Stow: October Mayor Letter

Press release from the City of Stow:

September 30, 2020

By Tracie McNutt

October Mayor Letter

Dear Stow Residents,

Happy autumn! With the onset of October, comes a new season and a chance to start anew. At the City of Stow, we are excited to be able to bring back a number of programs and events. While they may look a little different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are ecstatic to be able to have them and provide the services that our residents have come to expect and appreciate. As temperatures fall, so do the leaves! We are thrilled to be launching our Leaf Pick Up Program for 2020. For a full list of scheduled pick-up dates and guidelines, visit the following: link.

One of the traditions that we wanted to keep is our neighborhood trick or treat. While we are happy that our children will be able to dress up and enjoy this Halloween tradition, we are asking participating residents to follow certain safety protocols. In addition to following the state and county’s guidelines for social distancing, wearing masks and small gatherings of people, residents are asked not to put out a group bucket of candy or allow children to pick their own piece of candy. Please use a gloved hand to distribute candy individually to a child’s bag and sanitize often. If you wish to hand out candy, please make sure your porch light is on. The City of Stow’s trick or treating will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dress up, mask up and have fun, Stow!

An old tradition that we are excited to bring back for 2020 is our Window Painting Event. For years young people painted the windows of the old Stow-Kent Plaza stores every fall, just in time for Halloween. The City of Stow and The Stow Arts Commission feel this nostalgic activity should be revived, with a city-wide Window Painting Event. This year’s event is open to anyone of any age, and we’ll paint the windows of local businesses and senior living facilities. Visit STOWOHIO.RECDESK.COM for more information.

Trick or treat is not our only fall festivity! We are also hosting a Halloween Hayride, fall decoration tour and flag planting at City Hall in honor of Veterans Day. The Halloween Hayride is taking place at Silver Springs Park on Oct. 17 and promises a spooktacular time for the whole family! Wagons will be limited to eight people and will be properly sanitized after each ride. However, if you are not up for a haunted hayride, you can take a self-guided Decoration Tour of the businesses and houses that decorated for the fall season! The tour begins Oct. 12 and runs through Halloween. A map will be available at FunInStow.com. Additionally, the City, along with the Stow Arts Commission, is hosting a flag garden at City Hall, and we want everyone to get involved. All residents who wish to participate are asked to plant an American flag for everyone to see. Planting is to take place from Oct. 1 through Veterans Day where the flowers were throughout the summer. After Veterans Day, the City of Stow will store the flags for replanting in the spring.

As residents of Stow, we take pride in our neighborhoods and are sure to look out for each other. We are taking this to a new level by reinstituting our Neighborhood Watch program in conjunction with the Stow Police Department. Neighborhood Watch allows residents to be a part of helping fellow citizens in many ways. If you are interested in learning more and possibly starting a group in your neighborhood, more information is available on the City of Stow website.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind Stow residents that an election is quickly approaching! The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5. In Ohio, there are numerous ways to cast your vote. All registered voters may vote via an absentee ballot, which must be postmarked by Nov. 2 to count. Voters may cast their ballot early at the County Board of Elections or are able vote on Election Day, which is Nov. 3. Masks are required at all polling locations. Please remember that your vote matters, and it is our right as Americans to be an active participant in our democracy. More information is available at https://stowohio.org/voting-information/.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the City and all of our local businesses and organizations. The only way we can continue to get through these difficult times is by supporting and standing up for each other. We are Stow Strong!

Sincerely,
Mayor John Pribonic
City of Stow

This press release was produced by the City of Stow.The views expressed here are the author’s own.