Westerville January/February 2023

Jillian’s MOST TRUSTED

Orthopedic Practice

“I’m a mom to busy and active kids. I met some friends for dinner after work. Heading home, I was hit head-on by a drunk driver and su ered multiple injuries. I ended up deciding it was best to go through with amputating my right leg. The physicians and sta at Orthopedic ONE were with me from the very beginning and every step of the way. It felt good that everyone had me in their best interest. They gave me my life back.“

- Jillian Kerr, Survivor

Watch Jillian’s story here or visit orthopedicONE.com.

Kelvin Luu, MD Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon

Westerville magazine

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January/February

Jan. 1-Feb. 28

Accidental History (Exhibit) 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Westerville Public Library 126 S. State St. www.westervillelibrary.org

Jan. 1

OhioHealth First on the First 5K 11 a.m.

Otterbein University, 180 Center St. www.m3ssports.com

Jan. 1-8

Conservatory Aglow 5-9 p.m.

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus www.fpconservatory.org

Jan. 7

Wood Cookie Painting at Alum Creek 2-4 p.m.

Nature Center, 2911 S. Old State Rd. www.ohiodnr.gov/home

Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28

Lifeline Christian Mission – Meal Pack for Families in Need 10-11 a.m. 921 Eastwind Dr., Ste. 118 www.westervillechamber.com

Jan. 16

Westerville Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 7:30 a.m.

Villa Milano Banquet & Conference Center, 1630 Schrock Road, Columbus www.leadershipwesterville.com/mlk-legacyproject.html

Jan. 17 & Feb. 21

Poetry Discussion & Open Mic 7-8:30 p.m.

Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. www.westervillelibrary.org

Jan. 18 & Feb. 15

Westerville Book Discussion Group 7-9 p.m.

Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. www.westervillelibrary.org

Jan. 21

Habitat for Humanity: Learn New Skills & Give Back 3-4 p.m.

Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. www.westervillelibrary.org

Jan. 27- Feb. 12

Curtain Players presents tick, tick…BOOM! Various times 5691 Harlem Rd. www.curtainplayers.org

Jan. 28

Columbus Chocolate, Wine & Whiskey Festival 7-11 p.m.

COSI, 333 W. Broad St., Columbus www.tasteusa.com

Feb. 2

Groundhog Day Trek 2-4 p.m.

New Galena Picnic Area, 4550 Africa Rd. www.ohiodnr.gov/home

Conservatory Aglow Photo courtesy of Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Annette

Feb. 4

Joey & Jessica at Grizzlybird Brewing Company 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Grizzlybird Brewing Company 5901 Chandler Ct. www.joeyandjessicamusic.com

Feb. 9-18

Otterbein Theatre & Dance presents Our Town 8 p.m. Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall

Feb. 16

Exhibition on Screen, The Danish Collector: Delacroix to Gauguin 7-9 p.m.

Columbus Museum of Art 480 E. Broad St., Columbus www.columbusmuseum.org

Feb. 24-25

Desi Banks Comedy Show 7:45 p.m.

Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant 30 S. Grove St.

By Claire Miller Photos

faces

courtesy of Gary Gardiner

Gary Gardiner has captured history for many years. Some of it has been an intentional effort, working in newspapers and for the Associated Press, and some has been by happenstance, such as a long-standing project which he stumbled into in retirement.

Both have value to Gardiner – and to the subjects he captures.

Gardiner, who moved to Westerville in 1982 for his job with the Columbus AP bureau, has become well-known around town. For his project My Final Photo, he’s taken and posted a photo every day from within the three-to-fivemile radius of his home in Westerville since Nov. 15, 2004, following his retirement. That’s 19 years of photographs, or more than 6,700 images.

Following his retirement, Gardiner knew he had the time, energy and interest to continue his passion. So, My Final Photo was born.

“I’ve got a lot left in me,” Gardiner says. “I’m going to take a picture every day for as long as I can, make it as journalistic as I can, and make it, in the true use of the word, awesome as I can.”

He’s found a permanent place for his work as he intends to donate the entirety of the project to the Westerville Public Library.

A portion of his work is already on display, housed and curated by the Westerville History Museum in an exhibition called Accidental History, capturing life in Westerville from 2011-2021.

“The picture I take of someone today will end up in the history museum for someone to look at in the future,” he says. “That’s a really powerful incentive for me to continue.”

Early history

Gardiner grew up in Gainesville, Florida. He first became fascinated with photos when he was young. He loved spending time with his father, looking through his father’s photo book from World War II.

“My dad had a huge photo album from his experiences during World War II and he had great stories to tell,” he says. “I would always love hearing his stories, but his stories always related to the photograph.”

His mother also helped light the spark by gifting him a book of the photos from the seminal Museum of Modern Art exhibition, The Family of Man , which featured a collection of photographers from around the world seeking to capture life from birth to death.

Although Gardiner acknowledges its shortcomings, as it was curated by all white men, the exhibition made an indelible impact on him.

Gardiner decided that college was not right for him, and instead joined the U.S. Air Force. He took his own photographs of life in the service. He was stationed in North Dakota and worked on technology for the Martin B-57 Canberra.

When he and his wife Sherry got their own place, a basement apartment, he would turn the kitchen into a darkroom by covering the small windows.

After three years in the service, he left to reenroll in college at the University of Florida. He thought he would major in engineering since he enjoyed working with electronics. Yet again, however, he found it wasn’t for him.

He left school and began work at a photo studio selling camera equipment and outsourcing film processing. He took on the role of manager at another camera store, which gave him access to camera equipment and fellow photographers.

“I got to meet a lot of photographers, got to ask a lot of questions about a whole lot of things. I shot a lot of photographs,

which is the only way you learn to make pictures,” he says.

Portfolio of potential Eventually, Gardiner learned that the University of Florida had an opening for a photographer in the division of publications shooting photos for brochures and pamphlets for the school. He also built a direct relationship with the local news bureau as they didn’t have a photographer of their own, so Gardiner got to shoot every time the newspaper had a story.

In what Gardiner considers a seminal moment, he gained access to the UPI photo transmitter with his job at the university. With access to the photo transmitter, he was able to send his photos across the wire to be accessible nationwide. He says he was always on the lookout for shots that would be of interest to people outside Florida.

When he went to apply for a job at the Orlando Sentinel, his work and reputation preceded him.

“‘I don’t need to see your portfolio. I’ve already seen your portfolio,’” Gardiner recalls the editor telling him. “That UPI transmitter, I describe it today as my social media of the ’70s, because I covered every University of Florida football game they had. I covered every basketball game. I covered baseball, I covered track. I covered incidental stuff. I traveled with the football team.”

He also covered major events that happened on the university’s campus, including demonstrations in protest of the Vietnam War and “Black Thursday,” when hundreds of students marched to the university president’s office with a list of demands for more equality for Black students on campus that would turn into larger protests.

After the Sentinel, he worked for the Fort Lauderdale News and The ClarionLedger in Jackson, Mississippi.

“It’s dynamic, the newspaper business, and you really have no idea what you’re gonna see,” he says. “How’re you going to handle it? What’re you going to do that’s new, different, better?”

In 1977, he went to work for The Associated Press bureau in Atlanta. He then moved to the Columbus AP bureau in 1982. Ohio was the largest AP member state outside of Texas. During

his time in Columbus, in the mid-’90s, he helped the cooperative transition its photo operations from film to digital and traveled the Midwest, training newsrooms on the new system.

When he retired from the AP in 2004, he was far from ready to retire his camera. Most of all, Westerville which has benefited from Gardiner’s continued work.

“I don’t think anyone has done more to capture the recent history of Westerville than Gary Gardiner,” Nina Thomas, Westerville History Manager, says. “From photographing the asbestos removal

in the former Kyoto Tea House to photographing the first beer served at Old Bag of Nails, his work tells our city’s stories. We are excited to showcase his photographs in an exhibition that highlights the history he’s captured over the past 20 years.”

For the Accidental History exhibit, Gardiner gave the museum years of unedited photos from 2011 through 2021 that are now on display. Museum officials pared down his decade-plus of photographs to the 75 that are on public view today.

You can view Gardiner’s daily work at www.myfinalphoto.com

“One of the things you want to do, especially as a news photographer, is to make people understand they have value,” Gardiner says. “You’re taking their photographs not because it’s valuable to the photographer, but because they have value and you want to show other people their value.”

Claire Miller is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at cmiller@cityscenemediagroup.com.

By Rachel Karas Photos courtesy of Ray LaVoie and Cynthia Laurie-Rose

Man’s Best Friend

How two Westerville natives are finding joy in helping dogs help people

Dogs can be wonderful bundles of joy. Whether you prefer a small, fluffy lap dog or a man-sized hound, every family can find a pup that’s right for them.For thousands of years, dogs have been earning their title as “man’s best friend” through their hard work and utility, whether that utility means herding cattle, locating missing people, or simply being a loyal and loving companion.

In recent decades, these jobs have shifted as our needs have changed, giving dogs new ways of helping their two-legged companions.

One important role that dogs have filled is to be service animals, specially trained

to help people with disabilities lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Service dogs help open doors, fetch things and guide their owners out of harm’s way, making them an incredible resource for their owners. But service dogs aren’t simply bred to be so useful. It’s through the hard work and training of people like Elysabeth Bouton that service dogs can be true companions and aids to people with unique needs. Bouton has lived in Westerville for the past 21 years with her husband, Phillip, and college-age children, Ellie and Caedan. She works for The Ohio State University in the college of social work, but off campus, her students stand on four legs.

Currently working with her fifth dog – a golden retriever named Camilla –Bouton has been working with Canine Companions for several years and has learned a lot during her journey.

The dogs must reach certain benchmarks along their journey of training to be service dogs.

To help reach those goals, Bouton says, dog trainers have many resources at their fingertips including books, puppy classes, playdates with other hopeful service dogs and more.

Being able to turn to her fellow puppy raisers to ask questions and turn to for help has been a huge help to Bouton over the years.

“It’s really a community, we support each other,” Bouton says. “We might have wine and cheese and have the dogs play. … I think because I was becoming an empty nester, I was really looking for something like that and I just have really taken all that in and enjoyed it.”

While she enjoys many of the community aspects, there is still a lot of hard work and training she must put in every

day to ensure her canine student is ready to move on in its training.

“A huge part of being a puppy raiser is taking the dog everywhere with you so that when they get placed with their new person, they know how to act in different environments,” Bouton says.

Although there is a lot for the dogs to learn, Bouton assures that it’s not all work. She tries to balance each dog’s training with some down time so they can play and act like a normal dog.

Over the years, Bouton has been asked if saying goodbye to her dogs is hard, and while she does say a piece of her heart leaves with each dog, in the end it is worth it knowing that they are helping someone.

“It’s a very fulfilling, rewarding thing to do,” Bouton says. “Parts of it are challenging at times, but overall, it’s just very rewarding and fun.”

Service dog jobs aren’t the only new roles dogs are stepping into. Emotional support and therapy dogs have become increasingly utilized in hospitals, assisted living centers, schools, airports and more.Cynthia Laurie-Rose, a professor of experimental psychology at Otterbein University, found that emotional support dogs can be particularly useful for college students experiencing stress.

Several years ago, she co-founded a service dog raising group on campus called OtterPAWS. Laurie-Rose noticed something whenever she would bring a service dog to class.

“I started to see just how meaningful (it was) for these kids to see a dog in class,” Laurie-Rose says. “They take pictures, they just loved having a dog in class even though they couldn’t interact with it.”

So, she expanded the organization and adjusted its focus to try and get more therapy dogs on campus. Laurie-Rose

Elysabeth Bouton and Camilla

hoped that that students could benefit from having more friendly and furry faces around Otterbein.

Now, OtterPAWS hosts events for trained therapy dogs and their handlers to meet with students around the campus. One such event was hosted on freshman move-in day this fall and Laurie-Rose says the dogs made quite a difference to many students who were away from their families for the first time.

“Not only is there real comfort with interacting with the dogs, but also it’s bringing out people,” Laurie-Rose says. “You’re seeing people that are feeling like you and so it really is a way to not only promote the interaction with the animal, but interaction with other humans as well.”

Although the concept is still a work in progress, Laurie-Rose says they have had

tremendous support from the university and Otterbein President John Comerford. She hopes that in time they are able to overcome some challenges – like finding more spaces to host the dogs and students safely – but is very happy with their progress so far.

“It takes a while to kind of learn all the things, but I think it got me to this point that I’m just very pleased about bringing dogs to the kids on campus,” Laurie-Rose says. “It’s just amazing to see what those animals can do for kids that are either homesick or feeling stressed. It really makes a difference to them and so it’s been really rewarding.”

Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Westerball

By Maisie Fitzmaurice Photos courtesy of Katie Giffin

Dress to the nines and enjoy a lively evening celebrating art in the Westerville community at this year’s Westerball. The Arts Council of Westerville’s second annual Westerball event will be hosted at The Point at Otterbein on Feb. 25 from 6-11 p.m.

Westerball’s organizers aim to create a night enjoyable for all ages and interests. Activities include a kid’s art gallery with awards, a silent art auction, live dance performances, live music, photo backdrops, art galleries and installations featuring art from all different mediums, food, drinks, and more.

Katie Giffin, The Arts Council of Westerville’s president, says Westerball is a great opportunity to experience a wide range of arts and entertainment.

“The goal of this ball was to bring all arts loving enthusiasts together and have a celebration of the arts. So we celebrate everything from our local dance groups to local band musicians,” she says.

The host of the event, The Arts Council of Westerville, originally formed almost 30 years ago in 1996 and has since held a yearly reception. In 2021, The Arts Council decided to turn that reception into Westerball, an event that would encapsulate all that the Westerville arts scene has to offer.

Westerball serves as a fundraiser for The Arts Council of Westerville. The funds go toward The Arts Council’s goal of obtaining a dedicated Cultural Arts Center in Westerville. These funds also assist with

activities and services The Arts Council provides such as art classes for children and adults and educational grants for school art programs.

“Arts is the No. 1 area that gets cut in many schools’ budgets. So our goal is to provide them with the funds to be able to still offer those amazing things to their students, things that a lot of kids don’t have the ability to even touch. So we want to make sure that it is available to all,” Giffin says.

Giffin says last year’s Westerball was a success, hosting around 525 guests. For this year’s Westerball, Giffin hopes to see an increase in attendance as COVID-19 precautions and anxiety drops.

“We’re hoping to surpass 600 this year,” she says.

The Arts Council’s second annual Westerball showcases Westerville’s best artistic talent

Katheryn Munger, executive secretary at The Arts Council of Westerville, says feedback from last year’s attendees was overwhelmingly positive. This helped solidify the council’s plans to continue the event annually.

“It’s just like a really upbeat, positive, fun night and what we heard from people was “this is the best fundraiser I’ve ever been to,” or “this was the most fun fundraiser I’ve ever been to,” Munger says.

One family who attended last year’s event shared their appreciation for the night saying it allowed for them to share a special moment despite the setbacks they had experienced from COVID-19 related cancellations.

“There was one father and daughter who didn’t get to go to their dance, and

she didn’t get to have her prom, and they were able to dance again. And that was really sweet. So moments like that just bring people together again,” Giffin says.

Some of the funds from this year’s Westerball will go toward feasibility studies used by The Arts Council to affirm a need for a dedicated Cultural Arts Center.

“That’s kind of our ultimate goal with this study is to show the impact that we could have and a lot of the times cities need facts that proves that that’s the case. So this is kind of the first step and outreach to show that an outside source is able to come in and take a look at things and provide some feedback from the city or from the community that the city really needs this,” Giffin says.

This year’s Westerball theme, “There’s a Space For Us,” was inspired by a couple of different things. The first being a telescope image taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope last year. The theme also encapsulates the idea of a space for all forms of art in Westerville and the Arts Council’s goal of eventually having a space for a cultural arts center in Westerville.

“When we think of art, we are always thinking there’s a blank space on this can-

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vas, there is a blank space in my notebook where I’m trying to do creative writing or write poetry. As artists, we are filling space; as a dancer, you’re walking across the stage, you’re jumping up into the air, you’re filling the space with your art,” Munger says.

Munger says their goal of creating a cultural arts center perfectly fits in with this year’s Westerball theme.

“It also has the connotation of trying to get a Cultural Art Center. There is a space for us, there is a space for art. And we’re trying to build that with this event,” she says.

The goal of a cultural arts center isn’t just offering an arts space. Munger believes a center would be financially beneficial to Westerville as well.

“We have a giant interest in the arts here and just having a place to have all those events, I think would be would be wonderful for our community and bring in a lot of tourism dollars, bringing a lot of money to town, and also really showing off what we have here and probably bring some amazing talent to Westerville for the benefit of our citizens,” Munger says.

One of the most highly anticipated activities, new to this year’s Westerball is a “Monster Art Rally” where artists will be creating art pieces live over the course of an hour for event goers to watch and enjoy. The art pieces made during this rally will all be sold at a minimum bid of $50 with proceeds benefiting The Arts Council of Westerville.

Another element of Westerball is the flash mob. This year’s flash mob dance routine is choreographed by two Otterbein University students and will be performed by members of five different dance studios in the Westerville area. The routine will be available on YouTube prior to the event in the hopes that attendees will learn the dance and join in during the flash mob.

Maisie Fitzmaurice is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

FOUNDATIONS

spotlight

By Katie Giffin

Photos by Katie Giffin

Big Warriors, Big Impact student

Westerville North High School students build life-changing friendships

For Kristie Cameron, a teacher at Westerville North High School, ensuring students feel connected and supported is top priority. That’s why she worked to create the Big Warrior, Little Warrior mentorship program.

The program, which started as a pen pal initiative in 2020, connects students across grade levels in order to mentor Little Warriors and build leadership skills in Big Warriors, Cameron says.

“Big Warrior, Little Warrior is really to try to connect across grade levels in our district,” Cameron says. “It’s about creating a tight-knit community.”

The name comes from Westerville North’s Warrior Way: respect your community, respect your family, respect your classmates, respect your school, respect yourself.

While the program includes students from ninth to 12th grade, Cameron shares that they specifically focus on getting freshmen and sophomores involved so the students have a chance to build lasting relationships with the younger students as they grow.

“We want to follow these students from first grade to second grade and so on, so it’s not just one year – it’s building solid

relationships over the years,” she says. “If kids don’t feel like they are loved and cared for, what’s the point?”

Big Warriors go through a rigorous application process in order to join the program. They submit video applications as well as a Google form that details their interest and reasons for joining. Students applying to the leadership committee must provide letters of recommendation from teachers to be considered.

“We really wanted to get the kids to commit to it and see the value of it,” Cameron says.

After two years of battling COVID-19 restrictions, the Big Warriors and Little Warriors finally met in person at the school this year.

“The first trip we went on, it literally brought tears to my eyes,” Cameron says. “We had worked so hard on this … and it was a beautiful thing. It was natural for the high school kids to step into being a leader and for the little kids to attach to them and look up to them.”

The high school students – Big Warriors –visit the Wilder, Mark Twain and Hawthorne

elementary schools once per quarter. The program works with each elementary school to complement what the younger students are currently learning. For Wilder Elementary, this means teaching lessons about the Wilder Way – a similar set of standards as the Warrior Way that asks the students to be respectful, responsible and ready to learn.

Abby Heck, a senior and Big Warrior at Westerville North, says that they have discussed friendship and sportsmanship – two key aspects of the Warrior Way – so far this year. When the Big Warriors visit the schools, the day begins by reading a story provided by administration that introduces the lesson, she says. Then they go on to play games that help the Little Warriors put the new concept into practice. After lunch together, the Big Warriors and Little Warriors go to recess. The time the Warriors spend together is as much about learning as it is about having fun and building friendships.

But the Little Warriors aren’t the only ones learning valuable lessons; the Big Warriors are benefiting from the program as well.

“It’s definitely helped me learn to talk to younger kids. … It’s adding those communication skills,” Heck says.

Tahira Johnson, a senior and Big Warrior at Westerville North, shares that connecting with the younger students has given her perspective on her experience at high school.

“Helping first-graders out and reading with them and seeing their level of engagement and evolution of their abilities throughout the year is really nice,” Johnson says. “The Big Warriors are a part of the program because they really want to be there.”

The students are making a significant impact on their community, and others are starting to take notice.

Natalie Cross, a school counselor working at Wilder, sees the positive impact of the program every day from how the kids play at recess to how they make new friendships.

“I love seeing the first-grade students’ faces light up when we say their Warrior is coming. They are more focused … and they laugh and they think it is so special,” Cross says.

Later on this year, the Little Warriors will enjoy a night of free basketball at the Westerville North High School. Not only

is this a fun event for families, but the kids benefit from seeing the high-schoolers in a competitive yet friendly environment, Cameron says.

As the program continues to grow, Cameron’s hope is that Big Warrior, Little Warrior builds a stronger community of support and love both in and outside of the schools.

Katie Giffin is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

est. 1982

By Rachel Karas

Photos courtesy of Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers and Kristen Kravitz

Beachy Keen Kitchen living

Balanced décor, extra space makes kitchen feel new

When Kristen Kravitz bought her Westerville home over a year ago, she knew she wanted to renovate the kitchen even before moving in.

The kitchen of this 1970 split level was a very old, dark and cramped space. Not only was the space in desperate need of an update, it needed an entryway from the garage, too.

The cabinets, which were painted a dark navy blue and white, were almost as old as the house itself and were riddled with cracks, causing them to start to fall apart.

As the single mother of two kids, Kravitz says the outdated space just wasn’t going to work for her busy family. Over the past few months – with the help of Dave Fox Design – the space has been transformed into a more open and inviting room with a sitting area addition that makes for a spacious kitchen.

Coastal Kitchen

Kravitz says the two things in the most urgent need of correcting were the lack of counter space and a closet that cut into the room.

By removing the closet, Kravitz says, Dave Fox opened up the space and allowed her to add more cabinets and an island, solving her counter space problem.

“I actually added a ton of storage space both in between the closet and the mudroom, and then all the pantry space around the refrigerator,” Kravitz says. “There’s also a microwave drawer in the island, which is nice because it doesn’t take up any counter space, then it’s not kind of an eyesore over the stove.”

Kravitz knew she wanted her cabinets to be teal – hoping to achieve a beachy

and coastal look – so she worked with the Dave Fox team to find accent colors that would complement them without making the space look too busy.

For the countertops, they landed on a simple white design with subtle silver and gold veins throughout. Kravitz says these colors help tie in the other details – such as the stainless steel appliances –without drawing your attention directly to one thing.

The previous owner had recently replaced the appliances, so Kravitz tried to keep as many as she could to help her save money on the renovation. She was able to keep the stove and dishwasher but had to get a new refrigerator, giving the old one a new home in the garage.

To help balance out the cool tones, Kravitz says she gave the floor, center island and shelves above the sink a warm, wood coloring to contrast the cabinets. Before

New Addition

The new addition just off the kitchen added almost 100 square feet to the house, and Kravitz says the new space has really changed how her family uses the room.

Kravitz says they now have a space to store things as they enter the house and an extra room off the kitchen that can serve multiple purposes.

“I wanted to add on a sitting area off the kitchen,” Kravitz says, “... to be able to just sit and have a cup of tea or wine. The kids (also) have an art table there so they can play and do art and creative projects while I’m in the kitchen.”

One of Kravitz’s favorite parts of the addition is the three new windows which bring more light into the space. With the positioning of the windows, Kravitz says it not only gives her beautiful views when the sun rises and sets, but she can also see right into her backyard.

“I love being able to be in the kitchen and have a clear view out to the backyard

and to see what the kids are getting up to or just to be able to appreciate the fall leaves and all of that,” she says.

After completing this year-long renovation and getting the kitchen of her dreams, Kravitz has turned her sights to future projects.

While she hopes to eventually update her bathrooms, Kravitz says this spring she plans to turn her attention outside with the hope of adding a deck off the new back door Dave Fox installed.

“I’m already starting to think about the landscaping and the gardens around the deck and plot those out,” Kravitz says. “We purposely left some portion of the back covered so that the eventual deck will have both the covered area as well as an open area, which I’m really excited about.”

Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Top Homes Sold in Westerville

The Westerville housing market is very competitive. Homes in Westerville receive five offers on average and sell in about 35 days. The average sale price of a home in Westerville was $375K last month, up 7.1% since last year. The average sale price per square foot in Westerville is $176, up 11.4% since last year. (Data from Redfin)

674 Mohican Way 6 beds, 3.5 baths $749,900 Sold on 10/24/22

947 Creek Run Ct. 3 beds, 2.5 baths $580,000 Sold on 10/5/22

181 W Walnut St. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $555,000 Sold on 10/4/22

146 E Park St. 3 beds, 1.5 baths $481,250 Sold on 10/5/22

72 Spring Creek Dr. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $469,500 Sold on 11/3/22

1023 Autumn Woods Dr. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $462,500 Sold on 10/6/22

302 Wildwood Dr. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $458,000 Sold on 11/22/22

592 Demsey Rd. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $451,500 Sold on 10/17/22

50 Spring Hollow Ln. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $430,000 Sold on 10/25/22

345 Cornhill Ct. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $429,000 Sold on 10/12/22

818 Old Coach Rd. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $425,000 Sold on 10/5/22

669 Ipswich St. 4 beds, 2.5 baths $420,000 Sold on 11/17/22

All information is collected from the Delaware and Franklin County Auditor offices.

By Connor Quinn

Photos courtesy of Alex O’Connell

Good Food and Fire Safety

The Westerville Fire Department shares its fire safety tips and a spicy home recipe

For 162 years, the Westerville Fire Department has stood as a pillar in ensuring the safety of Westerville residents. What started as a volunteer fire department

has grown into a full-time department with 27 firefighters and three firehouses. Throughout 2022, the department has responded to an estimated 9,000 emergency calls, many of which are emergency medical service (EMS) calls. According to Fire Chief Brian Miller, to ensure that they are ready to respond with the best possible service at any time, the department focuses on consistent training, up-to-date equipment, modern techniques and community awareness of fire safety.

“I’m a huge advocate of fire prevention. To prevent a fire so that it never occurs, that’s our No. 1 priority,” Miller says.

During the winter, house fires become considerably more common. Although many people don’t realize it, frequently used heating devices such as furnaces, space heaters and fireplaces can easily cause a fire if not regularly cleaned and properly repaired.

“The other thing we are worried about

is carbon monoxide. People’s houses are closed up and heating devices are being used, that’s why we always recommend that people have working carbon monoxide detectors and working smoke detectors,” Miller says.

Miller also calls attention to a few household items that many people might not think about: candles and bathroom exhaust fans. He suggests switching to LED candles (which can even come with scents now) even if they aren’t as fun. Miller also reminds residents to keep their bathroom exhaust fan clean and ensure it’s in working order.

When members of the department aren’t responding to a fire or EMS call, they’re with one of their two families. Firefighters

work at the station for 24 hours at a time, then have 48 hours off of work.

“A lot of times it’s referred to as our second family. Especially the firefighters that are on shift, they’re spending a third of their lives here at the firehouse with everybody, 24 hours at a time,” Miller says.

Time spent at the firehouse is more than doing the day-to-day upkeep. Members of the department cook, clean, exercise and relax together – just like with their families at home.

“I’m very proud to be part of this organization. As far as being chief, it’s very humbling. This community is phenomenal and the firefighters here are the best,” Miller says, “They truly do a lot of good things for this community and I continue to see them do amazing things. Our job is helping others, and there’s no greater feeling than helping someone in their time of need.”

During their 24-hour shifts, firefighters shop for groceries and cook together. A department favorite recipe is cowboy beans, a spicy and savory dish that can be easily adjusted based on the size of your group.

Connor Quinn is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com

Cowboy Beans

• 32 oz. Brooks chili beans

• 32 oz. baked beans

• 4 oz. chili powder

• 8 oz. horseradish

• 16 oz. brown sugar

• 16 oz. ketchup

• 8 oz. juice from pepper of your choice

• 1-4 lbs. hamburger meat

• 2 diced green peppers

• 2 diced onions

In a casserole dish, combine the chili beans, baked beans, chili powder, horseradish, brown sugar, ketchup and pepper juice.

In a skillet, begin heating the hamburger meat, green peppers and onions. Add hot sauce if desired. Heat until the hamburger meat is completely cooked.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the contents of the skillet into the casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

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bookmarks

From the Westerville Public Library

For online library resources such as ebooks, digital magazines, kids activities and more, visit www.westervillelibrary.org

Recommended Youth Reads from Katie Ross, Youth Services Librarian

Foodie Faces by Bill and Claire Wurtzel (Picture Book)

Children will feast on the funny and emotive faces in this book. Encourage your child to create their own versions of foodie faces using a healthy dose of fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson (Juvenile Non-fiction)

Katzen, famous for The Moosewood Cookbooks, writes recipes that make preschoolers the star of the kitchen.

The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and Drugs by Gail Jarrow (Juvenile Non-fiction)

Formaldehyde in milk? Copper in peas? In the late 1800s, these were ingredients found in food. Jarrow writes an engrossing account of Dr. Harvey Wiley, “the father of the FDA,” and his efforts to make food consumption safe for all.

Kitchen Explorers!: 60+ recipes, experiments, and games for young chefs by America’s Test Kitchen (Juvenile Non-fiction)

Over 8,000 volunteer kids vetted the ideas and recipes in this book for America’s Test Kitchen. Get kids excited about cooking and trying new foods with the Make It Your Way Food Challenges, experiments and games.

Recommended Adult Reads from

Librarian

52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at A Time by Annabel Streets (Non-fiction)

A short, user-friendly guide to attaining the full range of benefits that walking has to offer –physical, spiritual and emotional – backed by the latest scientific research to inspire readers to develop a fulfilling walking lifestyle.

Arrival Stories: Women Share Their Experiences of Becoming Mothers by Amy Schumer & Christy Turlington Burns (Non-fiction)

Mothers share their birth stories of what it feels like when a woman first realizes she is a mother. Arrival Stories offers a panoramic view of motherhood and highlights the grave injustices that women of color face in maternal health care.

Blood Orange Night by Melissa Bond (Non-fiction)

As Melissa Bond raises her infant daughter and a special needs son, she suffers from unbearable insomnia. Following her doctor’s orders, she takes pills night after night until her body begins to shut down and she collapses while holding her daughter.

At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha (Fiction)

After a disastrous encounter with an entitled patient, Maya is forced to leave the city hospital where she’s spent her entire career. Meanwhile, her daughter is struck with a mysterious ailment, and she must race to uncover the reason before it’s too late.

Mindy Bilyeu, Adult Services

Live with all your heart.

Treating serious heart and vascular conditions takes a multidisciplinary team with extraordinary experience and enormous expertise, supported by the latest technologies.

At Mount Carmel Heart and Vascular, leading cardiovascular interventionalists, vascular surgeons and team work together to offer the latest minimally-invasive solutions for heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, heart valve disease, complete vascular conditions and more. We’re continually finding new ways to create the best and safest experience possible, so you can get back to living life sooner, fuller, and with all your heart.

Connect with a heart expert at mountcarmelheart.com

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is an elite designation from The Leapfrog Group, a national, independent watchdog that sets the highest standards for patient safety in the United States.

A Member of Trinity Health