October 11, 2008 was declaired Firefighter's Appreciation Day by the residents of Bishop Place at Wesley Ridge. The firefighters from the Violet and Truro townships were invited to a fried chicken lunch so the residents could personally thank the firefighters who came on Sunday evening during the Hurricane winds to help residents in the assisted living areas back to their apartments when the power was out.

The following proclamation was created and presented to the firefighters along with a card signed by all the residents.

WHEREAS, older adults are our most valuable yet vulnerable resource, our link to our communities past and present; and

WHEREAS, Firefighters are charged to protect the community during times of extreme emergency, including fires, accidents and inclement weather; and

WHEREAS, Firefighters recognize the frailty of older adults and strive to keep them safe and comfortable during times of crisis; and

WHEREAS, Firefighters understand that older adults are most comfortable in familiar surroundings, with ambulation equipment that allows for the most freedom of movement,

WHEREAS, the Firefighters of Truro Township and Violet Township have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the residents of Wesley Ridge Retirement Community by personally escorting or carrying them and their electric wheelchairs and motorized scooters up flights of stairs during a power outage; and

WHEREAS, the residents, staff and families of Wesley Ridge and the communities of Reynoldsburg and Pickerington would like to sincerely thank these firefighters for their exemplary service;

Now THEREFORE, I,    Mayor of the City of Reynoldsburg and

I, Mayor of Pickerington, do hereby proclaim October 11^th, 2008 as Firefighters Appreciation Day to recognize the value that our Firefighters bring to our community.

Chef wins Taste of Gahanna Chef’s Challenge for the Second Time!!!

There was plenty of excitement in the air at the 11^th Annual Taste of Gahanna sponsored by the Gahanna Area Chamber of Commerce. This years theme was "Treat Yourself" and featured foods that focused on apples. The evening included: signature samples from some of the best restaurants in Gahanna, celebrity emcee, Lisa Colbert, ABC 6 and Fox 28 News, door prizes, contests, entertainment, and the favorite “Chef’s Challenge,” judged by a panel of culinary experts.

Wesley Ridge Retirement Community is proud to announce that Kevin Struhldreher, Executive Chef for all of Wesley Glen and Wesley Ridge was the “Chef’s Challenge” winner for the second time in three years. 

The chefs are given a wide range of ingredients, one burner and thirty-minutes to create a culinary menu that will be judged on presentation, flavor and how well one uses the ingredients. They don’t know ahead of time what will be available, so it is quite a challenge to the chefs.  Kevin was excited about the event and commented, “I had such fun. It is a challenge to my creativity and presentation ability. What a great event.”

Kevin had a large cheering section from Wesley Ridge giving him encouragement from the sidelines. Can’t wait to see what he comes up with next year!