Mantua Matters
August, 2010

GREETINGS

One more month of summer left and the air conditioners are begging for a rest, deodorant sales have gone through the roof, and everyone is soggy from staying in the pool too long. We thought that after a long miserable winter, we would be blessed with a pleasant summer. Silly us!

But soon, Fall will be upon us with cooler temps, great color and smells and the kids going back to school. Unfortunately, that also means that winter is just around the corner. Ohio weather is certainly never dull.

This issue covers May, June and July, plus upcoming events. Please read and enjoy!


WHETHER YOU ARE NEW TO THE AREA OR A LONG-TIME RESIDENT, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW.

EMERGENCY911
Village Hall330-274-8776
Police Department330-274-2251
Fire Department330-274-3535
Service Department330-274-8188
Income Tax330-274-8776
Time Warner Cable1-800-683-1000
Lodge/Park Rental330-274-8776
Water/Sewer Billing330-274-8188
Mantua Township
Marie Stehli330-995-2640
Shalersville Township
Dorothy Caldwell330-274-3655
Zoning
John Vechery330-274-8776
Mantua Matters330-274-8737
Trash Pickup:
Universal Disposal1-440-286-3173
Waste Mgt. Of Ohio1-800-232-5749
Sunburst Env. Serv1-800-782-2475
P. C. Recycling330-678-8808

Council meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the new Administration Bldg.



MAYOR’S CORNER

Hello Everyone I hope your enjoying your summer, I wanted to express my gratitude on behalf of the Village and give you a few updates as well,

First, thank-you to Downtown Mantua Revitalization for sponsoring the Art on the Hill Festival, this event along with the Triathlon sponsored by Portage Parks District was held on July 10th. Both are celebrating their 2nd year, and what a tremendous success it was. The artisans and vendors were top notch. This is an event the Village can be extremely proud of. There was an amazing turnout for the triathlon too, the participants, crowd of spectators and enthusiasm more than doubled!! Also a special thank-you to the Soapbox Derby, and new to the event this year was the Downhill Regatta, who brought with them a new dimension of fun to the event. I would like to thank the Downhill Regatta for their kind donation that will help repair the boy/girl fountain on the Village green.

These events are important to our Village as it’s through these events that many visit our Village for the first time. They always seem pleasantly surprised with what they find here, our natural beauty and our friendly people. We are a quiet underexposed jewel, and like many of you I sometimes want to keep it that way too, but that won’t help our business owners. That’s why events such as these, coupled with the Rotary’s always enjoyable Farmers Market are vital to the success of our downtown district. The Farmers Market is a great way to start a Saturday. I wish them great success as they switch things up a bit and are now open every Saturday. I for one will be there as often as I can. It’s the influx of people coming to these events that will help support our restaurants, gas station, hardware, meat market, you get the idea. The bottom line is that for our businesses to survive and thrive we need people to think Mantua. The future of our community and the quality of life we provide our families and just the everyday joy of living in the Village depends on how we utilize one of our largest, and greatest assets, that being the Cuyahoga river.

In today’s economy many people are opting to stay closer to home but they’re looking for fun ways of enjoying their off times as well. By promoting our river and our trails we can encourage eco-tourism, which in turn will bring visitors to our community and as a result customers to our businesses as well. I often have the chance to network with many Federal, State and local officials as well as business leaders. When I tell them I am from Mantua the first thing that is on their mind is, of course, the same thing we all hear, and that is our 25mph zone. I always tell them that we give far more warnings than tickets, but perception is reality. Recently I had someone say to me “Oh that is where, (and of course my mind was already filling in the much heard blanks, but this time, for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised when he said) is you have great canoeing! Wow, what a surprise and I said, yes of course, and began telling him all about our trails etc. That’s the mindset we need to encourage. That being said, If you have any interest in our trails and/or the river and you would like to become more involved please don’t hesitate to contact me, we need your help to encourage that perception and make it a reality!

As residents, I know we have many needs ourselves. Recently I met with our Governor’s Regional Director ,Chris Supples regarding serious Village concerns. As we all know and as was made quite apparent during the meeting, the State, at this time, has no real way to help us. Therefore, I am continuing to work closely with Congressman LaTourette and his Chief of Staff to obtain funding for our street and storm sewer repair. I wish there was an easy answer but there isn’t. Funding for this project is crucial, therefore it becomes necessary for me to search out every possible avenue I can find to get this project funded. Right now that appears to be the Federal government, so that’s where I went in June. I wish it could happen overnight but at least for the first time we have Mantua Village in their plans and we are headed toward those much needed Federal dollars hopefully in 2012.

Right now your Village Council and I have been busy working together to bring you one trash pickup provider. We believe this will bring cost savings to you, as well as reduce the wear and tear on our side streets by bringing to an end the multiple trash truck pick-ups throughout our residential streets during the week. We published this bidding opportunity and extended this to every trash hauler. We received numerous bids and J & J Refuse was by far the lowest bidder. This should bring a minimum cost savings to almost every resident of $15- $20. per quarter. Included in this service will be a senior citizen discount, and as many of our seniors use the bag system, this too will be available. We also realize how difficult it can be to get the items to our service garage during spring cleanup, so as an added benefit, we have included a once a month curbside bulk item pick-up, such as sofa, tables, etc. Council and I want you to be part of this decision so you will find this on Novembers ballot. I am sure many of you have questions so I am hosting a Town Hall meeting on Thursday September 23rd at 6pm I have asked Mr. Johnson of J & J Refuse to attend this meeting to answer any questions you might have.

Just a quick update on our Civic Sign. Eagle Scout candidate Jason Sage has done a remarkable and truly outstanding job on bringing this project together, there have been a number of obstacles along the way and a few changes but what an amazing project this is and what an asset to the Village. We are right now working on the final stages of the sign in preparation for the dedication ceremony in late August.

And lastly I would like to invite you to join me for coffee at Jason’s Comfort Café Thursday August 26th at 9:00am, my treat, I look forward to discussing with you various Village topics of your choosing. I hope you will also mark your calendars for the Town Hall meeting September 23rd at 6pm this will give us an opportunity to discuss upcoming issues that will be on Novembers ballot.

See you for coffee, Mayor Donna


A NOTE FROM JENNY

I am certainly no financial wizard by any means, but here are a few tips that I wanted to share. These are things you probably already know, but sometimes don’t always heed.

No Impulse Buying Go home and think about the item you want to buy. Do you need it that badly right now? Can you wait to buy it until you have cash saved up? Can you find a better price? Shop around, look for sales, coupons, or rebates. Once you’ve walked away from that item, you may realize that you did yourself a favor by not making the purchase right now.

"If you need more money, then go out and make more money." As long as there is health, anything else can be worked for. There are limits to how far you can scrimp and save. Often the fastest way out of debt and into wealth is generating more income. Many people work two jobs. Picking up a part time job only working an extra 8-12 hours per week can make a big difference. The key is to leave that extra money for what it is intended for. My part time job pays my homeowners, auto & life insurances, and property taxes, as long as I put it into an account and leave it alone until those bills come due! You should always make some time for fun and relaxation, too!

Sell stuff! Look around the house for something you don’t really need and put it on Craig’s list, or have a yard sale and make a bunch of cash. If you have talent for crafts, buy a spot at a flea market or rummage sale and sell something that is easy and inexpensive to make, but cool enough that everyone wants to buy one! We have a perfect Farmers Market right across from McDonald’s! Hmmmmm.. you can think of something! I personally can’t walk past a bake sale without buying something. You can bake stuff up in advance, freeze it, and make a quick bundle on a Saturday morning!

Carry Cash - Put those credit cards away. Mine are somewhere that is terribly inconvenient to get to. If I have to go to the trouble of getting my credit cards out, then I have planned a purchase and am venturing out for a specific reason, not random shopping. I give myself a small cash allowance for the week. If I don’t have enough cash for something, I don’t buy it.

"If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall." Whenever my kids would complain about not having the newest coolest clothes or whatever when they were younger, I would say, 'We have everything we need and most of what we want, too.' I wanted to make them realize that even though we weren't wealthy, we really did have plenty. I still think about that today when I'm lusting over some item at the store. It makes me remember that I have a place to live, plenty to eat and a great family as well as much of the stuff I want. I usually just put the item back on the shelf and walk away satisfied with what I already have."

I hope you enjoyed reading my contribution to Mantua Matters. See you in November!


A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF

Safety Tips for Potato Festival

As the Village of Mantua prepares for the thirty-sixth annual Mantua Potato Festival we, as, residents of the village should take note of a few safety tips that can help you during this weekend. Chief Buchert recommends for your safety and welfare the following tips.

Always lock your home and vehicles, and if not at home, leave a few lights on around the house along with the TV or radio. This will give the effect that there is someone home.

Park in designated areas of the village, preferable lighted areas.

Don’t park on the roadway or on the sidewalks. This will result in citations to the owner and possible towing of the vehicle.

Don’t leave personal property out for the taking such as bicycles.

Be aware of when and where the roadways will be closed off to the public for festival activities such as the foot race on Saturday and the parade on Sunday.

Don’t let anyone you don’t know into your house to use the phone, bathroom or whatever they may request. You should call the police and we will provide what ever assistance they may need.

Don’t let your small children attend the festival by themselves and your older children should check in with you periodically.

This weekend should be a successful weekend for all of us when we work together. The Police Department is here to serve you and remember to Buckle-Up and Don’t Drink and Drive.

Harry Buchert, Chief of Police


NEWS FROM C-ACT

It is that time of year when C-act is thinking about our School Supplies Campaign. Please help us help the needy school-age children in the Crestwood community with basic school supplies needs. You can drop off your cash donation at Hunters’ 3 or at the donation box at Middlefield Bank, both are in Mantua. Middlefield Bank will accept school items, as well as cash. Your generosity can make a big difference in our community.

We are in the process of becoming an Emergency Response Vehicle for Portage County. When disaster strikes, we hope to be there to help. We will keep you up-dated as details are worked out.

Did you see us at St. Joe’s annual car show in May, or at ’Art on the Hill’ in July? If you missed us there, you will probably see us at the Potato Festival in September.

If you wish to help your community, become a member of C-act! Please come to one of our informal meetings and share a bite to eat and let us know your ideas. We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm at the Crossroads Community Church at 9018 St. Rt. 44 in Shalersville.

You can look us up online at CrestwoodCact.com or email us at CrestwoodCACT@yahoo.com".

Nancy J. Whaley, Publicity


MANTUA VILLAGE GARDEN CLUB

As summer comes to an end, gardeners will notice that many of their perennials self-sow their seed. Some gardeners welcome this--it means that new young plants will appear in the garden in the spring. They can then be transplanted or potted for friends. To encourage perennials to seed themselves, leave faded flowers on the plants so that seeds will dry and scatter.

Another good reason to leave seedheads, is to provide food for visiting wildlife. Finches especially love the seeds of purple coneflowers, asters, black-eyed susans and sunflowers. Many favorite annuals will continue to bloom until frost, others fade out by late August.

Our meetings are held monthly, at noon, for lunch at a member’s home. We have interesting programs, do-it-yourself projects and share information that will help you to grow a beautiful garden.

Everyone is welcome to join us and help to make your home and our community beautiful.

Emma Lefrink, Publicity
Mantua Village Garden Club


RIVERSCAPE 2010

Mantua Village once again will be participating in the annual events along the beautiful Cuyahoga River. We look forward to this Saturday every year, as we join with you and your families, in celebrating along and on our River.

This year Mantua Village will host X“ RiverScape 2010 ” during the Potato Festival in September. This is a venue sponsored by the Upper Cuyahoga River Watershed Task Force. Mantua Village, along with many other State, County and area agencies who come together with activities that are fun, educational, and interactive for all.

Look for these activities which includes displays, demonstrations on the river, scenic river canoe trips, kid’s contests and much more On Saturday, September 11, 2010.

NEWS FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT

CURBSIDE BRUSH PICKUP

The monthly brush pick-up is under way and will continue on the 2nd Monday of each month unless a holiday. The last brush pickup this year will be on Tuesday, October 12th. Remember, wood chips are available to all Village residents. They can be picked up at the Service Department at 4880 East High St. beyond the river or contact us at 330-274-8188 for delivery.

LEAVES

The leaves will soon be falling. Remember to get your CLEAR leaf bags, free of charge, from the Village Police Department or Village Service Garage. Fill them with leaves only, (no brush, bushes, yard waste etc.) and place them on the tree lawn. The Service Department will then pick them up. We will not pick up other colored plastic bags.

The Village is proud of the fact that the bagged leaves from past years have been recycled into nurseries and other area agricultural uses. This approach has saved the Village quite a sum of money. The key to the program’s success is the effort put forth by you, the citizen. The disposal of yard solid waste is quite an expensive alternative to a little elbow grease.

NO FALL CLEAN UP

The Village of Mantua will NOT be having a Fall clean-up this year.

SNOW REMOVAL

We all remember how burdened we were with heavy snow fall in past winters. The snow caused great concern for the safety of our children.

Many areas of the Village had sidewalks that were impassable – blocked by built-up plowed snow. Out citizens, then, and especially our children, were forced to make the unsafe decision to walk in the street.

So this winter, as you clean your driveways and lots, remember to keep the sidewalks clear. Don’t push snow into the roadway, and be especially careful to keep traffic corners clear for visibility.

We must all work together to keep our sidewalks clear and snow piles low for safety. This is a community problem that needs our collective attention. Thank you.

Ed Trego, Village Administrator


COMMUNITY YARD SALES

The Mantua Shalersville Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Community Yard Sale on Friday, August 13th and Saturday, August 14th, from 9 am to 5 pm on both days.

Participation in this community event will include advertising in local papers, email and web advertising, map and item listing and an 18 X 24 numbered sign. The event is free to Chamber members, non-member cost is $10.00. Arrangements are also being made to hold sales at a central location in the townships.

Registration forms are available in various locations around the Village or you may call Missy Lyle at 330-388-9732 or Christine Pitsinger at 330-414-6486.


NEW ATTORNEY IN TOWN

Mantua is pleased to welcome Attorney Keith J. Barton to the Village. A grand opening was held on July 14th at his office located at 10684 Main St.

Representatives from Congressman Steven LaTourette and Senator Sherrod Brown’s office joined Mayor Donna Hawkins and Chamber of Commerce President Marie Stehli and other local government officials in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Mr. Barton’s areas of practice include: business matters, taxes, landlord/tenant matters, personal injury, discrimination, family law, estate planning, real estate, employment and matters of asset protection.

For more information, contact attorney Keith J. Barton at 330-274-8484 or by email at kbarton@kartonlaw.com. We are happy to have Keith as part of our community and wish him the best of luck!


WELCOME NEW DOCTOR

Advanced Rehabilitation & Health Specialists have announced the joining of Dr. Alan J. Frame to their staff. Alan received his Bachelor of Science degree from Walsh University in 2008, and completed his Doctorate in Physical Therapy, also from Walsh in May of this year. He has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 2007.

Because of the many sports injuries he saw in college, he decided on physical therapy. He began as an intern with Advanced Rehab was then offered a full-time position. He wanted a career helping people in a small town.

He will be offering sports rehabilitation, orthopaedic care and post surgery rehab. He also teaches a light resistance/mild cardiovascular exercise class on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 am. Alan takes special interest in geriatric treatment, including good balance and fall prevention. For more information, contact Dr. Frame at 330-274-2747.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Frame to our community and wish him all the best!


OX ROAST FAIR This year’s 47th Annual Ox Roast Fair the weekend of July 16-18 at St. Joseph’s in Mantua was hot and humid with just a couple of showers that didn’t deter fair-goers. Once again the grounds of the parish spilled over with tremendous crowds with nearly all of the food booths selling out before the close on Sunday. The fun & entertainment were delightful and the food was delicious, as usual, as folks from the surrounding area and even out of state visitors enjoyed the hospitality of the Parish Community of St. Joseph. Thank you to everyone who came out & supported, volunteered, promoted, donated and worked this year’s great event. This annual parish fundraiser directly supports the educational and sacramental ministries of St. Joseph Parish.

The Fair’s raffle drawings were held at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. For the event’s main raffle the third place prize of $500.00 in cash was won by Cory Sirk of Auburn Twp., the second prize of a Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor (donated by M & M Sales of Streetsboro) was won by Dave Malisiak of Mantua, and the top prize of $5,000.00 was awarded to Barbara Gokorsch of Mantua. A few lucky fair-goers were awarded prizes through the hourly drawings in which winners had to be present: Joe Benek, Kathy Schillo, and Michael Lenley were awarded $100.00 each.

Another great crowd-pleaser was the Kiddie Tractor Pulls on Saturday. The Mantua Knights of Columbus donated their equipment for the little pullers & members helped run the event. All participants received a ribbon & trophies were awarded to the following top winners. In the 3-5 age category, Hunter Felter, age 5, placed third, Haiden Smith, age 4, took second, and Jackson Summer, age 5, won the age level with her first place pull. For the 6 & 7 year olds, Morgan Snyder, age 6, accomplished third place, Owen Wendl, age 7, won second place, and Jynx Bretz, age 6, beat them out for first place. The 8 & 9 year old level saw Collin Gross, age 9, place third, Ethan Kuchta, age 8, achieve second place, and Nathaniel DeHoff, age 8, attain first place.

Sunday’s Frog Jumping Contest was a hopping good time. Congratulations to third prize winner Jacob Ober who was awarded $3.00, a stuffed frog toy, and an Ox Roast t-shirt & to second prize winner Susanna Daniels who won $5.00, a stuffed frog toy, and a t-shirt. First prize of $10.00, a stuffed frog toy, and a t-shirt was won by Alexis Rushnok.

Ox Roast Idol 2010—Thank you to the more than 140 singers in our karaoke contest this year. Coming out on top for the 2nd Annual Ox Roast Idol: 1st ($200)—Jennifer Knechtl, 2nd ($100)—Raymond Markward, 3rd ($50)—Ashley Ebright.

Girl Scout Troops assisted in collecting non-perishable products for Mantua’s community cupboard, the 4C’s on Sunday. They delivered a vehicle full of canned goods & other items to the 4C’s who were most appreciative on behalf of those in need. Although there was very little surplus left this year, St. Joseph’s donated miscellaneous food items to the Center of Hope in Ravenna who were most appreciative. In addition to the Girl Scouts several of our Parish Groups wish to thank all who supported their efforts at this year’s Fair. Members of the Knights of Columbus Council #3766 volunteer a tremendous amount of time helping with maintenance, set-up, and take-down as well as working throughout the Fair. Boy Scout Troop #575 members & their families continued delicious fund raising efforts with their Sausage Sandwich booth. This hard-working group of young men put forth a tremendous effort in helping with Fair set-up, cleaning the grounds, and take-down of the Fair. Members of Cub Scout Pack #3575 manned the Pop Booth once again this year. Thanks, guys! St. Joseph’s Life Teen high school ministry group entertained & refreshed at the Dunking Booth.

Trade booths at this year’s fair included: Quantum Silver, Mantua Soccer Association, ATECH Services, Pro-Life, The Super Sauce, Ohio State Waterproofing, Morgan Ackerman, Portage County Tea Party, Donna & Roger Hawkins, Portage County Republicans, M & M Sales, Chagrin Pet & Garden. Thank you to each of them for adding to the festivities. Also adding to the success of this year’s event were the 2010 Pull Sponsors: Hiram House Salon & Day Spa, Hiram, K & K Meat Shoppe, Mantua, Special Moments Catering, Streetsboro, F & S Automotive, Mantua, Impressions Styling Studio, Streetsboro, TL Service Center, My First School, Aurora, Geauga Lake Auto Sales, Mantua, Mantua Veterinary Clinic, Mantua, Auburn Pipe & Plumbers Supply, Chagrin Falls, Ferrara Electric Corp., Ravenna, Penney's Auto Body, Ravenna, RedGate Farm & Saw Mill, Shalersville, Copy Print, Ravenna, Industrial Connections, Mantua, Central Petroleum Company, Mantua, Lakeside Sand & Gravel, Inc., Mantua, Derthick's Corn Maze, Mantua, O'Malley's Automotive, Mantua. A note of thanks also goes out to Tommie Jo Marsilio for Judge who was a booth sponsor.

A big thank you to a number of area businesses & individuals helped to sponsor our Truck, Tractor & Semi Pulls throughout the weekend. The Ox Roast Fair also wishes to thank several generous businesses who donated items for this year’s event: M & M Sales of Streetsboro for donating the Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor for the main raffle; Sunrise Springs offered the bottled water used for making the Lemon Shake-Ups; and, Acorn LPG of Ravenna provided the approximately 300 gallons of propane used throughout the weekend.

The Parish Community of St. Joseph’s looks forward to entertaining & meeting the Mantua community & beyond in 2011. Mark your calendars for the third weekend in July (that’s the 15-17) for St. Joseph’s 48th Annual Ox Roast Fair. Be sure to visit their website, www.stjosephmantua.com, for complete details. Again, St. Joe’s thanks everyone who made this year’s Fair such a huge community success.

Kathi Trares, Parish Secretary
St. Joseph Parish of Mantua


APPALACHIAN EXPERIENCE 2010

Continuing their 12 year tradition, St. Joseph Parish in Mantua once again sent a group of volunteers to St. Joseph's in Clintwood, Virginia, to take part in Sister Jean Korkisch's Housing Repair Program the last week of June. Helping low-income residents maintain decent housing for their families, the program has groups work on housing repair jobs both inside and out.

Appalachian Experience 2010 began Saturday, June 19, with participants George, Kathi, James & Jeff Trares making the 400 mile journey south. Shortly after arrival at the Dorothy Baker House (house next to the church where volunteers stay) the family was welcomed by program workers, attended Mass, and then had dinner. After some grocery shopping, the foursome settled in. Sunday's activities included hiking, a picnic lunch, and paddle boats at Break's Inter-State Park and then welcoming remaining participants Mike Shilling and Jay D'Aurelio upon their arrival in the afternoon.

Working on the home of Crystal in the nearby town of Clincho, along with program helpers Debbie, Leanne, and Brandi, the group accomplished quite a bit. A small group also finished up at previous week's home in Clintwood. The first work day with window frame painting, staining stairs, covering hole in the attic, and putting up storm windows. Crystal's double-wide trailer, which she shared with her brother, Danny, needed soft spots in the living room and kitchen floors replaced and some reinforcement. The kitchen and living room floors then received new luan and stick-on tiles. A lot of painting and caulking was done in the bathroom, living room, hallway, kitchen, and trim. Sealer coating was applied to the roof, down spouting was installed, and wood siding was added to outside areas that were deteriorating. The bathroom received repairs to the shower and window, the vanity, sink, and toilet were installed, and the newly painted door was hung. A new outside door was put in and the outer doorway area was repaired and reinforced in preparation for new steps. Finishing touches for the week included blinds being installed in the living room along with a mirror in the bedroom, new bedding, and moving in a donated couch and chair.

Not only do volunteers do some hard but rewarding work, meet new people, and learn new things, but cultural events, local site-seeing, and discussions around Appalachian issues are also a part of the experience. On Tuesday evening, volunteers enjoyed a picnic hosted by parishioners in the church hall. Unfortunately, the traditional entertainment from Ken Childress and fellow musician Jim Mullins could not happen due to Ken falling and breaking his hip just prior to the group's arrival. A visit to the 4th World Movement Co-Op Learning Center was on Wednesday's agenda with participants viewing a video and speaker about Tapori, a group focused on children and their families in the struggle against poverty and social exclusion around the world. A human commitment to ending poverty and exclusion, The Fourth World Movement is an international, non-governmental, anti-poverty organization with consultative status in the United Nations. The center hosts a variety of things to assist with employment opportunities, gaining new skills and confidence including computer classes, stress management sessions, quilting and weaving instruction, and other workshops. For more information, please visit www.4thworldmovement.org.

Traveling to nearby Pound, Virginia on Thursday, the group enjoyed "Pickin' in the Pound", a bluegrass jam session held at the town hall. Finally, on Friday the volunteers thoroughly enjoyed Sr. Jean's trip on a 10 mile windy and mostly gravel road to Birch Knob Observation Tower just north of Clintwood. At an elevation of 3,144 feet above sea level, the 183 stair climb to reach the top and staying until sunset was well worth the trek. Once the site of a fire tower, the view from a rock outcrop at the highest summit of Pine Mountain allows one to see Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and, on a clear day, Ohio.

Appalachian Experience participants genuinely feel a sense of accomplishment helping the truly needy of this area be safe, warm and dry. Not only did they work hard but they've acquired friendships and a camaraderie with those they worked for and with. High school teens and adults are welcome to join this outreach effort in future trips as we follow Jesus' example and use our gifts to reach out to others! For more information, please visit www.stjosephsmantua.appalachian.

Kathi Trares, Parish Secretary
St. Joseph Parish of Mantua


BRAS ACROSS THE CROOKED RIVER

The Celtic Club of Ohio, has launched a summer-long bra donation drive to benefit Breast Oasis, an organization started by an Akron plastic surgeon, that provides bras to victims of natural disasters and batter women’s shelters. New and gently-used bras of all sizes will be accepted until September 11. The donations will be displayed on that date at the Kent Irish Festival. Each bra and a cancer memory card will be attached by a pink clothes pin to a rope strung across the downtown Cuyahoga River Bridge.

The Honorary Chairperson of this event is Marisa Manocchio, a 19 year old Kent resident who is fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Donations are being accepted at Jake’s Restaurant on Prospect St. in Mantua.

For other donation locations and additional information , please call 330-867-0485 or contact thecelticclubofohio@yahoo.com


37TH ANNUAL POTATO FESTIVAL

This year’s Potato Festival will officially open at 6:00pm on Friday, September 10th, followed by entertainment on Stage 1 until 11pm.

Saturday, Sep 11th, begins at 8:30am with the start of the very popular Potato Stomp at the High School. Race awards will be presented on Stage 1 from 11:00am to 12:30pm. The “Kids Got Talent” contest will be held on Stage 2 from 1 to 4:00pm with finalists performing from 5:00 to 7:00pm on Sunday. There will be more entertainment and contests throughout the day, including the Potato Bake-off. The awards and auction for the Bake-off will be at 8:00pm. Also, be sure to check out Riverscape at the Lodge during the day.

Sunday, Sep 12th begins at 2:00pm with the Festival parade, beginning at the High School and ending at the Festival grounds. The Crowning of the Royal Court and presentation of the Visiting Queens will be at 3pm. Parade awards will be held on Stage 3 at 5:00pm. More contests and entertainment will be happening during the afternoon.

As always, there are rides for kids and adults, and loads of food booths, many of them local. Festival weekend ends with the Raffle drawing on Stage 3 at 7:00pm. This year the Grand prize is $1500, 2nd prize is $250, and 3rd prize is a gas grill. Join us on this enjoyable and entertaining weekend, eat, ride, visit with friends and neighbors and have a great time!!


POTATO FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES

One of the favorite activities during the Festival is the Potato Cook-Off. So, you need to start searching for recipes and experimenting (on your family, of course) to perfect that spud dish for entry in the Cook-Off. Applications are available at local churches, banks and businesses. Awards and auction of items will be at 8:00pm on Saturday, Sept 11.

Also, anyone interested in participating in Sunday’s parade, please contact Elaine Jones at darkstar68@roadrunner.com. There is no fee and groups, classic cars, churches and clubs are welcome.

The coloring contest for the Crestwood Elementary School and the Potato Decorating Contest for the Intermediate School will be distributed after Labor Day.


WALKING THROUGH MANTUA’S PAST

The Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation (DMRC) will be hosting this event on Saturday, October 9, 2010, from 3 to 8 pm.

In addition to tours of Mantua’s historic buildings, the event will feature a Civil War era fashion show, a tintype photographer taking photos, an old-time general store, interpreters dressed in period attire sharing historical facts and stories of days gone by, and possibly, even a visit from Abe Lincoln!

The cost for adults is $10, seniors and children 5 - 12 is $5, under 4 years of age admitted free. There is a $25family maximum (immediate family, living at home).

For more information, please contact Melanie Miracle at 330-274-6461.


THE MANTUA YACHT CLUB PRESENTS THE DOWNHILL REGATTA

For those of you who did not attend the Soap Box Derby, you missed a very entertaining presentation by the Mantua Yacht Club. Brought to you by “Commodore” Ross Kotkowski, Tony Stetson, Steve Workman and other members of the Yacht Club, the Downhill Regatta featured homemade vehicles, made from whatever was available to them. There was even a full-size canoe with wheels.

Lakeside Sand & Gravel, Inc. was the un-official headquarters for the Regatta, donated the materials for the First Place trophy and the use of their shop. A box full of trophies was donated by Creative Awards and Impressions in Oakwood Village. Tim Fox from Breakneck Acres donated 100 bales of straw and cold drinks for after the race. Carolee Templeton of SeibertKeck Insurance, with Dunlavy Insurance made sure that all racers were covered.

The Yacht Club is very grateful to the Soap Box Derby for allowing them to race during the Derby.

According to Mayor Donna Hawkins, she shares their idea that we need to celebrate Mantua as a place that fosters creativity, community and civic pride.


AHOY! THE MANTUA YACHT CLUB

It doesn't exist.    It's not real, and we'd love to have you as a member!     The Mantua Yacht Club started a few months ago, as a way to lend credibility to an event I wanted to see happen, but it's grown into something much more than that. Tony Stetson, Steve Workman and I were thinking of having a downhill, build-you-own-cart, just-for-fun race sort of as a follow up to our winter "Downhill Furniture Regatta" where we raced a lounge chair and a washing machine (both on ski's) down the snow covered hill at Sunny Lake Park. The lounge chair won, by the way...  

Steve and Tony wanted to have it here, at the gravel pit (Lakeside Sand & Gravel), and maybe cruise over to Sunny Lake again, but I dream big, and proposed a race down High Street.  Having no experience with this sort of thing, I started with the Chamber of Commerce, because their web site came up first, and gradually worked my way up to Mayor Hawkins.   Once she, and the Chief of Police , and the Village Council were on board, I convinced the Derby folks, and we were in.

I thought having a "corporate backer" like the "Mantua Yacht Club" would make us sound more official, so I set about making a club people could join and celebrate Mantua, her businesses, her history, and her people. I never thought it would take off the way it has!       Right now, a message board exists on Facebook, and that's the best way to keep in touch with all the local happenings. Join up, we have no membership dues, no meetings to attend, make no money, and there's no one at the helm! It's a great way to promote happy-hours, fish frys, and tailgate parties; there's also links to area shops, restaurants, and public events! You can share local history, join one of the seemingly monthly contests, and post photos of "Your Mantua" .    

It started as a lark, but I've become pretty happy with the direction the club is taking- our first race had a canned good entry fee, and we donated a jeep full of canned and boxed goods to the St. Augustine Food Bank, the second race (during the Soap Box Derby) ended up raising almost six hundred dollars, which after we paid for our event insurance ($250.00) and paid off the Derby guys ($90.00), we donated one hundred percent back to Mantua! We made a giant cardboard check out for $265.00 and, along with the winners of the Downhill Regatta, Dustin and Erin Cornell from "Team Derelicte", handed it over to the Mayor.   

We have a "Show Me Your Potato!" Photo Contest ending this month, the winner of which will win...something, I'm sure of it!   On August 28th, we're having a "Family Fun-Time Flotilla, Rotten River Regatta", starting at Camp Hi, floating down to Mantua, jumping out for a late lunch, and back in the drink for a final float down to Coit Road, and the closed bridge; during our float down to Mantua, and points beyond, we will be passing the hat for a local family whose son had open heart surgery the minute he was born, and has been in the hospital ever since. Hunter's a few months old now, and although I've never met him, I'm told he's an incredible fighter who can still smile up at you through the tubes and wires... I think that can be a real inspiration to us all.     

We'd like to take our excitement for fun and disperse that positivity into the community which we have a common pride in. We believe that their are many people here with unique abilities and boundless creativity and we'd like to be a platform where they can showcase those talents.   I hope that gives you a bit of background; there's also this, copied from the main page on Facebook: "We're a loosely based local group who enjoy the finer things in life, like shenanigans, hijacks and tomfoolery. We're also big fans of outlandish projects, ridiculous ideas, bonfires, cabin parties and polka music. HA! Come here to post local events events, shows, and area happenings!"  As far as "winners" go, everyone who raced got a trophy! From "Most Epic Fail" to "Most Elegant" and on to Erin and Dustin, who won the six and a half foot tall champions trophy, which will become the Stanley Cup of the Downhill Regatta, with new names welded on as more people win. Here's a list of participants:

The Stetson Brothers (Tony & Mike) racing “Beast 9000”
Admiral 1st Class Steve Workman & Commodore Ross Kotkowski racing the “HMS Hellbelly”
Joe & Matt Denzinger racing “Black Pearl”
Erin & Dustin Cornell racing “Derelicte”
Leslie Stetson & Don Fisher racing “Blue Grasshopper”
Ben & Ken Labadie racing “Muchacho”
Derrick Breski & Mary Ann Stetson racing “Red Dragon”
Missy & Tim Nolastname racing “Sea Horse”
Kevin Barnauskas & Bill Yarnell racing “Last Hurrah”

Here is a link to the Facebook Page:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0h7w7qoYr0.   I'm sorry it's a bit long-winded, but I figured I'd get it all out there. Use what you can, and if there's any questions, or you want some thing clarified or expanded on, feel free to call me at 330.577.6160  

Laughingly yours,
"Commodore" Ross Kotkowski, Erin Cornell, and Steve Workman


NEWS FROM THE ROTARY CLUB OF MANTUA

The Rotary Club of Mantua extends congratulations to the 2010 Crestwood graduates who were awarded scholarships from the club.  Frank Goodell Scholarships were awarded to Aubrey Blubaugh and Nate Frances.  Alyssa Sherry was selected to receive the Neale Parker Award.  We wish these three students and all the 2010 graduates the very best!

Every summer the Rotary Club sends a student to the week long RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Camp.  This year Zack Fejedelem was chosen to represent Crestwood at the Hiram College RYLA Camp.  Zack had an exceptional experience at camp and recently shared with our club how attending this camp helped him to improve his leadership skills and how he will be able to apply these skills during his senior year at Crestwood.   

The Mantua Country Market is in full swing on the grounds of the old Train Depot (across the street from McDonalds).  Be sure to stop by EVERY Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon to shop the market and support our local growers and producers!  If you would like to participate in the Country Market, please contact Dean Olson at (330) 351-3035.  Booth space is available at a very reasonable rate.  

Mark your calendars to visit the Rotary's Pierogie Booth during the Potato Festival!  This is a major fund-raising event for our club, so please bring your friends and neighbors to enjoy our delicious Potato Pierogies with a glass of refreshing lemonade.

Susann Heintzelman, Secretary
Rotary Club of Mantua


PORTAGE COUNTY SOAP BOX DERBY

The local Soap Box Derby was held on High Street in Mantua on Saturday, June 12th. The weather was very cooperative and it stayed dry during the 8th Annual Race. There were a total of 32 racers this year and these are the results of the three divisions:

STOCK: 1ST-Lane McCollum, 2nd-Sydney Nemec, 3rd-Robert Richards, 4th-Tyler Jenkins, 5th-Alyssa Lorence, 6th-Ben Ubienski, 7th-Gregrey Martin, 8th-Travis Adkins

SUPER STOCK: 1st-Conner Nemec, 2nd-Bryson Carlton, 3rd-Madeline McCollum, 4th-Danielle Smallwood, 5th-Jeffrey Lorence, 6th-Brady Starkey, 7th-George Lesnak, 8th-Josh Williams

MASTERS: 1st-Steven Beck, 2nd-Anna Heritage, 3rd-A.J. Almy, 4th-Mallory Lorence, 5th-Lizzie Richards, 6th-Morgan Giaimo

Other participants were, Dayne Bates, Jordan Carlton, Reed Cusack, Amber Dailey, Sammy Ditirro, Teghan Reed, Huntre’ Bates, Alex Kachenko, Chase Meadows and Emily Turner.

Everyone who raced is considered a champ in our books. We held our banquet on Wednesday, June 30th at the Access to Independence in Rootstown. All of our champs received a trophy, a duffel bag filled with gifts and a Wal-Mart gift card.

The first place winner in each division was invited to race at the All American Soap Box Derby on Saturday, June 24th in Akron, Ohio. There were over 500 racers from all over the world, including Germany, Japan and New Zealand. Lane McCollum and Conner Nemec were honored to race and represent the Portage local by racing in this event, and Steven Beck won his first heat and advanced to the 2nd round. Congratulations to al who participated.

The next scheduled race will be the Buccaneer race that will be held in olumbus, Ohio for all the 1st, 2nd and possible 3rd place winners in Ohio and West Virginia. They will compete against each other for the regional title on Saturday, August 7th. Sunday, August 8th, there will be an open rally for anyone who wants to compete at the same track in Columbus.

We would like to thank the Village of Mantua and the residents on High Street for their continued support and allowing us to close down High Street to continue our race. Anyone who wants to help, race or has any suggestions, please feel free to call me at 330-296-9117.

Barb Corbett,
Portage County Soap Box Derby


As I remind everyone, in each issue, this is YOUR paper. It is about Mantua, its people, places and events.

If you have anything you would like to hear about, any ideas, suggestions or criticisms, please let me know. Write to me c/o Village Hall, 4750 W. High St., Mantua Ohio 44255, Call me at 330-274-8737 , or email at mantuamatters@gmail.com.

If you belong to an organization or club, I will be happy to print any information on your meetings or upcoming events.

Bye for now, see you in November!

Diane Hura, Editor