Iva Walker

Okay. Okay. I understand that the internet is a way for folks to make connections and get information and learn stuff but I seem to have been plugged in to some weird social media groups. In the first place, I have mentioned before that, apparently, somebody thinks that my...

Allison Powell of the James A. Garfield National Historic Site–Lawnfield–in Mentor was the presenter for the local James A.Garfield Historical Society’s program on Victorian weddings.. She opened with a predictive poem on weddings in general and proceeded to illustrate how wedding customs developed in the United Kingdom–Britain specifically–because Queen Victoria,...

Festive, it was at the Garrett’s Mill Brewing Company on June 11, 2026, celebrating the 100th birthday of Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club; 1926–2026 is a landmark stretch for any organization, particularly one so connected to the community and so involved with good works. Guests were there representing grand pooh-bahs of District...

Always something to be gained by attending an alumni gathering. Sometimes it’s just the satisfaction of realizing that you’re still alive and kicking–plenty of others aren’t, ya know. Anyway, I went to the Alumni Days up at Hiram College and only spotted four people that I knew; I think that...

And the beat goes on. Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary returned to community work after their festive birthday party on June 11, 2026 and came up with the following enterprises to pursue: •  The Storybook Trail set-up is proceeding, with holes being dug and filled by posts to mount pages to be read by...

The June 8, 2026 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary welcomed guest Lisa Soeder of the Kent Rotary to observe their dealings with the following business: First, a review of the lockbox events held so far–could be more enthusiastic adoptions but the project is ongoing. Consult with local churches? The Storybook...

Rummage is one of those interesting words that can be both a noun and a verb–and two kinds of a verb, at that, both transitive and intransitive (and even a sort of an adjective, as in a “rummage sale”). All of you grammarians out there got that, right? All...

Step right up ! Bargains galore ! OOPS. Cover everything. Garage Sale weekend had its moments–some of them rather damp. Lots of stuff out there to be checked out, maybe bargained over. Lots of evidence of families outgrowing all sorts of things. Lots of families growing into new fashions and...

Yard sales over, the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary was up for “business as usual”, which included the following: A well-attended lockbox event at Windham’s open house on May 16–nine boxes were spoken for, others are under consideration. Garfield scholarships have been presented, Windham scholarship will be next. Preparations for the Storybook Walk...

Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary met on May 11, 2026 to deal with the following topics : * Presentation of scholarships–May 13, May 27 * StoryWalk Project supplies, donors, workers–scheduling for installation * Dates for distributions of the Lockbox Project @ fire departments May 16–Windham May 30–Garrettsville June 6–Hiram * Menu being finalized for the Centennial Celebration Dinner at...

The May 4, 2026 meeting of Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary boasted the presence of a visitor–Kim Ewell of Hiram--who offered some information on the new Downtown Hiram effort in that village. Additionally, scholarship entries from Windham were read and top essays were chosen. Financials were reviewed. There was a progress report...

The James A. Garfield Historical Society met on April 20, 2026, welcoming a new member and dealing with numerous business items such as the damage to the new sign brought about by recent wind issues, replacement doors for the basement, the NEO intermuseum council meeting to be attended by...

Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary met in Cal’s II, Sky Plaza on April 27, 2026 to advance their community- focused programs going into their 101st year. These included the following activities. The StoryWalk installation at the park in conjunction with the PCDL and the PCPD; new design and timetable were shown–coming in July–updates...

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,...

Nothing was said about April snows, was it? Earth Day coming up on the 22nd is about it for celebrations this month but maybe someone can rustle up a snow sculpture contest. Heaven only knows that after having the warmest March ever recorded (since dinosaur days when nothing was being...

Y’ know there’s a saying that goes, “No good deed goes unpunished.”--mostly meant in fun when things seem to go wrong, but sometimes more true than we’d like to believe. I decided to try giving the kittens, Rusty and Nipper, (more like CATS now, they’ve been growing) a little treat...

What’s that old one about March ? Comes “ in like a lion and out like a lamb” ? Or is it “comes in like a lamb and out like a lion”? Which was it that we got this time? The OFA (Old Farmer’s Almanac) closed out its entries on March...

Well, here we are at All Fools’ Day and I’m not even talking about politics–not yet, but the primaries are coming; are you registered? Never mind. I’m talking about shopping today. Shopping for anything is practically a contact sport now-a-days. One lunch group at church recently got onto the topic...

Meeting on March 30, 2026, the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary entertained guests representing local First Responders groups–plolice, fire, EMS, – from Garrettsville, Windham, Hiram, P.C. Sheriff’s office for discussion of the coming Lockbox Program to be offered to local residents.Attendees viewed a flyer to be going out offering information/explanations of the...

The saying goes that only, “mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.” (This was a remark from colonial times when the British Empire was spreading into tropical lands where they had no climatological experience at all and besides that, they were sure to be sending other,...

The March 23, 2026 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary delved into current projects and future enterprises, to wit , • More information on the Storybook Trail at the Tom Collins Walking Trail in the South Street (Bill Phelps) Park • Review of the Grants Committee meeting–information available, firm deadlines, new opportunities...

Almost green, the March 16, 2026 meeting of Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary did a jig through the following business: # 1. The Storybook Trail is taking shape, with the advent of a first sponsor (more opportunities are open) and a demo frame is here to see; details coming. # 2. Next group project...

The Road Apple Roubaix has come and gone once more, and left us with memories of probably the most “spring like” day yet. Makes one think that the Vernal Equinox might not be just a fig newton of our imaginations. Beautiful morning to be out riding, and lots of...

The March 5, 2026 meeting of the Twentieth Century Club of Garrettsville was held at the home of Carol Smith , who was assisted in hosting by Shirley Danku and Carol Torda. The Spring Party will take place at the Welshfield Inn. The nominating committee presented the proposed slate...

The March 2, 2026 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary covered an array of current issues, including : *Arrangements for the forthcoming Storybook Trail–posts are arriving, storage will be at the PCDL, some youth will be recruited to assist in the set-up, sponsorships are still open. *District Conference is open for attendance,...

I’m here to tell you how to lose twenty pounds–give or take an ounce or two–in one fell swoop…or maybe it was when the swoops fell…whaever. I’ve been following some of the items that have been popping up on FB for the last few months, items about losing weight (...

Okay, now I can actually get something done…or not. I had forgotten how enticing it can be to watch superior athletes do their thing. The summer Olympics were far away and this was a whole new venue, with challenges we don’t often see around here–this year being “the exception that...

The February 16, 2026 meeting of the James A. Garfield Historical Society opened with an invitation from the Portage County Historical Society to an Open House on March 7 at the society’s center in Ravenna; This invitation is being extended to all historical societies in the county to encourage...

The February 24, 2026 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary was the occasion of a most interesting and informative program presented by Olivia Pilon , Executive Director of the Portage County Land Bank. The purpose of the land bank is to facilitate the return of properties to productive use through...

The February 16, 2026 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary was focussed on the Storybook Trail, to become part of the Tom Collins Memorial Trail in the South Street (Bill Phelps) Park, in conjunction with the Garrettsville branch of the Portage County District Library. This involved rejoicing at the acceptance...