WESTERN HILLS PRESS
Your Community Press newspaper serving Addyston, Bridgetown, Cheviot, Cleves, Covedale, Dent, Green Township, Mack, Miami Township, North Bend, Westwood
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
75¢
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Elder’s new alumni group works to impact the community Kurt Backscheider kbackscheider@communitypress.com
KURT BACKSCHEIDER/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Bob Greiwe, right, of GameTime playgrounds gives a push to Oakdale Elementary School fourth-grader Ethan Marlman as he rides a wheelchair accessible swing on the school’s new Scottie Yard playground. The Oak Hills community raised money to build an inclusive playground at Oakdale.
Oak Hills community celebrates opening of inclusive playground Kurt Backscheider kbackscheider@communitypress.com
GREEN TWP. — A little more than one year ago, a committee of parents and teachers at Oakdale Elementary School sat down to discuss a dream of building an inclusive playground for all children.
They envisioned a play area with smooth surfaces, ramp entrances and accessible swings. They sought a playground where students who use wheelchairs, braces and walkers could play alongside their peers rather than sit to the side, unable to join their friends. Oakdale parent Becky Meyer
said she’s wanted an accessible playground for special needs students like her son since touring the school when he was in kindergarten. “It means that they can be part of something as basic as play,” she said. “There are so
PRICE HILL — A group of more than 40 volunteers gathered on a recent Saturday morning to clean litter, mow overgrown grass and remove unsightly shrubs on dilapidated properties throughout the neighborhood. The “Take the Hill” community service event was organized by the newly formed Elder High School Young Alumni Impact Board and brought together alumni from Elder and Seton high schools, students, future students, parents and staff members to make a difference in Price Hill. Delhi Township native Bobby Smyth, a 2007 Elder graduate who lives in Mount Lookout and serves as chair of the impact board, said the purpose of the group is to connect passionate young alumni back to Elder and allow them to make an impact by donating their time, talents and money. “We are going to hold one
big project like ‘Take the Hill’ each year that bonds the alumni and current students, acting as a catalyst for positive change at Elder and the community,” he said. “This event does just that by cleaning up neighborhood properties in need of attention and having a positive impact on Price Hill.” Partnered with Mayor John Cranley’s Private Lot Abatement Program in conjunction with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Smyth said the volunteers spent three hours Aug. 22 cleaning up more than a dozen lots throughout Price Hill, and then met back at Elder for a cookout and cornhole tournament. Service to the community is part of Elder’s mission, and he said for 93 years students, staff, parents and alumni have created a tradition of giving back to the neighborhood. “’Take the Hill’ helped carry on this tradition,” he said. “The event went really well.” See IMPACT, Page 2A
See CELEBRATE, Page 2A
HARVEST HOME PARADE
marches through Cheviot THANKS TO BRIAN BILL
Kurt Backscheider
From left, Jacob Bergman, Rhea Buttelwerth and Matt Murphy, a board member of the Elder Young Alumni Impact Board, stand in front of one of the properties the alumni group cleaned up as part of its “Take the Hill” community service event Aug. 22.
kbackscheider@communitypress.com
CHEVIOT — Large crowds of West Siders lined Harrison Avenue and North Bend Road for the annual Harvest Home Parade on Sept. 10. The parade, presented by the Kiwanis Club of Cheviot-Westwood, served as the kickoff to the 156th annual Harvest Home Fair. This year marked the 58th annual installment of the parade. Green Township resident Tom Anderson, who served as an Army Ranger in World War II, was this year’s grand marshal, and the parade also recognized seven Kiwanis Club members who served in World War II. Adults and children of all
GRAND INSPIRATION ... 7A Saucy little apple of Rita’s eye inspires recipe.
KURT BACKSCHEIDER/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Evren Suvag, 3, displayed his patriotism while enjoying a front row seat for the 58th annual Harvest Home Parade on Sept. 10.
ages enjoyed the annual end of summer event, which featured 10 divisions and a variety of high school marching bands, area police and fire departments, veterans organizations, school and church groups, dance squads and local businesses.
MORE ONLINE To see more photos from the Harvest Home parade, go to Cincinnati.com - http:// cin.ci/1F1nLzq
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Vol. 87 No. 44 © 2015 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED