Our readers write

Oxford losing business base

I am so sad. I have just come from the Going Out of Business Sale of Gretchen’s Hallmark Shop. Too much of Oxford is going away. All we have are student apartments, bars, pizza shops and sandwich shops for students.

What about those of us who live here year round? This is our home. We have one grocery. We must go to Cincinnati, Hamilton, Columbus and Richmond for our necessities of life. I think City Council should make quarterly reports to the citizenry to tell us what (if anything) they are doing to bring businesses, other than bars and pizza and sub shops to Oxford. Please, let’s actively seek and acquire new businesses, not just close the ones we have had for years.

Marsha Haffey

Oxford

Local restaurant saves wedding day

It was the night before our big wedding. We were just home from the wedding rehearsal and preparing for the rehearsal dinner when the phone rang. It was our Cincinnati caterer with whom we had been coordinating the wedding food for the previous five months.

They were calling to tell me they were cancelling because they claimed they didn’t have a way to get the food to Oxford nor did they realize how far they would have to transport the food (even if they had a way to get the food there).

El Burrito Loco came to our rescue. We went to them in desperation needing to feed 100 people by 11 a.m. the very next day. Hugo and the staff at El Burrito Loco were more than happy to help us plan a beautiful last minute wedding meal for our guests. They did it with ease and incredible food. We can’t thank them enough for all of their help.

They truly made our wedding day special, knowing there are good people like them willing to help at a moment’s notice. Our wedding guests raved about the food. Thanks, guys.

Kate Mendenhall and Dave Plessinger II

Oxford

Help make history at alumni events

Great food and music. Fun learning opportunities. Entertainment for the kids. And an attempt at a world record. What’s not to like?

Alumni Weekend 2009 is set for June 19-21, and the Miami University and Oxford communities are invited to share in this long-standing summer tradition with a Bicentennial twist. At the heart of this festive weekend are two great Saturday events, and your participation can help make them unforgettable.

The Miami Merger Moment — an effort to break the Guinness World Record of 624 couples simultaneously renewing their wedding vows — is set for 4:15 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Upham Arch. The free event is open not only to Miami Mergers, but also to all Alumni Weekend attendees, faculty and staff members, and members of the Oxford community. Mergers are the foundation of this record-breaking attempt, but we need all married couples to ensure success. How many of you can say you are part of a world record?

Mayor Prue Dana will officiate the Merger Moment, and President David and Mrs. Valerie Hodge will lead a special Countdown to a Kiss at the event’s conclusion. There also will be prizes throughout this romantic afternoon, and all you need to bring are your sweetheart and a copy of your marriage license, which will be provided to Guinness World Records as proof. If you’d like to fax your marriage license ahead of time and save time standing in line, send it to Nicki Russell at (513) 529-9372.

Following the Merger Moment, everyone is invited to a traditional Alumni Weekend favorite, the Saturday night MiamiFest. Open to the community, this family-friendly outing includes a barbecue dinner, complete with UDF ice cream; KidZone with inflatable games and other fun activities; musical entertainment and dancing; and the Alumni Weekend Beer and Wine Bar. Kids ages 12 and younger eat for free, and faculty/staff and community members receive special pricing.

If you’ve never been to Alumni Weekend or if you’ve been away too long, don’t miss out on what is guaranteed to be one of Oxford’s biggest events of the summer. Check us out at www.MiamiAlum.org/AlumniWeekend.

Ray Mock

Executive director,

Miami University Alumni Association

Many helped with artist’s residency

Kramer Elementary and its PTG would like to thank all who contributed to hosting its first artist-in-residence, Voss Finn, in May. The students were thrilled to get to work with a studio artist during their art classes with Jay Hunsche. A core group of fourth- and fifth-graders collaborated with Finn to produce a sculpture that will be permanently displayed on Kramer’s grounds.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Kramer parents and staff were essential to the success of this venture, and PTG would like to thank the following for gathering materials, providing meals, documenting the project and securing the OAC grant to bring Finn to Oxford: Jim and Elise McWilliams, Ted Wong, Jennifer Edwards, Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, Sean and Francis Yates, Amy Ansorg, Chris Starkey, Carmen Geshan, Richard Ingersoll, Rachel Morgan-Kiss, Jodi Clemens, Lisa Wespiser, Missy Friede, Anni-Marie Anttila, Shannon Sweet, Tomoko Brown, Randy Hollowell, Robert Mullenix, Debbie Crowder, Kathleen Veslany, Rob Abowitz, Barb Hamilton, Diane Stemper and Jennifer Marston.

Kramer PTG

Oxford