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The city of Lakewood is offering residents a way to purchase discount trees to plant on their private property..

LAKEWOOD, Ohio – The city of Lakewood is offering residents a discount program for purchasing shade trees for private yards, and Garfield Middle School hosts its Cultural Heritage Festival.

Discount trees: The Lakewood Public Works Department and the Lakewood Tree Task Force are helping residents purchase and plant shade trees at a reduced cost in their private yards. The city will place an order for trees for the upcoming fall 2014 planting season, receiving a volume discount. Residents can purchase a tree and have it professionally planted at a reduced cost, which will depend on the tree species. The city has posted information on its website. Residents need to call Aaron Landscaping at 440-838-8875 by Oct. 15 to arrange for the purchase and planting of a shade tree. Resents also can email the company at azaremba@aaronlandscaping.com.

Cultural Heritage Festival: Garfield Middle School, the Lakewood Education Association, and the Lakewood Council of PTAs entertained hundreds of guests Sept. 12 at the school's Cultural Heritage Festival. The event included food, entertainment and games from countries around the world. Students also dressed in costumes. The Lakewood city school district has posted information and a photo gallery from the event.

Classroom grants: The Lakewood Earth and Food community, better known as LEAF, is offering grants for class projects in Lakewood schools that teach about sustainability and the health benefits of fresh, locally grown foods. LEAF is a nonprofit organization that operates a local farmers' market. The group is making grants available for classroom projects/enhancements and related materials. The maximum grant awarded will be $500. Up to three grants will be awarded. Any classroom in any grade level may apply for funding. Grant applications are available online and should be sent to leafcommunity@gmail.com or Leaf Community, P.O. Box 770374 Lakewood, OH 44107. The deadline for the grant application is Sept. 30. The Lakewood school district has posted details on its website.

Painting tips: Margaret Lann, with the Cleveland Restoration Society, will offer Lakewood residents guidance on painting their homes. She will review examples of paint failure, suggest what residents look for when hiring a painting contractor, review historic color schemes, and provide tips on selecting appropriate colors for older homes in terms of specific architectural styles. Lann will speak at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Lakewood Public Library's main branch, 15425 Detroit Ave.

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