the dining room table where the event, The Rusty Ball, was born.

Shortly after, it was realized that a charitable 501(c)(3) organization was needed to serve as the operational foundation for The Rusty Ball event. This is when Steve decided to turn his story about all things good in Cincinnati into and organization that actively supports all things good in Cincinnati.

The Spirit of Cincinnatus is the charitable organization Steve began and whose namesake, Cincinnatus, possessed all the traits our city should be proud of. Commitment to family values, civic virtue, service to a greater good, strength and leadership. This is whom Steve envisions seeing as you travel through the airport or any other venue that may be visited by tourist.

Cincinnatus, the beloved character of an entire community that once you’ve experienced him, you won’t be able to forget Cincinnati, Ohio.

The vision is to provide, through The Spirit of Cincinnatus; fun events, volunteer opportunities, tickets to local concerts, sporting events and attractions, souvenirs highlighting our iconic sights and uniquely Cincinnati products from local companies, all benefiting our local charitable community while supporting our local business community.

As a consumer, one can purchase an event ticket, consumer product or souvenir, and support our charitable community through the same purchase — a true win-win-win.

Local business is supported. Local charity is supported. And consumers feel better about a purchase they were already making.

The Spirit of Cincinnatus will continue to create fun, collaborative events like The Rusty Ball and Rusty Reds Night that entertain and benefit our community.

They will continue to promote local events and volunteer opportunities that provide support to organizations doing great things in our city.

They will continue to partner with local companies and create opportunities for you as a consumer to support local business with your purchase while at the same time have portions of your proceeds benefit local non profits.

They will continue to partner with local companies to create brands and products that promote Cincinnati in the best positive light.

The Spirit of Cincinnatus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, created to support and promote our non-profit community and the services and opportunities they provide. Their mission is to improve the overall quality of life by providing assistance for those faced with unexpected challenges and opportunities.

The Spirit of Cincinnatus shares a belief with their team of 100-percent volunteers, and also with partners that they can achieve uncommon results when they bring their individual skill sets and talents together and work as one to make our community a better place.

In Every Crowd, We See A Community. In Every Crowd, We See Support. In Every Crowd, We See Hope.

,

To learn more about The Spirit of Cincinnatus visit www.spiritofcincinnatus.org.