Early Bird eNewspaper 02-09-20

Page 1

Buckingham sets 3-point record

Last year to coach cheer

SPORTS • 7A

LOCAL • 1B

THE EARLY BIRD Weekend Edition of the Daily Advocate

Online at earlybirdpaper.com

Weekend edition

Sunday, February 9, 2020 • $1

Garber has top fire safety poster teachers for the presentation. Garber’s theme for her poster was Be an Animal About Fire Safety. It and featured animals that made her PITSBURG – For the first time point, such as an armadillo with the since the program has been in existence, Franklin Monroe had a student caption “Roll around to put out a fire win the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Fire Safe- on your clothes” and a groundhog with the caption “Have two escape ty Poster Contest. Zaida Garber, a fourth grade student, had her submis- routes from every room.” She said she came up with the idea when she was sion chosen over hundreds of other submission from throughout the state. talking to her mom. Arnold explained the contest is Chuck Arnold, fire safety educator open to all the schools in the state. for the Ohio Fire Marshal’s office, Local fire departments sponsor a joined Pitsburg Fire Chief Tracy local contest and educate students Mong, former Chief Tal Mong, Prinduring Fire Prevention Week. Posters cipal Megan Linder and Franklin chosen by the local departments are Monroe’s fourth grade students and

By Ryan Berry

DarkeCountyMedia.com

Ryan Berry | DarkeCountyMedia.com

Zaida Garber had the top fire safety poster among fourth graders in Ohio. She is shown with Principal Megan Linder, Chief Tracy Mong, Garber, and Chuck Arnold, Ohio Fire Marshal’s office.

then sent to the state. “Our bureau gets stacks and stacks of these,” said Arnold. “This is a pretty cool honor.” She received a certificate, blue ribbon and a smoke detector from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s office. Chief Mong also presented her with a certificate and a coin featuring the Pitsburg Fire Department. While honoring Garber, Chief Mong shared that his brother started the Fire Safety Poster Contest at Franklin Monroe when he was chief. Contact Editor Ryan Berry at rberry@ aimmediamidwest.com or (937) 569-0066. Read more news, features and sports at DarkeCountyMedia.com.

DCVB and MSG seeking one director GREENVILLE – The boards of the Darke County Visitors Bureau and Main Street Greenville recently released a statement regarding the search for an executive director for both organizations. The organizations will search for one executive director to serve over both organizations. The statement follows: The Darke County Visitors Bureau and Main Street Greenville are in the midst of leadership transitions. We have been fortunate in the last number of years to have incredibly talented and competent people execute our mission of building a better place to shop, visit, and live. Our organizations are committed to continuing that mission into the future. In this new economy, tourism and downtown development play a critical part in the health of our economy and economic development as a whole. As we see more population concentration moving to Ohio’s urban centers, small towns and rural areas have to get inventive at how we compete moving forward. A bedrock strategy should include providing out-of-towners terrific experiences in our restaurants, retailers, museums, attractions, and wineries and breweries. This generates business activity for our dining establishments, gas stations, hotels, and small businesses. Furthermore, continually working to invest in and promote downtown Greenville as a place to work, shop, and live will answer the call of the market today of young and old alike desiring to be a part of a downtown community. These initiatives are critical to population growth, workforce attraction, and economic vitality. As we move forward, we’re excited to announce a strategic partnership between our two organizations that will allow us to share and expand our staffing talent, including a joint executive director and support staff. This will allow our organizations to expand their reach and be even more effective in executing our missions. There will be no changes in the servings and offerings of the

OH-70173204

See DIRECTOR | 3A

Blythe Alspaugh | Sidney Daily News

Keith Foutz, right, stands with Darke County Big Brothers Big Sisters Coordinator Becca Cotterman. Foutz was awarded the Friends of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Award for Darke County at the organization’s volunteer appreciation dinner Thursday evening.

Volunteers honored at appreciation dinner Foutz said. He accepted the award on behalf of The Early Bird. Foutz, of Greenville, PIQUA — Big Brothers served on the board for Big Big Sisters of Shelby and Brothers Big Sisters from Darke County honored Larry McLaughlin and Keith 2013 to 2018, and continues to work with the organizaFoutz at its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on tion by mentoring youth in the Darke County area. Thursday, Jan. 30. “He can be described as Both McLaughlin and laid-back and happy-goFoutz, publisher of The lucky, which was instrumenEarly Bird and Daily Advocate, won the Friends of the tal in recruiting our president,” Program Coordinator Big Brothers Big Sisters Mandi Croft said. Award — McLaughlin for McLaughlin, of Sidney, Shelby County, and Foutz has been a volunteer with for Darke County. Big Brothers Big Sisters for “I’m humbled, just very 14 years. As part of being humbled and grateful,”

By Blythe Alspaugh

balspaugh@sidneydailynews.com

presented with the Shelby County Award, Big Brothers Big Sisters recorded messages from some of the “littles” he works with in after school programs. “Mr. McLaughlin, I like you because you are funny, silly, and helpful when I work with you,” said one little sister within the organization. “I’m appreciative and shocked,” McLaughlin said. “I didn’t think I did enough. I don’t expect anything. I had a good education through the Sidney City Schools, and I just like to help. I enjoy doing it.”

Guest speaker Christina Ryan Claypool, of Troy, emphasized empowering mentees through honesty and giving them attention, and igniting their potential. Claypool is an award-winning journalist, author, and speaker who describes herself as someone who was an at-risk youth. In her speech, she compared the work the mentors in Big Brothers Big Sisters organization do to Mary Poppins. “She’s the person who gives the children the attention they crave. Some of See DINNER | 3A


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.