The 28th Annual Portage County Park District Foundation Awards Dinner and Auction on April 25, was a full-grown success. The evening featured a celebration of fifty years of the county’s original park, Towner’s Woods –and its not-well-known-enough features of a Hopewell Indian Burial Ground, a historic Railroad Switch Tower, a pristine Glacial Kettle Hole Lake, woodlands, wetlands and meadows. Also available were information on upcoming events such as the Happy Hour Hikes on May 12, June 23, July 22, September 26 and November 7–listed venues included Main Street Winery, Yappy Hour at North Water Brewing, Rose’s Cottage, Beckwith’s Apple Orchard and Brimfield Bread Oven. Check ‘em out.
Awards were distributed for Conservation, Environmental Education (2), Green Development( Yay, Aurora !), Environmental Stewardship, Volunteer of Distinction and Lifetime Achievement–let’s hear it for Stevie and Jay Byrne! There was a welcome and reception with tasty appetizers, a buffet, the awards presentations, an update on the Portage County Park District itself and future plans as well as Jane Preston Rose of the board of trustees presenting video vignettes of the award winners. It moved right along. So did the 50/50 drawing which netted over $1200, which was donated back to the PCPDF.
Another aspect of interest was the silent auction, which offered amazing excursions, excellent tickets to local attractions, beautifully-crafted craft/art works, private-chef dinners, baskets of select vintages, dog training services; many of these items were creations of PCPDF members themselves and were evidence of the talent found in the organization. I was particularly impressed by the variety of sponsors and auction contributors for the event, which came from all over the county and even included some foreward-thinkng folks from up Garrettsville way (Windswept Farms, Greendale -Couch Organic Farm, Ace Hardware–for instance) who have not participated before…always room for more.
Since the people of Portage County found it in their hearts to actually FUND the district, its offerings and its ambitions have grown and diversified to include locations and offerings intended to serve the interests of all residents of all ages–activities for kids, tours for seniors, convivial gatherings for the social sorts, adaptive situations for those with special needs and constraints, co-operation with other entities with similar ambitions or goals, restorations ,replantings, recreation. It’s all about being “out and about” in our own place and time.
Visit portagepardistict.org. Plan to attend next year. Plant a tree.
