Dec. 7, 2011
Vol. 6 No. 8
Don’t Miss Our Special Holiday Section “Yes, Middlefield, There is a Santa Claus” By Nancy Huth In the past two years, a Green House, Flower Shop, Tailor Shop, Tucked away on quiet Bundysburg Road outside of Middlefield Fish and Tackle shop, and 2,000 feet of fencing have been erected. are 93 acres of magic and miracles. Reindeer and horses graze, The next project is flooring the three covered bridges with white munching apples donated by Sunrise Farms, as they await oak planks so children can enjoy the clipSanta’s call. clop of horse hooves. This project is being “Santa’s Hideaway Hollow” has organized by a 17-year-old Boy Scout for touched the lives of 79,000 critically or his Eagle Scout project. Spring’s big task terminally ill children over the past 30 will be laying a 100 by 100 square foot years. It is a non-profit corporation, not Medivac-Helipad with a huge “S” in the open to the public, which was started in center. This will help the hospitals fly in ill the spirit of Christmas by Elf-in-Chief, Bill children or pick them up in emergencies. Dieterle. Sick children and their families Upcoming projects are a house with a are taken, anytime of year, in horse-drawn movie theater and bathrooms, a gazebo, carriages over three covered bridges to an outdoor train ride, and a schoolhouse. the little town. The hideaway is composed Santa and Mrs. Claus rely exclusively of small wooden structures that dazzle the on volunteers and donations. All elves eyes. Christmas trees, ornaments, dolls, who serve, ready at Santa’s call, are from games, nutcracker men and red and green the area, many from local high schools. decorations are everywhere. Some of the Although the economy has been tough stops are at Santa’s Workshop, the general for Santa, with businesses moving out of store, Bernie Kosar House, a flower shop, the area, he counts on many generous a bank and a post office. In Santa’s Bank, contributors and helpers. children write their wishes on small pieces Some of these are Middlefield Sign, of paper and hand them to the Elf WishMentor Lumber, The Frank Agency, Don Keeper, who deposits them in a beautiful Basch Jewelers of Macedonia, Willoughby safe donated by Fifth Third Bank. The Supply, Pepsi Co., Middlefield Bank, magical Bundysburg Road Post Office is full of letters addressed to the North Pole. Santa’s Hideaway Hollow, Post Photo/Nancy Huth Preston Motors, Shetlers Printing, Zeppe’s Pizza, McDonalds, Kraftmaid, WalMart, Santa works in close collaboration Middlefield Kiwanis, Eli Miller and many wonderful people of with University, Metro, Lake and Cleveland Clinic Hospitals, who Geauga County. notify him about critically or terminally ill children. Besides Santa said, “One young very sick girl got hungry during her visit. transporting the kids to his Ohio North Pole, Santa also visits children She came to me and said, “Santa, I’m hungry, can you touch in hospitals or in their homes when hospice is there. He travels in your nose and get me a pizza?” I called Zeppe’s and we had a pizza the new white pick-up truck he won in a contest held by Toyota in three minutes.” Motor Company which, for 100 days, gave one car a day to a charity. Continued on page 2 On the truck’s side are the letters NPFD (North Pole Fire Dept.)
Inside This Issue ...
Win a 3-Pound Premium Milk Chocolate Bar
by entering our Holiday Scavenger Post Hunt Sponsored by White House Chocolates Details on Page 22
See What’s Happening “Out ‘N’ About” Pages 12-13
Great Holiday Gift Ideas Close to Home Christmas Section ~ Page 1
Geauga County Amish Heritage Center
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
By Nancy Huth Middlefield, Ohio is home to the fourth “The Amish Heritage Center will stand as a largest Amish settlement in the world, so it seems bridge between two cultures. The exhibitions and fitting to open an Amish Heritage Center here, content will recognize the contributions that the where the story of the northeast Ohio Amish Amish, and especially settlements have made the Geauga Settlement, to the state and its would be preserved. history since 1886.” Sam Weaver, a Recognition descendent of the extends to the Geauga first Amish to settle in County Historical Society Middlefield, states, “We in Burton and their are grateful to see a board of directors for collaboration between their input on the Amish Amish and English Heritage Center. neighbors to realize the Ken Lawton is the Amish Heritage Center son of artist Florian in Middlefield. It’s been Lawton who passed “Sugar Running,” painting by Ken Lawton a topic of discussion for away in January, 2011 over a dozen years among the Amish.” at age 89. Florian created numerous watercolors Sam is one of four Amish on the seven- of the northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania Amish member Heritage Center Advisory Board. The whom he had known for over 40 years. His other three are Eli Miller, Crist Miller and Joe artwork is displayed in the White House and in Miller. According to board chairman Ken Lawton, Continued on page 2
For More Gift Ideas ~ See Textile Republic Christmas Section ~ Page 3
Spotlight On ... C. A. Miller Custom Woodworking Plain Country ~ Page 4