BEREA, Ohio ā The Berea Kiwanis Club has awarded $2,000 scholarships to Berea-Midpark High School graduates Joe Chek, Rory Fronek, Malak Husein, Lakshmi Mondeddu, and Lillian Videc.
One of the scholarships went to a Key Club member, another to a Polaris Career Center student, and the other three were open to any graduating senior.
Chek (class rank 55 out of 429) is a Brook Park resident and is the Kiwanis Clubās Polaris winner.
He studied Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration at Polaris, and plans to attend Cleveland State University and major in Biological & Biomedical Sciences.
Fronek – class rank 42 – is a Brook Park resident and was a member of the Berea-Midpark Key Club, where she served as treasurer her senior year.
She plans to attend the University of Cincinnati, majoring in Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Sciences.
Berea resident Malak Husein – class rank 9 – was a member of the Berea-Midpark Key Club, serving as secretary her senior year. She plans to attend The Ohio State University, majoring in Psychology.
Lakshmi Mondeddu – class rank 3 – is a Middleburg Heights resident. She was a member of the BMHS Key Club and plans to attend The Ohio State University, majoring in Computer & Information Technology Sciences.
Lillian Videc – class rank 1 – is a Berea resident. She was a member of the BMHS Key Club, serving in positions of secretary, president, and Lt. Governor. Videc plans to attend the Ohio State University, majoring in Political Science.
Adult education: The Institute for Learning in Retirement at Baldwin Wallace University will host an open house from 3-5 p.m. on Aug. 6th at Southwest General Health Centerās Old Oak Center, 7575 Old Oak Blvd in Middleburg Heights.
The event is open to anyone interested in lifelong learning and meeting new friends.
Attendees will get a sneak peek at upcoming courses as several ILR instructors each give a mini-presentation about their topics.
The Fall 2025 ILR session includes more than 45 courses on subjects ranging from history and science to art and current events.
ILR membership information will also be available, and light refreshments will be served.
ILR members participate in college-level academic pursuits, organized travel activities, and social events offered at a reasonable cost. ILR has been affiliated with Baldwin Wallace University since 1992.
RSVP no later than July 30th by emailing your name, phone number, and email address, plus names and contact information for anyone attending with you, to ilropenhouse@gmail.com, or call the ILR Help Desk at 440-826-3188.
New dispatch center: The City of Berea will switch its police and fire dispatch services to a new regional center hosted by the City of North Olmsted, effective on Dec. 1.
Berea currently has a contract with Strongsville for dispatching. That contract expires on December 31st. Safety/Law Director Barbara Jones said the switch to North Olmsted will take place earlier to allow time to transition without an interruption in service.
Jones said the three-year contract with North Olmsted should result in about a savings of about 3 – 4 percent.
Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Fairview Park, and Bay Village are also on board with the North Olmsted Center.
Jones said the change is not entirely an economic issue.
North Olmsted is forming a Council of Governments, wherein each community will have input into the operations of the dispatch center. With Strongsville, Berea has no voice regarding operations or equipment.
āThere is also an investment in technology,ā Jones said.
North Olmsted uses MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communication System), where each entity can talk to the others.
With the Strongsville system, Berea police and fire canāt communicate with each other during emergencies. Jones said MARCS is more stable. āThis will serve our residents better.ā
Golfing memorial: Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek, a 2015 graduate of Berea-Midpark High School, was killed in the line of duty in 2021.
The Shane Bartek Memorial Golf Outing will be at Bunker Hill Golf Outing on Aug. 2nd, honoring his memory and raising funds for a scholarship in his name. The Shane Bartek Scholarship Fund is via the Cleveland Foundation.
This yearās recipient was Berea-Midpark High School graduating senior Mallory Luca, who was awarded $4,000.
This yearās Shane Bartek Memorial Gold Outing will be at Bunker Hill Golf Course, 3060 Pear Road in Medina.
Registration and lunch begin at 1 p.m. with 18 holes of golf starting at 2 p.m. Dinner and awards will ber at 7 p.m.
Cost is $125 per golfer if paid by July 27th. Register at https://birdease.com/Bartek/2025.
SCAN Hunger Center Pantry: 398 W. Bagley Road, Williamsport Plaza, (440) 260-7226. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Friday of the month and 4-7 p.m. on the fourth Friday.
Peopleās Community Church Pantry: 628 Wesley Drive, 440) 234-0609. It is open from 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month. The next pantry is on July 19th.
Second Mile Outreach Pantry: 1480 Bagley Road, (440) 239-0549. It is open from noon to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church Food Pantry: 8888 Prospect Road. It is open from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month and provides fresh food, staples, and toiletries. The next pantry is on Saturday, and then on Aug. 9th .
Bread Ministry: Berea United Methodist Church, 170 Seminary St., (440) 234-3525. Bread and pastries only. Noon ā 2 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Go to the church addition on the north side of the church off Seminary. The pantry is through double brown doors.
Free Community Meal: St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road, serves this meal twice a month, 5-5:30 p.m., on the second and last Wednesday of the month. It is drive-up only.
Pet Food Pantry: Animal Rescue Friends, 10015 E. River Road, Columbia Station, 10 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. Visit www.bereaanimalrescue.com or call (440) 234-2034 for more information or to donate.
Free Community Meals are served at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 East Bagley Road, twice a month, from 5-5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday and last Wednesday of the month.
Little Free Pantries Are near the Berea Branch Library and Peopleās Community Church. The Prospect Pantry is at the corner of Prospect Street and Jacqueline Drive. St. Paul Lutheran Church has a food donation box near the side door. Please bring non-perishable items only.
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