Beacon Aug 2023
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Page 2B THE BEACON <strong>Aug</strong>ust <strong>2023</strong><br />
BRIGHT/<br />
SUGAR RIDGE<br />
By<br />
Bob<br />
Waples<br />
Community<br />
Correspondent<br />
O<br />
ur<br />
Communities<br />
bright@goBEACONnews.com<br />
A few weeks back, I had the<br />
pleasure of meeting a young<br />
man whose story I found not<br />
only fascinating but courageous<br />
and heartwarming as<br />
well. I am speaking of Benjamin<br />
(Ben) Parniuk, the son<br />
of Bright residents Donna and<br />
Alex Parniuk. After leaving<br />
his job as a chef in Seattle,<br />
Ben traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine<br />
where he now serves as a volunteer<br />
cook for an organization<br />
called Magic Food Army.<br />
The group prepares and serves<br />
food to the Ukrainian Special<br />
Forces on the southern<br />
front of the war. Ben’s Dad<br />
(from Ukraine) was born in a<br />
refugee camp. He immigrated<br />
to the US with his parents and<br />
aunt when he was four years<br />
of age.<br />
Ben, a graduate of East<br />
Central High School, played<br />
soccer during his high school<br />
years. He also earned the<br />
Men’s Soccer Trojan Award.<br />
He went on to earn a degree<br />
from Purdue. Ben is a Hoosier<br />
and especially one of our own<br />
in Bright. He is so proud to be<br />
an American but had great difficulty<br />
sitting by and watching<br />
his ancestral country fight for<br />
its freedom. He was driven to<br />
do something to help.<br />
Ben sold his car and all his<br />
belongings to pay for his oneway<br />
ticket to Ukraine, At the<br />
end of May he made the journey<br />
to Ukraine. I try to touch<br />
base with him once a week or<br />
so just to let him know he is<br />
in my thoughts and prayers.<br />
I hope all of you will do the<br />
same and bring Ben home<br />
safely. Thank you and be safe,<br />
Ben, as you follow your heart<br />
in this effort.<br />
The Bright High School<br />
reunion was recently held.<br />
The photo shown is somewhat<br />
deceiving. One would think<br />
the two ladies just graduated<br />
in the past few years, not<br />
eighty-plus years ago! Congratulations<br />
and a BIG hug to<br />
Ben Parniuk communicates<br />
online from Kyiv.<br />
A picture of two beautiful<br />
ladies at the recent Bright<br />
High School reunion, Thelma<br />
Stutz and Faye Pope.<br />
Bob Waples and Nancy<br />
Condon visited Holland/<br />
South Haven, MI.<br />
Thelma<br />
Stutz<br />
and<br />
Faye<br />
Pope.<br />
Congratulations<br />
to Liz<br />
Morris<br />
for<br />
being<br />
elected<br />
The De Zwaan<br />
windmill.<br />
President of the Association<br />
of Indiana Counties, Southeast<br />
District. Thanks for your<br />
service to our county, Liz.<br />
Finally, my Sis (Nancy<br />
Condon) and I took a mini<br />
trip to Holland/South Haven,<br />
MI, in mid-June. We visited<br />
the De Zwaan windmill in<br />
Holland, the only authentic<br />
working Dutch windmill in<br />
the US. It is two hundred<br />
fifty-one years old and was<br />
brought to the US in 1964.<br />
Enjoy your summer and<br />
remember…. “The one thing<br />
that I regret as an adult is<br />
growing up.”<br />
The Gators swim team members at Hidden Valley.<br />
HIDDEN<br />
VALLEY LAKE<br />
By<br />
Vivian Kist<br />
Community<br />
Correspondent<br />
hvl@goBEACONnews.com<br />
All the outdoor activity is<br />
evidence that many people in<br />
HVL are enjoying the summer<br />
of <strong>2023</strong>! I hope you have participated<br />
in the many special<br />
activities offered by our community!<br />
As you read this article,<br />
two of our major summer<br />
holidays are in the rearview<br />
mirror, but many warm and<br />
sunny days are yet to come for<br />
you to soak up the sun, enjoy<br />
the beautiful nature trail, play<br />
volleyball on the beach, go<br />
for a swim at the pool, play<br />
pickleball with friends, play<br />
a round of golf, go fishing<br />
for that elusive seven-pound<br />
bass, or try a new and daring<br />
maneuver wakeboarding or<br />
water skiing.<br />
Since our nation’s founding,<br />
fireworks have been an<br />
integral part of celebrating our<br />
independence. HVL residents<br />
and their guests celebrated our<br />
nation’s two hundred fortyseventh<br />
birthday with another<br />
spectacular fireworks display.<br />
Parades and picnics were on<br />
tap for the day with hundreds<br />
of people participating in<br />
the bike parade and the boat<br />
HARRISON<br />
By<br />
Amanda<br />
Kirchner<br />
Community<br />
Correspondent<br />
harrison@goBEACONnews.com<br />
An improvement project<br />
will be starting in the summer<br />
of <strong>2023</strong> on West Road<br />
overpass of I-74. The road<br />
will be expanded to include<br />
a seven-foot-wide pedestrian<br />
walkway and add muchneeded<br />
lighting. The overpass<br />
Boats gathering on the lake to watch the fireworks.<br />
is on the section of West Road<br />
between Harrison Avenue and<br />
Countryview Drive.<br />
This overpass accommodates<br />
many people on foot or<br />
on bikes who cross daily.<br />
Currently, no sidewalk or<br />
extra space is available on the<br />
side of the overpass bridge<br />
roadway for pedestrians<br />
to cross safely. Sadly, in<br />
September of 2018, a fatality<br />
occurred when a woman<br />
walking across the bridge on<br />
a very dark and rainy night<br />
was struck by a car. This<br />
tragic death lead to a safety<br />
grant by the Ohio Department<br />
of Transportation (ODOT)<br />
parade on the main lake.<br />
The annual Kids Fishing<br />
Derby was held at Lake Melody.<br />
This event was sponsored<br />
by the Fish and Game Club,<br />
HVL Lakes Committee, and<br />
the HVL POA. The lake was<br />
stocked with over five hundred<br />
catfish which provided<br />
a great fishing experience for<br />
HVL families and young anglers.<br />
Prizes were awarded for<br />
the biggest, smallest, and most<br />
fish caught.<br />
Each month the HVL<br />
Garden Club identifies one<br />
homeowner as the “Yard of<br />
the Month” and awards a<br />
$50 gift certificate. Ron and<br />
Cindy Barton won the award<br />
in June and gave us all something<br />
beautiful to look at as<br />
we drove along Alpine Drive.<br />
The Gator Swim Team’s<br />
<strong>2023</strong> season has ended. The<br />
Gators again broke several<br />
existing records! However,<br />
looking back, the most important<br />
part of being an HVL<br />
Gator was not just the opportunity<br />
to become an accomplished<br />
swimmer but to also<br />
create lasting friendships and<br />
build strong character. Please<br />
continue to support the new<br />
HVL Snack Shack at the pool<br />
so this very important summer<br />
program will continue!<br />
Mondays are open golf days<br />
at Hidden Valley Golf Club<br />
except if a special event is<br />
scheduled. Contact the Pro<br />
Shop to check availability.<br />
Reservations for the Cincinnati<br />
Reds Community Night<br />
on Sept. 9 are being taken.<br />
The Reds will be playing the<br />
St. Louis Cardinals. Get your<br />
tickets early - this event is<br />
always a sell-out and a great<br />
time for all! For additional<br />
information or to purchase<br />
tickets, visit https://fevogm.<br />
com/event/Hiddenvalley.<br />
A reminder that the HVL<br />
Board of Directors meetings<br />
are held on the fourth Thursday<br />
of every month. Plan to<br />
attend if you are interested in<br />
HVL Future Planning, upcoming<br />
events, and any new<br />
business issues.<br />
to fund a majority of the<br />
overpass update while the<br />
City of Harrison funded the<br />
remainder.<br />
Watch for different traffic<br />
patterns or possible detours<br />
on the West Road overpass<br />
during this project. The<br />
update is expected to be<br />
completed in 2024.<br />
Per ODOT, in 2025 the<br />
Dry Fork Road overpass<br />
expansion project is set to<br />
start which will widen the<br />
overpass to include turn lanes.<br />
Both expansion projects<br />
are a welcomed improvement<br />
to our growing Harrison<br />
community.<br />
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coupon When You Spend<br />
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Buy 24486 1 Lunch Stateline or Road Dinner<br />
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at regular price<br />
Get 1 Lunch We or accept Dinner<br />
competitor’s<br />
at 1/2 coupons price<br />
Excludes steaks (Limit $5 and maximum seafood<br />
per coupon<br />
When You Spend $30 Or More.<br />
Expires <strong>Aug</strong>. July Or 1/2 12, 11, price on <strong>2023</strong> 2016 2nd meal.<br />
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daily specials.<br />
*Lime Only<br />
$3.99 Margaritas<br />
ALL DAY Monday<br />
Try Our<br />
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$2.49 Bottle<br />
domestic beer<br />
Saturday<br />
24486 Stateline Road<br />
$5 Bright<br />
off purchase of<br />
on<br />
$30<br />
purchase We of accept<br />
$30<br />
Expires <strong>Aug</strong>. 12, <strong>2023</strong><br />
Expires Not Valid July competitor’s<br />
Fri. 11, or 2016 Sat.<br />
Not Valid Fri.<br />
coupons<br />
Not valid with or (Limit daily $5 maximum specials. Sat. per coupon<br />
Not valid When<br />
with You Spend<br />
daily $30 Or More.<br />
specials.<br />
*Lime Only<br />
$3.99 Margaritas<br />
ALL DAY Monday<br />
$2.49 Bottle<br />
domestic beer<br />
Saturday<br />
$5 off on<br />
Or 1/2 price on 2nd meal.<br />
Not Valid Friday or Saturday.)<br />
812-747-7262<br />
Buy 1 Lunch<br />
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at 1/2 p<br />
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