BRUNSWICK, Ohio – That was really interesting. My great-grandson and I often go on driving “adventures.” We head out and never know exactly where we’ll end up. We headed to Hinckley because we wanted to see how things are going at Hinckley Lake. We were surprised at how much water has re-entered even though the dredging hasn’t been done. There were a few islands of weeds instead of an entire lake of weeds with nearly no water before this rainy seasons began. Then we headed west to go down the big hill to Richfield and turned a couple times in directions I didn’t remember going before. We suddenly noticed crowds of people parking along the railroad tracks in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Every parking lot was filled, every pull-off had cars. We finally asked someone and it was Steam Sunday and they were watching for a steam engine chugging through the national park. We parked in a lot that had space but didn’t know if we were near the tracks. As we headed down a very steep hill, there it was. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. It was almost 3 p.m. before we finally heard the distinctive whistle and there it was. A huge train with a black cloud of steamy smoke pouring out as it rolled past us blowing that distinctive whistle. It was really cool. I took a photo and Izak took a video. It’s the first time he had seen a steam locomotive. So now, we’ll have to take a ride on it this summer. Oh, by the way. I did have to climb back up that hill. Oooh, Culver’s: Monday looks like the ‘soft” opening of Culver’s new location on Center Road, even though their official ribbon cutting isn’t until later this month. I know a lot of people were looking forward to this. My family certainly is. Discover Medina County’s Role in the Underground Railroad with the Liverpool Historical Society as historian Roger Smalley presents a richly detailed account of the antislavery movement and the Underground Railroad in Medina County. Drawing from a wide array of local and national sources, Smalley uses maps, photographs and charts to bring this powerful history to life. Learn about the station locations, routes traveled, and the challenging conditions faced by both the passengers and the brave families who offered them refuge. The program, which is free and open to the public is at 7 pm May 15 at Emmanuel United Church of Christ’s Fellowship Hall, 6656 Center Road, Valley City. For more information, please call 330-604-0442. In case you can’t make this event, save May 29 for this presentation by Smalley, a former teacher retired from Brunswick’s Kidder School. That one is hosted by the Brunswick Area Historical Society at Heritage Farm’s Big Red Barn at 6:30 p.m. Also, free and open to the public. Do you know? Does anyone have a contact for Susan Starkey? I was sure I read in some document that her ancestor, Ephraim Lindley, was providing shelter to runaway slaves. I couldn’t find the information and hoped she could help. If you’re a friend, please let her know. Summer Means Camp: Summer is just around the corner which means so is summer camp! The Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a rich tradition of encouraging summer learning experiences for adults and children with developmental differences. The MCBDD is happy to again be able to provide camperships for students and adults with developmental differences to attend the camp of their choice this summer. The MCBDD believes that everyone should have the chance to learn, grow, develop friendships, and gain confidence through the experience of summer camp. With campership funding, individuals with developmental differences are able to choose the camp that best meets their needs and the MCBDD helps by providing financial support to attend. The MCBDD provides two types of camperships: student and adult. Student camperships are available to those who are ages 4 to 22, live in Medina County, are enrolled in a school program, are eligible for county board services and are not receiving Medicaid Waiver funding. Adult camperships are available to adults ages 18 and up, who live in Medina County, are not enrolled in a school program, are eligible for county board services and are not currently receiving Medicaid Waiver funding. Camperships are up to $400 each, with a limit of one per person. Individuals and families who are interested in applying for camperships should visit www.mcbdd.org/service-funding/ for more information and applications or call 330-725-7751 ext. 130. Jazz under the Stars: It’s almost time for some of those wonderful concerts in Medina’s Uptown Park and Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach opens its 2025 Jazz under the Stars concert series with Northeast Ohio-based band, Jazz in the Blue featuring singer, bass guitarist and pianist Erin Nicole Neal at 7 p.m. on June 7. Neal delights audiences with her strong, soulful voice that flows easily from heartfelt bluesy delivery to agile jazz-style phrasing. Her band performs an eclectic mix of music that includes Blues, Rock, Pop, Soul, and Jazz in the style of artists such as Dinah Washington, Low Rawls, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Frank Sinatra, and many more! Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy this free concert. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 317 E. Liberty Street, Medina. For more information, call 419-853-6016. Strings in the Park: Medina High School Orchestra Brings Music to the Square with “Strings in the Park,” a celebration of student musical talent in the heart of the city. The concert will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at Uptown Park in Medina’s historic town square. This beloved annual event invites residents and visitors to enjoy a midday performance by the Medina High School Orchestra. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair and lunch and relax to the orchestra’s soothing melodies in the open air. In the event of rain, the performance will be relocated indoors to the Medina Performing Arts Center, 851 Weymouth Road, ensuring the music continues uninterrupted. Free and open to the public, this collaboration between Medina High School and the City of Medina brings together families, friends, and neighbors for an uplifting afternoon of music and community spirit. Hinckley celebrates: Hinckley is all set to celebrate its bicentennial this summer with a big celebration set for Saturday, July 19. It all starts with a parade and ends with fireworks with all kinds of interesting offerings throughout the day, all around the downtown area at the intersection of Ridge and Center roads. Want more information go to https://hinckleyohiohistoricalsociety.com/ Hope Church Ignite lock-in: Ignite High School Ministry is having a lock-in on May 16-17 and it sounds like fun. It’s going to begin with drop-off at 7:30 p.m. May 16 at Buzzard’s Cove in Hinckley. Then all participants will head to Hope Church for a lock-in including a devotional time, games, snacks, and more. High School Students are invited. Cost is $10 per student and includes food and activities at the church (first time visitors are free.) To play mini golf, the charge is $10. Participants should bring a comfortable change of clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, blanket/pillow for movie time if desired/ To sign up go to : https://hopebrunswick.breezechms.com/form/c241047823919257696812956 Fix it funds available: Medina County Treasurer John Burke and Westfield Bank will once again be offering Fix-It Funds low-interest fixed rate home improvement loans to Medina County homeowners. Since 2015, Westfield Bank has partnered with the Treasurer’s office to offer these fixed rate loans at up to 2% below the bank’s current rate. Fix-It Funds loans can range from $5,000 to $50,000 and are given on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are depleted. Almost all types of interior and exterior home improvements are eligible, including painting, wallpaper, lighting, flooring, plumbing, carpeting, furnaces, air conditioners, remodeling, additions, decks, window and door replacements, roofing, siding, gutters, driveways, patios, and sidewalks to name a few. There are only a few ineligible improvements such as swimming pools, satellite dishes or hot tubs. Manufactured homes are not eligible for a Fix-It Funds loan. There is no income limit to qualify for these loans. You must be a Medina County resident; your home (1-4 family unit dwelling) must have a tax appraised value of $300,000 or less excluding land, according to the Medina County Auditor’s appraised value; and you cannot be delinquent on your real estate taxes. Homeowners have up to 18 months to complete the work for which the loan was granted. “Over 80% of the homes in Medina County may qualify,” Burke noted. “We currently have over $1 million in active Fix-It Funds loans with an average value of $18,585.” “The market for home mortgage interest rates has leveled out in the last two years with equity line interest rates averaging 7-8%. As an alternative, the Fix-It Funds program’s fixed interest rate at up to 2% below the bank’s normal rate looks pretty good,” Burke said. The Fix-It Funds program has provided over $16 million in low-interest home improvement loans to over 1,000 Medina County residents since its authorization by the County Commissioners in 2002. “Homeowners all across the County have been helped by these loans,” said Burke, noting that since the program’s inception, $2.9 million in loans have gone to homeowners in Brunswick; $1.6 million to Wadsworth; $3.1 million to Medina; and $8.4 million to residents in surrounding townships. This innovative and unique program has been given recognition by the national county elected officials’ organization. Burke has assisted the Treasurers of Stark and Portage counties to establish the same linked-deposit program. Only three other counties in Ohio offer similar programs. Interested homeowners can apply at two Westfield Bank locations: Two Park Circle in Westfield Center and 4015 Medina Road on Route 18 in Medina, or contact Westfield Bank representatives Michelle Evans, Retail Manager, Westfield Center at MichelleEvans@westfield-bank.com, 330-661-6083 or David Merk), Retail Manager, Medina at DavidMerk@westfield-bank.com, 330.661.6297 For more information, call the Medina County Treasurer’s office at 330-725-9746, email treasurerburke@medinaco.org , or search Fix-It Funds at www.medinacountytreasurer.com . Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com