Non-profit & Groups

On April 20, Friends of Horseshoe Lake (FOHSL) issued demand letters to Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights, claiming that the cities have failed to follow the terms of the lease agreement for Horseshoe Lake and make necessary repairs to restore the dam and lake.

FOHSL is working with the law firm Mansour Gavin to keep the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) from destroying the dam and lake.

FutureHeights will celebrate 21 years of service to the community at its 5th annual benefit party, A Summer Night’s Dream, on Saturday, July 29, 6–9:30 p.m. 

FutureHeights’ annual benefit celebrates the nonprofit's ongoing efforts to energize the economic and community development of Cleveland Heights and University Heights, and raises critical operating funds for the organization. 

This year’s event will take place at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, where guests will partake of music, dancing, and a selection of delicious food and drink from some of the Heights’ top culinary establishments. With enchanting live performances and art from local artists, including Robin VanLear, there are sure to be delights and surprises around every turn.

The FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grants program has awarded $10,500 to 13 Heights groups in its spring 2023 round of grantmaking.

The program invites groups to apply for up to $1,000 in funding for neighborhood-level, community-building projects, programs, or initiatives in Cleveland Heights or University Heights.  

Artful’s project, This Art is for the Birds, received $1,000 to support arts workshops directed by Robin VanLear that will result in an outdoor Greek theater-style production to take place in Coventry PEACE Park this summer.

On Saturday, April 15, at 10:30 a.m., Cleveland Heights Council Member Davida Russell will host a "You Talk, I Listen" Town Hall meeting, inviting the Cleveland Heights community to discuss how pollution and loss of trees is impacting neighborhoods on the north side of Cleveland Heights.

The meeting will explore the preventative steps available to lessen storm flow, prevent erosion, restore natural habitats, and reduce litter pollution.

It also will highlight the condition of Caledonia Ravine, a branch of Nine Mile Creek that runs through the Caledonia neighborhood. The creek provides an example of how litter pollution and illegal dumping, along with erosion and loss of trees, are having significant negative effects on the health of this natural environmental asset, and the surrounding community.

Celebrate Trails Day, a national celebration established by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 2013, encourages people to get outside and enjoy the country's trails and trail systems. Observed on the fourth Saturday in April, Celebrate Trails Day shares a date this year with Earth Day—April 22.

Here in Cleveland Heights, on April 22, 1 p.m., Boulevard Neighbors is hosting an all-ages hike of a two-mile section of Forest Hill Park. Built in 1938, as part of John D. Rockefeller's estate, the historic urban park encompasses 235 acres—a mix of woods and fields, as well as a large lagoon.

Does seeing misspelled words make you cringe? Do you sometimes suppress the urge to spellcheck your coworkers’ emails? Or, are you an average speller but a phenomenal supporter of the Heights community and its public schools?

The annual Reaching Heights Spelling Bee is a perfect way to support Heights public schools while also having fun. This spelling bee for adults is silly, campy, and nerdy in the best possible ways.

Registration is now open for this year's Bee, to be held on Wednesday, May 10, at the Heights High auditorium.

At the Bee, teams of three work together to correctly spell one word in each round, while also taking part in fun traditions that make the annual event a "honey-sweet" time for spellers and spectators alike.

Heights community members, including students, parents, and district alumni, teachers and staff, are invited and encouraged to participate in the first Crowdsourced Conversations forum of 2023, on the topic of “Our Public Schools.”

The event, organized by FutureHeights and Reaching Heights, and in partnership with other community groups and organizations, will take place on Wednesday, April 26, 7–8:30 p..m, at Heights High (13263 Cedar Road).

Attendees will participate in small group discussions geared toward discovering what actions (small, medium, or large) everyday residents can take to "be the change they wish to see" in the community, especially related to public education.

FutureHeights, Cleveland Heights' nonprofit Community Development Corporation, will showcase its recent updates and upcoming programs at an open house event on Thursday, May 4, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Many will recognize the special significance attributed to May 4th—May the fourth be with you—by the iconic line from "Star Wars"—“May the force be with you." 

Kristine Pagsuyoin, executive director of FutureHeights, explained that, for this even, the “force” relates to the mission and values of FutureHeights, in "representing the strength or energy exerted to cause motion or change." 

The Coventry Living Room Project is a placemaking initiative that seeks to create an interactive, welcoming, outdoor gathering space for the community in a spot that is currently underutilized—Harvey Pekar Park, at the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard.

Led by neighborhood resident Cole Ware, in partnership with the Coventry Village Special Improvement District and the Coventry Neighborhood Group, planning began in fall 2022 and continued through winter 2023.

FutureHeights is honored to announce the formation of the Severance Action Group (SAG) as a newly independent citizens’ activity group dedicated to advocating for the redevelopment of the Severance mall property.  

In January 2020, SAG formed as a subcommittee of the FutureHeights Planning and Development Committee.

In a March 1 letter, Rev. Eric Dillenbeck, executive director of Heights Community Congress (HCC), announced that the nonprofit organization had closed its doors, effective Feb. 28. The letter stated:

After 50 years of committed service to the Heights Community and [N]ortheast Ohio the Board of the Heights Community Congress (HCC) made the difficult decision to close its doors, effective February 28, 2023.  

After an extensive search process, the FutureHeights Board of Directors is pleased to announce that it has named Kristine Pagsuyoin its new executive director.

In assuming the role, on Feb. 6, Pagsuyoin will now manage all day-to-day operations for FutureHeights, leading staff and programming, as well as marketing and fundraising efforts.

Pagsuyoin's leadership and housing background, combined with a passion for community engagement and community building, will further advance the mission of FutureHeights. She brings a breadth of experience to her new leadership role.

The Heights Coalition for Public Education will host a forum on March 2, at Cleveland Heights High School, to welcome and introduce the newly elected state officials who represent the Heights.

The public officials invited to attend are state Rep. Juanita Brent (District 22), state Rep.  Daniel Troy (District 23), state Sen. Kent Smith (District 23), and state Board of Education (BOE) member Thomas Jackson (District 10).

Presentations will begin at 7:15 p.m., in the Heights High cafeteria. The forum's emphasis will be on public education. Community members attending the event will have the opportunity to ask questions, as will the public officials.

FutureHeights is at the beginning phases of planning the 2023 edition of Crowdsourced Conversations, a discussion-based forum series that premiered in 2022. It was created in response to feedback that residents wanted more connection and follow up after a community event. Organizers initiated this series to provide Heights residents and stakeholders with a space in which to have action-oriented discussions about communitywide topics.

Participants and organizers alike enthusiastically agreed that Crowdsourced Conversations should continue in 2023, so FutureHeights asked for suggestions for topics.

Nearly 50 ideas emerged, and a Heightswide survey narrowed it down to the top four: Perceptions vs. Reality of our Schools; Re-Thinking the Roads as Community Space, Not Just for Cars; Rental Properties and Absent/Negligent Landlords; and Planning and Development in the Heights.

Heights Tree People is beginning its fifth year as a volunteer organization, working to rebuild the tree canopy in Cleveland Heights and University Heights by planting trees in people’s front yards, free of charge.

The group is currently accepting tree requests for spring planting of trees, which runs April through May.

Requesting a tree now enables them to conduct a site visit prior to planting season, to find the right location and tree for a specific front yard.

Arborist and Heights Tree People founding member Laura Marks sums up the extensive benefits of trees, saying, simply, “People are happier and healthier when they live with trees. Trees civilize us. They clean our environment.”

FutureHeights is now accepting applications for its spring 2023 Neighborhoods Mini-Grants program. Applications are due March 15.

Now in its eighth year, the program offers awards of up to $1,000 for community-building projects, programs, and initiatives at the neighborhood level, in Cleveland Heights or University Heights.

Applicants are not required to have 501(c)3 nonprofit standing to be considered. FutureHeights designed the program to enable neighborhood and grassroots-level groups to have access to funding that, without the nonprofit designation, otherwise can be challenging to acquire. 

The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Fund (OJWMF) has a new focus: The nonprofit organization will provide tuition reimbursement scholarships to selected graduates of the Martin G. Lentz Cleveland Heights Police Academy.

The academy was closed for two years during the pandemic, and will reopen in 2023. Citizens 21 years of age and older can apply for the academy's January or July six-month session.

Tuition for the academy is $5,000. The OJWMF will select a limited number of academy graduates to receive a partial tuition reimbursement after each of the 2023 sessions.

Last year, the Heights community recycled 1,200 lbs. of string lights and cords, benefiting the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Lights for Lions program. 

This year, the Cleveland Heights Green Team is again partnering with other community organizations—the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, the Millikin Neighborhood Group, and Heights Libraries—to collect broken, non-working, and used strings of lights and extension cords for recycling.

The recycling drive begins Dec. 13 and runs through Jan. 31.

Drop off bins are located at the Nature Center; the Lee Road Library; and in the Millikin neighborhood, at 1541 Maple Road. (Please don't include any bags or other packaging when dropping the lights and cords in the bins.)

December is full of opportunities for kids of all ages to create. at Lake Erie Ink: a writing space for youth (LEI).

Up first is Paper Making on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 4–5:30 p.m., followed by Lantern Making as part of the Coventry PEACE Campus Lantern Festival on Saturday, Dec. 10.

 A Puppets and Poems program will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 4–5:30 p.m.

And, during winter break, students in grades two through five can participate in Creative Play Day sessions filled with hot cocoa, creative activities, and craft making Dec. 28 through Jan. 4, from 9:30 a.m. till noon.

After a two-year pandemic hiatus, the Cleveland Potters' Co-op is again hosting a holiday pottery sale this December.

The sale, featuring ceramic art and objects made by co-op members—mugs, bowls, planters and more—will take place on Friday, Dec, 2, 7–9 p.m.; and on Dec. 3 and 4, and Dec. 10 and 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The potters invite the public to their studio during sale hours, to partake of light refreshments while shopping for holiday gifts. Visitors will also have an opportunity to meet co-op artists and learn about the classes they teach.

The Cleveland Potters' Co-op is a group of area potters who share the expenses of operating a ceramics studio and offer classes for the community.

The co-op is located at 3175 Kensington Ave. in Cleveland Heights.

FutureHeights is accepting applications for its 2023 Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series (NLWS). The program teaches strengths-based community-building skills in a cohort model that allows participants to connect with other engaged residents and stakeholders in Cleveland Heights.

The majority of program graduates go on to serve in leadership capacities in their neighborhood groups and other organizations across the city.

The deadline to apply for the 2023 cohort is Jan. 13. (The 2022 cohort filled up ahead of the application deadline, so don’t delay in applying, if you are interested.)

The workshops will take place on Sundays, Jan. 22, Feb. 5, Feb. 26, March 12, and March 26, 3–6 p.m. at Coventry PEACE Campus. Participants are expected to commit to all five sessions, both to get the most out of the program, and to build a strong cohort with their fellow participants.

“I was looking for a move-in-ready house on a quiet tree-lined street located close to my medical school job in University Circle,” said first-time homeowner Thomas Radford, who previously lived in Solon and Bainbridge. “This house checked all the boxes for me.”

Radford's house, on Elbon Road in Cleveland Heights' Noble neighborhood, is one of 22 vacant and foreclosed homes rehabilitated so far through work led by FutureHeights, the city's community development corporation (CDC). Each had fallen into disrepair, and some were facing possible demolition.

Until this year, FutureHeights sold each vacant house, prior to renovation, to a developer who then carried out the work and re-sold the renovated house to an owner-occupant. (One such renovation project was completed in May, just two doors down from Radford's home, in keeping with FutureHeights’ targeted approach to neighborhood investment and redevelopment.)

Food and cooking bring people together, linking families and communities. They are an integral part of the stories we tell, and how we connect to others. In the spirit of such connections, Lake Erie Ink (LEI) has launched a Creative Community cookbook project that aims to bring people together through shared recipes and stories.

The cookbook is the latest iteration of an ongoing project that LEI launched in 2020—the Creative Community Challenge.

Originally conceived as a way to bridge social isolation during the quarantine, each challenge is open to all ages and all types of writing and art.

Heights Tree People, a volunteer organization working to rebuild the tree canopy in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, encourages residents to make requests for fall trees now. With its cool, moist weather, fall is a perfect time of year to plant trees. Fall tree-planting runs from the end of September through Thanksgiving, and Heights Tree People will plant trees for free in the front yards of homes in both cities.

The Officer Jason D. West Scholarship Fund was established by residents, business owners and Cleveland Heights police officers to honor the service and memory of Officer Jason D. West. He was a member of the Cleveland Heights Police Department who was killed in the line of duty in 2007.

The goal of the scholarship fund has been to encourage young men and women to consider a career in law enforcement, and to strengthen the relationship between young people and the police.

At its inception, the organization's committee awarded scholarships to Heights High seniors who had completed the two-year Criminal Justice Career Tech Program and were interested in pursuing additional education in criminal justice. In 2021, however, the school district discontinued the program. As a result, the scholarship committee is reevaluating its work.

One of the first things that the committee did in the restructuring process was to acquire tax-exempt designation from the state of Ohio and 501(c)3 status from the IRS. The organization is now The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Fund with its own board of directors. This step made the organization entirely separate from the school district.

FutureHeights will celebrate 20 years of service to the Heights community at its 2022 benefit party, "Swinging at the Rockefeller," on Aug. 20, 6–9:30 p.m.

The event will take place at the Heights Rockefeller Building, 3099 Mayfield Road, and its Proximity Golf Lounge. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy music and dancing in the building's outdoor garden and courtyard, and partake of appetizers, desserts and drinks from some of the Heights' finest culinary establishments. Proximity Golf's simulators will also be available to guests, enabling them to tee off, albeit virtually, at championship golf courses.

To purchase tickets to the Aug. 20 benefit, and for additional information, visit www.futureheights.org. 

“We are proud of all that FutureHeights has done to strengthen the Cleveland Heights and University Heights communities,’’ said FutureHeights Board President Julie Sabroff, “and we look forward to even greater accomplishments in the coming years.”

Friends of Cain Park Board Member Judy Heyer is serious about Ohio State (OSU) football. She's so serious that she told her students during her 32 years on the faculty of Cleveland State University that they could call her anytime day or night, unless it was during an OSU game; that would mean instantly failing the class.

“I encouraged all my students to call me, up to midnight, but game day was non-negotiable,” said 88-year-old Heyer.

Not only were her students warned, one football Saturday a friend needed to tell her something important. “She knew better than to call me during a game, so she sent me a telegram,” laughed Heyer.

OSU football fever started for Heyer 65 years ago, when she was an undergraduate at The Ohio State University.
  
“For four years I loved every minute of my time there," recalled Heyer, "but most of all football Saturdays. You couldn’t help getting caught up in the hysteria. When I graduated my father said that I should get alumni tickets so he could use them for business."

Crowdsourced Conversations continues on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 6–7:30 p.m., with the third in a series of four discussion-based forums. The focus for the Aug. 31 session will be community safety.

Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents are invited to attend the in-person event at Denison Park’s picnic pavilion (1015 Quarry Drive).  

The conversation series utilizes responses from Heights-wide surveys on the discussion topics to inform the small group conversations. Crowdsourcing in this way enables a wide spectrum of perspectives to be considered during each forum.

While traditionally forums feature a panel discussion that allows for audience questions, the organizers of this series wanted to give Heights residents a chance to learn from one another and community-build while focusing on what is actionable by everyday citizens.

The Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) believes that individuals and local governments have a responsibility to address climate change by developing and implementing a plan tailored to the specific needs of their communities.

At a May 28 brainstorming event on climate action, hosted by the Cleveland Heights Green Team, Heights residents concluded that the path to a climate-resilient community starts with the identification of a common set of data points and language as the foundation for any potential course of action.

According to Cleveland Heights resident Andrew Linebarger, “The most important outcome of the brainstorming session was highlighting the need for a more inclusive approach to determining what matters most to our community in the face of climate impact.”

Friends of Cain Park, supporting Cain Park for more than three decades, is back this summer selling memberships and raffle tickets to support this regional treasure.

Raffle tickets can be purchased online at friendsofcainpark.org/raffle, and at the Cain Park Arts Festival, July 8–10. [Admission to the Arts Festival is free on all three days.]

Crowdsourced Conversations is gearing up for its next discussion-based forum, which will focus on housing and neighborhood preservation. Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents are invited to attend this free community event on Tuesday, June 28, 7–8:30 p.m., at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd.

This forum series utilizes responses from Heightswide surveys on the various discussion topics to inform the small-group conversations. This type of crowdsourcing introduces a wide spectrum of perspectives into each forum.

While many traditional forums feature a panel discussion that allows for audience questions, the organizers of this series wanted to give Heights residents a chance to learn from one another and build community, while focusing on what is actionable by participants and other residents.  

The first session in the conversation series, in which participants discussed sustainability and earth-friendly practices, took place on April 27. The June 28 event is the second of four; the next two Crowdsourced Conversation forums will explore community safety and civic engagement.

The spring 2022 round of funding for the FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grant program received a record 21 applications, and has awarded a total of $6,950 to 10 community projects. The mini-grants are 100-percent funded by private donations.

This community-building initiative awards up to $1,000 for neighborhood-level projects in Cleveland Heights and University Heights. (The 21 applicants for spring 2022 all were from Cleveland Heights.)

Lantern Festival, coordinated by artists at Coventry PEACE Campus, received $1,000 to host the second in what is planned as an annual family event.

After three years of disruptions, Heights Community Congress (HCC) will again host its Heights Heritage Home & Garden Tour in 2022, on Sunday, Sept. 18, from noon to 6 p.m. For more than 40 years HCC has featured 354 homes, along with several historic churches and local city landmarks, welcoming thousands of visitors from all over Northeast Ohio and beyond.

The popular weekend tour was abruptly cancelled in 2019 due to the major microburst storm that tore through parts of Cleveland Heights. That storm knocked out power for days, and damaged hundreds of trees and numerous properties, including three homes and two churches on the tour.

We Are Noble, an annual celebration of the people and places in the Noble Road neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights, will kick off on Friday, May 20, and run through May 22. To see the full schedule of events, and learn how to participate, visit www.nobleneighbors.com.

All residents of the area are welcome to host a yard sale at their residence. Businesses and institutions are also invited to participate, to showcase their products, services and missions to the Noble community by offering special sales, giveaways, food or performances. Real estate agents will hold open houses for residents and visitors to tour.

Community members were recognized in April, National Volunteer Month, for their work at the Father Michael Wittman Ozanam Center (FMWOC), a food pantry and clothing bank located in East Cleveland that serves surrounding communities, including Cleveland Heights.

FMWOC volunteers represent 14 different churches, including Communion of Saints Parish and Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights. Weekly operations are conducted by the all-volunteer staff

Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the dedicated volunteers who donate their time, services, and resources, FMWOC is able to provide assistance to those in need.

Church of the Saviour volunteer Pete Evangelista works with incarcerated individuals at Trumbull Correctional Institution, through Kairos Prison Ministry, where they knit hats on looms, then donate the hats to the clothing bank.

When the Cleveland Heights Green Team agreed to partner with MedWish International a couple of months ago, the war in Ukraine seemed almost implausible.

"We had been wanting to do a collection drive to provide a second life to discarded medical supplies and equipment as a means to repurpose rather than waste," said Alex Sitarik, co-founder of the grassroots environmental group.

The collection had been scheduled to take place in April as part of Earth Month in the Heights.

"The drive was intended to emphasize recycling, reusing, repurposing alternatives as a mechanism to divert waste from the landfill. But sadly, that war has occurred, and instead we will be collecting supplies to distribute to relief organizations,” Sitarik explained.

Coventry PEACE Campus will host its third-annual chili cook-off on Sunday, March 20, 4–7 p.m., at the Coventry PEACE Building, 2843 Washington Blvd.

Tickets are $5 per person (or $20 per family) and include chili tastings, fixings, sides, water, and one vote for "favorite chili." Families will receive three votes for their entrance fee. Attendees who wish to vote for more than one chili can purchase extra votes for $5 each, or six for $20. Desserts and beverages will be available for purchase. This year’s event will also feature family games and live music.

In 2019, FutureHeights, in partnership with the city of Cleveland Heights and the Cuyahoga County Land Bank, initiated FutureHomes, a housing rehabilitation program focused on bringing vacant homes in Cleveland Heights back to productive use; and improving the economic, social, and environmental conditions in their respective neighborhoods. 

Since its inception, and despite the challenges created by the pandemic, FutureHomes so far has managed the rehab of 20 properties.

“Homes have luckily sold quickly, but we haven’t been able to showcase the good work through open houses because of COVID restrictions,” said Deanna Bremer Fisher, executive director of FutureHeights. “We’re looking forward to that changing.”

The program originally focused on the "center city" area, comprising the block surrounding Heights High, in order to leverage the public investment in the school’s renovation.

“Earth Month in the Heights” is a collaborative effort led by the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) in partnership with Heights Libraries to affirm that all have the responsibility and power to protect the environment, live healthier lives, and create an equitable, prosperous green economy for all.

CHGT is issuing an open call—a “community crowdsourcing” initiative—to Heights residents, businesses, schools, and government entities, inviting them to organize and participate in Earth Month events, aimed to engage, inform, and inspire transformational community action. CHGT seeks to generate ideas and organize activities that promote environmental awareness and remind us that we can be advocates for the planet in our everyday lives.

The registration deadline is Sunday, March 13.

FutureHeights has announced the selection of a new manager for its 2022 Heights Music Hop festival. Eric Simna, principal of A440 Sound, will lead this year’s planning committee.

As the primary sound provider for the festival over the last six years, Simna brings an intimate knowledge of the event to the position. “Whether it comes to connecting with business owners, making sure performers are comfortable, or ensuring that the patron experience is top-notch, Eric has had a hand in every aspect of the festival,” said FutureHeights Executive Director Deanna Bremer Fisher. “His passion and dedication were evident as he worked to help put together the best festival possible during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.”

From Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, Heights residents were invited to recycle damaged holiday string lights and extension cords to benefit the Cleveland Zoo’s Lights for Lions conservation program.

“Our residents' response was extraordinary,” said Joe Kickel, Cleveland Heights’ assistant public works director. “We collected close to 1,200 pounds of lights, far exceeding any expectations.”

The Cleveland Heights Green Team organized the collection drive in partnership with Heights Libraries and the Cleveland Heights Department of Public Works. Collection boxes were placed at all four libraries in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, and at the Cleveland Heights Service Center on Superior Road.

The newly formed Friends of Heights Parks (FHP) invites all to discover more about our parks by joining a Walk in the Park at Shaker Lakes’ Lower Lake, on Jan. 22.

Walkers will hit the trail at 11 a.m., meeting at the parking lot on South Park Boulevard near Leighton Road in Shaker Heights. The walk is a little more than a mile around the lake, with options for rugged or level terrain.

FHP is hosting walks to showcase each unique park in Cleveland Heights, and inspire fellow park lovers to join together to support programs, improve habitat, and shepherd this historic park system into a healthy, sustainable future for the whole community.

On the heels of the fall 2021 round of the FutureHeights Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series, the program returns to its regularly scheduled spot on the spring calendar. 

This program is ideal for any Cleveland Heights resident who is looking for a way to get more involved in the community, or who has an idea for a neighborhood-based project and is seeking to build skills to help bring an idea to life.  

Workshop participants explore topics that include individual leadership, strengths-based approaches to community-based work, and how to gather information about a neighborhood to better understand its history. They also learn how to access data and craft narratives to enable them to find funding, to help make their dream neighborhood projects come to life.

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland awarded Ashley Bailes, a Cleveland Heights resident, its 2021 Access to Justice Award.

The award was presented at the society’s livestreamed annual meeting, on Dec. 9. It is bestowed annually to recognize significant contributions to advancing the mission of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland through pro bono commitment.

Bailes is an associate in the lltigation group at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where she focuses on complex civil litigation in state and federal courts. She felt compelled to begin volunteering with The Legal Aid Society during the pandemic, when she recognized that people with low incomes were losing their homes and struggling disproportionately.

The public is invited to attend the Coventry PEACE Campus Lantern Festival, a celebration of light, on Saturday, Dec. 11.

The festival will begin with a lantern-making workshop, 2:30–4:30 p.m., at Coventry PEACE Campus, 2843 Washington Blvd. Artful artist Jacqui Brown (Studio Cat) and Art Acts artist Tanya Gonzalez will guide participants of all ages in the creation of their own lanterns. In addition, Lake Erie Ink will host a workshop for writing solstice-themed stories and winter-themed haiku.

At 5 p.m., workshop participants can share their creations with the community during a Lantern Procession that will step off from the building’s front entrance and wind its way through Coventry PEACE Park and the Coventry Village Business District.

This past summer, eight boys and four adults from Boy Scout Troop 22, based at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, finally had the adventure of a lifetime, backpacking at Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, N.M. “Finally” because previous attempts had been canceled—by a massive fire in 2018, and by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These were the only two canceled seasons in Philmont’s long history of hosting scouts.

Philmont Scout Ranch (www.philmontscoutranch.org/) is the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) largest National High Adventure Base, covering 140,177 acres of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains, in northeastern New Mexico. The scout ranch operates 35 staffed camps and 55 trail camps across rugged terrain that ranges in elevation from 6,500 to 12,441 feet. More than one million scouts, venturers, and adult advisors have experienced the adventure of Philmont since its first camping season in 1939.

On Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., FutureHeights will turn on the applause sign for all of the recipients of its 2021 neighborhood mini-grants. All are welcome to attend this virtual gathering that will offer an overview of the program, explain how to participate, and spotlight the innovative and outstanding projects created and led by Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents over this past year.

Projects supported by the FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grants program include neighborhood gardening and beautification efforts, youth engagement programs, creative placemaking endeavors, and community outreach work. In 2021, it awarded grants to its first University Heights recipients, as the program became available to residents of that city this past year.

Like many items, campaign signs come with no end-of-life plan. They usually end up in the trash.

In an effort to divert waste from the landfill, and promote reusing, upcycling, and recycling, the Cleveland Heights Green Team, in partnership with Cuyahoga Solid Waste District (CSWD) will be collecting campaign signs Nov. 3–14.

There will be five collection points across the city: Dave's in Cedar-Fairmount, Dave's at Severance, Zagara's Marketplace on Lee Road, Heights Libraries Coventry Village Branch, and Save-A-Lot on Noble Road. A drop box for the signs will be clearly marked and conveniently located at the front of each store.

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s to embrace the outdoors. Here in the Heights, we’re surrounded by more than 135 acres of parks, but many don’t take advantage of them. Some community members want to help change that. They believe Heights parks are unique and valuable assets, and they are planting the proverbial seeds. 

Still in its infancy, Friends of Heights Parks (FHP) has many ideas, but first on its agenda is opening up the conversation. (Or as they say these days, “expanding their friend group.”)

FHP comprises volunteers from Forest Hill Park, Friends of Cain Park, and Friends of Lower Lake, and is in the early stages of bringing community together to make every park a destination for residents, and a true reflection of our community. At the forefront is the question: How can we help preserve our parks and natural environment while fostering the values of caring about the earth and each other?

This autumn, the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC) will mark its 50th anniversary.

Formed by a group of socially conscious parishioners at Forest Hill Church, the agency was known as the Forest Hill Church Housing Corporation at its outset.

In those early years, the organization’s members sought to address deteriorating housing stock, income inequalities, and racial inequities by taking on projects such as the original conversion of a double- into a single-family dwelling, and the creation of the still-active Challenge Fund, to provide low-interest loans to Heights residents who typically can’t obtain conventional home repair loans.

Through their work, a diverse mix of thousands of homeowners have utilized HRRC programs over the past half-century.

Today, HRRC continues its commitment to preserving this community’s housing stock, increasing the number of people able to purchase their first homes, providing financial assistance to homeowners needing important repairs, and working to reduce the number of unnecessary foreclosures.

In October, the FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grants Committee awarded a total of $4,000—$1,000 each—to four community projects.  

Cleveland Heights Green Team received funding for its Green Space Beautification and Sustainability Education project, which includes programming and the distribution of educational materials. The group plans to host a series of community events, and FutureHeights' $1,000 mini-grant will help cover the cost of materials, including art supplies, printing, and community clean-up items.

Fairfax Community Garden received funding to replace deteriorating border boards along the pathway of the garden, which comprises nine individual plots on the grounds of Fairfax Elementary School.

August Napoli, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Cleveland, announced the appointment of Cleveland Heights resident Kenneth Surratt as vice president of community investment and chief investment officer, effective Oct. 18.

"Ken is an accomplished, forward-thinking and highly respected strategist, and the right leader at the right time to carry forward United Way of Greater Cleveland's important community investment vision,” Napoli said. “Ken's more than 25 years of experience working across government, nonprofit and for-profit organizations to create and execute strategies, programs, and partnerships has proven invaluable in driving meaningful, lasting results across the organizations and communities he has served.”

The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) is a free community-engagement training program. It’s for residents of Cleveland and its inner ring suburbs who are working on projects within the city of Cleveland, and who are determined to make a positive impact on their communities.

NLDP is currently accepting applications, due Aug. 15, for its 2021 program.

NLDP has helped emerging neighborhood leaders reach their potential by expanding their knowledge base and personal development through education, coaching and ongoing interaction with their peers and other leaders. Participants and graduates have ongoing access to the services of a program coach, who will give advice and support tailored to the needs of the participant.

Tamir Rice was one of the community's own—a former fourth-grader at Roxboro Elementary School in Cleveland Heights. In 2014, he was struck down at the young age of 12 by a Cleveland police officer. 

On Saturday, Aug. 21, 7:30–10 p.m., RoxArts will partner with the Tamir Rice Foundation (www.tamirericefoundation.org) and SPACES (www.spacescle.org) to host an art-supply drive at an intimate backyard event in the Ambler Heights neighborhood of Cleveland Heights.

All event proceeds will support the mission of the foundation named in Rice's honor: investing in the growth and enrichment of all children through after-school programs in arts and culture, allowing them to express their truth to improve their lives as they grow into young adults.

FutureHeights will host three free events for the Heights community in July and August.

On July 27, at 6 p.m., FutureHeights will lead an in-person community conversation at Severance Town Center. The event is part of Cleveland Foundation’s Common Ground series, in which community conversations take place at locations throughout Greater Cleveland, on the theme "Growing Common Ground: People, Place, Shared Power."

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Forest Hill Church Presbyterian has continued to press forward with services, programs and traditions. The church’s food pantry has tripled its service to families in need. Co-pastors John Lentz and Veronica Goines have delivered sermons digitally to the community and beyond, via YouTube, for more than a year.

Now, the church’s Black History Education Committee plans to present the church’s first public event since the pandemic began. Forest Hill Church’s annual Juneteenth celebration has been a widely attended event for the past five years, though it was held digitally in 2020.

Have you ever wondered if you are recycling correctly? Have you ever felt compelled to learn about, and promote, more environmentally sustainable practices in the Heights, but do not know where to start? You are not alone. The newly formed Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) is a community volunteer organization focused on working with residents and local advocacy groups to identify opportunities and solutions intended to promote healthier and more sustainable environmental practices.

The group’s three founders met while attending a Recycling Ambassador seminar offered by Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District in January. 

“As we introduced ourselves to the class, [I] learned that two other participants were also Cleveland Heights residents. We decided to connect and explore ways to work with Heights residents to help improve recycling practices,” said Natalie Elwell.

FutureHeights awarded $6,452 in grants to support 10 projects in Cleveland Heights and University Heights in the spring round of its 2021 Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program.

University Heights Symphonic Band received $1,000 for its 50th Anniversary Celebration. The band plans to use grant funds to purchase new music arrangements that highlight various social issues and works by BIPOC and LGBTQ composers. For more information visit www.universityheightsband.org.

Cedar Fairmount Arts received $1,000 to transform two vacant lots on Cedar Road, at South Overlook Road and Delaware Drive, into a park for community use, adding much-needed greenspace to the district.

On June 9, FutureHeights will present its 2021 annual meeting on the outdoor patio of Boss Dog Brewing Company, 2179 Lee Road. The program will also be livestreamed for remote viewing.

FutureHeights, a nonprofit community development corporation, strives to engage Heights residents to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

This year’s meeting will focus on the unique neighborhoods in the Heights, and Cleveland Heights' 100-year history. FutureHeights will also report on its activities and accomplishments, as well as its vision for the future.

After taking a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, the eighth annual Heights Music Hop festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 18, in the Cedar Lee Business District.

Heights Music Hop showcases local, live musical talent to promote the Heights as home to the arts, while also helping to support the local economy and celebrate the community’s diversity, walkability and great quality of life.

In the past, performances have occurred within local businesses; this year, FutureHeights will present the event on outdoor stages throughout the district, to ensure the safety of participants.