ThisWeek Rocky Fork Enterprise

Page 1

June 2, 2011

GCVB eyeing possible BMX facility By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers

The Gahanna Convention and Visitors Bureau (GCVB) is riding high on a recommendation from a sports marketing firm that an investment in a bicycle motocross (BMX) facility could bring as much as $14 million to the city over five years.

Karen Eylon, GCVB director, summarized a survey and audit of Gahanna sports facilities for council last week. Don Schumacher & Associates Inc. of Cincinnati conducted the survey and audit. “The study allows us to understand where we fit,” she said. “The biggest impetus was what’s before us with the National Bicycle League (NBL).” The NBL is a Gahanna-based nonprofit

corporation engaged in the sport of BMX competition. It moved from Hilliard to Creekside about a year ago. The NBL is in need of a national training center and competition facility. The study recommends that the city of Gahanna assist the NBL in locating and constructing a world-class BMX competition facility and then the development of a complete BMX training facility.

“If we build the track, there’s none other like it in Ohio,” Eylon said. “The only similar track is in Sarasota (Florida). The economic impact would be huge.” She said the track could position Gahanna globally, and a national training center could bring in an estimated $14 million from visitors in its first five years. BMX racing is part of the Summer Olympic Games, Eylon said, and the In-

ternational Cycling Union (UCI) BMX Supercross Series will serve as the main qualification event for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The NBL manages BMX leagues throughout the United States. They are affiliated with Global SX Events Inc., which has signed a multiyear contract See BMX, page A2

Seniors, principal tout HONORING THE FALLEN class of 2011 as ‘unified’ By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Gahanna Lincoln High School will graduate about 555 seniors beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at the Schottenstein Center, 555 Arena Drive. High school principal Dwight Carter said the quality of every senior class continues to amaze him. “This group I’ve gotten to know better because I had a third of them in middle school,” he said. “I’ve known them over a five-year period. What I’ve found is that they really do want to make sure the adults in their lives are proud: their parents, teachers, administrators and coaches.” Carter said the class of 2011, which earned a combined $9.8 million in college scholarships, is very friendly, outgoing and unified. “Kids are so pressed for time today, but they came through and excelled in academics, service and attitude,” he said. Senior Matt Mangia, student council president, said his class includes a remarkable group of students.

“The members of my class have excelled academically, athletically and artistically over the past four years,” he said. “The class of 2011’s accomplishments include leading the way to a state championship soccer title, a basketball Final Four, top finishes at the DECA national competition, national speech-and-debate qualifiers, straight superior ratings at district and state contests in band and choir, and many more!” Mangia said the seniors would be forever remembered for their excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Senior Holly Yanai, a student council member, said her class came together as seniors to vote for the district’s May levy. “It’s something that united our class,” she said. “We were also excited to see Clark Hall go up. That’s more next year’s perk, but we were excited to see a new building because we are so overcrowded.” Senior Derek Cox, National Honor Society president, said he’d always fondly recall the musical and theater productions because he was highly involved See CLASS, page A2

July 4 Freedom Festival gears up with USO focus By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Gahanna’s July 4 Freedom Festival could have been a dud this year, considering that the city had no funds to support it. Now, however, organizers expect the holiday to be more spectacular than ever. The Gahanna Parks & Recreation Foundation announced May 24 that Heartland Bank, headquartered in Gahanna, offered to sponsor the Gahanna Freedom Festival, and other businesses and individuals contributed

enough to finance the festival and fireworks. “Heartland has been fortunate to have navigated the financial waters successfully and simply want to give back to the residents of Gahanna,” said G. Scott McComb, Heartland Bank president and CEO. “The parks foundation and community were in jeopardy of losing one of the best community events of the year, and we were not going to let that happen. This is what community banks do. Best of all, we also get to show our appreciation for our active military

by supporting the USO.” Gahanna City Council is in the process of considering a $19,000 contract with Pennsylvania-based S. Vitale Pyrotecnico Industries Inc. to furnish and launch the fireworks display during the Freedom Festival. That cost will be reimbursed to the city by the foundation. Lee Tucker, foundation chairman, told ThisWeek he’s absolutely ecstatic that the community has come together to continue the festival. See FESTIVAL, page A2

By Tim Norman/ThisWeek

Veterans of Foreign Wars Tri-Community Post 4719 Senior Vice Cmdr. Errol White lays a flower at the base of a flagpole with a flag flying at half-staff during a Memorial Day ceremony at Mifflin Cemetery on May 30. VFW Post 4719 and American Legion Post 797, along with the Gahanna Lincoln High School band, participated in the ceremony.

Gahanna family honors military with all-American celebration By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Several Gahanna residents celebrated God and country May 28 with an allAmerican picnic and ceremony in honor of local veterans and as a send-off for twins entering boot camp this summer. Gahanna residents Steve and Holly Sharp and Granville residents Bill and Paula Dycus, with assistance from the Veter-

By Eric George/ThisWeek

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American Legion Post 797 and VFW Post 4719 Pastor Rusty Lundy, right, presents Holly Sharp with two flags during an all-American cookout to honor military personnel, including her twin sons, Ben and Jordan Dycus, on May 28.

ans of Foreign Wars Tri-Community Post 4719, American Legion Post 797 and Ladies Auxiliary Unit 797, threw a surprise party honoring about 25 individuals from the community who have served or will serve in the military. Holly Sharp said her twin sons, Benton (Ben) and Jordan Dycus, have enlisted in the Army, with Ben leaving for boot camp this month and Jordan in August. “We didn’t want this celebration to be all about our kids but everyone who has served and will serve,” she said. “We wanted to make it a memorable day for people in our community.” Local DJ Stan Stein donated his services and an-

emorial Day was not conceived to be the kickoff to summer activities or as a reason to schedule a three-day weekend. It was established to recognize the nation’s military veterans who died while fighting for their country. In keeping with efforts to recognize and honor the sacrifices and service of military veterans, ThisWeek Community Media is launching Honoring Heroes, a continuing series through which we will share the stories and remembrances from and about local men and women who are either on active duty or retired from service. As part of covering their beats, our reporters often hear about and write about veterans leaving for overseas or com-

nounced to the approximately 200 guests to look down Rocky Fork Drive North as seven members of the American Legion and VFW post marched to the Sharp residence. After the men in full-dress uniforms reached the Sharps’ driveway, Rachael McCutcheon sang the national anthem. “It was beautiful,” Sharp said. “I don’t think there were many dry eyes.” Afterward was a recognition ceremony in which military guests were called by name and given a personalized certificate of appreciation, a Bible See PARTY, page A3

ing home at the end of a tour of duty. We’ve covered funeral services of those who have sacrificed their lives. We’ve written about soldiers who arrive at their homes or their children’s schools to unexpectedly surprise their delighted families. We know many more stories are out there, waiting to be told. We want to tell them. And we need your help. If you have a story idea about a friend, family member or colleague, let us know by emailing editorial@thisweeknews.com, with the subject line, “Honoring Heroes.” Honoring Heroes isn’t just a ThisWeek Community Media project: It’s about sharing history.

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