Quite the weekend. Nice of the Curtains UP! Theatre group to throw this big fundraiser party –July 25–for my birthday. Nice event–interesting vendors, tasty eats, vintage beverages, lovely weather, people from all over–something that could just keep going and growing to support the group’s goals for the future. People were coming in for most of the afternoon ,were enjoying the ambiance and meeting their neighbors, investigating the crafts and home-produced goods (Ron Gill’s beautiful wood items, Mistie Obreza’s books, for instance, local honey–it’s good for you), sipping as they went along. Everybody got a look at the new Buckeye Block amphitheatre as well; they may be planning some future activities to take advantage of the new facility one of these days. Jan Blohm has already initiated at least one yoga event there; could be more. Look for additional community-wide presentations as folks begin to take advantage of the space.
And the July 26 Birthday Bash for the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary 100th birthday (1926-2026– and counting) was a solid success also. People came with their children and their dogs. Bill Starcher came with his climb-able critters made from God-knows-what throw-away stuff that had kids crawling all over them (some adults too, of course); the dinosaur, crocodile, sabre-tooth tiger and Sasquatch guy drew plenty of lookers and climbers–picture-takers too. Rotarians from all around came, including some Grand Poohbas (former district governor Bob Oborn) and local lights from Mantua and the Hiram area. There were balls and games for the kids, food for everyone–hot dogs, Hermann’s Pickles, chips and the excellent ice cream sandwiches from Middlefield’s Cowboy Creamery. Nobody had to go home hungry.
Nobody had to go home without seeing the latest community project of the G-H Rotary, the Storybook addition to the Tom Collins Memorial Rotary Walking Trail installed with the co-operation of the Portage County District Library system and the Portage County Park District. The twenty installations of book pages for kids and adults to read while walking from the Garrettsville branch of the PCDL around behind the baseball and softball outfields are up and ready-to-read; some are still available for sponsors, see the PCDL for more information. They will be changed/rotated on a regular basis. The current story features a dachshund which gets to lead an adventurous life but always comes home for the good life.
Also in attendance at this party–though not discovered until it was almost over–was a juvenile raccoon which was first spotted peeking out of one of the trash receptacles. Heck, probably the most fun food he’d ever had. Several folks got a look at the critter; pictures were taken, then there was an escape up a nearby tree. He/she did not stick around for the clean-up. Rotarians did that.
