Northeast Ohio Boomer Mentor Community Focus March/April 2022

S

CO

CU

M

T UNI Y FO M

M e ntor BETTER IN MENTOR All Ages, All Stages

28

Better Living After 50

Mentor Marsh

OUR NATURAL NATIONAL TREASURE By Estelle Rodis-Brown

M

entor Marsh is a local treasure with state- and nationwide impact. It is one of the largest natural marshes remaining along the Lake Erie shoreline, attracting huge numbers of migrating birds and breeding fish.

More than 90 percent of the state’s original wetlands have been drained over time to make way for development, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Mentor Marsh, however, was preserved as a National Park Service-designated National Natural Landmark in 1966 for being one of the most species-rich sites among the Great Lakes.

FOWL TERRITORY Recognizing its value as a breeding area for Lake Erie fish and as a rest stop for migrating waterfowl and songbirds, Cleveland Museum of Natural History acquired the 800-acre marsh in 1965 and established it as the state’s first nature preserve in 1971.

Mentor Marsh and the adjacent Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve to the northeast comprise an ideal place to see spring migrations of songbirds and waterfowl, including blue-winged teal, American wigeon, gadwall, American black duck, Northern shoveler and hooded merganser. This unique wetland — which occupies an ancient abandoned

channel of the Grand River — is recognized as a National Audubon Society Important Birding Area and is part of the Lake Erie Birding Trail.

On the western boundary of the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, the City of Mentor’s 230-acre Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve is also a premier birding site, featuring 1.5 miles of shoreline with rare dune plants, a riverine marsh and a mature oak bluff.

More than 260 bird species have been recorded within or offshore from the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Mentor Marsh.

Over three miles of hiking trails encircle the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve, offering views of the Mentor Lagoons Marina, Mentor Marsh, upland forest and the Lake Erie shoreline.

Trail maps are available at the Marina office, trailhead, or at the Recreation Department located at the Mentor Municipal Center. Kayaks can be rented to paddle throughout the lagoons’ protected waters. Call (440) 205-3625 for reservations.

RECOVERY Mentor Marsh suffered a dramatic environmental setback in the 1960s when salt-mine tailings were dumped into Blackbrook Creek. By the early 1970s, most of the swamp forest trees and marsh plants were dead.

The site was overtaken by reed grass

(Phragmites australis), a 15-foot-tall non-native invasive plant that choked the nearly four-mile-long marsh basin.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History began restoring Mentor Marsh in 2004. After removing polluted soil and acres of phragmites, dozens of native plant species were reintroduced.

By 2017, more than 19,000 plants representing 23 species native to the marsh had been reestablished.

The museum reports that these native plants have attracted rare marsh birds such as American and Least Bitterns, Virginia, King and Sora Rails, Common Gallinules and Wilson’s Snipe to nest here. Fish, including Northern Pike, are spawning, and Yellow Perch fingerlings are using the marsh as a nursery. Otter, beaver, wading birds, waterfowl and shorebird migrants are also using the restored marsh as a stopover habitat.

Mentor Marsh is co-managed by the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Four miles of hiking trails are open year-round.

The Carol H. Sweet Nature Center at 5185 Corduroy Road offers nature programs and guided hikes. For more information, call 440- 257-0777.

Immerse yourself in the Mentor Marsh and its ongoing story. Visit soon to make the most of this national treasure on Lake Erie’s shoreline.

March/April 2022

|

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

29

MENTOR’S

”

10

By Georgia Lattas

FROYO TWIST SOFT SERVE & BUBBLE TEA Mix and match any combination of frozen yogurt flavors and 60+ topping selections exactly to your liking. They also offer pineapple Dole whip, soft-serve gelato, frozen custard, smoothies and bubble tea. myfroyotwist.com

BOOKS, ART AND MORE! For book lovers, there’s Barnes and Noble (barnesandnoble.com) with a Starbucks cafe to grab a treat or sit down for a chat with friends. For those interested in the arts, Busy Bee Pottery in Mentor provides families and parents with opportunities to create art (mentor.busybeesart.com). Nearby, enjoy theater and arts at The Fine Arts Association in Willoughby on Mentor Ave. (fineartsassociation.org).

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO SPEND TIME IN MENTOR, THERE ARE PLENTY OF FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO VISIT. HERE ARE 10 DESTINATIONS TO TRY:

HEADLANDS BEACH STATE PARK Headlands Beach State Park is a public beach in Mentor and the longest natural beach in Ohio. It attracts 2 million visitors annually. The park features a 35acre beach for sunbathing and swimming, along with picnicking facilities and a seasonal concessionaire. ohiodnr.gov MENTOR LAGOONS NATURE PRESERVE & MARINA Located on the shores of Lake Erie with multiple hiking and biking trails giving views to the Mentor Marsh, marina, shoreline and rare dune plants.

The property encompasses 450 acres and includes a 230-acre nature preserve with rare dune plants, a riverine marsh and oak bluff. The marina can accommodate up to 500 boats. cityofmentor.com

JAMES A. GARFIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the Lawnfield estate and surrounding property of James Abram Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, and includes the first presidential library established in the United States. nps.gov/jaga REYNOLDS ROAD AND MENTOR AVE. RESTAURANTS There’s an abundance of restaurants in the city for every palate, from Quaker Steak and Lube (Reynolds Road), Melt Bar and Grill (Mentor Ave.), BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery (Mentor Ave.), Mission BBQ (Reynolds Road), Smokey Bones (Reynolds Road) and Don Tequila (Mentor Ave.), to name a few.

Visit cityofmentor.com for more options beyond these streets.

Mentor offers a great overall quality of life, excellent schools, attractive & affordable housing, responsive city services, and a wealth of recreational opportunities.

We think it’s a great place to call home.

We think you will too.

Learn more at cityofmentor.com

Living After 50 30CityBetter of Mentor - A Great Place to Call Home.indd

2

2/1/2022 4:26:53 PM

GREAT LAKES MALL Great Lakes Mall has lots of shopping and food options, a Planet Fitness, Round 1 Bowling, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Play Area (which is a newly renovated indoor kids’ space area), events and more family-friendly fun. shopgreatlakesmall.com ESCAPE IN MENTOR Escape Room in Mentor (7468 Tyler Blvd., escaperoomclev. com/escape-room-mentor/) and Escapology. (7300 Palisades Pkwy, escapology.com/en/mentoroh), provide opportunities for family-friendly groups to solve mysteries within the rooms.

CRUMBL COOKIES Crumbl Cookies is a popular national cookie chain known for their cute pink boxes, their popularity on TikTok (3.5 million TikTok followers), and their weekly rotating menu (new cookie flavors every week). None of the flavors remain the same each week besides two flavors. crumblcookies.com/ohmentor

WONDER CLEVELAND IN GREAT LAKES MALL The Cleveland-themed museum now includes 16 full sensoryinteractive art exhibits. It invites guests to explore, touch, climb, solve. This experiential museum is at the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor. For tickets and info, wondercleveland.com

March/April 2022

|

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

31

No Better Place AT HOME IN MENTOR By Marie Elium

J

im and Sharon House don’t work for the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce — not officially, at least.

The Houses are at home in Mentor, the place they’ve lived all their lives and where they raised their son, Jeff. They can’t imagine living anywhere else, or any better, for that matter.

32

Better Living After 50

Jim, 74, and Sharon, 68, said the city’s senior-friendly services, tax rates and abundant natural resources make it a place they want to stay, and they encourage others to join them.

Their love of nearby Lake Erie (they live just two miles from the shoreline) is reflected in their email, which has “Walleye” in the

address. When Jim retired from Lincoln Electric in 2009, both he and Sharon had more time for walks at Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve & Marina and Mentor Headlands State Park, and fishing at Veterans Memorial Park.

“We mostly just sightsee and go down to the lake and smell the water,” Jim says.

LOTS TO DO With more time on their hands, the Houses quickly discovered The Mentor Senior Center and its many activities. The vibrant, busy center has more than 5,000 members and dozens of programs, trips and classes.

The Houses teach American Sign Language at the center, a popular class that draws 8-12 people each session. Jim shoots pool at the center almost daily; Sharon takes exercise classes.

They recently went on three trips offered through the center, to

Hartville, Columbiana and Medina.

The convenience of letting someone else plan a trip — and do all the driving — can’t be beat.

Mentor is an especially friendly city for older adults. People over 60 get free admission to high school games, something Jim enjoys attending. From their yard, they can see the fireworks in the summer.

“The services are good, the streets are beautiful, the sidewalks are clear. We have Laketran if we need a ride,” he says.

Laketran, which serves Lake County, is the region’s third-largest

Mentor Public Library has Convenience on ‘Lock’

L

ife has never been simple, but it’s been spectacularly unpredictable for the last two years. So, Mentor Public Library has added a new service to make it as convenient as possible for all patrons, including parents, to pick up their next book or movie.

The library recently installed hold lockers outside of Mentor High School that are available 24/7.

That means no more rushing to beat closing time!

The lockers are ideal for busy souls who have no idea when they’ll have free time.

transit system, offering inexpensive and convenient transportation by bus. It’s one of several services available to older adults.

Through the senior center, members can get free tech help.

Students from Mentor High School are there several times a month to troubleshoot smartphones, tablets, computers and other devices.

In conjunction with the Cleveland Food Bank, the Mentor Senior Center sponsors monthly produce distribution for limited-income seniors. Also, the City of Mentor and Waste Management offer walkup collection services for those who are unable to move their garbage or recycling containers to the curb on collection day.

Go to the center’s website, mentorseniorcenter.com, to learn more about its support groups, volunteer opportunities, daily lunch program, classes and more.

By Jason Lea

Anyone with a CLEVNET library card can have their holds sent to a locker. All they need to do is pick “Mentor High School lockers” as their pick-up location when putting something on hold, either in person or online, at mentorpl.

org. And the lockers are secure. They can only be opened with a patron’s librarycard number. It’s convenient, too.

Once your locker’s open, the items are automatically checked out to your card.

Visit mentorpl.org for more information.

March/April 2022

|

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

33

MENTOR Businesses and Organizations Special Advertiser Listings

GENERAL FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY General Family and Cosmetic Dentistry with Joseph Greiner, DDS; Anna Visger, DDS and Elizabeth Visger, DDS has served the Mentor area since 1989 with skilled, knowledgeable and friendly staff. It offers state-of-the-art equipment and advanced technology for implant crowns, same-day crowns with Cerec technology, SureSmile invisible aligners and Zoom! in-office teeth whitening. Office hours are Monday-Saturday (evening hours available), drgv.net, 440-255-2600.

INDIAN MUSEUM OF LAKE COUNTY

AMERICAN HOME & ENERGY PRODUCTS Create the perfect fireplace: traditional gas, wood, or an outdoor fireplace. Regency also installs gas stoves and electric fireplaces. In addition, they carry all the things that go around the hearth, such as fire starters and tools. 1270 Mentor Avenue, Painesville Twp., americanhome.com, 440-358-5858.

CARDINAL CREDIT UNION

Organized in 1953, Cardinal Credit Union has been providing financial services to employees of various companies and organizations in the Mentor/Cleveland area for more than half a century. Cardinal members always have a financial counselor in their corner to help make sound financial decisions. Visit cardinalcu. com to apply for Instant Membership in three simple steps and learn more about the ways Cardinal supports you.

34

Better Living After 50

See prehistoric Native American items from 12,000 B.C.-1650 A.D. and historic artifacts from throughout North America; try the handson activities. Visit the Indian Museum at 7519 Mentor Ave., Suite A112, lower level in the back. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays and 1-4 p.m. on weekends.

Adults $4, Seniors $3, K-12 students $2, Preschoolers free. Reservations required for organized groups.

Special programs available. indianmuseumoflakecounty.org, 440-951-3813.

LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING The Lake County Council on Aging offers programs for those age 60 and over: Information and Referral, Social Work Services, Meals on Wheels, Homemaker Services and more. This non-profit agency is also the area’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, serving individuals with disabilities, 18 and older.

The Council on Aging celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year as Lake County’s trusted resource

for seniors, their families and caregivers. See the ad for more information. lccoa.org, 440-205-8111.

LAKE METROPARKS FARMPARK Don’t miss the National Parks & Historic Sites Spring Art Show, March 19 – May 15, 9 a.m.-5 p.m, Penitentiary Glen Reservation.

Experience National Parks and Historic Sites in this show featuring photography by members of the Western Reserve Photographic Society, creatively designed walking sticks by local artists, and more. And don’t miss Quilts 2022, April 1-May 1 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark, with 200+ quilts and related works. Quilt Vendor Days April 23 – May 1. Go to lakemetroparks.com/events.

LAKETRAN

Each year, Laketran provides 750,000 trips, getting people to work, school, appointments, shopping and recreation.

Whatever your transportation needs, Laketran strives to meet them in a safe, reliable and affordable way. Laketran’s door-to-door Dial-a-Ride service provides assisted transportation that can take you anywhere in Lake County and select medical facilities in Cuyahoga County.

Primarily used by seniors and people with disabilities, Laketran offers special transportation programs for veterans, volunteers and senior center participants. laketran.com, 1-888-LAKETRAN.

RSM EVENTS RSM Events presents the best in dinner shows. Great entertainment, food and service satisfy customers with outstanding value for their entertainment dollar.

Come to RSM’s Neil Diamond Tribute dinner show, April 22, at LaMalfa, 5783 Heisley Rd. in Mentor.

Or try the lunch & show at 12 p.m.; show only at 1 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.; dinner & show at 6:30 p.m. To order tickets, call 216-744-7090.

WALKER ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION, LLC

Looking for a roofing company in Mentor? Consider all the details before making a final decision.

Walker Roofing & Construction, LLC is the right roofing contractor for

you: Experienced - The company’s founder has 20+ years of industry experience as a general contractor and an insurance adjuster. Versatile Walker handles both residential and commercial roofing projects, from leaf guard installation to complete roof replacement. Customer Oriented - Walker Roofing & Construction, LLC offers free roof evaluations and always returns phone calls. walkerroofingandconstruction.com, 440-527-3039.

THE AMERICANCROATIAN LODGE The American-Croatian Lodge has been a premier spot for elegant events since 1982. The full-service facility offers Eastern European and American dining at the Dubrovnik Garden restaurant. The Main and West End Hall are perfect for weddings, rehearsal dinners, proms, corporate events, bereavement gatherings, holiday and birthday celebrations, luncheons, concerts and fundraisers. From appetizers to family-style sit-down dinners, enjoy an unforgettable dining experience in state-ofthe-art kitchens. Plan your next event with the American-Croatian Lodge’s commitment to excellence.

440-946-3366.

March/April 2022

|

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

35