Madison Messenger - March 17th, 2024

PAGE 6 - MADISON MESSENGER - March 17, 2024
FESTIVALS
Continued from page 1
East Fourth Street heading toward North
Walnut Street, turn onto North Walnut
Street heading toward Park Avenue, and
end on Park Avenue where it started.
Questions and comments from council
After hearing the plan, council member
Greg Eades noted the proposed festival
grounds no longer extend past First Street
to the railroad tracks, making the festival
area smaller. He asked if everything would
still fit. Breedlove said she believed the area
would still accommodate the festivals’
needs, allowing for up to 62 10x10 vendor
tents.
Norman asked if street closures for the
festivals have been conducted properly in
the past. Closser said there have been con-
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cerns that event organizers have not been
contacting the Ohio Department of Transportation
(ODOT) which must be notified
when state routes are involved.
“We need to meet with organizers earlier
to make sure all these steps are being taken,
so we have correct closures, especially for
ODOT. It’s another piece to the whole plan,”
Closser said.
Council President Joshua Peters asked if
the plan applied to other events, not just the
Strawberry Festival, Rhythm & Rib Fest,
and Old Fashioned Christmas. Norman said
the plan is the set-up for any downtown
event that requires road closures.
“We’re setting these up exactly the same
every time. The (emergency) response time
is going to be quicker. (First responders) are
not going to be guessing where everything
is,” Norman said.
Council member Brent McDaniels
stated, “I like keeping (the festivals) downtown
and making it more safe, even if we
have to change the parade route and it
makes it more compliant and more courteous
to the business owners.”
Questions/comments from the public
Kevin and Holly Stockham, organizers of
the London Strawberry Festival, were
among the people who attended the town
hall meeting. One of their concerns is the
new proposed parade route.
“Of the three main events (that take
place downtown), we’re the only ones that
have a parade. I’m not sure why anybody
would want to be in the parade if it doesn’t
FUNK
Vicki Lynn (Ackley) Funk, 67, of Mount Sterling, Ohio, died on
March 5, 2024, in The Ohio State East Hospital, Columbus. Born
on Aug. 2, 1956, in Columbus, she was a daughter of William “Bill”
Ackley and Estella Marie (Engle) Ackley.
Professionally, Vicki had worked for several restaurants in London.
She loved knitting and crocheting and
would always make various pieces for
103 North Main Street
London, Ohio 43140-1144
(740) 852-2345
www.eberlefisherfuneralhome.com
friends, family, and caregivers. Vicki was a
huge football fan, especially supporting the
OSU Buckeyes and Dallas Cowboys. She
also cherished any classic black and white
movie that she could find!
Vicki leaves behind: two children,
Joshua Landis (fiancée Savannah Poling)
and Tiffany Landis; stepson, Rudy Funk Jr.;
grandchildren, Emmaline Maynard, Paislee
Maynard, Delilah Maynard; step-grandchildren,
Annabelle Landis, Waylon Adams,
Autumn Adams, Payton Poling; sister, Lana
Ackley; and nephews, Jeremiah (Lacey)
Webb, William Webb, and Donnie Webb.
She was preceded in death by: her parents;
first husband, Ronald Scott Landis;
second husband, Rudy Funk; and grandson,
Jessy Maynard Jr.
Visitation was set for 1-4 p.m. March 16
in Eberle-Fisher Funeral Home and Crematory,
London. Memorials in Vicki’s name
may be sent to the funeral home for the
benevolence of the family. Memorials also
may be submitted online through the “Donations”
tab at the top of the obituary page
go through the festival. It doesn’t make
sense to me,” Kevin said.
Holly added, “Every event in Ohio that I
know of runs their parade right down the
middle of their festival. So, you’re saying the
city of London is better than every other city
in the state of Ohio and surrounding states
at safety because now we’re going to run it
around?”
Closser responded, “We’re not saying
that London is better than anybody or that
London is safer than anybody. What we’re
saying is we listened to our police chief, we
listened to our fire and EMS chief, and this
is what they’re telling us.”
Holly also said the new parade route
presents a problem for the approximately
150 queens from other festivals who take
part in the Strawberry Festival parade and,
afterwards, introduce themselves and promote
their festivals on stage. They would
have to get from the Park Avenue parade
end-point back to the stage, instead of the
more direct plan the festival has used in the
past, she said.
Norman agreed that the situation for the
visiting royalty needs some thought. He and
Closser stated that the city wants to work
with festival organizers to find solutions
where possible.
Faye Ross, owner of Sammi Faye’s in
downtown London, encourages all parties
involved to work together to find solutions
to any concerns because she sees the festivals
as a way to bring people to the downtown
area and shine a spotlight on the
obituaries
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businesses there.
“We are in such a crucial point of growth
right now (in downtown London), that any
festival is free marketing. It is free exposure.
It is people coming downtown and saying,
‘Oh, wow, this is here now?’ We need to
keep that momentum going or that will not
continue in downtown London,” she said,
adding that sales for her business increase
significantly during festivals.
Several other people who attended the
town hall meeting spoke up with comments,
questions, and concerns.
One person commented about the parade
route being shorter and, therefore, allowing
for less room for spectators. One attendee
stated there’s a need for better barriers for
the street closures, that people have moved
them in the past to get around them with
their vehicles. Another attendee asked
about vendor set-up times. A question was
brought up about the Cobra car show that
takes place during the London Strawberry
Festival and closes off part of Main Street
north of High Street.
Closser said the city is working on securing
better road barriers, will look into vendor
set-up times, and will work with the
Cobra show to make things work.
At the conclusion of the town hall meeting,
Closser said the city appreciates all of
the questions, comments, concerns, and
ideas and is already addressing some of
them and taking the others into consideration.
He welcomes additional input as the
city continues to work on its festival plan.
on the funeral home’s website. Condolences for the family may be
shared at www.eberlefisherfuneralhome.com.
ZWOLL
Edna M. Zwoll, 92, of Cambridge, formerly of Westerville, died
peacefully in the arms of her daughter, March 5, 2024, at home.
Born on Oct. 6, 1931, in New Philadelphia, Ohio, she was a daughter
of Kyle Jarvis and Alice (Wharton) Jarvis.
Edna had worked as an accountant for the State of Ohio for 51
years before retiring in 2005. She was a member of Leave A Mark
Church in Columbus where she accepted Christ as her Savior. Edna
also belonged to the Westerville Senior Center before relocating to
Cambridge. She always enjoyed looking out in the yard and watching
whatever birds she could find. Additionally, Edna enjoyed gardens
and flowers. The more color the better!
She is survived by: four children, Debra (John) Eastman, Sonia
(Terry) Chadwick, Wanda Ratcliffe, and Gilbert (Diane) Zwoll Jr.;
grandchildren, Jennifer Hunt, Jeremy Hunt, Elijah Vaughn (Katelyn)
Oren, and Jordyn Eastman; great-grandchildren, Avery, Bella,
Elissa, Kinsey, Lydia, Austin; and several nieces and nephews, including
Lori Jarvis, Cassandra Jarvis, Mark Jarvis, Kyle Jarvis III,
Keith Jarvis, and Jason Hunt.
Edna was preceded in death by: her parents; husband, Gilbert
Zwoll Sr.; sister, Roberta Hunt; and brothers, Russell Jarvis, Robert
Jarvis, Richard Jarvis, and Kyle Jarvis Jr.
Visitation and a funeral service were held on March 10 at Eberle-
Fisher Funeral Home and Crematory, London, with Pastor Gaye
Gossard officiating.
Memorials in Edna’s name may be sent to the funeral home for
the benevolence of the family. Memorials also may be submitted online
through the “Donations” tab at the top of the obituary page on
the funeral home’s website. Condolences for the family may be
shared at www.eberlefisherfuneralhome.com.