Funding Brecksville’s Birthday Celebration

Residents looking for a way to support students, fund local historical associations and help the city put on free events this year are in luck. 

Fundraisers for the Brecksville Bicentennial Committee can be found all around town, from a local business to the Community Center. The fundraisers will support a variety of people and programs in Brecksville and Broadview Heights, depending on how much is raised, said co-chairman Frank DeWolf.

Most of the events are free of charge to the public, but these various fundraisers are helping to pay for any related expenses. After that, DeWolf said, the committee hopes to raise enough to provide scholarships for students, to give grants to both the Brecksville Historical Association and the Broadview Heights Historical Society and to fund a bicentennial memorial for the city.

The committee has had bicentennial apparel like polo shirts, hats and tote bags , but those aren’t the only anniversary souvenirs residents can purchase. The committee is also offering a commemorative card deck of cards—a full deck, plus two wild cards and two trivia cards—for $10. Each card features a photo of something historic in the city and was sponsored by a group or individual. 

The committee has high hopes for the cards–with 1,000 decks for sale, they could make up to $10,000, DeWolf said. The cards, as well as the apparel, can be purchased at the , the or online.

Another fundraiser had been going on at . The restaurant began offering commemorative wine before the holidays, said co-owner Shirley Harper, and it’s about sold out at this point. The restaurant is open to continuing the fundraiser with another shipment of wine in the future.

“It’s just our way of getting involved,” she said.

Creekside is the only business so far that has held its own fundraiser, DeWolf said, but the committee is open to merchants who are interested in getting involved with the bicentennial. 

“If they have an idea, bring it to the bicentennial committee,” DeWolf added.

DeWolf said residents can also donate to the Friends of the Brecksville Bicentennial fund. More information on that is available through .