Christmas in July arrives in Olmsted shops: Olmsted Dates and Data

OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio — Enjoy a bit of holiday cheer this Sunday in downtown Olmsted Falls.

Several shops are participating in Christmas in July from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 25. They offer specials, prizes and some holiday shopping. Well, it is never too early to find those gifts for some special people on your Christmas list.

Jen Kanaba’s Farmhouse 1834 has a section decorated with holiday flair. It’s a bit of December in a rather weather-crazed month of July.

“We’re now offering specials all week long,” she said. “It’s a great time of the year to shop and enjoy some Christmas spirit,” she said.

For every $25 a shopper spends at Farmhouse 1834, each will receive a ticket in a drawing.

Various other shops are offering raffles. Renee Banning said her shop, Renee’s Unique Boutique and More, will give a raffle ticket to each shopper that purchases an item. Her shop offers many “unique” items, including the popular BruMate insulated drink ware.

“They have expanded their brand, and people just love them,” she said.

Her shop also offers a new coffee line, Miss Scarlett’s Gourmet Coffee out of Volant, Pa. There also are several baby items available in the back room. Shoppers receive a free gift bag when a baby item is purchased.

Granola Farms is in the city’s original jailhouse in Grand Pacific Junction. The items inside are often those found at a farmers market, including jams and jellies, local honey, bath and body needs, old-time candies and others.

Karin Raaijmaker and Tammy Lanning are partners in the shop. Karin is from the Netherlands, and she has brought in some Dutch treats available to shoppers.

“We offer a lot of local items from small businesses,” Karin said. “We bring products from farm markets to the people here.”

It’s a fun shop, and you can find some items that aren’t available elsewhere, such as natural bug spray, bathroom spray and natural dog and cat treats. During the Christmas in July celebration, shoppers who buy an item at Granola Farms will pick a ticket that will have a prize or discount on the back.

The Rift Shop in Mill River Plaza is celebrating Christmas all this month. Stop by and check out its many holiday-related items and specials.

Other stores involved in the celebration include Second Thyme Around, Timeless Treasures, The Artists’ Colony, Dolls & Minis, Grand Pacific Junction Popcorn and Millstone Mercantile.

I hope I included all participating stores, but to make sure, why not stop at all the shops in our downtown area and see what precious gifts you may find for family and friends — and even for yourself!

Nageotte news: Olmsted Falls native Katie Nageoette, Class of 2009, is heading to Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics, and the community can’t wait for her pole vault event.

According to theolympic.com website, women’s qualifying pole vault runs from 6:20 to 8:41 a.m. ET Aug. 2. The finals are from 6:15 to 8:40 a.m. ET Aug. 5. Be sure to tune in and cheer on our fellow Bulldog.

To welcome Katie home, Mayor Jim Graven and the Nageotte family invite all to a celebration and meet-and-greet for our Olympian from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Village Green. We’ll also enjoy music that DJ Melanie will provide.

Be sure to circle this on your calendar, add it in your phone and join in the celebration — as well as watching Katie experience her amazing athletic journey in Tokyo.

Kampus kudos: Some local students earned the Dean’s List at Youngstown State University for the spring semester. They are Halle Slater, middle childhood education math/science track major; Mindy Klem, nursing RN to BSN major; Maura Schultz, pre-dental hygiene major; Mackenzie Simon, public health; and Amanda Saucedo, social work.

Four local students at John Carroll University earned its spring 2021 Boler College of Business Dean’s List. They include Carleen Ellerbruch, Julia Ellerbruch, Chase Fernkorn and Lauren Gumeny.

Several John Carroll students from our area also made the university’s spring 2021 College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s List. They are Sara Abu-Ukkaz, Joseph Backus, Shannon Carr, Mary Moran, Ruth Ortego and Cindy Woo. John Carroll University students are eligible for the Dean’s List by completing a minimum of 12 semester hours within one semester and having at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Homeless Jesus: Olmsted Community Church is hosting the Homeless Jesus statue on its grounds from July 30 through Sept. 15. It will be installed July 30 on the church’s front portico.

Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz created the life-size art. It depicts Jesus as a homeless person lying on a bench, shrouded in a blanket with wounds on the feet. This is just one of Schmalz’s inspiring sculptures.

Community West Foundation purchased a replica of the statue. The foundation rotates the statue among interested organizations to shed light on the reality of homelessness in our communities.

All are invited to stop by the statue while it is in Olmsted Falls and consider what it represents. For more details about the Homeless Jesus, go to communitywestfoundation.org. and click on Homeless Jesus.

You can add to your experience by donating to the church’s essential-needs collection that will benefit the foundation’s SocksPLUS outreach. Socks are the main requested item by people experiencing homelessness. New underwear and toiletries also are in demand.

A complete list is at communitywestfoundation.org. Your donations may be dropped off in labeled bins in the church’s lobby off the parking lot.

Try to stop by the statue, donate items in the bins and help those who often are too invisible to us. They need our help — and prayers.

Kiwanis breakfast: The Olmsted Falls Kiwanis will have its Pancake Breakfast on the Bridge from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 8. The price is $7 for adults, free for kids 3 and younger. Door prizes will again be part of the event. The breakfast is part of the new Olmsted People’s Heritage Days, which runs Aug. 6-8 in Olmsted Falls.

County Fair: The deadline to enter your large zucchini, photo of that flower, needlework or homemade jam in the Cuyahoga County Fair is July 30. Premium books are available at the fair’s office or online at cuyfair.com. And remember, let me know if you earn a ribbon or honorable mention at the fair. We all love to know about your great experience.

Olmsted People’s Heritage Days: The citywide garage sale now has 33 locations on the map that Jennifer Jansen is updating. And it seems to grow daily. Go to https://bit.ly/3wyflev for any updates.

If you would like to be part of this celebration that runs Aug. 6-8, email Jen at jenjansen92@gmail.com or Jim Wallace at wallacestar@hotmail.com

Information, please: To include news, tidbits, honors or activities in Olmsted Falls and Olmsted Township, contact Joanne DuMound at jdumound@yahoo.com. She is also on Twitter, @JoanneDuMound. The column’s online version at cleveland.com/olmsted has direct links for many news items.

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