Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Show Choir’s held their annual Holiday Homecoming event on December 12, 2015. The event featured holiday tunes song by all the choirs as well as individual students and Loveland show choir alumni.
Month: December 2015
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LHS students donate more than 300 coats, hats, scarves and gloves
It wasn’t your typical coat drive
Loveland, Ohio – Yes, large plastic containers were placed around Loveland High School (LHS) to collect items. Yes, students responded to the cause – donating a whopping 300 items in November… but while the coat drive gave all appearances of typical – if you looked closely, you saw the unique twist. Quotes – hand-selected and some hand-written on fabric that was cut and attached inside the coats as a special, inspirational message to the person who would receive the gift.
“It was great to see students embrace the project,” said Bre Sambuchino. LHS teacher and donation drive coordinator. “Some students wanted to research quotes for the children’s coats while others wanted to come up with their own quotes. It was great to see them make personal connections to the quotes while providing a service to our neighbors in need.”
LHS students transported more than 300 items collected during the November drive to St. Vincent de Paul for distribution. The coat collection at LHS was part of a larger coat drive sponsored by 5 Cares Coat Drive to benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
“I hope our students grew from the quote project,” said Sambuchino. “I hope that the coat recipients smile when they read their quotes, and that on that especially challenging day that we all inevitably face, that the quote gives them hope and encouragement to keep going. Like the Aesop quote that is attached to some of the coats says, ‘No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.’”
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Loveland students blend learning with giving for a holiday treat for more than 80 families in need
Read to Feed
Click for larger view 
Loveland, Ohio – It’s a win-win when reading plus math equal an opportunity to help our neighbors in the Loveland community during the holiday season. That was the equation six Loveland Elementary School (LES) teachers were hoping for when they implemented a Read to Feed project; students were sponsored for every minute they read, and classrooms collected the money to purchase food to donate to Loveland’s LIFE Food Pantry.“I think it is very important to not only teach my students the academics that they need to be successful, but also about good character,” said LES Teacher Melissa Prenger. “We have talked a lot about compassion and what it means to take care of others, even if we will never meet them. We consider ourselves family here at school and we are so excited to be able to help our extended Loveland families through the food pantry and this math/compassion project.”
To incorporate math into the lesson students reviewed addition and subtraction and students “shopped” in class using the grocery store circular and products teachers purchased from the food pantry list. Students worked within budgets, checked serving sizes and worked together to create a list.
“My experience was not plain, it was fantastic. I love to help people because it makes me feel good,” said LES Student Wyatt Scarberry.
The six participating classes took separate shopping trips during mid-November to purchase the food for donation. Students collected a total of $2,875 in donations, which provided more than 80 Thanksgiving holiday food baskets.
“I was blown away by the generosity and community support.” said LES Teacher Kari Strater. “The students were able to practice real-world skills, being a good citizen, addition and subtraction and reading all in one project. I’m excited to make this a yearly tradition to help feed local families each holiday season.”
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Cincinnati Zoo Cat Ambassador Program brings a special student to Loveland Primary Students
Welcome, Santos!
LPS students watch as the young ocelot learns in their classroom during his visit Friday, Nov. 13. Loveland, Ohio – A new student joined the class at Loveland Primary School (LPS) Friday, Nov. 13, and he was anything but typical. Santos is an ocelot who was born November 2, 2013, and is learning to be a cat ambassador with the Cincinnati Zoo Cat Ambassador Program. He used the LPS classroom as a place to get his first experience working with students.
“The students loved seeing the ocelot. Santos is learning to be a cat ambassador so that he can visit classrooms to teach children about how an ocelot is uniquely adapted to its environment, its role in the ecosystem and what can be done to protect all cats’ natural habitat,” said LPS Teacher Jennifer Kenny.
“My hope is to instill students with a love for animals. In 2005, I visited the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa, with a group of educators through Earth Expeditions, a program through Miami University and The Cincinnati Zoo. This spurred my love for cats, and it is very important to me to share this love with my students.”
The Cincinnati Zoo Cat Ambassador Program works to complement life science lessons currently being taught in Ohio classrooms.
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Christmas Tree disposal in Loveland and Miami Township
Loveland, Ohio – The City’s Christmas tree collection program will begin on December 28 and will run for two weeks. Residents can call City Hall at 513-707-1439 with their location and a Public Works crew will pick-up the tree from the curb. Pick-up is not guaranteed for the same day but residents should set the tree at the curb for collection at the time they call for pick-up.
If you have broken or un-needed Christmas lights, the Loveland Sustainability Council has a solution for you. Drop off your used light strands at the UPS Store at 10663 Loveland Madeira Road. There will be a bin available through January 10.
In Miami Township, Christmas tree recycling starts on December 26th and ends on January 31st. The drop-off locations are at Miami Meadows Park at 1546 State Route 131 and Paxton Ramsey Park at 6265 Price Rd. Drop-off areas will be clearly marked at the parks. Call the Service Department at 248-3728 for more information.
Hamilton County Christmas Tree and Yard Trimmings Drop-Off Sites
The Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District hosts three yard trimmings drop-off sites free-of-charge to Hamilton county residents, during the times and hours listed below. Please read the guidelines below prior to taking advantage of this service.The District no longer mails flyers, to receive notification about this program, click here.
If you prefer to compost your yard trimmings at home, click here for information on backyard composting.
If you live in the City of Cincinnati and want to learn more about the City’s bi-weekly curbside collection program, click here.
Hours
January 2 and January 9, 2016
Saturdays only Noon–3:00 p.m.
*Bzak Landscaping is also open January 4 – 8, 2016 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. in addition to the Saturday hours.
March 19–November 27, 2016
Saturdays and Sundays
11:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.*Bzak Landscaping is also open during the week, 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. in addition to the weekend hours. Closed March 27, May 30, July 4, September 5, and November 24, 2016.
Locations
East: Bzak Landscaping*—3295 Turpin Lane (off Rt. 32), Anderson Township MAP
North: Rumpke Landfill—Struble Road and Colerain Avenue, Colerain Township MAP
West: Kuliga Park—6717 Bridgetown Road, Green Township MAP
(Material MUST be bundled or bagged and site operator reserves the right to refuse unbundled material. Dumping material outside of program hours is prohibited.)All sites closed Sunday, March 27, 2016
Guidelines
Brush and tree branches must be cut into lengths of 4 feet or less and must be no larger than 12 inches in diameter.
Brush and tree branches must be bundled with twine. Bundles must not be heavier than 50 pounds.
Yard trimmings must be brought to locations in containers or bags—brown paper bags preferred.
Before dropping off your Christmas tree, please remove ornaments, tinsel, tree bags, etc.
Containers and plastic bags will be returned.
Yard trimmings in commercial vehicles or from commercial establishments cannot be accepted.
No large trailers or trucks larger than pickups.
No pallets, boards, nails, fence or wire accepted.
No bricks, stones or soil accepted.
Illegal dumping prohibited.
All children must stay inside vehicles.
Hamilton County residents only.
Holiday Lights Recycling Drop-Off Locations
Date and Time:Monday, November 30, 2015 (All day) to Friday, January 8, 2016 (All day)Great Parks Offers Free Holiday Lights Recycling
Have your holiday lights lost their twinkle? Drop off broken or unwanted lights at any Great Parks visitor center between Friday, November 20, 2015, and Friday, January 8. 2016. Recycling holiday lights instead of throwing them in the trash keeps them out of landfills and gives them a new life. As part of its mission of conservation, Great Parks of Hamilton County is offering six convenient drop-off locations to the public. The lights are collected by Great Parks and taken to local metal recycling facilities.
Marked bins are available at the locations listed below, which are open from dawn until dusk:
- Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve: Ellenwood Nature Barn
3455 Poole Road Cincinnati, OH 45239 - Glenwood Gardens: Cotswold Visitor Center
10397 Springfield Pike Cincinnati, OH 45215 - Miami Whitewater Forest: Visitor Center
9001 Mt. Hope Road Harrison, OH 45030 - Sharon Woods: Sharon Centre
11450 Lebanon Road Sharonville, OH 45241 - Winton Woods: Winton Centre
10245 Winton Road Cincinnati, OH 45231 - Woodland Mound: Seasongood Nature Center
8250 Old Kellogg Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45255
For additional information, please visit greatparks.org or call 513-521-7275. Also, lights can be recycled at any Cohen location year round.
- Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve: Ellenwood Nature Barn
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Bond Furniture and Mattress Galleries Is hiring
Administrative Assistant:Responsibilities include:- Telephone Receptionist, Order Tracking, Customer Service, Clerical, and data entry.
- Knowledge of Quick books helpful but not required.
- Bookkeeping experience a plus.
- Position is 30 to 40 hours a week.
Contact:Tim Canada
Bond Furniture Galleries
113 Karl brown Way
Loveland, Ohio 45140
513-683-2233
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Celebrating Christmas along the Underground Railroad with William and Ellen Craft
Loveland author, Tom Calarco They were slaves and worried that they would be sold by their masters and never see each other again.
by Tom Calarco
As many of you know, the Underground Railroad passed through Loveland on its way to the Butterworth farm about three miles north of here. I plan to tell you more about the Butterworths and the local Underground Railroad sometime in the coming New Year. Today, I want to tell you an Underground Railroad story that happened on Christmas.
William and Ellen were in love and wanted to marry. But they were slaves and worried that they would be sold by their masters and never see each other again. William who was 24 had already been on the auction block. He had seen his mother, father, and two of his brothers and sisters sold away. Ellen, who was 23 and could pass for white, had been parted from her mother since a child. They were determined not to let this happen to them.
[pull_quote_left]The year was 1848, and Christmas was approaching.[/pull_quote_left]The year was 1848, and Christmas was approaching. During the holiday season slaveholders released their slaves from work for several days. The nightly slave patrols also relaxed and slaves were given passes to go off the plantation to visit relatives. This was their chance, they thought. But they lived in Macon, Georgia, nearly 1,000 miles from the Mason Dixon Line, the borderline to freedom. They needed a plan. It was a crazy one, but they saw no other way.[pull_quote_right]They needed a plan. It was a crazy one, but they saw no other way.[/pull_quote_right]
Ellen Craft in her disguise though without the bandage on her face. (Illustration from: Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William Craft, 1860) Ellen would pose as William’s master. She was so white no one who didn’t know would ever think that she was a slave. But she also had to pose as a man, because women never traveled alone with their male slaves. So, they had to put a bandage around her face to conceal her feminine appearance, and cut her hair. They also put her arm in a sling because her story was that she had serious health problems and was going to the North to seek treatment. Completing her disguise were a pair of green tinted glasses, a gentleman’s dress suit, a top hat, and a cane. Ellen, as Mr. William Johnson, definitely looked ill and also very preposterous.
They left the evening of December 21, both furnished with passes that neither could read, each going separately to the train in Macon. Of course, William had to sit in a less commodious section reserved for blacks and slaves, the “Negro car,” and this would continue in the various conveyances they took along their journey.
[pull_quote_left]Everything went without a hitch on their first train ride to the seaport of Savannah, though there were two close calls.[/pull_quote_left]Everything went without a hitch on their first train ride to the seaport of Savannah, though there were two close calls: William, while inside the Negro car waiting for the train to depart, spotted the cabinetmaker he worked for walking outside; and a man who actually knew Ellen sat in a seat near her and attempted to start a conversation. But William’s employer never saw him and Ellen’s acquaintance somehow was fooled by her disguise.
In Savannah, they took a steamer to Charleston, South Carolina, and from there, another steamer to the port of Wilmington, North Carolina. A stagecoach took them to the train to Richmond, which connected them to a boat up the Potomac River to DC. Then they took another train to Baltimore. Both had interactions along the way that could’ve betrayed theme and several times Ellen was forced to have brief conversations. Each time though she feigned illness and gained the sympathy of other passengers.
[pull_quote_left]Both had interactions along the way that could’ve betrayed theme and several times[/pull_quote_left]In Baltimore, however, they ran into a problem. Security was tight because of earlier attempts by abolitionists to help slaves to freedom. Consequently, the ticket master asked Ellen, aka Mr. Johnson, for proof that she owned William. She had none, and was speechless. By some stroke of Providence, the conductor of the train on which they had just gotten off, walked over and acknowledged her. With others in line becoming impatient and the ticketmaster seeing her pathetic appearance, he relented.
Now it was clear sailing but for a short interlude when they had to take a boat across the Susquehanna River at Havre du Grace, Maryland, and briefly lost track of each other. They were then only sixty miles from freedom.
Finally, after four days of travel, on Christmas day in 1848, the train speeding the couple to freedom pulled into Philadelphia. William wrote of that memorable occasion:
On leaving the station, my master—or rather my wife, as I may now say—who had from the commencement of the journey borne up in a manner that much surprised us both, grasped me by the hand, and said, “Thank God, William, we are safe!” then burst into tears, leant upon me, and wept like a child. The reaction was fearful. So when we reached the house, she was in reality so weak and faint that she could scarcely stand alone. However, I got her into the apartments that were pointed out, and there we knelt down, on this Sabbath, and Christmas-day,–a day that will ever be memorable to us.
Tom Calarco is a resident of Downtown Loveland and Co-author of Secret Lives of the Underground Railroad in NY City
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Gloria Wilson has gifts ready to go, or she can customize something just for you!
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Jacob Lawrence, Katie Parks, and Jay Wilson signed national letters of intent
Jacob Lawrence, Katie Parks, and Jay Wilson Loveland, Ohio – Jacob Lawrence, Katie Parks, and Jay Wilson signed national letters of intent to play college sports during a ceremony November 17 in the Media Room at Loveland High School.
- Jacob Lawrence, Lacrosse, Walsh University
- Katie Parks, Lacrosse, Capital University
- Jay Wilson, Baseball, Georgia Tech University
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L.I.F.E. food pantry get $1,400.00 Christmas present
Donna Bednar, Deputy Chief Mike Books, Linda Bergholz, and CeeCee Collins 
The Holiday Bazaar at the Jackson Street Market during Christmas in Loveland Loveland, Ohio – Loveland-Symmes Fire Department, Deputy Chief Mike Books presented the Director of the Loveland Interfaith Effort (L.I.F.E.) food pantry, Linda Bergholz with a check for $400.00 from the proceeds of the Christmas in Loveland and a check for $1,000.00 from the Loveland Symmes Firefighters Association (LSCFA) in honor of Bobbie Books a long time volunteer at the food pantry. Donna Bednar worked with the LSCFA to organize a Holiday Bazaar at the Jackson Street Market as part of the Christmas In Loveland celebration last Saturday, December 12th. All of the proceeds from the booth rentals went to the L.I.F.E Pantry.
The checks were presented to L.I.F.E. during their annual LIFE of Giving Shoppe. The annual Christmas program operates for two days and allows local families in need – to celebrate the spirit of the season. A family representative selects gift items for the entire family. Gift choices include clothing, accessories, household items and toys. The individuals’ then get their chosen gifts wrapped, then carried to their cars – all free of charge.
The L.I.F.E. food pantry, is located at 101 S. Lebanon Rd. in the Prince of Peace church at 101 S. Lebanon Road in Loveland. The food pantry operates year-round. Eligibility for their programs is based on Federal guidelines using an income to family size ratio. Most of our pantry items come from individual contributions and local food drives.
The pantry is in need of your help throughout the year. You can read more about donating or volunteering HERE.
