Cleveland Heroes Run steps off Sept. 17 in West Park: A Place in the Sun

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Lace up your running shoes and head over to St. Joseph Academy in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood on Sept. 17 for the 21st annual Cleveland Heroes Run.

Participants can choose between a 5-mile run or a 2-mile fun run/walk through the neighborhood. Both events start and finish at SJA, 3740 Rocky River Drive, West Park. The 5-mile course winds through the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks and the 2-mile run/walk follows Rocky River Drive, which will be closed to vehicular traffic until after the race concludes, which usually is about 11 a.m.

A third event, for children 7 and younger, begins about 9:15 a.m., after the 5-mile race. It takes place on the SJA track. Registration is required, but there is no entry fee.

Cost for the other two events is $30 online plus a service charge until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14, after which the price increases. Registered participants will receive a long-sleeve race T-shirt and goody bag – while supplies last — and refreshments are available after the race.

There also will be awards for both the 5-mile and 2-mile events for men and women in various age categories.

Pre-race packet pickup is 5-7 p.m. Sept. 15 or 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 16 at West Park Station, 17015 Lorain Ave., West Park. On race day, packet pickup and late in-person registration are 6:45-7:45 a.m. at SJA. Race-day parking is available at SJA and Kamm’s Plaza shopping center at Lorain Avenue and Rocky River Drive, a short walk from SJA.

The opening ceremonies, which include the traditional Fallen Heroes Roll Call, begin at 7:55 a.m. on Rocky River Drive in front of SJA.

The 2-mile fun run/walk begins at 8:15 a.m. with the 5-mile run starting at 8:20 a.m. Participants will line up in the street in front of SJA as they await the start of their events.

Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital, the Cleveland Police Foundation, the Association of Cleveland Fire Fighters and Summers Rubber Co. are sponsors of this year’s Heroes Run.

Visit runsignup.com/Race/OH/Cleveland/ClevelandHeroesRun for a link to register online, for more information or to make a donation to the Hero Fund.

Proceeds from the run provide three scholarships, one for the child of a police officer or firefighter who attends SJA and two for families of the fallen officers and firefighters whose names are listed on the West Park Cleveland Police-Fire Fighters Memorial on Rocky River Drive. There is no room left to add new names to the memorial, so a new slab of granite will be added to accommodate any additional names of police or firefighters lost in the line of duty who either lived in West Park or lost their lives in the community.

The memorial, which was dedicated in 2002, is maintained by donations only, not city funds.

SAVE THE DATE: Speaking of benefit runs … the 10th Love-A-Nurse RuN (note the take on RN for registered nurse) will take place at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 24 at Edgewater Park in Cleveland. There will be a 5K run/walk and a 1-mile run/walk for various age groups. Registration is $25 for each event. Register at runsignup.com/Race/OH/Cleveland/LoveANurse. The price will increase after 11:59 p.m. Sept. 23. Race-day registration is $30. There is a $70 maximum rate for families.

Early packet pickup will be 3-6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Fleet Feet Westlake, 26149 Detroit Road, Westlake. Registered participants will receive a T-shirt and giveaway bags. There also will be door prizes, recognition for all nurses at the event and awards in various age groups for each event.

The race honors Alice Flaherty who was an ICU nurse with the former Cleveland Clinic/Lakewood Hospital for more than 30 years. During the past nine years, 512 scholarships were awarded to nursing students who either live or go to school in Northeast Ohio.

For more information, contact Hermes Sports & Events at 216-623-9933, or email loveanurserun@gmail.com for details or information on making a donation to the scholarship fund.

Boating safety course: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat America course will be presented by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 092-07-05.

Classes are 7-9 p.m. Sept. 26 and 28 and Oct. 3 and 5. Cost is $25 for materials and $15 for the registration fee.

The introductory boating safety course meets Ohio’s minimum course requirement for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1982 who operates a vessel greater than 10 horsepower. Topics include boating laws, safety equipment, safe operation, boating emergencies, and more. The course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. Completion of the course could bring a possible insurance discount.

Pick up materials at the Lakewood Recreation Department, 14100 Franklin Blvd., Door 31, Lakewood. Parking is available on Bunts Road. Registration should be completed through the Lakewood Recreation Department office. Call 216-529-4081 or sign up online at lakewoodrecreation.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs.

For more information, contact V. Suda, 216-410-1668, or email sudav@cox.net

Pausing to remember: Once again, the front lawn of Lakewood High School along Franklin Boulevard was filled with small American flags in remembrance of the 2,977 victims who died in the Sept, 11 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and those who died aboard Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In North Olmsted, the Fire Department conducted a brief ceremony on Nov. 11 honoring those who lost their lives — including firefighters, police, emergency medical service personnel and private citizens. The memorial, which was open to the public, took place at 9:30 a.m. at Fire Station Number One.

Hazardous waste collection: Fairview Park residents are reminded that the next Shredding and Hazardous Household Waste Collection Day will be 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 16 behind City Hall. Proof of residency is required.

A paper shredding truck will be on site. Shredding service is limited to two copy paper size boxes of documents that contain confidential information.

Guidelines for hazardous waste disposal are available at fairviewpark.org/household-hazardous-waste-disposal.

For more information about how and what to recycle, visit cuyahogarecycles.org. To participate in the Rustbelt Riders food composting site at City Hall, visit rustbeltriders.com.

Tool sale: The Lakewood Tool Box will have its next tool sale 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 24 at the tool box, 13000 Athens Ave., Lakewood, on the east side of the Screw Factory campus at the corner of Halstead and Athens avenues. No early birds.

The sale will include hand and power tools, ladders and more.

All proceeds from the sale will benefit The Lakewood Toolbox to help buy and maintain new tools.

For more information, call 216-521-0655.

Spooky Pooch time: It’s time to start planning your pet’s costume for the 16th annual Spooky Pooch Parade, which will take place at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at Madison Park. Once again, the event is presented by LakewoodAlive.

Registration is open for the event at eventbrite.com/e/2023-spooky-pooch-parade-tickets-692578810867. Attendance is free, but there is a $10 charge per dog to march in the parade. Event day cost is $15 per dog. Multiple dog discounts are available only for preregistered dogs.

The event takes place rain or shine.

In addition to the parade, there will be entertainment, pumpkin painting for children and dog-related vendors and local businesses.

Proceeds from the parade benefit LakewoodAlive, a community-centered nonprofit organization that works to foster and sustain vibrant and welcoming neighborhoods in Lakewood.

Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted and West Park for the A Place in the Sun column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to carolkovach@hotmail.com.

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