Life’s all about timing—and maybe a little luck. I was a mom of two boys, about to welcome my third, when a friend approached me with a question that would take me on a path to where I now sit typing to you: “Would you be at all interested in learning about the Childhood League?”

I’d been feeling the pull to give-of-myself in a way that went beyond the walls of my own home and my own family. Giving is, after all, better than receiving, right? It was the height of COVID-19, and the world was still grappling with uncertainty. The Childhood League Center, serving many children with autoimmune deficiencies, was no exception. The school was far from its usual operations, with visitors strictly prohibited. But in a twist of fate, they allowed us a tour—masked up, of course—with the Center’s director, Ginger.

If you haven't been, please go visit The Childhood League Center - what an incredible resource for these children! I had friends who were occupational therapists who’d trained at the Center and couldn’t stop raving about its impact on the families and children it serves. I was particularly drawn to their innovative autism program, The PLAY Project. And so, I joined.

But let’s be real—it was 2021. Meetings were over Zoom (woof!), and engaging safely with the children at the Center just wasn’t possible. I attended the meetings, made it out to our Rockmill MGR, but that spark, that fire that lights you up from within, was missing. The whole League felt like it was missing something…that zing.

As the veil of Covid lifted we were able to volunteer once more in the center. We cheered the kids on their last day of school and helped gather car-loads of holiday gifts donated by our friends at A&F. We watched entire family's kids at The Center so parents and care givers could go on a date or holiday shop. We crafted and played and started remembering what this was all for...

Fast forward to early 2023, and our numbers were down. We needed to figure something out—fast. The market for childhood fundraising galas seemed over-saturated. So what do we do? Enter Lauren Colantoni. In her fifth and final year with the League, she had a radical idea: “How about we host Battle of the Cover Bands Columbus?”

The Center wasn’t so sure about veering away from its 60+ year heritage of MGR (Merry Go Round), a tradition that started as a variety show where League members and their husbands would perform. Over the years, MGR evolved, taking on many forms: casino nights, live bands, sit-down dinners, dancing (yes, League Members had to learn a dance and perform it on the night of—myself included).

Now, listen, Battle of the Cover Bands might seem like an extreme departure from a formal sit-down gala, but wait—is it? Or maybe, just maybe, we’ve come full circle. We’re back to the original concept: performing, keeping it local, celebrating the arts, and raising as much money as possible for these kids.

Here’s the scoop: It costs somewhere around $10,000 per child for a year’s worth of education and therapies at the Childhood League Center. Enter into The Battle: it’s casual, it’s an absolute BLAST that celebrates and supports live music, hires local vendors, raises sponsorship money from Columbus companies, and continues to uplift Central Ohio children from birth to kindergarten. It gives these kids—and their grown-ups—a lifetime of advocacy and confidence because, let’s be honest, we all need more of that.

Last year, I was in charge of Attendee Experience (I do love throwing a party) and worked closely with 2024 Battle Co-Chairs Lauren Colantoni and Beth Trench. My background is in Fashion, where I worked on the trend team as a Textile Print Design Manager: every quarter we would hold conceptual meetings showcasing the colors/prints/silhouettes/theme of the season we were designing. I attack Battle in much the same way; what’s the feel, how do we get The Center’s Mission across, how can we make this event worth the cost of admission and more??? This year, Lauren is back as our contracted head of production, while I’m running the show with the heavy help of all our League members. It takes a village!

Music has always been my favorite art-form. I fell in love with The Beach Boys, they were my #1 boy band, that is until 4th grade hit and I realized they were all older than my Dad - love you Dad! It then became much “cooler” to pivot to the pop likes of Mariah Carey and Ace of Base. A few more years of Boyz II Men and Backstreet Boys would pass before I rekindled my love for classic rock, adding more alternative musicians like No Doubt and Alanis Morissette to my list of loves. Then came The White Stripes, The Killers, and The Black Keys in college, followed by Mumford & Sons, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Alabama Shakes post-grad (just to name a few).

And now, here I am—helping to orchestrate the Battle of the Cover Bands, combining my love of music (and throwing ragers) with a cause that truly matters. It’s funny how life works out  ROCKS sometimes, isn’t it?

-80's Katie