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Brothers Tanner and Penton Morris were ready for any emergency at last year's Touch-a-Truck. Photo by Billy Morris

On Saturday, Sept. 9, from noon to 3 p.m., the Bay Village Police Department is hosting the third annual Touch-a-Truck event. The free event will take place rain or shine at the combined safety campus of the Bay Village police and fire departments, 28000-28100 Wolf Road. This event is for kids of all ages.

The Bay Village Police Department, Fire Department, and Service Department will be present along with many other public safety service providers and community services organizations. Residents and their children will have the opportunity to meet their police officers, firefighters/paramedics, service department employees and others while exploring the wide range of vehicles.

A pond surrounded by an exceptional variety of plants illustrates the beauty of "Best in Bloom" winner Carol Stephens' landscaped yard. Photo by Jim Bedell

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The annual Westlake in Bloom competition came to a close on Aug. 9 with an awards ceremony at LaCentre. The top three entrants in each of the 16 categories were treated to a special reception celebrating their efforts. On this night, a long wait blossomed into a memorable experience for one Westlake homeowner.

As picturesque gardens scrolled on the video screens and grinning gardeners made their way one by one through the applauding crowd to receive a plaque and pose for a photo with Mayor Dennis Clough, Carol Stephens waited. Category after category, from Hilliard flower boxes to hotels, small yards to shade gardens, she waited.

Carol had entered the annual community beautification competition years earlier and came in as a runner-up both times. After that, she took a break from the contest. She was proud of her yard, but didn't want to compete against a ringer.

Past presidents of the Bay Men's Club recently celebrated the club's 100th anniversary at a party at the Clifton Beach Club. Photo by Nancy Clark

This year marks the centennial of the founding of the Bay Men’s Club, which lays claim as the oldest club organization in the city.

Formally known as the Community Club of Bay Village, the men’s club was founded in the summer of 1917 when a handful of village men, gathering on the steps of what is now the Rose Hill Museum in Cahoon Memorial Park, met to form a non-partisan organization whose purpose was, and is, to promote good fellowship.

With an eye to the future, its platform from the start was sponsorship of civic, social and moral activities for the benefit of the village.

The new club began meeting in the old red brick schoolhouse at the southeast corner of Lake and Bassett roads, and dues of one dollar per year were assessed.

Members of the Westlake community can discover how a police department runs and what the officers are trained to do from patrol officers, detectives and civilian staff members during the Westlake Police Department’s 23rd Community Police Academy. The program is free and a cross section of the community is selected for each class. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 18.

“The goal of the academy is to increase understanding between the community and the police department that serves it,” said Lt. Mark Krumheuer, one of the academy’s instructors. “The graduates also become more observant as they go about their daily activities which can make the city a safer place.”

The Westlake Demons Football Backers is hosting its first annual Golf Outing on Saturday, Aug. 26, at Bob-O-Link Golf Course in Avon. Check-in is at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start at 2 p.m. Cost to participate is $125 per golfer or $500 for a foursome. All golfers will enjoy a round a golf and golf cart on course games, steak dinner/drinks and an opportunity to win some great silent auction items!

Yearround, our Westlake Demons football team puts in a great deal of sweat and hard work in preparation for the fall season. As we speak, the boys are at the field for two-a-day practices getting ready for what is shaping up to be a fantastic season! They are there from 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., six days a week.

"Gyre," on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, was created entirely out of pieces of plastic. Photo by Jennifer Hartzell

My family and I took a trip to California this summer and one of our stops was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is arguably one of the best aquariums in the country, if not the world.

I have been to visit the aquarium a few times, and this past time I was the most impressed. The main reason this was my favorite time is because the Aquarium is constantly giving visitors the message about plastic in the ocean, and how to help. From the staff who work the exhibits to many of the displays, you cannot escape the message that plastic is bad for the ocean, that we are choking our oceans with plastic, and that the only solution is for humans to stop using single-use plastic.

Join us on the library lawn on Saturday, Sept. 2, for an afternoon of local musical entertainment and fun! The festival lineup includes Irish music duo Francis and Bridget Quinn, a solo set by singer-songwriter Ray Flanagan, the surf rockers Surfer Rex, rock and roll from the Screaming Armadillos, and '50s and '60s rock from the Geeze Cats.

There will be a kids tent sponsored by Connecting for Kids from 1-3 p.m., and food will be for sale at the event. 

Westlake Music Festival is FREE and open to everyone! The festival begins at 1 p.m. and will continue until approximately 8 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Bay Village Police Lt. Calvin Holliday with the bicycles that have been recovered in Bay in the last three months that have not been claimed.

The Bay Village Kiwanis Club, in cooperation with the Bay Village Police Department, is encouraging all residents with bicycles to register them with the Police Department. Registration is free and will insure that your bicycle will be returned to you if it is lost or stolen and turned in to the police.

Each year, the Police Department retrieves 40 to 60 bicycles that go unclaimed. After holding them for some time, they are donated to the Village Bicycle Cooperative, where volunteers inspect, repair and either sell them in the shop or donate them to recognized charities.

If you have lost a bicycle in the last three months, check with the police department to see if they have it.

Take Charge of Your Health co-facilitators from Westlake Center for Community Services, Program Planner Jennifer Yoo and Director Lydia Gadd. Photo by Jodi Rodriguez

Do you find yourself losing interest in exercising and eating a healthy diet, or worse, not even willing to try? Are you frustrated by repeated attempts to change your habits, convinced that you just don’t have the willpower to carry through? You are not alone.

Most of us know what we are supposed to do to get healthier, but somehow that doesn’t translate into doing it.

What if you could tackle a few simple, manageable changes at a time? Studies show that the majority of successful healthy lifestyle changes happen after tackling your problem with minor tweaks, one at a time.

The author's daughter, Megan Stewart, cuddles with a (non-rabid) stray dog in Otavalo, Ecuador. Photo by Diana Pi

For our five-week trip to Quito, Ecuador, the kids, ages 18 and 15, and I competed for the lightest backpack. At 20 pounds and two ounces, mine weighed the most; the girl’s, at just under 16 pounds, the lightest. 

Quito, at 9,000 feet above sea level, sits in the foothills of an active volcano in the Andes. We had volunteered to work in a kindergarten for the indigent. Every morning, we took a bus and stopped in front of two huge dumpsters, spilling over with rotted vegetables, reeking of urine and fermented fruits. The street led into a huge municipal market. To the right of the entrance was the kindergarten, four big sunny rooms that were disinfectant clean.

My kids loved the one-year-olds. They didn’t mind changing diapers, spoon-feeding, and chasing babies who crawled, walked, got up and fell down like a scene from a zombie movie but with really cute zombies. After my last child, I’m very done with diapers. I stayed with the 3-year-olds.

I love sports: be it watching them, playing them, talking about them, and yes, even writing about them. I have one problem, though. The recent revelation of the fall lineups by the major television networks are essentially bereft of any quality sports shows on the tube. I suggest we put an end to that malarkey right now, and – after an untold number of sleepless nights brainstorming – I’ve come up with some suggestions for sports-related programming. Consider the following:

1. "Game of Drones": Hosted by Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, he examines the finer points of miniature aircraft aviation, including safety tips to avoid bodily harm (all purely hypothetical, of course, and not remotely related to any real-life events). Trevor will also share some of his irrepressible wit, the likes which have made him such an iconic “funny guy” figure with Cleveland fans.

About 10 years ago we painted our rooms for the first time. New paint finally brought more warmth to our first house. However I vividly remember how much I hated the process leading up to the first brush stroke hitting the walls.

I’m talking about the “process” of picking the paint color. Back then, and for many people even to this day, picking the color to paint a room means going to the store and bringing back several color samples.

Macduff (Corin Self), left, is enlightened by the Porter (Robert Hawkes) as to “what three things drink especially provokes” – much to the comic relief of the audience. Photo by Denny Wendell

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Actors from the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival performed Shakespeare’s  “Macbeth” in the picturesque Cahoon Memorial Park in Bay Village on the evening of Aug. 5. The free outdoor theater event was one of the many performances the theater troupe has staged around the Greater Cleveland area this summer.

Bay Village residents were graced to have the talented actors perform here in a wonderful setting.

The Bay Village branch library will host PNC Bank's “Early Learning is All Around Me!” Mobile Learning Adventure on Monday, Aug. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Mobile Learning Adventure (MLA) is a traveling exhibit that provides an opportunity for parents and caregivers to learn about the importance of early childhood education while they engage in fun activities with their children.

A part of PNC Grow Up Great – a $350 million, multi-year initiative that began in 2004 to help children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life – the MLA includes interactive kiosks and the “When I Grow Up” station, where kids dress up as different professionals and have their picture superimposed on an appropriate background. In addition, parents can take home activity books and learning kits that demonstrate how to take everyday moments and turn them into learning opportunities.

The library will be closed for the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 2, 3 and 4.

CHILDREN

Storytimes are on hiatus through the month of August. We will resume with the following weekly storytimes on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

• Mondays (10 a.m.) Toddler Storytime – ages 19-35 months
• Tuesdays (10 a.m.) Toddler Storytime – ages 19-35 months
• Tuesdays (6:45 p.m.) Family Storytime – for all ages
• Wednesdays (10 a.m.) Baby and Me Storytime – ages birth-18 months
• Thursdays (10 a.m.) Preschool Storytime – ages 3-5 (not yet in kindergarten)
• Fridays (10 a.m.) Family Storytime – for all ages

TEENS

Thursday, Sept. 7 (3 p.m.) Write On! – Grades 5-8: Join us for fun, quirky and challenging writing exercises and activities to get your creativity flowing. Registration required.

Tuesdays, Aug. 15, 22 and 29 (2-3 p.m.) Conversational Spanish for Beginners – Learn Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation with an expert instructor. Please register.

Tuesday, Aug. 15 (7-8 p.m.) Pop-up Paper Artistry – Keith Allen, author of the pop-up book "What a Mess!" and a product designer with American Greetings, will talk about his creative process and give a paper engineering workshop! Please register.

Wednesdays, Aug. 16, 23 and 30 (10:15 & 11 a.m.) Let’s Sing and Dance! – Sing and move to the music with Miss Nancy! For children ages 2-6 with a caregiver. Please arrive early to receive a ticket.

Thursday, Aug. 17 (2-3 p.m.) Customize Your Locker! – You’ll have the coolest locker in school when you customize it with these fun – and useful – crafts! Grades 5-7. Registration begins Aug. 10.

Thursdays, Aug. 17 and 25 (4-5:15 p.m.) Code Club! – Learn how to build an app, design a video game, and change the world through code! Grades 3-4. Registration begins one week before each session.

Thursday, Aug. 17 (7-7:30 p.m.) Parachute Play – Get ready to jump and move with music, stories and the parachute. Bring your energy and your mom, dad or other caregiver. Ages 4-6. Registration begins Aug. 10.

Saturday, Aug. 19 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) Plane Fun! – Spread your wings and join us in the Youth Services Department as we celebrate National Aviation Day with fun crafts!

Saturday, Aug. 19 (10:30-11:15 a.m.) Adapted Storytime – Children with varying learning styles and abilities learn in a safe, supportive environment where respect and appreciation for differences are encouraged. This 30-minute storytime, followed by time for socialization, is designed for children who may not be successful in a typical storytime experience. Content is geared toward ages 3-7, but all ages are welcome. Siblings may also attend, but must register separately. Registration begins one week before each session.

Friday, Sept. 1 (10:30-11:15 a.m.) Adapted Storytime – Children with varying learning styles and abilities learn in a safe, supportive environment where respect and appreciation for differences are encouraged. This 30-minute storytime, followed by time for socialization, is designed for children who may not be successful in a typical storytime experience. Content is geared toward ages 3-7, but all ages are welcome. Siblings may also attend, but must register separately.

Saturday, Sept. 2 (1-8 p.m.) Westlake Music Festival – Join us for an afternoon of music performed by Francis and Bridget Quinn, Surfer Rex, Ray Flanagan, the Screaming Armadillos and the Geeze Cats, as well as refreshments and more! Performances will take place outside on library grounds. In case of rain, the event will be held at the Westlake High School Performing Arts Center.

Sunday, Sept. 3 and Monday, Sept. 4 – Library Closed in observance of Labor Day

Jessica Pinsky's fiber art show "Equal" is on display at BAYarts now through Sept. 23.

The walls of the Sullivan Family Gallery at BAYarts are currently host to the fiber art of Waterloo artist Jessica Pinsky. The effect of the large textile pieces is both cozy and powerful, with subtle color variations in pleasing palettes such as pale spring yellows that blend with sage and blackberry.

The title, "Equal," explains the show in one word. "This has been a continuous process of exploration in what and how fiber can react within the process of weaving," explains Pinsky. "I've been experimenting a lot with the cloth expanding and contracting, and I realized that if I used the same exact material it can still behave in really different ways. So, it started to make me think about how things are treated equally or differently depending on how they behave." This theme informed the entire show.

September brings the regrouping of many organizations which have taken a break during the summer. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Women's Board will hold their first meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at the Science Center in Bay Village. We always welcome interested persons who would like to join us and learn about our activities which support the Center's mission through service, leadership, community awareness and fundraising.

If you would like to attend and listen to an update of the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's activities and programs by our Executive Director, Catherine Timko, please join us at noon for social time before our meeting at 12:30 p.m.

"Little Dreamer," a pen and ink drawing by Dave Berkheimer, won first place in the Amateur/Semi Professional division.

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The 2017 Community of Fine Arts, a juried art show, continues to exhibit over 100 works of art at Westlake’s Porter Public Library through Saturday, Aug. 26. On that last day, Aug. 26, the Westlake Westshore Arts Council will hold a Meet the Artists Reception and Awards Ceremony from 2 to 3:30 p.m. One and all are invited to meet the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and watch the creators of winning works receive awards.

Three art experts, Stuart Pearl, Patricia Hanahan Sigmier and Cathy Welner, judged the 2017 COFA. Works awarded first place in each division and category receive a $100 cash award, second place receives a $50 cash award, and honorable mention receives a gift certificate.

The works of Elizabeth Varis, left, and her ceramics instructor, Jessica Ramage, are on display at BAYarts.

In the Diane Boldman Education Gallery this August is the work of ceramicist and instructor Jessica Ramage, alongside her student Elizabeth Varis. The exhibition is titled "Teacher Tell Me a Story: The Mad Side of Wonderland," and in it the duo explores the world through the eyes of The Mad Hatter. 

This multimedia exhibition will showcase skills taught and learned by the pair in the ceramics studio and will also include a collaboration between them in mediums beyond clay.

Programming Director Erin Stack is especially proud of this pairing. "Lizzy was one of Jessica's first students in her Middle School Art Club program a few years ago and it seems so appropriate that this mentor and apprentice have come together for a collaborative exhibition. Jessica Ramage is in integral part of the ceramic growth and development among our students at BAYarts, and I look forward to seeing the influence that Jessica has had on Lizzy as an artist. I know that Jessica has worked very hard at trying to get Lizzy to find her own artistic voice and spread her wings."

Yes, Virginia, community theater does exist in Bay Village. And it needs your help! Bay Village Community Theater is seeking volunteers and donations to help mount its second full production, A.R. Gurney’s hilarious and touching comedy, "The Dining Room."

Whether you are a seasoned community theater veteran or new to the theater scene, multiple volunteer opportunities exist from concessions and ticketing to props, set construction, and costumes. This would be a great opportunity for your teen to earn some service hours! Many hands make light work and add to the fun of community theater involvement!

Thanks to the hardworking members of Bay Kiwanis, the Bay Days fireworks fund is a bit healthier. Bay Kiwanis recently donated more than $2,400 to the Bay Days fireworks fund, proceeds from the sale of ride wristbands and parking fees at the city's annual Fourth of July celebration.

The Bay Days fireworks show is now financed half by the city, half through donations. Corporate sponsors this year were the Sunnyside Auto Group and RPM.

"We cannot thank the members of Bay Kiwanis enough for their continued support," Eakin said.

Jungle Terry made a surprise visit to the Westlake Rec's summer camp. The children were delighted to meet Jungle Terry's animals, including his Burmese python. Photo by Onat Tugnac

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With school preparation in full swing, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the fun we had at the Westlake Recreation Center this summer. As a new school year begins, take a moment to check out the programs and activities planned for the fall.

Our first annual Howl at the Moon dog walk kicked off our summer. This event, benefitting the Westlake Animal Shelter, included ice cream treats for dogs and their people, face painting, and of course, a dog walk along the paved trail on the Recreation Center's grounds.

The Rec Center’s annual Family Campout was a huge success! Onat Tungac, our Assistant Aquatics Director, and his family, Tracy and Charlotte, hosted the event packed with lots of fun activities. Six families spent the evening under the stars making memories, sharing laughs, and eating s’mores.

Aerial view of the Bay Boat Club and Gun Club in 1963. Notice the track down to the water west of the club house. No dock. At the gun club, at the top of the picture, notice the club house and the skeet shooting traps between the club house and the lake.

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In 1810, the Cahoon family settled on Lot #95 in Dover Township. Through the property ran a babbling little creek of clear water that emptied into Lake Erie. They named it Cahoon Creek. They built their log cabin near the mouth. In 1818, they built a clapboard house on the hill, and the cabin was torn down. For the next 35 years, the creek became the major power for the Cahoon grist mill and saw mill.

With the death of Joseph Cahoon, the mills fell into disarray. Joel, Joseph’s son, returned to the farm in 1842. He restored the grist mill and became a miller. In the 1860s, Joel’s sons, Leverett and John Marshall, built a fish house across the mouth of the creek. For 30 years, this was an active business leased to The Buckeye Fish Company. 

In the early 1900s the fish house was torn down, leaving a sandy beach at the mouth. Dressing-room sheds were built for visitors wanting to swim. It became a tranquil place for a leisurely walk. In 1917, with the death of Ida Cahoon, the farm and creek became the property of the Village of Bay. 

The staff of Brookdale Westlake Village gets ready to tee off in the annual chambers of commerce golf outing.

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More than 120 golfers and volunteers enjoyed a picture-perfect weather day at Avon Oaks Country Club on Aug. 7 to support the annual charity golf outing hosted by the West Shore and Fairview Park chambers of commerce. This event, held every year to fund the college scholarships offered to a student graduating from Westlake, Bay and Fairview high schools, offers players an opportunity to golf at this exclusive club without being a member.

Many chamber members also chose to be hole sponsors and visit with the golfers throughout the day. A wide variety of games kept the play interesting and multiple prizes were awarded at the dinner afterwards, including a $1,000 cash grand prize.

Bay Village families interested in Cub Scouting may visit one of Pack 39's information tables at Normandy Elementary School, 26920 Normandy Road, at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in September. Online registration is available now at the Pack's website, pack39bayvillage.scoutlander.com. Register by Sept. 12 to receive a free T-shirt! 

Cub Scout Pack 39 was founded in 1942 and is chartered by the Friends of Normandy School, a non-profit community organization. Most meetings are on Tuesday evenings, with outdoor events held throughout the year.

There seems to be something in the human condition that makes people blush at the mere thought of a smelly bathroom. Especially when guests are visiting! A Westlake company is making it their business to solve that problem, with technology that has been used throughout Asia for 15 years.

OdorTech Distributing LLC is bringing humor and help, with its “Smell ya never!” service mark and “Pepé Le Poo” mascot, as the first U.S. distributor of a toilet odor removal technology. The product, labeled “ToiléVu: The Toilet Vacuum for Smelly Odors,” is installed inside the tank of an existing toilet.

Have you ever tried boxing with your own shadow? Or called it a few choice names because it wouldn't stop following you around? Some psychiatrists consider the shadow the dark side of human nature. Our beautiful country has seen a rise in violence, mass shootings in public places and suicides – results of the dark side, or shadow.

Unity Spiritual Center of Westlake is pleased to present a transformational program designed to bring deep peace and healing. Who among us couldn't use less stress and more peace in our lives? Dr. Shariff Abdullah's 12-week program, Shadow to Light, or S2L, will be held Tuesdays, Aug. 29 through Nov. 21, from 7-9 p.m.

For the second consecutive year, nine library systems are teaming up to help ensure every child under 18 years old in Cuyahoga County owns a library card. The initiative, called A Card for Every Kid Library Challenge, will take place during September, which is National Library Card Sign-up Month. The Challenge is a cooperative effort to raise awareness of the importance of library card ownership and to better understand the factors that keep some children and teens from owning a library card.

This September, every library in Cuyahoga County will actively work to encourage all students to sign up for free library cards so they can gain access to the abundance of books and learning resources available in the county’s libraries. Children under 18 years old who already own library cards will be offered a one-time fine forgiveness anytime during National Library Card Sign-up Month.

Emilee Skutt

Emilee Skutt of Westlake has been selected for a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Honors Program Fellowship, which offers high-achieving students scholarships to cover tuition, fees and books as they work toward an associate degree.

Skutt signed a commitment letter with the College during an Aug. 2 ceremony at Tri-C’s Jerry Sue Thornton Center in Cleveland. The scholarship – funded by the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation – is valued at up to $4,250 per academic year.

Jody Jean Dryer will visit Westlake to sign copies of her book, "Beyond the Castle," which takes readers behind the scenes of The Walt Disney Company.

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Do you know anyone who’s escorted a Supreme Court Chief Justice around Walt Disney World? Or anyone who’s been to Michael Jackson’s Neverland home, or coordinated children’s wish-granting with Captain Jack Sparrow? How about someone who calls the creator of Ariel a friend – and the producer of "Beauty and the Beast" (both versions), too?

Jody Jean Dreyer, a 30-year Disney executive, is coming to Cleveland to celebrate the release of her new book, "Beyond the Castle: A Guide to Discovering your Happily Ever After" (Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing). In it, Jody gives readers a peek behind the magic that is both familiar and beloved by many.

Every one of us has a gift to share. Our own special expertise, that no one else can take credit for. At the Knickerbocker Apartments, we have a gentleman who has a gift for turning thorns into beautiful roses. His name is Chuck, and he is our volunteer gardener.  

The courtyard in the center of our building was a shambles, and now is filled with flowers, shrubs and delicate little lights, as if to light the path for angels seeking out a comfortable place to rest their wings.

Pictured at the Herb Guild luncheon are: Mary Kay Filipiak, Herb Guild Scholarship Selection Committee chairperson; scholarship recipients Atlas Besenfelder and Katherine Randolph; and Kathie Conrad, club president. Scholarship winner Maggie Lieb was not present. Photo by Barb Armstrong

On Wednesday, Aug. 2, The Herb Guild Garden Club held its 33rd annual scholarship luncheon. Three high school graduates received scholarships from the Herb Guild – Katherine Randolph from Berea-Midpark High School, Maggie Lieb from Avon High School and Lorain County JVS, and Atlas Besenfelder from Saint Ignatius.

Katherine will be attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Maggie will be majoring in agricultural education and horticulture at The Ohio State University. Atlas will be attending Allegheny College and majoring in environmental science.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and FNB manager Johnny Sikora join several guests and bank employees to cut the ribbon on the newest branch.

Aug. 1 was grand opening day for the new branch of First National Bank in Westlake at Crocker Park. The newly built structure faces Detroit Road and takes the place of the former Max & Erma's space. Branch manager Johnny Sikora, Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and West Shore Chamber Director John Sobolewski helped cut the ribbon on the new office space, along with many guests from the community and Crocker Park.