Architects of Mariemont: Lincoln Fechheimer and Dale Park School
By Matt Ayer
Previous articles in this series describe Charles Livingood’s search for the finest talent in the selection of architects for the new town of Mariemont. Looking back, it is hard to imagine a better choice than Abraham Lincoln Fechheimer to design the town’s first school.
Fechheimer was born in 1876 into a prominent Cincinnati Jewish family. Deaf at birth, Lincoln benefited from a private teacher in speech and lip reading beginning at the age of five. At nine, he studied six years at a boarding school specializing in deaf education, Clarke School in Northamton, Mass. He would later credit his Clarke teachers with his success:
“It was through the results of their work that I was able to associate with the hearing world and thus overcome what, to my mind, is the deaf person’s greatest handicap, namely, his inability to associate freely with hearing people.”
graduation, an Ivy League education was within reach.
His teachers employed the “oral method,” relying solely on lip reading (not supplemented by sign language) to teach both speaking and a substitute for aural listening. Upon his return to Cincinnati at fourteen, he became the first deaf student to enter a local “hearing” school, i.e., one that had no specialized instruction for a deaf student. He excelled to such a degree that upon
In 1899, he not only graduated with a degree in architecture from Columbia University, but by his own accounts he was also the first deaf student in the United States to graduate from a “hearing” college. From there he honed his drafting skills in Chicago for a year, then traveled to Paris to try for admission to the Ecole des Beaux-sArts, considered the foremost school of architecture in the world. He later wrote:
“Their entrance requirements are of a most rigorous nature. Five or six hundred take these examinations, and out of this number forty-five Frenchmen and fifteen foreigners are accepted. I was fortunate enough to be admitted during my first year.” Competing
at the absolute highest level in the field of architecture in a “hearing” world, he received his diploma in four and one-half years. His feat exemplifies the near limitless bounds of human learning.
Remarkable in another sense, for this small town in Ohio, Charles Livingood was able to acquire the services of architects equipped with the world’s finest training in the Beaux-Arts for three adjacent projects on Chestnut Street: Mariemont Memorial Church (Louis Jallade), the Dana Group (Richard H. Dana Jr.), and Dale Park School (Lincoln Fechheimer). Beaux-Arts architecture emphasizes the use of historic forms, rich decorative detail, and a tendency toward monumental conception.
Cont'd on page 4
Fechheimer designed the paviliion in Ault Park.
Lincoln Fechheimer
Because What You’ve Got is Not Waste
By Mandy Rohal
Ever look at your trash and think you produce way too much of it? About 30 percent of what is in your home trash can can be composted. We started the Village Composting program in 2021 and have already collected over 10,000 pounds of compostable material. Many people have their own composting BINs in their yard, and that is great, but our program allows much more to be composted since it is delivered to a commercial composting facility.
If you are interested in joining the fun, please reach out to Mandy Rohal (mandyrohal@yahoo.com) for all of the specifics. With Earth Day approaching (April 22), what better way to give back to our earth and our children’s children.
Ar'beer’ Day at 50W
Mariemont Tree Advisory Board
Come celebrate Arbor Day 2022 with our neighbors at 50 West (7605 Wooster Pike)!
On Thursday, April 28, the Mariemont Tree Advisory Board and 50W are teaming up to host a special day in celebration of our trees, complete with all the 50W fun and fixings, and a specially brewed Mariemont beer to commemorate the day.
The Tree Advisory Board will have an informational table set up at the entrance of the Beer Garden to answer all of your treerelated questions, as well as a raffle, and a chance to donate to the MPF tree fund where every dollar goes directly to planting new trees in the Village. An anonymous donor has generously proposed a match for $2,500
collected this year, and your support toward this goal is greatly appreciated!
Arbor Day originated to celebrate and encourage the planting of trees, a sentiment shared by both 50W and the Village of Mariemont. We would love to see our friends and neighbors from the Mariemont at the brewery to enjoy some sand, sun, good food, and the spirit of our beautiful trees - a walk along the tree-lined bike path is the perfect way to cap off the day!
If you would like to donate to the MPF Tree Fund in the spirit of Arbor Day, please visit https://mariemontpreservation.org/ make-a-donation/ and donate under the “Tree Planting Project” section. Thank you for your support!
Club
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Fechheimer returned to Cincinnati, gained experience in architects’ offices, then established his own practice in 1910, eventually teaming with two partners. He won a design contest for the opportunity to serve as the principal architect for Hebrew Union College, his most famous work (below).
He established a reputation in school design, with examples including his alma mater, the Clarke School, and, locally, among others, Linwood School, and the annex to Windsor School in Walnut Hills (below, now renovated and preserved as Windsor Flats condominiums).
Another legacy Fechheimer structure in our region is the Ault Park Pavilion and its cascading fountain.
Charles Livingood recognized that attracting families to Mariemont would require a public elementary school, free to its residents, with operations supported by the Mariemont Company. John Nolen had selected the site, to be adjacent to a park in a small dale, an area referred to as the ‘’Dale Park District” of Mariemont. Given the reputation of local architect Lincoln Fechheimer, Livingood clearly made an excellent choice.
Today the building (now housing
Village
Cincinnati Waldorf School) stands as an example of fine classical architecture in the Georgian revival style. The building also serves as testament to a pioneer, and a reminder of the immeasurable potential of human achievement in the face of adversity.
Next month, Part 2 of this story describes a number of features that this renowned architect fashioned for this beautiful structure in the heart of our Village.
Architects (from front page)
Community
Help Provide a Safe Prom Night
By Kristin Van Scoy, MHS PTO President
Mariemont High School Prom Night is just around the corner – April 29. With it comes some time-honored Village traditions, including students in beautiful gowns and suits and their families gathering at the Concourse for photos beforehand and the Mariemont High School After Prom event after the dance.
Initiated decades ago by the Mariemont High School MADD Chapter, After Prom provides our high school upper classmen and their dates with a safe, fun, and alcohol-free event immediately following Prom.
This year’s MHS After Prom takes place at Main Event in West Chester. Attendees will enjoy laser tag, an indoor ropes course, arcade games, bowling, pool, and more. They also will have a chance to win a wide array of raffle prizes. It is open to all juniors and seniors, regardless of whether or not they attend Prom.
Since the Mariemont High School PTO took
over management of After Prom from MADD, it has been a cost-neutral event. PTO membership and fundraising dollars are committed to projects that directly enhance the scholastic experience for our students and teachers, so After Prom is truly a community-wide effort to keep our kids - the kids who mow your lawn, babysit your kids, or make your food at local restaurants - safe on Prom night. Here’s how you can help:
Monetary Donation
Your tax-deductible, monetary donation helps offset the cost of After Prom so we can keep ticket prices low for our students and enable all kids to attend. Donated funds are also used to purchase raffle items, which generate lots of buzz before the event and are a major attendance draw.
In-kind Donation
Our juniors and seniors have diverse interests, so we want to create a wide variety of fun and exciting raffle packages. We’re looking for in-kind donations of anything our juniors are seniors would enjoy or use. Here are some specific ideas:
• Event Tickets (sports, concerts and musical
festivals, Broadway Series)
• Airline Miles
• TVs, headphones and speakers
• Salon and spa gift cards
• Retail gift cards (e.g., Rally House, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kenwood Towne Center),
• Restaurant gift cards
• Car wash and gas gift cards
To learn more or make a donation, scan the QR code below. If you would like to make a corporate donation, please call Kristin Van Scoy at 513-604-6012. Thank you for participating in this community-wide effort to keep our kids safe on Prom Night!
The 2022 Pool Season is Almost Here!
By Tom Gilmore, Pool Board Member
As the 2022 pool season quickly approaches, we are eager to once again welcome residents of all ages to enjoy a summer of safe and fun recreation at the pool.
your family to enjoy all the amenities that the pool has to offer. Come spend the day with us and your neighbors.
The Mariemont Pool Summer Swim Club is Community!
We are offering a Village Day at the Pool that will take place on Sunday, June 12. This free event for Village residents allows you and
The Village Pool Commission has been working on upgrading and enhancing the pool experience for residents in 2022. The ninemember commission is tasked with ensuring the pool’s operational integrity and enhancing our residents’ quality of life for this season and many more.
What’s
New For the 2022 Season?
• Fresh paint inside the shower/changing facilities
• Membership levels come with some
free guest passes
• Enhanced Snack Shack food offerings
• Ability to create an “account” to load money and credit card acceptance
• Any Village resident can sign up for swim lessons (you do not need to be a member)
• Fun social events
Rates for the 2022 Season
2022 membership fees are structured to ensure broad availability to Mariemont residents. Family season memberships are $459, and Family plus babysitter is $559. Individual memberships are offered for $199 for anyone 9 years or older on or before May 29, 2021. Seniors 65 or older on or before May 29, 2021, qualify for a reduced individual membership rate of $169. Daily passes will be available for $10.
Village
Pool Season (from previous page)
Swim lessons are available weekday mornings/ evenings in 3-week sessions. These sessions are available for any Village resident for $75.
Pool memberships are on sale now. Scan the QR code to register. Please follow us on social media for all updates
Village Website: https://mariemont.org/ lifestyle/swimming/ Facebook: Mariemont Pool
Instagram: mariemontpool
Get Egged!
By Ellie Haynes, Troop 40829
The Mariemont Girl Scouts are gearing up for spring. The fourth grade Troop 41238 had a successful cookie sale season, and they earned their Junior Detective badge. Through this, they got to see how professional detectives solve crimes with fingerprints, analyzing handwriting, observation, and they were also able to learn about Morse Code and its history.
The tenth grade Troop 40829 volunteered at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank this February to package feminine products, which will be given out to families in need in the greater Cincinnati area (https://sweetcheeksdiaperbank.org/).
It’s the last chance to sign up for Egg Your House orders! The girls will hide eggs filled with toys and nut-free candy in yards around the community after 8 p.m. on April 16. Scan the QR code above to sign up and give your child/children an extra special Easter treat. The link closes on April 10. The troops would like to thank the community for their support.
Village
Spotlight on Village Departments: Engineering, Building, Tax, IT
By Suzy Weinland
In this issue, we highlight four more areas of Mariemont’s administration offices. Chris Ertel serves as the Village’s Engineer and Rod Holloway is the Zoning Officer in the Building Department. Eli Wendler is the Assistant Fiscal Officer and doubles as the Village IT Administrator. Chuck Barlow is our new Tax Officer, replacing DeAnna Darah in February. To contact these offices, visit the Village of Mariemont website at mariemont.org and click on the “Departments” tab at the top, OR call the main line at 513-271-3246 and follow the automated prompts.
CHRIS ERTEL
Chris was hired in April 2003 as the part-time Village Engineer for Mariemont. Since that time Chris has successfully captured over $650,000 in civil engineering related grants for the Village. Chris mostly handles issues within the Village Right-ofWay, such as street repair and resurfacing, curb ramps, sidewalks, traffic signals, and coordination with utility projects.
Chris graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering in 1997 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) with a concentration
in Transportation and Construction Management. Through the cooperative education program at UC, Chris was offered a job with Pflum, Klausmeier & Gehrum, a Civil Engineering Design Firm, specializing in Highway and Traffic Signal design. In 1998 Chris was hired by the City of Cincinnati in the Department of Transportation & Engineering and received his Professional Engineering license in December of 2002. He currently manages the Transportation Design Section for the City of Cincinnati.
ROD HOLLOWAY
Rod was hired in November 2021 as a part-time Building & Zoning Officer for Mariemont. Rod is responsible for reviewing and issuing all residential and commercial zoning and building permits in the Village. For building permits, Rod is the liaison with XPEX to insure all design plans are compliant with the Ohio Building Code. He frequently walks through the Village looking to insure zoning compliance. Rod supports the Architectural Review Board and Planning Commission to consider property variances and several Village committees to interpret and update ordinances.
Rod retired from P&G after 36 years as a high-speed packaging engineer in the Fabric
& Home Care business area. He is a 20-year resident of Mariemont, having lived on both Linden Place and Miami Bluff Dr. Rod is an avid gardener and golfer and is married to Stacie, a professor at UC. They have three children and a dog. Rod’s youngest is in 8th grade at Mariemont Junior High School. Rod’s deputy, Annie, is a mini labradoodle who accompanies him on his compliance walks thru the Village.
ELI WENDLER
Eli was appointed Assistant Fiscal Officer in 2015 and IT Administrator in 2018. She works closely with Fiscal Officer Tony Borgerding on the daily financial operations of the Village. Her fiscal responsibilities include depositing receivables, monthly banking reconciliation, and monthly fiscal reporting. She has been focused this last year on the migration of the Village’s accounting software from an expensive enterprise solution to an inexpensive municipal solution provided by the Auditor of State. This brings Mariemont in alignment with standard municipal accounting codes and practices for Ohio villages and will allow the Village to offer direct deposit payroll for employees.
As IT Administrator she maintains and has overseen the installation of new network infrastructure in the Municipal building, the installation of a new phone system, the creation of the new Village website, the deployment of new police in-car cameras and video evidence capture software, and the migration from legacy servers to cloud services. The Village now has building-wide Wi-Fi, remote work capability and the bandwidth to stream live council meetings.
Eli graduated from Rutgers in 1992 with a BA in neuroscience and had worked in Boston as an IT consultant since 1996. In 2013 she and her family relocated to Mariemont. In moving back to Cincinnati she knew that she had always loved
Spotlight (from previous page)
Mariemont, and long time family friend Carolyn Tuttle worked magic to find them a short term rental in the Village while they shopped for homes. She lives with her husband Peter and 8th grade son Beckett on Indianview and loves her neighborhood. She spends many hours at the South 80 in the family garden and looks forward to another growing season.
CHUCK BARLOW
Chuck was appointed Tax Administrator for the Village of Mariemont on February 21, 2022. His responsibilities include assisting residents with their questions and concerns; processing tax returns and payments; verifying that all those required to file indeed file; keeping every individual’s information confidential; and more.
He spent the previous 12 years as Tax Commissioner/Deputy Treasurer for the City of Norwood, with the same tax related responsibilities but with additional treasury related functions and working closely with the State Auditor’s LGS Bureau. Prior to serving as Tax Commissioner/Deputy Treasurer, he was a member of Norwood City Council for 3.75 years, representing Ward 3, serving on the Economic Development Committee and as Chairperson of the Finance Committee.
Chuck is the proud father of daughter, Lauren, who was just married to her husband Nick, last September. Chuck is also happy to have Loki, his 3-year-old Morkie.
2021 Hamilton County Property Tax Distribution: For every $1 collected in property taxes from Mariemont residents, 8.6% went to the Village of Mariemont
2021 Village revenue by source
Village Mariemont Centennial Project Launch: The Pioneer Cemetery
By Rex Bevis
April 23, 2023 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Village of Mariemont’s founding. Leading up to that date, and throughout 2023, residents will enjoy seeing notable capital improvements across the Village. Activities are well underway to plan and execute improvements to the Village Parks and elsewhere within Mariemont. There also will be social and educational events planned to celebrate the past 100 years as well as prepare the Village for the next 100.
One early item on the capital improvements calendar is underway right now. This winter has been rough on the stone wall surrounding the Pioneer Cemetery adjacent to the Mariemont Community Church. As evident in the “before” photo, a good portion of the wall has crumbled on the southeast corner.
Mayor Bill Brown, Maintenance Superintendent John Scherpenberg, Mariemont Community Church Director of Ministry Mark Simes, resident Matt Ayer, and MPF Trustee Betty Clingerman have collaborated to come up with a solution
to the deteriorating section of wall. The McAaron Martin Stone Mason Co. has been hired to take down and rebuild the crumbling portion of the wall, re-using original stones and supplementing with additional stones as needed. Mortar joints and drainage holes will be incorporated in the rebuild project.
Funding from the Thomas J. Emery Memorial Foundation (TJEM) and the Mariemont Preservation Foundation (MPF) has been secured to repair the damage done to the stone wall. Although this project was not anticipated or planned by the Village Centennial Committee, Mother Nature has necessitated that these repairs be made.
Pioneer Cemetery History
In the early 19th century, pioneers “established a family cemetery on a high point of ground in what is now known as Dale Park, on the north side of Wooster Pike. The Memorial Church, which was started in 1923, was intentionally located adjacent to the cemetery. The oldest grave in the cemetery is dated 1822, and the most recent, 1891. The burying ground
is surrounded by a stone wall, which was repaired and restored by the Mariemont Company when the church was being built.” (1)
Cont'd on next page
Cemetery (from previous page)
The Pioneer Cemetery is also commonly referred to as “the Ferris family cemetery. Members of the pioneer Ferris and Stites families were buried here throughout the nineteenth century, and the Mariemont Memorial Church was built adjacent to the cemetery.” (2)
Stay tuned to the Mariemont Town Crier for news of additional Centennial Projects and Events.
1.) The Mariemont Story, by Warren Parks, published in 1967 by The C. J. Krehbiel Co., Cincinnati. p. 20.
2.) John Nolen and Mariemont: Building a New Town in Ohio, by Millard F. Rogers, Jr., published in 2001 by the John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. p. 102.
Village
MSF Accepting Distinguished Alumni Nominations
The Mariemont School Foundation is seeking nominations for its Distinguished Alumni Award 2022. A nomination
Alumni Nomination Form | MSF (mariemontschoolfoundation.org), or by calling the Mariemont School Foundation
form and guidelines are available on the School Foundation website: Distinguished
at (513) 272-7509. Nominations are due May 31, 2022.
The Distinguished Alumni Award will recognize Mariemont High School alumni graduated at least 10 years who have notably distinguished themselves by their significant contributions and/ or remarkable accomplishments in their chosen career; skill, trade, or business; in civic duties; in military service; in philanthropy; in volunteerism; in the arts; in the sciences; in education; in religion, OR any other field, endeavor, or pursuit, excluding athletics. Nominees may be living or deceased.
Nominations will be considered by a committee comprised of Mariemont School Foundation trustees and district officials. The number of recipients each year is at the discretion of the committee. Nominations will remain on file for five years.
Distinguished Alumni Award recipients will be recognized during Mariemont’s Homecoming, on September 30, 2022. A permanent, dedicated space at Mariemont High School also honors recipients.
Please contact Mariemont School Foundation trustees Liz Alter at ealter@ cinci.rr.com or Leslie Willett at leslie_ willett@yahoo.com with any questions.
By Margaret Jevic
Community MHS Students Tackle Invasive Plants on the Bluff
The peace. The quiet. The nature. The invasives!
Miami Bluff is one of Mariemont’s iconic and beautiful areas. Those who live along the Bluff are treated to views of nature right outside of their front doors, and the community is provided a lovely place to walk or bike and enjoy a glimpse of untouched nature. As largely unmanaged land, the Bluff is home to many of our region’s finest native plants that aren’t usually found in our suburban landscapes.
Though it’s tempting to think of wild land as pristine, the Bluff is not alone in that it is being invaded by plants that were never supposed to be there. These plants are aptly called “invasives.” An invasive species is one that is not native to an area and causes harm to the environment into which it is introduced. Some non-native species are considered harmless (most of our food crops), but those characterized as invasive are more insidious.
Invasives tend to thrive in their introduced environment, outcompeting native vegetation and spreading. Invasives circumvent millennia of evolution in which plants and animals co-evolved with each other to keep each other in check and/or provide for each other. They lack competition from other plants, and may even secrete compounds that inhibit the growth of native species, thereby thriving while simultaneously putting a damper on natives.
Though it is discouraging to learn that invasives are essentially everywhere, they can be eradicated from an area with diligent and proper work. Earlier this winter, the Mariemont High School Environmental Club took the Bluff by storm to help with invasive removal. With the help of Barb Whittaker, the Mariemont Tree Advisory Board Chair, invasives were identified for removal. The Bluff is heavily affected by a number of invasive species. In order to restore this area, it has become one of the Tree Advisory Board’s first
targets
for heavy invasive removal.
Lead by Mariemont High School teacher
Erik Vanags, a group of 16 students took the time to learn about proper plant identification and removal before tackling what can be a tricky job. With a few smaller litter cleanup projects under their belt, student leaders Jayme Rodriguez, William Pettifer, Jackson Stahl, Zoe Copetas, and the rest of the group stepped up to the task at hand along the bluff. They dug up/cut back Honeysuckle, and cut back Tree of Heaven and Burning Bush for professional treatment. These different methods reflect the importance of knowing how to properly eradicate the particular invasive species you’re working with.
Honeysuckle may or may not be native to the area. The term “honeysuckle” actually refers to an entire family of plants, of which five are native (viburnums and elderberry to name just two). However, many of the common thickets of honeysuckle around town are of the non-native, invasive variety. Telling them apart is part of the challenge of getting it right. Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, and Morrow honeysuckle are just a few of the species of invasive honeysuckles you’re likely to see around town or in your own backyard.
The recommended mode of removal for
most honeysuckles is either mechanical or chemical. The mechanical method involves digging out the entire root system (which is blessedly shallow) or cutting the shrub back to a stump and applying glyphosate, a chemical herbicide, though this method is best done by a professional. The catch with honeysuckle removal is that if the entire root system is not properly removed, it will grow back with a vengeance from whatever stump or roots are left untreated.
Tree of heaven, another invasive with a lovely name, shares the same removal conundrum as honeysuckle. It will produce a multitude of suckers and grow back thicker and stronger if not properly subdued the first time. Tree of heaven is recommended to be
Cont'd on next page
MHS Environmental Club members identify invasives for removal.
Invasive plants (from previous page)
cut back to a stump and chemical herbicide professionally applied.
The final invasive the Environmental Club tackled was Burning Bush, part of the genus Euonymus. And you guessed it, this aggressive bush also responds best to chemical eradication. The students chopped them back to await their professional treatment. Burning Bush is one of the sneaky invasives in that it grows well, looks nice, and even provides food for wildlife. However, the balance of wildlife to its food was forged over millennia and though Burning Bush produces berries that are eaten by birds, the berries don’t contain the right mix of nutrients (like junk food for people) and don’t sustain them the way food from native plants would. This can have detrimental effects on their populations. This is why it’s important to not only remove invasives, but also be conscious of planting natives.
I, for one, am very aware that I have Burning Bush in my yard. It was in fact planted there by a landscaper before we moved in. It is currently functioning as a view blocker, but its days are numbered. Up until a few years ago, I had no idea it was even a problem
Community
plant. But armed with new knowledge on its invasiveness, as well as the tools of proper removal, I am excited about the prospect of removing it in the near future and replacing it with a beneficial native. Same function, better plant.
This is the goal of all invasive removal. When we know better, we do better. When we see an invasive, we call a team of strongbacked, enthusiastic high school students to pull it up by its roots or chop it down to its stem to await the final blow from an experienced professional. In our own yards, in our shared spaces, we all have a responsibility to care for our environment. Something as “simple” as invasive removal can have an impact far beyond what we realize - allowing space for natives to fill in, those natives will provide for wildlife, and that wildlife will provide for us.
Invasive removal is a learning and a doing process, and we are so fortunate to have the MHS Environmental Club eager to help out. We thank you for your time and effort to begin tackling the monumental project of invasive removal. When we see you out working we’ll be sure to give you a honk or a high five!
If you are interested in donating to Mariemont’s tree fund and future TAB projects, please visit the Mariemont Preservation Foundation at https:// mariemontpreservation.org/make-a-donation/ under the Tree Planting Project section. Your contribution will go toward purchasing new
trees for the village. Thank you!
If you are interested in getting involved with or volunteering for TAB projects, please email Margaret Jevic at margaret101@gmail. com. You can learn more about the tree board at https://mariemont.org/tree-advisoryboard/
To learn more about the invasives discussed in this article, please visit the following websites:
Honeysuckle: https://ohioplants.org/familiescaprifoliaceae/
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/F-68
https://theoec.org/blog/amurhoneysuckle-lonicera-maackii/
https://www.oipc.info/ uploads/5/8/6/5/58652481/9fact_ sheetjaphoneysuckleasianbittersweet2.pdf
Tree of Heaven: https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven
Burning Bush:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/ FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1081645.pdf
Other Sources
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/ encyclopedia/invasive-species/
MHS Environmental Club members
Community Support Students Through Kiwanis Club
By David Peterson
Thank you to everyone who supported the Mariemont Kiwanis annual Holiday Nut Sale! This year’s event raised over $2,500 for scholarships. It was great to be back in person at the Mariemont Schools holiday concerts and see so many familiar faces! We appreciate the on-going support and look forward to seeing everyone at our Spring Golf Outing later this year.
Kiwanis International is a worldwide service organization comprised of over 600,000 members with a focus on serving children. (www.kiwanis. org). Kiwanis Club of Mariemont is one of twenty plus clubs in SW Ohio. Our focus is on the Mariemont School District Community. We invite speakers and meet weekly on Tuesday’s at 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. in the Mariemont Elementary Cafeteria. This year we are planning a once a quarter evening meeting for those unable to attend mornings.
Our local group sponsors several school groups at all levels of education, including the
High School Key Club, the Junior High Stock Club, and the Builders Clubs, including Warriors Walk Tall, in both Elementary Schools. In addition, Kiwanis is a sponsor for the Mariemont Scouts Troupe, provides mentoring for students, and
our members serve many roles in every school building (even with Covid being a challenge the last two years). Our guiding purpose is to help develop leadership skills and encourage community involvement.
Several annual fundraisers provide money for multi-year college scholarships for Mariemont graduates and event fee sponsorships for students in need (up to $5,000 annually through the superintendent’s office). We have granted over $271,000 in scholarships since 1968 and $15,000 annually in recent years.
Our Fundraisers that help pay for charitable work include the Mariemont Fall Arts and Crafts Show, Fairfax Fall Festival, a spring Golf Tournament with the Village of Fairfax, and the annual Holiday Nut sale. We also have a Sponsorship Drive for individual or business to support Kiwanis (see the Sponsors Page on our website or the Kiwanis banners at Kusel Stadium).
In 2020, we set up a full charitable nonprofit 501-C3, Kiwanis of Mariemont Children’s Foundation, as an option for endowments, estate planning and tax free donations from individuals or businesses. If you have mandatory RMD’s from a retirement account, the KMCF could offer tax advantages so consult your financial adviser.
If you are looking for an opportunity to support Mariemont School and become involved in community service please join us.
For more information, please visit www. mariemontkiwanis.org.
Community
Take Good Care of Yourself
By Kimberly Flick, MariElders Transportation Coordinator
Looking back over your life, there were plenty of people that you put before yourself. The needs of family, relatives, neighbors, and employers superseded your own. Nowadays, you might find that you’re on your own more than ever before. Do not feel deserted. There is a most important someone still with you... YOU.
Aging takes a lot of strategy and intent. And self-care becomes more essential as you grow older. If self-care erodes, self-neglect slips in, and that can snowball into bigger problems. By practicing a few basic routines, you’ll have greater control over your health and well-being.
Start with the largest organ in your body - your skin. It becomes drier, thinner, less supple, injures more easily and heals more slowly with age. To maintain natural oils in your skin, avoid very hot baths and frequent showers. Use mild unscented soap and be sure to apply moisturizer. Regular visits to your dermatologist can catch precancers, skin growths, dermatitis and other skin infections. Keep your clothes and linens laundered. Remember, your olfactory nerves aren’t as reliable as they used to be. Drink fluids regularly to help your entire body stay properly hydrated.
Practice good daily oral hygiene and follow up quickly on any concerns. Dental problems can seriously impact your health. Keep your nails clean and trimmed. The best solution to reaching toenails that become thick and hard to cut, is to schedule regular podiatrist care or routine basic pedicures at a local nail salon. Keeping your hair washed and scalp healthy improves not only your appearance but your self-esteem. Treat yourself to regular hair trims. Plan lunch with a friend afterward. You deserve it.
Track your medications carefully and follow dosing instructions to the letter. Go through your over-the-counter products and discard outdated items. Remember, alcohol
is a depressant and drinking too much can negatively interact with your medicines. Are you sleeping well? It’s really important to your well-being. Good sleep habits will help your body mend, suppress stress hormones and improve your appetite. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to feel more invigorated. Healthy eating increases mental acuity, aids resistance to illness, strengthens your immune system, and ability to recuperate faster. Fruits and veggies are key.
Caring for your emotional health is of prime importance. Be kind to yourself. Go for daily walks, say hello to your neighbors and appreciate the nature around you. If strolling indoors suits you best, the Cincinnati Art Museum and Krohn Conservatory are wonderful places to free your mind and move your body. Read uplifting materials, watch positive programs, and limit your consumption of news. Write a letter to a relative or friend. Stay in touch with family and others. Keep making new friends through your MariElders Senior Activity Center, which offers lots of fun programs, activities and outings.
If housekeeping is getting to be too much, ask Jill at the MariElders for help finding reputable, affordable services, or ideas on
easier living communities nearby. If you need transportation to area businesses, doctors or stores, let the MariElders give you a lift. Just call in advance to make a reservation. Call 513-271-5588.
Getting a little extra help is actually a great way to extend your independence. Most of all, take good care of yourself, you belong to YOU.
Here’s a YouTube link to Betty Boop’s “Button Up Your Overcoat”: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=v22lGd-LAac
By Suzy Weinland
What does an art teacher do after retirement from teaching? They create art.
Community Life After Teaching
Alleen Manning taught Art at Mariemont Elementary for eight years, from 2001 from 2009. She treasured teaching art and especially loved her students at Mariemont Elementary. That first fall after retirement, her husband knew Alleen needed a big distraction, so they traveled to Japan for three weeks. Japan’s temples, gardens, museums, galleries, architecture, and fashion made her realize there was so much to explore ahead.
Alleen shared that she had a trunk show business for a while, “which was interesting, but not enough.” Her good friend Larry McGruder fortunately got her involved in The Barn. Alleen served on The Barn Board for six years, meeting Jan Ring, another retired Mariemont teacher and long-time Mariemont resident. Eventually, Alleen started taking painting classes from artists at The Barn.
A pre-Covid trip to Mexico City gave her an opportunity to experience their “amazing art and architecture.” A day at Frido Kahlo’s La Casa Azul and Diego Rivera’s Studio house was “life changing.”
She soon joined the Cincinnati Art Club and the Woman’s Art Club and has had work accepted into Viewpoint and the WACC juried shows, ADC Art Comes Alive, and juried shows at the Indian Hill Gallery. She also exhibits with Hog Bristle Painters at The Barn.
Alleen’s love of painting started in childhood. “I was fortunate to have parents who fostered and nurtured my creative spirit from the time I was a young child. Every Saturday during the school year I was making art on the floor of one of the gallery spaces at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Sometimes surrounded by paintings, sometimes by ancient artifacts of cultures, I could only imagine. It was heaven,” she said.
Alleen received a BFA in Fine Arts and an MA in Art Education, both from UC’s DAAP
program. Getting back into painting in oils was the perfect formula for success, she said. She and her husband Shayne built a new home in Indian Hill, which includes a large, light filled studio where she is surrounded by meadows, streams and woods, which serve as inspiration for her paintings.
Alleen considers herself a contemporary impressionist artist. “I paint oils of daily scenes of life from travels and our beautiful local landscape, farms and homes,” shared Alleen. “My paintings are meant to spark visual memories of fleeting moments of light and beauty. Events that are normally transient are now permanent and forever.”
Her latest collection of oil paintings can be seen at The Gallery at Interiors by Kurtinitis (3561 Columbia Parkway). The exhibit, entitled “Oil and Water Do Mix,” features work by Alleen Blesi Manning and fellow artist Connie Springer. The free exhibition runs through April 22, 2022. You can view her work on Instagram @alleenart as well as at sevenhillsart.com.
Artist and former Mariemont Elementary art teacher Alleen Manning
Permits for Remodeling & Repairs
By Rod Holloway, Building Administrator
A question often received by the building department is, “When is a permit required for remodeling or repairs?”
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple/easy answer as it depends on the scope of what you are remodeling or repairing. We follow
the standards of the Ohio Building Code, which states that a permit is required if you are changing or modifying an element that is regulated. Trigger points for when a permit would be required for your remodel or repair include:
• Changes to plumbing systems (supply, vent, or drains)
• Changes to electrical systems (new wiring or circuits)
• Changes to structural elements (framing, walls, roofs)
• Changes to insulation and/or use (redefining a space as inhabitable)
• Changes to life safety items (windows, CO and fire systems, egress)
The best course of action when considering a remodel or repair is to contact the building department to discuss appropriate next steps (see contact info at the end of this article).
Remodeling fees are based on $0.60/sq-ft of effected space with a minimum of $200. Based on the scope of the job, there will be several required inspections along the way, including a final to verify that completed work meets requisite building code (e.g., IBI: electrical and Hamilton County: plumbing). Most reputable contractors will discuss the need for permitting to ensure the quality and code compliance of their work. Be aware that if not discussed, this could be a signal that your contractor is not licensed or qualified to perform the work. As the Village maintains records of remodels, we can also verify the existence of a valid permit if a realtor or insurance agent contacts our office.
The homeowner is ultimately responsible to ensure there is a valid permit for the work on their property.
Recall from a Town Crier article in January 2022, permits are the means by which we regulate change and ensure that the historical nature and safety of our community is preserved. The building department fees are structured to cover the costs of running this department, so by not filing a permit you are hindering the ability of the Village to regulate and enforce the ordinances that protect you as a homeowner.
If you have any questions, please reach out the building department via phone (513-2713315, option #4), drop by the Village offices, or send an email to bldgdept@mariemont.org
We are staffed weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Community
The Children's Theatre presents adaptation of The Wiz Jr. at the Taft Theatre
Audiences are invited to “Ease On Down The Road” to the Taft Theatre when The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) presents the world-premiere adaptation of THE WIZ JR., April 2-11, 2022.
This fresh 60-minute version , developed by TCT Resident Artist Deondra Kaman Means, rounds out the company’s 21-22 MainStage Season. Tickets are $10 and are on sale now at thechildrenstheatre.com
Like an emerald, this precious Broadway gem infuses L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with a dazzling mix of rock, gospel, and soul music. THE WIZ JR. is a vibrant take on Dorothy’s adventures through the Land of Oz and a fun, familyfriendly musical that is considered one of the most popular and creative theatrical adaptations of all time. Packed with iconic songs like “Ease On Down the Road” and “Brand New Day,” this musical includes exciting dance numbers which blend traditional movement from African culture with ballet, jazz, and modern dance! The Wiz originally opened on Broadway on
January 5, 1974. A film adaptation starring Diana Ross premiered on October 24, 1978. In 2015, NBC presented The Wiz Live!, a live television adaptation of the stage musical starring Shanice Williams as Dorothy Gale.
THE WIZ JR. features an all-BIPOC staging team. Director Zhailon Levingston comes to Cincinnati straight from directing Chicken & Biscuits on Broadway, as well as Hadestown, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Choreographer Tislarm Bouie has appeared in numerous Broadway shows, commercials, movies, and live events like SNL and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Seth Howard, a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music, is the show’s Scenic Designer. Jason Alexander Holmes, renowned music educator, performer, and Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Boychoir, serves as the Music Director. Contributing spectacular costume designs to the show, Dr. Daryl Harris is a professor teaching diverse interdisciplinary theatre courses at the Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (SOTA).
the autism spectrum, as well as children (and adults) with other special needs who may benefit. To create a sensory-friendly performance, the show is performed in a welcoming, supportive environment for those with sensory challenges. Slight adjustments to lighting and sound are made, and effects such as fog, strobes, and lights that extend into the audience are minimalized. A downloadable Social Narrative (in Word format) is made available on the TCT website one week before the performance. At the theater, TCT provides an area staffed by specialists in the field where patrons can take a break from the performance if necessary, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has trained staff on hand.
• Showtimes for THE WIZ JR. include:
• Saturday, April 2 at 2pm
• Saturday, April 2 at 5pm
• Sunday, April 3 at 2pm
• Friday, April 8 at 7pm
• Saturday, April 9 at 11am
• Saturday, April 9 at 2pm
• Sunday, April 10 at 2pm
The sensory-friendly performance of THE WIZ JR. on Wednesday, April 6 at 1p.m. is intended for individuals on
This production is ideal for ages 4+. For details about how to purchase tickets to TCT’s School or SensoryFriendly performances, visit https:// thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/the-wizjr/.
All The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Broadway-style MainStage productions, including THE WIZ JR., are performed in the historic Taft Theatre, at 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati.
Community 1N5 Expands “Spring4Life” Event
By Beth Dulle
The ongoing ramifications of COVID and the instability of current events are straining the mental health of everyone. On the front lines of this work, 1N5 sees the toll this is taking on our families, friends and ourselves.
This year, Spring4Life is going to look a little different. Instead of a one night gala or a virtual event, Spring4Life is going to be a partnership with our community. We are dedicating ourselves to helping our supporters take care of themselves by presenting a month-long collection of events and activities throughout May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.
We are excited about the speakers, local events, self-care activities, and projects that we will be offering. We are busy putting
together a calendar to promote wellness for all. The fragility of our mental health is evident now more than ever, and we believe it is important to share our resources with our communities. You cannot pour from an empty
MHS Men's Basketball wins District Championship
Mariemont High School Men’s Basketball Team beat Shawnee High School 47-43 to win the District Championship on Saturday March 5. (Photo credit: Steve Spooner, mariemontstuff.com)
cup, and the goal of Spring4Life 2022 is to fill your cups so you can help us fill ours.
More details will be shared on our website (1n5.org) and via social media.
Springtime at The Barn
Hog Heaven!
The Hog Bristle Painters are back and invite the community to their annual show highlighting the artists’ favorite original compositions from the last year.
The opening reception of Hog Heaven starts at 6 p.m. on May 6 at The Barn. The artists feature all paintings in oil depicting scenery, portraiture and still life.
Hog Heaven will again feature its collaborate wall of original eight-by-eight paintings completed by 16 artists in addition to more than 50 other paintings hung throughout the main gallery.
Local participants include Kathleen Wilkins, Alleen Manning, Ellen Isfort, Diane Beirman, Dana Olsen, Sue Helbling, Angie Meehan, Joanne Sloneker, Susan Graham Conway, Susan Meyer, Doug Welsh, Tom Steward, Phil Oblinger, Charlie Florentino, Rick Koehler, and Kym Kuenning. Twenty percent of the event’s proceeds will benefit The Barn, which supports about 30 programs and
classes pertaining to the arts for all ages at free or low-cost fees.
The Hog Bristle Painters’ show runs through May 15: Tuesdays-Fridays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and on weekends 1-4 p.m.
For more information about the Hog Bristle Painters, please visit hogbristlepainters.com.
ARTflix
On April 14, join us for "Maudie", a 2016 biographical drama film directed by Aisling Walsh and starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke. A co-production of Ireland and Canada, the film is about the life of folk artist Maud Lewis, who painted in Nova Scotia.
In the story, Maud (Hawkins) struggles with arthritis, memory of a lost child, and a family that doubts her ability, before moving in with a surly fish peddler (Hawke) as a housekeeper. Despite their differing personalities, they marry as her art gains in popularity.
The film was shot in Newfoundland and Labrador, requiring a re-creation of Lewis's famously small house. (Source: WIkipedia). Its premiere was at the Telluride Film Festival in 2016. It was selected to be screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival and won a number of awards at other festivals.
After festival screenings and wider releases, Maudie received positive reviews. It also won critics societies' awards for Hawkins' performance, seven Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, and three Irish Film & Television Awards, including Best Director and Best International Actor for Ethan Hawke. The fact that the film was shot in Newfoundland was the subject of controversy in Lewis' native Nova Scotia. Nevertheless, the popularity of the film
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sparked a resurgence of interest in Lewis' art.
ARTflix is a series of movies and artists and the works they create. On the second Thursday of each month, artist and educator Dave Laug selects a movie or documentary about artists, art collecting or art history from his vast movie archives. Dave is your host for the evening, providing an introduction and a post-movie discussion. BYOB. The big Barn doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film will start at 7 p.m. Registration fee of $5 covers administrative costs associated with this educational program. Walkins are welcomed as long as empty seats are available.
Art and Architecture Of Italy Lectures Continue
The Barn welcomes visitors to its loft to hear Gene Johnston speak about her experiences in Europe and the art and architecture that define it.
The Art and Architecture of Italy runs on Saturdays throughout April from 2– 3:30 p.m.. Fee is $25 for the series. To register, go to thebarn. regfox.com. Please go to artatthebarn.org or call 513-272-3700 for COVID updates.
Juried Show Runs through May 1
The Woman’s Art Club invites the community to attend its 129th Annual Juried Exhibition and Sale on April 10 from 2-4 p.m.
Thomas Warton, an award-winning realist
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The Barn (from previous page)
painter whose work has been shown nationwide selected this year’s entrants. In addition to his work as a fine artist, he has had a distinguished career as a designer, illustrator, art director and creative director.
M. Katherine Hurley will select the award winners. She has exhibited her evocative landscapes in oil and pastels in premier galleries and in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. and Europe.
The goal of this exhibition is to showcase fine art works produced by women, ages 18 and older, residing in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Awards total more than $3500 with the Best of Show Award offering $1500. The artists will donate 20 percent of their proceeds to the Barn for its operations and maintenance.
Community
Please go to artatthebarn.org to register for classes and confirm classes and check updates in schedules, unless listed otherwise.
Mondays
Tees from Start to Finish. 6 - 8:45 p.m. (sewing)
Ice Cream Sewcials. 6 -8:45 p.m. April 25 (sewing).
Tuesdays
Mosaics with Sandy Caruso (An Art Academy Class at The Barn): Runs through May 3 from 1-4 p.m. Description: An informal atmosphere of camaraderie and fun as you create mosaic art. Sandy will provide supplies and she welcomes all levels. $175 (Standard), $155 (Seniors over 60), 75-percent discount for faculty and staff of the art academy, 10-percent discount
Additional Gallery hours: Tuesdays –Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on weekends from 1-4 p.m.
A Summer with a Flare for Kids
The Barn is providing two weeks of summertime adventures in art for kids grades 1-12 this summer. This year’s agenda includes drawing, painting, mosaics, weaving, miniatures, Manga drawing, embroidery, knitting, printing, “Sweater Critters”, and more. New this year: Learn to Paint the Bob Ross Way for kids entering grades 7 - 12. Maximum class attendance is 12 to allow for social distancing.
Please visit http://the bar.regfox.com/2022 for more information.
Classes for All Styles and Levels
for Academy alumni. To register, go to amp. activecommunities.com, then type “mosaics” in the search bar. Sandylou1031@gmail.com
Oil Painting for the Thinking Artist with Chuck Marshall. Ongoing from 1-4 p.m. Instruction covers concepts, design, and use of abstract shape, use of prismatic palette, as well as other palettes, styles and painting techniques. First class is a lecture and demonstration. $25 per class. Register at marshallstudio@icloud.com
Wednesdays
Oil Painting with Jan Boone: Options include the following: Ongoing from 9:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. and afternoons from 1:15 – 4:15 p.m. Instruction in technique, realistic rendering, and design. Four classes each month for $80. Call 513382-7044 or janwrites@fuse.net
Watercolors with Bruce Neville: Ongoing 7-9 p.m. Develop and expand your creativity and watercolor skills with Bruce Neville’s pay-as-yougo class, allowing you to work in as many classes as you wish around your schedule. This class is for advanced beginner | intermediate | advanced
students. Each class begins with a demo by Bruce Neville. You will learn the process of painting watercolor in your style. Learn how to mix colors, create values and the importance of composition. $30 per class. Register at: bnneville@aol.com.
Thursdays
Fundamental Drawing and Painting with Mary Lou Holt: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. OR 2-4 p.m. Ongoing. $160 per eight-week series. $80 minimum for individual classes. Each class hosts sections for beginners and advanced artists. Call or write Mary Lou at 513-226-3833 or marylou@ marylouiseholt.com. Instructor requires face masks and vaccinations.
The Oil Painting Workshop with Charlie Berger: 6:30 - 9 p.m. April 21-May 26. This class is for oil painters with some experience who are looking for serious professional instruction and frequent personal feedback. Charlie provides instruction in both traditional oil and watersoluble oil. Charlieberger@gmail.com or 513212-4679.
The Pastel Workshop with Charlie Berger. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Through May 27. All experience levels. Individual professional feedback and advice. Register at Charlieberger@gmail.com or 513-212-4679. $185 per six-week series.
Mosaics with Sandy Caruso (An Art Academy Class at The Barn): 6-9 p.m. Supplies provided. All levels. Sandy also offers Tuesday classes. $175 (Standard), $155 (Seniors over 60), 75-percent discount for faculty and staff of the art academy, 10-percent discount for Academy alumni. Register, at amp.activecommunities. com, then type “mosaics” in the search bar. Sandylou1031@gmail.com
Fridays
TGIF with Charlie Berger. 1-4 p.m. April 22 through May 27. Each 3-hour drop-in class $25. Open to experienced beginners and above in any painting or drawing medium. Personal, professional instruction, feedback and advice geared to your individual skill level. Please call, text or email ahead to sign up for each individual Friday afternoon session. Six sessions:. Charlieberger@gmail.com or 513-212-4679.
Cont'd on next page
The Barn (from previous page)
Saturdays
The Figure Drawing Workshop with Charlie Berger
This class is for adults with some drawing experience. Three-hour long-pose sessions with a nude model. Each six week session: $210. includes the model fee. 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Six week sessions: April 23 - May 28. Please call or write Charlie Berger —513-212-4679 or charlieberger@gmail.com to discuss your needs.
Paint The Bob Ross Way. 2-5 p.m. July 9.
Sundays
Paint the Bob Ross Way. 1 p.m. June 12 and July 10.
Save the Dates
May 21-29: Plein Air Exhibition and Sale
June 2-12: Contemporary Quilt & Fiber Artists Exhibition
June 17-26: The Barn Painters Exhibition
July 7-12: The Art of Shodo
The Barn Appreciates Your Support!
Some way or another — exhibitions, classes, workshops, children’s programs, Readers Theatre, Summer Camp, ARTflix, the Gene Johnston Lecture Series, fundraising events, or donations — you‘ve had a relationship with The Barn. We’re thankful for that relationship. Among other things, it’s supported the well-being of our facilities and our programs.
This past year has been especially challenging to everyone’s well-being and The Barn is no exception. Because we could not safely gather, we had to cancel events, classes, and exhibitions. Like most nonprofits in the arts sector, we experienced a drastic 50 percent loss of income during 2021. However, we are committed to supporting the arts in ways that make them easily accessible for adults, children, and families and that means being good stewards of The Barn.
It’s with heartfelt high hopes of seeing you at The Barn again soon that we’re asking you to consider a gift to our Annual Campaign fund to support the well-being of our facility. There are no small gifts — every one of them is a message of encouragement.
"The pain passes, but the beauty remains."
Pierre August Renoir, French Artist (1841-1919)
What’s Happening at the Mariemont Branch Library
April 2022
Children
Library Babies — Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Fun for you and your baby with songs, rhymes, stories, and movement. Ages birth to 18 months. Registration is required for both babies and adults.
Movers & Shakers — Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
You and your child will shake it together! Sing, dance, and enjoy music, movement, and fun.
Ages 1-4. Registration is required for children and adults.
Teens
No Skill Paint and Chill — Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m.
Join us for this just-for-fun acrylic paint on canvas event. Like a coloring page, our canvasses have an already sketched out picture that you can color with paint and embellish with your own creative interpretation! Sign up on your own or bring some friends along! Ages 10-18. Registration required.
Adults
Armchair Explorers: Badwater 135, from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney— Monday, April 18 at 6 p.m.
Join us as local runner, Kyle Fahrenkamp, tells thrilling tales of his experience running the Badwater 135, the most extreme and demanding race on the planet. The race begins at the Badwater Basin, the lowest point of Death Valley and ends 135 miles away and 8300 feet above sea level at Mt. Whitney.
Mariemont Mystery Bookclub — Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m.
NEW! Join us for lively discussions of books across the mystery subgenres. This month’s title is The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan. Registration encouraged.
Book Club — Thursday, April 28 at 6:45 p.m.
We are discussing The Eulogist by Terry Gamble. Copies are available at the branch. Registration is required.
Library hours are 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Mariemont Branch Library 3810 Pocahontas Ave. 513-369-4467
Village Government
Village News
Shred Day – CANCELLED: The Community Shred Day that had originally been scheduled for early June has been cancelled. Residents may check https://www. hcdoes.org/302/ for a list of shredding events and providers in the Cincinnati area.
Mariemont’s Tree Advisory Board: They will be pruning young trees in the Village right-of-way on various streets through the month of April.
Good Friday: The offices will be closed on April 15, 2022 in observance of Good Friday.
Tax Office: The due date for 2021 tax filings is April 18, 2022. Tax Administrator Chuck Barlow is available Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. He may be reached at 513-271-1606 or at taxdept@mariemont. org (note: please do not send confidential financial information via email).
Arbor Day: Arbor Day is April 29, 2022. Check www.mariemont.org for more information on local Arbor Day celebrations.
Limb Collection: The Village Service Department has a scheduled limb collection route, determined by street name, to collect branches and large limbs. Branches and trimmings should be stacked in manageable
bundles not to exceed 8 ft. in length or 50 lbs (do not place in boxes or cans) and set at the curb, or adjacent to the street where there is no curb (NOT IN THE STREET). Place out for collection after 6 p.m. the day prior to and no later than 7:15 a.m. the morning of scheduled collection day.
Pick-up dates are as follows: April 4/5/18/19, May 2/3/16/17, June 6/7/20/21, July 5/6/18/19, August 1/2/15/16, September 5/6/19/20, October 3/4/17/18, November 7/8/21/22, December 5/6/19/20. Visit the Service Department’s page on www. mariemont.org to view the Village’s limb collection schedule by street. Limbs and honeysuckle under 2 inches in diameter and smaller than 4 ft. should be placed in brown paper lawn and leaf bags or a container clearly marked as “yard waste” for Tuesday Rumpke pick-up.
Graduation Parties: As we head into graduation season we wish our best to the soon-to-be 2022 graduates and their families! As a reminder, Mariemont shelters may be reserved through our website (“Parks and Shelters” under the Lifestyles section). Please note: ALL reservable shelters in the Village have a MAXIMUM capacity of 30 people. No exceptions will be made for graduation parties.
Alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted in
Council Representatives
Mayor Bill Brown mayor@mariemont.org
Rob Bartlett rbartlett@mariemont.org
Susan Brownknight sbrownknight@mariemont.org
Leah Geldbaugh lgeldbaugh@mariemont.org
Marcy Lewis mlewis@mariemont.org
Kelly Rankin krankin@mariemont.org
Randy York ryork@mariemont.org
any Village park.
If you reserve a shelter for a private event, please make sure to bag your trash and take it with you.
Shelters may be reserved for TWO HOUR blocks. The online reservation system automatically inserts 30 minutes before/after your reservation to allow time for set-up and clean-up.
Village Email List: Would you like to know the latest Village news? Sign up for the Village’s email distribution lists to receive the latest news and alerts as well as Council agendas, committee meeting notices, and meeting minutes. https://mariemont.org/ registration-2/
Community Letters to the Editor
The Mariemont Town Crier continues to welcome opinions and comments on articles and the issues important to our community and families. Submissions for Letters to the Editor are printed as room allows, and editorial staff maintains the right to hold for a future issue. To submit a Letter to the Editor, please send to mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Be sure to include your name and, if relevant to the information, a professional title.
To The Editor, Mariemont Town Crier
The Letter to the Editor, “Plan on Getting Covid” (Mariemont Town Crier, February 2022) gives the impression that vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, are not effective in preventing COVID-19 or its symptoms; therefore, the development and use of therapeutics, rather than vaccines, should be the emphasis of the medical community.
In the letter, there seems to be some confusion or misunderstanding of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. Most infectious diseases are not an all-or-nothing medical condition. Infection does not always mean disease; it simply means a pathogen (in this case, SARS-CoV-2) has taken up residence (colonization) in a body (sometimes short-term, sometimes long-term) and might or might not cause COVID-19. At the initial point of an infection, there is no disease, i.e., no COVID-19. Subsequently, and with time, the infection can (i) fail to progress to disease, or (ii) progress to mild disease [+/recovery], or (iii) progress to severe disease/ hospitalization [+/- recovery], or (iv) cause death.
Most vaccines (including the COVID19 vaccine) are developed to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death and not to prevent symptoms and mild forms of the disease. This explains why the COVID-19 vaccine is so wonderfully effective, why post-vaccination severe
disease, hospitalizations and deaths are so infrequent. Unvaccinated persons >18 years old with COVID-19 are 44 times more likely to be hospitalized than are fully vaccinated (with booster) persons (CDC, COVID-19 Tracker, 1/8/22). In addition, COVID-19 vaccine is 92-98% effective in preventing death from COVID-19 (CDC, MMWR, 1/28/22).
Like millions of others who have been fully vaccinated and later became infected, the author tested positive yet had only influenza-like symptoms (albeit for 10-12 days). His infection did not progress in severity or to hospitalization, thanks likely to the effective COVID-19 vaccine. He did not indicate if his daughter was vaccinated or if her respiratory symptoms were due specifically to COVID-19 or to some other common respiratory virus, e.g., rhinovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, and respiratory syncytial virus.
The letter stated the physician from whom the author sought care did not prescribe any COVID-19-specific therapies. His physician’s (non)action was likely due to the facts that the therapeutics mentioned in the letter either are not effective against or are not available for mild COVID-19 disease (monoclonal antibodies; remdesivir) or is not effective against, not approved for, and not safe to use in cases of COVID-19 (hydroxychloroquin).
The letter stated COVID-19 “...may be inevitable,” suggested such might be OK as long as therapeutics are available, and wished for a “refocus on therapeutics”. I agree: we need more treatment options for COVID-19. However, I and 1,000’s of other medical scientists strongly support the evidence-based medical and public health philosophy and programs which have been overwhelmingly successful in preventing infectious diseases in the first place. With such success, therapeutics are not as necessary.
Yes, maybe (i) “...modern medications and therapeutics” could lead to faster
recovery and less suffering and (ii) yes, “Time for a new strategy” should always be considered. To that request, I ask, exactly what strategy does the author have in mind, who should develop it, who should fund it, what should it include, what is an acceptable timeline for development and clinical trials, for which age group(s), and is there a guarantee currently skeptical members of the public will accept it?
This sounds like a reasonable strategy to me: Continue (i) developing vaccines which save lives, (ii) encouraging people to get vaccinated, and (iii) of course, developing more therapies. For many years, this strategy has worked exceedingly well for 57 vaccines which protect us from 24 vaccinepreventable diseases (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ vpd/vaccines-list.html).
Larry D. Gray, Mariemont Resident
Dear Community, I am not a doctor, but I am a health and wellness coach and a Mariemont mom who has raised three healthy boys in this beautiful, close-knit community. I am very concerned about this country’s failed public health response to Covid-19 and that despite only having 4% of the world’s population; the United States has had over 15% of the COVID deaths. But I am most concerned about the health of our children and future generations for which we are entrusted to protect. For the reasons stated below, I believe these experimental mRNA COVID vaccines pose more risk than benefit for healthy children, and the potential for short and long term vaccine-related harm is undeniable.
First of all, the COVID vaccine risk benefit ratio for children is upside down. Because we now know that children are at virtually zero risk of dying of Covid-19 (they have a 99.995% survival rate), they derive zero benefit from these experimental mRNA vaccines. A November 2020 John Hopkins study of 48,000 children under 18 without
Letters to the Editor (from previous page)
preexisting conditions showed a COVID mortality rate of zero. Because children have such strong innate immune systems and are at extremely low risk of Covid-19, they have a higher risk of being injured from the vaccine than dying of COVID. A Reuters January 27, 2022 report stated, “Sweden has decided against recommending COVID vaccines for kids aged 5-11, arguing that the benefits did not outweigh the risks.”
Second, children have a higher risk of vaccine injury from these experimental mRNA injections. We now know the risk of vaccine induced myocarditis is much higher in young people, especially males. And myocarditis is NOT mild; the October 26, 2021 FDA VRBPAC (Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee) report for children 5 to 11, showed 87% of myocarditis cases result in hospitalization and 32% end up in the ICU, with a risk of permanent heart damage. A November 2021 Hong Kong study showed 1 in 2,700 boys
Community
who received Pfizer’s vaccine developed myocarditis and several European nations have suspended the Moderna shot for young people due to the risk of myocarditis.
Also, the CDC said as of January 2022, 58% of children have recovered from Covid-19 (many without symptoms) and have natural immunity putting them at higher risk of vaccine injury due to already circulating antibodies. In addition, children in the United States are subjected to one of the most aggressive childhood vaccine schedules (72 doses by age 18), and these mRNA vaccines have never been tested in combination with the rest of the schedule, so co-administration would be a big risk.
Finally, we have no long term safety data on Pfizer’s experimental, never before used on humans, mRNA vaccine (traditional vaccines are tested for 7 to 10 years). What we do know is that according to the CDC’s OpenVAERS database, these vaccines have
already caused over 25,000 deaths and over 1.1 million adverse events (43,760 in children under 18 as of March 4, 2022) with a 2010 Harvard audit concluding that only 1% of cases get reported. COVID vaccines have caused more deaths in one year than all other vaccines combined in over 30 years of VAERS reporting. In addition, because doctors have now discovered COVID vaccines are altering the innate immune response, we have no idea what the long term impact will be on autoimmune disease and cancer rates.
In conclusion, I believe the science and the statistics are clear; the risks of COVID vaccines for healthy children outweigh the benefits, and the potential for both short and long term harm is real. We must protect the health of our children; they still have many years yet to live.
Jennifer A. Manzler
Community Village Worship Services
Mariemont Community Church
mariemontchurch.org
Denis Beausejour, Co-senior Pastor
Jamie Moore, Co-senior Pastor
Paul Rasmussen, Worship Pastor
Katie Smith, Interim Children’s Director
Sunday Services 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. We are having in-person services! Masks are optional. Kingdom Kids Ministry at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., and Youth at 12:30 p.m. just after the second service. Livestream is at 9:00 a.m. on Facebook: Mariemont Church; our website: mariemontchurch.org; and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ MariemontChurch.
Worship Every Wednesday in the Parish Center auditorium. 7:00-8:30 p.m. All are welcome! Check mariemontchurch.org for any weekly details.
Family Shop Thrift Sale - 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Sign up to attend on our Facebook page: The Family Shop
Spring Activities
Women’s Ministries
JOY in the Morning: Tuesdays from 9:1511:30 a.m. at the Parish Center. Fall studies are: A Study of Exodus; Surprise the World by Michael Frost and Walk With Me: Simple Principles for Everyday Disciple-making, by Bill Mowry; God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, by Jen Wilken.
Evening JOY: 1st/3rd Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. at the Parish Center. Study is: The Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and their Lessons for Today, by Shannon Bream.
Continuation of Current Sermon Series on Spiritual Gifts: “Gifted and Going for It!” Final sermon in the series is on Sunday, April 3
April 10, 2022 - Palm Sunday
April 17, 2022 - Resurrection Sunday
April 24 - May 29 Retiring Pastor, Denis Beausejour, will begin a new sermon
Town Crier
series titled, “But God,” centered on Paul’s last letters to Timothy and Titus, which are filled with wisdom for life today. He will share highlights from his time of ministry at Mariemont Church and the spiritual history of the church.
May 1 - There will be only one service at 11:00 am. The Flying Pig Bacon Station will be back in action during the race at the corner of Plainville and Murray Ave. We would love to see you there!
Village Church of Mariemont
Villagechurchofmariemont.org
Todd Keyes, Pastor Jamie Keyes, Children’s Ministries
The Village Church of Mariemont has returned to the Memorial Chapel on the Old Village Square. We invite you to worship with us Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Services will also be live streamed at facebook.com/VCMChurch
Upcoming Events
In preparation for Easter, our sermon series in April will be “Answering Questions of a Skeptic.” Join us for relevant Bible-based messages, authentic worship with a genuine community of believers in the Memorial Chapel.
Women’s Bible Study continues the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month - mornings at 9:30 a.m. or evenings at 7 p.m. Contact Valerie McEnroe for more information at vmcenroe1@gmail.com.
Men’s Bible Discussion meets weekly over lunch. Contact Pastor Todd if you have interest in this study at toddkeyes@ villagechurchofmariemont.org.
Kidz Connection continues Sunday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. for elementary age kids, in our building at 3920 Oak Street. Our children learn biblical principles through
science projects, crafts and discussion. If your children are looking for a group to engage with, this is it!
For more information about these events or to learn more about our church, visit our website at www.villagechurchofmariemont. org or contact Pastor Todd Keyes at toddkeyes@villagechurchofmariemont.org.
Easter Events
April 10 - Palm Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m. at Mariemont Memorial Chapel
April 15 - Good Friday Service: Starts at Noon (11:45 a.m. carillon prelude) at Bell Tower Pavilion
April 17 – Easter Sunrise Service: 7 a.m. at John Nolen Pavilion (Near the Mariemont Swim Club)
April 17 – Easter Worship Service: 9:30 a.m. at Mariemont Memorial Chapel
