BEREA, Ohio — Kudos to Berea native and longtime community volunteer Dennis Kushlak, who has been honored as the city’s 2022 Grindstone Award recipient.
The Annual Grindstone Award Banquet is sponsored by the Berea Chamber of Commerce.
Judy Stull, a Grindstone recipient in 2008, presented the award to Kushlak. “When Dennis signs up for something, watch out,” she said. “He signs up for decades.”
Kushlak, who is president of the Berea Historical Society, has been active in the community for more than six decades.
He first became involved in the community when he was in high school. Teacher and coach John Mucklo, the city’s first recreation director, asked him to help out one summer.
“I wasn’t looking for a job but he asked and I said yes,” Kushlak said. “I’ve been doing things in Berea for 64 years after that ‘yes’ to Mr. Mucklo.”
Kushlak is past president of the Berea High School Alumni Association and still serves as its Vice President and he is actively involved in raising funds to preserver the Tree of Knowledge sculpture that was on the face of the old Berea High School building.
The goal is to remount the artwork on the new Berea-Midpark High School. 165 East Bagley Road.
Kushlak is also active at Berea’s St. Adalbert Catholic Church, where he is currently working on the church’s Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2023.
Kushlak, 80, graduated from Berea High School in1959 as a three-sport athlete. He lettered in football, basketball and baseball and received a football scholarship to Iowa State, where he served as president of the Inter-fraternity Athletic Council and as president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
With a degree in math education, Kushlak taught and coached at Berea, Brunswick, and Normandy high schools. At Normandy, he met his future wife, Mary Bell. The Couple has been married for 50 years. They are the parents of six children and the grandparents of 17.
“I’m grateful to have been chosen by the Chamber of Commerce for this auspicious award,” Kushlak said.
“As I said in my acceptance speech. I have kept busy in my corner of the world (Berea) and I have been blessed by God and supported by my wife, Mary, in my endeavors,” he said. “Surround yourself with good people and you’ll have a good and happy life.”
Southland plan: Last year, the City of Middleburg Heights leadership set forth a vision to reposition the Southland District. The concerts included a reimagined Smith Road corridor that can better serve all district residents, visitors, and business operators.
If you would like to keep up on the latest information regarding the planned redevelopment of the City’s Southland shopping district, click here to download the Middleburg Heights Southland District Vision Implementation Public meeting of July 27, 2021.
Guidance award: Jamie Bollinger, Polaris Career Center’s college career coordinator has officially been named the 2022 recipient of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Career Guidance Award.
Bollinger was recognized at the Annual Ohio ACTE Innovation and Impact Conference in Columbus, for going “above and beyond” to ensure Polaris students are on the right path to capitalize on their Polaris experience, from navigating the complex world of college credits to helping students compete in the college application process.
Visit online at http://www.ohioacte.org/awards to view Bollinger’s award submission and the other statewide award winners.
Afterlife: Baldwin Wallace University’s Dr. Ellen Posman will present a lecture: “Heaven, Hell or Somewhere Else? Religious Perspectives on the Afterlife,” from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Cuyahoga County Library’s Berea branch, 7 Berea Commons.
Dr. Posman will discuss religious views on the afterlife, including the scriptural or alternate basis for their beliefs and disagreements across and within religions, as to how fate after death is determined.
Scam alert: The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs has issued an online warning to residents of a new round of imposter scams, in regard to scams impersonating County Sheriff’s deputies or court officials. Click here or enter https://cityofbrookpark.com/news/Impostor_Scams.pdf
Veteran care pack: Is your loved one currently serving in a branch of the military?
If so, contact Operation Appreciation via the local Office of Veterans Outreach at 440-973-4567, or email: wspringer@cityofberea.org.
Provide the person’s name and location information, and the OVO will send them a care package filled with all kinds of goodies.
SCAN Hunger Center Pantry: 39 W. Bagley Road, Williamsport Plaza. 440-260-7226. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Friday of the month and 4 to 7 p.m. on the fourth Friday.
Church Street Ministries pantry: 1480 Bagley Road, 440-239-0549. Open noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Rise in Love: Free hot meal from 2 to 4 p.m. on the third Sunday of the month at St. Adalbert Catholic Church, Keller Center, 66 Adalbert St. Eat-in or Carry Out. The next meal is on Oct. 16.
Free Community Meal: St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road, served from 5 to 6 p.m. on the second and last Wednesdays of the month. Drive-up only. The next meal is Oct. 26..
People’s Community Church pantry: 628 Wesley Drive, 440-234-0609. Open 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month. The next open pantry will be Nov. 19th.
Pet Food Pantry: Animal Rescue Friends, 10015 E. River Road, Columbia Station, 10 a.m. to noon every Sunday. Contact 440-234-2034 or arfpet-pantry@gmail.com for more information.
Mini pantries: There are two Little Free Pantries located near People’s Community Church, 628 Wesley Drive, and Cuyahoga County Library’s Berea branch, at 7 Berea Commons. The Prospect Pantry is at the corner of Prospect Street and Jacqueline Drive.
Senior luncheons: Monthly Seniors Luncheon at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road in Berea. Lunches are $5 and are served at noon on the second Tuesday of every month. The next luncheon is on Sept. 13th. For more information, call Michelle Skutt at 440-234-6080.
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