CHRONICLE CHRONICLE KIRTLAND
Kiwanis Keep Sweet Traditions Alive
By Rose NemuNaitis editoR@kaRlovecmedia
Since 1960, the annual Kirt land Strawberry Festival has been a staple of the Kirtland communi ty, taking place each year over Fa ther’s Day weekend at the Kirtland Schools on state Route 306.
“This is a wonderful family friendly event that allows our lo cal and area community to gather and enjoy fun, food, and festivities together with kids, grandkids and friends,” Kirtland Kiwanis Presi dent Kent Packer said. “Admission is free, food is plentiful, rides are reasonable...and don't forget our wonderful strawberry treats.”
Attendees can enjoy strawber ry shortcakes, sundaes and choco late-covered strawberries, and this year’s newest special treat – strawber ry bread, thanks to the continued com mitment of the Kiwanis members.
Kiwanis member Mary Sams inherited the sweet responsibility of the dipped berry treats about 6 years ago.
“I am proud and privileged to be a part of such a wonderful group like the Kiwanis,” Sams said. “And I
with Council is Saturday, July 18 10-11 a.m., at Kirtland City Hall. For more information, contact Joe Smolic at 440-487-8984 or JSmolic@ kirtlandohio.com
and mash by hand,” Sams said.
Chocolate dipping was introduced around 1999, and the berries — purchased in bulk, then hand-sorted, washed, dipped and sprin kled — quickly became a festival favorite.
Every year they sold in greater amounts, requiring more Kiwanis and community vol unteers, including Key Club members.
Because berry crops in Lake County are weather-dependent, Sams said, the club pur chases in bulk rather than picking.
This year they sourced about 4,000 pounds of berries from Costco and used roughly 45 pounds of chocolate.
The dipping started on the Wednesday be fore the kickoff of the festival. Volunteers fin ished the process just before the festival opened, getting the treats ready to roll for first sales.
The dipping continues in the dipping room inside the teachers’ lounge all during the festival, depending on sales.
“Our goal is to provide fresh product,” Sams said. “Some years we run out and need to buy more berries, but we always sell out on Saturday. We encourage people to purchase while we have them. At any given time, there could be two to five people in the dipping room (at work).”
There are no left-over berries. The ones that are not big enough to dip are made into jam by a local Kiwanian.
Generations of Kiwanians have worked side by side at the food tent, carrying on the strawberry tradition.
Packer has graduated six children from Kirtland Schools, and eight grandchildren currently attend.
“I have loved the wonderful Strawberry Festival and volunteered over the years,” Packer said. “That is how I learned about the Kiwanis Club that sponsors this marvelous event. About 13 years ago I was invited to join the club, and it has been a wonderful experience for me.
“Kiwanis is a wonderful service organization with a mission to help our youth and community. Our signature event each year is the Kirtland Strawberry Festival...which, while our primary fundraiser, is really a ser-
vice to our community. I have always felt that raising funds is secondary to the ‘service’ this event is to our community.
“The festival is made possible not only by Kiwanians but the entire community support. From our business sponsors, the school, the churches, and police.”
Kirtland Kiwanis member Mike Sams, Mary’s husband, said it takes many members in many roles to make this a successful festival.
Planning begins at a post-festival debrief meeting and continues for months leading up to the next event.
“The Kirtland Kiwanis Strawberry Festival is not just a Kiwanis event,” Mike Sams said. “It is a community event that brings support from the churches, city, schools, and most important ly our business sponsors who make it possible for us to have a festival every year. a Kirtland family tradition for 67 years.
“This event is a great deal of work. have a festival committee that works yearround to organize and lead this event. Thou sands of volunteer hours go into organizing, setting up, running, and cleaning up for this event. We have wonderful partnerships with the city, schools and other groups who also make this a wonderful community event. none of this would happen without the ongo ing leadership of the Kirtland Kiwanis Club.”
Ninety-year-old Jim (Doc) Porter, retired superintendent of Kirtland Schools, makes sure pa trons are hydrated at the Express Beverage Stand.
Strawberry Festival.
A Note from the Mayor
June closed with quite the heatwave, and July is picking up where June left off. Hopefully the predicted reprieve from this oppressively hot weather comes to pass sooner than later. A special thanks to Police and Fire, but especially our Public Works Department employees that have had to endure these extreme conditions while performing their daily work –especially road work.
Speaking of road work – this year, the Public Works Department is applying a new product to repair potholes in the city. The product, asphalt mastic, is made by mixing asphalt with other materials that provide more flexibility and durabil ity, to stand up to Ohio’s extreme conditions. Starting last year, the crews from our Service Department applied mastic in various places around the city. Af ter reviewing the product applied last fall, it was noted that the material performed as well or better than anticipated. You may have noticed a different type of patching in various places, but especially along Kirtland Chardon Road between Booth and Sperry. To apply, the product is heated from a solid and spread into voids in the road. The difference from traditional emergency “cold patch” repairs is noticeable in that cold patch sometimes only last weeks or months. This is a new and resourceful “tool in the toolbox” as we seek to maintain and improve road conditions.
Thanks to a grant through NOACA, Kirtland Chardon Road, between Sperry and the Chardon line, will be repaved later this summer. The city will be contributing nearly $300,000 to the project and NOACA more than $400,000. In addition to the repaving of
Kirtland Chardon, a contractor will be chip and cape sealing a host of streets in the Fall. Included on this list of roads are areas of Alpine and Applewood, Briar Hill, Deerfield, Gildersleeve and Kimberly. It is important to note that, even though it can have the appearance of repaving, chip-seal is a maintenance tool designed to improve the life of a roadway for 3-5 years. Being open to new approaches for improving road conditions is critical, and we will continue to be resourceful in our approach to maintenance, repairs and resurfacing.
For anyone having made requests through our Planning and Zoning Department over the last month or so, I want to thank you for your extreme patience. Having unanticipated turnover in the department has brought challenges for residents, contractors, businesses and potential developers. But we are working through the transition. With new personnel coming aboard in July, I see not only a restoration of service but an extremely improved department in the future. With new development and investment in Kirtland on the horizon, it is key that a Planning & Zoning office operates on all cylinders.
Whether it is changes in personnel necessary to improve the Planning and Zoning Department or continuing to better our road conditions on a limited budget, hard decisions often have to be made. Spending your tax dollars most effectively while keeping our community safe remains a pursuit worthy of our commitment.
Thank you, Mayor Potter
Free Admission Day at Farmpark
staff RepoRt
Lake Metroparks Farmpark will throw open its gates for FarmFest on Saturday, July 11, offering free admission and a full day of farm experiences from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Special guests, local groups and returning favorites will be on site throughout the day, sharing their skills and inviting visitors to learn by doing. This includes the clubs that call Farmpark home, from antique engine enthusiasts to spinning and weaving artisans and beekeeping groups.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of food trucks, along with live cooking demonstrations from local chef Lisa Pucci Delgado and a breadmaking presentation by Reveille Bakery. Guests can also pick up practical skills throughout the day, from gardening in a small space to backyard flock basics with Meyer Hatchery. Watch wool become yarn with Raven Hooves Farm, with even more to explore across the grounds.
A full schedule of events is available at https://goto.lakemetroparks.com/farmfest.
Lake Metroparks Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid Chardon Rd. in Kirtland.
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The Kirtland Chronicle and newspaper journalism are critically important and essential in protecting the vibrant community in which we live.
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Mayor Kevin Potter
stage, five Hornet track athletes earned AllOhio honors while showcasing the dedica tion, perseverance, and excellence that de fine our athletic programs.
The girls' 4x800-meter relay team of Megan Urbanick, Danika Schaum, Kylie Sayle, and Izzie Copeland earned All-Ohio honors with a sixth-place finish in Division V. The quartet ran a personal-best time of 9:44.66, demonstrat ing the hard work and commitment that car ried them to the state podium.
run with a time of 5:14.27, further cementing her place among the state's top distance runners.
Izzie, Charlie, Kylie, Danika and Megan were also Academic All-Ohio!
Kirtland’s baseball team made another deep postseason run, ending with a 6-4 loss to Chippewa in a Division VI regional champi onship game. The Hornets finished 18-9.
By Chad VanArnhem, Superintendent
Senior Charlie Vignero delivered an outstanding perfor mance in the throw ing events. He placed seventh in the Division IV shot put with a personal-record throw of 53 feet, 7¼ inches, earning All-Ohio recognition. He then concluded his high school career with a sixthplace finish in the discus, recording a throw
Summer break is a time to repair and maintain many parts of our campus. Class rooms are being cleaned and floors being waxed. Cement is being poured to replace areas of damaged concrete. A few different classrooms have received new carpet. Black top repair and sealing coating will be taking place too.
Thank you for your continued support, and go Hornets!
Dr. Chad VanArnhem
Superintendent
Festival Excitement Revs Up with Robotics
By Rose NemuNaitis editoR@kaRlovecmedia com
The Kirtland Robotics teams brought high-tech excitement to the 67th Strawberry Festival with live robotics demonstrations inside Kirtland Schools.
“The Strawberry Festival provides a great opportunity for the Kirtland Middle School and High School FIRST teams to connect with the community and provide education and experiences in STEM to festival attendees,” Donna Rudder said. She has been the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge high school team coach since 2018.
Visitors crowded the Elementary School gymnasium to watch demonstrations of both the high school FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robot and the middle school FIRST LEGO League (FLL) robot.
“We are a popular stop at the festival, and some children return multiple times,” Rudder said, of the three-day opportunity.
The Kirtland Robotics teams have been demonstrating their robots at the festivals throughout the past decade.
The interactive exhibit also allowed attendees to get hands-on experience by programming LEGO Spike Prime robots or designing custom creations in a massive LEGO brick pit.
Team members were on hand to teach attendees to program and run robots as an introduction to the FIRST program.
The FTC high school team will open the season with about 10 students, Rudder said, though teams can have up to 15 members. Her husband, Michael, has mentored the FIRST LEGO League program since 2009.
“We are growing in skill and success as students develop higher level skills each year,” she said.
Members include 11th-grader Will Cihula, 16, who hopes to attend Cornell University.
“I currently plan to study ornithology in college and use skills learned in FIRST robotics to apply technology to bird conservation and research,” Cihula said.
Cihula maneuvered the team’s custom-built robot through a ball-handling demonstration at the Strawberry Festival.
The live robotics exhibition drew a large crowd of festival attendees eager to watch the machine scoop and shoot targets.
Tenth-grader Andrew Urban, 15, hopes
to be a professional musician by using the public demonstration skills that he’s learned through competing in robotics.
“I hope to study ecology in the future and will use my knowledge learned in FTC to build robots to help secure the stability of earth for the future,” 10th-grader Noelle Fisher, 15, said.
KHS computer science teacher Heidi Grunenberg has coached the middle school FIRST LEGO League teams since its inception in 2009.
Kirtland FLL teams include 17 students, divided into three teams.
Organizers hope visitors spread the message of FIRST to other communities, schools and families, encouraging more students to explore STEM career paths.
Rudder also used the festival to seek mentors from the professional community, and thanked current mentors Tim Morris, Joe Work, Jason Knaus, Dave Blankenship and Tabitha Blankenship, along with other community members who support the teams each year.
“We hope visitors see how beneficial FIRST is for students of all ages and consider supporting or joining our program,” Rudder said. “The festival is a great opportunity to show our community what we do — building robots, programming and developing teamwork skills.”
crowds from across the community.
Local Mayors Battle for Ultimate Strawberry Eating Supremacy
Festival brought its much-anticipated may ors’ shortcake eating contest — the sweetest showdown of the year.
Six local mayors competed in a strawber ry shortcake eating contest June 18, a halfhour into the official opening, on the main stage before a crowd of cheering fans.
Participating mayors included Mike Van ni of Willowick, Kevin Kostelnik of Eastlake, Alyson Scott of Kirtland Hills, Kevin Potter of Kirtland, Bob Fiala of Willoughby and Joe Sakacs of Wickliffe.
The 3-minute contest soon entered a 5-second countdown to bragging rights for a year.
“Times up and I believe we have a unani mous winner, without a doubt,” the announcer said.
Wickliffe Mayor Joe Sakacs out-ate his fellow Western Lake County mayors, downing four shortcakes to claim the title.
“Kirtland has got enough football titles, it’s time for Wickliffe to have a title,” Sakacs said.
The Kirtland Strawberry Festival hosts a strawberry shortcake eating contest each of its three days.
“The premier contest is on Thursday in which local mayors compete,” Kirtland Kiwanian Mike Sams said. “Friday is usually our local athletes competing. Saturday is open to all who wish to compete.”
There are no prizes on Thursday or Friday, just bragging rights. Saturday there is a $50 award.
“This is the sixth year and it's really a blast getting to compete against my fellow local mayors,” Potter said. “I tend to drink a lot of water the day of the contest to expand my stomach. But at the end of the day, it's more about how much you can stuff in your mouth in two minutes than it is about the volume. I'm always in it to win it.”
Potter shared some history and highlights
eating contest among participating local mayors on the first day of the festival.
of the mayoral contest, which began in 2021.
“Andy Gardner, former mayor of Willoughby Hills, crushed us all the first two years by eating 4 and 5 shortcakes,” Potter said. “In the open event, I once witnessed a fellow by the name of Henry eat 10 shortcakes and it was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen… I pretty much only eat strawberries during festival weekend, then I eat a lot of them.”
Sakacs has participated each year in the contest since he was first elected in 2022.
He has won once before, eating blueberry shortcake, which he said was more difficult because of the heavy filling. Sakacs has diverticulitis and is not supposed to eat seeds, and his fellow mayors never let him forget it. This year, giving in to peer pressure, he ate the strawberries — skipping practice and keeping lunch light beforehand.
“I was hoping for a trophy or medal to reflect the magnitude of this accomplishment,” Sakacs said.
A win next year would make him the three-time champion — a prospect he’s already looking forward to.
The Kirtland Public Library is located at 9267 Chillicothe Road. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about any of these programs or to register, please call the library at 440-256-7323 or visit www.kirtland.lib.oh.us
Adult Programs
Cricut Custom Puzzles
July 6 • 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (by appointment)
Turn a photo into a custom foam puzzle with the help of our Cricut. All supplies will be provided. To register, contact the reference desk to reserve an hour-long tech-oneon-one slot and please bring a flash drive with the photo you wish to use on it.
Chair Yoga
July 6 • 2 p.m.
Gentle chair yoga led by Anne Owens. All levels welcome to this free event. Please register for this event.
Knit & Crochet
July 6 • 6 p.m. and July 21 • 6 p.m.
Drop in and get hooked with our knit and crochet club. Bring your own supplies and enjoy an evening of creating and chatting with fellow crafters.
Cricut & Canva Stickers
July 8 • 2 p.m.
Join us for this two-hour long program and create custom stickers using Canva and the Cricut. This class is designed for beginners; no previous experience is necessary. All supplies will be provided.
Ricky and the Rockets
July 9 • 7 p.m.
Bring a lawn chair and meet us at the gazebo for the final concert in our summer series. In case of inclement weather, the concert date will be moved to July 14. CLE Craves Food Truck will be on site with options for purchase that evening, so be sure to come hungry.
Cricut Design Space:
Vinyl Suncatchers
July 13 • 4 p.m.
Attendees in grades 8 and up will create
Kirtland Public Library
a unique suncatcher on the library’s Cricut. This class is designed for beginners; no previous experience is necessary. All supplies will be provided.
Cleveland’s Neighborhood Taverns
July 15 • 6 p.m.
Tom Kaschalk, founder of My Cleveland History, will be at the library to share stories from his book “Cleveland's Neighborhood Taverns: A Pub Crawl Through History.” We will journey through the streets of Cleveland and visit frontier saloons of olden days to more recent family-run bars that are built around a community. Registration is required.
The World of Greek Mythology
July 17 • 2 p.m.
Join us for a presentation to learn about the 12 gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus as well as a few popular myths. Afterwards, make a Greek mythology themed art piece with the Library's Cricut. This program is for anyone who will be in grades 8th or older who is interested in Greek mythology.
Summer Reading Ends July
18
July 18 is the last day to log Summer Reading points and bid on prizes.
Earn 200 points for each book that you read. Make sure to use these points in the raffle in the app as you try to win a great prize. Use the ReadSquared app.
3D Design: Barrettes and Earrings
July 20 • 2 p.m.
Participants who will be in grades 8 and up will learn how to design their own, personalized barrette and pair of earrings in Tinkercad. This class is designed for beginners; no previous experience with Tinkercad is necessary. Registration is required.
Cell Phone Photography
July 20 • 5-7 p.m.
This is a basic course exploring the advantages and limitations of the popular cell phone camera.
This presentation is in two parts: The first half a primer on the technical aspects of the cell phone and the second portion deals with the aesthetic (artistic) aspects of image making including lighting, composition,
post-production software, black and white conversions and much more.
The workshop is 2 hours long and we ask that you bring your phone with you. Registration is required for this class.
Dinosaur Quilling
July 22 • 2 p.m.
Attendees will learn the basics of quilling and create an adorable paper dinosaur. No previous experience is necessary. All supplies will be provided.
No Pressure Book Discussion
July 27 • 1:30 p.m.
Ready for some new book suggestions? Bring any suggestions for good books you have read and get some new ideas too. Bring a bag lunch if you like. Just drop in; no registration required.
Cookbook Club
July 28 • 6 p.m.
Want to expand your kitchen skills? Every month, we cook up a new dish from a different theme. Bring your own place setting and beverage and the dish you prepare. Please sign up for more information. In July, we are making our favorite salads.
Used Book Sale
Aug 1 • 9:30a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Friends of the Kirtland Public Library are hosting their quarterly book sale at the library. Small bags are $5 and large bags are $8. Cash and credit card are accepted. Head to the back door to find some treasures.
Youth Programs Weekly Events
Lapsit
Tuesdays • 10 a.m.
Bounces, rhymes, one book, scarves and shakers, geared for families with children under the age of 3. No need to register.
Storytime
Wednesdays • 10 a.m.
Enjoy great books, rhymes, songs, and surprises with your child. This storytime is geared for families with children aged 5 and under. No need to register.
Special Events
Register for events at www.kirtland.lib.oh.us
Gingerbread for Liberty
July 6 • 10:30 a.m.
Continue to celebrate America's Semi quincentennial. Kids who will be in grades kindergarten through 12th, celebrate America's 250th birthday by hearing about Mara Rockliff's “Gingerbread for Liberty.” How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution and decorating ginger people cookies. Participants should bring their favorite adult or be able to work independently. Kid attendees will receive 50 points toward Summer Reading. Please register every adult and every child attending.
Pokémon Bingo
July 7 • 2 p.m.
Come try your hand at Pokémon Bingo. Kids who will be in grades kindergarten through 5th will play for fun, silly prizes. Children who can use a steady helping hand with game rules and turn-taking should bring their favorite adults with them. Kid attendees will receive 50 points toward Summer Reading. Please register everyone attending.
Teen Book Club at Maggie’s
July 9 • 1 p.m.
Kids entering grades 6th and up, come ready to talk all things books. We will be meeting at Maggie's Doughnuts, 9183 Chillicothe Road, Unit B, Kirtland.
There is no book assigned: be ready to talk about a book or three that you have read, and to listen to other kids talk about the books that they like. The library will pay for your doughnut, bring cash if you would like to purchase a drink. Maggie's will be staying open late just for us, so please make sure that your ride is there promptly at 1:45 pm. Register online with your donut choice.
LEGO Club
July 11 • 10:30 a.m.
Families, spend an hour building with the library's LEGO bricks. Once you have completed your creation, you will place it on display until the next LEGO Club. Registration is required.
See Library• Page 10
School Board Seeks Applicants to Fill Vacant Seat
staff RepoRt
Kirtland Local Schools Board of Education member Matthew Whittaker will step down June 30, ending more than six years of service as he turns his attention to a new business venture.
The board’s remaining members are now seeking a community member to fill the vacancy for the balance of Whittaker’s term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2027 — roughly 18 months. Under Ohio law, the sitting mem-
bers are responsible for appointing an eligible community member as a replacement.
In announcing the departure, the board thanked Whittaker for his dedication to Kirtland families over the past six and a half years and said it would miss his insight and informed perspective on managing the district. Members wished him well in his new endeavor.
Interested residents are asked to submit a letter of interest, a resume or both to Board
President Joshua Hayes and Vice President Sheila Dikowicz by July 5. Applications and emails received after that date will not be considered. Hayes can be reached at joshua.hayes@kirtlandschools.org and Dikowicz at sheila.dikowicz@kirtlandschools.org
The board plans to hold one or more special meetings between July 6 and July 12 to discuss the applicants, conduct interviews and appoint a new member by a vote. The appointee will begin serving immediately and complete the
remaining term in accordance with state law. District leaders said the board’s coming priorities include facilities master planning, long-term maintenance and stewardship of district buildings, careful management of revenue and spending, and a continued focus on academic excellence.
The board described the appointed seat as part of a collaborative team responsible for governance, policy and oversight of district operations.
Data Center Petition Falls Short of November Ballot
A proposed constitutional amendment banning construction of data centers with an aggregate monthly demand or peak load exceeding 25 megawatts will not be on this November’s ballot, Ohio Residents for Respon-
sible Development — the group spearheading the effort — confirmed June 17.
Efforts to make this year’s ballot have been ongoing since approximately April.
To make the November ballot, the group needed to gather 413,487 signatures from 44
of Ohio’s 88 counties by July 1. As of June 26, it had garnered 87,366, according to the Conserve Ohio website.
“Internally, we set (July 1) as our ideal target and it just didn’t pan out. We are not going to be submitting this year,” the group said in a statement on the Conserve Ohio website.
Despite not making its initial goal, the group was undeterred, noting the signatures it has gathered do not expire.
Library from page 9
Ozobots
July 13 • 6:30 p.m.
Kids entering grades K-5, the library's tiny robots have sensors that detect different colors that you will draw with markers on paper. Learn what the different colors mean and draw lines on which an Ozobot will travel. You will also get to challenge yourself to see if you can draw a path for the Ozobot to get to several dinosaurs on your paper.
Bring your adult to help guide you. Every child in attendance will earn 50 points towards their Summer Reading goal. Please register for this event.
Meet Me on the Courtyard
July 17 • 10:30 a.m.
Families with children age 5 and under, join us on our gorgeous courtyard to explore the activities that will be waiting for you. Make new friends as you play. What will you find this month? In case of inclement weather, this event will be held indoors. Please register for this event.
The World of Greek Mythology
July 17 • 2 p.m.
Join us for a presentation to learn about the 12 gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus as well as a few popular myths. Afterwards, make a Greek mythology themed art piece with the Library's Cricut.
This program is for anyone who will be in
“We want to make it clear: we will not be stopping,” it said. “Construction won’t be stopping, so signature gathering and community action will not be stopping.”
The group said it feels confident in making the deadline for the 2027 general election.
“In 10 weeks we’ve done more than most grassroots movements achieve in a year,” it said. “The end goal has not changed. Our resolve has not changed.”
grades 8 or older who is interested in Greek mythology. Attendees will receive 50 points toward Summer Reading.
Summer Reading Ends July 18
July 18 is the last day to log Summer Reading points and bid on prizes. Each minute equals one point.
Make sure to use these points in the raffle in the app as you try to win a great prize. Use the ReadSquared app. Have you reached 1,000 points?
3D Design: Barrettes and Earrings
July 20 • 2 p.m.
Participants who will be in grades 8 and up will learn how to design their own, personalized barrette and pair of earrings in Tinkercad. This class is designed for beginners; no previous experience with Tinkercad is necessary. Registration is required.
Jim Kleefeld Presents Dinosaur Magic
July 25 • 10:30 a.m.
Jim Kleefeld's Dinosaur Magic is all about those huge creatures from our past. Fun for children and parents alike, this exciting show features stories and tales mixed with magic, all with fantastic dinosaurs great and small. Bright, colorful magic abounds and Jim will have lots of prehistoric life BOOKS to show off as well.
Jim's shows are interactive, so children get to help create the magic all along the way (but always from a safe distance in their seats).
Jim Kleefeld's Dinosaur Magic Show is 45 minutes long, highlights books and reading and is entertaining for parents as well as children. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Kirtland Public Library. Please register everyone attending.
staff RepoRt
New Collab Builds Healthy Network for First Responders
By Rose NemuNaitis editoR@kaRlovecmedia com
At a time when agencies nationwide face rising concerns over burnout, PTSD, depression, substance misuse and suicide among first responders, a new local initiative offers a proactive, compassionate approach to protecting the well-being of those who serve our communities every day.
The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office First Responder Support Team (FiRST Team) recently announced a partnership with the Lake-Geauga Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team. The two-county collaboration takes a significant step toward supporting the mental health, wellness and long-term resiliency of first responders and their families across the region.
“This partnership focuses on providing confidential peer support, crisis intervention, education and wellness resources designed specifically for those working in public safety,” said Tracy Jordan, the sheriff’s office crisis response director. “While first responders routinely respond to traumatic incidents in service to the community, the emotional and psychological impact of that work often goes unseen.”
She added, “Together, we can reach more responders, offer a broader range of resources, and continue building a culture where seeking support is normalized and encouraged.”
Blake Rogers, Lake-Geauga CISM Team coordinator, said the partnership strengthens and unifies the support networks responders and their families rely on.
“Together, we are already providing meaningful training opportunities and we remain committed to expanding the resources available to those who serve our communities,” Rogers said.
Established in 2025, the FiRST Team provides confidential peer support, wellness resources and family-focused services for first responders. Its mission is to offer one-on-one debriefing and support following difficult calls, critical incidents and other challenging experiences.
“Because confidentiality is one of the foundational principles of our program, we do not publicly share utilization numbers or identifying information,” Jordan said. “Protecting that trust is critical to the success of the program.”
“It is so very important that we ensure our safety forces are taken care of,” Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand said. “Too many times we concentrate on the victims and forget about the men and women who respond to these events. We want to offer certified trained professionals to assist our first responders.”
Hildenbrand credited Jordan’s commitment to the cause and her close work with mental health professionals to ensure help is available to responders.
“We are lucky to have someone on staff with this passion and ability to get everyone help who wants it,” he said.
Jordan said Rogers taught her a great deal, especially about privileged confidentiality.
“Through the proper training, certification and policies, our team members can provide the same level of confidentiality protections that exist in doctor-patient and attorney-client relationships,” Jordan said. “That level of protection is critical. It means first responders can speak honestly and openly, knowing what they share remains confiden-
Lake-Geauga Critical Incident Stress
Management Team coordinator Blake Rogers are partnering to build a support system for first responders and their families.
tial. If a team member were ever asked to testify about those conversations, those confidentiality protections remain in place.”
In fact, Jordan noted she does not receive any information about what is discussed.
“The conversation remains solely between the first responder and the support team member,” she said.
Rogers and Jordan continue to organize additional training to expand the number of qualified team members serving the region.
“My goal is to normalize debriefing after difficult calls,” Jordan said. “Just as we’ve done with the LOSS Team, I want first responders to see debriefing not as a sign of weakness, but as a routine and healthy part of the job.”
The partnership also combines resources and expertise across county lines while maintaining local support networks. A Geauga County responder may choose to speak with a trained peer from Lake County while a Lake County responder may connect with a peer from Geauga County.
“That separation can help create an additional level of comfort, trust and confidentiality while still ensuring the person they’re speaking with understands the unique realities of emergency services,” Jordan said.
Wellness is not only about responding when someone is struggling, the FiRST Team believes; it is also about creating opportunities for first responders and their families to build relationships, have fun and support one another in everyday life.
A First Responders vs. Local Agencies Kickball Tournament will be held Sept. 17 at Munson Township Park. The event is designed to bring together first responders, local agencies and their families in a relaxed setting focused on fun, teamwork and community rather than emergency calls. Families are encouraged to attend, bring their children, enjoy a cookout and spend time together.
“They allow spouses, children, coworkers and community partners to get to know one another outside of the uniform and outside of the station, firehouse, dispatch center or patrol car,” Jordan said. “When responders and their families are connected, supported and engaged, the entire public safety community becomes stronger.
“One of the most important messages we want first responders to hear is that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
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