BEREA, Ohio — Days of blue skies and daily temperatures in the ‘70s have made it hard to believe that summer has skedaddled and that residents of Berea and neighboring communities are awaiting the thrills, chills, and just plain fun provided at Berea’s Annual Harvest Fest.
This year’s Trick or Treat on the Trails event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Coe Lake Park, where there will be Crafts for Kids, Rick Smith Jr’s Magic Show, Train Ride, Costume Characters, a Mini Pumpkin Patch, along with food vendors, a Pumpkin Jump pad, Photo Props, and Face Painting.
Children are welcome to dress up in costumes and collect candy from different businesses and organizations along the hiking trails at Coe Lake.
This activity is limited to families of the Berea City School District (Residents of Berea, Brook Park and Middleburg Heights).
Tickets are free and required for this event. Pick up your tickets at the Berea Recreation Center, 451 Front St., during their business hours, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., 12:30-1:30 p.m., and 2-3 p.m.
Bold & Gold: As Baldwin Wallace University turns 180, the entire community — students, alumni, faculty, staff, families, neighbors, and friends — is invited to BW’s 2025 Bold & Gold Homecoming.
In a perfect symbol of new leadership embracing cherished traditions while guiding BW into the future, the University’s new president, Lee Fisher, and his wife, Peggy Zone Fisher, will serve as parade Grand Marshals.
“Peggy and I could not be more delighted to be in the thick of the action at our first Bold & Gold, and we’re honored to lead the Marching Yellow Jackets and so many great student organizations in the Homecoming Parade,” Fisher said.
The traditional parade, featuring creative floats, BW’s beloved Stinger mascot, candy-tossing student groups and Homecoming royalty will step off at 11 a.m. and march up East Centet Street to Beech Street and across Bagley Road to avoid construction on Front Street.
At noon, a free festival with entertainment and giveaways will get underway in the Finnie Stadium parking lot, with food trucks providing a variety of tasty treats and tailgate fare, including Off the Griddle, Cleveland Cookie Dough, and Pop Culture, for purchase
From the lot, it will be easy for everyone to stream into the stadium to cheer on the Yellow Jackets vs. the Marietta Pioneers, at 2 p.m.
“Homecoming is the ultimate reunion and a time for our extended campus family to come together, no matter how the event details might change through the years,” said Tony Peebles, MBA, ’98, BW’s director of alumni engagement.
For more information on Bold & Gold, contact the BW Center for Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement at 440-826-2104, or online at bwalumni@bw.edu. and bw.edu/boldgold.
Cemetery wreaths: Help honor local heroes by sponsoring a wreath to be placed on veterans’ graves this December at Woodvale Union Cemetery.
The cut-off date for orders to guarantee the wreath to arrive this December is Dec. 1st.
National Wreaths Across America Day is Dec. 13th.
Visit online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/OH0417 to make a donation.
Winter clothing: The Men’s Group at St. Paul Lutheran Church 276 East Bagley Road is collecting coats, scarves, hats, gloves, hoodies, socks, a nd jackets for men housed at the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry in Cleveland.
All sizes are needed. Clothing should be new or in good condition and clean. The items can be dropped off at the church during regular business hours, 9 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Wesley Hansen of the Men’s Group said items can be picked up.
Contact him at wesleyhansen@gmail.com, or call the church at 44—243-1144.be picked up. Contact him at wesleyhansen@gmail.com, or call the church at 44—243-1144.
The Men’s Group plans to deliver the clothing in November.
SCAN Hunger Center Pantry: 398 W. Bagley Road, Williamsport Plaza, (440) 260-7226. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Friday of the month and 4-7 p.m. on the fourth Friday.
People’s Community Church Pantry: 628 Wesley Drive, 440) 234-0609. It is open from 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month. The next pantry is on Oct. 18th.
Second Mile Outreach Pantry: 1480 Bagley Road, (440) 239-0549. It is open from noon to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church Food Pantry: 8888 Prospect Road. It is open from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month and provides fresh food, staples, and toiletries. The next pantry is on Oct. 11th
Bread Ministry: Berea United Methodist Church, 170 Seminary St., (440) 234-3525. Bread and pastries only. Noon – 2 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Go to the church addition on the north side of the church off Seminary. The pantry is through double brown doors.
Free Community Meal: St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road, serves this meal twice a month, 5-5:30 p.m., on the second and last Wednesday of the month. It is drive-up only.
Pet Food Pantry: Animal Rescue Friends, 10015 E. River Road, Columbia Station, 10 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. Visit www.bereaanimalrescue.com or call (440) 234-2034 for more information or to donate.
Free Community Meals are served at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 East Bagley Road, twice a month, from 5-5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday and last Wednesday of the month.
Meals on hold: Hot meals provided by Rise in Love at St. Adalbert Church have been suspended for the time being due to supply issues
An announcement will be made once meals are ready to resume.