Local musician to perform in Brunswick April 5: Whit & Whimsey

Accepting the award

The City of Medina Community Development Department, which includes the Building Department, poses with the David A. Smith Award. Back Row, L to R: Sandy Davis, Tom Cromer, Jonathan Mendel, Dan Gladish and Kimberly Marshall. Front Row, L to R: Shelly Johnson, Rick Bocek, Tami Morris, and Barbara Dzur. (Photo courtesy of City of Medina)

BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- Ken will be singing! If you’re a fan of the music at Heritage Farm on Sunday afternoons in the summer, you’ll want to head over to the Red Onion from 7 to 10 p.m. April 5, when Ken Uram will be performing.

Ken is music coordinator at the farmers markets, and he will be singing some of our favorite songs -- and maybe some new ones -- along with his special guest, Scott Yeager, who also performs at Heritage Farm.

The Red Onion is at 522 Pearl Road and, last time they were there, they drew a big crowd, so stop in.

They were honored: The City of Medina Building Department recently received the 2018 David A. Smith Jr. Award for Building Department Excellence by the Ohio Department of Commerce Board of Building Standards. The award was presented to Chief Building Official Dan Gladish at the Ohio Building Officials Association conference in Columbus on March 4.

The award is named for former Board of Building Standards member David Smith, who embodied the goals and mission of the board through his long career as an engineer and building official. It was created to recognize the work of certified building departments exemplifying the board’s vision to be a national leader in promoting a safer built environment for Ohio’s citizens through knowledge, training, service and technology.

There are approximately 400 full-service building departments in Ohio, and of those, 15 were nominated for this year’s award. The winner was selected after a review of each department’s performance, contacting building contractors and designers who work in the communities, and conducting “secret shopper” calls to the department.

In his acceptance remarks, Gladish thanked Medina’s “dedicated, nine-person Community Development Department Team”.

He added, “Our mission is to preserve, promote, and support our community by providing efficient and friendly customer service to the residents, business owners, developers and contractors through our expertise, continuing education, training, technology, innovation, responsiveness and resourcefulness.”

Mayor Dennis Hanwell added: “As mayor, I am proud and honored that the Medina Building Department has received this award. The Community Development Department for Medina is comprised of the Building Department, Economic Development, and Planning and Zoning Departments. They all assist and complement each other to create a one-stop location for businesses, residents and contractors.

"We have strived for the past nine years to improve our services and processes to move projects through effectively and efficiently. This award shows that the businesses and residents we serve acknowledge and appreciate what we do.”

It’s the biggest fear: Yes, fear of public speaking outranks fear of heights and even fear of spiders. If you are looking for a “cure” for this phobia, try Toastmasters. The local “Crossroads” club meets from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. each Wednesday at KHM Travel, 1152 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Come to this safe and friendly environment and become mentored into better courage for leadership. Questions are welcome. Just contact Annette at voiceteacher@webtv.net

Rat Pack is back: The Brunswick Knights of Columbus is bringing back a sell-out favorite -- The Rat Pack and More -- this year, featuring Frank T. Worley as Elvis on May 26.

Last year, more than 330 guests enjoyed the dinner and show in Hilkert Hall. So, it’s important to get your groups together and get tables reserved early. Cost is $20 per ticket, which includes dinner, along with the Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis show.

Additional information is available by calling St. Ambrose or KofC members Marty Shaw at 216-533-7737 or Ed Kilroy at 330-461-0146.

Celebration helps Hospice: Celebrate spring while supporting families in our local community at a fundraiser benefiting HMC Hospice of Medina County.

“Medina in the Springtime -- Parisian Nights,” will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. April 12 at The Blue Heron Brewery and Event Center, 3227 Blue Heron Trace, Medina. Tickets for the benefit are available online at classy.org/event/medina-in-the-springtime/e219322e. Those who are unable to attend may also make secure donations online. All gifts directly impact patients and their loved ones.

Michael Sandridge, vice president of Food Service Operations at Sandridge Food Corp., is one of the members of the HMC Events Committee helping to plan the benefit. Sandridge has personal experience with the nonprofit organization in his own family. He volunteers his time and resources to help support other families going through similar experiences.

“During the final two weeks of my mother’s life, Hospice was there for us. We were so fortunate to have the kind of people who knew what to do to make her comfortable. We didn’t need to worry about a thing, and there’s a family of four. The support they provided was awesome,” he said.

At the event, guests will enter a festive Parisian street theme atmosphere for cocktail hour, complete with a stunning ice sculpture of the Eiffel Tower, a juggling mime, a caricature artist and live music. The ballroom will evoke a charming French marketplace.

Each $125 ticket includes access to an open bar (including a special signature drink); a variety of French hors d’oeuvres, including cheeses and pastries; a sit-down dinner; and live entertainment. A silent auction is also planned.

All proceeds from the event stay in Medina County, benefiting local Hospice patients and their families receiving care from HMC Hospice of Medina County, an affiliate of Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Interested in donating a raffle basket for the event? Contact Amy Wermer, HMC Hospice of Medina County, at 330-662-4231 or via email awermer@hospiceofmedina.org.

Another sad note: The Hudson-Wise Foundation has lost another wonderful musician member. Larry Hutchinson of North Olmsted died Feb. 1 at age 73.

Larry was a self-taught musician. He played the guitar, mandolin, and banjo. He played for an Irish band and a band that specializes in ’50s and ’60s music.

Larry was the Hudson-Wise Foundation “Volunteer of The Year” in 2014, where he enjoyed visiting the schools where the foundation donated much-needed supplies to classrooms for autistic and special needs children. His hobbies included restoring antique motor scooters, learning new songs, and traveling. He was the co-founder of the Mid-Ohio Classic Scooters Club.

He'll be missed.

Legends of Sleepy Hollow: No, not Ichabod Crane -- it’s Lin and Greg Crane who will be sharing memories and photos of Sleepy Hollow Lake Park, which was owned by the Crane family for many years. If you learned to swim in Red Cross classes in Brunswick in the ’60s and ’70s, you undoubtedly learned at the pool at Sleepy Hollow.

The Cranes will start their program at 6 p.m. March 28 at the Brunswick United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 1395 Pearl Road. The program will be followed by the regular meeting of the Brunswick Area Historical Society.

You can keep up with what’s happening at the historical society at brunswickhistory.com/

Go to brunch for dinner: Pearlview Skilled Nursing and Wellness Center invites you to Brunch for Dinner and Bingo from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 16 at Pearlview, 4426 Homestead Drive, Brunswick. RSVP by April 8 to 330-225-9121.

Pearlview is also hosting “One Life, Many Stories” for Junior Leadership Medina County on April 13. Students will hear personal stories from older residents. Many of those residents will be asked to participate in a program from 1 to 4 p.m. April 13 at the Brunswick Library. Sounds like fun.

Annual conference set: The Rotary Clubs of District 6630 will be holding their Annual District Conference of Clubs and District Leadership Assembly April 12-13 at the ​Cleveland Airport Marriott​, ​4277 W. 150th St., Cleveland. It’s a weekend filled with leadership workshops and inspiring speakers.

This year will feature Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. Also featured are international projects where local area clubs have made an impact on the lives of children across the world. Youth leaders will also inspire high school students with their role in international and local programs. They will be featured in the Rotary’s Interact, Four Way Test and Youth Exchange programs.

Join the intergenerational conference and plan to learn how to make a difference in the communities that surround us and abroad. For registration information, go to rotarydistrict6630.org/.

Brunswick and Medina Rotary clubs are among the 53 clubs and nearly 2,000 members in Northeast Ohio, committed to making a difference in the lives of others in our communities.

Leadership needs sponsors: Leadership Medina County invites you to sponsor its Annual Golf Outing on June 10 at Weymouth Country Club. Your sponsorship supports LMC programming, provides a unique opportunity to gain visibility and creates long-lasting partnerships within our community. All levels of sponsorship are available. Just contact terri@leadershipmedinacounty.org or visit leadershipmedinacounty.org/.

They have fish: Brunswick United Methodist Church invites everyone to its Lenten fish fry dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. every Friday through April 12 at the church, 1395 Pearl Road. Cost is $9 for adults or $5 for ages 4-10. Take-out orders are also available. For information, call 330-225-3179.

Easter event is planned: Brunswick United Methodist Church will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt at 9:30 a.m. April 13 for ages preschool through fifth grade. Start with light breakfast from 9:30 to 10 a.m. with the egg hunt starting at 10 in various age groups. To register, go to www.brunswickumc.net/ or call 330-225-3179.

Children’s Cup is coming: It’s time to bet on the horses right here in Medina County at the seventh annual Children’s Cup -- A Night at the Races to benefit The Children’s Center of Medina County. Join the fun on May 4 at Weymouth Country Club.

“This is the official day of the Kentucky Derby, so we are very excited to have our largest fundraiser of the year coinciding with the biggest day in horse racing,” said center Executive Director Rhonda Wurgler.

She added: “Even if you are not into betting, you will surely be entertained by the festivities of the evening, including heavy appetizers, desserts, silent auction items and a Derby-themed hat contest. If you don’t have enough time to decorate a hat, we will have a limited number of decorated Derby hats available for donation!”

The event is casual attire, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., followed by heavy appetizers at 6 p.m. and post time for placing bets on the simulated horse races starting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $60 each and include one drink ticket. Opportunities to name a horse, sponsor a race or sponsor the event are now available. On the night of the race, you will have the opportunity to place bets at real betting windows.

For more information on The Children’s Cup or to purchase tickets, go to medinacountychildrenscenter.org/.

As with all events hosted by The Children’s Center of Medina County, the goal is to continue to bring awareness and attention to child abuse and neglect in Medina County by raising funds needed to support the center’s mission of nurturing abused and neglected children through collaboration, advocacy, treatment and prevention.

If you would like more information about The Children's Cup, please call Anna Guy-Leach at 330-764-8891, or email aguyleach@medinacountychildrenscenter.org.

It’s tea time: St. Ambrose Women’s Guild will host its annual tea from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4 in Hilkert Hall, 929 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Tickets are $12 and are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 330-460-7300. Entertainment will be provided by Hooked on Harmony, and a light lunch and beverages will be served.

Alumni search is on: If you are an alumnus of the Brunswick High School Class of ’79 or know how to reach them, please have them email the Reunion Committee at bhs40yrs@gmail.com with their personal contact information for communication purposes. Members of the reunion committee include Conrad Hornung, Karin (Prill) Gosnell, Jinny (Galloway) Widowski and Carolyn (Koverman) Zielinski.

News from BW: Caitlin Moore of Medina, as well as Meghan Oswald and Annaliese Tuma of Brunswick, were among 59 students who participated in Baldwin Wallace University’s 18th annual Dance Marathon. As the largest philanthropy organization on campus, Dance Marathon brings together the community, students and sponsors. The 12-hour marathon consists of performers, dancing and HIV/AIDS education. This year’s marathon raised over $16,000 for the cause.

Moore, a graduate of Medina Senior High School, danced from noon to midnight, raising money and awareness in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS through Up 4 the Fight, a collegiate fundraising program.

Oswald is a graduate of Brunswick High School majoring in digital media and design and marketing, and Tuma is a graduate of Brunswick High School majoring in theatre dance and movement.

Kendra Nichols of Medina and Breanna Pacek of Brunswick were part of the BW theatre and dance community that presented “fyoo zh en ’19: The Shock of the News.” The annual “fyoo zh en” dance concert combines choreography with faculty research. This year’s concert was inspired by sociology and criminal justice professor Dr. Brian Monahan’s book, “The Shock of the News: Media Coverage and the Making of 9/11.”

Monahan's research guided four choreographers through an exploration of how America's news media influences our perception of social reality. The full-length concert used bold, physical movement to illustrate the disturbing trends of media resources and how audience attention is being oriented toward news that resembles "serialized dramas" more than journalism.

Director Sara Whale noted that the choreographers “brought their own voice, style and point of view to the project, then, as a group that included our performers and designers, we were challenged with creating harmonious transitions and carefully considered costumes and lighting to create a unified whole.”

YSU news: The Youngstown State University chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has achieved Circle of Excellence Platinum status for 2018-19, the highest award in the society’s Circle of Honor Awards Program. Austin Ward, a hospitality management major from Brunswick, is a member of the YSU Phi Kappa Phi executive board.

Phi Kappa Phi -- the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective honor society for all disciplines -- recognizes outstanding chapters for promoting excellence on the local campus and engaging the community of scholars each year.

In recent years, several YSU students, faculty and staff have received national awards from Phi Kappa Phi. Ron Shaklee, past president and chair of the YSU Geography and Urban Regional Studies Department, also serves on the national fellowship committee.

Equestrian honors: Emma Sturtecky, of Hinckley Township and a member of the University of Findlay’s IHSA Hunt Seat team, will compete individually in the 2019 IHSA Semi-Final Tournament to be held April 6 at Midway College in Lexington, Ky. Students qualified for this level of competition by placing first or second in their event during the 2019 IHSA Regional Tournament.

News from Ashland: Jared Metz of Medina is a member of Ashland University’s College Republicans. The 2018 Medina High School graduate is majoring in integrated social studies.

The purpose of College Republicans at Ashland University is to promote Republican ideals, introduce members to political activism and encourage involvement in political campaigns. Activities include work on local, state and national political campaigns. The group also works to encourage voter registration.

Caleb Crowley of Brunswick is a member of Ashland University’s AU HR Student Chapter. Crowley is majoring in public relations and strategic communication. The Ashland University student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) engages students in the field of human resource ,anagement. Students meet on a regular basis with human resource professionals in the fields of compensation, benefits, global human resources, labor relations, diversity and organizational and employee development. Students have the opportunity to pursue HR certification from the National SHRM headquarters.

Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com

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