Local News

The Bay Village Women's Club Foundation has awarded scholarships to 7 Bay High School 2022 graduates of $2,500 each. One scholarship is a memorial to Shirley LeMay, a past Club member and officer, who worked for the City of Bay Village for 25 years as a staff accountant.

Club members met the students at its annual Honors for Scholars Luncheon at the Cleveland Yachting Club on April 28, after a 2-year hiatus due to COVID. Each scholarship recipient announced his or her college and major area of study.

The Knickerbocker Senior Apartments will be holding a grand re-opening ceremony at 27100 Knickerbocker Road in Bay Village on Thursday, May 26, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. This event will celebrate the major renovations that took place between 2018 and 2020.

During reconstruction all the apartments were remodeled with new kitchens and bathrooms, all safety and mechanical systems were replaced, and the common areas greatly expanded. Additionally, 42 of the studio units were converted into 21 large one-bedroom apartments, eight of which are fully handicapped accessible.

“We are pleased with the completion of the $11,000,000 renovation that has transformed the Knickerbocker apartments now and for the future. The renovation doubled first floor space which provides a variety of opportunities for residents to develop a stronger community within the building,” said Jay Magee, President of the Bay Interfaith Housing board of trustees.

Lakewood Elks Lodge #1350 located at 24350 Center Ridge Road in Westlake recently awarded a $3,500 Elks National Foundation Inc. Beacon Grant to Connecting for Kids. These funds were used to create 250 resource bags containing information on area therapists, summer camps and adapted programs for children who have disabilities, mental health and other concerns.

The resource bags were provided free of charge to families who attended the Connecting for Kids Lorain County Resource Fair in Elyria and the Meet and Greet Resource Fair in Rocky River. In total, 298 local families (or 641 individuals) attended these events to find help for a struggling child.

“The Lakewood Elks Lodge #1350 is proud to partner with Connecting for Kids to help local families,” said Exalted Ruler Mike Sheehan. “Not only were we able to provide the funds for the resource fair materials, but 26 Elks members volunteered at the events or helped assemble materials prior to the fairs. Now that the pandemic restrictions are easing, we are glad to get back to our in-person work in the community.”

The Westlake | Bay Village Observer will be sponsoring Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough's State of the City address at the Westlake Community Services Center on Tuesday, May 10, at 6:00 p.m. The event is open to the public.

The culmination of six years of discussions, several public input sessions, two architectural plans and 14 months of construction was unveiled at the grand opening of the new Bay Village Branch Library building on April 30.

A throng of area residents came out to celebrate the occasion, which featured remarks from Cuyahoga County Public Library executive director Tracy Strobel, Mayor Paul Koomar, County Councilmember Nan Baker, State Rep. Monique Smith, State Sen. Matt Dolan, a representative from U.S. Sen. Rob Portman’s office, and CCPL board president Dean DePiero. An estimated 2,900 people toured the building after the speeches and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

Though only 3,000 square feet larger than the old branch, the 17,000-square-foot facility features a number of improvements, and was designed with the future in mind. As reading habits change, libraries seek to move beyond being a simple repository of books and periodicals, to become integrated in civic life.

Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar offered his State of the City presentation at the Dwyer Center on Wednesday, March 2, to a modest crowd of city officials and residents. In his annual address, the mayor shared highlights from each city department over the past year, and previewed some of the projects coming soon.

The City will begin implementing the “Stay in Bay” mixed-use zoning overlay and the Lakefront Master Plan in Cahoon Park. The zoning overlay, approved by voters last November, encourages retail, office and residential development in Bay’s commercial districts.

The Lakefront Master Plan, partially funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and finalized last year, seeks to protect the shoreline, offer increased lake access, and improve connectivity throughout Cahoon Park. A pedestrian bridge will be installed this fall over Cahoon Creek, connecting the east and west sides of the park. Grant funding from NOACA and the state will cover a large portion of that cost.

On Friday, March 25, students of St. Bernadette School in Westlake are standing up against childhood cancers. St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, will host one of its signature head-shaving events at the school. Many students will shave their heads at Brave the Buzz 5 to raise money for the foundation. 

It can be an emotional event for participants, but it’s also a celebration of and a tribute to everyday heroes. 

Brave the Buzz 5 brings the greater community together to show solidarity with kids fighting cancer. There will be speakers, music and entertainment. Students learn that small acts – such as shaving their head or donating their hair – can have a powerful impact on others.

Connecting for Kids has recognized Jeremy Meduri, Director of Clinical Services, and Sara Rausch, Director of Education, both of Insight Academy in Westlake with its 2022 Board Awards.

These awards are given to those that exemplify the mission of Connecting for Kids to provide education and support to families concerned about their child. 

During the pandemic, Meduri, a resident of Avon Lake, and Rausch, a resident of Westlake, saw an urgent need in the disabilities community with parents and caregivers having nowhere to turn. They watched schools closed and therapy center wait lists grow. They also watched families reach their breaking points.

Members of the Bay Village Community Council met on Jan. 24 to review nominations and select this year's Citizen and Project of the Year. A committee of six people, themselves active volunteers in the community, unanimously voted to honor Patrick McGannon for his sustainability and bicycling safety efforts, and the Bay Village Historical Society's revitalization project, "Shining a New Light on the Past."

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Chances are, you know Patrick McGannon and may not even realize it.

If you’ve ridden your bicycle through Bay Village in the past decade, you know Patrick. If you’ve filled your water bottle at the Dwyer Center or one of the city’s parks, you know him. If you’re a member of the new composting collection site at Bay Lodge, if you’ve participated in a stream cleanup, if you fill your curbside recycling bin every week, Patrick’s volunteerism has affected you.

Patrick has spent most of his life in Bay Village, aside from four years earning a biology degree at John Carroll University and a few years working in Seattle. During the day, he is vice president of OneLink Technical Services, an IT firm in Westlake, but in his free time, Patrick devotes countless hours to volunteerism and advocacy.

Faculty and friends of longtime Dean of Learning & Engagement Dr. Robert Searson gathered at the Tri-C Westshore Campus to celebrate his retirement on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough recorded a virtual proclamation presentation expressing sincere appreciation for his dedication and commitment to the community.

Dr. Searson has worked at the Westshore Campus since it opened in 2011 and initiated the Learning for Life Lecture Series, offering academically enriching programming for not only staff, faculty and students but also the broader community.

This is the last in a series of articles about one local veteran, Bay Village resident Anton (Tony) Dostal, who served as a mortician during the Vietnam War.

When Tony Dostal’s DC-8 aircraft from Vietnam touched down in Fort Lewis, Washington, on Aug. 22, 1969, there was a big roar of cheers from the couple hundred soldiers aboard when the wheels hit the runway. They were back home in the United States.

“There were three seats on either side of the aisle and we were squeezed in. It was one happy group,” Tony recalled.

Soon he was back in Cleveland and discharged from the Army within a few days. Getting back to a normal life, Tony and his wife, Judy, purchased a house in Bay Village in 10 days.

Congratulations to Areesha Nouman of Westlake for her second-place essay entry in the second annual Patriot’s Pen essay contest. Students submitted their essays to the Strongsville Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and have all advanced to the district competition. Participating students had to write pieces that answered the question, “How Can I Be A Good American?”. 

Each year more than 165,400 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first-place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000.

Brinley Adamich of Westlake had her poem chosen for publication by Spider Magazine. Participating students wrote poems about the tastiest kind of noodles. Her award-winning entries will appear in the January edition of the magazine.

Spider Magazine is a monthly children’s publication. Stories, poems, and articles on nature and the world are selected to encourage students to read on their own. Students ages 6-9 have the opportunity to submit stories, poems, and drawing for publication.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then Lt. Brian Wilker has an encyclopedia’s worth of footage depicting Greater Cleveland’s bravest first responders spanning more than three decades. Brian is uniquely in-tune to the realities of the subject matter he photographs.

He spent 31 years as a firefighter and paramedic with the City of Westlake, retiring in April 2021, and has enduring many harrowing moments similar to those he’s captured through his camera lens. His interest in photography stretches back even further.

From a relatively young age, he would tag along with his father, Clarence, who was an avid nature photographer who worked for the City of Lorain for 25 years.

It wasn’t long before he began to follow in his father’s footsteps.

As this year of divisiveness, virus variants and supply chain problems comes to a close, it’s refreshing to turn our attention to the efforts of those who have worked to make things better, one good deed at a time. Bay Village is filled with dedicated, selfless volunteers working with civic groups or on their own to help others in the community and around the world.

The Bay Village Community Council has just opened the nomination period for the annual Bay Village Citizen of the Year and Project of the Year awards, to recognize those who have offered their time and talents in the service of others.

Citizen of the Year nominees, either individual or couple, must be Bay Village residents that have provided significant community service without monetary reward. Although not necessarily an annual designation, special projects will be considered for Project of the Year based on community impact and the involvement of volunteers and organizations.

Click to download a Citizen of the Year nomination form or Project of the Year nomination form.

This is the third in a series of articles about one local veteran, Bay Village resident Anton (Tony) Dostal, who served as a mortician during the Vietnam War. Some of the memories recounted in this article may not be suitable for younger or sensitive readers.

While Specialist Second Class (E-5) Tony Dostal only spent a year in Da Nang, Vietnam, as a mortician, he has a multitude of memories of his experiences during his time there.

He remembers an Army nurse, Lt. Sharon Lane from Canton, Ohio, who was the only American nurse killed as a direct result of hostile fire in June 1969. 

“She was hit by shrapnel during a rocket attack and died immediately,” Tony recalled in a recent interview. “It was a piece of clean shrapnel, one simple little wound, that went through her neck. We saw that a lot, a simple piece of shrapnel or a single bullet would end a soldier’s life.”

The City of Westlake held a retirement ceremony honoring longtime firefighter/paramedic Craig Goodwin on Wednesday at Fire Station No. 1 on Crocker Road.

Goodwin is an Air Force veteran, as well as a 30-year veteran of the Westlake Fire Department. In fact, it was the Air Force that gave him his start fighting fires before coming to work for the City of Westlake in April 1991.

Westlake Fire Chief Jim Hughes presented Goodwin a personalized plaque and his helmet and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Freeman read an official proclamation detailing his life and career with Westlake, as well as his plans for retirement.

This is the second in a series of articles about one local veteran, Bay Village resident Anton (Tony) Dostal, who served as a mortician during the Vietnam War. 

Tony Dostal arrived in Vietnam at the Air Force Base in Da Nang aboard a C-141 transport plane on Friday, Aug. 30, 1968. He arrived with 19 other soldiers, eight of whom were embalmers. 

“We carried bullet clips in our pockets, but no weapons, because the rifle boxes were nailed shut in their shipping crates. We exited the tailgate of the aircraft in a secure area, so we were given the impression we would have nothing to worry about,” Tony recalled.

“We loaded up our personal stuff and were driven to our barracks in the Army compound, which was about five miles away from the airport,” he continued. “Because the eight embalmers were going into the embalming room the next night, the other 12 soldiers unpacked our bags and got our lockers together.

“As I'm walking to the barracks, someone yells ‘Hey, Anton!’” And there was a friend of Tony's from Cleveland, Denny Lazuta, a dental technician that Tony had attended mortuary school with.  You never know who you'll meet the in theater of war. 

Tony started work in the mortuary the following night.

Community West Foundation announced they have expanded their SocksPLUS initiative into Lorain County through partnerships with area leaders helping people experiencing homelessness.   

Community West started SocksPLUS in 2014 after learning that socks were, and still are, the number one requested item by homeless people. Every year, they collect new socks and other essential items to be given directly to those in need.

Items collected for SocksPLUS can now be taken to Good Neighbor Thrift Shop, a ministry of Avon Lake United Church of Christ, located at 158 Lear Road in Avon Lake. The donations will be picked up by non-profit community service agency, Neighborhood Alliance, for sorting and distribution to those who are struggling through the Lorain County Taskforce for the Homeless.

More than 200 people turned out on Oct. 27 for the March for Amy, a tribute in memory of 10-year-old Amy Mihaljevic who was kidnapped from Bay Village in 1989 and found 100 days later, dead, in a field in Ashland County.

The march was organized by Bay Middle School educator Mark Kevesdy as a fundraiser to assist the police and FBI in their continuing investigations.

Kevesdy has established a website, www.walkforamy.org, to accept donations. He said he hoped to raise $25,000 by the end of the year. A $50,000 reward is also being offered for information that would solve the 32-year-old case.

"There's not a day goes by that we don't think of Amy," Bay Village Police Chief Rob Gillespie told the marchers.

This is the first in a series of articles about one local veteran, Bay Village resident Anton (Tony) Dostal, who served as a mortician during the Vietnam War. 

Not many kids grow up dreaming of becoming a mortician. For Tony Dostal, the journey of his life's work began as a student at John Adams High School in Cleveland.

“It started out as a joke," Tony said. "When I was a teenager, a teacher of mine lined me up with a funeral home for summer work. It involved doing the odds and ends at the funeral home, like chasing doctors to get signed death certificates and being a greeter at the funeral home, while making a dollar an hour."

After high school, Tony entered Kent State in 1963, majoring in sociology. After graduation, his experience in the funeral business led him to attend the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, to learn the art of embalming.

BSA Scout Troop 40, sponsored by Bethesda on the Bay Lutheran Church in Bay Village, celebrated the accomplishments of two young women who are the first in their troop to achieve Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in scouting and is earned by less than 4% of all scouts. The scouts recognized at the Eagle Court of Honor on Oct. 24 were Jennifer R. Koomar and Norah A. Hamil.

In addition to earning a minimum of 21 merit badges, they completed service projects that benefit the community including building a compost bin for the Village Project, a community organization that provides meals and care for families experiencing cancer, and building a customized sundial memorial marker for Bay High School dedicated to Sabrina Noelle DuPrey, a friend and classmate who passed away.

The annual Halloween display of homemade superheroes and other characters in back on Sperry's Forge Trail in Westlake, featuring a flying Superman and Ironman. New this year is The Flash.

Global Volunteer Month (GVM) is held annually for UPS employees to come together to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism and to deliver impact where it matters most – in local communities.

UPS employees who had contributed community service hours to nonprofit agencies during the month of October were asked to log their volunteer hours into a website. Ten employees nationwide were then randomly selected to receive a contribution to the nonprofit agency where they had volunteered. Thanks to Christopher Burroughs-Heineman, Village Project received a $10,000 grant to be used toward volunteer initiatives and/or general program support. Chris has worked for UPS as a driver since fall of 2014.

Chris is an invaluable volunteer with the Village Project. He has volunteered in the Project Shoppe since April 2019 and has logged more than 200 volunteer hours so far. Chris started volunteering with VP because his sister did, and he quickly found that he very much likes all the people who work and volunteer there.

A story by Haadi Nouman of Westlake, age 7, was selected for publication in Spider Magazine.

In May, readers of the magazine were asked to submit an original story about moving. Haadi's story, "Debbie the Cat," appears in the Spider's Corner section of the October 2021 issue.

The clerk of council for the City of Bay Village, Joan Kemper, has reached yet another milestone in her extensive and illustrious career. She has earned the distinction of becoming a certified municipal clerk.

Through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, two levels of certification are offered, the first of which is the Certified Municipal Clerk, or CMC. (The second is Master Municipal Clerk.) IIMC was founded in 1947, and is a professional association with almost 15,000 members in the US, Canada and 15 other countries. Its primary goal is to actively promote the continuing education and professional development of municipal clerks through extensive education programs, certification, publications, networking, annual conferences and research. IIMC also engages in municipal research administration, enhances critical professional skill development and fosters a spirit of mutual assistance and good fellowship among municipal clerks around the globe.

Congratulations to Alpha Crew, Hannah Bergmann, Amy Burgy, Gabby Csire, Gwynn Miller, Heidi Moody, and Grace Sugaski, whose research report was selected by the judges as the top Sea Scout B.S.A. project, nationally chosen to support the U.S. Coast Guard Research & Development (R&D) Center.

The challenge Alpha Crew tackled was researching a way for the Coast Guard to reduce its environmental impact while still effectively executing its missions. Knowing that there is considerable excitement regarding electric vehicles, the scouts decided to explore the possibility of the Coast Guard using electric outboard motors.

To ensure the project was on target, they consulted with Capt. John Bingaman U.S.C.G. (ret.) on the suitability of electric outboard motors.

The Community West Foundation Board of Directors approved $627,500 in third-quarter grants to nonprofit agencies that provide basic needs services to the community in Cleveland, Western Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.  The recipient organizations include:

• Ursuline Piazza - $10,000
• Building Hope in the City - $60,000
• CHN Housing - 15,000
• Community Service Alliance - $65,000
• Cornerstone of Hope - $25,000
• Denison Avenue U.C.C. - $25,000
• Drink Local, Drink Tap* - $17,500
• El Centro de Servicios Sociales* - $30,000
• Enterprise Community Partners* - $25,000
• Frontline Services* - $40,000
• Joseph’s Home - $35,000
• Koinonia - $25,000
• Malachi Center - $20,000
• MHAC (Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition) - $45,000
• NAMI Greater Cleveland - $40,000           
• NEOCH (Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless) - $70,000
• Oberlin Community Services - $20,000
• The City Club of Cleveland* - $25,000    
• The Edna House for Women - $35,000

*The five with asterisks are new grantees for Community West Foundation.

Peggi Seelbach Mizen, RN, has joined the board of the Hospice of the Western Reserve Foundation. After retiring from a 30-year nursing career, she has been serving as a hands-on care volunteer at Ames Family Hospice House. Also joining the board is Cynthia Ames Huffman, the daughter of B. Charles “Chuck” Ames, and Joyce “Jay” Eichhorn Ames. A gift from their Ames Family Foundation laid the groundwork for the Westlake facility to be built.

As a separate 501(c)(3) charity, the foundation was launched to foster community support for services relying on philanthropy, including music, art and pet therapies, palliative care, pediatric hospice and community grief support programs.

“When I became aware of the hands-on care volunteer program, I knew that was my fit,” Seelbach Mizen said. “I am passionate about Ames Family Hospice House. One of my favorite things to do is offer a warm blanket or to do something to make it nicer, like fluffing up the rollaway bedding when a family member is spending the night.”

Boy Scout Troop 208, sponsored by Dover Congregational Church in Westlake, celebrated the accomplishments of eight young men who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in scouting and is earned by less than 4% of all scouts. The scouts recognized at the Eagle Court of Honor were Scott Rennard, David Daniel, John Zaky, Mateo McBride, Philip Sutherland, Nolan Gleespen, Paul Rossander and Landon Miller.

In addition to earning a minimum of 21 merit badges, they completed service projects that benefit the community including renovating the Westlake High School baseball dugouts, installing a pet cemetery at Dover Congregational Church, renovating the outdoor chapel at Sts. Peter and George Coptic Orthodox Church, creation of sensory materials for memory-impaired residents at Sunrise Senior Living Center, renovation of the outdoor campus at Hospice of the Western Reserve, construction of a blessings box community food pantry for Prince of Peace Church, building a seating unit for boat safety training for the U.S. Power Squadron, and renovation of garden and grounds at Bay Presbyterian Church. 

The Eagle Court of Honor included presentations to the Eagles by Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and Cuyahoga County Council Member Nan Baker. The Eagles were also presented American flags that had been flown over the Pentagon in their honor.

Tish Henry, a resident of Westlake and a school counselor at Lincoln West High School in Cleveland, has been awarded The Kathleen Louise Nash Board Member Award by Connecting for Kids. This award is named in honor of the founding president of Connecting for Kids and awarded annually to a board member who exemplifies outstanding leadership and dedication to the mission of the organization.

Tish currently serves as board vice president of Connecting for Kids. Her leadership has changed the culture of the board to be more collaborative and inclusive of staff input. She listens to all members of the committee, both staff and board, and steers the team to the right conclusion.

Community West Foundation announced Far West Center as the 2021 recipient of the David and Martha Hessler Illuminating Hope Award.

Far West Center is a community mental health center in Westlake serving residents of western Cuyahoga County and Lorain County. They offer assessment, counseling, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and case management for persons struggling with severe mental health problems. Services are available for low-income individuals who need care but cannot find it, pay for it, or wait for it.

The prestige of Westlake was on full display on July 13 as the city celebrated the grand opening of the new Community Services Center, followed by a presentation by Mayor Dennis Clough highlighting the city’s accomplishments over the past year.

The event kicked off as Mayor Clough, joined by Community Services Director Lydia Gadd and the full complement of City Council members, cut the ceremonial green ribbon to “officially” open the new Westlake Community Services Center. The $12 million construction cost was funded by a one-eighth percent income tax levy renewal in 2017.

“For all the years that I’ve been serving with this City Council, we’ve never lacked support from our community,” Clough said. “Hopefully it’s because we’ve been doing the right things and making sure the services in Westlake are superior and of high quality, because we want to continue to be the best of the best.”

The City of Westlake presented a proclamation honoring local Olympian Adelaide Aquilla during the July 15 City Council meeting. Adelaide, who was in quarantine in advance of the Tokyo Games, competed in the Olympic shot put competition.

Her proud father, Jared Aquilla, who welded his daughter a squat rack to help with her training, accepted the proclamation on her behalf.

Adelaide finished 20th in the qualifiers in Tokyo on July 30, coming up short of making the Olympic finals. She will return to Ohio State University for her additional year of eligibility.

This report contains member observations and selected highlights of the June 28 meeting of the Bay Village Board of Education. It is not an official statement by the League of Women Voters, nor does it represent the official minutes of the meeting.

Board members present: Beth Lally; Scott Schulz; Dave Vegh, vice president; Paul Vincent; Lisa Premier, president; Jodie Hausmann, superintendent.

The meeting was held in the high school auditorium with several hundred people in attendance.

The first item for discussion was the equity report the board had commissioned from Almitra Berry, Ed.D. from A.L Berry Consulting. Dr. Berry flew in to present the just completed report at the meeting. Dr. Holly Schaefer, Bay Schools' director of human resources, opened the presentation in order to provide context for Dr. Berry’s report. She presented a history of equity and inclusivity in Bay Village and the rationale for forming a diversity and equity committee in the spring of 2020.

As he has made a point to do year-in and year-out, Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough personally congratulated the first class of graduates from Westlake's 2021 Safety Town program on the grounds of the Westlake Police Station on Thursday, June 17. This year marks the City's 51st consecutive year hosting the program.

Long-time Safety Town director and instructor Olivia Kostecke thanked the mayor for his ongoing support of the program, as well as members of the Police and Fire Departments for their help in sharing their knowledge with the children about a variety of safety topics. Safety Pup, the beloved mascot of the program, was not able to make the first week of graduations but was there for the next one, much to the delight of the kids. He posed for pictures with each of the graduates alongside the mayor.

Dee Krueger’s new fiction novel “Gifts No Bows” is a beautifully written escape to a place where family, friendship, and love are tested.

The story is set in Bay Village during the 1950s and '60s, and it is filled with memories that will make you feel like a kid again growing up in Northeast Ohio. The characters are brought to life so perfectly that you will find yourself immersed in memories of your own childhood. You will experience the joy, pain and hope the characters feel as they grow from childhood through adulthood. 

Westlake’s new Community Services facility ready to open

The city of Westlake's newly constructed Community Services Center is set to open to the public by June 7.

Located next to the Westlake Recreation Center, at 28975 Hilliard Blvd., the facility is accessible via both Center Ridge Road and Hilliard Boulevard by way of Rec Center Drive.

The Center is about double the size of the old Community Services Center at 28,000 square feet, and has  more space for a cafe, a classroom,  a exercise studio, a theater, and an art room. 

The Community Services department serves the Westlake community with youth programs, food assistance distributions, lifelong learning, fitness and wellness programs.

Dozens of residents made their way to Hilliard Boulevard on a slightly overcast Saturday morning on May 22 to add a splash of color to the more than 220 flower boxes that adorn the median of Westlake's main street.

This annual tradition has been carried on by several families who have tended to the same boxes for decades and may continue to do so for many years to come.

Each flower box is automatically entered in the annual Westlake in Bloom gardening and community beautification competition, which will be accepting entries through June 25.

To learn more about these flower boxes and their special place within the City, visit our website: www.cityofwestlake.org/850/Hilliard-Flower-Boxes.

The board of directors of Village Project is proud to announce that Meredith LaVecchia will take over the executive director position recently vacated by the retiring Barb Harrell.

Ms. LaVecchia is a native of New Jersey and an alumna of the University of Dayton with a degree in communications. She and her husband, Patrick, are the parents of three children. They are longtime residents of Westlake, where Meredith previously held the position of vice president of fundraising for the Westlake Demons Athletic Boosters. In this position, she helped raise more than $150,000 to support the athletic program for the school district.