SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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Your Community Press newspaper serving Anderson Township, California, Mount Washington, Newtown E-mail: foresthills@communitypress.com We d n e s d a y, J u l y 2 9 , 2 0 0 9
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Anderson OKs road tie-in
Meet Kunkel Pharmacy owner John Dinkelaker and pharmacist Tom Wynn.
Volume 49 Number 18 © 2009 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Anderson Center, health facility to be connected By Lisa Wakeland lwakeland@communitypress.com
Collection time
In the next few days your Community Press carrier will be stopping by to collect $2.50 for delivery of this month’s the Forest Hills Journal. Your carrier retains half of this amount along with any tip you give to reward good service. For information about our carrier program, call circulation manager Steve Barraco at 2487110, or e-mail him at sbarraco@communitypress.com.
Voice your opinion
Forest Hills Local School District officials said they would not pursue outsourcing student transportation this school year (see story, A6). Since the district’s 6.9-mill operating levy was defeated by voters in May, should the district consider outsourcing its transportation? Let us know by going online and voicing your opinion by typing Cincinnati.com/andersontowns hip into your Web browser’s address bar and voting on our poll. We’ll run the results in next week’s edition of the Forest Hills Journal.
Poll results
The results of the July 22 unscientific poll on our Anderson Township community site at Cincinnati.com/ andersontownship asking readers if they would vote for or against the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s proposed 1-mill operating levy on the November ballot are: For the levy 46% Against he levy
(18) (21)
54% Total votes: 39
To place an ad, call 242-4000.
LISA WAKELAND/STAFF
Festival fun
Sam Scuglik, 3, plays with a sword he won at the Greater Anderson Days festival Saturday at Beech Acres Park. For more photos of the event, go online to cincinnati.com/andersontownship.
tion would help with overflow parking for events at the Anderson Center because the township shuttle does not have easy way back to the center. Currently, drivers have to exit the HealthPlex property onto State Road, turn left at Five Mile Road and then make a U-turn at a median break to get back to the Anderson Center driveway. “I think it’s a good idea because then you don’t have to go back out,” said Jean Gauthier, who uses the HealthPlex a few times a week. “It’s less exposure to heavy traffic.” The connection will be at the front of the Anderson Center property, left of the first parking area. Sievers said the township will maintain the segment of the Five Mile Trail next to the connection.
Anderson Twp. women helping foster children By Lisa Wakeland lwakeland@communitypress.com
It’s the little things that count when everything changes. That’s why Anderson Township residents Patty Westerkamp and Linda Sekula started Duffels for Darlings, a nonprofit organization that gives toys and other gifts to children in Hamilton County’s foster care system. “I can’t imagine being taken away from your home (and) we thought the kids need something of their own,” Sekula said. Duffels for Darlings works with ProKids, an organization that trains volunteer advocates for foster children. Sekula said they modeled Duffels for Darlings after a similar program in Clermont County and began the organization last year. “I always volunteered in nursing homes and I wanted to do something for the children,” Westerkamp said of how she became involved. Over the past year, they’ve given out nearly 100 duffel bags to the children.
Linda Sekula, left, and Patty Westerkamp fill bags for foster children as part of their nonprofit organization, Duffels for Darlings.
LISA WAKELAND/ STAFF
Westerkamp said the bags are filled with age-appropriate gifts such as books, blankets, makeup or sports cards, and they are working with ProKids to customize the bags to the foster children’s interests. “It helps the kids with the transition when
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Drivers may soon be able to go from the Mercy HealthPlex on State Road to Beechmont Avenue, without driving on Five Mile Road. The Anderson Township trustees recently authorized $22,600 for preliminary design and construction plans for a vehicular connection between the Mercy Health and Wellness campus and the Anderson Center. Steve Sievers, director of the township’s Development Services Department, said the one-way connection would go from the Mercy HealthPlex to the Anderson Center. He said the concept for a connection was present when the Anderson Center was being built, but both parties had reservations about sharing driveways. “Once our building opened, people had that desire to go to the Towne Center through our site,” Sievers said. “We’re revisiting that ... so you don’t have to get back on the road.” Sam Elam, a HealthPlex employee, said a connection wouldn’t affect her normal route to work, but it’s a good idea for others who frequently use the Anderson Towne Center. Sievers added that the connec-
they’re forced to leave with Want to help? few personal Duffels for Darlings is items (and) it’s collecting items for children wonderful to between 3 and 18. Here’s a list give these kids of suggested items: something,” • Duffel bags, no smaller Sekula said. than 26 inches. Westerkamp • Personal throw blankets, said they’re stuffed animals. working to find • Baseball hats, sports more donations items. • Books, journals. so every child • Coloring books, art who comes into the foster care supplies. • Body lotion, lip gloss. system has a Donations are not limited to bag, and this list. Call Patty Westerkamp, ProKids usually 231-2387, or Linda Sekula, has a few new 262-7424, with questions or for children every details. month. She added that even thought they don’t get to meet the children who receive the bags it’s still rewarding to know they’ve helped someone.