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A few extra groceries could go a long way toward helping Mentor families this holiday season.

The Mentor Police Department's 13th annual Fill-a-Cruiser Food Drive returns Sunday, November 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Giant Eagle, 8383 Tyler Boulevard.

Officers will collect nonperishable food and monetary donations to support two Mentor food pantries: St. Bede the Venerable and St. Mary of the Assumption Church.

And this community knows how to show up.

Over the event's first 12 years, residents helped fill 29 police vehicles with food while contributing nearly $23,000 in monetary donations.

Residents can participate by bringing nonperishable groceries, making a cash donation or contributing through the department's designated Venmo account.

Whether it's a bag of groceries or a few dollars, it's another opportunity for Mentor neighbors to look out for one another.

⬇️ Planning to help? We've put together a quick donation guide, including helpful grocery ideas, the two food pantry locations and Venmo details, so you can make the most of Sunday's food drive. Read the full guide below…

Lake Erie keeps reshaping our shoreline, and Lake County now has an updated plan for dealing with erosion along roughly 40 miles of coast.

The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District recently completed the coastal resilience plan with support from a previously awarded $153,000 Ohio Lake Erie Commission grant. The update revisits a county shoreline strategy developed more than 20 years ago.

The plan looks at vulnerable shorelines and nature-based ways to reduce erosion. It also includes six conceptual projects involving Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Madison Township and Perry Township. Those designs are possibilities for future work—not approved construction projects.

Mentor and Mentor-on-the-Lake are included in the countywide study area. That's important because erosion can threaten bluffs, nearby property and public spaces while sending sediment into Lake Erie.

Public presentation: Wednesday, November 18, 6–7:30 p.m., at the Perry Community Center, 2800 Perry Park Road. Perry Township requests registration.

What does this actually mean for our stretch of shoreline? Our website explains how this county plan differs from Mentor's separate Lagoons project, where you can check an official Ohio erosion map, and a resource Mentor shoreline property owners may want to know about.

Those familiar holiday bells are about to return, and the Salvation Army is starting its 2026 Red Kettle Campaign right here in Mentor.

The Painesville Corps will hold its Ring ’26 kickoff today, Tuesday, November 10, at 11:30 a.m. at Carver Financial Services, 7473 Center Street. The gathering will feature food and fellowship, with bell-ringing scheduled to begin Saturday, November 14.

The red kettles are a holiday tradition, but the work behind them continues all year. The local Painesville Corps provides services including community meals, holiday assistance, youth programs, and rent and utility help when resources are available.

The Corps also welcomes volunteers. Its website lists bell-ringing as a one-time opportunity, along with ways for families, coworkers and community groups to help. The event announcement does not list specific kettle locations or volunteer shifts, so residents should confirm those details with the local Corps.

Want to do more than drop a donation in a kettle? We found the Painesville Corps’ local volunteer page, contact number and a closer look at the services it provides—visit our website to see how you can get involved.

A Local Buzz Original Magazine

Plan for drying, curing and room access—not just the minutes spent doing the work.

You might have time to seal a gap before lunch. But will that spot be ready to paint—or get wet—before the family needs the room again? That is where a small repair can upset a perfectly reasonable plan.

Before choosing a start time, separate the work you will do from the waiting the product requires. Removing old material, cleaning and applying a replacement are hands-on steps. Curing means developing the hardness or properties the product needs to work properly. That can continue after the surface feels dry. Include these waits in your plan.

Check the exact product and version: preparation, required conditions and what each waiting period allows. “Ready to paint” does not necessarily mean fully dry or ready for everything else.

For caulking trim before painting, DAP’s instructions for white ALEX PLUS allow painting after at least 30 minutes, with longer drying in cool or humid conditions. The same technical sheet lists 24 hours for full drying and return to service. Those are different milestones for that product, not a timetable for every caulk.

Then make the plan fit your household. If the repair affects the only shower, arrange another bathing time before starting. If a doorway or work area must stay clear, decide how people will get through. Tell everyone what is unavailable and what must remain untouched.

Check the next task as carefully as the first. A sealant that cannot be painted will not become paintable because you leave it longer. A freshly cleaned surface may still need to dry before the repair can begin.

Write down the application finish time, the required wait and the condition that permits the next step. Leave room to adjust if conditions differ from the instructions.

A useful repair schedule ends when the space can be used as intended—not when the tools go away.

⬇️ Build a realistic repair timeline with two product-specific examples and a fill-in planning guide on the website.

Lake Catholic — Girls Volleyball

Lake Catholic was one point from having its volleyball season end. Ahnna Bergant made the next three points count.

With the Cougars trailing Elyria Catholic 14–13 in Saturday’s deciding fifth set, the senior delivered three consecutive kills to secure the regional championship. Newly reported details put the spotlight on the players behind that finish: Ryann Schneider led Lake Catholic with 16 kills, while Bergant added 14. www.ohiovarsity.com

Now the Cougars face Ottawa-Glandorf on Thursday, November 12, at 6 p.m. at Wright State University, with a place in the Division IV state championship match at stake. www.lakecatholic.org

Mentor — Boys Cross Country

Mentor’s boys earned another season-ending recognition, taking No. 1 in Ohio Varsity’s final cross-country power rankings.

The Cardinals’ five-runner group included Carter Schaubert, Vinny Klima, Corbin Ott, Gabe Tulenson and Shawn Castiglione. Each recorded a season-best 5,000-meter time below 16 minutes.

The ranking combines those individual bests from across the season. It recognizes Mentor’s depth and is separate from the Cardinals’ seventh-place finish at the state meet. www.ohiovarsity.com

⬇️ See the Cougars’ set-by-set finish and kill leaders, get Thursday’s semifinal details, and learn what put Mentor atop the final cross-country rankings.

🐝 Buzz Fact: Your house has a remarkable way of communicating. The furnace rattles, the floors creak, and the basement occasionally smells like it's hiding a body. Somehow, the repair bill is always the scariest part.

As I always say “kids are the best!” Enjoy.

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