PARMA, Ohio – The Parma District Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a new event of Thirsty Tuesdays to increase networking from 5-7 p.m. on February 8 at Schnitz Ale Brewery, 5729 Pearl Road, Parma. No need for reservations, attendance is free. There will be free appetizers and a cash bar.
Attendees are encouraged to invite a business associate to join them.
For more information, email mark@nextnewcustomer.com or call 440-336-1734.
In addition to the Parma District Chamber of Commerce, the following rooms are part of the Power of More Rooms: Berea Chamber, Fairview Park, North Coast, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, Olmsted and West shore Rooms and Oberlin Business Partnership.
The Powers of More is a communication program consisting of the rooms mentioned above. Launched in 2010, its goal is to help existing members develop new business connections.
There are over 1,600 members in the rooms. Each room has several networking opportunities that have been identified as Power of More events open to participating rooms. The events provide new networking opportunities as well as the chance to win a variety of prizes, including the grand prize – a three-year lease of a new Kia Optima, offered by Montrose Kia.
Think carefully: The Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Chagrin River Watershed Partners, and the Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District are offering five Master Rain Gardener courses this year.
Each course consists of five semesters in a period of six weeks. Participants will learn how to design, install and maintain residential rain gardens. Rain gardens are gardens planted in small depressions designed to collect, filter, and absorb rainwater runoff from rooftops, driveways, and lawns.
The online winter session will run from January 31 to March 7. Recorded content is made available online every week, with five live check-ins for questions and answers on the Zoom platform. A professional certification track is also offered. The cost is $50 for the residential track and $75 for the professional track.
The in-person spring training course will take place from May 2 to June 6 at the Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma. Only a residential track will be offered for a fee of $75.
A self-paced online course is available for those who need flexibility for a fee of $50 for the residential track only. This course, which is offered throughout the year, is available with feedback provided virtually at the participant’s pace.
Two additional courses – an in-person summer program and an online fall program – will be announced soon.
Income-based scholarships are available. Those interested in enrolling in a course but have concerns about the cost should contact the course instructors.
To register visit neomasterraingardener.org. Registration for late summer and fall courses will be available in the spring.
Both in-person and online courses will include optional field trips to residential rain gardens, communal rain gardens, and native plant nurseries.
Master Rain Gardeners earn their degree by taking the class and building a rain garden. Experienced coaches will provide personalized feedback, which will enable participants to design and install their own rain garden and become the neighborhood rain garden expert.
Course topics will include site assessment, soil analysis, design and construction, plant selection, mulching, and maintenance. Graduates of the course will receive a certificate, a Master Rain Gardener T-shirt and an apron tag.
The courses also offer the Rain Gardener Professional Certification, which is aimed at landscape professionals and contractors looking to install rain gardens professionally on residential properties.
Since its inception, the Northeast Ohio Master Rain Gardener Program has trained more than 400 residents and professionals, enabled the installation of more than 110 rain gardens, and captured more than 1.5 million gallons of rainwater runoff each year.
A total of 39 volunteers from the Master Rain Gardener volunteered nearly 600 hours to build and maintain at least 20 public rain gardens.
Coordination and delivery of this year’s Master Rain Gardener program is funded by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sanitation District, Storm Lake Department, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Environmental Education Fund, Western Reserve Land Conservancy Dominion Watershed Mini-Grant and the George Gund Foundation.
Safety Force News: Independence held its swearing-in ceremony on January 11 to recognize the promotions of Sergeants Mike Murphy and Mark Boehner to lieutenants.
During his 16 years with the Independence Police Department, Murphy was a detective and sergeant and oversaw the field training program. Prior to joining IPD, he served seven years in the Garfield Heights Police Department. He obtained several certificates of criminal investigation.
Murphy is a graduate of Padua Franciscan High School in Parma and Cleveland State University. He and his wife, Brandi, have two sons. They live in independence.
Buehner, a 10-year IPD veteran, began his law enforcement career with the Euclid Police Department. He has been a SWAT member, firearms instructor, DEA task force representative, and field training program instructor.
Buehner holds a BA in Criminology from Ohio University. His wife Raquel.
life gift: The Red Cross says there is a national blood crisis – the worst shortage in a decade – due at least in part to the coronavirus pandemic. They say the turnout of donors has decreased and many blood drives have been cancelled.
To motivate donors, the Red Cross is giving all January donors a chance to win two tickets to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on February 13. All donors will automatically be entered into a raffle to win two Super Bowl tickets, an official NFL Tailgate entry, tickets to the Super Bowl experience, a round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, three nights of hotel accommodations, and a $500 gift card for expenses.
Other prizes include a “Big Game at Home” home theater package and a $500 e-gift card for game day food.
Independence will be hosting a blood drive on January 24 in the Red Oak Room at the Civic Centre. Appointments are recommended. Visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
Solar Society: A growing number of Ohioans are exploring solar energy as an affordable way to reduce household energy costs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Cuyahoga County residents can join the county’s 2022 Solar Co-op, which is offered in partnership with Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit solar advocacy group. There is no cost or obligation, and members can leave the co-op at any time.
Members are educated on all aspects of solar energy and seller neutral support throughout the entire process. Learn about tax incentives, financing options, technical advances, costs, warranties, batteries, and car chargers during one of our free online information sessions: 6pm on January 20, February 8, or February 24.
For more information visit solarunitedneighbors.org and click on the events tab at the top of the webpage.
new name: Some people may not notice, but the Cuyahoga County Public Library recently changed the name of one of the Parma branch libraries in order to more clearly identify the library. The former Parma branch library is now the Parma Powers branch. It is located at 6996 Powers Blvd.
Information, please: Readers are welcome to share information about themselves, their families, friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Brooklyn, Independence, Parma, Parma Heights, and Seven Hills in this Sun Postings column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, birthdays or anniversaries, and other items are welcome. Send information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to carolkovach@hotmail.com.
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