“A good friend is a connection to life- a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” -Lois Wyse, author
It never occurred to me that I would someday have a best friend who is 80 years old. Last weekend I found myself at her birthday party, along with over 200 of her other friends. It caused me to ponder on the importance of friends in our lives. When I searched the internet, I came across an intriguing study on friendship and happiness.
Over 85 years ago, Harvard University began a study, which is now the world’s longest-running research on happiness. The Harvard Study of Adult Development has scientifically proven that good relationships keep us happier and healthier. A few takeaways include the fact that friendship extends your lifespan. An analysis of 308,000 people found that strong social relationships boost survival by 50% and are a bigger health benefit than exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, or even quitting smoking. According to this statistic, my friend could easily live well past 100.
It was also scientifically proven that friends protect your brain as you age. “People in happy relationships in their eighties reported that their moods remained stable even on days when they experienced more physical pain. Their friendships acted as an emotional buffer.”
Another takeaway, “Your brain at eighty depends, in part, on the friendships you build today. But friendship doesn’t just protect your future self— it makes your present life dramatically better.” My friend is living proof of this fact. She makes my days brighter, and during difficult times, our connection has been a balm to stress and anxiety. It is a scientifically backed fact that good friends are vital to our overall well-being, and the secret to making and keeping friends is to BE a friend.
Brimfield festivals
Aug. 8, 12-6 p.m. — Brimfield Block Party and Car Cruise-in at Brimfield Town Centre Plaza. Sponsored by The Villas at Wyles Farm Apartment Homes, Wing Warehouse, and Double O Developments, LLC. The festivities include the opening of Wing Warehouse, car cruise-in, food trucks, live music and fun for the entire family.
Aug. 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — The Fast and Furriest Car Show held at Field High School. Sponsored by the Brimfield Police Department to benefit the K9 program, the event will feature K9 Donkey, food from Joe’s BBQ and Honey Girl Donuts, trophies, raffles, music and more.
Aug. 29, 6-11 p.m. — First ever Patio Party at The Event on Sunnybrook— Sponsored by The Big Red Community Foundation to benefit football in the Falcon community, the evening will feature live music by Tony Rio, cornhole tournament, fun and games, cards, food trucks, cash bar and more. Tickets are $30 per person, and the event is for ages 21 and over.
Tickets available at https://www.zeffy.com/.../patio-party-end-of-summer-bash
Brimfield Township trustee meetings
Held at Town Hall. All meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the township website at www.brimfieldohio.gov.
- August 3, 7 p.m.
- August 17, 7 p.m.
At the July 27 special trustee meeting, Trustees, Nic Coia, Sue Fields, and Kevin Scott unanimously passed a resolution to put a 1.95 mill fire levy on the November ballot.
Brimfield Township Zoning Commission meeting
August 13, 6:30 p.m. - The Zoning Commission will meet at Brimfield Town Hall for a Public Hearing. The meeting is regarding a proposed amendment to the Zoning Map. The proposed amendment is to parcel number 04-014-00-00-004-000 (lot west of 1215 Howe Road). The property is owned by Kat Real Estate LLC and is currently zoned R-2. The applicant, Gregory Hards, is proposing to rezone the property to I-C. The agenda and supplemental documentation for this hearing is available at https://www.brimfieldohio.gov/.../board.../zoning-commission. Please contact Kayla Nealon at (330) 548-1865 or knealon@brimfieldohio.gov with questions, or to submit comments to be read into the record. Please be advised that comments are disabled on legal advertisements for all provided testimony to be stated in front of the board and transcribed during the hearing.
Brimfield Lion’s Club
Aug. 8, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. – Soft plastics collection drop-off at Brimfield Methodist Church
Young At Heart Club
Aug. 10, 10 a.m. - Breakfast at Mike’s Place
Aug. 14, 4 p.m. – Corn Roast at Community Center – Cost is $5
Aug. 24, 10 a.m. – Breakfast at Mike’s Place
Portage County Recycle Center, 3588 Mogadore Rd, Brimfield – 330-678-8808
- Aug. 3, 2-5 p.m. – Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Brimfield Branch Library
- Aug. 3, 5-6:45 p.m. - Murder Mystery - A paleontological murder mystery dinner party for teens (ages 13+). Participants enjoy snacks, drinks, and a fun, interactive mystery to solve. Registration required; limit of 10.
- Aug. 4, 5:30–6:45 p.m. - Your Vote, Your Voice - An educational session for adults and seniors covering the latest updates to Ohio’s voting laws.
- Aug.5, 1–2 p.m. - A Girl with Scales Reptile Show - An interactive, educational reptile experience for all ages. Children and families can safely discover the wonders of reptiles. Registration required; limit of 30.
- Aug. 7, 5–5:45 p.m. - Trivia Night! - A trivia showdown for adults and seniors. Participants can join solo or as a team to test their knowledge in a fun, competitive environment.
- Aug. 8, 10:30–11 a.m. - Summer Storytime - For children 5 and under, featuring stories, music, songs and activities.
- Aug. 11, 1–1:30 p.m. - Back-to-School Notebooks - Creative arts and crafts session for ages 6+, decorate a notebook for the new school year. Registration required; limit of 12.
- Aug. 11, 5:30–6:45pm - Brimfield Book Club - For adults and seniors.
- Aug. 12, 10:30–11 a.m. - Baby & Me Storytime - For babies (under 36 months) and caregivers.
- Aug. 12, 1–3 p.m. - Learn to Crochet! For adults and seniors. All materials provided. Registration required; limit 8.
- Aug. 13, 4:45–5:45 p.m. - Bingo! For adults and seniors, with prizes and friendly competition.
- Aug. 14, 10:30–11 a.m. - Summer Storytime - For children 5 and under, featuring stories, music, songs, and activities.
- Aug. 15, 2– 4 p.m. - Learn to Paint Miniatures - Arts and crafts workshop for adults to learn or improve miniature figure painting skills.
- Aug. 17, 5–6:45 p.m. - Movie Night: "The Good Dinosaur" - A family-friendly movie night to celebrate the end of summer. Registration required; limit of 20.
- Aug. 18, 5:30–6:45 p.m. - Genealogy with Roger Marble - For adults and seniors on genealogy techniques and tracing family roots.
- Aug. 20, 1–3 p.m. - Puzzle Club - Social event for adults and seniors to work on challenging jigsaw puzzles together.
- Aug. 22, 10:30–11 a.m. - Summer Storytime - For children 5 and under, featuring stories, music, songs and activities.
- Aug. 22, 2–3 p.m. - Sweet Treat Saturday - Cooking workshop for tweens and teens (ages 9+), teaching how to make drinks, desserts, and treats. Registration required; limit of 6. Note: Some recipes may contain allergens.
- Aug. 25, 4–6:45 p.m. - Dungeons and Dragons with Dave - An introduction and play session for adults to explore Dungeons & Dragons. Registration required; limit of 8.
- Aug. 27, 28,29, All day - Craft Swap - Three-day event for adults and seniors to exchange craft materials and discover new hobbies.
- Aug. 28, 10:30–11 a.m. - Summer Storytime - For children 5 and under, featuring stories, music, songs and activities.
- Aug. 29, 2–4 p.m. - Reading Trophy Case - A DIY workshop for adults and seniors to build and decorate a mini bookshelf. Registration required.
For more details or to register, visit events.portagelibrary.org/events or contact the Brimfield Branch directly.
It is good to see Plato’s Closet now open, and the Brimfield Plaza is beautifully renovated and filling up with businesses.
Final thought: “Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.” -Marcus Tullius Cicer
Until next time. Got news? Share it by contacting Shirley Mars at 330-673-0241 or at mars@ohiomars.com
