Bay Village community groups report on upcoming events

The quarterly meeting of the Bay Village Community Council was held on Jan. 14 at the Bay Village Branch Library. A subcommittee composed of Wendy Hanna, George MacDonald, Darin Snyder and Tara Wendell selected the Citizen of the Year and Project of the Year, and representatives from Bay Village groups reported on past activities and future plans.

The Bay Village Women's Club and Foundation’s Annual Antique Show and Sale fundraiser will be on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13 and 14, at Bay High School. �Antique dolls will be featured and a bake sale will be held. For more information, contact Nancy at 440-334-7539. The new Huntington Water Tower by Cats Meow will be available for purchase for $15 along with other Bay Village memorabilia.

The Bay Village Historical Society will host Bette Lou Higgins, artistic director of Eden Valley Enterprises (EVE), for a program entitled, "Next Stop, Freedom!" at the Feb. 19 meeting. All are welcome to attend the Feb. 19 program and potluck dinner free of charge. Guests are asked to bring a side dish for 10 to share and their own place setting. Reservations can be made by phoning Doug Gertz at 440-554-6355 or Cathy Flament at 440-835-4472. Donations are accepted to help defray program costs. The potluck dinner is at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation at the Community House, 303 Cahoon Road. The annual antique and craft show and sale, "Cahoon in June," will take place June 18 in Cahoon Memorial Park. We will once again be part of "Destination Bay." Community groups are invited to participate with free booth space. To reserve a space, contact Cynthia Eakin at case915@aol.com� or 216-213-0312.�

Bay Village Kiwanis pancake breakfast will be held on March 20. Proceeds benefit the many scholarships awarded by the Kiwanis to local students.

The Daughters of the American Revolution Martha Devotion Huntington Chapter is looking for new members. �The DAR is a national service organization open to any woman, 18 years or older, who can prove lineal decent from a patriot of the American Revolution. Members support community service, preserving history, educating children, as well as honoring and supporting those who serve our nation. For more information about this group, please contact Mary Kay Wilson at MKW50@yahoo.com.

The Village Bicycle Cooperative refurbished and delivered over 50 bicycles to various charities during the recent holiday season and provided gift certificates to Bay Community Services to distribute to Bay families within the holiday outreach program.� Each child/adult will be able to redeem the certificate at Village Bicycle for a completely refurbished bike, light set, helmet and lock (adult only). A bicycle was donated to the Bay Village Foundation as a raffle prize for the Feb. 6 Winterfest. VBC will host a Bike Cleveland Family Social on Friday, Feb. 12, 6-8 p.m. There will be a Fat (Tire) Bikes Demonstration, Bike Crafts and a Mac-and-Cheese Bake-off. Village Bicycle has teamed with Wonder Bar on East 4th St. and New Belgium Brewery for a fundraising event.� For every New Belgium draft sold on Wednesdays, Jan. 6 through June 1, one dollar will be donated to Village Bicycle to be used for bike parts and refurbishing.

Friends of the Bay Village Branch Library: Storytimes for all began again in January with the inclusion of a weekly Sensory Storytime for children with special needs. Join us Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m., to hear about some of the Best Books of 2015. The branch will host the AARP Foundation on Friday mornings starting Feb. 5 to offer free, individualized tax preparations for low- to moderate-income taxpayers – especially those 60 and older. Call the branch to schedule an appointment. Students can take a free, full-length practice test provided by The Princeton Review on Saturday, Feb. 6, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Check out cuyahogalibrary.org for a full listing of programs or call the branch at 440-871-6392 for details.

The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center admitted about 1,430 animals in 2015. The Birds of Lake Erie Day will be introduced on Saturday, April 30! This event will highlight the Center's wildlife programs and include presentations by expert staff and excellent guest speakers related to birds and birding in this area. More details will follow. Educators continue to work closely with Bay Schools to provide field trips and activities in line with standards and expectations. The Center will be open during Spring Break. An The entire list of programs, including events for all ages, can be found at lensc.org.

The League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland, Bay Village Chapter, has donated $20,000 to the city for the installation of microphones and audio equipment in City Council chambers and the conference room. Installation is expected to begin soon. The chapter will hold a Mardi Gras party at the Ironwood Cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. All are invited to come for dinner and conversation. Don’t forget your beads!

The Village Project will be providing additional nutritious meals to the families it serves, by increasing their meal service from 2 to 4 days. Their next fundraising event, including an auction, will take place in the Hyland Atrium on Feb. 27. The cost to attend will be $40 per person for food and beer/wine. Call 440-348-9401 for further details.

The next BVCC meeting is Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m. at the Bay Village Branch Library.