1. family and parenting
2. children

F
Ta k R
e E
O E
ne
!
Todays Family
Family Happenings in and Around Lake & Geauga Counties
’
November 2014
Lots of great family
events and activities!
Lake & Geauga
Atlas
Cinemas
Great value and
entertainment!
Helping your child
build friendships
Kidz Business Awards to honor young entrepreneurs
Need Extra Money for
the Holidays?
WE PAY CASH!
We buy up to 1 hour before closing
in this issue
features
4 Kidz Business Awards
Do you know a young entrepreneur? Let us know!
Great entertainment value at Atlas Cinemas
Rewarding experience for all
Opening in mid-November
5 Now Showing!
6 Big Brothers Big Sisters
7 Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park
8 Helping your child build friendships
Four ways to empower your child
12 Common Core
Standardized school curriculum being implemented
Kid’s Stuff with Previous Experience®
Infant to size 14
Furniture • Toys
Shoes • Equipment
Books Accessories
Playroom
MENTOR COLONIAL PLAZA
No Appointment
Necessary
Trade in your
old toys for
new ones
this holiday!
WESTLAKE
7537 Mentor Avenue
25028 Center Ridge
Mon.-Sat. 10-8 • Sun. 12-5
Mon.-Sat. 9-7 • Sun. 12-5
440-951-7222
440-899-1100
Be In Shape
for the holidays.
Join Our Fitness
Programs Today!
14 Mommy Chronicles
A bucket full of thanks
Managing your finances through technology
epartments
d
28 Money Matters - By Cardinal Credit Union
29 Family Health - By Cleveland Clinic
30
31
Lower your child's risk of diabetes
Family Calendar
A listing of activities and events in northeast Ohio
Fostering & Adoption
By Lake County Department of Job & Family Services
Todays’ Family
MAGAZINE
P.O. Box 7316, Eastlake, Ohio 44097
www.todaysfamilymagazine.com
[email protected]
(440) 953-2999
Publisher
Kim Miller
Why wait until after the holidays?
Challenge yourself today with our
karate, kickboxing, yoga, Zumba
or tai chi programs.
Start to tone your body and mind
today, so you’re lookin’ good and
feelin’ great for the holidays
and beyond.
Editor
Dan Miller
Writers
Deanna Adams
Jamie Lober
Laura Lytle
Kim McCloskey
Glen Miller
Stacy Turner
Advertising
Kim Miller
Graphic Design
Dawn Miller
The opinions expressed in this magazine do not constitute an endorsement
by the Today’s Family Magazine® staff or our advertisers. All contributors and
advertisers assume responsibility and liability for the accuracy of statements
and claims in advertisements and press releases. All readers assume responsibility for actions or decisions they may make as a result of reading this publication. We reserve the right to refuse any advertising. Submission of articles
does not guarantee publication.
Copyright 2014, Direct Market Publishing, LLC., All rights reserved.
Karate4Family.com
8901 Mentor Ave.
Mentor
Behind the
Sunoco station
2
Call Family Karate 440-255-7300
today to try a free class!
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
Today’s Family Magazine is distributed free of charge for
residents in and around Lake and Geauga counties.
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Ohio’s #1 care
across Lake County.
Madison, Mentor and Willoughby Hills
Same-day
appointments
216.444.CARE
clevelandclinic.org/lakecounty
Make sure your healthcare plan includes Cleveland Clinic.
Do you know a child/teen who has started a business?
If so, they can win $250 by submitting an application form for the
Kidz Business Awards. Deadline is December 1!
Whether they are earning
money to buy their first car
or make their first charitable
donation, Lake County youth
are developing and honing
their business skills and
there is a program developed
to recognize them.
Lake Kidz Biz, a business
resource and networking organization for companies focusing on children’s services
and products, has created
the Kidz Business Awards to
honor Lake County’s youngest residents for their initiative to undertake a business
opportunity and use their entrepreneurial spirit to implement a business concept that
either benefits others or is a
for-profit business endeavor.
The awards program seeks
to: recognize Lake County
youth for implementing a
business concept on their
own; identify how youth are
having a positive impact in
the community; and publicize the importance of youth
helping others. Since these
kids typically begin projects
without fanfare, Lake Kidz
Biz needs your help to find
our outstanding youth!
“We’re very excited
for our second year of the
awards program,” states Pat
Perry, programming chair
and co-founder of Lake Kidz
Biz. “There are so many
kids in our area who have,
out of the kindness of their
heart, created a business
of sorts to provide items
or monetary donations to
others. Be it big or small,
it does not matter. These
kids are making a difference while using business
concepts and we would like
to recognize them.”
Sponsors
240514.pdf 2/2/07 1:02:21 PM
MANDOVI
ENTERPRISES
Todays’ Family
MAGAZINE
Along with helping others,
there is an award category
for an individual who has
launched a for-profit endeavor. As many Lake Kidz
Biz members are business
owners and entrepreneurs,
it is only fitting a category
for a profit endeavor was included. Entries may not be a
school project or assignment
or an activity for credit from
an organization.
Applicants must be 18
years or younger and attend
school or reside in Lake
County to be eligible for
one of the three $250 award
categories:
• One award for an individual not-for-profit
(charitable) endeavor
• One award for a group
not-for-profit (charitable)
endeavor
• One award for an
individual for-profit
endeavor
Applicants must submit a
two page application, along
with supporting documentation, by December 1. Winners in each category will
be recognized on December
21st prior to the showing of
Willy Wonka at The Fine
Arts Association. Each will
receive a $250 award along
with an additional prize
pack. For more info, or to
find the application online,
visit www.lakekidzbiz.com.
All instructions are included
in the application. Specific
questions can be directed to
Pat Perry at 440-974-1198.
The Kidz Business Awards
has received sponsorship
support from Captains Charities, Lake News, McDonald’s – Mandovi Enterprises,
Mentor Area Chamber of
Commerce Foundation and
Today’s Family Magazine.
Assistance is now needed
from the community to help
identify youth entrepreneurs.
If you know someone who
should apply, direct them to
www.lakekidzbiz.com, the
Lake Kidz Biz website, to
download an application.
Great Minds
don’t Think Alike
Serving K-12 students with Dyslexia, ADHD,
and other language-based learning differences.
440.526.0717
www.lawrenceschool.org
Broadview Heights | Sagamore Hills
Small, highly-structured classes
4
Today’s Family Magazine
Personalized instruction
NovemBER2014
Multi-sensory learning
Assistive Technology
NOW SHOWING!
Families find great value & entertainment at Atlas Cinemas
By Laura Lytle
F
or over 38 years, Atlas Cinemas has
helped families laugh, cry and enjoy the
latest films from Hollywood. Now with
five locations, it is the largest independent chain
of movie theaters in northeast Ohio. While each
theater provides its own unique experience, the
family-friendly value and pricing remain the same.
Family value comes in many forms at Atlas
Cinemas. From affordable tickets and concession stands to its unique loyalty rewards, there
is always a focus on providing customers a great
value-added experience. For instance, every
customer receives a loyalty reward card that earns
a free movie ticket after five purchases of any size
popcorn. Also daily matinee prices are extended to
6 pm, not 4 pm like many other theaters.
Customer Appreciation Mondays are another
favorite reward where every movie is only $5 all
day, with no restrictions on film choice or showtime.
“We are proud to give all our customers value
at Atlas Cinemas. Something more they can take
away than just a good movie experience,” said
Gabby Saluan, vice president of Atlas Cinemas.
“We extend that customer appreciation beyond our
doors and into our neighboring communities, too.
The best example of this has been our successful
partnerships with local restaurants to encourage
'dinner and a movie' dates. Restaurant patrons
can receive a two-for-one movie ticket or 50% off
discount movie tickets.”
For a current listing of participating restaurants
in the dinner and a movie deal, you can visit www.
AtlasCinemas.net.
“Not only do we invest in our community
through partnerships and special events with the
American Red Cross and United Way, we also support independent filmmakers,” added Saluan. “The
2014 Ohio Independent Film Festival highlights
30–40 local producers over four days. We have
special screenings of independent films year-round
but this is a marathon of local talent.”
The 2014 Ohio Independent Film Festival
(OIFF) is scheduled for November 6–9, 2014 at
Lakeshore 7 in Euclid. This year’s festival will
mark the 21st year of OIFF which is planned to be
more exciting than ever with filmmaker meet and
greets, Q&A sessions and VIP access passes for
unrestricted access to all the festival showings.
Atlas Cinemas plans continuous upgrades at its
theaters to keep customers in comfortable seating
and enhance their movie experience with digital
projection and 3D screens. In fact, new 3D screens
are planned for various locations in the next few
months to engage viewers with the hottest theater
experience.
Atlas Cinemas also host kids birthday parties
and group events for corporate meetings or large
group events that can be customized for individual
needs.
Atlas Cinemas are located at Eastgate 10 in
Mayfield Heights, Lakeshore 7 in Euclid, Midway
Mall 8 in Elyria, as well as Great Lakes Stadium
16 and Diamond Center 16 in Mentor.
For a complete list of cinema showtimes and
directions, visit www.AtlasCinemas.net.
CLASSES FOR EVERYONE:
HIP HOP • JAZZ • TAP • BALLET
CREATIVE DANCE
CHEER DANCE • ACRO
BREAK DANCING • LYRICAL
MUSICAL THEATER • SINGING
PERFORMING GROUPS
Our Mentor Facility Features:
• Positive & Motivating Environment
• 3 Class Rooms
• Viewing Windows
• Classes for Ages 3 to Adult
• Highly Qualified Teaching Staff
• Hip Hop & Break Dance Classes
Starting at 5 Years Old and Up
• 1 mile from Rte 90 & Rte 2
Sign Up
for Classes
Anytime!
7589 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Ohio 44060
(Entrance in Back)
(440) 95-DANCE
WWW.SPOTLIGHTDC.COM
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
5
Being a Big Sister is rewarding for all involved
Heather had trouble in school, I
knew she was the one for me. I had
always excelled in school and had
done some tutoring, so I thought,
here is someone I can help. We
became a great fit!”
By Deanna Adams
N
ine years ago, Nicky Vassil’s mother suggested she
get involved in the Big
Brothers Big Sisters program.
“I’m the youngest of six girls,
so I was never a big sister and she
thought it would be nice for me to
do,” says Vassil, 34, from Willoughby Hills. “I began a good career as a
medical dosimetrist, working in the
cancer field, and wanted to share my
good fortune with a girl who might
benefit from what I had to offer.”
So Vassil, in her mid-20s at the
time, became a Big Sister in 2006.
She was given the opportunity to
choose between three other matches.
“When I heard that 9-year-old
Mentoring Youth
Matters
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio, based in Painesville,
is an organization that provides
young people with quality mentoring relationships to help them reach
their potential through positive role
models and friendships. Because
common interests are an important consideration when it comes
to matching up the “Bigs” and
“Littles,” the agency takes pride in
bringing together those with similar
personalities who enjoy doing the
same things.
“When I met Heather, she literally could not read because of her
dyslexia. So I began to tutor her and
we started putting a higher value on
learning. I made sure her schoolwork was done before we went out
and had fun. I really wanted her to
do well in school because I knew it
would give her a better future.”
Heather, now 17, has four siblings,
including twin sister, Elizabeth, who
also has a Big. The Big Brothers
Big Sisters program has made a big
difference in their lives.
“Nicky has a lot to do with my
getting more involved in school,”
says Heather, who is now a junior at
Harvey High School in Painesville.
“I remember our first meeting. I
was in 4th grade and I just loved her
right away. She was so kind, and
we had things in common, like we
both like the same kind of music,
and other activities. And after she
helped me with my reading, I grew
to love books.”
“I wanted to show Heather that the
world is a great place if you put in
the effort towards your goals,” Vassil says. “Now she’s in the National
Honor Society, carries an incredible
GPA, she’s active in several clubs,
participates in the high school Mock
Trial, and is a member of the Future
Business Leaders of America. She’s
amazing. To see the transformation
in Heather has been life changing
for her—and for me.”
Time Well Spent
Being a Big doesn’t require a
lot of money, or even a lot of time.
Activities can include the simple
things in life, such as visiting a
park, playing a board game, taking
walks or bike rides, shooting hoops,
or sharing a pizza. It is the quality
time spent together that’s important.
In many cases, the friendships made
through this national organization
last a lifetime.
Like with Nicky and Heather.
They both admit that it’s harder
now with their busy lives to get
together as much as they would like.
Since they met, Nicky Vassil has
married a physician, is a mother of
two children and works full time.
Heather is a young woman with a
full schedule that includes a parttime job. But when they do get
together, it’s a family affair. “I love
hanging out with her family,” Heather says. “Her children are little, 1
and 4, and so adorable!” She recalls
See Big Sister on page 14
SAVE $100
WHEN YOU CALL BEFORE 12/1/14
OGT
Mentor 440 205 8283
University Heights 216 382 8223
Accredited by
6
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
Sky Zone Indoor
Trampoline Park:
Fun for Everyone!
By Deanna Adams
T
here’s a new fun park coming to town and it’s not just
for kids. Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline facility, will open in
mid-November in Highland Heights.
The amusement center is touted
as “awesome healthy fun for
everyone,” and offers a place for
families, friends, and even business
associates, to get together for some
stress-relief entertainment. There is
no age limit for the trampolines, they
advertise that if you can walk, you
can jump.
“But we’re not just for jumping on
trampolines,” says marketing director, Valerie Hurst. “We also offer fitness classes, dodgeball tournaments,
and we rent out for big events, such
as corporate events, fundraisers, after
prom, as well as birthday parties,
and bar and bat mitzvahs. So we get
a good number of adults as well as
kids.”
The facility is owned by Kristin
Kemper, who is also the proprietor
of the Westlake Sky Zone, and will
be opening a center in Youngstown
next summer. She got interested in
the franchise when she visited the
Columbus facility with her three
children.
“Kristin’s son is autistic and real
active, and she saw how much he
loved it there,” Hurst says. “She
realized that here was an opportunity
for families to enjoy some good,
healthy fun together, and keep kids
off the streets. So that paved the
way to bring the business to Cleveland.”
As a result, Kemper offers a Special Needs Jump Night on Mondays,
when the facility is closed to the
public. “It’s a night just for them
to enjoy,” says Hurst. “Many can’t
really jump with the other kids so
this way, they get the place to themselves.”
Programs include Toddler Time,
Sky Mania (for ages 10–15), Sky Fitness and Team Building. Sky Zone
has four separate areas called activity
courts. There is the Main Court,
three Ultimate Dodgeball Courts, the
Sky Slam Dunk Court (for basketball), and the Foam Zone, where
jumpers can land into 10,000 foam
cubes. “The Foam Zone is a pit
filled with foam cubes for freestyle
jumping,” Hurst says, adding that
they are regularly sterilized. “Kristin
owns Kemper Nursing Homes, so
she is a real stickler about sanitization.”
Sky Zone is open to all ages, and
participants of course must sign a
waiver. Jumpers under age 18 must
have their waiver signed by a parent
or legal guardian.
Along with handling the marketing, Hurst also coordinates the events
and helps launch the new stores,
such as the one in Highland Heights.
But she also uses the facility herself
every week. “I do the fitness classes
cross training. That involves jumping on the trampoline for your cardio
training, and then use the weights for
strength training. It’s a great overall
workout. And really fun.”
Jump prices are $10 for 30 minutes, $14 for an hour, $18 for 90
minutes, and $22 for 120 minutes.
Birthday parties take place in a private room. Packages include pizza,
drinks, ice cream, and personalized
birthday cake.
“No matter who comes in,” says
Hurst, “Our goal is that we want
people to leave with that WOW feeling, and tell everyone what a great
time they had.”
Sky Zone opens at 3 pm Tuesdays
– Fridays, Saturdays at 10 am, and
Sundays at 11 am.
Sky Zone Indoor
Trampoline Park
750 Alpha Drive
Highland Heights
440-596-3400
www.skyzone.com/highlandheights
35th Year
of Martial Arts Excellence




Children, Teen and Adult Benefit from Martial Arts
Become More Active and Fit.
Builds Self-Esteem and Confidence.
Learn Anti-Bullying Tactics.
Develop the Mindset of “I Can Do It”!
Coming November Two New Programs:
AM ZUMBA & Sport Sword
SPECIAL Trial Month with Karate Uniform
Sky Zone can
host your next
birthday party in
their private party
room. Packages
include pizza, drinks,
ice cream, and
personalized
birthday cake.
Call 440-596-3400
for more information.
only $89!
Karate Institute
sm
Near the Great Lakes Mall
7667 Mentor Ave. Suite 102
Mentor City Center Plaza Lower Level
Mentor, Ohio
Call Today to Get Start!
440-951-0463
www.MentorKarate.com
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
7
Helping your child build friendships
By Jan Pierce, M.Ed
F
or many kids building friendships comes
as naturally as breathing
in air or waking up in the morning. For others, the process is filled
with landmines of fear, anxiety and
discouragement. Experts agree that
friendship-building is a skill—it can
be learned.
The popular kids
Popular children, those successful in making friends, have strong
pro-social skills. They show caring
for others, often wanting to share
something with them or help them in
some way. They have strong verbal
skills so they can carry on conversations. They’re able to curb their own
selfish or aggressive behaviors and
instead are good at understanding
the feelings of others, seeing others’
perspectives. They’re able to make
good choices to help avoid arguments or problems.
In general, children will reject
those they perceive to be aggressive,
disruptive, irritable, bossy or selfish.
The negative character traits raise a
red flag: there could be trouble ahead
for those who spend time with that
person. But they gravitate toward
those with positive social skills,
knowing they’ll be appreciated, be
safe and have fun with that person.
What can parents do?
How can you help your child
improve friendship-making skills?
What can you do at home to model
healthy interpersonal relationships?
How can you support your child
without intruding and undermining
confidence?
If your child is one who struggles
with making new friends, there are
simple ways to help sidestep relationship landmines. Here are four
ways you can empower your children
to navigate the often murky waters of
friendship-building.
1. Develop positive social skills
Help your child develop those
necessary positive social skills such
as empathy, cooperation, problemsolving and clear communication.
Begin now to model and discuss
Christmas
Train and
Toy Show
Sunday,November 23,2014
10:00 am to 3:30 pm
LAKELAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ATHLETIC & FITNESS CENTER
Santa Claus will
be at the show
from 12:30 pm to
2:00 pm.
(AFC) Main Gym
7700 CLOCKTOWER DR.• KIRTLAND
Interstate 90 and Rt. 306 (S.E. Corner)
Featuring:
HO Trains – Structures – Accessories
300 + Tables • One Floor • Operating Train Layouts
Lionel, American Flyer, G-gauge, N scale trains
Weaver – Atlas – MTH – K-Line – 2 Rail O Scale
Good Food - 24 hr Police Security
BUY - SELL – TRADE
Dealer Redeemable this Show • $25.00 Door Prize Certificate
Drawings at 11am, 1 pm, 3 pm
Sunday, November 23, 2014 • 10:00 am to 3:30 pm
Info: (440) 256-8141 www.cleveshows.com Fax (440) 256-1749
Email: [email protected]
Admission: Adults $6.00 Family $15.00 • Children (6-12) $3.00 , Under 6 Free
Active Military Personal Free
If you wish to take
Toys for Tots Collection – New in box toys only (unwrapped).
your child’s picture with
Please no stuffed animals.
Santa, we ask that you make
JDRF – Stop by the LCJDWF table and help find a cure for
a $5.00 donation to JDRF.
Juvenile Diabetes with your donation.
8
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
ways to be a friend. Help your child
notice when others need help and
offer to give it. Practice talking
through a problem to find ways to
cooperate. Notice when someone is
hurting and say kind words to them.
Model a kind act or giving a compliment. Often just one kind word or
action makes all the difference in
building a friendship. Practice will
help your child react appropriately in
real life settings.
2. Role play
One of the most powerful methods
of changing behavior in children is
found in role play. When children
are involved in acting out ways to
cooperate, or what to do when a
problem arises, the results are amazing. Role-playing can be done by
physically acting out a scenario or
through the use of puppets or dolls.
Either way, your child is empowered
to be part of the solution. Try it,
you’ll be pleased with the results.
3. Offer play opportunities
Children need many opportunities
to practice their friendship-making
skills. They need repetition to mas-
ter cooperation, or negotiating a solution to a problem as it arises in their
play situations. Invite another child
to have lunch at your home or plan
simple play dates in your community.
Be sure to allow lots of unstructured
play time in which children can
pretend play. Be nearby to guide and
redirect when help is needed.
4. Stay balanced
A good sense of humor is a wonderful possession for both adults and
children.
Life isn’t perfect and friendships
may bear a few battle scars. Children need to learn that conflict is a
part of life. Thus, learning to resolve
conflict is a real opportunity for personal growth. Making and keeping
friends is a lifelong pursuit—it won’t
be mastered in one day. Build on
your child’s strengths. Compliment
him when he does well and listen to
her when she wants to talk about her
friendship ups and down.
You can’t make friends for your
children, but you can model, train
and redirect behavior in ways that
support the skills they need to build
healthy, happy relationships.
Role play questions
To “break the ice” and problem-solve in friendship-building
Ask:
• Do you want to play blocks, dolls, a game or activity?
• That’s a cool bike. Can I ride with you?
• Why don’t you ask Justin for help with your cars? • How do you think that made Jennifer feel?
• Can you think of another way to solve the problem?
• I like your American Girl. Do you want to play together?
• Shall we ask Danny to play with us?
• I wonder if we can make a road for our cars in the sand?
• I’m sorry I got angry. Can we try again?
• Let’s let Chelsea play with us. She looks sad.
Skill
Initiate
Compliment
Cooperation
Empathy
Problem-solve
Compliment
Cooperation
Initiate
Problem-solve
Empathy
Planning a
birthday party?
Visit www.todaysfamilymagazine.com for great ideas!
LAKE COUNTY YMCA
FIT for the Holiday with
HEALTHY FUN & $80 in SAVINGS
BLACK
FRIDAY
ONLY
NOVEMBER 28, 2014
TF
TF
Join on Black Friday
and Save up to $80
PLUS
NO JOINER FEE ($50 Value) • NO CONTRACTS
You will be registered ($30 value) into the
First Y-Fit Blitz Statewide Fitness Challenge
Including:
• FREE T-shirt
• FREE Y-TRAAK Link
(To track your personal workout in real time)
If you are already a Y Member you can still
take advantage of this offer:
Bring in a NEW MEMBER, they join & Save $50
with NO JOINER FEE
PLUS
• Add notes, Pictures, Share
• Access to ALL devices/ Anytime
• Real Time Goal Tracking
• Opportunity to WIN an iPad or Fitbit
(Get details at your local Y Branch)
You BOTH will be registered ($30 value each)
into the First Y-Fit Blitz Statewide Fitness
Challenge
Offer valid at all Lake County Y Locations
on November 28th 2014 ONLY
Bring this coupon on BLACK FRIDAY (November 28, 2014) to any of the
Lake County Y Locations listed below to take advantage of these offers.
Lake County Y
Central Branch
(Painesville)
5 AM - 7:30 PM
Lake County Y
West End Branch
(Willoughby)
5 AM - 7:30 PM
Lake County Y
East End Branch
(Madison)
5 AM - 7:30 PM
Don’t You Wish Every Day Was Black Friday?
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
9
Museum presents Mammoths and Mastodons exhibition
For millions of years they survived, living in temperate climates
and on the wind-swept lands of the
frozen north—great beasts weighing
as much as eight tons and bearing
tusks up to 16 feet long. Mammoths
and mastodons were wonderfully
successful creatures of the Ice Age.
They were a source of food and artistic inspiration for ancient peoples
who lived in Europe, Asia and North
America. But despite their size and
ability to adapt to different habitats,
these early cousins of the elephant
eventually went extinct—leaving us
an abundant fossil record. Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of
the Ice Age, an exploration of these
fascinating creatures, opens at The
Cleveland Museum of Natural History November 22, 2014 and runs
through April 15, 2015.
The exhibition, developed by The
Field Museum in Chicago, brings
to life how these animals lived and
their interactions with one another
and with ancient humans. The exhibition is geared for all ages and is
an experience the whole family will
enjoy.
Mammoths and Mastodons gives
visitors an opportunity to delve
deeper into the Ice Age world. The
exhibition shows environments that
awe and amaze through large-scale
projections, walk-through dioramas
and virtual experiences. Mammoths and Mastodons features large,
fleshed-out creatures and skeletons
that visitors can touch and examine
up close. Also showcased are rare
and evocative objects including
some of the oldest art in existence,
huge skulls and tusks, weird and
wonderful mammoth relatives—including dwarf mammoths—and
mastodon bones collected by William Clark (of Lewis and Clark)
for President Thomas Jefferson’s
own collection. It also details the
scientific methods used to study
beasts from the past as well as their
surviving relatives: modern-day
elephants. Museum visitors will discover
answers to many questions, such as
how these creatures balanced their
heavy tusks, how much a mammoth
ate in a day, and how elephants
“talk” to each other. Mammoths and
Mastodons explores not only how
these Ice Age creatures lived, forming herds similar in social structure
to those of modern elephants, but
also how they died and became
extinct. It looks at the roles played
by climate change, human predation
and other factors in their demise.
Mammoths and mastodons have
long been popular at The Cleveland
Museum of Natural History. The
famous Johnstown mastodon, on
permanent display in the Museum’s
Kirtland Hall of Prehistoric Life,
is recognized as one of the best
mastodon specimens ever recovered.
Discovered by a farmer in 1926,
the remains were quickly identified
as belonging to a mastodon. Also
showcased in the traveling exhibit
will be the Museum’s Hartley mastodon, a small adult female mastodon
found preserved in a bog near Salem,
Ohio. The lower jaw and tusks of
this local find will be on display.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural
History receives public support with
local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts
& Culture, to preserve and enrich the
region’s artistic and cultural heritage.
Mammoths and Mastodons is free
with Museum admission. Admission
fees are: $14 adults; $12 ages 3-18,
college students with valid ID and
seniors over age 60; free for children
2 and under. Shafran Planetarium
shows are $5 with general admission. The Cleveland Museum of
Natural History is located at 1 Wade
Oval Drive in University Circle, 15
minutes east of downtown Cleveland. www.cmnh.org
P APMA EML EAL AD . DK. UK RUTR, T E, SE Q
S .Q .
C HCRHI R
S ITSI TN IEN ET I TB IAB LADL ID, I E, SE Q
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N I CTHI O
I DROI GT H
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F FL AANS Y S W
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OLIVER M
HA
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T HSNAENCTKE , Z E, SE Q
RY
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PAMELA D. KURT, ESQ.
Areas
Areasofofspecialty:
specialty:
Small
SmallBusiness
Business
Criminal/Traffic
Criminal
Divorce/Custody
Divorce
Bankruptcy
BankruptcyLaw
Employment
N I CAHMO YL ACSA SS INDEOR T, I E, SE Q
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Providing justice to our community,
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FREE
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10
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
30432
Euclid Avenue,
Suite #101
30432
30432Euclid
EuclidAvenue,
Avenue,Suite
Suite#101
#101
Wickliffe,
Ohio
44092
Wickliffe,
Wickliffe,Ohio
Ohio44092
44092
14-01122 OSLS CountyKids Ad_Layout 1 10/18/14 6:22 PM Page 1
Winterfest moves to PlayhouseSquare
Winterfest 2014 kicks off on
Saturday, November 29 at Playhouse
Square, under the new GE chandelier. Events to be held throughout
the day include:
• Holiday shopping at 5th Street
Arcades
• Horseshoe Casino’s festive window displays
• Toy solider holiday performance
and Olmsted Performing Arts
entertainment at Tower City
• Cleveland Public Library display
of toy trains and children’s
activities
• Horse-drawn carriage rides begin
outside the library
Pop-up shops including local
Cleveland merchants and food trucks
will be available.
The annual tree lighting ceremony
will begin at 6 p.m., including a
stage performance, an appearance
from Santa and ending in a fireworks
finale.
Downtown in December will kick
off November 29 as well – a tour of
Downtown Cleveland on the iconic
Lolly the Trolley starting at 11:30
a.m. and running through 5:30 p.m.
Following Winterfest is the 5th
annual Winter Wine and Ale Fest at
200 Public Square. Tickets are $65.
Visit www.downtowncleveland.
com/events for more information
and to purchase tickets to the Winter
Wine and Ale Fest.
Cleveland Clinic and Marc's Pharmacy
launch HealthSpot stations
Customers can access Cleveland Clinic healthcare
services through retail-based walk-in kiosks
Cleveland Clinic is expanding
its world-class care to patients and
Marc’s Pharmacy customers and
employees by launching two new
HealthSpot® stations at the Mentor
and Garfield Heights Marc’s stores,
offering an alternative option to
access Cleveland Clinic healthcare
services through the virtual walk-in
kiosks.
Marc’s is the first retailer in Ohio
to offer the HealthSpot telehealth
platform, which combines cloudbased software with the HealthSpot
station - a private, walk-in kiosk, outfitted with touch screens, interactive
medical devices and high-definition
videoconferencing capabilities that
virtually connects patients with a
medical provider.
Customers and patients can conveniently walk up to a station without
scheduling an appointment and
receive treatment from a Cleveland
Clinic medical provider for minor,
common health conditions, including cold and flu, rashes and skin
conditions, eye conditions, earaches,
sore throat, sinus infections, upper
respiratory infections and seasonal
allergies. The HealthSpot station’s
two-way high-definition video screen
delivers a unique face-to-face experience between patients and medical
providers. An array of digital medical devices housed within each unit
– stethoscope, scale, blood pressure
cuff, pulse oximeter, thermometer,
otoscope and magnascope – stream
medical information to provider and
patients.
HealthSpot visits fully integrate
into a patient’s Cleveland Clinic
electronic medical record, ensuring seamless communication and
continuity of care. Several health
insurance companies currently cover
the telehealth sessions like a regular
office visit. Patients can also pay for
their visit with cash, check, credit
and debit cards.
The Marc’s locations are joining two other Cleveland Clinic
HealthSpot station locations including one at the Willoughby Hills Family Health Center. Hours of operation for Cleveland Clinic HealthSpot
stations are Monday through Friday
from 8:00 am–8:00 pm, Saturday and
Sunday from 8:00 am–4:00 pm.
To learn more about Cleveland
Clinic HealthSpot locations, please
visit ClevelandClinic.org/healthspot.
Discover Christ
Centered Academic
Excellence
OPEN TOURS
Friday, November 14th
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Bring your future
student and enjoy
cookies and cocoa
we show you around.
our staff and
amazing students
and see why we are The
Greatest Place to Grow!
OSLS
some
while
Meet
Registration and RSVP
440.357.7776
Enrollment for K-8
“We encourage you to call for an appointment,
see the school in action and share your
questions and concerns about
schooling in the 21st century.”
508 Mentor Avenue • Painesville, Ohio 44077
(across from Lake Erie College)
440.357.7776 • www.oslpainesville.org
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
11
New Common Core curriculum explained
By Glen Miller
A
n effort to streamline education and make it more
uniform across Ohio and
the country is beginning to be implemented in area school districts to
standardize curriculum and improve
student learning skills.
Despite the reservations of some
parents and a few educators, Kirtland Schools Superintendent Steven
Barrett and fellow Superintendent
Michael Hanlon in Chardon are
proponents of the Common Core,
a common set of math and English
Language Arts standards that K-12
students are expected to attain by the
end of each grade level.
In short, the Common Core replaces education standards that have
widely varied from state to state and
even among some school districts in
the same state.
They also increase student learning
standards, which is important in increasingly competitive local, national
and world job markets.
“We now live in an increasingly
complex and competitive world,
where students need to solve problems, think critically, write and
communicate well,” says Barrett.
“Students need to be prepared to
enter college or the workforce with
high level skills.”
Hanlon, who agrees, notes that
demands and expectations among
employers continue to change in
respect to the skills and competencies
required.
Therefore “educational standards
need to continue to move forward
in order to meet these new expectations and allow our nation to compete
effectively with the highest achieving nations in the world,” adds the
Chardon superintendent.
Even though Common Core standards are fewer in number, they are
more rigorous than previous Ohio
Academic Content Standards because
they focus on performance assessment.
The National Governors Association and Council of Chief State
School Officers initiated the standards several years ago along with
teachers, parents and educational
experts.
Barrett and Hanlon says the standards are designed to:
• Help students gain the knowledge
and skills they need to think and
work at a deeper level.
• Create opportunities for all students to excel at reading, writing,
speaking, listening, language and
math.
• Encourage students to think critically about what they read and
the math that they do.
• Allow teachers and students to focus more deeply on fewer critical
concepts in mathematics. Regardless, it is not a day-by-day curriculum that dictates a teacher's
lesson plan.
Yet, Barrett has some reservations
about Common Core student assessments created by the Partnership for
Assessment of Readiness for College
and Careers (PARCC). The organization is a group of educators in
several states created a few years ago
to measure if students are on track
to be successful in college and their
careers.
See Common Core on page 13
Mark your calendar for two great events!
Aim High Junior High
Early Childhood
Education Expo
Thursday, November 20 • 6:30 pm
Wednesday, November 12 • 6:30 pm
Discover Our Best Kept Secret
Aim High Junior High
What sets the St. Mary School Junior High program apart
from the rest? Hear from teachers, parents, and former
students about the St. Mary’s difference!
This is a hands-on night, so bring the kids and have fun!
Discover all the excellent programs offered for preschool
and kindergarten students at St. Mary School.
Discover Our Best Kept Secret
questions and provide tours of the classrooms.
Discover
Our Best
Kept Secret
Teachers,
parents andCHILDHOOD
students will be available to answer
Aim
High Junior
High
EARLY
EDUCATION EXPO
Thursday, Nov.20th 6:30pm
!
Thursday, Nov.20th 6:30pm
For both events
please RSVP to Maureen:
Chardon, OH! 44024
440-286-3590
apart from the rest? ! t440-286-3590
Hear from eachers, parents, and former students [email protected]
Hear from teachers, parents, and former students about the St. M
ary’s difference! What sets ary School Junior High program 401
Street
! St. MNorth
a
part f
rom t
he What sets St. Mary School Junior High program rest? about the St. Mary’s difference! 12
Today’s Family Magazine
!
!
Please RSVP to Maureen: 286-3590
NovemBER2014
Please
RSVP to Maureen: 286-3590
[email protected]
[email protected]
NOVEMBER 12TH - 6:30 PM
This is a hands-on night, so bring the kids and have
fun! Discover all the excellent programs offered for
preschool and kindergarten students at St. Mary School.
Teachers, parents and students will be available to answer
questions and provide tours of the classrooms.
PLEASE RSVP TO MAUREEN: 286-3590
[email protected] 401 North St.
Chardon, OH
Common Core (from page 12)
“I worry that the assessments that
are designed by PARCC might not
measure what we want them to measure,” he says.
In Language Arts, for example,
Barrett says students might be asked
to write essays and refer to passages
they have read on the computer. This
means that they will be measured on
their ability to type, read and write
clearly.
“It might be tough to measure all
these things in a valid and reliable
way,” he adds.
Regardless, Barrett, a former math
teacher, is a strong proponent of the
Common Core.
While speaking to parents last
year, he said old Ohio math standards
were “a mile wide and an inch deep,”
while Common Core standards “pare
things down a little by grade level
and are more focused.”
Under Common Core math instruction, students can learn math in
a more conceptual way.
“They shouldn’t just know what a
bar graph is, they should learn how a
graph creates an argument and learn
be able to say if a graph in USA
Today is accurate,” he said.
According to a national poll, 52
percent of parents have heard little or
nothing about the Common Core curriculum. Among those who have are
a few parents who have expressed
concern about the more rigorous
standards students must meet.
Both Hanlon and Barrett say teachers in their respective schools systems will provide help and resources
for students who are struggling with
them.
“School districts are continuing
to adapt classroom instruction and
support services to the needs of
students, as well as reconsidering the
school calendar to address learning
outcomes,” says Hanlon.
“Classroom teachers focus on
instruction and assessment in relation
to state standards, and will assign appropriate levels of homework given
the developmental level and age of
the student,” he adds.
Just for
Laughs
Little Johnny's new baby brother is screaming up a storm. He asks his
mom, "Where'd we get him?" His mother replies, "He came from Heaven,
Johnny." Johnny says, "Wow! I can see why they threw him out!"
■
■
■
■
■
■
Timmy was listening to his sister practice her singing. "Sis," he said, "I
wish you'd sing Christmas carols." "Thats nice of you, Timmy," she replied,
"but why?" Timmy replied, "Because then I'd only have to hear your voice
once a year!"
■
■
■
■
■
■
One day Jimmy got home early from school and his mom asked, "Why
are you home so early?" He answered, "Because I was the only one that
answered a question in my class." She said, "Wow, my son is a genius. What
was the question?" Jimmy replied, "The question was 'Who threw the trash
can at the principal's head?'"
■
■
■
■
■
■
Dear Dad,
$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very
hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can`t think of anything I need. $o if you
would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.
Love, Your $on
The Reply:
Dear Son,
I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh
to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of
kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.
Love, Dad
WHERE THE ICE AGE AND
CLEVELAND COLLIDE
OPENS NOVEMBER 22
© www.paleoart.com
CMNH.org
This exhibition was created by
The Field Museum, Chicago.
This exhibition was created by
The Field Museum, Chicago.
Local support provided by Dr. Michael E. Gallagher, DDS
Sponsored by:
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
13
A bucket full of thanks
R
MOMMY CHRONICLES
By Stacy Turner
ecently, there’s been much talk about
bucket lists, prompting people to pen
lists of wonderful adventures they hope
to have before the end of their days. I like the
idea, and the dreams and plans that go with it.
But writing a bucket list brings to my mind everything I’ve been blessed to experience thus far,
things that helped shape me. So I wrote down a
different kind of list -- a precursor to a bucket list.
These are the people and events that have helped
define me, and for that, I’m truly grateful. It’s my
hope that, in this season of gratitude, you might
be inspired to make a pre-bucket list of your own.
First off, I’m thankful for my children, who
cause me gray hair, while at the same time keep
me young. I appreciate one for her constant curiosity that keeps us all learning and striving to do
and be more. I appreciate the other for her skill
to take notice of all the little things -- pointing
out treasures in each day that I might otherwise
miss. And her wacky sense of humor that keeps
us laughing along the way.
I’m thankful that my husband, who is often my
biggest cheerleader, can also be my biggest critic
when I need it most. On the winding road of our
life together, he provides the accelerator while
I’ve got the brakes -- which have served us pretty
well on our many adventures together.
I’m thankful for my parents’ example of how
to celebrate special days. With six children,
celebrations didn’t necessarily involve spending
money. Often, it was simple things -- like the
opportunity to choose dinner on your birthday,
and what type of special cake you’d like. With
five other siblings, getting your own way was a
special treat.
My dad’s early passing, while not something
I’m especially grateful for, helps me remember
to pause and reassess what really matters. This
time of focus helps let go of what no longer
fits, and welcome new opportunities that arise.
Ultimately, his loss helped me to depend on God,
and to trust that in each moment, wherever I am is
exactly where He has planned me to be.
I’m thankful, too, for the many lessons I’ve
learned from my mother-in-law. Her small stature is misleading -- she stands tall for that which
she believes. Her strong faith has been her saving
grace through the loss of her best friend, my father-in-law. She embraces life, riding everything
from roller coasters to zip-lines well into her 70s.
I want to be like her when I grow up.
While my father-in-law may not have had the
ideal childhood, as an adult, he made sure those
around him felt loved and appreciated. From
him, I’ve learned no matter where you’ve come
from, where you end up is in large part, up to you.
From my many siblings, I’ve learned to live
and let live, because although we share a similar
beginning, our paths have taken us in a variety of
directions. Our shared history binds us together,
even as our individual lives have placed many
miles between us.
And lastly, I appreciate my friends -- ones who
have known me the longest, and those who’ve
come into my life more recently. Their support
and kindness help me weather the storms of life
with humor and grace.
So there you have it — my pre-bucket list. After looking back in gratitude, I’m ready to move
forward in the same way. And I challenge you to
do the same this Thanksgiving season.
need
more
space?
GIVE the GIFT of a
LAKE METROPARKS
FARMPARK
{
membership
Family memberships start as low as $55!
Memberships and gift
memberships available online at
LAKEMETROPARKS.cOM.
We can help!
Memberships include these great benefits & more!
•FREE admission for one year (some restrictions apply)
•Discounts on Parks Plus! programs led by Farmpark staff
•Discount pre-order tickets to Vintage Ohio and Country Lights
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
8800 Euclid Chardon Rd. (Rt.6)
Kirtland, Ohio 44094
440-256-2122
lakemetroparks.com
14
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
Scan the QR
code for more
information
about Farmpark
memberships
• Climate controlled units
• New, clean facility
4141 Palmetto Drive
Willoughby
(440) 953-2323
www.willoselfstor.com
Big Sister
(from page 6)
the time that Nicky’s husband took
her to see “High School Musical” in downtown Cleveland when
Nicky wasn’t able to. “I couldn’t
believe he did that for me! We had
such a great time.”
Vassil adds, “My husband
actually told me after we started
dating that one of the things he
loved about me was that I was a
Big Sister,” she says. “He and I
are big supporters of Big Brothers
Big Sisters because we’ve seen
the changes it makes in everyone
involved, the kids as well as the
volunteers. So I’m on a campaign
to recruit Bigs! I know a lot of
young professionals and I’m always encouraging them not to wait
to get involved, do it before you
have kids, and life gets so busy.”
“My whole family, sisters, parents, husband . . . we all think of
Heather as our own. We’re all so
proud of her. She will always be a
part of our lives.”
To become a Big Brother or Big
Sister, call 440-352-2526, or visit
www.bbbsneo.org.
The Wild Days of Winter game returns!
On a life-sized indoor game board,
discover the many flavors that nature gives
us as you play along in our all new winter
wonderland. Draw a card, move from space
to space and explore nature through the
seasons. The game is played just like Candy
Land, but with a natural twist!
The Wild Days of Winter – A Taste of
Seasons is free for all ages. The game,
presented by Discount Drug Mart, begins at
noon Saturday, November 22 at Penitentiary
Glen Nature Center. The fun continues noon
to 5 pm daily through January 4, 2015, with
the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas
Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
when the exhibit will be closed. Supporting
sponsors include Playground World, The
News-Herald and Today’s Family.
Continue your adventure with family-fun,
hands-on activities both indoors and out.
• Challenge your family to indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts that explore nature.
• Enjoy a seasonal craft.
• Discover the sights and sounds of
wildlife at the interactive Nature Calls
exhibit.
• Watch and listen for wildlife at the many
bird feeders in Penitentiary Glen Nature
Center’s Window on Wildlife.
• Go for an adventurous walk on the Peppermint Trail on snowshoes. Rentals
available through the season as weather
permits. Adults: $3/hr. or $12/day, children $1.50/hr. or $6/day.
• Visit the Wildlife Center to learn about
and meet native Ohio wildlife. Make
this year’s gift a wild one! The “Adopt
an Animal” program provides a unique,
thoughtful gift idea that helps to cover
the cost of care!
•E
xplore more than 8.5 miles of hiking
trails open year round.
• Visit The Nature Store for all great
nature- and wildlife- themed holiday
shopping gift ideas. Refreshments are
available.
Join in on Saturday afternoons from 1 to 3
pm for special free activities.
•N
ovember 22 – Wildlife Day!
•N
ovember 29 – Campfire and S'mores
•D
ecember 6 – Trains (weather permitting)
Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located
at 8668 Kirtland Chardon Road in Kirtland.
Directions: Take I-90 to the Rt. 306 exit;
head south one mile to Rt. 615. Turn left
and follow 1/8 mile to the next light. Turn
right onto Kirtland-Chardon Road and follow two miles to Penitentiary Glen Reservation on the right.
For more information, call 440-256-1404
or visit www.lakemetroparks.com.
November is National
Adoption Month
Help a Child to Give Thanks
Open your heart and your
home to adoption
You can make the difference in the
life of a child. Please call us for more
information on our Adoption and
Foster Care Programs.
Call the Foster Care line:
440-350-4218 (in Lake County)
440-918-4218 (in Cuyahoga County)
Lake County
Department of Job
and Family Services
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
15
I
Does your child
need a tutor?
pendent when it comes to homework, but if you find that the school
work he or she does without assistance is incoherent or unfinished,
talk to your child. Does he or she
understand assignments? Talk to
his or her teacher, too. Is your child
paying attention in class? How
should you assist at home?
Your child often spins his or her
wheels. When your child studies or
does homework, does he or she have
trouble getting started and/or staying
on task? Talk to your child's teacher
about how much time your child
should spend on homework each
night and pay attention to the actual
time spent. If your child studies
regularly but his or her grades don't
reflect the effort, explore possible
reasons with his or her teacher.
Your child seems totally apathetic about school. Certainly,
some children may express great
distaste for school when they are
struggling, but others may simply
lose interest in learning. If your
deally, parents will know long
before their child brings home
a failing report card that he or
she needs tutoring help – but Martina McIsaac of Huntington Learning Center says that it's important
for parents to heed both academic
and non-academic warning signs
that their child needs supplemental
education.
"Grades are an obvious measure
of a student's school progress, but
there are a number of other clues to
help you recognize problems," says
McIsaac. "Your child isn't likely
to come to you asking for tutoring
help, so as a parent, it's important to
be aware of the red flags that may
indicate your child could benefit
from one-on-one tutoring."
How can you tell if your child
needs tutoring? Here are several
warning signs:
Your child's homework is incomplete, inaccurate and sloppy.
Throughout school, your child
should become increasingly inde-
Have Your Birthday Party
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Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
child was once excited about school
and now seems indifferent, talk to
him or her and try to probe gently
into what's going on.
You notice a gradual decline in
grades. If your child's grades on
homework and tests have steadily
gone down since the beginning of
the school year, it could be a sign
of something more serious than a
tough unit or one difficult class.
A temporary dip is nothing to get
overly concerned about, but grades
that get progressively worse can
indicate that your child lacks basic
skills and therefore can't keep up in
the classroom.
Your child is very hard on him
or herself. School struggles can
take a serious toll on a child's selfesteem and confidence. If you find
your child being extremely selfcritical, demeaning and pessimistic
about school, it's definitely time to
investigate and seek help.
Homework time includes lots
of tears and crying. Children who
struggle with school can become so
frustrated that their emotions overwhelm them during homework time.
If your child dreads homework and
studying, and all study sessions are
tense and stressful, perhaps your
child is avoiding school altogether
because he or she feels incapable of
doing the work.
The clearest sign that a child
needs tutoring is a poor report card,
but McIsaac encourages parents to
act as soon as they sense there is a
problem.
"When a child has problems in
school, his or her grades aren't the
only things that suffer – children experience a lot of frustration, sadness
and even anger when they struggle
in school," McIsaac says. "Seek
help early. Problems like these don't
go away on their own. At Huntington, they design programs that
are tailored to each child's specific
needs, and they don't believe in
quick fixes. Their goal is to close
those gaps in skills so that our
students can go on to be better, more
confident, and most importantly,
happier students."
For more information contact
Huntington Learning Center of
Mentor at 440-205-8283.
Christmas Craft Show
Wednesday & Thursday
December 3rd & 4th
11 am-9 pm
HANDMADE UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFTS
Holiday Entertainment & Chinese Raffle
Door Prizes Every Hour From John Roberts Hair Studio & Spa
Lunch & Dinner Available
Three Dollar Admission
NORMANDY PARTY CENTER
30310 Palisades Parkway • Off Euclid Avenue in Wickliffe
Our show benefits
Fall Sports & Fun!!
Soccer 101
Lil
Kickers
In-house Soccer League
• Saturday mornings at 11:00 am
December through early March
•12-week fee of $150, plus $15
registration fee
Soccer 101 is the “next step” in our youth
soccer program. Targeted at kids ages 6-9,
Soccer 101 includes both soccer foot skills
training with small-sided soccer games.
The emphasis is on FUN, coupled with an
introduction to competition by playing some
team matches. All teams will be coached by
current and/or former soccer players.
Child Development
Program
• Innovative, popular child
development program
• Focus is on kids from 18
months to 8 years
• Classes run 50 minutes
per session once a week
• Sign up early to lock in
your preferred class time
• Winter session starts
December 2nd
New in-house program starting in
November
Key features include:
• Consistent game day & starting time (Saturdays
at noon)
• Small-sided games, 5v5
• Coaching provided by LNSP “Soccer 101” staff
(all experienced HS or college players)
• Reversible mesh jerseys included with league fee
• Great introduction to competitive soccer league
play; emphasis on more touches per player
• Cost of $96/player for 8-week season (Nov & Dec)
Contact Danny at (440) 602-4000 ext 236 or [email protected]
Lil Sluggers
Call Danny B. at
440-602-4000 ext 236
Call to sign up today!
• Introduction to baseball for kids from 2–5 years of age
• Nationally franchised child development program;
exclusive location in NE Ohio
• New program at LNSP that started in spring 2013
• Low student/instructor ratio
(usually 4–6 kids per instructor)
Youth Indoor
Baseball League
• Age Divisions: - Under 8 - Ages 9/10 - Ages 11-13
• 8-game regular season, plus playoffs
• Current session (October-December) was sold out!
• Entry deadline for Winter session (Jan - March) is
December 23rd -- DON’T GET SHUT OUT!
•
Games played on Friday nights between 5-8 PM and
LNSP is accepting registration for
Sunday mornings between 7 AM - Noon
our popular off-season youth indoor
baseball league for kids from ages 7-13. • Team fee of $735; Individual fee of $80
Call Dan at
Contact Ed Strauss at (440) 602-4000 ext 225 or [email protected]
440-602-4000
• NFL Flag, Powered by USA Football
ext. 229 or
• Games played on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 - 7:00 PM
• 3 age groups: - 6-8 years old - 9-11 years old - 12-13 years old
DNaderer@
12 game season (two 24-minute games per week)
Registration deadline - October 27th
LNSPORTSPARK.com
Contact Ed Strauss at (440) 602-4000 ext 225 or [email protected]
Youth Flag
Football
FUN! FRIENDS!
your child’s favorite sports activity
Birthday Parties Combine
with a complete birthday party package!
FITNESS!
Call Marilyn at 440-602-4000 ext. 223 for details!
38630 Jet Center Drive • Willoughby
North of Route 2 off Lost Nation Road
www.LNSPORTSPARK.com
In a time of need, food bank serves hope
By Kim McCloskey
A
single mother works full time at a local
restaurant but admits it’s a struggle to
feed her two children on just one salary.
An elderly woman who recently had surgery
is unable to get to the grocery store, and shares
that even if she could, it would be too difficult to
prepare the food.
Two young boys look forward to their school
lunch as it is the only meal they get each day.
After his salary was drastically cut, a 52-year-old
man and his wife have to choose between food and
keeping their utilities on.
In our area, these scenarios are all too common.
According to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s
website, one in six northeast Ohioans is food insecure, meaning they do not know where their next
meal will come from.
“We served about 247,000 different individuals
last year,” says Karen Pozna, director of communications for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. “The
Food Bank really tries to bridge the meal gap, and
connect individuals to the resources they need to
be healthy.”
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, located on
South Waterloo Road in Cleveland, serves more
than 700 member agencies in six northeast Ohio
counties including Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and
Ashtabula. Clients can take advantage of the many
food pantries available if they have transportation
and are able to pick up food. These pantries work
with the Food Bank to distribute food for free to
those who are hungry in the community.
But Pozna explains that almost half of the Food
Bank’s clients are made up of seniors and children,
who are unable to leave their homes.
“We try to think creatively with these groups,”
says Pozna. “We recently started a mobile food
truck that takes food such as bread, produce, and
dairy products to underserved areas and to people
who don’t have transportation.”
To serve the rising number of hungry children
in northeast Ohio, the Food Bank came up with
another creative solution – the Backpack for Kids
program.
“We supply schools with backpacks to hand out
to children who qualify,” says Pozna. “The backpacks can be taken home for the weekend and are
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stuffed with enough food for 6 meals – breakfast,
lunch, and dinner. The kids love them and are so
excited to see what they will get each weekend.”
According to Pozna, one million healthy meals
were supplied through the kids program last year
and the need is growing. With limited resources
and partner pantries, Pozna explains what may be
the Food Bank’s most important work — helping
link individuals to the right programs.
“There are thousands of people in our area who
are eligible for food stamps that don’t take advantage of that opportunity,” says Pozna. “We really
try to connect people to resources that are already
out there for them.”
As the holidays and cold weather approach,
Pozna says the Food Bank is always in need of
volunteers to collect, sort, and repack food; distribute produce; or work in the kitchen. Virtual food
drives are also available and can be customized
to schools, groups, or businesses. But the biggest
help according to Pozna is monetary donations.
“Through the buying power of volunteers and
local groups, $1 can provide four meals,” says
Pozna. “We can make money go so much further
than actual food.”
If you are in need of food assistance, the Food
Bank Help Center is open Monday through Friday
at 216-738-2067.
For those interested in volunteering, visit www.
greaterclevelandfoodbank.org.
Q: What do these
adults have in
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A: They ALL are
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in need of a positive
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18
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
Please contact us at
(440) 352-2526
or visit www.bbbsneo.org for
details on becoming a Big!
Ideas to safeguard your
home this winter
Winter is just around the corner,
so it’s time to get your home and
yard ready for the inevitable chill to
come. Here are some simple steps
to promote safety and reduce potential homeowner losses.
HEATING SYSTEM
• Make sure your furnace has adequate ventilation and check the
batteries in your thermostat.
• Remove all flammable material
from the area surrounding the
furnace.
• Replace or clean furnace filters
once a month during the heating
season.
• Have your heating system professionally checked and inspected annually.
GET THE FIREPLACE READY
• If the chimney hasn’t been
cleaned recently, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and
creosote.
• A professional chimney sweep
can not only clean your chimney but check for safety issues.
Most chimney fires can be
avoided by taking these steps.
SMOKE AND CARBON
MONOXIDE DETECTORS
• Install carbon monoxide detectors if you don’t already have
them.
• Test all smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors to make sure
they work.
• Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than
10 years.
• Make sure to change the batteries annually when daylight
savings ends.
PREVENT PLUMBING
FREEZES
• Insulate any exposed piping, including the faucets themselves.
• Drain air conditioner pipes and,
if your AC has a water shut-off
valve, turn it off.
• Disconnect and drain all garden
hoses.
• Turn off your sprinkler system
completely and have the lines
blown out.
CHECK THE EXTERIOR,
DOORS, AND WINDOWS
• Install your storm windows and
doors.
• Use caulking to seal any exterior
cracks and exposed entry points
around pipes.
• Use weather stripping around
doors and caulk windows to
prevent cold air from entering
the home.
CHECK FOUNDATIONS
• Tuck-point or seal foundation
cracks; mice can slip through a
space as thin as a dime.
• Caulk your driveway and sidewalks.
INSPECT ROOF, GUTTERS,
AND DOWNSPOUTS
• By adding extra insulation to
the attic it will prevent warm air
from creeping to your roof and
causing damage.
• Clean out your gutters so they
can run freely.
BE READY, JUST IN CASE
• Have flashlights, extra batteries, matches and candles readily
accessible.
• Keep a list of emergency phone
numbers, as well as utility company phone numbers near your
phone or inside the phone book.
• Store extra bottled water and
non-perishable food supplies,
blankets, and a first aid kit in a
dry and easy to access location.
• Give your snow blower a checkup and make sure it’s working
properly.
Matthew Corsaro is the president
and owner of the Corsaro Insurance
Group in Mentor. His company and
staff have been providing insurance
solutions to families and business
owners for over forty years. Mr.
Corsaro has obtained the Accredited
Advisor in Insurance and Certified
Insurance Counselor designations.
Corsaro Insurance Group represents
over twenty insurance companies.
As well they have expertise in all
areas of auto, home and business
insurance. They can be reached at
440-946-4950.
Fall into savings . . .
Find out how you can save by
insuring your home and auto with
Auto-Owners Insurance!
Contact us for the best rates!
LIFE • HOME • CAR • BUSINESS
8039 Broadmoor Road • Mentor
440-946-4950
Planning a birthday party?
Visit www.todaysfamilymagazine.com for great ideas!
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
19
U N L E A S H
his
PA S S I O N
The Actor
When he’s not constructing robots as a
member of University School’s First Lego
League or singing in the choral group, High
Tops, Calvin, US class of 2019, can be found
starring in the school’s theater productions.
“It’s a great experience to get up and try
to make somebody believe something –
believe that you are really somebody else.
Theater builds character.”
Learn more: www.us.edu/UnleashHisPassion
For boys, grades K-12.
PARENT OPEN HOUSE | Tuesday, November 4th
Register at www.us.edu
20
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
Christmas Train and Toy Show
For more
information call
Mentor Civic Arena
440-974-5730
8600 Munson Road
Mentor, Ohio 44060
www.cityofmentor.com/play
Skate On In
Come to the Christmas Train and
Toy Show and see over 200 dealers with model trains of all gauges,
antique toys, and diecast toys just in
time for your Christmas shopping.
The show will be held November 23
from 10:00 am–3:30 pm at Lakeland
Community College in Kirtland (I90 and Rt. 306).
Enjoy watching the operating train
layouts in many different scales and
dioramas. Buy, sell or trade. This
will be a great time to upgrade your
model train or get a new train set for
under the Christmas tree.
Santa Claus will be at the show
from 12:30 pm–2:00 pm. If you
wish to take your child’s picture
with Santa, we ask that you make
a $5 donation to Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation.
There will be Toys for Tots collection boxes at the show. Please help
those less fortunate by donating new,
in the package (unwrapped), toys.
Please no stuffed animals.
Admission: adults $6 each, family
$15, children (6–12) $3, children
under 6 and active military are free.
For more information visit www.
cleveshows.com, email cleveshows
@att.net or call 440-256-8141.
Hands on Pottery Studio
offers unique event options
Searching for an artistic, engaging
and unique team-building experience
for your holiday gathering? Hands
on Pottery Studio, Cleveland’s
premier pottery painting and glass
fusing studio, is well known for providing individual creative opportunity daily at the studio. In addition, the
studio proudly coordinates custom
off-site “Portable Pottery” programs
and hosts on-site private events.
Over the last decade, the studio’s event options have provided
uniquely creative additions to many
community functions. Satisfied
“Portable Pottery” customers include
KinderCare, Jewish Federation of
Cleveland, Hathaway Brown School,
and The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. At these special off-site
events, studio staff provides all the
pottery, paint, and expertise needed
to create a memorable school,
business, or nonprofit organization
gathering. Hands on Pottery Studio
will coordinate the entire project,
collect all completed projects,
process and package pieces and then
return them to your site! “Portable
Pottery” customized programs add
creative energy to any function and
increase fundraising, team building,
and outreach capabilities.
Hands on Pottery Studio will also
coordinate and host in-studio private
events. This option offers the same
artistic material, creative outlet,
and helpful staff in an inviting and
relaxing studio space. Private studio
events can be hosted both during and
after regular business hours throughout the year.
Hands on Pottery Studio’s dedication to providing artistic and therapeutic experiences can help make
your upcoming event an enjoyable
and effective function.
Call 216-292-4844 or visit www.
handsonpottery.com and learn about
this unique program opportunity
today!
Hands On Pottery Studio is located
in the Greens of Lyndhurst shopping
center at 5660 Mayfield Road in
Lyndhurst.
Public Open Ice Schedule
October thru April
Monday
3:15 – 4:45 pm
Tuesday
4:00 – 5:30 pm
Wednesday 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Thursday
4:00 – 5:30 pm
Friday (DJ Night) 8:30 – 10:30 pm
Saturday
1:30 – 3:30 pm
8:30 – 10:00 pm
Sunday
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Luncheon Skate
M–F • Noon–1:30 pm
Adults $6/Youth & Seniors $5
Skate Rental $3
Small Folk
Skate
October – April
Saturdays and Sundays
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Children eight years of age
and under and a parent are
invited to come and skate on
the Studio Rink with children
their own size during the Small
Folk Open Skate. It’s a great
time for younger children to
practice skating skills or simply
skate at their own pace!
Skating
Party Options
All Day
Skate Camp
November 4 • 8 am – 5 pm
December 22 • 8 am – 5 pm
Looking for an activity for
your kids? Come to the arena
for an all day program that
includes skating, movies, crafts,
games and more skating.
Children can participate in any
activity or just skate all day.
Children must be 6 years and
up. Admission is $30 for the
day which includes skate rental.
pre-register and receive a $5
discount.
Learn To Skate
• Register in person or online
• Skate rental is $1
• Helmets are provided fo those
10 & under at no cost
Toddler Crawl: Ages 14–28 mo.
Tot (1, 2, 3): Ages 3–5
Basic (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8): Ages 6+
Freestyle (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
(must have passed Basic 8)
Tot Hockey: Ages 3–5
(must have passed Tot 1)
Instructional Hockey: Ages 6+
Teen & Adult: 12+
Special Skaters Program: All Ages
Competition Class: All Ages
(must have passed Tot 1 or Basic 1)
OPEN SKATE
BIRTHDAY PARTY
Book the party room
during one of our weekend
Open Skates. Lots of fun!
STUDIO RINK PARTIES
Want a more private party?
The Studio Rink and lounge is
great for youth birthday parties. The Studio Rink is smaller
and is best suited for children
under age 10.
LARGE RINK PARTIES
Try something new to entertain your friends or group. Rent
one of our large rinks for your
school, class, church, scout
groups, etc.
Mascot Day
Sunday, Nov. 8
Public Skate
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Come skate with your
favorite mascot. Prizes
and discounted admission
$4.00 (Skate rental free.)
Room
Rentals
Looking for a room to rent
for a meeting, shower, wedding? 50 people 100 people
200 people? We have a room
for you! Call 440-974-5730.
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
21
Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library
Fun Scavenger
Hunt
St. Gabriel to celebrate
Community Day of Service
On November 15, 2014, The
Catholic Community of St. Gabriel will span throughout Lake
and Geauga County as the hands
of Christ serving their neighbors
to mark their second annual Community Day of Service. Almost
500 St. Gabriel parishioners have
volunteered for this day of service.
Small teams will work visiting over
70 different facilities to help with
maintenance, yard work, and other
service projects. Recipients include
places such as Hartley Manor, Project Hope, and The James A. Gar-
field Home. Projects also consist
of leaf raking for private homes by
the teen youth group at St. Gabriel.
The youth will gather at houses of
elderly or physically challenged
individuals and help them with
fall clean up. Also on this day, St.
Gabriel will host a Tail Gate Party
for Deepwood residents to enjoy fun
and games.
The day will culminate when all
teams reunite at St. Gabriel for Mass
and enjoy a volunteer made dinner
together to give thanks to God for
the honor of serving others.
Food drive allows library
patrons to donate food in
exchange for fine forgiveness
1. Visit any library and find a book about Thanksgiving
2. Find the Thanksgiving graphic at WE247.org
3. Tell us what you are thankful for at your library
Pick up your entry form in the library children’s department and list
your three answers. Present it to the librarian and be entered in to win
a prize. Scavenger Hunt runs November 1 to November 30.
22
Eastlake Public Library
36706 Lake Shore Blvd.
Eastlake, OH 44095
440.942.7880
Willowick Public Library
263 East 305th Street
Willowick, OH 44095
440.943.4151
Willoughby Public Library
30 Public Square
Willoughby, OH 44094
440.942.3200
Willoughby Hills Public Library
35400 Chardon Road
Willoughby, OH 44094
440.942.3362
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
The "Can Your Fines" food
drive is returning to Mentor Public
Library and, once again, library
patrons can donate food in exchange
for forgiveness of their fines.
The food drive will run all
through November and people can
donate at any of Mentor Public
Library’s branches.
The donated food will go to local
food pantries at St. Gabriel and St.
John Vianney. The pantries will, in
turn, give it to families in need.
Each nonperishable food item that
somebody donates will be worth up
to a dollar off of the fines they owe.
People can get up to five dollars in
fines waived this way.
Patrons can only trade food for
fines once during the Can Your
Fines food drive. Those whose fines
have gone to collections are not
eligible to participate.
Last year, patrons donated hundreds of pounds of food during the
Can Your Fines drive.
For more information, contact the
Mentor Public Library at 440-2558811 or visit the library’s website at
www.mentorpl.org.
Great decoration ideas
for your next party!
Just Artifacts is an online décor store for parties and events.
From paper lanterns, sky lanterns, paper
straws, tissue paper pom poms, parasols, and
fans to their many other décor products, it’s
easy to find what you need to decorate for your
next birthday party, school event, shower, wedding, or other special occasion.
They offer a wide range of colors and sizes to
meet all your decorating needs!
www.justartifacts.net
A karate kid at heart
72-year-old earns black belt at Karate Institute
By Kim McCloskey
L
ike every other candidate, years of practice, dedication, and hard work will bring
Steven Stefancic to Lakeland Community College for the 2014 Black Belt Extravaganza.
But Stefancic isn’t like every other candidate.
At age 72, he’s the oldest first degree black belt
at the Karate Institute of Mentor and one of the
oldest in Lake County.
“Steven is an amazing individual,” says Dennis
Janes, owner of Karate Institute, eighth degree
black belt, and Stefancic’s instructor. “He has a
true warrior spirit that never gives up.”
According to Janes, Stefancic earned the prestigious honor in the July-August black belt test and
will join eleven others from Lake and Ashtabula
counties receiving junior black belts and black
belts at the Extravaganza on Saturday, November
15.
“These students have spent years developing
themselves into top martial artists, and we are
excited to see them obtain this rank,” said Janes.
According to Janes, the road to earning a black
belt is marked by years of classes, training, and
competitions, and culminates with a grueling
multi-day exam that covers everything martial artists have learned since beginning their studies.
Each year, the Karate Institute of Mentor has
hosted the Black Belt Extravaganza, not only to
honor the candidates, but to showcase skills from
students of all ages. The public will be able to
see Stefancic in action, as well as a high-energy
lighted glow weapons demonstration, creative
skits choreographed by each of the black belt
recipients, and Karate Institute demonstration and
competition teams, which have ranked nationally.
Guests will also see skilled students as young as
three years old.
Students at the Karate Institute, says Janes,
range in age from 3 to 72. There are different goals for each age group, but the benefits of
studying martial arts remain the same for all ages.
Classes provide students with self-confidence,
self-discipline, athletic skills, improved concentration, and a positive mental attitude, all of which
they can use in their daily lives.
“It’s been a great journey and pleasure empowering countless numbers of students with the
ability to develop personal protection and build
confidence through the martial arts,” says Janes.
For Stefancic, the benefits have paid off.
“It’s very unusual to have someone over the
age of 50 achieve the rank of black belt and it’s
extremely rare for someone in their 70s to earn
this coveted rank,” says Janes. “Steven Stefancic
is one in a million.”
The 2014 Black Belt Extravaganza begins at 6
Moral Values · Discovery · Achievement
MATER DEI ACADEMY
students are empowered to grow
spiritually, academically and
socially through worship, a
challenging curriculum, service
and extra-curricular activities.
MATER DEI ACADEMY
offers Kindergarten – grade 8,
all day Pre-K and half day
Preschool for 3 and 4 year olds.
CAMPUS TOURS
TUESDAY MORNINGS
AT 10:30AM
AND
FRIDAY AFTERNOONS
AT 12:30 PM
Registration Requested.
Please call the school office.
MATER DEI ACADEMY offers
advanced/honors coursework,
ActivBoard technology in
classrooms, weekly Physical
Education, Art, Music, Spanish
and Technology classes; tutoring
and remedial help is available for
those who qualify. We participate
in the diocesan hot lunch
program. Before/After school
care is also available.
We offer a comprehensive course of study
fully accredited by the Ohio Department
of Education and the Ohio Catholic
Schools Accrediting Association.
29840 Euclid Avenue • Wickliffe, Ohio 44092
440-585-0800
440-585-9391 fax • www.MaterDeiAcademy.us
Steven Stefancic earned his first degree black belt this
past summer at the age of 72 years old. He will showcase his skills on November 15 at the 2014 Black Belt
Extravaganza held at Lakeland Community College.
p.m., Saturday, November 15 at Lakeland Community College Performing Arts Center. The
event is open to the public. For ticket information
or questions, email [email protected] or
call 440-951-0463.
the
WILD Days
of Wintergame:
free!
all new
!
a TasTe of seasons
November 22, 2014
through January 4, 2015
at Penitentiary Glen nature Center
exhibit open daily noon to 5 pm
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve,
Christmas & New Year’s Eve
On a life-sized game board, discover
the many flavors that nature gives
us as you play along in our all
new winter wonderland. enjoy a
craft, activity pages and scavenger
hunts—fun for the whole family!
Penitentiary Glen Reservation
8668 Kirtland Chardon Rd.
Kirtland, Ohio 44094
440-256-1404
look for special activities every
lakemetroparks.com
Saturday 1 to 3 pm during the exhibit!
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
23
Kurt Law is there to help small businesses and small
business owners harvest their true potential
We all know this is an exciting
time in the Cleveland region, a time
full of big dreams and great potential. At the same time, the delivery
of legal services is changing, and
Kurt Law Office is changing as well.
To help businesses and individuals
harvest their collective and individual potential at this unique time,
Kurt Law Office, a woman-owned
law practice in Lake County, has expanded the firm and added practice
groups serving general corporate and
small business services; probate and
estate planning; and real estate/construction law.
Attorney Pamela Kurt, owner and
principal at Kurt Law, described
the change as an investment in the
business community and people of
Lake County. “More and more I
have seen how small businesses can
reach their full potential by using
skilled, affordable legal counsel and
business services. One of our small
business attorneys can be an invaluable partner who helps a small business owner harvest his/her potential
and make their dreams become a
reality.” In addition to traditional
legal services, a small business attorney can help minimize numerous
business risks for small businesses
through such services as general risk
management, contract and document
review, business planning, drafting
legal and non-legal documents and,
on the more personal side, creating
a basic estate plan that protects the
people and families that create, own,
and operate the small business.
“We come to work every day committed to helping our small business
clients build the life they dream of,
protect what they have already built,
and solve some of life’s more challenging problems. We consistently
counsel our clients about how the
legal system can, or cannot, help
them harvest their potential and accomplish their goals,” said Kurt.
As a forward-thinking legal
service firm, Kurt Law Office is
committed to providing innovative,
skilled professional legal services.
Kurt Law Office is currently explor-
Top row: Amy Baird, Amanda Bacon, Pamela Kurt, Esq., Rachel Webster
Bottom row: Amy Casner, Esq., Liz Kohn, Oliver Herthneck, Esq.
ing expansion into several neighboring counties in the northeast Ohio
region. They are also welcoming
their most recent additions of Amy J.
Casner, Esq. and Oliver Herthneck,
Esq. Stay tuned for more announce-
ments as they harvest THEIR
potential!
Please call their office at 440516-1010 for a consultation for your
business evaluation and/or legal
needs.
Are you a parent or caregiver of a
child or adolescent with mental illness
or serious emotional disturbances?
· Attention Deficit Disorder
· ADHD
· Major Depression
· Bipolar Disorder
· Conduct Disorder
Support for NAMI Basics is provided by the
Lake County Department of Job and Family Services
Dozens of Lake County residents have already
completed NAMI Basics. NAMI Lake County has
provided education, support, information, and
advocacy for families of those with mental illness
for twenty-three years. Its programs receive vital
funding from the County Alcohol Drug Addiction
and Mental Health Services Board (ADAMHS).
· Oppositional Defiant Disorder
· Anxiety Disorder
· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
· Childhood Schizophrenia
· Substance Abuse Disorders
NAMI Lake County is here for you.
We care about children. We care about families.
Learning your child has a mental illness can change family life profoundly.
If you’re a parent or caregiver you deal not only with the illness itself but
also navigating unfamiliar terrain which can be challenging.
NAMI Basics Education is a six-week free course providing an important
road map to guide you during difficult times. This course gives the basic
information necessary to take the best care possible of your child, as well
as the rest of your family, and yourself!
For more information or to register for the next
session call NAMI Lake County at 440-639-1200.
24
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
New classes help women prepare for childbirth
If you are an expecting mother searching for
a quality childbirth class, then you may want to
check out BirthWorks.
BirthWorks is a program designed to help
develop a woman’s innate trust and confidence in
her ability to birth and nurture her child. Centered
around the philosophy that the knowledge of how
to birth already exists within every woman, BirthWorks believes that you cannot teach a woman to
give birth. Rather, the program helps women to
develop faith in their own body knowledge.
Building confidence in a woman’s trust in
herself and her body is key to her being more
satisfied with her birth experience. Through
bodywork, exploration of individual and cultural
beliefs about birth, and much more, women can
truly be empowered to listen to their own instincts
when giving birth.
"Taking a BirthWorks class will be an experience you will not soon forget," says certified
Birthworks instructor, Trisha Lawrie. "You will
feel comfortable sharing in a safe and non-judgmental environment. The classes will help both
you and your birth companion become aware of
the ways to make labor safer and more comfortable."
Classes are open to women with any birthing
history, and whether it is your first child or your
fourth. BirthWorks classes are meaningful and
helpful no matter what kind of birth you plan to
have—at home or hospital, with or without an
epidural, or even a planned Cesarean. BirthWorks
encourages women to take classes as early as possible in their pregnancy—ideally, the beginning
of the second trimester. However, any stage of
pregnancy is welcome.
Topics you will learn about include:
• Instead of teaching patterned breathing, you
will learn slow, deep breathing as one way to
make labor more comfortable
• Understanding and working with contractions
in labor
• Making informed choices about medical interventions
• Relaxation, pelvic awareness and bodywork
• Nutrition, exercise, and postpartum wellness
• Labor companionship and comfort measures
• How beliefs and attitudes affect your experi-
EXTENDED
EXTENDED
EXTENDED
ence of birth
• Healing past emotional trauma to facilitate
normal birth
• Options for your birth and birth planning
• Breastfeeding
• More
"Many women today enter pregnancy and
childbirth surrounded by fear and apprehension,"
adds Lawrie. "We've been taught to view birth as
a frightening and dangerous experience. Taking
a BirthWorks class enables you to examine those
fears, and alleviate them by not only getting them
out in the open in a supportive environment, but
counteracting them with up-to-date research and
information."
A woman who takes a BirthWorks class can
expect to walk away empowered emotionally and
intellectually, ready to make important decisions
that must be faced when becoming parents.
A good beginning helps everyone, including
baby, mother and family. Feeling satisfied with
your birth experience is a powerful first step on
your journey into parenthood, and BirthWorks
will help you begin that journey with confidence
and joy.
To learn more about classes, please contact
Trisha Lawrie at 440-364-2122 or trisha.lawrie@
yahoo.com. Trisha is a certified BirthWorks instructor and her website is www.trishasbirthworks.
yolasite.com.
HOLIDAY
HOLIDAY
HOURS
HOLIDAY HOURS
HOURS
Here
forfor
the
Here
the
Holidays!
Here
for
theHolidays!
Holidays!
TheThe
Return
ofof
Weeknight
Return
Weeknight
The Return of Weeknight
& Saturday
Hours!
& Saturday
Hours!
& Saturday Hours!
Mon-Fri:
am - 11pm
pm
Mon-Fri:
6 6am
Mon-Fri:
6 am- 11
- 11 pm
Sat:
9 am- 11
- 11 pm
Sat:
9 am
Sat:
9 am - 11pm
pm
November 10 - January 3
November
1010
- January
November
- January33
✪
✪ ✪
All Services Will Operate
All Services
Will
Operate
Veterans
Day
All On
Services
Will
Operate
Tuesday,
November
On Veterans
Day
On Veterans
Day 11th
Tuesday,
November11
11thth
Tuesday,
November
www.laketran.com | 1.888.LAKETRAN
www.laketran.com | 1.888.LAKETRAN
www.laketran.com | 1.888.LAKETRAN
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
25
The happiest babysitter on the block
of children, and the sitter’s level of experience.
Research pay rates in your area by scouting the
profiles on Sittercity.com or asking other mothers. Paying a sitter too little or way too much can
make her feel icky.
By Heidi Smith Luedtke, Ph.D.
B
ehind every happy mom is a hardworking babysitter who watches the
kids during book club meetings and
date nights. Here’s what you can do
to build a strong bond with your favorite caregiver
and ensure she doesn’t ditch you for the sitterstealing parents down the street.
1. Provide critical information. Do a walkthrough with your sitter to make sure she can
find important objects, like diapers, pajamas and
the blanket your 3-year-old won’t sleep without.
Include a tutorial on any electronic gizmos she’ll
need to use, like the DVR. Offer a written list of
your kids’ bedtime routines as well. Insider info
sets your sitter up for success.
2. Check your expectations. You may be used
to multitasking craziness, but the average babysitter is not. Don’t expect her to entertain your
toddler, prep dinner and supervise homework
simultaneously. Order pizza if the sitter will be
helping your son with fourth-grade social studies.
And make sure your child knows exactly what
assignments to complete. Ultimately, it is his
responsibility to get schoolwork done.
3. Meet basic biological needs. Keep your
babysitter satisfied by stocking up on snacks and
drinks she likes. And make sure you invite her to
indulge. Also, let her know if it’s okay to snooze
on the sofa after the kids go to sleep. A tired teen
may struggle to stay awake if you’re out until the
wee hours.
4. Watch the clock. Babysitters have busy calendars and parents shouldn’t assume a sitter will
want to stay past the agreed-upon end time – even
for extra pay. Your sitter may need to get to bed
early so she will have energy for a next-day sporting event or family outing. Come home at the
appointed hour and call if you are delayed. Sitters
appreciate it when parents respect their time.
5. Pay fairly. Talk about money up front and
make sure you agree about how much you’ll
pay. Rates vary by location, number and ages
Wednesday, January 28th
9 AM - 11 AM
Christ Centered
26
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
•
6. Be available. Yes, this is your time off. But
your sitter needs to know how to contact you in an
emergency. Jot down your cell phone number and
a brief itinerary so she knows how to reach you.
Most sitters will hesitate to disrupt date night,
even if times get tough. Explain what kinds of
situations should prompt a call.
7. Let her shine. Find out what makes your
babysitter unique and give her the opportunity to
share her talents. A high school cheerleader might
teach your kids a new chant or help them practice
cartwheels. A drama queen might inspire them to
put on a play. Prime the kids with a little advanced info so they know how to connect to their
new-found friend.
8. Look out for #1 (and 2). Even if you have
several sitters on your contact list, give your goto sitters special treatment. Tell top sitters how
much the kids like spending time with them, and
hire them on a regular basis if possible. A sitter
who feels a special connection to you and your
kids will prioritize your family over others.
Sunday, February 22nd
(Open House & Registration)
12 noon - 2PM
Service
•
Strong Academics
Make a difference by restoring hope
Emergency shelter seeks volunteers
In November, Project Hope for the Homeless
will be opening the doors on a 5,200 sq. ft. expansion, and in the process are seeking caring, kind
faces to greet guests walking through them.
“Volunteers are the backbone of Project Hope,”
said Executive Director Judy Burr. “Throughout this expansion, our main focus has been on
the children and families, and we are in need of
volunteers to help us give them the best experience
possible, leading to a successful transition from
homeless to housed.”
Last year, over 115 volunteers at both Project
Hope and the shelter’s family program, Families
Moving Forward, served more than 6,000 hours.
They served and ate dinner with guests, played
with children, helped with homework, gave a
listening ear to guests who needed to talk, and provided informal support while shelter staff worked
with guests to improve their lives.
Project Hope volunteers, Burr said, are nothing
short of amazing.
“We have volunteers who regularly take one or
two shifts each week, and develop great and lasting friendships with the staff and fellow volunteers
they work with,” she said. “One volunteer invited
another volunteer to her wedding.”
Tom Wolfe, of Painesville, has been volunteering on-site since 2008.
“This is where I learned what it means to be
without, to have no food on the table, or roof
over my head,” he said. “Those who the world
has turned its back on, those without hope, those
without much at all, except a promise of a future.
A future given them through the devoted, dedicated, loving and kind work of the employees and
volunteers of Project Hope."
Former guests now serve as trustees, employees,
volunteers, and colleagues in partner agencies, giving back to help others find the same success.
“Project Hope volunteers have a unique opportunity to see their giving make a difference,” said
Project Hope Volunteer Coordinator Missy Knight.
“By providing informal support to our guests and
staff, they ensure Project Hope is a safe and ef-
ficient environment. It’s during their service that
they can encourage those who are feeling hopeless,
and within weeks see these same people walk out
with hope for a better future.”
Painesville Township resident Mike Manary
began volunteering eight years ago, and has seen
that success many times over the years.
“I keep coming back for two reasons,” he said.
“One is the mission is pure. This is the front lines
for helping people in need. I like the direct, handson approach to helping. The second is Project
Hope itself. Project Hope makes the best case
possible for faith-based charities. We are efficient,
almost no bureaucracy, and we make the best use
of volunteers and donations with very little waste.
This is how charity should be.”
Volunteer shifts are scheduled in the afternoon,
evening, and night, following a brief training.
Youth ages 15–17 can volunteer in the shelter with
a parent.
Learn more about the shifts and apply online at
www.projecthopeonline.org.
daycares & preschools
SUMMER
2010
Enroll
Now CAMP
For Preschool
LEARN
THRIVE
In Child Care at the Y,
parents feel confident
their kids are in a safe,
caring and educational
environment and . . .
the kids can’t wait to
see their “teachers” and
play with friends.
Child Care
LAKE COUNTY YMCA
CENTRAL Y (Painesville)
Preschool, School-Age
Painesville City
440.352.3303
EAST END Y (Madison)
Preschool, School-Age
Madison
440.428.5125
WEST END Y (Willoughby)
Preschool, School-Age
Willoughby
440.946.1160
PERRY CHILD CARE CENTER
Infant, Toddler, Preschool
School-Age Perry
440.259.4596
For more details visit us online at www.lakecountyymca.org
www.creativelearningcare.com
Eastlake
(440) 954-9548
36100 Portage Dr. (near Surfside off Lakeshore)
Streetsboro (330) 562-2262
ENROLL NOW !
• Free tuition for those qualified
• Free transportation from public
schools before & after school
• Two acres of outdoor
playground (Eastlake)
• 6 weeks through 10 years
20
Today’s Family Magazine
Before and after
school care
• Educational curriculum
• Infant, toddler, preschool
& school age programs
• Hot lunches & nutritious snacks
• Over 45 years in operation
• Degreed & certified teachers
AUGUST2014
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
SAFE
SAFEAND
ANDSOUND
SOUND
EENNRROOLLYLL!
TOTDODAAY!
Two convenient locations dedicated to
providing the best care for your infants,
toddlers, preschoolers & school age children.
u
u
u
u
u
u
6 weekstoto1213years
years
Infants
uWeekly
themes/events
Weekly
themes/events
Full
time
uComputer
Activities
Full time/part
time/part time
Computer
Activities
Magic
uDegreed/Certified teachers
Piano Mondays
Instruction
Degreed/Certified
Teachers
Piano Instruction
uAll meals & snacks provided
Games,crafts,
crafts, sport
sport
All
meals & snacks activities
provided
Games,
uAge-appropriate
Educational Field Trips
Educational
uOpened
Monday-Friday
Open
Monday-Friday
From 6 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
...much more fun!!
MENTOR
MENTOR
8303
8303Tyler
Tyler Blvd.
Blvd.
440-205-8420
440-205-8420
EUCLID
EUCLID
1050
E.E.200th
1050
200thStreet
Street
216-481-3830
216-481-3830
www.horizonchildcare.com
www.horizonchildcare.com
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
27
Managing your finances
through technology
Teaching, Learning,
Leading, and Serving
Come & Discover
See for yourself the high quality of faith formation
and education that Learning Loft Preschool,
St. Gabriel School, and our loving community
provide for each child entrusted in our care.
Offering preschool through eighth grade.
5th Grade one to one Chromebook program!
St. Gabriel School offers monthly
Open Houses on Tuesdays at 9:00am
Nov 18• Dec 16 • Feb 10
Special Kindergarten Meet & Greet
December 11 & 12
Call today to register and discover:
• Christ-centered
educational
environment
emphasizing
service to others
• Rigorous curriculum,
advanced technology,
and differentiated
instruction for
optimal learning
• A wealth of
extracurricular
activities for further
growth &
development
9935 Johnnycake Ridge Road
Concord Township, Ohio 44060
440/354-7858
www.St-GabrielSchool.org
28
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
It is no secret that over the past
several years, the financial industry
has adopted many new technologies
to optimize the consumer experience and to make money management easier. Whether it’s through a
mobile app, remote deposit capture,
or virtual banking, financial institutions are incorporating beneficial
advances in technology.
Apple recently revealed the latest
iPhone and, with it, a new technology called Apple Pay. This novel
take on a mobile-payment system
is not unlike existing systems such
as Google Wallet or PayPal, however it applies a heightened level of
security that in many cases makes
it even safer to use than a physical
credit card. By simply loading your
credit card information into the app
(which then protects your information through a process called tokenization), you will be able to easily
turn your iPhone into your central
payment system. The technology
takes advantage of the swipe-free
systems already available with many
debit and credit cards and has been
adopted by the majority of credit
card companies in the U.S.
One local financial institution,
Cardinal Credit Union, is optimizing
its systems to incorporate this newest technology in order to provide
the best service to its members.
“Apple Pay is just one more resource that you can take advantage
of to keep your credit cards and
your finances secure,” said Christine Blake, president and CEO of
Cardinal Credit Union. “When our
members load their Cardinal Visa
into the app, they will be incorporating measures of security that were
unprecedented until now. Simply
put, Apple Pay is more secure for
merchants and payment networks,
and more private for consumers.
It augments our efforts to provide
better member experience, better security, and better privacy, all
while taking advantage of the latest
technologies.”
By allowing technology to lead
the way, Cardinal and other institutions strive to offer both financial security and peace of mind. Through
a dedication to superior service and
unparalleled products, Ms. Blake
and her staff predict a bright future.
Cardinal Credit Union is a
member-owned, full service financial institution open to anyone who
lives, works, worships or attends
school in Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga
or Ashtabula counties. For more information on Cardinal Credit Union
and the products it offers, stop by
any one of the local branches, call
1-877-900-MYCU, or visit them
online at www.CardinalCU.com.
Upcoming classes/events at FAA
Holiday Card Making Workshop*
November 21 • 5:30 pm-7:45 pm
Kids ages 6–10 will love ending
their week with this fun workshop
and pizza dinner! (Hey, parents, this
is a perfect time to plan a date night
out or evening with friends.) Pizza
and materials included in $27 fee.
Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka
Join us this holiday season in Willy
Wonka’s magical world of chocolate
dreams, featuring your favorite songs
from the classic film. (Rated G)
$15/children ages 10 and under; $23/
seniors & students ages 11 and up;
$25/adults. Call or visit website for
performance dates and times.
All the Arts Camp*
December 1 • 9 am–3 pm
Have a day off school? Come to Fine
Arts for FUN! Kids in grades K-5
will enjoy hands-on arts explorations
in dance, music, visual arts and theatre in this awesome one-day camp.
Cost: $45/camper; Before Camp Care
available from 8–9 am for $6 per
camper.
The Fine Arts Association
38660 Mentor Avenue, Willoughby
440-951-7500
www.fineartsassociation.org
*Registration required.
FamilyHealth
Diabetes on the rise in kids
How to lower your child’s risk
Your child may have
• Spends less than two
diabetes and not know
hours of screen time
it — just like more than
(e.g., watching televi8 million U.S. adults,
sion, playing video
according to the Centers
games, using a comfor Disease Control and
puter or mobile device)
Prevention (CDC).
While many with diaOnce considered an
betes have no symptoms,
Michael
“adult” disease, type 2 diawatch your child for:
Koniarczyk, MD
betes is on the rise in U.S.
• Increased thirst
children. Between 2001
• Frequent urination
and 2009, incidence rose 30 percent
• Patches of darker, thicker skin
in kids ages 10 to 19.
near the groin and armpits
“As childhood obesity has in• Weight loss for no reason (for
creased, so has the number of kids
type 1 diabetes)
with type 2 diabetes,” says Michael
“See your pediatrician right away
Koniarczyk, MD, who specializes in
if your child has symptoms or if you
pediatrics and internal medicine at
have specific concerns,” says Dr.
Cleveland Clinic’s Mentor Medical
Koniarczyk. “Otherwise, continue
Office Building.
your child’s annual checkups. That’s
when your pediatrician will do diaDiabetes basics
betes screening, if needed.”
Diabetes is a condition in which
your blood sugar (glucose) is too
When to have
high. Over time, high blood sugar
diabetes screening
can cause a host of health problems,
Per American Academy of Pediatincluding heart disease and kidney
rics guidelines, many pediatricians
disease.
have begun screening for diabetes
• Type 1 diabetes, also known as
with a blood test to check glucose
juvenile diabetes, is an autoimlevels in kids age 10 and older who
mune disease. It affects the
are above the 85th percentile on
pancreas so it can’t make enough the body mass index (BMI) growth
of the hormone insulin to process chart. BMI above the 85th percentile
blood sugar. It’s linked to family is considered overweight, above the
history and genetics, and typi90th percentile is considered obese.
cally strikes in childhood.
Before age 10, children typically
• Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed
aren’t screened for diabetes unless
when your body develops a resis- they have symptoms.
tance to insulin. It is also linked
“While children with type 1 diabeto genetics, but obesity and
tes require insulin. A healthy diet and
physical inactivity are important
exercise may be enough to control
risk factors.
type 2 diabetes so your child doesn’t
need insulin or medication,” says Dr.
What parents should do
Koniarczyk. “Your child can lead a
Dr. Koniarczyk recommends taknormal life.”
ing steps to lower your child’s risk of
For an appointment with Dr.
obesity and type 2 diabetes. Every
Koniarczyk or another physician at
day, make sure your child:
Cleveland Clinic’s Mentor Medical
• Limits junk food — yet eats five
Office Building — 7060 Wayside
servings of fruits and vegetables
Drive in Mentor (just off Mentor
and three to four servings of
Avenue, behind Key Bank) — call
dairy products
440.357.2770. For an appointment
• Is physically active for more than with a pediatrician at another Lake
one hour
County location, call 216.444.KIDS.
Planning a birthday party?
Visit www.todaysfamilymagazine.com for great ideas!
St. Gabriel
Christmas Craft Boutique
St. Gabriel School
9935 Johnnycake Ridge Rd. • Concord Township
Friday, November 7, 2014
6:00 – 9:00 pm
&
Saturday, November 8, 2014
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Come and experience the high quality craftsmanship
of over 100 inspired artisans. Don’t miss this amazing
opportunity to buy for those special people on your
Christmas list!
Admission is $3.00 for those 13
and older. Please do not bring
strollers for safety reasons.
Make Your Wedding
Unforgettable...
Make it a Classic!
440.833.3333
www.aclassicflorist.com
1221 East 305th Street
Willowick
Saturday,
November 15, 2014
9 am - 4 pm
Open To The Public
HERSHEY
MONTESSORI SCHOOL
10229 Prouty Road • Concord Twp.
440-357-0918 www.hershey-montessori.org
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
29
St. Gabriel Christmas
Craft Boutique
Fri., November 7 • 6–9 pm
Sat., November 8 • 9 am–3 pm
St. Gabriel School
9935 Johnnycake Ridge Road
Concord Township
Come and experience the high
quality craftsmanship of over 100
inspired artisans. Admission $3
for those 13 and older. Please, no
strollers for safety reasons.
Cosmic Ray Cloud Chamber
Fridays, November 7 & 21
7–8 pm
Observatory Park
10610 Clay Street, Montville Twp.
440-286-9516
www.geaugaparkdistrict.org
Did you know that with just a jar,
some rubbing alcohol, a bit of dry
ice and some ingenuity, you could
build your own cosmic ray detector
- a "cloud chamber," which lets you
see traces of high-energy particles?
Look no further for instruction
how! Attend to try your hand at
assembling a cloud chamber and
using it to search for cosmic rays,
then receive a set of take-home
instructions on how to assemble
your own cloud chamber.
Officer Dan and Jager
Wednesday, November 12
6:30 pm
Willowick Library
263 E. 305 Street
440-943-4151
Meet Officer Dan and his special K-9 dog, Jager, who is the
new puppy in training. Learn how
helpful a dog can be with fighting
crime. Registration required.
Hershey Montessori Arts Fest
Saturday, November 15
9 am–4 pm
Hershey Montessori School
10229 Prouty Road, Concord Twp.
440-357-0918
www.hershey-montessori.org
A celebration of local fine arts
and crafts. Open to the public.
The 9th Annual
Fabulous Food Show
November 14 –16
10 am–6 pm
I-X Center, Cleveland
www.fabulousfoodshow.com
Featuring the country’s largest
presentation of fine food, fine art,
craft breweries, wineries and restaurants all under one roof.
30
Today’s Family Magazine
family calendar
Visit www.todaysfamilymagazine.com for more listings!
Girls Go! Science
Saturday, November 15
Great Lakes Science Center
601 Erieside Avenue, Cleveland
www.greatscience.com
Calling all girls in grades 6–12!
Join in for this day-long workshop
of new hands-on sessions led
by women working in science,
technology, engineering and math.
Visit website for more details. Reserve today! Call 216-621-2400.
Karate Institute
Black Belt Extravaganza
Saturday, November 15
6 pm
Held at:
Lakeland Community College
Fine Arts Center
This event is recognition and
celebration of the new 2014 black
belts as they and the Karate Institute Demo Team put on an exciting
martial arts exhibition.
Advance tickets are $8 on or
before November 1, $10 November
2 to the day of the show.
For information:
440-951-0463
[email protected]
www.mentorkarate.com
Mickey Mouse's Birthday!
Sunday, November 16
2 pm–3 pm
Geauga West Library
13455 Chillicothe Road
Chesterland
440-729-4250
Mickey Mouse celebrates his
86th birthday! Come and celebrate
with trivia, games, and snacks.
Registration is required. Please call
the library to register.
Cupcake Bake-Off
Wednesday, November 19
2:30 pm
Wickliffe Public Library
1713 Lincoln Road
Wickliffe
440-944-6010
Do you love to bake? Do you
love cupcakes? Then this program
is for you! Bring a dozen of your
best homemade cupcakes to share,
and find out if your batch is voted
a favorite. You will have a chance
to taste test and judge the other
entries, too. Yum!! Call or stop by
to register. Grades 5 and up.
NovemBER2014
Annual Youth Services
Puppet Show
Thursday, November 20
10 am–10:40 am
Chardon Library
110 East Park Street
Chardon
440-285-7601
Children ages 3 and older with
their families. Join the youth
services department for a rousing
good time with puppets, stories
and songs. Call to register.
I-X Christmas Connection
November 21–23
I-X Center
Cleveland
216-676-6000
www.ixchristmasconnection.com
Over 600 booths with handmade
soaps, pottery, gourmet dips,
woven garments, flavored coffees,
jewelry, furniture and much more.
Features include Santaland for
kids, live choirs, a holiday balloon scene, Gingerbread Square
where the first 600 kids will have
the chance to decorate – and eat
– their own holiday cookie, and a
children’s play area featuring childfriendly outdoor toys.
Wonka Birthday Party
Saturday, November 22
2 pm
Mentor-on-the-Lake Library
5642 Andrews Road
440-257-2512
Celebrate the 50th anniversary
of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory." Kids can test
their Wonka Vision, make custom
candy creations in the Inventing
Room and design mini Wonka top
hats. Registration is required for
this program and begins Nov. 1.
Fuzzy Scarf Craft
Saturday, November 22
2–3:30 pm
Eastlake Library
36706 Lakeshore Blvd.
Eastlake
440-942-7880
Looking for the perfect accessory
for those chilly winter days? Join
in to make a cute, fuzzy scarf…
no knitting, crocheting or sewing required! A seasonal favorite!
Grades 6–12. Ages 11–18. Registration required.
Dryland Sled Dog Challenge
November 22 & 23
Races run 9 am–12:30 pm
Demonstrations until 2:30 pm
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
8800 Euclid Chardon Road
Kirtland
440-256-2122
www.lakemetroparks.com
Watch and cheer on mushers
and their teams from the United
States and Canada as they compete for the best time over a twomile course.
Come out and meet the dogs,
talk to the racers and find out why
this sport is becoming so popular.
The Dryland Sled Dog Challenge
is included with Farmpark admission.
A Charlie Brown
Thanksgiving Lunch
Wednesday, November 26
Noon
Mentor Main Library
8215 Mentor Avenue
440-255-8811
Watch a holiday classic while eating a special lunch provided by the
children's department at Mentor
Library. Registration is open to all
ages, although those younger than
eight must be accompanied by an
adult. Registration begins November 12.
Country Hearth Christmas
November 28–30
December 6–7
10 am–4 pm
Burton Log Cabin & Sugar Camp
14590 E. Park Street
Burton
440-834-4204
burtonchamberofcommerce.org
Burton Village celebrates Christmas with old-fashioned flair. Enjoy
the many holiday activities such as
a lighted parade on Friday at 6 pm
followed by caroling and holiday
decor lighting and refreshments,
including Santa at the Burton Log
Cabin with free hot chocolate and
cookies 12–4 pm. Admission and
parking are free.
Beary Merry
Christmas Craft Show
December 3 & 4
11 am–9 pm
Normandy Party Center
30310 Palisades Parkway, Wickliffe
Featuring unique, handmade
holiday gifts, holiday entertainment, Chinese raffle, door prizes,
food available. Admission is $3.
Fostering A Child
By Lake County Department of Job and Family Services
November is National Adoption Awareness Month
The spotlight this month is on the month itself
as November is known as “National Adoption
Month.” The history of designating a month to
celebrate and bring awareness to adoption began
in Massachusetts in 1976. Then Governor of
Massachusetts, Mike Dukakis, designated an
“adoption week” to recognize children in need of
permanent homes. This single idea, sparked national interest and spread throughout the country.
President Gerald Ford later instituted the first National Adoption Week. In 1990, “adoption week”
changed to “adoption month” due to the interest
the topic generated throughout the country. Both
children and parents alike have benefited from this
interest as it is what has and continues to bring
families together.
Children services agencies throughout the
nation take a moment to recognize and promote
November as National Adoption Month because
not only are foster parents needed to help care
for children, so are adoptive parents. Sometimes,
children are unable to return to their birth family
and it is the adoptive parents that agencies turn to
when children are in need of “Forever Families.”
What is adoption? Legally, adoption is accepting a child into your family that was not born to
the parents. Once the adoption is
legalized, the child will have the
adoptive parents’ name and the
same legal rights as a child by
birth. To a child, adoption means
so much more. It means having
somebody there at all times to meet
their needs, to help them through
both good and bad times and to share
their life experiences.
Children of all ages, genders and
races are in need of adoption. Any
child who has entered into the public
child welfare system has experienced a
trauma, either through abuse or neglect
and due to this trauma have been affected
either physically or emotionally. Their behaviors can be demanding and challenging, but with
commitment, consistency and time families are
growing.
Once a county is awarded permanent custody of
a child, it becomes the county’s responsibility to
find that child a permanent home. Currently, Lake
County Department of Job and Family Services
has four children in permanent custody and one
who needs a “Forever Family.” Over the past two
years, 14 Lake County children have
been adopted.
For those families who have
adopted, please look throughout
your local community and online
resources to see all the different
ways adoption is being celebrated
and how you can become a part of
that celebration. We at the Lake
County Department of Job and
Family Services are grateful to all of our
families who have adopted children in
the past. Thank you for helping these
children find their “Forever Families.”
If you are interested in becoming
a foster and/or adoptive parent, please
call the Foster Care/Adoption Inquiry Line, Lake
County Department of Job and Family Services
at (440) 350-4218 or e-mail Eugene.Tetrick@
jfs.ohio.gov. They will be happy to answer your
questions and send you information about foster
care and adoption. The Lake County Department
of Job and Family Services is in need of families
who would be willing to care for teenagers. Tell
them you heard about foster parenting in Today's
Family.
Let me put this
sign in your yard.
SOLD
DANIEL MILLER
440-537-5126
[email protected]
Today’s Family Magazine
NovemBER2014
31
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