What Donna loves about Sylvania

I moved to Sylvania, from Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1962 at the age of 20. I was married to a Sylvania resident I met when he was an airman at Barksdale Air Force base in Bossier City, LA. My husband spent all of his time talking about Sylvania, his high school, his friends, his family; he did this to combat his homesickness for what was familiar. After living in Sylvania I can understand this feeling.

When we moved here, I had an immediate sensation of "coming home." We had a 4 month old daughter, Leigh Ann, at the time of the move and I knew this was where I wanted her to grow up. I've lived in Sylvania for 47 years (we moved to Madison, WI for three years...during which time I suffered from terrible homesickness for Sylvania and Ohio.) I have never felt "safe" anywhere else. When we looked to buy a house, it quickly became evident that we would have to buy a house in Sylvania because I could not imagine living anywhere else, in fact the thought made me sick to my stomach. My children, Leigh Ann and Don, grew up with the full Sylvania experience: learning to swim at Plummer Pool, swimming at Centennial Quarry, football games at Northview High School on Friday night, eating at J&G's, sledding at Northview and Suicide...and peace of mind, for me, knowing they were safe no matter where they were in Sylvania. Where else can you go for a walk at 2 a.m. and feel completely safe?

The Sylvania Historical Village is delightful and a jewel which should be visited by EVERY Sylvania resident. My favorite place, of course, is the library. It is my home away from home. Sylvania is beautiful with the flowers planted and maintained through the summer. Sylvania has great parks, the little ones in odd places, and the big ones: Olander, Centennial, Fossil ... it's a wonderful place to live and a superb place to raise children. I will never leave my adopted home town again! My next move will probably be up the street to Reeb's, after I've celebrated my centennial!

Donna Schantz