Vol. 6 No. 2
Aug. 3, 2011
Happy Anniversary Geauga Park District By Christina Porter
B Andrew fishing with his father Sergeant Joe Tucholski.
Cops and Kids Fishing Event On July 16, the Middlefield Police Depar tment and Middlefield Recreation hosted the 3rd annual “Cops and Kids” fishing day at Mineral Lake Park. “The weather was beautiful, a perfect day for fishing,” Mayor Poole said. There were approximately 130 people who attended the event, and the Dean and the Minick families came all the way from Stark County. Mayor Poole said, “Scott Dean and Steve Minick both work for the Alliance Police Department, they heard of the program, and attended the event with hopes to take the program back to their own community.” The “Cops and Kids” fishing day is very well supported by our community businesses. Flambeau, Wal-Mart, Zeppe’s Pizza, Geauga Bow, Great Lakes Outdoor Supply, Bergs Eye Apparel, and Save A Lot all helped sponsor the event.
Postal Customer Local / ECRWSS
OR CURRENT RESIDENT
Middlefield Post P.O. Box 626 Middlefield, OH 44062
PreSort Std U.S. Postage PAID Middlefield, OH 44062 Permit No. 77
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elieve it or not, this year is the 50th anniversary of the Geauga Park District. It all began in 1959 when Geauga County’s League of Woman Voters and local gardening groups were concerned with the increase of new construction in the county, and knew the area habitats had to be preserved for the sake of native plants and animals. But they also saw the beauty all around them and wanted the human residents to be able to enjoy the wonders of nature that surrounded them. Cleveland Metroparks were already in place, so civic-minded citizens formed a committee and looked to Cleveland as an example of which direction to take. It was in August of 1961 that the Geauga Park District was established, and ever since, uncountable people have enjoyed and utilized the land and programs. The Geauga Park District has grown steadily. From woodlands to wetlands, meadows and streams, Geauga Park District now manages nearly 9,500 acres in 18 open parks, preserves and future parks. These reservations are usually large undeveloped tracts of land devoted to conserving and preserving the forests, grasslands, marshes, geological features, rivers, lakes and ponds of the county; all are populated with abundant wildlife. Prime consideration is given to protecting natural aesthetic values and scenic landscapes. Now there is great news for both park lovers and star gazers. Observatory Park is set to open this fall. Set on 1,100 acres at 10160 Clay St. in Montville (1.6 miles north of Chardon Windsor) this newest addition is in one of the few regions in northeast Ohio which has not been affected by light pollution. This park is a one-of-a- kind and promises vast exploration that starts on the ground and reaches up to and through the galaxies. Once completed, it will be one of only three Dark-Sky Parks in the entire United States. The educational opportunities are enormous and this community is privileged to have access to, among other features, planetariums, planetary trails and an astronomy-space science museum. Two additional pluses for Geauga County residents are that the park construction features green building
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By Christina Porter
Members of the Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society hard at work assembling the many pieces to the Oberle Telescope.
We Do Take Wooden Nickels Here
M
any of us have heard or said the old expression, “Don’t take any wooden nickels,” but you certainly wouldn’t want to say that anymore. Wooden money is an asset once again, and the numbers of collectors seeking the elusive pieces are on the increase. Throughout history, wooden pieces were used during tough economic times, as in the 1837 Panic and during the Civil War. In 1931, during the Great Depression, when banks were failing, a remote town in the state of Washington began to print their monetary guarantees on the one resource they had plenty of — wood. The novelty of money printed on wood lured outsiders to invest in the pieces. This success was emulated, in varying degrees, by other towns, throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. Even after the monetary crisis passed, wooden nickels were continually made for advertising purposes. The Chicago World’s Fair of 1933 was the first of many events where wooden tokens were handed out as souvenirs. Wooden nickels are still made today as promotional novelties by some businesses. Locally, the Penn Ohio Wooden Money Collectors is a numismatic club specializing in the collection of wooden money, such as wooden nickels and wooden “flats.” The club with members nationwide re-organized in 2003, replacing the Penn
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Club members and attendees at the meeting of the 2010 annual Wooden Nickel Show and Swap Meet at Red Maple Inn.
Inside this Issue...
Spotlight On ... Produce Stands Plain Country Page 4
Spotlight On ... K.S.U. Geauga Page 3
See What’s Been Happening Out ‘N’ About ... Pages 12-13
Staying Positive During Tough Job Hunts Page 15
Luke and Roger Kruse Missionaries to India Page 20