(Posted Oct. 18, 2018)
By Sandi Latimer, Staff Writer
Visitors to the West Jefferson Community Center might think they’re not in Kansas, er, West Jefferson any more.
The center, which has carried a Center Street address, now bears the address of 230 Cemetery Road. And it’s not just for upcoming events.
The new address reflects the center’s front door faces, said Mayor Ray Martin after the Oct. 15 village council meeting. The front door doesn’t face Center Street. By removing the gate between the nearby cemetery and the center, the village has made it possible for visitors to access the center from the cemetery road.
This will be especially handy as the village embarks on a four-day fundraising and awareness campaign that highlights the work that 15 non-profit agencies do for area residents, said Parks and Recreation Director Marci Darlington as she outlined The Yellow Brick Road Experience.
This event will be held Oct. 24-27 at the community center and coincides with Make A Difference Day.
“The Yellow Brick Road Experience will take you through scenes of the popular classic movie. ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ where you will see a correlation between the scene and a specific non-profit,” Darlington said, as she explained the concept to council members. “You will be able to take literature about the agency and also have the opportunity to make a financial donation or donation of goods.”
The agencies benefiting from the event are the Humane Society of Madison County, West Jeff Advocacy Group, Angel Works, American Legion, VFW, Lifeline of Ohio, Madison County Special Olympics, Congenital Heart Walk, Good Samaritan Food Pantry, American Brain Tumor Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Central Ohio, Lifepointe Family Center, and the American Cancer Society.
The event kicks off with an invitation-only luncheon on Oct. 24 to showcase Make a Difference Day, the nation’s largest single day of volunteering. The general public is invited to walk the Yellow Brick Road from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday.
On Oct. 27, Make a Difference Day, activities get underway at 11:30 a.m. with a flag-raising ceremony. Trunk or Treat will be held in the center’s parking lot between 5 and 7 p.m. and the “The Wizard of Oz” will be shown inside the theater at 8 p.m. Food will be available at Auntie Em’s Place for a donation of nonperishable goods for the Good Samaritan Food Pantry.
During the short business session, council approved a proposed change to an ordinance concerning loitering.
“We’re removing one sentence in the ordinance adopted in 1973,” council President Steve Johnston said prior to the second reading and vote.
The removal of the sentence that “a person is guilty of loitering if the person loiters or stays in a public place for the purpose of begging” came at the suggestion of Law Director Michael Murray and brings the local law in line with Supreme Court decisions.
Council’s next meeting will be held Nov. 5. A public hearing will be held at the start of the meeting at which time recommendations from the Planning and Zoning Commission on the proposed rezoning of the Sky Ranch and Project Maple properties will be discussed.
