🌱Think Springtime, Think Gardens! + Congratulations, Maya Austerman!

Hello, friends! It's Friday in Avon-Avon Lake and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in our community today. Today we have these stories and more...

• Congratulations Maya Austerman!
• It's cold outside, so why not give a pet in need a warm place to call home?
• Think spring and gardens!

But first, today's weather:

A snow shower in the morning. High: 36 Low: 32.

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Here are the top stories today in Avon-Avon Lake:

1. Avon Lake High School athlete Maya Austerman received the Cleveland Clinic Courage Award. Maya has reportedly had to overcome serious health issues having to do with breathing difficulties just to be able to play the game she loves most; basketball. Congratulations Maya, great job! (cleveland.com)
2. If you've been hoping to add a fluffy ball of love and affection to your household, you should check out these Avon-Avon Lake area shelters for a pet who needs a home. Here at Patch, with a little help from our friends at Petfinder, we put together a list each week of all the pets recently put up for adoption in your area. If you're a cat person, meet Emmie, a domestic short hair up for adoption. Or if dogs are more your thing, there are several great dogs available too.(Avon-Avon Lake Patch)
3. What better time to think about brightly colored flowers than in the middle of winter? The Avon-on-the-Lake Garden Club will be presenting "History of the Avon Lake Gardens" at 1 p.m. at the Avon Lake Public Library, 32649 Electric Boulevard, Avon Lake, on Thursday, February 2. The program is open to all! A panel of chairpersons of each of the ten civic gardens will talk about the beginnings of each garden and where they are located throughout the city. Hope to see you there! (avonlake.org)

From my notebook:

• Cleveland Clinic: "A breathing condition called EILO was robbing Maya of her love for playing basketball. After therapy and hard work, she's back on the court! We're excited to see Maya receive our Sports Medicine Courage Award for @greaterclesports." (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)
• FIDO's Companion Rescue Inc.: "Meet Easton, a handsome 4-year-old pitbull who is fully vetted, potty and crate trained. He’ll be a good weight at 50 pounds. Easton is great with other dogs and is working on basic obedience. He’ll need continued training once he’s adopted. To adopt Easton, please visit this link: https://www.petfinder.com/.../oh/avon/fidos-companion-oh300/" (FIDO's Companion Rescue Inc. via Facebook)
• FIDO's Companion Rescue Inc.: "The best mama (Holly) and her babies are off to be vetted & neutered! This bill will be over $4,000! Consider skipping your $5 Starbucks drink today and donating to their care. " (FIDO's Companion Rescue Inc. via Facebook)
• Avon Lake City Schools: "We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do! We've Got Spirit, How 'Bout You? (Shore Log 1998) #AvonLakeTBT #ALCS100" (Avon Lake City Schools via Facebook)
• Cleveland Clinic: "When his mom got sick, Roy cut his basketball career short to come home. He dedicated his life to working in children services.⁣ ⁣ After retiring, Roy had a health scare with no insurance." (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon.

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my small-town community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Avon-Avon Lake Daily? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com