enquirer-media-west-chester-our-town-sept-oct-2010

family | community | lifeseptember | october 2010

trustee, volunteer and family woman

Catherine Stoker

A soft-serve treat becomes family business

the Cone

not just for kids meeting the neighbors • Where to eAt • the buzz • WhAt’s neW • All-stArs from lAkotA eAst And West

connectWestchester.com • connectliberty.com

featuring neighbors that make your community a better place to live

introduCing:

Back to school

It’s lIke one bIg playgroup.just for moms.Created for moms and by moms, MomsLikeMe.com is where moms who live near you hang out - and let it all out. New moms. Working moms. Stay-at-home moms. Where you can share stories, swap advice, make friends and even make plans to meet up live.

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On average, one in seven individuals will require a blood transfusion at some point in their lifetime.

Perhaps you already know someone who has received the gift of life from a local blood donor. Protect your loved ones by giving blood. It won’t cost a dime – just an hour of your time.

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catherine stoker takes her role as West Chester Township trustee to heart.

back to school not just for kids Three stories of the preparation it takes to start a great school year.

lovin’ that soft-serve treat Want to visit The Cone? Just look for the ice cream cone building.

the running of the crazy cardboard regatta 2010 It’s hard to tell who had more fun, the participants for the spectators.

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Ron Stall gases up the big yellow bus in preparation for running his route.

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LIbERTy FamILy mEdIcInE7136 Office Park Drive, West Chester513-755-1912 or www.libertyfamilymedicine.com

Aleda Johnson, M.D., opened her new family practice in March and offers comprehensive health care for newborns to seniors, she says. A graduate of the university of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Johnson practiced in Loveland before opening her own office. “I always knew I wanted to start my own practice,” she says. “This is a growing area and it’s close to where I live.”

Liberty Family Medicine accepts most health insurance and welcomes new patients. The hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. They are closed Thursday and weekends.

COMPILED BY VaL PREVIShPHOTOS BY Tony TRIbbLE

what’s newin west chester and liberty township

EL Rancho GRandE6752 Cincinnati-Dayton road, Suite 107, Liberty Township513-755-6200 or www.elranchogrande.info

As the ninth restaurant in the Cincinnati/Dayton area, this newest El rancho Grande offers the same popular Mexican food and drink that have made the eight others popular, says Gary rodriguez, president of operations for the chain. Familiar favorites such as tacos, enchiladas, burritos and tostadas are menu staples. The restaurant also offers vegetarian-friendly selections, however, and a number of salads for diners who want lighter meals. The margaritas are popular as well, says rodriguez. Desserts and a children’s menu are also available. rodriguez says that continued growth in the West Chester-Liberty area was a reason to open another El rancho Grande here.

Prices for dinner items range from $7.95 to $10.75 and lunch items from $3.95 to $5.95. There is also a party room available by reservation for groups.

RomEo’S PIzza9536 Cincinnati-Columbus road, West Chester777-5333 or www.romeospizza.com

This is the first Cincinnati area location for this new chain of pizza restaurants founded in Cleveland. Specializing in unique pizza creations such as their award-winning Great ranch and Potato Pizza, romeo’s has found a following in Cleveland (22 locations) and Columbus (six locations), says Scott Nevius, manager of the West Chester store. romeo’s pizza has been honored as the Best Pizza in Cleveland by Scene magazine in 2005, and was named the Best Pizza in North America at the World Pizza Championship in Italy in 2006, according to company publicity.

Prices for a large pizza start at $11.99. A large Great ranch and Potato Pizza is $15.99. The store offers take out and delivery only. No dining room is available. There is a $2 delivery charge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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KIdnEy & hyPERTEnSIon cEnTER7335 Yankee road, Suite 101, Liberty Township513-779-8111 or www.lifelinevascularaccess.com

Part of Lifeline Vascular Access based in Vernon Hills, Illinois, Kidney & Hypertension Center provides vascular access care to hemodialysis patients suffering with kidney failure due to illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure, says Shari Wenstrup, facility administrator. The center has five nephrologists on staff and is the second in the Cincinnati area, with the first office located in Norwood. “We had such great success with the Norwood location that we decided to extend our services to Liberty Township,” says Wenstrup.

The center is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

aSIaTIqUE9228 Center Point Drive, West Chester513-889-2272 or www.asiatiquebistro.com

Peng Looi, co-owner of Asiatique, says the restaurant offers a marriage of two cuisines, contemporary Chinese and East-West fusion. Looi is also a partner in two Asiatique restaurants in Louisville, Ky. He has been recognized with numerous culinary awards and says he has “always enjoyed cooking.” His Bardstown road Asiatique in Louisville was also named as one of the top 125 restaurants in the united States by Bon Appetite magazine in 2005. Menu items include meat and seafood prepared with a mix of Asian and Western spices. A full bar and an extensive wine selection are available.

Prices for dinner items range from $9 to $25, and for lunch from $8.50 to $10, he says. The restaurant is open Monday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sunday from noon to 9:30 p.m.

Are you opening a business or expanding in West Chester or Liberty Township? If so, you could be featured in Our Town. Contact Val Prevish at [email protected].

anTonELLI coLLEGE9100 West Chester Town Centre Drive, 3rd floor, West Chester513-330-6807 or www.antonellicollege.edu

Founded in Cincinnati in 1947 as the Gebhardt Art School, in the mid-1970s the College was renamed the Ohio Visual Art Institute, and in 1982 it became Antonelli College. Today, the school offers a variety of associate degree programs including interior design, hospitality arts and massage therapy, which are all programs included at the West Chester campus, says Sarah Baker, a marketing and promotions associate. Antonelli College West Chester is recognized by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

Classes are held according to a quarterly calendar with the fall session beginning Oct. 4.

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LEFT: West Chester Township trustee catherine Stoker is a volunteer dispatcher for the West Chester senior van service.

Stoker:Catherine

community minded, results driven

Sitting on the back patio tucked away behind her suburban home, Catherine Stoker can often be found feeding

the 70 or so goldfish that color her pond, or tending to her lemon, orange and peach trees.

“I love my garden,” she says with a smile. “It’s my favorite way to unwind. It’s just so peaceful out here.” Indeed, the trickling of the pond and faint bird chirping are a departure from the ringing phones and demands of daily life. Out here she’s not Catherine Stoker, longtime West Chester Township trustee – she’s Cathy, the vibrant lover of life, as her husband Mike calls her.

During her 17 years of debating, campaigning and service in Butler County, Stoker has learned the most significant ways to help the community are the ones that pay only with a good feeling. She insists that “everyone has to have a reason to get up in the morning,” and there will be many mornings to come.

It all started when she was a small girl in California. Biking down to the local library to help the librarian stamp cards, Catherine Stoker was a public servant.

By the time she was 13, she was helping to throw teen dances to raise money for muscular dystrophy. From there, she was

hooked. This California girl had plenty of challenges ahead of her, but answered the call – much to the surprise of the public, and even herself.

After graduating from San Francisco State university, Stoker moved with Mike and their 2-year-old son, David, to Ohio “to be closer to Mike’s father, who was ill at the time,” she said. “We started our own company and all of a sudden you have to win a huge jackpot to live in California, and we made a lot of friends here. So, one way or another we just stuck to Butler County.

“Being an elected official is the last thing in my life I ever thought I’d do,” Stoker admitted. She was originally involved in an environmental group in Ohio before deciding (by default) to run for public office. It was the conditions of the township’s sewer and medical waste incinerator that first prompted action. “We looked around our little group and decided we clearly need to get somebody elected, because until you have somebody who’s an elected official supporting your point of view, you’re just part of the radical fringe element – everybody ended up staring at me.”

Stoker’s first attempt to run for office came in 1992, when the Democrat ran for Ohio state representative, only to be

defeated by “the classic 60-40 republican to Democrat score” that prevails in suburban Butler County. The next year she surprised everyone, including herself, by winning the township trustee election. She has held the seat ever since.

Stoker decided to first settle the score with Butler County’s sewer system and the medical incinerator. The long battle eventually led the Environmental Protection Agency to oversee the sewer system’s upgrade to legal minimum standards. The plant itself was expanded and the most egregious polluters were forced to take their waste elsewhere.

The incinerator, however, wasn’t an easy fix. Lawyers hired by the owners of the facility delayed numerous times, hoping to smother out the complaints until they were forgotten. Stoker didn’t flinch. She persisted and learned how to get things done. The incinerator was finally shut down. “They were putting over two tons of mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium toxins into the air in West Chester every year,” said Stoker.

Stoker’s most well-known accomplishment is easily the work that brought an interchange on Interstate 75 at union Centre, on acreage that had been cornfields and soybeans. The interchange opened in 1997, but was in the

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>>ABOuT CATHErINE A. STOKEr

West Chester Township Trustee: 1993 - Present (currently serving fifth term)

Party: Democratic

Education: B.A. San Francisco State university (1974)

Occupation: Business Owner (Britebelt Technologies)

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Married: Mike Stoker

Children: David Stoker

Website: catherine.stoker.org

plans long before that, as the commercial and industrial growth of West Chester started catching up to and overtaking residential growth.

Developers saw an area that could thrive, but needed a spark – and it worked. The exit from I-75 turned into an entire system of roads which linked new businesses and gave West Chester a new downtown. While Stoker couldn’t be credited with the idea, she was a factor in determining how to pay for its construction. To pay back the $7 million loan for the project, a $20 license plate tax was passed. Stoker and several attorneys sued, and eventually the tax was dropped. The project was then financed by what had already been accumulated from various tax increments dating back to 1990.

Her demonstrated determination may explain why Stoker is able to repeatedly win re-election as a Democrat in such a conservative area of the state. In the 2008 presidential election, republican John McCain won Butler County, 61-38 percent. The difference of registered republicans to Democrats is even greater, but Stoker has adjusted her agenda to fit the needs of the people and even jokes that she “comes from a place where Democrats are considered to be respectable people.” But gaining the voters’ trust is something that has to happen over time.

“When I first ran for office, people were trying to convince everyone that I was anti-business,” she said. “I’m not anti-business – I own my own business. I’m just anti-breaking the law.”

Those who are close to Stoker appreciate her best qualities.

Lee Wong, president of the West Chester Township trustees, has worked with Stoker for years. “Her dedication resonates well with both republicans and Democrats,” he said. “residents are more concerned with how she handles township business than they are party affiliation.”

Stoker, a self-described fiscal conservative, agrees. “Those who accuse me of being a screaming liberal clearly don’t know my record,” she said. “I get just as many votes from republicans as I do Democrats.” Stoker is currently the only Democrat to ever hold a

public office in West Chester.Stoker’s passion and all-

embracing style shine when she talks about her work with the community, but it doesn’t compare to her love of volunteering for others. Her face lights up and she gets an extra jolt of energy when the topic shifts to volunteering.

“To me, your highest ethical level is when you do the right thing just because it’s the right thing,” she said. “Too many people get personal on certain issues and it prevents them from working together.” Every Wednesday morning she can be seen in West Chester as the dispatcher for the senior van service, which allows seniors who may not drive to perform their normal tasks. She also acted as president of Partners in Prime, another senior group that organizes events and activities in Hamilton.

Now serving her fifth term as trustee after winning re-election in 2009, Stoker has become a fixture in the West Chester community, and plans of running for

higher office are tempered she says – for now. In 2000, she ran for Butler County commissioner, but was unsuccessful.

“These days, my priority is my family,” said Stoker. She spends more time with Mike at home, and still keeps close contact with their son David, who now lives in California with his wife, Irina. After graduating from Ohio State and the university of Texas,

David works as a physicist for the Stanford research Institute.

While she has more time to reflect, don’t think for a second that Stoker’s work is done. She has maintained staying power with the trustees by following a simple philosophy: keep the community safe.

“It builds a good foundation,” she says. “From there it breeds good schools and new businesses which creates growth, and that’s what we’ve seen.”

While the township has flourished in recent years, it’s not immune to the current economic struggles. The most pressing item on the agenda now is a tax levy renewal for the police department, in what would likely amount to an extra $2 per week for each citizen. Stoker says the department would be able to run without a levy for a while, “but eventually we’d have to layoff officers and nobody wants that.”

It’s apparent that Stoker’s constituents and opponents respect what she’s been able to accomplish, but it’s the citizens of West Chester who speak most loudly with their votes. Her passion for getting things done breaks through political barriers.

To her supporters, she’s a hero. To those who dodge and evade her, she’s a thorn. To her husband, she’s Cathy. Even if you disagree politically, her hand’s always ready to reach across the aisle.

So what’s next for Catherine Stoker? “Well, next I need to feed my fish,” she said with a chuckle.


West Chester Boy Scout Evan Cooper has planted the seeds

that will help him grow to Eagle Scout status.

But more than that, those seeds have sprouted the St. John

Community Garden, an endeavor that’s providing fresh produce for those

in need.

Evan, a member of Troop 940 at St. John the Evangelist Church in

West Chester, undertook the garden as his Eagle Scout project based

on a suggestion made to his father and scoutmaster, Tate Cooper. The

garden was conceived to provide fresh vegetables for reach Out Lakota,

the community-funded food and clothing pantry, that’s adjacent to the

church.

To Evan, a 16-year-old junior at Moeller High School, it sounded like

the perfect Eagle Scout project.

“I thought it would be a good project because it feeds people,” said

Evan, who has been in scouting since the first grade.

“It takes a lot of work,” he added. “I felt that an Eagle project should

bY Shauna StEigERWald

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LEFT: The Junior u.S. Open Ski Championships were held at VOA in June 2008. In this photo megan collins practices on the slalom ski course.

BOTTOM: chris heink and jackson attend the annual Dog Fest event. A tail wagging good time is had by pets and their owners who enjoy a dog parade, flying disc competitions and more.

take a lot of work. It wouldn’t really satisfy me to just be out here for a few

days.”

And a lot of work it has been. Before the physical work of building the

garden began, Evan wrote letters to local businesses, friends and family,

soliciting about $700 for supplies. In total, Evan, his parents, Tate and

Pam, and troop, community and church volunteers put in about 200

hours’ work on the garden through mid-July, before the harvest was even

fully under way.

The resulting 40-foot by 40-foot plot, fenced in to keep deer and other

wildlife at bay, boasts neat rows of carrots, potatoes, onions, peppers,

zucchini, green beans and tomatoes. Evan picked the first zucchini and

tomatoes in early July, harvesting more than 30 pounds of food for reach

Out Lakota in the first two weeks.

Lourdes Ward, CEO/executive director of reach Out Lakota, couldn’t

be more thrilled.

“It’s an answer to prayers,” Ward, the organization’s sole part-time

employee, said of the garden. “It’s a blessing to have fresh produce, and

even more important to have people who are willing to use their time for

the sake of others.”

Many of the 150 people from West Chester, Liberty Township and the

Lakota Local School District that reach Out Lakota serves during the six

hours it’s open each week aren’t getting fresh fruits and vegetables in

16 our town


left: As a member of Boy Scout troop 940 chartered by the St. John the evangelist Church in West Chester, Evan wanted to do something meaningful for his eagle Scout leadership Project. He designed and planted the St. John Community Garden to provide fresh produce to Reach Out lakota.

tOP: Evan walks the rows of the garden searching for ripe vegetables to harvest.

RiGHt: fresh produce the garden will supply includes tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans and zucchinis.

givingback

their diets, she noted.

“When you’re on a limited income,

sometimes it’s easier to cut out fresh

produce. it’s easier to spend your money on

something that will stretch,” she said, such

as processed foods like macaroni and cheese,

which provide more bulk but fewer nutrients.

Although winter finds the most needy at

Reach Out lakota – many families rely on

outdoor jobs, so income dries up when the

weather turns cold, Ward explained – summer

is close behind, as families battle high cooling

bills and children are home from school for

meals. Plus, it’s a leaner time for the pantry

itself.

“in the summer, our shelves are barer

because 80 percent of our food donations

come from school drives,” Ward said.

So the extra food coming in, in the form of

fresh produce, is a big help.

evan and his family hope the garden will

bloom into perpetuity, with different scouts

taking up and adding to the project each year.

Another scout is already set to take it over

next year, and the Coopers donated a statue of

St. francis of Assisi to watch over the garden

and give it a more “permanent” feel.

Besides completing the project, evan still

has a couple of merit badges to earn, but he

hopes to obtain the rank of eagle Scout by the

end of the year.

And although it’s been a lot of work, he’s

glad he chose the garden as his project.

“it’s been great,” he said. “i think it’ll be

worth it.”

Evan hopes that other scouts will continue his work and maintain the community garden in the years to come.

givingback

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YOURschools


Back to school isn’t just for kids.Before the first bell rings Aug. 25, hundreds of people had

to work thousands of hours behind the scenes this summer preparing for the students’ arrival.

Wyandot early Childhood School principal elizabeth Spurlock hired teachers after unexpected summer resignations.

lakota east english teacher Michelle Wilkerson read contemporary novels in preparation for the multi-cultural literature class she will be teaching.

And bus driver Ron Stall drove the streets of this year’s routes, noting each stop to make sure he’s ready to drive the big yellow bus that alerts drivers that another school year has begun for lakota’s 18,500 students.

Many others also spent much of their summer vacations prepping for the first day of school in Ohio’s seventh-largest district.

this summer the task became more challenging as teachers prepared for larger class sizes, administrators had to do more with less clerical help, and fewer people were available to do the usual summer cleaning.

Despite the budget reductions that cut staff, the excitement of the first day of school hasn’t been diminished in these folks’ eyes.

“We’re lakota,” Spurlock says with pride. “We are a great school district. We’re not in the place we’d like to be. But we are the heartbeat of West Chester and liberty townships.”

Here are their stories.

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the buzz What’s making headlines in West Chester and Liberty Township.

5 questions …with Lakota East High School Physics teacher Sandee Coats-Haan.

what’s new New businesses are popping up in the area.

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ON tHe COVer: Elizabeth Spurlock, michelle Wilkerson and Ron Stall are ready to start the new school year. Photo by tony tribble

family | community | lifeseptember | october 2010

trustee, volunteer and family woman

Catherine Stoker

A soft-serve treat becomes family business

the Cone

not just for kids meeting the neighbors • Where to eAt • the buzz • WhAt’s neW • All-stArs from lAkotA eAst And West

connectWestchester.com • connectliberty.com

featuring neighbors that make your community a better place to live

introduCing:

Back to school

september | october 2010

CONteNts

34

19

43 6 261036

getconnEctEd!

•Announce your business •Celebrate your kids’ achievements

Submit your West Chester and Liberty Township stories, photos and events at your community Websites, connectMason.com and connectDeerfield.com.

•Highlight community news •Submit your upcoming events for our free calendar listings

designs to feed the hungry Evan Cooper wanted a project that would give relief to those in need.

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Spurlock is starting her 35th year in the district, her 19th as an elementary school administrator.

As a longtime resident, first in West Chester township, now liberty township, Spurlock knows the community and many of its families. She opened two schools: Cherokee in 1994 and Wyandot in 2007.

Both of her sons went through the lakota Schools. Her husband, Ron, is the district’s assistant superintendent.

“When i go to Kroger i always see the parents and kids. i still enjoy the little kids coming up to me,” she says. “this is home. this is my community.”

When the last student walked out the door in June, Spurlock began preparing for the 2010-11 school year. She focused much of her time working out a schedule so that 400 incoming kindergartners and their families could meet with teachers for a 20-minute conference.

With the loss of a secretary, the task became more difficult. And this year after the conference, parents will go on a self-guided tour of the building instead of with a staff member.

“We had to make some changes i don’t particularly like, but we were able to keep this. it makes for an easier transition for the child and the parent. it’s my time to meet each of the families.”

Along with preparing for the conferences, Spurlock made sure that each of the children has a large, laminated badge with one shape that tells them which bus to get on, another that tells them which classroom they’re in and colors to guide them to their classroom wing.

“Beginnings are so important. You have to start out right,” Spurlock says “By the end of the first week everyone will be settled in and we’ll develop our school community.”

this summer she has also thought about the infusion of art and music lessons into the regular kindergarten curriculum.

“for the first time in 18 years i’ve been a principal, i won’t have dedicated art and music for the kindergartners,” Spurlock says.

ElizabEth Spurlock

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MichEllE WilkErSon

A lifelong lakota resident, Michelle Wilkerson is preparing for the start of school from two perspectives: readying her 9-year-old son for fourth grade at independence elementary School, and preparing for her own classes at lakota east High School.

this year the 1989 lakota High School graduate will teach three sections of junior english, one class of multicultural American literature, and intermediate composition – which she hasn’t taught in five years.

“My classes will be a little larger,” Wilkerson says. “But as thunderhawks we can do anything.”

Over the summer Wilkerson did some work with Miami University’s Ohio Writing Project to prepare for her class.

She also spent much of her summer reading contemporary novels – both to find titles to suggest for classroom use, and to keep current with what her students are reading.

“i love my job. i’m looking forward to the excitement of all the new students i’ll meet, of the life lessons we can learn from one another

this year,” Wilkerson says.“the fun part for me has been buying school supplies for the new

year, especially for my son.”Getting ready for a new school year, she says, hasn’t change much

from her days at Union elementary and liberty Junior schools.“When i was in school the biggest part of back to school shopping

was a new outfit, getting a backpack and seeing who was in your classes. Now, it’s seeing who’s in my classes and who my son’s teacher is going to be.”

living in the community, Wilkerson says, makes it easy to keep up with former students and their families.

“i enjoy living in the district. i run into former students everywhere. it’s fun to see what they’re doing and keep up with them that way,” Wilkerson says.

“My hairdresser was one of my students before she graduated in 2001. i taught my son’s second-grade teacher’s son and i just went to his wedding.”

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West Chester resident Ron Stall has been a lakota bus driver since he returned home from the Army in 1967 after a stint in Vietnam.

in the 43 years he’s been driving he’s only missed a half-day of work – for his mother’s funeral. two years ago he was named Driver of the Year for Southwest Ohio by the Ohio Association for Pupil transportation. He keeps the award and proclamations on a living room shelf next to his military awards.

“i never heard of it until i got it,” he says. “When they told me i got it, i looked at them like they were crazy.”

He has second-generation kids on his route, has driven the kids of his bus drivers and even teased one junior school student that he graduated from lakota with her grandfather in 1964 when the district was a small, rural community.

“i was in the first class that went over 100 kids – we had 113,” Stall says. “the whole district was only 775 kids.”

in his early driving days Stall says he knew most of the families of the children he drove and they knew him. Now, “i hardly know where all the streets are,” he says.

Stall says he became a bus driver almost by accident. Raised on a farm, he didn’t know what he wanted to do when he got out of the army.

Right: get ready for the buses to roll as the new school year swings into gear.

ron Stall

“i thought i’d drive a bus until i found something decent,” he says. “A lot of the farmers also drove buses then.”

As the years went by Stall found he liked driving a bus and kept adding routes to stay full-time. Summers he spends working with the buildings and grounds crews.

His goal: reaching his golden anniversary as a driver.“i’d like to drive another seven years to reach 50,’’ says Stall, 65.Never married, Stall considers all the kids on his routes his

children, especially the younger ones whose parents keep him supplied with homemade cookies, pumpkin bread and other goodies.

One day one of his charges, a 5- or 6-year-old, gave him a 100th day of school ribbon he put on his shirt.

“You never know what they’re going to do,’’ he says. “told me it was my ‘100-days-smarter’ ribbon. i wore it all afternoon.”

every year Stall says he makes sure to choose at least one or two routes where he knows the kids and families.

And like every summer he’s been driving, he drove his routes to make sure he was ready for the first day.

through the years he says he’s had his share of challenging students, “but 98 percent of the kids are good and will listen and some will even help you,’’ he says. “Most of the time kids are kids.”


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Woodland Elementary students demonstrate the correct way to walk to school.

hutchinson back for temporary stint

former lakota treasurer alan hutchinson has returned to the district on a temporary basis.

Hutchinson was hired earlier this year to serve as interim treasurer while the board searches for a new treasurer after the resignation of craig Jones. Jones left in July to become treasurer of the troy Schools, north of Dayton.

“We are pleased that Alan has agreed to take on this responsibility,” says Joan Powell, board president. “His familiarity with the district, with the staff, with the community, and with our systems will enable him to step in and provide a valuable leadership role as our interim treasurer.”

Hutchinson will work on financial forecasting, financial communications with the community and labor negotiations.

“Alan has worked with lakota before, and because of this, he is absolutely the best person to come in and help us through this transition,” says Superintendent Mike taylor.

Hutchinson was lakota’s treasurer from 1998 through 2007 and now serves as treasurer for the Central Ohio educational Service Center in Columbus.

He will work in lakota two days a week until a new treasurer is hired. the board has employed lovett & lovett to assist in that search.

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perfect attendance, and then some

there’s at least one freshman at the University of Cincinnati who doesn’t plan on missing a single day of school.

Recent lakota West graduate sydney barnes made it through the lakota Schools without missing a single day of school from her first day of kindergarten to graduation.

She plans to do the same for college.

“i know i got the most out of my public school education. i was there every day, every second,” Barnes says. “there’s no reason to miss any class in college either. Call me a nerd, but i love it. it’s a nice feeling of accomplishment.”

She didn’t miss school when she broke her back in junior school – she just delayed an operation until school let out for summer.

She didn’t miss school through four years of orthodontist appointments or a year ago when she got the flu.

Barnes was the only member of the Class of 2010 to earn perfect attendance for her entire school career. She’s set the same goal for the next stage of her life: a five-year UC biomedical engineering program.

new center centralizes enrollment

families new to the lakota Schools won’t have to go to individual schools to register their children any more.

instead they will register at the newly opened lakota enrollment Center, 8735 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, next to Union Day School.

there families can register all of their children – including incoming kindergartners – at the same time. there will be an english as a Second language staff member to assist those who speak limited english.

Under the direction of coordinator Kim Wade, the staff will answer questions and deal with issues surrounding custody affidavits, residence affidavits, change of address and home schooling.

in addition the office will update enrollment policies, procedures and forms.

information: 513-874-5505

20th teacher earns national certification

A Hopewell elementary School teacher has achieved the highest teaching credential.

Second-grade teacher brandy berry joins 19 other lakota teachers and administrators who are National Board Certified, a process

phOtO BY cara owslEy


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BY suE kiEsEwEttEr

SCHOOlnotEslakota SCHoolS

lakota SCHoolS

For tHe Fridgefor the latest information, call your school or go to www.lakotaonline.com where updated information will be posted.

September 20101 Preschool first day; Hopewell Junior photos

6 labor Day, no school

7 endeavor Market Day, 3:30 p.m.

9 Woodland magazine sale turn-in

13 School board, 7 p.m., central office; east freshmen makeup pictures; east main campus pictures

14 freedom picture day

16 independence PtA, 6:30 p.m.; Adena Market Day, 3 p.m.; Woodland magazine order turn-in; Wyandot pictures

17 Ridge fall sports pictures; Hopewell dance, 3:15 p.m.

20 Hopewell Junior PtSO, 7 p.m.; liberty early Childhood PtA, 7 p.m.

22 VanGorden Market Day pickup, 5 p.m.

23 endeavor pictures; Hopewell Junior magazine sale ends; Woodland magazine sale turn in; Hopewell Junior music candy sale begins

24 interim grades released; Hopewell PtO Carnival, 3:15-9 p.m.; endeavor movie night, 6:30 p.m.; Ridge dance, 3:15 p.m.; independence pictures

27 School board, 7 p.m., central office

28 Woodland ice cream social, 6:30 p.m.

29 east conferences

30 Heritage pictures; endeavor conferences

oCtober 20101 endeavor book fair begins

5 Ridge conferences; endeavor Market Day pickup, 3:30 p.m.

6 VanGorden conferences

7 Hopewell elementary and Woodland conferences; Hopewell elementary pictures

8 Hopewell Junior dance, 3:15 p.m.

11 School board, 7 p.m., central office; liberty early Childhood pictures

12 endeavor and independence conferences

13 endeavor sixth grade to Camp Campbell; Shawnee pictures

14 Hopewell Junior vision screening; Adena Market Day, 3 p.m.; VanGorden, Heritage & Hopewell Junior conferences

15 east picture retakes

18 liberty early Childhood family fun Night, 7 p.m.

19 Ridge PtO, 9:45 a.m.; VanGorden, Heritage conferences

20 VanGorden Market Day, 5 p.m.

21 Hopewell Junior, endeavor and independence conferences; Hopewell Junior PtSO, 7 p.m.

22 first Quarter ends; Woodland pictures

25 School board, 7 p.m., central office; independence conferences

26 Woodland conferences; Hopewell Junior fall sports awards, 7 p.m.

27 liberty Junior conferences

28 freedom conferences

that takes more than a year of preparation.the performance-based evaluation is

done by the National Board for Professional teaching Standards. teachers must prepare a video of their work, prove they know their subject matter and submit a portfolio that includes student work samples.

there are about 82,000 teachers nationally who have become National Board certified. lakota’s National Board Certified teachers are andy alexander, Ellen anderson, sandee coats-haan, Judith Ebbing, Valerie Fuller, Paulette Grady, Faye harp, Denise hayes, leslie king, John littig, karen Martin, aaron nunley, tracey Parks, angela riffle, Marianne

sample, John severs, rebecca tompkins, stephen orlando and lori Vanover.

Berry has been a lakota teacher since 2002. She has a bachelor’s degree from Miami University and a master’s from Walden University.

assistant treasurer joins district

John wilkinson has joined the lakota financial team as assistant treasurer.

Wilkinson spent six years as the treasurer for the three Rivers local School District in western Hamilton County, and before that was business manager for the Springboro Schools

in Warren County.“this is a great staff. they really work

together and help this district stay mean and lean,” Wilkinson says. “that’s key.”

Wilkinson’s wife, Cindy, is director of early childhood at Vineyard Community Church in Springdale. they have two sons and two daughters, ages 15 months to 13 years.

A resident of Cleves, Wilkinson plans to move to the district soon.

Blake Bell has played football as long as he can remember. And from first through eighth grades, this lakota West High School junior also played basketball. But when it came down to picking one sport for high school, Blake chose football. He plays on the defensive line. “i realized that i fouled out every game i played in basketball,” he says. At school Blake focuses on football and weightlifting. He also is a volunteer coach for the lakota tomahawks and assists at summer youth football camps. He hopes to play football at the college level. He’d like to major in accounting or law.

how did you get involved in football? through my father. He told me all his stories of games he played for Princeton High School – he was on a state champion team in the mid-1980s – and the ones he played in college for the University of louisville.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? Having the privilege of starting varsity for lakota West as a sophomore. i’m most proud of making the GMC All Academic team for 2009.

how has football played a role in your life? football has proven to be a major factor in my life time and time again. it has taught me the importance of being well organized so i can make it to practices and games on time, but still get my school work done. it has also helped me to build strong bonds with my teammates. this also gives me the drive and determination to perform to the best of my abilities both on and off the field.

LAKOTA WEST HIGH SCHOOL LAKOTA EAST HIGH SCHOOL

Sarah Craigto catch Sarah Craig, you have to do it on the run. the lakota east High School

senior and cross country star keeps moving in competition, and as business manager for the school’s nationally acclaimed “Spark” news magazine. “i started running by myself and the more i did it the more i liked it. i recently did the flying Pig half-marathon,” says Sarah, who is considering attending Cedarville College, eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky or Ohio State University.

how did you get involved in cross country? After playing volleyball through junior high and freshman year, my career ended as a sophomore. i started to run on my own immediately after to keep in shape. i joined the track team my sophomore year and found my niche in the long distance events. long distance running was something i used to look at as a punishment, but i grew to love it as the season went on.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? At the end of every race, (when) i set a new personal record. When i finally break a time and accomplish a goal i had set for myself, it’s a great feeling. the sport is a lot about self-motivation and by accomplishing the goals you and your coach set for yourself. it makes cross country great.

how has cross country played a role in your life? Cross country is giving me a love and motivation to run. i know i will continue to run after high school and for the rest of my life. i now have goals to finish a marathon by 18, and

Blake Bell

SARAH CRAIGlakota east high school

croSS countrY

senior

to continue to run marathons as long as my legs will allow. it has also introduced me to a lot of great kids i

would have otherwise never met. i love the closeness of the team during the season.

BLAKE BELLlakota west high schooljunior

Football

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Devyn Ciotti loves soccer so much she plays year-round – for lakota West High School and for the Cincinnati United Premiere traveling club team. it’s something she has been doing since she was 4 years old when she started playing on her dad’s team with her two older brothers. “A big play to make or break the game can take 10 seconds. i love the feeling that all those long hours and hard work were completely worth the one play to win the game,” Devyn said.

Soccer isn’t Devyn’s only sport. A senior, she also plays basketball and runs track along with being a member of student government, a peer counselor, and is active in Young life. She attended the J. Kyle Braid leadership camp a year ago. After graduation Devyn has committed to play soccer at the University of louisville where she is considering a major in physical therapy.

how did you get involved in soccer? Both of my older brothers played and with my dad coaching it was so fun for me to feel involved with the rest of the family. We all had something that we loved and could do together, and i have been in love with the game since.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? it was in last year’s state cup finals for my club team. i was playing in the finals with an injured hip, but with around 10 minutes to go, i scored a header goal off a free kick. it was the most exhilarating thing i have ever experienced. My team ended up winning state cup 1-0.

how has soccer played a role in your life? Almost every life lesson has been taught to me through sports, including work ethic, teamwork, sportsmanship and, most importantly, time management. especially playing two sports at once really makes me focus on what i know i have to get done – school and sports come first and then my social life. All of my close friends understand because i have played a sport with them at one time or another.

When he was a kid, J.D. Whetsel was a little slow discovering his passion for football. But the lakota east High School senior has more than made up for it by becoming a lightning-quick running back for the thunderhawks. “When i was in junior high, everyone was always trying to push me into playing football,” says J.D., who also plays shortstop on lakota east’s varsity baseball team.

“Now i love the rush of friday night football games. You wake up Saturday morning sort of beat up but it’s a good sort of beat up,” says J.D., who hopes to earn either a football or baseball scholarship with Miami University, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University or eastern Kentucky University.

how did you get involved in football? All through elementary school i had coaches and friends pressing me to play tomahawk football, but the passion wasn’t there yet. Once junior high came around i knew it was time to finally get on the gridiron. Playing football with a school’s name on the jersey was a great decision; the bond you form with your teammates has made friendships that i will take with me forever.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? Scoring my first varsity touchdown as a sophomore. the actual run was only like 2 yards but it felt like 40. i got a handoff against Glen este High School in the third quarter and our line made the biggest hole i’ve ever seen. i practically walked in for the score. Standing in that end zone for the first time and listening to the crowd was a great feeling.

how has football played a role in your life? football is the ultimate test of determination and strength. i think to myself all the time that if i can get through an entire summer of early morning workouts and two-a-days then i can get through anything. the feeling of stepping out under those lights on a friday night is unbelievable.

Devyn Ciotti

J.D. WhetSel

J.D. WHETSELlakota east high schoolsenior Football

DEVYN CIOTTIlakota west high school

seniorSoccEr

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28 our town 2828 our town

Robert Hasselfeld is serious about soccer. the lakota West senior not only plays on his school’s varsity team, but he is also on the Cincinnati United Premier Crew Juniors and the Olympic Development team Region ii. He credits his goalkeeping skills to Pat McManus, an instructor at Precision Goalkeeping School, whom he works with one on one. “i love the challenge of keeping the ball out of the net and i like the fast pace of the game,” he says.

Robert was selected to attend the J. Kyle Braid leadership camp last year. After graduation he would like to play Division i soccer at Wake forest or indiana University.

how did you get involved in soccer? ever since i was 3 years old i have been playing soccer. My mom is the main reason that i am as successful as i am. She pushes me on the days i may want to slack off.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? i recently went with the Region ii Olympic Development team to train in italy and play in the europa Judendcup in Austria, an invitation-only tournament with eight teams participating. in the games against Austria, Vienna and experance tunis, i played goalkeeper and the games ended up 1-1. i was named the most valuable player for the USA team for the tournament by my coaches.

how has soccer played a role in your life? Playing soccer is what i love and i put my heart and soul into playing it. it has helped me learn how to prioritize my life between school, sports and friends. Playing the sport, i have made many friendships that will last a lifetime. Some of my firends are from liberia, Nigeria and Honduras.

lakota east High School senior Nicki Klass is not only following the bouncing ball in life, but often controlling it as one of the top stars on the school’s varsity soccer team. Nicki accomplished the rare feat of making the girls’ varsity thunderhawks squad her freshman year. “My older sister was on the team and i got to play with her,” says Nicki, who is also proud of being a member of the All-Academic Greater Miami Conference team for three straight years. Nicki hopes to earn an academic or sports scholarship to either Miami University, Wright State University or the University of Dayton.

how did you get involved in soccer? When i was 8 years old, i moved to West Chester and my friend, Megan Cravenor, played soccer. She was the one that told me how much she loved and enjoyed playing. Since i was new to the district, my parents thought playing soccer would be a great opportunity for me to make friends. little did they know that i would become addicted to the sport and play it for many years to come.

what has been the most exciting moment for you? in 2009, i was at a showcase tournament down in tennessee. Going into the third game, my team had to win by two to advance on to the next game. i ended up scoring a hat trick, three goals, and getting an assist to my team’s fourth goal. We won the game 4-2. that game showed me that if i set my mind to it, i can achieve anything.

how has soccer played a role in your life? Right when i stepped on the field for the first time, i knew soccer had changed my life. if i wanted to progress as a player i needed to make lifestyle changes like eating healthier and exercising more often. However, this sport has taught me life lessons such as managing my time wisely, working my hardest at all times, and never giving up no matter what the circumstance.

roBert haSSelfelD

niCki klaSS

NICKI KLASSlakota east high schoolsenior SoccEr

ROBERT HASSELFELD

lakota west high school

seniorSoccEr


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Follow us on

10765 Reading Rd.Cincinnati, OH 45241513.769.1010

www.sportplusohio.com

Congratulations to this month’s High School All Stars for a job well done!

Birthday Parties, Corporate Events, Sports Team Parties, Team Building

Basketball • Hockey • Open Skate - Ice & Inline • Hockey Leagues and Tournaments • VolleyballMini Golf • Mini Bowling • Game Room • Slugger’s Rockin’ Sports Bar with Full Kitchen Menu

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Bon Appétit!

Pain Relief - all types, including FibromyalgiaInfertility (increase odds by 50-60%)

We can help so much more! Check us out online.

www.WestChesterAcuChiro.com 513-777-9428Dr. Julie Hilbert, DC, FIAMA, Dipl.Ac.

West Chester Acupuncture and ChiropracticAcupuncture, Chiropractic, Massage and Nutrition

meet the brink family Chris and Beth Brink believe in family and faith, and feel blessed to have 10 children to love.

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where to eat: sultan’s mediterranean cuisine Turkish, Greek and Lebanese inspired dishes delight the senses.

calendar Dozens of great places to go and things to do.

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48 hailing mom’s taxi service Our Town columnist Monica Scalf bemoans her role as family taxi driver.

fiNalthoughtS

school news and notes All you need to know from the Lakota school district.

sports all-stars When it comes to sports, these Lakota students are on top of their games.

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30 our town

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BY chris rEiDphOtOs BY tony tribblE and thoMas sMith

soft-serve

treat

Driving down tylersville Road in West Chester seems ordinary enough: a dentist’s office here, a Dunkin’ Donuts there.

then, you spot something on a hillside near Cincinnati-Dayton Road – a giant vanilla ice cream cone/building tucked in a mostly residential area. At nearly 30 feet tall, it’s an eye-catcher from blocks away. Quietly, this funky building – home of the Cone, a soft-serve ice cream hangout and restaurant – has become an area

landmark as recognizable as the eiffel tower at Kings island or the ikea sign along interstate 75.

But if you haven’t been there recently, you might be surprised by the additions. On July 20, the Cone turned 15 years old, but it has experienced more growth and popularity than most businesses see in generations.

Keith Wren, co-owner of the Cone, remembers the early days well.

Lovin’that

aBOvE: a favorite at the cone is the orange sherbert/vanilla twist cone.

Right: the cone’s huge ice cream cone building is a landmark that’s easy to spot.


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Lovin’

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“We started with this giant cone that we found and brought back from florida,” he says. “then, after the small dining room was built, we opened for business.” Wren added that while he would have loved to have a celebration of the Cone’s anniversary, nothing formal marked the day. “We’ve been so busy,” Wren says.

Busy is an understatement. the Cone has experienced 10-15 percent growth in nearly every year of its operation, except for that unfortunate summer when tylersville Road was torn up with construction.

there are a few explanations for the success of the Cone, even in a difficult economy. Wren says the freshness of ingredients and overall quality separates him from his competitors.

“We make our own peanut butter and our own whipped cream,” he says. “Nobody makes their own whipped cream.” the vanilla ice cream is also unusual. Voted as the best soft serve in Cincinnati by Cincinnati Magazine, the Cone uses natural Madagascar vanilla to flavor its ice cream. Wren admits it’s an expensive product, but he insists on “that old-fashioned flavor.”

“the real old-timers told us a long time ago when we first got into this business that a soft-serve place like this would do fairly well during hard times” says Wren. “We can’t charge as much or have the biggest menu, but it allows people to be able to get a good product at a reasonable price.”

Compared to the price of a few cheese conies, or rides and games at an amusement park, this simple theory may be resonating with the public. Wren says there are plenty of ways to fake the flavor and make it OK, “but i’m not happy with OK.”

Open generally from April to October (baseball season), the Cone relies on favorable weather conditions to bring families out for a cold treat or a bite to eat. Wren, who works all day every day, says spring is his busiest season. “everyone’s always asking when we’re opening

again for the year, and then when we finally do we get slammed.” On a typical hot summer night, however, expect all three of the

Cone’s walk-up windows to be lined with customers, the patios to be full and the drive-thru to have traffic wrapped around the parking lot.

One particularly steamy Saturday night recently was a perfect example. the Cone was hopping. the lot was jammed, and cars overflowed into the parking spaces of surrounding businesses – all of them presumably Cone customers, as it seems unlikely people would bombard a paint store at 9 p.m. on a Saturday. Vans unloading little ballplayers, couples sharing a cone on the patio and kids playing on the rides outside, accompanied the sunset scene. One employee seemed to have her hands full just keeping up. “i’ve actually seen it much busier than this,” she says with a smile. “it’s not bad.”

to accommodate its increasing popularity, the Cone’s infrastructure has grown since its opening in 1995. in 2007, a drive-thru window was installed as a way to decrease parking lot traffic. Since then, improvements were made to ensure the line did not back up into the street. Drive-thru attendants now meet customers outside before they get to the window to take their order via headset, increasing the rate of sales by 30 percent. Additional features like a back patio for extra seating, improved ice cream machines for serving multiple cones at once and a mobile cone trailer help establish, and maintain the Cone’s customer fan base.

it doesn’t stop there. this year marks the opening of the Cone’s game room. in an area that formerly was an enclosed patio now sit dozens of arcade-style games. A platform was also cleared outside the game room where small amusement style rides can be found, similar to the play area in a shopping mall. these additions are popular with the Cone’s key demographic – kids.

the menu has also undergone a face lift. New items like 10-inch crunchcoat cakes and cheesecake on a stick give customers a taste

of something different, but it’s the simple things like the famous orange and vanilla twist that keep them coming back, even from long distances.

Heather Dennett has spread the word of the Cone all the back to her home state of Colorado. “My best friend lives in West Chester and introduced me to the Cone,” she says. “i really wish we had something like this in Colorado, but really there is only one.”

Still family owned and operated, the Cone’s pool of employees has grown to nearly 40, most of who work part time and attend school. the bulk of the decision-making, as well as the longest tenured employees, exist within the Wren family. Keith’s father brought his children into the Cone business when they were young. He and brother Kyle worked for the old store, and now Keith has his own

32 our town

phOtO sUBmittEd via sharE BY DianE Janusz

children into The Cone business when they were young. He and brother Kyle worked for the old store, and now Keith has his own children getting involved in the family business.

“When my father started this store 40 years ago it was very much a mom and pop type place,” says Wren. “We were famous for our foot long cheese coneys and never expected it would grow into this.” The family decided to reduce the stress of food preparation and focus on ice cream when the business moved to West Chester. The original shop was located between Reading and Lockland, not far from Interstate 75. The building still stands and has been empty for seven years, until recent efforts to remodel the site. Keith’s father splits 50 percent of the business operations with Keith.

Even with all the new features and additions to The Cone, they’ve still managed to keep the familiar staples around. The ice cream-shaped trailer, dubbed the “Mobile Cone,” may be coming soon to a festival near you. “We do about 65 events a year with the mobile trailer,” says Wren. His crew has traveled as far north as Troy to serve ice cream, but typically stays near Cincinnati.

“Blue Ash and Mason are big for us. They love us over there.” So much in fact that a new and improved trailer has been used – the snowman. “He’s 30 feet tall, he’s rounder than me and he’s a pain,” says Wren. “But he looks cute.” The snowman makes life a little easier for those serving cones, but the Mobile Cone may soon be retired for something roomier.

The Wren family may soon have to make another choice regarding their business: whether to make The Cone a franchise. How close is the possibility of The Cone going national? “There has been talk of franchising,” Wren says. “But in order to do that we’d have to build one far enough away so that it doesn’t affect our business, but where people still know us.” Wren’s philosophy has always been open to new ideas to expand The Cone, but franchising is just in the talking stages – for now.

There will probably be more changes in coming years, tempered with one simple rule: “If you change something, you change it for the better,” Wren says.

TOP: The indoor arcade is an added family-friendly feature at The Cone.

ABOVE: Bring your coinage, the amusement-style rides are a favorite with the younger crowd.

FAR LEFT: The Mobile Cone makes appearances throughout the region at festivals and special events. In this photo the PTO at Liberty Junior School sponsored a visit to reward students who did not receive any teacher or office detentions or any office referrals throughout the school year.


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BY sue kiesewetterPHOTOS BY tony jones

ABOVE: nick Aleshin and Phillip stone of West Chester man the “Millenium Parrot.”

LEFT: kyle jones of Maineville was fast enough to take second place in the “Gator” with a time of 1 minute, 33 seconds.

THE RUNNING OF THE

Organizers of the inaugural Crazy Cardboard Regatta deemed the two-day event a success and promised a

return in 2011.“This was just the first year and it was

really incredible what the participants were able to create,” said Susan Stretch, marketing coordinator for MetroParks of Butler County.

“With a lot of people already planning on what they are going to do next year, how could we not do it again?”

More than 5,000 spectators came to see if the 24 boats made of corrugated cardboard and duct tape would float.

Most were able to navigate the boats through the 200-yard course with paddles. Only a few sank when put into the lake at Voice of America Park in West Chester Township.

>> race results

youth Division, Class i 1st place Ship Shape Ape, navigated by Nick Kanaly, Jake Schwarz and Luke Schwarz

2nd place Floatilla the Bun, navigated by Andrew Kanaly and Austin Leiber

open Division, Class i1st place Elemonator, manned by Sam Richmond

2nd place The Gator, manned by Kyle Jones

3rd place Still Crazy, manned by Ed Lemon

34 our town

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>> other Awards

People’s ChoiceDragon’s Pride by Jacob Baumgarte and Janet Bockey

most CreativeCAT-amaran by Tom Post and Briana Post

Best team spiritBoats and Hose by the West Chester Township firefighters

Best overall DesignDragon’s Pride by Jacob Baumgarte and Janet Bockey

judge’s PickShip Shape Ape by Nick Kanaly, Jack Schwarz and Luke Schwarz

Best sinking “titanic” AwardThe Yellow Submarine constructed by employees of Georgia Pacific

ABOVE: Spectators watch from the shore as the participants in their cardboard constructed “boats” attempt to sail a 200-yard course.

LEFT: Briana Post of Reading with her cousins eva and mackenzie Due (left to right) race in “CAT-amaran,” which was awarded “Most Creative.”

BOTTOM: Christy Lemon of Maineville was moving fast in “Double Vision.”

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Sultan’S Mediterranean CuiSine7305 tyler’s Corner drive

West Chester, OH 45069

513-847-1535

I ducked into Sultan’s on a rainy day to meet a few friends, and crossing the threshold was like entering a different country. Burnt orange walls and a sleek, modern décor create a warm, yet elegant atmosphere. Sounds of authentic music mingle with the exotic aromas wafting from the kitchen, and the gracious staff makes you feel as if you’ve been personally invited to dine there.

But frankly, that’s all just icing on the cake. The food at Sultan’s is so good it could stand on its own. The pairing of supremely fresh ingredients and the expertise of chef and co-owner Mustafa Koylu, formerly of Café Mediterranean, is an unbeatable combination. Only open for a few months, they have recently obtained their liquor

license and boast a nice selection of wines.We began our meal with a trio of appetizers that we chose from

the large selection of both hot and cold offerings. Warm, freshly baked pita bread came in a bread basket as an accompaniment to the hummus ($4.50) and Baba Ghanoush ($4.95), the two cold choices we made. The hummus was creamy and smooth, and though the menu described it as made with a hint of garlic, hint would be an understatement. It was loaded with fresh garlic and was absolutely delicious. The Baba Ghanoush, a dip made with smoked, pureed eggplant, was a bit milder, but had the same, made-fresh taste as the hummus.

Delectable array of flavors and textures

» PHOTO BY tony triBBLe

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Seconds

»

»

jill i. SOlimini

For more restaurant reviews or to rate and review where you’ve eaten lately, visit

connectwestChester.com or connectLiberty.com.

StOneCreek dining COMpany 6200 Muhlhauser road, West Chester

513-942-2100

www.stonecreekdining.com

The restaurant formerly known as Mesh gives an elegant grown-up backdrop to dinner in West Chester. A wall of wine is the focal point of the modern, well-lit dining room. But the menu is reasonably priced and lists a great variety of dinner options. There’s seafood, pastas, steak, some prepared simply, others with more interesting flavor combinations and garnishes. Honey-walnut chicken stuffed with goat cheese, beef medallions served with portabello caps and spinach are among the entrees, which are mostly priced within a few dollars of $20.

SOup du JOur6064 West Chester road, West Chester

513-874-7687

www.soupjones.com

They make the soup from scratch here, and there’s always something vegetarian or gluten-free. It’s an interesting array of soups, which change frequently, but might include crab bisque, gazpacho, clam chowder, chilled cucumber-avocado, fresh pea or Italian chicken and vegetable. They also serve sandwiches and salads, and you can create combo meals with 2 or 3 items.

BravO CuCina italiana9436 Waterfront drive, West Chester

513-342-1784

www.bravoitalian.com

One of an upscale regional chain, this restaurant offers a choice well beyond the red sauce and spaghetti that define Italian for many. They special in grilled foods, including flatbreads, grilled chicken marsala or filet mignon Toscana. Mahi Mahi is served with roasted carrots, fennel and escarole for a touch of Italian flavor. There are pastas, including their popular pasta woozie with alfredo-style sauce, grilled chicken and spinach. The dining room is busy and comfortable, with tasteful draperies and ceramics giving it an old-world but un-corny atmosphere.

- POLLY CAMPBELL, The Enquirer

We chose the Rolled Spinach Pie ($4.50) as our hot appetizer. Three eggroll-shaped pastries were filled with a creamy, spinach and cheese filling. The lightly fried pastry was delicate and just melted in your mouth – a must try item on the menu.

I chose the Greek Salad ($5.95) and added a Chicken Kebab ($3.95). The presentation of all the dishes we ordered was beautiful, but the salad was particularly gorgeous. Fresh herbs were sprinkled around the rim of the huge plate it was served in, and when it was placed before me, it stopped conversation as we all paused to admire it. Crisp romaine lettuce was studded with chopped tomato, cucumber and onion and laden with tender cubes of marinated, perfectly grilled chicken. Every bite of lettuce uncovered new treasures – salty olives, a few stuffed grape leaves and enormous chunks of fresh feta made the salad as interesting as it was delicious.

One friend who accompanied me ordered the Baked Eggplant ($13.95) that was listed under Ottoman Specials. According to co-owner Mehmet Coskun, 90 percent of the meals they offer are Turkish in origin, and the rest are a mix of Greek- and Lebanese-inspired dishes. An oven-roasted eggplant was stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, ground lamb, tomatoes and green peppers – the melding of the flavors was incredible in this savory dish. It was a generous portion and was served with a side of herbed rice.

My other friend ordered the show-stopper of the visit, the Iskender Kebab ($14.95), apparently one of the most famous dishes of Northwestern Turkey and named after its inventor, Iskender Efendi. An enormous mound of doner – marinated lamb meat that is roasted on a vertical spit and shaved into thin, moist slices – was piled high on diced pita bread, garlic yogurt and fresh tomato sauce. (Think inside-out gyro.) The meat was delicious, and the pita bread pieces soaked up the flavors of the sauces.

All the portions were plentiful, and the food was so wonderful that we each did justice to our meals. This did not stop us from sampling the Baklava ($5.95), and it was well worth the calories. Three triangles of the homemade pastry came beautifully presented on a plate drizzled with chocolate stripes and fresh whipped cream. One of my friends is Greek and grew up eating Baklava

– she said it was some of the best she has sampled. At the end of the meal, Coskun modestly

accepted our accolades and presented us with complimentary cups of Turkish tea. As we savored the strong, black tea, we pulled out our calendars and settled on a date to come back for dinner.

»


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Events calendarFor even more event listings, visit connectwestChester.com or connectLiberty.com.

Blessid union of sowls will be performing at the REZonate Music Fest & Charity Bike Ride on September 11.

PHOTO BY toDD sLAter

38 our town

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Benefits

REZonate Music Fest & Charity Bike RideSept. 11, 1 p.m., Keehner Park, 7211 Barrett Road, West Chester Township. Blessid Union of Souls, Brian White, 8KOunt and The Nuclear Penguins perform. Charity motorcycle ride at noon. Benefits Backpacks For Pine Ridge. $8 donation. www.backpacksforpineridge.com/Rezonate__08.php.

City Gospel Mission Golf OutingSept. 18, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Bel-Wood Country Club, 5873 Ludlum Road, Morrow. Includes cart, meals, refreshments and

gifts, along with a chance to win prizes and awards. Proceeds benefit City Gospel Mission programs and services for men, women and youth in need in the Greater Cincinnati area. $1,000 team of four; $250 per golfer. Registration required. 513-377-5650; www.citygospelmission.org.

Turkey CupOct. 16, 12-5 p.m., Mason Pub, 753 Reading Road, Mason. Two person scramble. Benefits Cincinnati Korean American Association. $35-$40 per person. Reservations required. 513-339-1005.

CiviC

Warren County Democratic Party Executive MeetingSept. 15 and Oct. 20, 7-9 p.m. Warren County Democratic Party, 1975 N State Route 42, Lebanon. Public welcome to attend. Ages 18 and up. 513-228-2400; www.warrencountydems.org.

ConCerts

After-Hours on the SquareSept. 2, 6-9 p.m., The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive, West Chester Township. Clocktower. DJ Johnny B 4:30-6 p.m. Bring seating. Food and

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beverages available. Music by Sullivan Janszen Band. 513-759-7308.

Groovin’ on the Green ConcertSept. 2, 7 p.m., Village Green Park, 301 Wessel Drive, Fairfield. Bring seating. Concessions available. Music by Robin Lacy & DeZydeco. Presented by the Fairfield Community Foundation. Concessions by Marco’s Pizza and Flubs. 513-867-5348; www.fairfield-city.org.

Thursday Night LiveSept. 2, 6-9 p.m., Downtown Mason, Main Street, Mason. Plaza. Food and drinks available. Activities for children. Bring seating. Music by Laura Hazelbaker and the BuckeyRoos. 513-339-1390; www.festivalsofmason.com.

Summer Musical EntertainmentSept. 4, noon-3 p.m., Music by 2 Way Street Sept. 5, noon-3 p.m., Music by FlatRock Quartet Cincinnati Premium Outlets, 400 Premium Outlets Drive, Monroe. Summer-long series of free live musical entertainment presented by Coca-Cola. All performances are weather permitting and subject to change. 513-539-0710; www.premiumoutlets.com/cincinnati.

West Chester Concert SeriesSept. 5, 7-9 p.m., Keehner Park, 7211 Barrett Road, West Chester Township. Picnics welcome. Bring own seating. Music by West Chester Symphony. 513-777-5900; www.westchesteroh.org.

Ohio Hayride Country Music ShowSept. 18, 2 p.m., 7 p.m., Tommy Cash: Tribute to Johnny Cash.Oct. 16, 2 p.m., 7 p.m., T. Graham Brown. With Richard Lynch and his Musical Friends, other local and regional talent and national acts. Keepin It Country Farm, 5511 Township Line Road, Waynesville. 2 p.m. show airs on 910 WPFB and 7 p.m. show airs on 89.3 hybrid FM. $99 season ticket, $25. 513-934-2001; www.keepinitcountryfarm.com.

Twilight Concert SeriesSept. 19, 5-7 p.m., McDaniel Sports Complex, 11797 Solzman Road, Sycamore Township. Concessions available. Picnics and coolers welcome. Bring seating.

Music by Blue Stone Ivory. Free. 513-792-7270; www.sycamoretownship.org.

festivals

St. Susanna Family - End of Summer FestivalSept. 10, 5 p.m.-midnightSept. 11, 4 p.m.-midnightSept. 12, 1-10 p.m. St. Susanna School, 500 Reading Road, Mason. Rides, food, games, bingo,

music, auctions, raffles and more. Free. Through Sept. 12. 513-398-3821; www.stsusanna.org.

Loveland Art ShowSept. 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Nisbet Park, 210 Railroad Ave., Loveland. Juried fine arts show, children’s crafts, music, food and more. Starving Artists’ Cafe. [email protected]; www.lovelandartscouncil.org.

There are plenty of people doing good things to help their communities, and Our Town has written some of their stories.

Expect to see them regularly in coming issues. They’ll take a special tag, “Giving Back,” to recognize the efforts of people who so often give of themselves to help others and make this a better

place to live. This month’s Giving Back feature focuses on West Chester Boy Scout Evan Cooper,

who has planted a community garden for his Eagle Scout project. The vegetables

grown there will be donated to Reach Out Lakota.

editOr’snotE

Evan hopes the garden will continue to sprout for years to come. And Reach Out Lakota is grateful that he noticed their need when he got the project going.

Nice job, Evan.• • • • •

Community icons like The Cone are part of what make West Chester a special place to live. I like to patronize locally owned businesses, and it’s good to see that The Cone is weathering the recession fairly well. You might even spot the Mobile Cone at a church festival or other community event.

If you haven’t tried one of The Cone’s treats, you’re missing out. Read about it inside this issue.

Do you have an idea for a story? If so, please get in touch.You can reach me at [email protected], or 513-768-8392.

Ranch, condo or townhome. Three bedrooms with a view or near a school. Loves the city or likes quiet space. You can find the home that fits you best on HomeFinder.com.

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The best way to let homes and people

find each other.

Vlad kholodov works on painting his pumpkin at the 2009 Liberty Township Fall Festival.

40 our town

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40 our town

Fall FestivalSept. 18, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Liberty Park, 6703 Yankee Road, Liberty Township. Includes 5K. 513-759-7500.

Mason Arts FestivalSept. 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Mason Municipal Building, 6000 Mason-Montgomery

Road, Mason. More than 120 local and regional artists. Children’s activity tent, food, demonstrations, Chalk Walk area and entertainment. Student art exhibit. Rain or shine. 513-573-0007; www.masonarts.org.

Country ApplefestSept. 25, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Downtown Lebanon, Mulberry Street, Lebanon. More than 100 booths of homemade crafts, food, entertainment and Applefest Bake Off. Includes Applefest 5K/10K to benefit Caring For Families scholarship Fund starting from Countryside YMCA. Information on 5K/10K: [email protected]. Free. 877-933-2775; www.countryapplefest.com.

Ohio Sauerkraut FestivalOct. 9, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Opening ceremony 11 a.m. Music by Sand Gap 11:30 a.m., Richard Lynch and his Musical Friends p.m., Fintan Band 2:30 p.m., Jet Set 4 p.m., and The Corner Cats 5 p.m. Oct. 10, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Community church service 8 a.m. Music by Willow Creek 9:30 a.m., Ohio River Minstrels 11 a.m., The Ohio Sauerkraut German Band 12:30 p.m., Waynesville High School Band and Chorus 2 p.m., and The Rejects 4 p.m. Downtown Waynesville, Main, High and Miami streets, Waynesville. More than 450 vendors, food booths and entertainment. 513-897-8855; www.sauerkrautfestival.com.

Pioneer Harvest FestivalOct. 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village, 3999 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville. Soap and candle-making, corn harvesting, squash, pumpkins and more. Meet Daniel Boone and tour Indian Village. $7, $3 children; free ages 2 and under. 513-897-1120; www.caesarscreekvillage.org.

filmsMovies in the ParkSept. 3, 8 p.m., “Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock”Sept. 17, 8 p.m., “Happy Feet” Cottell Park, 5847 Irwin Simpson Road, Deerfield Township. Bring blanket or lawn chair. 513-683-5805.

Movies in the ParkSept. 3, 9-11 p.m., “Enchanted”Sept. 17, 9-11 p.m., “Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakwel”

PHOTO BY ernest CoLemAn

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Oct. 3, 9-11 p.m., “The Incredibles.” Village Green Park, 301 Wessel Drive, Fairfield. Fairfield Fire Department provides pre-show fun. All ages. 513-867-5379.

Halloween

Haunted TrailsOct. 1, 6-10 p.m., Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village, 3999 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville. Fridays-Sundays in Oct. $5 discount available online: www.caesarscreekpioneervillage.com. 513-897-1120.

Great Pumpkin FestOct. 9, 2-6 p.m., Keehner Park, 7211 Barrett Road, West Chester Township. Featuring children’s not-so-scary haunted trail, pumpkin patch, horse and wagon rides, petting zoo and inflatable rides. 513-759-7304; www.westchesteroh.org.

Pumpkin Patch in the ParkOct. 23, 1-5 p.m., William Harbin Park, 1300 Hunter Road, Fairfield. Pumpkin decorating, face painting, kids’ crafts, games and more. Includes hayride to the pumpkin patch to select a pumpkin. Refreshments available. 513-867-5348; www.fairfield-city.org.

Pioneer Trick or TreatOct. 30, 3-6 p.m., Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village, 3999 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville. Goodies and spooky stories. All ages. 513-897-1120.

Fairfield Trick or TreatingOct. 31, 6-8 p.m., Fairfield Municipal Building, 5350 Pleasant Ave, Fairfield. 513-867-5300.

Fairfield Township Trick or TreatingOct. 31, 6-8 p.m., Fairfield Township, Fairfield. 513-887-4400.

Lebanon Trick or TreatingOct. 31, 5:30-7:30 p.m., City of Lebanon, Lebanon. 513-932-3060.

Mason Trick or TreatingOct. 31, 6-8 p.m., City of Mason, Mason. 513-229-8560.

reCreation

Cruise In on the GreenSept. 18, 4-10 p.m., Village Green Park, 301 Wessel Drive, Fairfield. Registration begins at 4 p.m. Registration fee includes dash plaque and show entrance. More than 100 classic cars, motorcycles and other vehicles on display with food and music. Awards and prizes presented at

6:30 p m. on Amphitheater stage. $15 per vehicle, $12 advance; spectators free. 513-867-5348; www.fairfield-city.org.

The Amazing Portable CircusSept. 25, 1-3 p.m., Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Ohio 128 (Hamilton-Cleves Road), Hamilton. Two stilt entertainers juggle and make balloon animals for park visitors. 513-921-5454; www.amazingportablecircus.com.

42 our town

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Circle Pet Health FairOct. 3, 1-3 p.m., Circle Tail, 8834 Carey Lane, Pleasant Plain. Circle Tail Training/Education Center. Dog vendors and veterinary health practitioners from various modalities available for consultations and treatments of dogs. 513-877-3325; [email protected].

speCial event

What Flows from the RiverSept. 3-4 , 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Little Miami Scenic River and Trail Center, 211 Railroad Ave., Loveland. Art, culture, music, recreation, science, wildlife events in the afternoons. Free. Through Sept. 25. 513-893-4453; www.littlemiami.com.

Friends of Liberty DaySept. 4, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason. Friends and family from all liberty-minded groups in Tri-state area for a day of thrills and patriotism. All attendees receive special pricing, no membership required. Family friendly. $19.99. 800-288-0808; bit.ly/dbq9QJ.

Pride NightSept. 10, 6 p.m.-midnight, Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason. Entertainment and rides in GLBT-friendly atmosphere. Free parking. Children’s rides and amusements not open. Benefits Gay and Lesbian Community

Center. Season passes not honored. $45, $40 advance; $36 in blocks of seven or more. 513-591-0200; www.cincyglbt.com.

Civil War EncampmentSept. 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Sept. 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village, 3999 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville. Living history encampment of soldiers in 1863. Abe Lincoln and General Lee to stroll through village. Children’s corner, cooking contest, fashion show drilling and daily battles. $7, $3 children; free ages 2 and under. 513-897-1120; www.caesarscreekpioneervillage.com.

Experience a living history in Waynesville at the Civil war encampment taking place in September. Meet President Lincoln and General Robert E. Lee as 1863 comes alive again.

42 our town PHOTO BY AmAnDA DAViDson

BY jiLL i. soLiminiPHOTOS BY DeogrACiAs LermA

meet the Brink family

The Brink Family includes (clockwise from left): Ben, Helen, Chris, jack, Beth, Anna, Catherine, Dominic, mary Clare, nathaniel and sam. Daughter elizabeth, counseling at camp in Montreal, is not pictured. september | october 2010 43

YOURHome

43

lEFT: The distinct personalities and interests of the children is demonstrated in their varying choices of bedroom decor.

RiGHT: The importance of family and faith is evident throughout the Brink home. This photo montague of the children is the focal point of the two-story greatroom.44 our town

YOURHome

For a household made up of 12 people – 10 of them children ranging in age from 21 all the way down to 22 months – the Brink home is amazingly calm

and quiet. Parents Chris and Beth are low key – as children stream in and out of the family room they introduce their brood and offer suggestions to each of them on how to pacify Anna, the baby of the family, who is demanding to play outside despite the thunder and lightning that is moving into the area.

“The key is being calm,” says Chris, director of engineering at Diversey. “Being calm definitely cuts down on the chaos.”

Chris and Beth met while attending Western Kentucky University and dated for four years before marrying in 1988.

“We didn’t plan on our family being this large,” laughs Beth. “We just welcomed each of them as they came.”

While Beth is one of seven children, Chris has only two siblings. “During the time that we dated, I spent a lot of time with Beth’s family and got used to a lot of kids,” he says. It was a good thing, because Ben and Catherine were born during the first two years of their marriage.

Parenting is challenging with children at many stages – Ben and Catherine are in college, while Mary Clare and Anna, the two youngest, are still home all day with Beth.

“I just don’t look at our family as being big,” says Beth. “I really look at each child as an individual with individual needs.”

And each child has a diverse personality with interests to match.

Ben will be a senior at Miami University and is majoring in linguistics with a focus on Japanese. He is in the Air Force ROTC program and received his pilot’s license when he was a senior in high school.

Catherine, a junior, is majoring in physical therapy at the University of Cincinnati and working as a physical therapy technician at the Liberty campus of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She has been involved in Pure Fashion, a faith-based program that helps young girls learn to live, act and dress with dignity.

Faith is a priority in this family. Sam, a junior at Bishop Fenwick High School, is a camp counselor for Conquest, an organization based on Catholic principles that is designed to develop character and encourage spiritual growth. He also plays soccer and runs track for his school.

After attending Challenge camp, the sister organization of Conquest, for four years, 14-year-old Elizabeth spent six weeks in Montreal this summer as a counselor for


YOURHome

46 our town

YOURHome

46 our town

YOURHome the organization. And she too has been involved in Pure Fashion and runs track at Fenwick.

Beth, a track and cross country runner when she was in college, was part of a group of parents who began a track program at Royalmont this past spring. The four children attending Royalmont participated in the school’s first season sporting shirts emblazoned with the scripture “We shall run and not grow weary” from Isiah 40:31.

In addition to running track, Jack, a seventh-grader, plays football, takes piano lessons and enjoys golfing with his brother, Sam. Ten-year-old Helen will begin attending Challenge in the fall and also plays piano, while twin first-graders Dominic and Nathaniel love Legos and being outdoors.

Beth, who has a master’s degree in elementary education with a reading endorsement, decided long ago that preschool wasn’t necessarily essential for her younger children.

“We do it all at home – there is always a craft project under way, and the kids are always singing and dancing,” says Beth. So Mary Clare, 4, and Anna use the living room as a stage, and the kitchen table as their art studio.

When not being used for crafts, the kitchen is a place for the family to gather to cook and spend time together. Cooking is a group effort and is something all the kids enjoy.

“Amazingly, we cook and eat dinner as a family almost every night,” says Chris.

“It costs more to eat here than to live here,” says Beth. “Our food bill is more than our mortgage.”

With a family of 12, meal preparation is quite an undertaking. Everyone pitches in, and chores are assigned to the younger children as soon as they are able to help out. The kids start with simple tasks like setting the table and graduate to emptying garbage cans and unloading the dishwasher.

For one meal, Dominic was assigned potato peeling as his part of the meal and peeled 16 potatoes before anyone noticed and stopped him.

“It’s really teamwork that makes our family work,” says Beth. “They all just know what to do to get things done.”

Simple household tasks take on magnitude in this family – Beth does four to five loads of laundry each day. “If Chris can’t find me, he knows to check in the laundry room,” says Beth.

The key to keeping her head above water is trying to put a positive spin on even the mundane things in life. “A friend gave me this tip for when I’m doing mountains of laundry – every time you find a sock or shirt inside out, say a prayer for that child. I think I hit every child in every load,” she says.

What’s crucial to Chris is making sure that he and Beth have time alone together. When he comes back from a business trip, he often has one of the older children drop Beth off with him downtown so they can catch up with

ClOCKWiSE FROm TOP RiGHT: mary Clare poses with a piece of nature in her backyard. The handprints that make up the household are now more numerous. meals are a family affair with everyone pitching in. Here sam and Catherine help Helen, mary Clare, Dominic and Anna at lunchtime.

TOP lEFT: The kitchen is a central area for family activity.

BOTTOm lEFT: “Calm” is a key element to life in the Brink home and the decor mirrors that sentiment as furniture and accessories compliment the clean colors used throughout the house.

each other before he walks in the door and is surrounded by the kids.“I am continually amazed at the nurturing I see go on among our

kids,” marvels Chris. “Maybe it’s because we are a big family – but I am so proud to see how all of our kids pitch in and how the older children begin to take on responsibilities without even being asked.”

“Love leads to service,” agrees Beth. “Our children are each other’s best friends – they like to do things together, and they look out for each other. There is just so much love and teamwork in our family.”

“Our children are our blessings and have made us the people we are. We try to form them, but they end up forming us.”


FinaltHougHts

Monica Scalf is a freelance writer and mother of two from West Chester. When she’s not shuttling the 13-and-under crowd, she can be found at [email protected]. Check out her blog TheOrdinaryMatters.com.

BY moniCA sCALf

Hailing mom’s taxi service

The other day, after shuttling kids to and fro to the tune of hundreds of miles in one week, I declared to my husband that I would never want

to be a taxi driver. I amended my declaration once I realized there was a critical difference between taxiing other people and taxiing your children. For starters, other people pay you. Beyond the payment thing, I’m also pretty sure that taxi drivers don’t have to goad their clients out the door or remind them to take water bottles, guitars, proper paperwork or other necessary equipment. Cabbies can also choose to ignore the fact that said equipment has been left behind in the vehicle after the drop off. Or, at least, if called to turn around and bring it back, they can turn the meter back on. This would be a better alternative than getting the “How could you let me forget that?” face from your teenagers. I’m beginning to understand why years ago, my father-in-law, upon hearing any talk of the challenges of raising my then-little kids, would stand back, pause, grin, and say “Just you wait.” I think the wait is over. But it’s not that my kids are driving me crazy, it’s that I’ve managed to overbook and undermanage a schedule that even in the summertime is enough to induce a panic akin to opening the monthly American Express bill. As the summer days dwindle into the horizon of a new school year, I realize I may have overdone it on the keep the kids busy in the summer schedule. In my day, summertime consisted of rising at noon most days, watching Gilligan’s Island and Three’s Company reruns and making lunch from a can before I settled back in front of our 19-inch television to witness the travails of Luke and Laura on General Hospital. My mom would get home from work just in time to see me taking off for my friend Susie’s house on my blue Huffy 10-speed. In retrospect, this would still constitute my perfect summer. What I wouldn’t give for just one day in which my biggest concern is what friend with a pool Susie and I could bug to go night swimming.

In contrast, my kids have attended a collection of camps, musical lessons, academic lessons and social engagements that should have them talented, smart and savvy enough to start their own Disney Channel show (a network where moms seem to be magically missing. Maybe kids don’t enjoy seeing their favorite characters nagged to clean up the kitchen, wear a bike helmet, or at the most banal level of motherly duties, make sure they shower). I may have missed the boat this summer (the pontoon one with a cooler of cold ones and Jimmy Buffett providing the soundtrack), but I refuse to let fall be as hectic, for me or for my kids. I can hear the collective scoffing now. With a jam-packed sports schedule and homework – the nemesis of most parents – how will I manage to accomplish such a feat? Well, I probably won’t, but just saying it now makes me feel better. It’s like the first day of being on Weight Watchers, when hope is alive and the swimsuit possibilities are endless. It’s the like honeymoon before the first big fight. It’s like the excitement of moving before the first big mortgage payment. In other words, having a leisurely autumn is not a reality, but reality will show up soon enough. It always does. So until then, I’m living in my own little fantasy world where I’ll say “no” to more commitments and “yes” to more fun. I’ll let the kids sleep in, their rooms go uncleaned, and I may even begin to make lunch from a can again (or maybe a box). These last few days of summer we’ll soak up oodles of relaxation and rest so that we can make our laid back entrance into fall. It’s going to be as fabulous as getting to Chick-fil-A and being the only car in the drive-thru line. I can feel things beginning to turn around. Oh wait, that was just me turning the car around. While I was daydreaming, I got a text that my daughter is ready to be picked up at Kings Island. I’ll do that as soon as I drop my son off at guitar lessons. This is the part where, in my dreams, I turn on the meter. I’d be the richest taxi driver ever.

may | june 2010 5

Our Town 312 Elm Street

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

tel | 513.768.6033 fax | 513.768.6086

Our Town is published six times per year: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/ October and November/December

Our Town is published by

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contributing editor

art director

photographers

writers

Dave Hofmeister

Liz DuFour Judy Crist Amanda Davidson Tony Jones Deogracias Lerma Cara Owsley Todd Slater Thomas Smith Tony Tribble Michael D. Clark Ernest Coleman Sue Kiesewetter Val Prevish Chris Reid Monica Scalf Jill I. Solimini Shauna Steigerwald Elaine Trumpey

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Tony Elam [email protected] 513.755.4167

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YOurcommunity

tHebuzzWhat’s going on in West Chester and Liberty TownshipCONTrIBuTED BY SUE KIESEWETTER aNd chRIS REId

library reopening on fridaysBeginning in September, the West Chester public library will restore

Friday hours.

The library, part of the Middletown library system, had reduced hours

because of state funding cuts, but voters approved a .75-mill property tax

levy in May to provide $3.2 million more a year in operating funds.

The library will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays starting Sept. 7.

The $9.6 million, 50,000-square-foot West Chester library opened last

November. The library is at 9363 Centre Pointe Drive, near the Square at

union Centre and across from Lakota West High School.

police services seeking levyMaintaining police services is the goal of a 7-mill levy West Chester

Township residents will decide at the polls Nov. 2.

The levy would replace 4.5-mill and 2.5-mill levies approved nine

years ago by voters. Together, those levies bring in almost $10 million

annually. The continuing replacement levy is expected to raise $13.7

million annually and last at least five years, said Judi Boyko, township

administrator. The new levy would bring more dollars than the two it

would replace because of the increase in property values in the township

in the past nine years.

Since residents last approved police levies in 2001, the department

has added 24 officers, bringing the force to 85 sworn officers and 12

support staff, said police chief Erik Niehaus.

During that same period the township’s population increased by

about 8,000 to 63,000 residents. The levy is expected to increase taxes

about $42 annually on a $100,000 house, Boyko said.

WanT commUnITy nEWS...and moRE?Discover and discuss the latest news, events and school happenings in West Chester and Liberty Township at connectWestchester.com and connectliberty.com.

Librarian cheryl Stout reads a story where all the characters are animals to a group of children on animal day at the West Chester Library. The Library is able to restore it’s Friday hours this fall, thanks to voter approval of a property tax levy in May.

PHOTO BY tony jonES


YOurcommunity

Cedar Village Retirement Community5467 Cedar Village Dr., Mason, OH 45040Tel: 513.754.3100, Fax: 513.336.3174www.cedarvillage.org

Welcome to Cedar Village.We are a retirement communitylocated in Mason, Ohio, featuring105 independent and assistedliving apartments and 162 health-care beds. Formed by the mergerof two longtime Cincinnati Jewishnursing homes, Cedar Villageopened its doors in March 1997.

It’s about caring.It’s at the core of everythingwe do. It’s the gentle touch of ahand, the soft words of comfort.It’s reaching out to steady andsupport, to encourage andconsole. It’s the hallmark of allthat we do at Cedar Village.

� ��

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C�� V�� S��

Enrichment.

liberty fall festival adds 5kA 5K run/Walk has been added to Liberty Township’s Fall Festival.

The family-friendly Sept. 18 gathering runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Liberty Park, 6757

Yankee road, behind the Lakota YMCA.

The run begins at 11:30 a.m., starts and ends at the park. The cost is $20 in advance; $25 on

race day. register at www.sprunning.com or at township offices, 6400 Princeton road.

There will be an activity zone for children that includes crafts, inflatables, several games and

visits by a magician, clown and juggler. Games cost 25 or 50 cents each to play and include duck

pond, fish bowl, football toss and others.

Several informational and other booths will be set up by residents. There will also be food

booths and a silent auction featuring sports memorabilia.

“Our goal is to break even and if there’s extra money it will go to the parks,’’ said Melanie

Brokaw, assistant township administrator. “This is a family event.”

voters to decide lakota levyresidents of the Lakota Schools will be asked this November to increase their taxes each of

the next 10 years to help the district avoid a $10 million deficit expected in 2012.

The 7.9-mill emergency levy would bring an additional $21.75 million dollars to district

coffers for 10 years, with collections beginning in January.

During the last two years Lakota has reduced spending by $13 million, including 54 teaching

positions for this school year. Many of the cuts will remain, even if the levy passes.

“We’re going to look very different when our doors open after the summer,’’ said

Superintendent Mike Taylor. “In addition to the $13 million in cuts we’ve enacted, we’re also

(getting) grim financial news from the state.”

Should the levy fail additional cuts could come as early as January, said Taylor. A list of

potential reductions is expected in late August or early September.

Taxes on a $100,000 house would increase $242 annually, said interim treasurer Alan

Hutchinson.

fire-ems funding on liberty ballotsLiberty Township voters will be asked Nov. 2 to approve a 4-mill levy to maintain fire and

emergency medical services.

The levy would replace a 3.5-mill levy approved in 2006 and set to expire in December 2011

that now brings $2.8 million annually to help fund the department. Dollars are also received

from a 3-mill continuing levy approved in 1999 that raises $1.6 million annually.

The new levy is expected to raise $3.5 million annually, an increase of about $700,000 from

the expiring levy.

“This has been a tough one for all of us,’’ said Trustee Chris Matacic. “We need to protect

our residents and do it in an appropriate manner.”

Several factors are contributing to the need for the replacement levy, officials say. The biggest

of those is the addition of 16 full time firefighters/paramedics to staff the third fire station that

opened five years ago on Ohio 747.

Other expenses include the rising costs of supplies, utilities, equipment and medical

supplies, said Chief Paul Stumpf.

Taxes on a $100,000 house would increase about $16.50 annually. If the levy passes, trustees

would cancel collection on the 2006 levy a year early. It is due to expire at the end of 2011.

8 our town

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WITH LaKoTa EaST hIGh SchooL PhySIcS TEachER

SandEE coaTS-haan

fivequestiONs

A local teacher’s work has earned her a top national award.Lakota East High School physics teacher Sandee

Coats-Haan was recently named one of America’s 103 outstanding teachers by President Barack Obama. Besides the huge honor, winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching also comes with a $10,000 prize, to be awarded during ceremonies later this year in Washington, D.C. Coats-Haan, who worked in private industry before becoming a teacher at Lakota Schools 13 years ago, was one of two winners in Ohio selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators at the National Science Foundation following an initial selection process done at the state level. “Sandee Coats-Haan is a consummate science educator. Her enthusiasm, creativity and subject area knowledge ignite students to want to learn more about science,” says Lakota East Principal Keith Kline. We caught Coats-Haan in a rare pause mode for Our Town’s “5 Questions” feature:

1

PHOTOS BY tony tRibblE

your recent presidential award must be such a thrill. What does it not only mean to you, but also lakota East high School and the district?

I want to teach my students that they can achieve any goal through hard work. Winning the Presidential Award because of my hard work has been my goal, so I am grateful for the opportunity to be a role model for my students. I feel very humbled to be recognized for Ohio because I have had the opportunity to work with so many highly qualified educators here. And all of this has happened because I am lucky enough to have a job that I am so passionate about and students that I love so much.

8 our town


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National Science Teacher Association. I have a huge stack of summer reading that I am plowing through. Specifically, I am working to include more formative assessment activities next year, implement a series of take-home labs, and to develop more activities called process oriented guided inquiry labs where students work in teams to replace the traditional lectures I have often used in my advanced placement class. Because I am going to be teaching more than 160 students next year, I am going to have to be extremely creative in helping individual students learn.

miCHael d. Clark

2

3

4

5

you were previously in the private sector. how has that helped you bring more to the classroom as a teacher?

I try to ensure that my students get as many real-life examples and applications as possible. I want them to know how things work and how to build things. Cooperative team learning is also another important component of my classroom because team skills are so important to success in industry.

talk a bit about the passion you developed for teaching and how it led you from private industry to being a public school instructor.

I think I always wanted to be a teacher, but was never encouraged to pursue that passion. Because I was good at math and science, I was directed toward engineering. Over the years, I found myself reading more and more about education. My husband finally said, “Why don’t you just do it [teaching], instead of reading about it?” My students have accomplished many feats from earning their flight wings to becoming doctors to dotting the “I” in the BCS championship game, but I am most proud when my best students return to the classroom.

Why is science increasingly an important subject for students in the 21st century?

What’s next for you? What new areas of teaching science would you like to explore in the coming school year?

We promise it will blow you away-the first Annual Powder Keg 5K TrailRace/Art’s a Blast event at 9 AMon Saturday, August 28th.

Explore the trails near the historic King Mansion in KingsMills at this end-of-summer race that winds through woodedtrails near the Little Miami River.

Participants will have an art surprise at the end of the trail,plus refreshments, awards and lots of other reasons to getfired up! The Powder Keg 5K Trail Race/Art’s a Blast is thelast of the Bob Roncker’s Running Spot 2010 Trail Series.Presented by Deerfield Township and the Mason-DeerfieldArts Alliance, all proceeds benefit the Arts Alliance.

To register, or for more information visitwww.RunningTime.net

There are so many issues facing our country and our world that are going to require a scientific or technological solution. We need to find alternatives to fossil fuels or ways to drill for it without destroying our environment. Our students need to compete in a global environment. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has written, “When I was growing up, my parents told me ‘Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.’ I tell my daughters, ‘Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.’ ” Our students need to be able to compete with the world’s best.

Like any other summer, I am working hard on improving for the next school year. I attended a workshop earlier this summer and had a chance to meet with the president of the

10 our town

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LIbERTy FamILy mEdIcInE7136 Office Park Drive, West Chester513-755-1912 or www.libertyfamilymedicine.com

Aleda Johnson, M.D., opened her new family practice in March and offers comprehensive health care for newborns to seniors, she says. A graduate of the university of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Johnson practiced in Loveland before opening her own office. “I always knew I wanted to start my own practice,” she says. “This is a growing area and it’s close to where I live.”

Liberty Family Medicine accepts most health insurance and welcomes new patients. The hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. They are closed Thursday and weekends.

COMPILED BY VaL PREVIShPHOTOS BY Tony TRIbbLE

what’s newin west chester and liberty township

EL Rancho GRandE6752 Cincinnati-Dayton road, Suite 107, Liberty Township513-755-6200 or www.elranchogrande.info

As the ninth restaurant in the Cincinnati/Dayton area, this newest El rancho Grande offers the same popular Mexican food and drink that have made the eight others popular, says Gary rodriguez, president of operations for the chain. Familiar favorites such as tacos, enchiladas, burritos and tostadas are menu staples. The restaurant also offers vegetarian-friendly selections, however, and a number of salads for diners who want lighter meals. The margaritas are popular as well, says rodriguez. Desserts and a children’s menu are also available. rodriguez says that continued growth in the West Chester-Liberty area was a reason to open another El rancho Grande here.

Prices for dinner items range from $7.95 to $10.75 and lunch items from $3.95 to $5.95. There is also a party room available by reservation for groups.

RomEo’S PIzza9536 Cincinnati-Columbus road, West Chester777-5333 or www.romeospizza.com

This is the first Cincinnati area location for this new chain of pizza restaurants founded in Cleveland. Specializing in unique pizza creations such as their award-winning Great ranch and Potato Pizza, romeo’s has found a following in Cleveland (22 locations) and Columbus (six locations), says Scott Nevius, manager of the West Chester store. romeo’s pizza has been honored as the Best Pizza in Cleveland by Scene magazine in 2005, and was named the Best Pizza in North America at the World Pizza Championship in Italy in 2006, according to company publicity.

Prices for a large pizza start at $11.99. A large Great ranch and Potato Pizza is $15.99. The store offers take out and delivery only. No dining room is available. There is a $2 delivery charge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.


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KIdnEy & hyPERTEnSIon cEnTER7335 Yankee road, Suite 101, Liberty Township513-779-8111 or www.lifelinevascularaccess.com

Part of Lifeline Vascular Access based in Vernon Hills, Illinois, Kidney & Hypertension Center provides vascular access care to hemodialysis patients suffering with kidney failure due to illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure, says Shari Wenstrup, facility administrator. The center has five nephrologists on staff and is the second in the Cincinnati area, with the first office located in Norwood. “We had such great success with the Norwood location that we decided to extend our services to Liberty Township,” says Wenstrup.

The center is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

aSIaTIqUE9228 Center Point Drive, West Chester513-889-2272 or www.asiatiquebistro.com

Peng Looi, co-owner of Asiatique, says the restaurant offers a marriage of two cuisines, contemporary Chinese and East-West fusion. Looi is also a partner in two Asiatique restaurants in Louisville, Ky. He has been recognized with numerous culinary awards and says he has “always enjoyed cooking.” His Bardstown road Asiatique in Louisville was also named as one of the top 125 restaurants in the united States by Bon Appetite magazine in 2005. Menu items include meat and seafood prepared with a mix of Asian and Western spices. A full bar and an extensive wine selection are available.

Prices for dinner items range from $9 to $25, and for lunch from $8.50 to $10, he says. The restaurant is open Monday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sunday from noon to 9:30 p.m.

Are you opening a business or expanding in West Chester or Liberty Township? If so, you could be featured in Our Town. Contact Val Prevish at [email protected].

anTonELLI coLLEGE9100 West Chester Town Centre Drive, 3rd floor, West Chester513-330-6807 or www.antonellicollege.edu

Founded in Cincinnati in 1947 as the Gebhardt Art School, in the mid-1970s the College was renamed the Ohio Visual Art Institute, and in 1982 it became Antonelli College. Today, the school offers a variety of associate degree programs including interior design, hospitality arts and massage therapy, which are all programs included at the West Chester campus, says Sarah Baker, a marketing and promotions associate. Antonelli College West Chester is recognized by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

Classes are held according to a quarterly calendar with the fall session beginning Oct. 4.

PHOtO bY tony tRibblE12 our town

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LEFT: West Chester Township trustee catherine Stoker is a volunteer dispatcher for the West Chester senior van service.

Stoker:Catherine

community minded, results driven

Sitting on the back patio tucked away behind her suburban home, Catherine Stoker can often be found feeding

the 70 or so goldfish that color her pond, or tending to her lemon, orange and peach trees.

“I love my garden,” she says with a smile. “It’s my favorite way to unwind. It’s just so peaceful out here.” Indeed, the trickling of the pond and faint bird chirping are a departure from the ringing phones and demands of daily life. Out here she’s not Catherine Stoker, longtime West Chester Township trustee – she’s Cathy, the vibrant lover of life, as her husband Mike calls her.

During her 17 years of debating, campaigning and service in Butler County, Stoker has learned the most significant ways to help the community are the ones that pay only with a good feeling. She insists that “everyone has to have a reason to get up in the morning,” and there will be many mornings to come.

It all started when she was a small girl in California. Biking down to the local library to help the librarian stamp cards, Catherine Stoker was a public servant.

By the time she was 13, she was helping to throw teen dances to raise money for muscular dystrophy. From there, she was

hooked. This California girl had plenty of challenges ahead of her, but answered the call – much to the surprise of the public, and even herself.

After graduating from San Francisco State university, Stoker moved with Mike and their 2-year-old son, David, to Ohio “to be closer to Mike’s father, who was ill at the time,” she said. “We started our own company and all of a sudden you have to win a huge jackpot to live in California, and we made a lot of friends here. So, one way or another we just stuck to Butler County.

“Being an elected official is the last thing in my life I ever thought I’d do,” Stoker admitted. She was originally involved in an environmental group in Ohio before deciding (by default) to run for public office. It was the conditions of the township’s sewer and medical waste incinerator that first prompted action. “We looked around our little group and decided we clearly need to get somebody elected, because until you have somebody who’s an elected official supporting your point of view, you’re just part of the radical fringe element – everybody ended up staring at me.”

Stoker’s first attempt to run for office came in 1992, when the Democrat ran for Ohio state representative, only to be

defeated by “the classic 60-40 republican to Democrat score” that prevails in suburban Butler County. The next year she surprised everyone, including herself, by winning the township trustee election. She has held the seat ever since.

Stoker decided to first settle the score with Butler County’s sewer system and the medical incinerator. The long battle eventually led the Environmental Protection Agency to oversee the sewer system’s upgrade to legal minimum standards. The plant itself was expanded and the most egregious polluters were forced to take their waste elsewhere.

The incinerator, however, wasn’t an easy fix. Lawyers hired by the owners of the facility delayed numerous times, hoping to smother out the complaints until they were forgotten. Stoker didn’t flinch. She persisted and learned how to get things done. The incinerator was finally shut down. “They were putting over two tons of mercury, lead, cadmium and chromium toxins into the air in West Chester every year,” said Stoker.

Stoker’s most well-known accomplishment is easily the work that brought an interchange on Interstate 75 at union Centre, on acreage that had been cornfields and soybeans. The interchange opened in 1997, but was in the

14 our town

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>>ABOuT CATHErINE A. STOKEr

West Chester Township Trustee: 1993 - Present (currently serving fifth term)

Party: Democratic

Education: B.A. San Francisco State university (1974)

Occupation: Business Owner (Britebelt Technologies)

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Married: Mike Stoker

Children: David Stoker

Website: catherine.stoker.org

plans long before that, as the commercial and industrial growth of West Chester started catching up to and overtaking residential growth.

Developers saw an area that could thrive, but needed a spark – and it worked. The exit from I-75 turned into an entire system of roads which linked new businesses and gave West Chester a new downtown. While Stoker couldn’t be credited with the idea, she was a factor in determining how to pay for its construction. To pay back the $7 million loan for the project, a $20 license plate tax was passed. Stoker and several attorneys sued, and eventually the tax was dropped. The project was then financed by what had already been accumulated from various tax increments dating back to 1990.

Her demonstrated determination may explain why Stoker is able to repeatedly win re-election as a Democrat in such a conservative area of the state. In the 2008 presidential election, republican John McCain won Butler County, 61-38 percent. The difference of registered republicans to Democrats is even greater, but Stoker has adjusted her agenda to fit the needs of the people and even jokes that she “comes from a place where Democrats are considered to be respectable people.” But gaining the voters’ trust is something that has to happen over time.

“When I first ran for office, people were trying to convince everyone that I was anti-business,” she said. “I’m not anti-business – I own my own business. I’m just anti-breaking the law.”

Those who are close to Stoker appreciate her best qualities.

Lee Wong, president of the West Chester Township trustees, has worked with Stoker for years. “Her dedication resonates well with both republicans and Democrats,” he said. “residents are more concerned with how she handles township business than they are party affiliation.”

Stoker, a self-described fiscal conservative, agrees. “Those who accuse me of being a screaming liberal clearly don’t know my record,” she said. “I get just as many votes from republicans as I do Democrats.” Stoker is currently the only Democrat to ever hold a

public office in West Chester.Stoker’s passion and all-

embracing style shine when she talks about her work with the community, but it doesn’t compare to her love of volunteering for others. Her face lights up and she gets an extra jolt of energy when the topic shifts to volunteering.

“To me, your highest ethical level is when you do the right thing just because it’s the right thing,” she said. “Too many people get personal on certain issues and it prevents them from working together.” Every Wednesday morning she can be seen in West Chester as the dispatcher for the senior van service, which allows seniors who may not drive to perform their normal tasks. She also acted as president of Partners in Prime, another senior group that organizes events and activities in Hamilton.

Now serving her fifth term as trustee after winning re-election in 2009, Stoker has become a fixture in the West Chester community, and plans of running for

higher office are tempered she says – for now. In 2000, she ran for Butler County commissioner, but was unsuccessful.

“These days, my priority is my family,” said Stoker. She spends more time with Mike at home, and still keeps close contact with their son David, who now lives in California with his wife, Irina. After graduating from Ohio State and the university of Texas,

David works as a physicist for the Stanford research Institute.

While she has more time to reflect, don’t think for a second that Stoker’s work is done. She has maintained staying power with the trustees by following a simple philosophy: keep the community safe.

“It builds a good foundation,” she says. “From there it breeds good schools and new businesses which creates growth, and that’s what we’ve seen.”

While the township has flourished in recent years, it’s not immune to the current economic struggles. The most pressing item on the agenda now is a tax levy renewal for the police department, in what would likely amount to an extra $2 per week for each citizen. Stoker says the department would be able to run without a levy for a while, “but eventually we’d have to layoff officers and nobody wants that.”

It’s apparent that Stoker’s constituents and opponents respect what she’s been able to accomplish, but it’s the citizens of West Chester who speak most loudly with their votes. Her passion for getting things done breaks through political barriers.

To her supporters, she’s a hero. To those who dodge and evade her, she’s a thorn. To her husband, she’s Cathy. Even if you disagree politically, her hand’s always ready to reach across the aisle.

So what’s next for Catherine Stoker? “Well, next I need to feed my fish,” she said with a chuckle.


West Chester Boy Scout Evan Cooper has planted the seeds

that will help him grow to Eagle Scout status.

But more than that, those seeds have sprouted the St. John

Community Garden, an endeavor that’s providing fresh produce for those

in need.

Evan, a member of Troop 940 at St. John the Evangelist Church in

West Chester, undertook the garden as his Eagle Scout project based

on a suggestion made to his father and scoutmaster, Tate Cooper. The

garden was conceived to provide fresh vegetables for reach Out Lakota,

the community-funded food and clothing pantry, that’s adjacent to the

church.

To Evan, a 16-year-old junior at Moeller High School, it sounded like

the perfect Eagle Scout project.

“I thought it would be a good project because it feeds people,” said

Evan, who has been in scouting since the first grade.

“It takes a lot of work,” he added. “I felt that an Eagle project should

bY Shauna StEigERWald

PHOtOs bY tony jonES

theto feedhungry

Designs

giViNgback

giViNgback

LEFT: The Junior u.S. Open Ski Championships were held at VOA in June 2008. In this photo megan collins practices on the slalom ski course.

BOTTOM: chris heink and jackson attend the annual Dog Fest event. A tail wagging good time is had by pets and their owners who enjoy a dog parade, flying disc competitions and more.

take a lot of work. It wouldn’t really satisfy me to just be out here for a few

days.”

And a lot of work it has been. Before the physical work of building the

garden began, Evan wrote letters to local businesses, friends and family,

soliciting about $700 for supplies. In total, Evan, his parents, Tate and

Pam, and troop, community and church volunteers put in about 200

hours’ work on the garden through mid-July, before the harvest was even

fully under way.

The resulting 40-foot by 40-foot plot, fenced in to keep deer and other

wildlife at bay, boasts neat rows of carrots, potatoes, onions, peppers,

zucchini, green beans and tomatoes. Evan picked the first zucchini and

tomatoes in early July, harvesting more than 30 pounds of food for reach

Out Lakota in the first two weeks.

Lourdes Ward, CEO/executive director of reach Out Lakota, couldn’t

be more thrilled.

“It’s an answer to prayers,” Ward, the organization’s sole part-time

employee, said of the garden. “It’s a blessing to have fresh produce, and

even more important to have people who are willing to use their time for

the sake of others.”

Many of the 150 people from West Chester, Liberty Township and the

Lakota Local School District that reach Out Lakota serves during the six

hours it’s open each week aren’t getting fresh fruits and vegetables in

16 our town

8 our town

YOurcommunityYOurcommunity

WITH LaKoTa EaST hIGh SchooL PhySIcS TEachER

SandEE coaTS-haan

fivequestiONs

A local teacher’s work has earned her a top national award.Lakota East High School physics teacher Sandee

Coats-Haan was recently named one of America’s 103 outstanding teachers by President Barack Obama. Besides the huge honor, winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching also comes with a $10,000 prize, to be awarded during ceremonies later this year in Washington, D.C. Coats-Haan, who worked in private industry before becoming a teacher at Lakota Schools 13 years ago, was one of two winners in Ohio selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators at the National Science Foundation following an initial selection process done at the state level. “Sandee Coats-Haan is a consummate science educator. Her enthusiasm, creativity and subject area knowledge ignite students to want to learn more about science,” says Lakota East Principal Keith Kline. We caught Coats-Haan in a rare pause mode for Our Town’s “5 Questions” feature:

1

PHOTOS BY tony tRibblE

your recent presidential award must be such a thrill. What does it not only mean to you, but also lakota East high School and the district?

I want to teach my students that they can achieve any goal through hard work. Winning the Presidential Award because of my hard work has been my goal, so I am grateful for the opportunity to be a role model for my students. I feel very humbled to be recognized for Ohio because I have had the opportunity to work with so many highly qualified educators here. And all of this has happened because I am lucky enough to have a job that I am so passionate about and students that I love so much.

8 our town


YOurcommunity

National Science Teacher Association. I have a huge stack of summer reading that I am plowing through. Specifically, I am working to include more formative assessment activities next year, implement a series of take-home labs, and to develop more activities called process oriented guided inquiry labs where students work in teams to replace the traditional lectures I have often used in my advanced placement class. Because I am going to be teaching more than 160 students next year, I am going to have to be extremely creative in helping individual students learn.

miCHael d. Clark

2

3

4

5

you were previously in the private sector. how has that helped you bring more to the classroom as a teacher?

I try to ensure that my students get as many real-life examples and applications as possible. I want them to know how things work and how to build things. Cooperative team learning is also another important component of my classroom because team skills are so important to success in industry.

talk a bit about the passion you developed for teaching and how it led you from private industry to being a public school instructor.

I think I always wanted to be a teacher, but was never encouraged to pursue that passion. Because I was good at math and science, I was directed toward engineering. Over the years, I found myself reading more and more about education. My husband finally said, “Why don’t you just do it [teaching], instead of reading about it?” My students have accomplished many feats from earning their flight wings to becoming doctors to dotting the “I” in the BCS championship game, but I am most proud when my best students return to the classroom.

Why is science increasingly an important subject for students in the 21st century?

What’s next for you? What new areas of teaching science would you like to explore in the coming school year?

We promise it will blow you away-the first Annual Powder Keg 5K TrailRace/Art’s a Blast event at 9 AMon Saturday, August 28th.

Explore the trails near the historic King Mansion in KingsMills at this end-of-summer race that winds through woodedtrails near the Little Miami River.

Participants will have an art surprise at the end of the trail,plus refreshments, awards and lots of other reasons to getfired up! The Powder Keg 5K Trail Race/Art’s a Blast is thelast of the Bob Roncker’s Running Spot 2010 Trail Series.Presented by Deerfield Township and the Mason-DeerfieldArts Alliance, all proceeds benefit the Arts Alliance.

To register, or for more information visitwww.RunningTime.net

There are so many issues facing our country and our world that are going to require a scientific or technological solution. We need to find alternatives to fossil fuels or ways to drill for it without destroying our environment. Our students need to compete in a global environment. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has written, “When I was growing up, my parents told me ‘Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.’ I tell my daughters, ‘Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.’ ” Our students need to be able to compete with the world’s best.

Like any other summer, I am working hard on improving for the next school year. I attended a workshop earlier this summer and had a chance to meet with the president of the

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