Mantua Township     

Join the Mantua-Shalersville Area Chamber of Commerce at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 for the Chamber’s awards banquet that will recognize some outstanding citizens and businesses that helped make the area as wonderful as it can be. The banquet will be held at Corners Catering and Event Center at 11845 State Route 44 in Mantua Township. Cocktails start at 6 p.m., and dinner will start at 6:45 p.m. Honored will be Rosemary Krupar as Citizen of the Year, Los Venados as Business of the Year and Katherine Bengston as Chamber Volunteer of the Year. Tickets are $75 per person. Visit Jake’s Eats, Crooked River, Bibury & Books or Advanced Rehab to purchase tickets or register online at https://forms.gle/8CXVSaTwxc2bZFg47.

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Join the Knights of Columbus at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 for a fun-filled evening of a spaghetti dinner and “Bingo with a Twist” at St. Joseph Hughes Hall at 11045 St. Joseph Blvd. The “Twist” is a raffle of prizes you can “bid” on with tickets you receive when you buy bingo packs. And you can buy more tickets to improve your odds. The bingo prices: $55 for a single 9-square 10-game packet with 20 prize tickets, and $35 for additional packages or $50 for two additional game packets (after making the initial $55 purchase). Halfway through the bingo games, there will be an intermission to enjoy the spaghetti dinner! To purchase tickets, call Ed Zwolinski at 440-413-4246 or Jerry Kuzmiak at 330-221-6382.

Village of Mantua

The next fundraising dinner for the Mantua Restoration Society will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 at the Mantua Center School Gym in the Village of Mantua. Dine-in or carry-out. No charge, but donations accepted. Please consider giving what you’d pay for a comparable meal at a restaurant plus tip. A variety of entrées provided, including one supplied each month from Main Street on the River. Several salads and a variety of desserts, including homemade pies. All food is home cooked and donated by the MaRSI members – soups to casseroles to cornbread to salads and desserts. Light piano music provided by Steve Stork. Note ... this is not a free community meal – but rather a fundraiser for the society which helps provide funds for the restoration and upkeep of Mantua Center’s historic buildings and sites. For more information, contact Susan Pollard at 330-586-8337.

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Join the Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation on Thursday, Jan. 29 at R44 Coffee at 10675 Main St. Enjoy a social half-hour at 5:30 p.m. before the meeting starts at 6 p.m. All are encouraged to attend and share ideas.  

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The Rotary Club of Mantua sponsors Safety Town at Crestwood schools among other philanthropic activities. The meetings, which are open to everyone, are held at 6:30 p.m. the first three Thursdays of each month at the R44 Coffee event space at 10675 Main St. The next two meetings will be Feb. 5 and Feb. 12.

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Upcoming events at Buchert Park at 4810 E. High St.:

SAIL Class (Stay Active in Life) in the Martin S. Hura Lodge, 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 21 and Jan. 28 – A gentle exercise class to get your blood flowing.

Free lunch in the Martin S. Hura Lodge’s Crestwood Community Center, 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 – Provided by Rich Piekarski from Gardens of Western Reserve.

The Portage County District Library’s Bookmobile, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 21 and Jan. 28 – A wide selection of books. You can order your favorites!

The Martin S. Hura Lodge’s Crestwood Community Center will head to Goodell’s sugarhouse Wednesday, Jan. 21; meet at 1 p.m. at the lodge – Learn how maple syrup gets from the tree to your pancakes! The presentation will be done in the lodge if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Lunch on your own/craft TBD in the Martin S. Hura Lodge’s Crestwood Community Center, 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 – Bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy with your friends before learning a new craft. You can also show up at 1 p.m. if you just want to do the craft.

Windham Township 

The Windham Township Trustees held a special meeting recently regarding the amendment that the people brought about having a second dwelling on one parcel. The trustees voted to accept the zoning commission’s recommendation to deny that activity.

“This isn’t over, though. It could still happen,” township Vice Chair Rich Gano said. “There were people at the meeting saying, ‘Why does it have to be 10 acres and you have to be a farmer? I have five acres. Why can’t I do it at my property.’ They have a point. So we’re going to revisit this down the road.”

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The township trustees voted to have a columbarium installed at Windham Cemetery. It will have 96 niches. Portage Marble will build the columbarium at a cost of $39,164.
“After Covid,” Gano said, “we’ve noticed an increase in cremains, cremation services, which are much more economical than full burials. Even though they’re ashes, some people prefer not to have them in the ground.”

Village of Windham

Terrie Altiere replaced Lawrence Cunningham, who resigned, as the Village of Windham’s mayor through the end of Cunningham’s term, which is December 2027.

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A farmers market will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3 at the Community Center at 9647 E. Center St. There will be local food and crafts. If interested in being a vendor and for more information, call 330-326-2622.

Garrettsville

Garrettsville Council Member John Chambers resigned and was replaced by Fred Ahrens.