BEREA, Ohio Berea-Midpark High School grads Joe Chek, Rory Fronek, Malak Husein, Lakshmi Mondeddu, and Lillian Videc have all received $2,000 scholarships from the Berea Kiwanis Club.
A member of the Key Club received one scholarship, a student from the Polaris Career Center received another, and the remaining three were available to any senior who was graduating.
Chek, who lives in Brook Park, is the Kiwanis Club’s Polaris winner (class rank 55 out of 429).
He hopes to study in Biological & Biomedical Sciences at Cleveland State University after completing his studies in Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration at Polaris.
Fronek, a Brook Park resident and class rank 42, was a member of the Berea-Midpark Key Club, where she held the position of treasurer during her last year.
She intends to major in pre-medical/pre-dental sciences at the University of Cincinnati.
Malak Husein, a class rank 9 resident of Berea, was a member of the Berea-Midpark Key Club and held the position of secretary during her last year. She intends to major in psychology at The Ohio State University.
Lakshmi Mondeddu, a third-class resident, lives in Middleburg Heights. She aspires to study in Computer & Information Technology Sciences at The Ohio State University and was a member of the BMHS Key Club.
Class rank 1 Lillian Videc lives in Berea. She held the offices of secretary, president, and lieutenant governor and was a member of the BMHS Key Club. Videc intends to major in political science at Ohio State University.
Adult education: Southwest General Health Center’s Old Oak Center, located at 7575 Old Oak Blvd. in Middleburg Heights, will have an open house on August 6th from 3-5 p.m. hosted by Baldwin Wallace University’s Institute for Learning in Retirement.
Anyone interested in making new acquaintances and learning new things throughout their lives is welcome to attend.
A number of ILR teachers will each deliver a brief talk about respective subjects, giving attendees a preview of future courses.
More than 45 courses covering everything from physics and history to art and current affairs are offered during the Fall 2025 ILR session.
Light refreshments will be provided, along with information about ILR membership.
ILR members take part in reasonably priced social events, planned vacation, and college-level intellectual endeavors. Baldwin Wallace University and ILR have been partners since 1992.
RSVP by July 30th by calling the ILR Help Desk at 440-826-3188 or sending an email to [email protected] with your name, phone number, and email address, along with the names and contact details of any guests you want to bring.
New dispatch facility: On December 1, the City of Berea will move its police and fire dispatch operations to a new regional facility run by the City of North Olmsted.
Strongsville currently has a dispatching contract with Berea. The last day of that contract is December 31st. The move to North Olmsted will happen earlier, according to Safety/Law Director Barbara Jones, to give time for the transfer without causing any service disruptions.
According to Jones, the three-year agreement with North Olmsted should save roughly three to four percent.
The North Olmsted Center also includes Bay Village, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Fairview Park.
According to Jones, the shift is not solely a matter of economics.
In order to give each neighborhood a say in how the dispatch center operates, North Olmsted is establishing a Council of Governments. Berea has no say over equipment or operations at Strongsville.
According to Jones, there is also an investment in technology.
MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communication System) is used at North Olmsted, allowing all entities to communicate with one another.
Berea fire and police are unable to contact with one another in an emergency due to the Strongsville system. MARCS is more stable, according to Jones. Our residents will benefit more from this.
Golfing memorial: In 2021, Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek, a Berea-Midpark High School alumnus in 2015, was killed while performing his duties.
On August 2nd, Bunker Hill Golf Outing will host the Shane Bartek Memorial Golf Outing in remembrance of him and to raise money for a scholarship named after him. The Cleveland Foundation administers the Shane Bartek Scholarship Fund.
Mallory Luca, a student graduating from Berea-Midpark High School, received $4,000 this year.
The Shane Bartek Memorial Gold Outing this year will take place at Medina’s Bunker Hill Golf Course, located at 3060 Pear Road.
18 holes of golf will start at 2 p.m., with registration and lunch starting at 1 p.m. Awards and dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Golfers must pay the $125 fee by July 27th. Visit https://birdease.com/Bartek/2025 to register.
(440) 260-7226; 398 W. Bagley Road, Williamsport Plaza; SCAN Hunger Center Pantry. The second Friday of the month is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the fourth Friday is open from 4 to 7 p.m.
440) 234-0609; People’s Community Church Pantry, 628 Wesley Drive. On the third Saturday of each month, it is open from 10 a.m. until noon. July 19th is the date of the next pantry.
(440) 239-0549; Second Mile Outreach Pantry, 1480 Bagley Road. It is open Monday through Friday from noon until two o’clock.
Food Pantry at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, 8888 Prospect Road. It offers fresh food, basic necessities, and toiletries and is open on the second Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday is the next pantry, followed by August 9th.
Bread Ministry: Berea United Methodist Church, (440) 234-3525, 170 Seminary St. Just bread and cakes. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon to two p.m. Visit the church addition located off Seminary on the north side of the building. There are two brown doors leading to the pantry.
The free community lunch is served twice a month on the second and last Wednesday from 5:30 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at 276 E. Bagley Road. Only drive-up is available.
Every month on the second and fourth Sundays, from 10 a.m. to noon, Animal Rescue Friends Pet Food Pantry, 10015 E. River Road, Columbia Station… To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.bereaanimalrescue.com or give them a call at (440) 234-2034.
Twice a month, on the second and final Wednesdays, from 5 to 5:30 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at 276 East Bagley Road, serves free community meals.
Tiny Free Pantriesare close to People’s Community Church and the Berea Branch Library. At the intersection of Prospect Street and Jacqueline Drive is the Prospect Pantry. A food donation box is located close to the side door of St. Paul Lutheran Church. Please only bring non-perishable goods.BEREA, Ohio The Berea Kiwanis Club has awarded $2,000 scholarships to Berea-Midpark High School graduates Joe Check, Rory Fronek, Malak Husein, Lakshmi Mondeddu, and Lillian Videc.
