Country Living January 2017 Midwest by American MainStreet Publications

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Official publication of your electric cooperative www.ohioec.org

The ice men cometh Winter brings world-class ice carvers to Ohio Also Inside:

Remembering John Glenn Hearty winter soups The iconic FFA emblem Member Interactive: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sooo cold!

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ohioec.org

ALL OF OUR LINES ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE LINES. Some deliver electricity. Others deliver information. All must deliver on the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives mission: to provide you with service that’s just as dependable as the energy you count on us for every day. Learn more about your locally owned and operated Ohio electric cooperative at ohioec.org.

YOUR SOURCE OF POWER. AND INFORMATION.

D C

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inside COVER STORY

23 THE ICE-MEN COMETH Perrysburg’s Winterfest will host the U.S. National Ice Carving Championship — which will help decide who provides decorations at the next Winter Olympics.

F E AT U R E S

A PATH OF SERVICE The Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ annual Youth Tour of Washington, D.C., has inspired generations of future leaders.

HOMETOWN HERO

Even when orbiting the Earth, John Glenn always remembered his s rural roots in New Concord.

15 SOUP’S ON!

There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of hearty soup to chase away those wintertime chills.

30 UNIVERSAL LETTERING

A Van Wert company made (and still makes) history by producing the iconic blue jackets worn by Future Farmers of America.

32 A HELPING HAND

From the “Nigerian Prince” to Medicare schemes, older Ohioans often find themselves targets of con artists. Ohio non-profit group Pro Seniors can help.

30 D E PA R T M E N T S 2 COOPERATIVE CONNECTION

15 FOOD SCENE

4 POWER STATION

19 LOCAL CO-OP PAGES

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

34 JANUARY CALENDAR

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

38 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

14 OHIO ICON

JANUARY 2017

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Cooperative Connection PAT O’LOUGHLIN, PRESIDENT & CEO • OHIO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES & BUCKEYE POWER

Ohio cooperatives look forward to

20I7

LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, I provided you with our 2016 cooperative to-do list. As we begin 2017, I’ll take a moment to reflect on the past year and provide a look ahead at our plans for 2017. During 2016, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives successfully: • Brought modern electric service to the residents of the remote village of La Soledad, Guatemala. We left with memories of a lifetime and provided hope for generations to come. • Kicked off the OurSolar program and are nearly halfway through the construction of 20 community-based solar power systems across Ohio that will provide energy to our member-owners well into the future. • Worked collaboratively with your local electric cooperative, as well as with Ohio’s large investor-owned utilities (which control the high-voltage grid that we are connected to), and achieved significant reliability improvements in the delivery of power across Ohio. The result? Fewer power outages. • Provided grants for four community site development efforts, which we hope will result in the establishment of new businesses in the communities that we serve.

• We will work with state and federal officials to develop more flexible and cost-effective ways to achieve environmental goals. • As American Electric Power moves away from its traditional role as an Ohio power plant owner/operator, we will develop plans to transition our longterm partnership for the operation of our power plants. • We will continue to expand and improve our efforts to support job creation, economic development, and member satisfaction across the communities that we serve. We hope to keep you informed of these efforts through the year in this, your monthly member magazine. In March, look for an updated, redesigned publication, based on reader recommendations. Above all else, as we look ahead to next year, I thank you for your continued support and patronage of your local electric cooperative. Together, we are better and stronger. God bless you and yours in the New Year. 

• Via survey of our member-owners, achieved our highest-ever American Customer Satisfaction Index rating (85, for those keeping score). While the results from the past year are gratifying, we still have much work to do in the year ahead: • We will expand and improve our job training and development program for electric line workers.

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January 2017 Volume 59, No. 4

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 memberinteract@ohioec.org www.ohioec.org

Patrick O’Loughlin Patrick Higgins Jeff McCallister Samantha Rhodes

President & CEO Dir. of Communications Managing Editor Associate Editor

Contributors

Cheryl Bach, Colleen Romick Clark, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Adam Specht, Damaine Vonada, Kevin Williams, Margie Wuebker, and Diane Yoakam COUNTRY LIVING (ISSN 0747-0592) is the official publication of Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. With a paid circulation of 294,359, it is the monthly communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without specific written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

ohioec.org Check out the mobile-friendly website and digital edition of Country Living, as well as other timely information from Ohio electric cooperatives.

JA N UA R Y 2 0 1 7

Official publication of your electric cooperative www.ohioec.org

JA N UA RY 2 0 1 7

Official publication of your electric cooperative www.ohioec.org

The ice men cometh Winter brings world-class ice carvers to Ohio Also Inside:

Remembering John Glenn Hearty winter soups The iconic FFA emblem Member Interactive: It’s sooo cold!

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The ice men cometh Winter brings world-class ice carvers to Ohio Also Inside:

New website feature

Remembering John Glenn Hearty winter soups The iconic FFA emblem Member Interactive: It’s sooo cold!

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All Country Living stories now published online For those of you who prefer reading on your tablets or smartphones, fret not — starting in December 2016, the Country Living staff decided to publish all the magazine’s print stories and features at www.ohioec.org so they can be enjoyed by readers across multiple platforms. Feel free to share our content on social media, too, so those who don’t receive the print version in the mail every month can still catch up on Ohio news.

Follow Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives on social media Search for Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to learn about careers with co-ops and how co-ops make a difference in communities across Ohio.

Alliance for Audited Media Member

National advertising representatives: NATIONAL COUNTRY MARKET, 800-NCM-1181 State advertising representatives: Sandy Woolard 614-403-1653 Tim Dickes 614-855-5226 The fact that a product is advertised in Country Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215, or call 1-800-282-0515. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101

Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Country Living staff cannot process address changes.

DID YOU KNOW? When it comes to craft beer, Ohio ranks fourth in overall production among all U.S. states. Over 1,385,000 barrels of craft beer were brewed in Ohio in 2015, supporting nearly 11,000 Ohio jobs. A whopping 173 craft breweries are currently operating in Ohio, with nearly 70 more in the planning stages. To top it off, craft beer consumption per capita in Ohio is about 5.1 gallons per adult.

In this issue:

New Concord (p.6) Lancaster (p. 10) Dayton (p. 14) Perrysburg (p. 23) Van Wert (p. 30) Cincinnati (p. 32)

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POWER STATION

S T O R Y BY A DA M S P E C H T

A PATH OF SERVICE Youth tour inspired participant to a career in government FOR 38 YEARS, the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., has given high school students a unique perspective on our nation’s capital and the electric cooperative world. It is a fundamentally different experience than any other youth trip to D.C. It is a more personal, more engaging, and more rewarding experience — one where participants can meet new people from around the state and Greg Moody the country while broadening their knowledge of our government institutions. Youth Tour changes lives and inspires careers in public service. And it is an experience only available to children of electric co-op members.

Catching the bug In 1983, Greg Moody was a teenager living on Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative lines. His family operated a farm just south of New Concord, on land that now sits within The Wilds wildlife preserve.

On June 10, 1983, Moody, who was selected by GuernseyMuskingum to represent the cooperative, departed for Youth Tour with 29 other teens from rural Ohio. “I remember it as my first experience with a group of people I didn’t know in advance,” Moody said. “The bus ride out was awkward — the ride back was filled with friends.” While in D.C., Moody had the opportunity to meet his House representative — Congressman Clarence Miller, a Lancaster Republican who served in Congress from 1967 to 1993.

Scholarships another example of co-ops’ commitment to education Times change, but one constant is Ohio electric co-ops’ commitment to youth education and development. Each of Ohio’s electric coops conducts a local scholarship program for high school students, and all 24 cooperatives have either

maintained or increased their funding for scholarships over the past five years. In 2016, in addition to local scholarships, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives awarded $69,600 worth of academic funding to Ohio students. That amount will grow

to $75,600 for this year’s program, with scholarships offered to children of cooperative staff and cooperative members. Between local and statewide programs, Ohio co-ops now grant well over $100,000 in scholarship awards to exceptional young people.

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Greg Moody graced the pages of Country Living magazine a couple of times in 1983 stories about the Youth Tour. In one (above), his group takes a rest on the Capitol steps, and in the other (at left), he’s shown speaking at Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting.

Moody cites that meeting as a formative experience in his life. “It’s where I got the bug for political activity,” Moody said. “Youth Tour made government seem more accessible.”

From Youth Tour to the Kasich Administration A few years later, Moody applied as an intern in Congressman Miller’s office, and he credits his Youth Tour experience for giving him the insight and confidence to succeed in government. “When I applied for the internship, I could visualize Congressman Miller’s office and knew where it was relative to the Capitol,” Moody said. “That makes a difference in being able to imagine yourself involved in important decisions.” Moody’s career in public service officially began in the 1990s, when he became a budget associate for the U.S. House Budget Committee. The committee chair at the time, Congressman John Kasich, tasked Moody with researching the impact of Medicaid on federal spending. Since then, Moody has become an influential expert on government health policy, serving in both public and private sectors, working to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government health programs. In January 2011, Kasich, by then the governor of Ohio, once again enlisted Moody to aid in efforts to improve health care, tapping him as director of the Office of Health Care Transformation. In this role, he is currently responsible for coordinating strategic planning and budgeting across six state health and human services-related agencies. Moody grew from a farm kid in rural Ohio to a

renowned and influential health policy expert — and Youth Tour helped make it happen.  Youth Tour 2017 will be held on June 9-15. Contact your local electric cooperative for full application details and to verify your cooperative participates in the program.

Looking ahead: Youth Tour 2017 Thirty-three years after Greg Moody’s Youth Tour experience, the program has grown and changed in a few notable ways, but the core focus remains: promoting the importance of government and public service to young electric cooperative members. Adam Specht, director of the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour, encourages any high school sophomore or junior from a co-op family to apply for the program. “In my five years assisting with Youth Tour, I’ve seen many shy, modest young people burst out of their shells — all within a five-day span,” Specht said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for a high school student to learn more about government and meet some great new friends. “I cannot wait to see what these fantastic young people accomplish in the future. And I hope their experience on Youth Tour contributes to their future success.” —Jeff McCallister

JANUARY 2017

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S T O R Y BY JEFF MCCALLISTER

John Glenn: 1921-2016

Native son remembered as hero, friend to rural America

NO MATTER HOW BIG A HERO HE BECAME, through his pioneering work as a test pilot and astronaut or his service to the state and country as a United States senator, John H. Glenn Jr. never forgot his rural roots — and that made him a friend to electric co-op members everywhere, says Darrel “Cubby” Cubbison, the retired longtime member services manager at Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative. “John’s father was a plumber in New Concord, and I think that, growing up, they both expected that John would follow in those footsteps,” Cubbison says. “Now, rural people of that time did not have electric water pumps — they didn’t have refrigerators, no electric gadgets, not even lights in the barn, but water, that was the main thing. “I was 4 years old when my family got electricity, right when John was going around with his father to install water pumps at farms all over, and so he was always well aware of what a big deal it was for electricity to come to the rural areas.” Glenn, of course, did not go into the family business. He became the first American to orbit the Earth and was elected to four terms in the U.S. Senate, where he was a champion of issues on aging, science, and nuclear proliferation, among many others. He died Dec. 8 at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. He was 95.

Glenn was born July 18, 1921, in Cambridge, and his father moved the family to nearby New Concord two years later, to a home about a three-minute walk from what is now the GMEC office. He met his future wife, Annie, while both were still toddlers, and they remained together until his death. They both attended elementary and high school in New Concord and attended Muskingum College. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Glenn quit school to enlist and become a military pilot, and he and Annie were married in April 1943 — right after he finished his flight training and earned his commission in the U.S. Marines. After a successful run as a combat pilot and a test pilot, he was selected as one of the original seven Mercury astronauts. He was subsequently chosen to man the Friendship 7 and become the first American in orbit on Feb. 20, 1962 — cementing his status as an American hero. He won his first term in the U.S. Senate in 1974, and remained there until he retired in 1999. He was still a senator, in fact, when he returned to space at age 77 aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1998. Cubbison’s parents had been friends with Glenn’s — their mothers were neighbors growing up — and Cubbison says he had plenty of contact with Glenn as part of his work for GMEC and in representing 4-H through Ohio State University Extension. “We went to Washington many times while he was there and he always made time for us because he knew what we were talking about was important,” Cubbison says. “You know, he was one of the most honest, honorable people I’ve ever known, and he was also one of the most down-to-earth,” Cubbison says. “Besides all the things everyone knows about, he did a lot of things silently and almost invisibly that made a lot of difference in the lives of everyone in the nation, including for rural America, and he was never very far away in his thoughts from New Concord.” 

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FOR YOUR NEW OHIO'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES MEMBER MAGAZINE

7 —

TO A MAILBOX NEAR YOU

 JANUA RY 2017

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Republicans gained one seat in both the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate in the November 8 election. Here is the roster of legislators who will convene Jan. 3 for the 132nd General Assembly.

OHIO SENATE Senator Cliff Hite Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams Senator Randy Gardner Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Erie, Fulton, Lucas, Wood

Senator Edna Brown Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Lucas Senator Matt Huffman Statehouse 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Shelby, Darke, Logan, Mercer

Senator Kevin Bacon Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Senator Gayle ManningMajority Whip Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Huron, Lorain

Senator Bill Coley Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Butler Senator Bill Beagle Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Darke, Miami, Montgomery, Preble Senator Peggy Lehner Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Montgomery

Senator Joe Uecker Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Adams, Brown, Clermont, Lawrence, Scioto Senator Charleta B. Tavares- Asst. Minority Leader Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Senator Shannon Jones Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Butler, Hamilton

Senator Stephanie Kunze Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Senator Lou Tehrar Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Senator Bob Peterson Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Pickaway, Clinton, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Pike, Ross, Vinton, Lawrence

Senator Cecil Thomas Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Senator Bob D. Hackett Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Clark, Madison

Senator Kris Jordan Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Delaware, Franklin, Knox Senator Troy Balderson Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Athens, Fairfield, Guernsey, Hocking, Morgan, Pickaway, Muskingum Senator Larry Obhof Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Richland, Ashland, Holmes, Medina Senator Dave Burke Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Crawford, Marion, Morrow, Sandusky, Seneca, Union, Wyandot Senator Frank LaRose Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Wayne, Stark Senator Scott Oelslager Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Stark Senator Frank Hoagland Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Monroe, Noble, Vinton, Washington, Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Meigs Senator Jay Hottinger Senate Building 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Coshocton, Holmes, Licking, Perry, Tuscarawas Senator Joe Schiavoni Statehouse 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215 Columbiana

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OHIO HOUSE Representative Scott Wiggam 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Wayne

Representative Bernadine Kent 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Niraj J. Antani 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Montgomery

Representative Mark J. Romanchuk 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Richland

Representative Hearcel F. Craig 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Jeffery S. Rezabek 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Preble, Montgomery

Representative Theresa Gavarone 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Wood

Representative Thomas E. Brinkman 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Mike Ashford 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Lucas

Representative Robert R. Cupp 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Allen

Representative Jonathan Dever 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Teresa Fedor 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Lucas

Representative Timothy E. Ginter 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Columbiana

Representative Louis W. Blessing III 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Michael Sheehy 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Lucas

Representative Adam Miller 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Bill Seitz 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Derek Merrin 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Lucas, Fulton

Representative Kristin Boggs 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Brigid Kelly 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Kirk Schuring 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Stark

Representative Anne Gonzales 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Catherine Ingram 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Thomas West 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Stark

Representative Heather Bishoff 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Alicia Reece 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Hamilton

Representative Christina Hagan 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Stark

Representative Mike Duffey 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Marilyn Slaby 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Stark, Holmes

Representative Wes Retherford 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Butler

Representative David Leland 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Fred Strahorn 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Montgomery

Representative Candice Keller 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Butler

Representative Laura Lanese 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Michael Henne 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Montgomery

Representative Margaret Conditt 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Butler

Representative Tim Hughes 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Franklin

Representative Jim Butler 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Montgomery

Representative Paul Zeltwanger 77 S. High St. 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43215 Lorain

JANUARY 2017

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CO-OP PEOPLE

S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S BY DA M A I N E V O N A DA

RockmilL Brewery Lancaster-area business’s specialty saisons are good for what ales you “ROLLING HILLS” MAY BE AN apt initial description for the terrain surrounding Rockmill Brewery, but it hardly does justice to a bucolic landscape where knolls and valleys hug the Hocking River’s headwaters, and backroads snake past bountiful fields and whiteboard fences. In that splendidly rural setting near Lancaster, South Central Power Company customer Rockmill Brewery occupies 20 acres of a former horse farm. The stables now contain its brewhouse, and the barn has morphed into a rustically chic tasting room — complete with stone fireplaces and sweeping views 10

of a pristine pond. “Our brewery is only 30 minutes south of Columbus, but it offers an escape where people get out of the city and into the countryside,” says Matthew Barbee, who owns and operates Rockmill Brewery with his mother, Judy Jones. Because his maternal grandfather was a vintner, Barbee developed an appreciation for wine at a young age, and after studying business at Miami University, he even trained as a sommelier in Chicago. While working in California, Barbee discovered the possibilities of beer when he ordered a Saison Dupont at

a restaurant. “The server popped the cork and these wonderful aromatics wafted over me,” Barbee recalls, “I said to myself, ‘Whoa! This isn’t beer.’” Of course, he soon learned that, indeed, saison is beer — specifically a fruity, highly carbonated ale traditionally brewed by farmers in Belgium’s Wallonia region. After a test of the water on his family’s old horse farm revealed that its minerality was similar to Wallonia’s water, Barbee decided to tap that terroir. He returned to Ohio and started a microbrewery specializing in Belgian-style saisons.

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M s

b c b W h t 3 i c h l

s b

The back patio at Rockmill seemingly transports customers to a different time and place, with views of the nearby pond and woods.

Matt Barbee and his mother, Judy Jones, own and operate Rockmill Brewery near Lancaster, which draws in customers for a tasting of their specialty: saisons.

“I studied the Columbus craft brewing scene and had a lot of confidence in my palate,” says Barbee, “but I’m a self-taught brewer.” When the brewery opened in 2010, he made saison one barrel at a time. Today, Rockmill produces 30 barrels weekly, and its offerings include saison, witbier, dubbel, and cask-aged tripel. In homage to its heritage, the brewery’s logo and labels depict horses. Since its tasting room only serves Rockmill ales, customers bring their own food, experiment

with pairings, and enjoy the farm’s ambiance. Barbee, in fact, likens the brewery experience to picnicking. “People feel transported to another place when they’re here,” he says. “We’ve really created our own picnic culture.”  DAMAINE VONADA is a freelance

writer from Xenia. Rockmill Brewery, 5705 Lithopolis Road NW, Lancaster, OH 43130. For information about the brewery and tasting room hours, telephone 740-205-8076 or visit www.rockmillbrewery.com.

Rockmill Tavern Opened in autumn 2016, Rockmill Tavern is a bar and restaurant that brings Rockmill Brewery’s farmstead ales and aesthetic to Columbus’s Brewery District. The menu is small but focuses mightily on foods that complement saisons — cheeses, charcuterie, and Barbee’s personal favorite, ribeye. 503 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215; 614-732-4364; www.rockmilltavern.com

JANUARY 2017

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Are

COYWOLVES

In 2009, nineteen-year-old Taylor Mitchell was a rising star in Canada’s folk-music world. She had just released her first album, had been invited to perform at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Young Performer of the Year. Her life couldn’t have been better. But her life suddenly and violently changed when, in October, she decided to take a break from touring and visited Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia, Canada.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W. H. “CHIP” GROSS

headed for Ohio?

HIKING ALONE ALONG POPULAR SKYLINE TRAIL, Mitchell was savagely attacked by two, possibly three, coywolves. Two other hikers soon came upon the surreal scene, drove off the coywolves, and contacted park rangers. The mauled young woman was quickly placed on a medical helicopter to Halifax. Unfortunately, due to deep bite wounds over her entire body and extensive blood loss, she died. Wildlife biologists determined the grisly incident to be a deliberate act of predation on the part of coywolves. A cross between a coyote and a wolf, coywolves are wild hybrid canines that differ from coyotes in that they have longer legs, larger jaws, smaller ears, and a longer body (4 to 5 feet, including tail), as well as a bushier tail. Coywolves are also heavier than coyotes, weighing anywhere from 35 to 45 pounds or more. In addition, coywolves tend to hunt in packs like wolves, whereas coyotes hunt by themselves or in pairs. “Coywolves are definitely different from the coyotes we have here in Ohio,” said Suzie Prange, PhD, a furbearer specialist and research biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. “They’re larger because they have a bit more wolf DNA in them. Ohio coyotes tend to have more dog DNA.”

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A coyote (pictured at left) is smaller and more dog-like, while a wolf (pictured below) is burlier and significantly heavier. Coyotes typically outlive wolves in the wild. A coywolf (pictured at top of page 12) is a cross between the two, taking on the wolf-like tendency to hunt in packs.

COYOTE

WOLF

Prange explained that the hybriding process began about a century ago when wolves became extirpated from most of the U.S. east of the Mississippi. As a result, coyotes from western states began moving east, filling that predator niche. When they reached the Great Lakes, the population split, with some coyotes going north of the lakes into Canada and some going south into and through Ohio. Those that went north interbred with wolves, picking up wolf DNA; those that went south interbred with dogs, picking up dog DNA. Coywolves now inhabit eastern Canada, the New England states, and a few states along America’s eastern seaboard. So, are coywolves headed for Ohio? Prange said that she wouldn’t be surprised. “Probably what we’ll eventually see, due to interbreeding, are animals that are a little larger than the current coyotes in Ohio,” she said. “Coywolves are not necessarily more aggressive than coyotes toward hu-

mans and domestic animals, but because of their size, they could potentially be more dangerous to both.” However, Prange quickly added that she is more afraid of coydogs (a coyote-dog hybrid) than she would be of coywolves (a coyote-wolf hybrid), because coydogs are less afraid of humans. “When I’m in the field trapping for research purposes, and I trap a coyote, I’m not afraid of it,” she said. “Using proper techniques, the animal can be easily and safely handled. But if I catch a coydog or even a feral dog, and other such animals are hanging around in a pack, that can be a dangerous situation because those animals have a reduced fear of humans due to the dog DNA they possess.”  W.H. "CHIP" GROSS is Country Living’s outdoors editor. He would like to hear from you about any outdoor-related story you might like him to investigate, and can be reached by email at whchipgross@gmail.com.

JANUARY 2017

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ICON

S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S BY DA M A I N E V O N A DA

The Pine Club Dayton Location: South of downtown Dayton near the University of Dayton campus. Provenance: Housed in an understated brick building that originally contained a grocery store, The Pine Club has been in the same spot ever since Jim Sullivan started the steakhouse in 1947. After buying The Pine Club in the 1950s, Lloyd Meinzer enlarged its bar and dining room but kept the knotty pine paneling that not only inspired the restaurant’s name but also enhances its cozy atmosphere. Current owner David Hulme purchased The Pine Club in 1979. Although he periodically updates equipment, Hulme has carefully preserved the restaurant’s retro character and steaks-and-chops menu. “The Pine Club looks exactly as it did in 1947,” says Hulme. “The bar has the same stools and wooden railing, which is well-worn after 70 years of our wonderful customers’ elbows.” Significance: Now a Dayton landmark, The Pine Club is nationally known for its food and service. In recent years, the Food Network selected The Pine Club as one of the nation’s top two steakhouses; the New York Times named it — along with the “21” Club in New York and Bouillon Chartier in Paris — one of the world’s greatest old dining institutions; and food critics for publications such as Gourmet and Saveur have praised it as a consummate American steakhouse. What’s the secret of its success? Says Hulme: “We work hard to consistently provide value for our customers and build relationships with them.”

Currently: After 70 years in business and four generations of customers, The Pine Club still hand-cuts steaks and makes everything from salad dressings to its ever-popular stewed tomatoes in-house. “The restaurant has served stewed tomatoes every night for 70 years, and I think I’d be run out of town if we ever took them off the menu,” says Hulme. While filet mignon, strip-loin, and bone-in ribeye are The Pine Club’s best-selling steaks, other signature dishes include shrimp cocktail, onion rings, and creamed spinach. In keeping with its old-school atmosphere, The Pine Club doesn’t serve desserts, accept credit cards, or take reservations. Even President George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara had to wait for a table. It’s a little-known fact that: The Pine Club sells a variety of boxes containing its steaks, salad dressings, and stewed tomatoes online, and every order includes Pine Club placemats and cocktail napkins.  The Pine Club, 1926 Brown St., Dayton, OH 45409. Opens at 4 p.m. Mon.–Sat. For additional information, telephone 937-228-5371 or visit www.thepineclub.com.

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FOOD SCENE

SOUP’S ON! There’s nothing like a bowl of hot soup to chase away wintertime chills. Made in a slow cooker or a Dutch oven, a fragrant concoction of meat, vegetables, and other ingredients provides a hearty ‘welcome home’ at the end of the day — with leftovers ideal for later lunches.

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R E C I P E S BY M A R G I E W U E B K E R A N D D I A N E YOA K A M P H O T O S BY C H E R Y L B AC H

FOOD SCENE

Wintertime Beef and Barley Soup 2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 Tbsp. canola oil 5 cups water 4 medium carrots, chopped 4 celery ribs, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 can (14½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/3 cup frozen peas 4 tsp. beef bouillon granules 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. basil 1 tsp. parsley flakes ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 1 cup quick-cooking barley In a Dutch oven, brown meat in oil on all sides; drain. Add water, carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, peas, bouillon, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50 minutes or until meat is tender. Stir in barley; cover and simmer an additional 10 to 15 minutes longer or until barley is tender. Yields 8 servings.

Bean and Barley Soup

4 tsp. olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp. dried basil 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed 1 (14 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth ¾ cup quick-cooking barley 1 (5 oz.) package baby spinach ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and basil; cook, stirring frequently, until tender and just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash ½ cup beans. Stir the mashed and whole beans, tomatoes, broth, and barley into the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and pepper. Yields 6 to 8 servings. Per serving: 322 calories, 3.9 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 19.3 g fiber and 18 g protein.

Lite Chicken Chili

4 cups chopped yellow onions (about 3 onions) 3 tsp. olive oil, plus more for chicken 1/8 cup minced garlic 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste 2 tsp. sea salt, plus more for chicken 2 (28 oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained ¼ cup fresh basil, minced 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces Freshly ground black pepper

In large pot, cook onions in oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add bell peppers, spices, and salt. Cook for another minute, until fragrant. Crush tomatoes by hand or pulse 6 to 8 times using food processor until coarsely chopped. Add tomatoes and basil to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced raw chicken and simmer another 20 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 244 calories, 8.5 g total fat (1.9 g saturated fat), 4.3 g fiber and 24 g protein.

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M H

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

2 whole skinless ch icken breasts 6 cups water 2 chopped onions 1 medium green pepper, diced 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, mi nced 2 to 3 4-oz. cans chopped green chilies 1 to 2 diced jalape no peppers (remove seed and membrane to lessen heat) 2 tsp. ground cumi n

1-1/2 tsp. dried or egano 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 3-lb. jar navy bean s, undrained* 1 to 2 cups shredd ed cheese Sour cream Salsa

Place chicken in 5-quart slow cook er. Add water. Cover and cook on low 3 to 4 ho urs or until t ender. Remove ch icken from slow cooker, leaving broth. Cube and se t aside. Sauté onio ns and green peppers in oil in skillet about 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Add ga rlic and cook un til fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds long er. Add chilies, ja lapeno peppers, cumin, oregano, pe pper, and salt. Saut é 2 minutes before transferrin g to chicken brot h in slow cooker. Add navy beans. Cover and cook on low 30 to 60 minutes. Add chick en and cheese be fore serving, allowing meat to warm and cheese to melt. Top with sour cream and sa lsa before serving. *Note: To use dried navy beans, cover 3 cups navy beans with water in a saucepan, so aking overnight. Drain in the morn ing and cover wi th fresh water. Cook in saucepan on low 7 to 8 hour s or until t ender. Drain exce ss moisture before stirring into chicken and brot h. Yields 6 to 8 se rvings.

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MIDWEST ELECTRIC, INC.

06029 County Road 33A P.O. Box 10 St. Marys, OH 45885-0010 1-800-962-3830 Payments due by the 10th of each month. Account access online www.midwestrec.com or

Android

Apple

facebook.com/midwestelectric

@midwestrec

Office Hours Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Manager/CEO Rick D. Gerdeman rgerdeman@midwestrec.com

Board of Trustees Larry Vandemark, President James Wiechart, Vice Pres. Randy Heinl, Secy.-Treas. Steve Bauer, Trustee Bob Barnt, Trustee Kathy Brake, Trustee Gary R. Knapke, Trustee Gary Profit, Trustee Roger W. Rank, Trustee Courtney Burton, Attorney

A copy of Midwest Electric, Inc.’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations is available from the co-op office and also is available online at midwestrec.com. Call us to receive your copy.

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We’re ready to work with elected officials As the nation prepares to welcome a new Congress and administration, America’s electric cooperatives are ready to welcome back old friends and introduce ourselves to newcomers. The co-ops’ message to elected officials, both old and new, Republican and Democrat, will be the same: We all need to work together to protect consumer access to safe, reliable, and Rick Gerdeman, affordable electric service. Manager/CEO We have reason to believe this message will be well received. After all, co-ops speak for more than 42 million electric consumers nationwide, a sizable constituency by any measure. Moreover, whatever you thought of the 2016 campaign, one message came through loud and clear: Many, many people don’t believe their concerns are being heard. For member-owned cooperatives, listening to people is at the heart of our business model. As co-ops reach out to engage with elected officials, they will build on the strength of Co-ops Vote, the grassroots initiative to reverse declining voter turnout in rural areas. Co-ops Vote did more than register voters. This initiative sent a strong message to the country’s elected officials that rural electric consumers matter. And co-ops will be reinforcing this message with a request that policymakers keep the needs of consumers front and center. Needs such as funding for infrastructure — especially transmission lines and access to natural gas, increasing the efficiency of the electric system, and determining the future of hydropower and nuclear energy. Elected officials will be making decisions affecting every aspect of the electric system. Advocating for these issues is nothing new. In fact, we’ve been doing it for years. And we’re ready to continue the fight on your behalf. In initial conversations with our legislators, we will be explaining the unique member-owned, not-for-profit co-op business model. And we will be reminding longtime politicians of our co-op’s commitment to its members. In Washington, D.C., our national trade association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), will be conducting similar introductions, speaking with key agencies and departments within the new administration. It is likely many of these new policymakers will know little or nothing of the co-op model. Forging an energy future that serves rural consumers and protecting access to safe, reliable, and affordable electric power will be a bipartisan effort. Electric co-ops are optimistic. As we work with our elected leaders, we hope to renew a spirit of cooperation in the nation’s capital and in statehouses across the country. After all, cooperation is what co-ops do best! 

Happy New Year! The office is closed Jan. 2.

Out with the old, in with the new — wishing you a safe year the whole way through.

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JANUARY 2017 COUNTRY LIVING

12/15/16 12:18 PM

MIDWEST ELECTRIC, INC.

“Your rates are too high!” For the next few months, I’m going to address some typical questions and complaints we hear at Midwest Electric. I think you’ll find this very informative and helpful. Let’s start with a tough one — the price of electricity. Or, “Your electric rates are too high! They’re higher than AEP and DP&L’s. A member-owned cooperative should have lower rates.” Answer: Midwest Electric has not had a distribution rate increase since August 2010! As a result, there is only a slight cost difference between us and AEP, and our prices remain lower than DP&L (see chart below). We’re able to be competitive despite the cost challenges of our rural nature. We serve just over six members per mile of line, and the larger utilities average over 30 customers per mile. That means they have five times more customers per mile of line, and five times more revenue per mile of line, than us! The extra revenue helps them recover their fixed costs more easily. Plus, being member-owned and service-oriented, we invest $4,861 per member in our distribution system. AEP and DP&L invest $3,235 and $3,508, respectively, per customer. The bottom line is this: We invest

more in service and get less in return — and yet, we’re still able to compete with investor-owned utilities. Also, consider that Midwest Electric members earn patronage equity in their cooperative, and that money is returned to Dave Waltermire, members over Energy Advisor time. In fact, we just returned $1.4 million to our members this past November. That means you’re getting an even better deal than customers of other utilities. The average Midwest Electric member receiving a full-year patronage payment is getting almost one month’s electric bill for free. A high electric bill isn’t a function only of electric rates, but also of electric use. We can help you get better control of your electric use through energy audits, advice, rebates, and other programs. Call us if you want to lower your energy use.

Source: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

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S Power outage maps on our website Check your electric bill for the name of your substation, listed along the right side of your bill. This will help you understand your power situation when we announce power restoration plans for major outages affecting substations. We also have detailed service maps of each substation on our private e-bill site. Log in to your electric account at www. midwestrec.com, click Substation Maps along the left side, then scroll down for the list of substations. Our public website has a power outage map with information about current power outages. You can view outages by township, county, or Zip code. While we chose to keep the public information limited, more details on current and past outages can be accessed through our e-bill page. If you don’t have power at home, you can access our private and public websites from a computer at work or a friend or relative’s house, or through a smartphone or tablet. During major outages, we post updates on our website and our Facebook page. Be sure to follow us for live updates!

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Sta fro pro co wi ho to dro it’s ab mo

MIDWEST ELECTRIC, INC.

2017 GRADS: Scholarship applications due Jan. 13 Midwest Electric has two scholarship programs: • Our general Children of Members Scholarship for students with at least a 3.5 GPA. Six scholarships totaling $9,000 will be given away. • The Touchstone Energy® Achievement Scholarship for students with at least a 2.75 GPA who have overcome personal obstacles or special challenges in pursuit of their goals. One $2,000 award will be given away. Plus, $34,000 in scholarships are available at the statewide level from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. An applicant must be a high school senior whose parents are members of Midwest Electric. Other rules apply. Applications are due Jan. 13. Call us today at 1-800-962-3830 or e-mail kschmerge@midwest rec.com for more information. Applications are available at www.midwestrec.com. Click on My Community, then on the Scholarships link.

Why a monthly service charge? Since the 1980s, Midwest Electric has had a monthly service charge that all members pay, regardless of electric use. Since 2010, the residential monthly service charge has been $35. So why is there a monthly service charge, and why is it higher than the charge for investor-owned utilities like AEP (whose is $8.40 per month)? The answer has to do with the rural nature of our service area. We serve an average of only six homes per mile of line, while AEP serves a whopping 27 homes per mile. So, let’s do the math: Midwest: 6 homes x $35 = $210 per mile AEP: 27 homes x $8.40 = $226.80 per mile As you can see, we have to charge more for our monthly service charge per member since we have fewer members overall. This charge helps recover a portion of the fixed costs and minimizes the subsidy of low-or-nouse accounts. What is “fixed cost”? Before a member can use the first electron of energy, the cooperative makes it available by investing millions of dollars into distribution plant poles, wires, transformers, substations, and other equipment. Fixed costs include depreciation, interest, and property taxes on the plant investment. It also includes operating and maintenance costs, administrative and general expenses, and operating margins. Every member connecting to our distribution system for the availability of electric energy shares in the recovery of these monthly fixed costs, even if no electricity is purchased. The cost to the cooperative still exists whether or not electricity is consumed. The issue is compounded at locations that use minimal electricity, where the investment to serve has been made with very little sales in return.

New office hours start Jan. 3 Starting Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, Midwest Electric’s office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office hour change was studied for months with the goal of providing a more flexible work environment to help attract and retain a competitive workforce. It will also benefit customer service. Employees will continue to work a 40-hour week, since lunch will be cut from one hour to 30 minutes. Our new hours also reflect a change in how our members prefer to conduct business. Over the years, the number of incoming calls has dropped in half, as more members opt to do business online. Whether it’s needing rebate and energy efficiency information, wanting to pay a bill, or researching electric use data, members can do all of this and more on our website or mobile app.

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Our phones and dispatchers will remain available 24/7, Paying your monthly every day of the electric bill is still year. Members can simple. Members can pay their electric bill pay via check, phone, over the phone by check or card, 24/7. Our or online 24/7. night deposit box is conveniently located at our front door. And you can pay your bill with no fee at any Money Gram location in Walmart, CVS, or other retailers. We respect the fact there are many members who prefer face-toface contact, so we will also continue to provide all of the traditional methods of business.

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JANUARY 2017 COUNTRY LIVING

12/15/16 12:18 PM

MIDWEST ELECTRIC, INC.

Prepare for winter power outages Midwest Electric does everything it can to prevent power outages, but sometimes severe weather or other emergencies are beyond our control. Read on for tips to be prepared during the cold winter weather: • Prepare an emergency kit today containing fresh batteries, flashlights, a battery-operated radio, blankets, candles, matches, a first-aid kit, bottled water, a manual can opener, a shovel, and rock salt. • Keep a stock of canned food and other nonperishable food. Consider buying a portable camp stove. Remember baby food and formula if you have young children. • Keep a supply of bottled water on hand. The recommended amount is 5 gallons per person. • Medicine: Plan ahead to have the essentials as well as prescriptions on hand. • Pile a few extra blankets and sweaters together so you can find them easily if the

heat goes off. Dress in layers to stay warm. • If the power goes out, check your service panel to see if a blown fuse or tripped breaker is the cause of the outage. Check with neighbors to see if their power is out. • Avoid downed power lines. Call Midwest Electric to report outages or downed power lines at 1-800-962-3830 or 419-3944110. Don’t assume that we already know about your outage. If it’s a lengthy outage, continue to call us periodically. • Keep refrigerators and freezers shut to preserve the food inside. • Do not run generators inside or near windows or doors. They combust dangerous carbon monoxide. • Do not connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring without an approved double-throw switch. Otherwise, you’ll backfeed onto the power lines and endanger the public and our line crews.

What to do — and not do — around fallen power wires Whether it’s from a car/pole accident, ice storm, or another situation, be alert for downed wires and follow these guidelines: • Call 911. • A fallen power line won’t always have smoke or sparks. It may look safe. But always assume it’s energized and dangerous. • Stay away from the power lines until a power company crew has determined that it is safe. • Be aware in these situations that wires may be low or on the ground. • If you are in a car that has hit a utility pole, stay in the car until the power lines have been made safe. Only leave the car if it is unsafe for you to stay in it

(for example, if the car is on fire). If you step out, you could create a path for the electricity to travel to the ground — through you. And that could kill or seriously injure you. • If you have to get out of the car, jump clear of the car with both feet at the same time. NEVER TOUCH THE CAR AND THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME. • Walk straight away from the pole line. Don’t walk around to the other side of the car. Shuffle your feet while you are walking away. • Don’t touch someone who is being electrocuted nor anything they’re touching — or you could be the next victim.

These power lines were still energized when utility crews arrived. Stay away from downed lines, even if you think it’s safe. 22

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COUNTRY LIVING JANUARY 2017

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S T O R Y BY DA M A I N E V O N A DA

THE

ICE MEN

COMETH

Perrysburg’s Winterfest is one of several 2017 festivals that will feature some of the world's best ice sculptors

Chad Hartson sits in a 2017 Lamborghini he carved out of ice for the 2016 Detroit International Auto Show.

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Courtesy Butler County Visitors and Convention Bureau

THE HIGHLIGHT OF February’s Winterfest in Perrysburg will be the U.S. National Ice Carving Championship, but Chad Hartson, who owns one of the nation’s largest ice-sculpting companies — Ice Creations in Napoleon — and is himself a former world champion, won’t be a contender. “The National Ice Carving Association (NICA) sanctions the event,” explains Hartson. “Since I’m president of its board and helping organize the championship, I can’t be competing too.” A veteran of more than 100 ice-sculpting contests, Hartson led a team that carved seven fullsized cars — ranging from a 1957 Chevy to a 2017 Lamborghini — out of ice for Detroit’s 2016 International Auto Show. At Winterfest, not only will he be demonstrating his talents, but his company also is supplying the blocks of ice for the U.S. Nationals. “It’s the qualifying event for the cultural side of the Winter Olympics and will bring top ice sculptors to Perrysburg,” says Hartson. 24

Like many professional ice sculptors, Hartson was introduced to carving in culinary school. As a teenager, he worked in a restaurant in his hometown of Wauseon and later enrolled in the University of Akron’s culinary arts program with the goal of becoming a chef. The curriculum included learning to carve fruits and vegetables into decorative shapes, but Hartson further honed his skills by studying sculpture at the university. “I was able to take sculpture classes at the same time as I was getting culinary training,” he says. “Those classes led me into other art forms like ice, sand, and salt, and they helped me to refine what I do.” After culinary school, Hartson shifted from chef to sculptor and started Ice Creations in 1998. Today, he appears in the Food Network’s food art competitions, and his company produces everything from bagged ice cubes to drink luges to elegant ice centerpieces with state-of the-art computerized equipment.

opposite: W.C. Johnston/Getty Images

Damaine Vonada (2)

The ice sculptures (above) are always a big draw at the Hamilton IceFest, coming January 20–21. Fans and festival-goers are treated to a nearly endless variety of subjects.

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opposite: W.C. Johnston/Getty Images

JANUARY 2017

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â&#x20AC;¢ COU NTRY L I V I N G

12/16/16 5:23 PM

l cou purchases last. Non-transferable. Origina Offer good while supplies4/21/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through

Courtesy Chad Hartson/Ice Creations Damaine Vonada

Ice-A-Fair, Vermilion, Feb. 4, 2017 — the harbor town provides a picturesque setting for 60+ ice sculptures, Lolly the Trolley rides, and a flaming finale, the “Fire & Ice” tower. 440-963-0772; www. mainstreetvermilion.org Winterfest, Bowling Green, Feb. 10-12, 2017 — besides ice sculptures, it offers ice skating and hockey. 800-866-0046; www.visitbgohio.org Medina Ice Festival, Medina, Feb. 18-19, 2017 — luminous ice sculptures make Medina’s town square seem magical. www.mainstreetmedina.com

For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

Mohican Winter Fest, Loudonville, Jan. 13-17, 2017 — showcasing carvings by Aaron Costic from Broadview Heights’s Elegant Ice Creations, it includes ice dancing and model trains. 419-994-2519; www.discovermohican.com IceFest, Hamilton, Jan. 20-21, 2017 — the “City of Sculpture” is ideal for ice carvings, and this biennial event will present space-themed sculptures. www.cityofsculpture.org; www.gettothebc.com/ events.

On All Hand Tools

More Really Cool Festivals

• No Hassle Return Policy

When Hartson began his business, ice sculptures were a luxury item only seen at highend weddings and country club parties. Recent advances in tools and technology have dramatically reduced the man-hours needed to complete an ice sculpture, making them more affordable and sophisticated. “Twenty years ago,” notes Hartson, “we didn’t have the power tools, specialty bits, or die grinders that have resulted in today’s much more detailed and elaborate structures.” As ice sculptures increased in popularity, so did seasonal festivals where artful carvings helped to chase away the winter blues. “Ice sculpting events are a good fit for towns like Perrysburg that are lively during winter,” says Hartson. “They get people out of the house, bring them downtown, and help them be more active.” According to chairperson Kati McDougle, Winterfest 2017 will feature about 200 different ice sculptures that are either created during the competition or commissioned by Perrysburg businesses and organizations. The three-day event also includes wine and beer tastings, unique edibles from local restaurants, and an entertaining children’s area complete with costumed superheroes. “At Winterfest,” says McDougle, “people can do some shopping, enjoy all the activities, and watch ice sculptors bring their beautiful carvings to life.” 

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calling 800-423-2567. Cannot LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or by LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original be used with other discount Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original day. purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original purchase with original receipt. through 4/21/17. Limit one coupon per customer per coupon must be presented. Valid through 4/21/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. coupon must be presented. Valid

• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567

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• COU NTRY L I V I N G

JANUARY 2017

S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S BY DA M A I N E V O N A DA

UNIVERSAL

LETTERING

Van Wert company made – and still makes! – history with the FFA jacket WHEN GENERAL MANAGER Cory Hoops gives tours of the Universal Lettering Company’s Van Wert facility to Future Farmers of America (FFA) members, it’s often an eye-opening experience for them. “I remember this schoolgirl telling us she had no idea that so much labor goes into producing FFA jackets,” says Hoops. “She was excited and amazed to see how hers was made.” Started in the 1920s to provide agricultural education, work experiences, and leadership training to farmboys, the National FFA Organization has evolved

into a congressionally chartered, intra-curricular organization that now includes girls, with specific provisions for including minorities and city kids. Some middle school and collegiate chapters exist, but most FFA members are high-schoolers studying everything from aquaculture and agribusiness to food science and natural resources. While the Indianapolis-based organization has experienced growth and change over the years, two FFA icons have remained constant — the blue and gold

the

On the wall at Universal Lettering is a display of FFA jackets from different eras — though they have stayed mostly the same since their 1933 debut. 28

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Anatomy of the

EMBLEM

Dating back to 1928, the venerable Future Farmers of America emblem that appears on members’ jackets consists of several symbols representing the FFA and agriculture. Here’s a guide to the emblem’s elements and their meanings. Eagle: Freedom Adapted from the U.S. coat of arms, the emblem’s eagle stands for our freedom and our ability to explore new agricultural horizons. Agricultural Education and FFA: Learning and Leadership The words and abbreviation displayed on the emblem indicate the combination of learning and leadership necessary for progressive agriculture.

Owl: Knowledge Traditionally associated with wisdom, the owl denotes the knowledge required for success in the industry of agriculture.

Plow: Labor and Tillage of the Soil Cultivating the soil is the backbone of agriculture and the historic basis of our nation’s strength.

True Colors The FFA colors – national blue and corn gold – were inspired by the star-studded blue field of the American flag and the nation’s golden fields of ripened corn. National blue likewise is the color of the FFA’s jackets.

Rising Sun: Progress The image for a new day signifies the prospect of a future filled with opportunities.

Cross-Section of an Ear of Corn: Unity Grown in every state of the nation, corn is the foundation crop of American agriculture, and thus a fitting foundation for the FFA emblem.

t. JANUARY 2017

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A it

Cory Hoops, general manager of Universal Lettering, shows off one of the iconic FFA jackets that his company helped bring to the masses. 30

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emblem that adorns the back of every FFA jacket, and the blue corduroy jackets themselves. The jackets have been part of FFA’s official dress uniform for 84 years, and countless young people have worn them with pride. “The jacket gives FFA members confidence and makes them feel that they’re part of something larger than themselves because it’s so steeped in tradition,” notes Lee Anne Shiller, division director of the organization’s membership and merchandise services. The jacket originated after the advisor of the Fredericktown FFA chapter contacted Van Wert’s Universal Uniform Company. “Dr. Gus Lintner had seen a blue corduroy jacket with a chenille bulldog on the back in a store window,” says Hoops, “and he asked Universal Uniform, which was our company’s predecessor, to produce a similar one for his chapter.” When the Fredericktown band members sported them while performing at FFA’s 1933 national convention in Kansas City, the new jackets looked so handsome that the delegates voted to adopt the design. Styled with long sleeves, a pointed collar, and buckle tabs at the waist, the FFA jacket has stayed basically the same since 1933. “There have been only subtle changes because the jacket is so important to FFA members,” says Hoops. While jackets initially had front snaps, square pockets, and an embroidered emblem, current jackets have a zipper, rounded pockets, and a patch emblem. Until hard times forced it into bankruptcy in the late 1980s, Universal Uniform made about 150,000 FFA jackets annually. Lima CPA Mark Hoops and other investors revived the business in 1991. They renamed it Universal Lettering, acquired high-tech sewing and embroidery equipment, and eventually moved its operations to a modern industrial park. Today, Universal

A Universal Lettering employee works to assemble a jacket before it goes onto the embroidery machine (below).

FFA by the numbers n n

n n n

Student members – 649,355 Local chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – 7,859 Alumni members – 225,891 Alumni chapters – 1,934 Members’ annual earnings through hands-on work – $4 billion Six states with largest FFA membership: • Texas – 115,630 • California – 83,917 • Georgia – 40,881 • Oklahoma – 27,205 • Ohio – 25,806 • Missouri – 25,784

Lettering produces branded apparel as well as custom chenille patches for clients that include 4-H clubs, varsity sports teams, marching bands, corporations, and clothing companies. As for FFA jackets, most are now made in Vietnam, but Van Wert workers still play a major role in producing and delivering them. “Universal Lettering cuts and sews about 25 percent of all the jackets, but we do 100 percent of the embroidery and shipping to FFA members,” says Hoops. “We’ll ship about 80,000 jackets this year.” Each FFA jacket consists of 26 individual pieces of cotton fabric, and from attaching the emblem on the back panel to double-stitching seams, Universal Lettering employees complete 35 separate sewing operations to make a jacket. During the busy season, they turn out 1,000 jackets with customized embroidery every day. “Starting the second week in September, we embroider 24/7 for two months,” says Hoops. Imported FFA jackets cost $50, but for an extra $15, members can buy a made-in-the-USA jacket from Universal Lettering. For additional fees, the company also tailors new jackets and, in a nod to its singular FFA heritage, re-letters vintage ones. “Our workers put a lot of care into every stitch,” says Hoops. “They think about the extraordinary number of FFA jackets that have been made in Van Wert over the years, and some are FFA moms themselves.” 

For more information Universal Lettering Company — 419-238-9320; www.universallettering.com National FFA Organization — 317-802-6060; www.ffa.org JANUARY 2017

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Pr se Te on

a e o m h in r in e h

th w

o h s is

PRO SENIORS

Cincinnati company helps older citizens resolve issues that can arise with aging

MIDDLETOWN WAS ONCE a bustling steel and paper manufacturing hub along the banks of the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio. The majority of manufacturing jobs disappeared in the downsizing waves of the 1980s and 1990s, leaving behind an older population — including many elderly on fixed incomes and government assistance. It was against this backdrop that T.E. Baines, a volunteer for Middletown-based advocacy group Ohio Pro Seniors, met Bill Rogers, a longtime resident of the area. 32

Baines had given a presentation on navigating Medicare, and during the question-and-answer session afterward, Rogers spoke up and remarked that he was a victim of the very Medicare fraud that Baines was counseling how to prevent. “Did you report it to police?” Baines asked. Rogers said he had. In fact, a Middletown detective had been trying to get to the bottom of it for quite some time to no avail. The man had been receiving statements showing that a provider he had never heard of had been billing him

la a m r s to is li h

BY K E V I N W I L L I A M S

and Medicare for services he never received, and it was causing problems for Rogers when he went for his various medical appointments. Baines decided to get Pro Seniors involved. Pro Seniors, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to help society’s oldest members with the sometimes complicated issues of aging. The organization dispenses legal assistance, serves as a Medicare watchdog, and offers an ombudsman service for those in long-term care. Pro ’ mission is to help the quality of life for Ohioans

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S th th a a O to

s fa o th n

fo h fa s p L

Pro Seniors often draws crowds at its presentations (left), while volunteers such as Ted Baines (at right) work with individuals on their issues.

over 60. After a lot of sleuthing and backand-forth with Medicare and the errant biller, Pro Seniors figured out the problem and recovered the man’s money. In this case, Rogers hadn’t been a victim of anything intentionally malicious. His is a relatively common name, and an innocent mistake (a wrong digit was entered by someone, somewhere) had snowballed into a big problem. “Medicare can be confusing, but the answers are there if you know where to find them,” Baines says. His role gives him a great deal of fulfillment. “I like the idea of helping, and I believe in service,” he says. “I think part of being a citizen is doing more than your share.” Life for those in the aging population can be one of dizzying change and speed, even for the sharpest minds. And in a predominantly rural area without the menu of services that many cities are able to offer, that can add to a feeling of isolation. Pro Seniors serves as a lifeline to those in rural areas, with help literally a phone call away. The phone line is busy at Pro Seniors’ Cincinnati office. Calls to the legal hotline, which has served the state since 1981, come in from all over the state. Pro Seniors serves as a vital line of defense for older Ohioans, and services are available to any Ohioan age 60 or over. Retirement communities and senior centers across the state, in fact, practically have Pro Seniors on speed dial as a means to connect their customers with the help they need. “I have worked with Pro Seniors for many years and have referred hundreds of older adults and their family members to Pro Seniors,” says Karen Hill, director of independent living for the Otterbein Lifestyle Community, a senior

residential living complex in Warren County. “They do a wonderful job of sharing information and helping people with all kinds of concerns with their many different programs.” Scammers take advantage of a trusting population that has wealth, and Pro Seniors has become a versatile and valuable resource to combat these scams. “There are just so many more different types of media today to reach victims,” says Mary Day, program associate for Pro Seniors. “All the different ways of communicating today have created more opportunities to try to victimize that target audience. They are home, they pick up the phone and read every piece of mail.” While someone taken in by the

Jamaican lottery scam and others of its ilk have little chance of recovering their money, Pro Seniors can help ensure it never happens again by dispensing sound advice: “Close the bank account, notify credit bureaus, and we highly recommend a credit freeze,” Day says, adding that for $5 one’s credit can be essentially “locked” so that a would-be scammer runs into a firewall when trying to take out a loan or open a credit card. “We provide victims with information as to what their next step is, what their rights are and what their responsibilities are,” Day says. “We equip people to take the next step.”  KEVIN WILLIAMS is a freelance writer from Middletown.

Pro Seniors at a glance Founded in 1975, Pro Seniors, Inc., is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization dedicated to serving all Ohioans over the age of 60, regardless of income. Services offered include but are not limited to: n Help resolving Medicare claims and fraud issues via Pro Seniors' Senior Medicare Patrol. n Help with long-term care issues via the Pro Seniors ombudsman program. n Legal guidance and help with a variety of issues ranging from identity theft to tenant-landlord issues. Website: www.proseniors.org Phone: 513-345-4160 or toll-free in Ohio at-800-488-6070

JANUARY 2017

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JANUARY 2017 CALENDAR

NORTHWEST THROUGH JAN. 8 – Hayes Train Special Exhibit, Hayes Museum, Spiegel Grove, Fremont, Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. $7.50, Srs. $6.50, C. $3. 419-3322081 or www.rbhayes.org. JAN. 1 – North Pole Express, 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 5–8 p.m. $3, C. $2. 419-4232995 or http://nworrp.org. JAN. 3 – America’s Boating Course, Sandusky Power Squadron, 215 E. Market St., Sandusky, 6 p.m. This course provides you with basic boating knowledge to decide what type and size boat you need, what to do when meeting another boat in a crowded waterway, and how to recognize and handle hazards. 419-626-6655 or www.usps.org. JAN. 6 – Silver Screen Classics: Gone With the Wind, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo,7:30 p.m. $5. 419-2422787 or www.valentinetheatre.com. JAN. 7 – Silent Movie Night: Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last, Pemberville Opera House, 115 Main St., Pemberville, 7:30 p.m. Featuring Lynne Long on the piano. 419-2874848 or www.pembervilleoperahouse.org. JAN. 7–8 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $5, free for members, under 18 free. Over 400 tables of modern and antique guns, knives, hunting equipment, and associated collectibles for purchase. 419-647-0067 or www.tristategunshow.org. JAN. 13–14 – 6th Annual Camp Perry Open: Civilian Markmanship Program, 1000 N. Lawrence Rd., Port Clinton. This year’s match will include a three-position air rifle competition, an international air rifle (all standing) event, a pistol course of fire, and an optional clinic. Spectators welcome. 419635-2141 or http://thecmp.org. JAN. 18 – Dance Theatre of Harlem, Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo, 7:30 p.m. 419-242-3490 or www.valentinetheatre.com. JAN. 21–22 – Lima Symphony: Mozart by Candlelight. Two locations: Trinity United Methodist Church, Lima, Sat. 7:30 p.m. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Ottoville, Sun. 4 p.m. $20, Stds. $10. 419222-5701 or www.limasymphony.com. JAN. 26–29 – Greater Toledo Auto Show, Seagate Convention Ctr., 401 Jefferson Ave.,Toledo, Thur. 3–9 p.m., Fri. 12–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $7, Srs./Stds. $5, under 9 free. Displays of the latest and greatest models and automotive technologies from 26 different manufacturers. 419-255-3300 or http://toledoautoshow.org.

PLEASE NOTE: Country Living strives for accuracy but strongly urges readers to confirm dates and times before traveling long distances to events. Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event by writing to Country Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ ohioec.org. Country Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address of where the event takes place or a number/website for more information.

NORTHEAST THROUGH JAN. 8 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Advent Market, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville. Over 75 life-size, handpainted nutcrackers in an outdoor display. 866-301-1787. THROUGH FEB. 28 – After Christmas Sale at Tis the Season, 4363 St. Rte. 39, Berlin. Save 50% storewide (collectibles not included) at Ohio’s largest year-round Christmas shop. 330-893-3604 or www.tistheseasonchristmas. com. JAN. 4–8 – Ohio RV Supershow, I-X Center, One I-X Center Dr., Cleveland, Wed.–Fri. 12–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $13, under 12 free. $10 parking. America’s largest indoor recreational vehicle show. 330678-4489 or http://ohiorvshow.com. JAN. 7 – Snow Dogs Train Show, presented by Cuyahoga Valley S Gauge Association, UAW Hall, 5615 Chevrolet Blvd., Parma, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $6, under 12 free. Free parking. All-gauge show with over 150 tables. Buy, sell, or trade new and used trains. Watch operating layouts. 440-526-9864, 330-405-1425, macsir@aol.com, or www.cvsga.com.

J THROUGH JAN. 5 – “A Storybook Christmas,” Zanesville and Muskingum Co. locations, Sun.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 6–10 p.m. Drive by or walk to view the storybook-themed decorations at nearly 100 participating businesses. 740-455-8282, 800-743-2303, or www.visitzanesville.com.

JAN. 14–15 – Medina Gun Show, Medina Co. Community Ctr., 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. 42), Medina, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m $6. One of the area’s largest gun shows, with 450 vendor tables. 330-948-4400, jim@ conraddowdell.com, or www.conraddowdell. com. JAN. 21 – Northern Ohio Fly Fishing Expo, Cuyahoga Valley Career Ctr., 8001 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $10, C. (13–18) $5, under 12 free. Demos, seminars, fishing gear and supplies, and more. http://ncff.net/ expo2017. JAN. 21 – “Genealogy Hacks: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Online Genealogy Research,” Richland Co. Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society Meeting, OGS Library, 611 St. Rte. 97 W., Bellville, 1 p.m. Lecture by Mary Jamba. Free and open to the public! 419566-4560, sunda1960@yahoo.com, or www. rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohrichgs/. JAN. 27–29 – Cleveland Motorcycle Show, I-X Center, West and East High Bay, One I-X Center Dr., Cleveland, Fri. 3–8 p.m., Sat. 9:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $16, free for 11 and under. $10 parking. 216-265-7005 or http://motorcycleshows.com.

JAN. 7 – Antique and Collectible Old Toy Show, Lakeland Community College (AFC Auxiliary Gym), 7700 Clocktower Dr., Kirtland, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $6, C. (6-12) $2. Pressed steel, diecast, Japanese tin, mechanical toys and robots, dolls, and much more. Contact Tom at 216-470-5780 or www.neocollectibletoys.com.

JAN. 28 – Winter End Train Meet, presented by Great Lakes Division, Train Collectors Association, UAW Hall, 5615 Chevrolet Blvd., Parma, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. All-gauge show with over 175 tables. New and old trains to buy, sell, or trade. Watch operating layouts. Single ticket $6, Family $8, under 12 free. Parking free. 440-665-0882, emularz1124@aol.com, or www.greatlakesTCA.com.

JAN. 8 – Mohican Winter Hike, Mohican State Park, 3116 St. Rte. 3, Loudonville, 10 a.m–1 p.m. Choose from 5K, 10K, or a guided nature hike led by a park naturalist. Trails run from moderate to difficult. Campfire, hot soup, cookies, and drinks will be provided after the hike. 419-994-5125 or http://parks.ohiodnr. gov/Mohican.

JAN. 29 – Winter Model Train Show and Swap Meet, presented by Norwalk & Western Railroads, Eastern Division ,German’s Villa, 3330 Liberty Ave., Vermilion,10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5, under 10 free. All scales, operating layouts and displays, model train supplies, railroad historical items, DVDs, videos and, books. 419706-8038 or www.norwalkandwesternrr.com.

JAN. 12–16 – Mid-America Boat Show, I-X Center, 1 I-X Center Dr., Cleveland, Thur.–Fri. 12–9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Mon.11 a.m.–5 p.m. $14, Srs. $12, free for 12 and under. 440-899-5009 or www.clevelandboatshow.com.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Annual Collison Festival of Lights, 5601 Westfall Rd. SW, Lancaster, dusk to 10 p.m. 740-969-2283.

JAN. 13–15 – Mohican Winter Fest, 131 W. Main St., Loudonville. Free. See over 25 elegant ice sculptures. Ice carving demos, fire spinning, Train Expo, and entertainment. 419994-2519 or www.discovermohican.com.

CENTRAL THROUGH JAN. 2 – State Auto’s Christmas Corner, 518 E. Broad St., Columbus. Free. Historic life-sized Nativity display. Lighting times: Mon.–Thur. 6–8 a.m., 5–11:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat until 12:30 a.m. 614-464-4946 or www.facebook.com/ christmascorner.

JAN. 6–8 – Columbus Build, Remodel, and Landscape Expo, Greater Columbus Convention Ctr., Halls E and F, 400 N. High St., Columbus, Fri. 12–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $6, under 18 free. JAN. 6–15 – Ohio RV and Boat Show, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th St., Columbus, Wed.–Fri. 12–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $12, C. (6–13) $3, 5 and under free. www.ohiorvandboatshow.com. JAN. 7 – “Tea Blending for Wellness,” Ohio Herb Education Ctr., 110 Mill St., Gahanna, 1–2 p.m. Learn about dried and fresh herbs and how to mix them for healthful teas. 614-342-4380 or www.gahanna.gov. JAN. 20–22 – Midwest Sports Spectacular, Cardinal Hall, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave, Columbus, Fri. 3–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. followed by auction, Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission on Fri., $10 for Sat./Sun. pass. Sports collector cards, vintage and new collectibles, memorabilia, autograph signings. http://goldstarsportsmarketing.com/MWSS-2017. JAN. 22 – Mutts Gone Nuts, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 3 p.m. Comedy duo Scott and Joan Houghton and their hilarious pack of pooches have created a comedy dog thrill show like no other. $15–$25, Stds. $10. 740-383-2101 or www. marionpalace.org. JAN. 27 – Gas Pump Jockeys, Marion Palace Theatre, May Pavilion, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $15. Super-charged oldies/retro band takes audience on a musical journey back in time. 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org. JAN. 26–28 – 47th Annual Ohio Power Show, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $10/carload. Displays of new agricultural, construction, and outdoor power equipment from more than 500 companies. Educational seminars every day. 614-889-1309 or www.omeda.org/ powershow. JAN. 27–29 – Johnson’s Log Home and Timber Frame Show, Ohio Expo Ctr., Rhodes Bldg., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Fri. 1–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Registration Sat./Sun. at 9:30 a.m. $12, under 18 free. www.loghomeshows.com. JAN. 29 – Wedding Expo and Show, Hilton Polaris, 8700 Lyra Dr., Columbus, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Fashion shows 12:30 and 2:30. $5 advance, $8 at door. 937-550-4138 or www. ohiobridalexpos.com.

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JANUARY 2017 CALENDAR

SOUTHEAST THROUGH JAN. 2 – Dickens Victorian Village, Wheeling Ave., Cambridge. Outdoor display of Dickens-era scenes and life-sized, handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. 800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com. THROUGH JAN. 2 – Guernsey Co. Courthouse Holiday Light Show, Wheeling Ave., Cambridge, 5:30–9 p.m. 800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com. JAN. 15 – Bridal and Prom Showcase, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., Cambridge, 12–4 p.m. $5. 740-4397009 or www.pritchardlaughlin.com. JAN. 21 – Hocking Hills Winter Hike, 19852 St. Rte. 664 S., Logan, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. See the beauty of Hocking Hills in the winter as you hike from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave, with a stop at Cedar Falls for soup and muffins. 740685-6841 or www.hockinghills.com. JAN. 28 – Country on the Carpet, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., Cambridge, 7 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy a night full of country and bluegrass music. 740-439-7009 or www. pritchardlaughlin.com.

C O M P I L E D BY C O L L E E N R O M I C K C L A R K

JAN. 28 – Forgotten Places and Spaces Walking Tour, 3-4:30 p.m. $20. Tours depart from the monument on the Courthouse lawn and are guided by a costumed interpreter who leads the group from building to building. 740705-1873 or www.ohiomadegetaways.com.

JAN. 13–15 – Cincinnati Golf Show, Duke Energy Convention Ctr., 525 Elm St., Cincinnati, Fri. 5–9:30 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Deals on equipment and clothing, pro tips, and info about the best places to golf near and far. www. cincinnatigolfshow.com.

SOUTHWEST

JAN. 13–15, 18–22 – 60th Annual Cincinnati Travel, Sports, and Boat Show, Duke Energy Convention Ctr., 525 Elm St., Cincinnati. www.cincinnatiboatshow.com.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Holiday Lights on the Hill, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., St. Rte. 128, Hamilton, Fri.–Sun. 6–10 p.m. $25 per car. 513-868-1234 or http://pyramidhill.org/ holiday-lights. THROUGH JAN. 3 – Christmas at the Junction, EnterTRAINment Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester. Take a “Journey to the North Pole,” where you'll meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. 877-898-4656. JAN. 7–8 – Wedding Expo and Show, Dayton Convention Ctr., 22 E. Fifth St., Dayton, 11 a.m–4 p.m. $5 advance, $8 at door. Fashion shows 12:30 and 2:30. 937550-4138 or www.ohiobridalexpos.com.

JAN. 14–15 – 69th Annual Lebanon Antique Show and Sale, Warren Co. Fgds., 665 N. Broadway, Lebanon, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Browse antique American and Continental furnishings and decorative arts, textiles, jewelry, primitives, folk art, and fine art. $8 at the door, $6 online. Good both days! Free to WCHS members. www.wchsmuseum.org. JAN. 14 – "A 2,000 Mile Voyage Down the Yukon River," Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, 980 Woodburn Rd., Urbana, 10 a.m. $10, $5 CBA/OHC members. Presented by Dave Dyer, Curator of Natural History, Ohio History Connection. 937-4843744, caerwin23@gmail.com, or www. cedarbognp.org.

JAN. 20–21 – IceFest, 345 High St., Hamilton. The largest ice carving festival in the region. This year’s theme: “To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before.” ice carving competition, ice sculptures on display. 513-844-8080 or www.cityofsculpture.org/icefest.html.

WEST VIRGINIA THROUGH JAN. 8 – Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort and Conference Ctr., 465 Lodge Dr., Wheeling, Sun.–Thur. until 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. until 11 p.m. World-famous light show covering 6 miles and featuring 80 larger-than-life displays. Per car donation is requested and is valid for the entire festival season.Trolley tours offered. 877-436-1797 or www.oglebay-resort.com/festival.html. JAN. 28 – 2017 Honey Bee Expo, West Virginia University–Parkersburg, Rte. 47. $20 advance, $25 at door, C. (under 12) $8. All-day conference dedicated to the honey bee and the hobby of beekeeping. Classes for all levels. www.movba.org.

Send us your photos! If we use your photo in our Member Interactive section, you’ll get a Country Living tumbler. For July, send us your favorite patriotic pictures depicting the American Spirit by Feb. 15. For August, send us photos of “It’s so hot!” by March 15. Guidelines: 1. One entry per household per month. 2. Upload your photos at www.ohioec. org/memberinteractive or by U.S. mail: Editor, Country Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229. 3. Include your name, mailing address, phone number or e-mail, the name of your electric co-op, the month you’re submitting for, and who the person(s) in the photo is, as well as an explanation of the photo. If you do not provide this info, we cannot print your submission. 4. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want anything returned.

JANUARY 2017

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MEMBER INTERACTIVE

IT’S SO

Much to our surprise, our cat, Chester, used to lie on the back of our dog, Rufus. I guess Rufus was much warmer than that cold ground! Needless to say, they were great friends.

COLD! Yellow shafted flicker in the snow. Janet E. Tyler Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member

Lynne Smith Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member

This is how cold it got in January 2015. It’s the Muskingum River at the dam near the Y-Bridge in Zanesville, Ohio. The falls pushed the thick ice and made it crack! Myron and Sharon Dawson Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative members

My husband, Doug Miller, and me — this was taken about 50 yards straight out from the Marblehead lighthouse. It seemed like a balmy winter day with the hint of spring in the air when we decided to walk down, and we were shocked to find about 50 to 100 people already there. Lorie A. Wilber Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member

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Janice Thomas South Central Power Company member

Four of the five Nestor children enjoying a cold 1970s winter day in New London. Margaret Nestor Firelands Electric Cooperative member

My granddaughter Rachel so bundled up, she couldn’t get up! Beth Schey Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative member

Dakota Kiefer playing for the Butler County RedHawks. Karen Rupp Butler Rural Electric Cooperative member

My daughter Leonora tastes some snow and finds out it’s really cold! Lisa Zemancik Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative member

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My son James Ferris in 2006, clearly too cold! Dawn Ferris Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member

My granddaughter Aubrey Schwartz is too cold to move her arms to make a snow angel. Donna Montgomery South Central Power Company member

Wintry day at Jackson Lake in Oak Hill. Bobby Barnett Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member

Send us your photos! If we use your photo, you’ll get a Country Living tumbler. For July, send us your favorite patriotic pictures depicting the American Spirit by Feb. 15. For August, send us photos of “It’s so hot!” by March 15. Guidelines: 1. One entry per household per month. 2. Upload your photos at www.ohioec.org/memberinteractive or by U.S. mail: Editor, Country Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229. 3. Include your name, mailing address, phone number or e-mail, the name of your electric co-op, the month you’re submitting for, and who the person(s) in the photo is, as well as an explanation of the photo. If you do not provide this info, we cannot print your submission. 4. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want anything returned.

Our family dog, Baylee, out in the snow. Michael Hardin Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member

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www.ohioec.org

DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CONTROL Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their consumer-members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions by electing fellow members to the board of trustees. These elected representatives are accountable to the entire membership.

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