The President's Corner

Happy New Year Parma Observer Reader! In this month’s column I am going to take a hiatus from my monthly Parma City Council report and focus on how we can all help address the needs of our community and make Parma an even better place to live. I realize that many who will read this article are already giving quite a bit back and I thank you for your sacrifices and selflessness. My goal is to persuade everyone in our fine community to use his or her talents in 2012 to make this the “Year to Volunteer” in Parma. 

I would suspect that two of the primary reasons holding folks back to volunteering are, 1.) Not knowing who to contact and 2.) Not feeling they can contribute meaningfully.  My suggestion is to think about what you love to do and where your God-given talents lie. There are a multitude of fine organizations in Parma that would surely benefit from what you have to offer. I have listed some of them below, along with contact information. 

American Cancer Society Parma Area Relay for Life – 884-0489

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=37022&pg=entry

City of Parma Recreation Department - Parmatown Mall (885-8144)

http://www.cityofparma-oh.gov/cityhall/recreation.aspx

Donna Smallwood Activities Center and Office of Aging- 7001 W. Ridgewood Drive (885-8800)

http://www.cityofparma-oh.gov/seniorcenter/index.aspx

Friends of Big Creek – 216-661-7706

http://www.friendsofbigcreek.org/

Parma Animal Shelter – 6260 State Road (885-8014)

http://parmashelter.org/home/

Parma Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) – 885-1217

Parma Community General Hospital – 7007 Powers Boulevard (743-3000)

http://www.parmahospital.org/

Parma Police Auxiliary – 5555 Powers Boulevard (887-7300, Extension 7228)

http://www.cityofparmaauxpolice.com/

Stearns Homestead and Farm – 6975 Ridge Road (845-9770)

http://www.stearnshomestead.com/

West Creek Preservation Committee– 1440 Rockside Road, Ste. 329 (216-749-3720)

http://www.westcreek.org/

The list above is far from comprehensive, for it does not list specific schools, churches, libraries, fraternal organizations, etc.  However, it will hopefully provide you with what you need to start thinking about how you can get more involved in Parma. Please forgive me in if I left your organization out of the list. My hope is to put together a Volunteer in Parma brochure sometime in the New Year. So, if you have any suggestions, please share them with me.

I hope that you find my column helpful and informative. I am always looking for ideas regarding what you would like to know more about regarding your local government and community. Thank you to the many folks who have contacted me with suggestions. If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me at (440) 885-8091 or councilmanbrennan@sbcglobal.net.  Best wishes for a healthy, love-filled 2012.