Labor of Love Keeps Flower Boxes Blooming
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The Citizen-Powered Community Newspaper. FREE WESTLAKE | BAY VILLAGE 3.17 • 23 AUG 11 FREE TO READ! FREE TO WRITE! 50th ISSUE! See how much we’ve SUBMIT YOUR STORY ONLINE BY SEPT. 2 grown by browsing all past issues at wbvobserver.com/ download-issues. Community News & Views Written by the Citizens of Westlake & Bay Village • Join in at www.wbvobserver.com Labor Day Bay Middle School Labor of love keeps offers reminDer students immersed flower boxes blooming of vaLue of in science, math american during camp workforce by Karen Derby by Mel Maurer wenty-seven Bay Middle School incoming sixth-graders, all advanced achievers in math, abor Day dates back to a Tcompleted a three-week immersion in studies Tuesday, September 5, 1882, that included the fields of biology, physics, technol- with a celebration of labor ogy, environmental science, engineering and even by the Central Labor Union business and team building. in New York City. After The occasion was the first Bay Middle School it was held again in Math/Science Summer Academy. 1883, the day was Bay Middle School teachers Brent Illenberger moved to Monday in and Rachel Hoffman challenged students with some 1884. By 1894, the day was adopted of the most exciting math and science projects and by a number of states and on June 28 field trips that are available for youngsters in our of that year Congress passed a law area. making the first Monday in September “We created an environment of hands-on exper- a national holiday. It may well be our iments, discovery and innovation to study the STEM first Monday holiday, followed later [science, technology, engineering, math] fields,” said by some other holidays being moved Mr. Illenberger. to Mondays. “We encouraged students to reason and inves- What a bittersweet day it is. A tigate the concepts being taught through inquiry- three-day weekend holiday, it also based learning, higher-level thinking and real world marks the end of summer life (without problem solving. In other words, students applied another holiday in sight for months). higher level math and science concepts to real prob- Has it really been three months lems.” Nancy Kunkle waters a flower box on Hilliard Boulevard. since we celebrated the beginning of An example of that hands-on learning was the ost gardeners have an Nancy starts her day by filling summer on Memorial Day? Yes, always BMS Cardboard Boat Regatta. Teachers supplied ongoing list: weed, up the 100-gallon water tank on the fastest three months of the year. only cardboard and a limited amount of duct tape. water and dead-head. her city truck from a fire hydrant » See LABOR, page 16 » See CAMP, page 11 M Simple enough for one garden, at Clague Park, and then heads but imagine checking off that out to water, weed and dead-head list for 219 gardens which do not the flower boxes on Hilliard Bou- Westlake Fire Chief Dale Kraus retires even belong to you. levard. Depending on the dryness Nancy Kunkle, Westlake city of the boxes, she refills her tank gardener extraordinaire, is tasked ten to twenty times over the 2 1/2 with that job from May to Sep- days required to water all of the tember. For sixteen years, she has 219 flower boxes. tended the Hilliard Boulevard gar- “I love the job, being out- dens with the care that only a true doors, seeing people I’ve met over lover of flowers would take. the years walking down the side- Back in 1994 when she was walk. And it’s a great job because raising two children, working at flowers don’t complain. But I will one full-time and one part-time not miss the traffic on Hilliard; job, she noticed that rain alone no one goes 35 miles per hour, at was not enough to keep the flow- times it’s like a speedway.” ers on the boulevard looking their This year, Nancy plans to best. “I would see these boxes, retire and she will be hard to some of them were taken care of, replace. What will Nancy do after but most of them weren’t,” Nancy her retirement? recalled. “Then I’ll be able to care for So she called John Lehlbach, my own garden,” she said with Chief Dale Kraus and his wife, Gail, stand for a photo in front of the city’s vintage fire Westlake’s Service Director at a laugh. truck following his retirement ceremony August 19. the time, with her concern. Mr. Nancy’s dedication to keep- ale Kraus, Westlake’s popular and Chief Kraus, surrounded by many friends, Lehlbach approached Mayor ing the Hilliard flowers bloom- respected provisional fire chief, was family members and colleagues, received a Clough to ask if he would hire ing will be Dhonored in a retirement ceremony plaque, proclamation from Mayor Dennis Nancy to care for the flowers. missed. at city hall on August 19. Kraus spent the Clough, letters of congratulation from state Thus began her labor of love, – by Jean last 12 years with the Westlake Fire Depart- officials and other gifts. first evenings and weekends and Povinelli ment, after a 27-year career with the Rocky He plans to travel the world with his wife, finally throughout the week all and Denny River F.D. Gail, and relax with his family and friends. summer long. Wendell 2 WESTLAKE | BAY VILLAGE OBSERVER • 23 AUG 11 Celebrating Westlake’S Bicentennial Youth Challenge holds Free community block party annual race keeps the summer fun going! by Ellie Peiffer njoy an old-fashioned Community Block Party featuring free games, Eprizes, bounce house, dunk tank, live music, free food and fun for the whole family! The block party runs from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, August 27. Don’t miss the crafts, storytime for kids, cornhole tour- nament and cake walk! This year, the event hosts the City of Westlake Bicentennial Bake Off with winners to be announced at 2 p.m. Come see the amazing creations that people Westlake UMC Pastor John Butchko is about to be in the community have baked and get dunked at last year’s event. a chance to win one of them! The event ends with a crowd pleasing Participants in the Youth Challenge Fun Run line up at the water balloon toss with over starting line at Hyland Software on Aug. 6 100 participants! This is the second by Melissa Thurstone year for the Community ore than 350 runners and walkers joined in the Youth Block Party and the orga- Challenge 26th Annual Race Day and Fun Run on Sat- nizers have added many Murday, August 6, at Hyland Software in Westlake. The new activities. Come, event was dedicated to the memory of Dave Hardman, former enjoy and get to know President of the YC Board of Trustees. your neighbors at this free Members of the community, YC families, friends and over 60 event at Westlake United runners from Hyland ran in the 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. Proceeds Methodist Church located from the annual event benefit Youth Challenge who is celebrating at 27650 Center Ridge Rd. its 35th anniversary this year. YC brings together children with For more information, call physical disabilities with their trained youth volunteers in adapted 440-871-3088 or visit www. sports and recreational activities. westlakeumc.org. All programs and transportation are provided free of charge. The rain date for the Currently, more than 150 children with physical disabilities and block party is August 28, Rachel Braun, Katie Linger and Jason Linger of Westlake 450 youth volunteers are served by Youth Challenge. Visit youth- 1-4 p.m. enjoy last year’s Community Block Party. challengesports.com for more details. N8I;F=;@ <8 JK@ 8B E: C K K @ J 2011 F < E N FREE...Your Choice! WINNER Observer Guidelines ? < ★ ★ ★ E Professional Whitening or $50 Gift Certificate Want to submit an article to the Observer? We’d love grammar. We try to keep I @F @K8 8K to Giant Eagle with new patient exam and x-rays to hear from you! Here are some guidelines to keep the news as “unfiltered” ><G I<J<I M in mind when writing for the Observer: as possible, but may edit Kids , Teens • Anyone who lives, works or has a vested interest length and content if necessary. & Emergencies in Westlake or Bay Village is encouraged to • Disclose your affiliation. If you have a personal or Welcome! contribute. business relationship with the subject of your story, • Aim for 300-500 words. let your readers know. • Check your facts. 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