Pulse - Volume 15 Issue 2

LO R A I N C O U NT Y’S MAGAZINE June 2022 | Volume 15, Issue 2

BIKE Lorain County It’s time to get outside and have fun.

We’ve plotted courses to try.

PLUS

Oberlin’s National Teacher of the Year Check Out Summer Events

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Whether you are just starting college or would like to begin a new career, Lorain County Community College and

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contents

ORAIN COUNTY

Feature 14 BIKE LORAIN COUNTY

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Summer is a great time to plan a bike trip. We’ve created four itineraries that include places to eat, relax and check out some views. Check them out and then get out and enjoy the trails.

Departments 4 FROM THE EDITOR 6 CNational OUNTY LINE Kurt Russell, the 2022 Teacher of the Year, shares how he approaches teaching.

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8 CATALYST Hematology Oncology in Elyria offers personalized treatment options and advice for patients. Plus, JVS students enjoy signing day.

12 Acalendar RTS & ENTERTAINMENT Mark your with ideas for summer fun.

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PROJECT MANAGER COREY GALLOWAY PRODUCTION MANAGER JENNIFER ROBERTS

PUBLISHER ■ PAUL KLEIN klein@glpublishing.com EDITOR ■ JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA bowensima@glpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR ■ RAYANNE MEDFORD rmedford@glpublishing.com

ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION MANAGER ALYSON MOUTZ COWAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Karen Beis, Linda Feagler, Kristen Hampshire CONTRIBUTING ARTIST David Schwartz

SNAPSHOT Lorain County Community College celebrates its graduates with a new installation.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Bialowas, Sarah Desmond and Tiffany Myroniak PARTNERS & ADVISORY COMMITTEE American Oncology Network LLC Community Foundation Lorain County Lorain County Board of Commissioners Lorain County Chamber of Commerce Lorain County Community College Lorain County JVS

CLEVELAND MAGAZINE OHIO MAGAZINE LAKE ERIE LIVING BRANDED CONTENT DEVELOPMENT DIGITAL MARKETING

1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730 Cleveland, OH 44115 216-377-3693 glpublishing.com

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ORAIN FROM THE EDITOR

COUNTY

Ready to Ride I LOVE FAMILY BIKE RIDES.

We’re also looking forward to the Best of Lorain County party, which will return this year on Sept. 15.

That’s when some of the best restaurants and destinations show off their skills and share tasty samples to try (Insider scoop: You won’t go home hungry). Watch for the next issue of pulse, which will list the finalists in dozens of categories, and mark your calendar so you can join the fun.

SINCERELY,

JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA

EDITOR, PULSE LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZINE

Leave a Legacy with Lasting Community Impact Founded in 1980, the Community Foundation of Lorain County is made up of more than 670+ endowment funds valued at approximately $165M. We wisely invest the funds’ assets and the interest earned provides $6.2M annually in scholarships and grants to support individual and nonprofit organizations in Lorain County. A gift to the Community Foundation is unlike any other gift as it will continue to grow and have lasting impact on our community . . . forever.

Education & Youth Development

Arts & Culture Programs

Strengthening Lorain County

Health & Human Services

=

Interested in learning more about establishing your own fund or recognizing a loved one?

Find out how: peoplewhocare.org or call 440.984.7390

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ERIC MULL

I’m also up for a good challenging ride that gets the heart pumping — extra points if there are cool views.

And now that I think about it, I’d be up for a fun ride with girlfriends that ends on a patio with a cold drink.

The thing is, bike rides are synonymous with summer. And a ride is more than just a ride. It’s a chance to connect with nature, others and, frankly, ourselves.

You just have to get on a bike and start pedaling.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled four adventures to help you plan your route — whether you want to

stick to the roadways or hit some trails. You can opt for smooth sailing with some water views and maybe a couple of local brews when you want to take a break.

Or you can hit the southern parts of the county during a longer ride that stretches from Elyria to Oberlin on the North Coast Inland Trail. Bonus: You’ll find great food and shopping when you get there. And that’s just a start. Get more ideas to help you plot your course on page 14.

Biking also connects the community. Learn about clubs that are putting fitness first and groups that are extending the sport to everyone.

Your Health Care Should Always Revolve Around You At Mercy Health, we’re creating the personalized solutions you need, to meet you where you need us with the right care for you. Because whether safely in our clean facilities, or virtually from the comfort of your own home, we believe your health care should always revolve around you.

Visit mercy.com/primarycare to connect with a primary care provider today.

PRIMARY CARE FOR FO R THE UNIVERSE OF YOU

COUNTY LINE

Oberlin’s NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR Speaks Up

By Kristen Hampshire

Kurt Russell’s high school classroom is one where voices are amplified and equity is encouraged.

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CLASSROOM PHOTO: CODY YORK PHOTOGRAPHY INC. / HEADSHOT: COURTESY OF THE OHIO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. PHOTO BY RAE HOLLOWAY

His love of learning began in kindergarmunity in America, while looking at police ten when Kurt Russell’s teacher in his brutality at the same time,” he says. “We hometown of Oberlin read storybooks that were making this intersectionality, and there illustrated diversity. “She made an effort to was a young student in the classroom who show pictures that looked like me,” he says, raised his hand and said, ‘All people need to now a 25-year veteran of the classroom and be respected.’

2022 National Teacher of the Year by the “Even though throughout our journeys Council of Chief State School Officers. in life we might disagree in terms of poliThe program is considered the most prestics and how we should raise our children, tigious teacher recognition in the country, everyone should have a voice and be reand it is designed to celebrate teachers’ spected, and that is when I knew that class talents and commitment while inspiring was making an impact,” Russell continleadership skills. Russell, who ues. “We have this whole new has taught history at Oberlin generation that believes that Kurt Russell is a coach, a High School since the late 1990s, people should be treated with listener, a lover of storytelling says this “very intentional” equity and fairness. It was so and is passionate about igniting powerful, and all of the kids in introduction to learning fueled his love of the classroom. It was the classroom started nodding conversation and welcoming cemented in eighth grade when their heads, confirming, ‘Yes, we voices to the table with gusto. his math instructor, Mr. Larry believe that, as well.’”

Thomas, was the first male black The faculty advisor for the teacher he ever had. “It was a, ‘Wow — I had an attainable school’s student-led Black Student Union and a previous goal,’” Russell relates. “That is when I said, ‘I want to be a teacher of the year by the Oberlin Heritage Center and teacher one day.’”

Oberlin chapter of the NAACP says his hometown has also Russell is a coach, a listener, a lover of storytelling and had a significant impact on how he guides young people to is passionate about igniting conversation and welcoming embrace the values of respect. voices to the table with gusto. “I like to ask questions, and I “Oberlin is home and it has always been a special place,” love discussion in my classroom,” he says. he says. “I tell people, my parents raised me, but Oberlin Don’t expect Russell to be behind a lectern or seated at a gave me some values. It’s a place where we try to treat peodesk. “I walk around — I can’t just stand still when I teach, ple with fairness and kindness.” and I always give students something to really spark their Russell is also the head coach for the school’s varsity basinterest in the classroom,” he relates. “I always believe that ketball team — and he sees the court as an extension of his students should talk more than the teacher.” classroom. “I really do not teach basketball to win games,” This can pivot lesson plans sometimes, and Russell emhe says. “I coach basketball for students to appreciate and braces that. “We take historical information and make real understand the progress and what it takes to win games.” life observations from it,” he says.

If there is one lesson Russell hopes his students take away “I was teaching a course called Race, Gender and Oppresfrom his classroom, it’s this: Be respectful. Show kindness. sion. We were studying the Stonewall Riot of the 1960s, and Show empathy. “That is what makes our society great,” he our unit focused on the LGBTQ+ progression in that comsays. “It’s not difficult to be kind or to respect others.”

LITTLE LIBRARY N THE LAKE Reopens the first weekend in June at Lakeview Park.

Summer Reading Program starts June 6 Get your gameboards at the library or LorainPublicLibrary.org

Healthy Habits

CATALYST

Sienna Collins shares tips for staying ahead of sickness.

Community Care

Elyria’s Hematology Oncology offers personalized treatment options.

By Linda Feagler

For more than 25 years, the Hematology Oncology Center in Elyria has been administering treatment to patients in Lorain County and surrounding areas that’s compassionate, comprehensive and cutting-edge. Here, nurse practitioner Sienna Collins describes the center’s commitment to the personalized care the staff is renowned for.

Are there other illnesses you treat?

A: We also see patients diagnosed with lung, colorectal and breast cancer.

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What are some of the personal services you offer that patients appreciate?

A: One of our specialties is medication.

We send orders to our pharmacy in Florida, a representative contacts the patient and their prescription usually gets delivered to them the next day.

The process is really easy and convenient. We also offer in-house laboratory services, so patients can come here for routine blood and pathology work. Our cure management services team reaches out to patients starting treatment to help them with symptom management and nutritional concerns that focus on the person as a whole, and not just the cancer. It’s a holistic approach patients positively respond to.

Is there anything else you’d like patients to know about the Hematology Oncology Center?

A: We focus on patient satisfaction to the point that when they visit us for the first time, they already feel welcome. The center is a place where they can trust us with their life. We make sure their cancer journey is supported and comfortable.

Get moving. “We recommend 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise five days per week,” Collins says. “Obviously, this is different for patients who are actively going through chemotherapy because fatigue and side effects are probably the biggest issues they have after treatment.

For those folks, we recommend light, moderate walking for 30 minutes a day.”

Avoid or limit the use of alcohol, especially if you’re undergoing chemotherapy. “Certain chemo treatments metabolize through the liver,” she says. “Alcohol does too, which could cause liver issues [including swelling and inflammation].”

Stop smoking. “We see patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer but continue to smoke,” Collins says. “It can be difficult to quit, even if you’re going through treatment. We do offer smoking cessation resources for patients who want them, including nicotine patches and nicotine gum. We don’t force anyone to quit, but we’re ready to help them when they’re ready.”

For more information about the Hematology Oncology Center, visit elyriahoc.com.

HEMATOLOGY ONCOLOGY CENTER IN ELYRIA

The diagnosis of cancer strikes fear into the hearts of all who hear it. What’s the first step patients should take?

A: When patients hear the word cancer, they’re scared because they don’t know what lies ahead. Diagnostic testing is the first step. When that’s completed, patients meet with the doctor to discuss treatment options.

Once they decide on a plan, they meet with me and I educate them on what to expect. Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are the most common blood cancers we see here.

Even though sometimes there may not be a cure, many of these types of cancers are highly treatable. There are patients who can live for years or go into remission for years with treatments we have.

What concerns do patients express to staff members?

A: Our social worker deals with psychosocial fears patients have. They may include financial concerns caused by the fact that their diagnosis has forced them to stop working. Others worry about whether or not a mastectomy or lumpectomy will affect their body image, so we set up a meeting with the surgeon to discuss their concerns. We’re also dedicated to allaying their emotional fears.

Maintain a healthy diet. “Many studies have found that excess weight plays an important role in cancer development and recurrence,” she says. “We stress following a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables daily. We advise filling at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruits and whole grains — and one-third or less with animal products. Try to limit red meat or processed meat as much as possible.”

Join us at Spitzer Conference Center this Fall to celebrate everything you love about Lorain County at the

2022 BEST OF LORAIN COUNTY PARTY

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 Get the latest info on entertainment, vendors and more at

pulselorainmag.com SPONSORED BY:

CATALYST

Industrial Electricity instructor, Bill Kuhn, stands with his seniors who officially signed on with local companies.

Employers stand behind the students who are signing with their company.

Lorain County JVS Signing Day

(From left) Masonry Trades senior Alina Younkin (Amherst); LCJVS Masonry Trades instructor, David Rudisill; Bricklayers Local #5 Union field representative, Jairo Cabrera; Masonry Trades senior Omar Shean (Wellington) hold union shirts after officially signing with the Bricklayers Local #5 Union.

LORAIN COUNTY JVS STUDENTS TOOK CENTER STAGE ON MAY 10 during the school’s signing day. High school seniors got to announce whether they have committed to full-time employment or an apprenticeship in their skilled trade after graduation. Students were celebrated as they were given letters of intent to sign marking their decisions with their employers standing behind them. School administrators, teachers, local business partners, family and friends were on hand to help mark their achievements.

“ The commitment the students are making to their industry today, as well as the trust our employers are placing in them, illustrate that they have honored the trades.”

— Tina Pelto, Lorain County JVS principal Precision Machine Technology seniors officially sign with local companies and their new employers stand behind them.

Lorain County JVS school administrators, teachers, local business partners, family and friends attend the annual LCJVS Signing Day event.

LORAIN COUNTY JVS

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Summer Fun Get ready for a season of exciting events.

PISTONS &PROPS LORAIN COUNTY

By Linda Feagler

Summer fun continues throughout the county with events for every age and interest.

Teresa Gilles, executive director of Main Street Amherst, partners with members of Main Street organizations in Lorain, Oberlin, Vermilion and Wellington to promote the attributes that make Lorain County a premier destination.

“We’re dedicated to working together,” Gilles says. “We feel that if one of our cities is successful, then we’ll all be successful together.”

Lorain County’s Largest Business to Business EXPO returns bigger and better in 2022! Make plans now to exhibit, spaces are limited, so don’t be left out!

SAVE THE DATE

NOVEMBER 3, 2022 Contact Tammy Cascio for sponsorship and exhibitor information at tcascio@loraincountychamber.com

Mark Your Calendars for this year’s EXPO at Tom’s Country Place 226 Middle Ave. 5th Floor • Elyria, Ohio 44035 • 440-328-2550 • loraincountychamber.com 12 puLse

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AIRPLANE: DISCOVER AVIATION CENTER / CARS: MAIN STREET AMHERST

Summer is setting up to be big in Lorain County.

Set to debut July 9, Pistons & Props, which takes place at the Lorain County Regional Airport in Elyria from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature a vintage car show and a variety of civilian and military aircraft. The stars of the event: A Ford Trimotor, known as the “Tin Goose,” which debuted in 1929 and has the distinction of being the first transcontinental luxury airliner; and a B-25 Mitchell Bomber, used by Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II. The rain date for this event is July 10.

The event is sponsored by the Lorain County Convention & Visitors Bureau; Discover Aviation, a local nonprofit that reaches out to area youth, their families and teachers to educate them about careers in aviation and aerospace; and Chapter 1252 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, dedicated to ensure all amateur aircraft built or restored by “builders, flyers and dreamers” is well-constructed and safe.

“Everyone who comes to Pistons & Props will have a great time, and those seeking information about learning to fly won’t be disappointed,” says Paul Koziol who, along with his wife Vicki, volunteers at the Discover Aviation Center.

“The event is a wonderful way,” adds Vicki, “to introduce the thrill of aviation to the next generation of pilots.”

Here’s a sampling of activities you won’t want to miss: June 24 – 26 // Lorain

Discover why visitors from around the country attend Lorain’s celebrated International Festival, held at Black River Landing and featuring a variety of irresistible ethnic cuisines to sample, along with live entertainment. Admission is $3 per person.

June 25 // Oberlin

Create your very own masterpiece during Oberlin’s Chalk Walk, held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along downtown sidewalks.

July 9 // Oberlin

Put your sleuthing powers to work during the city’s monthly Second Saturday, which includes a scavenger hunt, music, art and family activities that take place downtown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

August 4 // Amherst

Make new friends and greet old ones during the Morning Mingle, held from 9 to 10 a.m., that will bring you up to date on local happenings.

August 27 // Vermilion

Enjoy quality time with your favorite four-legged friend during Hot Diggity Dog Day, filled with games, prizes, children’s activities and canine games.

July 1 // Lorain

Enjoy live music, admire exquisite art and taste delicious food and drink during The Broadway Block Party from 4 to 7 p.m.

July 2 – August 27 // Vermilion

MAIN STREET AMHERST

Enjoy fresh produce and other products Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Victory Park during Market in the Park.

July 3 // Wellington

Listen to stirring tunes performed by the Patriots Symphonic Band and enjoy an ice cream social during the Independence Day Celebration, which begins at 6 p.m. on the town square.

For more information on these and other events, visit loraincountyohio.gov/cvb.

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www.pulselorainmag.com

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BIKE Lorain County

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“ LIFE IS LIKE RIDING A BICYCLE. TO KEEP YOUR BALANCE,YOU MUST KEEP MOVING.” Einstein said it, and the youngest rider grappling to pedal in a straight line without spilling learns quickly that momentum is the ticket. Cycling is a lifelong sport — and it’s accessible, from training wheels to adult tricycles, the latest e-bikes with extra zip, cruisers with comfy seats and road bikes designed for racing.

Wheeling around Lorain County, “You appreciate life at a slower pace,” says Ed Stewart, director of the Elyria Bicycle Education Center and a founder of the Silver Wheels Cycling Club. “Though you might be pedaling hard or trying to go fast, you are still only going 10 to 15 miles per hour, and you’ll see things you’d never notice by car.”

Ride along Lake Erie and pack a beach picnic, pedal through the Lorain County Metro Parks on its North Coast Inland Trail, which includes the scenic Black River Trail. Plan a cycle-in-the-city day and explore Ely Square and nearby waterfalls. The county’s varied but relatively flat terrain and trail connectivity offer a range of rides.

“You notice changes in nature,” says Cheryl Burkhardt, president of the Silver Wheels Cycling Club. “You notice the wildflowers coming up — and once just past Kipton, we saw six eagles soaring over a field. And there’s the socialization aspect of cycling.”

Pick a starting point — and prepare to explore.

“There is lots to see, do and appreciate,” says Jim Ziemnik, director, Lorain County Metro Parks.

In fact, the county includes two US Bicycle Route System thoroughfares: US 230 that leads from Toledo by the lakefront and continues into Cuyahoga County along Lake Road; and US 30 that cuts diagonally through the county and follows the North Coast Inland Trail. The initiative to establish these routes in Lorain County began in 2015 and awaits declaration by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), which will provide signage.

Tour the trails and roadways your way with four rides designed to showcase natural photo ops, enticing dining stops and destinations for family fun.

By Kristen Hampshire

DAVID SCHWARTZ

Now that your wheels are turning, ready to ride Lorain County? www.pulselorainmag.com

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BEGIN AT MILE 0.0 AT OASIS MARINA IN PORT LORAIN, home of Erie Steak & Seafood Co. with its panoramic lake views and breezy patio. Bike lanes along Route 6 make for safe cruising — and after a mile, you’ll reach Century Park on Erie Avenue.

Picnic tables, a playground and steps that lead down the bluff to the beach with fishing access provide an afternoon of family fun — or a quick stopping point for a snack with views.

(Restrooms are available.) “It’s an awesome place to stop and get a photo op,” Ziemnik points out.

The trail continues past town and into the county, and you’ll ride on a two-mile stretch called Steel Mill Trail within the Black River Reservation, picking up at the north end of the Bridgeway Trail by the Day’s Dam Picnic Area. Then, you’ll cycle through the old slag fields.

“A number of people have been on the trail and because the steel mill is such a significant part of Lorain County’s heritage and history, they kind of get weepy remembering where their grandfather, dad or brother once worked,” Ziemnik relates. Indeed, for many it’s a ride down memory lane.

From there, the trail carries on to Colorado and Kansas avenues, where there are microbreweries popping up like Bascule Brewery and Public House (1397 Colorado Ave.) and Billy Rays Brew and BBQ (1620 Kansas Ave.).

>> For the Kids >> While on the Steel Mill Trail, a spur Steel Mill Trail

ll Day’s Dam Waterfa

takes you toward the French Creek Nature Center at 4530 Colorado Ave. It features programs, exhibits, bird and wildlife observation areas and a crushed-gravel trail to explore.

Bascule Brewery and Public House

French Creek Natu re Center

Century Park

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LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS / DAY’S DAM: CHRISTINE DONOFRIO / BASCULE BREWERY AND PUBLIC HOUSE

From Beach to Black River & Brews

Cascade Park

t Elyria Farmers Marke

Foundry’s Kitchen

Western Falls - Ca scade Park

CASCADE PARK: RON JANTZ / INVEST ELYRIA / RAYANNE MEDFORD / LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS

City Limits

START AT CASCADE PARK IN ELYRIA (387 FURNACE ST.), which includes more than 2.5 miles of trails overlooking the Black River and connecting two playgrounds. The rushing waterfalls are an ideal photo backdrop with the family (or a selfie). Biking along, you’ll see primitive ledges with wooden bridges and climbing rocks.

The Black River Trail splits off in downtown Elyria and becomes US 30. Take time to explore Ely Square — a historic district chock full of local shops and places to dine or grab an ice cream cone.

Save room in your backpack for fresh produce from the Elyria Farmers Market, which sets up in the square on Saturdays, June through September. You’ll also find artisan crafts and live entertainment.

If you need a pick-me-up, Erie Island Coffee (148 Middle Ave.) serves up a bold house Morning Launch Blend.

For a longer lunch or dinner stop, Foundry Kitchen and Bar (525 Broad St.) is a scratch kitchen and gastropub specializing in locally sourced ingredients and creative presentations. The menu includes gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian dishes, and for adults on the cycle tour, a fully stocked bar includes craft brews and hand-crafted cocktails.

Wolfey’s Bistro & Pub (1069 E. Broad St.) is a casual grille and bar where you can grab a quick sandwich or wrap for

Ely Square

lunch, nosh on appetizers like deep-fried pickles, refuel with a burger and enjoy a beverage. There’s a generous kid’s menu if you’re biking with young ones.

If a quick cone is in order, stop in at Elmer’s Ice Cream & More (212 East Ave.), which serves up Toft’s hand-dipped ice cream and Elmer’s Spicy Chili daily (until sold out). Or pick up a hotdog bundle with chips and a drink to pack as you continue through town via Washington Avenue to Elywood Park, a popular birding destination. Starting from Cascade Park, winding through downtown Elyria and over to Elywood is about 2 miles of biking.

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THE WHOLE FAMILY — EVEN THOSE WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM TRAINING WHEELS — can enjoy a ride through Avon Lake’s Kopf Family Reservation trail. Start at the Avon Lake Public Library parking lot or pull in at Belle Road Park and use the playground.

The trail is just over 3 miles long, but there are shorter segments. They wind through the woodlands along a stream for a real neighborhood getaway.

For families with older children who can manage a streetside bike lane or an “adults only” version of the tour, Lake Road paves the way for several dining and imbibing spots, including Jake’s on the Lake (32485 Lake Road), Close Quarters Pub (31953 Lake Road) and The Caslon (33451 Lake Road).

“In Avon Lake, we also have a lot of nice developments to ride through where you don’t have to worry about traffic,” points out Marty Hasenstaub, owner of Marty’s Cycle Center on Avon Belden Road.

Marty’s is Lorain County’s longest-running bike shop, and he caters to families and all kinds of riders. The fullservice shop offers no-appointment repairs, helmets and other accessories.

rary Avon Lake Public Lib

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Belle Road Park

During the past couple of years, more people are starting to ride or rediscovering the hobby, he says. “With people looking for different activities during the pandemic, we were certainly very busy.”

Jake’s on the Lake

The Caslon

LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS / CITY OF AVON LAKE / AVON LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY / JAKE’S ON THE LAKE / THE CASLON

All Around Avon Lake

Ride On!

The Lorain County Bicycle Club welcomes cyclists of all ages and stages in the sport to ride in good company.

The North Coast Inland Trail

LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS / LORENZO’S PIZZERIA / BEN FRANKLIN OBERLIN

Lorenzo’s Pizzeria

Ben Franklin

En Route to Oberlin FOR A LONGER RIDE, START IN DOWNTOWN ELYRIA and take the North Coast Inland Trail to Oberlin — a quintessential and quirky college town where you can spend the day or simply stop to relax on Tappan Square, a National Historic Landmark on 13 acres in the center of town.

“This is a super calm route mostly through wooded and some farm areas, and you’ll cross a few streets, but the intersections have good sight lines and are not dangerous,” Stewart says of the 8-mile trek.

While in town, Burkhardt likes to stop in at Lorenzo’s Pizzeria (52 1/2 S. Main St.) for a wood-fired pie or homemade pasta. Slip into The Feve (30 S. Main St.) for a burger, and take a break from the bike saddle and walk your wheels around the corner to the Ben Franklin five-and-dime (13 W. College St.), a treasure trove where you’ll find everything from hardware items to yarn, books and old-time toys.

“Oberlin is a nice hub for riding, partly because of the college — and it’s a bike-centric town,” Stewart points out.

Camaraderie, community and clocking miles are a few reasons why cyclists join the Lorain County Bicycle Club, which holds a number of events throughout the riding season and offers four organized rides per week.

“It’s really a club for all riders,” says Dennis Hubbard, current president. “We have a wide variety of riders and we are also proud that we have a strong showing of winter cyclists.”

The club started 34 years ago as the Lorain Wheelmen, though the group has always been co-ed and included riders of all ages who share a love of cycling. Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekend rides on Saturdays and Sundays can include routes that are 30 to 60 miles long, winding through the county’s rural roads, bike trails and city streets. Halfway points to “refuel” usually mean stopping at a local family restaurant for coffee and eggs.

The club sponsors four events throughout the year, kicking off in April with AFROST (A Freebie Ride and Ohio Spring Tour) and moving into May’s Jerry’s Jeromesville Journey (JJJ), a century ride that is a tradition for more than 30 years. On August 7, riders can saddle up for Roast Your Buns with routes mapped out for 28, 52 and 70 miles.

The club’s signature supported event is the November 6 Red Flannel Metric Century (62 miles), or half metric (32 miles). It starts in Oberlin, winds through Mill Hollow for a food stop, continues west to Milan for a second fuel break, then to Berlin Heights and back.

For information about the club, visit loraincountybicycleclub.org.

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Life Cycle

A local bike club focuses on fitness and fun through the ages.

The Best of Lorain Sign up for our e-newsletter and once a month we’ll send you the best things to do, places to visit, and events to attend across Lorain County.

What started as a group of friends who were thinking about forming a bike club in 1998 has evolved into the 350-plus member Silver Wheels Cycling Club with riders in their teens to well in their eighties. “It’s a very diverse group — and when you see some of the older members who can ride 50 miles at a good pace, you’d be amazed,” says president Cheryl Burkhardt. She and her husband have been involved in the club since its early days.

Typically, the club hosts more than 600 events per year, including rides all over Lorain County, across state lines and abroad. One of the group’s most popular outings is its annual Dog Days Wine Tour where riders stop at area wineries to rest their legs, dine and sip. It can draw several hundred riders from a five-state area, says Ed Stewart, the group’s founder and director of the Elyria Bicycle Education Center.

The club is a nonprofit recreational organization that invites anyone who wants to ride to join in. (A full calendar is listed on silverwheelscyclingclub.com.) “The North Coast Inland Trail through Lorain County is a big part of many of our rides,” Burkhardt says, relating how trail connectivity allows the club to create shorter and longer rides that suit members’ pace, stamina and schedule.

The social component of the club is just as important as the biking, she adds.

“You get to know the people in the group you ride with and you find your niche,” she says. “We have different riders ranging from pedal-pusher to four-star [faster] riders.”

Burkhardt, 70, says, “There are so many people in the club I look up to. I see them riding, staying healthy, enjoying each other and that freedom biking offers is something to be treasured in the county.”

Borrow or Buy

LCCAA Bike Shop repairs and resells cycles while supporting the Lorain library’s bike-borrowing program.

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SILVER WHEELS CYCLING CLUB

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From bike repair to customer service, the work experience youth ages 16 to 24 gain at Lorain County Community Action Agency’s (LCCAA) Bike Shop carries over into many aspects of their lives, says Bobby Taylor, planning and community service director.

Located on West 10th Street in Lorain, the LCCAA Bike Shop repairs and resells bikes, and it accepts bicycle donations of all kinds. “We believe that not only can bicycling be a fun and healthy activity, but for many of the clients that we serve, a bicycle is the main source of transportation,” Taylor says. “We provide opportunities for residents to obtain a safe and reliable means for transportation at a low cost.”

The Bike Shop also offers free bicycle maps and books. “We really want individuals and families to have a safe and fun time exploring Lorain County,” he says.

Additionally, LCCAA is a partner in the Go Lorain Bike Share, along with Lorain County Public Health, Lorain County Metro Parks and the Lorain Public Library System. Library card holders can check out bikes just like they would borrow books from the Main and South Lorain libraries.

4,000 Wheels + Counting Elyria Bike Center makes cycling accessible and affordable.

During the last five years, the Elyria Bike Center has received about 2,000 donated bikes from community members — cycles that are refurbished or retooled and then resold at affordable prices. “We do our best to give the bikes another life,” says Ed Stewart, founder and director. “You could get a $300 bike for 50 bucks that is just as good as new.”

The outreach effort makes biking even more accessible, and the center has an educational component.

As home of the Elyria Bicycle Education Center, the nonprofit co-op teaches mechanical and safety skills.

Trained volunteers perform repairs that cost no more than $15/hour for labor. The bike center offers a full menu of fix-it services.

Stewart encourages people to explore the county on bike. “We’ve got great country roads with relatively little traffic, so you can ride along just about anywhere you want to go and feel safe while you’re doing it.”

MAG AZIN E LORA IN COU NTY’ S

ELYRIA BIKE CENTER

2022 | Issue 1

Stop in at the Elyria Bike Center’s new location at the former Elyria Hardware building, 419 Middle Ave., and ask for Stewart’s free book, Bicycling Lorain County. It includes 50 routes of various lengths — from 10- to 70-mile rides. The guide is only available in the shop.

LO RA IN CO UN TY ’S MA GA ZIN

Intel for the Future

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How the Silicon Heartla Will Start Beating in Lorain County

Church Communities That Keep Us Together

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LoBraIKinECounty It’s time to get We’ve plotted outside and have fun. courses to try.

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snapshot

ORAIN COUNTY

Ready to SOAR

Lorain County Community College celebrates its graduates.

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to our communities through their professional careers as nurses, social workers, teachers, cyber security professionals and engineers.

“We are,” she adds, “educating the students who give back to our community.”

Musser credits LCCC project designer Jim Gundlach with spearheading SOAR’s design.

“Jim has a long history not only in graphic design, but also in public art,” she says. “His work has been focused on these areas for more than three decades of his life, so he has a lot of creative ideas.”

SOAR also features kinetic components, including disks comprising what Musser calls “a flower garden of graduate quotes” interspersed along the base of the sculpture that visitors can access on their cell phones through scannable codes, which include images of student art projects.

“Since there are 2,022 kinetic birds in the air, the installation has a lot of movement,” Gundlach says. “Five hundred small prisms add sparkle when the sun shines. Personally, it’s a moment of pride to drive by it and think about the symbolism. Everything has a meaning, and I hope people take a moment to reflect on all it represents.”

— Linda Feagler

LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

ince it was founded in 1963, Lorain County Community College (LCCC) has continued to achieve new heights in making education exceptional and affordable to students throughout the region.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of LCCC’s University Partnership and the college’s 58th commencement, the college has unveiled SOAR, a new outdoor installation of 2,022 sculpted birds designed to symbolize graduates’ mobility as they embark on new pathways to success.

Visitors are invited to walk around the 200-foot-long installation to view the birds, which are in perpetual motion, and experience the sensation of what it’s like when a flock takes flight. The winged creatures are strung along thin wires attached to 58 white poles representing each year the college has held a commencement ceremony.

The eye-catching installation, located in front of the Bass Library and facing Abbe Road, will be on display through November.

“The goal of the installation is to celebrate the success of our students and alumni and [depict] how their success lifts the region through their contributions,” says Alison Musser, Lorain County Community College’s director of strategic community engagement initiatives. “More than 90% of our graduates live and work in Northeast Ohio, contributing

LORAIN COUNTY PISTONS & PROPS IN PARTNERSH IP W ITH D ISCOV ER AV IATION AND LORAIN C OUNTY C ONV ENTION & V ISITORS BUREAU

JULY 9, 2022

8:00AM -5:00PM - (JULY 10 RAIN DATE) LORAIN COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT 44050 RUSSIA ROAD - ELYRIA, OH 44035

T R OP H IES, FOOD, FU N A N D EN T ER T A IN MENT FOR T H E WH OL E FA MIL Y !

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT GGIBBS@LORAINCOUNTY.US - 440-406-3119

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