Hiram House Resident Summer Camping & Day Camps

VOL. 5 NO. 3

Summer/Fall 2004

New Climbing Wall Now
Open at Hiram House
Dedication Thanks George B. Storer Foundation & CVS/pharmacy

Summer Campers were among the first to scale to the top of the new 35-foot Alpine Climbing Wall at Hiram House as the camp kicked off the summer season.

Hiram House hosted a dedication and demonstration of the newly-built facility at ceremonies in thanks to the George B.Storer Foundation, Inc. and CVS/pharmacy®, who provided a combined $15,000 in funding to help build the Wall, and in memory of the late Ruth Garay, a former staff member of Storer Broadcasting and an employee and trustee of Hiram House.

The Climbing Wall is part of the camp’s Challenge and Adventure program and is now open to benefit area residents in Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Other elements of the Challenge & Adventure Program including the Low Ropes Course, Trust Fall, & Group Initiative Activities.

Thousands of the area’s youth & adults will be able to use the Climbing Wall each year during a variety of Summer Camps, School Camps and Group Retreats.

Photos: (above) Summer Campers & Staff climbing the Wall; (below left) James P. Storer, Secretary & Trustee of the George B. Storer Foundation gets a feel for the Wall; (below right) CVS officials Les Hoffman, Store Mgr./Store Training Mgr., Lisa Beque, Pharmacy Mgr., observe.

In addition to all the landscaping, shrubbery, flowers & mulch, MTD brought out a semi-truck full of yard equipment. It also bussed in a team of fifty of its sales staff volunteers from all around the country, who worked hard all day in the pouring rain to spruce up and beautify the camp’s grounds in time for Summer Camp.

When they left, they donated thousands of dollars worth of new power equipment they used, including lawn mowers, weedwackers, chain saws, log splitter, wood chipper, tillers, park benches, wheelbarrow, and one of MTD’s Cub Cadets - Big Country (pictured, at left, hauling soil & mulch in front of camp’s office).

The new landscaping and power equipment looks and works great. As you can imagine, everyone at Hiram House was thrilled.

Thanks MTD & Community Grounds Crew!!!

Hiram House Spruces Up for Busy Summer Season with Helping Hand from MTD Community Grounds Crew

Hiram House benefited from a major spruce up effort in time for this summer’s busy camp season, thanks to one of four new MTD Community Grounds Crews. More than 50 MTD sales people from across the country, along with more than 25 lawn power tools, converged on the camp in June to landscape the camp’s main entrance, office entrance and provide general spruce up to the 172-acre grounds. They spent the day planting, mowing, edging, trimming, tilling, splitting and chipping/shredding with MTD-provided power equipment.

“MTD landscaped some of the main focal points of the camp, including the areas which people see as they first enter Hiram House and also places where campers congregate most often. Because these areas are highly visible to not only campers, but also the community, we welcomed the improvements,” said Russell Grundke, executive director for Hiram House, adding, “Our camp has a maintenance crew, but because of limited budgets, we can only get to so many special projects each season. We are most grateful for the help provided by MTD. With their help our maintenance crew was able to focus on other priorities.”

Other projects the MTD Community Grounds Crew undertook to spruce up Hiram House included clearing brush, mowing, edging flower beds, trimming around trees and landmarks. To accomplish all these tasks, MTD brought a semi trailer full of power equipment, including tillers, edgers, riding mowers, chippers and log splitters.

“We feel that our Community Grounds Crew is a great way to give back to the local community,” said Roy Keating, of MTD Products. “In addition to cleaning up, we wanted to leave behind a permanent improvement. The landscaping we provided will be enjoyed for years to come by the thousands of campers who visit Hiram House each year. From a commercial standpoint, this unique event also allowed our sales people to learn about the features and benefits of MTD’s newer products by providing hands-on, real-world experience.”

The MTD Community Grounds Crews and charity work were part of the company’s semi-annual sales meeting held in June. “In the past we have created a number of themed events, but this was the first time we have been able to truly benefit the local community with our sales efforts,” said Keating.

MTD Products Inc, founded in 1932 and headquartered in Cleveland, started as a tool and die supplier to the local manufacturing community. The company soon found a niche as a supplier of steel stampings to the consumer products industry, which led into lawn and garden equipment. Today, MTD is a leading manufacturer of consumer products for the lawn and garden power equipment industry.

“Ticket to Ride!” Annual Gala
- A Galloping Good Time! -

- Benefited Horseback Riding Program & Campership Fund -

Benefit guests line up for a chance to pick the winning horses during the “Night at the Races”

Some 200 persons attended the Second Annual Gala Benefit “Ticket to Ride” at the camp’s Equestrian Center on June 5 and enjoyed cocktails, dinner & entertainment. The event raised $40,000 for the Hiram House Western Horseback Riding Program and “Campership Fund” for youth in need.

Karen & Stan Schneider, owners of Schneider’s Saddlery & Western Wear in Bainbridge/Chagrin Falls, were the “owners” of the winning horse in the “Auction Race” during the evening’s highlight “Night at the Races”. They promptly donated their $900 bonus cash prize back to Hiram House.

All “owners” who bid on the horses in the “Auction Race” will be recognized on a permanent plaque in the “Double H Ranch” Stables for supporting one of the camp’s ten horses for the 2004 season. They were: Forest Corp., Donna Fragapane, Travis Grundke, Leavenworths, Cargiles, Sindelars & Velottas, Romanik Photography, James Price, Fred & Jackie Rothstein, Karen & Stan Schneider, John Sindelar & John Velotta.

Stuart Larsen of Kahn Kleinman had the winning bid on the grand prize in the Live Auction, “South of the Border Vacation” in Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico, donated by Fred & Jackie Rothstein. Other live auction winners were Harvey Schach & Scott Wylie.

Thanks to everyone who supported the event, including Corporate, Benefactors & Auction Donors, listed below, as well as our Benefit Committee, Patrons, Contributors, Guests & Volunteers!

Corporate:

D & G Farms
Kahn Kleinman
Luce, Smith & Scott, Inc.
U.S. Bank

Benefactors:

Brennan Industries, Inc.
Developers Diversified Realty Co.
Barbara & Alan Rosskamm
Betty Rosskamm
Jackie & Fred Rothstein
Jody & Steve Saks
Susan & Wedon O. Spence
Emerald & John Velotta

Auction Donors:

Blue Canyon Kitchen Tavern
Chagrin Valley Little Theatre
Charter One Bank
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Indians
Danny’s The Hair Salon
Fowler’s Milling Company
Michael J. Geier
Hilton Garden Inn/Gateway - Downtown
Hilton Garden Inn/Cleveland - Twinsburg
Laurice Skin Care & Cosmetics
Lawrence Industries, Inc.
Magic by Richard McClendon
Lisa Moore-Mayer
Moxie The Restaurant
Mullholland & Sachs
Orchard Hills Golf & Country Club
The Popcorn Shop
Quail Hollow Country Club
Romanik Photography
Jackie & Fred Rothstein
Harriette & Harvey Schach
Schneider’s Saddlery & Western Wear
Scooter the Clown, J.S. Productions
Stix Bar & Grill
Thistledown
Trifles Cafe & Catering

Pumpkin Festival & Haunted Hay Maze at Camp in October

Enjoy Fall Colors, Food, Rides, Games, Crafts, Animals, Entertainment, & Fun for All Ages!

Visit the 33rd annual Pumpkin Festival this fall at Hiram House Camp, on Sunday, October 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Enjoy autumn colors, food, rides, games, crafts, animals, entertainment, and fun for the whole family, on 172-wooded acres in the scenic Chagrin Valley!

Come Rain or Shine! – Enjoy great indoor and outdoor attractions including: Haunted Hay Maze, Animal Petting Farm, Rocket Car Ride, Pony and Hay Wagon Rides, Face Painting, Candle Dipping, Flea Market, 50/50 Raffle, Carnival Games, Kiddie Craft Corner, Frontier Fort, Archery, Coloring Contest, Pumpkins & Mums Sale.

Plus, Special Entertainment and Shows: Magic by Richard McClendon, Cabaret Troupe, St. Ignatius Circus Company Jugglers, Music by Hardesty Fiddlers, The Flower Clown, Scooter the Clown, old-time Spinning & Wool carding, Black Lightning Wild West Show, with championship Bull-Whipcracking, by Best Productions.

Foods and refreshments will include delicious: Pizza, Pancakes & Sausage Breakfast, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, S’Mores, Cider, Donuts, Caramel Apples, Kettle Korn, Roasted Almonds, Funnel Cakes and more!

Park for free at the Orange Schools, at 32000 Chagrin Boulevard (east of I-271), and take the free Shuttle Buses to the Campgrounds. Admission is $4 Adults, and $3 Children ages 2-12, kids under age 2 are free. (No pets or picnic baskets please. Please note, some attractions may require an additional fee.)

Proceeds benefit the Hiram House “Camperships Fund” which provides a life-enriching summer camp experience for disadvantaged children in Northeast Ohio.