Dream House another success for Lake YMCA

BOUQUETS>>To the Lake County YMCA on another successful Dream House fundraiser — the agency’s 25th.

This year’s Dream House program sold 100,596 tickets, the most ever, and raised just shy of $1.2 million.

And perhaps no one was happier about that than Dave Coyne of Mentor who turned the winning key that opened the door to the 2018 Lake County YMCA Dream House at 5360 Highland Way in the new Lakeshore Highlands Development in Mentor.

“When I turned the key, I was just, well, stunned,” he said. “I’ve belonged to the Y since November of ’02,” he said. “(My wife) got me a membership after I had a heart attack and the doctor said I needed to start (an exercise regimen).”

Providing folks like Dave with a space to exercise is just one part of the mission of the Lake County YMCA.

“The Y reinvests every dollar raised from the Dream House back into the community by enhancing our programs and facilities which allows us to accomplish our mission,” said Executive Director Dick Bennett. Painesville Township builder JEMM Construction led the team of generous business and community volunteers who made such a project happen.

A project that leads to programs such as a new Y swim class that was offered free to more than 200 Painesville City School second-grade students.

“It is not yet determined how proceeds from the 2018 Dream House will be used, but each of the Lake County Y branches are beginning to determine what enhancements they can make to best meet the needs of their members,” Bennett said.

We’re sure of one thing: The Y will use those dollars wisely to benefit the community.

Another job well done by all.

BOUQUETS» And good luck to Marvin Jones II, the new Euclid Schools superintendent.

“I’m looking forward to winning, growth and progress, and becoming part of the community,” Jones said. “I’m most excited about learning about the district and the community culture, and determining, collaboratively, what needs to be done next to enhance the learning opportunities for our kids so that they’re ready for society and the globe.

“Euclid is a tight-knit community, small enough to impact real change — and it’s happening. The previous superintendent absolutely did a great job initiating the strategic planning process and creating corresponding teams of people to bring it to fruition. I believe in strategy, but I also believe in creating the conditions for success. This requires an intense and unrelenting focus on establishing a culture of learning at all levels, from students to teachers and staff, to administrators and the community. And I absolutely believe in partnership between the district and the community.”

Sound like Jones is just what the district needs.

BRICKBATS» To Nathaniel Cook and his brother Anthony Cook.

The pair admitted they were behind nine killings in 1980 and ‘81. They told of how they preyed on women walking alone and young couples in parked cars, raping the women before killing them.

Nathaniel Cook confessed to three murders while his brother admitted to killing five other people. Anthony Cook, who is serving two life sentences, already had been convicted in another killing.

The brothers offered to confess in exchange for a chance of parole for Nathaniel Cook. That deal was agreed to by both prosecutors and the victims’ families,

What kind of choice is that? The price for finding some small measure of peace in knowing what happened to your loved one is that the person who took them from you will not have to spend the rest of their life behind bars. How unfair.

So now the court had no other choice but to release the 59-year-old Nathaniel, who has completed serving 20 years in prison.

Lucas County Judge Linda Jennings tried to find a reason to keep him locked up. “Unfortunately, I found none,” she said.

He will be required to spend his first six months in a workrelease program where he’ll live in a dormitory. And he will have to wear an electronic monitor for a year and to register his address every 90 days. We hope that will be enough to deter this predator.

Many families of victims kept hope that investigators could link Nathaniel Cook to another crime, but they also knew this day was coming.

“We’ve dreaded it, but we agreed to it,” said Pam Henderson, whose brother was killed in 1981.

Some said they were worried about what Cook could do once he’s out.

“I’m disappointed. He needs to be in prison for the rest of life,” said Sandra Rollins, who was raped and nearly died after being stabbed by the Cook brothers in 1980. “I’m afraid for other people out there.”

We are too.