BRUNSWICK, Ohio — You know you’re from Brunswick when … Miss Cathy’s smiling face pops into your head when you think of the library.
Cathy Hausman, the “story time extraordinaire,” is retiring from the Brunswick Library Children’s Department at the end of January.
Her last story time will be at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 28, and the event is full — with a waiting list. Her colleagues agree: There won’t be a dry eye in the house.
“Miss Cathy is a natural with children, and especially babies.”
“If you’ve never seen a story time with Cathy, I feel sorry for you.”
“She somehow remembers the names of every child she’s ever had in story time, and we are talking thousands of kids, some now adults.”
These are thoughts expressed by a few of her co-workers.
Children’s Department Supervisor Kelly Halleen says, “So many families count on Cathy as their support, helping them get through the early years of parenthood.
“She knows so much about children’s services and being a parent. Her legacy will be felt here, and I’m so glad I got to spend the past few years with her.”
Cathy is the resident puppeteer at the library. While most adults feel silly talking to a hand puppet or making it talk back, Cathy has no such qualms. She brings animals to life with her gestures, voices and animation.
“I had the blessed opportunity to shadow Cathy,” says Teen Librarian Mel Vavra. “I learned more from her in three days than I would have in a semester of graduate school. Her advice and influence will help me all through my career.”
The staff invites anyone who has enjoyed Cathy’s story times or appreciated her service to stop in at the library and create a scrapbook page containing a message and a space to draw your favorite children’s book cover. These will be bound into a memory book of thank-you’s from her many fans.
Surprise: Well, here’s something I never thought I’d be saying. Jim Isabella is running for mayor of Akron.
Yes, this newspaper’s former sports writer and longtime sports talk radio personality has thrown his hat into the ring.
Valerie Hamilton happened to read the story in the Akron Beacon Journal and asked me if it was the same person she remembered from her days as an ad salesperson with the Brunswick-Medina Sun Newspapers.
I was surprised, to say the least. Everyone I’ve contacted from our days gone by are also pretty surprised. Most reporters I know would count running for office as the last thing they’d want to try.
You just never know.
Maybe you’ll win: The Rotary Club of Brunswick has gone live online with its Super Bowl squares, and you can join in the fun at https://events.readysetauction.com/brunswickrotaryfoundation/brunswickrotary2023. The odds have to be better than winning the lottery, right?
Time to register: The Healthy Kids Running Series returns to Brunswick April 23, and now is the time to sign up for this really great program.
Families from all over the area are invited. Your child, ages 2-14, can take part in the five-week spring series held Sunday afternoons at Heritage Farm, 4613 Laurel Road in Brunswick.
Learn all about it and register (or sign up to volunteer) at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Brunswick/HKRSBrunswickOH?rsus=100-200-5188c820-cf26-4c2c-ae87-7dea740f5a57.
Time to think seedlings: Check out the 2023 seedling sales from the Medina County Soil & Water Conservation District at https://medinaswcd.org/. Just go to the January newsletter for the complete list.
I was also interested to see that the Medina County SWCD presented its Conservation Educator of the Year to the staff at St. Ambrose Elementary School in Brunswick.
In its newsletter, SWCD says, “St. Ambrose Elementary School this past year went the extra mile to emphasize conservation to their students by having the majority of students participate in the Earth Day coloring contest.
“When touring the grounds, you can see the many examples of outdoor projects the school has enacted to engage the students and teach them the importance of the land around us.”
You can also read about the 2023 Big Tree Contest (featuring the cucumber magnolia) and last year’s winner. Interesting reading.
Hitting the airwaves: Valley City native Stephen Tako, who runs the Motivated to Act non-profit, had an interesting interview recently. Tako was interviewed on England’s podcast “Over the Rainbow” with host Bob Brown on Beacon of Light Radio.
With acts of violence increasing in schools and children displaying learned behaviors of bullying as early as preschool, we must realize that the anti-bullying methods currently in place are not enough for our children.
Watch this podcast, as concerned parents ask tough questions about how the Motivated To Act program can make a positive difference for children. You can see the whole interview on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muIsBtXpOAQ.
Tako is author of the “Junga the Dancing Yeti” anti-bullying books and videos. He now resides in California, but tries to get home each year.
They know how to write: On Dec. 10, the Medina High School Just Write Team competed against almost 200 local writers in creative writing. The team placed second overall out of 16 schools in the Cloverleaf Regional Competition.
Ten of the writers were chosen to advance to the state competition in May.
In Division 1, Georgia Burtnett, Jaideth Cooper, Sophia Young, Mason Cooper, Nathalie Fellows and Rebecca Riley all advance to the state competition. Medina High School won second place for the division for total points, and Sophia placed 13th overall individually.
In addition, Mason’s poem was recognized as one of the top three in his division and will be automatically published in the season’s Winners Anthology.
In Division II, Livy Douglas, Sidney Frasier, Lucas Kennedy and Sarah Kerrigan all advance to the state competition. The team had three students in the top 15 writers for the day. Sidney placed 11th, Lucas placed ninth and Livy placed eighth overall.
“We are so proud of all our writers for their wonderful storytelling and efforts,” said Medina High School language arts teachers and moderators Amy Hirzel and Ron Douglas.
Dorothy Fuldheim comes to life: The Weymouth Preservation Society will present Carol Starre-Kmiecik as legendary newscaster, radio and TV broadcaster, commentator and writer Dorothy Fuldheim.
It will be at 2 p.m. March 19 at the Weymouth Preservation Society, 3314 Myers Road in Medina.
The diminutive redhead began her television career on WEWS-TV 5 in 1955, and many of us grew up with her. She traveled all over the world, interviewing notables such as Golda Meir, Chiang Kai-Shek, Gypsy Rose Lee, the Duke of Windsor, Bob Hope and Mussolini.
Her penchant for adding her own commentary and opinions to her interviews and newscasts endeared — and occasionally enraged — her viewers.
A dessert reception will follow the event. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. to visit the preservation society’s exhibit on “Ladies’ Bygones: Accessories 1820s to 1950s.”
Tickets are $26 ($22 for WPS members) by sending a check to WPS, 3314 Myers Road, Medina OH 44256. Please include your email or text. ADA-accessible restrooms and parking adjacent. Call 330-697-4320 for more information.
Black History Month at MCDL: The Medina County District Library reflects on Black History Month with events beginning in late January covering black history, genealogy and struggles for freedom.
“Looking for My Babies: Freedmen Searching for Family,” will be on Zoom at 6 p.m. Jan. 25. In the wake of Emancipation, African-Americans searched for missing family members. Learn to search the Freedmen’s Bureau and newspapers to discover stories from your own family’s history. Presented by Ari Wilkins. Optional viewing at the Medina Library.
“The Life of Frederick Douglass will be presented at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Brunswick Library. The life, career, accomplishments, and legacy of Douglass will be presented by the National Park Service. Zoom option available.
“Spies & Coded Quilts of the Civil War” will be presented at the Buckeye Library at 2 p.m. Feb. 25. Local historian Kathy Kraus will share stories from Sarah Emma Edmonds, a Civil War spy, and the role of quilts in the Underground Railroad and the Civil War.
Medina County funds seek grant proposals: Beginning Feb. 1, the Medina County Community Fund and the Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation will accept grant proposals from nonprofit organizations that improve Medina County residents’ quality of life.
Grant applications will be available online at www.akroncf.org/applyMCCF and www.akroncf.org/applyMCWEF. Applications are due March 1.
Prior to applications opening, fund representatives will answer grant seekers’ questions during a virtual information session at 4 p.m. Jan. 26. A representative from Akron Community Foundation will also be available to answer questions about the online application process.
Attendance at the information session is not required to receive funding, but is strongly encouraged. To register for the information session, visit www.akroncf.org/MedinaGrantInfoSession.
Last year, the two funds combined awarded nearly $60,000 to programs that enrich the lives of Medina County residents. Qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive one grant per fund per calendar year. Both funds will announce their grants in June.
For more information about applying for a grant, contact John Garofalo, Akron Community Foundation’s vice president of community investment, at 330-436-5624 or jgarofalo@akroncf.org.
Close call: Just heard from former Brunswick Councilman George Staursky, who tells me he “went in for what is described as routine back surgery and found there is no such thing as routine surgery.”
He ended up with two months in the hospital and rehab because of blood clots, but says: “I am still alive lol. I still cannot walk without a walker; the physical therapist claims I will make a full recovery, but it will take time.”
Of course, he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. His last sentence was: “I only lost 35 pounds lol.”
Birthday time: Wishing happy birthday to Brunswick City Manager Carl DeForest, who celebrates on Jan. 27. Also wishing him a speedy recovery as he rehabs from surgery.
Purses with a Purpose: Clever name for an upcoming event to benefit the Medina County Senior and Adult Foundation.
Carecore at Willowood and The Western Reserve Masonic Community team up for an evening of light appetizers and wine from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Western Reserve Masonic Community, 4931 Nettleton Road in Medina.
Tickets are $25. For information, call Devon Dielo at 330-635-7117. Help support our senior community.
Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com.
Credit: Source link