‘I survived Route 65′ and other T-shirt slogans: Whit and Whimsey

BRUNSWICK, Ohio – I’m considering creating a couple of new T-shirts.

After a family emergency trip to the panhandle of Florida, I think, “I survived Route 65” would be the first one.

“It’s hotter in Cleveland than Florida” would be another.

Perhaps some of the businesses we passed in small Alabama/Tennessee/Florida towns would be good. How about the gas station store “Gitty-up-and-Go” as one?

If I ever had to do a similar trip, I’d avoid Interstate 65 even if it meant losing time and adding mileage. There were accidents everywhere, many blocking the highway and most involving semis.

After stopping for what seemed a very long time during one of these episodes (and not knowing what was going on except for the “crash” mark on our GPS, we slowly moved past an accident that I initially thought was a mobile home in shreds – like the ones you see when a tornado has hit a mobile home park.

The cab of the truck seemed OK but the trailer was shredded. Strips of metal were everywhere and the cargo of “Crown Royal” was smashed, except for the part closest to the cab.

I thought with an alcoholic cargo it would make the local news for sure.

Among the many things I learned along the route was that when you see “Road Work Ahead” signs, it only applies in Ohio and Florida. We saw absolutely no people working in Kentucky, Tennessee or Alabama.

My daughter, granddaughter and I have decided it is a ruse to get you to go from the posted 70 mph speed to 55 or 65 to avoid “double fees” for speeding in a work zone. No one with a local license plate ever slowed down when we did.

We were treated to a beautiful sunset on the way home about the time we hit the Ohio state line. It lasted for several hours, making it easier to keep our eyes open.

I was very glad to get back home safely even though it will take some time to catch up on sleep.

A great gift: Members of the Optimist Club of Brunswick attended the Brunswick Board of Education meeting on June 18 to present a check in the amount of $1,651.88 to pay for lunch balances from the past school year. The Club was assisted with the donation by Synergy Worldwide, an employer of Club member Deborah Cunningham. The company learned of the problem and offered to help.

“The Optimist Club of Brunswick and Synergy Worldwide recognize that families can have a tough time making ends meet; and this is our way of helping kids,” said Optimist Club President Dean Holman.

I’m sure those parents are extremely grateful for the help.

Splishy, Splashy: The Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities is presenting a “Toddler Summer Splash Party” for families with children from infants to 3-year-olds at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 10 at Fred Greenwood Park and Splash Pad, 350 West Sturbridge Drive, Medina.

All children, especially toddlers, learn best by exploring the world around them and having time to grow through play. That is why the MCBDD has created its “Play, Learn and Grow Playgroup,” a community playgroup for young children and their parents/guardians. The goal of the group is to provide fun and informal community gatherings, based on a specific theme, which gives young families a chance to meet, form connections and share experiences and challenges of raising toddlers.

During this event, MCBDD’s Early Intervention staff will be providing opportunities for sensory play, songs, toddler activities, early childhood development information and, of course, snacks.

“Young children learn best from each other, which is why activities like our Play, Learn and Grow Group are great opportunities for families of young children to gather, have some fun with their child and meet and learn from new toddler playmates,” states Celeste Bajorek, MCBDD Director of Children’s Services.

The “Toddler Summer Splash Party” is free and open to any family with children up to age 3 with or without disabilities. No registration is needed. Families are reminded to wear clothes that can get wet and bring a towel if they will be using the splash pad. In case of rain, event updates will be posted on the MCBDD website at https://www.mcbdd.org/ For more information or questions, contact the MCBDD Early Intervention staff at 330-725-7751, option 1 or visit www.mcbdd.org/event-calendar/

Girls Lacrosse camp: Medina High School Varsity staff, college players, and current high school players will be conducting a fun and competitive camp designed to improve individual skills and get a better understanding of the game of Lacrosse. Learn the skills that it takes to play this fast-paced and exciting game at the middle-school and high-school level from 10 a.m. to noon July 8-12 at Ken Dukes Stadium. Players from all area programs are welcome. No Lacrosse experience is necessary. There is equipment available to borrow. Contact early to arrange this.

The $90 fee includes jersey, water bottle, balls and more. For registration go to https://medinaathletics.com/tickets/. For further information, contact Coach Dan O’Brien at (c) 330-421-5267 or at [email protected]

The Best of Medina County: The Educational Service Center of Medina County recently announced this year’s award winners of the “Best of Medina County” High School Art Show held in May at Medina Medical Office Building, South. The event was presented by the ESC in partnership with Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital.

The goal of this year’s juried art show is to provide recognition to as many students as possible. High school students were eligible to participate, and artwork submitted was to be each student’s very best. Artwork was also to be original, school appropriate, and created in conjunction with school assignments. This year 68 students from four Medina County school districts entered 100 pieces of artwork. Sponsors who helped make this year’s awards possible were Dominic’s Pizzeria, George and Mary Marg Marquis, VCS Salon and Spa, and Brenda Zacharias.

Izzy Castillo, a graduating senior from Medina High School and the Medina County Career Center, was awarded Best of Show for her “Animals Overlapped” painting. She received a $300 award from the ESC, sponsored by George and Mary Marg Marquis. Her high school art teacher was Lauren Smith. The judges found that Izzy is an exceptionally skilled and passionate artist who carries a sketchbook daily, capturing realistic yet playful illustrations of her surroundings and bringing her unique perspective to life on canvas. She spends time creating artwork both in and out of her scheduled art classes and is known for her extraordinary artwork throughout the community and beyond through social media.

Izzy just completed the Digital Art and Technology Program at the Medina County Career Center and plans to continue her art education at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall.

Each of the following award winners received a gift card from the ESC to a local art supply store.

Ceramics: First Place - Kainoa Piskach – Pyramid, Brunswick High School, Rhonda Januszewski, teacher; Second Place - Kylie Clark - Ceramic Teapot, Highland High School, Pat Wise, teacher.

Digital Illustration: First Place- Sierra Trent - Lucky Eye and Second Place - Natalie Myers - The Glass Bubbled Boiling Jellyfish, both Buckeye High School, Adam Zbydnowski, teacher.

Digital Photography: First Place - Alex Swantek - Metal Maze; Buckeye High School, Adam Zbydnowski, teacher.

Drawing: Second Place - Sarah Kerrigan - Dear Universe, Medina High School, Lauren Smith, teacher.

Mixed Media: Second Place - Nicole Grimes - How the Mighty Have Fallen, Highland High School, Bonnie Kubilus, teacher.

Painting: First Place - Sidney Frazier - Bird Painting, Seagulls and Second Place - Alexis Warnement - Enlightened Waters, both Medina High School, Lauren Smith, teacher.

Portrait Painting: First Place - Izzy Castillo - Butterfly and Eyeball and Second Place - Jay Milewski – Zoey, Medina High School, Lauren Smith, teacher.

Printmaking: First Place - Ruth Musser - Holiday Valley, Highland High School, Bonnie Kubilus, teacher; Second Place - Amelia Waibel - Chasing White Rabbits, Buckeye High School, Adam Zbydnowski, teacher.

Scratchboard Drawing: First Place - Nicole Iwasieczko - Crumbling Time, and Second Place - Nicole Iwasieczko – Adalyne, both Highland High School, Bonnie Kubilus, teacher.

Sculpture: First Place - Izahia Bailey - Lighthouse Lamp, Brunswick High School, Rhonda Januszewski, teacher; Second Place - Isabella Majzun - Found Objects, Highland High School, Pat Wise, teacher.

An “Art and Law” component was added to this year’s Visual Art Festival, and the ESC was pleased to make this opportunity available to our artistically-talented high school students. Judge William Hutson personally selected 26 pieces of 2-D student artwork from 60 entries. These pieces will be framed and then displayed in the Medina County Court of Common Pleas for two years. If there is continued interest from the schools and students, artwork will be rotated every two years.

Brunswick High School - Ella Barker - Painting – Acceptance; Chloe Bowser - Painting - Heat Hands; Sydney Gensler - Drawing - Cross Contour Collage and Raegan Remendowski - Painting - Reaching Out.

Buckeye High School - Angel Kopnicky - Painting - Dance of Roses; Angel Kopnicky - Painting - Night Under the Stars; Natalie Myers - Digital Illustration -The Glass Bubbled Boiling Jellyfish; Natalie Myers - Digital Illustration - Spoilers of the End; Alex Swantek - Digital Photography - Metal Maze; Sierra Trent - Digital Illustration - Lucky Eye; Sierra Trent - Digital Illustration - Shiny Night; Amelia Waibel - Printmaking - Chasing White Rabbits; Amelia Waibel - Drawing - Devil Frog/

Highland High School - Kaden VanDuyne - Digital Photography – Goat.

Medina High School - Leah Andrews - Block Print - Starry Moth; Leah Andrews - Intaglio Print - Tiger Lily (of the Valley); Sidney Frazier - Intaglio Print - Raptor/Serpent.

Making music: Rolando Pizana will bring his vibrant tropical and Latin music experience to Medina’s Square from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 27 as part of a fun family concert hosted by Access the Arts and the Medina County Arts Council.

Bring your chairs and grab the kids for a fun night of lively tropical and Latin music. Kids can make and take their own percussion instruments and shakers to play along with the band at 6:30 pm. Music will start at 7 p.m.

Pizana is an Akron Public Schools music teacher who loves making kids smile. He plays all over Northeast Ohio and can make any gathering feel like a party with his Caribbean-inspired tunes. His band includes steel drum, percussion, guitar, keyboards and saxophone. He is especially family friendly and loves to engage kids to dance under the limbo stick.

Brownie sundaes will be served by Access the Arts and the Medina County Arts Council for donations.

Open House: The Medina County Historical Society will hold an Open House at the John Smart House Museum, 206 N. Elmwood, Medina, from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, July 7. This will be a self-guided tour of the museum. There will be docents in various locations throughout the museum to answer questions and provide some interesting facts. Admission donation prices are $5 for adults, $4 for Seniors, $3 for Students 7 – 18. Children under 7 are free with a hand-holding adult. MCHS members receive a discount. Last tour starts at 3:30. If you have any questions, call 330-722-1341 or mail [email protected] .

Student volunteers: The Brunswick Area Historical Society was one recipient of some extra volunteer help last week during Embark in the Service of God Junior High Summer Service Camp. The young men moved bricks and blocks away from the white buildings at Heritage Farm that are being scraped and prepared for painting this summer. It was a very hot day but they got it done! I was glad to hear the next day they were being treated to a day at Cedar Point just for fun. They earned it.

Sign up: Medina County Arts Camp, presented by access the Arts will be held from 8:30-11:45 a.m. July 22-24 for children grades 1-5 who will be able to experience creativity and self-expression through 2D and 3D art, dance and music. Licensed teachers will be teaching at United Church of Christ, 217 E. Liberty St., Medina. Cost is $80 per child and you can register at www.accessthearts.net. Registration is limited by space available. There will also be a Kids Art Festival on the Medina Square from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the final day, July 24, to celebrate the campers whose work will be displayed.

Contact Boyer at [email protected] .