Loveland Magazine

MORROW, OHIO – MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS BY by Lt. Col. David Volkman

MORROW, OHIO – This is the speech given by Lt. Col. David Volkman at the 2006 Memorial Day Ceremony in Morrow, Ohio. Volkman took a leave of absence from teaching American History at Loveland High School to serve two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

Thank you for joining us here on this Memorial Day, 2006.  It is an honor and a privilege to be able to speak here today, but more so it is an honor and privilege to be here with all of you who recognize the importance of paying our deepest respects to the more than one million men and women who have given their lives in defense of American ideals.

We are here on Memorial Day, this most important day of remembrance for our country, to honor all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coast guardsmen and merchant marines who have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout our history. 

We count among them not only the heroes of the past who died fighting the tyranny of totalitarianism, but the heroes of the present who have died fighting the tyranny of terrorism- the over 2400 in Operation Iraqi Freedom and nearly 300 in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.

Today we stand here to honor the memory and sacrifice of American heroes- men and women who stood up for America and American values, who stood up for you and me, knowing that putting on the uniform carried with it great risk, but knowing that risk was necessary to the survival of liberty and justice in our world, and who made the final sacrifice in that endeavor. 

Many of you here today are veterans.  Some of you have served in foreign lands, and some have seen combat. You can tell us about real heroism.  You can tell us about those who never came home.  You can tell us about men and women who became heroes not for fame or fortune.   

You can tell us about men and women who became heroes by becoming part of something bigger than themselves, for their willingness to serve the ideals of duty, honor and country, for giving the last full measure of life for their fellow soldier, their family, their country and their God.  You can tell us about men who give real meaning to the words of our Lord that “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.“  May we all remember and honor their sacrifice.

I know that this is a day of very real personal sorrow for some of us here, and millions more across America.  The grief of loss is as strong for those who lost a loved one years ago in World War II, Korea or Vietnam as it is for those of us who have lost a friend or family member in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Today is a day for all of us to share in mourning, because we all have lost one of our own, a member of our American family.  We all grieve for the loss of an American who went to war to fight for right and made the ultimate sacrifice. 

But we must do more than grieve.  We must remember and honor their sacrifice.  We must, like President Lincoln at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg in 1863, think about how we can best do this. Lincoln spoke-

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain –
that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Freedom is not now, nor has it ever been, cheap. There is a terrible price that must be paid when history demands it. And history reminds us that America has repeatedly been confronted with evil and presented with a choice- to allow it to triumph, or to fight against it and prevail over it.  Since 9-11 we have again been reminded that there is evil in this world, and we have made a choice to fight against it. In the words of our president, spoken just after 9-11:

"I will not forget this wound to our country or those who inflicted it.  I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people. The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain.  Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.  Fellow citizens, we'll meet violence with patient justice -- assured of the rightness of our cause, and confident of the victories to come.  In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom, and may He watch over the United States of America."

But let us not fool ourselves and think that just words ever did or ever will destroy evil. We should take lessons from history and know that ignoring or appeasing evil will only strengthen it. Brave men and women are fighting to defeat it today, just as they have so many times in our past, just as many of you and your fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters have in years past, so that our American ideals will continue to illuminate our world.

Many men and women throughout our history have made payment on the price of freedom. Many have paid the price with time in service, deployed away from home.

Some have paid the price with wounds that you can see, some with wounds few of us will ever understand. Families have paid with the sacrifice of time apart, with the constant fear of loss, with living in a world which often goes on around them oblivious to what they face every day. And we are here today because some have paid, and will pay, with their lives. This is the price of our freedom.

Today, as in 1863, our responsibility is the same.  You and I have an obligation to these brave warriors by never forgetting them.  We must honor them by not taking for granted what they did for us, ever.  Each of us, in our own way, must work to understand the meaning of their sacrifice, and help our children to understand it. 

We must always remember the price they paid and know that freedom never was free, is not now, and never will be. We must work to fully understand what they fight for and what they fight against, to understand not only the cost to them of fighting but the cost to all of us of not fighting. We must live lives worthy of the price they paid to buy us our freedom. 

Today and in every tomorrow, let us not forget what we have in this great republic, and let us not forget all of the men and women who fought to their dying breath that we may live in freedom, and work for justice. Let each of us, in our own way, live lives that are worthy of the sacrifice these men and women have made.  Remember these heroes, and what they have bought for us with their lives.  They died that we might live in peace and freedom.   

Finally, Memorial Day is also a time for remembering those who still stand on the frontiers of freedom.  Remember the tens of thousands of Americans, including many from our own community, who serve today in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the globe in defense of all that we believe in.  Keep all of them, and their families who live in daily uncertainty and fear, in your prayers, and pray that they may not be added to those we honor on Memorial Day.  And let us remember SGT Matt Maupin and his family, America’s lone MIA in the war on terror.

May God bless the United States of America, and the American heroes we honor today.

Thank you.   

FAIRFAX, NEW ZEALAND – LOVELAND BIKE TRAIL INSPIRED TRAIL IN NEW ZEALAND

FAIRFAX, NEW ZEALAND – Anne Dingwall and family of Christchurch, New Zealand visited the Loveland Bike Trail while her husband was working in Ohio and in 1991 after returning home, proposed a similar trail along the Little River.

Read the full story.

LOVELAND, OHIO – SUMMER EVENING IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN

LOVELAND, OHIO - Joanna Bateman an employee at Paxton's Grill in Historic Loveland sang the song Summertime along with back up from the Stupid Rooster band on Sunday evening.

One of these mornings
You're bound to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And take to the sky
But til that morning
Nothing's going to harm you no
With Daddy and Mama standing by...

Cadillac Paul (playing guitar to the right of Joanna) said the band got its name from a night he tried to go to sleep outside in his sleeping bag on a nearby Loveland farm. He said a rooster that didn't know night from morning kept him awake the whole night long and in the morning he said that if he ever formed a band he would name it after the rooster. Keyboardist, Michael Barrett of Modulators fame, is to Bateman's left.

Molly Kennedy and Eric Thompson from Milford said they met at Paxton's one night that Stupid Rooster was playing and say they come back every time the band performs. They enjoyed dancing on Paxton's patio.

Summertime
(Sweet summertime)
And the living is easy

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – NECAMP DUNCAN WEDEN QUALIFY FOR STATE

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Loveland High School Seniors Nate Duncan and Mark Weden, along with Sophomore Jackie NeCamp will compete in the Ohio Track and Field Championship that starts Friday June 2. The tournament is held at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State University, in Columbus.

Duncan qualified by placing 3rd in the Regional competition in the Long Jump (22'0.25"). Mark Weden reigns as the Regional Champion in the 1600 Meter Run (4:21.63).

In the 300-Meter Hurdles, Jackie NeCamp placed 4th (45.57) to qualify for the Statde Tournament.

Friday, June 2 4:30 PM -- Running Prelims
Saturday, June 3 Noon -- Field Events
Saturday, June 3 4:30 PM -- Running Finals

LOVELAND, OHIO – A FUN DAY AT LECC

LOVELAND, OHIO – It was “Kindergarten Fun Day” at the Loveland Early Childhood Center on May 18. The annual end of school year celebration has student classes rotating through a series of fun activities organized by staff and parent volunteers.

Students ran races wearing tee-shirts that were sown together and made monster masses of bubbles by blowing through a straw poked into a styrofoam cup that had a disposal absorbent paper towel secured with a rubber band at the top of the open end. The bubble machine had first been dipped into a mixture of bubble solution.

Students also drove through a course lined with waiting spray bottles and ate pop-cicles with best friends when it was all over.

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO - HELP FOR RESIDENTS WITH DOWNED TREES

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO -  Residents of Miami Township who experienced downed trees as a result of last Thursday evening's storm are eligible for assistance from Miami Township.

Starting Wednesday, May 30, Miami Township crews, with assistance from neighboring communities, will remove trees that are brought to the edge of the street. Crews will not enter upon private property to remove trees.

Residents must contact Miami Township at 248-3728 to register for this service

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION JUNE 2

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – The Loveland High School Class of 2006 will have their graduation ceremony at Xavier University's Cintas Center at 7:30 PM on June 2. The event is open to the public and tickets are not required.

LOVELAND, OHIO - MUSIC IN THE PARK

LOVELAND, OHIO - CONCERTS IN THE PARK

LOVELAND, OHIO - Here is the 2006 Concert Series Schedule. All concerts are on Sunday nights and begin at 6 PM in Loveland's Nisbet Park at the Loveland Bike Trail in Historic Downtown.

• May 28 - Bromwell-Diehl Band (adult contemporary rock)
• June 18 - The Modulators (Alternative dance party band)
• June 25 - P&G Big Band
• July 2 - The Ohio Military Band
• July 9 - Eight Days a Week (Beatles tribute)
• July 23 - Warren Barfield:
• Aug 14 - Robin Lacy & DeZydeco (cajun zydeco)

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – DIVISION TRACK CHAMPIONS

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Jackie NeCamp, according to Coach Debbie Pomeroy, “Smashed her own Loveland High School record” in the 300-meter hurdle last week in the District Track Meet held at Mason High School. NeCamp ran the course in 45.40. The Division Champ has advanced to compete in the Regional meet in Dayton.

Courtney Richardson won the District High Jump Championship with a jump of 5' 2”. Nolly Vargo with a jump of 4' 11” joins Richardson to compete in the Regional meet.

Other Loveland women advancing to the Regional meet in Dayton include: Alex Poh, discuss (100-04) and District Champ, Jaime Revis, shot-put (35-04.25).

The Loveland women's team won second place in the District meet and the Loveland men finished in third place.

Mark Weden (1600 M Run )and Nate Duncan (Long Jump) also won District Championships. Weden also advances to compete in the 800-meter run.

Landen Cheben (100 Hurdles) and David Simms (high jump) advance to Regional competition.

MILFORD, OHIO - - HUFF GRADUATES FROM BASIC

MILFORD, OHIO - Army Pfc. Shane M. Huff has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, Huff studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Huff is the son of Karen Huff of State Route 28, Milford, Ohio. In 2002, Huff graduated from Milford High School.

LOVELAND, OHIO - GREER GRADUATES FROM BASIC

LOVELAND, OHIO - Army Pvt. Justin A. Greer has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, Greer studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Greer is the son of Joel and Sonya Greer of Woodsway Drive, Loveland, Ohio. In 2001, he graduated from Milford Christian Academy, Ohio.

LOVELAND, OHIO –THE MOVIE “THE DA VINCI CODE” BY RABBI MICHAEL WOLF

LOVELAND, OHIO –The movie “The Da Vinci Code” by Rabbi Michael Wolf

The answer to your first question is no, I didn’t read the book. I had no interest. So basically I’ll restrict my comments to the film. But let me start by saying that many of us have already been educated in the elements of “anti-Da Vinci Codism” before the film was released. No, that’s not Mary Magdalene next to Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew) in “The Last Supper”. Da Vinci labeled the innocent looking teenager “John” in his preliminary sketches and young male students were painted to look like that in Da Vinci’s day anyway. And no, the Priory of Sion (a secret noble organization in the book and film), isn’t a thousand years old. It was started in 1956 by a deluded anti-semite. And oh, let’s not forget that Constantine didn’t invent the deity of Messiah or even come close. Virtually all scholars agree that the divine nature of the Messiah was the consensus among first century believers. I could go on and on, but author Dan Brown’s inaccurate claim to accuracy is not breaking news.

Still, the blatant anti-biblical themes in the film are disturbing. Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is seen as something deceptive, and hiding the deception leads to intrigue and murder. “The greatest story ever told is a big lie”, one of the main characters states confidently. And the shots aren’t all aimed at Messianic faith specifically. Other foundational beliefs about Israel’s God are lambasted in the film. References to a female part of deity are all over the place. Moreover, the combination of half truths and lies in the film left me questioning the film’s ethics in general. How is using the “Priory of Sion” as a good organization different from director DW Griffith making the Klu Klux Klan heroes in his silent epic “The birth of a Nation”?  After all, the 1956 founder of Priory of Sion was not only a vicious anti-semite but also a liar who was caught planting forged tenth century documents. And how is taking an active Roman Catholic order, Opus Dei, and making them the criminals behind a two thousand year conspiracy to hide the lie of Jesus’ divinity, not unlike the allegations about the Jews’ plot to rule the world in the notorious hate document “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”?

Now for my comments about the movie as a movie.  Well, there’s no surprise here. Most critics panned it. If there’s anything miraculous about the filmed version of “The Da Vinci Code” perhaps that’s it, considering that Ron Howard directed and Tom Hanks starred. The flash backs were hokey, and the dialogue sometimes laughable. Hanks: “The Knights Templar were slaughtered on the 13th of November, a Friday”. Actress Audrey Tautou: “That’s Friday the 13th!”. At one point near the end, Hanks has a ridiculous moment, straight out of another Ron Howard film, “A Beautiful Mind.” Figures and reliefs fly around him 360 degrees as his mind pieces together obscure bits from the a chapel wall. Only this time it’s not supposed to represent mental illness;  it’s supposed to be reality. It doesn’t work.

I don’t suppose we should be surprised that the world eats up the Da Vinci code on page and on film. An eyewitness to the real events said, “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). Some wanted to believe the gospel accounts were cunningly devised fables even after reading Peter’s eyewitness account, and some still want to believe that today. But long after the “Da Vinci Code” fad dies down and the DVDs are gathering dust, the Truth will stand. I didn’t have to read Dan Brown’s book to come to that conclusion.

Rabbi Michael Wolf leads Beth Messiah Messianic Synagogue at 9054 Columbia Road, Loveland, Ohio 45140. He can be contacted at 513-683-8817 or rabwolf@aol.com. Beth Messiah's web address is www.bethmessiah.net.

To join the discussion, use the comment section immediately below.

LOVELAND, OHIO – FUNDRAISING FOR CHEERLEADERS

LOVELAND, OHIO – The Loveland 7th & 8th Grade Cheerleaders will be sponsoring a fundraising event, Monday, June 5th from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at the Middle School Cafeteria on Lebanon road. There will be several local vendors participating in this fun event including: Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Premier Designs, The Jam Lady, The Bead queen, Avon and Yankee Candle.  Treat yourself or find that unique gift. You will be sure to find something you will love.

LOVELAND, OHIO – MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE

LOVELAND, OHIO –  A Memorial Day service will be held in the City of Loveland on Monday, May, 29. A parade will leave the Loveland Elementary School on Loveland Madeira Road at 9 AM and will end at the Veterans' Memorial at the corner of Riverside and West Loveland where official ceremonies will start at 10 AM.

There will be local cemetery visits as follows:

1. Mainville Cemetery  - 11:15 AM
2. Union Cemetery – 12:00 Noon
3. Kerr Cemetery – 12:30 PM

The American Legion Picnic at 897 Oakland Road begins at 2:00 PM.

MEMORIAL  DAY  2006 PROGRAM

• INTRODUCTION:  TERRY STOUDER
• TRIBUTE TO GEORGE ANDERSON - TERRY STOUDER
• INVOCATION:  CHIP ECKERT
• “AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL” - MILDRED JONES,  RALPH QUISNO, AND MARILYN SCHILDMEYER
• PRESENTATION OF COLORS & RAISING OF FLAG: LOVELAND SYMMES FIRE DEPARTMENT COLOR GUARD
• PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:  RIELY MIRACLE & AUDIENCE
• “BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC” – MILDRED JONES, RALPH QUISNO, AND MARILYN SCHILDMEYER
• PROCLAMATION – MAYOR ROB WEISGERBER
• INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER: SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT JOSEPH SMITH
• SPEAKER: CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT KAREN R. MCCOY   
• ODE TO POPPY:  DEBBIE LINDSAY
• PLACING OF WREATH:  AMERICAN LEGION LADIES AUXILIARY – CAROL MORGAN AND SANDY RUEHLMAN
• FIRING SQUAD:  SONS OF AMERICAN LEGION
• TAPS:  KYLE SULLIVAN
• BENEDICTION:  CHIP ECKERT
• “GOD BLESS AMERICA” - MILDRED JONES, RALPH QUISNO AND MARILYN SCHILDMEYER

LOVELAND, OHIO – PAXTON'S 4TH ANNUAL TROOP APPRECIATION DINNER

LOVELAND, OHIO – For the fourth year in a row Paxton's Grill in Historic Downtown Loveland is offering hospitality and a complimentary meal to troops and their families in appreciation of their sacrifice of service in the Middle East conflicts.

This year the meal is offered on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 - from 11 AM until 8 PM. Please RSVP by phone at 513-583-1717 or e-mail at paxtonsgrill@fuse.net.

If you are home on leave or have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, Paxton's and their staff would like to thank you for your service. Take your folks out for a complimentary meal. If you are a family member of someone who has served or is currently serving, Paxton's wants you to know they are thinking of you also and want to offer you and your family their thanks as well.

Paxton's Grill is at 126 West Loveland Avenue at the Loveland Bike Trail.

LOVELAND, OHIO – LOCAL MOVIE PREMIER THIS SUNDAY

LOVELAND, OHIO – The premiere of Flavor Invisible is this Sunday, May 21 at 7PM in the Loveland Middle School auditorium (801 South Lebanon Road, rear entrance).  The movie is an hour twenty minutes long.

Flavor Invisible is a film conceived and written by 7th grade students at Loveland Middle School and the Waldorf School of Cincinnati.

As an added bonus to the free admission, United Dairy Farmers has agreed to pass out free samples of ice cream after the movie.  Their "Little Dipper" truck which will be there to give out the free ice cream.

For additional information about how the movie was made and the cast, read LOCAL TEENS FINISH MAKING FEATURE FILM published in Loveland Magazine on Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Also the movie will broadcast on cable access via ICRC (Intercommunity Cable Regulatory Commission) between May 22 and 31 at various times.  There is a schedule of show times at:   www.flavorinvisible.com or

Download cable_broadcast_schedule.pdf

.

SYMMES TOWNSHIO, OHIO - LOVELAND HIGH SCHOOL CLOSED

SYMMES TOWNSHIO, OHIO – News from the Loveland City School Dristrict...

"At 7 a.m. this morning at Loveland High School, the odor of gas was detected.  As students arrived for school, they were not permitted in the building and were relocated to the stadium.  School buses were also brought into the parking lot so students could have a place to sit because of the cold.

District administrators contacted Duke Energy Systems and Loveland Symmes Township Fire Department.  After the initial walk through the building, it was determined that a boiler had failed to ignite and the gas was purged from the boiler through the roof.  Due to the heaviness in the air this morning (per Duke Energy), the gas stayed in the air, and apparently some of the gas was drawn back into the building through the air intake handlers.

After four walkthroughs, the Loveland Symmes Township Fire Department and Duke gave District administrators the “all clear” to send staff and students back into the building.  At approximately 8:20 a.m. students were sent back in to the building.

On the fifth and final walkthrough, a Duke representative found a suspicious-looking valve in the kitchen.  The valve was turned off, and it is not suspected to be the source of the gas odor.  It is still the consensus that the boiler’s failure to ignite was the cause of the gas odor.

As a precaution, District officials chose to close school until that valve can be repaired.   Students were sent home at approximately 8:35 a.m. via the buses, or those students who drive were permitted to drive home.

School is expected to be open for business as usual on Wednesday, May 17.  The high school will be open this evening (Tuesday, May 16), so the building willl be open for prescheduled community events."

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO - PRESCHOOL CAMPS

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – A great and unique variety of Preschool Camps are being offered this summer by the Miami Township Recreation Department.

• Big Trucks & Cool Vehicles - Children will explore the world of cool vehicles, learn about transportation see and hear what fire...
• Motion Madness - This very active camp will keep children busy running, jumping, skipping and rolling through a variety of obstacle..
• Our Animal Friends - Join us as we explore the animal world. Pets, zoo and farm animals will come alive with imagination.....
• Dinosaur Days - This camp will revolve around our favorite extinct gentle giants. Have fun singing songs, reading stories...
• Space & Alien Adventures - Let your imagination take you on a Space & Alien adventure. Blast off this week long camp with stories, crafts...
• How My Preschool Body Works - Preschoolers will learn the basic functions of the human body. Cognitive skills and physical development......

AND MORE...

For more information on any or all of the programs and events, contact the Miami Township Recreation Department at 248-3725 ext 116.

To view the complete list of camps.

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – FOREIGNER'S LOU GRAMM, THE GUESS WHO

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – The annual community and music festival, Mid Summer at the Meadows, has signed two of Rock n' Roll's most legendary talents to play this year's event. Former Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm and the rock group The Guess Who will headline the free, two-day event at Miami Meadows Park, July 7 and 8.

"Lou Gramm and The Guess Who are known world-wide for their hit songs and style," said Dave Duckworth, Miami Township administrator. "We think the community will enjoy the great music that these performers will bring to our event."

In addition to the music, food and children's activities will also be available during the two-day event. A fireworks display from Rozzi's Famous Fireworks is scheduled Saturday, and other events are still to be added.

First rising to prominence as the frontman for platinum-selling hard rock combo Foreigner, Lou Gramm has mounted a successful solo career. Foreigner began in 1977, and had smash hits such as "Cold as Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Double Vision," "Urgent," and "Waiting for a Girl Like You," and the chart-topping power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is." In the spring of 1997, on the eve of the band's planned Japanese tour, Gramm was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor; surgery preceded a year of rehabilitation and radiation treatment. Gramm is healthy again, and touring with his own band this year.

LOVELAND, OHIO - COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN GRANNY'S GARDEN

LOVELAND, OHIO - Granny's you-pick-a-bouquet-a-week club is a winning proposition for its members and the garden program.  Members of the club pick a bouquet of up to 24 stems a week of whatever is blooming in the gardens, excluding sunflowers.  Below are comments from club member, Elizabeth Murphy.

"We have really enjoyed the Pick a Bouquet Club.  I had gotten a membership for my Mother who is 82 and for myself. My husband and I usually come over Sunday mornings. He is the original gardener in our house.  I especially liked the program because we get to see a lot of varieties of plants that we have not grown. I can see how they act and how their flowers work in a bouquet.  We have learned how much the plants benefit from having their flowers picked. I have become more brave in my own  gardens.  All this is of course on top of having the beautiful flowers in the house to look at up close.

Membership runs from June 1st to August 15th.  That's 10 bouquets for a donation of $40!  Registration form.

Summer program  - Wednesdays and Thursdays are for families. Friday is ladies' night.
The two-hour classes last for seven weeks.  Each class is a combination of hands-on gardening and garden craft experiences.  Participants learn how to grow vegetables, herbs and flowers, press flowers, propagate mums, grow perennials from seed, build garden structures and cook with herbs, among other activities.  We have indoor activities for rainy days.  Participants are welcome to pick a bouquet after each class.

Families: The registration fee is $40 per family plus a $5 supply fee for each family member. There are two sessions to chose from, morning and evening.  Wednesday morning (6/14-7/26) 9-11 a.m. or Thursday evening (6/15-7/27) 7-9 p.m.   It's a great family experience with parents and children  working and learning together.  Grandparents are
welcome too.  You are welcome to bring younger children though the  program will be of more interest to children who have  graduated from kindergarten and older.  We teach to  the adults and count on the parents to help their children with the various activities.

Ladies' Night: Friday evenings, 7-9 p.m., June 16th - July 28th, $25.00 each.  Bring a friend special 2-$40.  Share the experience with your favorite sister or a special friend.  Learn something new and make new friends.   No children, please.  Registration form.

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO - PUT YOUR VALUABLES OUT OF SIGHT

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – A message from The SafetyNet Team from Miami Township.

Recently we told you about persons traveling around the Township stealing property from automobiles. We suggested that these thefts could be averted if citizens would lock their cars and remove the valuables or put them out of view.

Detectives from Miami Township recently arrested several people who were committing some of these crimes by taking property from unlocked cars.

Now we have reports from late last week that thieves are smashing windows in automobiles and stealing property. The good news is that the cars were all locked. The bad news is that valuable property such as notebook computers was left in plain view for the thieves to see.

The thieves did not break into cars that did not have property in plain sight.

We need your help to stop and capture these thieves.

• 1. Remove your valuables from your cars or lock them in the trunk away from plain sight.
• 2. Report to the Miami Township Police 732-2231 anything and everything that you believe is suspicious in your neighborhood.
• 3.Tell your neighbors about points 1 and 2 above.
• 4. Thieves are basically lazy people. They rarely spend time on anything other than a sure thing. Don't become a victim. Lock it up and put it away.

Thank You
The SafetyNet Team from Miami Township

AFTER PROM WAS A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS by Arleen Rohman

Dear Loveland Magazine,

The Loveland High School After Prom was a spectacular success, and it could not happen without the generosity and commitment of the entire community. Very special thanks to the fantastic volunteers who have donated their time, amazing talent and endless energy. Thanks to the faculty and administration who have once again provided invaluable support.  A tremendous “thank you” to the many businesses, colleges, organizations and individual sponsors who donated money as well as products and prizes. This event could not happen without all of you.

Our Platinum Sponsors deserve special recognition.  Their generous contributions are critical to After Prom’s success.  They are:
Franklynn Industries, Loveland Family Medicine, Bull Group Advisers, Loveland High School, EPS Specialties Ltd. Inc., Fed X / Kinkos, Loveland Music Boosters, Loveland Store & Lock, Geotech Pattern & Mold, Nestle/Ice Mountain, Patterson Plumbing, Ellie Kowalchick / Gina Dubell Smith, Comey & Shepherd, Procter & Gamble, Ryan Homes, Johnson Automotive, Loveland High School PTSA, Wal-Mart / Sam's Club, Loveland Athletic Boosters, ShapeXpress, Loveland Dairy Whip, Zicka Walker Homes, and the Loveland Elementary PTSA.

If you’d like to get involved in After Prom next year come to the monthly meetings at the high school media center starting in September, or contact Sara Dyer at ddyer3@cinci.rr.com

Sincerely,

Arleen Rohman

COLUMBUS, OHIO - THE ART OF LINDA SAND

COLUMBUS, OHIO -    These photos were taken at the Franklyn Park Conservatory on Saturday by Linda Sand. Sand is a former resident of Miami Township in Clermont County.

LOVELAND, OHIO - Internet's First Amendment: Network Neutrality

LOVELAND, OHIO - “Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the Internet's First Amendment -- a principle called Network Neutrality that prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. If the public doesn't speak up now, our elected officials will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign,” according to savetheinternet.com.

The SavetheInternet.com Coalition is an alliance of organizations, citizens, businesses and bloggers that have banded together to protect Internet freedom.

The Coalition believes that the Internet is a crucial engine for economic growth and free speech. “We are working together to urge Congress to take steps now to preserve Network Neutrality, the First Amendment for the Internet that ensures that the Internet remains open to innovation and progress.”

“From its beginnings, the Internet has leveled the playing field for all comers. Everyday people can have their voices heard by thousands, even millions of people. The SavetheInternet.com Coalition -- representing millions of Americans from all walks of life -- is working together to ensure that Congress passes no telecommunications legislation without meaningful and enforceable Network Neutrality requirements.”

Learn more about the Coalition. 

Trust AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth?
AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth want us to trust that they will be good stewards of Internet freedom. Meanwhile, they’re selling out ordinary Americans to the National Security Agency. A report in this morning’s USA Today details how these...

THE WASHINGTON, DC - KIDS FOR KING ESSAY CONTEST

THE WASHINGTON, DC – The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation is sponsoring an essay contest to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

They are inviting children grades K-12 to write a short 75 words or less essay to tell  about the life and work of Dr. King and share their dream for a better America.

Each child that submits his or her essay will receive a 'Build the Dream' Wristband. Twelve randomly selected participants will be invited to Washington, DC along with one legal guardian to witness the ground breaking ceremony of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in the fourth quarter of 2006.

“The memorial will serve as a stage to Dr. King's national and international contributions to humankind and will remind the world of his dedication to the idea of achieving human dignity through global relationships; and instill a sense of duty within each of us to be responsible citizens.”

For more information visit http://www.BuildtheDream.org/KidsForKing/. You
can order your packet by mail, download your packet or submit your essay online.

LOVELAND, OHIO – ENTERTAINMENT THIS WEEKEND

LOVELAND, OHIO – Thinking Too Much is at the buZZThru on Loveland Madiera Road on Friday starting at 7 PM.

At the buZZThru on Saturday, is the Dos Madres Press Poetry Reading Series featuring Gerry Grubbs reading from “Still Life” at 7 PM. Learn more about Grubbs at Dos Madres Press.

Friday at Paxton's Grill you can hear Fire Light at 9 PM and on Saturday Ricky Nye and Nick Lloyd perform, also at 9 PM. Every Sunday at Paxton's you can hear Stupid Rooster on the patio from 4 – 7 PM.

LOVELAND, OHIO – DRUM CIRCLE AT THE BUZZ

<>

LOVELAND, OHIO – Wednesday nights from 7 PM – 10 PM is Drum Circle night at The buZZthru Expresso Bar in Loveland. It is organized by the Cincinnati Drum Circle. It is parcipatory druming and people from all over the tri-state gather around a fire ring and join the improvisational rythyms.

"The Creator wants us to drum. He wants us to corrupt the world with drum, dance and chants. After all, we have already corrupted the world with power and greed....which hasn't gotten us anywhere - now's the time to corrupt the world with drum, dance and chants."
--Babatunde Olatunji

"African and Asian cultures have been practicing community percussion for thousands of years. Now Americans are fast joining drum circles, informally or through organized centers,..." wrote Harriet Barovick recently in Time Magazine. All over America, people of all ages are taking up drumming in astounding numbers. In communities all across the country, drumming circles are springing up, oriented not toward performance and musical virtuosity, but toward personal transformation, consciousness expansion, and community building. Since there are no prerequisites to drumming, anyone can join in and explore rhythms with hands and drumsticks as an exhilarating way of communing. While some drumming circles are content to jam and make a lot of rhythmic noise, others prefer to explore intricate patterns of rhythm, and still others gather for shamanic drumming. To learn more, read "Shamanic Drumming Circles," an excerpt from The Shamanic Drum ("Recommended to anyone seeking to connect deeply with the drum as a tool for personal, interpersonal, or group spiritual and healing work."--Nowick Gray, Alternative Culture Magazine).

From Talking Drum Publications.