The last three years have been very difficult but he never complained, continuing to care for us in any way that he could. God saw that he was growing tired and called him to his reward on Oct. 6th.

Chuck graduated from Amherst High School (Website | Profile) in 1953, serving as President of his Senior Class, lettering in basketball and football and attending Iowa State University on a football scholarship. He was a graduate of Carnegie Institute, served in The Ohio National Guard, and was a volunteer fireman with the Carlisle Township Fire Department from 1967 to 1981.

We became a basketball family when he served as Front Scout for Elyria Catholic's (Website | Profile) basketball program under coach, Bob Guinta. Chuck was also a member of the initial Silver Dollar Bingo Team at Elyria Catholic.

He was active in the Lorain County Democrat Party, a former Precinct Committeeman and a recipient of Elyria's C.O.D.E. (Committee Organized for Democrat Elections) award. He worked for the State of Ohio Department of Highway Safety under J. Grant Keys and Governor Michael V. DiSalle, and as a Security Guard for President John F. Kennedy.

He was Lorain County's first Director of Disaster Services and also worked for a number of years at the Lorain County Board of Elections (Website | Profile). Chuck worked for both Lorain County Engineers Lawrence McGlinchy and Ken Carney, retiring in 1991 from Ken Carney's Office.

Chuck Blair lived life with zest, humor, kindness and enjoyment. He took the gifts that were given to him and shared them with others. For 51 years, I had the privilege of being his partner. What joy to look at his Grandchildren and see his reflection in them. Over and over he showed us that: "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

IMPORTANT ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2009
Yes, one vote does count and often it makes the difference between victory and defeat. Recently, a classmate forwarded "A Message for All Women" which detailed the struggles that our foremothers went through to gain the right for women to vote, including imprisonment for picketing Woodrow Wilson's White House. Women did not gain the right to vote until 1920. Don't forget to use it on November 3rd!

LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY ALLIANCE ANNUAL SUMMIT
This Alliance's 10th Annual Summit held on Oct. 2nd featured a potpourri of information shared by Speakers Mike Cochran, Executive Director of the Ohio Township Association, State Senator, Capri Cafaro, and Ohio Attorney General, Richard Cordrey. This was billed as the LCCA's Three C Show: Cochran, Cafaro and Cordrey.

Mr. Cochran noted that this was his 31st and final year as OTA Executive Director. He is also serving on the Ohio Commission on Local Government Reform which is scheduled to formally report on July 1, 2010. Mike suggested that words beginning with "co" are good, such as collaboration, co-operation, maybe even common sense. But, words beginning with "con" such as consolidation are not good. The Commission will be in the Cleveland area Dec. 4th to hear testimony.

Capri entered the Senate at age 29, the youngest woman ever to serve in the Ohio State Legislature. She is a former member of the Ohio Rail Development Commission and relayed information on Public Transportation. She is also proposing TIA legislation which would allow an Authority to levy tolls through the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Lorain County Treasurer, Dan Talarek, introduced the Attorney General, and told of their various working relationships. Mr. Cordrey detailed some of the vast responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General.

Virginia Haynes, Administrative Coordinator of the Alliance and a Wellington Township Trustee, was chosen as this year's winner of the Mike Whitmore Award for Vision in Government. Virginia is also President of the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce and serves on numerous committees for her Township and community. Past recipients of this award include: Assistant Prosecutor, Gerald Innes; LCCA Chair, Betty Blair; Assistant County Administrator, Ron Twining; State Representative Matt Lundy.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT:

IN THE BEGINNING:
"Woman was not taken from man's head to be ruled by him, nor from his feet to be trampled upon, but from his side to walk beside him, from under his arm to be protected by him, and from near his heart to be loved by him." -- Gordon Higham circa 1956

Life's Clock

"The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just where
The hands will stop
At late or early hour.
To lose one's wealth is sad indeed;
To lose one's health is more;
To lose one's soul is such a loss
As no man can restore.
The present only is our own
Live, Love, toil with a will --
Place no faith in 'tomorrow' -- for
The Clock may then be still." - Association of Marian Helpers