The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Eastlake and Willowick mayors battle it out
Eastlake and Willowick mayors battle it out with lemons for the Miracle League of Lake County.
Eastlake Mayor Dennis Morley answered the challenge of Willowick Mayor Rich Regovich when the two of them faced off in a lemon squeeze rematch at Classic Park on Aug. 18.
The Lemon Squeeze competition is a fundraiser sponsored by Billie Federer and her Chick-fil-A restaurants to help raise money for the Miracle League of Lake County’s Ball Park and Inclusive Playground at Classic Park. The ballpark and playground are adaptive to allow kids with all kinds of special needs and disabilities to play baseball and enjoy a playground experience. The Miracle League believes every child should play ball.
The friendly competition consisted of both mayors being given a bucket with 20 lemons each. Using an electric juicer, the first mayor to squeeze all his lemons would be declared the winner. The rematch came as a result of Regovich challenging Morley in a letter to the editor after Morley was determined the winner of the first challenge with a little assistance from Miracle League Board of Director President Judy Moran.
The lemon squeeze rematch brought out the competitiveness in both mayors as a few lemons got thrown back and forth, and Cow, the Chick-fil-A, mascot dangled a set of handcuffs in front of Regovich.
There was no winner declared when the battle ended. It was officially determined to be a tie, leaving the possibility for another rematch between the mayors.
The Lake County Captains played immediately following the squeeze-off and at the end of the first inning, Chick-fil-A employees, joined Morley, Moran and Regovich on the field. At that time, Federer presented a $9,037.45 check, proceeds from Chick-fil-A’s cookie fundraiser, to go toward the completion of the Miracle League Ballpark.
“I am very glad we had such community support,” Moran said. “Billie Federer and Chick-fil-A have stepped up on their own to help this to become a reality.”
Morley added that he also is appreciative and thanked the other Chick-fil-A locations at Great Lakes Mall and on Mentor Avenue, both in Mentor, for their participation in the cookie sales over the summer.
Progress is being made on raising the funds to complete the ballpark and playground. The playground equipment has been installed and waits for the special padded surface, designed to prevent injuries and accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices, to be added.
A grand opening for the playground is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 13, according to Morley, who is hopeful to break ground on the ballpark shortly afterward.
The organization is close to raising the needed funds to complete the project. Of the $1.2 million dollars needed, they are short $150,000.
A Go-Fund Me page has been set up to help reach the goal.
“I would like to thank Mayor Regovich for his good sportsmanship in the second lemon squeeze,” Morley said. “This is great for the city and the county and I look forward to the opening of the playground in mid-September and the start of the Miracle League ball field.”