Green Collinwood

Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Cleveland Division of Water Pollution Control (WPC) are conducting a “Green Cleaning: Inside and Out” workshop in Cleveland this summer.  The workshop will be held Thursday, July 16 at the Collinwood Recreation Center and will run from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop is free and open to the public, however, participants will have the opportunity to make two green cleaners to take home and try for $10. 

That’s right, I said Free Rain Barrel! The City of Cleveland is offering residents a free rain barrel system. This reduces stormwater runoff, helps you save money, and engages Cleveland youth through employment opportunities with Youth Opportunities Unlimited and the Mayor’s Youth Summer Employment Program.

How do you get a rain barrel? You will need to complete three forms by June 26, 2015. Contact Julia DiBaggio at Northeast Shores at 216-481-7660 or jdibaggio@northeastshores.org to get your forms today!

Do you want that rain barrel to be beautiful? Check out The Collinwood Painted Rain Barrel Project!

Beginning Saturday, May 30, 2015 “The Lakefront Literacy Project” will bring literature and a love of learning to Euclid Beach Park with a custom-crafted mini mobile library. Part of the renowned “Little Free Library” network.

Join us from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. for a celebratory kick-off. Supported by Neighborhood Connections, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Cleveland Public Library Collinwood Branch, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, Geis Companies, Half Price Books, and generous friends, family, and neighbors like you!

Be among the first to borrow a book to read at the park or to take home and enjoy. Donate a book (or two or three) on or before May 30, 2015 and be entered to win a literacy prize pack!

We are also pleased to feature a live science fiction reading from local author Marie Vibbert. Marie is an IT professional from Cleveland Heights. She has sold work to Asimov's and Analog, among other science fiction magazines. Until recently, she was a lineman for the Cleveland Fusion women's tackle football team, and she has ridden 15% of the roller coasters in North America. You can learn more about Marie at her website, http://www.marievibbert.com

11:40 a.m. Official ribbon cutting

11:45 a.m. Enjoy a slice of pizza while you browse the shelves

12:15 p.m.  Local author reading with Marie Vibbert

1:00 p.m. Celebrate with a slice of cake

1:15 p.m. Make your own bookmark

1:45 p.m. Raffle drawing, donate a book for a free entry into the raffle (must be present to win)

All summer long, visit the library on the promenade to borrow a book, magazine, or newspaper for free during weekends, holidays, and special events. With a rotating collection for children, teens, and adults including Russian language speakers, you’ll always find something new.

 Volunteers… Have an hour to spare? Email us at read.euclidbeach@gmail.com and let us know of your interest and availability for staffing the library. The position is fun and easy, and yes you can sit down and read a magazine on the job!

Books… and more books and magazines! Spring clean your bookshelves and donate the books your children outgrew, the bestseller you read once and never will again, the magazines collecting dust on your coffee table. Email us at read.euclidbeach@gmail.com and let us know you’re happy to purge and donate!

Learn more: www.facebook.com/lakefrontliteracy

March 7:  Calamari:  Learn to make perfect, non-rubbery calamari in your own kitchen!    

March 14: Smokies, that wondrous snack!

March 28:  Annual French Toast Breakfast!

The Coit Road Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, coffee, soaps and craft items.   

15000 Woodworth Road (corner of Coit and Woodworth, one block west of E 152 and Noble)

East Cleveland, OH 44110 216-249-5455 www.coitmarket.org

Did you know that grass and leaves can harm our creeks and streams? Few, if any, property owners think it’s acceptable to dump tires, machine parts, plastics and other unnatural trash into our waterways. But many still believe it is okay to deposit organic material like leaves and grass onto a stream bank, in a storm drain, or into the stream itself.

Well, when it comes to stream dumping, even organic doesn’t “cut it.”

Many leaves will naturally fall into the water, but as homeowners, we should be mindful not to upset nature’s balance. Leaves, grass clippings and pet waste should never be dumped in or even next to a creek, ditch or pond.

Yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, pet droppings, etc.) is the 2nd largest category of all discarded trash. When these materials are put into the stream, they begin to decompose and use up the critical, life-giving oxygen in the water. As a result these streams can become unsightly and release a foul odor. Yard waste can also ‘super-fertilize’ streams and lakes and can lead to algae blooms and fish kills. Furthermore, this excess debris can obstruct flow and clog downstream culverts, leading to localized flooding and erosion problems. 

Yard waste should be composted, or set out with the trash according to your community’s yard waste pick-up guidelines. Pet waste should always be bagged and placed in the trash. You can further protect our local waterways by leaving an unmowed buffer strip next to any creek on your property and by planting trees and shrubs on and next to stream banks. This streamside setback helps to filter pollutants from runoff and to protect the streambank from erosion.  

You can learn more by calling Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (216-524-6580) and requesting a free copy of Life at the Water’s Edge: Living in Harmony with Your Backyard Stream.

Remember – clean water starts with you!

On Sunday, Oct. 26, more than 50 people visited the Waterloo Neighborhood to learn more about the stormwater management practices in place at two area parking lots, Azure Stained Glass and Outdoor Theatre lots.

The visitors, representing more than 30 communities across the country, were in Cleveland for the US EPA’s Second Community Summit (GI Summit) on Green Infrastructure. Waterloo was one of five tour stops showcasing best practices in green infrastructure throughout Greater Cleveland.

The Azure lot, located at East 156 St. and Waterloo Rd., has 21 parking spaces and artistically integrates bioretention features to capture and filter pollutants from the surrounding parking lot. This highly visible space includes educational signage along Waterloo Rd.

The Outdoor lot, located at the eastern end of the Waterloo Road District, has 30 parking spaces and features a bioswale, infiltration basin and meadow with native grasses. In addition, stormwater-friendly pervious concrete drains the traditional asphalt parking spaces allowing runoff to migrate to the infiltration basin where it is cleansed further before soaking into the native soils below.

“The Sewer District recognizes the importance of local initiatives to construct rain gardens, bioretention features, and other site-based stormwater management practices,” said Rachel Webb, Watershed Team Leader at NEORSD who coordinated the tour.  “We have great partners and want  to support the implementation of these projects.”

These projects were made possible with grant funding from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's Small-Scale Stormwater Demonstration Grant Program. In 2012, Northeast Shores received a total of $71,117 for several area projects; $23,453 of that was for the Azure lot and $24,097 was for the Outdoor lot.  In addition to Sewer District funding, additional financial support was provided by US EPA, Ohio EPA and Cleveland Economic Development.

If you fertilize your lawn, practice the 4 Rs of Fertilization:

1. Right Type. Have your soil tested to determine fertilizer needs and choose a slow-release fertilizer.  Best Management Practice:Use phosphate-free organic fertilizer.

2. Right Rate. Soil test results will supply you with the appropriate fertilizer rate.  Do not exceed the recommended rate and never apply more than 1.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.  Best Management Practice: Use mulching blades on your mower and leave the grass clippings on the lawn.

3. Right Time. September is the best time to fertilize lawns when cool season grasses are actively growing.  Best Management Practice: Never apply fertilizer when rain and wind are in the forecast.

4. Right Place.  Proper fertilization techniques save money and protect waterways and wildlife.  Avoid fertilizing near streams, ditches, hard surfaces, and slopes.  Best Management Practice: Incorporate native plantings near streams, ditches, and slopes to better intercept pollutants before they enter waterways.

To learn more contact: Claire Posius, Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator at 216-524-6580, ext. 16, cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org; www.EuclidCreekWatershed.org; www.cuyahogaswcd.org

Water quality is essential to all of us – and the quality of our water affects the quality of our lives. Cleveland Division of Water is committed to providing its customers safe, high-quality drinking water.

That is why the division maintains a rigorous quality control program and continues to invest substantial financial resources to improve our water treatment facilities and distribution system. Our water is constantly monitored and tested. The water produced and delivered by Cleveland Water far exceeds the most stringent water quality standards currently mandated by federal and state water regulations, and last year was no exception.

Cleveland Water has continued to significantly enhance the quality of life by meeting the growing need for safe, clean water in the communities we serve. Therefore, we present you with the division’s Annual Water Quality Report for 2013. This report provides an overview of the division’s water quality during the past year. It shows the source of your water, how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies, and how your water is treated and tested.  

Additional copies can be requested by calling 216-664-2639 or by viewing and downloading it at www.clevelandwater.com.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the funding necessary to support the “Green Infrastructure Grant Program” for 2014. This new grant program will award a maximum of $250,000 to support green infrastructure (GI) projects throughout the Sewer District’s Combined Sewer Service Area. The Sewer District actively engages in green infrastructure projects that promote smart stormwater solutions.

Green Infrastructure includes a range of stormwater control measures – using plant/soil systems, permeable pavement or other forms of stormwater harvest and reuse – to store, infiltrate, or evapotranspirate stormwater and reduce flows to the combined sewer system. The Sewer District is currently designing 12 large-scale green infrastructure projects within the combined sewer area; these first projects, to be completed by 2019 at an estimated cost of $86 million, are designed to reduce combined sewer overflows by 44 million gallons annually.

“We must consider the priorities of each neighborhood and make sure that our green infrastructure plans meet the vision of the community in which these projects will be implemented,” said Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Manager of Watershed Programs. “The new Green Infrastructure Grant Program allows us to further engage the Collinwood community by supporting smaller, distributed projects throughout our combined sewer area.”

The Green Infrastructure Grants Program funds projects that not only provide outstanding on-the-ground techniques for stormwater management, but increase public awareness of these stormwater control measures. Qualified applicants must represent the local member community, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization or business working in partnership with their community. In addition, all projects must be located within the Sewer District’s Combined Sewer Service Area; Collinwood, Waterloo and Northeast Shores are all in the Combined Sewer Service Area.

The Sewer District’s Watershed Programs Department administers this grant programs in-house and applications are due August 31, 2014. Individuals and organizations wishing to receive information about the program should contact Linda Mayer at 440.253.2147 or mayerl@neorsd.org.

I applaud the efforts of concerned citizens working to reduce cat overpopulation, but feel that the Trap/Neuter/Re-Abandon (TNR) program does not resolve all of the problems associated with stray and feral cats.

Cat overpopulation is a human-caused tragedy that affects the health and well-being of cats, our native wildlife and the public.  Outdoor cats, even well-fed ones, kill hundreds of millions of wild birds and other animals each year in the U.S., including endangered species. Birds that nest or feed on the ground are especially vulnerable to cat attacks.  I painfully watch them ambush and kill native species in my yard, including goldfinches. I try to attract native birds and wildlife to my yard as sanctuary for them.  TNR is not humane to cats or wildlife. Free-roaming cats are in constant danger of being hit by cars, contracting diseases and parasites, or being attacked by other animals or people. Cats can transmit diseases to humans such as rabies, toxoplasmosis (an infection from cats that makes pregnant women have dead babies or birth defects - affects first tri-mester), and cat scratch fever. In the U.S., cats are the top carrier of rabies in domestic animals.  Trap/Neuter/Re-Abandon is also ineffective at reducing cat populations because not all of the cats can be trapped and spay/neutered, and food left out for them attracts more cats. Colonies develop and become dumping grounds for unwanted pets, thus continuing the inhumane cycle. In addition, the food also attracts rats, carriers of diseases such as rabies which can be transmitted to humans.  People concerned about the welfare of feral cats should work to find homes for them, and help EDUCATE pet owners about spaying and neutering their pets, KEEPING THEIR CATS INDOORS, and the ethical and wildlife issues associated with cat abandonment. Abandoning cats is illegal in many areas, and it is extremely cruel to cats, AND TO BIRDS.  All cats should wear bells to warn any of their unwary prey. 

by William J. Sanek,
sixty year resident of North Collinwood

Please join Euclid Creek Watershed partners for a watershed day where we have a few activities for you to participate: a wetland planting, or you can help maintain a bioswale garden or assist with a beach cleanup.

This event is a partnership with Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team in addition to the Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Friends of Euclid Creek, City of Cleveland, Alliance fo the Great Lakes, and the Euclid Creek Watershed Council.  

When: Sat., May 17, 9:00am to noon, Wildwood Lakefront Reservation, Cleveland (at E. 174th Street and Lakeshore Blvd., meet at the Wildwood pavilion)

Registration required for wetland planting by May 15 at: http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/EventsProgramsCalendar/Euclid-Creek-Watershed-Day-3381.aspx 

Contact Claire Posius for details at 216-524-6580x16 cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org.

Or more event details are available here: http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/EuclidCreekFiles/Event%20PDFs/WildwoodPlantingFlyer.051714.pdf

If you are interested in harvesting nuphar/spadderdock from Singer Lake Bog in Geauga County, we will be harvesting on Friday, May 16th from 9:00am tonoon, contact Claire Posius for details and directions.

A watershed is the area of land that drains rain and snow to a common body of water, such as a stream, river or lake.  Our landscape is made up of interconnected watersheds.

With most farmers’ markets closed for the winter, the Coit Road Farmers’ Market continues year-round on Saturdays 8am to 1pm. You’ll find fresh greens from local greenhouses including Coit’s urban farmers. Ever present Francis of Carousel Farm brings other vegetables such as beets, cabbage, potatoes, turnips, winter squash, cheeses and free range eggs.   

Kai Wingo, of Kai's Cultured Mushrooms, offers oyster, shiitake and portabella mushrooms. "I'm a mushroom ambassador," Kai says. "I want people to know about benefits we get from mushrooms." Melvin, of Sad Bastards Breads, bicycles from Collinwood with vegan bread, desserts and chevre cheese. Pleasant Valley Farm from Willoughby has many varieties of apples at very reasonable prices. Ever pleasant Carlos of Inner City Bakery offers locally-roasted Crooked River Coffee by the bag or cup. Plumcreek Farm of Valley City will bring a variety of local, responsibly-raised pork, lamb, duck and geese on Saturday, December 7.

To sharpen your skills, Kevin “Spicehound” Scheuring conducts bi-weekly sessions on food preparation. November included sausage, pasta and pie crust making. You’ll find upcoming sessions on Facebook and the "coitmarket" Yahoo group. As a bonus, Ohio Direction Card Users get $20 worth of food for $10 charged to their card each day they shop at the market. The market is located at 15000 Woodworth Rd near East 152nd and Noble Rd. Call 216-249-5455 or go to www.coitmarket.org for additional information.

Each Saturday starting at 8 am you'll find many varieties of apples at The Coit Rd Farmers' Market from Pleasant Valley Farm in Willoughby, Ohio. This year is yielding a bumper crop as compared to the crop damaged by frost last year. You’ll find apples at very reasonable prices in quantities from a few apples to peck sizes. 

You’ll also find a variety of fruits and vegetables from as many as 8-10 other farms including greens, lettuce, peas, beans, beets, garlic, onions, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and mushrooms. Bakery, cheese and free range eggs are also available. 

The annual Coit Road Farmers’ Market’s Taste of Autumn Benefit will be Monday, September 9th, 6:00 – 9:00 PM at the Beachland Ballroom. The event hosted by Fred Griffith of Good Morning Cleveland features live music by Albert Dennis & friends and a local harvest buffet from area farmers prepared by the region’s finest chefs. Tickets for $35 are available at the market at 15000 Woodworth Rd or at www.coitmarket.org.

Ohio Direction Card Users get $10 in additional tokens to spend for the first $10 charged to the card. WIC coupons will be distributed at the Coit Rd Market on Saturdays, September 7 and October 5 from 9am to 11am and Wednesdays, September 18 and October 16 from 10am to 12pm. The market is open Saturdays 8am to 1pm and Wednesdays 10am to 1pm. Call 216-249-5455 or go to www.coitmarket.org for additional information.

Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will hold its 64th Annual Meeting on Saturday, September 21st at the Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation - Wildwood Park Pavilion (E. 174th Street and Lakeshore Blvd. – Cleveland, OH 44110), from 9:00 a.m. – Noon. This family-oriented event will celebrate the SWCD’s annual program, including the completion of a wetland and stream restoration project on lower Euclid Creek. For more information, log on to the Cuyahoga SWCD website www.cuyahogaswcd.org or call 216-524-6580, ext. 10.

This year, three individuals will be recognized for their contributions to conservation in Cuyahoga County. They are Dorothy Hazel of Parma-Conservationist of the Year, Avon Standard of Cleveland-Cooperator of the Year, and Joe Newman of Mayfield Heights-Volunteer of the Year. The Conservation Heroes will be honored during a short ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

Join us for one or all of these fun, family-friendly educational events featuring:
Euclid Creek Annual Stream Cleanup
9:00am - 11:00am

Euclid Creek Rain Garden Cleanup - with Friend of Euclid Creek
9:00am - 11:00am

Euclid Creek Wetland and Stream Restoration Celebration
10:00am - 11:30am

Euclid Beach Cleanup - with Euclid Beach Adopt-A-BeachTM Group
10:00am - Noon (to register or for location details, call 216/571-0685)

Rain Barrel Workshop
10:30am - 11:30am (registration required, 216/524-6580, ext. 10)

Please join the Euclid Creek Watershed Program Partners as we celebrate the wetland and stream restoration project on Euclid Creek. The event will be held on Wednesday, July 10, from 5:00-7:00pm at the Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation–Wildwood Lakefront Park at the Picnic Pavilion. 

This public meeting and tour celebrates the creation of a 2.3-acre wetland near the mouth of Euclid Creek and Lake Erie. Several speakers will briefly discuss the wetland and stream restoration project, followed by a 1-mile hike around the site noting wildlife present and historic features preserved through the project. Meet the project partners pivotal in making this project happen and learn why a restoration project of this scale is important to Euclid Creek and Lake Erie. This $1.4 million restoration project was funded through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

For more information, call or email Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator Claire Posiusat 216-524-6580 x16 or cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org. Or see the detailed event flyer at http://tinyurl.com/ozrdlcd.

Claire Posius is the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District.

On my 75th birthday I started painting my 2 rain barrels like a koi pond. Lots of fun. One koi is disguised as a mermaid. I would be glad to paint yours for a fee.

Marie Nightingale is a retired librarian, a wife, mother, grandmother, nature lover, dog walker/trainer, photographer, chess player & writer.

Did you know that trees provide many services beyond the beauty and curb appeal they lend to streets and properties?

Lately, I have been hearing more and more reports of coyote sightings all over Cuyahoga County.  I wanted to share some information and clear up some misperceptions about the resilient Coyote, a mammal sighted regularly in the watershed.

The snow might still be falling and the lake might be freezing over but there are signs of spring all around us! And with spring comes beach cleanups!

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers will kick off the 2013 beach cleanup season on Saturday March 23rd in celebration of World Water Day. World Water Day http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013/ is a United Nations' recognized day to focus attention on the importance of fresh water and sustainable use of fresh water.

Volunteers will meet in the Euclid Beach (16250 Lakeshore Blvd.) park pavilion at 10am, break up into teams and head down to the beach to pick up trash, conduct water quality tests and have a trash weighing and World Water Day trivia contest!

Our World Water Day trivia sponsor is STAR POP vintage + modern!! STAR POP vintage + modern, just a few short minutes from Euclid Beach Park in the Waterloo Arts District, buys and sells toys, clothing, music, movies, video games, books, art, toys, and other pop culture collectibles. The store was almost named Sustainable Pop, but despite siding with a shorter name, promoting sustainability remains at the heart of what STAR POP is all about. Everything from the hand selected merchandise to the fixtures are recycled from area families and defunct businesses. Come check it out for yourself! www.starpopcleveland.com 216-965-2368 15813 Waterloo Rd. #5, Cleveland, OH 44110

Please be sure to thank owner Troy Schwartz for his generous support of our efforts!

Thanks to a start-up grant from The Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Metroparks is working on a collaborative effort with the Alliance for the Great Lakes and volunteers from Friends of Edgewater State Park, Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team and Drink Local Drink Tap, to pilot the Urban Beach Ambassadors program this summer!   

This volunteer program, similar to Cleveland Metroparks Trail Monitor program, will take place along the beaches and park trails at Edgewater and Euclid/Villa Angela Beach. Volunteers will be trained to educate and inform park and beach visitors about how their actions can adversely impact beach and water quality and diminish visitor experience. Ambassadors will also provide park visitors with information about how to get involved in volunteer activities and programs in the park and provide monitoring and observation for park staff by reporting safety and maintenance issues.
 
Individuals interested in the UBA program must be 21 years of age or older. Ambassadors will monitor park pathways and beaches in pairs during two-hour shifts.  Each Ambassador must be certified in First Aid and CPR and participate in UBA training.  First Aid, CPR and UBA training is provided by Cleveland Metroparks, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Cleveland Lakefront State Park and volunteer group representatives from Friends of Edgewater State Park, Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team and Drink Local Drink Tap.  Two training sessions will be offered in mid-April. The UBA season begins on May 1 and ends on October 1. Each volunteer must commit to a minimum of 25 hours for the entire season. 
 
Each UBA applicant will be interviewed. Upon successful completion of the interview, applicants must submit to a background check before being invited to attend an April training session. 

Interested in becoming an Urban Beach Ambassador? Download the UBA application! You can either submit the application digitally or in the mail.To download and print the application, please visit: goo.gl/K9IPO To download and submit the application digitally, please visit: goo.gl/SVMJC Connect with UBA on facebook !

The Lacustrine Refuge is a wetland and stream restoration project located in Wildwood State Park in the City of Cleveland.  Located on the Main Branch of Euclid Creek near Lake Erie, this ~$1.4 million dollar Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded project is restoring three acres of urban coastal wetlands and restoring 1,100 linear feet of shoreline habitat to serve as a fish habitat refuge and nursery for the urban coastal estuary zone. An estuary, or lacustuary in freshwater systems, provides habitat for nearshore fish and typically consists of wetlands. Today, the Euclid Creek estuarine zone has been modified for a public park and marina.

In August, wetland restoration work began with a 3 month construction schedule and follow-up plantings in the spring. A dense layer of invasive plants, Japanese knotweed, were removed and work began creating the wetland. As residents have observed, most of the work consists of moving earth to regrade the oxbow island into a wetland complex of varying water levels. Upland areas above the water are designed to protect as many mature trees as possible. Submerged pools will provide habitat and shelter for Great Lakes fish spawning and a nursery.    

Volunteers have planted over 1,700 native plants in the project area, from small plant plugs to dormant native tree cuttings called ‘live stakes,' to wetland plants harvested from nearby Singer Lake Bog in Summit County. A group of Hawken School 8th grade students, volunteers from the neighborhood, Friends of Euclid Creek members, Arcelor Mittal employees, and West Creek Watershed Stewardship Center Volunteer program volunteers participated in two planting events held in September and November. The goal is for these native plants to get established so that they can outcompete the invasive plants and to provide a much more diverse habitat for wildlife, birds and butterflies.

Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District will be conducting “Green Cleaning: Inside and Out” workshops in the Euclid Creek Watershed this fall. The workshops will be held October 30 at the South Euclid Community Center and November 28 at the Highland Heights Community Center.  Each will run from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The $10 fee includes cleaning solution recipes and sample cleaners to take home.

The workshops are intended for anyone interested in reducing the use of toxins and other harsh chemicals at home and in the yard.  Household cleaners and lawn chemicals are potential sources of water pollution, making their way into local streams and rivers, and eventually Lake Erie. By using more natural homemade cleaners, residents can reduce their environmental impact, save money, and reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals. 

For more information or to register, contact Claire Posius at 216-524-6580 x16 or by email at cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org.  Pre-registration is required one week before the workshop.

STAR POP vintage + modern, in Cleveland's Waterloo Arts District, is turning three! Come celebrate three years of recycling pop culture, and saving the planet; on Saturday August 11, 2012 6-9pm with cake, prizes, drawing, and a dragon!

STAR POP vintage + modern buys and sells toys, clothing, music, movies, video games, books, art, and other pop culture collectibles, at affordable prices for kids and collectors. STAR POP vintage + modern's owner Troy Schwartz carefully hand picks every item in the store, and virtually everything in the store has been recycled in an effort to offer environmentally friendly and dollar-conscious shoppers a sustainable alternative to traditional retail. Schwartz reflects, “We couldn't have made it to three without you! I want to offer a sincere thank you to my friends, family, the rest of the Waterloo Arts District, the local media, and of course our customers for their support over these first few years. Thank you!”

In addition to eating cake and winning fun prizes, STAR POP vintage + modern wants to see you exercise your creative side, so during the anniversary party, Leia Alligator, of Picklefight Puppets, will be encouraging kids of all ages to draw pictures inspired by some of their favorite toys, clothing, music, movies, video games, books, and art. 

The Lacustrine Refuge is a wetland and stream restoration project located in Wildwood State Park in the City of Cleveland.  Located on the Main Branch of Euclid Creek near Lake Erie, this ~$1.4 million dollar Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded project aims to restore three acres of urban coastal wetlands and restore 1,100 linear feet of shoreline habitat to serve as a fish habitat refuge and nursery for the urban coastal estuary zone. An estuary, or lacustuary in freshwater systems, provides habitat for nearshore fish and typically consists of wetlands. Today, the Euclid Creek estuarine zone has been modified for a public park and marina.

In the Spring of 2011, the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (Cuyahoga SWCD) engaged the services of consultant team RiverWorks (EnviroScience, GDP Group, and RiverReach Construction) to design and construct the project. While developing the project design, the consultants sampled fish populations to see what fish are present before the project is constructed. Once the restoration is complete, post construction monitoring will take place to see if fish and bug populations have increased with the hopes of finding new fish species in Euclid Creek, like Bowfin and Northern Pike.

Since its inception more than 40 years ago, Earth Day has become an important reminder of the human impact on the ecosystem. Euclid Hospital proudly celebrated this special day as a way to remember that everyone can contribute to a healthy environment. On April 20, over 100 people stopped by the cafeteria to learn more about saving energy and reducing waste at both home and work. Hosted by the hospital's Green Team, the event also featured a light bulb giveaway, coloring contest and other educational activities.

The Waterloo Alley Cat Project (WACP) is a non-profit group of passionate cat people caring for the abandoned and feral cat population around the burgeoning Waterloo Road Arts and Entertainment District by using the humane method of trap-neuter/spay-release to prevent further litters. WACP does not euthanize healthy cats. All cats are tested for FIV, given their necessary vaccinations and treatments for a range of parasites, then released back where they were found. Once the cats are released, a trained caretaker provides food on a daily basis and keeps an eye out for newcomers or problems.

WACP has been working their tails off since 2009. Some successes include: grant award from Neighborhood Connections to raise awareness and inform the public about what the group is doing and hopes to do; grant award from the ASPCA to cover the high cost of crucial FIV testing; a 'Kitty Consciousness Kickoff” party last January at The Beachland Tavern (this event opened the door to people in the neighborhood who otherwise never would have met each other had it not been for their common concern for the large number of free-roaming cats); organized and held the 3rd annual Waterloo Alley Cat Project benefit at The Beachland Ballroom. This was the most fun and successful fundraiser ever held by WACP. 3 bands played and The Ghoul emceed the event attended by approximately 250 people. Animal activist, James Ewing, spoke about his crusade to pass legislation in Ohio that will protect all animals. Kenny Yuko presented WACP with a certificate of recognition from the State of Ohio. Food for the event was donated by Chili Peppers, The Grovewood Tavern and Beuttner’s Bakery. Funds were raised through donations of cat food, WACP merchandise, raffle and silent auction items donated by 75 different businesses and individuals.

All of this work is being done by a small group of volunteers with big dreams. And, the Kitty Consciousness continues with the aim of creating a world-class cat sanctuary/garden in the Waterloo neighborhood. This ambitious project is totally achievable with donations from anyone wanting to help make a difference to the quality of life for all creatures. WACP has already begun investigating the myriad details associated with this creation and hope to move forward quickly in the late Spring. Other cities around the world have made these amazingly beautiful sanctuaries. In Cleveland particularly this would address many issues all at the same time. A cat-friendly garden is a good use of vacant land thereby increasing community assets with aesthetic appeal. It is also a good place to increase local participation by providing a social and educational opportunity thereby increasing security. The benefits are numerous and exponential.

Interested in being a part of history? Your support is enormously important and would be greatly appreciated. Tax deductible donations can be made through Northeast Shores Development Corporation at 317 E 156th St. Cleveland, OH 44110. Be sure to mark WACP in the memo line. Merchandise, including tipped cat ears, and limited edition signed posters by Jake Kelly can be purchased at Blue Arrow Records at 16001 Waterloo Road. Donations are also accepted at Blue Arrow for your convenience.

Adopt-a-Beach(tm) cleanups are in full swing at Euclid Beach State Park after a great kickoff for World Water Day 2012  on Saturday March 24th when over 30 volunteers from Cleveland Division of Water and Water Pollution Control, Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity from CaWRU and the community collected 262 pounds of trash and 87 pounds of recyclables! Interesting items included a plastic sword, a car bumper and a boat sail! Also a huge thank you to Steve Newman, owner of Chili Peppers restaurant for donating delicious tacos to all of our volunteers.

Mark your calenders for our next beach cleanup on Saturday April 21st from 10am-12pm. We will be celebrating Earth Day and Global Youth Service Day.

Beach cleanups are from 10am-12pm on the 3rd or 4th Saturday of the month at Euclid Beach Park. For more information contact Stephen Love, at adopt.euclidbeach@gmail.com  or facebook.com/Adopteuclidbeach.

What’s Happening: Wed hours begin April 18, 10am to 1pm. Greens are available from the covered beds along with lettuce, spinach, winter vegetables, apples, bakery, cheese and free range eggs. Our newest baker, Chef Deborah of Impassioned Bakery has specialty breads. You can always get Kevin’s advice on how to blend what’s available in fresh ingredients with over 200 spices to create wonderful food. Mark your calendar for Sat, June 2 for our 80th anniversary celebration during market hours 8am to 1pm. 

Community Support: Grow your EBT/food stamps, proudly accepted at the Coit Rd Farmers’ Market. Ohio Direction Card Users get $5 in additional tokens to spend for the first $5 charged to the card. A new incentive for produce will begin this season with a $20 match. There's time to participate in The Coit Urban Farm Cooperative to grow and sell on the Coit Rd Market site. Interested? E-mail commlaser@gmail.com or call 440-376-9448.

Join Adopt-a-Beach volunteers in celebration of World Water Day 2012 for a beach cleanup at Euclid Beach State Park from 10am-12pm March 24th and get a free taco and drink from Chilli Peppers restaurant (869 East 185th St. Cleveland 44110)! We will meet in the park pavilion at 10am, break up into teams and head down to the beach to pick up trash, conduct water quality tests and have a trash weighing contest! Gloves, trash pickers, rakes and bags will be provided. Please dress for the weather...whatever it may be and wear tennis shoes or boots! Coffee and water will be provided at the cleanup. After the beach cleanup all volunteers are invited to Chilli Peppers restaurant for a free taco and drink (Be sure to thank Steve Newman owner of Chilli Peppers)! The winners of the trash-weighing contest will also get a special prize...to be announced at Chilli Peppers!

The Euclid Creek Watershed Council Public Involvement and Public Education (PIPE) Committee has developed nine community-focused fact sheets to help residents learn what watersheds are located in their community.

A fact sheet for the Euclid Creek Watershed area of Cleveland is available for download on the Euclid Creek Watershed Program Website at http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/EuclidCreekFiles/EC_WatershedFactSheets.htm, and for all nine Euclid Creek Watershed Council communities (Beachwood, Cleveland, Euclid, Highland Heights, Lyndhurst, Mayfield Heights, Mayfield Village, Richmond Heights and South Euclid).  You can find a hard copy at your community’s civic center or community center.  To request a copy, contact the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator, Claire Posius, at 216-524-6580 ext. 16 orcposius@cuyhaogaswcd.org

A watershed is an area of land that drains rain and snow to a common body of water such as a stream, river, or lake. This new educational brochure explains what a watershed is and why we should care, and includes a map showing watershed boundaries, parks and natural resources, and current projects helping streams in the nine Euclid Creek Watershed Council communities. Each fact sheet describes roughly how many miles of streams are above ground and how many miles are buried underground in culverts due to urban/suburban development. Additionally, the fact sheets include details about each watershed, information on what your community is doing to help its watershed(s), and offers ways in which residents can help their watershed. 

The main goal of watershed planning is to collaboratively address water resource issues like water quality protection and to look at each watershed holistically by its watershed boundary and drainage area. The Euclid Creek Watershed Program approach allows stakeholders to better target limited financial resources and address common water-related problems.  The community level fact sheets take a closer look at each community and efforts underway to protect each watershed’s resources within the community.  The fact sheets will be distributed at community events, school programs and displayed at libraries, civic centers and community centers as a way to raise awareness about our local watersheds and storm water issues. 

For more information contact the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator, Claire Posius, at 216-524-6580 ext. 16 orcposius@cuyhaogaswcd.org. 

Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District mission: To promote conservation of land and aquatic resources in a developed environment through stewardship, education, and technical assistance.  www.cuyahogaswcd.org

Illegal Dumping is the improper disposal of waste at any location other than a permitted landfill or facility. Illegal dumping poses a threat to human health and the environment. 

Also known as open dumping or midnight dumping, illegal dumping usually happens in open areas, along roadsides, in wooded areas, streams and rivers, and frequently occurs late at night to avoid detection. The waste is dumped to avoid disposal fees or time and effort required for proper disposal.

It is illegal to allow open dumping on your property. Property owners sometimes try to benefit financially by charging a fee for someone to dump waste on their property. This is illegal.

What types of materials are commonly dumped?

• construction and demolition debris like drywall, shingles, lumber, bricks, concrete and siding
• large appliances and furniture
• household garbage
• medical waste
• abandoned vehicles, parts and tires
• yard waste or plant materials

Why is illegal dumping a problem?

The human health risks associated with illegal dumping are significant. Illegal dumps can be accessible to people who could come in contact with chemicals (fluids or dust) or get hurt from nails and sharp edges of materials.

Illegal dumps also attract rodents and insects.  For example, illegally dumped waste tires provide an ideal place for mosquitoes to breed.  Mosquitoes multiply 100 times faster than normal in the warm, stagnant water collecting in waste tires.  Dumps also result in a decrease in property values.

Illegal dumping can impact proper drainage making areas more susceptible to flooding when debris blocks creeks, culverts and drainage basins. 

What can I do?

• If you see illegal dumping or an open dump, call your community and report it - they can direct you to the proper authority
• If you are having a house built or remodeled, make sure the waste from your site is being properly disposed of - ask your contractor for the details
• Recycle
• Grasscycle (leave grass clippings on lawn when mowing)
• Compost your yard waste or plant materials
• Properly dispose of solid waste

For more information, contact your community, the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (216/524-6580, www.cuyahogaswcd.org), or the Cuyahoga Solid Waste District (216/443-3749, www.cuyahogaswd.org)

Winter hours at the Coit Road Farmers’ Market are Saturdays 8am to 1pm. While most gardens are closed for the season, the harvest continues at the market.  You’ll find fresh spinach, collards, lettuces and micro greens from local greenhouses.  Other vegetables include beets, cabbage, potatoes, turnips, winter squash as well as a large selection of apples, bakery, spices,  cheese and free range eggs. 

The market is planning a cooperative to grow and sell on the Coit Rd Market site. If you are interested in participating contact the market, e-mailcommlaser@gmail.com or call 440-376-9448.

Did you know that grass and leaves can be harmful to our waterways?

Many leaves will naturally fall into the water, but as homeowners, we should be mindful not to upset nature’s balance.  The leaves that fall on our lawn should never be put in a creek, stream or river.  Excessive decaying leaves use up the water’s oxygen, harming animals that live in the water.

Leaves can also get into our creeks and streams through storm drains.  Leaves and pollutants can easily be washed into the storm drain when it rains. 

When cleaning up this year’s leaf drop, follow these simple steps to keep our waterways clean!

• Follow the guidelines in your community for curb-side pick up.  If you are asked to put leaves on the tree lawn, wait until just before collection day.  Never rake them into your storm drains, ditches, creeks or rivers. 
• Mulch leaves by running over them with your lawn mower at your next cutting.  Leaves and grass clippings are the best fertilizer for your lawn. 
• Or….rake leaves into a compost pile for a nutrient-rich fertilizer to use on your garden next spring.

For more information on how you can be the solution to storm water pollution, contact the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District at 216-524-6580, check out our website at www.cuyahogaswcd.org, or friend us on Facebook (search for Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District).

Thanks to a Small Scale Storm Water Demonstration Grant from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD), volunteers from the Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team planted Ohio native plants in two grass swales along the front entrnace to Euclid Beach State Park.  The demonstration project is part of a $50,000.00 small grant initiative by the NEORSD to help raise awareness about storm water management issues in our region. More information about the NEORSD demonstration grant program can be found at: http://www.neorsd.org/watershedgrants.php. 

A swale garden works by absorbing water through extensive root systems laid down by water tolerant plants.  Water stays in the soil and out of the storm sewers and Lake Erie, reducing runoff, flooding and improving water quality.  The plants, all Ohio natives courtesy of Great Lakes Natives Plant Nursery will take root over the winter and blossom next spring and summer.  With New England Aster, Purple Cone Flower, Orange Cone Flower and many more, it is sure to be a colorful summer at the park! So next time you are driving along Lakeshore Blvd. admiring the new Collinwood Recreation Center, look across the street at the entrance to Euclid Beach State Park!  While it does not look like much more than some mulch and sprouting plants today, it is actually a storm water management project in progress! 

For more information about the Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach team, future volunteer events and pictures of the swale garden, search The Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team on Facebook or email stephen.love20@gmail.com.

Please consider joining us for our next beach cleanup on Saturday October 15th from 10am-12pm at Euclid Beach State Park.  Volunteers will be provided with gloves, rakes, trash bags. Refreshements will be provided courtesy of Cafe Arts Collinwood, Chilli Peppers and Giorgio's Pizza. 

The next time it rains, look down at your driveway or the nearest parking lot. See any colorful “oil rainbows” slicked across the pavement?  It’s a sign that someone’s car is leaking fluid.

These fluid leaks are composed of highly toxic materials, such as antifreeze, motor oil, brake fluid and transmission fluid.  When the toxics enter the storm drain system or leach into the soil, surface and groundwater supplies are contaminated. And that means your drinking water supplies are put at risk.

You rely on your car for safe, convenient transportation.

Why not treat it right and protect water quality at the same time?

• Repair auto fluid leaks right away.  Use a drip pan to catch leaks if repairs are delayed.
• Collect and dispose of fluids from routine maintenance properly.
• Keep your car properly tuned.
• Clean up any spills with kitty litter or absorbent material.  Dispose of cleanup as hazardous waste.  Contact your city service department for local household hazardous waste collection information as some residents can already dispose of household hazardous waste year-round at their service department. 

Wildwood Lakefront State Park

Stream and Wetland Restoration Project in Euclid Creek

Public Information Session

Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 6:00pm

Euclid Hospital - Main Building, Waltz Auditorium

18901 Lakeshore Boulevard, Euclid

(please do not park in the emergency parking area, park anywhere else)

Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, our Project Partners & Consultants are hosting a public information session to discuss the planned stream and wetland restoration project along Euclid Creek in Wildwood State Park.  The $1.4 million project is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, administered through the US Environmental Protection Agency. 

If you have questions, please contact Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator Claire Posius at 216-524-6580x16 or cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org for questions or for more details see the project website at http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/EuclidCreekFiles/EC_LacustrineRefuge.htm

Computer Round-Up

The City of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District have teamed up

to  recycle  unwanted  computer  equipment from  Cleveland  residents.  All collected computer equipment will either be upgraded and distributed to schools or recycled.

August 20, September 10 & September 17 from 9am to 3pm

Division of Waste Collection Service Stations Carr Center 5600 Carnegie Ave

Residential computer and peripheral equipment accepted: CPUs, Monitors, Keyboards, Computer mice, Printers, Modems, Software, Cell Phones, Ink cartridges

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Common household products found in the kitchen, basement, bath, and garage can emit toxic vapors into the air in your home. These products can also be harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly. Safely dispose of these products during the City of Cleveland’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection.

cont.

Hello Collinwood Family,

Last month’s article focused on the rich history, tapestry as well as diversity of our Collinwood community and encouraged neighborly efforts toward recycling together with proper trash disposal for ourselves and our neighbors.  This month’s article was inspired by my wife who recently while driving towards our home mentioned how lovely the tiny white “flowers” looked on many of the lawns in our neighborhood.  I told my wife that: “those are not flowers honey, but weeds.”  Now, though I gest, many don’t realize that only flowers are meant to be in flower beds not lawns.  And, though our lawns can be arrayed in the beautiful colors of white, yellow and even lavender, these weeds by there very definition are plants that are “out of place”.  As one article states and I quote:  “Some plants are not sown. They come up anywhere in the garden or lawn. They look as if they are out of place since they are not planted with any intention. The result - they completely ruin your gardening and farming efforts and the landscape theme adopted. Qualities of such plants called weeds have not yet been established by the book, but they are categorized as pernicious, thus hampering activity of humans. They grow at pace and space that is not welcome, and hence have to be removed and discarded. They have a number of features that are not desirable at all.

cont.

The Euclid Beach Adopt-A-Beach Team has partnered with Arts Collinwood and Project Pop-Up Galleries to bring you EUCLID BEACH BLAST! a day of free summer festivities, food, art, music, environmental awareness and fun at Euclid Beach Park on Saturday July 16th from 11am-7pm!

Help us kick off the day with a beach cleanup, then grab your shovels for a sand castle contest! Stroll an outdoor pop up art show, grab some food from one of Cleveland’s famous food trucks, enjoy some tunes from 106.5 “The Lake” and learn about how you can help Euclid Beach and our Greatest Lake! Ride your bike and we’ll even throw in a prize! Visit information tables from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, Euclid Beach Park Now and more! End the day with some live Latin music by Grupo Son Gitano! But if that isn't enough, join the After Blast! party at the Café Arts Collinwood at 7pm for more music, food and fun!

cont.

A rain garden is an attractive, landscaped area planted with perennial native plants which don't mind getting wet. They are beautiful gardens, built in depressions, which are designed to capture and filter storm water runoff from impervious surfaces around the home, such as rooftops and driveways.

The Euclid Beach Adopt-A-Beach Team has partnered with Arts Collinwood and Project Pop-Up Galleries to bring you EUCLID BEACH BLAST! a day of free summer festivities, food, art, music, environmental awareness and fun at Euclid Beach Park on Saturday July 16th from 11am-7pm!

Antifreeze, household cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, oil paints, solvents, used motor oil, etc.  Improper disposal allows these items to seep into and pollute our rivers and groundwater. So the next time you’re spring cleaning or on the move, learn the proper disposal of household hazardous waste. The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District encourages you to participate in spring cleaning to rid your house and garage of household hazardous waste.  

This spring, the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District will be opening a year-round facility to receive household hazardous waste collected by Cuyahoga County communities. Since this facility will not be open to the general public, the District is working with all Cuyahoga County communities to establish local household hazardous waste collection programs. Once the materials are collected by a community, they will deliver the materials to the District’s year-round center. This new program will make it more convenient for residents to recycle unwanted household chemicals and protect the environment.

On Saturday April 16th, volunteers from Accenture Management Consulting, college and high school students and neighborhood residents came together to clean and screen the Euclid Beach! This was our second beach cleanup of 2011 and even in the rain and wind volunteers managed to collect an absolute hands down record of over 300 pounds of trash, 80 pounds of which was recycled! Thanks to these hard-working volunteers we collected over 850 cigar tips, close to 200 plastic bags bottles and cans and well over 100 plastic and paper bags!

We also celebrated the installation of 3 new trash and 3 new recycling bins at the park installed at the picnic pavilion and at the two stairwell entrances onto the beach. Joining us for the long awaited dedication was Naturalist, Carol Ward, and Park Manager, Jim, from The Cleveland Lakefront State Park along with Brian Friedman from Northeast Shores, April Mather with The Alliance For The Great Lakes and Councilman Polensek.  

The Lacustrine Refuge is a wetland restoration project located in Wildwood Lakefront State Park in the Euclid Creek Watershed on the Main Branch of Euclid Creek, a tributary to Lake Erie that is heavily urbanized and affected by urban runoff and habitat degradation in the City of Cleveland. The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District applied for and was awarded $1,396,050 from the US EPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to fund the Lacustrine Refuge project. 

An estuary, or lacustuary in freshwater systems, provides habitat for nearshore fish and typically consists of wetlands.  Today, the Euclid Creek estuarine zone has been modified for a public park and marina, but opportunity exists to restore some of the natural estuary function. 

The Lacustrine Refuge project will restore three acres of urban coastal wetlands and restore 1,100 linear feet of shoreline habitat to serve as a fish habitat refuge and nursery for the urban coastal estuary zone. In addition, eroding banks in the park will be stabilized and invasive plants replaced with native plants to attract more birds and amphibians to the area.

On Saturday March 19th, volunteers from The Collinwood Masonic Lodge #582, a Women's Rugby Team, General Electric employees, college and high school students and neighborhood residents came together to clean and screen the Euclid Beach! This was our first beach cleanup of 2011 and we managed to collect an absolute hands down record of 234 pounds of trash, over 75 pounds of which was recycled! Thanks to these hard-working volunteers, we collected over 850 cigar tips, close to 200 plastic bags bottles and cans and well over 150 plastic and paper bags! The most "unique" items collected included a freezer door and a construction barrel! 

Do you care about Lake Erie....the water we drink...our beaches and our wildlife?  Do you visit and use Euclid Beach, Villa Angela or Wild Wood State Parks? Do you care about access to quality recreational parks in your community?  

How do you see the vacant plots in your neighborhood? As gardens? Mini parks? Playgrounds? Rain gardens and swales?

Neighborhood Connections (the Cleveland Foundation’s hugely successful small grants program), is conducting a survey. Go to www.neighborhoodgrants.org and click on Survey (second item in the News column). Share your thoughts, and also your contact information – so you can be informed about land reuse planning, volunteer events, and grant opportunities in your neighborhood.

The survey takes ess than five minutes to complete – do it now!

If you did not know already, Adopt-a-Beach™ has a volunteer team at Euclid Beach State Park and during the past year, we have collected well over 700 pounds of trash. If you are not familiar, Adopt-a-Beach is a volunteer organization and partner of the Alliance for The Great Lakes, a Chicago based non-profit dedicated to sustaining and improving the health of our lakes and beaches. Each month (excluding December, January, February) our team conducts beach cleanups and monitors bacteria counts. 

The word team is used lightly because volunteering is open to anyone and everyone! Past cleanups have included volunteers from area colleges and universities, local high schools, neighborhood nonprofits, neighborhood businesses and residents. As we close this beach cleanup season and prepare for the spring/summer/fall 2011 season, it is important to recap some of our projects and partnerships formed during this past year. Since we started our beach cleanups in fall 2009, The Euclid Beach Adopt-a-Beach Team has:

• Conducted 11 beach cleanups, collecting over 700 pounds of trash and recyclables with a total volunteer hours per person count of 600 service hours!
• Supported Councilman Polensek’s plan to begin discussion of a Cleveland Metroparks lakefront park acquisition process via a letter writing and signatures campaign.
• Collaborated with neighborhood nonprofits like Arts Collinwood to incorporate a beach cleanup with a recreational all-day event that attracted several hundred visitors to Euclid Beach park.
• Attended community block watch meetings and Northeast Shores quarterly meetings to encourage neighborhood participation.
• Used City Works grant funding to purchase cleaning tools and to landscape and trim back overgrowth throughout the park.
• Secured partnerships with local businesses to make available beach cleanup information to customers but also, to help raise donations.
• Raised donations and secured grant funding to purchase 6 new beach side closed-lid and anchored trash and recycling bins to be installed early next spring.

When he is not volunteering at an Adopt-a-Beach cleanup at Euclid Beach Park, Fifth Third Bank Financial Center Manager Michael DiRauso is always thinking of ways that he and his staff can support efforts to keep Euclid Beach clean.  

Michael, along with Tia Little, Azalea Price, Anitria Dudley and Rachael Ambrose at Fifth Third Bank on East 185th Street are sure to place Adopt-a-Beach event flyers throughout the bank and make volunteer sign-up sheets available for anyone interested in volunteering.  

A couple of weeks ago, the bank staff thought of a creative way to raise money for Euclid Beach Park. They decided to have a bake sale. On Friday October 29th, bank customers could get a little more than just money out of their paychecks!  They could have a cookie or a cupcake and know that the proceeds were going towards improving the quality of Euclid Beach and protecting Lake Erie. When all was said and done, Fifth Third managed to raise close to $50 from their bake sale! Proceeds from the bake sale will go towards the purchase of three new trash and three new recycling bins to be installed next spring at Euclid Beach Park!