Check out the signs of change at Laurel Square: Whit & Whimsey

BRUNSWICK, Ohio — After all the brouhaha over the Saturday car shows at Laurel Square, I wonder how many people have noticed the changes. No more fencing in the middle of the parking lot. Hmmm.

But the Big Lots store is going in a new direction — it’s one of only a few Big Lots Home stores in the area. It’s the second one I’ve seen lately. There’s one in Parma, but it also has the traditional store right next to it.

And the new Bins & Things Brunswick is now open in Laurel Square.

Almost every day, it seems a new business is opening. We’ve been writing a lot about new or reopened businesses all around this part of the county, which is a good sign. Now, we just need to do business with them so they stay.

It’s back: Too Tired to Cook Thursday, a fundraising program of the Brunswick Education Foundation (BEF), is back in session now that school has started. It’s one of my favorites.

BEF has identified some best-sellers to feature at this month’s Too Tired To Cook Thursday, on Sept. 28. This fundraiser offers three complete meals: salisbury steak, stuffed cabbage or stuffed portobello mushroom.

And don’t forget the desserts (which are always popular with my family).

The deadline for online pre-ordering is 4:59 p.m. Sept. 25, which you do by going to https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/tttct928.

Then you just drive up to the Diamond Event Center between 4 and 6 p.m. on Sept. 28 and volunteers will bring your food to you. BEF will send you a pickup reminder, just in case.

Your participation will be supporting the BEF efforts to continue student scholarships and educator excellence grants, along with supporting one of our local businesses.

Ever wondered? Maybe you’ve seen something about the Northern Ohio Railway Museum, but have never been there and aren’t quite sure what it is. Here’s your chance to learn about it from the volunteers who keep it going.

There is a free program, open to the public at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Brunswick Community Library, at the meeting of the Brunswick Area Historical Society.

Learn all about how the idea became an amazing reality on a 2-mile section of the Cleveland, Southwestern & Columbus Railway in rural Seville. Find out how the museum collects, preserves, restores and displays streetcars and other railway equipment.

More than 40 streetcars, interurbans, rapid transit and more have been collected. It’s a pretty amazing place, and the program will bring back memories of the days when streetcars and trains were the main mode of transportation.

A tradition: Here’s something that many people look forward to each year: the Brunswick Craft & Gift Fair benefiting the Brunswick High School Special Education Job Club and Work-Study Program.

It’s usually the last such show of the year, offering a wide variety of items. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 9 in the east cafeteria and hallways at the high school, 3581 Center Road in Brunswick.

Spaces go quickly and are $55 for space and table rental or $50 if you bring your own 8-foot table. Set-up will be from 7 to 9 a.m. the day of the show.

You can apply now at https://docs.google.com/document/d/165RQWnF0d6r_PyV4oTiXBhBatzst1KZW/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs or call/email Holly Ledel at 330-273-0408, extension 1442, or hledel@bcsoh.org, or Jessica McClure at 330-273-0408, extension 1443, or jmcclure@bcsoh.org.

Looking for zombies: The zombies are coming!

Main Street Wadsworth’s annual community tradition, Scare on the Square featuring Wadsworth Thriller, is back and celebrating its 10th anniversary! This beloved event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 19, in downtown Wadsworth.

There will be a few surprises as part of the 10th year celebration.

The event features a performance by dancing “zombies” of all ages. And we need you! The Wadsworth Thriller planning team has published the practice dates/times and is looking for zombies to participate in this community favorite event.

Participants must attend a minimum of two practices, in addition to the mandatory final practice. Any interested persons should email wadsworththriller@gmail.com. Practices start Sept. 26 with a mandatory rehearsal Oct. 18.

Follow www.facebook.com/mainstreetwadsworth for details and updates.

Special program: Join the Liverpool Historical Society and historian (and Medina County Treasurer) John Burke Sept. 26 as he talks about Native American treaties in the Western Reserve and Medina.

Suppose you are a late 1700s farmer in New England. Poor soil. Hard times. Suddenly, you hear land is for sale in the Western Reserve. Virgin soil — it’s never seen a plow. Reasonable terms. A new life, changing a wilderness into civilization. Why not go?

Wait. Native Americans inhabit that area. No treaties. Not welcome. Uhhh, not so safe.

Burke tells of what treaties were eventually signed and how they affected settlement, growth and civilization here in Medina County and the Western Reserve. It’s a new Burke program with new information.

It all begins at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Fellowship Hall of Emmanuel United Church of Christ, 6656 Center Road in Valley City. It’s free and open to the public.

A first: Golf enthusiasts of all levels are invited to join in the fun at Main Street Medina’s first annual Scholarship Golf Outing Oct. 9 at Shale Creek Golf Club in Medina.

The event fulfills Main Street Medina’s strategic goal to connect with the next generation of community leaders by providing scholarships to Medina County high school seniors attending a four-year college or vocational-technical school.

The day of fun and philanthropy starts with a boxed lunch at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at noon, 18 holes and a cart, and concludes with a cookout.

The event is presented by Trillium Creek Dermatology, with Wichert Insurance, Armstrong and Medina Centre for Dance Art as supporting sponsors. Cool Beans Cafe is a matching sponsor.

All details and registration can be found at https://www.mainstreetmedina.com/2023-golf-outing.html.

Grab some friends and enjoy a day on the course while raising funds to support our future leaders.

Homecoming: It’s Homecoming Week in Medina, and the Sept. 21 parade begins at 6:30 p.m. at Garfield Elementary School, turns right onto Smith Road to Broadway, then follows the traditional route down Washington, Court, Liberty, Broadway and Union streets to the high school.

The community is invited to the Medina High School powderpuff football game at Ken Dukes Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 each. All proceeds benefit the Medina High School Link Crew.

To purchase tickets online, visit www.medinabees.org. Tickets are also available that evening at the stadium. Food trucks will be available during the game.

On Sept. 22, the Battling Bees will take on the Euclid Panthers at 7 p.m. at Ken Dukes Stadium. To purchase tickets online in advance, visit www.medinabees.org/athletics. Tickets are also available the night of the game.

During the Medina High School marching band’s pre-game show, the Homecoming queen and the escorts will be announced. Stay after the game for the fireworks display sponsored by Medina High School Student Council.

You may have heard: The Red Cross is facing a national blood shortage. With so many natural disasters, it shouldn’t be surprising, but you can help right here in Medina County at a Bloodmobile at these locations:

In Brunswick — noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at Brunswick United Methodist Church, 1395 Pearl Road; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 29 at St. Mark Church, 1330 N. Carpenter Road; or 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 30 at Brunswick Community Recreation & Fitness Center, 3637 Center Road.

In Medina — 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Medina United Methodist Church, 4747 Foote Road, or 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 27 at Root Candles, 640 W. Liberty St.

In Seville — noon to 6 p.m. at Seville United Methodist Church, 74 W. Main St.

If you can’t make one of those, blood and platelet donors can schedule an appointment by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Gingerbread House Contest: Join in the fun! The Medina County Historical Society is sponsoring a Gingerbread House Contest, with entry forms due by Sept. 30.

The entries will be on display at the John Smart House Museum, 206 N. Elmwood in Medina, in November and early December. Entries will be voted on by the public for a People’s Choice Award. Each category will win a prize.

Categories include teens adults 16 and older, and children 15 and younger. Children are permitted to use kits.

For further information and to receive an application, go to www.medinacountyhistoricalsociety.com/events, contact MCHS at 330-722-1341 or email mchs@zoominternet.net.

Deadline extended: The Medina County Arts Council (MCAC) is awarding grants for art-related projects in Medina County schools.

While there is no funding limit on each grant, in the past they have awarded several grants of approximately $400 each. The total available funds for arts education grants this year is $4,500, and they will try to fund as many projects as possible within this budget.

Online applications can be found at this link: https://forms.gle/M63uscTJFus5R6MdA or at www.medinacountyartscouncil.org.

The deadline for completed grant applications has been extended to Oct. 1. The board will make a decision and vote on the grants during October for a November distribution of funds. Grant projects must be completed by May 31, 2024.

Grants must benefit students through learning a discipline in the arts (performing, visual, or language), go beyond a routine lesson with substantive enrichment and have a lesson objective with a learning goal for students.

For more information about MCAC, including how to get involved, visit https://www.medinacountyartscouncil.org/ or send an email to MedinaCoArtsCouncil@gmail.com.

Shred it: The Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities is hosting a free Community Shred Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Medina County Achievement Center, 4691 Windfall Road in Medina.

If you are buried under piles of paperwork, have stacks of old files or just need a safe, secure way to get rid of unwanted documents, stop by and drop them off.

A shredding truck will be onsite to immediately handle all shredding needs. Confidential information such as bank statements, medical records, legal documents, tax records and papers with a Social Security number can be shredded securely.

Shredding is limited to four boxes or bags per vehicle.

While this is a free event, donations will be accepted toward the MCBDD Donor Scholarship Fund. For more information on the MCBDD, visit www.mcbdd.org/event-calendar/ Business Awards.

Made in Medina County Day: Have you ever wondered what’s happening in that manufacturing plant? Ever looked at a product and wondered if it had ties to Medina County?

More than 15 companies have already set up 30 tours with different time slots, and the Medina County Economic Development Corp. expects to schedule more tour times in the next few weeks. Be sure to confirm your spot on the tours you would like, because they will fill up fast!

Sign up today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/made-in-medina-county-plant-tours-2023-tickets-709678115347?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Made in Medina County Day is one of many nationwide celebrations of MFG Day, which is recognized each year on the first Friday in October. Join us for this “can’t miss” event as Medina County manufacturers work together to inspire the next generation and strengthen the foundation of our community’s future.

Don’t forget: The annual Canine Costume Contest at Heritage Farm’s Sunday at the Farm Oct. 1 is always a fun event. People have a lot of fun seeing pets in their outfits, and there are so many creative pet owners.

Hopefully, it will be rain free and there will be a parade through the farm as the judges make their decisions.

Come at 11 a.m. to register for the junior or 16 and older divisions, with the contest starting at noon.

Heritage Farm is at 4613 Laurel Road. You can find out about all the programs on Sunday at the Farm on Facebook and Instagram.

Things that go bump: Have you ever wondered if ghosts are real? Do most people really believe in ghosts?

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. In this interactive and multi-media presentation, Overbeck will address these and other questions about the spirit world at the fourth meeting of the Medina County Retired Teachers Association.

The luncheon meeting is at noon (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) Oct. 10 at Williams on the Lake, 787 Lafayette Road in Medina.

Bring a friend, reconnect with old friends and enjoy making new ones. Also, enjoy Lloyd Knudsen’s legislative commentary, receive information about one-day bus trips and help to support grants to classroom teachers and a scholarship for a local education college student.

A table of handcrafted items will be available as a scholarship fundraiser. There will also be various fun activities during the program.

The cost of the buffet luncheon is $15. Reservations are due by Oct. 2 and can be made by contacting J Zurrell at 2901 Hamlin Road, Medina, Ohio 44256 or by calling 330-723-2364. Please make checks payable to MCRTA.

Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com.