Pickerington Magazine August 2014 by CityScene Media Group

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inside

August/September 2014 4 Calendar 5 News and Information from the City of Pickerington 7 News and Information from Violet Township 10

p.12

faces Miss Mystery

Pickerington author composes mystery and thriller novels for teens

in focus Monarchs of Morale

Fast-growing Butterfly Project boosts girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; self-esteem

14 SHUTTERBUGS Through the lenses of Pickerington residents

On the cover:

Shutterbugs submission by Lisa Rice

p.14

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

community calendar Mark your calendar for these community events AUGUST 2014 Aug. 1-15 Friday Night Flicks Dusk, Fridays, Sycamore Park, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.net The city’s summer movie program features The Land Before Time Aug. 1, The Smurfs 2 Aug. 8 and The Lego Movie Aug. 15. Aug. 3-17 Summer Concert Series 7-8:30 p.m., Sundays, Sycamore Park, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.net August performers in the Summer Concert Series are the Paradise Island Band on Aug. 3, the Reaganomics on Aug. 10 and the British Invasion on Aug. 17.

Pool, 11330 Stonecreek Dr. S., www.pickerington.net Children ages 5-15 can experience their first triathlon at this new event – all that matters, organizers emphasize, is that they try.

www.pickeringtonchamber.com Participating local restaurants and retailers will offer special deals at this multi-day event coordinated by the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce.

Aug. 9 Youth Fishing Derby 9:30-11 a.m., Sycamore Park, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.net The city’s annual fishing derby offers prizes for the most fish and biggest fish caught by kids in four age groups: 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14. Registration is required, and participants must bring their own equipment and bait.

Aug. 13-19 First Day of School www.pickerington.k12.oh.us Grades 1-12 start Aug. 13; kindergarten starts Aug. 19.

Aug. 7-28 Olde Pickerington Farmers’ Market 4-7 p.m., Thursdays, 89 N. Center St., www.pickeringtonvillage.com The downtown farmers’ market, now in its second year, features more than 20 vendors.

Aug. 9 Kids’ Free Party Noon-5 p.m., Pickerington Senior Center, 150 Hereford Dr., www.pickeringtonseniorcenter.org For ages 12 and under, this celebration features amusement park rides, hot dogs, cotton candy and refreshments.

Aug. 9 TRY-athlon 9 a.m., Pickerington Community

Aug. 11-14 Restaurant & Retail Week Throughout Pickerington,

Sept. 1 Dog Splash 5-8 p.m., Pickerington Community Pool, 11330 Stonecreek Dr. S., www.pickerington.net Residents are invited to bring Rover to a pool party after the community pool closes for the colder months. Sept. 4 Shop. Eat. Repeat. 5-8 p.m., Olde Pickerington Village, www.downtownpickerington.com The shops in the city’s downtown area feature special offers and evening hours the first Thursday of each month. Sept. 4-25 Olde Pickerington Farmers’ 4 Market

4-7 p.m., Thursdays, 89 N. Center St., www.pickeringtonvillage.com Sept. 7 Tyler’s Light Golf Outing 1 p.m., Little Turtle Golf Club, 5400 Little Turtle Way, Westerville, www. tylerslight.com Proceeds from this golf outing benefit Tyler’s Light and its efforts to fight drug addiction. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13 PACC Golf Challenge Noon-5 p.m., Pine Hill Golf Course, 4382 Kauffman Rd. NW., Carroll, www.pickeringtonchamber.com The noon shotgun start is preceded by 11 a.m. registration at the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce’s 26th annual golf outing. Sept. 13 The Artful Table 6-10 p.m., Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, www.decartsohio.org A display of designer tables, fine food, music and a silent auction are included in the line-up for this event benefiting the Center’s art education program.

781 Northwest Blvd., Suite 202 Columbus, Ohio 43212 614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241 www.cityscenecolumbus.com Kathleen K. Gill

Vice President, Sales

Dave Prosser

Chief Creative Officer

Christa Smothers

Aug. 26 Not Your Mother’s Library Book Club 7 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s special book club for people who love to read discusses Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan.

Sept. 18 Founders’ Day Banquet 6:30-9:30 p.m., Pickerington Senior Center, 150 Hereford Dr., www. pickeringtonhistoricalsociety.com The Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society’s 28th annual Founders’ Day Banquet features music and information from Civil War musician and historian Steve Ball. Sept. 23 Not Your Mother’s Library Book Club 7 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s special book club for people who love to read discusses Glow: A Novel by Jessica Maria Tuccelli. Sept. 27-28 Civil War Symposium Shaw’s Restaurant & Inn, 123 N. Broad St., Lancaster, www.fairfieldheritage.org The Sherman House Museum’s annual symposium features speakers John Marszalek, Mark Grimsley, Frank Bullock, Frank J. Williams and E. Chris Evans.

President/CEO

Gianna Barrett

Aug. 14 Water Balloon Launchpad 2-3 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org Children in grades 6-12 can have fun flinging water balloons across the library lawn at targets.

SEPTEMBER 2014 Sept. 1 Labor Day Parade and Fish Fry 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Victory Park, 100 Lockville Rd., www.pickeringtonoh.lionwap.org The parade kicks things off at 10 a.m., and the fish fry – also featuring inflatable games, a raffle and a combined concert by the Pickerington High School North and Central marching bands – follows at 11.

pickerington Magazine

Garth Bishop Lisa Aurand Duane St. Clair

Creative Director Editor Contributing Editors

Corinne Murphy

Contributing Writer

Stephan Reed

Editorial Associate

Jeanne Cantwell Taylor Woodhouse

Editorial Assistants

Julie Camp Pam Henricks Molly Pensyl Robin Weitzel Lynn Leitch Circulation:

Advertising Sales

Controller 614-572-1240

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com CityScene Media Group also publishes: CityScene Magazine www.CitySceneColumbus.com Dublin Life Magazine www.DublinLifeMagazine.com Westerville Magazine www.WestervilleMagazine.com Tri-Village Magazine www.TriVillageMagazine.com Healthy New Albany Magazine www.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com The Publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or email gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage. The appearance of advertising in Pickerington Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or service by the City of Pickerington. Pickerington Magazine is published in June, August, October, December, February and April. Subscriptions are free for households within the city limits of Pickerington, Ohio. For advertising information or bulk purchases, call 614-572-1240. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Pickerington Magazine is a registered trademark of CityScene Media Group. Printed in the U.S.A.

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INSIDE

PICKERINGTON

N E W S & I N F OR M AT I O N F R O M T H E C I T Y O F P I C K E R I NGT ON

Boosting Business The Olde Pickerington Village is the heart of the City, and eight businesses there were recently infused with $67,000 in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) from the state to invigorate the commercial health of the historic district. The grants, which have been used as part of the Downtown Revitalization project, were distributed from a loan fund that has been in existence since 1999. In previous years, businesses in the Olde Village were required to match their funding requests to “spur economic development activity in the Olde Village,” said City of Pickerington Development Services Specialist Megan Wainright. This year, businesses and property owners in the Olde Village did not have that restriction in order to receive funding. Wainright said the purpose behind the grants is to encourage all commercial property owners in the Olde Village to participate. “It is important to Pickerington because the grants help stimulate commercial investment and spur economic development,” Wainright said. “The grants also increase the business in-

terest in Olde Pickerington and create a beautiful village that everyone can be proud of.” The grants this year are being used for exterior improvements, building code updates and improvements, public infrastructure improvements, and expansion of existing or new businesses in the Olde Village. To be eligible for funds ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, property owners completed an Olde Pickerington Village Development Grant Application and a Vendor Information form, and provided the City Development Services Department with three quotes for the proposed work by Feb. 5. Evaluations of the applications included a review of each project’s potential to add new jobs and to create a new business or expand an existing one, and whether or not the property owner received matching funds in the past. The City hopes more businesses in the Olde Village will pursue improvements to their facilities in the future because it strengthens the economic health of a vital City, Wainright said. The CDBG grant is a one-time program, as we will be granting out the full amount.

Number ONE The City of Pickerington is open for business, and it wants the central Ohio region to know it is rolling out the welcome mat. In order to promote its open-door business policy, the City is encouraging local businesses to spread the news by taking part in PickeringtonONE. PickeringtonONE is a regional marketing and advertising program. It’s designed to raise the regional profile of the Pickerington business community, said Development Services Director Joseph P. Henderson. “We want to show the region that the City of Pickerington is a great place to locate your business and you can and will be successful here,” Henderson said. Henderson said any business can invest in the regional program that will focus its spotlight on the Pickerington business community. “We would like to see everyone participate in this program,” he said. “Getting the involvement of 100 to 200 businesses would be a great investment by our business community.”

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To participate in the investment campaign, which is expected to be launched this fall, investors would contribute $225 a year to PickeringtonONE. As an added incentive for businesses to invest in the strategic marketing of Pickerington to central Ohio, investors will be invited to quarterly lunches. These power sessions focus on the Pickerington business climate and the progress that is being made to encourage businesses to grow and expand in the City – because Pickerington is the ONE to invest in.

News and information from the City of Pickerington

Playing it Safe A new safety grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation will bring the total infrastructure funding to widen and improve Pickerington roadways within the next several years to nearly $13 million. ODOT recently awarded the City a $3.5 million safety grant to construct additional lanes on Refugee Road at the state Rt. 256 intersection. While the timeline for implementation of the latest grant was still being finalized at press time, City Engineer Scott Tourville said work on the intersection would begin late 2017. “The intersection of Refugee/Rt. 256 is continually one of the more dangerous intersections in the City in terms of number of crashes,” Tourville said. “We have been able to show that increasing the capacity of the intersection by adding more lanes should reduce the number of accidents.” Tourville said the money from the new safety grant will be used with the $4.4 million tax incremental financing (TIF) that OhioHealth agreed to provide the City as part of its commitment to the City prior to beginning construction on its medical complex on Refugee Road. “We anticipate grouping this money together to ensure the project can widen the Refugee corridor as much as possible,” Tourville said. “We’re also applying to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for additional funds to allow us to increase the scope of the widening.” The City anticipates the Refugee project will widen the road from the corporation limit near the new Grace Fellowship church to the corporation limit near the entryway to Giant Eagle and Goodyear Auto Service Center. In addition to roadway improvements to the Refugee corridor, ODOT previously awarded the City a $5 million safety grant for work on Rt. 256, which will begin next year. The Rt. 256 project will add an additional third southbound lane from state 6

Rt. 204 to the traffic signal at the entrance to Kroger and Giant Eagle. The grant will also provide for a second northbound through lane from just north of the Rt. 204 traffic signal to the Interstate 70 eastbound entry ramp, upgraded signage and traffic signals, and landscaped medians to ease the flow of traffic. While all these improvements will impact the flow of traffic until work is completed, Tourville said the City will be doing everything possible to reduce disruptions to motorists and businesses and communicate to residents when road work is underway. “These construction provisions include restrictions when lanes can be closed, and coordination with property and business owners on constructionrelated driveway impacts,” Tourville said. “The state Rt. 256 project will require all lanes open during the predominant direction of travel during the morning and evening rush hours.” Improvements to each corridor will take up to one year to complete. And while these projects can cause some expected delays, once the work is done, City officials said, the infrastructure improvements will make traveling in and out of Pickerington easier and safer for many decades.

citydirectory Pickerington City Hall, 100 Lockville Rd.

(All numbers prefixed with the 614 area code)

Building Services ..................... 833-2221 City Clerk/Council..................... 837-3974 City Manager........................... 837-3974 Development Services.............. 833-2204 Engineering Services ............... 833-2221 Finance Services...................... 837-3974 Human Resources.................... 837-3974 Income Tax Division.................. 837-4116 Mayor’s Office (Lee A. Gray)............................ 837-3974 Mayor’s Court.......................... 837-3974 Parks and Recreation............... 833-2211 Police Services......................... 575-6911 Service Department Streets.................................... 833-2292 Utility Billing............................. 833-2289 Utility Maintenance................... 833-2292 Water Plant.............................. 833-2290 Waste Water Plant.................... 837-6490 Water Reclamation.................. 837-6470

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News and Information From

Violet Township By Tom Macy, special projects and forest health coordinator, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Jonathan Ferbrache, resource specialist, Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District

Asian Longhorned Beetle: A New Invasive Threat to Ohio’s Forests With the very visible impact on Violet Township and the Pickerington area’s ash tree population from the emerald ash borer, it is important to be on the lookout for the newest invasive species well in advance of its potential arrival. A new invasive threat to Ohio’s woodlands was discovered in southwest Ohio in June 2011. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), a species native to Asia, was found in several yard trees in the community of Bethel, located in Clermont County. Since the initial discovery, an area of 61 square miles has been quarantined by both the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to limit the spread of ALB into other portions of the state. The quarantine restricts movement of regulated articles – such as firewood, stumps and roots of all hardwood trees, as well as logs and nursery stock of ALB host trees – out of the regulated area. ALB infests a wide range of tree species, including all varieties of maple, elm, willow, birch, buckeye and horse chestnut, poplar, ash, sycamore, hackberry, golden raintree, katsura, mimosa, and European mountain ash. In Ohio, ALB is currently only known to exist in Clermont County; however, this wide array of hosts makes it a threat to the forested resources across the state. Other ALB infestations currently exist in parts of Massachusetts and New York. Infestations in Chicago; Hudson County, N.J.; and Islip, N.Y. have been declared eradicated. The adult ALB is ¾ to 1 ½ inches long and black with white spots, and has long antennae – at least as long as the body – that are banded black and white. Evidence of this beetle in an infested tree can be seen in pits that they chew to lay their www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

eggs and in large exit holes where the adults emerge from the tree. The ALB larvae cause the actual damage to the trees by chewing galleries through the heartwood of the stem or branches. In Bethel, eradication activities are still underway. ODA and USDA APHIS are conducting surveys of the area to locate infested trees, and all infested trees are being removed and ground into chips to destroy all life forms of the beetle. In addition to assisting with ground surveys, in 2012, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources initiated a restoration plan to distribute non-host tree species to landowners who have had trees removed from their property. To date, the Tree Canopy Enhancement Program has distributed and assisted with the planting of nearly 1,000 trees. As of June 14, 12,855 infested trees had been located, and 11,249 of these trees had already been removed. Surveys to find all of the infested trees are still ongoing. If you think you see signs of ALB, or would like more information on this invasive pest, visit: • www.beetlebusters.info; • www.agri.ohio.gov/topnews/asianbeetle; or • www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/asian_ lhb/index.shtml. To report a potential sighting of ALB in Ohio, call 513-381-7180. The Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District hopes that education and awareness now will help protect Violet Township and the Pickerington area’s wooded stream corridors, woodlands and street trees.

From the Violet Township Fire Department

Take Action Against Distractions One in five high school students and one in eight middle school students cross the street while distracted, according to research performed by Safe Kids Worldwide. It may be hard to hear, but unintentional pedestrian injuries are the fifth leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 19. Teenagers are now at greatest risk. Teens have a death rate twice that of younger children and account for half of all child pedestrian deaths. Is remedial street crossing training needed? No, but going over some simple tips with your teens and pre-teens to remind them to cross the road aware, and to not leave their senses at the curb, is a start! Safe Kids Worldwide recommends the following:

Tips for Teens

Tips for Parents •

From the first conversation you have with young children about crossing the street safely, talk about the dangers of distraction.

•

Talk to teens about putting down mobile devices while walking and remind them of the importance of looking up, listening and making eye contact with drivers when crossing the street.

•

Set a good example by putting devices down when you are driving or walking around cars.

•

Put devices down, look up, listen and make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street.

•

Remember to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up. Walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners with traffic signals and crosswalks when possible.

•

Be aware of others who may be distracted – and speak up when you see someone who is distracted.

•

If you need to use a cell phone, stop on the sidewalk and find a safe area to talk. If you are wearing headphones, pull them down or turn the volume off before you cross the street.

•

Driveways and parking lots can be especially dangerous because we are walking close to moving cars. Turn off devices in places where cars are going in unexpected directions, such as backing out of a parking spot or turning out of a driveway.

Tips for Drivers •

When driving, look both ways for cyclists, walkers or runners who may not be immediately visible or may step into the street unexpectedly.

•

Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones.

•

Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Speaking of Distractions … •

71 percent of teens and young people say they have composed or sent SMS messages while driving.

•

78 percent of teens and young adults say they have read an SMS message while driving.

(Source: NHTSA.gov) You would not drive with a blindfold on, so please don’t drive while texting or distracted. But you can:

8 8

•

Drive without sending or receiving texts.

•

Call/text before you start driving to let parents, friends and others know when you’ll arrive.

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Pull over to a safe location to check texts or listen to voicemail. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

• As a passenger, share the responsibility for arriving safely with your driver and offer help so your driver does not drive distracted. (Family Safe Driving agreement provided by EndDD: End Distracted Driving)

•

We also strongly support Maria’s Message – an effort to cut down on distracted driving named for Maria Tiberi, the daughter of local TV news anchor Dom Tiberi who died in a distracted driving incident – and the information her family wants to get out to everyone, and we urge all young drivers to take the pledge. To take the pledge, visit www.10tv.com/content/pages/ Deputize your passenger when you are driving to text or marias-message/embeds/pledge.html. make calls for you.

•

When alone, turn your cell phone off or on vibrate before starting to drive.

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Wait to text or call others until they have stopped driving.

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Stop texting or end phone conversations with others once you learn they are driving.

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Pull over to a safe location or wait until you are finished driving to eat or apply make-up.

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Pull over to a safe location or wait until you are finished driving to adjust music, change CDs, check Facebook, surf the Internet or scroll through iPods, iPhones or similar devices.

•

When being driven by a distracted driver, ask the driver to drive more safely.

SAVE THE DATE!

Oct. 12, 2014 Annual Fire Department Open House 1-3 p.m. Our annual Open House is always a huge day for our community. It is an event you and your family don’t want to miss!

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We are “Your Friends for Life” How to Reach Us Violet Township Administrative Offices 12970 Rustic Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 614-575-5556 www.violet.oh.us Violet Township Fire Stations Phone 614-837-4123 Fire Chief: John Eisel #592: 8700 Refugee Rd. #591: 21 Lockville Rd. #593: 2365 Taylor Park Dr. (behind hhgregg) Violet Township Service Center Phone: 614-382-5979 490 Center St. Pickerington, OH 43147

faces

By Corinne Murphy

Miss mystery

Pickerington author composes mystery and thriller novels for teens

When the loss of her mother prompted Natalie Richards to grapple with the fleeting nature of life, she soon found herself spurred to pursue a career in writing. Now, the Pickerington resident has seen her first book published and sold in stores, with a second on the way next year. Six Months Later, Richards’ first contribution to the young adult fiction world, is now available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and several independent bookstores. Barnes & Noble made it one of the chain’s Teen Pop Picks, and the Young Adult Library Services Association nominated it for its 2014 Teens’ Top Ten list.

The book follows a teenager who falls asleep in class and comes to six months later with her life circumstances changed dramatically – and no idea how it happened. Richards’ second book, Gone Too Far, is due to be released in January. And she’s got two more books in the works. Both books fall into the mystery or thriller category; Richards likes to keep readers on the edge of their seats. “In a nutshell, I like to write about teens in difficult, sometimes even scary, situations, and I like to keep readers guessing right alongside the main character,” she says. Richards has been interested in writing for many years, but the death of her mothwww.pickeringtonmagazine.com

er in 2004 inspired her to take the leap into creative writing as a career. “I’ve been a storyteller of some sort as long as I can remember and was selected for writing competitions and special conferences as far back as elementary school,” Richards says. “Though I’d gravitated toward language arts in my career – technical, business and legal writing – when my mother passed away, I realized how precious life is, and how important it was for me to consider what I wanted to do with mine.” After this change of heart, Richards began working to turn the dream of her first published book into a reality. “I’d dabbled with writing fiction for years, but losing my mother was a turning point. It changed my perspective, as hard times often do,” she says. “Five years and three manuscripts later, the determination and hard work paid off with my first publishing contract for Six Months Later.” Richards seeks inspiration wherever she can find it. Though it was a major life event that pushed her back into writing, sometimes it’s everyday occurrences that give her the idea for the next plot development. “I’m lucky enough to have a steady stream of inspiration, delivered in little flashes that sometimes fade out and sometimes grow into entire books,” Richards says. “Often, these flashes happen in very ordinary circumstances. I can go to the grocery store and be inspired by a couple of teens grabbing carts in the rain or spot a group at a restaurant that sparks a great what-if question. A lot of my ideas don’t develop very far; they sort of come and go. But the ones that stick get my attention.” Though faced with limited free time for the past couple of years, Richards takes time off from writing to volunteer when she can in the Pickerington Local School District. She also spoke to Pickerington High School Central classes this past spring. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

A longtime central Ohio resident, Richards has lived in Pickerington for more than five years with her husband, David; her children, Ian, 10, Adrienne, 8, and Lydia, 5; and her dog, Yeti. As she works on her next book, Richards welcomes fresh experiences while meeting new people. “I’m over the moon about our Starbucks, Gigi’s (Cupcakes) and Tom+Chee (in Pickerington), so locals are very likely to find me in one of the three with a laptop open in front of me,” she says. “If they spot me, yes, I’m probably writing the next book, and no, I wouldn’t mind taking a break to chat. I love meeting new people.” Richards was one of 12 Ohio authors featured at the Pickerington Public Library’s Young Adult Author Fest in July. Corinne Murphy is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.

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in focus

Monarchs of By Garth Bishop

Fast-growing Butterfly Project boosts girls’ self-esteem

Butterfly Project leader Holly Hollopeter

Just two short years after its inception, a Pickerington-based effort to improve girls’ senses of self-worth has gone statewide and is developing national ambitions. The Butterfly Project was founded in spring 2012 by a group of girls at Pickerington High School Central. Then a sophomore, Shayna Fowler was inspired to spearhead the effort when she saw a classmate – whom Fowler regarded as smart and optimistic – had called herself an insulting name on Twitter and wondered what would motivate the girl to do that. “I knew her to be incredibly artistic and funny and kind, so for her to see herself as something so unkind shocked me,” Fowler says. That led Fowler to wonder why so many other girls her age had been led to believe – by their families, their peers, the media or themselves – they were worthless. After a conversation with a mentor about how to respond, she joined forces 12

with some of her classmates and organized an assembly at Central to remind their peers that they all have worth – that they are “valuable, lovable, capable and beautiful,” Fowler says. Though building girls’ self-confidence is at the core of the project’s mission, its focus goes beyond that. It addresses the problems that may be faced by those who lack that self-confidence, human trafficking chief among them. To that end, as part of the presentation, organizers brought in a speaker: Marlene Carson, founder of Rahab’s Hideaway, a central Ohio organization that helps people escape from human trafficking situations. Carson is a survivor of trafficking herself, and she knows firsthand the effect low self-esteem can have – when forced by her pimp to scout new prostitute prospects, she was specifically told to target those who did not appear to believe in themselves. After the initial presentation at Central, project members took their show on

the road to elementary, middle and high schools all around Ohio, reaching an estimated 13,000-plus girls. They’ve also spoken at conferences in multiple states and three other countries. After Carson speaks, attendees are encouraged to build each other up and feel more positive about themselves. There’s also a session called “boundary breaking:” hard questions on how girls treat each other and why. Other topics addressed by the Butterfly Project include abusive relationships, eating disorders, bullying and self-harm. Though Fowler has been a driving force behind the project, she is no longer a student at Central, having graduated in the spring. And soon, she won’t be on hand to give presentations; she leaves in September for Kenya, where she will spend 10 months working at a rescue center while getting the first year of her college education – and spreading the project into an all-girls school in Kaimosi. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Morale Sophomore Holly Hollopeter will take over as head of the Butterfly Project at the start of the 2014-15 school year. Hollopeter joined about a year and a half ago out of a passion for helping her peers, and that same passion is driving her now that she’ll be leading the project, she says, and overseeing the next step in its evolution. “We’ve been able to build an organization that is hopefully going nationwide in the next year,” she says. The plan is to put together a package of materials – “Butterflies in a Box” – that can be used to hold a presentation and start a club at any school, Hollopeter says. For now, the program is subject to its members’ time and travel limitations. The core group of organizers is 15-20 people, but new groups usually spring up at the schools the project visits. Fowler estimates the overall number between 300 and 500, and Hollopeter emphasizes the importance of starting programs at the schools visited. “In the end, what we say is only the driving force,” says Hollopeter. It’s tough to quantify how many girls have been helped in some way by the presentations, Hollopeter says, but there have been tangible results: Nine central Ohio girls have been rescued from lives of human trafficking. Carson works with the FBI and local police departments to rescue girls who want out. “Girls have come to us and said, ‘Hey, my mom is pimping me out,’” Fowler

says. The assemblies provide “an environment where they feel that they can be honest.” School officials have lauded the effect of the project and the dedication of the students behind it. “It’s had an incredible impact not only here at Central, but at area high schools, middle schools and junior highs as well,” says Stacy Tennenbaum, principal at Central. “It’s done an incredible thing with our female students to improve selfesteem (and) confidence.” In fall 2013, the Butterfly Project gained national attention when members produced an entry for a Good Morning America contest that challenged students to make videos set to Katy Perry’s song “Roar.” Fowler and fellow senior Darby Burch took the lead in putting together the video, which featured the stories of students celebrating triumphs such as beating cancer and surviving bullying, each preceded by the line “I am a champion of…” Though the video wasn’t the big winner, it did make it to the top five, garnering the school a visit from the show in October. “We got to have the whole … community come together,” Tennenbaum says. The project is also working to launch a jewelry line, selling products made by women in areas at high risk for trafficking. Central graduate and project member Regan Hanood recently traveled to Haiti to get the program started. Further information on the Butterfly Project can be found at www.projectbutterflychange.com. Garth Bishop is editor of Pickerington Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@city scenemediagroup.com. The Butterfly Project’s top-ranked entry into a music video contest led to a visit from Good Morning America in October 2013.

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Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8 AM to 6 PM Wed: 8 AM to 8 PM

New, full-service veterinary hospital providing care to dogs and cats in Pickerington Separate waiting areas and exam rooms for dogs and cats Convenient on-line scheduling available on our website Started by Dr. Julie Little Miles, a 1991 graduate of Pickerington High School

614.837.CARE(2273)

809 Hill Rd. N., Pickerington, OH 43147 (In the Discount Drug Mart Shopping Center)

CompassionateCarePickerington.com

We Love What We Do RESTORING it for You!

$25 OFF COMPLETE DECK RESTORATION (Expires 10/31/14)

FREE ESTIMATES! (614) 769-2455 • www.DeckRescue.net Deck Rescue East Columbus is racing to beat cancer. Our Dad’s race car number was 67. We are very excited to announce that a

$67 donation

from every job will now be contributed to rare cancer research. We look forward to working with you! Amy & Dan Eisner

DECKS • PORCHES GAZEBOS • PERGOLAS ARBORS • FENCES

Deck Rescue East Columbus

Online Estimate Form

Through the lenses of Pickerington residents

Bertie Heitmeyer

Kerri Foulks

Rose DeVore

Lisa Rice

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel Adams 14

Michele Owens

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

A confidence that empowers A true sense of self A life with no limits

from preschool through 12th grade www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

15 www.columbusschoolforgirls.org

BECAUSE

YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PATIENT WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE. Everything we do is centered around you.

There are certain people who know how unique you truly are. Your family. Your friends. And the people at Mount Carmel. Here, everything we do is focused on you and your individual needs. You are the reason why we assemble the best medical teams and invest in the best equipment. And why we get to know you and your individual needs. Because we believe your care should be as special as you are. Mount Carmel. Because of you.