The Interns Learn What's "SUP"

We Visit Lorain County interns (or "funductors") had another exciting adventure! We hit the water on Lakeview Beach in Lorain to check out stand up paddling (SUP) with Lake Erie Paddler.

Jim teaching on the beach

When Kaitlin and I first arrived on the beach, we watched Jim Lawhead, the founder of Lake Erie Paddler, teach his last class of the day to kids of the Outdoor Adventure Camp through the Lorain County Metroparks. The kids got a lesson on where to be on the board, how to paddle, and how to stand up once they got on the water. After the kids came in from their little trip around the cove, we got to chat with them for a while. One boy excitedly told us about how he loved paddle boarding so much he was asking for a board for his next birthday. Other kids talked about how they were nervous at first, but once they actually did it they realized it was much easier than they thought, and a lot of fun! We also asked the group what their favorite parts were and some of the answers were bouncing on the waves, the challenge when waves rocked their board a bit, or just everything about it!

Jim helping the kids get  settled on their boards

After watching the kids have a blast on the water, we decided to try it for ourselves! Read on for our reactions from our day on the water!

Kaitlin

The interns out on the water

Paddle boarding was so much easier than I thought it would be! I was a little nervous on the drive over, not knowing what to expect. When we first got there I took some photographs of the kids getting ready and actually paddling out on the water. It was fun to see their excitement to try something new! Seeing all of the kids falling into the water made me a bit apprehensive, but after we watched a little closer, it seemed that most of the kids who fell in were being pushed. I'm glad that Melody and I weren't into rough housing on the water! Our instructor, Julie, showed us the basics and had us go out pretty quickly. After our lesson, it seemed that the best way to get better was to practice! I had so much fun! It was great to just relax and float around out on the water. The great thing about SUP is that anyone can do it, which I found out on first hand on our trip! Out of everything to do at Lakeview beach, Melody and I definitely had the best time with Lake Erie Paddler!

Melody

Melody, Kaitlin, and instructor Julie enjoying the lake

Ok, I officially have the best summer internship there is. Going paddle boarding was one of the most fun things I've gotten to do all summer. I was a little hesitant when we first got to the beach (mostly because I had a meeting pretty soon after, and didn't particularly want to get my hair wet) but it looked so fun I couldn't justify hanging out on the beach and just watching. And, as it turned out, I managed to stay dry above my knees, so don't even try that excuse ladies! We were off after a quick lesson from Jim's right hand girl Julie, who is not only a SUP instructor but also really talented in other water sports like kite boarding and surfing! When I first pushed off I had a hard time finding my balance, but once I relaxed and settled into it, it was great! I had so much fun out on the water, and I'd love to get out there and try it again sometime. I have to admit- it's a little addicting.

There you have it! It's a pretty clear consensus; stand up paddling is an awesome way to spend a day. We officially give Lake Erie Paddler the funductor seal of approval! Check 'em out next time you're planning a family day, birthday party, or maybe even date! When you're ready to plan your day with them, make your reservation by calling 440.935.9291 or emailing lakeeriepaddler@gmail.com. 

Spotlight on Wellington, Ohio

Welcome readers! Earlier this week Kaitlin and I spent a day in one of the little towns (with a lot to offer) in Lorain County called Wellington. Our plan is to put a spotlight on a few other gems like this one throughout the summer, so be sure to keep an eye on the blog or our facebook page!

Most people's first impression of Wellington is that it's a really quaint little town. The old style of architecture in the town square definitely does not go unnoticed. 











But of course beautiful church steeples and old houses can only keep a person's attention for so long. That was far from a problem on our visit, we had no trouble filling our afternoon.

Our first stop was the Wellington Reservation. There is over 4+ miles of walking trails and a building available for rent for events that range anywhere from a baby shower to a grad party. However, Kaitlin and I had our sights on another attraction: the paddle boats. The boats are completely free, you just need to have your drivers license and one person in the boat must be over the age of 18. We were excited to learn that this year they implemented a scavenger hunt from the boats, so we signed in, got our list of clues, and got on the water!









The way the hunt works is there are 4 canisters on posts around the edge of the water. They are bright white, so it's pretty easy to see them from the boat. You just make your way to them, see what's inside, and try to figure out which clue it belongs to!







The boats are a really unique way to enjoy the beauty of the park. Some of the views you come across are absolutely stunning, and there's just no way to see it from land. And of course, it's an absolute blast to paddle around!

 And as you can see, the paddle boats aren't the only thing to do on the water. You can bring your own kayaks out, do some fishing, and there are birdhouses all throughout the park that house the many different types of beautiful song birds.

After we finished the hunt (and our mini-workout) we returned the boat to the dock and decided we'd go to a local coffee shop, Bread-n-Brew, to cool off. It's a really cute little shop with a pretty good variety of drinks and desserts to choose from. It's also a great place to stop for a full breakfast or lunch (I recommend the cinnamon swirl french toast if you're there around breakfast time). It was pretty hot out on the day of our trip, so we were more focused on the smoothies and iced drinks menu.

And who can resist that dessert counter? Clearly not us, as you can tell by the pastries with our drinks.




One of the coolest things about Bread-n-Brew is that they also sell plenty to take home with you. You can buy anything from real maple syrup or local honey, to bags of coffee beans.

After we were cooled off by my smoothie and Kaitlin's iced Chai, we decided to go to Findley State Park, which is South of Wellington. Every time I'm in the park I'm  blown away by how pretty is, especially right here in our pic, when you first drive in. The natural arc made by the highest trees make it feel like you're driving into paradise. This path is near the Thorn, which is a really intense mountain biking trail. If any cyclists are reading, keep in mind that the Thorn Trail Time Trial is coming up July 21st! 

Our last stop of the day was to poke around Days of Yore Herb and Flower Farm. It's a very unique shop, surrounded by gardens. In the spring you can buy plants for your own garden, and then head inside so look at everything else they have to offer.

 This time of year is actually perfect to visit this fun little village. On July 19th, 20th, and 21st, downtown will be full of excitement from the annual Cheese Heritage Festival. Cheese may seem like a strange theme for a festival, but it's celebrating the history of the town, which was the nation's biggest cheese producer in the late 1800's. They celebrate with a cheesecake and macaroni & cheese bake off, a parade, live music, and much more. See you there!

~Melody

Lorain County Independence Day Festivities- 2013

Independence Day is coming up fast and I'm sure many are trying to plan how to spend your holiday. Which leads to the ultimate question of what is going on in the area for you and your family to enjoy? Hopefully the following will give you some great ideas for family fun!

July 3rd

• The Avon Lake Fireworks will be at dusk at Weiss Field (33401 Webber Rd, Avon Lake, Ohio 44012)

• The Oberlin Fireworks will be at dusk at the Hamilton Recreation Complex (225 West Hamilton Road, Oberlin, Ohio 44074)

• In downtown Wellington there will be an ice cream social at 6 pm, a performance by The Patriots Community Band at 7 pm on the steps of the Town Hall, and fireworks at dusk at the Lorain County Fairgrounds. As a Wellington native, I recommend bringing a blanket and watching the fireworks from the top of the above ground reservoir. The fireworks reflection in the water really adds to the show!

• The Lorain Port Fest kicks of at 5 pm at the Black River Landing (421 Black River Lane, Lorain, Ohio 44052). Fireworks are at 10 pm. You can even go on a fireworks cruise! Tickets are $20. Click here for a full schedule of events.
  
  
  

• What better way to celebrate America's independence than by watching America's favorite past time? The Lake Erie Crushers are playing with a special pre/post game concert. More details here. 

• North Ridgeville will be having their annual Party in the Park. Family friendly activities will start at 7 pm and continue until the fireworks at dusk. 

July 4th

• The Grafton Fireworks will be at dusk in Willow Park off of Grafton Road

• Cedar Point will be lighting off fireworks at 10:30 pm in addition to the rest of their 4th of July celebration

• The Lake Erie Crushers will be playing another game (7:05 pm), which will end with a fantastic fireworks show. 

• The 94th Annual Rochester 4th of July celebration will be at the Eagle Street Park and Fire Station. This event has a ton of fun things going on, including a parade at 10:30 am and fireworks at dusk. Check out the complete schedule. 

• Wellington's celebration continues on Thursday with a parade at 3 pm and many other games and events throughout the day. 

Feel free to check out our calendar of events for more fun things happening in Lorain County. Have a wonderful holiday!

~Melody

P.S. If you know of any events in the county that aren't mentioned, please let us know in the comment section!

The Funductors First Adventure: Common Ground Center

Wow, this internship definitely had an exciting start to it! Our orientation was at Common Ground- The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal in Oberlin. I had never been to Common Ground before, so I had no idea what to expect when I pulled in the parking lot. My only clue was the email I got saying to wear comfortable shoes, so I at least knew it wouldn't be a typical day in the office. After a few minutes inside meeting the other people in the Leadership Lorain County Internship Program and getting some paperwork out of the way, we were headed outside to the gorgeous 21-acre grounds to see what was planned for us the rest of the day.

The first activity on the agenda was a game to teach us how to plan and work together as a team to accomplish a task. We had to hold the funnels you see above (with our pinkys always touching each other) and use every one to get a golf ball into a bucket. You can see Kaitlin third from the end on the left side working together with the rest of the team.

Next we were in the woods with a whole new goal. We had to pass all the interns (there are about 30 of us) from one place to another, the only catch that there was a "sleeping spider" and we couldn't just walk. We had to climb across in a net, which as you can see, was pretty far off the ground. We had to pick each other up into the net, make our way across, and help each other down on the other side. Above is Kaitlin being lifted up, and below you see me (Melody) making my way to the other side. 

It was a little scary getting lifted up, but knowing I had people spotting me ready to catch me if I fall and hearing their encouragement made it a lot of fun. 

We played a few other games that day, but this next one was definitely my favorite. Can you guess what we were doing by the picture? 

What you can't see is the two diverging tightropes we were walking on. The further we moved along the wider the distance got, and the more we had to lean on each other to keep from falling. It was really fun to push ourselves to trust people we had just met to make it as far as possible on the ropes. Two boys in our group made it to the end, being almost parallel to the ground! And you can see again the spotters we had to take away some of the nervousness and focus on how much fun it was. 

Kaitlin and I had a blast at Common Ground, and I would spend another day there in a heartbeat. I would absolutely recommend signing up for any of their day camps for kids or their adult programs. If we had such a great time in one afternoon I can only imagine what a full week would be like!

~Melody

*All photos were taken by Leadership Lorain County

Meet our Summer Funductors!

Melody and Kaitlin heading out for another adventure.

Meet the 2013 Visit Lorain County Summer Funductors (aka "Interns"), Melody Reams (pictured left above) and Kaitlin Jackson. Melody and Kaitlin are part of the Leadership Lorain County internship program. Melody is currently attending Ohio State University majoring in Marketing. She is a graduate of Wellington High School and resides in Wellington. Kaitlin is a student at Ohio University who is majoring in Commercial Photography and Middle Childhood Education. She is a graduate of Firelands High School and resides in Oberlin.

Melody and Kaitlin will be exploring all the nooks and crannies for summer fun in Lorain County this summer and blogging about their experiences. Keep an eye on the blog. You never know what they might find and share!