NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio -- North Ridgeville Community Care does so much for area residents. The community also has a long history of donating of food, toys, and other items for the local non-profit, but the organization recently received a special donation of a different kind.
(L to R) Brayden Emery (Elyria), Austin Casey (North Ridgeville) and Jerry VanSickle (North Ridgeville) work to build a storage garage for North Ridgeville Community Care. Photo courtesy of the Lorain County JVS.
According to June Yost, CEO of North Ridgeville Community Care, the organization had been searching for a few years to find someone to build a needed storage garage. Thanks to the senior Carpentry class from Lorain County JVS, the search is over.
Students have been busy for the past few months working an 18-foot by 20-foot storage garage that will house the larger items that are donated to the organization.
"People want to give us larger things like furniture, tables and appliances and we needed a place to put these items so that we can give them to people, our clients, when they need them, and we never had a place," said Yost in a press release. "It was one of our board members who suggested checking with the JVS, to see if possibly one of their programs could be of some assistance, and this is the result of that."
North Ridgeville Community Care operates with the help of churches, schools, individuals, corporations, grants, outside support and the efforts of over 70 dedicated volunteers.
"We are just thrilled," said Yost. "My husband and I enjoy watching the students work when we get the chance. My husband even said, when you stop and think that for each thing they do, the teacher is there instructing this group of young men on what is done and why, it is truly remarkable the skills that they all have."
AVON
Pancake breakfast: Support the music programs at the schools by attending the annual Avon Band and Orchestra Boosters Pancake Breakfast from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Avon High School, 37545 Detroit Rd. Advance tickets are $6 for ages 4 and up and $5 for seniors, and may be purchased from band or orchestra students. Tickets are available at the door the day of the event for $8 each (children ages 3 and under are free). In addition to breakfast, guests will also a jazz band performance. There will also be Basket Raffles and other vendors. Proceeds benefit band and orchestra students in grades 5-12.
State award: The State Board of Education recently recognized Avon Middle School presented Avon Middle School with a 2016-17 Momentum Award. The award recognizes schools for exceeding expectations in student growth for the year. Schools must earn straight A's on all Value-Added measures on the State Report Card. The school or district must have at least two Value-Added subgroups of students, which include gifted, lowest 20 percent in achievement, and students with disabilities.
"We are so proud and happy to receive the prestigious Momentum Award from the Ohio Department of Education, said Dr. Craig Koehler, Avon Middle School principal, along with Brent Betts, Avon Middle School assistant principal in a press release. "Our commitment to 'Excellence in Education' once again has been recognized at the state and local levels. We are very appreciative to our Board of Education, staff, students, and families. We will continue to strive to be an outstanding middle school by assisting our wonderful students to reach and achieve their optimal potential."
Special Olympics fundraiser: Congratulations to Avon East Elementary School students and staff for raising $1,660 to support Avon students participating in the Lorain County Special Olympics. As a reward for exceeding the goal of $500, the school celebrated with a dance party before the Thanksgiving Break.
Toys for Tots: The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute the toys as Christmas gifts to needs children in the community. Toys are currently being collected through Dec. 12. Drop off toys at Avon City Hall, 36080 Chester Road, Avon Police Department, 36145 Detroit Road or the Senior Center, 36786 Detroit Road. For a list of additional locations throughout Lorain County, go to north-ridgeville-oh.toysfortots.org.
AVON LAKE
Winter Wonderland: Girl Scout Troop 50106 is hosting a Winter Wonderland for children ages preschool to fourth-grade Dec. 9 at the Old Firehouse Community Center, 100 Avon Belden Road. There are two sessions available, 10 a.m. to noon, or 2 to 4 p.m. Children can listen to stories while sipping cocoa, make reindeer food, decorate cookies, make a present for someone special, do crafts and play games. There will be 10 stations of activities for kids to enjoy, as well as a reindeer-cam. Kids should wear clothes that can get dirty. Cost is 10 per children and space is limited. The girls are also collecting toys for their Year of Service project. For more information, email troop50106@gmail.com or go to facebook.com/events/862236760606198/?active_tab=about.
Craft Fair: Independence Village, 345 Lear Road, will host a holiday craft fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 9. Admission is $1 to benefit Avon Lake High School National Honor Society. There will be 20 handmade crafters, a Chinese raffle and free hot dog lunch at noon.
Arts center relocates: TrueNorth Cultural Arts is coming back home to Avon Lake. The arts organization has been operating at the French Creek Nature Center in Sheffield Lake for the past 10 years, after leaving Avon Lake. TrueNorth has also been in partnership with the Lorain County Metro Parks during that time. Last year the decision was made not to renew the partnership.
At that time, Rick Fortney, Executive and Artistic Director of TrueNorth began actively researching facilities for TrueNorth's expansion. The search is over and TrueNorth is coming back to Avon Lake. The center will move in January to the former Lesco office building at 739-1 Moore Road on the southeast corner of Pin Oak Parkway and Moore Road. The 12,000-square-foot space has two floors and will give TrueNorth ample space to host events.
In advance of the move, the TrueNorth Christmas Concert will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Emerald Event Center, 33040 Just Imagine Drive, Avon, featuring the TrueNorth Chorale, TrueNorth Chamber Orchestra and The TrueNorth Big Band.
The audience will be seated at round tables surrounded by the three performing groups. A menu will be available to purchase hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Tickets are $28 each or $250 for a table of 10.
The concert is in support of TrueNorth's 'Best is Yet to Come' campaign raising funds for TrueNorths's new home.
Commencement speaker: Avon Lake resident, Rick Chiricosta, will be the guest speaker at the Fall Commencement ceremony at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea Dec. 9.
Approximately 243 undergraduate and 112 graduate students are expected to participate in the ceremony in the Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center.
Chiricosta is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Medical Mutual of Ohio. He has been with the organization for more than 30 years. Prior to his appointment as CEO in January 2009, he served as president of the Life Group for Consumers Life Insurance Company. He is a certified public accountant and member of both the American Institute of CPAs and the Ohio Society of CPAs. He also earned an FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) designation. In 2011, Chiricosta was inducted into the Northeast Ohio Business Hall of Fame, which recognizes key contributors in Cleveland's successful business history.
Chiricosta is also active in the community as he serves as chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and on the boards of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Kidney Foundation of Ohio. He is an executive committee board member of the United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation. In addition, he is a member of the Cuyahoga County Early Childhood Education Partnership Council.
Canceled event: The Holiday at the Lake event planned for Dec. 1 at Veterans Memorial Park (included in last week's Short Takes), and listed in the Avon Lake Parks and Recreation Autumn 2017 newsletter and Old Firehouse November newsletter, was apparently canceled last month.
Thankful for service: Students at Westview Elementary School recently hosted a Service Breakfast to 'thank' those who serve our community for all they do. Dozens of Avon Lake police, fire and EMS personnel were invited to attend the breakfast, as well as parents at Westview who serve either in police, fire or military roles. Student Council members prepared and served the breakfast featuring pancakes, sausage, juice and fruit. The entire student body made cards and decorations for the breakfast.
To fund a portion of the breakfast, Westview Student Council held a "Penny Wars" competition prior to the event. Each class (grades K-4) competed by adding pennies and bills to glass jugs at the school. The school raised $2,347.
Music enrichment: Designed for children with special needs and their families, an engaging music program conducted by local Music on a Mission staff will take place from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Story Time Room at the Avon Lake Public Library. Registration is required. Go to alpl.org or at the Children's desk at the library.
NORTH RIDGEVILLE
Preschool registration: Time to start planning for the 2018-2019 school year. The application process for preschool registration will open online on the Early Childhood Learning Community homepage beginning at 6 a.m. Friday. A section titled, Preschool Registration Now Open, contains a link that will direct you to the online application form. Acceptance into the program is on a first-come, first-serve basis based on classroom availability. Applications are only taken for children who will be 3-years-old and potty-trained as of June 1, 2018. To view the preschool brochure for more information about the program, go to bit.ly/2AVOM7x.
Check presentation: Representatives from the North Ridgeville Lions Club presented more than $4,000 worth of grants for the school district during a recent meeting of the Board of Education.
If you have news to share regarding an event, award or other interesting tidbit happening in Avon or Avon Lake, and North Ridgeville send me an email at jshortavon@aol.com. The column's online version is at Cleveland.com/Avon, which offers direct links for many of the news items listed.