Honor Papa Dave Smeltz

Dave Smeltz (aka Papa Dave) has been an influencer on the Cleveland Music Scene since the 1970’s. He was instrumental in establishing the Reggae music community in Cleveland as well.

Dave is the father of two charming and devoted adult daughters, Kelsey (Belton) and Shelbey. Both girls reside in South Carolina.

Dave celebrated 20 years of sobriety this year after struggling for many years with his own drug addiction. Grateful for the help he received from Orca House in Cleveland Ohio, Dave established Clean House, Inc. (cleanhouseinc .org).   The name is an achronym for Changed Lives Empowered And New. The organization supports men struggling with chemical addiction to establish a firm footing to maintain long term sobriety thru the application of a 12 step recovery program and the practice of the martial art Kunto. Dave purchased a building with his own funds to help make this vision a reality. 

Dave’s health has been on a steady decline for the last several years.  Having been a physical therapist as well, Dave was aware of the changes taking place with his health and what that meant for his future.  In spite of that, Dave continued to serve, support and influence the people and communities he cared so much about.

Dave got COVID.  Needless to say, with out going into detail, the last 6-7 months or so have been challenging for Dave and his daughters.  It’s a 10 hour drive, each way,  from where thy live in South Carolina.  

Dave is a member of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple.  The spiritual guidance and support from the Temple community has enabled Dave to bravely, humbly and courageously endure much of what life has thrown him.

Taken from the home page of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple website:

Pure Land Buddhism might suggest an otherworldly orientation, but its primary focus is on the here and now. Not the here and now grasped by the controlling ego-self but the here and now cherished as a gift of life itself to be lived creatively and gratefully, granted us by boundless compassion. The bountifulness of great compassion makes possible our liberation from the iron cage of our own making."
Taitetsu Unno

The Shin Buddhist way of life is the life of unending gratitude. The more one becomes grateful, the more one becomes humble. The more one becomes humble, the less one needs in life. The less one needs in life, the more one truly have. 


Please  consider sharing your cherished gift of life and boundless compassion that has liberated Dave from the iron cage of his own making to lovingly honor and support Papa Dave Smeltz, his daughter’s Kelsey and Shelbey as well as Clean House, Inc. during this lengthy, difficult and challenging season.