2010 ONPA Pictures of the Year

2010 ONPA Pictures of the Year , - /

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First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

A shirtless Shawn Hurr, 11, of Cuyahoga Falls, tries to balance on a floating ice chunk at Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor on Friday, April 2, 2010. Floating ice chunks and huge white icebergs made beach goers do a double take as temperatures rose to a record high of 83 degrees. "I didn't know if it was foam first or what," says Shawn Hurr, Shawn Hurr's father ( both have same name.) " I figured the water would be cold, but not with icebergs." The Hurrs made the trip up on the last day of Shawn's springbreak.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

LeBron James seems already forgotten as bar patrons go back to life as usual after a waitress at The Winking Lizard in Lakewood threw this LeBron James life-size, stand-up poster into the trash after watching the Cleveland Cavaliers star announce he was going to the Miami Heat on ESPN.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Marquis Robinson, 18, right, rubs the stomach of his pregnant girlfriend Alisha Ivey, 18, just after their support group during the new prenatal program called Centering Pregnancy at MacDonald Women's Hospital at University Hospitals. Robinson is determined to be a dedicated father and attends the classes with Ivey. She is 35 weeks pregnant with a boy they will name Marius. Centering Pregnancy encourage young fathers to be fully involved. They have group support sessions on nutrition, labor and birth preparation and coping skills. The program was started by nurse and midwife Pam Hetrick with a grant from Kaiser Permanente.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Caymen Goostree, 11, misses his dad. Caymen sleeps every night with his dad's face ironed on to his pillow in his room at home near Akron. Caymen X's off the days on his calendar, left, until his dad comes home from Iraq. Caymen's father, Army National Guard Sgt. Terry Goostree, has been deployed to Iraq since last spring. Caymen's A's and B's in school were replaced by D's and F's. Caymen's mother, Heather, is raising he and his four siblings by herself. A recent study, commissioned by the National Military Family Association, showed that kids of deployed parents can suffer emotional wounds that manifest themselves in myriad ways, including higher anxiety levels, depression, low energy and problem behaviors.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Marie Calandra, 88, and her husband retired Judge Salvatore Calandra, 88, on left, wave to the passing parade as they stand on the steps of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church during the Columbus Day Parade in Little Italy. The Calandras are the Grand Marshals of this year's parade.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

A secret service agent checks the plane stairs that will connect to Air Force One at Atlantic Aviation in Cleveland. The stairs were sitting on the tarmac awaiting the scheduled arrival of President Barack Obama.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Rich Kline heads towards the stage with his cape to perform with his band called Diamond Dogs at the Phantasy Nite Club in Lakewood. Kline's band is a David Bowie tribute band and is performing songs from Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust days. Kline dresses in many of Bowie's incarnations during his live shows.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

A bed hangs out of an upstairs bedroom as Cleveland firefighters battle a blaze last Jan. 25 caused by an explosion in a vacant house next to this home on West 83rd Street. Fifteen families were left homeless by the fire. A neighbor was subsequently arrested for arson but found not guilty.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Michelle Beck peers out onto the cloud-covered Karwendel mountains inside a tunnel that hangs out over the edge of the mountain peaks in Mittenwald, Germany.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Cleveland Detective David Shapiro holds his sleeping nephew, Brady Patsouras, 2, while saluting during 2010 Badge Case Ceremony at the police headquarters in downtown Cleveland. Shapiro's father, Cleveland police officer William Shapiro, was killed in the line of duty on April 26, 1974. William Shapiro was killed on his own birthday. The Cleveland Police Memorial Society honored fallen police officers during the annual badge ceremony which kicks off Cleveland's police memorial week.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Stiltwalker Julia Pankhurst makes her way down Murray Hill Road, practicing her stilt walking. Pankhurst, who has walked on stilts for years, says that these particular stilts make her about ten feet tall. Pankhurst is seen often at local parades.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Steam rolls off the head of Maple Heights Mike Hollins in the chilly night air during their game against Sandusky at Avon Lake Memorial Stadium in Avon Lake. Maple Heights won 61-27.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

"A Spirit That Won't Break". Connie Culp holds her new face up to feel the warmth of the sun outside her home in southeastern Ohio. "I'm blessed, you know, I really am," she says now that she has recovered from the first near-total face transplant in the U.S. "I say, 'Somebody really loves me up there.' " Culp, 47, is optimistic about her future while still recovering from the first face transplant in the United States at the Cleveland Clinic. On Dec. 10, 2008, Connie underwent 23 hours of surgery after she lost the middle of her face in the fall of 2004 when her husband shot her and then turned the gun on himself. It took eight surgeons, four anesthesiologists, more than 20 nurses and a long line of of assistants to complete the historic procedure. She survived two episodes of rejection.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Dr. Risal Djohan, a Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon, looks over Connie Culp's transplanted face for signs of rejection and infection at a checkup in September. Connie's face muscles are slowly learning to smile, matching her sense of humor. And just as always, Connie makes him laugh. Months ago, he told her that she would look better than before. "Well this time, " she told him, "don't forget the boobs."

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Before the shooting, Connie was a fun-loving, Harley-riding, thumb-wrestling, small-town Ohio woman who found the good in everyone. After the shooting, the 112-pound, 5-foot-nothing woman just wanted the intense pain to stop. "I was taking 40 milligrams of oxycodone twice a day. Vicodin too and sleeping pills. I just wanted the pain to go away. "

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Connie Culp's daughter, Alicia, uses a straightening iron on her mother's hair while Alicia's son, Maddox, 3, helps out with a comb. Alicia says the texture of Connie's hair has changed because of her surgeries. Tom Culp, her common-law husband, shot her in the face in 2004 and left her with no right eye or nose, no lower eyelids, upper lip or top teeth. After doctors removed scar tissue, bone grafts, and metal from her previous surgeries, Culp received 80 percent of the face and underlying tissue of an organ donor.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Connie, who is legally blind, uses her white cane while walking near her home in rural southern Ohio with her 3-year-old grandson, Maddox. The shooting that destroyed her face stole most of her vision, too, making it impossible for her to read, drive or work. "If I run into walls, I'm good at bouncing, " she says, humor in tact as always. Neighbors are used to Connie on the winding roads and slow down through her street.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Connie helps Maddox with his guitar who loves all things music. Baby Girl, her dog, is never very far away.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Cleveland Clinic surgeon Bijan Eghtesad, a member of Connie Culp's transplant team, calms Connie's nerves before she gives a speech at an open house for the new offices of LifeBanc, the nonprofit organ and tissue recovery organization for Northeast Ohio. Connie hopes to give more speeches encouraging others to become organ and tissue donors.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Her speech over and her nervousness gone, Connie Culp is back to her old self, joking with guests at a reception after the opening of LifeBanc's new offices. Connie is becoming more comfortable floating around in different social circles of people, far removed from her rural, southern Ohio home.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

"I want to be remembered for sticking up for women," Connie Culp says. From her own experience, Connie is starting to speak out about domestic violence against women. "If a guy hits you once, he'll hit you again. If he calls you names and makes fun of you, you got to get out. It's only going to get worse." Tom Culp, her common-law husband, is scheduled to be released from jail for shooting her on Oct. 9, 2011. Is Connie worried? "No", she says. "Once you've been shot, you can go through anything."

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

"Sisters". The Poor Clare Sisters appear to float as they walk towards the altar and prepare to kneel in a private chapel called The Choir where they pray several times a day in their cloistered monastery. The nuns live at the home of the Poor Clare Colettine Nuns, a medieval order of cloistered Roman Catholic sisters formed in the early 13th century by St. Clare of Assisi. The starkness of the images try to emulate the simplicity of their lives. Vows of simplicity, poverty, chastity, obedience and enclosure mark their outward attributes. Prayer and reverential silence fill their inner life.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

The Poor Clares pray constantly, during assigned hours and on behalf of petitioners seeking everything from good health to employment to loved ones serving war zones to missing pets. The nuns devote their lives to the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated host, that in church teaching, is the living incarnation of the body of Jesus Christ.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Sister Faustina, 23, the youngest nun in the cloister who is in her twenties, sweeps the halls every day in her cloistered living quarters.
With the exception of a couple of extern nuns who run errands, answer telephone and meet with the public, the sisters never leave the convent save for medical treatment. Other contact with the outside world comes by way of the daily newspaper which is read by extern sisters.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Daily life is spartan. The sisters walk in bare feet. They dress in the traditional full habit: a linen headpiece topped by a veil and a gray-and-brown tunic cinched at the waist with a white knotted cord. Cloistered nuns wear four knots representing each of the vows they take.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

The sisters tease one another, tenderly, with the knowing familiarity of a closely knit family. "We're pretty free about laughing, even though we try to keep silence through the day, " Mother Dolores says. Some have lived with each other for 30 years. From left, Mother Dolores, Sister Chiara Francesca and Sister Therese laugh in the kitchen.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Sister Maria, the cook for the monastery, makes creamed eggs in her cloistered living quarters. The Poor Clares dine humbly, taking a full meal only at midday, when eggs, cheese or fish provide protein. Meat is never permitted.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

The Crown of Thorns, which is presented to a Sister when she takes her solemn vows, looks over Mother Dolores as she reads the poetry of her favorite poet, Robert Frost, inside her frugal "cell", her bedroom, inside her cloistered living quarters.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

For the Poor Clares' "everyday" breakfasts and suppers, Sister Chiara Francesca turns out wheaten loaves called Graham bread, which is served with margarine. In her former life, Sister Chiara was an obstetrics nurse.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Sister Christina raises her hands up while holding her Rosary as she chants in a chapel. Nuns keep vigil around the clock.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Sister Faustina, 23, is the youngest nun in the monastery. For many years, the Cleveland sisters numbered upward of 40 members. Today, the group numbers about 20 women. Some of the sisters entered the cloister as teenagers. Others pursued careers, dated and lived workaday lives for years before realizing their destiny.

First Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer

Mother Dolores enters The Choir, a chapel in her cloistered living quarters inside the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament. The monastery was built in 1905 and the gleaming, spotless woodwork shows little wear. , - /

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Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

The Rev. John Henry of St. Herman House of Hospitality, assisted by John Colton, walks along the icy shore of Lake Erie after the blessing of the waters , the Feast of the Epiphany. The annual ritual is performed at Edgewater Park.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Brian Tupaz gets a hug from Joyce Strommen after a press conference at City Hall where veterans spoke in favor of repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.Strommen has two gay children, though none are in the military.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Seniors Camille Davis, Noha Bechara, Alex Skufca and Molly Nobbe pose for a group picture before commencement. The commencement would be the high school's last.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Michael Huber, a boy scout with Troop 367, cuts a large flag in half as part of the flag retirement ceremony at Lake View Cemetery.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Donovan Predovich, 5, of Avon slaps his head after recording his giggles Monday for the Hello Jell-O "Give It a Giggle" Tour, a contest that will let the winner record his or her giggle with comedian Bill Cosby in a national television spot.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Arthur Suminiski, who's better known as Pee Wee, dances with his wife of 13 year, Joyce, during a renewal of vows ceremony Saturday, January 9, 2010. The Suminskis are a onetime homeless couple who have been adopted by the Helping Hands ministry of St. Paschal Church. The dress and tux were provided by the ministry.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

An inspector surveys the remains of twenty six Norfolk Southern rail cars that derailed blocking tracks in Sheffield Village.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Patricia Bradley is offered condolences as she sits outside her W. 25 St. apartment. Bradley is the mother of Angel Crockett, who was found on the side of the road near I-90 and W. 41 St. Monday morning. Crockett had been strangled and hit with a blunt instrument and her body dumped on the side of the road.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Artia Gunn, of Euclid, holds her head in exhaustion after anchoring the girls 4X200 relay to a first place finish at the District track meet.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Carmen de Lavallade dances to "The Creation" during rehearsal for “Fly: Five First Ladies of Dance,” at Oberlin College's Hall Auditorium. The acclaimed choreographer and dancer is still performing as she prepares to turn 80.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Tyrone Vaughn, of East Tech, plays the bass drum during rehearsal for the All City Ensemble's Drum Line.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

A kite surfer goes airborn as he catches a gust while surfing on Lake Erie at Edgewater Park.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Justin Riegle is sent to a neutral corner after staggering Brian Cook in their four round heavyweight fight

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

He's safe! That's the call by home plate ump Chad Fairchild as Indians catcher Carlos Santana slides home in the first inning, beating the tag of Toronto catcher John Buck. The Indians beat the Blue Jays, 2-1.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

In March of 2009, the Catholic Diocese of Catholic announced the closing of 50 churches in the region, leaving parishioners heartbroken. Thirty one of those churches closed in 2009, with the remaining 19 closed in 2010.

Parishioner gather outside St. Emeric Church for a rally before the final service. Bishop Richard Lennon was supposed to conduct the final service at the church, but cancelled it. The parishioners decided to hold a prayer service in it's place.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Save St. Pat's signs line the church property in front of a statue of St. Patrick during the closing of the church. More than 300 people turned out to protest the bishop's final mass.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Patrick Bialek, 10, of North Royalton, holds the Polish flag during prayer service outside the closed St. Casimir Church.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Erik Sundet plays the trumplet during the final mass at St. Peter Church on Easter Sunday. St. Peter Church closed it's doors after 150 years as part of Bishop Richard Lennon's reorganization.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Parishioner kneel to pray during the final service at St. Emeric Church. Bishop Richard Lennon cancelled the final mass and the parishioners elected to hold a prayer service in it's place.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Bishop Richard Lennon conducts the final mass at St. Adalbert Church. St. Adalbert, home to Cleveland's oldest black Catholic congregation, closed it's doors Sunday morning as part of the diocesan downsizing.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Elayna Hodges, center, holds hands while praying during the final mass at St. Adalbert Church. St. Adalbert, home to Cleveland's oldest black Catholic congregation, closed it's doors Sunday morning as part of the diocesan downsizing.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Irma Friedrich, a lifelong parishioner at St. Emeric Church, cries during a prayer service.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Elayna Hodges fights back tears as she hugs Leola Wilson during the final mass at St. Adalbert Church.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Spencer Belcher moves a bookcase out of St. Cecelia Catholic Church. St. Cecelia will close it's doors for the final time after Sunday morning's mass.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

Angela Dohar-Szucs, left, and Heidi Kocskar, right, hug outside St. Emeric Church during the final service. After more than a year of protests, the Hungarian Catholic church was the final church of fifty to close it's doors as part of the diocesan downsizing.

Second Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer

George Gamble, a lifelong St. Adalbert parishioner, fights back tears as he sits outside the closed church. St. Adalbert, home to Cleveland's oldest black Catholic congregation, closed it's doors for the final time morning as part of the diocesan downsizing. , - /

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Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

President Obama is reflected in a garage window under the eye of a Secret Service agent as the president met with community residents to talk about the economy.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

As storm clouds gather as friends of drowning victim Daryle Poole 18 console each other near the creek where the drowning happened.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

C.J. Chapman 3 eyes a apple before being handed to him at the Community Kitchen .As hunger needs grow for the community the Community Kitchen finds itself feeding more families.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Heather Bower embraces her husband Steve Bower while Jessica Pitzer 16 runs to greet her father Paul Pitzer .Members of the 174th Artillery Brigade had returned to a welcome home ceremony at a local church after serving in Afghanistan.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert visits with Angela Lariviere from the Coalition of Homelessness at a fast food restaurant . Angela is the only constant support for Robert and often helps him finically and emotionally.Robert Payne is a teenager who has limited contact with his parents and is in limbo living on his own with some support from social agencies and occasionally working and still struggling to go to high school. Robert's situation reflects how little help there is for teenagers trying to bridge the gap from youth to adult.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert wipes his brow after getting his final grade report from his high school. Robert had passed all his subjects but had failed the proficiency exam.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert deals with personal matters while meeting at a company that offered mentoring and support to him and other teenagers in a similar situations living on their own. They were being given cleaning supplies by the employees of the company.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert hangs out with his girl friend Shane at a local park where he meets with friends .Robert later had a daughter with Shane.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert tries on new set of clothes for the homecoming dance at his school as Angela watches. Angela had taken him shopping for some new clothes.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert joins the huddle for a flag football game. When Robert had more stability he had played high school football and dreamed of maybe playing college football.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert had a video game but no furniture when he moved into a new apartment.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert wipes the eye of his daughter Harmonie at his Columbus apartment.Adoption and abortion are often ruled out with young teenagers from these circumstances because they want to be the kind of parents they never had.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Robert sits outside the finical aid window at the local community college after he found he did not have his forms in order for finical aid.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Jordan Dawson of Columbus gives a fist bump as his final respect to high school friend Sgt. Jesse Balthaser who was killed serving in Afghanistan.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Cyclists ride into a strong crosswind in the annual spring cycling Tour of the Scioto River Valley.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Marisa Moore falls asleep with ice packs on her knees after OSU Band tryouts . Marisa who has endured Marine boot camp said the intensity of the last several days reminded her of the boot camp.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Marines of Lima Company get ready to deploy for Afghanistan , for many of the Marines this was there first deployment and there was sense of excitement about the mission. But there was also the point of remembering and honoring those who previously served when Lima Company lost twenty two Marines and a Navy corpsman in Iraq during a tour of duty in 2005.The Marines were gathering and meeting with families for the last time before leaving for training in California and then onto Afghanistan.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Corporal Joseph Leary watches his son Jack 2 sit inside the bounce house sponsored by the local Amvets post.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Corporal Brandon Schoen shares a moment with his wife Beth Schoen who was expecting in two weeks.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Private Scott Thompson 19 of Frankfort talks to his grandfather Norbert Fawley 89 who served in WWII before departing for service.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Corporal Bryan Brumfield visits the Lima Company memorial to the soldiers who served and died in the first tour in Iraq .

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Brayden Ponchot 20 spends the waiting hours before departing with girl friend Valerie Maynich 19 before deploying with Lima Company.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Soldier Dustin Eubank has his photo taken with family members at Rickenbacker Airbase when the company was departing from.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Soldiers said there goodbyes before departing to wives and girl friends.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Soldiers assemble gear after saying goodbyes to their families.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Corporal Matt Hoops says goodbye to family Nichole and son Charlie 8 months after escorting them back to the car.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Corporal Justin Sexton says goodbye to his wife Danielle before leaving for duty.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Recent rains keeps Destiny Cilluffo feet swinging high after rains soaked the park she was playing at.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Johne Nichols of Columbus rests her head on her manuscript Path to Eternal Life which she hoped to publish as a book . She paid a company 1600 dollars for a computer to help with the publishing of the book but never received the computer . The attourney generals office is suing on her behalf and others who were ripped off by the company.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

A family takes in warm summer evening to for a walk across Alum Creek Dam.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

After voters passed a levy returning sports to Grove City High School. Luke Smurthwaite takes a snap in practice after not having played football for a year.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Penn State running back stiff arms Ohio State's Jermale Hines for a gain in a Big Ten game.

Third Place, Photographer of the Year/Large Market - Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Rick Nash celebrates a goal over the Nashville Predators.