January 13, 2011
Liberty might seek recycling grant By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Liberty Township trustees might seek a grant that would lead to curbside recycling being offered to residents at a discount. The discussion came up at the trustees’ Jan. 3 meeting, almost two years after residents’ objections killed the idea of a
single townshipwide trash hauler that would have provided curbside recycling. Township residents currently contract with the trash hauler of their choice. Township administrator Dave Anderson said that Delaware, Knox, Marion, Morrow Solid Waste District officials recently asked if trustees would consider applying for a $15,000 grant to begin offering curbside recycling.
DKMM encourages curbside recycling to help reduce the costs of servicing the community recycling bins,Anderson said. Liberty Township has two community recycling sites — at Olentangy Liberty High School and Wyandot Run Elementary School, Larry Cooper, DKMM director, told ThisWeek. Those containers are emptied every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Coop-
er said. Service to those sites annually costs DKMM $45,385 for the high school site and $43,159 for the elementary school site. DKMM budgets $500,000 per year for its community drop-off service. DKMM has offered grants since the mid-1990s, Cooper said. This is the first year “the grant was amended to combine funding support options for local recy-
cling programs, as well as recycling market development projects.” Cooper said the grant process is competitive. DKMM has budgeted $240,000 worth of grants for 2011. “The grant funds are from DKMM and are generated from the district’s $6-perton contract fee on solid waste generatSee RECYCLING, page A2
Church to celebrate expansion
HEALTH FAIR FUN
By BONNIE BUTCHER
youth rooms that can be made
ThisWeek Community Newspapers into one larger room; a music
By Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
Nine-year-old Nick Kiley of Powell tries out the Pilates Reformer machine as instructor Bay Cunningham watches during a Jan. 9 health fair at the Liberty Township-Powell YMCA, 7798 N. Liberty Road.
The Lewis Center United Methodist Church will hold a grand opening for the church’s expansion Sunday, Jan. 16, at 1081 Lewis Center Road. The celebration is titled “O Happy Day!” The first worship service is from 9-9:45 a.m.; a party is from 9:45-10:30 a.m.; dedication of the space is from 10:30-10:45 a.m.; and the second worship is 10:45-11:30 a.m. This is the church’s second expansion since Jan. 16, 2000, when the congregation moved into the then-new building. The expansion increased the building size from about 7,000 square feet to about 12,000 square feet. The expansion is about 5,000 square feet more, said church pastor Lynette Decker. It includes three elementary Sunday school rooms that can be made into one large room; two
practice room for the choirs and bell choirs; a two-room nursery, one for sleeping infants and one for those that are learning to crawl and toddle, with a restroom; and an office for each pastor. What was the former nursery has been turned into a secretary’s office and a workroom for the staff. The fellowship hall has been enlarged and windows have been placed in back of the sanctuary so the fellowship hall can accommodate more people, Decker said. She said, “I came here in 2003 and we had 132 members and 100 people attending services. Now we have 525 members. Over November and December, we were topping 500 ... on Sunday morning. “If you’re in a growing area, you will have lots of visitors, but you will not have members unless you have a vibrant ministry, We’ve got a fantastic staff,” DeckSee CHURCH, page A2
High schools face off with food drive By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Students at Olentangy and Olentangy Liberty high schools are facing off for a noble cause through Saturday, Jan. 29, when the two schools’ basketball teams will play each other. Game time is 4 p.m. at OHS, 675 Lewis Center Road, Lewis Center. Until that day, the student councils of each school are holding canned food drives to help stock the shelves of the area food bank, People in Need of Delaware County. Cans of food will be collected as students arrive at the schools each morning and at the game. The school that brings in the most weight in cans will be declared the winner. The winner will be announced between the third and fourth quarters of the game. Student council advisers Jessica Fields, OLHS, and Gaven Jones, OHS, said the students often hold food drives to help families in need. “The winter tends to be the hardest months for food banks, (and) we decided to hold the food drive contest during a well-attended event,” Jones said. OLHS council administrator Gabriel Marcucci, a senior, said a community’s willingness to be charitable is important. “If one has the ability to take action, then they also have the responsibility to take action. The drive is important to the community because it improves the quality of life for many of its members,” Marcucci said. He added that the Patriots will win be-
“
The winter tends to be the hardest months for food banks, (and) we decided to hold the food drive contest during a well attended event.
GAVEN JONES
”
— OHS student council adviser
cause “they ‘can.’” OHS student council president Chris Cousins, a junior, said the “school gets an outstanding turnout” for the OHS vs. OLHS game, which makes it a great time to hold a food drive. “The food banks need the food, and we get to compete with our rivals,” Cousins said. “The food banks are running low around this time of year so the more we get, the better off people in need are.” He added, “Go Braves!” “Giving can take place even after the holidays ... and should take place yearround,” said OLHS junior Shashank Sirivolu. “I believe Olentangy Liberty High School will win.” OHS junior Kenton Playko said, “Students and folks should donate cans because it is for a very good cause that will really help out a person in need. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and by donating in this canned food drive you can help a good human being catch a break in life.”
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Andy Maite, with Flooring Studio of Millersport, on Jan. 7 prepares the floor in Aspen Fitness to install rubber mats. Aspen Fitness will open this month at Olentangy Crossings at Pullman Drive.
New Aspen fitness center to open By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Aspen Fitness Clubs plans to open its doors by January's end, owner Steven Willis said. The 9,000-square-foot facility, at Olentangy Crossings on Pullman Drive, will bring 30 new jobs to the area, 12 of them full-time, Willis said. The center includes 40 pieces of cardiovascular equipment, such as treadmills, elliptical machines and recumbent bikes. It also will feature 18 circuit train-
ing machines and free weights. The services at the facility also include aerobic, zumba dance and yoga classes. For a $10 signup fee and a $10 monthly fee, a person can use all the machines. For $19 signup fee and $19 a month, a person gets access to the machines, classes, unlimited childcare, towel service and tanning, Willis said. “We try to provide a very minimal fee to (encourage) people to exercise,” Willis said. “We’re in a national healthcare crisis; 60 percent of (people in
the) United States are overweight and 30 percent is obese. We are trying to provide an affordable fitness solution for people to exercise. In a bad economy, we’re a great organization. In a good economy, we're good as well.” The club has a family-oriented atmosphere, Willis said. “We want the soccer mom and dad. We're geared toward general fitness.” The center offers single, couple and family memberships, Willis said. Children must be at least 11 years old to See ASPEN FITNESS, page A2
See FOOD DRIVE, page A2
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