The Governor Croswell Tea Room

The Governor Croswell Tea Room and Restaurant now offers dinner! According to co-owner Richard Hedrick, “We are reworking our menu. We [will] keep things like our chicken pot pie and our mac and cheese, but we will have more salads and some sandwiches. But we won’t be doing high teas.” They are also working on other dishes like a chicken cordon bleu pocket.

Hedrick also noted the menu is not set in stone. “We will still be experimenting with the menu to see what works and what doesn’t and getting input from customers. We’ll listen to our customers; we want to provide what people want.” Hedrick added that they are also looking at adding vegan dishes, as there are very few places in the area that offer those options.

Hedrick stated that while the evening faire will be different than what they offer earlier in the day, “It still will be a very quality and sort of a transportive experience where you’re sort of in this

Victorian setting, it will still be that nice setting.” Hedrick believes the downtown can support more restaurants as there are not many in the business district.

Currently, Hedrick anticipates the restaurant being open several nights a week. While the tea room brings in clientele from different locales, he expects evenings will be more local people. “I think it’s really needed, and that’s why we bought the tea room,” said Hedrick. “Because we really thought the tea room was a special place in Adrian and we didn’t want it to go away so we got together, bought it, are running it and working hard to keep everything fresh.”

Hedrick is quick to note he is not in this alone. His partners include his wife, Julie; Kevin and Laura Iott; Dan Medley and Maria Medley; Joe Haberman; Jason Fournier; and Chris and Joyce Miller. n The Governor Croswell Tea Room 125 E Maumee St, Adrian governorcroswelltearoom.com

By Renee Lapham Collins

Whetherit’s a special event, summer project, or something for the homeschooling parent, the LISD Center for Educational Materials and Technology (CEM@T) probably has it.

Sherry Kurek, CEM@T and Special Education secretary said the main goal of the program is to provide the public with “great opportunities to explore with kids.” “We’re open all summer, and open to all of the families and children in Lenawee,” she said. “All ages are welcome. Our mission is to provide as many resources as possible to help our patrons engage, challenge, and inspire thinking, learning, and development.”

The spacious main area is lined with windows for plenty of natural light and filled with dozens of items that are designed for kids. Shelves of story books, blocks, and stuffed toys welcome youngsters and there are “kid-sized” tables and chairs for reading and games. Along one wall, Kurek has established stations devoted to learning activities. One station, for example, features children’s books about visiting the doctor, a large set of teeth and gums, a doctor play set, and a microscope designed for small hands. Another station has a metal board and magnetic letters so that children can practice spelling skills, and a third has books on baby animals, miniature tractors, wagons, and a barn to help children explore farms. There are also laptop computers, an electronic piano, a library, and other items designed to spark creativity and encourage learning.

The center has been around for many years, Kurek said, but only recently has it opened its doors to the public. Located inside the Porter Education

Lenawee Center for Educational Materials and Technology

2946 Sutton Rd, Adrian 517-266-6991 • cemat@lisd.us

 @LISDCEMAT  @lisd.cemat lisd.us/instruction/school-support-services/cemat

Center, CEM@T also offers art classes and field trips as well as resources that are great for crafters, whether they work with their children or on their own. Kurek said the center recently acquired a Glowforge 3-D printer and a Cricut for its crafting area. There is also a machine that makes cameos and silhouettes. The crafting room has plenty of counter space for spreading out projects, tools for crafting, supplies for sale, and all the equipment to make posters and bulletin boards. A binding machine for creating booklets and a laminator also are available for use. “We have the resources, so people don’t have to spend a lot of money,” Kurek said. “We have ways to support any kind of learning in the community.”

During the pandemic the center became a way to share resources with families. With so many students learning from home, there was a need for new opportunities and materials, not just homeschoolers, but everyone. “Children really enjoy all of the things they can do here,” Kurek said. “It’s a great place for parents to bring their children and let them explore all there is to experience. It’s a different feeling in here. The library is not the typical kind of library — here children are allowed to be children.”

Kurek said she thinks the center hasn’t even begun to tap into all of the potential it has in the community. “It’s just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “Educators can throw ideas out to us and we can figure out how to make it happen. We’re open to all ideas from educators from the community. Lenawee County is very blessed to have a place like this.” n