Portage Senior Center News
The Portage County Senior Center is holding registration for all Portage Seniors aged 60 and up who wish to join friends on December 8th, for their annual Holiday celebration. They are also holding an official “Ribbon-Cutting” ceremony to celebrate their new slate-topped pool table. The day’s events start early, with bingo to begin at 10 a.m., also a few...
Midnight Madness Festivities Take Place Friday In Ravenna
For those of Portage County who do celebrate Christmas, how do you welcome in the Christmas Season? For many, it is putting up the tree and decorating the house. For others it is a day of frantic shopping to take advantage of the Black Friday sales. Still, there are people that begin the season with volunteerism and good deeds....
Mini Golf At The Library
Ravenna - If you were asked to list the activities you expect to do at a library, might the list include read and research? Most likely. Might it include Miniature Golf. Not likely at all. Yet, that is exactly what will be occurring at Reed Memorial Library on November 20 and 21. Intrigued? You bet this reporter is! The event...
Suicide Loss Day Event
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Portage County is holding an event those who have been affected by suicide loss on Saturday, November 20 from 1-3pm. The event will include a screening of a short documentary on grief and the healing journey that follows a suicide loss over time. A discussion will follow and local resources will be provided. The Suicide...
Employers Help Employees with Mental Health
Mental health is essential to a person’s overall health and well-being. A healthy mind and body can help individuals work to the best of their ability and reach their full potential. The pandemic has given employers an opportunity to be more supportive and understanding of the difficulties employees may be experiencing, however, a stigma still exists concerning mental health conditions....
Maplewood Career Center Offers Adults Evening Workforce Development Classes
Ravenna - Maplewood Career Center’s Adult Education Department is offering Workforce Development classes beginning Fall 2021. Classes for adults include: Dental Assisting, Industrial Maintenance, Module Industrial Maintenance – Electrical, Module Industrial Maintenance – Fluid Power, Module Industrial Maintenance – Mechanical, Medical Coding & Billing, Precision Machining, Module Welding, or Welding Technologies. There are additional Life Enrichment classes being offered, which...
Children’s Advocacy Center or Portage County Multi-Disciplinary Team Wants You to Bowl Against Abuse!
Ravenna - The 22nd Bowl Against Abuse event is happy to be returning! The annual child abuse awareness fundraiser benefitting The Children’s Advocacy Center of Portage County (CAC) is on Saturday, October 2nd at Kent Lanes. Since 1998 the CAC has provided FREE holistic services to children, youth and families navigating the trauma of child abuse, including: crisis intervention, education,...
Community Reunion Event Planned For September 25
In celebration of National Recovery Month Portage NAMI, Open United Recovery Place, and OhioCAN Portage have come together to host a Community Reunion Event in support of those impacted by mental illness and substance use disorder. The event will be held Saturday September 25th at Ravenna City Park from 11am to 4pm. It will begin with NAMI Walk for Mental...
Ravenna Lions Collecting Plastics
Ravenna – The Ravenna Lions are joining the challenge to help dispose of some of the common plastics that enter your house but aren’t acceptable for traditional curbside recycling…It’s the TREX Recycling Program – The aim is to divert certain kinds of plastics from landfills and turn them into sturdy wood alternative products. The Ravenna Lions will be hosting a...
Annual Ravenna Raven Awards Ceremony To Be Held In September
Ravenna - The Annual Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce Raven Awards’ Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at the Ravenna High School Football Stadium. We are excited to make this NEW change of venue to our annual event while still honoring individuals and businesses representing the “best” of Ravenna in the areas of New Businesses, New Construction,...
Main Street Ravenna Director Accepts New Position with Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce
Ravenna - The first Executive Director of Main Street Ravenna, Julie McLain, has accepted a new position as the Executive Director of the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce. “I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know the Ravenna community and look forward to seeing the revitalization efforts continue,” said McLain. “Julie’s work will always be a part of the DNA of...
Jolly July Fundraiser for Children’s Advantage
From Thursday July 1st through Sunday, July 31st, Children’s Advantage is celebrating Jolly July with a toy drive benefitting our CA clients and their families. Donations raised will be used to buy our clients holiday gifts and help fund our annual Holiday Party for them. For 15 years, we have hosted a holiday party for the children receiving our services, their...
Ravenna’s Loaves and Fishes
Ravenna - Ravenna is on the rise! This lovely town of roughly 12,000 is home to unique businesses, unique history and a caring community. The Loaves and Fishes outreach program is an example of the care that is evident in Ravenna. Loaves and Fishes is a program aimed at food-insecure people in the area, all are welcome to participate. This...
Community Resource Connect Event
Ravenna - On Friday, July 30, 2021, Portage County Housing Services Council is proud to present its second Community Resource Connect event. The event planning is a collaboration of staff from numerous agencies such as Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority, United Way of Portage County, Coleman Professional Services, The Haven of Portage County, Portage County Job & Family Services, PARTA,...
5th Annual Art on Main is Scheduled for August 7 in downtown Ravenna!
Ravenna - Ravenna Creates... Art on Main! is scheduled for Saturday, August 7, 2021 from 11am-7pm on Main Street in beautiful, historic downtown Ravenna! Typically held in June every year, Art on Main was rescheduled this year due to the pandemic. “We didn’t want to wait another year to bring people downtown to enjoy art, wine and fun” said Brian Hare,...
The Portage County Literacy Coalition and Aspire Receives Grant
The Portage County Literacy Coalition received a grant from the Portage Foundation for the Maplewood Career Center Aspire Program. The amount of the grant is $3,500 dollars. The grant from the Portage Foundation will be used for adult students in the Aspire Program to work towards their GED/HSE while working on a certification in the area of retail/customer service...
Straw Bale Gardening in Ravenna
Ravenna - Please mark your calendar and join us LIVE and in person at SWCD, 6970 State Route 88 Ravenna, Ohio, on Saturday morning, June 19th from 9:30 to 11:00. What is Straw Bale Gardening? Straw bales can be used like raised beds in the yard so that no additional soil is needed. That’s good news for older...
Portage County Senior Center & Park District Team Up For Senior Turtle Hikes
The Portage County Senior Center, in coordination with The Portage Park District, would like to invite all seniors to join them for a fun opportunity to socialize with friends and get a little exercise, all the while enjoying the beauty of what our parks have to offer. Jennifer and Becca from the Portage Park District will lead the group...
Magnolia Market Takes Root In Ravenna
Ravenna - If you have heard the buzz around town, there is a new event series in the making. Magnolia Market is a startup bi-weekly market that has a mission. The brain child of Pastor Norma from First United Methodist Church of Ravenna (FUMCR), and parishioners Kim Schwab and daughter Fallon Schwab-Davis, this looks to be a family fun-filled...
Red Cross In Need Of Blood Donations
As the nation transitions to a new, hopeful phase of this devastating pandemic and people resume some of their normal activities, the American Red Cross needs your help to avoid a summer donation slump.Individuals of all blood types are urged to schedule an appointment now to give blood, and in most cases, those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine...
Finding Forever Homes: Ravenna Sanctuary uses Facebook to Help Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Re-home Farm Animals
Ravenna – When considering adopting a new pet from a local shelter, many limit their search to dogs, cats, and other traditionally domestic animals. However, with National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on April 30th, Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary points out that these are not the only animals in need of our help and affection. In 2020 alone, Happy...
The Portage County Literacy Coalition and Aspire Receives Grant from the Kent Rotary Foundation
The Portage County Literacy Coalition received a grant from the Kent Rotary Foundation for the Maplewood Career Center Aspire Program. The amount of the grant is $2,000 dollars. The grant from the Kent Rotary Foundation will be used for adult students in the Aspire Program to work towards their GED/HSE while working on a certification in the area of...
Portage County Senior Center News
The 2021 Senior Farmers’ Market Nutritional Program planning is in full swing. The Portage County Senior Center is once again the distributor for this voucher program that awards $50 worth of coupons to lower income Portage seniors aged 60 and up to use for purchase of fresh locally-grown fruits and veggies. Seniors who participated last year may have already...
Ravenna Lions Collecting Plastics
Ravenna - The Ravenna Lions are joining the challenge to help dispose of some of the common plastics that enter your house but aren’t acceptable for traditional curbside recycling…It’s the TREX Recycling Program - The aim is to divert certain kinds of plastics from landfills and turn them into sturdy wood alternative products. The Ravenna Lions will be hosting a...
The Main Street Ravenna Virtual Winter Writing Festival Was A Hit!
The Main Street Ravenna “Virtual” Winter Writing Festival was a great way to spend a few hours each Saturday in February learning about writing short stories, poems, and children’s books. Main Street Ravenna would like to thank our presenters who joined us virtually this year! Holding the event virtually worked out well and each workshop was well-attended! We had attendees...
Ravenna’s Easter Drive Thru is Egg-cellent!
Ravenna - “Fluffy Bunny ears!” said 4-year-old McKenna McQuiston, with joy, as she got to meet the Easter Bunny and get a bag full of eggs and treats on Saturday morning at Ravenna City Park. Around 300 children were pre-registered for the event and it seemed they were all excited to celebrate the Spring holiday on such a beautiful...
Ravenna Chamber Seeking Honorary Way Nominations
The Ravenna Area Chamber of commerce is seeking nominations for the Honoray Way. Honorary Way is a means to publicly and temporarily honor distinguished citizens and good Samaritans for their achievements by ceremonially naming the street after them. The Honorary Way bench and street sign can be found at the corner of S. Park Way and W. Main St. –...
Tree Roots Fail, but Community Ties Stand Tall
Weather and life are common themes. The end of Winter paves the way for Spring, a season of rebirth. But March 2021 it seems will not “go gentle into that good night.” With only a few days left in March you may be wondering where is the Lamb? Because Ravenna and I (personally) have experienced the bite of the...
Portage County Celebrates Ohio 4-H Week
Since 1902, youth in Ohio 4-H clubs have followed the motto to “Make the Best Better” and Portage County Commissioners recognized the impact of 4-H by proclaiming March 7-13, Ohio 4-H Week. In Portage County, more than 1,000 youth participated in 4-H in 38 community clubs and a variety of statewide Special Interest Clubs (SPIN Clubs) in 2020. “We had...
NOSH Around Ravenna
NOSH: a verb, meaning: to eat enthusiastically! Are you hungry yet? Spring is almost here and our restaurants need our support now more than ever. Main Street Ravenna is working to keep feet on the ground downtown with the “Nosh Around Ravenna” program. Presented by Portage Community Bank, Nosh Around Ravenna is a unique and fun way to visit participating...
