The theme for 2024:
The World Around Us
October 2: Movie & Discussion Night
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
General Task Force News & Reminders
- We are now ending our 14th year!
- Zero Waste Potluck Dinner
Another successful, fun night here in the barn with about 30 in attendance…good
company, conversation, and FOOD! - REMINDER: Oct 10, Steering Committee meeting at the community center, 4:15
Members: Cathy Murphy, Amy Milroy, Mary Fash, Rick & Jeanette Evans, Frank
Popotnik, Marilyn Wilson, Anna Hinkle, Marybeth Skala, Kristi Pinkley, Melanie Kutnik…and
anyone else who would like to attend. The discussion will be about 2025 plans. - REMINDER: Nov 6 Membership Business Meeting, plans for 2025
- Pill Bottles
Thank you everyone for saving the bottles…..Carol Mulhern and Scott Wachter
take them to either Medwish (here…and Scott just dropped off 500 there) or to
Matthews 25 Ministry in Cincinnati….thank you, Carol and Mary Fash.
PLEASE….make certain that the labels and all the adhesive have been removed, bottles
are washed in hot soapy water, and marked ‘WASHED AND CLEAN” - Reusable Shopping Bags
We have donated over 200 bags to the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Until we started collecting the bags for them, they had to buy bags at $1/bag. - Little Free Library
The little library has been emptied and restocked several times. Thank you to
Frank and Beth Popotnik for overseeing this! - Membership Dues
Should we continue to collect and fund our scholarship? - Tonight’s Short Documentary & Presentation
“Forever Chemicals” Watch it here: https://youtu.be/nD3sZZwu5v0?si=hOjVjL-tIHrkVCAd
Presentation on this topic with Kate Chapel, our Cuyahoga County Soil & Water District
Watershed coordinator, who also happens to be a botanist!
September 4: Zero Waste Potluck Dinner
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
General Task Force News & Reminders
- We are now ending our 14th year! THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT…AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE HHGTF THROUGHOUT THE YEARS!
- Flyers
So. Euclid E-Waste, Kiwanis Leave & Take, HHts Hazardeous Waste, and scholarship thank you note - Little Free Library
Thanks to the Popotniks…Frank and Beth for their help in keeping it stocked - Freecycle/E-Waste Drive
Thank you to the staff at the park for their help. And thank you to all the volunteers who once again worked the event! - Tree Stakes
Please take a look at the tree signage that my daughter made for the trees that HHGTF helped fund for planting on the past 4 Arbor Days - August Field Trip
The field trip to Secret Hostas Garden of Chagrin Falls had to be cancelled due to storm damage…Hopefully many have visited their fantastic property on your own. - Going Forward – 2025
If we continue, the campaign theme will be “Living Green”. - Miscellaneous Business
- Is there still interest in the HHGTF continuing?
- Ideas for speakers.
- Unfortunately, a replacement for Pres/Chairman didn’t work out.
- The HHGTF is also about community….
- Meeting Reminder: Steering Committee
October 10th, Thursday at 4:30…members that were on the Board have agreed to be on the steering committee, but would anyone else be interested in helping out? Presently we have 9, but I think some may want to resign.
Cathy M, Amy M, Mary, Rick, Frank, Marilyn, Judy, Anna and Marybeth - October Movie & Discussion
Wednesday, Oct 2, 7 pm. We will watch the short documentary “Forever Chemicals”. Then our watershed coordinator Kate Chapel will give a talk on the subject. A discussion will follow. - Raffle
Thank you, again, for attending…and for the yummy food!
March 6: Steering Committee Meeting
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
General Task Force News & Reminders
- NEW HHGTF Structure: We are still in the process of restructuring our leadership. Officers with a Board of Directors, are switching to a Committee Chairperson with a Steering/Advisory board. Are there other suggestions for the title of Chairperson?
- MEETINGS AND TRANSPARENCY: HHGTF continues to hold meetings and report to foster transparency.
- CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP: Founding member, Cherie Godnavec has volunteered to be Judy Dearden’s replacement. She is presently in training. Judy will continue to be responsible for the finances.
- SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO ONLINE MATERIALS: Going forward, we will need to transfer email addresses and other online information. If you can help, please contact Judy.
- 2024 CALENDAR; We will continue to discuss 2025. Decisions are needed about what to keep and what to let go.
- THOUGHTS ON OUTREACH: We need ideas as to how to attract younger members! Possibilities to consider include:
- Re-establishing a connection in Mayfield Schools
- Are we making a difference?
- We need ideas on how to get the word out. We often hear comments like ‘No one knows about this’ and ‘They don’t tell us’
- THE 2025 CAMPAIGN = Living Green
- FREECYCLE/E-WASTE DRIVE: The City of Highland Heights won’t take over, but Parks and Recs have agreed to assist. We need to establish a committee for this.
- CONTINUED SUCCESS: The FaceBook page, GREENER TOGETHER NETWORK of NORTHEAST OHIO, Facebook page continues to flourish with 111 members. If you haven’t joined, give it a look! https://www.facebook.com/groups/greener2gether
- HHGTF WEBSITE: How many look at it? Our web designer Angela Berlingeri is an admin at www.highlandhtsgreen.org
- LITTLE FREE LIBRARY Frank Popotnik will look after it this year, and Ellen Schwartz will continue to supply kids books from the Kids Book Bank
- SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Donna Grigas, Joan Albro, MaryBeth Skala, me…volunteer to replace me?
Thank you all for going down this path together!
February 7: Hazardous Waste 101
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
General Task Force News & Reminders
- Membership Dues: Still accepting dues…Membership forms are on the back table and online here.
- Community Clean-Up Day: Sat, April 20, 9 until noon. The signup sheet is in the notebook
- Arbor Day: Donation to the city to purchase another tree will be $250.00. The planting date is April 26, Arbor Day, at 3 PM in the city park. The board will have Judy’s daughter make wood plaques for the trees for 2022, 2023 and 2024
- Scholarships: The Board voted that $1,000 could go each to two applicants, to be determined when we review applications
- GREENER TOGETHER NETWORK in Northeast Ohio, the Facebook group, is doing well. Lots of events and activities are being posted!
- Help the Children’s Burn Unit: Please remember to take cans to the fire department for the children’s burn unit
- Glass Recycling appears to be doing well, as there is no report from the city
PLASTIC TRASH TIP
Contain small pcs of plastics in a non-recyclable bag or container, any small pc that would sail away…..
Task Force EVENT & Feature UPDATES
- Freecycle/E-Waste Drive: Per discussion, The Boy Scouts will not be able to take it on.
- Parks and Rec will assist with the Freecycle/E-Waste Drive, but not take it over.
- Scholarship Committee: Donna Grigas, Joan Albro, Judy Dearden, MaryBeth Skala. Thank you Donna, Joan, Marybeth, and of course Judy!
- Gazebo Potluck: Set up at 4
- Little Free Library: Frank Popotnik has volunteered to maintain it Thank you, Frank.
Major Restructuring of Highland Heights Green Task Force
It was determined that the HHGTF will replace the structure of officers and a Board of Directors with a Steering Committee and a Chairman. Judy Dearden will continue doing financial duties.
One of our founding members has stepped up and volunteered to take the lead! Cherie Godnavec and Judy Dearden will be working together to transition Cherie into the HHGTF lead position. Thank you Cherie!!!!
February Presentation
Speaker: Matt Walters, Coordinator for the Recycling Programs with Cuyahoga Solid Waste District.
Presentation: Hazardous Waste, 101.
January, 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
No meeting this month.