Back to School – With a Smile!
I’m glad I got to walk down Summit this morning. Summit passes Lincoln Elementary School and today was the first day back to school after summer vacation. The streets and sidewalks were filled with activity and anticipation.
Our Lakewood City Council President Sarah Kepple joined me on the walk (she has been a resident of Summit for over 15 years). We started where Summit dead-ends into a cliff overlooking Lake Erie and headed south towards Lincoln. When we reached the intersection with Lake, Pam the crossing guard cheerfully helped us safely cross the street.
I could tell Pam was ecstatic to be back at her job, and she confirmed that she loves the first day of school. She told us that she had gone to Lincoln herself, and enjoys fulfilling her duty of keeping the corner of Lake and Summit safe for all travelers (students, parents, joggers and bikers). She joined us for a selfie with smiles all around.
I did a complete loop of the street with Sarah – travelling to Detroit and then back down the other side of the street heading north. As we were nearing Lincoln for the second time she pointed out the now tallest and oldest tree on Summit.
It sadly took over the title when the oldest tree in all of Lakewood was removed from Summit in 2018 due to decay. It was know as a Moses Cleaveland tree because it was considered an adult white oak back in 1796 when Moses Cleaveland landed on the Cuyahoga River. At the time of removal it was over 250 years old and one of the oldest trees in the entire state of Ohio. I can remember walking past that tree with my kids and stopping to create a family chain around it by interlocking our arms.
