Release Date: August 14,2025
Akron Municipal Court Judge Jon Oldham to Host National Recovery Month Event Featuring Olympic Gold Medalist Oksana Baiul
Akron, Ohio, August 14, 2025 – Akron Municipal Court Judge Jon Oldham will welcome Olympic Gold Figure Skating Champion Oksana Baiul on Thursday, September 4, 2025 for an event to kick off National Recovery Month.
Baiul is open about her past struggles with alcohol and will be discussing her journey to lifelong recovery. Her story is one of resiliency and triumph.
Check-in and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. with Baiul taking the stage at 9:00 a.m. The event will be held inside the Akron Art Museum Auditorium, located at 1 S. High St. in Downtown Akron. A guided tour of the Akron Art Museum will be offered to attendees following the presentation.
Baiul, a Ukraine native, is the 1993 World Champion and the 1994 Olympic Champion in ladies’ singles figure skating. She is now retired from competitive figure skating and resides in Louisiana.
Fox 8 News in the Morning Co-Anchor Kristi Capel will provide an introduction for Baiul and moderate an audience question and answer session.
There is no cost to secure a ticket but reservations are required.
Online registration is available by visiting: https://NationalRecoveryMonthAkron.eventbrite.com
This event is made possible by The Maynard Family Foundation, the Summit County ADM Board, the Akron Community Foundation, Fox 8 Cleveland, the Center Ice Foundation and the Akron Municipal Court.
Judge Oldham leads two specialized dockets: Akron Recovery Court and Akron OVI Court. He has presided over Recovery Court, which is a specialized docket intended for substance use disorder offenders to overcome addiction and achieve long term recovery, since 2016.
In February 2025, Judge Oldham began presiding over Akron OVI Court, a specialized docket intended to supervise repeat Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OVI) offenders in the community and to lower costs to taxpayers by reducing the jail population.
Both specialized dockets are certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio and are intensive programs.
National Recovery Month is observed every September and is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and substance use disorders, celebrating the journey of recovery and promoting the importance of accessible treatment and support systems.
Two American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters will be present for the presentation.
Questions can be directed to Akron Municipal Court Community Outreach Coordinator Nicole Hagy by calling (330) 375-2186 or emailing NHagy@akronohio.gov.