Communitty calendar for Eastside Messenger

Church events
•Reformation Lutheran Church, 1355 S. Hamilton Road, will host 6:30 potlucks followed by 7:30 Lenten worship services Feb. 13, 20, and 27.  Holy Communion is celebrated at 11 every Sunday.  The church is wheelchair accessible. Call 235-4995 for information.

•Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 4383 E. Broad St., Whitehall, will host a performance of the Christian singer and songwriter Tatiana Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. There is no charge for the event.

•East Columbus Community Church, 6926 Tussing Road, Reynoldsburg, will have a gospel sing featuring The Greenes, from Boone, N.C., Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.

Bexley Women's Club offers high school, college students scholarships
Applications for the 2008 Bexley Women's Club high school and college scholarships are now being accepted.  High school students who have a 2.5 GPA or above and are legal residents of the city of Bexley are eligible to apply.  College scholarships have no residency requirement. The postmarked deadline is March 31.  Applications can be obtained by contacting Georgiana Van Syckle, at 235-6975.

Eastmoor Academy to stage "The Wiz"
Eastmoor Academy High School will presents the musical "The Wiz", Feb. 28 -29, Saturday, and March 1 at 7:30 p.m., and March 2 at 3 p.m.

The show, a tradition at Eastmoor since 2000, will bring together former students and faculty with current students, as well as local elementary students appearing as Munchkins in this retelling of "The Wizard of Oz."  

Prices for the shows are $5 for students and children and $7 for adults.  Eastmoor Academy is located at 417 S. Weyant Ave. and ticket reservations can be placed by calling 365-6158.
 
Bexley High students to exhibit photographs in Short North
Bexley art students will present "Contact!  Photograms by Bexley High School Students" starting Feb. 13, at Edward Jones Investments at 850 North High Street in the Short North.  The exhibition, hosted by Dave Weibel, runs through March 31.

High school art specialist Mabi  Ponce de Leon served as curator for the exhibition, which features the work of photography students enrolled in Bexley High School's Photography and Printmaking classes.
 
Speaker to offer strategies for dealing with ADHD
The Parent Mentor program in Bexley City Schools will host Joyce Kubik, talking about "Day to Day Strategies to Deal with ADHD" Feb. 19, from 7-9 p.m. in the Cassingham Complex Community Room.

A grant awarded to Bexley has enabled Parent Mentor Sam McMillan to increase her position to 27 hours each week as well as reorganize and expand the department's resource library.  The library -- named the Adam Stuart Linhart Memorial Parent Resource Library after the foundation which helped fund it -- offers resources for parents, staff, and students.

Kubik is the author of numerous articles about Attention Deficit Disorder, and has written four books that teach life-long learning skills.  

For information or to obtain library resources contact McMillan at 237-4309, extension 3238.  For information about Bexley's Special Education, contact Frances Bauer Morrow, director of Special Education at 231-7611, extension 4315.

Bishop Hartley High School open house
Bishop Hartley High School, 1285 Zettler Road in Columbus invites eighth graders and their parents to attend its winter open house Feb. 13 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.  Participants can tour the school and visit with the principal, academic department chairs, guidance counselors, and the athletic director.  

If you are interested in attending or would like more information, contact Kathy Acklin at 237-5421, ext. 227.  

Whitehall T-Ball League sign-ups
The Whitehall T-Ball League will hold its annual sign ups for the 2007 season on the following dates:

Saturday, February 9, 16 and 23, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.; Wednesday, February 20, 27 from 6-8  p.m., at Whitehall Community Park, 402 N. Hamilton Road.

Children must be 5 years old and no older than 8 years old by July 31, 2008, to be eligible to play, and proof of age is required at time of sign up.  

First consideration will be given to Whitehall residents, returning players and siblings of returning players, and all others will be considered on a first come basis.  For  information or anyone interested in coaching, call 231-7744.

K of C fish fry dinners at St. Pius X
The Knights of Columbus, Father Andrew Hohman Council 5253, will be sponsoring the St. Pius X's annual fish fry dinners Fridays, Feb. 22, and March 7 from 5-7 p.m. in the school cafeteria, 1061 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg.

Dinner will include adult portions of fried or baked Icelandic white cod, cole slaw, applesauce, fries, hush puppies, macaroni and cheese, dessert and hot or cold beverages.

The price is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children. All proceeds will benefit St. Pius X Parish.  Reservations are not required.   
 
BRAVO celebrates Bexley Education Foundation's 25th
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Bexley Education Foundation will hold BRAVO!, a casual evening of fun, food and camaraderie featuring a silent auction, raffle and artwork created by Bexley students on Feb. 23, from 7:30-11 p.m., at Germain Cadillac and Germain Mercedes-Benz at Easton, 4200 Morse Crossing.

Now in its eighteenth year, BRAVO! supports the Bexley Education Foundation's mission of providing support for classroom and district-wide programs that encourage Bexley students to "reach for the stars," according to BRAVO! Co-chair Karen Shore Meyer.

BRAVO! offers an evening of casual conversation and tasty treats from some of Columbus's finest restaurants. A cash bar will also be available. There will also be a  wide array of interesting offerings at a silent auction.

Students at Bexley Public Schools will be creating useful artworks to be auctioned at BRAVO!. The students are making the items from materials salvaged from Bexley school buildings during recent renovations.

The focus on historic artifacts from Bexley schools complements the theme for this year's BRAVO! event, "Reach for the Stars!" Guests at BRAVO! are invited to "honor 25 years of giving and turn our sights toward a brightly shining future."

This year, 23 local restaurants and caterers will be serving up an array of foods, from appetizers all the way through to coffee and desserts. Newcomers to the list this year include include McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, Smith & Wollensky, and Raising Cane's, which is owned by Bexley resident Roy Getz. Two new and/or soon-to-arrive Main Street eateries will be providing tasty desserts this year: Mozart's Bakery, and Jeni's Ice Cream.

This year's silent auction will offer over 150 items including weekend getaways, Buckeye and professional sports tickets, an American Girl doll, Muirfield Memorial Tournament tickets, jewelry and a tempting array of other goods and services.

The 2008 raffle prize will be a week in sunny Costa Rica in a two-bedroom penthouse condominium on the ocean, to be redeemed between March 1 and December 31, 2008, subject to availability. The prize will include $1000 cash to help defray travel expenses.

Raffle tickets are $50 each or 3 for $100, and may be purchased in advance by calling 338-2093, or at BRAVO!. The drawing will be on February 23, but the winner need not be present at the time of the drawing.

Tickets for BRAVO! can be purchased in advance for $50 per person or at the door, subject to availability, for $60. Patron donations, which includes mentions in BRAVO! publicity, are $75 a person. A portion of the admission fee is tax deductible.

For information, contact the BEF office at 338-2093.

Ohio Village Singers to celebrate Valentine's, St. Patrick's Day
Ohio Village will become the setting for two candlelight dinner concerts to celebrate Valentines Day and St. Patrick's Day. Guests will enjoy a memorable dining experience in this 19th-century setting while they are being entertained with charming ditties and ballads from the past by the renowned Ohio Village Singers, the longest performing vocal ensemble of period music in the country.

Couples can enjoy a romantic dinner for two at Valentines by Candlelight February 14 and 15. Guests will be greeted at the American House Hotel by costumed interpreters, romantic melodies performed on the violin and hammered dulcimer and a cup of "Sweetheart Punch." After an elegant meal, the Ohio Village Singers will present an entertaining concert of period love ballads and comic songs interspersed with romantic verse, poetry and readings. Each guest will receive a handmade valentine created for the occasion.

At From the Pubs of Ireland, March 14 and 15, guests will begin the St. Patrick's Day festivities with the strains of Irish instrumental music, a taste of "St. Paddy's Punch," a hearty Irish meal and costumed interpreters enlivening the "pub" experience. The Ohio Village Singers promise to please with their favorite Irish music, including beautiful melodies, humorous drinking songs and, a wee bit of Irish wit and wisdom. At the conclusion of the evening, guests will receive a special surprise memento.

Seats are limited. For reservations, call 800-686-1541 or 297-2266. Admission is $57, plus $4 for parking, and $47 for members of the Ohio Historical Society.  Ohio Village is a recreated town of the 19th century and is located next to the Ohio Historical Center at I-71 and East 17th Avenue in Columbus. For more information, including upcoming events, call 297-2300 or 800-686-6124 or visit www.ohiohistory.org

JCC events

The Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center, at 1125 College Ave., has provided the following announcements. Information is available at www.columbusjcc.org.

Parent-child basketball tournament & instructional clinic
On March 2, the JCC will hold a Parent-Child Basketball Tournament, a two-on-two tournament for children in grades 3 through 12. Each parent-child team will be matched up against other teams in their division and will end in a single elimination tournament.

All the games will be officiated and every team will be guaranteed three games.
Children in 7th through 12th grades will participate in the tournament with their parents beginning at 1 p.m.; children in 3rd through 6th grade will begin at 3 p.m. The cost is $30 for JCC members before the registration deadline of Friday, Feb. 22. ($40 after the deadline.)

Beginning March 5 and running each Wednesday through April 16, JCC Basketball Trainer Pat Noles will be conducting an Instructional Basketball Camp for children in the 1st through 4th grades. The camp will focus on the skills that are appropriate for each age division; the baskets will be lowered for the 1st and 2nd grade division.

Children in 1st and 2nd grades will play from 5 to 6 p.m., and 3rd and 4th grades from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Cost is $60 for JCC members and $90 for non-members before the registration deadline of Wednesday, Feb. 27. (Cost will raise $10 after the deadline.)

To register or for information, contact Jeanna Brownlee at 559-6274 or jbrownlee@columbusjcc.org, or visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Spinning "Race Day" to benefit Mid-Ohio Food Bank
On Feb. 17, wheels will be spinning during the JCC of Greater Columbus's first "Race Day" event. During this two-hour ride on the indoor cycles, instructors will lead the participants in a number of different types of cycling.

Routines are designed to simulate terrain and situations encountered in actual bicycle rides, including hill climbs, sprints and interval training. Coasting downhill, obviously, is easiest to simulate, and most instructors will lead what is called an interval ride, this is where students will sprint, run, climb, and jump all in the same ride.

Two bikes still are open for Race Day, and anyone interested should sign up soon. Registration fee is $20 per racer, and the net proceeds will be donated to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Participants also are encouraged to bring two non-perishable, sealed, food items to be donated to the food bank.

Water, fruit, a nutrition bar and a goodie bag will be provided to each participant. To register, contact McCullough at (614) 559-6207. For more information, visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Tuskegee Airmen to visit JCC
The Tuskegee Airmen - an elite group of African-American aviators during World War II - will be giving a presentation at the JCC Feb. 21, at 11 a.m.

Nearly 1,000 fighter pilots trained as a segregated unit at an air base in Tuskegee, Ala. Not allowed to practice or fight with their white counterparts, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves in combat throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, escorting bomber aircraft on missions and protecting them from the enemy.

Dozens died in the fighting; others were held as prisoners of war. Despite this, not a single bomber was lost while under their escort.

One of the featured guests at the JCC presentation, Major (Ret.) Herndon "Don" Cummings, was among a group of Tuskegee Airmen in 1945 who protested the "whites only" policy of the Officer's Club at Freeman Field, Ind. The two-day protest, which came to be known as the "Freeman Field Mutiny," is regarded by historians of the Civil Rights movement as an important step toward full integration of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Cummings now resides at Wexner Heritage Village in Bexley.

"The presentation by the Tuskegee Airmen, taking place during Black History Month, also reminds us that Jews were proud to walk beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965," said Debbie Vinocur, JCC New Horizons program director.

JCC, Sub-Aquatics offer scuba diving course
The JCC of Greater Columbus, in partnership with Sub-Aquatics of Reynoldsburg, is sponsoring a scuba diving course from Feb. 19 to March 25, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the JCC pool. All ages are welcome to participate in the six-week, Tuesday evening class.

For information, contact Phil Sobers, JCC Aquatics director, at 559-6241 or visit the JCC website at www.columbusjcc.org.

Israeli musician to play at Jazz & Barbecue
Israeli native Gilad Hekselman and his trio of musicians will be the featured guests during an evening of Jazz and Barbecue on Sunday, Feb. 17, at the JCC of Greater Columbus, 1125 College Ave.

Along with the performance, a Kosher barbecue dinner will be served. Tickets are $18 per meal, and reservations must be made in advance. To make a reservation, contact JCC Catering Manager Tina Rice at 559-6276.

Tennis lessons for ages 3-5
The Jewish Community Center is offering a Mighty Mite Tennis program for children ages three to five years in a seven-week program beginning April 7. The classes will be taught by JCC Tennis Pro Pam Lippy in the JCC gymnasium at 1125 College Ave.

Children will learn basic tennis and motor skills that lead to playing on "short" courses with foam balls, small racquets and other junior-sized equipment. Children of all skill levels are welcome.

The fee is $80. Wilson Pee-Wee racquets are available for $20.

For information, contact Jeanna Brownlee, JCC Director of Sports and Wellness, at 559-6274 or jbrownlee@columbusjcc.org.

Gallery Players to open  Sondheim's "Forum" Feb. 23
Gallery Players, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus' theatre group, will present Stephen Sondheim's "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum."

The musical is a comedy in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

Sondheim is receiving renewed attention due to a Broadway revival and a film version of "Sweeney Todd."

"Forum" has a script by Larry Gelbart, known for creating the television show "M*A*S*H" and the screenplay for "Tootsie."

The show schedule will be Saturday, Feb. 23, March 1 and 8, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 24, March 2 and 9, at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 28 and March 6, at 7:30 p.m.

All season ticket holders' ticket purchases will be honored at the newly scheduled show.

The other show remaining in the schedule is "Brooklyn Boy," May 17-June 1, with auditions March 16-18.

"Brooklyn Boy," a drama written by Donald Margulies, is a story about what happens when the marginally successful writing career of middle-aged author Eric Weiss begins to take off with the publication of his novel.

Tickets for individual shows are $12 for JCC members, $18 for nonmembers, $10 for senior members, $16 for senior non-members, $8 for students, and $10 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.

Those interested in making contributions to support the theater may become a JCC Patron of the Arts. Patron levels are $100 (with the patron receiving two tickets to one show), $250 (four tickets to one show), $500 (two subscriptions) and $1,000 (four subscriptions).

For information on season subscriptions or becoming a JCC Patron of the Arts, visit the Gallery Players website at jccgalleryplayers.org, or call 559-6248.

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