OHIO
AUGUST JULY 2020
COOPERATIVE Butler Rural Electric Cooperative
Comeback Banding together for small town renewal
Tropical treats Enjoy a taste of the islands
ALSO INSIDE Clearing ALSO INSIDE power’s path It’s electric! Summer Outdoor bird-feeding tips photo tips World’s longest Purple yardreign sale
Be E Smart 3
ENERGY•EFFICIENCY•EDUCATION
LOGO WINNERS y of the Wo Wa
d rl
Th e
Electricity
2020 Winner
2019 Winner
2018 Winner
✔ 9 years in Ohio middle school classrooms ✔ 100 teachers given FREE energy curriculum ✔ 45,000 children given FREE energy efficiency items for home ✔ 1 program: Be E3 Smart 2017 Winner
ohioec.org/energy
2016 Winner
OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
INSIDE FEATURES 28 RENEWAL AND RESTORATION How vision, optimism, and true grit have sparked a small town’s turnaround.
32 PURPLE REIGN Fields brimming with lavender bring joy to folks around the state.
36 SMALL ISLAND, BIG RACE Put-in-Bay keeps its road race tradition alive, albeit a bit more laid-back than in days of old. Cover image on most issues: Jason Duff could have taken off to find success in a big city after college, but instead has focused his attention on revitalizing his hometown of Bellefontaine. He founded Small Nation, a company that helps other small businesses prosper (photo by Susie Jarvis, The Photo Booth).
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1
UP FRONT
Don’t Veto Your Vote “E
very election is determined by the people who show up.” It’s a platitude that Americans dust off every four years as we prepare to go to the ballot box either to cast a vote for change or to stay the course. Pundits traditionally delight in telling us that this is the most important election in the history of the democratic process. In reality, every election is an essential exercise of democracy that allows our voices to be heard through the ballot we cast. The right to vote is often taken for granted, as others may have fought the battle or made the sacrifices required to gain or maintain that privilege. Co-ops, like our country, are grounded in consensus. Governed by their owners (you) with open and voluntary membership and guided by democratic control, the electric cooperative community is an apt reflection of the power of a system based in equality — one member, one vote. In an era in which we’re experiencing increasing division and unrest, elections, and the responsibility to vote, provide the chance for us to ponder our values and our interests and then hit the “continue,” “pause,” or “reset” button. Voting is easier and more convenient than ever. First, make sure that you’re registered to vote by October 5 by contacting your county board of elections or by visiting https://olvr.ohiosos.gov. Then, either cast your ballot in person or request an absentee ballot at www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/absentee-voting. Elections offer us a chance to quietly express our individual priorities for the governance of our communities, our state, and our nation. Elections also result in a collective expression of our community priorities and values. Please express your views during our upcoming election, honor this truly American principle, and let the nation know what’s important to you. Stay safe.
2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
In reality, every election is an essential exercise of democracy that allows our voices to be heard through the ballot we cast.
AUGUST 2020 • Volume 62, No. 11
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
MORE INSIDE DEPARTMENTS
4
4 POWER LINES
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO Patrick Higgins Director of Communications Jeff McCallister Managing Editor Rebecca Seum Associate Editor Anita Cook Graphic Designer Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Victoria Ellwood, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, Damaine Vonada, and Margie Wuebker. OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official commun ication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative 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 Offi ce, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.
It’s electric! More and more, electricity not only saves money but also helps the planet.
6 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT
Midwest Electric, Inc.: The St. Marysbased electric cooperative serves a membership that’s dedicated to helping out in the community.
6
8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
Learning to “see”: The first step to great outdoor photography is to envision the picture before you snap.
8
14 CO-OP PEOPLE
Training K-9: Co-op member provides world-class training of both police dogs and family pets.
17 GOOD EATS
Fresh from the garden: Use the
14
bounty that bursts from your backyard bed to create these culinary classics.
21 LOCAL PAGES News and information from your
For all advertising inquiries, contact
electric cooperative.
Cheryl Solomon American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop
17
41 CALENDAR
Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes. Alliance for Audited Media Member Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
What’s happening: August/ September events and other things to do around the state. Just make sure to confirm before you travel.
44 MEMBER INTERACTIVE
Cuddly kitties: Members show off their feline fur-babies!
44
Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our new site features an expanded Member Interactive area where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.
www.ohiocoopliving.com AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3
POWER LINES
It’s electric!
More and more, electric power not only saves money but also helps the planet. BY JEFF McCALLISTER
J
oey and Kristin Huber have been considering — consciously and subconsciously — the benefits of electricity for some time.
Joey, who teaches STEM classes in the Dublin City School District, has numerous aspects of electricity included in his curriculum, but his interest goes deeper than that. “I have an uncle in North Carolina who really got me thinking about what all we use electricity for and a lot of other things that we can and even maybe should use electricity for,” Joey says. “He put up solar panels and now has all the electric tools and toys that they can power. It got me thinking about that myself, and I’m convinced that’s where society is moving.” The Hubers, who are members of Marysville-based Union Rural Electric Cooperative, installed solar panels on their house that they now use to charge their recently purchased Tesla Model Y, a fully electric vehicle with a nearly 400-mile range that can recharge about 150 miles of range in only 15 minutes. They took advantage of a rebate offer from URE to help pay for the charger installed at their home. The family also owns an electric bicycle and uses rechargeable battery-powered implements such as a string-trimmer and blower for yardwork. The Hubers are part of a growing number of people taking advantage of the benefits of using more electricity as part of a strategic plan to save money
4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
and reduce environmental impact. That, in turn, improves their quality of life and helps the stability of the entire electric grid. For example, the simple act of replacing a gas-powered lawnmower with one that uses a rechargeable battery means no more gas cans to fill and store in a garage, no fumes or smoke, and no worries that the mower just won’t start when you pull the cord. Electric mowers are also quieter, so you can avoid those dirty looks from neighbors when you decide to mow early on a weekend morning. From there, the benefits go global. An idle mower plugged in for recharging becomes part of the electric grid. The more electricity users plugged in and charging during times when people are using the least amount of electricity — probably overnight — the less stress on the grid during the day. That would allow electric utilities to operate more efficiently, evening out electricity use over a 24hour period — which also helps control costs. More immediately, for those concerned about the environmental effects of their energy use, electricity is a future-looking choice. “If you look at a national scale, electricity is being generated in cleaner, more efficient ways all the time,” says Ben Wilson, manager of power delivery engineering for Buckeye Power, which supplies electricity to all 24 Ohio electric cooperatives. “That means that every device that uses electricity — from cars to clock radios — will become even better for the environment over time as the electricity it uses gets greener.” That energy trend is part of what led to one of the nation’s leading environmental groups becoming part of the beneficial electrification movement. In 2018, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) published a report outlining a broad plan to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 30 years. A key part of that plan called for using electricity for a bigger share of our energy consumption — a lot more. The group wants to increase electricity’s contribution to all end-use energy from about 20% today to 45% in 2050. “We’re to the point, especially with our panels, where we save quite a bit of money by using electricity for as much as we can,” Huber says. “We also have a 7-year-old son, and this helps us feel good about trying to ensure a healthy environment for his future. That’s really the best part about it.”
Did You Know? • Electricity is much cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel, costing about $1.20 per gallon (of gasoline equivalent) at a nationwide average. • All-electric vehicles are about three times more efficient than those powered by internal combustion engines and have earned EVs top spots on FuelEconomy.gov’s list of most efficient vehicles (fueleconomy. gov/feg/topten.jsp). Most are rated at more than 100 miles per gallon (equivalent).
To learn more about using solar energy in your home, visit www.ohiosolar101.com.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5
CO-OP SPOTLIGHT
MIDWEST ELECTRIC, INC.
M
idwest Electric, Inc., is situated in west-central Ohio, based in St. Marys. The cooperative serves 11,000 homes, farms, and businesses in Allen, Auglaize, Mercer, Van Wert, Shelby, Putnam, and Darke counties. One of the area’s most notable landmarks is Grand Lake in Celina and St. Marys, a man-made lake that attracts thousands of visitors every year with fishing tournaments, marinas, and lakefront restaurants. Grand Lake was originally built to supply water to the Miami and Erie Canal. Midwest Electric also serves the area around Wapakoneta, home of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. In 2019, the city celebrated the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, and Midwest Electric was proud to assist with the balloon festival as a proud sponsor and advocate for the event.
A passion for community service Midwest Electric’s members are extremely engaged with their community: 88% of members participate in the co-op’s Community Connection Fund bill “round up” program, resulting in more than $1 million donated to more than 900 local charities and organizations since 1998. Employees at Midwest volunteer in various youth programs in the community and at special events such as the annual Tailgate for Cancer and the United Way Day of Caring. The board of directors offers $11,000 in scholarships every year to local high schoolers.
Membership diversity Midwest maintains and operates 1,522 miles of lines. The co-op has 30 employees and is governed by a board of eight trustees. While the majority of the cooperative’s consumer-members are residential, Midwest also serves several large commercial, industrial, and agricultural operations. One of those accounts is Ferguson Enterprises in Celina, the largest wholesale distributor of residential and commercial plumbing supplies and pipe, valves, and fittings in the U.S. Other well-known Midwest Electric members include Cooper Foods in St. Henry and microbrewery Moeller Brew Barn in Maria Stein.
Co-op key stats: • Midwest has returned more than $34 million in patronage capital to its members. • In recent years, Midwest Electric has invested between $2 million and $3 million per year for electric system reliability upgrades, resulting in power reliability of around 99.9%. • The peak-demand savings program has helped the cooperative save more than $500,000 annually in power costs. • The revolving loan fund has provided $2 million in low-interest economic development loans to create area jobs and support local businesses. • Excellent customer service is a point of pride — during normal business hours, the co-op answers incoming calls within five seconds.
6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Co-op Spotlight appears regularly in Ohio Cooperative Living to give a glimpse into the land and the people of Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives.
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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
LEARNING TO
“see”
For great outdoor photos, envision them before you snap. STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS
8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
O
ne of America’s leading naturalists of the 19th century was the prolific Louis Agassiz (1807–1873), who, while teaching at Harvard, taught his students the skill of in-depth observation of natural objects. He did it by what his students termed “the incident of the fish.” On the first day of class, Agassiz would put a large dead fish on a tin tray and lay it before his beginning students. “Now, look at your fish,” Agassiz would say. He’d then leave the room, not returning until hours later, if at all that day. As a result, the students either learned to look intently — to study every minute detail of the fish — or simply quit the class out of frustration.
Right: Sudden winter weather changes, such as an ice storm, can provide great photo opportunities; watch the forecast and have your camera ready. Below: A whitetailed deer peers at the camera through fall goldenrod at a Columbus Metropark.
The same approach can be used to learn outdoor photography. Not that you have to stare at the same photo subject for hours on end, but developing the ability to “see” the details of photos before you attempt to take them is a crucial skill — yet one that anyone can learn. One of Ohio’s best outdoor photographers is Art Weber, founding director of the Nature Photography Center for Metroparks Toledo. He says there’s a difference between looking at the natural world as an artist and as a photographer. “A painter begins with a blank canvas, then adds the image he wants to create,” Weber says. “A photographer is faced with the opposite situation. He or she has to edit the natural world through the viewfinder of the camera. In other words, a photographer has to answer two basic questions: What am I going to include in my photo and what am I going to leave Spread (and camera viewfinder): Adding people (lower right) to a large landscape photo adds scale to this photo of Columbia Glacier in Valdez, Alaska. Above: Caribou antlers frame Mt. Denali at Denali National Park, Alaska.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9
out? My personal rule of thumb is to simplify a photo subject. You want to reduce a photo to what attracted you to take that particular shot in the first place.” Weber also emphasizes the importance of light on outdoor subjects. “Beginning photographers talk about equipment, while the true masters of photography talk about lighting,” he says. “Light is what gives a photo subject color, shape, form, texture — everything in outdoor photography depends upon the intensity and direction of the natural light a photographer must deal with at different times of the day.” I have been taking outdoor photos for decades — so long, in fact, that some of my younger photographer buddies claim I have a few grainy, black-and-white prints of actual, live dinosaurs tucked away in my desk. I will not confirm or deny that rumor, but one of the things that helped me learn to “see” photos was studying the shots published in magazines, books, calendars, and the like, and asking two basic questions: First, why did an editor choose to print a particular photo? And second, how did the photographer get that particular shot? Of course, to answer that second question, you have to answer a
10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
few more, such as: What was the camera angle? What focallength lens was used? What might the camera’s exposure settings have been? Another tip to producing great outdoor photos is to buy the best photography equipment you can afford. At the same time, however, you must realize that no camera, regardless of its price tag, guarantees good photos. It’s the photographer behind the camera who actually takes the photograph, not the camera. The natural world is so vast and its subjects so varied that those new to outdoor photography often find it difficult to decide on a subject. Once they do, they find it’s just as difficult to figure out how to photograph it. Relax — you’re not alone. Photographers have always dealt with those two dilemmas. The good news is that “seeing” photos becomes easier with practice. So get outside and start clicking. Just remember: Before you push that shutter-release button, make sure to “look at your fish.” W.H. “Chip” Gross (whchipgross@gmail.com) is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor and a member of Consolidated Cooperative. Spread: I positioned myself along the shore beside a rapids to take this colorful shot of whitewater rafting on West Virginia’s New River. In viewfinder: During a vacation at Acadia National Park, I saw my granddaughter, Maddie, jumping from rock to rock. Left: Shooting into the sun can produce dramatic silhouettes, such as this angler landing a king salmon from a canoe along Michigan’s Black River.
Ask
chip!
Postioning yourself below a subject, rather than at eye level, can give a pleasing effect; the early morning fog in this lighthouse photo was a bonus.
Email Chip Gross with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@ gmail.com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!
www.ohiocoopliving.com AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11
When the going gets tough, Ohio Farm Bureau gets going! We continue to be on the forefront, advocating for our members and educating legislative and business leaders as we help the agriculture community navigate through the challenges of COVID-19. As with any adversity, Ohio's resilient agriculture community will get through this with the strength of the state’s largest farm organization, Ohio Farm Bureau.
OFBF.org/StillFarming
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CO-OP PEOPLE
Training K-9 Co-op member provides world-class training of both police dogs and family pets. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARGIE WUEBKER
A
l Gill believes well-trained German shepherds can mean the difference between life and death in many law enforcement situations. As the owner of Von der Haus Gill German Shepherds and Police K-9 Academy near Wapakoneta in rural Auglaize County, he is committed to making sure the dogs and their two-legged handlers are prepared for whatever might happen on the job.
PHOTO COURTESY OF VON DER HAUS GILL
Gill, who formerly served as a K-9 officer with the Wapakoneta Police Department and later the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, started his business in 1992. He moved to the current 20-acre site, where the business is a member of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, five years later.
14 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Opposite: Al Gill holds a puppy that could someday become a K-9 unit. Left: Lima Police Officer Gaige Hennon searches with his dog, Emmy. Below: Lima Police Officer Tanner Engle and his dog, Dre, with master trainer Steve Miller (with the protective sleeve).
The property is now home to a world-class training facility as well as housing units for male and female officers who come from across the country to participate in academy classes. There is also a kennel that can accommodate 60 adult dogs as part of the business’ breeding operation. Gill travels to Europe five or six times a year, working with a longtime associate to acquire high-quality dogs — primarily from Germany and occasionally from the Czech Republic. He evaluates each animal on such factors as overall health, temperament, confidence, social skills, and the desire to work and please. More than 3,000 dogs have been brought to Von der Haus Gill (House of Gill) over the course of nearly 30 years. “We want the best dogs possible, whether they’re destined to become K-9 units or family companions,” he says. “This is no hobby. We are a working, breeding, training facility 24/7.” Academy training commences after a dog marks its first birthday. Handlers and their department dogs spend six weeks bonding and learning to work as a team. Twelveto 14-hour days are the rule rather than the exception. Obedience comes first and then tracking, before moving on to more complex tasks. All commands are given in German and for good reason: Not only are the dogs accustomed to the words, but bystanders are not likely to understand the meaning. Early on, police dogs were bred for a single purpose, such as tracking, officer protection, or patrol duty, according to Gill, who is one of three master trainers on staff. Nowadays, departments want dogs capable of serving multiple
purposes: narcotics detection, explosives detection, patrol, personal protection, and search and rescue. A dog trained to detect narcotics represents an investment of around $12,000, while one adept at locating explosives is closer to $15,000. Agencies face a grand total ranging from $50,000 to $70,000 when other factors like special cruisers, safety equipment, and insurance are included. Training never ends for the dogs or their handlers, with maintenance work taking place every two weeks to keep skills fine-tuned. A K-9 unit earns retirement status around the age of 10, with the likelihood of spending its golden years at the home of the officer it diligently protected. Von der Haus Gill German Shepherds, 16863 Boundry Road, Wapakoneta, Ohio 45895. 419-568-9400.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15
Stand Up Straight and Feel Better Discover the Perfect Walker, the better way to walk safely and more naturally It’s a cruel fact of life, as we age, gravity takes over. Our muscles droop, our bodies sag and the weight of the world seems to be planted squarely on our shoulders. We dread taking a fall, so we find ourselves walking less and less- and that only makes matters worse.
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GOOD EATS
Freshgarden from the
CUCUMBER TOMATO FETA SALAD Prep: 15 minutes | Chill: 4 to 24 hours | Servings: 6 1 large cucumber ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 small red onion 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 teaspoon sugar 8-ounce block feta cheese Cut cucumber in half lengthwise, then in half again. Dice cucumber and red onion into 1-inch chunks. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Cut feta into half-inch chunks. Pour in red wine vinegar and sprinkle in oregano and sugar. Toss a few times to incorporate ingredients. Cover and marinate overnight for best results.
Use the bounty that bursts forth from your backyard bed to create these culinary classics. RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY
Per serving: 130 calories, 8 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 8 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams protein.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17
RAINBOW RATATOUILLE Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 75 minutes | Servings: 4 2 small eggplants 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 3 tablespoons coarse salt ½ teaspoon salt 1 medium yellow squash ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 medium zucchini ½ cup chopped fresh basil 13 roma tomatoes 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 roasted red pepper ½ teaspoon garlic salt 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 onion, diced 4 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced Notes: Using vegetables with the same circumference will make layering easy. If you have an abundance of vegetables, the recipe can be doubled. Simply stack the sliced vegetables vertically to fit more into the pan. If an oven-safe skillet isn’t available, use a regular skillet, then transfer sauce and layer vegetables in a round, oven-safe casserole dish. Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice eggplant into rounds about ¼ inch thick. Generously sprinkle slices with the coarse salt and place in a single layer over paper towels to draw out excess moisture. Set aside for an hour or so. When done, blot/brush off excess salt and pat dry. Slice squash, zucchini, and 3 roma tomatoes about ¼ inch thick. Boil remaining 10 tomatoes in a pot of hot water for 60 seconds, let cool, then peel, de-seed, and purée them with the roasted red pepper in a food processor or blender. Heat oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add puréed tomatoes, thyme leaves, salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce thickens, straining excess liquid if necessary. Smooth surface of the sauce and begin arranging sliced vegetables in a spiral form with 1 slice each of eggplant, yellow squash, tomato, and zucchini, starting on the outside of the skillet and working inward. Cover skillet with foil and bake 30 minutes. Take skillet out of oven and remove foil. Sprinkle top with basil, parsley, garlic salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes. Serve hot with a loaf of toasted, crusty bread (optional). Per serving: 331 calories, 19 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 40 grams total carbohydrates, 17 grams fiber, 8 grams protein.
BERRY ORCHARD CRUMBLE Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 3 tart apples, chopped 5 tablespoons sugar, divided 2 pears or peaches, sliced ½ cup flour 1½ cups blackberries and/or raspberries ¼ cup unsalted butter, sliced and chilled 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup chopped fresh basil Note: If you’re not really into measuring ingredients or don’t have the right amount of one of the fruits, not to worry. This recipe is very forgiving; it can be adjusted in lots of different ways and will still turn out great. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly toss fruit with vinegar, basil, and 3 tablespoons sugar. (If fruit is pretty sour, lean on the side of more sugar.) Pour into 9 x 9-inch oven-safe baking dish. With your hands, crumble together flour, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon until it resembles small clumps. Top fruit with crumble mixture. Bake 30 minutes, until the crumble is golden and fruit starts to bubble around the edges. Per serving: 259 calories, 8 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 47 grams total carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
GARDEN STUFFED PEPPERS Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes | Servings: 6 6 large bell peppers (mixed colors) 15-ounce can tomato sauce 1 medium onion, diced 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning 1 pound ground chicken 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup corn ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups chopped collard greens ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice 1½ cups colby jack cheese Note: Look for bell peppers that are of similar size to ensure even cooking time. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom sit better than those with 3 bumps. Preheat oven to 350 F. De-stem and de-seed peppers. Cook whole peppers uncovered in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove with tongs, dunk in cold water, and invert to drain well. Cook onion and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks, about 7 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese, stirring until heated through. Stuff peppers with chicken mixture. Place peppers upright in a casserole dish or roasting pan. (If pepper won’t stand on its own, cut a thin slice off the bottom to make it level.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil, top peppers with cheese, and bake another 5 minutes or so until cheese has melted and begun to brown slightly. Per serving: 470 calories, 19 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 40 grams total carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 35 grams protein.
Have you tried one of our recipes? Do you have a recipe to share with other Ohio co-op members? Visit the Member Interactive page on www.ohiocoopliving.com to find recipes submitted by our readers and upload yours.
www.ohiocoopliving.com AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19
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BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Butler Rural Community Connection has awarded over $1.2 million in grants to local organizations. August is Community Connection Month In August, we celebrate Butler Rural Community Connection and the tremendous impact it has made in the lives of our community and our members. Community Connection gives grants to local nonprofit groups and organizations such as schools, churches, and fire and rescue squads. Funds for Community Connection come from cooperative members who voluntarily round up their monthly bills to the nearest dollar amount, averaging about 50 cents each month. The positive effect Community Connection has had on our community would not have been possible without the members and employees who make monthly contributions. Thank you to the 8,486 members and 32 employees who are contributing each month! Butler Rural Community Connection awarded $76,050 in grants in 2019. Since 1995, local organizations in our communities have received $1,274,341 in grants. Community Connection does not affect Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s rates. If you do not participate in Community Connection, your electric bill is not affected by the program. The program is always voluntary, and members can change their mind about participating at any time.
Community Connection FAQs As the president of the volunteer-run Butler Rural Community Connection board of trustees, I am often asked questions about the program and how it impacts our communities. Here are some common questions and their answers.
Who is on the Community Connection board? Board members are also Butler Rural Electric Cooperative members. We each live in different areas of the cooperative’s service territory. We have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Each board John Hofmann PRESIDENT, BUTLER RURAL member has a drive to do COMMUNITY CONNECTION something positive for the BOARD OF TRUSTEES community. Board members work with cooperative employees Lisa Staggs Herrmann, who is the director of member and community relations, and Judie Persinger, who is the director of accounting and finance. Lisa and Judie help the board manage grant details.
How is the money from Community Connection awarded? To be considered for a grant, organizations must submit a grant application. Nonprofit groups and organizations, along with schools and government entities like fire departments, are eligible to apply for grants. The Community Connection board meets twice a year to review applications and make awards. Each board member reviews the grant applications, and there can be as many as 80. Unfortunately, requests for support are always significantly higher than what we have money to cover. Continued on page 22
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Butler Rural Community Connection Continued from page 21
How does the Community Connection board decide where the money goes? Each Community Connection board member has a slightly different approach. We each try to understand the proposals and form independent opinions on the awards. When we combine all of our opinions at the meeting, some projects get unanimous funding, some we mostly agree on, and some require discussion. The meetings to decide the awards usually last several hours. It can be a tough decision to choose which grants receive funding. Usually, we are not able to give the total amount requested. Many times, we make partial awards and hope the organization can come up with additional funding from other sources. In the end, I am always grateful that our board manages to reach a consensus. The group works together so well, and we all try to consider the number of people a grant will benefit and maximize the impact on the communities where cooperative members live.
something beneficial for the community. And kudos to all the co-op members who support Community Connection — without them, Community Connection would not exist. I enjoy having the chance to learn more about my community. We have recently been more proactive on working to understand some of the requests we receive. We have made trips to schools and fire departments to see how the grant money is being used. It is fun to see what has been accomplished. We always enjoy thank you notes with pictures of successful projects. While we are learning more, it is also apparent that the community need is great. It is good to know there is an organization that is trying to do something positive. I am proud to be part of an effort to make things better.
What percentage of donations goes toward Community Connection grants? Every penny goes toward grants in our local community! All of the money collected for Community Connection has been awarded as grants since the program began — there is no overhead. The Community Connection board members are volunteers and do not get paid. Not many charitable organizations can say that 100% of the money donated goes back to the community.
Has Community Connection done anything different to help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic? We changed our award process in March when we realized the pandemic was causing the loss of jobs, meaning there would be increased need for food support and help for children. We made special awards to several organizations helping with food, children’s services, and more. We made the grants open-ended — the recipients could use the money as they need to, as long as they documented where it was used.
What is the best part of being on the Community Connection board? There are several things I really enjoy about serving on the Community Connection board. In my experience, it is unusual to find a group so serious about doing
22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
A broad range of programs and organizations have benefited from Community Connection grants, from a summer camp focused on STEM projects for elementary students to Kramer Elementary School to build a bench.
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Special thank you Each year, the cooperative gives service awards to employees and members of the board of trustees when they reach service milestones at the cooperative. This year, Tom McQuiston, president of the board of trustees, and Kara Hendrickson, marketing and key accounts manager, donated their awards to Community Connection. Thank you, Tom and Kara! We hope the lives of many of our members have been touched by the grants given by Community Connection. We are thankful for the continued support of our members and employees and for their commitment to the communities we serve.
Donate to Community Connection! To sign up to donate to Butler Rural Community Connection or to increase your donation amount, visit butlerrural.coop/content/community-connectiondonation-form or call the cooperative at 513-867-4400 or 800-255-2732.
Meet the Community Connection Board of Trustees John Hofmann lives in Morgan Township and has been a co-op member for 40 years. He is the Community Connection board president. John received his degree in engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is now a part-time personal trainer at Miami University’s Recreation Center. He enjoys running, cycling, and outdoor activities. Don Kidd is the vice president of the Community Connection board. He and his family live in Oxford Township and have been cooperative members for 15 years. He is the senior quality assurance analyst at Miami University. He enjoys college sports and assists with video replay systems for many different sports. Janet Jewell lives in Israel Township in Preble County and has been a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative member for 55 years. She is the Community Connection board treasurer. Janet graduated from Miami University and is a retired nurse. Before she retired, Janet was the director of nursing at a local health facility. She has three children and likes to garden, bowl, and play golf. Janet also plays the piano and is an avid motorcycle rider. Ann Munafo lives in Madison Township. She is a retired health care administrator and is a Silver Sneakers instructor. Ann is a serious gardener, growing a variety
Community Connection grants helped fund programs at Talawanda High School’s Agriculture Day, which provides elementary students with information about the agriculture industry and teaches them how important it is to our daily lives. Top: Veterinarian Dr. Ken Krom teaches students about veterinary science. Bottom: students make apple pie while learning where the different ingredients used come from.
of vegetables, including three different types of potatoes. She and her husband also board horses at their home. Tom Laming has been a co-op member since 1991 and lives in Hanover Township. He has served on the boards of several organizations and enjoys serving the community in different ways. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in engineering, Tom took over the family plumbing contractor business. Lisa Staggs Herrmann is the director of member and community relations at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. She lives in Milford Township and has been Continued on page 22B
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 22A
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Butler Rural Community Connection Continued from page 22A
a cooperative member for 29 years. Lisa graduated from Miami University, majoring in marketing, and has worked at the cooperative for over thirty years. She directs the administration of Community Connection and has done so since 1998. Lisa enjoys her work with the Community Connection board and the people she has met from community organizations receiving grants. Fulfilling the cooperative’s mission to improve the quality of life for members is very important to her. Lisa enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and pets. As a cooperative employee, she helps the board manage grant details, but she is not a member of the board.
Judie Persinger is the director of accounting and finance at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. She and her husband, John, live in Israel Township and have been cooperative members for 25 years. Judie grew up in Strongsville, Ohio, and decided to stay in Oxford after graduating from Miami University. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her three grandkids. She also enjoys cooking and doing Zumba. Judie is not a Community Connection board member, but as a cooperative employee, she helps the board manage grant details.
Meet the Community Connection Board of Trustees!
John Hofmann
Don Kidd
Jan Jewell
Ann Munafo
PRESIDENT, BUTLER RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
VICE PRESIDENT, BUTLER RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
TREASURER, BUTLER RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BUTLER RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER
Tom Laming
Lisa Staggs Herrmann
Judie Persinger
BUTLER RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTION BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER
DIRECTOR OF MEMBER AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS
DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
22B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
High-speed internet project with Cincinnati Bell Butler Rural Electric Cooperative and Cincinnati Bell have partnered to allow Cincinnati Bell to expand its fiber network and begin delivering high-speed Fioptics internet to parts of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s service territory. Cincinnati Bell is a telecommunications service provider headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati Bell delivers integrated communications solutions to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic and copper networks, including high-speed internet, video, voice, and data. Cincinnati Bell provides service in areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Hawaii. Cincinnati Bell has begun work to make Fioptics internet available to more than 2,000 Butler Rural Electric Cooperative members over the next 15 months. Cincinnati Bell will notify members as addresses become eligible for internet.
Learn more! To find out if your home or business will have access to Fioptics internet as part of the partnership, please visit cincinnatibell.com/special-pages/brec to submit your address and contact information. A Cincinnati Bell representative will get back to you shortly after submitting the form. If your address is not part of the current agreement, Cincinnati Bell will add it to a database of interested members. We are unable to release a map of the project for privacy reasons. For more information about the partnership, visit cincinnatibell.com/special-pages/brec or butlerrural.coop/content/fiber-internet-availability.
Cincinnati Bell will also provide fiber-based services to Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s substations and other equipment to enhance reliability. The partnership continues Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s commitment to bring high-speed internet access to underserved areas of our service territory and aligns with Ohio’s goal to expand broadband internet access in underserved areas of the state. Broadband internet plays a critical role in driving economic development opportunities, bridging the digital divide, and supporting the public sector’s commitment to more efficient government. This project fulfills the cooperative’s mission of improving the quality of life in our communities and enhancing our electric reliability. We are excited to be working with a local broadband provider. We know Cincinnati Bell is a committed partner in helping to bring fiber not only to our substations, but to our members and surrounding communities as well. The telecommunications industry is fast-changing, but we will continue to work with Cincinnati Bell until the cooperative’s members have access to fiber-based internet service.
To check if your address is included in the fiber project, visit cincinnatibell.com/special-pages/brec to submit your address and contact information. A Cincinnati Bell representative will get back to you shortly after you submit the form.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 22C
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Searching for board members like you! Join Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees Butler Rural Electric Cooperative is owned by the members we serve and democratically governed by those same members. The strength of the cooperative lies in having a qualified and committed board of trustees. Trustees serve as elected representatives and are accountable to our members.
before the annual meeting, and the election results are announced at the meeting. The 2021 annual meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 29. Members can vote for one trustee in each district up for election. Members can vote online, through SmartHub, or by mail and will receive voting information in the mail in April.
2021 board of trustees election
Board members are nominated by district and are elected at large. The board of trustees make decisions that affect the entire membership and represent the interests of all members.
Three board seats are up for election in 2021. District 1 (Israel and Oxford townships), District 2 (Milford Township), and District 5 (Wayne and Madison townships) are up for election.
All members vote! Cooperative members elect three trustees each year to serve a three-year term. Members vote for trustees
Who can become a board member? Members who live in district 1, 2, or 5 have the opportunity to run for and be elected to serve on the board of trustees this year.
Nominating committee members DISTRICT 1 Oxford and Israel townships Larry Niehoff Susan Rooney
DISTRICT 6 Reily Township Mike Egbert Ernst Schlichter
DISTRICT 2 Milford Township Steve Black Bob Ison
DISTRICT 7 Hanover and St. Clair townships Glen Beckett Ralph Gross
DISTRICT 3 Somers Township Matt Shoemaker Lewis Willeford
DISTRICT 8 Morgan and Harrison townships Tom Boyd Darryl Huff
DISTRICT 4 Gratis and German townships Karen Emerick Christine Geisen
DISTRICT 9 Ross, Fairfield, Crosby, and Colerain townships Kenneth Estep June Niederman
DISTRICT 5 Wayne and Madison townships Christopher Flowers Steven Wells 22D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
What are the responsibilities of board members? The board of trustees manages the business and affairs of the cooperative. Trustees represent fellow members and meet each month to set policies and approve budgets. Board members are required to attend a monthly board meeting that is conducted at the cooperative’s office in Oxford on the last Wednesday of each month. The meetings begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by 1 p.m. Board members are active in their communities, attend many of the cooperative’s events, and are highly encouraged to attend other meetings and training opportunities throughout the year. Becoming a member of the board of trustees is a great way to become more involved in your community.
What qualifications are required to become a board member? The cooperative is committed to having a diverse group of board members to allow for a wide array of opinions, backgrounds, and perspectives. You do not need to have electric or utility knowledge to become a board member. A trustee orientation is provided to newly elected board members. To be a candidate for the board of trustees, your account with Butler Rural Electric Cooperative must be in your name.
Are board members paid for their time? The cooperative provides equitable compensation (per diem) for trustees for regular board meetings, special board meetings, and attendance at other meetings, conferences, and training programs. The average annual
compensation varies based on the office held, training, and meetings attended. Trustees do not receive health insurance through the cooperative.
Learn more Learn more about board member requirements, responsibilities, and the time commitment of a trustee by visiting the cooperative’s website, butlerrural.coop/content/how-become-trustee, and reading our Trustee Handbook.
Run for the cooperative’s board of trustees! If you are interested in becoming a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative trustee, please contact Julie Abbott, the cooperative’s director of administration, by calling 513-867-4402 or by email, juliea@butlerrural.coop.
Nominating committee Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s nominating committee is responsible for choosing qualified candidates to run for the board of trustees. The committee is composed of 18 members from all of the cooperative’s voting districts. Nominating committee members are listed on the previous page. Although the cooperative’s Code of Regulations allows one candidate per district to run for the board of trustees, we encourage the nominating committee to find at least two eligible, qualified candidates to run per district. The committee meets in July, September, and November. The committee will choose candidates for the election at the November meeting.
Questions? Please contact Julie Abbott, the cooperative’s director of administration, if you have any questions by calling 513-867-4402 or by email, juliea@butlerrural.coop.
BILL CREDIT WINNERS!
Bill credit winners are randomly selected from the entire cooperative membership each month. Each member below will receive a $50 bill credit. Congratulations to the June winners! Mary Bowen Amber Gentry Jason Martin Sandra Meyer Stephanie Robinson AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 22E
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
COOPERATIVE QUICK FACTS Our service territory Butler Rural Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative. We provide electricity to more than 11,500 members in portions of Butler, Hamilton, Preble, and Montgomery counties and employ almost 50 people. Our service territory is divided into nine districts, which are shown below. District 1 Israel and Oxford townships
District 6 Reily Township
District 2 Milford Township
District 7 Hanover and St. Clair townships
District 3 Somers Township
District 8 Morgan and Harrison townships
District 4 Gratis and German townships
District 9 Ross, Fairfield, Colerain, and Crosby townships
District 5 Wayne and Madison townships
ISRAEL
SOMERS
GRATIS
#1
#3
#4
GERMAN #4
PREBLE MONTGOMERY ISRAEL
SOMERS
GRATIS
#1
#3
#4
GERMAN #4
OXFORD
MILFORD
#1
#2
REILY
HANOVER
#6
#7
MORGAN
FAIRFIELD
#9
#9
MADISON
OXFORD
MILFORD
WAYNE
#9
#1
#2
#5
REILY
HANOVER
#6
#7
BUTLER
CROSBY
#8
HARRISON
#5
#5
#7
ROSS
#8
MADISON WAYNE
ST. CLAIR
COLERAIN #9
22F OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
MORGAN
ROSS
#8
#9
#9
ST. CLAIR #7
FAIRFIELD
#9
CROSBY #8
HARRISON
HAMILTON
COLERAIN #9
#5
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Tom Wolfenbarger named general manager Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees is happy to announce that Tom Wolfenbarger has been named general manager of the cooperative. Tom started his career at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative on June 16, 1999, as the electrical engineer. He was instrumental in establishing and refining many of the engineering and metering systems, programs, and other new services for cooperative members. Tom became the cooperative’s director of engineering and planning on July 1, 2007. Throughout his career at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, Tom has created annual construction work plans and has overseen electrician services and renewable energy integration. He has been involved in the cooperative’s operations and engineering departments and was essential in establishing the cooperative’s recent partnership with Cincinnati Bell to bring high-speed fiber internet to cooperative members. Tom became the cooperative’s general manager on July 1, 2020. Tom graduated with honors from Wright State University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1989. He and his wife, Susan, have been married for 30 years. Susan works for the Warren County Sheriff’s department. She and Tom were senioryear sweethearts in high school. Tom and Susan have
three children. Cheyenne, 22, is a 2020 graduate of Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in art education. Brady, 18, will be a senior at Lebanon High School and will be a marching band drum major. Hannah, 18, will be a senior at the Warren County Career Center in the Fire Science Academy.
Tom Wolfenbarger
GENERAL MANAGER In his spare time, Tom likes to attend his son’s marching band competitions and help his kids with their 4-H livestock projects. Tom also enjoys spending time with his parents, Reverend Robert and Diana Wolfenbarger from Franklin, Ohio; his brother, Joe, and his wife Cheryl; along with his two nephews, Noah and Seth, of Monroe, Ohio.
Tom’s appointment to general manager follows the retirement of Michael L. Sims, who retired in April after working at the cooperative for 44 years. Tom looks forward to continuing to serve the members Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. Congratulations, Tom!
Free, convenient ways to pay your bill We encourage members to pay through SmartHub or through the phone using SecurePay.
SmartHub SmartHub is the cooperative’s free online and mobile application. It allows members to easily and securely pay their electric bill. Payments made via SmartHub will be posted to the account in real time, and members can pay using a credit or debit card or checking or savings account with no fee. To create a SmartHub account, or for more information, visit butlerrural.coop/content/ about-smarthub.
SecurePay The SecurePay automated phone system enables members to pay over the phone for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To begin using SecurePay, please have your Butler Rural Electric Cooperative account number nearby and follow the steps below: • Access SecurePay by calling 844-834-4460. • Select prompt 3 to create a PIN (personal identification number). This PIN will be required to use SecurePay in the future. • Continue using the prompts to make a payment.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 22G
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Help control energy costs during peak alerts During peak demand times, it costs more for Buckeye Power, our generation and transmission cooperative, to generate the large amount of electricity being consumed. To meet the demand, Buckeye’s large coal-fired baseload power plants are running at full capacity. Additional natural gas peaking plants, which cost more to run, are used to help supply enough electricity during this time. Electricity cost is highest when demand is greatest. The maximum, or “peak,” amount of electricity used determines Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s future cost of power. When the peak goes up, so does the cost. The cooperative’s load management program is an essential tool used to help control power costs. Reducing the demand for electricity created by electric water heaters and central air-conditioning systems helps the cooperative decrease the use of electricity during peak times. Load management programs such as water heater radio-controlled switches (RCS) and Cool Returns air conditioner switches were created to help the cooperative decrease the use of electricity when many people are using large amounts of electricity at the same time.
Peak alerts A peak alert is a way to keep electric use down, which in turn keeps members’ rates lower. Peak alerts are issued when the demand for electricity is at an all-time high and rising toward a new peak. They typically occur on
hot summer days from about 2 to 7 p.m. We ask our members to reduce their energy consumption during this time in order to help avoid reaching a new peak. Radio-controlled switches on water heaters and Cool Returns switches on central air-conditioning systems will be activated during summer peak alerts. Over 5,600 members currently have switches on their water heaters and air conditioners.
Radio-controlled switches and Cool Returns Members who have an RCS switch on their water heater receive a $4 monthly bill credit. When the switch is activated during a peak alert, the water heater elements will be turned off to help decrease electric demand. Members who have a Cool Returns switch on their air-conditioning system receive a one-time, $100 bill credit and a $2 monthly bill credit. When the switch is activated during a peak alert, the system will cycle on and off for brief periods of time. If you would like to have an RCS switch installed on your electric water heater or a Cool Returns switch installed on your air conditioner, please contact the cooperative by calling 513-867-4400 or 800-255-2732. You can also visit our website, butlerrural.coop/content/peak-alerts, to request an appointment for a water heater RCS or air conditioning RCS installation.
Looking into renewable energy for your home? Butler Rural Electric Cooperative supports the installation of renewable energy systems and offers options for members who want a renewable energy system at their home. The cooperative can work with you to help you find out how long it will take for solar savings to pay for an upfront investment. Some solar energy contractors base their payback claims on unrealistically high predictions of future electricity rate increases. Butler Rural Electric
22H OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Cooperative can take your actual and specific forecasted electric rates into account. Contact Butler Rural Electric Cooperative early in your solar power journey to learn about our procedures, how to get interconnected to the electric grid, and how we can help make the most out of this major home investment. Visit our website, butlerrural.coop/content/ renewable-energy, or contact us for more information.
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Who Owns What? Electric Co-op Owned Equipment vs Member-Owned Equipment
This graphic depicts equipment owned by the co-op (in gold) and the member (in blue). If a storm damages any equipment owned by the co-op, we are responsible for repairs. If a storm damages any member-owned equipment, the member is responsible for repairs. Members should hire a licensed electrician when making any repairs to member-owned equipment. Co-op owned Member-owned
Power distribution lines
Service point
Transformer Weatherhead
Service line Tree trimming Trimming trees around service line is the member’s responsibility
Power pole
Service mast
Service mast guy
Meter socket and jaws
Meter
Service panel
Padmounted transformer
Service line Note: This graphic depicts overhead and underground service. Please be aware of which type of service you receive at your home or business.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 23
BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Geothermal rebates available to members The cooperative offers rebates to members who install geothermal systems in their homes. Members can receive a $1,200 rebate for the purchase of a new geothermal system or a $600 rebate for the purchase of a replacement geothermal system. Members with geothermal systems receive a reduced kilowatt-hour rate during the months of September through May. Members can also take advantage of a geothermal tax credit that is currently available. Geothermal is the most energy efficient and economical resource for heating and cooling your home, and it’s right in your own backyard. A water-based solution circulates through plastic pipes (called a loop) placed underground or submerged in a pond. In the winter, heat is absorbed and carried to the geothermal unit, which extracts the heat, compresses it to higher temperatures, and distributes it through the home. The process is reversed in the summer by removing heat from the home and providing comfortable air conditioning. If you are having a geothermal system installed, please contact the cooperative prior to the installation to make sure it qualifies for our geothermal program. For more information about our geothermal program and for rebate qualifications, visit the cooperative’s website, butlerrural.coop/content/geothermal-rebates, or contact our office by calling 513-867-4400 or 800-255-2732.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Thomas McQuiston PRESIDENT
Robert Hoelle
Tom Wolfenbarger GENERAL MANAGER
Jade Guthrie Sturgeon COMMUNICATIONS REPRESENTATIVE
VICE PRESIDENT
CONTACT
David Evans
513-867-4400 | 800-255-2732 butlerrural.coop
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Thomas Humbach
OFFICE
William Foster Jr. Jay Hasbrook Ronald Kolb James Meador Robert Spaeth Michael Tilton
3888 Stillwell Beckett Road Oxford, Ohio 45056 OFFICE HOURS
Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
ATTORNEY
TRUSTEES
SMARTHUB
Access your electric use and pay your bill 24/7 through SmartHub at butlerrural.coop.
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BRING THE KIDS AND PLAY A LITTLE If you are planning a trip with your kids we have plenty for them to do! While you are shopping downtown you can stop at The Fun Company, the amazing local toy store. Then you can head over to Putt and Play for some indoor putt putt, laser tag and virtual golf!
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TAKE IN A SHOW OR LEARN SOME HISTORY Bellefontaine is home to the historic Holland Theatre, built in 1931. The theatre completed a total renovation in 2019. You can also learn more about early transportation at the Logan County Transportation Museum and History Center. Head over to The Syndicate, downtown’s newest intimate event venue and outdoor entertainment destination!
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Renewal restoration How vision, optimism, and true grit have sparked a small town’s turnaround. BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD; PHOTOS COURTESY OF SMALL NATION
J
ason Duff stood in the middle of the crumbling, mostly abandoned downtown area of his hometown, Bellefontaine, and saw what everyone else saw.
“Our town was struggling. Like many small towns across America, our downtown was decaying, and our community was hurting,” says Duff, who at the time had just graduated from nearby Ohio Northern University. Unlike many others, though, he was able to look past the despair and see potential. Instead of heading to the brighter lights of bigger, more prosperous Midwestern cities, Duff decided to make a difference. He enlisted friends who shared his vision and his can-do attitude — along with plenty of talents and skills — and built a team to rebuild and revive their hometown. The company that sprang up, Small Nation, soon bought its first vacant building on Main Street for $1. “We rolled up our shirtsleeves and got to work,” says Duff, whose family’s business, Duff Quarry, is a member of Logan County Electric Cooperative, based in Bellefontaine. That was a decade ago, when more than 80% of the ground-floor commercial spaces downtown were empty, businesses were closing, and historic buildings were literally crumbling before their eyes. Armed, however, with a sense of determination and grit, the team began to transform downtown Bellefontaine. By the time the coronavirus hit, Small Nation had painstakingly renovated more than 30 of those historic buildings, attracting more than $19 million in new private
28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Rather than go off in search of success in a big city, Jason Duff (above) put his efforts into revitalizing his hometown, Bellefontaine. Opposite page, from top: Sisters Hayley Palmer and Alysia Kuba of Peachtree Boutique; Brittany Saxton of 600 Downtown; and Angie Hall of City Sweets and Creamery are among the entrepreneurs who have opened successful businesses with help from Small Nation.
investment. The work created nearly 130 downtown jobs in the 17 new specialty retail shops and seven new eateries that dish up everything from gourmet pizza, baked-daily breads, and comfort food to award-winning craft beer. Of the new business entrepreneurs, 70% are under age 40, and 75% are women. The town was gaining more and more momentum until the pandemic struck, which of course has caused hardships for businesses everywhere. “COVID-19 has challenged our community in ways we could have never imagined or planned for,” Duff says. “There’s no question, terms like ‘essential business’ and even ‘open’ mean so much more to us than ever before. Small businesses are essential to our towns. We are the fabric, the heart, and the reason that so much good happens.”
“We had this vision for a captivating restaurant that would be a destination,” Duff says. “Once it was here, people started imagining what else was possible, and other new businesses followed. We could feel the energy, the excitement, the momentum.” Soon there were eclectic clothing boutiques and fanciful gift shops, yoga studios and chic coffee shops, bakeries and ice cream parlors, a 24-hour fitness center, and more. The efforts have even been lauded nationally in publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc. magazines.
Small Nation, the business, is, at its heart, about connecting entrepreneurs with opportunities. That was what jump-started the community’s pre-pandemic turnaround. “We knew we could make an impact by renovating buildings, attracting investors and businesses, and injecting new energy into the community.” The first business to open was a new upscale pizza restaurant, 600 Downtown — owned by young entrepreneur Brittany Saxton — which bakes award-winning gourmet pies in its brick oven; the restaurant and Saxton have even been featured on TV’s Food Network.
The key to Small Nation’s success, though, is pretty simple: “Lots of hard work,” says Adam Rammel, vice president of marketing, who also co-owns Brewfontaine, a downtown restaurant and tap room that’s been voted Ohio’s best craft beer bar four years in a row. “There’s no ‘smoke and mirrors’ here. We’re right in the trenches, helping new business owners every step of the way.” That includes everything from strategic planning, navigating zoning rules, and signage to marketing, branding, and website development — even choosing the right paint colors. All of those efforts have caught the attention not only of travelers from around the state, but even of elected officials. Ohio Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) says, “Bellefontaine is a model for taking a historic courthouse community and making it hip and cool. You have the hometown atmosphere paired with a new, urban energy.” Duff says the last few months, despite their hardships, have inspired businesses to come up with creative strategies to stay connected to their customers. As communities slowly emerge from coronavirus restrictions, those businesses and their owners are excited and proud to be a part of the renewal. The town’s success is no surprise to longtime resident Sandy Musser. “When the community thrives, so does the quality of life,” she says. “Bellefontaine is a survivor.”
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29
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Purple reign Fields brimming with lavender bring joy to folks around the state. BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD
L
avender has been treasured for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, it was used in mummification; in medieval France, to perfume the air and ward off infection; and in 16th-century England, it was cherished by monarchs and mentioned by Shakespeare. Today, lavender is as popular as ever: It’s prized for its brilliant blooms, essential oil, and dried flowers and used in scores of health and beauty products — even in food. We talked to several growers across Ohio who cultivate the sometimes-persnickety plants for U-pick stops and summer festivals, wedding bouquets, and beauty products, or simply as captivating spaces to spend a peaceful moment or two.
Lavender Trails The idea for a lavender farm had been rattling around in the minds of Jim and Amy Duxbury — both Orrville high school teachers, of science and English, respectively — for years. In 2018, they leased a 4-acre “brownfield” (a former industrial site) that had been a concrete dumping ground, surrounded by facilities that produced pet food, packaging, and metal fabrication. “We took a brownfield and turned it green, creating a little island in the middle of an industrial park,” Jim says. The couple has planted 1,500 lavender plants in diamond-shaped gardens, boasting eight varieties of lavender with white, dark purple, and light purple flowers. Though this year’s event was canceled because of the coronavirus, the couple aims to host a lavender festival each summer, inviting folks to discover the surprising sanctuary and delightful joys of Wayne County’s first lavender farm. Instead of the festival this year, they began booking daily group appointments to wander the fields for an hour at a time. Armed with a decades-long commitment to education, Jim’s background as an environmental geologist, and a desire to “give back,” the Duxburys embrace a three-stemmed approach to their business. Their goals include making a positive impact on the environment by creating green space, educating others about nature by attracting bees and other pollinators, and community
32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
action by helping to raise money for local schools. Their endeavor is part of “agritourism” — agriculturally related educational efforts that invite the public to join in. “You can’t walk through a lavender field without seeing everybody smiling,” Jim says. “Lavender just makes people happy.” Lavender Trails, 356 Collins Blvd., Orrville, OH 44667. 330-855-1209, www.lavendertrails.com.
Onederings Lavender Farm
“We had visited gorgeous lavender farms in Oregon and found the relaxing qualities of lavender soothing. So, we decided to plant it as a way to deal with our grief and honor our mom,” Benz explains. But lavender, originally cultivated in Mediterranean climates, can be a bit finicky in Ohio, preferring welldrained, even rocky soil. It dislikes “wet feet.” “We had to figure out if we could grow lavender here; we didn’t want to fight nature,” Benz says.
More than 4,000 lavender plants — mostly English and French varieties — burst into bloom each summer on a 3-acre tract of the tree farm owned by Kim Benz and Amy Farr in southwestern Ohio. The sisters, both retired chemical engineers, established the sweetly scented space as a refuge for all. “We created the lavender field so people could enjoy coming out and visiting. It has a boardwalk, chairs, benches to rest upon, and a fully accessible shop,” says Benz. “We invite people to wander the fields, enjoy the peacefulness, bring a picnic, and perhaps sample some lavender lemonade.” The two are among seven siblings who were “planting things from the time we were about 6 years old,” she says. Three of the sisters purchased the farm back in the 1980s, building their homes as a bucolic place to raise their families. The idea for the lavender farm came after the death of their mom in 2008.
Top: Jim and Amy Duxbury converted a former industrial site into a 4-acre field of relaxation (photo by Parker Duxbury). Above: Onederings Lavender Farm in full bloom (photo by Kim Benz).
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33
Onederings Lavender Farm opened for the season in early June, hoping to provide a stress break during stressful times. To ensure safety, a limited number of vistors will be admitted, so reservations are required (photo by Kim Benz).
Try Onederings’ Lavender Lemonade Today, Onederings entices visitors to its fields (by reservation only during social distancing) and offers a range of products online, on-site, and at farmers markets. Onederings Lavender Farm, 2195 S. Clarksville Road,
Place 4 teaspoons dried and ground culinary lavender in a tea bag. Pour 8 ounces of boiling water over it. Allow it to steep 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool, and add to 2 quarts of your favorite lemonade. (Note: Be sure to use lavender labeled for culinary use.)
Clarksville, OH 45113. 937-725-0830, www.onederings.com.
Sunshine Acres Lavender Farm Jennifer and Jeff Clarke settled on a pastoral, 7-acre farm in southwest Ohio as a peaceful place to raise their family. They added a flock of chickens, some Nigerian pygmy goats … and a 2-acre field of lush lavender. It seemed the perfect place for a U-pick lavender destination, so they turned to social media to spread the word about their inaugural event. “The notice went viral,” says Jeff. “All of a sudden, 72,000 people had clicked that they were ‘interested.’ We lost sleep for a couple of nights, worrying about what might happen, especially since our farm is at the end of a one-lane road.”
They’re even partnering with local Two Bucks Coffee Company to add a unique floral note to that morning cup of joe with lavender-roasted ground coffee. “It’s the perfect way to greet the day,” she says. Sunshine Acres Lavender Farm, 2471 Moore Saur Road, Morrow, OH 45152. 513-472-0070. www.sunshineacresfarm.com.
That was in 2017, and the pick-your-own lavender sold out in two short, frenzied hours. “It was a crazy success,” says Jennifer. But the couple learned and evolved, switching to a staggered plan that works. Now, the farm is only open for special events with per-car ticketed time slots that carve out plenty of time for wandering the rows of flowers. The Clarkes’ lavender field is also the picture-perfect setting for an annual, private event — with music from a string quartet, a glass of lavender champagne, and pickyour-own bouquets — to benefit CancerFree Kids. Focusing on a particularly hardy variety of lavender called Phenomenal — first cultivated in 2014 by Peace Tree Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — the couple is branching out with a product line of lotions, goat’s milk soap, and some unique goodies. “We make a lavender honey butter, lavender blueberry simple syrup, and lavender-infused honey,” says Jennifer.
34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Jeff (left) and Jennifer (right) Clarke were taken by surprise the first time they opened their Sunshine Acres Lavender Farm for a U-pick event (photo by Steph Keller Photography).
John Wayne: American Icon
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“JOHN WAYNE,” , “DUKE” and “THE DUKE” are the exclusive trademarks of, and the John Wayne name, image, likeness and voice and all other related indicia are the intellectual property of, John Wayne Enterprises, LLC. ©2018. All rights reserved. www.johnwayne.com
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Little island,
BIG RACE Put-in-Bay keeps its road race tradition alive, albeit a bit more laid-back than in days of old. BY JAMES PROFFITT
36 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Y
ears ago, Lake Erie’s South Bass Island was abuzz with fast, exotic imports once a year for a decade. While more than a thousand spectators stood along a perilous 3.1-mile public road course, racers sped past at up to 140 mph in cars made by Morris Minor, Lotus, Bandini, Porsche, Izetta, Cooper Climax, and Frazer Nash, taming its curves and making its straightaways even straighter. This year, they plan to be there again. If coronavirus doesn’t kill the racing bug (it was still scheduled as of early July), the island will host racers and connoisseurs of cool, vintage small-bore European cars Sept. 22 through 25 for the 12th annual Put-in-Bay Vintage Sports Car Races, known informally as the Road Race Reunion. “I certainly hope it goes forward, because we’re planning for it,” says organizer Manley Ford (who drives a 1952 MG TD). “There’s always a lot of excitement, and we’ve already got quite a few registered.” Since 2009, Ford and others have worked to re-create the historical street races that ran on the island from 1952 to 1959, then once again in 1963. A 1953 Road & Track article dubbed Put-in-Bay “A Little Watkins Glen.” However, try as they may, the days of street racing at Put-in-Bay are over. Most drivers can only hope for a “hot” lap around the old race route and a little exhibition time on the pavement. That doesn’t mean there’s no real, honest-to-goodness, wheel-to-wheel racing — it’s now confined to the island’s airport. The current iteration of the event started as just a reunion in 2009. The next year it was racing again. After receiving permission from regional FAA officials, drivers competed on the runways. Later, racers learned they actually needed FAA permission from Washington, D.C. But that’s all been ironed out. Each autumn, more than 100 vintage race cars land at the airport and have free run of the place. With caveats, of course. Like when the mail comes. “Traditionally, the mail plane arrives at 9 a.m. on a weekday, so we have to let the airplane come and go,” says Ford. That includes removing hay bales and other racing paraphernalia from the runway. “Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor vintage racing stops the U.S. Mail.”
The airport is now home to the races, and although these aren’t airplanes, they still fly (photo by James Proffitt).
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37
Peter Huston, Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce director, describes the event as a well-choreographed celebration of all things vintage cars.
“When you have a common interest, any social standing seems to dissipate in the air. You love seeing them, talking about them, learning about them.”
“There are people here who come with a 1963 Corvair or a 1971 MG and they’re hanging out with people who come with multimillion-dollar collectors’ cars,” he says.
Carol Clemens loves them, too. She used to race. In fact, she’s the only woman ever to compete at Put-in-Bay, having raced the very last year. “When the starter dropped the flag, everyone left but one car, so it was a chain reaction,” she recalls. “I ended up running into the car in front of me, made two passes,
38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
Opposite page, top: Exhibition parades, shows, and other events are still scheduled to take place in September (photo by James Proffitt). Bottom: Carol Clemens signs a gentleman’s car in 2012, the year she was the Grand Marshal (photo courtesy of Robin Banks). Right: One of the minor mishaps on the original road course (photo courtesy of Put-in-Bay Road Races Reunion Heritage Society).
then pulled into the pit where my father ripped off the headlights, which were broken, and I went back out. I didn’t want spectators hurt if the lights fell off, so it felt like the right thing to do.” For an average driver, that could have meant finishing near last. But Clemens, who was a qualified Sports Car Club of America driver, placed third. Afterward she reinstalled her windshield and passenger seat and drove back to Michigan, since it was her only car — the one she in fact drove to work every day. “It was a 1961 MGA I bought off the showroom floor for $3,200, white with red interior,” she gushes, with a lilting fondness in her voice, before going on to lament racing politics of the day. “At one point, the SCCA wouldn’t sanction the race because of the dangerous course. They forbade their drivers to race it, threatened to take the season’s points they’d earned.” So, she says, drivers entered under fictitious names. “It was a big joke. We had three Juan Faggios and a Marcus Gofast, and it was just fun,” she laughs. But it was no laughing matter in 1963, when a crash ended the races for good. “The guy was driving an Alva Mark 4. He lost control and ended up crashing into a tree and I don’t know, maybe the steps of the church. The car appeared to be destroyed,” Ford says, referencing historical accounts. Clemens was there. “We got a red flag, which means stop now and pull over immediately,” she says. “On the last race, the one I was in, that was the serious crash.” Not much is known about the legendary (and some say “imaginary”) dog in the roadway, which the driver said he swerved to avoid.
“All I know is apparently when the safety crew got there, he was sitting under a tree smoking a cigarette,” Clemens frowns. “He wasn’t hurt and neither was anyone else, but that nixed it. Straw that broke the camel’s back. No more races at Put-in-Bay.” Though no longer the bucolic farming community it once was, when drivers hit 140 mph on the fan-lined mile-long straightaway, the island’s still perfect for old, loud cars and their admirers. At the sprawling car show at Heineman’s Winery, I wryly inform a 20-something police officer that I’d just witnessed an elderly man lay a mighty patch of rubber on a street nearby. He smiled, dutifully looking left and right across a sea of old, shiny cars, then briefly scanning Catawba Avenue. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for him, sir.” www.pibroadrace.com
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39
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COOPERATIVE CALENDAR
PHOTO CONTEST
Ohio Cooperative Living magazine is looking for photos from Ohio and West Virginia electric cooperative members to use in its 2021 cooperative calendar. We’re interested in seasonal scenes from each month of the year — images that really “pop” and convey a sense of time and place. Photo subjects must be interesting and the shot well planned and framed. If their images are chosen for publication, amateur co-op photographers could earn $100 or more. Rules • One photo entry per member. • High-resolution, color, digital images only. • No prints, slides, or proof sheets — no snail mail! Send submissions by email attachment only to photo@ohioec.org. • Photo format must be horizontal and capable of filling an 8 x 11-inch image area. • Include an explanation of the photo — the where, what, when — as well as who took the shot. • Include your name, address, phone number, and the name of your co-op.
Deadline for submission: Aug. 17 • photo@ohioec.org
40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
• Shots featuring people who can be identified within the photo must be accompanied by a signed publication release.
2020 CALENDAR
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK
on the west end of Market Street. 740-455-8282 or www. facebook.com/LorenaSternwheeler. AUG. 14–16 – Coshocton Sunflower Festival, Coshocton KOA, 24688 Co. Rd. 10, Coshocton, Fri. 5–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. noon–7 p.m. Tickets must be purchased online; discounts available. Explore over 40 varieties of sunflowers in the 4-acre field. Enjoy live music, kids’ activities, arts and crafts vendors, a wine and beer garden, and other activities. 740-502-9245 or www. coshoctonsunflowerfestival.com. AUG. 16–22 – Muskingum County Fair, Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville. Join us Aug. 21 for Riley Green and special guest Jon Langston. Full schedule and updated information available at www. muskingumcofair.com. AUG. 22 – Night of Thunder, National Trail Raceway, 2650 National Rd. SW, Hebron, 2–11 p.m. 740-928-5706, https://nationaltrailraceway.com/event-schedule, or find us on Facebook. AUG. 29 – End of Summer Craft/Vendor Fair, Lancaster Campground Activity Bldg., 2151 W. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Vendors and crafters, food and beverages, auction, bake sale. Proceeds benefit the Fairfield County Genealogical Research Library. 740-653-2573. SEP. 8 – Inventors Network Meeting, Rev1 Ventures for Columbus, 1275 Kinnear Rd., Columbus, 7 p.m. The focus this month is “Designing Around Patents
CENTRAL
THROUGH OCT. 24 – Delaware Farmers Market, Delaware Co. Fgds., 236 Pennsylvania Ave., Delaware, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. The market will continue, but it has been temporarily relocated from downtown to the fairgrounds. 740-362-6050 or www.mainstreetdelaware. com/event/farmers-market. THROUGH OCT. 31 – Zanesville Farmers Market, Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. June through August, the market is also open Wed. 4–7 p.m. at North 4th Street. www. zanesvillefarmersmarket.org. AUG. 7 – Lorena Sternwheeler Public Twilight Cruise, Zanesville, 8:30–9:30 p.m. $10, Srs. $9, C. (2–12) $6. Advance sales only. Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Muskingum River. Board at Zane’s Landing Park located
SOUTHWEST
AUG. 16, 22, SEP. 13 – Music at the Mound with Steve Free, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 1 p.m. Free. $8 parking fee. Join the acclaimed singer/songwriter for an open air concert. http://arcofappalachia.org/steve-free. AUG. 21–29 – The Great Darke County Fair, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweltzer St., Greenville. $7, under 12 free. $20 for 9-day pass. 937-548-5044 or www. darkecountyfair.com. AUG. 22 – Archaeology Day, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH73, Peebles, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission; $8 parking fee. Collections on display, archaeological lectures, and demonstrations of American Indian skills such as flint
WEST VIRGINIA
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the developing coronavirus situation, many of these planned events may have been postponed or canceled. Please seek updated information before traveling.
to Avoid Infringement.” 614-470-0144 or www. inventorscolumbus.com. SEP. 11–12 – Lithopolis Honeyfest, Columbus Street, Lithopolis, Fri. 3–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Honey tasting, honey bake-off, queen and princess contest, demos and bee education, mead and wine tasting, beekeepers, music, and much more. 614-829-7355 or www.lithopolishoneyfest.com. SEP. 12 – Duck Derby Fundraiser and Horse Show, 2795 N. Moose Eye Rd., Norwich. Two races with prizes for adults and youth. Benefits Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center. 740-607-8425 or www. breakingfreeriding.org. SEP. 12 – Sewing Smorgasbord, Sheridan Middle School, 8660 Sheridan Rd., Thornville, 9:15 a.m.–3:05 p.m., doors open at 8:30 a.m. $10. For 4-H Youth and sewing and quilting enthusiasts. Over 30 classes and 15 exhibitors; no pre-registration required. Youth Track (beginning projects for youth only), fat quarter raffle, sewing machine raffle, Fabric Fair, and People’s Choice Contest. 740-405-7891, crshuster1@gmail.com (Cindy Shuster), or https://perry.osu.edu. SEP. 12 – Uncaged 3.0, National Trail Raceway, 2650 National Rd. SW, Hebron, noon–3 p.m. 740-928-5706, https://nationaltrailraceway.com/event-schedule, or find us on Facebook.
knapping and atlatl throwing. http://arcofappalachia.org/ archaeology-day. AUG. 22 – Rock the Hill in West Milton, West Milton Municipal Park, 249 E. Tipp Pike, West Milton, 5–9 p.m. Free concert event. Featured music TBD. Beer and wine garden, food, 50/50 drawing, Kids’ Zone. www. homegrowngreat.com/event. AUG. 22 – Tipp City Trans Am Cruise-In, 6 S. 3rd St., Tipp City, 5–9 p.m. Free. Registration 5–7 p.m. ($10); awards and door prizes at 8:30 p.m. Dash plaques to first 250 entries. Open only to Firebirds, Formulas, Firehawks, Trans Ams, and GTAs. Trophies awarded. 50/50 drawing, door prizes, food, entertainment, walking tour, live DJ. www.homegrowngreat.com/event. AUG. 29 – The Tour De Donut, downtown Troy. A fun, unique bicycle event, where your ability to eat donuts is just as important as your ability to ride your bicycle fast. Prizes in several classes. www.thetourdedonut.com. SEP. 4–6 – Springfield Swap Meet and Car Show, Clark Co. Fgds., 4401 S. Charleston Pike, Springfield, Fri./Sat. 7 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Find the parts you need to finish your spring and summer projects before the end-of-the year cruise-ins! Show & Shine car show held
THROUGH NOV. 1 – Blennerhassett Voyage Package, North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo. $130 package includes one night of lodging for two at North Bend, two tickets for sternwheeler ride to and from Blennerhassett Island, wagon ride tour of the island, tour of the mansion, and passes for the museum. 304-643-2931, www.northbendsp.com, or www. blennerhassettislandstatepark.com. SEP. 10–13 – Charleston Ribfest and Regatta, Haddad Riverfront Park, 600 Kanawha Blvd., Charleston, Thur. 3–10 p.m., Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. noon–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy world-class award-winning BBQ ribs and
Saturday and Sunday. 937-376-0111, 937-372-1171 (fax), info@ohioswapmeet.com, or www.ohioswapmeet.com. SEP. 5–6 – Tippapalooza, Tipp City Eagles Park, 3853 Hyattsville Rd., Tipp City, gates open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m. $5. Family-friendly music festival celebrating local music and benefiting charities in and around Tipp City. Food and drink available, but picnicking is encouraged! Pets welcome but must be leashed and used to loud music. www.homegrowngreat.com/event. SEP. 11–13 – Clinton County Corn Festival, Clinton Co. Fgds., 958 W. Main St., Wilmington. $4, under 12 free; weekend pass $7. Featuring Allis Chalmers and related companies. Corn Olympics, antique tractor pulls, horse pulls, antique cars and trucks, hit and miss engines, steam engines, demos, food, crafts, and more. 937-383-5676 (Dale Mayer) or www.cornfestivalonline.com. SEP. 12 – Troy Porchfest, Troy-Hayner Cultural Ctr., 301 W. Main St., Troy, noon–5 p.m. More than 20 bands will be playing throughout the Southwest Historic District on porches, side yards, lots, and patios. Pick up an event map and choose your favorite bands. There will be food trucks and artisan tents as well. Bring cash for donations. www.homegrowngreat.com/event.
chicken and all the fixins, carnival rides, local and national favorite food vendors, artisans, family-friendly activities, and much more! 304-951-3011 or https://wvribfest.com. Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.
AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 41
2020 CALENDAR
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
NORTHEAST
AUG. 8–9, 15–16, 22–23 – Shaker Woods Festival, 44337 County Line Rd., Columbiana. $8, under 13 free. No pets. More than 200 of the best juried crafters and artisans in the country. Each craftsperson will be dressed in Shaker period clothing while demonstrating and selling their remarkable handmade wares, including Shaker brooms, hand-thrown pottery, blown glass, handmade furniture, and much more! www.shakerwoods.com. AUG. 16 – Northern Ohio Doll and Bear Show and Sale, Holiday Inn, 15471 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., early bird 9 a.m. $5, free for children; early bird $15. Antique, vintage, and modern dolls, old toys, bears, clothing, parts/supplies, and accessories. Door prizes. ID/valuation, restringing, minor repair. 440-283-5839 (Eileen Green), phdofdolls@yahoo.com, or www.dollshowUSA.com. AUG. 22 – Buckin’ Ohio, 8154 Garman Rd., Burbank, gates open at 4 p.m. $20–$45, C. (6–12) $10, under 6 free. Professional bull riding, mutton bustin’, barrel racing, ranch bronc riding, and more. www.buckinohio.com. AUG. 23–30 – Lorain County Fair, 23000 Fairgrounds Rd., Wellington. Ohio’s second-largest county fair. 440647-2781 or www.loraincountyfair.com. AUG. 29–30, SEP. 5–7 – Great Trail Arts and Crafts Festival, Great Trail Festival Grounds, St. Rte. 43 between
SOUTHEAST
THROUGH SEP. 25 – Rise and Shine Farmers Market, 2135 Southgate Pkwy. (near Tractor Supply Co.), Cambridge, Fri, 8 a.m.–noon. 740-680-1866 or find us on Facebook. THROUGH OCT. 31 – Chillicothe Farmers Market, 475 Western Ave., Suite F, Chillicothe, Sat. 8 a.m.–noon. The first hour of the market is reserved for high-risk shoppers. http://visitchillicotheohio.com. AUG. 16 – Barton Polkafest, Firemen’s Field, 52176 Center St., Barton, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Free. Featuring Ted Lange with Mollie B & Squeezebox, along with John Gora & Gorale. Polish foods, cash bar, raffles, tips, wine slushies. 740-695-3029. AUG. 16 – Cambridge Classic Cruise-In, downtown Cambridge. Named by Cruisin’ Times magazine as one
Malvern and Carrollton (GPS users: 6331 Canton Rd., Malvern), 10 a.m.–5 p.m., flag raising 11 p.m. A celebration of American folk art, with distinctive arts and crafts, living history, and period music. 330-794-9100 or www. greattrailfestival.com. AUG. 30 – Railroad Memorabilia Show, Painesville Railroad Museum, Painesville Depot, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, C. (3–12) $3, Family (max. 2 adults, 3 children) $12. Railroad-related items from private collections; some items available for purchase. See Collinwood Engine #999. Food and drinks available. 216-470-5780 (Tom Pescha), prrm@att.net, or www. painesvillerailroadmuseum.org. AUG. 31–SEP. 2 – Made in Ohio Arts and Crafts Festival, Hale Farm and Village, 2686 Oak Hill Rd., Bath, Fri. noon–5 p.m., Sat./Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5–$7; 3-day pass, $10. Over 160 Ohio artisans, local food, Ohio wine and beer, music, and entertainment. www.wrhs.org/ events/made-in-ohio-arts-crafts-festival-2-copy. SEP. 4–6 – Perch and Pilsner Festival, Conneaut Township Park, 480 Lake Rd., Conneaut. Perch fishing tournament, craft and domestic beers, food vendors, local wines, crafts, water ski shows, live musical entertainment, fireworks, and more. www.perchandpilsner.com. SEP. 4–7 – Cleveland Oktoberfest, Cuyahoga Co. Fgds., 19201 E. Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, Fri. 4 p.m.– midnight, Sat./Sun. noon–midnight, Mon. noon–8 p.m. Food, beer, music, races and contests, and much more. www.clevelandoktoberfest.com. SEP. 7–19 – “Celebrate the Constitution” Exhibit, Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.– Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free displays and activities commemorating our nation’s founding document. Includes a display on the first 10 amendments, “The Bill of Rights and You!” 740-283-1787 or www. oldfortsteuben.com.
SEP. 12 – Willard Train Fest, downtown Willard, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Model trains, planes, and cars; many layouts and vendors. 419-935-0495, j.heffley1940@hotmail.com, or www.willardtrainfest.com. SEP. 12–13 – Antiques in the Woods, Shaker Woods Grounds, 217 St. Rte. 7 (GPS: 44337 County Line Rd.), Columbiana, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $6, under 13 free. No pets. Top-quality antiques and collectibles, classic car show (Sun. only), tractor pulls, Civil War encampment, and entertainment. 330-550-4190 or www.antiquesinthewoods.com. SEP. 12–13 – Appalachian Ohio Antique Power Club Gathering, Harrison Coal and Reclamation Historical Park, Ohio 519 between U.S. 22 and New Athens (GPS: 43672 Stumptown Rd., Cadiz), Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $3. Antique tractors, hit and miss engines, oil field engines, cars, trucks (semi and pickup), and garden tractors are all welcome. 330-401-5129, ohioantiquepowerclub@yahoo.com, or www.facebook. com/appalachianohioantiquepowershow. SEP. 12–13 – Old Construction and Mining Equipment Show, Harrison Coal and Reclamation Historical Park, Ohio 519 between U.S. 22 and New Athens (GPS: 43672 Stumptown Rd., Cadiz), Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $3. Operating and static displays of antique construction, mining crawler equipment, trucks, and more. 740-312-5385 or 330-618-8032, oldironshow@yahoo. com, or www.facebook.com/ocmes. SEP. 13 – Molto Bella Auto Show, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Rain date: Sep. 20. $5–$14, under 6 free. See an amazing array of Ferraris, Bugattis, Roadsters, and other high-value cars on the Great Meadow. Also features good food, beverages, and a day enjoying the historic estate. 330-836-5533 or www.stanhywet.org/ events/molto-bella-auto-show.
of the best car shows in its category, drawing thousands of car enthusiasts every year. From hot rods to Harleys, there is something for everyone! 740-439-2238 or www. downtowncambridge.com. AUG. 22 – Lewis Family Gorge Guided Hike, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge, 10 a.m. sharp through midafternoon (arrive by 9:45 a.m.). Join naturalist John Jaeger on a guided exploration of this spectacular gorge that flows into a scenic tributary of Paint Creek known as Cliff Run. Space is limited and registration is required. https://arcofappalachia.org/lewisgorge-hike. SEP. 3–7 – Easyriders Rodeo Tour, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, Thur. noon–1 a.m., Fri.– Sun. 9 a.m.–1 a.m., Mon. 9 a.m.–noon. $25–$30 daily; weekend passes available. Not your typical rodeo! Races, biker games, stunt shows, rodeo events, contests, music, and more. http://easyridersevents.com/rodeo-2020chillicothe.php.
acclaimed and award-winning storytellers. sostoryfest@ gmail.com or www.sostoryfest.com. SEP. 11–13 – Forest Therapy Weekend, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. Back by popular demand! This program is more than a walk in the woods. Meeting the forest in a state of mindfulness and awareness has proven to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, improve mood, accelerate recovery from surgery or illness, increase energy level, and improve sleep. $299 fee includes six meals and all curriculum. Space is limited and registration is required. https://arcofappalachia.org/forest-therapy. SEP. 11–13 – Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, Front and Greene Sts., Marietta. Sternwheeler races, car show, pageant, 5K run, entertainment, and fireworks. 800-288-2577 or https://ohio-river-sternwheel-festival. myshopify.com. SEP. 12 – Family Fishing Day, Ross County Sportsmen and Wildlife Club, Chillicothe, 9 a.m.–noon. All fishing done at Ross Lake. Event is open to all kids ages 15 and under (must be accompanied by an adult) and to all women. Concessions will be available. 740-649-9614, kim.danny@roadrunner.com, or http:// visitchillicotheohio.com. SEP. 14–20 – Guernsey County Fair, Guernsey Co. Fgds., 335 Old National Rd., Lore City. 740-489-5888 or www.guernseycountyfairgrounds.org.
SEP. 8–13 – Belmont County Fair, Belmont Co. Fgds., 45420 Roscoe Rd., St. Clairsville. A family tradition since 1849. www.belmontcountyfair.org. SEP. 10–12 – Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival, Majestic Theatre Courtyard, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe. $5–$20, under 6 free. Thursday evening performances free. The festival focuses on the timeless art of spinning tales, featuring concert performances by several highly
42 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
|Sunrise®
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the developing coronavirus situation, many of these planned events may have been postponed or canceled. Please seek updated information before traveling.
THROUGH OCT. 10 – The Great Sidney Farmer’s Market, Courthouse Square, 109 S. Ohio Ave., Sidney, every Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–noon. Free. Fresh produce, crafters, baked goods, jams, jellies. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org. AUG. 13–15 – Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival, downtown Bucyrus. Grilled brats and many other festival foods, plus parades, fun contests, and free entertainment. 419562-2728 or www.bucyrusbratwurstfestival.com. AUG. 14–16 – Bremenfest, Crown Pavilion, 2 W. Plum St., New Bremen. Food, rides, entertainment, and smalltown hospitality. Check website for updated schedule. http://bremenfest.com. AUG. 14–16 – Fort Fest: Salute to Our Military, 364 St. Rte. 190, Fort Jennings. Reenactments, artillery and cannon displays, military vehicles, kids’ camp, gun raffle, and more. See updated schedule on website. 419-286-3030 or www.fjfortfest.com. AUG. 15–16 – Revolution on the Ohio Frontier, Fort Meigs, 29100 W. River Rd., Perrysburg, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. $5–$10, under 6 free. See battle reenactments and weapon demos, visit army encampments, and learn what life was like in Ohio during the Revolutionary War. 419-874-4121 or www.fortmeigs.org. AUG. 20–22 – National Tractor Pulling Championships, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green. Advance tickets $20–$40; additional for reserve seating. Kids 10 and under free. The world’s largest truck and tractor pull. 419-354-1434 or www.pulltown. com. AUG. 22 – Camp Potluck, The Great Hall, Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin, 6 p.m. Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. 419-448-0914 or www. walnutgrovecampground.co. AUG. 27–30 – German-American Festival, Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon, Fri. 4 p.m.–1 a.m., Sat. noon–1 a.m., Sun. noon–11 p.m. Authentic German food, beer, music, folk dancing, and entertainment. www.germanamericanfestival.net. AUG. 29 – River Rat Party, Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. Donation. Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. Karaoke, 2–5 p.m. Chili cook-off, 5 p.m.; bring a dish to share. Bands: Acree, 5–7 p.m.; Cherry Bombs, 7:30–11:30 p.m. 419-448-0914 or www. walnutgrovecampground.co. SEP. 3 – Women in Business Luncheon, City Club, 144 S. Main St., Lima, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. $25 for Chamber members, $40 for nonmembers. 419-222-6045. SEP. 4–6 – Max’s Trader Days and Water Dog Races, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 7 a.m.–
midnight. $10 per day, $20 for three-day pass; age 12 and under free. In addition to the races, events include karaoke at the grandstands, golf cart parade, flea market, and food vendors. Schedule of events can be found at http://maxstraderdays.com. SEP. 4–7 – S.C.R.A.P. Antique Tractor Show, White Star Park, St. Rte. 300, enter on Twp. Rd. 60, 1 mile south of Gibsonburg. Featuring John Deere tractors and engines. Antique cars and trucks, tractor pulls, flea market, primitive demonstrations, entertainment, food, flea market, consignment auction, and more! 419-3074265 or www.s-c-r-a-p-inc.org. SEP. 4–10 – Fulton County Fair, Fulton Co. Fgds., 8514 St. Rte. 108, Wauseon. www.fultoncountyfair.com. SEP. 5–7 – Labor Day Weekend, Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. Saturday, corn hole tournament, time TBA, $5; camp garage sales, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, poker run/ scramble, 1–3 p.m.; Mac Experience DJ, 8 p.m.–12 a.m. 419-448-0914 or www.walnutgrovecampground.co. SEP. 5–7 – Western Ohio Cluster St. Bernard Specialty Dog Show, Lima Kennel Club, 1050 Thayer Rd., Lima, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. $5 parking. Complete show schedule can be found at www.infodog.com. SEP. 6 – Van Wert County Fair Car Show, Van Wert Co. Fgds., Van Wert, 2–6 p.m. Dash plaques, goody bags, door prizes, ’50s and ’60s music. Entry gives access to all activities at the fair, food, flea market, and more. wrkchevy@hotmail.com. SEP. 7 – Labor Day Parade, downtown Lima, 10 a.m. Lineup begins at Northland at 9 a.m. Parade proceeds down Main Street to the Town Square. Music, clowns, candy, bands, and floats! 419-222-6075 or www. visitgreaterlima.com. SEP. 11–12 – Scout Family/Grandparents Weekend, Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. Donation. Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. Fri. 8 p.m., indoor movie night. Sat. 11 a.m., crafts; Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, time TBA; 5:30 p.m., chicken dinner. 419448-0914 or www.walnutgrovecampground.co. SEP. 12 – Ottawa River Cleanup, Lima, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. The route starts at the American Red Cross building, 610 S. Collett St. Volunteers are assigned a small section and receive a free lunch, T-shirt, and certificate of appreciation. Families and students welcome; minors must have a waiver form signed by parent/guardian. Wear old clothes and shoes that can get wet. Gloves are mandatory and will be provided if needed. Call 419-221-5177 or 419-228-1836 to volunteer or for more information. SEP. 12 – Sidney Music and Arts Festival, downtown Sidney. Schedule to be announced; check website for updates. Great music on two stages, talented artists and makers, food vendors, and more. https://sidneyalive. org/musicandartsfest. SEP. 12 – WAR Wrestling: “September to Remember,” Bradfield Community Ctr., 550 S. Collett St., Lima, 7 p.m. Reserved VIP tickets $16, doors open at 5:30 p.m. General admission tickets $10 or 4 for $30, doors open at 6:30 p.m. www.warwrestling.com.
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AUGUST 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 43
MEMBER INTERACTIVE
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Cuddly kitties 3
1. Milo and me, cuddling before bedtime. Alissa Painter Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative Member 2. Remi Dentinger, 3, cuddles with her kitty. Audra Dentinger North Central Electric Cooperative member 3. O ur son, Jedidiah, loves to cuddle with our kittens. Robert and Renee Workman Consolidated Cooperative members 4. These cuties are Ragamese (Siamese/Ragdoll) kittens. They are known for their blue eyes. Kathy DeHass Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative member
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5. S imba enjoying a nice, relaxing nap while Casper bathes him. Robert Berus Union Rural Electric Cooperative member 6. Our granddaughter, Lilly, loving on our barn cat, Midnight. Valeria Manemann Pioneer Electric Cooperative member
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7. Our animal-loving granddaughter, Tori, with her cuddly kitties. Patty and Larry Quaglia South Central Power Company members 8. Our children, Hank, Mason, Emily, and Abilene, with their cuddly kitties. Ed and Teresa Pietrzyk Midwest Electric members (Bottom in ad) Buddy enjoying a nap in a sunbeam. Linda Tipton South Central Power Company member
Send us your picture! For November, send “Young chefs” by August 15; for December send “Naughty or nice” by September 15. Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website. Find more photos on the Member Interactive page at
www.ohiocoopliving.com
44 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2020
I AM THE CO-OP And that’s why the co-op is here for you. Your local, not-for-profit electric co-op will always have the information you can trust to make the best decisions for your family on safety, efficiency, and new technology. Visit ohioec.org/purpose to discover the power of your co-op.
YOUR SOURCE OF POWER AND INFORMATION.
ohioec.org/purpose