Articles by Iva Walker
Ha Ha!
`You thought that spring had come, just because you looked at a calendar and got out your flip-flops and sunscreen (I wear sunglasses all year, so that’s really no indication), not to mention making pool plans. Think again, Hummingbird-watcher.
I DID hang out four loads of wash on the line to …
Due to circumstances beyond our control….
Garrettsville – Sincere apologies and grateful thanks go to the folks who showed up for the Machine-0-Mania / Touch-A-Truck event last Saturday at Garfield H.S.
Rotary Report
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians we’re offered renewed insights on the operations and goals of the Coleman Professional Services–Fostering Recovery, Building Independence, Changing Destinies–being offered to the citizens of Portage, Summit, Stark and Trumbull counties here in northeast Ohio and in Allen, Auglaize and Hardin counties in northwestern Ohio.
Getting Old is NOT for Sissies!
Just dealing with the medical and insurance issues is enough to send a rational individual(That would be me…no snickering out there) around the bend.
I will be the first to admit that my medical and insurance issues are–knock on wood–WAY less fraught with difficulty than many other folk out there who …
Intimate Gathering for 2013 HOF Inductees
A select but enthusiastic group, including previous honorees, Mitch Collins ’76, John Bennett ’77 and Darrin Perusek ’93, attended the 5th annual James A. Garfield Hall of Fame induction on Saturday, April 27, 2013 in the HS/MS Commons honoring Martin Paul ‘61 and Mark Manno ’74.
The social hour allowed family …
Unique Ribbon Cutting at S&K Sales & Service
Garrettsville – The newest business to locate in Garrettsville, S&K Sales & Service, Inc., held a Grand Opening celebration at their new location at 8018 French St. Success at their previous venue in Freedom Township led the family–and it IS a family operation, with everyone pitching in at everything from …
Rotary Report
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians hit the trail last Saturday for their semi-annual roadside clean-up between–where else–Garrettsville and Hiram. Interact members from James A. Garfield High School–Laura Wilburn, Brittany Sisson, Abigail Hahn, Laura Curby, and Annie Sheller–assisted in completing the project then joined Rotarians at McDonald’s for a pick-me-up after the effort. Many …
Become a Master Gardener
The Ohio State University extends itself into every county in the state–all 88 of them. These are called–what else–extension offices and they offer information, advice and services to local residents. This can cover agriculture & natural resources, community development, nutrition, family & consumer science, 4-H programs–a whole bunch of things. …
Caution ~ Auction!
The Kiko folks have taken to putting up signs of this nature along roads where one of their commercial activities is going on, and with good reason. These secondary highways are plenty full of just plain drivers, let alone the avid auction-goers looking for a place to park–without sliding into …
Hangin’ with the Literati…or just hangin’?
Cool event in Hudson recently. The Hudson Library and Historical Society–in their amazing facility in back of Off Main (It really IS off Main St.) entertained a whole slew of Ohio authors, who proved to be pretty amazing in their own right.
Garfield Historical Society News
The James A. Garfield Historical Society meeting on April 15 hosted two guests–Jim Shank, who brought information on the county’s revolving loan fund (terms and requirements for projects) and Tommie Jo Marsilio, county commissioner, offering similar commentary on possible undertakings involving county support. Re-roofing of the Mott Building and the …
Once more, with feeling. . .
Garrettsville – Two more distinguished alumni are set to enter the James A. Garfield Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 27. Tickets for the dinner and the presentation are still available by contacting Sheri Johnson at 330-527-5384.
This year’s honorees are Mark Manno, ‘74 and Martin Paul, ’61.
VROOM! VROOM! VROOM!
Garrettsville – It’s that time again. James A.Garfield High School’s Academic Challenge team, the Quiz Masters, will once again be sponsoring their fund-raising event, Machine-O-Mania/ Touch-A-Truck, at the Garfield parking area on Saturday, May 11 from 11:00 to 3:00.
It’s a chance for kids of all ages to see the big …
How’s your Easter Bonnet look with snow on it?
Good Grief! Polar Fleece and long johns, peeps and bunnies with frost on their little noses…er…beaks…er …whatever. Deep frozen chocolate eggs and jelly beans, rock-hard marshmallow anything. How crazy has this season been so far? This is Spring from the old days, the ones where hardy ancestors walked two miles …
Music Lovers Take Note
Music lovers, seekers after interesting stuff,…here’s your calendar of events coming up in the Hiram College Music department; you’re all invited.
Tuesday, April 2–7:30 p.m.–Hayden Auditorium
–Wind Ensemble, Ken Young, conductor
Thursday, April 4–12:15-1:15 p.m.–Frohring Recital Hall
–Spring Honors Convocation–outstanding student performers
Thursday, April 4 –7:30 p.m.–Hiram Christian Church
–Alexis Alvorado, Junior Recital
Friday, April 5–7:30 p.m.–Hiram …
Rotary Report
Garrettsville – The members of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club are getting their stuff together. Organizing is the name of the game.
The Game’s Afoot, Watson!
Garrettsville – After the very well-executed refurbishing of the façade on Garrettsville’s Main St., other projects and proposals may be coming to life. Watch the space between the Windham St. bridge and Water St. The upright portion–once-upon-a-time the Foote Carriage Company, most recently Pauls’ Feed Mill–is apparently, basically, sound …
Spring Things
How’re you liking Spring so far?
Yes, indeedy, the official astronomical beginning of Spring was on Wednesday, March 20 at 7:02, EDT ( Or 11:02, UTC). Actually, I lied; according to the Farmer’s Almanac there is no “official” start to any of the seasons. That all depends upon the climate of …
Garrettsville–Hiram Rotary Report
Garrettsville – The Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club celebrated another successful Family Week by beginning to plan for another…and by extending thanks to all who contributed to that success–donors, contributors and sponsors, entrants, participants and winners (Everybody was a winner, really), directors, planners and members…the whole shootin’ match of ‘em. Back next …
Only Four More Days to Go!
Mantua Twp. - Ellie Foster Monroe’s Big Bash had just four more dates on the calendar–March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16–for all of you Mantua Township folks to stop in, free of charge, to see the facilities available at the Mantua Center School, lately acquired by the township …
Carbon Nation
The Sierra Club invites you to join them at Hiram College on Tuesday, March 26th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. in Room 123 in Gerstacker Hall to view the film, “Carbon Nation”. The event is free and open to the public–all local residents, Hiram College students, staff and faculty. There …
Going, Going, Gone!
Well, going to an auction is often an adventure. This last one, though, was more than I had bargained for.
First of all, it was being held at what must, surely, have been the last–or nearly the last–farm in Aurora. I saw a sign –kind of faded–that seemed to indicate that …
Twentieth Century Club News
Members of the Twentieth Century Club of Garrettsville and their guests were recently treated to a program presented by one of their talented members, Pat Amor, on the recently-renovated pipe organ in the Garrettsville United Methodist Church. The opening toccata was just a foretaste of the enjoyment to come.
Rotary Report
The last meeting involved gearing up for the district Four-Way Speech Contest coming up on March 23 at Aurora High School. Local high school speakers are urged to sign up to participate…cash prizes and good practice for real-world situations. The local competition will take place on March 18. Speak up, …
Super Bowl XLVII
So…O.K., …I took notes….not during the Super Bowl game, which didn’t turn out quite as I had hoped, but of the commercials that paid for all of the hoopla. Mercy, what an assortment!
Rotary Report
Garrettsville – More Family Week prep for the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary–Carolyn Miller, liaison with the Windham Schools, outlined her very thorough plans and procedures promoting all phases of the operation. She’s an organizer! Other facets of the festivities–recognition for couples married fifty years or more (seeking nominations), contests (and judging of …
Family Week is a GO!
Garrettsvelle-Hiram Rotarians are rarin’ to go with all aspects of the familiar local activity, focused on highlighting just about everything about families, all kinds, all ages, all the time. Keep an eye out for more information as the dates draw near. Threre’ll be something for everyone. And if you want …
Hiram Music Events
Looking for a little adventure, a little touch of world travel to your musical experience? Well, then, the Music Department at Hiram College has just the thing for you. And it’s all free!
Sunday, February 17–Traditional Irish session, 2:00–learn tunes, 3:00–Open session, play away! Frohring Recital Hall
Friday, February 22–Shanua ~ Irish …
How do I get on these lists?
How do I get on these lists?
Bad enough that I get pleas from every animal rescue organization on the planet–puppies, kittens, polar bears, horses, donkeys, whales, big cats, farm animals, exotic animals (I tend to hope that abusers, traffickers and slaughterers will all fry in hell), you name ‘em. I …
Rotary Report
After their wild, bacchanalian Christmas party, the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians have their noses back to the grindstone and have launched their new year’s first round of community projects.
The Theahtah in G-Ville
Garrettsville – Excellent production of Neil Simon’s “The Dinner Party” by Curtains Up Theatre: Stylishly minimal set evoking a private dining room in a Parisian restaurant. Well-drilled and competent cast portraying everything from cluelessness to irony with great comedic effect. An unexpected denouement exposing some of the many facets of …
Restoration
Hiram – What really needed restoration at the end of the hike was my pair of boots, which were never intended to stand up to THAT much mud.
This was another adventure offered by the Friends of the Hiram Field Station, which has been organizing expeditions to quite a number of …
The Muse Is Angered
Well, I just hate it when electrical things get weird and I have to do something about the situation without having a CLUE as to how to approach the problem.
So, I go to start writing another of my pieces of deathless prose for inclusion in The Weekly Villager ( This …
Miscellaneous Factoids
Musicians!
Check out the possibilities of playing in the Hiram Chamber Orchestra. Rehearsals are held on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 in Frohring Recital Hall. Lockers are available in the Frohring Music Building; instruments are available if your old sackbut or bassoon is in traction for a while. This can be …
What We Got For Christmas
Y’ know that old pop/novelty song, “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”? He sort of lisps and whistles through the tune. Real cute. Ever wonder what the kid actually GOT for Christmas?
Rotary Report
The members of Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary recently hosted the assistant District Governor of District 6630, George Schumacher, for the induction ceremony confirming new members Caitlin Ellerhorst Lawless, Mary Ann Brockett, Tom Collins and Don Holtry (LDS corporate member).
Party On!
Well, yes, it IS that season of the year when all sorts of disparate groups have their annual Christmas parties. The barrage has begun already.
Hiram College hosted a seasonal soiree last week for Friends (That’s Friends, with a capital F), faculty types and festive individuals of all stripes, featuring a …
Forsooth!!
Prithee, milords and miladies, hast thou fetched thy silken smallclothes and finest gowns? Hast thou brought thy doublet and jerkin from the wardrobe? Art thy jewels brought from the strongroom? Dost thou have thy tickets to the Yuletide Revels?
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary News
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians are on the move again. They’re planning for their annual Christmas party on December 17…including the White Elephant gift exchange, which is always a hit(lots of peanuts). They’re finalizing their lists (addresses, not who’s been naughty or nice) for the Santa gift delivery on December 23–any donations got …
Ooooooops!
The Hiram Community Chorus Program will be at 7:30 on Friday, December 7, 2012. Mea culpa! Must have been thinking of some OTHER festivity going on during this busy holiday season. Wasn’t there a movie with a title something like, “Every Night, Josephine”? That’s what it’s like around here …
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary News
New member, Caitlin Ellerhorst Lawless provided the program for the November 26 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club, held in the Kennedy Center’s Elmer Jagow Room because the Hiram College Dining Hall was closed for the Thanksgiving break.
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary News
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians, meeting in the Hiram College Dining Hall on November 19, began their planning for the 2013 Family Week activities, one of the community projects that been a hallmark of the group’s local outreach. Contacts for the participation of area groups and individuals will be beginning soon and those …
Music lovers, mark your calendars!
On Friday, December 7, the Hiram Community Choruses–Hiram Women’s Chorus, directed by Damaris Peters Pike and Hiram Men’s Chorus, directed by Jose’ Gotera–will present “Sounds of the Season”, a selection of both familiar and adventurous pieces incorporating the vocal instruments of the participants, harp, recorder, drum and the accomplished accompaniment …
Omnishambles
Omnishambles.
That, declares the Oxford English Dictionary–OED, to friends and family–is the word of the year, 2012, presumably, though it seems to have got its start in 2009 on a British political satire TV show. I’m sure you’ve used it countless times since then, right? It did manage to gain some …
J.A. Garfield Historical Society News
The James A. Garfield Historical Society met on November 19, 2012 at the historic Mott Building headquarters to conduct current business and a–you should pardon the expression–post mortem–of the recently-completed 2012 Christmas Walk.
Twentieth Century Club News
The Twentieth Century Club of Garrettsville met on Thursday, November 15 on the premises of the Eagle Creek Growers on Asbury Rd. for an interesting and informative introduction to the holiday season and some of the people who provide some of its traditional trappings.
Christmas Walk 2012-Part I
Garrettsville – Another Candlelight Tour has passed into history but the Christmas Walk goes on.
What a cool Walk it is too! Actually, it was closer to COLD than cool most of the time on the opening weekend but there were plenty of folks who braved the wintry blasts and the …
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary News
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotarians are geared up for their annual Reverse Raffle and Silent Auction fund-raiser, to be held at SugarBush Golf Course. Ticket sales are on-going and can be purchased from any member; stop in at the Business Works or McCumbers-Brady Realty for more information or tickets. It promises to be …
Volunteers? Do I hear volunteers?
Here’s your chance to check into the current scene amongst the “younger set”. Portage County has a regular program of Quiz Bowl competitions hosted by the participating schools–Garfield, Ravenna, Field, Streetsboro, Southeast, Waterloo, Aurora (which also presents the Early Bird Open Tournament), Rootstown and a new (outside) addition, Lake Christian …
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock!
Here comes the Crocodile!
In my role as drama critic for the Weekly Villager (No rest for the wicked, as my father used to say), I recently took in the Baldwin Wallace University Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of J. M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan”. Quite an evening!
One of the motivating …
