Buying an inexpensive good book will take travel: Whit & Whimsey

BRUNSWICK, Ohio — This is sad news. The Brunswick BookShelf, Project: LEARN’s beloved bookstore location at 831 Pearl Road, is hosting a store closing sale with 25% off all purchases through November. This is a unique opportunity for book lovers to find a wide range of gently used books and media at even lower prices while supporting a valuable cause. Please note that we can no longer accept donations at the Brunswick location; kindly bring all donations to our Medina store at 105 West Liberty St. or our Wadsworth store at 130 Main St., Wadsworth. All proceeds will continue to benefit Project: LEARN’s literacy programs in Medina County, helping adult learners reach their educational goals. Don’t miss this chance to shop and support our mission before we close this chapter!

ESL classes: Language classes for non-native English speakers are still available in Brunswick. ESL classes are held at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Hope Church, 1905 Pearl Road. Beginner, intermediate, and conversational classes are held weekly. The ESL teachers are excited to welcome new students at any time! If you would like to learn more about classes or are interested in volunteering as a teacher or helper, contact Kevin Kutcel at kevin.kutcel@hopebrunswick.org

A new adventure: After 12 years as administrator of Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing at Pearlview, Kimberly Corrigan is headed to a new adventure – actually two adventures. First she will spend two weeks on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation on safari in Africa. She will return to take over as administrator of the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky. . Kimberly has been very involved in the community and has overseen many innovations at Pearlview over these years.

The new administrator will be Casi Scott. Kimberly says, “She comes prepared with years of experience, expertise and the kind heart of a caregiver. She will be a wonderful asset to Pearlview.”

Good luck to both!

Musical Bees and Devils: Medina High School’s marching band rode through town en route to the Ohio Music Education Association State Marching Band Finals at Hilliard Davidson High School. Cheering parents and community members lined the streets, showing their support and pride for the band.

The Marching Blue Devils bus was greeted by fans along the route from the school to Center Road, waving signs and received a Brunswick Police escort to I-71!

And it should be no surprise both bands received Superior Ratings in their divisions. Congratulations

Holiday planning: The Brunswick Band Parents Organization’s Facebook page has a way for all of us to help our band members – beautiful plants. You can order your poinsettias for the upcoming holiday season that make delightful gifts and can brighten any space. Just head over to the page at https://www.facebook.com/Brunswickbandparents and find order information.

Too tired to cook: With Thanksgiving coming up fast why not take a day off cooking and order from the next Too Tired to Cook. The date is one week prior to Thanksgiving, Nov. 21. Orders must be received by 3:59 pm on Monday, Nov. 18. The information for ordering can be found at the following link. All proceeds benefit the Brunswick Education Foundation. Choose from a variety of items and order at: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/brunswick-education-foundation-too-tired-to-cook-thursday-november-21–2024

Stuff the Range Rover: This is one of the holidays’ best events and wonderful fundraiser for the HANDS Foundation, especially with so many of our population reaching senior citizen status. HANDS grants hundreds of senior wishes each year thanks to donations and fundraisers. The always-fun family event will be held from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 3 in the community room at the Western Reserve Masonic Community, 4931 Nettleton Roa, Medina. Thanks go to donors like Carecore at Willowood who donated a child-sized Range Rover which is filled with wonderful prizes from many other businesses and Generations Senior Living who ensured the real Santa will attend the event. There will be appetizers, pizza and drinks and tickets for the Range Rover

You need to RSVP by Nov. 26 at hands.rsvps@gmail.com.

Santa’s coming: Mapleside Farms has arranged for Santa to come for breakfast on two weekends this year: Dec. 7-8 and Dec. 14-15.

Breakfast buffet seating will be inside Mapleside’s barn overlooking the orchard ab All seating will be family-style and while they do their best to accommodate large parties, they recommend purchasing a private table to guarantee same table seating. Come prepared to spread some Holiday Cheer with your neighbors! Buy your tickets at https://www.mapleside.com/bws.

Enjoy great music: Don’t forget the free fall concert of the Historic Medina Symphony & Symphonia of the Western Reserve will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Brunswick Recreation Center, 3637 Center Road. Bring the family and enjoy the beautiful sounds.

The Giving Tree: Would you like to provide arts enrichment to a person with special needs, or spark an interest in a career in the arts for at-risk youth, or give the joy of music and art to a senior adult? You can do all of those things by participating in the Giving Tree fundraiser hosted by Access the Arts.

Access the Arts Giving Trees can be found at Playgrounds Medina/ Playtopia at The Common Ground, 220 N. State Road in Medina and at the Blue Heron Brewery, 3227 Blue Heron Trace, Medina after November 16. The trees will be adorned with handmade ornaments created by the groups served by Access the Arts, including the Medina County Home, the Medina County Juvenile Detention Center, the Lodi Family Center, AC Passage Day Center and Integrated Community Solutions.

Simply choose a hand-made ornament from the tree, scan the QR code on its tag or go to AccessTheArts.net to make a donation. Any donation amount is welcomed; but as a point of reference, costs for the programs range from purchasing student art supplies ($25) to providing a group art class ($90) to funding a group guitar lesson ($125). All donations will go directly to support Access the Arts programs. If you would like to donate or volunteer with Access the Arts, please email info@accessthearts.net or visit www.accessthearts.net.

This sounds fun: The third annual Merry Mocktail Mix-off, presented by the Medina County Safe Communities Coalition promotes safe and sober driving during the holiday season. Mixers create their own zero-alcohol-proof beverage and compete with other organizations and businesses to win!

The Mix-off will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at St. Ambrose Church, 929 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Last year it attracted more than 200 attendees, 15 mixers, and over $2,000 in raffle prizes. Businesses and organizations can get involved in several ways:· Be a Mixer – create your own zero-alcohol-proof beverage and compete with other organizations and businesses to win the popular vote, best in presentation, best taste, or best overall; Raffle prize donor – Donate a raffle basket or other raffle prize (ex. A gift card to your business, a movie night basket, etc.); or as a financial Sponsor – cash or check or in kind donations make this event possible. Participating businesses and agencies will be highlighted on our social media platforms and promoted at the event. Those participating as mixers, can share company materials at their table.

To sign up for any or all of these methods to participate, go to https://medinahealth.org/mixoff/ for more details.

This event is free and open-to-the-public. The festive and fun event is where you can sample alcohol-free drinks, win raffle baskets and enjoy appetizers as mixers from Medina County businesses, agencies and churches face off for the best holiday mocktail!

Open House: Medina County Historical Society will hold its first Holiday Open House of the season at the McDowell-Phillips House Museum, 205 S. Prospect St., Medina, from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17. The Museum will be decorated in the holiday spirit! Admission donation prices are $10 for adults, $9 for Seniors, $7 for Youth 7 to 18 years and under 7 is free with a hand-holding adult. MCHS members receive a discount on admission. Last tour starts at 3:30 p.m. Please do not park on Blake Ave. If you have any questions, please call 330-722-1341 or email mchs@zoominternet.net.

Holiday happenings: Be sure to check out the Medina County convention and Visitor’s Bureau for all the holiday happenings including the always fantastic Candlelight walk in Medina Nov. 22-24. Go to: https://www.visitmedinacounty.com/.

Great partners: Did you hear about the innovative partnership between Brunswick Middle School and Brunswick Preschool?

Thanks to the Student Support and Academic Enrichment federal grant, Brunswick Middle School acquired 3D printers for its new STEAM curriculum. Now in its second year, the program has expanded its impact beyond the middle school walls. Brunswick Middle School STEAM students, under the guidance of teachers Megan Gubanich and Kelly Harrison, are creating 3D-printed learning aids for preschool students, including those with developmental delays or disabilities.

The middle school students have been tasked with bringing characters from 10 selected books to life through 3D printing. These tactile figurines will provide a new way for preschoolers, especially those with vision impairments, to experience beloved stories like “The Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear.”

Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer praised the initiative: “This collaboration between our middle school and preschool exemplifies the power of creative thinking in education. By challenging our older students to design for younger learners, we’re fostering empathy, enhancing communication skills, and promoting critical thinking. It’s a powerful intersection of technology and compassion that leads to deeper learning experiences for all involved.”

The project not only benefits the preschoolers but also provides middle school students with real-world application of their STEAM skills. Working in teams, they’re honing their problem-solving abilities while considering the unique needs of their young audience.

Brunswick’s Preschool serves children ages three through five, offering integrated classrooms and more intensive programs for children with special needs. The 3D-printed learning aids will complement the preschool’s goal of providing an engaging environment that supports physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development for all learners.

As BMS students complete their 3D projects, anticipation grows in both schools. These tangible story characters will soon enhance learning experiences for preschoolers, demonstrating how technology can create inclusive educational tools. This initiative showcases the district’s commitment to innovative, cross-level collaboration that benefits students of all ages and abilities.

This coming weekend: A Taste of Ireland comes to Northeast Ohio, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at The Goodyear Theater in Akron, 7:30 p m. Nov. 15 at Medina Performing Arts Center in Medina and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at Canton Palace Theatre in Canton. This thrilling production elevates the holiday season with electrifying performances by stars from Riverdance and Lord of the Dance and a star-studded roster of World Champion Irish dancers, who fuse incredible red-hot rhythms with jaw-dropping talent in an unforgettable night of storytelling, Irish charm and spectacular entertainment. For information and tickets, the public can visit ATasteofIrelandShow.com.

Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com