Ben and Amanda met at a bar near the campus of UT during a summer semester. “It all started with a drink and a phone number on a piece of paper …which is comical now because this approach is so outside of Ben’s comfort zone,” said Amanda.

            

Audrey is in 7th grade at St. Joan of Arc. She in on the cross country and track teams. She also swims for Wolfcreek YMCA and Brandywine Country Club. In addition to her competitive sports, Audrey likes to water ski and enjoys time on the family’s boat. She will be taking her Ohio boater safety course this spring so she can become a “certified” operator. She also has her American Red Cross certification for babysitting and is available for hire!       

Anderson is in fourth grade at Monclova Elementary. He currently runs cross country/track and plays basketball for St Joan of Arc. He also plays basketball for Anthony Wayne and Wolfcreek YMCA, and will play Maumee Little League this spring. When he is not playing sports, he likes fishing, playing Madden 22, shooting hoops in the driveway, and giving his sisters a hard time.  

 

Eleanor is in 2nd grade at St. Joan of Arc where she runs cross country. She also plays basketball at Wolfcreek YMCA. Eleanor is our gymnast and also swims in the summer for Brandywine Country Club. She loves to read and visit neighbors. Our neighbors know her as “E” or “Jean,” and her personality is that of a 7-year-old going on 16. Having a conversation with her is an entertaining experience! Eleanor collects pop tabs. She collects them for the Ronald McDonald House Charities and knows how to work a party! Please feel free to help her cause. Her goal is to collect 5lbs of pop tabs.

 

The Geletkas try to keep their summer weekends sacred, spending as much time as possible on their boat and at their cottage in Port Clinton, which has been in the family for over 45 years. If conditions are right, you will find them fishing, tubing, and skiing on Lake Erie, or you may bump into them on the beach at Kelleys Island or Sandusky Bay. They also love to travel, and their favorite vacation spot is in the Florida Keys.

 

Twelve years ago, the Geletkas started what they call “The University of Toledo Vacation Club.” This “club” is comprised of four families who know each other from their days at UT. The group now includes 18 people. “We travel with and without kids and have logged at least 14+ trips together. The Stigall family, also in The Homestead, is part of the club. It’s a unique and special bond we have with the group, and our kids think of each other as extended family,” said Amanda.

 

Amanda has a BA in marketing from the University of Toledo. She works for The Andersons as the Director of Insurance. She has been with The Andersons for two years, and prior to that, she spent 16 years as a commercial property and casualty insurance sales executive. Amanda says, “The best part of my job is interacting with all levels of employees across the company. There are many moving parts to an insurance program as dynamic and complex as The Andersons, so every day is something new and challenging. It’s exciting and never dull. In addition, what a great company to work for!”

           

Ben graduated with a degree in construction engineering from UT. He has an extensive background in the field of civil engineering, and he has managed heavy civil projects in Northwest Ohio for the better part of his career. He is currently a senior project manager for the Kwest Group in Perrysburg. The most recent project he completed was the I-75 Interchange in Findlay.

The family loves going to sporting events, running outdoors, and exploring new places. They are very active in their church at St. Joan of Arc. Both Ben and Amanda coach youth sports through CYO and the YMCA. Amanda also serves on the boards of the Toledo Clinic Foundation and the Mobile Meals of Toledo Foundation. When Ben and Amanda get an evening to themselves, they like to go to the Benchmark restaurant.

 

“We chose to live in this neighborhood because it seemed like a great place to raise a family. I remember driving through what seemed like hundreds of neighborhoods looking for the right one that gave you 'that feeling.' Little did we know, we would meet great neighbors who became family. These are the neighbors any young family could only dream of. When you are trying to work full time and raise a family without relatives close by, your neighbors and friends become a very important network. We are fortunate to have found that in The Homestead. These neighbors have been our emergency contacts for the kids, fill-in Uber drivers, and retrievers of forgotten lunches countless times. We are very fortunate and grateful!”