Warren Sklar and his wife, Zehava, have lived in Beachwood for more than 30 years. They enjoy traveling in their RV, often to visit family. Over the past six months, three situations arose at home that required help from the Beachwood police, fire, and service departments.
When the Sklars were in California about six months ago, their burglar alarm sounded. The alarm company called them and dispatched the Beachwood Police Department. Their neighbor, Barbie Barnholtz, had a key and met the officers, who checked the property and reassured the Sklars that everything was OK. Warren later learned that a short in the system triggered the alarm.
A few months later, the Sklar’s were again out of town when the fire alarm blared. The Beachwood Fire Department was dispatched, Barbie met them, and everything was alright.
When Warren found water in his basement, he replaced drains. The problem persisted and Warren called the Beachwood Service Department for help. They did some trouble shooting, called in the county, and followed up until the issue was resolved.
The common denominator of these incidents was the professionalism, timeliness, and courtesy of every city employee. “We were so grateful, for everyone’s help and concern,” Warren said. “It’s reassuring to know that, as residents, we feel a sense of security because of the caring people who work for the City of Beachwood.”
Warren called City Hall to share his gratitude, and decided that he wanted to get involved in some way to give back to the community that does so much for him.
When Warren read “The Beachwood 100 Awards 7” in last month’s issue of Beachwood Buzz, he recognized his neighbor, Drew Barnholtz, in a photo and called to inquire about Beachwood 100. Drew invited him to a meeting.
Warren attended, joined, and chose to become involved. Beachwood 100 was established in 1969 and supports the safety forces who protect our community. Members raise money through dues and corporate donations to create a contingency fund that is used to aid our city’s safety forces in times of personal emergencies, to fund scholarships for graduating seniors whose parents are members of Beachwood’s safety forces, and to purchase exercise equipment for the city’s police and fire departments. Last month’s article featured seven scholarship recipients.
“Beachwood 100 does nice things for police officers and fire fighters, and because of my recent experiences, I witnessed their exceptional service first-hand,” Warren said. “Beachwood 100 members are active because they want our safety forces to know that our community stands by them and is grateful for their service.
“People are often quick to complain, yet slow to compliment,” Warren added. “Through Beachwood 100, I can show support and compliment these wonderful people.”
“We welcome Warren to Beachwood 100, and we invite and encourage more Beachwood citizens and companies to contribute and make a difference,” said Ivor Kiwi, Beachwood 100 president.”
For membership information, email [email protected], visit beachwood100.org or call 216.373.0844. You can also find them on Facebook.