The Lakewood Historical Society will present A Century of Bridal Fashion exhibit, ranging from 1890 to 1990, at the Nicholson House on July 19, 20, and 21, from noon until 4 p.m. each day.

This exhibit will feature a display of 30 wedding dresses from throughout the century, along with veils, wedding accessories, wedding documents, and a large selection of photographs.

The dresses have been selected from the archives of the Lakewood Historical Society, The Virginia Marti Archives of The North Coast College, and many are from local Lakewood families. Identifying information and pertinent family history will accompany each dress.

Following the viewing of the wedding dresses, accessories, and photographs, guests are invited to enjoy wedding cake and punch in the tent on the side lawn of The Nicholson House.

Tickets are available at lakewoodhistory.org, or by calling (216) 221-7343. All tickets will be timed, to ensure entry to the exhibition on a reserved day and at a reserved time. Purchase tickets ahead of time, as the availability of on-site tickets is not guaranteed.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students with valid ID. Tickets are nontransferable and nonrefundable.
Proceeds of the event support the programs and properties of The Lakewood Historical Society.

Only about 60 youths in West Park play organized rugby. But those who do, play it very, very well.

On May 18, two local rugby teams won state titles in their respective age divisions. The teams, part of the West Park Shamrocks, were made up of coeds in grades 3-4 flag , and boys in grades 7-8 tackle.

Two other teams, coeds in grades 5-6 flag, and 5-6 grade boys tackle, each finished second in the state tournament. All four teams finished first among teams in the City Cup Championship.

Rugby is often considered the forerunner of American football. Locally, the seven-week season began around April 1. Games are played at St Ignatius High School Sunday afternoons.

For information on how you can become involved in this unique sport, contact Manager Jeff Vollmer at westparkrugby@yahoo.com

PICTURED:
Colin Tedesco

The West Park Kiwanis Independence Day parade goes from 9:30 to 11 a.m. It begins at the intersection of Lorain Avenue and Rocky River Drive, proceeding down West Park Road., before returning to Rocky River Drive.

Questions? Send us an email or leave a comment here.

By Jerry Masek

A well-documented shortage of priests in the Catholic faith has now hit close to home.

Effective June 30, the Rev. John M. Pfeifer will serve as pastor of St. Patrick Church, 4427 Rocky River Dr. at Puritas Avenue, and St. Vincent de Paul Church, 3473 W. 135 St., north of Lorain Avenue. According to Google, the two churches are 3 miles apart.

Rev. Pfeifer, ordained in 2007, has served at St. Albert the Great Church in North Royalton since 2015.

Rev. Pfeifer replaces the Rev. James Ols of St. Patrick, who is retiring, and the Rev. Kenneth Wallace of St. Vincent de Paul, who was assigned to another parish. Rev. Ols was ordained in 1975. He has served at St. Patrick since 2012. Rev. Wallace, ordained in 2000, has served at SVDP since 2015.

Maureen Mountcastle, a fixture in the St. Patrick front office for 43 years, is also retiring.

By Shannon Caringi of Trillium Living

There is nothing that creates curb appeal like a lush, green, well-maintained lawn. It is your home’s first impression to the world!
Having a beautiful lawn is the great obsession of some homeowners, but for others, it is a mystery.
These easy lawn care tips will simplify the process so that you can have a gorgeous yard your neighbors will envy!
Easy Lawn Care Tips
Mowing Tips
• Always keep the mower blade sharp. It may need to be sharpened 2 or 3 times during the season. This will make a clean cut on each grass blade and keep the grass from looking “torn.” This creates a professional, manicured appearance.
• Never “scalp” grass or cut below 2.5 inches. This can burn the grass and provide an environment conducive for weeds and pests.
• Mow regularly so that no more than 1/3 of the grass blade height is removed at one time.
• Keeping grass at a height of 2.5 inches high in spring and 3 inches high in summer will yield the best results. This length allows the grass blade to shade the roots and crown of the plant. This keeps the grass green and lush throughout the heat of summer.
• I highly recommend a mulching mower. This type of mower shreds grass clippings and leaves into a fine mulch and applies them back to the soil. This is an organic fertilizer, providing nutrients to the soil. A mulching mower can also be used in the fall in lieu of raking leaves. This is a time saver and keeps landfills free of unnecessary organic material.
Watering Tips
• Generally, most lawns don’t require supplemental watering in the spring and fall. Rainfall is plentiful, providing adequate moisture. However, summer is generally when dry periods necessitate lawn watering.
• Buy a rain gauge to see how much rainfall your area receives each week. A lawn needs at least an inch of rain each week.
• Use a sprinkler that sprays water as close to the ground as possible. The goal is to water the soil and avoid water from blowing away or evaporating before it reaches the ground.
• Water only in the morning as this enables the roots to absorb water before the heat of the day. In order to minimize the chance of foliar diseases, leaves should be dry most of the day and night.
Fertilization Tips
• A professional tip for a beautiful lawn is to test your soil each fall. Soil tests are inexpensive and are available at most garden centers. The soil test will provide recommendations for soil amendments and fertilization needs. This takes all of the guesswork out of lawn care and eliminates buying products that are unnecessary for your lawn. Testing pH is important because grass grows best at a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Outside of this range, the grass plants won’t be able to absorb all of the nutrients from the soil to look its best.
• There are many companies that offer a “four-step” lawn fertilization program. These are extremely convenient and designed to make lawn care simple. However, most of these steps provide more than fertilizer. Chemicals are included to treat insects, diseases and weeds that may or may not be an issue in your lawn. These can contribute to water pollution and harm beneficial organisms. There are also concerns if you have pets and children. Be sure to talk with an expert at your local garden center to selectively purchase the products your lawn needs.
• There are also organic “four-step” options that are safe for pets and children. These are environmentally friendly (important to protect our Great Lake!) as they promote healthy microbes and don’t harm the earthworms that naturally keep soil healthy. Organic fertilizer won’t burn grass and lasts longer in the soil, so you will see more long-term lawn health. Used in conjunction with proper lawn maintenance, you will get great results!

Find more great information and gardening tips at https://trilliumlivingllc.com/

By Jerry Masek
West Park residents are surrounded by numerous ways to keep active and stay healthy. This column will keep you informed each month.

—————————
Think about it. Every trip you take, whether by car, bus, bike or train, starts with walking. It is the most basic exercise you can do, and summer is the best time to get up and get out.

KCDC coordinates ‘Walk On Wednesdays’
Have fun, enjoy the weather, stretch your legs, make some new friends, and learn about West Park. Walk On Wednesday, coordinated by the Kamm’s Cormers Development Corp. (KCDC), starts at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, through Oct. 23.
The free 90-minute walks cover 1-2 miles at a leisurely pace. Learn more about area events, places and merchants. Here some coming walks. There is no need to register.
July 10, Learn more about the July 13 Garden Walk from the KCDC staff and volunteers. Park free and meet at the West Park Rapid Station, 14510 Lorain Ave. Visit some terrific gardens, walk through the neighborhood, and return to the Rapid Station.
July 24, Meet at Kamm’s Plaza, where Lisa Kay, owner of Kamm’s Corners Ice Cream Co., will talk about Christmas in July. Walk to the beautiful River’s Edge, 3430 Rocky River Dr. for a tour, and return to Carol and John’s Comic Book Store in Kamm’s Plaza.
August walks are set for Aug. 14 and 28. For info, visit KammsCorners.com
Walk to Neptune and back
For an educational adventure the whole family can enjoy, try the 3/4 miles Solar System Walk in the Metroparks.
From West Park, just head west on Puritas Avenue, turn left on Valley Parkway, and turn left into the first driveway, for the South Mastick Picnic Area. Along the all-purpose trail, you will see a series of waist-high colorful wooden educational displays, two to introduce the experience, one for the Sun, and then one for each of the 8 planets.
The walk really helps you appreciate the size of our solar system. Every foot you walk equals around one million miles in space. And, your children will get to exercise their minds a bit during the summer break. When you get home, you can also plan a trip to the Great Lakes Science Center, which includes the Visitor Center from the NASA Glenn Research Center.
The Solar System Walk was developed several years ago by NASA, in cooperation with the Metroparks and Cleveland Public Schools.

Learn more about holistic health

• Monday, July 8, 7-9 p.m., Hypnosis drop-in session, West Park Massotherapy, 4168 Rocky River Dr. at Valleyview Ave. Bring your questions. Experience hypnosis, if you want. RSVPs encouraged, walk-ins welcome, 216-210-5504.

• Saturday, July 20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Holistic fair with an ecological theme, West Shore United Universalist Church, 20401 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River — a 7-minute drive from Kamm’s Plaza. This is a unique opportunity to learn about holistic modalities, including hypnosis, yoga and reiki, Free lectures, some vendors sell products and services. $5 admission.

Keep cool in the pool (optional)
Gunning Recreation Center, 16700 Puritas Ave., offers open swim times 6 days a week, usually in the afternoon. The center also has a weight room, indoor track, kickball and youth baseball. Call 216-420-7900.
West Park-Fairview Family YMCA offers open swims, family swims, adult swims, lap swims and more. Call 216-941-5410

.———————————————————–
Jerry Masek, a certified hypnotist, is active in holistic events. Submit column items to jemasek@aol.com.

The next cure for cancer could come from one of these smiling faces. The sky is the limit for them. But even the sky cooperated May 28. The rain held off just long enough for these happy graduates to walk from St. Joseph Academy to Our Lady of the Angels Church, as plenty of proud parents watched.

By Jerry Masek for The West Park Times

Neighbors on West 140th Street, from PPG to Puritas, put together a huge yard sale June 8th on the yard of Blessed Trinity Church.

The event was organized by the Bellaire-Puritas Development Corp.

If you live in West Park, RTA could be your best friend this summer. Consider:
From June 2 through Aug. 10, children ride free on all buses and trains.
West Park is served by four major Red Line rail stations — Brookpark, Puritas-W. 150, West Park, and Triskett.
A trip planner is available 24/7 at www.rideRTA.com, or during business hours at 216-621-9500.
Children ride free

For the third straight year, children age 12 and younger can ride free on RTA from June 2 to Aug. 10. They must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older, and there is a limit of three children per adult. In the first two years of the program, more than 135,000 children have received free rides.

Riding the Red Line

Trains operate until after midnight, seven days a week, with direct service to Hopkins International Airport, the West Side Market and Ohio City, Downtown, University Circle and Little Italy.

At the Tower City Station, transfer to the Waterfront Line to reach these popular destinations — Flats East Bank, Great Lakes Science Center, Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and FirstEnergy Stadium. You can also transfer to the light-rail Blue and Green lines, to reach the historic Shaker Square.

Exiting at Tower City gives you direct access to free downtown trolley service and the HealthLine, which operates 24/7 on Euclid Avenue. The HealthLine stops at many summer fun destinations, including Playhouse Square, University Circle museums, and two universities.

Using the on-line trip planner

From the RTA Web site, you can access an on-line trip planner. If you plan to use it a lot, you can set up an account to store all your trip information.

Just tell the planner what your starting point and destination, and when you plan to leave (or need to arrive). I tested it out for a trip from my home in West Park to Cleveland City Hall. Here’s what it told me:
Walk to a bus stop on Puritas Avenue.
Board the 78 bus to the Puritas Rapid Station.
Ride the Red Line to the Tower City Station.
Transfer to the 79-79A bus, or walk to City Hall.

The trip planner even gave me the distance of each walk, how many calories it would burn, and the time each bus or train arrives.

So, now you know more about riding RTA. Go have a great summer!

Jerry Masek worked at RTA from 2000-2018.