Central graduate Chloe Berry excels in pursuit of scientific opportunities
INSIDE North Marching Band
Museum Pumpkins Abound
“While climbing a Via Ferrata course, Jen, a local school teacher, slipped and broke her arm. After a successful surgery and physical therapy with Orthopedic ONE, she is reaching new heights, conquering fears, and climbing again.”
-Jen Ahlfors, Teacher, Amateur Climber and Orthopedic ONE Patient
This is where you go to get better.
october/november 2023
Through Oct. 29
Rock Mill Days
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. Sundays, Stebelton Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Pl. N.W., Lancaster www.fairfieldcountyparks.org/events
Visitors are invited to see a piece of history with tours of a restored 1800s gristmill. Help use the bolter to sift the cornmeal and bag it the way it was done 200 years ago on the last Sunday of each month.
Through Dec. 31
Decorative Arts Center of Ohio presents It’s an Honor to Be Here
Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster www.decartsohio.org
Ohio-based artists share their interpretations of the natural diversity throughout the state that surrounds us. This multimedia exhibit engages art fans of all ages.
Oct. 1
Historical Museum Open House
2-4 p.m., Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Museum, 15 E. Columbus St. www.pickhistory.org
Have some early Halloween fun at our “Mystical Museum” featuring private 15-minute readings; a Victorian spiritualism program with pendulums, divining rods and talking boards; plus a Victorian 18371901 tea table with tea leaf reading handouts. Free admission!
Oct. 6
Women’s Leadership Coalition
8-9:30 a.m., Redbud Commons, 602 Redbud Rd. www.pickeringtonchamber.com
Hear from guest speakers and enjoy networking during this meeting to inspire, mentor and support women in leadership positions throughout the community.
Oct. 6-15
Pickerington Community Theatre presents School of Rock – The Musical
The Wigwam Community Theater, 10190 Blacklick-Eastern Rd. www.pickeringtoncommunitytheatre.org
A rebellious tale based on the movie about the transformative power of music with its sensational live kids’ rock band.
Oct. 8-14
Fairfield County Fair
Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster www.fairfieldcountyfair.org
Join in on the more than 170-year-old tradition with a wide variety of shows, rides, games, vendors, events and more.
Oct. 10; Nov. 14
Stitching in the Stacks
6:30-8 p.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Enjoy the company of both beginner and experienced knitters in this yarn craft group as you connect, learn and create with others.
Nov. 11
Pickerington Combined Marching Band in the NYC Veterans Day Parade
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. www.parade.uwvc.org
Tune in on TV as the Pickerington High School North and Pickerington High School Central marching bands combine and march down Manhattan in one of the most prestigious annual parades in the U.S. Read more about the Pickerington North bands on page 22.
Oct. 12; Nov. 9
Pickerington Village Shop Hop
4-8 p.m., Olde Pickerington Village, W. Columbus St. www.pickeringtonvillage.com
Grab some friends and shop around to see what’s happening in the Village on the second Thursday of every month through Dec. 14.
Oct. 13, 18; Nov. 10, 15
Homeschool Connect
1-2 p.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
With educational and fun classes for homeschooled kids grades K-5, homeschool families can meet and network through Homeschool Connect.
Oct. 14
Pickerington North Marching Band at the OSU Invitational
Ohio Stadium, 411 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus www.tbdbitl.osu.edu
Sponsored by the Ohio Music Education Association, the OSU Invitational invites high school marching bands to compete and perform on the same field used by the Ohio State University Marching Band. Cheer on the Marching Panthers as they perform.
Oct. 18
Community Costume Cleanup
4-5 p.m., Sycamore Plaza, 7861 Refugee Rd. www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Show off your awesome Halloween costume while helping the community. Get some fresh air and help remove litter from the environment with equipment ready for pickup.
Would you like to submit an event for our calendar?
Send details and photos to tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Oct. 23, Nov. 4
Plein Air in the Parks
6:30 p.m., Mambourg Park, 5531 Cincinnati-Zanesville Rd. NE (US-22), Lancaster
www.fairfieldcountyparks.org/events
“Plein air painting” simply means painting outdoors. Get some fresh air and inspiration painting or drawing whatever strikes you at Mambourg Park with your fellow natureloving artists.
Oct. 24
Violet Township Women’s League Monthly Meeting
6:15 p.m., American Legion Post 283, 7725 Refugee Rd. www.vtwl.org
This month’s featured program is a community service presentation by Rise Up Arts Alliance. This organization focuses on helping kids become better readers and students, assisted by exposure to the arts to help students communicate and connect with each other. Guests are welcome to stop by and learn more about the organization.
Oct. 24; Nov. 28
Artists Among Us
10-11 a.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Explore and expand your creative side as each meeting tries a new artistic style or medium. All skill levels are welcome and supplies are provided.
Oct. 25
Teen Halloween Escape Room
4-5 p.m., Sycamore Plaza, 7861 Refugee Rd. www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Try to escape being trapped in a Halloween-themed room using your wits and the clues around you. You will have 45 minutes to solve the mystery and escape a grisly fate.
Oct. 26
Haunted Village
6-8 p.m., Olde Pickerington Village www.visitfairfieldcounty.org
Have fun with the whole family and explore the Haunted Village with ghost tours, hayrides, storytelling and more.
Oct. 31
Trick or Treat at the Library
1-3 p.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Let your little ones dress up in their favorite costume and stop by the library for some
treats and fun. Don’t forget to snap a photo with Violet, the library’s reading ambassador.
Oct. 31
Community Trick or Treat
6-8 p.m., throughout Pickerington www.ci.pickerington.oh.us
With the unified date set by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, grab your costume and candy bag for a spooky night around the city.
Nov. 2-4
Freedom’s Never Free Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster www.freedomsneverfree.com
Freedom’s Never Free is an appreciation celebration for veterans, military, first responders and their families. The event starts with the Remember Our Fallen traveling memorial.
Nov. 3
Life Drawing of Live Avian Ambassadors
6 p.m., Mambourg Park, 5531 CincinnatiZanesville Rd. NE (US-22), Lancaster www.fairfieldcountyparks.org/events
Bring your choice of drawing or painting supplies and learn techniques used by naturalist artists for capturing lifelike imagery of native birds.
Nov. 4
Pickerington Community Chorus
Veterans Day Concert
4 p.m., Epiphany Lutheran Church, 268 Hill Rd. N. www.pickeringtoncommunitychorus.com
Join as the chorus honors veterans and their service as they present a free patriotic concert at Epiphany Lutheran Church. Check out the group’s Facebook page for updates as the event approaches.
Nov. 5
Historical Museum Open House
2-4 p.m., Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Museum, 15 E. Columbus St.
www.pickhistory.org
Enjoy seeing fabulous artwork by Pickerington High School North students along with interesting Museum exhibits of Pickerington-Violet Township people, their artifacts and more. Free admission!
Nov. 11
Holiday Pie Bake Off
2-4 p.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way
www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Bakers and pie testers are invited to the first Holiday Pie Bake Off. Gather friends and family to put your favorite recipe to the test and become the Pickerington Public Library’s Star Baker, or enjoy free pie samples if you aren’t competing.
Nov. 14
Violet Township Women’s League Monthly Meeting
6:15 p.m., American Legion Post 283, 7725 Refugee Rd.
www.vtwl.org
This month’s presentation comes from Christy Sykes of Lorena’s Dream. Lorena’s Dream provides supplies and gifts with a personal touch for mothers of babies in NICUs in hospitals. For more information on Lorena’s Dream, you can read Sykes’ story in the April/May issue of Pickerington Magazine at www.pickeringtonmagazine.com.
Nov. 15
Winter Bird Feeding – OSU Extension
6-7 p.m., Sycamore Plaza, 7861 Refugee Rd.
www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Spark a little joy and pass the time with OSU Extension Educator Carrie Brown as you discuss how to best help our feathered friends during the harsh Ohio winters.
Nov. 22
NEATure Craft: Wild Turkeys
3 p.m., Sensory Trail Park, behind Forest Rose School, 1592 Granville Pike, Lancaster
www.fairfieldcountyparks.org/events
Gobble, gobble! Bring the family to craft turkeys for displaying just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Nov. 27
Monday Makers – Cricut Ornament
6-8 p.m., Pickerington Main Library, 201 Opportunity Way
www.pickeringtonlibrary.org
Just in time for the holidays, learn how to make a festive ornament out of cardstock, vinyl and canning lids using the Cricut machine.
All events are subject to change. Visit websites for additional information.
The largest project in terms of investment and jobs in the City of Pickerington’s history is nearing completion and looking to hire people for The OhioHealth Pickerington Methodist Hospital. The hosipital is an expansion of the existing Refugee Road campus, is on schedule to open before the end of the year and has a number of positions still available for hire.
Among the nearly 500 new jobs being created are nurses, pharmacists, social workers, techs and entry-level roles. Those interested can apply via the OhioHealth website (https://www. ohiohealth.com).
The $150 million hospital project is an expansion of the medical campus that first opened in January 2015 and currently offers 24-hour emergency care, as well as primary care, imaging and outpatient surgeries. The expanded medical services will include cancer treatment and women’s health. It will have 60 total beds, which includes a dedicated ICU (intensive-care unit), medical surgical beds and post-partum beds. It will also bring six operating rooms to the hospital, in addition to two C-section operating rooms. A
level-three trauma unit and a heart and vascular unit that will feature diagnostic and interventional catheter labs are also being added. Furthermore, the project will add an acute stroke program to the services at the campus, as well as general medicine, general surgery and ancillary expansion for imaging, lab and pharmacy services.
“This is an exciting time for Pickerington,” said Mayor Lee Gray. “The expansion of the (OhioHealth) campus adds an immense amount of value for the people who live here. Having additional services provided in our own community means
people won’t have to travel as far to get the care they need. That’s a big win.”
Dr. Kevin Lutz, president of the Pickerington campus, said OhioHealth will constantly be looking at ways to improve on the services provided. “We want to be prepared to be there for what is needed. Since we opened, we have continued to learn about the healthcare needs of those who live and work in and around Pickerington. We are excited to add more life-saving capabilities to our campus to continue to serve the community.”
Hackworth Drive is one of the newest streets in the City of Pickerington. The street is located in the Graystone subdivision and is in memory of Ted Hackworth.
Accepting the recognition at a recent City Council meeting were Ted’s widow Anne and her son Doug. (Pictured L-R: Councilman Brian Wisniewski, Doug, Anne and Mayor Gray)
Ted Hackworth served his
community as a City Councilman, a representative to the Planning & Zoning Commission and as President of the Senior Center Board. He was also instrumental in bringing bus routes to Pickerington through Lancaster-Fairfield Public Transit.
Hackworth passed away unexpectedly in 2019 but the work he did will never be forgotten.
2023 was a full and exciting year for our Parks and Recreation Department. The season began in earnest in May, with the opening of the 16th city-owned year of the Pickerington Community Pool. The pool itself celebrated its 35th year in operation. Touch-a-Truck was also held in May and was well attended.
In June, we continued the tradition of Friday Night Flicks and Summer Concert Series. Also in June, swimming lessons were provided for kids aged 3 and up.
Adult recreational athletic leagues were very active in traditional favorites softball and tennis. For the first time, we offered Pickleball which even with expanded offerings, sold out quickly.
In July, we sponsored another Pickerington tradition – the Fourth of July Fireworks and Parade. Also in July, for the third year in a row, we provided Safety City for over 70 children entering kindergarten. This exciting event continues to grow in popularity. Later in July, the 17th annual Youth Fishing Derby was held at Sycamore Par with over 175 participants.
In August, before the opening of school, the Youth Adventure Chal-
2023 Pavement Maintenance Program: Compared to recent annual programs, the city invested over 40% more resources into this year’s program. Project details included curb repair, ADA ramp replacement, and replacement of the top course of asphalt. The wearing course replaced on this year’s streets were replaced at the ideal point in the life cycle of the pavement – in order to avoid costly road base repairs in the near future.
Opportunity Way: Replaced curb and gutter the entire length, new wearing course of asphalt, new ADA ramps, filled a significant gap in the sidewalk system along the south side of the road. The project received an Ohio Public Works Commission grant to pay for 45% of the project and the project came in at roughly 20% under budget.
Stonecreek Drive Widening: The City oversaw the construction of a new continuous center turn lane along Stonecreek Drive fronting the OhioHealth campus. The project was funded by OhioHealth and provides needed capacity and safety improvements for the growing traffic volume along this roadway.
lenge was presented to over 115 kids, 3 to 12 years old in age. Summer camps and other programming were coordinated throughout the summer. Additionally, park shelter reservations remained popular.
The summer concluded with the Labor Day Parade and Lions Club Fish Fry. Throughout the year, several thousand Pickerington residents and visitors were exposed to the city’s Parks and Rec activities.
Moving into the fall, the magical Enchanted Princess Party was sold out for the 4th consecutive year.
October
26 – Haunted Village
6-8 p.m., Olde Village Pickerington
31 – Tots Trick-or-Treat
1:30-2:30 p.m., City Hall
31 – Community Trick-or-Treat
6-8 p.m.
November
1 – Tickets on Sale for Breakfast with Santa
22 – Santa’s Mailbox
Letters can be dropped off at City Hall
November 22 to December 15
For more information visit www.pickerington.net
Violet Township began offering online access to permitting services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week this past September. You can now apply and pay for residential or commercial permits, zoning permits, right of way or DESC permits online at your convenience.
Here is why Violet Township chose to partner with OpenGov for online permitting:
Self-Service Portal
Everyone can start with an intake survey that guides applicants through a short questionnaire and generates a custom checklist of necessary supplemental forms or documents required. It will guide you to the proper permit application to get started with the customer service portal. Applicants can then draft,
submit and view, pay fees online, and message reviewers.
Improved Customer Experience
This will improve user satisfaction with a 24/7 experience; serving residents, developers, and business owners with modern permitting and licensing software. Customers receive automatic email notifications of any activity on their application and can check its status in real-time.
Faster Approvals
Permit applications will be processed significantly faster.
WHAT: BOOK YOUR MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND OR RETREATS AT THE WIGWAM EVENT CENTER
Better Collaboration
Easy access to one platform means multiple departments can work together simultaneously.
Inspection Management
Inspection results are recorded, and field photos from inspectors and contractors can be uploaded from a phone or tablet onsite so that construction plans and feedback can be reviewed by contractors and government staff in real time.
Real-Time Access to the status of a submitted permit application
The end user can see where the permit application is in the review, approval, payment and inspection phase of the project at any time.
In Person Kiosk
WHERE: THE WIGWAM IS TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR CORPORATE EVENTS DURING THE WEEK
WIGWAM EVENT CENTER
WHY: MEETING SPACE IS AVAILABLE SMALL OR LARGE, ENJOY OUTDOOR SCENERY, AMPLE PARKING SPACES
WHO: CALL OUR EVENTS MANAGER TO BOOK YOUR NEXT MEETING 614-206-1066
We have an assisted in-person kiosk at our main offices to help those who need a little more help with online permit applications. We can scan documents, download your electronic documents to an accessible folder, whatever it takes to help you get logged on, signed up, application submitted, and your permit on its way!
Reminder, if you are using our system and find a bug, let us know and we can work it out ASAP! We appreciate your patience during the initial Go-Live time, and will strive to make this portal better.
You can always reach out to our Building and Zoning Department by calling 614-575-5556, or sending an email inquiry to permitting@violet. oh.us for assistance or clarifications.
The Drug Collection and Electronics Recycling Event has been scheduled for Saturday, October 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District – in cooperation with Violet Township and Fairfield County Sheriff’s office will be hosting the event. The collection site will be at the Violet Township Service Center located at 490 N. Center St., at the corner of Stemen Road and Center Street. We ask that you enter the event from the N. Center St. entrance.
This event marks an ongoing effort to rid our community’s medicine cabinets of potentially dangerous drugs, particularly controlled substances. In the past, unused drugs and/ or expired medication(s) were commonly discarded in the trash (landfill) or flushed down the sink or toilet – leading to the potential chemical contamination of ground water and/or wastewater treatment plants and causing harm to aquatic life and the human water supply.
Only prescription pills and capsules will be collected. No aerosols, inhalers, liquids, creams, gels, ointments, powders, patches, suppositories, syringes, or IVs will be accepted.
at least 75’
Please empty the pills into a Ziploc bag, black out the name or remove the label before bringing containers to the disposal site. If you have something of unknown origin, you may dispose of it, no questions asked.
This event is also accepting electronics. The following electronic items may be dropped off at no cost: computers, laptops, printers, cables, mouses, keyboards, discs, electronic clocks, VCR and DVD machines, radios, and cell phones. Pretty much anything with a cord.
No items containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) will be accepted because a certified facility must handle the disposal of this compound, which is commonly utilized as a refrigerant or as a propellant in aerosol cans.
Computer monitors will be accepted at the event at a cost of $5 each. Televisions will be accepted as well at the event at a cost of $1 per diagonal inch. Only cash and checks will be accepted as payment for the disposal fees.
Call the Fairfield County Sheriff’s office at 740-652-7248 with any drug collection questions. All other questions can be directed to the Fairfield SWCD office at 740-653-8154.
• Vehicle must have one taillight visible from a distance of 500’
• Vehicle must be equipped with two (2) red reflectors (may be incorporated into other rear lights)
The opportunity to hop on a golf cart in your own neighborhood sounds great, right? Violet Township and the Office of Sheriff Alex Lape want to make sure you have all the information you need if you are considering doing just that.
The FCSO offers inspections of golf carts for the purpose of licensing them to travel on certain Violet Township streets. Golf carts are only permitted on public streets where the posted speed limit is 35 mph or under, and they can ONLY cross other roadways directly –Point A to point B.
Before the inspection can be scheduled, the following criteria must be met:
• Vehicle must have two working headlights capable of illuminating persons or objects at a distance of
• Vehicle must be equipped with two (2) brake lights, visible from a distance of 500’ (may be incorporated into other rear lights)
• Vehicle must have rear license plate bracket; a light to illuminate a license plate making the plate legible from a distance of 50’
• Vehicle must have working brakes, emergency brake and brake lights
• Vehicle must have audible horn audible from not less than 200’
• Vehicle must have a rear-view mirror
• Vehicle must have working directional (turn) signals visible from front and rear
• Vehicle must have a windshield (glass or safety glass)
• Vehicle must have valid insurance
listing State Minimum Requirements for Liability Insurance of the golf cart
Additionally, the operation of a golf cart on any PUBLIC or PRIVATE roadway REQUIRES a valid driver’s license. Call FCSO at 740.652.7900 to schedule an inspection appointment with Sgt. Sean Burke. After your golf cart passes inspection, you can visit any Title Office with proof of ownership, insurance and the Inspection Certificate given to you by the inspecting officer/deputy. You will then be given a Certificate of Title. You can take the Certificate of Title to any BMV Registrar who will issue plates for the vehicle.
Operation of your golf cart must be in accordance ALL motor vehicle laws located within the Ohio Revised Code including having a valid operator’s license. This includes not operating the vehicle on any roadway where the posted speed limit is greater than 35 MPH. (ORC 4511.214)
Our annual Open House was held on October 1, 2023. We were again at Station 591 in Old Pickerington and happy to see so many people visit us. The theme this year is “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.” Did you know that cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires? Never leave the kitchen unattended while cooking. Some other helpful tips include:
• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly,
The Violet Township Annual Toy Drive will kick off November 24, 2023 and run through December 23, 2023. The Fire Department, along with IAFF Local 3558, will be collecting new, unwrapped toys as well as gift cards and monetary donations. All toys and donations will help provide Christmas gifts for those in need throughout our community. More details will follow as the event gets closer. You can follow the Violet Township Firefighters Holiday Toy Drive Facebook page for updates.
Each year is bigger than the last due to the generous support from our community. We truly appreciate all you do for this event every year!
remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
Should you have a cooking fire, you can smother it by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. If it is in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. In either case, also make a call to 911 so the fire department can arrive to make sure the fire is completely out. If you have any doubts, leave the house, close the door and call 911 to alert the fire department.
Our goal is to exceed our community’s expectations with our service to you. Should you have any questions, our contact number is 614-837-4123. Remember, we are your “Friends for Life.”
October 14, 2023 from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM Craft & Garage Sale
October 26, 2023
Soup Dinner and Bingo
December 3, 2023
Pancake Breakfast with Santa, featuring a Secret Santa Gift Shop and Bake Sale
Check in at our website, or stop by to see what all we have to offer!
http://www. pickeringtonseniorcenter.org/
Violet Township Administrative Offices
10190 Blacklick-Eastern Rd. Pickerington, OH 43147
614-575-5556 www.violet.oh.us
Violet Township Fire Stations
Phone 614-837-4123
Fire Chief: Michael Little
#592: 8700 Refugee Rd.
#591: 21 Lockville Rd.
#593: 2365 Taylor Park Dr.
Violet Township Service Center
Phone: 614-382-5979
490 Center St.
Pickerington, OH 43147
Just an hour before Tussing Elementary’s back-to-school Open House night for parents, Pickerington Schools opened the Tussing Elementary Clinic with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 14. The ribboncutting event featured representatives from Pickerington Schools, OhioGuidestone and Pediatric Associates, along with some local and state elected officials. And, local parents were encouraged to tour the clinic during the Open House event.
The Tussing Elementary Clinic will provide well-child, pediatric sick care and pediatric behavioral health services to students and community members. Located within Tussing Elementary at 7117 Tussing Road, the clinic is a collaborative effort between Pickerington Schools, Pediatric Associates and OhioGuidestone, aimed at addressing the diverse health needs of the community. The clinic will ensure access to medical services
conveniently located within the school premises. School-based behavioral health services will be provided by OhioGuidestone, marking an expansion in the scope and type of services now available to Pickerington Schools’ students.
“The Tussing Elementary Clinic provides us the opportunity to interact with the community, build lasting relationships, and provide care to those who may have barriers to attending
traditional in-office appointments,” said Teri Persinger, Executive Director of Pediatric Associates. “We will be able to help kids manage long term issues such as diabetes, asthma, and ADHD and also provide early interventions and disease prevention by offering comprehensive well visits and vaccinations.”
Dr. Nicholas Stevens of Pediatric Associates will serve as Chief Medical Officer of the clinic.
Please rake all leaves to the front of the property by the beginning date of the pickup week for your area. To ensure catch basins and storm sewer inlets are not obstructed, leaves should be piled on the curb lawn. Also, no leaves around mailboxes, trees and behind parked cars on street. The City of Pickerington Service Department may arrive in the listed areas prior to the scheduled date due to the weather; however, the department will return to the areas per the Leaf Pickup Schedule.
Week Beginning:
October 16 – October 20
October 23 – October 27
October 30 – November 3
November 6 – November 10
Areas for Leaf Pickup:
Downtown area, Shadow Oaks, Simsbury, Shawnee Crossing, Root Addition, Center Street, East Street
Colony Park, Manor House, Willow Pond, Meadowbrook, Pickerington Hills, Ramar, Melrose, Windmiller Ponds
Carpenter Addition, Long Road, West Columbus Street, Pine Ridge, Downtown area, Fox Glen West & East
Melrose, Inverness Glen, Pickerington Meadows, Milnor Place, Cherry Hill, Colony Park, Manor House, Willow Pond, East Street, Lakeview, Homestead Drive
November 13 – November 17
November 20 – November 24
Stonebridge, Pickerington Run, Root Addition, Refugee Road, Hill Road North, Meadowbrook, Pickerington Hills, Shadow Oaks
Fox Glen East & West, Preston Trails, Manchester, Sheffield, Longview Acres East & West, The Landings, Georges Creek, Villages of Sycamore Creek, Melrose, Reserve at Pickerington Ponds
November 27 – December 1
Lockville Road, Homestead Drive, East Street, Lakeview, Center Street, Hill Road South, Colony Park, Shadow Oaks, Downtown area, Manor House, Willow Pond, Simsbury, Shawnee Crossing
December 4 – December 8
Spring Creek, Windmiller Ponds, Carpenter, Root, Pickerington Run, Wellington Park, Spring Grove, Longview Highlands and Lake Forest. Last week of leaf pickup season, remaining piles throughout the City will be removed.
Despite her quiet nature, Chloe Berry’s teachers noticed early on that she was brilliant.
In just second grade she was placed in Pickerington Local Schools’ gifted program, and by high school, she was taking college-level classes through the College Credit Plus program.
Not only did she succeed with the college-level material, she excelled.
In her junior year at Pickerington High School Central, she earned an associate’s degree in science from Columbus State Community College and was accepted into The Ohio State University’s Cancer Research Experience for the Advancement and Training of Emerging Scientists (CREATES) program, giving her the opportunity to work under top researchers and earn lab experience.
Though Berry was excelling in school and had achieved so much on the surface, privately she was struggling with health issues.
“The fall of my junior year I’m really kind of against the wall,” Berry says. “I asked myself, ‘Do I want to keep continuing on this journey and not let the challenges that I may be facing with my health overcome what I know I’m supposed to do?’ and so by really putting God at the center, and knowing that I can
do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I was able to continue and keep going in the goal I had set for myself.”
So, with the support of her family and faith, and an unwavering sense of determination, she recovered.
By her senior year, Berry was asked to be a student ambassador for the College Credit Plus program, a leadership position through which she would help younger students apply and succeed in the program.
Dean Sabetta, College Credit Plus advisor for Pickerington schools, has known Berry since she started high school in 2019. He says he is impressed by how much she has grown and adapted.
“Early on she was shy and reserved, now she’s doing presentations at Ohio State with faculty on behalf of the university,” he says.
Not only is Berry a leader and mentor for students pursuing higher education, but she is also a trailblazer for young Black girls.
“A lot of people who look like me, in terms of my skin color being an African American, someone who’s really put their educational career in focus, you don’t see that that often,” Berry says. “I know that I haven’t seen that, just being that role
model to young girls, and showing that you can do it.”
During that year, she was also accepted into Ohio State’s College of Engineering to study chemical engineering tuition-free and earned a teacher’s assistant position at Ohio State for the fall semester. Because of her proven work ethic in the CREATES program, she was invited back to attend the college-level equivalent of the program.
Sabetta isn’t surprised by her success. He has seen her push to break boundaries for years.
“The kid does not quit,” Sabetta says. “She’s got a lot of grit, a lot of determination and everything about her is just very focused on achieving a goal. She wasn’t looking for the easy or convenient thing.”
Berry received numerous awards and accolades upon graduating high school in spring 2023. She finished top of her class with a 4.6 GPA and received the President’s Award for Academic Excellence as well as the Distinguished Scholar Award from Pickerington Local School District.
Though she has already accomplished so much, Berry always stays humble.
She attributes much of her success to her academic support system including her high school teachers and advisers, as well
as university researchers, professors and tutors. Her mother was also very involved with her studies, talking with her teachers, giving her motivation and direction, and helping her organize her coursework.
“This is a group effort at the end of the day. Your schools are supposed to provide options and opportunities and everybody requires that kind of drive and involvement from the people at home too, and that’s what they’ve done,” Sabetta says.
Berry is admired for her kind heart and she enjoys volunteering with senior citizens and at the food pantry as well as with her church. She plans to bring that compassion to her career, hoping to work in cancer research with a focus on minority groups that are underrepresented in medicine.
“In order to kind of solve this problem, at least on the research side, it needs to start with closing the gap of racial disparities within research,” she says.
Berry has always been interested in science but was inspired to pursue biomedical disciplines after reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, which tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose cells were taken without consent and used for a multitude of medical studies.
Berry emphasizes that minorities are still not receiving equality in medicine, both on the clinical and research side.
“I feel like not a lot of people know the mistreatment that (Lacks) went through and how she could have received different care that didn’t impact her in the long run,
and I wanted to learn more about cancer and how I can make a difference in that and also make a difference to create equitable health care through biomedical sciences,” she says.
Ultimately, Berry sees herself earning a doctorate degree and working in biopharmaceuticals, with a focus on making treatment accessible to low-income patients.
“Having your voice heard through social change and making a difference in the world is very important and by being able to do so, through the field of science, I’ll be making a difference and breaking these barriers,” she says.
Berry constantly goes above and beyond what’s expected or asked of her, making it impossible not to recognize and respect her talents.
“There are a lot of stereotypes and challenges that you face just trying to get that recognition,” Berry says. “Despite what you may think of me in a certain connotation, I still have these gifts and I still have these abilities.”
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@ cityscenemediagroup.com.
for treating common illnesses throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
The store would remain in the family for the next 75 years (1872-1947), and a wide variety of goods and services were sold at the location before it became Beckham Photography.
But before that, Russel Stiverson upheld the location as a drug store from 19511970. Bill Simon purchased the store and operated Simon’s Pharmacy until he passed in 1983. Next, Dane Drugs took over the space in 1985, which may sound familiar to some longtime Pickeringtonians.
Since then, the building has served as a general mercantile, a post office, an art-framing studio, a birdseed store, a sign company and it even offered duckpin bowling on the second floor at one point.
Today, hundreds of high school seniors, families and models have had their pictures taken by David Beckham within the walls that Kraner inherited more than 150 years ago.
In 1865, Pickerington was home to 37 buildings and just 150 people. The railroad that passed through town laid its final tracks and opened for business in 1879, forever changing the course of the town history, as its population and facilities would boom shortly thereafter.
Erasmus Darwin Kraner was born in 1844 and served as postmaster for 30 years. Anticipating the growing town’s needs, E.D. Kraner was ahead of the curve when he acquired W.M. Curtis’ store in 1872 on the corner of East Columbus Street and Lockville Road. He opened a pharmacy within the store for his son, local doctor Charles Kraner, who lost his hearing and could no longer practice medicine. E.D. Kraner ran the business for 42 years before passing away in 1914.
Pharmaceutical study advanced relatively quickly in the United States due to the sharing of various traditional remedies, many coming from those with European and Native American backgrounds,
The Rock and Roll, National Aviation and Pro Football halls of fame aren’t the only major collections to call Ohio home. In fact, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is right here in Pickerington. It is so close to home that some residents on Capetown Avenue can say that the museum is literally in their own backyard.
Since the first motorcycle was built in 1885, motorbikes have captured the hearts of millions. Right here in Pickerington, you can dive into America’s history with motorcycles, which, for many, are so much more than just a mode of transport.
“The AMA was created in 1924 by the motorcycle industry to engage motorcyclists, and specifically to develop, promote and propagate motorcycle activity,” says James Holter, chief operating officer of the AMA.
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is fit for visitors of all ages and levels of motorcycle enthusiasm. A plethora of bikes are on display, which gives visitors a clear snapshot of the history and current state of motorcycling, both as a worldwide competitive sport and as a cultural phenomenon and hobby.
“If you are a motorcyclist, you should come to remind yourself of why you’re a motorcyclist,” Holter says. “If you’re not a motorcyclist, you should come to see if you should be a motorcyclist. Learn about this part of our heritage, our American heritage, whether you ride or not, you can see how motorcycles fit into that.”
Bikes of all shapes and sizes line the two floors of this hallowed exhibition space. The top floor is dedicated to Hall of Fame inductees, who are selected annually and inaugurated each year in September. The bottom floor is a group of rotating exhibits featuring bikes and other artifacts that are refreshed annually.
The museum offers a close look at hogs from each era of motorcycle history, from a recreation of the world’s first motorcycle in 1885, to the po-
lice bike that crashed through the window in Terminator 2: Judgment Day more than 100 years later.
The bikes are not the only artifacts on display, as a segment of the exhibition floor is dedicated to a garagestyle area that shows off various parts and products that make up the bikes. One fascinating example is a display of intricately cross-sectioned engines, giving viewers an intimate view of what makes the magic happen.
The museum offers rare opportunities to get up close and personal with iconic and historically relevant bikes. Attendees can watch a film presentation about AMA Hall of Famer and racing legend Mert Lawwill, then turn their heads 45 degrees to the left and see his race-used bike on display.
Vintage signage, clothing and products – such as an especially charming selection of toy motorcycles from the 20th century – are all present to satisfy the nostalgic cravings of longtime riders. The common theme of the museum’s collection is the thrill of riding.
“It’s the freedom you feel when you ride a motorcycle, how fun it is,” Holter says. “It reminds them of something that they’ve enjoyed and had fun with ever since they were kids. … It’s a connection to a simpler time in their lives, and that just is really enjoyable and it just sparks feelings of fun and excitement and freedom.”
The AMA hasn’t always been around Pickerington, as it originally called Chicago home before moving to central Ohio after a year or two. It moved between several spots around Columbus including Westerville before landing in Pickerington in 1999.
Why the AMA moved to central Ohio is no longer known, though Holter says there have been rumors that E.C. Smith –the first secretary of the AMA and leader of the association for about 40 years – was a fan of the Buckeyes.
Regardless of what Smith’s reasoning may have been, Ohio has embraced the AMA and the motorcycle culture is strong here. Ohio ranks 16th in the U.S. in registered motorcycles per 100,000 residents according to Motorcycle.com.
“Per capita, even considering Ohio is one of the more populous states, I think we have more motorcyclists than you’d expect for a state that does actually have four seasons,” Holter says. “This is kind of a key area for offroad racing. … There’s quite a bit of motorcycling activity here.”
The Hall of Fame is conveniently located right off I-70 and inhabits a scenic space nestled in the woods off of Yarmouth Drive.
The AMA also hosts its Vintage Motorcycle Days about an hour north at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington, Ohio. Vintage Motorcycle Days are wildly popular with people from all over the nation traveling in to catch the action, which includes historic and modern motorcycle races, daring stunts, demo rides and the largest motorcycle swap meet in North America.
“There’s a lot of folks that actually pretty much plan their whole summer around this event,” Holter says. “And often the biggest complaint we hear about it is it’s too short.”
The AMA hosts Hall of Fame Days in September, Vintage Motorcycle Days in July and Take a Kid Dirt Biking Month in May. The museum is also open daily so motorheads can embrace the freedom of the road year-round.
Admission to the museum is $10 for adults, $3 for students and $8 for seniors.
Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
PROUD TO BE ENDORSED BY:
Keith Bordner, Owner, Cardo’s Pizza
Steve Davis, Fairfield County Commissioner
Terry Dunlap, Violet Township Trustee
Jeff Fix, Fairfield County Commissioner
Janis Francis, Owner, Humble Crate; ReMax Connection Realtor
Lee Gray, Mayor of Pickerington
Jeff LaRe, State Representative
Dave Levacy, Fairfield County Commissioner
Mike Little, Violet Township Fire Chief
Clay Lopez, Pickerington Board of Education
Mark Matthews, Owner, MMA Insurance
Darrin Monhollen, Violet Township Trustee
Lisa Monhollen, Realtor, eMerge Real Estate
Vanessa Niekamp, Pickerington Board of Education
J.D. Postage, Pickerington Board of Education
Marian Reitano, Retired Realtor
Rita Ricketts, Former Pickerington Mayor
Jaclyn Rohaly, President, Pickerington City Council
Kevin Strait, Owner, Kevin Strait & Associates
Growing up through Worthington schools’ beginning band programs, Greg Benson found himself unsure of whether he should continue with music or soccer in high school.
Balancing both would be tricky, but he expected not to start on his varsity soccer team until his junior or senior year, meaning he had an opportunity to keep playing his saxophone.
“I loved band, but I wasn’t sure about marching band, and my mother put me in the car and took me to my first rehearsal and said, ‘You got to try it at least once,’” Benson says. “And I got back in that car at the end, and said, ‘This is the greatest experience I’ve ever had. I want to do this forever.’”
Benson, now the director of bands at Pickerington High School North, says he quickly identified music as a career choice and ended up earning a bachelor’s degree in music education from Otterbein University in Westerville.
Afterwards, Benson taught as the director of bands at Gallia Academy High
School and Middle School for two years before moving on to be the assistant band director at Grove City High School where he’d previously done student teaching. Now, he says he’s found a new home in Pickerington for the past six years.
“It had always been a place I had identified as one of the schools that I’d be
very seriously interested in if the position came open, and so I jumped on that opportunity,” Benson says. “I wanted to be in a place where music was valued and very clearly a part of the community culture, and so Pickerington was a no-brainer.”
Benson says he has a lot on his plate as he directs not just the marching band, but also concert bands, jazz ensembles and beginning woodwinds in middle school.
The heavy load hasn’t slowed him down, and he says there’s always a high expectation to demonstrate excellence despite no longer being a competition marching band.
“Our students have been wildly successful in (our) new model and our goal is always to be the example – be the standard,” Benson says. “We want to show up and say, ‘This is what’s possible, and we want to do it because we want to show our best to our audience. We want to give our musical gifts to our audience.’”
The high standards have shown, too. Outside of pumping up audiences at football games and a few band festivals, Pickerington North has a long history of significant regional and national performances.
This Veterans Day, the Pickerington North Marching Band is combining with Pickerington Central at the New York City Veterans Day Parade, an event both bands are already familiar with.
“We are blessed here that our ensembles have earned those positions in auditions to be able to perform at those national events. We are going to New York, and we like to find ways to give back to our community, so one of the greatest ways is to honor our veterans,” Benson says. “We usually do these larger trips with North and Central combined because that’s the whole community getting behind, ‘Look at what my community’s marching bands are doing to represent our community.’”
Benson also took the band to the 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California in a combined performance with Pickerington Central, marking the sixth time Pickerington has represented in the parade and is tied for the most ap-
pearances by any high school band in the country.
“That is quite an honor, and not one we take lightly. That organization out there,” Benson says, “is one of the finestrun volunteer organizations, and they treat our kids like royalty out there. And so, it’s really just a tremendous experience where you really have a five-and-a-halfmile parade with no break and a really excited audience.”
The marching band is returning to the Buckeye Invitational this year on Oct. 14 at Ohio Stadium, which he says is a fun experience for new band members.
“I always love watching the freshmen as we take the field at Ohio State every year because it’s certainly the largest venue they’ve ever performed in,” Benson says. “When they get to finally step on that field, the wide-eyed look is pretty unique to watch, and there’s a little bit of a mix of excitement and a little terror in that because they’re performing in such a large stadium. But then at the end, watching them high-five and fist bump all their friends and just be like, ‘Look at what we did,’ that’s the rewarding part.”
Many kids grow up with mandatory music classes in elementary school but fall out of it in high school or later. However, for those who stick with it, many recognize there’s something special about music education.
Kyle Buchwalter, the marching band president and north head field commander for Pickerington North, says band is his favorite part of the school day.
“I can go out, and I can express myself through music,” Buchwalter says. “It definitely activates a different part of my brain, which is good to leave one part of my brain for a break – activate the other part and kind of be free in a sense where I can be expressive and use my imagination.”
Buchwalter, who started on the clarinet before switching to the saxophone once he got the basics down, says he’s learned many lessons from band and has been impacted by great instructors who have fostered an ever-growing love for music.
“The goal is to make it through high schoool and college, and then go out in the world and educate my own students,” Buchwalter says, “and hopefully instill a love of music in them that I have in my life.”
Both Benson and Buchwalter say there are specific skills learned from band, such as camaraderie, compassion and teamwork, and it can have a powerful impact when everyone is on the same page.
“We’re one team, and there’s 150 of us, and there’s no bench,” Buchwalter says. “Making everyone be together is a task, and it’s really fun and it’s difficult and challenging. … (The) atmosphere and how electric it is when that band plays its first note and it hits you right in the face, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Nathan Mader is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@ cityscenemediagroup.com.
With each passing year, the City of Pickerington becomes more diverse as minority populations constantly grow within and move to the city. This trend is expected to continue, bringing with it new cultures, traditions, food and art, all of which the Pickerington Local School District celebrates and takes pride in.
Because of this celebration and appreciation, the district was bestowed the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce Diversity Champion Award during its annual awards ceremony.
Kim Barlag, chamber president, says the chamber felt the district deserved to be honored for its efforts to create a more inclusive space for an increasingly diverse student body.
“The district demonstrates its commitment to diversity and inclusion by regularly surveying the 11,000-plus students on cultural awareness to measure improvement,” Barlag says. “Results show positive growth in several areas, including having conversations about race and being encouraged to think deeply about race-related topics.”
This award came about a year and a half after the district appointed Dr. Michael Jackson as the director of diversity
and engagement. Since Jackson took the role, he has implemented inclusive programs and events, fostered education on different cultures, assisted family and student diversity and engagement liaisons, trained teachers and other faculty about diversity and inclusivity, and encouraged students to create cultural clubs.
“We not only worked very hard within the district to celebrate and acknowledge culture, but we do our very best to invite our community in to learn about their global neighbors,” Jackson says.
Celebrating diversity isn’t only about recognizing different cultures, ethnicities and languages, but also celebrating
by
The Black Student Union
Muslim Student Association
No Place for Hate Club
Gender Inclusive School Alliance
Diversity Club
Culture Day (TBD)
CommUNITY Fair (TBD)
National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11)
Black History Month (February)
Disability Awareness Month (March)
Women’s History Month (March)
Asian American and Pacific Islander Month (May)
different abilities and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
In short, the mission is to celebrate the differences within families and the community as a whole. Jackson says the key to preventing prejudice and exclusion is exposure and perspective. Therefore, encouraging students and faculty to learn about and engage in different identities and ways of life can aid in unity and equality efforts.
“We engage our students in this kind of dialogue so that when they see people that are different from them, they acknowledge and recognize that we’re all different and unique, so it’s not anything where they should be finding any opportunity to speak down or poorly upon anyone,” Jackson says.
Students aren’t the only ones learning from the diversity and engagement initiatives. Faculty must participate in yearly training and Jackson encourages teachers to educate themselves about their students’ cultural backgrounds to help the students feel seen.
“You take the time to know the students that are in front of you and you utilize their backgrounds to have a closer connection,” Jackson says. “It goes so far,
as far as students being encouraged or motivated to learn from that particular teacher because that teacher has shown an authentic, genuine interest in them.”
Significant celebrations in the community include CommUNITY Fair, during which students showcase their own ethnic dishes, cultural performances and projects, and it’s open to everybody, not just students. Each high school also has its own Black History Month celebration, often with student performances and education on the history and culture of Black Americans. Jackson says he hopes to expand the elementary schools’ Disability Awareness Month celebration to other schools.
Clubs are also an important element for celebrating diversity in schools, as they give students a space to connect with their peers, discussing both cultural similarities and differences. Often these various clubs plan performances, speeches and activities for celebrations such as events held during Black History Month.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@ cityscenemediagroup.com.
Few things are more inviting than an assortment of pumpkins – decorated or not – arranged on the front porch in fall. But you shouldn’t judge this gourd for its appearance alone.
Did you know that pumpkins are super foods? It’s not news to Sam’s Pumpkin Patch, which has grown pumpkins locally in Pickerington for more than 30 years and provides a wide variety of pumpkins for carving and baking. And pumpkins aren’t just for fall. The current owner of Sam’s, Terry Dunlap Sr., says pumpkins can be preserved throughout the year.
“There’s one lady I trade six pie pumpkins for four pies. I have one for now, I have one for Thanksgiving, one for Christmas and one for whenever I want to thaw it out,” he says. “I really love making pumpkin soup, you know, because I got someone else who makes good pies.”
More than 40 varieties of pumpkins exist that can be utilized for seasonal spiced lattes or baking. All varieties of this fruit contain a great deal of carotene, beta-carotene and fiber, according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research. These nutrients can help lower the risk of cancer in the pancreas, throat, skin, breast and stomach. Just like you’ll find in apples, some pumpkin varieties are tastier than others.
“Pik-a-pie is a good one,” Dunlap says. “They make a nice mix when you’re decorating and you can even eat it afterward.”
Pumpkins contain many antioxidants that your body converts into vitamin A and are a reliable source of fiber aiding in weight loss, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation and a reduced risk of colon cancer. That means an extra dose of healthfulness when you add pumpkins to your cooking or baking.
“People make cookies, people make cakes, … all kinds of weird things,” Dunlap says. “Pumpkin soup is really good, people make that, there’s a lot of things you can do with pumpkin and each family has their little tradition that they normally do.”
Dunlap says he simply uses the pumpkin flesh, some heavy cream, a little salt and pepper, and sometimes sugar as a sweetener.
“I have a big sign that says pie pumpkins so that they know these are the ones that make the better pies with the smoother flesh,” he says.
Fairfield County, the scarecrow capital of Ohio, has the annual Trail of Scarecrows where you can vote for your favorite scarecrow across all the communities in the county.
“The only year we entered that, we won it,” Dunlap says. “The number of votes we got was more than any scarecrow in Fairfield County that year, even more than Lancaster.”
Sam Patterson, the founder and namesake of Sam’s Pumpkin Patch, lived in Pickerington since 1961 and immediately sold produce starting with cabbage and potatoes along with sweet corn. In 1988 Patterson started selling pumpkins from his front yard, thus beginning the legacy of Sam the Pumpkin Man.
With continuous love and support from the community, Patterson was able to give back in 2013, when he added pink pumpkins to his variety, and a portion of the proceeds to the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research for each one sold.
Sam’s Pumpkin Patch is a small space in Pickerington that shares a long tradition of love for the fall season and never spares the fun.
“The kids get out and grab a little red Flyer wagon and they don’t care if they get a pumpkin or not, if they pull the wagon, they have a good time,” Dunlap says.
Ingredients:
2 cups of rolled oats
2 tsp. of pumpkin spice (mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg)
1 tsp. of baking powder
¼ tsp. of salt
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 ¼ cup of milk of choice
2 large eggs
2 tsp. of vanilla
⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
Topping of choice: Raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
Directions:
• First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Then, mix the oats, pumpkin spice, baking powder and salt together in a medium size bowl.
• Next, stir in the pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla, milk, and honey or maple syrup.
• Spread into a greased, eight-by-eight baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
• Finally, add whatever topping of your choice.
The price of Pickerington homes was down 2.3% in July/August 2023 in comparison to last year, with the median price being $420,000. On average, homes in Pickerington sold after 38 days of being on the market. A total of 35 homes were sold in July this year, down from 81 last year. (Data from Redfin)
information is collected from the Fairfield and Franklin County auditors’ offices.
“The only reason we
give Sam 5 stars would be because we can’t give him more.”Samuel Cooper DBA Sam Cooper Team All
Sam Cooper (614) 561-3201
samcooper@howardhanna.com
Two-story home in Ashley Creek, 1st floor owners bdrm, luxurious owners’ bath, wide plank flooring throughout 1st flr, home office, great room w/ fireplace, remodeled kitchen, eating space & pantry, 1st flr laundry, 2nd story loft, finished LL w/ rec room & wet bar, theater room & storage room, backyard w/ custom paver patio, outdoor pavilion w/ built in bar
SAM COOPER – HOWARD HANNA
Sam Cooper (614) 561-3201
samcooper@howardhanna.com
Two story home in the Glenshire neighborhood, oversized 3.5 car garage, 1st floor home office, formal living & dining room w/ tray ceiling, kitchen w/ granite island, hardwood floors, large great room w/ second stairway leading upstairs, remodeled owners’ bath, finished lower-level rec room w/ built in bar & full bath & additional storage room(s)
SAM COOPER – HOWARD HANNA
Sam Cooper (614) 561-3201
samcooper@howardhanna.com
Stunning Ranch Home, large lot w/ inground heated salt-water pool, waterfall & lights, covered porch, gas fire pit. Open concept floorplan. New SS appliances. DR w/coffered ceiling. 1st floor office. Primary suite w/ ensuite, & custom closets. Finished LL w/ granite wet bar, full fridge, wine fridge, 2nd pantry & new carpet. 2nd Home Office, 1/2 bath & egress window.
SAM COOPER – HOWARD HANNA
Sam Cooper (614) 561-3201
samcooper@howardhanna.com
10000 Berkshire Dr. Pickerington | $549,900
Custom two-story home in the Glenshire Subdivision, partially finished LL with walkout basement, hardwood flooring throughout first floor, vaulted great room and living room with fireplace, large open kitchen, 1st floor home office, 1st floor owner’s suite, upstairs junior suites with their own full bath and walk in closet, private backyard with inground pool, custom paver patio.
SAM COOPER – HOWARD HANNA
Submitted by Colleen Bauman, Executive Manager-Community Engagement at the Pickerington Public Library
The delights of autumn are described in mixed-up verse and illustrations, and the reader is challenged to uncover the errors.
Halloween is coming up and Hughie Wolfe is volunteering at a new rural attraction called Harvest House. This book is a mystery based on spooky folklore with a vengeful maiden spirit and a creepy man that follows indigenous girls. Can Hughie and his friends solve this spinetingling mystery and protect themselves and their community?
Words by Vicky Fang, pictures
by Saoirse Lou
This book is filled with interactive action prompts that let kids join in the fun of the story.
by Jake Maia Arlow
12-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life. Her stomach hurts all the time, she has no idea why and she’s almost definitely 100% sure she likes girls. So, she holds it in … until she can’t.
by Stephanie Willing
When her mom disappears from their small Texas town, paleontology-loving Haven is determined to find her. Haven also uncovers a monstrous family secret. Infused with a deep love of fossils and Celtic lore, this lyrical coming-of-age story appeals to all who have a love of cryptozoology.
Library hours: Pickerington Public Library | pickeringtonlibrary.org
Sunday 1-5 p.m. | Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Hula
by Jasmin ‘Iolani HakesSet in Hilo, Hawaii, Hula is a sweeping historical saga of family, tradition and culture, and weaves the story of three generations of women. An ode to Hawaii, its people and the power of its history.
The House on Prytania is the second Royal Street novel. Nola Trenholm is not a psychic herself, but she knows when ghosts are present, and there are a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. But what or who do they want?
For more information, visit pickeringtonlibrary.org or contact Communications@pickeringtonlibrary.org
Bally Sports Group leads an age appropriate program that utilizes fun games and activities to teach the fundamentals to beginning soccer players. Coaches focus on teaching the basics of dribbling, passing, scoring and the concept of game play. Proper sportsmanship is emphasized in a positive and encouraging atmosphere enabling children to enjoy learning soccer while also having fun being physically active. Each week will include both developmentally appropriate instruction as well as recreational, non-competitive game play. Each player receives a team shirt. Shin guards required. Optional: cleats and soccer ball (size 3)
MS-01
3-4 Years
Sep 14-Oct 19 Th 6 Weeks 5-6pm
Fee: $107 City Resident Discount Fee: $85
MS-02
5-6 Years
Sep 14-Oct 19 Th 6 Weeks 6-7pm
Fee: $107 City Resident Discount Fee: $85
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Soccer Field 1
300 Covered Bridge Ln.
Soccer Shots is an engaging children’s soccer program with a focus on character development. We positively impact children’s lives on and off the field through our best-inclass coaching, communication and curriculum. Each session focuses on basic soccer skills and incorporates those skills in a fun, non-competitive environment. All equipment is provided.
SHOT-01
2-3 Years
Sep 9-Oct 28 Sa 8 Weeks 3-3:30pm
Fee: $130 City Resident Discount Fee: $104
SHOT-02
2-3 Years
Sep 9-Oct 28 Sa 8 Weeks 3:45-4:15pm
Fee: $130 City Resident Discount Fee: $104
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Soccer Field 3 300 Covered Bridge Ln.
Bally Sports Group’s Little Sluggers is a great introduction to the game of baseball for young children. Using age appropriate activities, players will be introduced to fundamentals of baseball in an atmosphere that is supportive, fun and prevents children from feeling pressured. Each week, the program will include an instructional portion that will introduce players to batting, base running, fielding, throwing and catching. A modified game will also be played each week. Parent participation is strongly encouraged to allow the program to run smoothly. The Little Sluggers T-Ball program will provide your child with a fun and positive t-ball experience, encouraging future participation. Each player receives a team shirt and hat. Glove is required. Optional: cleats and bat
LS-01
3-4 Years
Sep 10-Oct 8 Su 5 Weeks 12-1pm
Fee: $107 City Resident Discount Fee: $85
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Softball Field 1 & 2 500 Hereford Dr.
Directed by Grandmaster Stephens of Free Spirit Karate Clubs.
Tae Kwon Do skills help build strength, agility and coordination. Students will learn at their own pace, and most importantly, will have fun, fun, fun! Social skills and coordination drills are wrapped together with our unique self-defense techniques.
LK-01
3-7 Years
Aug 3-Sep 7 Th 6 Weeks 5:30-6pm
Fee: $104 City Resident Discount Fee: $83
LK-02
3-7 Years
Sep 14-Oct 19 Th 6 Weeks 5:30-6pm
Fee: $104 City Resident Discount Fee: $83
LK-03
3-7 Years
Oct 26-Dec 7* Th 6 Weeks 5:30-6pm
*No class Nov 23
Fee: $104 City Resident Discount Fee: $83
LK-04
3-7 Years
Dec 14-Jan 18 Th 6 Weeks 5:30-6pm
Fee: $104 City Resident Discount Fee: $83
LK-05
3-7 Years
Jan 25-Feb 29 Th 6 Weeks 5:30-6pm
Fee: $104 City Resident Discount Fee: $83
Location: American Free Spirit Karate 5953 E Main St., Columbus, OH 43232
Your little one needs to get out moving and you need a program just right for their size. Search no more! Weekly JumpBunch classes begin with kid-friendly warm ups and exercises. The class “Coach” will then introduce participants to individual skills, equipment and simple rules of a different sports/fitness activity each week. Coaches praise and encourage children while helping them develop coordination, teamwork and confidence. Each session concludes with games, obstacle courses and cool downs to keep kids engaged and moving throughout the session. Participants should dress to be very active. Adult/parent participation is required for all children under 3. For more information, go to JumpBunch.com.
SFF-01
18-36 Months with parent
Sep 7-Oct 12 Th 6 Weeks 6-6:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
SFF-02
3-5 Years
Sep 7-Oct 12 Th 6 Weeks 6:30-7pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Pickering Shelter 300 Covered Bridge Ln.
Bally Sports Group provides children with a fun and educational first basketball experience! Players are taught the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, passing, rebounding, defense, and the concept of game play. The curriculum incorporates teaching styles that help this age group build and understanding of the skills that are taught by utilizing fun terminology and engaging activities. A positive and encouraging atmosphere is created in which kids learn proper sportsnmanship. Each week players participate in developmentally appropriate instruction and modified, recreational game play.
LB-01
4-6.5 Years
Nov 6-Dec 11 Mo 6 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $113 City Resident Discount Fee: $90
Location: Harmon Middle School Auxiliary Gym 12410 Harmon Rd.
Join us on a three week writing journey that will teach young authors to connect their writing with nature, their imagination and emotions! Each writer will leave with three complete pieces of work and can choose one (opt in/out) to be published in our first Pickerington Young Authors Anthology.
PAA-01 10 Years and older
Sep 11-Sep 25 Mo 3 Weeks 7-8pm
Fee: $44 City Resident Discount Fee: $35
Location: Pickerington Main Library 201 Opportunity Way
Kids in Karate- Adults too!
Directed by Grandmaster Stephens of Free Spirit Karate Clubs. Tae Kwon Do skills help build strength, agility and coordination. The mental aspects builds self-confidence, self-control and mental-discipline. From kids to adults, it is great for the whole family. Everyone can benefit from this class.
KIK-01 6 Years and older
Aug 17-Oct 5 Th 8 Weeks 6-7:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
KIK-02 6 Years and older
Oct 12-Dec 7* Th 8 Weeks 6-7:30pm
*No class Nov 23
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
KIK-03 6 Years and older
Dec 14-Feb 1 Th 8 Weeks 6-7:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
Location: American Free Spirit Karate 5953 E Main St., Columbus, OH 43232
Bally Sports Minor League Baseball is a great introduction to coachpitch baseball for beginning baseball players. The program utilizes instruction including batting, fielding, throwing and catching. The program will also include a modified, non-competitive game each week. Bally Sports staff will lead each team’s instruction, although parent participation is strongly encouraged. Bally Sports strives to emphasize the importance of great sportsmanship by creating an encouraging atmosphere that helps players build self-esteem and encourage future participation. Each player receives a team shirt and hat. Glove is required. Optional: cleats and bat
MLB-01 5-7 Years
Sep 10-Oct 8 Su 5 Weeks 1-2:15pm
Fee: $107 City Resident Discount Fee: $85
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Softball Field 1 & 2 500 Hereford Dr.
Multi-Sport programs are designed to introduce young athletes to a variety of different sports in one setting. Athletes will learn the rules and essential skills of each sport, along with vital life lessons such as sportsmanship and teamwork.
SMC-01
6-10 Years
Aug 29-Sep 19 Tu 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
SMC-02
6-10 Years
Oct 3-Oct 24 Tu 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
Location: Victory Park Terry O’Brien Shelter
75 Lockville Rd.
Skyhawks Beginning Golf is powered by Payne Stewart Golf Experiences, the recommended entry-level golf program for PGA Junior Golf Camps. The unique, games-based play program and modified learning equipment make it easier for kids to hit the ball and experience early success. Putting, chipping, pitching and full swing, are all taught through games, simple repetitive motions and learning rhymes that make it easy for young kids to remember and repeat. Specially designed, age appropriate golf equipment is provided.
SBG-01
6-10 Years
Aug 30-Sep 20 Wed 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $94 City Resident Discount Fee: $75
SBG-02
6-10 Years
Oct 4-Oct 25 Wed 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $94 City Resident Discount Fee: $75
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Pickering Shelter
300 Covered Bridge Ln.
This fun, skill-intensive program is designed for beginning to intermediate players. Using our progressional curriculum, we focus on the whole player - teaching sportsmanship and teamwork. Boys and girls will learn the fundamentals of passing, shooting, ball handling, rebounding and defense through skill-based instruction and smallsided scrimmages.
SBC-01
6-12 Years
Aug 31-Sep 21 Th 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
SBC-02
6-12 Years
Oct 5-Oct 26 Th 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $87 City Resident Discount Fee: $69
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Basketball Court 500 Hereford Dr.
Led by Don Prozy, a 6th level blackbelt in Poekoelan Kung Fu with 30 years experience, you will learn the foundations of basic self-defense including self-defense holds, strikes and kicks. Strength training, balance and flexibility conditioning will also be a key factor in this exciting class! Come learn self defense and bring the whole family!”
SDK-01
7 Years and older
Nov 1-Dec 13 We 6 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
*No Class Nov 15 & 22
Fee: $115 City Resident Discount Fee: $92 Location: Harmon Middle School Auxiliary Gym 12410 Harmon Rd.
Looking for a great workout that combines strength training, flexibility, and cardio? Then try out cardio kickboxing! In this session led by Don Prozy, 6th level black belt in Poekoelan Kung Fu, you will work on flexibility and balance, learn kicks and strikes and combine them all for a great workout! Bring a towel and water bottle, you will need them!
CK-01 7 Years and older
Nov 1-Dec 13 We 6 Weeks 6:45-7:45pm
*No Class Nov 15 & 22
Fee: $100 City Resident Discount Fee: $80
Location: Harmon Middle School Auxiliary Gym 12410 Harmon Rd.
Bally Sports Group provides children with a fun and educational first basketball experience! Players are taught the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, passing, rebounding, defense, and the concept of game play. The curriculum incorporates teaching styles that help this age group build and understanding of the skills that are taught by utilizing fun terminology and engaging activities. A positive and encouraging atmosphere is created in which kids learn proper sportsnmanship. Each week players participate in developmentally appropriate instruction and modified, recreational game play.
SS-01
6.5-8 Years
Nov 6-Dec 11 Mo 6 Weeks 6:30-7:30pm
Fee: $113 City Resident Discount Fee: $90
Location: Harmon Middle School Auxiliary Gym 12410 Harmon Rd.
What is the hype about pickleball and why are so many people playing it? If you are completely brand new to the sport, this four week introduction is the class for you. You will learn all the basics of how to play. Grab a friend, spouse or child (at least 14 years old) and come learn a fun new sport. You will learn the basic rules, have fun, meet new people and learn a new sport.
BPC-01
14 Years and older
Jul 31-Aug 21 Mo 4 Weeks 5:30-6:30pm
Fee: $100 City Resident Discount Fee: $80
BPC-02 14 Years and older
Jul 31-Aug 21 Mo 4 Weeks 6:45-7:45pm
Fee: $100 City Resident Discount Fee: $80
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Taylor Tennis Courts 281 Hilltop Dr.
Zumba® is a Latin based dance fitness program. We “visit” cultures all around the world through the magic of dance. This is a judgment free zone, and no dance experience is needed. Bring water along with you, and be prepared to work, laugh and have fun; all while making those calories cry (sweat). Tammy is a licensed Zumba® instructor and current ZIN™ member. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/ZumbaWithTammyTyler.
ZF-01
18 Years and older
Sep 25-Dec 11* Mo 11 Weeks 6-7pm
*No class Dec 4
Fee: $80 City Resident Discount Fee: $64
ZF-02
18 Years and older
Jan 8-Mar 18 Mo 11 Weeks 6-7pm
Fee: $80 City Resident Discount Fee: $64
Location: Pickerington Senior Center 150 Hereford Dr.
The league will be self-officiated and self-scored with 8 teams max. Each team is guaranteed 7 games with the top 4 teams advancing to a season finale tournament. Sign up one person per team; price is per team, not per person. Participants will need to bring their own equipment except a net.
The 3.0 and Below League is not a league intended for players to learn the sport for the first time. Players in this league must understand the rules and game settings.
The 3.5 & Above League is designed for intermediate and advanced pickleball players.
Please register to the correct league according to your skill level.
Registration forms available online at www.pickerington.net. Register by Tuesday, August 3.
3.0 & Below Division-Doubles
Aug 9-Sep 27 We 8 Weeks 6-8pm
Fee: $60 per team
3.5 & Above Division-Doubles
Aug 8-Sep 26 Tu 8 Weeks 6-8pm
Fee: $60 per team
Location: Sycamore Creek Park Taylor Tennis Courts 281 Hilltop Dr.
Registration is complete with full payment. Accepted methods of payment include: Cash, Checks made payable to City of Pickerington, and VISA and MasterCard. City of Pickerington charges a $35 returned check fee.
Register for select Parks and Recreation activities 24/7 with online registration at www.pickerington.net or on your smart phone by scanning the code.
Register in person from 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday at the Parks and Recreation Department located at City Hall, 100 Lockville Road across from Victory Park.
Email a copy of the Registration form found at www.pickerington.net to recreation@pickerington.net.
Send completed registration form and full payment to: City of Pickerington, 100 Lockville Road, Pickerington, OH 43147
Drop off your registration form and full payment after normal operating hours in the secure drop box located at City Hall and your registration will be processed the next business day.
Send scenic or pictures out enjoying one of the parks or programs to pics@pickerington.net. Pictures may be posted on the City’s Facebook page or be used in future Program Guides.
Please be alert to safety hazards, vandalism and other crimes in our parks. Report crimes to Pickerington Police Department at 614-575-6911.
Park Rules
1. Park open from dawn to dusk.
2. Damaging or removing park property, natural features and wildlife is prohibited.
3. No littering or dumping.
4. Loud and disruptive behavior is prohibited.
5. Advertising or commercial enterprise requires permission from the City Manager.
6. No camping without a written permit from the City Manager.
7. No fires except in designated areas.
8. Hunting and trapping is prohibited.
9. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times and owners must pick up after their pets.
10. No swimming, wading, or boating.
11. Catch and release fishing only.
12. No motorized vehicles except in designated areas.
13. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Violation of any park rule may lead to ejection from the park or prosecution under the laws of the City of Pickerington.
Reserve space for your family reunion, birthday party, or graduation party beginning March 1 for April 1-October 31, 2023.
1. Facilities may be reserved throughout the year from April 1 - October 31. Reservations will be accepted after March 1 of each year. Restroom facilities are not available from November 1 - March. Reservations must be made at least 72 hours in advance. Additional information available at www. pickerington.net.
2. Full payment is required when submitting reservation applications.
3. Any person or organization holding an approved application shall receive a refund only if the Parks and Recreation Department is given proper notice to cancel prior to two (2) weeks from the scheduled date of use. A Refund Request Form must be submitted, and there is a $15 processing fee to cancel a reservation.
4. In the event of rain or extreme weather conditions, as determined by the Parks and Recreation Department, reservations will be rescheduled if possible.
5. The group or organization using the facilities shall assure that:
a. All park rules are followed.
b. Damages made to the facilities or equipment during their time of use shall be their financial responsibility.
c. Facilities shall be left clean and neat.
Facility amenities for all park spaces available for reservation can be accessed online at www. pickerington.net
