At the end of the Awards Dinner, we added one name to the North Collinwood Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was established in 2003 and new inductees were added at the opening ceremony of each year's East 185th Street Festival. With the end of the festival, we feel it is important to keep this commendation alive and will add names to the North Collinwood Hall of Fame at our annual awards dinner.
Previous inductees to the hall include Carl Bork Sr (2003), Tony Petkovsek (2003), Michael Polensek (2003), Walter Jackshaw (2004), Humphrey Family (2004), Kollar Family (2005), Frank Kochevar (2005), and Frank Sadar (2006).
This year, we added the late Frank Brodnick to the North Collinwood Hall of Fame. It is very appropriate that Frank Brodnick be recognized as part of the
North Collinwood Hall of Fame for his devotion to the neighborhood.
Although Frank was a resident of Eastlake, his heart was here at Euclid Beach.
This award was presented to his wife, Elva. Frank left us this past June.
Only the good die young! The community will miss Frank for all his work to revitalize Euclid Beach State Park and the memory of the amusement park.
Frank was the president of Euclid Beach Park Now and a member of the Northeast Shores Board of Directors. He was a champion for causes such as bringing the carrousel back to the park, extending the fishing pier, annual Euclid Beach Park celebration event and the accurate rebuilding of the Euclid Beach Entrance Arch. If it wasn't for Frank's efforts to save the Arch, it is likely that restoration would not have occurred and this important neighborhood landmark would be demolished.
His wife Elva will now be filling many of those positions and we all know that Frank will be guiding her efforts.
It is with great pleasure that we recognize Frank Brodnick as part of the North Collinwood Hall of Fame for 2007.
Please note that Elva was so taken back by this surprise that she sent the following editorial to the Euclid Sun Scoop:
Brodnik's widow expresses deep joy, gratitude
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Euclid Sun Journal
To the editor:
On Nov. 8, Northeast Shores Development Corp. made my late husband, Frank Brodnick, the 2007 inductee into the North Collinwood Hall of Fame.
What a wonderful surprise which it truly was. I was actually rendered speechless, which to those who know me well, is quite a feat. Although, I think Frank may have figured it out; why else did I have orders to wear that "Hawaiian" shirt that night?
This is to say what I should have said and couldn't say that night. Thanks to all who chose to honor Frank in this very special way. Thanks, too, to all who helped keep this wonderful surprise a secret at least from me.
To Northeast Shores Development Corp., Euclid Beach Park Now and more and I gather there were quite a number of them. They really did it in a really big way and we loved every minute of it. To have such very special friends is truly a rare thing. For those friends to choose to remember Frank in a way as special as did is even rarer.
Frank and I felt truly blessed to be part of the North Collinwood community; the "Frank-and-Elva" team goes on, working for everything "North Collinwood" that was so dear to us. That Frank could have such a legacy is humbling. That everyone recognized it, is even more so.
So, with the heartfelt thanks that I could not speak that night, I thank everyone for making this the wonderful surprise it was, and again thanks for this very special tribute to Frank. To have such wonderful friends come together for something as special as this means so much to us.
Elva Brodnick
On Behalf of Frank Brodnick
Eastlake
The quote can also be seen electronically at the Euclid Sun Journal's website or by clicking: http://www.cleveland.com/euclidsunjournal/editorials/index.ssf?/base/opinion-0/119513215549490.xml&coll=4
2 comments:
I regret that I was unable to attend this year's Annual Meeting but was delighted to learn not only of Frank's Hall of Fame selection, but also of Elva's complete and total surprise in response to it. Good going to all involved!
Ooops. Sorry. The prior comment was from me, Barb Clint.
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