My favorite sign at this weekend’s C2E2

I wish every day could start with a Stormtrooper hug. Well, that and by giving away tickets to an event everyone is as excited for as the Silver Spoon Awards Party!

After removing a pingback and putting the remaining entries into Random.org, that winner is…

Entry #51. Congratulations, Jessica B, you’ve won 2 tickets to Cleveland Magazine’s Silver Spoon Awards Party on May 15! I will email you today to confirm.

There are still plenty of opportunities to win tickets. Check out Cleveland’s a Plum’s giveaway going on right now, WhyCLE’s giveaway starting later this week, and then Heather from Mile 26 and More.

You can also purchase tickets online to the 19th annual Silver Spoon Awards Party.

Bac’s guacamole and wonton crisps at Silver Spoon

Each year, the Silver Spoon Party not just celebrates Cleveland’s favorite chefs and restaurants, but also raises money for the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region, Northeastern Ohio.  Last year, it raised $116,000+ for local arthritis research, programs and services.

If you can’t make it to Silver Spoon, though, the Arthritis Foundation has a few other ways you can have fun while supporting their mission this Spring:

Arthritis Foundation Walk at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo – May 4

This Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m., join the Arthritis Foundation for a walk around the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

There’s both a 5K and one-mile course that participants can walk for friends and family with arthritis. Arthritis information and family activities will also be available.

The walk registration and donation will get you free entry to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for the day.

Learn more and register at arthritiswalkcleveland.kintera.org.

Cedar Point’s Ride for a Reason – June 15

I may change my tune after Gatekeeper opens next month, but Millennium Force is by far my favorite coaster at Cedar Point.  (It stills scares me a bit each time I sit down to ride!)

And now AF supporters and coaster enthusiasts can enjoy one hour of unlimited rides on it on June 15.

A $35 registration fee gets you Millennium Force ride time from 8-9am before the park opens, as well as a Ride for a Reason t-shirt.

For every additional $50 you raise, you’ll earn a raffle ticket for a 4-hour VIP tour of Cedar Point, 2 tickets to HalloWeekends, and a Cedar Point gift bag.

You can register for this exclusive ride time at 2013rideforareason.kintera.org (park admission is not included).

Cedar Point is also offering a special discount to Arthritis Foundation supporters that visit May 11 through June 30.

Visit www.cedarpoint.com, enter ARTHRITIS in the promo code box at the upper right of the page, and you can purchase a regular one-day adult admission ticket for only $37.

That’s over $18 off the regular price, plus three dollars from every ticket sale will go to the Arthritis Foundation.

Arthritis Foundation Save-the-Dates: Oct. 10 and Dec. 8 

While October and December seem far off, the Arthritis Foundation already has two of their best events lined up.

This year’s L’Amour du Vin takes place at Avon Oaks on Thursday, October 10, while the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis returns to Legacy Village on Sunday, December 8.

I had a great time attending L’Amour du Vin and volunteering at Jingle Bell for the first time last year. So keep an eye on arthritis.org/ohio/neo in the coming months for more info about those events!

Disclosure: I was invited to give away 2 tickets to Silver Spoon and attend with a guest. My opinions and the choice to highlight these events are my own.