BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- It was exciting to learn that Brunswick Reformed Church will

serve as one of more than 350 churches around the world that will host Night to Shine sponsored, by the Tim Tebow Foundation simultaneously on Friday, Feb. 10.'

Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God's love, for people with special needs, ages 14 and older. This worldwide movement's numbers continue to grow with participants from around the world.

Every guest of Night to Shine enters this complimentary event on a red carpet complete with a warm welcome from a friendly crowd and paparazzi. Once inside, guests receive the royal treatment, including hair and makeup stations, shoe shining areas, limousine rides, corsages and boutonnieres, a catered dinner, karaoke, prom favors for each honored guest and, of course, a dance floor... all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.

"We are honored to be able to work with so many churches across the county and around the world to impact the lives of people with special needs," said Erik Dellenback, executive director of the Tim Tebow Foundation. "After such an amazing response to the first two years of Night to Shine, our prayer is that this event will continue to change the face of Valentine's Day weekend from simply a celebration of love, to a celebration of God's love for people with special needs."

During Night to Shine 2015, 44 host churches and 15,000 volunteers worked together to honor more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom. Last February, Night to Shine reached 32,000 honored guests in 201 host churches with 75,000 volunteers. Night to Shine 2017 promises to be the biggest event yet.

For additional information on the Night to Shine hosted by Brunswick Reformed Church, at Diamond Event Center, 1480 Pearl Road. Brunswick, visit b-r-c.info. For more information on the worldwide movement of Night to Shine, visit: timtebowfoundation.org/index.php/night-to-shine/.

A call for help goes out: Everyone is so busy, that it's become harder to find people who are willing to donate time for great causes. Right now, the Brunswick Area Historical Society is searching for someone to act as secretary for the group that preserves local history and maintains the buildings at Heritage Farm. If you can attend one meeting a month (except November and December) and are willing to take notes and print minutes, it's all they ask. Current secretary Linda Scarcella is swamped with work and being a grandmother right now. If you can help, you can email brunswickareahistory@gmail.com or leave a message at 330-441-0292. It's an exciting time to be a member of the society as it becomes more popular with folks from around the country because it remains a farm inside a city.

If you would like to join the organization, whether you can volunteer or not, visit brunswickhistory.com/. It's an inexpensive fee and helps keep the group going. (By the way, wait until you see the way one of the rooms has been changed to a children's bedroom.)

Neon Bingo is back: Neon Bingo is coming back to Brunswick on Feb. 18 at Saint Ambrose Catholic Parish, 929 Pearl Road, Brunswick. This popular bi-annual event is perfect for new players and pros alike. Guests will play bingo under the black lights for $300 and $400 pots, as well as a $1,000 coverall game. Tickets, $25 each, include all bingo games, a neon dauber and a chicken parmesan Italian dinner. A DJ will be there all evening to keep the party going, along with additional minute-to-win-it and instant games. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with bingo beginning at 7:30 p.m. Players are encouraged to get their early for the best seating options.

Tickets for Neon Bingo are available now at the front desk in the Parish Life Center; customers wishing to buy their tickets ahead of time can also purchase tickets during Saint Ambrose's regular Friday night bingo sessions. Since only a limited number of tickets will be for sale at the door on the night of the event, purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. For more information, guests are encouraged to contact Lynn Rogers at LRogers@StAmbrose.us.

For more about Saint Ambrose Catholic Parish, please visit StAmbrose.us or contact the Parish Office at 330.460.7300 or Info@StAmbrose.us.

KJ excels at OSU: K.J. Stevens, a 2016 graduate of Brunswick High School was named to the 2016 Autumn semester Dean's List at Ohio State University. Stevens is majoring in Astronomy- Psychics,

A great group at Ashland includes resident: Kimberly Vidika of Medina is a member of Ashland University's Human Trafficking Awareness Group. Vidika is majoring in criminal justice and is the daughter of Scott and Jean Vidika of Medina. She is a 2014 graduate of Medina High School.

The Human Trafficking Awareness Group started out of a spring break mission trip in 2008 through Ashland University's Isaiah Project. As a team, they spent a week ministering to individuals in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. HTAG is dedicated to finding ways to support rehabilitative efforts as well as the movement to combat modern-day slavery as a whole.

Research wins kudos: Ashland University student, Danielle Bruno, along with another Ashland University student, Emily Wirtz, submitted an abstract to present their research at the Midwestern Psychological Association to be held April 20-22 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. The women were notified recently that their submission is one of only 24 that will receive a regional award at the conference.

"This is wonderful news for our students and for our program," said Dr. Mitchell Metzger, chair and professor of psychology at Ashland University. "With over 600 abstract submissions to this meeting, less than 4 percent will have submissions recognized and two of our students are in that group."

Bruno said when she decided to partner with Wirtz on this research; she didn't know how far it would take them. "I knew she wanted to present at the ACN conference and I took that opportunity with her. It was a wonderful experience and makes me even more excited for the MPA conference. Upon finding out we were accepted to MPA, I was overjoyed. I didn't think it could get any better until the unexpected news that we had won an award," she said. "None of this would have been possible without Emily's determination and drive to make this happen, The Ashland Center for Nonviolence, Dr. Metzger's helpful comments and the direction of Psi Chi."

Both students are members of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society on campus.

Wirtz said the research project began with her work at the Ashland Center for Nonviolence. The project centers on how different coaching styles affect student athletes and their performance.

Bruno is majoring in psychology and is the daughter of Braun and Mary Bruno of Medina. She is a 2013 graduate of Brunswick High School.

Four chaplains remembered: At 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12 at St. Ambrose Parish, American Legion Post 234 and Eagle Scouts and Boy Scouts of Troop 513 will present a program on the sinking of the United States Troop Transport Ship U.S.A.T. Dorchester. Those resenting the program will be the Rev. Thomas Shaw from Brunswick United Methodist Church; Pastor Don Poest from Brunswick Reformed Church, Deacon Gary Tomasic from St. Ambrose (as the rabbi who perished) and the Rev. Fr. Robert Stec from St. Ambrose.

The story is a compelling one: At 12:55 a.m. Feb. 3, 1943, a German U Boat torpedoed the Dorchester with four chaplains aboard. For the rest of the story ... American Legion Commander Bob Prevost says, "Come to the program on Sunday." It is open to the public and everyone is invited.

Evans has graduated: Michael Evans of Medina has earned a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

Music of the Civil War to be heralded: The Bugler raised mouthpiece to lips and tooted the command to issue his commander's orders.  Then troops charged in battle, or knew it was dinner time, or followed any of the many commands used. The program is presented by the Liverpoool Township Historical Society.

Music in the Civil War was so vital General Robert E. Lee once said, "Without music, there could be no Army". Hear about Regimental Bands and their importance in days well before radio, TV and internet.  Re-enactor Tim Krugman, Corporal of the Union's 30th Ohio Volunteers will describe this and more at 7 p.m. March 14 at the Liverpool Town Hall, 6705 Center Road (Rt. 303) in downtown Valley City. Free and open to the public. There is ample parking behind the Town Hall.  These Valley City restaurants should be open for dinner, call ahead:  Coppertop 330-225-6122; Galdalf's Pub 330-483-1190; and Samosky's Pizzeria 330-483-2000. For information on the Historical Society, call 330-483-3038.

AAUW offers non-traditional scholarship:   The Medina County Branch of the American Association of University Women is accepting applications for two $1,000 scholarships to be given to non-traditional women undergraduate students who will be attending an accredited college or university for the 2017-2018 academic year. Applicants must be residents of Medina County. A non-traditional student is a woman who has returned to college to finish an undergraduate degree, or a woman who delayed entering college for several years after completing high school or earning a GED. 

The deadline for submission of the application, college transcript and professor recommendations is April 1. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of financial need, academic achievement, and clarity of stated goals and objectives. The applicant must be attending an accredited college/university.

For information or applications, call Cheri Ingraham, scholarship committee chair, at 330-723-3355 and leave a telephone number, or contact her by email at cheri@bunkerhillgc.com.  You may also visit the AAUW Medina Branch Web page medinacounty-oh.aauw.net/

Local residents graduate from Dayton: Casey Horrigan of Medina and Victoria Wawzyniak of Brunswick are among the more than 300 undergraduates receiving degrees from the University of Dayton during the 2016 winter commencement ceremony.

Celebrate at Living Word: Living Word Lutheran Church will be celebrating Valentine's Day with a spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings at 6 p.m. Feb. 18, followed by a dessert auction. The cost is a donation of $10 per person. The church is located at 3631 Hamilton Road., at the corner of Hamilton and Hamlin.  Seating is limited, so reserve your place by contacting Sue at 330-220-4106.

JCU dean's list has local students: The Dean's List for the Fall 2016 semester includes Medina students Nicholas Baker, Nicholas Bayda, Allyson Brahler, Marissa George, Kimberley Rutherford, Kaleigh Wagner. Also Brunswick students Jonathan Dralle, Nathanael Hunter, Emily Kucia, Jesse Marinaro, Corey McComas,  Allison McGreer, Justin Miller, Nicholas Mog, Justin Paalman, Madison Suvak, Christopher Titchenell and Jacob Dybiec. Hinckley students include Ian Kurela, Ellen Liebenguth, Noelle Saluan and Shane Skuhrovec.

Carneal earns honors: Trine University has announced its fall 2016 president's list for main campus students. Among those named to the list is Conner Carneal of Medina. Carneal is a freshman studying Design Engineering Technology.

She has graduated: Adrian Rivera of Brunswick, earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science in Allied Health at Youngstown State University.

Don't forget to take the kids: The 25th annual Optimist Club of Brunswick Pancake Breakfast and Kids Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 at the Brunswick Community Recreation Center, 3637 Center Road. Enjoy a pancake breakfast while the kids are entertained with family-oriented events. There will be a magician and balloon art, face painting, crafts, games and a visit from Mickey & Minnie Mouse. Cost is $6 for adults; $5 for seniors older than 60 and $4 for children 6-12. Younger children attend free.

Contact Boyer at samboyersunnews@yahoo.com.

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