BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- C'mon down! I hope to see lots of you at the Medina Library, 210 S. Broadway St., between noon and 4 p.m. Jan. 26. That's the day of the annual Medina County History Fair. The Brunswick Area Historical Society table -- where I'll be -- will be joining historical societies and organizations from around the county.
This is always an eye opener, as the groups bring a wide variety of interesting items. I think you'll like it!
You'll also be able to check out the ongoing tile project at the Medina Library. According to library officials, the project is progressing at a moderate pace, featuring completed areas and new areas being prepared for work.
Eight parking spaces on the east side of the building have reopened. The sidewalks and stairs to the main entry are also open. Be sure to be cautious on icy days, however.
Tile work on the north side of the library should be completed by late February.
The east-facing doors of the main entry will remain closed for the duration of the project. The automatic west-facing doors of the main entry will be open for this portion of the project.
However, there will be days, in the interest of member safety, that the main entry will close while crews remove tile or windows, or while they are building scaffolding. During these times, you may enter the building from the South Broadway Street entrance. You can also use the walk-up book drop near the Broadway Street entry to deposit materials before entering the building. The drive-up book drop will be open for the duration of the project.
Remember, the parking deck in the courthouse lot provides ample parking during busy times. The Garfield Elementary School lot is open for library parking after school hours and on weekends. Library materials may be returned to any MCDL location, as well as at both Medina Buehler's Fresh Foods grocery locations, on Forest Meadows Boulevard and Medina Road (Ohio 18).
More history on tap: If you can't make it to the library event, but want to know more about one of Brunswick's oldest homes, be sure to come at 6 p.m. Jan. 24 to Goodyear's Big Barn, 697 Pearl Road, for the Historical Society meeting.
Walt Wozniak will give a short presentation on his mid-1800s homestead, which was once a Freese property. The area was actually surveyed by Abraham Freese years before anyone ever settled here.
If you want to stay for the meeting afterward, you're welcome to do so. It's always free to attend.
Celebrating lives saved: Happy 14th anniversary to Save Ohio Strays. Hard to believe it's been that long, but more than 3,900 dogs and cats of all ages have been saved by these folks, so check out their web page, saveohiostrays.org.
Sandy Caldwell, president, says that whether you are a volunteer, foster, donor, adopter or simply someone who loves the group's work, you help make this magic possible!
"With a very grateful heart, we celebrate our 14th anniversary with enthusiasm and optimism. We look forward to an amazing year of life-saving work!" she said.
Medina Chorus begins season: The Medina Chorus is looking forward to a new season starting on Monday, Feb. 4 -- the second session under the direction of Jordan Saul. All singers are welcome to join the chorus for the spring program, particularly tenor and bass voices!
Weekly rehearsals begin at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Medina Presbyterian Church, 5020 Burgundy Bay Blvd., just off Ohio 18.
If you love to sing and are looking for an opportunity to perform challenging choral works under the leadership of a professional music director, come join the 75-voice Medina Chorus. No audition is required, but some choral music experience is appreciated. For more information, visit medinachorus.com/.
Community grants available: Beginning Feb. 1, the Medina County Community Fund and the Medina County Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation will accept grant proposals from nonprofit organizations that improve Medina County residents' quality of life.
The grant applications are due March 1. Coinciding with the call for proposals, fund representatives will answer grant-seekers' questions during an information session at 3 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Medina branch of the Medina County District Library, 210 S. Broadway St. A representative from Akron Community Foundation will also be available to answer questions about the online application process. Attendance at the information session is not required to receive funding, but is strongly encouraged.
Both affiliates of Akron Community Foundation, the funds award grants to nonprofit organizations serving residents of Medina County. The Medina County Community Fund supports programs that improve the lives of all Medina County residents, while the Medina County Women's Endowment Fund specifically focuses on programs that address the needs of local women and children.
In addition to traditional funding this year, both Medina funds will continue to each award a significant impact grant that focuses on the community's most pressing needs.
The Medina County Community Fund's impact grant will concentrate on critical housing, transportation and health programs within Medina County. The Medina County Women's Endowment Fund will allot its impact funding to local programs that empower and enable women or girls under the age of 25. You can learn more at akroncf.org/Nonprofits/CompetitiveGrants/.
Last year, both Medina funds awarded a combined $25,000 through impact grants to the Children's Center of Medina County to help furnish a playroom for family visitation at its new location. In all, the funds' 2018 grants totaled $47,600 to programs that enrich the lives of Medina County residents. Qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive one grant per fund per calendar year.
"We're happy to again expand our efforts to the specific needs of our community for strategic grant-making," said Terry Pfleiderer, Medina County Community Fund's grants committee chair. "We will announce our grantees during our Spring into Summer event in June."
For more information about applying for a grant, or to RSVP for the information session, contact John Garofalo, Akron Community Foundation's vice president of community investment, at 330-436-5624 or jgarofalo@akroncf.org.
Another old-timer passes: I was sorry to see the passing of Joe Conroy, who died Jan. 13. Anyone who was here during the "boom" years will remember his business, Brunswick Disposal.
Joe graduated from St. Ignatius High School and attended Kent State University. He joined the U.S. Air Force and was a Korean War veteran. He worked at Ford and Chevrolet, then went on to own Brunswick Disposal for 30 years. He was inducted into the Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2000.
Friends may join the family for a visitation and memorial service from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at Carlson Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 1642 Pearl Road. Friends are invited to join the family afterward for a Celebration of Joe's Life at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 349 Pearl Road, Brunswick.
Rotary inducts Vogelgesang: Dr. Shail Jain, president of Medina Sunrise Rotary, welcomed community leader David Vogelgesang into the club in a formal induction ceremony officiated by Rotary District Governor Beverly Ghent-Skrzynski and Assistant Governor Kevin Wermer.
They welcomed David, who began as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student himself over 40 years ago and who will now join more than 1.2 million Rotarians serving together in 200 countries around the world and here in our own community to promote peace, freedom and understanding.
Along with David's induction, Jacob Scharnweber, the Rotary Youth Exchange
Jacob Scharnweber of Germany is the Medina Rotary youth exchange student.
Student from Germany who was hosted by the Vogelgesang family, was presented with his Medina High School letterman's jacket (golf) by Wermer, who serves both as assistant governor and youth exchange counselor.
Woodhall earns honors: Andrea Woodhall has been named to the Dean's List at Ohio Christian University College of Adult and Graduate Studies for the Spring 2018 semester.
Student athletes at BW: Nikki Camarati of Brunswick, a graduate of Holy Name High School, is one of nine first-year student-athletes to continue her softball career at Baldwin Wallace University this spring.
Head coach Tom Spencer, who is in his 15th year in Berea and 21st year overall, returns 14 letter winners and four All-Ohio Athletic Conference players from last year's team, which finished with a 16-16 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the OAC.
Meanwhile, Kayla Webb of Brunswick, a graduate of Brunswick High School, is one of two Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer players to be recognized by the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association for their efforts both on the field and in the classroom in 2018.
Webb earns her first All-Ohio honor after also being selected to her first All-OAC team. In just her second collegiate season, she posted career-high numbers of five goals and 10 points to finish second and third on the team, respectively. In her career, Webb has appeared in all 38 games, with 24 starts, and has scored seven goals for 14 points.
Foundation says thanks: The Hudson Wise Foundation sponsored two Christmas parties for 200 people at the Winking Lizard in Brunswick and Longos in Mentor. During the parties, four TVs, two laptops, gift cards, jewelry and miscellaneous gifts were given to the foundation's friends who have special needs.
Special thanks went to Barbara L. Lewis, Rose Knotek, Patricia Patrick, Kathy Savas and Judy Herman for another year of helping people in need.
Thanks also went to those who helped give a very Merry Christmas in Brunswick and Mentor to some special people. Bob Watson, Sheila Watson, Joe Kerola and family, Jim Elliott, Jud Boggess, Leslie Taylor, Zeller family, Dave Churchill, Mary Bowman and family, Ryan C. Parsons, Becky Grano and Reminger Law, Alan W. Sponseller, Walter Vieweg and Valerie Bassey Vieweg, Jen Anderson and Family, Carrie Vieweg, Bob Leaf, Bill March, Gretchen Hurley and Don Quartels and family.
Students commit to Tri-C: Thirteen student-athletes signed letters of intent to join the Triceratops softball team to take the field for Cuyahoga Community College during the 2019-2020 season to continue the team's championship run.
Caitlin Dunlap, a pitcher/outfielder form Medina and Medina High school, is joining the Triceratops, whose upcoming season opens March 11. For a schedule, visit the team's webpage at tri-c.edu/athletics/.
David Meehan, left, was inducted into the Rotary Club of Brunswick by President James Collins.
New TRC member: The Rotary Club of Brunswick has a new member, Dave Meehan, who was inducted at the club's meeting last week. The group also had some interesting speakers -- Bob and Phyllis Siedler from the Brunswick Food Pantry. They shared the need here in Brunswick and their costs when purchasing food from the Akron Food Bank. In 2018 they served 2,224 families!
They cover Brunswick, Brunswick Hills, Valley City and Hinckley. The families get a three-day supply of food each week, but they must meet government guidelines.
Rotary President James Collins presented the food bank check from the Rotary Foundation for $1,500.
Scholarships support girls STEM camp: How do you keep girls from losing interest in science? How do you make math cool? How do you keep girls in STEM subjects in high school and beyond, where they often lose interest?
Be WISE Camp is part of the answer. Be WISE is a science, technology, engineering and math camp designed to develop interest, excitement and self-confidence in young women who are entering grades seven or eight in the fall of 2019.
And the American Association of University Women, Medina County Branch, wants to encourage girls who want to attend Be WISE. They are sponsoring two scholarships to help cover the cost to attend the camp.
The camp features a separate curriculum for each grade to provide real-life, hands-on STEM activities with problem-solving and thinking skills as the primary focus.
The camp began in the summer of 1990 and, since then, more than 3,500 girls have completed the program. This year, the camp is being held June 9-14 at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Interested families can find out more about Be WISE Camp at bewisecamp.org/.
Information on applying for the scholarships has been sent to counselors in public and private middle schools in Medina County. Students can get the application form, teacher recommendation form and essay question from their counselor. All materials must be completed and submitted to Jeri Penn, jeripenn@gmail.com, by Feb. 11. Recipients will be announced after Feb. 19.
Local students on Ohio Wesleyan Dean's List: Ohio Wesleyan University is pleased to announce its 2018 fall semester Dean's List. Making the grade were Medina residents Alyssa Acevedo, Delontaye Morrow, Maia Virgei and Hannah Wargo and Hinckley resident Armando Polizzi.
Grant and scholarship applications due: If your organization is considering applying for one of the Medina County Arts Council grants, or if you have a family member who is looking for scholarship money, it is time for you to complete work on applications.
Grant applications are due Feb. 28, and scholarship forms are due by Feb. 15. Forms and guidelines are available and may be printed out from the Arts Council website, medinacountyartscouncil.org/ .
All grants will be reviewed in March by a committee of trustees and voted on by the board in April. Grant applicants will be notified by May 15.
Souper Bowl of Caring: It's time to join FIAT, Ablaze and St. Ambrose School as they team up to raise money for the parish's monthly community meal program during Super Bowl weekend.
On the weekend of Feb. 2-3, team members who want to "Tackle Hunger" will be at all the doors before and after Masses to collect donations, and, of course, great Super Bowl food items will be on sale in the Mother Teresa Room. This is always a wonderful event, so be sure to check it out.
News from Bucknell University: Evan Filion, Class of 2020, from Medina, was named to the dean's list at Bucknell University during the fall semester of the 2018-19 academic year.
Celebrate your marriage: Saint Ambrose is inviting all married couples to hit the refresh button and move your marriage off the auto pilot mode. Celebrate World Marriage day Feb. 9 with Fr. Dan Schlegel to host a special Mass at 6 p.m. honoring all married couples. Stay afterwards for appetizers and refreshments and encouraging words from Fr. Schlegel in our Mother Teresa room. This is a free event and the parish, 923 Pearl Road, Brunswick, welcomes all married couples who are interested in joining in. Fr. Schlegel will be back Feb. 23 for Couples Day of Reflection. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., take the opportunity to turn down all the "noise" in your life and spend a beautiful afternoon together, strengthening and enriching your relationship.
If you would like more information about these upcoming events, please contact Natalie English at 330-360-7334 or nenglish@stambrose.us.
Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com.