Parma Area Chamber of Commerce to host ‘Thirsty Tuesday’ networking event: Sun Postings

PARMA, Ohio — The Parma Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Thirsty Tuesday Power of More networking event from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Schnitz Ale Brewery, 5729 Pearl Road, Parma. No reservations are needed and the event is free to attend. There will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar.

Attendees are encouraged to invite a business associate to join them.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 440-336-1734.

In addition to the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, the following chambers are part of the Power of More chambers: the Berea, Fairview Park, North Coast, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, Olmsted and West shore chambers and the Oberlin Business Partnership.

The Powers of More is a networking program consisting of the chambers listed above. Launched in 2010, its goal is to help existing members develop new business contacts.

There are more than 1,600 members in the chambers. Each chamber has numerous networking opportunities designated as Power of More events open to the participating chambers. The events offer new networking opportunities as well as a chance to win a variety of prizes, including a grand prize ­– a three-year lease for a new Kia Optima, courtesy of Montrose Kia.

Think green: The Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Chagrin River Watershed Partners and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District are offering five Master Rain Gardener courses this year.

Each course consists of five classes in a six-week period. Participants will learn how to design, install and maintain residential rain gardens. Rain gardens are gardens planted in small depressions that are designed to collect, filter and soak up stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways and lawns.

The winter online course will be Jan. 31 through March 7. Recorded online content is provided each week, with five live question-and-answer check-ins on the Zoom platform. A professional certification track is also offered. Cost is $50 for the residential track and $75 for the professional track.

The spring in-person course will take place May 2 through June 6 at the Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma. Only a residential track will be offered, for a $75 fee.

A self-paced, online course for those needing flexibility is available for a $50 fee for the residential track only. This course, which is offered year-round, is available with feedback provided virtually at the pace of the participant.

Two additional courses — a summer in-person program and a fall online program — will be announced soon.

Income-based scholarships are available. Those interested in registering for a course but who have concerns about the cost should reach out to the course instructors.

To register, visit neomasterraingardener.org. Registration for late-summer and fall courses will be available in spring.

Both the in-person and online courses will include optional field trips to residential rain gardens, public rain gardens and native plant nurseries.

Master Rain Gardeners earn their certification by taking the class and building a rain garden. Experienced instructors will provide customized feedback, which will enable participants to design and install a rain garden of their own and become the neighborhood rain garden expert.

Course topics will include site assessment, soil analysis, design, construction, plant selection, mulching and maintenance. Graduates of the course will receive a certificate, a Master Rain Gardener T-shirt and a yard sign.

Select courses also offer a Professional Rain Gardener Certification, which is geared toward landscape professionals and contractors looking to install rain gardens professionally on residential properties.

Since its inception, the Northeast Ohio Master Rain Gardener Program has trained more than 400 residents and professionals and enabled the installation of more than 110 rain gardens, capturing over 1.5 million gallons of stormwater runoff each year.

A total of 39 Master Rain Gardener volunteers have volunteered close to 600 hours toward building and maintaining at least 20 public rain gardens.

Coordination and delivery of the Master Rain Gardener Program this year is funded by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, the Lake Stormwater Management Department, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Environmental Education Fund, the Western Reserve Land Conservancy Dominion Watershed Mini-Grant Program and the George Gund Foundation.

Safety force news: Independence had a swearing-in ceremony Jan. 11 to recognize the promotions of sergeants Mike Murphy and Mark Buehner to the rank of lieutenant.

During his 16 years with the Independence Police Department, Murphy was a detective, sergeant and oversaw the Field Training Program. Before joining IPD, he served seven years with the Garfield Heights Police Department. He earned multiple criminal investigation certifications.

Murphy is a graduate of Padua Franciscan High School in Parma and Cleveland State University. He and his wife, Brandy, have two sons. They live in Independence.

Buehner, a 10-year veteran of the IPD, began his law enforcement career with the Euclid Police Department. He has been a SWAT member, firearms instructor, representative to the DEA task force and an instructor with the Field Training Program.

Buehner earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Ohio University. His wife is Raquel.

Gift of life: The Red Cross says there is a national blood crisis — the worst shortage in a decade — due at least in part to the coronavirus pandemic. They say donor turnout is down and many blood drives have been canceled.

To motivate donors, the Red Cross is offering all donors in January a chance to win two tickets to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on Feb. 13. All donors will automatically be entered into the drawing to win two Super Bowl tickets, an entry into the official NFL Tailgate, tickets to the Super Bowl experience, round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, three-night hotel accommodations and a $500 gift card for expenses.

Other prizes include a “Big Game at Home” home-theater package and a $500 e-gift card for game-day food.

Independence will host a blood drive Jan. 24 in the Red Oak Room at the Civic Center. Appointments are recommended. Visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.

Solar Co-op: A growing number of Ohioans are exploring solar power as an affordable way to reduce household energy costs while decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.

Cuyahoga County residents can join the county’s 2022 Solar Co-op, which is offered in partnership with Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit solar advocacy group. There is no cost or obligation, and members can leave the co-op at any time.

Members are educated about all aspects of solar power and vendor-neutral support throughout the entire process. Learn about the tax incentives, financing options, technical advances, costs, warranties, batteries and car-charging ports during one of the free, online informational sessions: 6 p.m. Jan. 20, Feb. 8 or Feb. 24.

For more information, visit solarunitedneighbors.org and click on the events tab at the top of the webpage.

A new name: Some people may not have noticed, but the Cuyahoga County Public Library has changed the name of one of the Parma branch libraries recently in order to more clearly identify the library. The former Parma Branch Library is now the Parma-Powers Branch. It is located at 6996 Powers Blvd.

Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Brooklyn, Independence, Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills for the Sun Postings column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to [email protected].

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