Communicating with the people of District 12 D I S P A T C H Volume XVIII, Issue 7 July 2013 June 28, 2013 Sprucing up Downtown Cleveland Molly Leonard ODOT District 12 maintenance crews worked hard for three weeks removing over- grown trees, brush, and litter on Interstate 90 in Cleveland for a site beautification project. Each year District 12 chooses an area along I-90 between the end of the Inner- belt Curve and East 55th Street to clear and clean. This year all three District 12 counties, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga, had crews working on I-90 at Superior Avenue every day for almost a month. Clearing the area is part of an effort to improve the quality of life in Cleveland. With the trees gone, the area will no lon- ger attract the home- less and litter will be easier to control. “A huge thank you to Myron Pakush, Director of ODOT District 12 and Howard Huebner, High- way Management Administrator and their huge crews who were out in force this week clearing the brush from alongside the southbound ramp to the Innerbelt. In the past it has been a place where litter collected and the homeless camped out. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have this area cleaned up,” said Campus District, Inc. Executive Director, Bobbi Reichtell. Interstate 90 is a major artery for travel- ers heading into downtown Cleveland. The goal of the site beautification project is to enhance the look of downtown and improve safety for the residents. The last time this area had a major clean- up such as this was in the early 1980’s. Future major clean-ups are planned for other Cuyahoga County interchanges in the com- ing months.
Transcript
Communicating with the people of District 12
DISPATCH
Volume XVIII, Issue 7 July 2013 June 28, 2013
Page 4 June 28, 2013
The Ohio Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer
John R. KasichGovernor
Myron S. PakushDistrict Deputy Director
Jerry WrayODOT Director
Sprucing up Downtown ClevelandMolly Leonard ODOT District 12 maintenance crews worked hard for three weeks removing over-grown trees, brush, and litter on Interstate 90 in Cleveland for a site beautification project.
Each year District 12 chooses an area along I-90 between the end of the Inner-belt Curve and East 55th Street to clear and clean. This year all three District 12 counties, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga, had crews working on I-90 at Superior Avenue every day for almost a month. Clearing the area is part of an effort to
improve the quality of life in Cleveland. With the trees gone, the area will no lon-ger attract the home-less and litter will be easier to control. “A huge thank you to Myron Pakush, Director of ODOT District 12 and Howard Huebner, High-way Management
Administrator and their huge crews who were out in force this week clearing the brush from alongside the southbound ramp to the Innerbelt. In the past it has been a place where litter collected and the homeless camped out. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have this area cleaned up,” said Campus District,
Inc. Executive Director, Bobbi Reichtell. Interstate 90 is a major artery for travel-ers heading into downtown Cleveland. The goal of the site beautification project is to enhance the look of downtown and improve safety for the residents. The last time this area had a major clean-up such as this was in the early 1980’s. Future major clean-ups are planned for other Cuyahoga County interchanges in the com-ing months.
www.Ohgo.com
Izzy Ciptak We all need to constantly ensure the safety of ourselves as well as our co-workers. All employees should look out for potential hazards or improper work methods, that could possibly cause an injury or fatality. If you notice a hazard or an improper work method, please correct it or report it to your Manager, Facilities Department or Safety Department immediately. This poem can serve as a reminder of exactly how im-portant it is to look out for one another.
I Could Have Saved a Life Today
I could have saved a life today,But I chose to look the other way.
It wasn’t that I didn’t care,I had the time, and I was there.
But I didn’t want to seem a fool,Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew he’d done the job before,If I called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad,I’ve done the same, he knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by,He knew the risks as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed an eye,And with that act, I let him die.I could have saved a life today,
But I chose to look the other way.Now every time I see his wife,
I’ll know I should have saved his life.That guilt is something I must bear,
But it isn’t something you need to share.If you see a risk that others take,
That puts their health or life at stake.The question asked, or thing you say,
Could help them live another day.If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say,I could have saved a life today,
But I chose to look the other way.Originally published by AMEC Offshore
Safety Tip Corner: I Could Have Saved a Life Today
District 12 Roadeo Winners On June 26th and 27th, District 12 employees competed in the annual Roadeo to test their maneuverability skills against their fellow ODOT coworkers.
Thirty-one ODOT employ-ees contended in the Snow Plow and the Loader, maneu-vering through barrels and hitting specific cones when instructed to. The Snow Plow contest was held at Punderson State Park while the Loader competition took place at Munson Yard. Cuyahoga County took on the two courses the first day and Geauga and Lake Counties competed on the second day. Each day the contestants
competed in the events at each location. Lunch was also provided to contestants, judges and volunteers. The competitor’s performance was judged on accuracy, time, and precision. The faster the time, the more points awarded. The more cones moved or barrels avoided, the more points the contestant received from the judges. At the end of both days when the points were added from all three counties, Larry Scott finished in first place in the Snow Plow with Bill Gerber right behind him in second. In the loader, Rick Struck finished first and Ed-win Lopez took hold of the second place title. All four will head to Columbus on Wednesday, Septem-ber 11, to take on the winners from the other Districts at the State Fairgrounds. Congratula-tions to all of the winners and good luck in Columbus! And a big thank you to all that helped make both days a huge success.
Page 2 June 28, 2013 June 28, 2013 Page 3
NEWS IN THE MAKING: Around District 12Mark your Calendar:
Innerbelt Bridge Project Wins FHWA Environmental Excellence Award
District 12 is being recognized by its customers for its excellent customer service, and now we’re recognizing District employees for their contributions! If you would like to give a coworker a “kudo,” the Dispatch would like to hear about it! Please contact [email protected] if you’d like to share a “Coworker Kudo” with all of District 12!
Coworker Kudo Corner
Fourth of July: July 4
Canoeing/Kayaking: July 28
Customer Kudo Corner District 12 is being recognized by its customers for its excellent customer service. The following are messages received recently in gratitude of ODOT’s hard work! If you’ve received a letter, e-mail, or phone call of thanks, the Dispatch would like to hear about it. Please contact [email protected] if you’ve received a Customer Kudo that you would like to share!
I want to thank Dan Morrow of the Painesville Yard for taking the time to fix my flat tire yesterday afternoon.
Mark M. Sakian, P.E., Project Engineer
Dennis Hill, Sharon Parker, Karen Benedetto and Selena Songalia,
We all know it was a little crazy yesterday trying to process as much as possible before we close for the fiscal year end. I wanted to share with you some amazing numbers from our Fiscal Reporting section. At the close of the “noon” run yesterday, we sent over to OAKS - 1700 transactions totaling more than $36M! That’s how finance supports the agency!! You guys Rock!!!!!!
Alana Haberman
Amanda Lee,
I called about a concern I had on the I-90 construction zone in Lake County and it was fixed within a couple of days! I wanted to thank you very much for getting in touch with the crews and the crews for taking care of it so quickly.
Julie Colby
Amanda Lee The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Cleveland In-nerbelt Bridge project is being recognized for their “Green 7” approach to sustainability currently being used while constructing the new westbound Innerbelt Bridge. Every two years the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes outstanding transportation projects that incorporate excellent environmental sustainability ef-forts using FHWA funding sources. The Office of Environmental Services worked closely with the Innerbelt project team and chose to use FHWA’s INVEST (Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainabil-ity Tool), a web-based tracking site, as a means to track progress towards the team’s “Green 7” sustainability goals. Walsh Construction Company committed to using INVEST to track their progress on achieving sustainability goals in seven categories they created, collectively referred to as the “Green 7” these include; Energy and Energy Ef-ficiency, Community Environment, Green Building, Waste Reduction and Recycling, Green Project Administration, Materials and Resources and Construction Practices. “I congratulate and thank the many individuals in Cen-tral Office, District 12, Consultants and Contractors who contributed to winning this award and I recognize their contributions for a job well done,” said District 12 Deputy Director Myron Pakush. They have accomplished some of these goals by using construction vehicles with greater load-carrying capacity.
They have documented savings of over 90,000 gallons of diesel fuel – or enough to power a big-rig from Cleveland to Salt Lake City… and back, 130 times! The demoli-tion debris from the project is processed, sorted and more than half of all materials are recycled. For example, the project has recycled almost 5,055,000 pounds of steel. Yes, that’s MILLIONS of pounds – or about the weight of 1,263 average-size sedans! On June 18, Project Manager David Lastovka and Environmental Services Administrator Tim Hill accepted the award on behalf of the Department in Virginia at the FHWA Environmental Excellence Award Ceremony.
On June 14, District 12 welcomed kids ages 6-13 to our annual Bring your Child to Work Day event. Approxi-mately 30 children arrived in the morning for a day filled with fun and educational activities to keep them busy while learning about what their parent/guardian does at ODOT. The day began with a friendly game of ODOT Bingo where the kids learned about road signs and safety equip-ment. Next, Labor Relations Officer, Bill Hudec, taught the kids what it is like to solve a problem when mom and dad are not around.
Dennis O’Neil took them outside to tour the incident management trailer and cre-ate a detour around a simu-lated ‘accident’ in the District parking lot. The kids were able to tour
the test lab, try on all the safety gear crews use at ODOT and made construction collages from old magazines. They wrapped up the day with ODOT charades and got to see and learn about heavy equipment from the operators.
“Thanks Molly, I appreciate all that you and Amanda did for the kids. I can honestly say that the kids had a ball!” said Tom Vanek, whose daughter, Am-ber, has been attending the event for the past 3 years. Thank you to all that participated and helped make the day a success!
Bring your Child to Work Day Success
Charity Stafford,
I just want to say you are doing an EXCELLENT job of managing your districts benefits!!!! Your employees are very fortunate you are there!!!!
Betty Walsh
National Dance Day: July 26
Employee Service Awards The following employees were awarded for their years of service in January through March 2013: Rolanda Page, Allen Young, Stephen Consolo, Analia Ponticelli, Jer-maine Thomas Sr., Randall Demchak, Ronald Kem-merle and Mark Marincic 5 years; Keith Hamilton and David Short, 10 years; Laurie Scarmuzzi 15 years; Carlo Hachem, Steven Palechka, Jeffrey Kovach, Steve Marhevka, Natalie Conley, Ronald Horner and Myron Pakush 20 years and Lucille Micatrotto, Michael Stan-sell, Marc Dewerth, Rosemary Sima, Beverly Ciora, Thomas Henderson, Noel Estrella, William Gerber, Steve Henry, Francesca Siracusa, Steve Zimmer and John York 25 years. Congratulations and thank you to these employees for their service.
Myron Pakush,
I have been driving on SR 166 (between SR 534 and U.S. 6) for 17 years and want to thank you for maintaining the road so well! Compared to SR 534 where I get tossed around in my car from ruts and uneven road. SR 166 is an enjoyable ride. The company that paves that road does an excellent job!
Linda Kostelnik
Dave Lastovka and Tim Hill accept the FHWA Environmental Excellence Award in Virginia on June 18. (Left to right) Gerry Solomon, Director of FHWA’s Office of Proj-ect Development and Environmental Review, Lastovka, Hill and April Marchese, Acting Associate Administrator for FHWA’s Office of Planning, Environment and Realty.
Food Tasting: July 17
Page 2 June 28, 2013 June 28, 2013 Page 3
NEWS IN THE MAKING: Around District 12Mark your Calendar:
Innerbelt Bridge Project Wins FHWA Environmental Excellence Award
District 12 is being recognized by its customers for its excellent customer service, and now we’re recognizing District employees for their contributions! If you would like to give a coworker a “kudo,” the Dispatch would like to hear about it! Please contact [email protected] if you’d like to share a “Coworker Kudo” with all of District 12!
Coworker Kudo Corner
Fourth of July: July 4
Canoeing/Kayaking: July 28
Customer Kudo Corner District 12 is being recognized by its customers for its excellent customer service. The following are messages received recently in gratitude of ODOT’s hard work! If you’ve received a letter, e-mail, or phone call of thanks, the Dispatch would like to hear about it. Please contact [email protected] if you’ve received a Customer Kudo that you would like to share!
I want to thank Dan Morrow of the Painesville Yard for taking the time to fix my flat tire yesterday afternoon.
Mark M. Sakian, P.E., Project Engineer
Dennis Hill, Sharon Parker, Karen Benedetto and Selena Songalia,
We all know it was a little crazy yesterday trying to process as much as possible before we close for the fiscal year end. I wanted to share with you some amazing numbers from our Fiscal Reporting section. At the close of the “noon” run yesterday, we sent over to OAKS - 1700 transactions totaling more than $36M! That’s how finance supports the agency!! You guys Rock!!!!!!
Alana Haberman
Amanda Lee,
I called about a concern I had on the I-90 construction zone in Lake County and it was fixed within a couple of days! I wanted to thank you very much for getting in touch with the crews and the crews for taking care of it so quickly.
Julie Colby
Amanda Lee The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Cleveland In-nerbelt Bridge project is being recognized for their “Green 7” approach to sustainability currently being used while constructing the new westbound Innerbelt Bridge. Every two years the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes outstanding transportation projects that incorporate excellent environmental sustainability ef-forts using FHWA funding sources. The Office of Environmental Services worked closely with the Innerbelt project team and chose to use FHWA’s INVEST (Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainabil-ity Tool), a web-based tracking site, as a means to track progress towards the team’s “Green 7” sustainability goals. Walsh Construction Company committed to using INVEST to track their progress on achieving sustainability goals in seven categories they created, collectively referred to as the “Green 7” these include; Energy and Energy Ef-ficiency, Community Environment, Green Building, Waste Reduction and Recycling, Green Project Administration, Materials and Resources and Construction Practices. “I congratulate and thank the many individuals in Cen-tral Office, District 12, Consultants and Contractors who contributed to winning this award and I recognize their contributions for a job well done,” said District 12 Deputy Director Myron Pakush. They have accomplished some of these goals by using construction vehicles with greater load-carrying capacity.
They have documented savings of over 90,000 gallons of diesel fuel – or enough to power a big-rig from Cleveland to Salt Lake City… and back, 130 times! The demoli-tion debris from the project is processed, sorted and more than half of all materials are recycled. For example, the project has recycled almost 5,055,000 pounds of steel. Yes, that’s MILLIONS of pounds – or about the weight of 1,263 average-size sedans! On June 18, Project Manager David Lastovka and Environmental Services Administrator Tim Hill accepted the award on behalf of the Department in Virginia at the FHWA Environmental Excellence Award Ceremony.
On June 14, District 12 welcomed kids ages 6-13 to our annual Bring your Child to Work Day event. Approxi-mately 30 children arrived in the morning for a day filled with fun and educational activities to keep them busy while learning about what their parent/guardian does at ODOT. The day began with a friendly game of ODOT Bingo where the kids learned about road signs and safety equip-ment. Next, Labor Relations Officer, Bill Hudec, taught the kids what it is like to solve a problem when mom and dad are not around.
Dennis O’Neil took them outside to tour the incident management trailer and cre-ate a detour around a simu-lated ‘accident’ in the District parking lot. The kids were able to tour
the test lab, try on all the safety gear crews use at ODOT and made construction collages from old magazines. They wrapped up the day with ODOT charades and got to see and learn about heavy equipment from the operators.
“Thanks Molly, I appreciate all that you and Amanda did for the kids. I can honestly say that the kids had a ball!” said Tom Vanek, whose daughter, Am-ber, has been attending the event for the past 3 years. Thank you to all that participated and helped make the day a success!
Bring your Child to Work Day Success
Charity Stafford,
I just want to say you are doing an EXCELLENT job of managing your districts benefits!!!! Your employees are very fortunate you are there!!!!
Betty Walsh
National Dance Day: July 26
Employee Service Awards The following employees were awarded for their years of service in January through March 2013: Rolanda Page, Allen Young, Stephen Consolo, Analia Ponticelli, Jer-maine Thomas Sr., Randall Demchak, Ronald Kem-merle and Mark Marincic 5 years; Keith Hamilton and David Short, 10 years; Laurie Scarmuzzi 15 years; Carlo Hachem, Steven Palechka, Jeffrey Kovach, Steve Marhevka, Natalie Conley, Ronald Horner and Myron Pakush 20 years and Lucille Micatrotto, Michael Stan-sell, Marc Dewerth, Rosemary Sima, Beverly Ciora, Thomas Henderson, Noel Estrella, William Gerber, Steve Henry, Francesca Siracusa, Steve Zimmer and John York 25 years. Congratulations and thank you to these employees for their service.
Myron Pakush,
I have been driving on SR 166 (between SR 534 and U.S. 6) for 17 years and want to thank you for maintaining the road so well! Compared to SR 534 where I get tossed around in my car from ruts and uneven road. SR 166 is an enjoyable ride. The company that paves that road does an excellent job!
Linda Kostelnik
Dave Lastovka and Tim Hill accept the FHWA Environmental Excellence Award in Virginia on June 18. (Left to right) Gerry Solomon, Director of FHWA’s Office of Proj-ect Development and Environmental Review, Lastovka, Hill and April Marchese, Acting Associate Administrator for FHWA’s Office of Planning, Environment and Realty.
Food Tasting: July 17
Communicating with the people of District 12
DISPATCH
Volume XVIII, Issue 7 July 2013 June 28, 2013
Page 4 June 28, 2013
The Ohio Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer
John R. KasichGovernor
Myron S. PakushDistrict Deputy Director
Jerry WrayODOT Director
Sprucing up Downtown ClevelandMolly Leonard ODOT District 12 maintenance crews worked hard for three weeks removing over-grown trees, brush, and litter on Interstate 90 in Cleveland for a site beautification project.
Each year District 12 chooses an area along I-90 between the end of the Inner-belt Curve and East 55th Street to clear and clean. This year all three District 12 counties, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga, had crews working on I-90 at Superior Avenue every day for almost a month. Clearing the area is part of an effort to
improve the quality of life in Cleveland. With the trees gone, the area will no lon-ger attract the home-less and litter will be easier to control. “A huge thank you to Myron Pakush, Director of ODOT District 12 and Howard Huebner, High-way Management
Administrator and their huge crews who were out in force this week clearing the brush from alongside the southbound ramp to the Innerbelt. In the past it has been a place where litter collected and the homeless camped out. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have this area cleaned up,” said Campus District,
Inc. Executive Director, Bobbi Reichtell. Interstate 90 is a major artery for travel-ers heading into downtown Cleveland. The goal of the site beautification project is to enhance the look of downtown and improve safety for the residents. The last time this area had a major clean-up such as this was in the early 1980’s. Future major clean-ups are planned for other Cuyahoga County interchanges in the com-ing months.
www.Ohgo.com
Izzy Ciptak We all need to constantly ensure the safety of ourselves as well as our co-workers. All employees should look out for potential hazards or improper work methods, that could possibly cause an injury or fatality. If you notice a hazard or an improper work method, please correct it or report it to your Manager, Facilities Department or Safety Department immediately. This poem can serve as a reminder of exactly how im-portant it is to look out for one another.
I Could Have Saved a Life Today
I could have saved a life today,But I chose to look the other way.
It wasn’t that I didn’t care,I had the time, and I was there.
But I didn’t want to seem a fool,Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew he’d done the job before,If I called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad,I’ve done the same, he knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by,He knew the risks as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed an eye,And with that act, I let him die.I could have saved a life today,
But I chose to look the other way.Now every time I see his wife,
I’ll know I should have saved his life.That guilt is something I must bear,
But it isn’t something you need to share.If you see a risk that others take,
That puts their health or life at stake.The question asked, or thing you say,
Could help them live another day.If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say,I could have saved a life today,
But I chose to look the other way.Originally published by AMEC Offshore
Safety Tip Corner: I Could Have Saved a Life Today
District 12 Roadeo Winners On June 26th and 27th, District 12 employees competed in the annual Roadeo to test their maneuverability skills against their fellow ODOT coworkers.
Thirty-one ODOT employ-ees contended in the Snow Plow and the Loader, maneu-vering through barrels and hitting specific cones when instructed to. The Snow Plow contest was held at Punderson State Park while the Loader competition took place at Munson Yard. Cuyahoga County took on the two courses the first day and Geauga and Lake Counties competed on the second day. Each day the contestants
competed in the events at each location. Lunch was also provided to contestants, judges and volunteers. The competitor’s performance was judged on accuracy, time, and precision. The faster the time, the more points awarded. The more cones moved or barrels avoided, the more points the contestant received from the judges. At the end of both days when the points were added from all three counties, Larry Scott finished in first place in the Snow Plow with Bill Gerber right behind him in second. In the loader, Rick Struck finished first and Ed-win Lopez took hold of the second place title. All four will head to Columbus on Wednesday, Septem-ber 11, to take on the winners from the other Districts at the State Fairgrounds. Congratula-tions to all of the winners and good luck in Columbus! And a big thank you to all that helped make both days a huge success.
It's important to take care of your eyes. Poor vision makes
it harder to read, drive, cook and go about your daily life.
The good news: Many eye problems and diseases can be
treated if caught early. To make sure you keep seeing
clearly, get a yearly comprehensive dilated eye exam. An
eye care professional will examine your eyes for signs of
vision problems or eye diseases. It's the best way to find
out if you need glasses or contacts, or are in the early stag-
es of a serious but treatable eye disease. Everyone is
aware that as we age our eyesight can change, but it’s also
important to check the eyesight of young children as well.
Nine Ways To Help Protect Your Family’s Vision:
1. Get a dilated eye exam.
2. Know your family's eye health history.
3. Eat right to protect your sight—in particular, eat plenty
of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Maintain a healthy weight.
5. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home.
6. Quit smoking
7. Wear sunglasses that block 99-100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.
8. Clean your hands and your contact lenses properly to avoid the risk of infection.
9. Practice workplace eye safety.
Taking good care of your eyes may also benefit your overall health. People with vision problems are
more likely than those with good vision to have diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pres-
sure, lower back pain and stroke, as well as have increased risk for falls, injury and depression. Visit an
eye care professional if you have decreased vision; eye pain; drainage or redness of the eye; double vi-
sion; or diabetes; or if you see flashes of light, floaters (tiny specks that appear to float before your eyes),
or circles (halos) around light sources.
Eye Care J U L Y 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 6
Highway to Health MARK YOUR
CALENDAR:
Run for the Pierogies
Tri-C Western Campus
July 6, 8:30am
Historic Kirtland 5k
Kirtland, OH
July 13, 9am
Summer Photo Hike
South Chagrin
Reservation July 13, 9-11am
Extreme Hike
Hinckley Reservation July 20, 8-11:30am
Winking Lizard ‘A
Shot in the Dark’ 5k
Huron Ave .Cle, OH
July 20, 7:30pm
Family Nature Day
The West Wood
Geauga Park District
July 20, 12-4pm
Dog Hike
North Chagrin
Reservation
July 27, 10-11:30am
Lighthouse Trathlon/
Kayak Triathlon
Fairport Harbor Lake-
front Park
July 28, 8am
Both bargaining unit and exempt employees have vision plans available. Bargaining unit employees
have their choice between Vision Service Plan (VSP) or EyeMed Vision Care Plan. Both plans allow you
to visit the licensed provider of your choice. The benefits are available every 12 months for all ages. To
compare the vision plans you can go to the Union Benefits Trust Vision website at http://
www.benefitstrust.org/?page_id=73.
Exempt employees’ vision benefits as of July 1, 2013 will be provided through Vision Service Plan
(VSP). All exempt employees currently enrolled in the EyeMed vision plan will automatically be en-
rolled in the Vision Service Plan (VSP). Employees should verify that their current provider is part of
the VSP network before your next visit. You can visit the DAS Vision webpage at http://das.ohio.gov/
Divisions/HumanResources/BenefitsAdministration/Vision.aspx for more information.
National Dance Day National Dance Day (NDD) is a campaign that encourages Americans
to incorporate dance into their lives, whether professionally, recrea-
tionally, for fun, or for fitness. In 2010, the last Saturday in July was
officially dedicated to dance education across the U.S. This year
NDD will take place on Saturday, July 27.
Each year the Dizzy Feet Foundation contributes to NDD by creating the official NDD rou-
tines for people to learn, perform, and share with others as part of the celebrations. Created
by famous choreographers, the dances aim to cater to a range of dance abilities so everyone
can take part.
District 12 will be participating in NDD by learning one of the easy dances during lunch on
Friday, July 26 in the Upper Level Training Center. The goal is to have fun and celebrate
dance as a way to exercise and relieve stress. We may even tape the dance and send it in to
the popular show, “So You Think You Can Dance.” So bring your safety vest and hard hat
as fun props!
Try a serving of
this month’s
featured recipe
on July 17.
Donations
appreciated.
Canoeing and kayaking are both excellent pursuits for relaxa-
tion, fun and exercise. Both paddle sports are low-impact,
heart healthy activities that can improve your strength and
flexibility. Regular paddling has fantastic aerobic and cardio-
vascular effects. Paddling strengthens the muscles in your
arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs and core. The great part is
most people canoe or kayak for fun and don’t even realize
they are exercising!
This month the Wellness Committee will be meeting at Camp Hi Canoe Livery in Hiram at
12pm on Sunday, July 28th to paddle the Cuyahoga River. All the gear can be rented or you
can bring your own. If enough people sign-up group rates are available. Please contact Bill
Hudec @ 216-584-2008 for more information or to sign-up for the event.
Activity of the Month: Canoeing/Kayaking
Serves 4 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1-1/2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 large red onion, chopped 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch for dressing 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus a pinch for dressing 1 tablespoon fresh jalapeno, minced 1 garlic clove, peeled Juice of 2 limes 1-15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 red pepper, seeded and diced 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes and onions on a foil-lined sheet pan. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes until a knife easily pierces the potatoes, and the edges have started to brown. Set aside. Dressing: place the jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, remaining olive oil and a pinch of both salt and pepper in a blender. Process until fully blended. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, onions, black beans and red peppers. Toss with cilantro and the dressing. Serve at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
