VIDEO: Brody Hammons is a second grader at Endeavor Elementary who is fighting Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal muscle disease with no cure. This Saturday the first annual Brody Superheroes 5K will take place at Endeavor
There is plenty to do in West Chester and Liberty townships this weekend.
When you are not out and about, visit the new video page on WestChesterBuzz.com To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.
All weekend
St. Maximilian Kolbe Church Festival – The 2013 St. Maximilian Kolbe Church Festival opens Friday. The three-day festival will be held on the grounds of the Liberty Township church, 5720 Hamilton-Mason Road. Hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, and 3-10 p.m. Sunday. This year’s festival features numerous games for children, adult games, many food options, alcohol and live music.
Saturday
Farmer’s Market at the Square – The farmers’ market season in West Chester Township began a few weeks ago and will take place every Saturday through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive. The farmers’ market features all local vendors with produce and meats grown and raised locally and products made by hand.
Fifth Third Concert Series – The free Saturday concerts at Keehner Park are back for another summer. The concert series kicked off last Saturday with Blue Stone Ivory. This week, Laura Hazelbaker & The BuckeyeRoos will perform. The concerts take place from 7 to 9 p.m. The concert series will end in early September.
Brody’s Superheroes 5K - The community will be coming together for the first annual Brody’s Superheroes 5K Run/1-mile Family Walk this Saturday at 9 a.m. at Endeavor Elementary, 4400 Smith Road in West Chester. The event benefits Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and Brody’s Superheroes, which helps Brody Hammons, a second grader at Endeavor who is fighting Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal muscle disease with no cure. For more information, call 513-313-4657 or visit www.parentprojectmd.org.
To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday. This week, we have decided to list all the top stories from May.
WestChesterBuzz.com also recently added a new video page. To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.
New Women’s Center – UC Health recently opened a new 26,000-square-foot Women’s Center on the campus of West Chester Hospital. The center, which officially opened May 18, offers a one-stop-shop health package for women.
Prank gone good – The senior prank typically is not done for a good cause, but that is what happened at Lakota East High School May 24. Seniors surprised their classmates, teachers and administrators that morning with a school pride message on Main Street, which is the school’s main hallway, made entirely out of canned goods. The 2,013 cans will now be donated to the survivors of the tornado that ripped through parts of Oklahoma City and its suburbs, as well as to Reach Out Lakota, a nonprofit that provides food, clothing and necessities to needy Butler County residents.
Liberty Center adds dining-theater complex – Weeks after Steiner + Associates delivered Dillard’s as its anchor tenant for Butler County’s largest proposed retail project, the developer of Liberty Center signed Cobb Theatres’ CineBistro, which will offer fine dining and drinks in six of its 16 theaters.
Spark releases 150th issue – Logan Aimone, executive director of the National Scholastic Press Association, admits that he has never heard of a 160-page student publication. But that’s exactly what 140 Lakota East High School journalism students were feverishly working on – the 150th issue of Spark Magazine, which was printed and released May 30.
Lakota school district to bring back some busing – Lakota is bringing back busing. Kind of. After moving to state minimum transportation two years ago, the school district announced May 30 that it will provide busing to all kindergarten and first grade students, beginning the 2013-2014 school year. Chris Passarge, the school district’s chief operations officer, said that the service can be provided at no additional cost.
OL Jarrett LaRubbio commits to UK – Lakota East junior offensive lineman Jarrett LaRubbio said the recruiting process was getting hectic lately but he knew the University of Kentucky was at the top of his list. On May 25, LaRubbio verbally committed to UK on his unofficial visit.
IED found near ‘haunted’ bridge – There was a scare near the Screaming Bridge on Maud Hughes Road in Liberty Township when police discovered an explosive device. Deputies and the bomb squad from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Liberty Township Fire and EMS personnel, were called out to the scene around noon May 28. The Screaming Bridge, which is between Princeton and Milikin roads, is believed by some to be haunted.
Lip dub goes viral - Lakota East High School has already raised awareness and thousands of dollars for the Center for Spina Bifida Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, but that could only the be beginning as the school hopes its “lip dub” video goes viral and attracts the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. The video already has more than 84,000 views after being posted on YouTube a few weeks ago.
When you are not out and about, visit the new video page on WestChesterBuzz.com To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.
Saturday
Lakota graduation ceremonies – Lakota East and Lakota West high school seniors attended their last day of class last week and will take part in commencement this Saturday. Both graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday at Miami University’s Millett Hall. Lakota East will begin its ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by Lakota West’s at 2 p.m. Tickets are not required to attend and doors open to the public one hour prior to the start of each ceremony.
5K to benefit Parkinson’s – The 5K Steady Strides Run & Walk for Parkinson’s Disease will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday on the track of Lakota West High School in West Chester. In addition to 5K, there’s a shorter route available and a Little Strides fun run for children. Party with free food, music, a raffle and an awards ceremony for teams and racers will follow race. Benefits Tri-State Parkinson’s Wellness Chapter.
Hannah Gebert and her mother Kimberly Gebert of Liberty Township take in a previous farmers’ market. Photo taken by Tony Jones.
Volunteer for World Hunger Day – A Liberty Township-based group is asking for the community’s help to prepare and pack nutritious meals for children on Saturday – World Hunger Day. Kids Against Hunger has two sessions during which volunteers are needed to pack its vacuum-sealed, nutrition-rich meals for shipment. Individuals or groups can sign up to work from 9 a.m. to noon or from 1-4 p.m. For more information or to sign-up, call 513-771-2244.
Baby Boom Kid Bloom – EnterTRAINment Junction in West Chester is hosting the Baby Boom Kid Bloom Expo on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free expo will feature various exhibitors, who specialize in healthcare, retail, educational and informational services.
Farmer’s Market at the Square – The farmers’ market season in West Chester Township began a few weeks ago and will take place every Saturday through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive. The farmers’ market features all local vendors with produce and meats grown and raised locally and products made by hand.
Free CPR class – The West Chester and Liberty Township Fire Departments will host a free CPR class for the community as a nod to EMS Week (May 19-25). Those in attendance will receive a certification card at completion of the course. The class will be offered beginning at 09:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 1 at West Chester Fire Station 71 on Cincinnati-Dayton Road.
Fifth Third Concert Series – The free Saturday concerts at Keehner Park are back for another summer. The concert series kicks off this Saturday with Blue Stone Ivory. The concerts take place from 7 to 9 p.m. The concert series will end in early September.
Dressers decorated by Lakota art students on display at IKEA. Photo provided.
IKEA in West Chester is trying to raise money for art programs at Lakota school district high schools by hosting its “Dress Me Up” silent auction event June 13 from 6 to 8 p.m.
During the event, IKEA 3-drawer dressers that were decorated by Lakota art students, the Arts Council of West Chester and Liberty, as well as IKEA employees will be sold to the highest bidder. IKEA will then match all contributions up to $2,500.
All the dressers up for auction will be on display at the furniture retailer until June 10.
“We’re proud to support Lakota schools,” said IKEA’s store manager Heather Spatz. “IKEA is known for great design so it was a natural fit to recruit the talents of young artists at Lakota and put them on display for all our visitors to see.”
Lakota East journalism students hold up an article written by Mohinee Mukherjee about the differences between educational systems in China and in the United States.From left-to-right, Spark students, Mukherjee, Emily Chao (holding magazine on left) and Angela Ferguson and Amanda Weisbrod. Chao will be recognized as East's valedictorian during graduation and at the school's baccalaureate ceremony. Photo taken by Adam Kiefaber of WestChesterBuzz.com.
Lakota East and Lakota West high school seniors attended their last day of class last week and will take part in commencement this Saturday.
Both graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday at Miami University’s Millett Hall. Lakota East will begin its ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by Lakota West’s at 2 p.m. Tickets are not required to attend and doors open to the public one hour prior to the start of each ceremony.
Following with tradition, each school’s valedictorian and salutatorian will have an opportunity to address their peers, among other family and friends in attendance. This year’s valedictorians are Emily Chao (Lakota East) and Carly Bratton (Lakota West). The salutatorians are Lea Buckenmyer (Lakota East) and Jared Hance (Lakota West).
Graduating seniors are also invited, but not required, to attend baccalaureate ceremonies. For Lakota East, this will be held on Tuesday at Princeton Pike Church of God at 7:30 p.m. and for Lakota West on Thursday at Tri-County Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m.
The Lakota West High School bands have partnered with the Beckett Ridge McDonald’s for another fundraiser Thursday, May 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Beckett Ridge McDonald’s located at 8251 Princeton-Glendale Road (Intersection of Smith Road and Route 747 across from Beckett Ridge Kroger).
McDonald’s will donate 15 percent of all sales that evening to the Lakota West marching band to help offset some of the costs of the 278 students who will be representing the community as they travel to New York City to march in the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The community is invited to participate in the fundraiser by stopping by McDonald’s and either eating in the dining room or going through the drive-thru during the three-hour fundraiser to support the Lakota West marching band.
Representatives of the Lakota West band program will be on hand to answer questions about the band program and the upcoming trip to participate in the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
There are no flyers required to bring for the band to receive the donation.
Additional fundraisers will be held at the Beckett Ridge McDonald’s throughout the spring and summer.
Public showings of video will take place at 3:15 and 6 p.m.
RAW VIDEO OF STUDENTS MAKING LIP DUB, AS WELL AS COMMENTS FROM THE LAKOTA EAST LIP DUB TEAM
The Lakota East National Honor Society had a unique plan to raise awareness and funds for the Center for Spina Bifida Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
They decided to do a “lip dub”, where roughly 3,000 students, teachers and community members participated in a video where they lip-synced five popular songs from artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, One Direction and Smash Mouth.
The original idea gained local support from University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono and Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo. However, all along, the school wanted to drive up national awareness by getting the attention of Ellen DeGeneres.
Students email blitzed anyone they thought could be connected to her show, tweeted #WeWantEllen and @TheEllenShow, as well as sent out close to 600 letters to producers pitching their story – their idea – their cause.
“Ellen is open to accepting challenges,” said senior Sydney Aten, NHS president. “She is not only a figure who has respect from multiple groups of people, but she can connect with almost everyone. We wanted to find someone who everyone looks up to and admires.”
The video was filmed April 18 at the high school. Film students from East and UC pointed the cameras, while Aten and her NHS team told them what to shoot. Students were lip-synching to the music, dressed up in costumes, danced in the background, as well as used roller blades, glow sticks and a helicopter in an impressive production that lasted only one Thursday afternoon.
The week before the filming, producers of the “Ellen Show” contacted the school. Aten said a producer told her that the “Ellen Show’’ is supportive of the cause and their efforts. They said they wanted to get the message out and are anxiously waiting for the release of the video.
That day is here, as the video will premiere Friday at Lakota East High School. There will be two showings, which are open to the public, at the school. The first showing will be at 3:15 p.m. and the second showing is at 6 p.m. Seating will be available on a first come/first serve basis.
BRONSON ARROYO ANDLAKOTA EAST STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR PROJECT AND ABOUT AMELIA MURPHY, A STUDENT AT VANGORDEN ELEMENTARY WHO INSPIRED THE COMMUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR SPINA BIFIDA
The third annual Paige’s Princess Run & Carnival will take place next Saturday, May 18 at 9 a.m. at Wyandot Early Childhood School, 7667 Summerlin Boulevard, in Liberty Township.
The event includes a run or walk that ends with a full carnival for kids of all ages. The carnival will have inflatables, face painting, a petting zoo, food and drinks and even a pony.
It is a family event that benefits local patients of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with chronic disabilities held in memory of Paige Alessandro, a former Kindergarten at Wyandot Elementary.
In March, The Cincinnati Enquirer ran a story (below) about the foundation.
“Are you Paige’s mom?”
Heather Alessandro loves to hear that question, especially now. Heather knows that she is about to hear something nice about her daughter.
“She just had a way of making people feel good about life,” Heather said. “She was extremely happy all of the time. I think that is what made people gravitate toward her.”
Paige died in May 2010 from acute liver failure at age 6. She was a kindergartner at Wyandot Early Childhood School in Liberty Township.
Heather Alessandro, mother of Paige, created the Princess Paige Foundation in honor of her daughter, who passed away unexpectedly in May of 2010 at the age of 6. In photo, Alessandro poses in Paige’s former kindergarten classroom at Wyandot Early Childhood School in Liberty Township. In the room, Paige’s picture and Bengals jersey are still on display. Photo by Adam Kiefaber.
Doctors never could diagnose what was wrong with Paige, but her family called it spinal vascular disease. It caused her to suffer many physical limitations, making her sit out of recess and other activities.
Heather and Bre Griffith, Paige’s teacher, witnessed other children fight for Paige’s attention. When she had to sit out of an activity, the rest of the class wanted to follow suit.
“They all competed for her attention,” Griffith said. “You would never know that there was anything lacking in her life. Everyone wanted to be friends with her.”
A picture of Paige dressed as a princess and her tiny Bengals jersey are still on display in Griffith’s classroom.
Her spirit is also carried on in a much more significant way through Paige’s Princess Foundation. It was created by Heather in 2011 and provides grants to pediatric patients who need therapeutic services and equipment that might not be covered by insurance.
After donating more than $30,000 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Occupational and Physical Therapy department in 2011, the foundation modified its outreach program in 2012 and provided 45 families with assistance through referrals from the hospital.
“It is probably the most special part of my life now, being able to take Paige’s spirit and meet all these other kids who are somewhat like her and help them in a small way,” Heather said.
The foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Princess Run, will take place May 18.
The donations will help local children, like Trey Couch, 11, a student at Independence Elementary in Liberty Township. Trey’s family doesn’t know the origin of his Cerebral Atrophy, a disease that causes his muscles to deteriorate.
“The disease has affected his entire world,” said Gina Couch, his mother. “Football and basketball, this is his world, and even though he doesn’t play, he is still on the team and his boys have his back.”
Recently, the disease has reached his hands and he is unable to write. In response, the foundation presented him with an iPad in March. The foundation also provides Trey with lessons taught by a therapist every week.
“The foundation opens up doors to things,” his mother said. “These are opportunities that never interested my son.’’
To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday. This week, we have decided to list all the top stories from April.
Will Lakota East High School be featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show? Producers of the show contacted the school and told them that they support their cause and “are anxiously waiting the release” of its lip dub video that the school is making to raise awareness and funds for the Center for Spina Bifida Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Photo provided.
WestChesterBuzz.com also recently added a new video page last week. To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.
Lakota East makes lip dub – Lakota East High School is one step closer to having the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. On April 18, the school and all of its 2,700 students filmed a “lip dub” video to raise awareness and funds for the Center for Spina Bifida Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. In the video, students performed as lip singers to five popular songs from artists, including Black Eyed Peas, One Direction and Smash Mouth. Once edited they hope to get the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who they hope can bring their efforts to raise awareness for Spina Bifida to the national stage.
Nerf Wars have everyone talking – Local television reporters and radio talk show hosts were all talking about Lakota high schools in April. It wasn’t because of anything that was taking place at school, but rather after. A spring tradition of Nerf Wars is now underway and it involves possible reckless driving and nudity.
West Chester Hospital tax status case watched closely – Butler County and the cash-strapped Lakota Local School District stand to lose a combined $43 million over the next 18 years if West Chester Hospital’s charitable tax status is upheld, Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. County commissioners are appealing the case to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, saying the county failed to receive a hearing on the matter. School officials are keeping an eye on it.
The latest proposal for Liberty Center in Butler County’s Liberty Township shaves some retail in favor of increased space for office buildings and luxury apartments. Rendering provided.
Liberty Township retail project has new look – A Columbus developer returned to Butler County in late April with a slightly revised plan for the $300 million shopping destination spot it wants to build in Liberty Township, Sheila McLaughlin reported for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Yaromir Steiner, founder and chief executive officer of Steiner + Associates, is counting on $35 million from the county and township to make improvements around the 100-acre site, at Liberty Way west of Interstate 75.
Katelyn Markham’s body found – During the past 20 months, any time an unidentified body surfaced in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky, Fairfield investigators probed whether the remains were Katelyn Markham’s, said Fairfield Police Chief Mike Dickey. But the investigation shifts into new territory, Dickey said, now that Indiana State Police have verified that the remains found along a Franklin County creek belong to the Markham, who vanished in August 2011. She would have been 23 years old today.
The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBA) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Homearama 2013 location, Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, on Nov. 8, 2012. File photo.
Summer’s Homearama being delayed until July – The director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati confirmed in late April that due to unforeseen construction delays, that this summer’s Homearama at Carriage Hill in Liberty Township is being pushed back to July. It will be the latest summer Homearama, which will now take place July 13-28, in the 50-year history of the home showcase, according HBA executive director Dan Dressman. The event was previously scheduled to take place June 8-23.
Bridgewater Falls is back on the block – Fairfield Township’s upscale shopping center, Bridgewater Falls, is for sale. And this time it’s for a positive reason, Cindi Andrews reported for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Blue Ash-based Phillips Edison bought Bridgewater Falls out of foreclosure in 2010. It boosted occupancy to 97 percent and is now testing the possibility of cashing in on its investment.
Local runner shares what happened at Boston Marathon – Just before the first explosion went off, Maureen Heintz of West Chester was only a few hundreds away from the finish line, having her picture taken and enjoying her first Boston Marathon. “She was probably just 200 yards from the blast when the first one went off. She said could feel the concussion of it and the buses were shaking where she was standing,” her husband, Paul Heintz said. After returning to their West Chester home at 2 a.m. Tuesday, Paul Heintz spoke about what it was like to be in Boston on Monday. See below for first part of audio interview. For the second and third parts of the interview, click on the link above.
Lakota East High School’s Cool Jazz ‘n’ Hotcakes breakfast will take place this Saturday. Photo is from last year’s event. See below for other events taking place in the community this weekend.
There is plenty to do in West Chester and Liberty townships this weekend.
When you are not out and about, visit the new video page on WestChesterBuzz.com To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.
Saturday
Cool Jazz ‘n’ Hotcakes breakfast – Jazz will be on the menu for the Lakota East High School’s Cool Jazz ‘n’ Hotcakes breakfast. From 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, the school’s Eastside Café will be open to the community for a morning of jazz performances by Lakota junior and senior high school musicians. Listen to five different ensembles while munching on pancakes and sausage cooked by parents and served by teens. Admission is $6 for all the food you can eat.
Karen Moeller, who taught 17 years at Adena Elementary, passed away June 18, 2011 at her Liberty Township home. Photo provided.
Karen Moeller Scholarship Fun Run – Two summers ago, the Lakota community lost a loved one when longtime teacher Karen Moeller passed away. Members of the community honored the elementary school teacher by creating the Karen Moeller Scholarship Fun Run/Walk, which will take place for the second consecutive year in May at Voice of America Park. This year’s event will take place Saturday and will begin at 9 a.m. around the lake at VOA Park.
Plant sale and open house at Hughes School – Antique agricultural tractors will be on display at this year’s spring open house at the former Hughes School – a one-room school adjacent to Liberty Elementary School. Sponsored by the Liberty Township Historical Society the open house runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at the school, 6010 Princeton Road. In conjunction with the open house, the Liberty Township Garden Club will host its annual plant sale in the school’s parking lot.
Fancy Nancy Tea Party – In the community room of the West Chester Library there will be two tea parties this Saturday. The hour-long event, which is called Fancy Nancy Tea Party, will begin at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. The event is geared to “Fancy Nancys” ages 4-6 and their chaperones. The event includes a storytime, followed by light refreshments. Children are encouraged to dress up. Cameras are welcome. Call the library, 513-777-3131 about registration.
Sunday
Great Amazing Race – Modeled after a popular TV reality show, the contest at Voice of America Park pairs family members on a mile-long course that leads them to a string of challenge stations. Typical challenges range from a piggyback obstacle course to a “mummy wrap,” in which adults robe their youthful partner in toilet paper. The event organizer, Greg Benton, describes it as a family version of the TV show, “The Amazing Race.” The race will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. and costs $40 for a team of two. Visit greatamazingrace.com for more details or to register.
Acoustic Jam session – The community is invited to listen or join in a public acoustic jam session at Keehner Park this Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. According to westchesteroh.org, similar events will be held on the first Sunday of the month at Keehner Park now through September.
Farmer’s Market at the Square – The farmers’ market season in West Chester Township began a few weeks ago and will take place every Saturday through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive. The farmers’ market features all local vendors with produce and meats grown and raised locally and products made by hand.
