Skating for a cause
What do local firefighters and roller derby team members have in common? A desire to help a charity that brightens Christmas for children.
Firefighters and roller derby members who participated in the Skates and Ladders event raised $1,300 for the Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund, which brings smiles to the faces of children with the delivery of toys to children from low-income families at Christmas.
Kudos to their efforts, and to the more than 150 who came to watch July 15 and donated to the cause.
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Worthy winners
Catie (Watts) Greiner and Ilya Schwartzman were selected as this year’s women’s and men’s winners of the Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award for their efforts to help local youths learn positive characteristics through sports.
Greiner, 34, is North’s volleyball coach and a former East volleyball player who earned All-State honors as a senior. She has coached club volleyball and last year helped combine the North and East clubs to form the Columbus Volleyball Academy. Schwartzman, 56, the East girls soccer coach, started coaching locally in the parks and recreation program, which he did for 10 years before becoming coach of the Columbus Express Soccer Club teams. His East teams have won 12 conference, three sectional and two regional championships in 13 years.
Both have represented the community well and have made an impact in their sports. The honor is well deserved for both.
Safety at heart
Hunter Wart could have chosen anything for his senior project. The project he picked has the safety of infants at heart.
The 17-year-old Columbus North student is trying to have a Safe Haven Baby Box installed at Columbus Fire Station No. 3. A baby box allows an individual to safely surrender a baby less than 30 days old, without penalty.
He has raised more than half of the $10,000 needed to install the box. That’s a determined effort to help infants.
