Ohio Cooperative Living - April 2021 - Butler by Ohio Cooperative Living

OHIO

APRIL 2021

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative

Dangerous work

Do your part to keep them safe ALSO INSIDE Life in the S-L-O-W lane Setting her own course Cleveland for kids

Who POWERS you, Ohio? Inspired by a fellow cooperative member making a difference in your community? Tell their story and they could win $1,000!* Ohio’s electric cooperatives value those who elevate and energize our communities. That’s why we’re excited to announce the 2021 #WhoPowersYouOhio contest, to honor electric cooperative members who display the qualities of a servant leader in your community. Share their story with us. Together, we will celebrate the power of human connections. Nominate someone special today! Visit ohioec.org/wpyo between May 3, 2021, and June 4, 2021. Submit a photo of your nominee. Tell us why that person inspires you and how they make a difference in your cooperative community. Deadline for entries: 11:59 p.m., June 4, 2021 Prizes: Six nominees will be chosen (based on their positive impact to their electric cooperative community) to receive $1,000. *Rules: Visit ohioec.org/wpyo for full contest rules.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

INSIDE FEATURES 24 SAY WHAT? Cleveland twang? Piketon drawl? The way you say certain words can tell others where you’re from.

28 SETTING HER OWN COURSE Ever since her father built a world-

renowned golf course, Renee Powell has spent a lifetime opening doors to the game.

32 CLEVELAND FOR KIDS Who knew that one of Ohio’s biggest cities is a big-time destination for family fun? Cover image on most editions: Evan Clemons, a journeyman lineman at Firelands Electric Cooperative in New London, works high above the ground — a dangerous spot for more reasons than just the high-voltage electricity running through the lines (photo by Zach Collins). This page: During a visit to Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center, guests can sit in a replica of a space capsule used in the early days of the U.S. space program.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

Lines of appreciation

A Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

pril 12 is Lineworker Appreciation Day, when we take time to honor the bravery and dedication of the people who do the dangerous work of keeping our lights on every day. This year, we’re particularly mindful of that commitment as we hear the stories of workers from 17 Ohio co-ops who came together to restore power to remote areas of southern Ohio after a pair of powerful ice storms pounded the region in late February. We are grateful to these cooperative employees and to their families, who spared them from home for more than a week for this mission of helping others. We’re especially thankful that there were no injuries during the restoration, despite the hazardous conditions.

It’s easy to take the luxury and convenience of electricity for granted. It’s invisible and so reliably available that we seldom give it a second thought. Even after the devastation of those southern Ohio ice storms, we took comfort in knowing that once our workers got the lines restored, those lights would go right back on, thanks to a reliable source of electricity. People in Texas recently learned that we can’t view the availability (or affordability) of our electric supply as a “given.” A polar vortex precipitated a massive failure of the Texas electric grid, spurring countless questions and few answers. Let’s start with the facts: The nation’s second-largest state has weathered cold stretches in the past, but in February, a record-setting chill settled over Texas and the surrounding region and spurred an unparalleled level of demand for electricity. The Texas electric grid is largely isolated from the rest of the U.S. power grid, which made it impossible to import the enormous quantities of power needed to balance supply with that demand. About half of Texas’ electric generation was inoperable for nearly a week, because ice and freezing temperatures affected natural gas-fired generators, wind and solar production, some coal plants, and one nuclear power facility. The natural gas supplies that were available quickly became very expensive — more than 100 times the traditional cost. The design of the Texas electricity market allowed prices to rise to roughly 300 times the “normal” price. The result? • Hours of “rolling blackouts” (planned service interruptions) to balance supply with demand and to prevent a complete crash of the system. • Outrageous residential consumer bills. • Several power providers declaring bankruptcy, including Texas’ largest co-op. • Human suffering and financial devastation. Poorly designed wholesale electricity markets produce undesirable outcomes. The Texas electric market may be designed worse than others, but newer marketbased approaches are employed in many parts of the country, including Ohio, and all have significant, obvious weaknesses. The rules governing our electric grid have become politicized. The rarity of significant weather events, like the one in Texas, provides time to dither, as well as excuses for those unwilling to acknowledge obvious shortcomings. We’re all accountable for allowing grid failure to happen. It’s crucial that we demand common-sense solutions. How can you help? Support your co-op’s public policy efforts to assure reliable and affordable electricity. Let your elected officials know that you expect better for Ohioans than Texans got from their policymakers and insist that legislators apply common sense to proposed modifications of our electric system. Finally, give a “thank you” to the lineworkers who keep the power on and make repairs on the rare days when the lights go out.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

APRIL 2021 • Volume 63, No. 7

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com

MORE INSIDE

SPECIAL REPORT:

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO Patrick Higgins Director of Communications Jeff McCallister Managing Editor Rebecca Seum Associate Editor Anita Cook Graphic Designer Contributors: Jodi Borger, Colleen Romick Clark, Victoria Ellwood, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Janet Murphy, Catherine Murray, Damaine Vonada, and Patty Yoder. OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication 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.

Distracted Driving 4 POWER LINES

Danger zones: Roadside crews have a difficult-enough job even before distracted drivers threaten their safety.

In the blink of a fly: Motivated by tragedy, a co-op member has made it her mission to get drivers to pay attention. Costly diversion: The price paid for distracted driving can’t be counted by money alone.

DEPARTMENTS 10 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Life in the S-L-O-W lane: Box turtles are fascinating creatures that live fascinating lives, one step at a time.

12 CO-OP PEOPLE

My life with pigeons: A Consolidated Cooperative member has made a lifelong pursuit of the iconic homers.

15 GOOD EATS

Grab your grub: Looking for the ultimate on-the-go comfort food? Sandwiches always fit the bill.

For all advertising inquiries, contact

Cheryl Solomon

19 LOCAL PAGES News and information from your

American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop

electric cooperative.

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.

37 CALENDAR

What’s happening: April/May events and other things to do around Ohio.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Travel abroad: Members share their best shots from exotic destinations.

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our 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. APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

sp ecial rep or t : d ist r ac t e d d r iv in g

POWER LINES

SPECIAL REPORT:

Distracted driving Lineworkers have one of the more dangerous jobs on the planet, so safety is always foremost on their minds when they’re out there keeping the lights on. Unfortunately, they can’t control every work area — they rely on the community to keep them safe when they’re working by the roadside. In honor of Lineworker Appreciation Day, we examine the dangers of distracted driving and implore members to keep their eyes on the road.

4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

sp ecial rep or t : d ist r ac t e d d r iv in g

Danger zones

The constant presence of road crews, traffic cones, and orange barrels on Ohio highways, byways, and township roads is a way of life for Ohio drivers. With the rise in distracted driving in recent years, those roadside crews have never been more vulnerable to serious injuries. BY JANET MURPHY

n the wee morning hours of Aug. 28, 2019, a line crew from Lancaster-based South Central Power Company was called to address a power hazard along State Route 73 near Hillsboro. An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper guarded the zone while the crew established a new traffic path for drivers, setting cones and putting caution lights in place. As the linemen were about to begin work, the trooper confirmed that the work site met construction zone safety standards and headed out. An instant later, an alcohol-impaired driver careened through the work zone, crashing into the crew’s massive digger truck. Under the impact, the truck slid, striking lineman Al Sears and sending him airborne. Sears, a 26-year veteran of South Central Power’s line crew, landed nearly 40 feet away on the gravel berm. He lay quiet and still. Stunned, the crew rushed to his side, performing first aid as they waited for the 911 team to arrive. It was a horrifying situation, the kind of thing that line crews and their families worry about most. Earlier that year, a crew from another company was working along

a Hillsboro road when a driver plowed through their work zone, killing one lineman and injuring two others. “To have two line crews struck by drivers within one year was just incomprehensible for us,” says Buzz Detty, South Central Power’s safety and compliance manager. “It was a real eye-opener for us.” For electric co-ops in Ohio and everywhere, distracted drivers are a leading cause of downed power lines, broken poles, and electric outages. Worse yet, they place lineworkers in danger. Sears was fortunate. He was transported to the hospital, where X-rays showed only minor injuries, and he returned home later that evening. “I learned a big lesson,” he says. “Never take your eyes off the traffic when working in the road right-of-way. Complacency can be a killer.”

For a series of videos highlighting the problem of distracted driving, check out www. ohiocoopliving.com.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

sp ecial rep or t : d ist r ac t e d d r iv in g

In the blink of a fly How one co-op member’s tragedy has led her to fight to get drivers to keep their eyes on the road. BY JODI BORGER

t was a sunny, clear-blue-sky day on June 16, 2018. It also was a day that would forever change the lives of Leah Fullenkamp and her family.

Leah, a Pioneer Electric Cooperative member, was on her couch recovering from foot surgery she had undergone just 24 hours earlier, while her husband, John, a full-time engineer and part-time farmer (to the extent there is such a thing), was busy in the fields trying to get things ready before an upcoming work trip. The couple’s four children were with John’s mother, with plans to meet John in the field with dinner. John never received that visit or that dinner. While he was driving his tractor on the roadway, a distracted driver — shopping on her phone and, based on crash reconstruction analysis, distracted for a full 16 seconds — plowed into the tractor and took John’s life. From that moment, everything changed. John’s death left Leah to raise their children, ranging in age from 8 months old to 9 years, by herself. “I lost my husband, my partner, and the father of my children,” Leah says. “Life got hard — really hard — and it happened instantly.”

“I started asking myself, ‘How can I prevent this from happening to someone else?’ I didn’t want my story to be anyone else’s story.” — Leah Fullenkamp That autumn, Leah returned to her job teaching school, but it didn’t go well. She worked with special needs students during the day, then came home to four kids who needed her full attention all night. John’s loss weighed heavily on Leah and their children. The following summer, she decided to resign from her teaching position and stay home with her children. Leah Fullenkamp and her family had their lives changed in the short span it took for a distracted driver to claim the life of her husband, John. She eventually gave up her full-time job to raise their kids and devote time to her campaign to eliminate distracted driving.

One evening, Leah was driving down a main highway and passed a tractor going the opposite direction. In the very next car, a driver was on her phone and not paying attention. When Leah got home, she sat in her driveway and listened for sirens. She felt helpless. “I started asking myself, ‘How can I prevent this from happening to someone else?’” Leah says. “I didn’t want my story to be anyone else’s story.” Not long after that, Leah posted a picture of John and their son on a tractor on her Facebook page, marking the occasion of the first planting season without John. The post was shared over 500 times. “That was when I started to realize the power in our story,” she says. Leah created a Facebook page, In the Blink of a Fly — named for a housefly that began visiting the Fullenkamps within days after John’s death and quickly became a symbol of strength and encouragement for their family.

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

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When Leah Fullenkamp posted a photo on Facebook to mark the first planting season without her husband, it was shared more than 500 times, and she used the power of her story to create a public awareness campaign with her kids.

“A fly always seemed to show up during conversations when I knew John would have an opinion — during tough decisions and special events,” says Leah. “It wouldn’t visit every day, not even every week, but enough to notice.” Leah combined her new household visitor with the way her life changed in the blink of an eye to come up with the name of her mission. On her blog at www.intheblinkofafly.com, she tells her story and shares her family’s journey and things she’s learned along the way. Leah expanded her outreach to include local high schools and community groups, where she raises awareness about distracted driving. “It’s not only teenagers who drive distracted, but people of all ages,” says Leah. The woman who hit John was in her mid-50s.

The pandemic has slowed Leah’s presentation opportunities, but she’s finding other ways to promote her message. In 2020, she teamed with Shelby County Farm Bureau’s “Share the Road” campaign to help spread awareness of farm equipment traveling on roadways. The campaign raised money through local business donations for a portable billboard that sits near where John’s accident occurred, as well as yard signs that serve as a reminder: “Eyes Up. Phone Down. It Can Wait.” “If you’re driving, it’s important to stay focused. Don’t let something small impact your life, your family’s life, or someone else’s life,” says Leah. “This is my story, but I’m not special. This could happen to anyone.”

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 7

sp ecial rep or t : d ist r ac t e d d r iv in g

COSTLY DIVERSIONS

Safety on the roadway

BY JEFF MCCALLISTER

More and more people get behind the wheels of cars these days with a phone or a sandwich in hand — or in any number of other attention-hogging situations — and give less and less of their concentration to driving safely.

13,485

Car crashes in Ohio in 2019 that were related to distracted driving, according to the state highway patrol. Nearly 400 of those resulted in a serious injury or fatality. Authorities believe the actual number is probably much higher, as it is often impossible to prove and so is underreported.

“Distracted driving is a costly problem for society in general,” says Ron Salyer, president and CEO of Pioneer Electric Cooperative in Piqua, who has been outspoken in his effort to bring awareness to the issue. From mere property damage to ruining — or ending — lives, some of those costs are easier to figure out than others. According to a survey of electric cooperatives in Ohio, for example, it costs $2,576, on average, to replace a pole that has been damaged in a car crash. Generally, that’s paid by the driver’s insurance, but not always. There are other costs, too. Salyer says that depending on the location of such an accident and the type of lines a particular pole carries, those accidents also cause power outages that can affect from a few to a few hundred consumer-members, and those outages can last for hours.

Seconds the average person takes to look at a text message. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field with a blindfold on.

$300 Fine for a driver’s first violation of Ohio’s Move Over law, which requires all drivers to move over one lane when passing by any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside — or to slow down if moving over isn’t possible.

“Those secondary effects on both our members and our line crews actually take a higher toll than just the money that those crashes cost,” he says. Nearly every lineworker has a horror story about a near-miss on the job, when a distracted driver has made a dangerous job even more precarious. Coops have even instituted additional safety measures recently specifically designed to focus drivers’ attention on roadside worksites because of the rise in such incidents.

23x

Snow plows hit by drivers in Ohio this past winter alone, many the result of lack of attention in already dangerous conditions.

Increase in the likelihood of a driver becoming involved in a crash if the driver is text messaging or looking at their phone while on the road.

Sometimes, however, those crashes can have longterm effects on linemen, even when the crews are not directly involved. In rural areas served by co-ops, the line crews can often be the first people to arrive on an accident scene. “These guys are trained to do the dangerous job of providing reliable electricity, but they don’t have training to cope with some of the awful things they’ve seen at crash scenes,” Salyer says. “I’ve talked with plenty of linemen who have experienced that, and to a one, they all say it’s something that will affect them for the rest of their lives.”

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

10X

Increased severity of crashes that are caused by distracted driving compared to nondistracted driving crashes.

18% Percentage of Ohio car crash fatalities caused by distracted drivers (and 16% of all serious crash-related injuries).

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Life in the

S-L-O-W lane

Box turtles are fascinating creatures that live fascinating lives, one step at a time. STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

ooking like a miniature army helmet with legs, box turtles are unique in that they are the most terrestrial of Ohio’s nearly one dozen turtle species. They get their name from the fact that they can literally “box themselves in” from predators, doing so by closing a hinged flap on their bottom shell tightly against their top shell. Consequently, a raccoon, possum, fox, skunk, or coyote may roll a box turtle around for a few minutes trying to figure out the puzzle, but the turtles are used to that. Once the predator gives up in frustration and moves on, life resumes its typical leisurely pace for the docile box turtle. Alan Walter of Carrollton has extensively studied the box turtles living on his property in eastern Ohio. Walter owns a 150-acre tree farm in Harrison County that he manages for timber and wildlife, so he has spent countless hours in the woods over the past 30 years.

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021 10 OHIO

Ask

chip!

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 “During that time, I have found and photographed a total of 63 box turtles, seven of which were young ones,” Walter says. “Five of the adults I have found a second time — one 19 years later. From the place where I first discovered it, that particular turtle had moved about 1,000 feet. By contrast, another turtle I found 16 years later was only 50 feet from where it was first spotted.” Walter knows whether or not it’s the same turtle by the natural markings on the turtle’s shell. Whereas some people mark box turtles with dabs of paint to recognize them again, Walter takes their picture. “Each box turtle’s top shell — known as a carapace — is uniquely marked,” Walter says. “So all I have to do is compare a turtle I find with my previous photos to know if I’ve located the same one or a new one,” he says. Greg Lipps, a member of Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative, is amphibian and reptile conservation coordinator at Ohio State University. He says that box

turtles typically have a home range of about 70 acres and are relatively long-lived, compared to other wildlife. “We know they can live a century or more,” says Lipps, “but 40 to 50 years is more the typical life span.” Historically, box turtles were found statewide, except for two areas. They were not in the extensive region of the Great Black Swamp in northwest Ohio because box turtles are mainly a terrestrial species, and they also were not found in northeast Ohio. At least one well-respected turtle researcher believes that’s because there were large Native American settlements in that region for centuries. Lipps says that Indians not only ate box turtles but that some tribes even buried them with their dead — up to a dozen or more turtles per grave. Was the act simply ceremonial, or were the turtles intended to be food for the deceased during their journey to the afterlife? “No one knows for sure, but the entire theory is a really fascinating concept,” Lipps says. “The good news today is that the so-called ‘hole’ in the population in northeast Ohio is gradually filling in. Overall, the population in Ohio seems to be holding its own, doing as well as can be expected given the amount of available habitat.” Next to habitat loss, likely the biggest threat to box turtles is from motor vehicles. If you happen to see a box turtle on a roadway — and you can safely pull your vehicle off the road — you can move the turtle to the side of the road in which it’s headed. If you put it back on the side of the road where it came from, the turtle will only try crossing again. W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor and a member of Consolidated Cooperative.

Eastern box turtles carry their homes on their backs their entire lives, and the markings on each shell are unique.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

CO-OP PEOPLE

Life with Co-op member has made a lifelong pursuit of the iconic homers. STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

ost men, believing ourselves invincible at one time or another in our lives, can think back to boyhood and remember doing at least one thing so incredibly dangerous that we were lucky to survive. Consolidated Cooperative member Guy Denny is no exception. Raised in a rural area just south of Toledo, Denny would often fish the nearby Maumee River as a boy. It’s there he noticed pigeons coming to roost each evening under the Interstate-80 Ohio Turnpike bridge that crosses the river. Wanting to capture some of those pigeons to raise, Denny decided on a plan. After dark one night, he and a young buddy climbed out on the massive, metal I-beams that support the bridge. There, beneath the bridge, with cars whizzing past just a few feet overheard, his buddy shined a flashlight beam into the eyes of the mesmerized pigeons while Denny grabbed them one by one and shoved the birds into a burlap bag. The boys’ poke

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

pigeons

was nearly full when Denny reached for one last bird — a beautiful, nearly purewhite pigeon — and promptly lost his footing on the bridge. “I fell about the height of a six-story building, hitting the water in a sitting position with the bag of birds under me,” Denny recalls. “It’s those pigeons that likely saved my life, as they helped break my fall. I was so stunned that it was all I could do to slowly swim the short distance to shore on my back. I dumped the dozen birds out of the sack and they were all dead, drowned. I’ve regretted causing the death of those pigeons ever since, even though it nearly cost me my life.” Deciding on a supposedly safer strategy, Denny and his buddy next rode a bus into downtown Toledo, where they roamed the back alleys in search of young pigeons that had fallen out of nests. “Looking back on it now,” he says, “those were terrible places where we could have been mugged or worse. But at the time we had no idea of the dangers — we just wanted pigeons.” Denny eventually obtained a few of the birds he so craved, but that only created other issues. “Our neighbor hated pigeons, especially when one of my birds got into her house by flying down the chimney,” he says. “When my parents finally had had enough, my father suggested that we take the birds along on a visit to my grandparents’ house in Canton, about a three-hour drive away. We’d release the pigeons there and see if they would return home. I’m sure my dad was hoping we’d never see the pigeons again. All six birds arrived home before we did.” What ultimately separated Denny from his first pigeons were his teenage years. “By then, I was becoming more interested in chasing girls than pigeons,” he chuckles. But sometime around middle age, Denny’s fascination with the birds returned, and he has had a coopful ever since. He doesn’t race them, as many folks do; he simply enjoys watching them fly, marveling at the iridescent colors that are produced by breeding various types of birds. According to Denny, the ancient Egyptians were the first to learn that pigeons would return to where they are kept — in other words, “home” — thus the term “homing pigeon.” Through the centuries, armies took advantage of this behavior by having pigeons carry written messages attached to their legs. The U.S. military maintained a pigeon corps during both world wars.

Homing pigeons have a fleshy ring around their eyes, making them easy to distinguish from more common birds, known as rock doves.

Have an interest in pigeons? As he grows older, Denny has become increasingly concerned about who would take care of his pigeons should he become ill or otherwise unable to care for the birds himself. As a result, he’s considering giving his remaining pigeons away to a young person who might be interested in getting started in the pastime. If you know a responsible boy or girl who might be interested, send an email to whchipgross@gmail. com and put “Pigeons” in the subject line. Your email will be forwarded to Guy Denny for reply. “It would be a whole lot safer than attempting to capture pigeons from under a highway bridge,” Denny laughs.

Denny says pigeon breeding and racing remains popular today worldwide, and a breeder can win a considerable amount of money for a very fast bird. “Several years ago, one particular racing pigeon sold for around a million dollars,” he says. Denny says that racing homers have a fleshy ring around their eye, known as a cere. “Other pigeons don’t have the cere, so that’s one way of telling a racing homer from a common wild pigeon, known as a rock dove, should you ever come across one.”

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13

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GOOD GOODEATS EATS

your grub

Looking for the ultimate on-the-go comfort food? Sandwiches always fit the bill. RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

ORANGE CREAMSICLE PB&J Prep: 5 minutes | Servings: 1 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 2 tablespoons orange marmalade 3 tablespoons marshmallow creme 2 slices thick brioche bread (or favorite white bread) This recipe makes one sandwich. Spread peanut butter on inside of one slice of bread and orange marmalade on the other. Using a piping bag with a wide tip, pipe a generous amount of marshmallow creme in the middle and close sandwich. Per serving: 746 calories, 20 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 849 milligrams sodium, 121 grams total carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 20 grams protein.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

SLOW COOKER FRENCH DIP Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 10 to 12 hours | Servings: 8 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 medium onion, sliced ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce 1 bay leaf 1 beef bouillon cube 3 whole peppercorns 8 slices Swiss cheese (12 ounces) 1½ teaspoons crushed rosemary 2 large French baguettes 1½ teaspoons dried thyme Place roast in a slow cooker. Top with onion, spices, soy sauce, and bouillon. Add enough water to fully cover roast. Place lid on slow cooker and turn on low for 10 to 12 hours, until meat pulls apart easily. Keep slow cooker on the warm setting to keep broth hot. Using tongs, take roast out of the slow cooker and shred with a fork, removing fat pieces as you go. Cut baguettes diagonally into 4 pieces, then cut in half lengthwise. Lay pieces face down on a baking sheet and broil in oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly toasted. Flip baguettes over and top with roast and slices of cheese. Broil for another 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Ladle broth from slow cooker into bowls to serve with sandwiches for dipping. Per serving: 625 calories, 22 grams fat (12 grams saturated fat), 191 milligrams cholesterol, 1,142 milligrams sodium, 34 grams total carbohydrates, 1.5 grams fiber, 68 grams protein.

BLEU CHEESESTEAK SUB Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 1 pound flank steak, fat removed 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and sliced thin 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons oregano 4 hoagie rolls ½ teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons mayonnaise ¼ teaspoon pepper 3 ounces bleu cheese 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 slices provolone cheese, cut in half 2 shallots, sliced ¼ cup banana peppers (optional) 1 red pepper, sliced Note: To make the flank steak easier to slice, cover and freeze for 30 minutes and slice steak across the grain. Sprinkle steak slices with oregano, salt, and pepper. Heat an electric skillet (or a large nonstick skillet) to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté steak about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove steak from skillet and set aside. Add remaining oil, sliced shallots, and red pepper. Let shallots caramelize and red pepper slices begin to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Add mushrooms, sautéing another few minutes. Return steak to skillet, add garlic, and sauté until thoroughly heated. Push sautéed meat and veggies to one side of the electric skillet. (If using a nonstick skillet on the stove, remove meat and veggies and set aside, then follow the next steps in batches.) Slice hoagie rolls ¾ of the way through. Place hoagie rolls in the electric skillet cut-side up, spreading mayonnaise on the inside of each. Top with meat and veggies, crumbled bleu cheese, and sliced provolone. Place lid on the skillet and heat until cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove cheesesteaks from skillet and top with banana peppers (optional). Per serving: 741 calories, 39 grams fat (14.5 grams saturated fat), 96 milligrams cholesterol, 1,268 milligrams sodium, 50 grams total carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 52 grams protein.

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

CALIFORNIA VEGGIE Prep: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 ½ cup sour cream 6 mushrooms 1 tablespoon dill 1 avocado 1 small cucumber ¼ cup sliced red onion 1 medium carrot 8 slices multigrain bread 4 radishes Note: Hummus can be used as a substitute for sour cream. In a small bowl, mix together sour cream and dill. Thinly slice the cucumber, carrot, radishes, mushrooms, avocado, and red onion. Lay out 8 slices of bread. Spread sour cream mixture on insides of bread. Evenly stack veggies on bottom piece of bread and close sandwiches. Per serving: 330 calories, 18 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 256 milligrams sodium, 34 grams total carbohydrates, 8.5 grams fiber, 10.5 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 to upload yours.

While you’re there, see a video of some of our tasty dishes being prepared.

www.ohiocoopliving.com

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

SOLAR ENERGY As solar power generation is becoming more common, consider these frequently asked questions about solar energy if you’re thinking about solar for your home.

How do I know if solar will work at my house? If you’re considering rooftop solar, you can look at factors like which direction your home faces, the condition of your roof, and obstructions like trees and other buildings that may block the sun during the peak generation period of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How much does it cost? Installation costs depend on the size and complexity of the system, but also on the home layout and construction. For example, a simple, south-facing roof allows for easier installation than a roof with hips and valleys. In addition, some homes require structural or wiring upgrades. A 4-kilowatt system may cost between $10,000 and $20,000. This is based on a typical installation cost of $2.50 to $5 per watt of distributed generation capacity. Check out the solar calculator on our website, butlerrural.coop > Electric Service > Renewable Energy, to help determine your costs.

How long is the payback period? The payback period will depend on the system cost, available rebates and incentives, amount of electricity produced, and the retail price of electricity you purchase from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative.

What happens at night and on cloudy days? Battery-backed or grid-independent systems store excess energy produced during the day to use at night or when the sun is not producing enough power. Because this option has significant cost and maintenance, most people opt for grid-connected systems for reduced cost and maintenance and increased reliability. With gridconnected systems, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative continues to provide energy to your location. Your system will produce energy — and possibly excess energy — on

FAQ

sunny days. It will not collect sunlight at night and on cloudy days, so you will continue to use electricity from the cooperative during these times.

What happens during power outages? Grid-connected systems Tom Wolfenbarger are required to shut down GENERAL MANAGER to prevent backfeeding electricity into de-energized power lines. It’s important to have this shut-down feature to prevent injuries and even death to those working on electric lines. If you are considering solar, be sure to ask us about interconnection and essential safety precautions.

How do I get started with solar? Before choosing a solar system, be sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. By improving your home’s energy efficiency first, you will reduce your overall energy use and may reduce the system size needed, and that saves you money. If you plan to install solar panels on your roof, make sure your roof is in tip-top shape. If yours is older, you may need to repair or replace it. A solar system may last up to 30 years, so be sure your roof will last, too. Research solar contractors thoroughly before investing in a system and make sure to get at least three quotes before choosing one. And remember — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Contact us first! Butler Rural Electric Cooperative should be one of your first contacts when considering solar. We can look at your energy-use history to help size your system and evaluate savings. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Matthew Brown, our electrical engineer, by email at matthewb@butlerrural. coop or by phone at 513-867-4433.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Using electricity to decrease costs during the 1960s Along with co-hosting the radio show, Opal Tingle taught a revolutionary adult education course during the Great Depression. The course was for African American women who wanted to learn to lead meetings, run home-based businesses, sew, cook, and other skills related to earning an income in a bad economy. Opal passed away in 2002 at the age of 102.

Cooperative employees began educating members about using more electricity in their homes and created marketing campaigns encouraging members to make their homes Gold Medallion homes. From the furnace to the stove, Gold Medallion homes were all electric. Electricity rates for these homes and others using more electricity were discounted. This is the only time in our history that using more electricity was better for members and for the cooperative.

See the next page for one of Opal’s recipes, submitted by cooperative member Trish Otto, for our heirloom recipe contest celebrating the cooperative’s 85th anniversary.

tiv

During this time, members Homer and Opal Tingle broadcast a farm radio program from their kitchen. The Tingles interviewed local people to discuss topics of interest, hosted local musicians, and took their show on the road for special events like the county fair. The couple interviewed Ted Johnson, the cooperative’s power use advisor, about the importance of members using more electricity to compensate for the purchase of the Cardinal Plant.

During the 1960s, cooperative members weren’t using a lot of electricity because it was still a new concept. However, the newly constructed Cardinal Power Plant was generating large amounts of electricity, and members would only benefit from the plant if the unit costs went down. The only way to decrease the unit cost was to increase kilowatt-hour use.

ral

o Ele ctric C

Members Homer and Opal Tingle interviewed cooperative employee Ted Johnson during the 1960s. From left is Opal Tingle, Ted Johnson, and Homer Tingle.

March Ohio Cooperative Living magazine correction An incorrect photo of Dr. Gene Willeke was published in Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s local pages in the March issue of Ohio Cooperative Living magazine. We apologize for this mistake. Thank you to a member who pointed out the error. We welcome feedback from our members and use these concerns and suggestions to make the cooperative better. Dr. Willeke began a longstanding relationship between the cooperative and Miami University’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, or IES. He also served as a judge for Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s scholarship competition in the 1970s. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative awards the Dr. Gene Willeke Institute for the Environment and Sustainability Scholarship to students in the IES program each year. 20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Dr. Willeke was the director of Miami University’s Institute of Environmental Sciences, which is now the IES, from 1977 to 2004. Gene received the Benjamin Harrison Medal from Miami University, which is one of the most significant recognitions the university offers to faculty for contributions attesting to Dr. Gene Willeke qualities of teaching, research, and service. Gene passed away on Jan. 31, 2016.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Opal Tingle’s Date Pudding Cooperative member Trish Otto still serves this dessert, which her family has always enjoyed after their traditional Christmas dinner. Trish’s family got the recipe from their close friend, Opal Tingle. Ingredients 1 cup plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided 1 cup flour 1 cup dates, chopped 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped 1 1/2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 scant teaspoon salt Directions Mix 1 cup brown sugar, flour, chopped dates, milk, and baking powder and pour into an ungreased 9 x 9-inch dish. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix boiling water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour over nuts and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

THANK A LINEWORKER ON APRIL 12 If you were asked to associate an image or a person with Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, you would probably picture a lineworker. One of the most visible employees of the co-op, lineworkers ensure our community receives power 24/7. “Lineworker” is listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. This is understandable, as they perform detailed tasks near high-voltage power lines. Regardless of the time of day, lineworkers brave stormy weather and other challenging conditions, sometimes climbing 40 feet in the air while carrying heavy equipment to get the job done. Being a lineworker is not a glamorous or easy profession. It takes years of specialized training, ongoing education,

NATIONAL LINEWORKER

Appreciation Day MONDAY, APRIL 12

dedication, and a sense of service and commitment. How else can you explain the willingness to leave the comfort of your home to tackle a challenging job in difficult conditions when most are sheltering comfortably at home? This dedication and sense of service is what sets them apart. That’s why we set aside the second Monday in April to celebrate and recognize those who work to keep the lights on. While lineworkers may be the most visible employees at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, it’s important to note there is a team of professionals working behind the scenes. Engineers provide ongoing expertise and guidance on the operations side of the co-op and member service representatives are always standing by to take your calls and questions. Our information technology experts are continuously monitoring our system to help safeguard sensitive data, and safety professionals ensure our employees practice safe processes and procedures. Our accounting and human resource professionals pay bills, process payroll, and monitor finance and labor compliance. These employees work together to ensure we can deliver the service and reliability you expect and deserve. Without them, our lineworkers wouldn’t be able to light our community. Our lineworkers are proud to represent Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, and they deserve all the appreciation and accolades that come their way on Lineworker Appreciation Day.

Cooperative

welcomes new employee

In February, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative welcomed Rick Zhang as our electrical planning engineer. In this role, Rick will maintain the cooperative’s electric system to ensure our members receive reliable electric service. Rick will develop the cooperative’s construction work plan, evaluate requests for new services, and monitor our system for reliability and future growth. Rick grew up in New York City and received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University at Buffalo. He has been married to his wife, Sally, for eight years. He has three kids, 8-year-old Jasalin, who is a second grader at Edgewood Elementary School; 5-year-old Arianna, who will start 20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

kindergarten later this year; and Liam, who will be 2 in August. Rick also has three dogs — Brutus, Chloie, and Minnie.

In his free time, Rick enjoys spending time with his family and bass fishing. He loves watching his daughter cheer at peewee football games and to travel anywhere warm with a beach.

Rick Zhang ELECTRICAL PLANNING ENGINEER

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Join us for

OUR VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, APRIL 29 AT 6:30 P.M. Visit butlerrural.coop or call 513-867-4400 to register

Tune in to our virtual annual meeting on Thursday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. You can view the meeting online or listen by phone. To register, visit butlerrural.coop or call us at 513-867-4400. If you have more than one account or more than one service with the cooperative, please call us to register for the meeting to ensure you are correctly entered for the bill credit drawing.

VIEW ONLINE using a computer, laptop, or smartphone. Members who register for the meeting will receive a link through email on April 29 allowing them to join the meeting. No special software is required beyond an internet connection.

During the meeting, you will hear from the co-op’s board president and general manager, vote on changes to the code of regulations, and learn about our upcoming projects and programs — all from the comfort of your home! Board election results will also be announced and you can submit questions to be addressed during the meeting.

LISTEN BY PHONE — No computer or internet connection? No problem! Members who register to listen to the meeting by phone will receive a code on April 29 allowing them to join the meeting by phone.

VIEW THE MEETING FOR A CHANCE TO WIN BILL CREDITS! 2020 was tough, so we’re celebrating a new year with $21 bill credits to members who view the entire annual meeting! In celebration of our 85th anniversary, we’ll draw one name to win the special $85 bill credit. Plus, ten lucky members will win $100 bill credits. Bill credit winners will be drawn randomly after the meeting.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20C

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

ALL MEMBERS Butler Rural Electric Cooperative is governed by an elected board of trustees. Board members are members of the cooperative just like you — they pay the same electric rates as you and live in your community. Board members represent all members as they set policies, monitor the cooperative’s performance, and approve the annual budget. Co-op members vote for trustees each year. Three board seats are up for election this year — District 1, which includes Israel and Oxford townships, District 2, which includes Milford Township, and District 5, which includes Wayne and Madison townships. Members living in these districts received a notice in the mail in July 2020 to let them know they were eligible to run for the board of trustees.

vote

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s nominating committee interviewed the candidates running for the board of trustees. The committee is composed of 18 members from all of the cooperative’s voting districts. The committee met on Nov. 16 to interview members running for the board. Committee members asked board candidates questions about their background and experience, their views on Butler Rural Electric Cooperative and the electric industry, and their commitment to serving the community. All candidates were interviewed by the committee, including incumbent board members. The nominating committee chose two candidates from each district to run for the board of trustees after the interviews. Candidates who were not selected were eligible to run by petition, which were due Dec. 31.

HOW TO VOTE VOTE BY MAIL

VOTE ONLINE

Members will receive a ballot in the mail, along with voting instructions, candidate information, and a postagepaid return envelope. Ballots were mailed on March 31.

Vote online through our website, butlerrural.coop. Instructions for voting online will be included with the voting information mailed on March 31.

VOTE THROUGH SMARTHUB Instructions for voting through SmartHub will be included with the voting information mailed on March 31.

BALLOTS WERE MAILED MARCH 31 DEADLINE TO VOTE IS APRIL 27 Statement of Nondiscrimination In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal 20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD3027) found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax: (202) 6907442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

MEET THE CANDIDATES DISTRICT 1 Israel and Oxford townships How long have you been a member? 24 years Family My wife, Dawn, and I have four children — Ashley, Gray, Brooke, and Bryan — and two grandchildren, Addelyn and Elijah. Education I am a Talawanda High School graduate.

David Evans RESIDENT OF OXFORD TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY

Employment I am the owner and president of Art Evans and Sons, a third-generation, family-run business that has given me the opportunity to work within the community. Leadership and community activities I am a member of the Brookville Road Baptist Church.

How long have you been a member? 15 years Family I have been married to my husband, Rick, for 44 years. We have three children — Jason, Erin, and Justin — and three grandchildren, Jameson, Reagan, and Drew.

Shannon Maddock

Education I attended Miami University and received the Medical Office Manager and Physician Practice Management certification from Kettering Medical Center. RESIDENT OF ISRAEL TOWNSHIP, PREBLE COUNTY

Employment I work for Reid Hospital as the practice supervisor at the Primary Care South Region in Brookville, Indiana. Leadership and community activities I am a member of the College Corner Community Club,

As a member of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees, I have received education on how to engage, support, and improve our cooperative while earning the Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold certification through NRECA. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy spending time with my family, camping, and four-wheeling. How would you help the cooperative serve members? I value the opportunity to give back to my community through the board. With my entrepreneurship and experience, I feel confident in making decisions that benefit the cooperative. Why are you interested in serving another term on the board of trustees? My duty has always been to keep safe, reliable, and affordable electricity accessible to all members while meeting the needs of members and providing resources that enhance their lives.

a not-for-profit that serves the village and surrounding areas. We oversee events like the Easter egg hunt, Toys for Tots, and the Fourth of July fireworks, along with the Outstanding Senior scholarships and the Stateline Ballpark summer league programs. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, traveling to anywhere with a beach, and being outdoors. How would you help the cooperative serve members? I would be an active member of the cooperative — listening, understanding, and applying what I know to help the cooperative grow and be successful. I belong to the community I serve and so does Butler Rural. I want to provide leadership and support to improve the quality of life for everyone at the cooperative. Why are you interested in becoming a member of the board of trustees? I have always had an interest in the cooperative and how it functions. I have enjoyed my work on many not-for-profit committees and feel this one would be a good fit for me.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20E

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

MEET THE CANDIDATES DISTRICT 2 Milford Township

How long have you been a member? 13 years Family My wife, Jessica, and son, Beau. Education I attended Miami University for two years.

Jason Barnes RESIDENT OF MILFORD TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY

Jim Meador RESIDENT OF MILFORD TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY

Employment I worked at Champion Paper for seven years and have worked at Harvest Land Cooperative for the past nine years.

Leadership and community activities I am an active member of my local church and I participate in the Cultivating Community Program through Harvest Land. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy working on a variety of projects. I am working with my family to establish the Hanover Reserve in Hanover Township. How would you help the cooperative serve members? By helping to implement cost-effective solutions to the challenges encountered in an ever-changing market. Why are you interested in becoming a member of the board of trustees? I believe in the mission of the co-op to bring services to their customers while increasing customer value in the shared-profit system.

How long have you been a member? 42 years

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, and I love to read and do crossword puzzles.

Family I have been married to my wife, Karen, for 42 years. We have three children and four grandchildren.

How would you help the cooperative serve members? The cooperative always has to look toward short- and long-term planning. As a board member, I am constantly looking at this with other board members and adapting as needed.

Education I graduated from Talawanda High School and attended Miami University.

Why are you interested in serving another term on the board of trustees? I would like to continue working with other board members as we strive to provide safe, reliable service to our members while keeping rates as low as possible. Our goals are always changing with renewable energy advancements, along with improvements with electric vehicles. I have received the Director Gold certification from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and would like to take advantage of new opportunities as more classes become available.

Employment I am retired from a 30-year career at Miami University, where I worked at the power plant for 28 years. Leadership and community activities I have been a member of the Miami Federal Credit Union Board of Trustees for 30 years. I have been a member of the Milford Township Fire Department for 43 years and have been the assistant chief for 18 years.

20F OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

MEET THE CANDIDATES DISTRICT 5 Wayne and Madison townships How long have you been a member? Six years Family I have a husband, Matt; four children, Ace, Hope, Steve, and William; and three grandchildren, Shae, Sidney, and Clayton. Education I have a master’s degree in Vickie Jo Barger RESIDENT OF WAYNE business administration TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY from Miami University and maintain treasurer certification in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code. Employment I have been the finance director for the Butler County Sheriff’s Office for 15 years. I was the finance director for the City of Monroe, budget analyst and systems coordinator for Miami, and an adjunct instructor for Miami’s finance division in the past.

How long have you been a member? 42 years Family I have been married to my wife, Gloria, for 56 years. We have five daughters and five granddaughters. Education I graduated from Talawanda Robert Hoelle High School and have earned RESIDENT OF WAYNE the Credentialed Cooperative TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold certification through NRECA. Employment I am retired from AK Steel and am a farmer. Leadership and community activities I was a Wayne Township Trustee for 36 years and served

Leadership and community activities I am a board member for AllWealth Federal Credit Union, secretary for the Greater Cincinnati Finance Officers Association, and a member of the Association of Public Treasurers and the Government Finance Officers Association. I volunteer for the Great Miami River Clean Up, the Edgewood Athletic Craft Show, and I audit accounts for churches and nonprofit organizations. I also support the Edgewood Ministerial Association. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy watching my sons play soccer and spending time with my mother. How would you help the cooperative serve members? I would like to use my skills to help the co-op and the community. Board members do an excellent job maintaining a sustainable budget, and I hope my financial background will help them continue to be good stewards of funds and operate in an efficient manner. Why are you interested in becoming a member of the board of trustees? I like that the members who benefit from the cooperative are owners. All of us have a say, and that is important to me.

as chairman of the board. I was a Southwest Regional Water District trustee for 13 years and served as vice chairman of the board. I was a volunteer firefighter with the Wayne Township Fire Department for 20 years and am a Butler County Farm Bureau member. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy spending time with my family, woodworking, and collecting antique farm tractors. How would you help the cooperative serve members? I base my decisions on what is best for the cooperative and its members. I will continue to support getting fiber internet to as many members as possible. Why are you interested in serving another term on the board of trustees? With the advances in renewable energy and electric vehicles, I would like to continue working with other board members to make important decisions and develop policies that will benefit cooperative members.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20G

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PROPOSED CODE OF REGULATIONS CHANGES During the annual meeting on April 29, members will vote on changes to the cooperative’s code of regulations. The proposed changes are outlined below. Items in blue and items that are crossed out are the proposed changes made this year. Items in green are the proposed additions that were scheduled to be presented during the 2020 annual meeting, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed changes made this year, shown in

ARTICLE III MEETING OF MEMBERS SECTION 3. Notice of Members’ Meetings — Attendance Written, printed or electronic notice stating the place, day and hour of any meeting and, in case of a special meeting or an annual meeting at which business requiring special notice is to be transacted, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered or transmitted not less than ten days nor more than fifty-five days before the date of the meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the Secretary, or upon a default in duty by the Secretary, by the persons calling the meeting, to each member. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to each member as the address appears on the records of the Cooperative, with postage thereon prepaid. The failure of any member to receive notice of an annual or special meeting of the members shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the members at any such meeting. Notice of adjournment of a members’ meeting need not be given to members present at such adjournment if the time and place to which it is adjourned are fixed and announced at such meeting. A member may attend and participate in any meeting in a manner as determined by the Board of

20H OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

blue, allow collective votes to be cast electronically. Collective voting takes place during the annual meeting when members vote on code changes and confirm the nominating committee, for example, and are decided by a majority vote. The proposed changes that were scheduled to be presented during the 2020 annual meeting, shown in green, outline how to determine the board of trustee voting results if a tie occurs. These changes also explain that board member elections with a margin of less than 5% will be automatically recounted.

Trustees which may be, but is not limited to, physical participation or by electronic means. The manner of attendance and participation of a member in any meeting shall be specified in the notice of said meeting. SECTION 5. Voting Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote and no more upon each matter submitted to a vote of the members. Voting shall be conducted in person at any meeting of the members for general cooperative business. Voting for the Board of Trustees shall be by mail or electronic ballot only and at a time and manner consistent with these Articles of the Code of Regulations as described hereafter and as determined by the Board of Trustees. All questions shall be decided by a vote of the majority of the members voting thereon while voting shall be in a collective manner, including electronic communication, as determined by the Board of Trustees and not otherwise inconsistent with the law. Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote and no more upon each matter submitted to a vote of the membership at any meeting. Any balloting for the election of a Trustee resulting in a tie shall be decided by the drawing of lots, in a manner prescribed by the Cooperative Attorney. Any election of a Trustee by less than a five (5%) percent margin shall be subject to an automatic recount.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Tree trimming

Trees will be trimmed along 160.85 miles of the cooperative’s primary electric lines this year to ensure members have reliable electric service. The cooperative’s contractor trims trees on a four-year cycle. This means trees will be trimmed in your area once every four years. Lewis Tree Service, this year’s contractor, looks for foliage growing under power lines, overhanging branches, leaning trees that could pull down power lines if they fall, and trees that could grow into power lines. MILFORD SUBSTATION Feeder 1 Serves members in southeastern Israel Township, southwestern Somers Township, northwestern Milford Township, and northeastern Oxford Township. Feeder 4 Serves members in eastern Oxford Township. JACKSONBURG SUBSTATION Feeder 1 Serves members in eastern and northeastern Wayne Township and a few members in western Madison Township. Feeder 2 Serves members in eastern Wayne Township, southwestern Madison Township, and Dayspring Subdivision. OXFORD SUBSTATION Feeder 1 Serves members in northeastern Reily Township, southeastern Oxford Township, and a few members in northwestern Hanover Township. Feeder 4 Serves members in northern and northeastern Reily

$ BILL CREDIT WINNERS $50 bill credit winners are randomly selected each month. Congratulations to the February winners! Daniel Feldhaus Russ Obermeyer Donald Mitchell Edward Sunderhaus Mary Traynor

If you receive electricity from the following substation and feeder, trees in your area will be trimmed this year. Emails and letters are sent to members before tree trimming occurs in their area. If you have trees or branches that may pose a risk to our power lines, fill out our tree trimming request form at butlerrural.coop > Electric Service > Tree Trimming or call us at 513-867-4400.

Township, southern Oxford Township, and a few members in northwestern Hanover Township. LAYHIGH SUBSTATION Feeder 1 Serves members in southeastern Reily Township, southwestern Hanover Township, northeastern Morgan Township, and northwestern Ross Township. Feeder 2 Serves members in western Ross Township and a few members along the eastern border of Morgan Township. Feeder 3 Serves members in eastern Morgan Township and members along the western border of Ross Township. TOLBERT SUBSTATION Feeder 3 Serves members in southwestern Wayne Township. REILY SUBSTATION Feeder 3 Serves members in western, southwestern, and southern Reily Township and northwestern Morgan Township.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH Some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140 degrees, but most households usually only require them to be set at 120 degrees. Consider lowering your water heater’s temperature to save energy and slow mineral buildup in the heater and pipes.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

TWO-WAY OUTAGE TEXTING NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH SMARTHUB Reporting an outage just got easier! SmartHub’s new two-way texting feature provides an easy, convenient way to report outages.

Text your outage

You must have a SmartHub account to use this feature. Sign up for SmartHub at butlerrural.coop > My Account > About SmartHub or download the free SmartHub app. Make sure your cellphone number is listed as a Messenger contact in SmartHub. To do so, sign in to your SmartHub account and select Notifications > Manage Contacts > Add Phone Contact. It will take up to 48 hours for a new phone number to be recognized by the outage notification system.

If an outage occurs, text “OUT” to 768482, which is our outage texting number. You will receive a reply that the outage was reported successfully. Two-way outage texting is not available to members with multiple Butler Rural Electric Cooperative accounts. Do not use two-way outage texting to report outages for other people. You report outages for others by calling 513-867-4400.

TEXT “OUT” TO 768482

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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513-867-4400 | 800-255-2732 butlerrural.coop

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22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

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Say what ???? Cleveland twang? Piketon drawl? The way you say certain words can tell others where you’re from. BY PATTY YODER

o you say “crick” or “creek”? “Mom” or “mahm”? How about “wash” or “warsh”? Your answers can pinpoint which part of the state you’re from.

In broad terms, Ohio has three distinct accents — Midland, Inland North, and Southern — but experts allow plenty of room for variations that are unique even down to your town, according to Kathryn Campbell-Kibler, an Ohio State University linguistics professor who specializes in Ohio accents. “Individual cities and areas develop their own ways of speaking,” Campbell-Kibler says. “Some small changes start

inlandnorthern midland

locally and then spread, but other changes begin in, say, Toledo and do not happen anywhere else.” Let’s take a closer look at how Ohioans speak.

Ohio’s Midland accent Read this sentence out loud: It will be a merry day when Mary agrees to marry John. If you have a Midland accent, “merry,” “Mary,” and “marry” sound the same. It’s the most common accent in the state, spoken from Van Wert, Mansfield, and Wooster to Xenia, Lancaster, and St. Clairsville. Midlanders also pronounce words like “cot” and “caught” and “don” and “dawn” interchangeably. (The Marion-raised author of this article had to contort her mouth and pretend she was from New York to form the W in “dawn” successfully.) Midlanders also tend to drop the G’s at the end of words and combine two words for efficiency, so “going” becomes “goin’” and “could have” becomes “coulda.”

Ohio’s Inland North accent Now try this one: It was too hot for hockey, so we drank pop with my dad. If you have an Inland North accent, others hear you say this: It was too haht for hahkey, so we drank pahp with my dee-yad.

southern

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

The long O and the raised A sounds are tipoffs to the Inland North accent, which is spoken throughout the Great Lakes region, including Toledo, Cleveland, and Painesville. Linguists believe the accent originated with the workers who built the Erie Canal.

Inland Northerners have bragging rights for their Northern Cities Vowel Shift (where “cat” becomes “kee-yat”), considered the most important pronunciation change in centuries, according to Campbell-Kibler. They’re also unique for saying “caught” and “cot” differently.

Ohio’s Southern accent Our Southern accent doesn’t go all the way to “Howdy, y’all,” but try this sentence on for size: At the time, my friend was carrying 10 pens and 10 pins. If you’re from Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Marietta, or nearby, others hear you say: At the tahm, mah friend was carrying tin pins and tin pins. For these speakers, the E’s in “pen” and “ten” become I’s, so they sound like “pin” and “tin.” They also soften the I sounds in “time” and “my.” The Southern accent originated in the United Kingdom, which established some of America’s oldest settlements. Today, it covers a wide swath of the country, from Dallas to New Orleans to Memphis to Mobile, before crossing into Ohio’s southern border.

So which accent is the “right” way to speak? There is no official American accent, so the answer is up to you. Obviously, there’s more to Ohio’s story than the three accents listed above. Our Amish communities speak using a Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, and many Ohioans speak African American Vernacular English, a dialect that began in the South and spread across the country. Although there’s no national standard, our accent can help us or hold us back, Campbell-Kibler says. In her research, she studies how people perceive others based on their accents. If it hits our ears wrong, we may assume someone is less educated, less successful, or even less goodlooking than we’d think if they spoke more like us. Knowing this, many people change their accent, which can have emotional side effects. “The speech of our parents is the language of belonging,” CampbellKibler says. “What gets tricky is the language we use out in the world. For some, it may be the difference between being taken seriously or speaking like their family.” Her advice is to keep an open mind when meeting someone new. “Do we really want everybody to sound the same all the time?” she asks. “Personally, I think it’s fun when you can listen to people and they sound different.”

Warsh creek Wash crick

e h t e k a T g a T t n e c c #A e g n e l l a h c

Twenty years ago, a Harvard linguistics professor learned his students’ dialects by asking them to read a list of words and answer 10 questions. When he posted the quiz online, it quickly went viral, and today millions of people have added their voices to the #AccentTag challenge on social media. Here’s how to share your accent with the world: Post a video of yourself reading the words and answering the questions below. Be sure to add #accenttag, #accentchallenge, and #ohioec so other Ohio co-op members can find you. Remember, there are no wrong answers!

#AccentTag words Aunt, roof, route, wash, oil, theater, iron, salmon, caramel, fire, water, sure, data, ruin, crayon, New Orleans, pecan, both, again, probably, spitting image, Alabama, lawyer, coupon, mayonnaise, syrup, pajamas, caught, naturally, aluminum, envelope #AccentTag Questions 1. What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house? 2. What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball? 3. What is the bubbly carbonated drink called? 4. What do you call gym shoes? 5. What do you say to address a group of people? 6. What do you call the kind of spider (or spiderlike creature) that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs? 7. What do you call your grandparents? 8. What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket? 9. What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining? 10. What is the thing you change the TV channel with? APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Technical Scholarships Available For adult and high school consumer-members

Rules and applications are available at www.ohioec.org/TechnicalScholarship APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 30 26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Allis-Chalmers: A Farmer’s Prayer A thoughtful prayer asks the Lord for daily blessings while giving thanks for His strength and guidance.

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“ Setting her own Ever since her father built a world-renowned golf course in Canton, Renee Powell has spent a lifetime opening doors to the game. BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Renee Powell, on the left with her parents, Marcella and Bill Powell, and brother, Larry, has been breaking barriers ever since Bill taught her to play golf when she was 3.

“W

ork hard. Be twice as good. Don’t let anyone else define you. Find your way around obstacles.”

The life lessons that Bill Powell instilled in his daughter, Renee Powell, were sharpened with his boots on the ground … and his golf shoes on the course. Bill Powell served in the Army Air Forces in World War II, and as the war ended, he enjoyed playing a little golf on the renowned courses in Scotland. Upon returning stateside, however, he found he was barred from many golf courses because of his race. Undeterred, the young Army veteran found a solution. He built his own golf course. By himself. By hand.

Tenacity to get the job done Working nights as a security guard, Bill would return home at dawn and get to work. Using hand tools and pulling a mower with an old Army Jeep, he transformed a former dairy farm near Canton into a nine-hole public course that he opened to all. It later expanded to 18 holes. Named a National Historic Site by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Clearview is still the only golf course in the country designed, built, owned, and operated by an African American. “Here he was, a World War II veteran, and he was treated better in other countries than he was in America,” Renee says. “What drove him to build a golf course was being denied access. He found a way to create an opportunity for everybody.” Powell passed that tenacity to his children. “My parents taught me to never give up,” Renee says. “They believed we all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. You see what others went through to pave the way for you, and I saw what my parents did to pave the way for me.”

Carrying on the tradition Today, Renee and her brother, Larry, carry on their dad’s legacy at Clearview, where she’s the head golf professional and he’s the superintendent. The two are looking forward to celebrating the club’s 75th anniversary with a host of special events planned throughout the year.

Renee and Larry grew up at Clearview and started playing golf early on. “I learned to walk and talk — and play golf,” she says. “I still have the original golf club my dad put in my hands when I was 3.” Like her father, Renee helped open doors in the world of golf. By her early teens — with her parents fighting for her right to compete — she had won more than 30 tournaments and was the first Black girl to play in the U.S. Junior Girls Championship. In 1967, she became the second Black woman to compete on the LPGA Tour, going on to play in more than 250 professional tournaments and winning the 1973 Kelly Springfield Open in Australia. After leaving the LPGA, she worked as a golf pro in the United Kingdom, becoming the first female golfer ever to be given an honorary doctorate from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She was and is an enthusiastic international ambassador for the game, having traveled to Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe.

Time to pay forward It was a 1970 trip to Vietnam with the USO, however, that helped inspire Renee’s latest endeavor. Moved by that experience and fortified by her father’s military background, she launched a golf program specifically for female veterans in 2011. The project, dubbed H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), is a year-round, cost-free program that “brings women veterans together in a ‘safe space’ where they can have fun and connect with one another,” Continued on page 30

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

Continued from page 29

she says. “We use golf from a therapeutic and recreational standpoint. Most of these women have never even considered playing golf.” But then they get hooked. “It’s very uplifting and empowering when that little ball goes airborne,” Renee says. The roster of about 50 women — up to age 81 — includes Vietnam-era veterans, as well as those who served in Desert Storm and Iraq. “Once we kick off the season, they play on Friday evenings — that’s their time, and there’s usually food involved,” Renee says. “They not only have fun with the game but find a sense of camaraderie. They understand each other. They’ve told me this program has saved their life.” Renee’s love of golf, cultivated early in life, has continued to inspire others. She thinks back to a day during her touring career when she ran into another Black athletic pioneer, none other than Jesse Owens, in an Ohio airport. The two sat together in the plane and talked the entire trip, and she still remembers his words, which guide her to this day.

When he was denied the opportunity to play golf after returning from World War II, Bill Powell built his own course, by himself and by hand.

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“You don’t have a choice to play or not to play,” she says Owens told her. “When God gives you a talent,” he said, “you have a responsibility to use that talent.”

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Who knew that one of Ohio’s biggest cities is a big-time destination for family fun? Cleveland’s wide variety of kid-friendly attractions, plus its affordability and easy access, equals an outstanding package of experiences for all ages. BY DAMAINE VONADA

32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

A Christmas Story House and Museum Stroke the leg lamp like Ralphie did or crawl under the kitchen sink like Randy — or mimic any number of scenes from the iconic movie at the house where it was made. “There’s even Lifebuoy soap in the bathroom,” says owner Brian Jones. “People are welcome to put the soap in their mouths, but it tastes awful.” Although a nearby museum displays Randy’s snowsuit and other authentic costumes and props from the beloved film, fans can give themselves a Major Award with an overnight stay — tuck the kids into Ralphie’s and Randy’s beds, or sleep next door in the Bumpus House’s Hound Dog Haven and Stolen Turkey suites.

216-298-4919; www.achristmasstoryhouse.com

Children’s Museum of Cleveland The museum is a learning center for little ones where infants to 8-year-olds can make believe or make a splash. It’s currently closed to the public, but has plenty of online programs until its Wonder Lab, Adventure City, or Arts and Parts spaces can open once again.

216-791-7114; www.cmcleveland.org

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo While their eyes go wide when tigers walk above their heads, nothing wows youngsters more than hand-feeding lettuce to 16-foot-tall giraffes. Tip: Unlock educational animal information with KeyBank ZooKeys at more than two dozen information boxes around the zoo.

216-661-6500; www.futureforwildlife.org

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Learning Center and Money Museum Get a crash course in cash at the Money Museum, located inside the Cleveland Fed’s venerable building. The visit is free, but shells out priceless activities — including Barter Island and a Money Tree — that teach the value of a dollar.

216-579-3188; www.clevelandfed.org

Great Lakes Science Center Great Lakes Science Center excels in developing interactive exhibits that boost kids’ confidence in their abilities and even engage the entire family. “The entire center is designed with multi-generation experiences in mind,” says Kirsten Ellenbogen, president and CEO. Signature attractions include the Derby Dash, where you can build and race cars; the Rocket Pod, which tests your skills at making and launching paper projectiles; and NASA Glenn Visitor Center, where your whole crew will have a blast peering inside an Apollo Command Module or getting their photos taken inside a space suit. Tip: The Center sits along Lake Erie and has picnic areas perfect for lunches with waterfront views.

216-694-2000; www.greatscience.com

Greater Cleveland Aquarium A repurposed powerhouse sets a unique stage to provide small fry with eye-level views and awesome perspectives on fish from around the world. Walk underwater and watch sharks swim in the seatube. Pet stingrays in the touchpool. Marvel at plankton-eating eels popping out of their burrows. Then meet Toby, a giant-lipped gourami with a reputation for puckering up to visitors. “Toby definitely seems to like to engage with people, and guests just love him,” says the aquarium’s marketing director, Samantha Fryberger.

216-862-8803; www. greaterclevelandaquarium.com

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Hershey Children’s Garden at Cleveland Botanical Garden Nurture a love of nature at Hershey Children’s Garden, a cool, kid-sized place with butterfly-shaped gates and a lofty treehouse. Look for living fossils like the ginkgo tree; listen to croaking frogs; touch silky lamb’s ear leaves; and explore the wonders of sunflowers, earthworms, and seeds.

216-721-1600; www.cbgarden.org/visit/the-gardens/ hershey-childrens-garden

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame The Rock Hall is more than a world-class collection of artifacts and a highenergy homage to rock music. It’s also a place for you and your future rock stars to make your own music in The Garage, an interactive exhibit that recalls the humble origin of many famous bands. Just select a guitar, keyboard, or other instrument to get a lesson or play with family and friends. Tip: Try singing backup for The Mechanics, the Rock Hall’s jam band.

216-781-7625; www.rockhall.com

Sweet Moses Soda Fountain and Treat Shop The nostalgia of an authentic 1940s soda fountain combined with homemade ice creams, toppings, and even root beer are the recipe for pure enjoyment at Sweet Moses, an oldschool shop named for Cleveland founder Moses Cleaveland (spelled with an extra “a”). “It’s really great when it becomes a multi-generational experience and grandparents get to show their grandchildren a treat from their own childhood, such as a chocolate soda,” says owner Jeffrey Moreau. Also on the menu are hand-carbonated floats, malts, phosphates, and the Terminal Tower, a 10-scoop-tall sundae featuring house flavors such as Belgian Chocolate and Bananas Foster.

216-651-2202; www.sweetmosestreats.com

Be COVID cautious before you go Since the pandemic is unpredictable, always call ahead or check attractions’ websites for updates on hours, reserving arrival times, pre-purchasing tickets, wearing masks, and health and safety guidelines.

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 35

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2021 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

NORTHEAST

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. COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

APR. 7–20 – Cleveland International Film Festival, 2510 Market Ave., Cleveland. 216-623-3456 or www. clevelandfilm.org. APR. 17 – Avon Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Emerald Event Ctr., 33040 Just Imagine Dr., Avon, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Original handmade items. Full concession stand on site. 440227-8794 or www.avantgardeshows.com. APR. 22–25 – Geauga County Maple Festival, Historic Chardon Square, Chardon. A festival celebrating “everything maple”! Arts and crafts, lumberjack competition and other contests, pageants, and other fun activities. Enjoy all-you-can-eat Pancakes in the Park every day, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. 440-332-7055, info@ maplefestival.com, or www.maplefestival.com. APR. 23–24 – Earlier Times Antiques and Folk Art Show, Harvest Ridge, Holmes Co. Fgds., 8880 OH-39, Millersburg, Fri. 4–7 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information, contact Cheryl Williams at 614-9895811 or Stacee Droit at 618-932-6633. APR. 30–MAY 1 – Dandelion May Fest, Roadhouse Amphitheater, 1/2 mile east of Breitenbach Wine Cellars, 5934 Old Rte. 39 NW, Dover, Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Dandelion food and wine tastings, dandelion sangria, cellar tours, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. Kids’ dandelion picking contest and jelly making on Saturday. 330-343-3603 or www. breitenbachwine.com/events/dandelion-festival.

MAY 1 – Opening Day of Fort Steuben Tours, Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. Third St., Steubenville, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $9, Srs. $8, C. (6–12) $5, under 6 free. 740-2831787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com. MAY 1–2 – Ohio Civil War Show and Artillery Show, Richland Co. Fgds., 750 N. Home Rd., Mansfield, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7, under 12 free. Authentic military memorabilia and related items (1775–1945 only) to buy, sell, or trade. Cannon firing and small arms demonstrations, Civil War and WWII battleground encampments, Civil War hospital scenario, and much more. www.ohiocivilwarshow.com. MAY 2 – The Baker’s Basement: Swingin’ Folk-Funk, HeARTland, 8187 Camp Rd., Homerville, 2 p.m. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy this free outdoors concert. In the event of rain, and if COVID regulations permit, the concert will take place at the Homerville Community Center Auditorium, 8964 Spencer Rd., Homerville. If not, you can livestream the event at www. facebook.com/Ormaco.Inc. For more information, call 419-853-6016. MAY 8 – Model Train Flea Market, Painesville Railroad Museum, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Household items also for sale. Food and drinks available for small donation. Call Tom at 216-470-5780 for more information or visit www.painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.

beginners and experienced naturalists alike. Three additional sites will be open but without programs. All reservations must be made online and in advance for each program site. Current health department guidelines will be followed at the sites. 800-642-8282 or www.mohicanwildlifeweekend.com. APR. 23–25 – Ohioana Book Festival, virtual event. Free. This festival celebrating Ohio’s authors will bring more than 100 authors together with readers of all ages for virtual readings, discussions, and more. All content from the 2020 Ohioana Book Festival is now available online as well. 614-466-3831 or www.ohioana.org/ programs/ohioana-book-festival. APR. 23–25 – Vintage Market Days, Franklin Co. APR. 13, MAY 11 – Inventors Network Meeting, virtual Fgds., 4951 Northwest Pkwy., Hilliard, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.– event, 7 p.m. Educational presentations and discussion 5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10 for early buyers, $5 about the invention process. For more information, call for Sat./Sun. only, under 12 free. An upscale vintage614-470-0144 or visit www.inventorscolumbus.com. inspired indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, APR. 15 – “Vegetable Gardening,” virtual class via home décor, outdoor furnishings, and more. https:// Zoom, 6–7:30 p.m. $20–$25. A master gardener vintagemarketdays.com/market/west-columbus. teaches you how to plan, plant, and maintain a successful vegetable garden. Register online at www. APR. 30–MAY 1 – Spring at the Round Barn, Fairfield fpconservatory.org/events. Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, Fri. 4–8 p.m., APR. 16–18 – Columbus Home Improvement Show, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $5; free for 12 and under. VIP and early bird tickets available online. More than 125 of Ohio Expo Ctr., Kasich Hall, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus. the best vendors from across the Midwest, featuring $6, under 18 free. The most knowledgeable and experienced remodeling and building experts from the rustic, repurposed, salvaged, and modern farmhouse Columbus area will share their knowledge to help bring décor, boutique clothing, hand-poured candles, your home improvement ideas to life or inspire you with artisan jewelry, and handcrafted items. Live music new ones. See the latest innovations and design trends, and food trucks. 614-296-1621 or www.facebook.com/ RoundBarnVintageandMadeMarket. and find unique objects and artwork for your home. www.homeshowcenter.com/overview/columbushome2. MAY 1 – “Create a Paper Succulent Garden,” Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, APR. 23–25 – Mohican Wildlife Weekend: Survivor noon–3 p.m. $100. Learn to create realistic-looking Mohican, locations in Ashland and Richland counties. succulents from local artist Lea Gray, whose work is on Free. A celebration of wildlife habitat, heritage, and display in the Cardinal Health Gallery. Lea will guide natural history. Choose from 10 program sites that will you through the easy process of creating a collection offer workshops and demonstrations to interest of succulents that you get to “plant” in your very own wall garden! This class is in-person only. Face coverings

and social distancing required. 614-715-8156 or www. fpconservatory.org. MAY 6 – “Violence in the Ohio House,” virtual event via Zoom, 7 p.m. $15; free for OHS members. Politicians viciously insulted and even physically attacked their opponents in the years leading up to the Civil War. In January 1857, Cincinnati Democrat John P. Slough assaulted Republican Darius Cadwell on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives, which resulted in Slough’s expulsion from the legislature. Richard L. Miller uses the story of the Slough-Cadwell altercation to examine the political tensions that eventually tore the country apart in 1860. Register and purchase tickets at www.ohiohistory.org. MAY 8 – “Create a Pink Paper Magnolia,” Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, noon–3 p.m. $100. Learn the easy and fun techniques to create a beautifully realistic paper magnolia with artist Lea Gray. Students will learn the art of curling and folding Italian crepe papers, as well as hombre color effects, to create realistic-looking flowers and buds. This class is in-person only. Face coverings and social distancing required. 614-715-8156 or www.fpconservatory.org. MAY 14–16 – All American Columbus Pet Expo, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus. Includes the Pet Expo, All About Cats Expo, Mega Pet Adoption, and much more! Check website for updated schedules. www.columbuspetexpo.com. MAY 15 – “Art on the Canal” Art Stroll, High Street, Canal Winchester, noon–6 p.m. Free. The downtown will come alive with music, dancing, and performances, along with a variety of arts and crafts from central Ohio artists. Enjoy local food, drinks, and shopping, and be sure to visit Canal Winchester’s Historical Complex on North High Street, which includes the one-room Prentiss School Building and the Hocking Valley “Queen of the Line” railroad depot, as well as Robert Warren’s art studio. 614-270-5053 or www.destinationcw.org.

THROUGH APR. 10 – Spring Quilt Show: “The Joy of Quilts,” Historic Fort Steuben Visitor Ctr., 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. From handstitched family heirlooms to machinecrafted modern designs. 740-283-1787 or www. oldfortsteuben.com. APR. 2–MAY 2 – The Great Steubenville Eggsibition, Steubenville Visitor Center, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Three-foot-tall Easter eggs are strategically placed in downtown businesses for an allcity, all-ages Easter Egg Hunt! Twenty-eight giant eggs were designed and meticulously painted by more than 20 different local artists. Maps available at the Visitor Center and local shops. Call 740-283-2935 or email info@visitsteubenville.com.

CENTRAL

APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2021 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

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.

NORTHWEST

9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m., rain or shine. Handicap accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per show. Wide variety of merchandise for sale, including antiques, collectibles, furniture, crafts, produce, and more. 419-447-9613, tiffinfleamarket@gmail.com, or www.tiffinfleamarket.com. APR. 24–25 – Ghost Town Spring Crafts and Antiques Festival, 10630 Co. Rd. 40, Findlay. A family event featuring crafts and antiques, live music and performances, food and beverages, and kids’ activities. See Facebook page for updated schedules. 419-673-7783 or www.facebook.com/Ghost-TownTHROUGH OCT. 30 – Bluffton Farmers Market, Findlay-Ohio-1525098627787387. Citizens National Bank parking lot, 102 S. Main St., downtown Bluffton (2 mins. from I-75 exits 140 and APR. 25 – Glass City Marathon, 2801 W. Bancroft 142), every Saturday, rain or shine, 8:30 a.m.–noon. St., Toledo. One of the fastest marathon courses in the Outdoor market offering local produce, plants, and Midwest, regularly in the top list of Boston Marathon cottage foods. Storytime with the Bluffton Public qualifying events. 26.2-mile marathon, half marathon, Library and live music on select Saturdays. www. 5K, and five-person relay. www.glasscitymarathon.org. explorebluffton.com/farmers-market. MAY 1 – Kentucky Derby Affair on the Square, APR. 10 – Bucyrus Model Railroad Association Courthouse Square lawn, downtown Sidney. Get your Train Show and Swap Meet, Crawford Co. Fgds., hats and bow ties ready for a fantastic event! Tickets 610 Whetstone St., Bucyrus, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5, required. Follow “Sidney Alive” on Facebook or call us free for 12 and under. Club room will be open with at 937-658-6945. operating layouts for all to enjoy. Exhibit tables MAY 1–2 – “Springtime in Ohio” Art and Craft available for selling, trading, and swapping. 419-564- Show, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., 7850 or find us on Facebook. Findlay, Sat. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $6– APR. 17 – Open Hearts Classical Music Series, St. $8. Outstanding crafts and art displays, food, musical Charles Catholic Church, 2200 W. Elm, Lima, 7:30 p.m. entertainment, kids’ activities, and demonstrations. Free. Featuring Russian pianist Vitaly Serebriakov. 419-436-1457 or http://cloudshows.biz/event-calendar. All COVID-safe regulations apply (wear a mask, don’t MAY 1–2 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., come if you have a fever or have been in contact with 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. someone who is COVID positive, etc.). http://lima. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 simpleviewinc.com. p.m. $6, members and under 18 free. Over 400 APR. 24 – Chocolate and Wine Walk, 5495 tables of modern and antique guns, edged weapons, Liberty Ave., Vermilion, noon–4 p.m. $20. Take a and sportsmen equipment. 419-647-0067 or www. stroll through downtown Vermilion while sampling tristategunshow.org. chocolate treats and/or wine as you visit the quaint MAY 6–10 – Biggest Week in American shops. Limited tickets, so register early! 440-967-4477 Birding, virtual event. Free to Black Swamp Bird or http://vermilionchamber.net. Observatory members. Because of continuing APR. 24–25 – The Fantastic Tiffin Flea Market, concerns about COVID, the event is going virtual Seneca Co. Fgds., 100 Hopewell Ave., Tiffin, Sat. this year. Not only will we bring you the kind of

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.–noon. Buy local and support your local economy. The market showcases farmers, orchardists, specialty food producers, bakers, horticulturalists, cheese makers, and many other food-based entrepreneurs. 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org. APR. 15 – “Spoken & Heard,” virtual event via Zoom, 7 p.m. Part of a series of literary events hosted by Kari Gunter-Seymour, poet laureate of Ohio, 38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

featuring award-winning authors, poets, and singer/ songwriters from across the country. April’s event will feature Gunter-Seymour as well as authors Robert Gipe and Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. Register online at www.stuartsoperahouse.org/events. APR. 17 – An Insider’s Tour, Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta, 1:30–3:30 p.m. Museum admission plus $10. Take a deeper look at the early settlers who are the focus of David McCullough’s latest book, The Pioneers. Learn about their lives, their possessions, and the home of General Rufus Putnam. Stories narrated by William Reynolds, the museum’s historian and a research contributor to McCullough while writing his book. Registration required. 740-373-3750 or www. campusmartiusmuseum.org. APR. 24 – Earth Gathering Festival, Pump House Ctr. for the Arts, 1 Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. Earth-friendly art, music, food, products, and ideas. Quality, affordable handmade art and great music from local and regional artists. 740-772-5783 or http://visitchillicotheohio.com. APR. 24–25 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville, Sat. 7 a.m.–7

outstanding workshops and keynotes you’ve come to expect during Biggest Week, we’re also going to bring you virtual experiences at some of your favorite birding hotspots in northwest Ohio! Watch for updates on our Facebook page and our website: www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com. MAY 8 – CMP Monthly Air Rifle and Air Pistol Match, Camp Perry, 1000 Lawrence Dr., Port Clinton. Free admission and parking. Competitions feature a Junior Air Rifle 3x20 and 3x10, and a 60 Shots Air Rifle and Air Pistol match. Rental equipment is available for a small fee. 419-635-2141 ext. 707 (Lue Sherman), lsherman@ thecmp.org, or https://thecmp.org/ranges/cmpcompetition-centers/monthly-air-rifle-and-airpistol-matches. MAY 8 – Half-Mile Motorcycle Races, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. $10–$20, under 6 free. Amateur and Power Elite half-mile flat track racing. www.facebook.com/ events/868069833981084 or www.allencofair.com. MAY 8 – Lilac Festival and Street Fair, downtown Defiance. Celebrate the official flower of Defiance with the community’s largest arts and crafts fair. Free lilacs to the first 750 attendees. 5K race, live music, arts and craft vendors, unique food vendors, and kids’ activities. 419-782-0739 or http:// visitdefianceohio.com/annual-events. MAY 8 – Toledo Doll and Bear Show and Sale, Stranahan Theater and Great Hall, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., early bird admission 8:30 a.m. $7 ($6 with online coupon); early bird, $20; 12 and under free. Handicap accessible. Wide variety of antique, vintage, artist, and modern dolls and bears/critters, as well as accessories, vintage/antique toys, and much more. Door prizes, raffles, appraisals, and on-site doll restringing. 520-270-0179, Toledo@dollshows.net, or www.toledodollshow.com.

p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–4 p.m. $5/day; free for 12 and under. Early bird shopping on Apr. 23 at 3 p.m., $5. Free parking on fairground lots. 937-728-6643 or www.lucasvilletradedays.com. APR. 28 – Lecture: “Rufus Putnam’s Role in the Revolutionary War,” Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta, 2–3 p.m. $5. Attend in-person or via Zoom. RSVP required; book online. 740-3733750 or www.campusmartiusmuseum.org. MAY 8 – “Ross County in the Nation’s Wars,” walking tour, Chillicothe, 1–5 p.m. Sponsored by the Chillicothe Restoration Foundation and area veterans organizations. Learn about each of the names memorialized on the town’s monuments for WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as the four servicemen who gave their lives in the global War on Terror. http://visitchillicotheohio.com/event/rosscounty-in-the-nations-wars-2. MAY 12 – Lecture: “Life on a Shanty Boat,” Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta, 2–3 p.m. $5. Attend in-person or via Zoom. RSVP required; book online. 740-373-3750 or www. campusmartiusmuseum.org.

DR® Power Grader SOUTHWEST

THROUGH MAY 26 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, every Wednesday, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of lively bluegrass entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Because of restricted seating due to COVID precautions, reservations are strongly recommended and should be made early. Call to confirm before driving. 513-385-9309 or vinokletwinery@fuse.net. APR. 11 – Annual Farm Toy Show, Champaign Co. Fgds., 384 Park Ave., Urbana, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2, under 12 free. Look, buy, sell, or trade. Over 120 tables. Door prizes. Parts dealer will be present. Contact Lowell Morningstar at 937-826-4201. APR. 16–17 – Midwest Ceramic Association Show, Butler Co. Exhibition Bldg., Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ohio’s original ceramic show. www.midwestceramics.org. APR. 16–18 – Vintage Market Days, Greene Co. Fgds., 120 Fairground Rd., Xenia, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $10 for early buyer, $5 for Sat./Sun. only, under 13 free. An upscale vintageinspired indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, and more. www. vintagemarketdays.com. APR. 18 – Cincinnati’s Premier Wedding Show and Bridal Expo, The Manor House, 7440 Mason-

WEST VIRGINIA

Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission if you pre-register; $10 at the door. Tickets limited due to COVID restrictions. Find everything you need to create your dream wedding from 80 to 100 of Cincinnati’s best wedding professionals and businesses. See the latest trends in reception tables, décor, cakes, photography, and fashion, and take advantage of special discounts, deals, prizes, and giveaways. http://ohioweddingshows.com. APR. 24 – Queen City Beautiful Doll Club: Fashion Doll Show and Sale, EnterTRAINment Junction Expo Room, 7379 Squire Ct., West Chester, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Fashion dolls, clothes, and accessories from all eras. Door prizes, display/ exhibit, ID/valuation. 513-207-8409, askmargie@ aol.com, or find us on Facebook. APR. 24–25 – Dayton Fancy Feathers Club Poultry Show, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville. 937-459-8447 (Ken Greer) or www. darkecountyfair.com. APR. 28–MAY 9 – Now and Then, virtual event. The Human Race Theatre Company presents the premiere of this heartfelt romantic comedy about the costs of the choices we make, and the people who make them with us. Written by Sean Grennan. Due to COVID precautions, the play will be filmed at a special location for your home viewing pleasure on the streaming platform BroadwayOnDemand.com. For details and showtimes, visit www.daytonlive.org/ events/now-and-then. APR. 30 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy an evening of craft beers and lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Food truck available on site. Schedule may change due to COVID restrictions; please verify before traveling. 513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com. MAY 8 – Spring Food Truck Rally, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. 937-6212166 (Jason Blackburn) or www.darkecountyfair.com.

MAY 1 – Blue Ridge Arts and Crafts Festival, Sam Michaels Park, 235 Sam Michaels Lane, Harpers Ferry, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Over 60 Blue Ridge artisans will be displaying and selling their handcrafted items. Door prizes, demonstrations, kids’ games, live music, food trucks, and much more! www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeArtsandCraftsFestival. MAY 15 – Rock and Roll Doo Wop, Capitol Theatre, 1015 Main St., Wheeling, 7 p.m. Featuring Bobby Rydell, The Duprees, Shirley Alston Reeves (of the Shirelles), and The Vogues. 304-243-4470 or www. capitoltheatrewheeling.com.

Make sure you’re included in our calendar! Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or send an email to events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/ website for more information.

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APRIL 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

TRAVEL ABROAD

1. Showing my University of Findlay pride on the Great Wall of China in 2017. Allison Burmeister Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member 2. My daughter, Jenna, and me outside the gates of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. Darla Cabe Pioneer Electric Cooperative member

3. Jane Kunkler and Sarah, Evelyn, and Daniel Jerabek on the stairs in Brno, in the center of Moravia in the Czech Republic. David Kunkler South Central Power Company member 4. Getting close up to the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Doug and Lorie Wilber Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative members 5. Kissing under the Eiffel Tower. Roy and Christy McMillan Frontier Power Company members 6. I returned to Korea for the 50th anniversary of when I was wounded during combat on Heartbreak Ridge on Oct. 10, 1951. Robert Burr Consolidated Cooperative member

(Below) Me with a mountain goat in Bergen, Norway. Ivy Hammond South Central Power Company member

Send us your picture! For July, send “A day at the beach” by April 15; for August, send “Dog days” by May 15. Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2021

Celebrate

National Lineman Appreciation Day: April 12

THEY KEEP OUR LIGHTS ON EVERY DAY. But they also help communities rebuild after weather disasters, and they even travel across the globe to bring electricity to people who have never had it. To recognize your co-op’s dedicated employees, #ThankALineman this April.

ohioec.org/purpose

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