Community Service

Volunteers needed for CARE for AIDS hunger project

Families in Bay Village and the surrounding communities will have a chance to be part of an incredible program that is helping parents with HIV/AIDS to live healthy lives, raise and support their children, and be a part of their community. We need 600 volunteers to pack 100,000 meals for the clients of CARE for AIDS in Nairobi, Kenya.

The CARE for AIDS Hunger Project will take place at Bay High School on Saturday, Nov. 18. There are two shifts: noon-1:30 p.m. and 1:30-3:00 p.m. All ages are invited to help.

Volunteers will package foods such as rice, beans and lentils. The boxes will be loaded into trucks run by Feeding Children Everywhere, a partner organization, who will ship the pallets of food to Kenya.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 9:56 AM, 11.07.2017

Eagle Scout project creates path from Westlake Rec Center to Lilly Weston House

On Labor Day and Sept. 16, members of Boy Scout Troop 664 worked together on the Eagle Scout project of Noah Furin. The project consisted of the planning and construction of a segment of the Heritage Loop Trail behind the Lilly Weston House on Center Ridge Road in Westlake. This was a collaborative effort through the Westlake Historical Society, in particular the Lilly Weston Committee, headed by Will Krause, and the City of Westlake.

The trail connects the walking path of the Recreation Center to the driveway of the historic Lilly Weston House. The Boy Scouts spread the concrete gravel along the length of the path using wheelbarrows, shovels and rakes. With the installation of this trail, the Lilly Weston House can be more accessible to the people of Westlake. Also, it effectively creates a loop in the walking trail at the Rec Center for convenience.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 9:54 AM, 11.07.2017

American Legion collecting flags for proper retirement

Is it time to replace that old, torn or faded flag? If your answer is yes, then your timing could not be better.

Many stores are featuring American flags as part of their Veterans Day sales.The Bay Village American Legion is collecting old flags and will be retiring them at their regular meeting on Friday, Nov. 10. The flags are retired using nationally approved procedures with dignity and tradition.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 9:55 AM, 11.07.2017

BayComm calls out to residents

It's been a couple of years since BayComm has written an article, but the group created five years ago to provide emergency communications to residents is still alive and well. We cover the West Shore suburbs, and we are still looking to expand our network of members, to be able to relay critical information to ourselves and others, should power and communications go down for an extended period of time.

Our membership has grown a bit over the years, but to truly have a network of communications, we still need to shoot for at least 50 families, across the six local suburbs. We've learned a lot about who we are and what our goals are. Some residents join this volunteer group to be assured that they will be able to use their non-licensed two-way radios to reach others, in a time when communications is critical.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 10:01 AM, 11.07.2017

Register your bicycle and win $100

The Bay Village Kiwanis Club would like to remind residents to register their bicycles with the Bay Village Police before Dec. 1 for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods. The task is simple, just bring your bicycle to the Bay Village police station, 28000 Wolf Road, and complete the registration form. A permanent label will be affixed to your bicycle. This will insure that if your bicycle is found it can be returned to you. There is no charge for the registration.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 9:58 AM, 11.07.2017

Westlake teen receives community service award

The Westlake Kiwanis presented Jade Hawk with the William E. Sifritt Community Service Award recently at Westlake City Hall.

Jade is a very active volunteer and member of the Westlake community. As a four-year member of the Westlake High School's Key Club, Jade has taken charge of their many service projects such as Adopt-a-Family, Westlake in Bloom flower boxes, and Lutheran Home Arts and Crafts Days. She also helped organize group attendance to Cavs games.

Jade is a member of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, playing concerts for inner city kids. She also plays in a chamber group for elementary school graduations and for the 1921 Society, Destination Cleveland meeting.

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Volume 9, Issue 20, Posted 10:00 AM, 10.17.2017

Project Leaf is back to aid Bay residents and help local cancer patients

Autumn is finally here, and the evidence is everywhere, delighting our senses. You can feel and smell the crispness creeping into the air. You can hear the marching band and cheering fans at Bay High football games. (Go Rockets!) You can taste the apple cider and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in your favorite fall foods. Whether they’ve changed colors or not, leaves are beginning to fall. Before too long, our green Bay Village lawns will disappear under piles of autumn splendor. Uh oh … we have work to do.

Project Leaf to the rescue! For the fifth year in a row, Village Project is offering to rake leaves for local residents and make their fall season a little less back-breaking in exchange for donations to help the organization continue its work.

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Volume 9, Issue 20, Posted 9:51 AM, 10.17.2017

Bay Village Kiwanis installs new officers

The Bay Village Kiwanis 2017-2018 Installation dinner was held on Sept. 26 at Mahle’s Restaurant in Westlake. Division 14 Lt. Governor Matt Rawlings was in attendance for the installation of the new officers. 

The outgoing president, Alan Waddle, was the Master Of Ceremonies. Serving as president for the coming year is Foster McMasters with Rich Oldrieve as president-elect and Pat Mosier as vice president. Russ Bauknecht is the treasurer serving for another year, with Ed Colleran as the secretary. The 2017-2018 board of directors consists of Maynard Bauer, Jim Comienski, Clint Keener, Linda Potter, Gerald Stavlas and Gordon Taylor.

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Volume 9, Issue 20, Posted 9:51 AM, 10.17.2017

Bay Village Holiday Caring & Sharing Program seeks residents in need

The Bay Village Holiday Caring and Sharing Program was created to help Bay families in need at the holidays. Families with children under age 18 may qualify for our Adopt-a-Family program, and receive gifts for the children that may not otherwise be possible that year. In addition, a food pantry is also available to those Bay Village residents who qualify.

You can help by:

  • Contacting Bay Village Community Services if you are a family in financial need, or you know of a family who is experiencing financial hardships. All information is confidential.
  • Making a cash donation to Holiday Caring & Sharing. Funds are used to purchase grocery gift cards that are distributed throughout the year, as well as at the holidays.
  • Adopting a family. If you or your organization is interested in providing gifts for a family, contact Bay Village Community Services.
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Volume 9, Issue 19, Posted 10:10 AM, 10.03.2017

Westlake Kiwanis install new club officers

The Westlake Kiwanis held their new officer installation on Sept. 26. Robert Clancy, past Kiwanis Division 14 Lt. Governor, performed the installation ceremonies for the new officers.

Current President Rick Grane passed the gavel to incoming President Suzanne Rusnak for 2017-2018. Suzanne thanked the past officers for their service to the Westlake Kiwanis and community. Suzanne outlined her goals for the upcoming Kiwanis year and ended with a quote: "If you want to be a person that belongs to a service organization then you can't have a spirit that wants to do it alone."

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Volume 9, Issue 19, Posted 9:59 AM, 10.03.2017

Bay Village girl scout troop earns Bronze Award

In partnership with The Herb Guild and with the support of the Bay Village Historical Society, Bay Village Girl Scout Troop 70769 earned the Bronze Award for their garden project at the Osborne Learning Center and the base of the Rose Hill Museum sign. 

The Bronze Award is the highest honor possible for a Junior Girl Scout.  Each member of the troop was also awarded a Certificate of Achievement from Mayor Paul Koomar, and the troop was honored at The Herb Guild's annual scholarship luncheon.

As part of The Herb Guild's efforts to educate young people about Ohio's native plants, the 14 members of the troop embarked on a six-month journey of research, planning, meetings with gardening experts and then actually planting, mulching and watering more than 50 plants of 10 different varieties, all native to Ohio.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:08 AM, 09.19.2017

Bay Village scouts build stand to help fight cancer

Thanks to the hard work of the St. Raphael Cub Scouts of Pack 159 in Bay Village, visitors to the Prayers from Maria sunflower field in Avon will be able to enjoy a cold drink while helping raise money to fight childhood brain cancer.

The “Field of Hope,” located at the southwest corner of Chester and Jaycox roads, was planted as a way to raise awareness for the Children’s Glioma Cancer Foundation, headed by Bay Village residents Ed and Megan McNamara. The McNamaras' daughter, Maria, fell victim to the aggressive form of cancer in 2007 when she was 7 years old and, since then, the McNamaras have devoted countless hours to raising money, and awareness, to fight the deadly disease.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:18 AM, 09.19.2017

Why not join the Bay Village Auxiliary Police?

Why not? That was the question I asked myself after reading an article published in the Observer a few years back. The article was written by Lt. Jeff Hartz of the Bay Village Auxiliary Police. He mentioned in the article what is involved and how much personal satisfaction he gets from helping out the community where he was raised. Although I didn’t grow up in Bay, I moved here in 2006 after marrying my wife, Pam, and I just fell in love with the city. It was a breath of fresh air after spending the last 20-plus years living on the west side of Cleveland.

After being in Bay for a few years, I wanted to do something to help my community. Inspired by what I read in Jeff’s article, I decided to fill out an application for the auxiliary. I had been working security part-time for the Indians and the Browns since the late 1980s and worked alongside Cleveland police officers. It was fun. Being part of the auxiliary could be something right up my alley.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:09 AM, 09.19.2017

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center honors volunteers of the year

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center recognized Colleen Bumba, D.V.M., and Justin Willard with volunteer-of-the-year awards at the organization’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on Aug. 17.

Each year, the Center celebrates its many volunteers who are vital in helping the Center to fulfill its mission to educate children, families and students and provide wildlife services. Volunteers help with animal care, docent education, family and youth programming, summer camps and more. The Center’s Volunteers of the Year are those extra special people who consistently demonstrate teamwork, reliability, responsibility and leadership within the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Volunteer Program.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:18 AM, 09.19.2017

Bay Kiwanis Club donates $25,000 to eliminate tetanus

Bay Village Kiwanis Club president Allen Waddle has announced that the service club’s long-term support of The Eliminate Project, a joint effort between UNICEF and Kiwanis International to eliminate worldwide maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), has passed the $25,000 mark this year with a donation of $6,600 from proceeds from fundraising events including the annual Kiwanis-sponsored Bay Days Car Show.

The Bay Village Kiwanis and its school leadership clubs, the Bay High School Key Club and Bay Middle School Builders Club, have raised and donated funds for the past four years and its total contribution now exceeds $49,000. Kiwanis International has raised over $110 million in cash and pledges for this campaign.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:10 AM, 09.19.2017

City honors Bay Men's Club with proclamation

The City of Bay Village has honored the Bay Men’s Club, the oldest continuously operating civic organization in the city, with a mayoral proclamation in honor of the club’s 100th anniversary. Mayor Paul Koomar, who is a Bay Men’s Club member, presented the proclamation to club members at the Sept. 11 city council meeting.

The men’s club was founded in the summer of 1917 when a handful of village men gathered on the steps of what is now the Rose Hill Museum in Cahoon Memorial Park to form a non-partisan organization whose purpose was, and is, to promote good fellowship.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:18 AM, 09.19.2017

Bay Village Garden Club plans year of activities

What is a conifer? How can you compact garbage without an odor? What are the perfect miniature perennials for a tabletop garden? How can you create a water garden on a porch? These are just a few questions that will be answered by this year's speakers at the Bay Village Garden Club's monthly meetings. Presently we have 71 members from Bay Village, Westlake, Rocky River, Avon and Avon Lake, and are always eager to welcome more.

Our first meeting for 2017-2018 will be on Monday, Sept. 25, 11:30 a.m., at Bay United Methodist Church, 29931 Lake Road. Our speaker is Bethany Majeski, from the Rocky River Nature Center, and she will be speaking about plants that provide year-round beauty. Any interested gardeners are welcome to attend and learn more about our club.

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Volume 9, Issue 17, Posted 9:39 AM, 09.06.2017

WestShore Lions Club seeking donations for student safety project

The WestShore Lions Club is once again requesting the community's assistance in a very important project that will enhance the safety of the children within the cities of Westlake and North Olmsted in the event of an emergency.

Club members have been working on a project since April 2015 to provide 570 "Safety Buckets" to the Westlake and North Olmsted public school districts. These buckets – one for each classroom, office and support room – will be used when the school buildings are open.

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Volume 9, Issue 17, Posted 9:46 AM, 09.06.2017

Volunteers needed to help in cases of child abuse and neglect

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Cuyahoga County, a program of Child and Family Advocates of Cuyahoga County, recruits, screens, trains and supports volunteers who act as independent fact-finders for the court in cases involving child abuse and neglect. 

CASAs collect information that helps the judge make the best decision for a safe, caring and permanent home for children involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. CASAs are everyday citizens who are trained and appointed by the court to advocate for the safety and well-being of children who are victims of abuse or neglect. CASAs are assigned at the earliest stages of a case, and continue to be an advocate for the child through their time in the court system. CASAs work collaboratively with all parties on the case, for the best interests of children. CASAs are only assigned to 1-2 cases at a time and spend approximately 10 hours a month on a case.

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Volume 9, Issue 17, Posted 9:43 AM, 09.06.2017

Bay Kiwanis supports Bay Days fireworks

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.

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Volume 9, Issue 16, Posted 10:17 AM, 08.15.2017

Bay Village Cub Scout Pack 39 fall enrollment

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.

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Volume 9, Issue 16, Posted 10:12 AM, 08.15.2017

LWV awards Good Citizen scholarships

The Bay Village chapter of the League of Women Voters Greater Cleveland has named two 2017 Bay High School graduates as outstanding “Good Citizens” of the school and community. Chris Gepperth and Martha Swanson were each awarded a $1,000 college scholarship at the May Kiwanis Awards Night. Chris and Martha were chosen for their superior qualities of character, scholarship and leadership.

Chris will attend the University of Akron, majoring in mechanical engineering. While at Bay High, Chris played trumpet in marching band, symphonic and jazz band, and pit orchestra. Additionally, he performed with the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony at many venues including Severance Hall.

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Volume 9, Issue 14, Posted 9:54 AM, 07.18.2017

Eagle Scout project benefits seniors with Alzheimer's disease

Matthew Gantzer lost his grandfather two years ago after a 15-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. In honor of his grandfather, and as a way to help other families dealing with Alzheimer’s, Matthew decided to focus his Eagle Scout project on providing resources to these families and their caregivers. The result is an Alzheimer’s Resource and Activity Center that now resides at the Dwyer Memorial Senior Center.

Matthew proposed this project to Leslie Selig, director of community services for Bay Village, in 2016. He then found a piece of furniture he could re-purpose to fit his needs, and worked with the Bay Village Woodshop to complete the refinishing. He set up an Amazon Wish List so that members of the community could support the project by donating books, puzzles and other activities appropriate for those with Alzheimer’s disease. He also collected literature from several assisted-living facilities in the area who have special residences for people with dementia.

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Volume 9, Issue 13, Posted 9:26 AM, 07.05.2017

Sponsors step up to support Bay Days fireworks

The fireworks show we enjoy at Bay Days every year is only partially paid for by the city; it is up to a dedicated group of volunteers to raise the matching funds, or there will be no fireworks on the Fourth of July, and Bay Days would be a dud.

We owe a special thanks this year to Sunnyside Auto Group and RPM International.

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Volume 9, Issue 12, Posted 9:24 AM, 06.20.2017

Kiwanis project continues mission of helping kids

The Westlake Kiwanis held a RePlay for Kids project on Tuesday, June 13, at Westlake Porter Public Library. Ten members and five guests volunteered their time to work on the toys.

They adapted the toys so they can be used by children with disabilities. It involves taking apart the toys and installing switches which can be used to make the toys operate in various ways, such as blowing into a tube or touching with the side of a head. They managed to complete 30 toys, which is the most they have ever done. Natalie Wardega, director of operations for RePlay for Kids, and her assistant, Ethan Dale, coordinated the workshop.

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Volume 9, Issue 12, Posted 9:20 AM, 06.20.2017

Bay Kiwanis, Builders Club donate bench

The Bay Village Kiwanis Club and the St. Raphael Builders Club have donated a metal bench for use by walkers on the east side of Dover Center Road. Situated on the front lawn of the St. Raphael School, under shade trees, it will be a welcome stop for walkers in the hot summer weather.

The Builders Club is made up of 60 eighth-grade students, who dedicate themselves to projects that benefit their school and the community. Mrs. Kimberly Hirsch is the club advisor and Jim Potter is the Kiwanis representative to the club.

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Volume 9, Issue 12, Posted 9:20 AM, 06.20.2017

Key employees aid Bay Village Historical Society

Employees of Key Bank recently took time out from their busy schedules to help clean up and tend to the flowerbeds and landscaping around Rose Hill Museum and the Reuben Osborn Learning Center in Bay Village.

The employees helped out as part of the bank’s “Neighbors Make the Difference Day.” This year more than 7,000 Key Bank employees partnered with local non-profits to sweep sidewalks, plant gardens and generally lend a hand in the communities in which they work and live.

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Volume 9, Issue 11, Posted 10:16 AM, 06.06.2017

Bay Village Troop 41 celebrates 3 new Eagle Scouts

Bay Village Boy Scout Troop 41 honored three new Eagle Scouts at a Court of Honor ceremony held May 21 at Bethesda on the Bay Lutheran Church. Troop scouts, leaders, families and friends celebrated the accomplishments of Eagle Scouts Maxwell Kunze, Trevor Coleman and Scott Stover.

Commander Fred Green of VFW Post 9693 and Commander Stan Zeager of American Legion Post 385 read proclamations to the scouts and presented American flags to their parents. Ohio Senator Matt Dolan presented proclamations on behalf of the Ohio State Senate and House of Representatives, and Councilwoman Nan Baker read a commendation from the Cuyahoga County Council. Local representatives including Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar and Fairview Park councilman Angelo Russo were also present to offer commendations to the new Eagle Scouts.

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Volume 9, Issue 11, Posted 10:15 AM, 06.06.2017

Bay Men's Club awards two scholarships

The Bay Men’s Club, the city’s second-oldest civic organization and which is celebrating its centennial, has awarded $1,000 scholarships to two worthy and deserving Bay High seniors, Mikayla Nemetz and Chris Gepperth. They, along with their parents, were recently honored at the club’s year-end golf outing and pig roast.

Nemetz will be studying international studies and pre-law at The Ohio State University; Gepperth will be studying mechanical engineering at the University of Akron. Gepperth is the grandson of longtime Bay Men’s Club member Elwyn Mehlman, a coincidence since all scholarship applications are submitted anonymously.

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Volume 9, Issue 11, Posted 10:13 AM, 06.06.2017

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center offering education internships for college students

Are you a college student studying early childhood education, environmental sciences, biology, zoology or a related field?

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is seeking interns to join their Education Staff and take part in a unique educational opportunity this summer. Interns will gain hands-on experience working side-by-side with staff by assisting with preschool, school age and public education programs.

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Volume 9, Issue 11, Posted 10:18 AM, 06.06.2017

Westlake students' projects help Kiwanis K-9 effort

A pair of Westlake students, Grace Baker and Alyssa Gruttadauria, have started their own projects to help the Kiwanis raise funds for the Westlake Police Department’s mission of acquiring police dogs.

Grace is a fifth-grader at Dover Intermediate School who bakes and sells her own dog treats in order to donate to the Kiwanis’ efforts. 

Alyssa is a sophomore at Westlake High School and is representing Northern Ohio at this year’s Miss America’s Outstanding Teen program and will compete in June during Miss Ohio Scholarship Pageant week in Mansfield. The teen competition awards scholarships based on community service, grades, talent and public-speaking ability. As her volunteer service platform, Alyssa chose the need for more police dogs in order to help deal with the current heroin epidemic. She created Project K-9 in hopes of helping to raise awareness and funds for Westlake to add to their K-9 unit, and she will be promoting her project at various Kiwanis events in addition to running fundraisers of her own.

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Volume 9, Issue 9, Posted 10:02 AM, 05.02.2017

Rotary club provides grant for Wandering Safety Kits

Connecting for Kids has received a $500 grant from the Westlake-Bay Village Rotary Club to provide 20 Wandering Safety Kits to help area families protect their children from the dangers of wandering. Research suggests that more than half of all children with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and many more children with other diagnoses, including Down syndrome, anxiety, ADHD and intellectual disabilities, engage in wandering behaviors.

“We distributed kits at our Meet and Greet event last year and so many families wanted one that we quickly ran out,” said Sarah Rintamaki, executive director of Connecting for Kids. “This year, we again wanted to make the Wandering Safety Kits available at this event as wandering is a major concern among our families.”

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Volume 9, Issue 9, Posted 10:00 AM, 05.02.2017

WestShore Lions create GoFundMe account to assist with safety bucket project

The WestShore Lions Club is requesting your assistance in a very important project that will enhance the safety of the children within the cities of Westlake and North Olmsted.

Club members have undertaken a project to provide "Safety Buckets" for each classroom, office and support room in the Westlake and North Olmsted public school districts. These will be used in the event of an emergency during the periods when the school building are open.

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Volume 9, Issue 9, Posted 10:04 AM, 05.02.2017

Westlake Kiwanis, Town Criers provide carbon monoxide detectors

Westlake Kiwanis and the Westlake Town Criers recently partnered to donate carbon monoxide detectors to the Westlake Fire Department. These detectors help replenish the fire department's stock of available detectors as part of the Westake Carbon Monoxide program.

This program is intended to help the elderly and disabled residents in the city of Westlake that need assistance with their detectors. Assistance ranges from replacing old detectors, installing new detectors, and replacing batteries every six months.

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Volume 9, Issue 8, Posted 9:52 AM, 04.18.2017

Blood drive in memory of Dr. Steve Meadows

There will be an American Red Cross blood drive in memory of Dr. Steve Meadows on Thursday, April 27, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at O'Neill Healthcare Bay Village, 605 Bradley Road.

Dr. Meadows was a loving son, brother, husband and father. He was a cherished physician in the community and a skilled ophthalmologist. Steve was diagnosed with acute leukemia and passed away from the disease less than 24 hours after his diagnosis. He received blood as part of his treatment.

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Volume 9, Issue 8, Posted 10:00 AM, 04.18.2017

Rotary Club of Westlake/Bay Village holds speech contest

On March 29 the Rotary Club of Westlake/Bay Village held its annual high school Speech Competition. The purpose of the speech is to solve an ethical problem using the principles of the Rotary's Four Way Test: "Is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build good will and better friendships, and will it be beneficial to all concerned."

This year four sophomores from Westlake High School took on the challenge. Esther Park won the competition, followed by Katie Cirincone in second place, Thomas Hanson in third place and Jonah Petty receiving honorable mention. In addition to monetary prizes, Esther will now move on to the district competition, which will take place on April 8 at Aurora High School. There she will compete with the other Rotary Club contest winners in District 6630, which includes clubs across Northeast Ohio. Winners there will go on to the national competition.

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Volume 9, Issue 7, Posted 9:19 AM, 04.04.2017

8 Westlake Scouts earn Eagle rank

On Saturday, March 4, Boy Scout Troop 208 from Westlake held an Eagle Court of Honor, awarding the highest rank of Scouting to eight boys from Westlake High School. Chartered by Dover Congregational United Church of Christ since 1928, Troop 208 has a storied history in the Greater Cleveland Council. Special proclamations were awarded during the ceremony from Mayor Dennis Clough, County Councilmember Nan Baker, State Sen. Matt Dolan, State Sen. Tom Patton, State Rep. Dave Greenspan, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman.

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Volume 9, Issue 6, Posted 10:08 AM, 03.21.2017

Keeping kids safe in parking lots

Have you had a scare in a parking lot or driveway? You are juggling bags of groceries, responding to a text or maybe getting your baby out of the car seat. You are distracted for a second – the amount of time it takes your toddler or preschooler to run away from your vehicle and into a busy area. Many of us can relate to this occurrence that happens all too often. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average, 96 fatalities and 2,000 injuries in children occur every year due to being backed over.

Connecting for Kids is launching a Parking Lot Safety Awareness Program to help change this statistic by offering families free safety kits to educate children about the dangers of running away from a car without holding an adult’s hand. The key part of this program is a free magnet that families can put on their car where the child exits. These magnets give children a visual place to put their hand to wait until an adult can safely take their hand and lead them to the next destination.

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Volume 9, Issue 6, Posted 10:12 AM, 03.21.2017

BVPD academy offers citizens a look behind the badge

The Bay Village Police Department is hosting a Community Police Academy beginning on March 16.

The main goal of the Community Police Academy is to provide information to the residents so they understand how law enforcement functions and increase the rapport between the citizens and the officers of the Bay Village Police Department. Students will become more aware of what their police department does and why they do it certain ways.

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Volume 9, Issue 4, Posted 9:48 AM, 02.21.2017

Connecting for Kids honors Westlake business owner

Connecting for Kids will honor Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, as its Professional of the Year. This award is given to individuals who have helped fulfill the organization’s mission to provide education and support to families with concerns about their child. The award will be presented at the organization's annual fundraiser on Feb. 24 at Ahern Catering & Banquet Center in Avon Lake. The festivities kick off at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 and available at connectingforkids.org.

Spear is a speech language pathologist and co-owner of Lakeshore Speech Therapy in Westlake, helping numerous children to improve functional communication skills. In her free time, she started “Running with the Cats,” a program which connects St. Ignatius High School students to children with special needs for the purpose of training together for 5K runs. The program has grown from four kids to more than 50 participants.

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Volume 9, Issue 4, Posted 9:56 AM, 02.21.2017