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Message from Mayor Cyril Kleem
Berea’s Grindstone Festival and the Live at the Lake concerts were back in full swing this summer.
To top off the season, The Bottom Line Band will perform on Aug. 26 at Coe Lake Park. The band plays a mix of music from traditional to rock. Then we can look forward to Harvest Fest in October and the Light Up Berea Parade in December.
All of this is made possible by the incredible generosity of our donors and supporters. This year, they contributed more than $100,000 to fund our music, movies and festivals for Berea families. That’s a record-high amount for our event fundraising campaign.
Donations ranged from a couple of dollars from kids and families to thousands of dollars from organizations and corporations.
Thank you. Whether you supported Berea by donating money or by attending some of our events, you are fine examples of what community really means. I have often said that the key portion of the word community is “unity.” A city is brick and mortar. A community is people. You have proven that Berea is a community whose people care for each other and the place we call home.
It has been a dream of mine since I graduated from college and started working for the City to harness this community’s potential. Coe Lake was a priority. Did you know that Coe Lake used to be the city dump? Back in the 1940s and ‘50s, residents would toss their trash into what used to be part of the sandstone quarries. The Corps of Engineers changed that. The lake was dredged and part of the dump filled in.
We have transformed that area into a family-oriented entertainment spot. It is clean and safe, newly expanded and a very attractive location for fishing and picnicking, dog-walking and nature hikes, as well as weddings in the gazebo and prom photos by the lake.
It also has been an economic boost for our downtown businesses.
I am very proud of Berea. I hope you are, too.