June 2, 2011
German Village Connections
Residents express interest in initiative By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers Some German Village residents seem to be enthusiastic about a proposed senior-care program that would help with a variety of tasks most people take for granted. Last week, local officials sent out surveys to each of the neighborhood’s households, seeking input on German Village Connections, an aging-in-place initiative.
ThisWeek contacted several residents to poll their opinions on the program before they received the surveys. “I would certainly participate in that,” said Gail Evans of South Fifth Street. “A few years ago, I had an illness and although I have a couple of daughters in the area who are able to help and respond in an emergency, I didn’t feel I could call on them to buy groceries for me or cook meals for me on a regular basis. And I really could have used that.”
Evans, 72, said she hired an outside service, “but the quality was so poor that I would not have done that again.” “It would be nice to feel like I had a support system a local support system, to walk the dog or pick up some groceries,” she said. “That would be lovely.” Members of the German Village Society long-range planning committee are spearheading the initiative. Part of what they are trying to determine is how much
the program would cost to operate. Hal Duryee, 81, of City Park Avenue, said he’s not sure how he feels about a membership fee but would be willing to contribute money so others could have access to the help. He sees German Village Connections as a way to keep seniors living in and returning to the village. Officials had some initial concerns that some of the community’s aging population would be reticent about signing
up for fear of being stigmatized as “old.” John Clark, who lives on City Park Avenue with his wife, Jan, said he doesn’t feel that way. “We know that one of these days we will need a service like that,” said Clark, 54. “We don’t have children, either, so we’ll have to depend on the kindness of strangers. We’d like to stay in our home and neighborhood and continue to enjoy See PROGRAM, page A2
Air-conditioners, parts
Police: Scrap-yard moratorium worked By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers Columbus safety officials say a monthlong moratorium has cooled the theft of air-conditioners and parts. With the cooperation of local scrap yards, the city declared the moratorium from April 12 through May 13. Police data show a 69-percent reduction in reported air-conditioner thefts during the moratorium period. From Nov. 1 to April 11, police averaged 20.3 reports per week. During the moratorium, police averaged 6.25 reports per week. Thieves are after the copper tubing inside air-conditioners, which can net anywhere from $30 to $50 per unit. At the time the moratorium was declared, the city said there were 400 reports of stolen airconditioners throughout the city since November. “The moratorium cut off the incentive of money, which is why I think it was successful,” said George Speaks, deputy director of the Columbus Department of Public Safety. “There was no place for thieves to sell the (air-conditioner) scrap metal unless they went outside central Ohio.” While the moratorium is over, the fight isn’t. The city and other organizations will continue their public-outreach campaign throughout the summer, Speaks said. They are encouraging residents and business owners to mark their units with ultraviolet ink markings, cut back trees and shrubs from airconditioners, enclose the units in a metal cage or other secure device or link the units to a security system. “We hope to maintain the momentum that we’ve had during the moratorium,” he said.
By Eric George/ThisWeek
Pat Gramelt is the honorary chair of the 52nd Haus und Garten Tour in German Village. Gramelt has volunteered at every tour since the event’s inception in 1960.
Haus und Garten Tour
Honorary chair volunteered at first tour By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers When Pat Gramelt heard about the first German Village Haus und Garten Tour, she told her husband, John, she wanted to volunteer. He advised against it, saying it was a fleeting fancy and nobody would be interested in going. “He said German Village would never be renovated or anything,” she said. She got involved anyway. And 52 years later, the tour is going strong. “I think we did well over the years, but not as well as we’re doing now,” she said. Gramelt is honorary chairwoman of the 52nd annual tour. She has volunteered for every tour since the event got its start in 1960. The tour, which will feature 13 properties — seven homes, four gardens and one landmark — is slated for Sunday, June 26. The PreTour event will be held the previous evening, Saturday, June 25. Tickets are on sale at germanvillagetour.com. Gramelt, 79, is a lifelong resident of German Village and graduated from South High
See SCRAP-YARD MORATORIUM, page A2
Homestead exemption applications due June 6 By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers After retiring a couple of years ago, Ronald Betz was looking for ways to save money. So the German Village resident applied for a homestead exemption through the Franklin County auditor’s office. It exempts $25,000 worth of property value that would otherwise be taxed. “I think it’s very helpful,” said Betz, 69. “When you move from a salary to Social Security, it takes quite a bite out of (your income). Everything is helpful. I feel like we’ve earned it.” See HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, page A2
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Monthly police luncheon
Dispatcher offers guidelines on when to call 911 By GARY SEMAN JR. morning at gunpoint, only to have his ThisWeek Community Newspapers assailants return — and order food. McKelvey said she tried to calm Victoria McKelvey has taken every the man down while keeping the suskind of call imaginable, from the pects in the restaurant long enough silly to the deadly serious. for police to arrive. As a 911 dispatcher with the The owner was noticeably flusColumbus Division of Police, McK- tered, she said, but kept his compoelvey and her co-workers field about sure as he served the criminals. Each 2,000 calls in an eight-hour shift. move was articulated to her over the Sometimes they’re emotional and phone. frantic, like the one from the pizza Eventually, officers arrived at the shop owner who was robbed that shop and busted the crooks, who had
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“We have good times,” she said. “I look forward to it ever year.” But the tour is only one of Gramelt’s many volunteer duties. She has helped the German Whether it’s baking her fabulous Village Garten Club, the Oktoberfest and curapple dumplings for the annual rently is an office assistant at the German VilGarten Club bake sale at Gartenlage Meeting Haus. Gramelt has lived on South Grant Avenue Markt, answering the phones for 59 years. She and her late husband, who every week at the visitor’s center died last year, raised two children, Jennifer and or being front and center each Jeff, at the house, whose garden had previously been on the tour. She still keeps a tidy yard. year for the volunteer orientation “I always take pride in what I do,” Gramelt meeting — which she could consaid. “I just try to keep up my property and duct on her own — she is always hope it rubs off on other people.” The neighborhood has changed over the years, there when needed. for the good and bad, Gramelt said. But she has mostly fond recollections. CHRIS HUNE “I live with my memories,” she said. “I can tell you where every nook and cranny is” of Haus und Garten Tour chair the neighborhood. Chris Hune, the chairperson organizing this School in 1950. She always works one house year’s tour, said Gramelt was worried that if during the tour, where she checks tickets. She she were selected as honorary chair, she couldsaid she still runs into old classmates and former neighbors. See HONORARY CHAIR, page A2
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a shotgun and the cash register in the car, which was parked in a handicap space. And they were using the money they stole to pay for the evening’s meal, she said. McKelvey described her work at the monthly German Village police luncheon, held May 26 at the Meeting Haus, 588 S. Third St. She said there are currently 82 dispatchers, down about 40 from their full complement, meaning they could be subject to eight hours of overtime a day.
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-
Residents should dial 911 to report crimes in progress, while other calls should be made to the division of police’s non-emergency line, (614) 645-4545. For example, a suspicious person walking down the street at night and looking into car windows is not a 911 call. But homeowners who find someone hiding on their property should call 911. See DISPATCHER, 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.