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Horizon Education Centers opened a new preschool program with a partnership with Constellation Schools at Lorain Community Elementary. The official ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 1110 W. 4th St., Lorain. The preschool will open their doors Monday, Jan. 14th under the direction of Heather LaMore, Center Director.

This preschool program opened as a three star high quality under Ohio’s Step Up to Quality Rating System. This rating ensures that all children attending will experience: qualified teacher, proven curriculum, family engagement and developmental screenings. Horizon’s main goal for their preschool program is to provide 20 slots for children enrolling, and provide them with a high quality kindergarten readiness program. Also, Horizon understands that your choice of care and education is very personal and an important decision. Horizon takes safety and security as our #1 priority. When you leave your child at one of our centers you will have peace of mind that your child is safely learning, having fun, and making new friends. Horizon Education Centers has had a six-year partnership with Constellation Schools through the 21st Century Learning Grant from the State of Ohio in which Horizon operates an after-school program at Lorain Community School already. Studies have shown that children who attend after-school programing benefit from: increased academic efforts, fewer emotional and behavioral problems, increased physical activity, and help create healthy learning habits.
Horizon Education Centers is a leader in quality early care and education, preparing children and families for life for 40 years. Horizon is a mission-driven nonprofit making sure all families have access to high quality programs regardless of income or where they live.
For more information, to set up a tour or to enroll in the Preschool Program, visit www.HorizonOhio.org or call 440-420-2914. Horizon has 10 centers highly rated located across Lorain and Cuyahoga County. *Newest center opening Spring of 2019 at Triskett Station, Cleveland.

PRESS RELEASE SUBMITTED

CLEVELAND – The City of Cleveland provides an update on the recovery operations following last night’s windstorm and reminds residents to take precautionary measures:

• Downed Trees: The City today has eight tree crews clearing all the right-of-ways. Crews began yesterday and worked through the night clearing over 100 calls for service. Crews will continue clearing the known locations where trees are blocking or inhibiting traffic, sidewalks and driveways If you are impacted and believe there is a City owned tree that needs to removal please contact Urban Forestry at 216-664-3104.
• Cleveland Police: Patrol officers were dispatched and responded to weather-related incidents including downed power lines, trees and poles, while repair crews worked to bring power to the citizens of Cleveland. Cleveland Police reminds drivers to treat all intersections as four way stops where the traffic signal is out or not operating properly. If you do see a traffic signal out of service you can report it by calling 216-420-8273.
• Cleveland Fire responded to over 359 emergency calls for service including motor vehicle accidents, wires and trees down, medical, fire, and carbon monoxide incidents.
• Emergency Medical Service responded to over 271 calls for service which included medical emergencies, motor vehicles accidents and support to Fire for downed power lines.
• Cleveland Public Power continues to address power outages due to last night’s high winds. Due to high winds and weather conditions, approximately 5,300 customers were impacted at some point during the storm. CPP had eight crews working throughout the night to restore power as quickly as possible. All major outages have been repaired and CPP is currently working to restore power to the remaining customers impacted by scattered outages. We anticipate power restored to all customers today.

If CPP customers are experiencing power outages, they should contact CPP at 216-664-3156. Additionally, high winds may have damaged poles or caused downed power lines.

• Downed Powerlines: If residents see downed wires or damaged poles, do not touch them. Contact Cleveland Public Power at 216-664-3156 and on line atwww.CPP.org to file a report.

About the City of Cleveland

The City of Cleveland is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents by strengthening neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing diversity and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, play, and do business. For more information on the City of Cleveland, visit online atwww.city.cleveland.oh.us, Twitter at @cityofcleveland or Facebook atwww.facebook.com/cityofcleveland

Although most media attention is on the multi-million dollar amounts, many prizes of significant amounts are often won in West Park.

Here are some top amounts that were sold locally during the second half of 2018. There were many others.

$250,000 at Marc’s, 15030 Puritas Ave.
$ 65,000 at The Pantry, 4677 W. 130 St.
$ 50,000 at One-Stop Sunoco, 15240 Triskett Ave.
$ 50.000 at Friendly Food Mart, 4050 W. 140 St.
$ 27,175 at Charlie’s Beverage, 15803 Lorain Ave.

PRESS RELEASE

Waste will be collected on the regularly scheduled days

City Hall will be closed Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 in honor of President’s Day. However, the Department of Public Works WILL pick up waste on Monday.

There will not be a delay in waste collection pick-up.

For further information regarding waste collection, please call Cleveland’s Division of Waste Collection at (216) 664-3711.

About the City of Cleveland

The City of Cleveland is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents by strengthening neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing diversity and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, play, and do business. For more information on the City of Cleveland, visit online at www.city.cleveland.oh.us, Twitter at@cityofcleveland or Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofcleveland.

The West Park United Church of Christ, 3909 Rocky River Drive, offers a free community meal on the last Sunday of each month, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., inside the church hall, accessed off the rear parking lot. All are welcome. Now that the cold weather has returned, the church’s mitten, sock, and hat line is up and running. Those in need may take a new article of clothing to help stay warm this winter.

The Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) continued emphasis on safety paid off in 2018, as almost every category of crime was down from 2017 totals.

Thefts, assaults, and other crimes against persons were down 33 percent, while minor crimes, such as disorderly conduct, dropped 87 percent.

Transit Police are on duty 24/7 to monitor activity on RTA buses, trains, rail stations and bus shelters, along the HealthLine and the CSU Line, and Public Square, said Transit Police Chief John Joyce.

Largest reductions: Auto theft was down 70 percent, robbery dropped 47 percent, and thefts were down 30 percent.

RTA offers active shooter training for all employees. In 2018, more than 1,200 employees were trained to respond properly in active shooter situations. More employees will be trained this year.

If you see something, say something.

Call Transit Police dispatch 24/7 at 216-566-5163.

Send a text message to 216-575-EYES (3937).

The Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) continued emphasis on safety paid off in 2018, as almost every category of crime was down from 2017 totals.

Thefts, assaults, and other crimes against persons were down 33 percent, while minor crimes, such as disorderly conduct, dropped 87 percent.

Transit Police are on duty 24/7 to monitor activity on RTA buses, trains, rail stations and bus shelters, along the HealthLine and the CSU Line, and Public Square, said Transit Police Chief John Joyce.

Largest reductions: Auto theft was down 70 percent, robbery dropped 47 percent, and thefts were down 30 percent.

RTA offers active shooter training for all employees. In 2018, more than 1,200 employees were trained to respond properly in active shooter situations. More employees will be trained this year.

If you see something, say something.

Call Transit Police dispatch 24/7 at 216-566-5163.

Send a text message to 216-575-EYES (3937).

Kamm’s Corners Development Corporation (KCDC) and Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation along with The Cleveland Transformation Alliance and PRE4CLE will host the West Park School Choice Fair from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at the St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral Hall.

“Participating schools are K-8th grade, and from across both Wards 16 and 17” said KCDC Executive Director Steve Lorenz.

“It will bring together West Park’s private, parochial, and charter schools,” says JD Smith, who is the Neighborhood Engagement Coordinator at KCDC. “The idea is to connect local families to their local school options in one location, because there are a lot of good choices out there and going through all the choices can be overwhelming.”

According to Smith, he and other organizers want the event to give parents and school representatives a chance to talk one-on-one, offering a more personalized opportunity to connect. Lorenz mentioned that many of these schools fill up fast, noting “if you want to be sure to get your first choice, you really need to make your move now.”

There are currently more than a dozen schools expected to attend this event. There will also be prizes, giveaways, and activities for children. Attendance is free! Contact JD Smith at 216-252-6559, Ext 1300 with questions.

PHOTOS & STORY By Kevin Coleman

A group of Congolese refugees were walking along West 30th Street one day and saw something that reminded them of home. It was the Trinity Lutheran Church with its rustic brick façade and three red doors. The church reminded them of the place they used to pray back home in Africa, so they decided to ask if they could worship there.

Inside, a non-profit called Building Hope in the City was working with Cleveland residents on issues such as literacy and inequality. The organization did outreach work with various groups of marginalized people but had yet to begin working with refugees. They met, and The Hope Center was born.

The Hope Center, 15135 Triskett Rd., is headed by director Eileen Wilson, a travel enthusiast and the daughter of two German immigrants who came to the United States in the 1950s.

“We didn’t go and find refugees,” Wilson said. “They found us.”

The Hope Center began its service in 2015, with a group of just 25 immigrants and refugees. At the end of February, it will celebrate its four-year anniversary, with over 200 people walking through the door each week.

Wilson, a former Information Technology professional, began her career of outreach after being laid off from her job. It prompted her to ask to help teach Bhutanese refugees to speak English.

“I, like many people, thought ‘Where is Bhutan?’ ‘What is a refugee?’ How did I not understand what was going on in the world?” Wilson said.

It was during this time that Wilson began to notice a gap in the assistance provided to immigrants and refugees as they integrated into their new communities. The main refugee resettlement agencies in Cleveland are funded to provide aid during the first 30 to 90 days after a refugee’s arrival in the country. After this window, they are expected to attain employment, have their children in school, and be self-sufficient.

Although these agencies will assist in any way they can beyond this window, there are always new refugees arriving and funding is limited.
Wilson noticed that a crucial time to help refugees move from a place of mere survival to becoming thriving members of the community was approximately one year after resettlement.

“Many of them would live their entire lives between work, their home, and confined to their native culture,” she said. “This doesn’t allow them or their families to move forward.”

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Virtually every refugee comes to America in situational poverty. They often arrive on our shores with only a suitcase and sometimes several children for whom they must provide. The Hope Center aims to ensure this situational poverty does not become generational poverty.

To accomplish this goal, The Hope Center provides a vast array of classes and services to help refugees thrive in Cleveland. One of the most important resources provided by The Hope Center are the mentors who are assigned to an individual or family and guide them through their journey of assimilation.

There are currently approximately 25 mentors each working with a family for about six months. The nature of the mentorship is completely dependent on the individual needs and goals of each family. In addition, The Hope Center offers English courses, preparation for the U.S. Citizenship exam and legal assistance from the full-time attorney on staff. There is even a small café from which to get snacks and refreshments between classes, along with a van providing transport for those residing within a two-mile radius of the center.

Next month, The Hope Center will begin a program for its members to prepare for and earn their GED — a monumental accomplishment which will alter the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families.

Offering these life-changing services would not be possible without the love and generosity from the residents of West Park and greater Cleveland. Sixty-percent of The Hope Center’s funding comes in the form of donations from individuals and churches, while the rest is provided by grants and various foundations.

To assist in their own funding as well as provide work experience for its members, Building Hope in the City opened the Common Threads thrift store (22049 Lorain Rd) in June of 2016. There are approximately 20 immigrants and refugees from The Hope Center staffing the store at any given time.

It didn’t take very long for Common Threads to become a shining example of the contributions that can be made by our new neighbors. The upscale thrift store turned a profit after just two short years, as well as won Cleveland Scene’s best thrift store award in both 2017 and 2018.

While Wilson has been elated by the community’s support in reaching out to immigrants and refugees, she hopes people will hear their story and feel inspired to get involved.
“The Hope Center isn’t just a place for refugees,” she said. “It’s also a place for Americans to interact with the world around them.”

The Hope Center is always looking for any help they can get from generous Clevelanders. To get involved with refugees and their loved ones, you must complete a brief background check, child safety course and short seminars; such as “Building Hope 101” and “Refugee 101”. Altogether, these courses amount to approximately four hours of training.

Upon completion of these preliminary requirements, volunteers are then given a choice between becoming a mentor or assisting The Hope Center in some other way. For instance, assisting with tutoring sessions which are held at the center every Tuesday and Thursday or looking after children while their parents are in class. One neighbor shows his support for The Hope Center by
providing lawn care. Another generously donated playground equipment for the newcomer’s children.
Wilson attributes countless Hope Center success stories to the volunteers who take time out of their schedules to reach out and touch the lives of people who weren’t given the same chances in life.

“They don’t need us to save them and to hold their hands,” she said. “They just need to be given support and the tools to succeed.”

You can find further information about The Hope Center’s mission as well as upcoming events and ways to get involved at https://buildinghopeinthecity.org/cleveland/the-hope-center/.

On March 9th, The Hope Center will be screening ‘On Exile’ for the neighborhood at 1 p.m. The movie was produced by the Community Development Corporation at Kamm’s Corners and follows the stories of several refugees who are residing in Cleveland today.

Wilson hopes residents of West Park and beyond will join them for the screening and perhaps decide to get involved.

“I really want the neighbors to know that we want to be part of their community,” she said.

“There’s so much talent here and they can help us in ways we have yet to fully realize.”

Cleveland Public Library – West Park Branch
3805 W. 157 St.
www.cpl.org

Come join us for fun and learning at your local neighborhood branch. Here is what is happening.

Story Time!
“Bouncing Babies!”
Tuesdays at 10:30 AM

“Wee Read and Play!”
Tuesdays at 11:30 AM

Kids Café
Monday – Friday, 3:30 – 4:30 PM
After school meals for children available daily while supplies last

PS4 or Wii Gaming for Kids
Monday – Friday, 3:30-5:30 PM, and Saturdays as staffing allows. Restrictions apply based upon wait list.

Virtual Reality for Kids
Monday – Friday 3:30-5:30 PM, and Saturdays as staffing allows. Restrictions apply based upon wait list.

Board Games
A variety of board games are available for patrons. In library use only.

Kids’ Activities and Crafts
“African Folktales,” Thursday, February 21, 4:30 PM
Ongoing Crafts for kids to work on after school

Express Yourself Youth Art Workshops
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 PM. Registration NOT Required.

MakerLabs
“Mastering Mix Tracks”
Friday, February 15, 4:30 PM
“Laser Cut Puzzles”
Tuesday, February 19, 4:00 PM
“Button Making”
Tuesday, February 26, 4:00 PM

Adults – Page Turner Book Club
Second Wednesday of every month at 2 PM

Book Sale – Ongoing

Stop by and visit our perpetual Book Sale Cart located in our Circulation Desk area. Items are priced from $0.50 – $3. Cash only.

*Registration is required for computer classes. Classes and programs may be cancelled if the minimum registration is not met.

Call the West Park Branch at 216-623-7102 to register.

CMSD NEWS BUREAU

Students at CMSD’s Campus International K-8 School are collecting warm clothing and other items that they will leave outside the school for people in need to claim.

At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13, students will fasten plastic bags with basics such as hats, scarves, gloves and socks, along with tarps that the homeless can use to take shelter, to a fence behind the school.

Campus, located at 2160 Payne Ave. on the grounds of Cleveland State University, is erecting the “Wall of Love” in partnership with Holly Jackson, a Cleveland resident who began the practice after enduring her own hard times. Since November, she has put up about three dozen walls in the Cleveland area, including some that have been restocked.

Though previous projects have drawn volunteers, the Campus K-8 wall is her first partnership. Teacher Kate Grzelak contacted Jackson after seeing media coverage of her charitable endeavors. 

The project aligns perfectly with the school’s International Baccalaureate model and its focus on making a difference in the world. Work on the “Wall of Love” has filtered across grade levels and into instruction.

“A big part of International Baccalaureate is the action and service component,” said Sheila O’Rourke, Campus International’s IB coordinator. “All learning you do should involve some kind of action or service.”

Kindergarten teacher Renee Hubeny’s class incorporated the list of new or gently used items sought in the drive into lessons comparing needs and wants. On Friday, they expanded to math, grouping donated items into sets of 10.

“They’re very excited about it,” Hubeny said. “They’re learning what needs are. They want to help others.”

An eighth-grader named Daivieon had planned to organize a fund-raiser for the homeless as a service project. Instead of competing with other appeals, he offered to help coordinate the “Wall of Love.”

His duties included overseeing the making of signs soliciting the donations of clothing and other items. He also gave sales pitches to younger students, encouraging them to bring in “anything you have laying around” to add to the goods piled in bins.

“I wanted to impact homeless people’s lives; I’ve always been interested in helping the homeless,” he said. “Whenever I see the homeless, if I have even a little bit of change, I ask my Mom, ‘Can I give it to them? They need it more than I do.’ ”

Jackson started putting up the walls to help people who do not know where to turn for help, are too embarrassed to ask or just flatly refuse to do so. She has strict rules: Don’t leave donations at a wall; contact her. Items should be placed in plastic zipped bags to prevent damage. Don’t leave a mess. Take only what you need from the wall and pay it forward when able.

Local and national media attention has fueled interest in her efforts and unleashed appreciation that she finds humbling.

“I never expected it to take off the way it did. I started doing another and another and another,” she said. “I just want to make the world a better place.”

Sunday
All Day #44 Fajitas   10.99
Free kid’s meal with each adult entree purchase
All bottled beers   2.75