OUTSIDE MEDIA COVERAGE OF MILL CREEK METROPARKS
These Mill Creek Park roads will be closed to vehicular traffic as well as cyclists and pedestrians from approximately 7 a.m. until noon Sunday for the 10th annual Panerathon road race: Price Road, Price Road entrance of Fellows Riverside Gardens, West Glacier Drive, West Drive and Slippery Rock Bridge.
Full article at vindy.com
There is a new outdoor nature-inspired art exhibit at Fellows Riverside Garden in Youngstown.
The Outdoor Gallery features topiaries and sculptures made from steel and wood for guests to see while walking along the path. Some of the items on display are available for sale by artists.
The artwork was designed to be seen in garden settings. The exhibit is located behind the gazebo.
The Mahoning Valley Hospital Foundation’s American Junior Golf Association Junior All-Star Tournament at Mill Creek Golf Course, held the week of June 16, brought $358,458 to the area economy, Mill Creek MetroParks reported. The three-year total impact of the tournament has been $1,486,472.
The economic impact includes lodging for families and AJGA representatives, car rentals and entertainment spending. In addition, an $11,000 donation was made to the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation and AJGA Ace Grant, which came from moneys raised for the AJGA tournament and junior-amateur event on the Monday prior to the main event. To date, the golf association event has also raised over $43,000 for local charities.
This year’s tournament hosted 132 junior competitors, including six junior players who earned their spot in a regional qualifying event form a field of 100 players.
Over 150 volunteers, 37 college coaches and a dozen staff and interns from the AJGA were also in attendance.
Sophia Sarrazin, of Westport, Conn., was the female champion coming in at one over par and Jackson Finney, of Louisville, Kent., was the male champion with a score of seven under par for the week.
Full article at businessjournaldaily.com
The Mahoning Valley Hospital Foundation’s American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Junior All-Star Event took place the week of June 16, 2019 at Mill Creek Golf Course. The tournament hosted 132 junior competitors, including six junior players who earned their spot in a Sunday regional qualifying event from a field of 100 players. Over 150+ volunteers, 37 college coaches from all over the United States, and a dozen staff and interns from the AJGA were also in attendance at the 2019 tournament. Sophia Sarrazin of Westport, Connecticut was the female champion coming in at one over par and Jackson Finney of Louisville, Kentucky was the male champion with a score of seven under par for the week.
The AJGA tournament had an economic impact in the Mahoning Valley of $358,458.00 in 2019 and a three year total of $1,486,472.00 since its inception in 2016. This impact includes lodging for families and AJGA representatives, car rentals, dining, and entertainment spending. In addition, an $11,000.00 donation was made to the Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation and AJGA Ace Grant which came from monies raised for the AJGA tournament and Junior-Amateur event held on the Monday prior to the main event. To date the AJGA event has raised over $43,000.00 for local charities.
Many thanks to the Title Sponsor: The Mahoning Valley Hospital Foundation, Presenting Sponsors: Mahoning County Convention & Visitor Bureau, ACDS, and TransAmerica Intern Housing Sponsor: Youngstown State University, as well as multiple area businesses for their hole sponsorships throughout the event week. Mill Creek would also like to thank all the spectators and volunteers who were in attendance for the event as well as this year’s media partners: The Vindicator, WFMJ, 1240 WBBW, 570 WKBN for their event coverage.
Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Course, AJGA, and title sponsor The Mahoning Valley Hospital Foundation, are currently under contract through 2021 to ensure the event stays in the Mahoning Valley and state of Ohio.
About American Junior Golf Association
The AJGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. AJGA Alumni include the likes of: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Paula Creamer, Stacy Lewis, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Speith, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka, Lexi Thompson and Sergio Garcia.
Full article at wfmj.com
On Sunday, Nature Live came to the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm in Canfield.
The free event allows visitors to get an up-close look at live reptiles, insects and plants.
Nature Live also provides kids with a bio hunt where they can look for each insect and animal.
Education Manager Mandy Smith said some stations even allow them to hold the bugs and reptiles.
“That just develops this appreciation for nature and really gets you to relate with animals and nature itself.”
Smith said the MetroParks’ main goal is to create events where the whole family can enjoy nature.
Full article at wkbn.com
The Mill Creek MetroParks Farm hosted a lecture on local coyotes on June 20.
Cleveland Metroparks Wildlife Ecologist Jon Cepek presented at the event as part of the annual Naturalist Series.
The Naturalist Series is a collaboration with the Metro Parks and OSU Extension and the Mahoning County Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist program.
“We are so happy to see a crowd like this,” said Education Manager Mandy Smith.
During the lecture, Cepek discussed the facts and fictions of local coyotes.
“It is important for people to be curious and enjoy nature,” Cepek said.
He explained that he has been working with coyotes for more than 20 years, since his graduate school work.
“For my work I field a lot of calls from the community, many of which are highly concerned when they have a coyote near by,” he said.
Cepek said that public perception of coyotes, especially in the media, is often negative.
This can cause the community to panic when coyotes move into their area.
“What we need to understand is that animals just follow their instincts,” Cepek said.
He explained how human impact has greatly changed the natural environment of these animals.
“Their environment changes because of what we do, and then people get afraid of them,” Cepek said. “They are just following their instincts.”
The next lecture in the Naturalist Series will cover Katydids and Crickets on Aug. 10.
To preregister for the event, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org.
Full article at vindy.com
The Mill Creek MetroParks hosted the Explorers Kitchen Chemist Camp for children ages 7-9.
Brenda Markley, a naturalist with the Metro Parks, hosted the camps from July 15-19.
“Our goal from Monday through Friday was to discover where the different parts of our pizza come from,” Markley said.
She said that each day children explored a different area of food, from wheats and grains, veggies, fruit and dairy.
During the week children toured the MetroParks Farm and met the animals and saw the plants.
Children also toured different parts of the park, according to Markley, and learned about the history.
“We learned how popcorn popped, we got to see all the animals, they even made homemade cheese,” Markley said.
She said that each day the camp kicked off with a craft done by the students.
They painted ornaments of farm animals, created pizza themed sand art, and colored pictures.
Markley said that they also read a number of books throughout the week that fit with the theme.
Children were also given a notebook to answer questions in and draw in that they got to take home at the end of the week.
“We really want to teach them at a young age to appreciate the food they have and to understand where it comes from,” Markley said.
The camp concluded on Friday with a pizza party.
For more information on park events, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org.
Full article at vindy.com
Mill Creek Park hosted their annual Park Pals summer camp for 5- and 6-year-olds.
Naturalist Marilyn Williams hosted the week long day camp for 12 children.
“The park has been doing the camps for a long time. It’s a good way to get children out of the house and off of the electronics,” Williams said.
The theme of the week was “Where the Critters Are,” which Williams said focused on different animals and their habitats around the park.
“We have a lot of beautiful sights around the park, and even in a week we don’t have enough time to explore them all,” Williams said.
During the week Williams said that the group visited the Lily Pond, Bears Creek and the Old Log Cabin among others.
She said that each day started with coloring before hiking into nature to explore the different habitats.
“At this age the goal is to expose them to what the park has to offer, and to impart the importance of habitat maintenance,” Williams said.
Children spent the week looking at birds, searching for box turtles and finding salamanders.
“At this age many of the kids are shy at first,” Williams said. “But they get more comfortable as the week goes on.”
She said that along with learning about the park and its inhabitants, an important part of the camp is making friends.
The week ended with a special boat ride on Lake Glacier.
“By the end of the week children don’t want to go home from the park, and the encourage their families to come back throughout the summer,” Williams said.
The park will host a number of other camps for different age groups throughout the summer.
To learn more about these camps, and other upcoming park events, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org.
Full article at vindy.com
Fellows Riverside Gardens hosted a Family Fun Fridays event on June 21.
The event is offered every summer by the park for children and their families.
Naturalist Lynn Zocolo organized the event, which runs from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
“It’s just a fun way to bring the community together and give children the chance to get out doors,” Zocolo said.
During the event, children worked on crafts, making bracelets to take home.
The park organized bingo and sensory stations for children to play with.
Volunteers also helped run the event, running a science experiment station.
Children were able to use glasses of water topped with shaving cream to simulate how rain works.
“We use a dropped full of blue food coloring to show that the clouds can only hold so much weight before the water falls,” Zocolo said.
Free face painting was also available to the children.
The event is hosted every other Friday throughout the summer.
For more information on upcoming park events, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org.
Full article at vindy.com
Mill Creek Metro Parks hosted it’s annual Trekkers Summer Camp for students ages 10-12.
According to Naturalist Lynn Zocolo this year’s theme was Harry Potter’s Herbology and Potions.
“They had a blast,” Zocolo said. “At the end of the week they were all friends.”
During the week children gathered at Fellows Riverside Gardens starting at 9 a.m.
Zocolo said that they had plant and magic based activities planned every day.
“The students were broken into three houses, the oaks, the sassafras and the maples,” Zocolo said. “They competed all week to win the house cup.”
Children spent the week walking through the “enchanted forest,” learning about healing and dangerous plants and event planting their own herb garden.
At the end of the week, Zocolo said that the group spent the final day playing competitive games and celebrating with a feast.
“We spent the whole week learning, so today we are going to take a break from that and focus on having fun,” she said.
The group also celebrated with a trip to the Log Cabin for lunch and a boat ride on Lake Glaicer.
Full article at vindy.com