Meet Janae Stevens from LCC Class of 2024
Janae Stevens was born in Long Beach, Calif., and lived there until the age of 10, when her family moved to Colorado.
The middle child of three girls, Stevens’ family moved as her father was an airline pilot. In high school, she was involved with drama and theater in a backstage role and did a lot of babysitting in the neighborhood. While in Colorado, Stevens attended Colorado Mountain College, earning an associate’s of arts. She became good friends with Les and Sharon Revennaugh’s daughter and in 1996, at her friend’s urging, she visited Coshocton and ended up staying. While Mission Auto was completing an addition to their building, she met her future husband Zach, and they were married in 1998. During this time, she attended a Ron Hutchcraft Ministry concert at Mount Vernon Nazarene University with apprentices of MMS Aviation, and there received the gift of salvation in Christ. Since that time, faith; family and community have been foremost in her life.
Janae and her husband Zach started their family and Victoria, “Tori”, was born in 1999; followed by Aliya in 2001. Zach’s job with a bridge company took them to West Virginia for a year, and in 2004 they returned to Coshocton. They embarked on a business venture, Integrity Design and Construction as well as building their home. This was Janae’s first introduction to small businesses and working with the state of Ohio Small Business Development Center to build the business. She learned accounting and other skills necessary to help Zach run the business. In 2006 their son Brody was born and with a growing family, an addition to their house came in 2008. The completion of the addition came right on time to welcome a foreign exchange student as well as another youth who was friends with their daughter.
In 2012, Janae joined the Board of the Santiago Partnership, a ministry that provides medical care and housing for at-risk youth and their families in Cayambe, Ecuador. As secretary of the board, Janae processes donation checks and helps with mailings. She also helped to start an online auction and store, both of which provide funding for projects of the ministry.
Seeing a great need for stable families for children living in poverty and foster homes, Janae and her husband tried to adopt boys from Tanzania. Unfortunately, government feelings toward international adoptions to the United States led them to be unable to adopt. While one of the boys has since been adopted, the other was not, and Janae and Zach sponsor him. They have continued to follow the boys and remain in touch with them.
With a wedding planned during Covid in 2020, the Stevens purchased an abandoned church in Roscoe Village. Purchased in May, they cleaned it for two weeks; their daughter got married and then Zach began the arduous process of restoration.
Zach has a gift for seeing the potential of a building and Janae is amazed by what was here that he uncovered. She says she “feels more like a steward of the building than an owner.” Originally built in 1853 and rebuilt in 1883 following a fire, LeRetilley Event Center is a “family affair.” Their daughter, Tori and son-in-law, David handle photos; videos and social media; Zach takes care of maintenance and repairs while Brody helps with set up and cleaning of the building. Janae manages the facility, from bookings to cleaning and notes “The Bell Tower room is on Airbnb, has been booked every weekend and is busy. “Owning this event center in Roscoe has shown me things I never knew – the Port Authority and Chamber of Commerce and recently we joined the Roscoe Village Business Owners Association.”
When not keeping up with her husband’s business or LeRetilley, Janae is the chicken advisor for the Active Achiever’s 4-H Club. She also serves on the school board for the Coshocton Christian School and is a hobby photographer and avid traveler. She loves Lake Park and feels that Coshocton is very blessed to have such a wonderful park.
Janae decided to participate in Leadership Coshocton as her mother-in-law has been encouraging her to participate for years. She realized that owning the venue, she “didn’t know as many people as Zach” and that “participating would put me out there and help me learn more about the community and people in the community.” Janae continues, “I know how to advocate for my kids and for Zach but not so good at advocacy for myself. I wouldn’t consider myself a leader, but Leadership Coshocton has taught me what I can improve upon to be a leader and the bigger picture of leadership. I see a lot of leaders in the community and what they are doing to make the community better. I’ve learned a lot.”
Of the community Janae said, “I love it here. It’s a great place to raise your family; a great place to work and own a business. There are a lot of opportunities people don’t know about. If people are not afraid to try, to put themselves out there, we can create even more opportunities. People are good at encouraging one another; coming alongside one another. I was amazed by the support we received at the opening of the venue.”
To make Coshocton County stronger, Janae shared a quote from Kirby Hasseman that was shared at the February program day, “Don’t think in terms of they; think in terms of we – a community we live in, and we can make it better. When we get involved, meet people, and see where the needs are, it’s easier to see what we can do. Advocate for your community. We all have something to offer but we may not know what it is; it takes everyone working together.”
Janae would recommend Leadership Coshocton for others. “I wish I hadn’t taken so long but it was good timing. I’ve really enjoyed learning the history and about area businesses that were here. Hearing from community leaders and the passion for what they do is inspiring. It makes me appreciate them more.”
Janae said, “Leadership programs help connect you to the community to see where you can use your strengths and resources in areas that matter to you.”
Category: Clubs & Organizations
