BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- Who knew? I had no clue that St. Columbanus was the patron saint of motorcyclists. That was, until I saw the photos from St. Ambrose Parish’s Blessing of the Bikes held last weekend.
Of course, I had to look it up. St. Columbanus was born in Ireland a very long time ago. I found the story on Wikipedia, in case you want to read about him, too.
Obviously, a lot of motorcycle enthusiasts knew about this, judging by the size of the crowd for the blessings. And all this was on the same day as the St. Ambrose Community Day, so there was no shortage of things to do that day.
New member: The Medina Breakfast Kiwanis have a new member. Roy Lehman was inducted and then gave Richard Ziegler his new member pin last week.
Richard is retired from First Energy and was looking for a community service volunteer opportunity. He is a Medina resident who is active in his church and is already a Feeding Medina County volunteer.
He wanted to join a service club, and Breakfast Kiwanis is the perfect fit, notes newsletter author Alan Penn.
Kids Arts Camp: Medina County Arts invites all aspiring artists -- in visual arts, dance and theater -- to attend its first annual Kids Arts Camp July 11-13.
The camp will expose children going into grades 1 through 6 to the arts and allow them to experience the joy that creativity can bring.
Kids Arts Camp will be held from 9 a.m. to noon that Monday through Wednesday at United Church of Christ Congregational, 217 E. Liberty St. in Medina.
On Wednesday, July 13, the camp will conclude with a Kids Arts Fest from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Medina’s square. The whole community is invited to enjoy the artwork and performances created by camp students, along with face painting, make-it-take-it crafts and a performance by Violin Bowman students. Lunch will be available for purchase from Medina Kiwanis.
Each class will be taught by local professionals with the assistance of volunteers. The arts experiences include:
• Sculpt, Paint, Create!, taught by Kelly Harrison, art teacher at Brunswick Middle School. Kelly will present three-dimensional art lessons that will challenge and inspire participants to exceed their expectations, regardless of their natural abilities or perceived limitations.
• The Art of Dance, taught by a Medina Centre for Dance Art professional instructor. The dance educators from Medina Centre for Dance Art share a philosophy to create a world where everyone can access the magic of dance. Students will explore several different dance genres, including jazz, ballet and modern. They will learn a dance and enjoy some choreography exploration.
• Magical Theater, taught by Amanda Kidd from Magical Theatre Co. Amanda is a professional actor and artist-educator who has been a member of Magical Theatre Company for eight years, appearing in dozens of professional plays for young audiences, as well as teaching in after-school programs, camps and other workshops.
The fee per student is $50, with a maximum of 60 students accepted. Financial assistance is available for students currently on the free or reduced-price lunch program.
Contact the Medina County Arts Council directly at [email protected] for more information. Online registration is available at www.medinacountyartscouncil.org, then click on the MCAC Events tab or click on this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcu5qtaVQB7akiELAeYF-bEkQWVpl-Fl4Br2Mlxb5G4ifFDQ/viewform
Celebrating students' service above self, from left, Tom and Jennifer Csanyi, Taylor Csanyi, Becky Abell Shotwell, Jennifer Graham, Kayleigh Graham, Nolan Freeland, Tara Freeland and William Koran. Maxwell Gabrielson was unable to attend. (Photo Courtesy of David Lariviere)
Scholarships awarded: Graduating seniors Kayleigh Graham from Buckeye High School, Nolan Freeland from Cloverleaf High School, Taylor Csanyi from Highland High School and Maxwell Gabrielson from Medina High School were each presented with a scholarship award certificate for $1,000 from Medina Sunrise Rotary Club at the annual Carl Abell Memorial Service Above Self Scholarship Awards Breakfast at Pride One in Medina.
“These highly competitive scholarships are named in honor of past Rotary District governor Carl Abell and represent a legacy of academic excellence, ‘service above self’ and leadership in the community,” stated Scholarship Chairman William Koran on behalf of his scholarship committee.
As a local role model for the students and a visible example of excellence, service and leadership, Becky Abell Shotwell delivered the keynote address, honoring the legacy of her father, Carl Abell.
“I challenge you today to do two things: First, be involved with your community, your family, your friends and your future, and second, be passionate in your dreams, thoughts, words and actions. If you remember this and do this, you will be successful in making a positive impact on the lives of the people you meet,” Shotwell said.
To contact the club, ask any question or make suggestions as it moves forward with another year of adventure and “Service Above Self,” go to www.medinasunriserotary.com.
Josh the Otter visited schools to promote water safety to the youngest students. (Photo Courtesy of Marsha Pappalardo)
Safe near the water: The Rotary Club of Brunswick completed this year’s Josh the Otter Water Safety Program for young students in the Brunswick schools. Tiffany Safran headed up the effort again, and the club thanked her and those that supported her (especially those that wore the otter costume!).
And a special shout-out to longtime Rotarian Tony Giovinazzo, who is 90 years old May 25th. He practiced dentistry in Brunswick for 32 years and continues to attend Brunswick Rotary meetings.
The club also welcomed Robert Kirkpatrick, who became a member before he left the meeting.
Don’t forget: The Medina Chorus Concert will be held at 3 p.m. June 5 at Medina United Methodist Church on Foote Road. For ticket and other information, visit http://medinachorus.com/.
Anniversary tea: In celebration of The Medina County Historical Society’s 100 years, the public is invited to attend a “Tea with Cora Munson” at 1 p.m. Aug. 7 at the McDowell-Phillips House Museum.
Joining guests for tea will be Cora Munson (portrayed by Kathy Kraus), who was an early force in the Medina County Historical Society and later donated her home to be the society’s first museum.
After tea, Cora will take us back to the early 1900s to share her fondest memories. As an added bonus, guests will be treated to a guided tour of Cora’s home, the Munson House (directly across the street from the McDowell-Phillips House). The current owners, Charlie and Beth Ramer, will lead the tour. Guests will also be invited to tour the McDowell-Phillips House Museum.
Reservations end June 15. Seating is limited, so sign up early. To register for the tea and make payment, contact Judy Davanzo at 330-592-0061. When payment is received, your reservation will be confirmed. Cost is $35 for MCHS members; $40 for nonmembers.
The society reminds potential guests that there are steps involved in accessing and touring the McDowell-Phillips House Museum and the Munson House.
Parking is available on nearby side streets. Parking is not permitted on Blake Street (north side of the McDowell-Phillips House Museum).
Happy anniversary: It’s been 25 years since the Friends of the Cemetery were formed for Spring Grove Cemetery. What a great job they’ve done with the Spring Grove and Old Town cemeteries in Medina, thanks to the financial help of local residents and foundations.
Awareness: May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you haven’t checked out the interesting newsletter, Medina Mental Health Matters, here’s a chance. Just go to https://www.smore.com/yn29ae-medina-s-mental-health-matters.
The information is gathered by Ron Blue and Christine Quallich, who are familiar names to the Medina City School District community. They provide a lot of really great information.
Good people: I recently heard from Pat and Bob Drum, who are now permanent Florida residents. They’ll be visiting back home in Brunswick in early September, and I’m looking forward to seeing them, as I imagine are all of their many friends.
Grants and awards: The Medina County Arts Council Board of Trustees is pleased to award five art teacher grants this year, totaling $1,583.37.
Awards went to Nancy Dake (Lodi Family Center), $400; Jennifer Vilimonovic (Hobby Horse), $300; Lisa Wallen (Wadsworth Middle School), $400; Amanda Montana (St. Francis Xavier, Medina), $125; and Sally Lucas (Isham Elementary School in Wadsworth), $358.37.
The organization also awarded 11 grants to community arts organizations, totaling $8,810, for their 2022 programs.
Recipients are ORMACO, $650; Medina Chorus. Inc., $325; Wadsworth Community Band, $325; Brunswick Middle School Drama Club, $786.50; Access the Arts, $390; Writers in Residence, $650; Wadsworth Community Radio, $650; Integrated Community Solutions Inc., $507; Medina County Show Biz, $650; Cloverleaf High School World Language Club, $143; and the Medina Community Band Association, $650.
Watch for more information about 2022 Arts Week, coming up July 9-17. You can check it out at https://www.medinacountyartscouncil.org/.
Contact Boyer at [email protected]