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Memorial Weekend kicks off the summer in the Valley
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
More than 10 graduations, the long Memorial Day holiday weekend and the resulting parties mean a busy weekend to kick off a busy summer for local businesses.
Jack Kravitz, owner of Kravtiz Deli in Liberty and Poland and of Inspired Catering by Kravitz, along with his catering manager, Patty Rydarowicz, are prepared to cater several graduation parties and other festivities this weekend.
“We live for busy weekends like this,” Kravitz said.
Kravitz offers both casual and formal catering.
“People really don’t come to us if they want a traditional Youngstown buffet,” Kravitz said. “We really try to give people a really different experience.”
This week began a busy time of year for Inspired Catering. Kravitz’s catering business doesn’t have a weekend off until August.
“We have to have enough people going in enough places,” Rydarowicz said. “We have two separate crews going to two separate places [this weeked]. We are spread out a little bit.”
Chad Anthony Scianna Sr. has his three Chad Anthony’s restaurants to manage and seven events to cater including graduations and office parties this weekend.
“This weekend starts the summer,” Scianna said.
Scianna offers the Italian Chad Anthony’s menu for catering, but he can “create a menu based on anyone’s needs.”
June is filled with graduation parties for Scianna and by July he will be catering weddings.
“I have seen a trend of people doing the parties before the graduation,” he said. “This weekend we are already crushed with graduation parties.”
Memorial Day weekend is a time to remember veterans and service members through celebrating American freedom with family and friend get-togethers.
AAA says this Memorial Day weekend, from Thursday through Monday, will have the second-highest volume of travelers ever recorded. More than 38 million Americans are expected to travel. The 700,000 expected traveler increase this year over last year is spurred by the lowest gas prices seen in a decade. AAA estimates that Americans have saved more than $18 billion at the pump so far this year.
In AAA’s East North Central region, which includes Ohio, more than 6.1 million people are expected to travel, with most of them traveling by vehicle.
“Historically these holiday weekends, Memorial Day and Labor Day, across the country we see a large increase in vehicular travel,” said Scott Weamer, Canfield Police Department assistant chief. “We do try to address those peak times, but it’s hard to predict if we’ll be busier.”
The Mahoning County OVI Task Force makes an effort to promote events related to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Pver or the Click It or Ticket campaigns during holiday weekends, he said.
“The important thing is getting the message out – ‘Hey, be safe and make good decisions,’” Weamer said.
Contributor: Amanda Tonoli, staff writer.