The Championship Celebration Luncheon at Landerhaven featured Cleveland baseball legends and raised nearly $50,000 for Solon Community Living.Solon Community Living

By Maura Zurick, cleveland.com

SOLON, Ohio — Baseball legends and fans came together Friday (Aug. 15) for a sold-out luncheon honoring the Cleveland Indians’ 1995 season and longtime broadcaster Tom Hamilton.

The event raised nearly $50,000 for Solon Community Living.

The nonprofit, based in Solon, recently opened its innovative residential neighborhood for adults with developmental disabilities after more than a decade of planning.

The $4 million project features 14 private barrier-free residences, six caregiver suites and a central clubhouse designed to foster independence, safety and enrichment.

Fifteen residents now call the community home, along with two onsite resident assistants.

After the grand opening, cofounder Ara Bagdasarian reflected on the project’s significance in an interview.

“This community is a testament to what’s possible when families, city leaders and supporters come together around a shared cause,” he said.

“We didn’t just build homes. We built a model that can be replicated to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities across the country.”

Friday’s Championship Celebration Luncheon, held at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights, drew 175 guests for a sold-out program that blended nostalgia, baseball storytelling and community impact.

The event featured appearances by Sandy Alomar Jr., Jim Thome, Tom Hamilton and Bob DiBiasio, the Cleveland Guardians’ senior vice president of public affairs.

Guests enjoyed a ballpark-style buffet, live and silent auctions, and video tributes celebrating both the 1995 World Series team and Hamilton’s recent Ford C. Frick Award.

Proceeds from the luncheon will help sustain programming and operations at Solon Community Living.

Alomar, a six-time All-Star catcher who played more than a decade in Cleveland and delivered a memorable MVP performance in the 1997 All-Star Game, has been a coach with the team for more than a decade.

Thome, a Hall of Fame slugger and franchise home run leader, remains one of the most beloved players in franchise history.

Hamilton, the “voice of the Tribe” for more than three decades, continues to serve as the chief radio play-by-play announcer for the Guardians.

“What made the event especially memorable was the surprise in-person visit from Jim Thome and his wife, Andrea, which delighted every guest,” Bagdasarian said.

“Friday’s event was absolutely a big success and very special.”

Andrea Thome later shared her gratitude in a social media post.

“It was fun to listen to Jim, Tom, Sandy Alomar and Bob DiBiasio tell stories from the 1990s. Thank you to everyone who supports this special place,” she wrote.

Bagdasarian said every guest raved about the experience.

The funds raised will directly support the growth and sustainability of Solon Community Living as it transitions from construction to care.