Lorain County Community Guide - Aug. 24, 2023

Lorain County Fair Special Edition is Aug. 31

‘Hole’ lot of history

Among the dozens of popular food vendors who work the Lorain County Fair, one classic stands above the field with locals and visitors alike: the Wellington Dukes Band Boosters Donut Booth.

For more than 40 years, members of the Wellington High School Marching Band and their parents have freshly rolled, fried and dressed thousands of doughnuts at the fair.

“The Wellington Band has been serving doughnuts at the fair since I think the ‘70s,” band director Hayley Sleggs said. “So when I say it’s legendary, it has been going for decades. It’s something that people come to the fair just to get our doughnuts, so that makes us feel pretty good. We’re definitely a staple.”

Everyone who works the booth is a volunteer, and all of them are connected to the band as a member, parent or booster.

Upperclassmen are required to work a certain number of shifts during the fair.

“It’s something the kids get really excited for every year,” Sleggs said. “It’s a lot of work, but being in there and working with their fellow band members is a really memorable experience.”

A workforce based around upperclassmen and their parents is prone to heavy turnover, but Sleggs said the team has a secret weapon to pass the knowledge down through the years.

“We have a very thorough operations manual that is almost like the Bible of the booth,” she said. “And the parents that take on these officer positions understand the importance, that this is a successful program that needs to continue to be successful.

“Not only because so many people look forward to it, but also this is the biggest fundraiser for the program.”

Preparation begins as early as March, but things really start ramping up in the second week of August when materials are ordered.

Sleggs said that even she doesn’t know exactly how

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Ringing in some family fun

Band Donut Booth

ROGER SOMMER | The Community Guide

Anastasia Ramos age 2, tries the hula-hoop ring toss at the Neighborhood Alliance Family Fun Festival and Walk at Lorain Community College Saturday, Aug. 19. The Neighborhood Alliance fundraiser also was acceptibng donations for much needed personal items.

Consumers confused by notices from Ohio Electricity Litigation

Milwaukee, was named the settlement administrator for a recent class-action lawsuit against FirstEnergy and its spinoff company, Energy Harbor.

The Better Business Bureau is reassuring consumers about recent communications from the settlement administrator for a recent class action suit involving FirstEnergy.

In a news release, the organization said numerous consumers have contacted Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland with concerns about emails and letters they received from an organization named Ohio Electricity Litigation recently, fearing the emails were associated with a scam.

A Garfield Heights resident told BBB staff that “I received a credit card in the mail. I was wondering if it is a scam. It is from Ohio Electricity Litigation (and) appears to be a debit card. I don’t understand the mailing or how much this card is worth. I feel like it could be a scam.”

BBB is advising consumers to take another look at the mailings because many, if not all, may be legitimate.

While utility scams are common in the summer, the recent correspondence from Ohio Electricity Litigation is not a scam, BBB said. Ohio Electricity Litigation, a part of A.B. Data Ltd based in

Additionally, Ohio Electricity Litigation has partnered with a company named Tremendous to distribute emails to consumers potentially affected by the court ruling.

Consumers who were customers of FirstEnergy subsidiaries Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric or Toledo Edison between January 1, 2020, and June 22, 2022, would generally be eligible for the settlement.

The average settlement is about $15.

Distribution of funds is taking the form of physical checks, debit cards and digital payments.

Consumers may also be receiving emails from “rewards@reward.tremendous.com” regarding their portion of claims.

Consumers who wish to pursue litigation on their own behalf would have had to opt out of the settlement distribution last year by Oct. 5.

BBB advises consumers to contact Ohio Electricity Litigation directly with any concerns or questions they may have.

Ohio Electricity Litigation can be

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Wellington

PROVIDED | Wellington Band Boosters

Band parent and Donut Booth volunteer Wally Hill prepares some cake donuts during the 2022 Lorain County Fair.

OWEN MACMILLAN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

Blinda Lynn (nee Lee) Baxter

Blinda Lynn (nee Lee) Baxter, 75, of Sullivan, passed away Thursday, August 17, 2023 peacefully at home, with her family by her side. She was born December 22, 1947, in Fairmont, West Virginia, to the late William R. and Francis Lois (nee Gordon)

Lee.

Blinda was a 1966 graduate of Elyria High School and later attended Lorain County Community College and graduated from Bowling Green State University. She worked as an English teacher as well as librarian for Firelands and Mapleton Schools. Blinda also worked alongside her family at Stumpwater Farm.

Blinda was a member of the United Church of Huntington and the Amvets Auxiliary. She was passionate about books and enjoyed spending time reading and gardening. Animals and music brought her great joy.

Survivors include her loving husband of 50 years, Alfred Baxter; sons, Aaron Baxter of Ware, Massachusetts and Jared (Sara) Baxter of Huntington; grandchildren, Willow, Maple, Se’lien, and Gwendolyn; and siblings, Michelle Bieri, Darla Channel, Bob Lee, and James ‘Greg’ Lee.

Friends and family will be received Monday, August 21, 2023 from 4 to 7 p.m. in Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, 370 South Main Street, Wellington. The service will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2023 beginning at 11 a.m. in the United Church of Huntington, 26677 State Route 58. Expressions of sympathy may be given at www.nortoneastmanfuneralhome.com

United Way ‘Fill the Bus’ program distributes more than 25,000 school supplies

and Engagement Director Colleen Walts said.

Friendship APL helps roosters get a fresh start

KEVIN MARTIN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

A group of 16 roosters are on their way to a sanctuary in Kentucky after being rescued from a cockfighting ring in Lorain and cared for by the Friendship Animal Protective League.

On July 28, Lorain County humane officers

Vickie McDonald and Sue Hickson conducted a cockfighting and animal cruelty investigation, recovering the birds along with other cockfighting paraphernalia.

The birds have received temporary housing and medical care. They now are headed to Save the Gallos Rescue and Sanctuary in western Kentucky, where they will get specialized care.

Upon arrival at Friendship APL, most of the roosters had moderate to severe loss of feathers and contusions that were still healing. Several of the roosters also had missing spurs and ulcers in their keel bones along the sternum, which was evidence of being involved in multiple fights.

McDonald said they are on the mend.

The United Way of Greater Lorain County concluded its annual “Fill the Bus” school supply drive by distributing more than 25,000 essential school supplies across 13 school districts in Greater Lorain County.

The program, designed to support young students and educators, aims to alleviate the financial burden on teachers and ensure students have the necessary supplies readily available. This year, the campaign received support from collection drives at 41 companies including Achieve Credit Union, Lubrizol Corp., R.W. Beckett Corp. and Green Circle Growers.

“We are pleased with the response from businesses this year, exemplifying their commitment to our youngest learners. The generous contributions of both corporations and employees will significantly benefit local school children,” United Way of Greater Lorain County Marketing

Volunteers devoted their time to collect, organize, pack and distribute supplies.

The annual school supply drive is a component of United Way of Greater Lorain County’s Collect.Sort. Deliver Impact Initiative, which collects and sorts school supplies, books, and tampons and pads, which are subsequently distributed through local social service and educational agencies.

“Our core belief is that all students should have access to the resources needed to succeed. The overwhelming community support expands our capacity to assist local children to ensure they begin the school year equipped with vital classroom supplies,” said United Way of Greater Lorain County CEO, Ryan Aroney.

For more information about the Collect.Sort.Deliver Impact Initiative, call (440) 277-6530 or send an email to norma.sanchez@ uwloraincounty.org.

LETTERS

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“Some of them are still just as angry today as when they got here and that’s fair, but in terms of their physical wounds and physical appearance overall, there’s an improvement for sure. Nothing’s harming them anymore.

They were on medications and stuff like that. So they are better than they were,” McDonald said. McDonald said that with roosters, while genetics and their environment play roles, the fighting becomes instinctual for those rescued from cockfighting. While rehabilitation is not impossible, it is much more difficult compared with roosters

LITIGATION

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reached by email at info@OhioElectricityLitigation.com or by calling its toll-free number at (877) 888-9895. These recent mailings from Ohio Electricity Litigation and Tremendous are a rare example of a legitimate utility-related solicitation. However, more often than not, consumers will find themselves encountering a scam, BBB noted.

BBB Serving Greater Cleveland provides the following tips for consumers in the future:

● Be skeptical — If you receive a robocall, text message, or phone call from a utility company,

be skeptical. Don’t verify personal information until you have verified the identity of the caller. Many utility companies have a policy not to ask for consumers’ social security or bank account numbers over the phone.

● Call back — When in doubt, hang up and call utility companies back on numbers listed on official correspondence or websites.

Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland recommends individuals report scams, regardless of whether or not they have lost money, to BBB.org/ScamTracker.

who have never fought, she said.

McDonald is driving them to a sanctuary that specializes in caring for roosters rescued from cockfighting.

Cockfighting roosters cannot typically be housed with other roosters or hens due to their aggressiveness, and they need to be brought along slowly in adapting to their

DONUTS

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many doughnuts the band sells every year.

“Once some parents and I tried to calculate how many we make per minute,” she said. “And then we tried to do the math, and we just kind of stopped, because it gets to the point where it starts to make your head spin. But I think it’s safe to say we make thousands.”

The booth will be open every day of the fair 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

It is $1 per doughnut, $5 for a half-dozen, $8 for a pre-assorted dozen and $9 for a custom dozen.

“We pride ourselves on

new environment.

This is the first known flock of roosters rescued and cared for by Friendship APL. McDonald said because of the lack of specialty sanctuaries, rehabilitation is often an uphill battle with shelters and animal rescue organizations at or near capacity across the country.

Bumble, one of the more docile roosters in the flock, was getting his bandage changed while recovering from bumblefoot, an infection that leads to swelling of the foot similar to a staph infection.

Bumble got a fresh bandage as he prepared to head to his new home.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said in a statement that the agency strongly criticized the continued practice of cockfighting in Ohio despite its illegality, “Ohio has felony-level penalties for cockfighting, and it’s amazing that people continue to risk their freedom to stage fights between animals,” Pacelle said. “Cockfighting is a form of malicious cruelty, and we must mete out strong penalties for perpetrators to root out this behavior in Ohio.”

The organization described the practice bluntly: Cockfighters’ handlers attach knives or curved ice picks called gaffs to the combatants’ legs to enhance the bloodletting and accelerate the outcome.

the fact that our donuts are really affordable,” Sleggs said.

All proceeds go to the Wellington Band program.

The booth serves cake doughnuts that can be dipped in chocolate, vanilla or maple frosting and topped with vanilla or chocolate sprinkles, powdered sugar or cinnamon. Don’t miss out because this little small busines is only around for the Lorain County Fair.

“I just really want to thank our community members for continuing to support us over all these years,” Sleggs said.

Phone: 440-329-7122

Submit news to: news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. each Monday

Send obituaries to: obits@chroniclet.com

Send legal notices to: afuentes@chroniclet.com

BRUCE BISHOP | The Community Guide

One of the aggressive roosters rescued from a fighting ring in Lorain. The roosters have been getting treatment at Friendship APL. The roosters will be heading out of state for a chance at rehabilitation.

STAFF REPORT

Amherst teacher contract negotiations still ongoing

AMHERST — Negotia-

tions between the Amherst school board and its teachers’ union have stalled, according to the union.

On Aug. 17, members of the Amherst Teachers Association stood outside open houses at Amherst Junior High and Marion L. Steele High School in matching orange shirts, bringing the contract negotiations to the forefront — including sparking discussions in several social media groups.

Union spokeswoman Emily Marty said in a statement that Amherst’s educators are looking forward to working with students this coming school year and “are hopeful the school board will come back to the table to settle a fair contract that attracts and retains excellent educators to serve our students.”

She said the union is not considering a strike vote.

The Amherst Teachers Association represents more than 250 staff members, including teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, school psychologists and speech and language pathologists.

On Aug 21, Union members volunteered their time Monday, just as they had for open houses at Marion L. Steele and Amherst Junior High last week and in years past, she said in a statement. Staff from

Marion L. Steele stood with those at Nord, while staff from Amherst Junior High stood at Powers, Marty said.

“Amherst educators are showing up outside the school buildings during these open houses. As always, we want to continue fostering a close-knit community by meeting and greeting our students and families,” she said. “This demonstration of unity highlights the fact that we will begin a new school year under an expired contract due to ongoing delays by the board’s negotiating team.”

School Superintendent Mike Molnar said the district has been in negotiations with the union since February and began working with a federal mediator in the spring. The group last met in early August.

“We’re very close to the end of the contract, so I believe both parties are working in good faith to try to finish these final issues and both are looking to get this completed and focus on the school year and students and families,” Molnar said.

He said they are waiting for the mediator to schedule the next meeting.

School board President Rex Engle said it’s just a matter of time until things work out.

“We certainly support our teachers. We know they have great leadership and we have great leadership in the negotiation team

and we just have to keep working through it until we come to an agreement that we’re both satisfied with,” he said.

He said the core of the contract seems to be worked out, except for the process of pay increases.

“The board has to look at how many dollars are there and what’s the long-term effect of that before they would have to possibly go to the public to ask for money to pay for teacher salaries. … The administration has been charged with getting a contract in agreement under all of the conditions that everyone could be happy within the budget lines we have.”

The district has a 2.5mill continuous replacement levy on the ballot this November, but it does not fund staff salaries. It is only for facility improvements.

The district’s current contract with the Amherst Teachers Association expired June 29. It was originally through the end of 2022, but was extended to cover the 2022-23 school year, according to documents on the State Employee Relations Board website.

“ATA members look forward to continuing working in a nurturing, constructive and collaborative environment where educators are able to feel safe and valued, so we can focus on our most important mission — serving Amherst’s children and families,” Marty said in a statement.

place in national mullet competition

Amherst

AMHERST — An Amherst first grader placed 10th in a national mullet competition.

Tucker Jones, 6, made it to the top 10 for this year’s kid’s Mullet Champ contest, said his mother, Tara Jones.

While it didn’t net him a custom jacket or cash prizes, he was still happy to finish in the top 10 of the more than 1,000 participants nationwide, his mother said, and he was already thinking of ideas

for next summer’s competition. Tucker Jones garnered votes via reels on Instagram and visited local businesses for support, garnering attention from Pit Viper sunglasses, the Savannah Bananas exhibition baseball team and Amherst police.

fundraiser for Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, a national nonprofit that provides veterans with disabilities with handicapped-accessible, mortgage-free homes.

TUCKER JONES

The Mullet Champ competition was also a

Tucker Jones raised $2,662 and garnered 5,752 votes in the final round.

The top three winners were announced on the organizations Facebook page. In third place was Kamden Cunningham, of Pennsylviania. Second place was Ezekiel Arita, of Hawaii. And Rory Ehrlich, of Pennsylvania, took first place.

CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

CARISSA WOYTACH | The Community Guide Teachers Abbey Hegarty and Tom Hermensky spoke to students and families outside Walter G. Nord School on Monday as part of the Amherst Teacher Association’s demonstration of unity while it waits for negotiations to restart for a new contract.

Lorain County Fair highlighted in Wellington mural

WELLINGTON – For the village of Wellington, the Lorain County Fair extends beyond the grounds off Route 18.

At the corner of state Route 58 and East Herrick Avenue, a new mural welcomes visitors to the Lorain County Fair and into the village itself through a collaboration between the Fair Board and Main Street Wellington.

Main Street Wellington

Executive Director Jenny

Arntz said the project began as a conversation with Main Street Wellington’s design committee – but didn’t expect to be seeing the finished product ready for this year’s fair.

“We thought, well, we’ll start putting the feelers out there, but we didn’t think it would even be finished until next year … it came together pretty fast,” Arntz said. “Like two months, maybe.”

The idea for murals downtown in part started after the film crews for “White Noise” left the village. When in town, crews transformed Wellington into the fictional town of Blacksmith and filled its downtown with brightcolored murals for faux businesses. The art that came and went in downtown started a discussion on whether the storefronts and sides along the area should see more art – and Main Street Wellington challenged everyone that any murals downtown can be both historic and artistic, Arntz said.

Shannon Meeks, Main Street Wellington president, and Design Committee member Shelly

Kazmierczak helped spur the conversation, Arntz said, with Meeks creating the initial rough sketch and Kazmierczak helping find the location.

Meeks has also started Wellington Arts, hoping to bring more art to the village, Arntz said, with the mural project going hand-in-hand with Meeks’ mission.

Then, it was time for a conversation with the Lorain County Fair Board. Wearing two hats, Steve

Neff, a member of both the Lorain County Fair and Main Street Wellington boards, helped broker the conversations.

After a few minor tweaks of the original design, it got the green light from the Fair Board.

The design focuses on the agricultural side of the fair, with livestock, sunflowers and several honey bees buzzing through. The bees were a must in the project, Neff and Arntz said, as Wellington is a

“Bee City USA” and the Lorain County Fair hosts the county’s Beekeepers Association each year.

The Bee City USA program recognizes and supports pollinator conservation in cities. Affiliate cities and towns like Wellington are required to make commitments to conserve native pollinators, according to the organization’s website.

“Even the fair board, we looked at it as next year,” Neff said. “For

it to get done and be as professional as it is, and installed … I really felt there would be backlash, and we’ve not seen or heard anything negative. It’s been well-received so far in the community.”

The Lorain County Fair sponsored the project, paying $3,000 upfront for the mural painted by Ron Stevanus, and pledging $500 per year for its upkeep for the next five years. That upkeep includes updating the year

of the Lorain County Fair and the dates every year.

Wellington Builders installed the mural on the side of Bread N Brew for free.

“We were honored to work with this joint venture between Main Street Wellington and the village of Wellington,” Neff said. “The fair’s all about the kids, and the agricultural community we’re just very honored that out of all the things that were chosen was the fair.”

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CARISSA WOYTACH | The Community Guide

Main Street Wellington’s new Lorain County Fair mural greets visitors as they enter Wellington, headed to the Fairgrounds this year.

CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY

LCPH looks to address public health concerns in neighborhoods

Lorain County Public Health Commissioner Mark Adams drove through Elyria, Lorain, LaGrange and Avon on Monday morning, checking off a list of complaints as he traveled.

Ducks and chickens behind a home in South Lorain, algae bloom in a retention pond in Avon, dumping of refrigerators and debris in woods in LaGrange — the list was the latest in a series of complaints logged by LCPH’s environmental enforcement division.

“Health Department is responsible for (abating) all public health nuisances,” Adams said.

“The broken window theory where if you’ve got this garbage and trash out there, the only way that can be evenly enforced is if there’s one agency that’s doing that rather than having a building department write up garbage and trash complaints. … they’re supposed to be focusing on the structure where the health department’s supposed to be focusing on the environment around that structure.”

Sanitarians are looking for public nuisances: disease-carrying insects like flies, cockroaches and fleas, and garbage, Adams said.

The program has been back up since April, and the Board of Health recently appointed a hearing officer to decide persistent issues — a process that fell by the wayside in Lorain County in part when the municipal health departments and the Lorain County General Health District merged.

When the districts merged, many of the inspectors who’d done the work in the mid-2000s retired, Adams said, taking their expertise with them. There was also a separation between addressing the social determinants of health, and what the environmental health unit does.

Now, LCPH is looking to the fifth “spoke” in the wheel — neighborhood and built environments — while other county agencies address economic stability, health care access, education and community support.

The process, once fully underway, will take about 30 days: a posting and two letters sent giving a property owner about 10 days to clean up their property and, if that’s ignored, it goes before a hearing officer and is cleaned up by LCPH and the cost assessed.

Agricultural tire collection

The Lorain County Solid Waste Management District will host an agricultural tire collection event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14.

Dealers and agri-businesses are not permitted to participate. Participants must pre-register for this event by calling (440) 329-5440 with their tire size and quantity prior to Sept. 8.

Sizes are broken down into three categories: 22 inches to 36 inches; 37 inches to 60 inches; and 61 inches or larger.

Tires are measured from edge to edge of the tire, not rim size.

But often, the cases don’t get that far, Adams said, as once a sanitarian visits the property and the owner is notified of the issues, they’re often cleaned up on their own after the first or second letter, before it would go to a hearing officer.

LCPH has two sanitarians and is looking to hire a third for a total of about $220,000 to $230,000, Adams said, a small fraction of its $25 million budget.

The program is similar to one Adams revamped in Canton as environmental health director in the late 1990s. Once that program was up and running, sanitarians no longer relied on search warrants or a bulk of health orders, he said.

They still cleaned up properties, assessing the costs to property taxes, but there were conversations first, and residents trusted who got out of the public health vehicles, Adams said, even when the residents were in the wrong.

It’s how Adams wants to see the program run in Lorain County, he said.

Since its start in April, inspectors have visited hundreds of properties in a mostly complaint-driven process. But alongside looking at the houses in the complaints, they’re looking at neighboring properties to see if there are problems as well.

“The moment we said we’re doing this again, we’ve not been short of any complaints,” he said. “It’s garbage and trash and odors. It’s almost as if they were sitting around waiting years to call somebody and the moment the phone got turned on it was ‘I’ve been waiting for a phone number to call forever.’”

They’d anticipated more complaints for hoarding, Adams said, but that hasn’t been the case.

Some complaints are unfounded — like one Monday on Fairmount Avenue in Elyria for several dogs and cats kept in a home reeking of feces.

In the five months the program has been underway, properties crossing inspectors’ desks have run the gamut of vacant, rentals and owner-occupied. Cleaning up properties falls to the owner, not tenants, Adams said.

Alongside addressing neighborhood stability, LCPH is also addressing how it handles animal bite complaints and the followup process to make sure animals get vaccinated.

“Every aspect of this program, and animal bites are included in this as well, is aimed at fixing that spoke in the social determinants of health by filling in that gap,” he said.

OBERLIN — Through generous donations of school supplies from local businesses, organizations and individuals, students from Oberlin City School District will be well prepared for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Bookbags, pens, colored pencils, glue sticks, crayons, binders, sensory tools and supply boxes filled the Board of Education office Friday afternoon after donations came in from Mercy Health’s School Supply Drive in association with Sisters of Humility of Mary; United Way of Greater Lorain County’s “Fill the Bus” initiative; and Tammy Koleski with Wee Care Closet.

For the sixth year, Mercy Allen Hospital, in honor of Sisters of Humility of Mary, held its Community Health School Supply Drive said Director of Community Health Catherine Woskobnick.

“Mercy Health is committed to connecting our community with the essentials to be successful - removing barriers to their success,” Ms. Woskobnick said.

President of Mercy Health Allen Carrie Jankowski noted the school supply drive is “truly our mission in action.”

“It is our honor to give back to a community where our hospital serves the local community,” Jankowski said.

On Aug. 11, United Way of Lorain County’s Donor Engagement Specialist Heather Ferguson and United Way of Greater Lorain County Volunteer Engagement Manager Norma Sanchez carried in box after box full of school supplies.

“This is great! Thank

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you so much,” said Oberlin City School District Director of Curriculum Meisha Baker. “Our students are so fortunate to have caring community members wanting them to be successful.”

Ferguson said 13 Lorain County school districts were assisted with this year’s Fill the Bus initiative. She noted that education and financial stability are at the forefront of all the work United Way of Lorain County does throughout the year.

“Donations were held all across Lorain County. Our collections started in July, but we reached out to area superintendents in May inquiring what supplies were needed in their specific district,” Ms. Sanchez said. “There is a need all over and we want all students to have what they need to start the school year off right.”

Tammy Koleski, on behalf of Wee Care Closet, arrived Friday afternoon carrying backpacks filled with binders, notebooks, folders and other items, including sensory tools. The items she delivered totalled $1,403.00 for Oberlin

students.

“We gratefully appreciate all the generous contributions to support our students. Each donor makes a difference in the lives of our students,” said Oberlin City School District Superintendent David Hall. “Donations from local businesses, organizations and individuals create a positive impact.”

Looking ahead, Oberlin Community Services will

be handing out school supplies to students during the annual Open Doors on Aug. 24. For the past seven years, Oberlin Community Services has hosted the Ms. Jaqui Willis Back-ToSchool Drive.

“Jaqui was a volunteer and board member at Oberlin Community Services for many years. She was especially invested in collecting back-to-school supplies for Oberlin children each summer,” said Oberlin Community Services Communications and Development Coordinator Jason Hawk.

Willis died in 2017, but as a way to keep her memory alive, Oberlin Community Services named the back-to-school drive in her name.

“Oberlin Community Services is committed to ensuring every Oberlin City School District student has the tools they need for a successful year. No child should have to worry about whether their family can purchase pencils, paper, pens, crayons, glue, scissors, folders, notebooks and other basic supplies,” Hawk said.

Comets tie with Tigers

RUSS GIFFORD | The Community

Firelands’ Preston Cairns knocks the ball away from Amherst’s Nathan Stewart at the top of the box. The Amherst Comets won 1-0 against the Firelands Falcons.

THOMAS FETCENKO | The Community

LEFT: Firelands’ Jesse Yakunovich (4) and Mikey Janosik (3) celebrate a goal against Vermilion on Saturday, Aug. 19.

RIGHT: Firelands’ Jesse Yakunovich (4) takes the ball towards the goal while playing against Vermilion. Vermilion bested Firelands 3-2.

RUSS GIFFORD | The Community Guide

LEFT: Amherst’s Abbey Cooke battles for the ball against Twinsburg.

RIGHT: Amherst’s Addison Lachman gets a steal against Twinsburg. Amherst tied with Twinsburg 0-0.

Olde Wrestling

Olde Wrestling will celebrate a decade of performances with the 10th Extravaganza in Norwalk on Saturday at the Huron County Fairgrounds Pickworth Building, 940 Fair Road. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the first bell is at 3 p.m. The all-ages event celebrates vintage wrestling with characters plucked right out of the roaring ‘20s. Witness stupendous strongmen, crooked politicians, motorcycle daredevils, imposing gangsters, and high flying acrobats. Partial proceeds benefit the Norwalk Area United Fund. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 day of the show. Children 10 and under are $5. For tickets and information, visit oldewrestling.come/tickets.

North Pointe

Ballet

North Pointe Ballet in the Park is 7 p.m. tomorrow at Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Ave., Lorain. The concert, presented in partnership with the Lorain County Metro Parks, will feature classical ballet alongside contemporary jass and hip hop works, marking the launch of the company’s eighth season. The free concert will be outdoors near the rose garden at Lakeview Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair for lawn seating.

Walk to end

Alzheimer’s

Lorain County’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is 9 a.m. Sept. 9 at Lorain County Community College, 1005

BULLETIN BOARD

Abbe Rd., Elyria. Registration is available on alz.org./ walk.

Pittsfield Township Historical Society

The Pittsfield Township Historical Society will host an ice cream and pie social event from 12-4 p.m. Sept. 10 at 16889 State Route 58. Premium ice cream and homemade pies will be offered by donationg.

There will be games for children and “cow pie squares” with a live cow.

Bets on a square are $10 for a chance to win a 50-50 raffle. A basket raffle will be available, with several $50 cash prizes.

There will also be antique cars on display and the 1830s chool house will be open for tours, as well as the plans to build a museum. A live band will provide music.

Amherst Public Library

Registration is required for regular programming by calling (440) 988-4230.

● Amherst Library’s 19th annual Scavenger Hunt is now open. Stop by the second floor of the library to pick up a form, then spend the month of August visiting local businesses to look for some of our favorite sweet treats. Match the treats at each location on your own of as part of a team. Each participant will receive a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream from Sugar Buzz. Correct answers will be entered into a prize drawing. Entries must be received by the

THEME: FOOTBALL

The Lorain County Community Guide Bulletin Board is for local nonprofit and not-for-profit events. Items are published on a space-available basis and will be edited for style, length, and clarity. Send your items to news@lcnewspapers.com

Youth Services department by 8:30 p.m. Aug. 31.

● Help clean out the craft closet at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28. Attendees can complete a craft project they missed or use supplies to create something new.

● Baby playdates are open every Monday through Aug. 28. Age-appropriate toys and books will be available for babies and their caregivers to play and socialize at the library.

Tai Chi for balance and fall prevention is 10:30 a.m. Thursdays Aug. 17 through Sept. 21.

● Celebrate the life and legacy of Elvis Presley at 7 p.m. today. Learn all about the life and music of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and listen to selections from Elvis’ extensive catalog.

● Adapted storytime is 10:15 a.m. Saturday. Children with varying learning styles and abilities are invited to come together to participate in stories, songs and activities. The program will last 15 to 20 minutes, followed by social time. Content is designed for ages 3-7, but all ages are welcome. Parents and siblings are also welcome.

CS Lewis and Friends

The CS Lewis and Friends book group will meet at the Amherst Library at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 to discuss chapters 10 through the end of Lewis’ “The Great

Divorce.” Contact Marcia Geary at (440) 988-9803 or mgeary@gearylawllc.com for more information.

Team reunion

Teammates from the Marion L. Steele classes of 1974-76, as well as coaches, trainers, cheerleaders and managers associated with the 1973 football team are invited to join for a celebration of the 50th anniversary on Sept. 15 at the Marion L. Steele vs. Berea-Midpark home game. Attendees will meet at the high school gym lobby, the former senior lounge, at 6 p.m. The team will be recognized at halftime. An informal social gathering will follow at 9 p.m. at Ziggy’s. For information, contact Kris Diaz at (216) 315-0605 or kris. diaz74@gmail.com

Amherst Historical Society

● The Amherst Historical Society will present “Murder She Rhymed,” a 1920s murder mystery dinner theater this September. Written by Jack Pachuta and directed by Valerie Farchman, it is set in 1928 Moose Jaw, Sashatchewan, a haven for Al Capone and a place of vice and corruption. Tickets are $40 per person, $35 for AHS members. Dress for a 1928 party with prizes, a buffet and raffles. This year’s performances are 6 p.m. Sept 16 and 23

and 2 p.m. Sept. 17 and 24. Reservations are required by Sept. 8. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (440) 988-7255 or email office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org

● The Amherst Historical Society would like to interview individuals with ties to the sandstone quarry – either those who worked there or had a family member who worked there. Interviews are being planned to begin in September or October. For more information, call (440) 988-7255 or email office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org

Harvest of the Arts

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 17 is the 40th annual Wellington Harvest of the Arts, a juried fine and folk art festival at 101 Willard Memorial Square. There will also be a handmade quit raffle and lunch at the Friends of the Library Cafe. The fundraiser provides for community programming for the Herrick Memorial Library. For more information, call (440) 647-2120.

Avon/Avon Lake Republican Club

● The Avon/Avon Lake Republic Club Friend’s breakfast is 8 a.m. Sept. 6 at Sugar Creek Restaurant. Deb Wagner, Curator of the 103rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry Museum will discuss the Sheffield Lake community on five acres along Lake Erie. The OVI site contains cottages owned by direct descendants of local Civil War veterans, outdoor exhibits, libraries, photos and a museum with Union Army materials and artifacts. Attendees are responsible for their meals.

● Kate Makra, executive director of Cleveland Right to Life and vice-president of the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio will discuss the abortion rights amendment to the Ohio Constitution on the November ballot at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Knights of Columbus Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Rd., Avon. The presentation is sponsored by the Father Ragan, St. Bernadette and St. Ladislas councils. RSVP by Sept. 15 to rudy breglia@gmail.com

● Lorain County Commissioner Jeff Riddell will speak to the Avon/Avon Lake Republican Club at 5 p.m. Sept. 14 on the Seven Districts Alternative Gov-

ernment Plan and the 911 and crime lab crime levy. New Avon Lake Superintendent Joelle Magyar will speak on the district’s 7.6mill levy. The meeting is at the Knights of Columbus Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Rd., Avon. Members are free, guests are $5.

Oberlin Heritage Center

● The Civil War to Civil Rights historic walking tour is 11 a.m. Saturdays in August. The 90-minute tour higlights historic events surrounding Oberlin’s progress and setbacks in race relations from early Oberlin to the 21st century. The tour meets on the front steps of First Church UCC, the corner of Routes 58 and 511. The tour is $6 for adults, children, students and members are free. Advanced registration is highly recommended.

● Root beer and yesteryear is 1-4 p.m. Sept. 23. This event will feature live music, historic portrayals, old games, exhibits and root beer floats for everyone. Throughout most of its history, Oberlin was a “dry” town, meaning alcohol couldn’t be served within city limits – but root beer was available. The floats are generously provided by Oberlin IGA, while free popcorn is made possible by the Oberlin Athletic Boosters Club and Bethany Hobbs.

● Every Good Story Has a Plot is 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30. Business owners, families and con artists have all walked Oberlin’s Main Street. The Oberlin Heritage Center will highlight some familiar faces in its Main Street Memories program on Sept. 30. Attendees will walk through Westwood Cemetery for an hour, and talk to reenactors portraying individuals from Oberlin’s past. Reservations are required, space is limited to 20 people per time slot. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for members and $5 for children.

● An introduction to historical redlining in Oberlin is 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17. Redlining is the discriminatory practice in which services, often financial services like loans, are withheld from neighborhoods often occupied by minorities, low-income, or otherwise marginalized groups. It is also a term used to describe many forms of housing segregation.

Eyes

hen you think of abird, whatdoyou usuallypicture? Asmallbird that flies?

Mostbirdsare justlikethat

Butthere is abird in Africa that’sdifferent. An ostrich can grow to be9feet tall(2.7 m) and canweigh 320 pounds(150 kg).

Even though it is gigantic, it hassmall wings and does not fly

Feathers

Maleshave fluffy black feathers with white plumes on their wingsand tail,while females aregrayish brown.

Legs

Ostrichesmay notbeable to ,but theycan run! They can reach of over40miles per hour (70kmper hour). An ostrich holds out its small_ when running. This helps them keep their ___________. And an ostrich’slegsare also goodfor themselves from lions, hyenas, and other

Ostrich Eggs

Ostriches laythe largest eggs in theworld. Their eggs weighabout thesameas two dozenchicken eggs

Ostriches laytheireggs in shallow pitsthey scratchintothe dirt.Mother and father ostriches take turns lying on topoftheir eggs. Themother’s brownfeathers camouflage egg in theday.The father’sb feathers camouflageitatnig

other s the black ght

Baby ostrichesare only abou

Theyweigh about 2pounds—less than 1kg.

ut10inches(2 less 1kg 5cm)tall.

Standards Link: Science: Students understand that animals have unique features for survival.

Ostricheyesare the largest eyes of anyland animal They also l eyelashe eye is big than thei brain.

g es. Each gger ir

Do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

Hold this page up to amirrorfor theanswer! Replace themissingwords

Toes

Ostriches have tw And each toeh alongclaw.

wotoesoneach foot has

Circle everyother letter to discover asurprising factabout ostriches

Big,Bigger, Biggest

Look through the newspaper for a pictureofsomething big Then findanother pictureof something bigger.Thenlook for the biggest thing you can find in the newspaper.Glue thesetoasheetofpaper with the words Big,Bigger, and Biggest. Can yourepeat this with pictures of things that are small, smaller, and smallest?

Standards Link: Language Arts: Understand comparative and superlative adjectives.

PLUME

The noun plume means alarge, fluffy feather

Trytouse

My favorite animal is .. . Finish thisstory