Memorial Day Memorial

The Windseeker

Thrill-seekers await the opening of Cedar Point's newest ride on Tuesday, June 14, 2011, in Sandusky, Ohio.


Julio Valles, one of the first in line when Windseeker opened, cheers as he makes his way to a seat on Cedar Point's newest ride.






A view of Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster as the sun sets.

Flyin'

Bob Staight closes the door to his Ercoupe over 11-year-old Andy Bores during Huron County Airport's Young Eagles "Kids Fly Free" event hosted by EAA Chapter 50, on Saturday, June 25, 2011, in Norwalk, Ohio. When Bores landed, he explained, "I saw my cat's vet and the right row win at the racetrack!" Staight has flown over 450 children in his airplane and volunteered his time and fuel for the event.

Adonn Kruki, 12, and his sister, Ava Kruki, 10, gaze out the window on their first plane ride as Dan LeClair, president of Friends of the Huron County Airport, lifts off the runway. "I have one word to say about this: 'Wow'," remarked Adonn during the flight. The children's excitement prompted LeClair to explain, "This is why we do this." The pilot donated his time and fuel to participate in the event.

Somewhere above Huron County, Ohio.

Adonn Kruki, 12, looks out the window as he and his sister, Ava Kruki, 10, soar above Huron County.

Antonio Diaz, 13, left, of Norwalk, and Dae'Won Anderson, 9, of Lorain, admire their Young Eagles certificates after taking a ride in an airplane at the Kids Fly Free event. Many of the children who participated in the event were first-time flyers.

Learn more about EAA Chapter 50.

Life in Laps

Life in Laps from Angela Wilhelm on Vimeo.

     Shannon Evans, a carpenter by trade and a stock car racer aficionado, was born and raised in Nelsonville, Ohio.  He spent his boyhood climbing trees and dreaming of steering "big rigs" across the country.  Once he became a certified semi-truck driver, he traveled from city to city with his cargo in tow but realized it was not the dream he had imagined it to be. 
     Missing birthday parties and big events like picking up his son, Cris, from school when he broke his wrist, was not something he had anticipated.  A life away from home was one he had not wished for, and Nelsonville was a long drive from any city.  The small job market of a retired coal town was something he did anticipate, but Evans does his best to find carpentry jobs when the weather is suitable, as living in the country allows him to hear "the chipmunks chirping and the birds cheeping.”  Though his wife of 21 years was from “the big city” of Columbus, she adapted well to country life and was pleased at the friendliness of the local people.  His love of driving vehicles morphed into building his own stock car and racing it all over southeast Ohio and the surrounding states, but his family has trouble sharing this love with him. 
     Cris, 16, is an artistic high school student who sees himself behind a computer for most of his life, as he studies video games and takes computer technology classes.  Alyson, 13, loves animals and changes her dreams from week to week, varying from veterinarian to professional “dirt bike racer.”  Her pink walls are dotted with photos of teen heartthrobs ripped from magazines.  She knows that kids her age should be “outside for at least 60 minutes a day,” but enjoys watching the television in her room while her brother plays video games on the other side of her wall. 
     Evans has trouble comparing his life filled with outdoors and manual labor to the life of computers and televisions his children lead. But every Saturday, the three look past their differences and head to Dow's Rollarena to enjoy their one common interest- rollerskating.

...Tomorrow, a Graduate

Reminisce

|ˌreməˈnis|
verb [intrans.]
indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events : they reminisced about their summers abroad.

My Girls

I don't mean to seem like I care about material things
Like our social stats
I just want four walls and adobe slats for my girls