As Madelyn Zone ran herself ragged behind the bar at the
Parkview Friday night, her brother Matt acted like the politician that he is: The
Cleveland city councilman shook hands, ate clams, and chatted up any barfly who'd listen.
The Zones joined oldest sibling Beth and Matt's wife, Michelle, for their annual "Have a Drink for the AIDS Walk" benefit, at which the family pours brew from the taps in exchange for donations to the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland fund-raiser. They started the tradition five years ago in memory of brother Marty, who died of AIDS at 36 in 1993. This year, the tip jar overflowed with $2,000 to add to the $1,000 they've collected in pledges for this
Saturday's walk.
The tips came from some unexpected moneybags, including Cleveland City Council Clerk Emily Lipovan and former Cleveland Safety Director Bill Denihan, who's now the CEO of the Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board. But we were bummed that Ohio Lieutenant Governor wannabe Lee Fisher -- who's married to another Zone, Peggy -- didn't put the blue-collar bar on his campaign trail. Says Denihan: "It probably wouldn't have mattered if he showed up, since everybody here is probably going to vote for him anyway."
