West Side News & Notes
By Stephanie Kist
Park planned in memory of
Akron visionary
AKRON — Following the April 14 death of Judith Bear Isroff, founder of Keep Akron Beautiful (KAB), the staff of KAB appointed a task force to begin planning a public park in her name.
The public/private partnership’s goal is to create a landscape design for a small city park that will be timelessly modern, elegant and simple, according to KAB.
Funds will be raised from the
private sector to implement
a first-place prize-winning design to be selected in
February 2007 from a pool of proposals being requested
this month.
Isroff created KAB 26 years ago,
alongside Vince Lobello and former Mayor Roy Ray, as
a way to instill pride in the city by improving its
appearance.
In 2001, Isroff, along with her
husband, Clifford, received the Bert Polsky Award for
community service. She was the recipient of other awards
as well, including recognition from the Garden Club
of America for her beautification efforts. She also
was chairwoman of Leadership Akron, president of the
Jewish Community Board of Akron, president of Akron
Roundtable and president of the Akron Art Museum.
Isroff is remembered as an inspired
philanthropist, public servant and community leader,
as well as an unrivalled hostess and cook, an enthusiastic
art collector, a lover of music and a devoted wife,
mother and grandmother, according to KAB officials.
She also was passionate about her gardens and flower
arrangements.
Judith Bear Isroff Park will
be located on 1 acre at the triangular point of land
where West Market Street and White Pond Drive meet.
To inquire about requests for
proposals or to make a park donation, contact KAB Executive
Director Paula Davis at (330) 375-2116 or davispa@ci
.akron.oh.us.
Free teen driving program
offered
GREEN — Traffic crashes
are the leading cause of death and serious injuries
for today’s teenagers, according to the Summit
County Sheriff’s Office.
To minimize the risk to young
drivers, the sheriff’s office will offer a free
2-1/2-hour classroom presentation designed for new drivers
and parents. Topics will include temporary and probationary
licensing requirements and restrictions, safety issues,
instructional techniques
and a question-and-answer session.
Taught by veteran law-enforcement
officer John Lindsey, who is responsible for developing
the Akron Police Department’s emergency response
driving program, the class will take place Oct. 21 at
9 a.m. at the Summit County Sheriff’s Training
Facility, 2825 Greensburg Road.
To register, call the training
bureau at (330) 896-4019.
United Way offering minority
board training program
DOWNTOWN AKRON — The United
Way of Summit County (UWSC) is seeking candidates for
the sixth class of its minority leadership program “Project:
Blueprint.”
Since its inception in 2002,
Project: Blueprint has focused on developing minority
leadership and increasing minority participation in
United Way and other community organizations.
The curriculum for the 10-week
training sessions are intended to help participants
develop the skills necessary to be a successful board
member. Topics include: board meeting management and
parliamentary procedures; becoming an effective board
member; team-building and team playing; strategic visioning
and planning; community relations and communications;
financial management; human resources management; resource
generation and financial development; and ethics.
Project: Blueprint has been completed
by 106 individuals during the past five years.
“United Ways across the
country have embraced Project: Blueprint initiatives
because we understand that our community organizations
must reflect and represent the rich diversity of those
people from whom we raise money and whom we serve,”
said UWSC President Bob Kulinski.
The deadline for Project:
Blueprint applications is Oct.
31. For more information, contact Brenda Cox at (330)
643-5508 or bcox@uwsummit.org.
DJFS will open Child Care
Unit for use on a Saturday
DOWNTOWN AKRON — On Oct.
28, the Summit County Department of Job & Family
Services (DJFS) Child Care Unit, 37 N. High St., will
be open for business from 8 a.m. to noon.
This Saturday availability is
being provided in an effort to accommodate working clientele.
There are financial eligibility requirements, so proof
of income and identification is required.
DJFS representatives might be
able to help clients find a child care provider, pay
part or all of their child care costs or help a child
care provider become certified for funds from the agency.
Naturalization records available
on Web site
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit
County Clerk of Courts Diana Zaleski has launched the
Summit County Naturalization Records Web site at www.cpclerk.co.summit.
oh.us.
The site contains more than 79,000
Summit County immigration records dated between 1850
and 1991. The Summit County clerk of courts was responsible
for safekeeping and filing of immigration records issued
by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization
during that time period.
The site contains various documents
containing unique details pertinent to family histories
and genealogical research, including citizenship petition,
petition for naturalization, declaration of intention
and certificate of arrival.
Some documents contain biographical
information, along with the manner of arrival and country
of origin.
The search functions are
simple, and scanned documents can
be printed easily from home computers, according to
Zaleski.
For more information, call the
Summit County Clerk of Courts Office at (330) 643-2212.
Family Resource Center, GAL
expansion ceremony
planned
AKRON — Summit County Executive
James McCarthy and Summit County Juvenile Court Judge
Linda Tucci Teodosio will host an open house Oct. 24
from 2 to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the William
P. Kannel Juvenile Justice Center, 650 Dan St.
The event will celebrate the
opening of the Juvenile Court’s Family Resource
Center and expansion of the Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)
program.
A tour of the Family Resource
Center and GAL offices will be available, and refreshments
will be served after a brief ceremony.
Christmas assistance sign-ups
being taken in two
cities
AKRON/BARBERTON — The
Salvation Army of Summit County, in collaboration with
Toys for Tots, will sign up families the next several
weeks to receive Christmas assistance.
Families signing up receive toys
for children ages 14 and younger who live in the household
and food for households with or without children.
Toys and food will be distributed
in December at a location and dates that will be announced
later.
Families requesting assistance
may only do so if they are not requesting Christmas
assistance from any other agencies.
Signups will be taken at 190
S. Maple St. in downtown Akron on the following days:
• Oct. 19-20 and 23-27,
noon to 1 p.m.;
• Oct. 21 and Dec. 11, 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m.;
• Nov. 2 and 16, 8:30 a.m.
to 2 p.m.; and
• Nov. 30, 12:30 p.m. to
8 p.m.
Signups also will be taken at
560 Wooster Road in Barberton Oct. 19-20 and Nov. 11
and 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Everyone must have a photo identification
and proof of income (current), residency, all expenses,
children in the household and other adults in the household.
For more information, call (330)
996-4255.
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