HOW DO CAPITAL CREDITS WORK?
Co-ops are not-for-profit, so when there’s money left after bills are paid, it’s returned to members as “capital credits,” or “patronage capital.”
Annually, Ohio electric cooperatives return about $35 million to their members
Nationally, electric co-ops returned $1.6 BILLION to members in 2022, and $22 BILLION since 1988.
Members paying their bills generates operating revenue for the co-op.
When all the bills are paid, the extra money at the end of each year, called “margins,” is allocated back to each member based on how much electricity they purchased that year.
The co-op’s board approves a return of that money to members, often called “capital credits” or “patronage capital.”
INSIDE
FEATURES
22 GAUNT’S GIFT
In Yellow Springs, a unique legacy brings comfort during the holiday season.
26 OH HO, THE MISTLETOE!
Getting to the bottom of one of the season’s most fun, yet puzzling, traditions.
28 BALL DROPS
Ohioans ring in the new year with a quirky and eclectic collection of cool countdowns.
Cover image on most editions: Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member Joyce Davis shares this photo of the magic of Christmas, seen through the eyes of her children, Wes and Viola.
This page: Twenty Ohio co-ops (plus one from West Virginia) sent 50 students to the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., making it the state’s largest-ever delegation.
Next up
Going back to our beginning, every leader of this organization has been distinctly different from the last. We’ve all had our own personalities, our own priorities, and our own approaches to the issues of the day. While none of us has been perfect, each has been the right person at the right time for the needs of the organization.
Bill Stuckey, for example, had been a national leader in the farm safety movement while working for Ohio State University’s Extension Service, and that culture of safety became his enduring legacy as the first executive manager of Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Or Howard Cummins, who championed the creation of a monthly co-op magazine — this magazine, now in its 67th year of publication — and oversaw the formation of Buckeye Power the very next year.
Bob Cleveland, Dick Byrne, and Tony Ahern held the position before I became CEO in 2015, and I like to think all of us have had a hand in the success of our organization. We’ve done a good job of promoting and nurturing unity among Ohio’s electric cooperatives. We’ve built a solid foundation of trust among our membership and grown a national reputation for being strong advocates for electric cooperatives.
This will be my last column in these pages, as I’ll be retiring at the end of the year, full of gratitude for the opportunities and experiences my time with Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives has provided. I would like to think I’ve added to the legacy and the durability of our cooperative network by helping to build a strong, resilient, and adaptable team that is prepared for the challenges and the opportunities that the future will bring.
I’m confident in the co-op’s future and the leadership team that will be in place. Our board made the wise and well-considered decision to elevate Craig Grooms to become the organization’s seventh chief executive.
Craig, like all of his predecessors, is a different leader than those before him, and he will have his own way of doing things. Change is always a bit unsettling, but it’s also healthy, and now seems like the right time for a new approach. There are new challenges and opportunities ahead, and I’m sure that the team here at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives will be ready to serve your interests.
Thank you and farewell.
Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
I’ll be retiring at the end of the year, full of gratitude for the opportunities and experiences my time with OEC has provided.
Wilbur Stuckey
Howard Cummins
Robert Cleveland
Richard Byrne
Anthony Ahern
Craig Grooms
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives
6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO
Caryn Whitney Director of Communications
Jeff McCallister Senior Managing Editor
Amy Howat Assistant Managing Editor
Neal Kindig Graphic Designer
Contributors: Adobe Stock, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, Craig Springer, and Damaine Vonada.
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 Berne, IN 46711, 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 Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.
DEPARTMENTS
4 POWER LINES
Voice of reason: Pat O’Loughlin used his CEO megaphone to promote common sense and find common ground.
6 More than ever: The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour expands its reach and opens opportunities.
8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
Homecoming? Long absent from Ohio forests, fishers may be returning to the Buckeye State.
10
CO-OP PEOPLE
Chestnuts everywhere: Eastern Ohio co-op makes a growing business out of those prickly-shelled nuggets.
13 GOOD EATS
Holiday treats: Gift these tiny sweets and bring joy to everyone’s taste buds!
17
LOCAL PAGES
News and other important information from your electric cooperative.
National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon
American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop
Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.
Alliance for Audited Media Member
30 CALENDAR
What’s happening: December/ January events and other things to do around Ohio.
34
MEMBER INTERACTIVE
The night before Christmas: Members anticipate Santa’s arrival in all kinds of merry ways.
Voice of reason
O’Loughlin used his
CEO megaphone to promote common sense and find common ground.
BY JEFF McCALLISTER
Pat O’Loughlin’s first column in what was then Country Living magazine, upon his elevation to president and CEO of Buckeye Power and the co-op statewide association in 2015, took note of “interesting times.” Now, as he retires from the post, he says the times are by no means any less interesting.
The electric industry as a whole was in the final stages of a radical clean-up in 2015. The Cardinal Power Plant in Brilliant, of which Ohio co-ops were part-owners along with American Electric Power, had survived a nationwide wave of coal plant closures, thanks to more than $1 billion in investments that transformed it into one of the cleanest facilities of its kind in the world.
Nevertheless, the U.S. EPA had just issued a set of new regulations that Cardinal was unlikely to be able to meet, and while the Supreme Court eventually struck down those rules, more have followed. The polarization that has divided the American public on so many issues put a focus on electricity generation — while the rise of data centers, electric vehicles, and the like has driven demand for electricity to an all-time high. Interesting times (to say the least) for O’Loughlin and the co-ops.
“The worst thing that’s ever happened to our industry is that it’s become overly politicized,” O’Loughlin says. “We’re an industry that’s built on science and engineering. Making electrons get to where they need to go, all at the speed of light, is actually an amazing thing that we’ve accomplished. But now political talking points have overwhelmed our ability to have a rational conversations about what will work and what won’t work.”
O’Loughlin, who earned a master’s degree in environmental science at Miami University after completing his engineering physics degree, got his start in the industry working on early renewable energy and energy-efficiency programs, including early work with a prototype electric vehicle.
Those early days, he says, gave him unique insight about what is realistic and what is fantasy, and his job as CEO of Buckeye Power, the generation and transmission cooperative that provides power to more than 1 million Ohioans, put him in a position to be a rational voice in the national energy conversation.
O’Loughlin’s thoughtful approach helped the national co-op organization, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, become one of the most powerful voices within the electric utility industry when it comes to finding a balance between reliability, affordability, and environmental responsibility. He’s been called to testify before Congress about those topics on multiple occasions.
“The realization came pretty quickly that part of my job was to be involved in public advocacy for what we thought were commonsense solutions to some of these problems,” O’Loughlin says. “So I tried to have the biggest megaphone I could, and use it to work with people who were honestly trying to figure it out rather than just trying to demagogue things.”
Of course, while all that was happening, O’Loughlin also led groundbreaking work in his role as head of the statewide association of Ohio cooperatives.
His leadership, for example, led to advances in the overall safety culture at the co-ops around the state — including the opening of the Central Ohio Lineworker Training facility in Mount Gilead, where the state’s co-op lineworkers now get consistent, detailed training at every stage of their careers.
O’Loughlin also pioneered the statewide association’s foray into international outreach. In fact, next month, when a group of Ohio lineworkers travel to Guatemala to provide electricity to a remote area of that country, it will be the fourth such trip Ohio’s co-ops have taken, all of them organized by the statewide association. He was honored nationally for modernizing the communications services the association provides to its member co-ops in the state — including a complete rebranding of the statewide magazine that has since been recognized twice as the best of its kind in the country, and adding a slew of digital communications tools.
Also, when uncertainty around EPA rules, among other factors, prompted AEP to sell its share of Cardinal Plant to the co-ops, Buckeye Power suddenly had to learn plant operations on the fly. O’Loughlin led the creation of Cardinal Operating Company to take on that challenge, with great success.
“When I talked about those interesting times in 2015, I didn’t realize all that was about to happen,” he says.
“It made us a different kind of company than we had been, and I think a better one. What I have seen was people willing to put themselves out there and try things that were new and different and risky, knowing they could fail but willing to try anyway.”
And of course, times are still “interesting,” but O’Loughlin says the leadership team already in place — Craig Grooms, currently the co-op’s chief operating officer, will step in as new CEO in January — is ready to guide the company into whatever the future holds. “We have been and continue to be a learning organization, with a long history of being sensible, good co-op people,” O’Loughlin says.
“We’ve never been afraid of challenges, and we are willing to learn and do new things. As a leadership team, I think everyone sees a lot of possible paths we might end up on. I know they’ll be ready.”
BY AMY HOWAT
Ithanever More
f one word could sum up the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour for Ohio’s delegation, it would probably be “more.”
It wasn’t only that the Buckeye State’s contingent included 50 high school students from 20 Ohio electric distribution cooperatives (and one from West Virginia) — more students, representing more co-ops, than in any previous year, according to Missy Kidwell, who coordinates the program for Ohio co-ops. The tour’s programming was also expanded, so it meant more hands-on experiences, more peer connections, and more memories that will last a lifetime.
Building life skills
Since the late 1950s, Youth Tour has brought high school students from co-ops around the country to Washington, D.C., for a week every June. This year, more than 1,800 delegates from 44 states participated.
The program is much more than a sightseeing trip. While delegates visit areas of civic, historical, and cultural importance, they also meet with their elected representatives and learn about electric cooperatives. Along the way, they network with other youth, make lasting friendships, build knowledge, and develop skills that will help them later in life.
“It was a great experience,” says Darcie Reinhart, a 2023 delegate from Lexington who was sponsored by Consolidated Cooperative. “I got to meet people from rural areas in Ohio and across the U.S. Though we’re from different sides of the country, we have so much in common and we’re more closely connected than I thought we would be.”
Reinhart, then a student at Lexington High School, was elected by her fellow delegates to represent Ohio on the national Youth Leadership Council, which provides additional cooperative, electric industry, and leadership training to one student from each state while giving these
young members a voice in addressing cooperative leaders. Through YLC, Reinhart spoke to her co-op’s board of directors, made a speech at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ winter conference, and attended the Power Xchange conference, a national meeting of cooperative leaders.
“Being a part of YLC helped me to step out of my comfort zone and learn a lot of leadership, communication, and social skills,” Reinhart says. “Before Youth Tour and YLC, I hadn’t sent emails to or called people I didn’t know. I hadn’t attended a business conference or spoken in front of a professional group.”
Fostering relationships
“I learned so much,” says Reinhart, now a freshman studying civil engineering at Ohio State University. “I applied those skills in my college applications and scholarship interviews. It’s something unique on my resume.”
Sophie Dougherty, a junior at Talawanda High School and 2024 delegate sponsored by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, says Youth Tour also took her out of her comfort zone.
2024 Youth Tour delegate Sophie Dougherty (center) and friends enjoy the Cardinal Power Plant tour.
everCooperative Youth Tour expands its reach and opens opportunities.
“I gained new skills in meeting people and making meaningful connections,” she says. “I now have more confidence, which will help me in the future, whether it’s a social situation or a job interview.”
Learning about the Cooperative Difference
This year’s Youth Tour included two new stops for the Ohio delegates: the Flight 93 National Memorial (which is on co-op lines in rural Pennsylvania) on the way to D.C. and the Cardinal Power Plant (which provides electricity to Ohio co-ops) on the way back.
Dougherty says it surprised her, but her favorite segment of the trip was the tour of the Cardinal Plant. “It was so eye-opening,” she says. “I had not thought much before about where my energy comes from. I’m grateful we could stop to see this and meet the people who were running the huge machinery. I have so much more appreciation for what they do.”
are and all that they do for us, and I’ll have a lifelong relationship with my co-op.”
YLC has enhanced that knowledge and fostered her involvement locally and beyond, she says. “I’ve learned about co-ops, heard various speakers, and found out about jobs with co-ops.
Reinhart says for her, the most valuable aspect of Youth Tour was the relationship she gained with her co-op. “Before I went on Youth Tour, I didn’t really understand what a co-op was. But we attended a presentation, and I learned what my electric co-op is and how I can get involved. Now, I know what they
“I went to board meetings and wrote a speech to give to my local co-op board of directors,” she says. “I attended a meeting in Columbus with all of the directors around the state and I got to go to Power Xchange in San Antonio, where the YLC members were helpers and also attended lectures and learned a lot.”
Encouraging future delegates
To high school students who are eligible for Youth Tour, Reinhart has a message: Just apply.
“Even if you’re unsure, send in the application,” she says. “My dad encouraged me to apply and because of that application, a whole world was opened up to me. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t done it.”
The 2025 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour will take place June 15 – 21 and is open to high school sophomores and juniors whose families are served by an electric cooperative. For more information or to apply, call your local cooperative or visit your co-op’s website.
Darcie Reinhart, who was elected by her fellow Youth Tour delegates to the national Youth Leadership Council, spoke to cooperative leaders at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ winter conference.
Homecoming?
Long
absent from Ohio forests, fishers may be returning to the Buckeye State.
BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS
Asecretive, solitary hunter of the deep woods is attempting a comeback in the Buckeye State.
The fisher, a fur-bearing mammal found only in North America, is also known as black cat, black fox, or fisher cat because of its dark brown to nearly black coat.
Their name notwithstanding, they prey upon a variety of small mammals (not fish) as well as fruit, nuts, fungi, and carrion found in a forest habitat — today, predominantly in Canada and parts of California. Interestingly, the minor league professional baseball team in Manchester, New Hampshire — the Class AA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays — is named the Fisher Cats. But Ohio?
“Fishers [have been discovered] in archaeological sites in Ohio, and they were found in Ashtabula County as late
as 1837,” says John Harder, associate professor emeritus in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at Ohio State University. “However, unregulated trapping and habitat loss led to the extirpation of fishers from the state by 1850.”
Fishers are not small. Males can measure 4 feet in length from nose to tip of tail and weigh as much as 15 pounds. Females are half that size.
They are also one of the few predators that actively target porcupines for food, where available. Possessing the same pugnacious, tenacious disposition found in other members of the weasel family, fishers begin their attack by viciously and repeatedly biting the docile porky on its face and head before flipping it on its back to reach its vulnerable underbelly, which has fewer protective quills.
An agile climber, the fisher is nearly unique in that it can descend a tree trunk headfirst. The name “fisher” may have derived from the fact that early colonists settling along America’s Eastern Seaboard saw a similarity between the fisher and the European polecat they remembered from their homelands, which was also called “fitch” or “fitchet.”
Ohio’s first modern-day fisher sighting was in 2013, according to Katie Dennison, a biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, and since then, there have been 40 confirmed fisher observations across nine northeast Ohio counties: Ashtabula, Columbiana, Geauga, Trumbull, Mahoning, Lake, Jefferson, Harrison, and Tuscarawas. “Two-thirds of those sightings occurred in the last three years,” Dennison says. “Fishers are moving westward from established populations in Pennsylvania and naturally colonizing Ohio.”
Dennison says the Division of Wildlife collects Ohio road-killed fishers to determine age and test their genetics, and in February 2023, biologists collected two roadkill fisher carcasses from northeast Ohio — one of which was pregnant. Does that mean fishers are reproducing in Ohio and a population has reestablished itself? Not necessarily.
“The division anticipates that natural reproduction in fishers will be confirmed in the coming years, and may already be occurring,” Dennison says. “But as far as their population being reestablished, it’s a little too early to say for sure. Things definitely seem to be moving in the right direction.”
I’m all in favor of fishers returning to the Buckeye State, making our wild ecosystem one additional species stronger, and as a result more resilient.
The historic range of fishers — before European settlement of North America — included much of the Northeast and Midwest in the U.S. The current range (in darker shading) is mostly in Canada, though the animal is making a comeback in parts of its former territory. www.ohiocoopliving.com
HAVE YOU SEEN ONE?
The Division of Wildlife relies, in part, on public reports to monitor Ohio’s growing fisher population (as well as that of black bears, badgers, weasels, and bobcats). So if you live in northeast Ohio or happen to travel that direction, keep an eye out for these new critters. If you spot one, you can report your observations of those species (including photos or videos) to the Division of Wildlife via the HuntFishOH mobile app or at www. wildohio.gov. Please contact your county wildlife officer to report roadkill fishers — it is not permissible to collect roadkill carcasses yourself.
W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Email him 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!
Chestnuts everywhere
Eastern Ohio co-op makes a growing business out of those prickly-shelled nuggets.
BY JAMES PROFFITT
Greg Miller’s father, Jay, planted his first bunch of trees on 100 acres in Carroll County back in the middle of the last century.
North America’s once-thriving population of American chestnuts had all but disappeared from the landscape due to a blight at the turn of the 20th century, so he planted blight-resistant Chinese chestnuts.
“He also planted every kind of nut tree that would grow here — and some that wouldn’t,” says Miller, a member of Carroll Electric Cooperative. “He noticed the walnuts and hazels and almonds and everything else weren’t doing so well, but the chestnuts were.”
So more land was acquired and in 1972, Jay and Greg planted 500 more Chinese chestnut seedlings, and the Empire Nut Company was born soon thereafter.
At one point, Miller says, a local coal company took note of all those nuts and briefly entered the chestnut game as a side-gig. It soon went bankrupt, however; the folks who bought up the land were looking for deer hunting sites rather than an agricultural specialty crop.
Eventually, though, all those trees began producing high volumes of nuts, and about 20 years ago, Miller began harvesting, processing, and selling the neighbors’ crops — and thus was born the Route 9 Cooperative. Currently, Route 9 processes and ships nuts from more than a half-dozen farms, including one in Kentucky.
Treasure vault
The Chinese trees produce a nut that’s well protected right up until its dangerously sharp, spiked pod opens. Miller says the porcupine-like pods keep animals from eating the nuts too soon, but they also make it difficult to collect the delicious morsels.
“Once they open and the nuts fall out, everything eats them,” Miller says “They’re very high in carbohydrates, have a pretty high sugar content, and are high in oil and protein, so animals love them — and when I say that, I mean everything with four legs eats them, and some with two legs.”
After falling from trees in autumn, they’re collected by hand for processing. They go onto a grading table, where odd nuts are culled (later turned into chestnut flour) and sorted.
Most of Route 9’s crop is destined for the kitchen. Despite the common belief they’re solely a Christmas season snack, they’re a consistent yearlong seller. The vast majority are purchased online and shipped around the country.
“They’re often roasted, but they can be eaten raw, too, and they’re also put in various dishes,” Miller says. “They’re delicious.”
The gathering
Each September, more than 100 residents of the area, mostly Amish, show up to work the peak harvest —
which means gathering the nuts by hand or using a rolling metal basket on a pole called a Nut Wizard.
Some customers, however, aren’t interested in ordering online or buying chestnuts that have already been collected. Instead, they prefer to show up in rural Carrollton to get their own. Route 9’s self-service customers travel from Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and beyond to roam the hillside orchards gathering their own fresh-from-thetree chestnuts.
“They’ll bring their kids out and enjoy just about the best time of year to be outside — late September, early October,” he says. “There’s something I think in humans’ nature: They love to gather things up. And yeah, people do it for fun.”
Huge, 25-pound bags are stored in giant walk-in coolers where they’re periodically hosed down with water while they await shipment. (Miller says they’re comparable to carrots in that you can eat them raw or cooked, and ideally you don’t want to let them dry out.)
Singular focus
In addition to selling chestnuts for snacking and cooking, Route 9 also sells nuts specifically harvested for seed planting, as well as small saplings. Miller also works with other chestnut varieties, including the European and Japanese trees, also grown for food, as well as several varieties planted for wildlife forage or for helping forest an area. That includes creating hybrid trees for specific uses like attracting wildlife.
But while some nut farmers have diversified their crops over the years, he’s found that the hilly, well-drained terrain around him is particularly suited to his specialty. “I just do chestnuts,” Miller says. “It was my father’s hobby. He planted his first trees in 1957 and I’m still doing it today.”
For information or to order, visit www.route9cooperative.com — though this year’s crop of culinary chestnuts is mostly sold out, the co-op is taking orders for fresh-peeled chestnuts, dry-peeled chestnuts, and chestnut flour, as well as seeds and seedlings.
BY CATHERINE MURRAY
Holiday treats
Gift these tiny sweets and bring joy to everyone’s taste buds!
EGGNOG SNICKERDOODLES
Prep: 20 minutes | Chill: 1 hour | Bake: 12 minutes | Servings: 24
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons butter, softened ½ cup sugar 1 egg ½ cup store-bought eggnog 2 tablespoons sugar 1½ teaspoons cinnamon 1½ teaspoons nutmeg
Note: Cookies may be fluffier or chewier, depending on eggnog brand.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and ½ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and eggnog, then beat in dry ingredients until just incorporated. Cover dough and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Scoop a tablespoon of dough and roll in the sugar and spice mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are just set in the center. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Per serving: 74 calories, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 12 grams total carbohydrates, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 47 milligrams sodium, 0.5 grams fiber, 1 gram protein.
CHOCOLATE MINT TREE-CAKES
Prep: 45 minutes | Bake: 20 minutes | Servings: 12
¾ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 to 3 tablespoons milk or cream green food coloring sprinkles for “ornaments”
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, yogurt, and oil, and lightly mix. Add water and vanilla; mix until just incorporated. Expect the batter to be pourable.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Evenly divide batter between cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar, on low at first then on medium until combined. Mix in vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon of the peppermint extract. Taste test before adding another 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint, plus a small amount of food coloring at a time until desired color is reached. Mix in a bit of milk to thin if needed for easy piping. When cupcakes are cool, pipe 3 or 4 frosting “trees” at a time and sprinkle them with “ornaments.”
Per serving: 464 calories, 22 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 67 grams total carbohydrates, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 163 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.
SPARKLING CRANBERRY MUFFINS
Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 25 minutes | Servings: 15
2 cups + 1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup sugar, divided
1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of the flour, ½ cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium heatproof bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in microwave, then whisk in buttermilk, then egg. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture. Gently stir and fold until just incorporated. Toss cranberries in a tablespoon of flour, then fold into the batter.
Heat oven to 375 F. Evenly distribute batter into the cups of muffin pans (makes 15 muffins), either greased or paper-lined. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool a few minutes before loosening sides with a knife and turning muffins out onto a wire rack. For sparkling tops, lightly brush the top of each cooled muffin with remaining tablespoon melted butter and dip to coat in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar.
Per serving: 140 calories, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 25 grams total carbohydrates, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 253 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.
BETTER-THAN-FRUITCAKE BARS
Soak: 8+ hours | Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 35 minutes | Servings: 16
2 cups finely chopped mixed dried fruit*
½ cup brandy, dark rum, or apple juice (or combination of the three)
3 cups flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch slices
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 4 tablespoons cold water
½ cup glacé (candied) cherries, cut in half
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts and/ or pecans)
*Common fruitcake dried fruits include apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins, currants, pineapple, dates, figs, and prunes. Candied cherries are not the same as maraschino cherries.
In a small bowl, stir the dried fruits and soaking liquid. Cover and set aside to soak overnight. In a food processor, pulse together flour through salt (let flour settle before opening). Add the butter, egg, and almond extract, pulsing until dough forms a fine crumble (slowly drizzle in a bit of cold water if needed to help the dough crumble). Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan, then firmly pat about half of dough into the bottom, or however much is needed to cover edge to edge, saving the remaining dough for the topping.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Sprinkle soaked dried fruit and candied cherries evenly over the crust. Mix nuts into remaining crumble and spread over the fruit layer. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is lightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Per serving: 390 calories, 18 grams fat (9 grams saturated fat), 49 grams total carbohydrates, 41 milligrams cholesterol, 130 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber, 5 grams protein.
Check it out!
videos of some of our mouth-watering recipes being prepared at
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
Plan to stay ahead of outages
We work hard to keep your lights on around the clock. It’s important to note some outages can’t be avoided.
We encourage all members to have a plan in place to stay safe in case of possible extended power outages. Having a plan is especially critical for those who:
> May suffer from a medical condition where loss of electric utility service would be dangerous or life-threatening.
> Depend on medical equipment that requires electricity to operate and termination of electric utility service would make operation of that equipment impossible or impractical.
If you use medical equipment in your home that requires electricity, talk to your doctor or health care provider about what you can do to keep it running during a power outage.
Due to the complex nature of power delivery, uninterrupted electric service cannot be guaranteed to any member. Unforeseen incidents such as powerful storms and equipment damage from animals can occur at any time. In the winter months, ice accumulation can be particularly problematic. During times of high demand for electricity, gridrelated rolling outages are also possible.
Our goal is to limit the number of service interruptions and restore power quickly and safely when outages can’t be prevented. In any case, it’s best to form a plan to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Forming your plan
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends the following tips to help you prepare for power outages (via ready.gov):
> Take inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity.
> Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Find out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures and get specific guidance for any medications that are critical for life.
> Plan for batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out.
> Sign up for local alerts and warning systems. Monitor weather reports.
> Operate generators according to manufacturer’s instructions, and never operate inside or in partially enclosed spaces. Allow to cool before refueling.
> Install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup centralized on every level of your home.
> Determine whether your primary phone will work and how long battery backup will last.
> Review supplies that are available in case of outages. Have flashlights with extra batteries for every household member. Have enough nonperishable food and water.
> Use a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer so you know the temperature when power is restored.
> Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged and gas tanks full.
Brett Perkins GENERAL MANAGER
2025 GRADS
You could win up to $4,600 in the Ohio’s Electric Cooperative Children of Members Scholarship program!
Tricounty to award $3,000 in four scholarships
Tricounty will sponsor one $1,000 scholarship, two $750 scholarships, and one $500 scholarship for high school seniors this year. Four Two Nine Two Zero Zero Two The recipient of the $1,000 scholarship may have an opportunity to participate in the statewide contest mentioned above.
To enter Tricounty’s scholarship competition, a high school senior must:
1. Live within Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative’s service area and have parents who receive service from Tricounty.
2. Have a 3.5 or higher gradepoint average through the first semester of his/her senior year.
3. Download an application online at Tricounty’s website (www.tricountyelectriccoop. coop) or contact Tricounty’s office to request one via mail.
4. Submit the completed application to Tricounty’s office by Feb. 1.
Any applicant who has received a full-tuition scholarship — including room, board, and books — to the school of his/her choice is not eligible for a Tricounty scholarship.
$598,000 returned to members in December As a member-consumer, margins are returned to you.
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When you move into a home or business receiving power from Tricounty Electric, you become a member of the co-op.
One of the benefits that comes with your co-op membership is receiving capital credits. The board of trustees has approved retirement of $598,000 of capital credits to current and former members this month. This marks the 47th consecutive general retirement and, including payments to the estates of deceased members made over the years, more than $22.4 million will have been returned to our members after this round of retirements.
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Tricounty tracks how much electricity you consume and purchase throughout the year.
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Members receive their capital credits in December of each year that the board retires capital credits.
Annually, your Tricounty Board of Trustees decides how much of the capital credits to retire, or pay back to members.
The cooperative will retire 50% of the of the unretired balance of the 2005 margins, plus 15% of the unretired 2023 margins. Current members who are due a refund will receive a credit on the electric bill they receive in December. Former Tricounty members who are due a refund will be mailed a check.
What are capital credits? Capital credits allocations are the profits, or margins, that are left at the end of the year after all expenses are paid.
How are capital credits calculated? Each year, net margins of the cooperative are divided among the members based on each member’s electric energy usage for the year. Allocated capital credits appear as an entry on the permanent financial records of the cooperative. Each year, Tricounty notifies its members of the amount added to their patronage accounts by the mailing of an allocation notice.
When are capital credits paid back to the members? Annually, your board of trustees reviews the financial
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At the end of the year, any funds remaining after expenses are allocated to members as capital credits.
Capital credits are used as operating capital for improvements and maintenance of the co-op’s system. This reduces the need for loans, which helps keep costs down.
position of the cooperative and determines how much to retire to the members. Retirements are made in the month of December. Current members receive a credit on their billing statement. Former members are mailed a check.
What happens to my capital credits when I leave Tricounty’s service area? Capital credits remain on the books in your name and member number until they are retired. When you are eligible for a refund, a check is mailed to the last address we have on file. Please ensure that we have a current mailing address for you, even if you move away from Tricounty’s territory, so that you will receive your check.
What are unclaimed capital credits? Each year, some of the refund checks mailed to former members are returned due to outdated addresses. We periodically publish a list of unclaimed capital credits checks. Our code of regulations provides that unclaimed capital credits be held four years, and then they are reallocated to current members of the cooperative.
Simple ways to save in the kitchen
the highest-wattage appliance in the kitchen. Assuming an average oven wattage of 3,000 and an average cost of $0.16 per kilowatt-hour, according to the United States Energy Information Administration, running your oven costs $0.48 an hour. If you use your oven for four hours to make a special meal, that’s less than $2 of electricity. While that may not seem like a big deal now, operating your oven for four hours every day would be $700 a year.
Using smaller appliances instead of your oven can help you save. A slow cooker uses between 100 and 450 watts, which is significantly less than an electric oven, which means you can use a slow cooker for a longer period and still use less energy.
Opt for your microwave or toaster oven, which use significantly less energy than your oven, to reheat or cook smaller items.
When cooking on the stovetop, match the pot or pan size to the burner. Lids help your pots retain heat, which cooks food faster and wastes less heat. Keep your stovetop clean to ensure the appliance heats evenly.
If you’re looking to upgrade your stovetop, consider switching to an induction cooktop. It uses an electromagnetic field below
We wish
you
refrigerator doors should make a tight seal to keep in cold air. Make sure you clean and maintain them or replace them, if necessary. Wait until food cools for about 30 minutes before putting leftovers in the fridge. Two Zero Seven Seven Zero Zero Putting hot food in the refrigerator results in more energy used to cool it down. (Perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours after it is cooked, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.)
Setting your refrigerator colder than needed wastes energy. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends 37 degrees for the refrigerator and 0 degrees for the freezer. Use an appliance thermometer to monitor the temperature.
When it comes to cleanup, run full loads of dishes in the dishwasher — being careful not to block any moving parts. Use eco mode if your dishwasher has that setting. If you are in the market for new appliances, select ENERGY STAR models.
Whatever you choose to cook or how you cook it, keep in mind these simple tips to make your kitchen more efficient and save energy this holiday season.
a merry Ch r i st ma s and a happy New Year!
Our offices will be closed Dec. 24 & 25 and Jan. 1 for the holidays.
Two account numbers have been incorporated into the local pages of this magazine. Those numbers are written in words. Your account number is on your bill statement. Disregard the zeros at the left in the number, but consider any zeros to the right, when converting your number to words.
If you find your account number, call our office and you will receive a $50 credit on your electric bill. You must call by the end of the month in which the number was published to receive the bill credit.
Gaunt’s gift
In Yellow Springs, a unique legacy brings comfort during the holiday season.
BY DAMAINE VONADA
During the first holiday season after the death of her husband, the noted local artist Jack Hubbard, in 1987, Pat Hubbard received a curious gift delivered to her Yellow Springs home: two sacks — one filled with flour, the other with sugar. The following year brought that same remarkable gift, and more followed every holiday season until her own death in 1999.
Providing flour and sugar to the widows (and widowers) of the town is a Yuletide tradition unique to Yellow Springs, and it dates back 130 years — all of it thanks to the generosity of a formerly enslaved man named Wheeling Gaunt, who settled in the
southwest Ohio village after he purchased his own freedom during the Civil War.
“Wheeling Gaunt was a person of faith and a very resilient man who did not let adversity beat him down; he used it as a motivation to achieve,” says Brenda Hubbard Ibarra, Jack and Pat’s daughter. Although she had been born and raised in Yellow Springs, Ibarra was unaware of Gaunt’s story until her mother started getting those gifts. Inspired, she immersed herself in researching that history, and in 2021, she self-published Legacy of Grace: Musings on the Life and Times of Wheeling Gaunt.
“My mother had been so impressed, so grateful, that someone could be so full of kindness and generosity despite such bitter hardships,” Ibarra says.
Gaunt was born in 1812 on a tobacco plantation in Carrollton, Kentucky, son of the white plantation master and an unidentified Black woman whom his father seems to have sold when Wheeling was only about 4 years old.
Because his father permitted him to work away from the plantation, Gaunt earned money of his own by selling apples, polishing boots, and doing other odd jobs, and saved enough by the mid1840s to buy his freedom from his white halfbrothers for $900
As a free man, Gaunt worked as a teamster and laborer in Carrollton, and within a few years, he was able to pay for the manumission of his wife, Amanda, and for another young relative. He also began building a substantial commercial and residential real estate portfolio.
During that time, Yellow Springs, about 100 miles to the northeast, had a growing anti-slavery and egalitarian reputation — home to Antioch College, whose first president, Horace Mann, was a staunch abolitionist, and close to Wilberforce, where the African Methodist Episcopal Church was operating a fledgling college, now Wilberforce University, for Black students.
Gaunt prospered in Yellow Springs. He worked hard to acquire prime properties, and built a handsome home for himself and Amanda (who died in 1885), as well as other homes that are still in use today. He also learned to read and write, and even ran, albeit unsuccessfully, for the village school board.
By the time he died of kidney disease in May of 1894, Gaunt was one of Yellow Springs’ wealthiest, most highly respected residents. The Yellow Springs newspaper reported that Gaunt’s memorial service was “filled to suffocation” with mourners, and his obituary in the Xenia Gazette declared, “He was one of the best citizens of our village and will leave a record and example of fair dealing and benevolence which would be well to imitate by those who are left behind.”
Continued on page 24
not what we have but what we share.”
A life-sized bronze statue of Wheeling Gaunt, designed by the renowned sculptor and longtime village resident Brian Maughan, stands at the busy intersection of Dayton Street and Xenia Avenue (U.S. 68) in downtown Yellow Springs. It graces a small park on the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and engraved on its pedestal is a quote attributed to him: “It’s
Continued from page 23
Gaunt willed all his Yellow Springs real estate to Wilberforce University, with the exception of 9 acres of farmland reserved for the Village of Yellow Springs — with the stipulation that income from renting it would go into a fund used to give flour to “poor worthy widows” on the evening before Christmas Day. That December, village workers delivered 69 sacks of flour to 23 widows.
Today, the acreage Gaunt donated is the Gaunt Park recreation complex, and the village continues to support the widow’s fund from swimming pool entry fees. Decades ago, the village opted to distribute sugar as well as flour to widows, and during the 2012 Christmas season, it began supplying widowers too. On average, about 90 individuals annually benefit from Gaunt’s bequest, and this year, the village dispensed 5 pounds of sugar and 5 pounds of flour to each of them during Thanksgiving week.
It’s impossible to gauge the comfort and joy that Gaunt’s simple gifts have brought to generations of villagers. If nothing else, they are annual lessons in compassion taught nowhere else but Yellow Springs.
Legacy of Grace: Musings on the Life and Times of Wheeling Gaunt is available through the Yellow Springs 365 Project (www.the365projectys.org/ shop) or on Amazon.
SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS
Oh ho, the
mistletoe!
Getting to the bottom of one of the season’s most fun, yet puzzling, traditions.
BY CRAIG SPRINGER
It’s the best time of the year — or so sings Burl Ives, over and over leading up to Christmas Day. Of course, cups of cheer (spiced cider, perhaps) will likely make an appearance, and (croons Burl) there may or may not be snow.
Lots of Christmastime traditions are easy enough to understand — stockings hung by the chimney with care, for example, have an obvious, convenient, and practical purpose for Santa Claus when he pops out of the chimney.
But back to Burl, who also highlights a truly puzzling one: little sprigs of an emerald-green, white-berried plant, hanging “where you can see,” where someone might just be waiting for you to steal away a kiss. Seems about as quirky as displaying a freshly cut pine tree in your living room.
Like the Christmas celebration itself, hanging mistletoe in your house is rooted in ancient tradition. But before we get to that, it’s worth noting that mistletoe has no real roots — it’s a parasite, making its way in life by living off of rooted trees. “Mistletoe makes its own sugar, but poaches water from trees,” says Savannah Ballweg, who manages the Miami University botanical conservatory in Oxford.
According to Ballweg, Ohio is home to one species of mistletoe: American mistletoe, also known as oak mistletoe, found mostly in the southern part of the state.
The thick evergreen parasite indeed has an affinity for the larger branches of oaks, but also takes to gum, hackberry, maples, and ashes, particularly along stream courses. It’s at its most visible standing out as a small green globular shrub nestled on larger tree branches after the leaf fall.
More about roots: The word “mistletoe” is rooted in German, from “mist,” meaning feces, and “tang,” meaning twig or tree branch — the little white berries of the plant do resemble something that has passed through the gut of a bird.
Besides being the actual word’s origin, the name, as translated, also explains a little about the parasite’s
reproduction.
Birds do, in fact, find the seeds to be yummy, and many that pass through a bird’s gut are deposited, covered in a sticky yet nutrient-rich gut-gunk, on tree branches. There, they sprout and send rootlets into the bark, where they tap into the host’s water and mineral nutrient supply.
Despite having evergreen leaves, they do little photosynthesis — and that is mostly in winter, according to Ballweg. “They carry some of their own weight,” she says. “Mistletoe does not kill host trees and lives a remarkably long time, up to 100 years.”
Mistletoe bears fruit at the approach of the winter solstice, which, according to Ballweg, ancient European cultures saw as a symbol of love, fertility, and perseverance.
And that, then, lends to the kissing tradition, though the full story comes from the Norse myth of Baldr, the god who was done in by an arrow made of mistletoe. Baldr’s mother, the goddess Frigg, cried tears that restored him to life, and those tears became the white mistletoe berries. Forever afterward, the grateful mom granted a kiss of her protection to anyone who passed under mistletoe.
Kissing under berry-laden mistletoe, then, was one of the pagan traditions that northern Europeans brought with them when they converted to Christianity. Holly (as in “have a holly-jolly Christmas”) was another. Also, as a way to ward off evil spirits around the time of the winter solstice, they often decorated their houses and barns with — you guessed it — freshly cut evergreens. Not so quirky after all.
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Ball drops
BY DAMAINE VONADA
TOhioans ring in the new year with a quirky and eclectic collection of cool countdowns.
his New Year’s Eve, forget Times Square — New York City’s annual ball drop is too far away, and besides, there are plenty of options here in Ohio, where towns throughout the state proudly ring in the new year with eclectic and imaginative ways to celebrate their customs, culture, and industries.
New Year’s Eve Donut Drop, Lakeside
Anyone who has ever spent a summer day experiencing the Lakeside Chautauqua community on the shores of Lake Erie knows that residents and visitors alike relish the Patio Restaurant’s homemade donuts. Those famous cake donuts inspired a new tradition in 2022: dropping an inflatable plastic donut decorated with multi-colored “sprinkles” from Lakeside’s waterfront Pavilion. A DJ plays dance music during this only-in-Lakeside event, which of course serves Patio donuts plus hot chocolate for toasting the new year. Tip: Lakeside waives gate and parking fees for the Donut Drop, and its Fountain Inn is open for overnight stays.
419-798-4461; https://lakesideohio.com/calendar/ special-events-calendar
Glass Town Countdown, Lancaster
Anchor Hocking has manufactured glassware in Lancaster since 1905, and the Glass Town Countdown reflects genuine hometown pride that culminates with a sparkling fireworks display. The downtown festival showcases a giant globe laden with 500 art glass ornaments, but instead of being dropped, it’s gingerly lifted off the ground by a crane. The round ornaments for this uplifting experience are produced in the glassblowing studio at Lancaster’s Ohio Glass Museum, where they’re either personally made or purchased for the globe by townspeople.
www.destinationdowntownlancaster.com/events/ glasstowncountdown
Ringin’ the Square, Mansfield
With a lovely landmark fountain, a Johnny Appleseed historic marker, and a replica of “Brooks’ Bench” from the filmed-in-Mansfield The Shawshank Redemption, nothing captures Mansfield’s identity quite like its Central Park town square. Crowds gather there annually to fete the new year with live bands, food trucks, outdoor ice skating, and a lighted, made-in-Mansfield metal ball that descends from a 10-story building — all followed by a fireworks show. Tip: The DLX Restaurant, located on the square, serves a pre-ball-drop dinner buffet that includes champagne and party favors. www.destinationmansfield.com/new-years-eve
New Year’s Ball Drop Party, Logan Logan Town Center merchants are hosting their first-ever New Year’s bash this year — live music, an ice-skating rink, and a Polar Express “train” ride that’s a barrel of fun for kids — near the iconic Main Street gazebo and Hocking County courthouse. The midnight countdown features an enormous sphere built by local high school welding students, and it’ll be covered with colorful, 16-inch-long glass spirals created by skilled artisans at the renowned Jack Pine Studio.
www.explorehockinghills.com/festivals-events/ downtown-logan-new-year-s-eve-ball-drop-party
Rockin’ Poppin’
New Year’s Eve Celebration, Marion
Organized by a local news channel, Marion’s familyfriendly event starts at 6 p.m. At midnight, the Popcorn ball, illuminated with hundreds of white lights that give a nod to the community’s nearly 100-year-old popcorn manufacturing heritage, will drop. Also on tap are popcorn-themed Minuteto-Win-It games, food vendors, bounce houses, and pro wrestling.
www.newsforce247.com
New Year’s Eve Walleye Drop, Port Clinton
What’s a small town to do when it’s got an enormous reputation as “The Walleye Capital of the World”? Embrace the nickname with a street party that lures thousands of people to downtown Port Clinton, where Wylie the Walleye, a 20-foot-long, 600-pound fiberglass fish, is lowered by a crane at the stroke of midnight. A Minnow Drop for small fry is held in the afternoon, and the event’s “bar swim” has heated buses that ferry grown-ups to lakeshore establishments serving food and libations.
www.shoresandislands.com/events
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DECEMBER/JANUARY
an intricate Victorian holiday scene. Interactive buttons, multi-tier layout. 419-332-2081 or www. rbhayes.org.
DEC. 4 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities geared for preschoolage children focus on farming and nature in a picturesque outdoor setting. 419-447-7073, www. conservesenecacounty.com, or find Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.
THROUGH DEC. 29 – NWORRP North Pole Express, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay. $5; 12 and under, $3. Hop on board our quarter-scale trains for a trip through a winter wonderland of lights and festive decorations. See operating toy trains and hundreds of decorated trees, plus Santa and Mrs. Claus on select nights. 419-423-2995, www.facebook.com/nworrp, or www. nworrp.org.
THROUGH DEC. 30 – Upper’s Winter Fantasy of Lights, Harrison Smith Park, 525 E. Wyandot Ave., Upper Sandusky, Fri.–Sun. 6–10 p.m., Mon.–Thur. 6–9:30 p.m. $10/car $15/van, $50/tour bus. The park’s 33 acres will be ablaze with millions of lights and a myriad of unique light displays. 419-294-2351 or www. uppersfantasyoflights.org.
THROUGH DEC. 31 – Lake of Lights, Saulisberry Park/France Lake, 13344 St. Rte. 67 W., Kenton, 6–9 p.m. daily. A drive-through lighting event. Special events held on the weekends. 567-674-4567, lakeoflights08@gmail.com, or www.facebook.com/ LakeOfLights.
THROUGH JAN. 5 – “Hayes Train Special” Model Train Display, Hayes Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont. Free; donations accepted. Operating model train display runs through
WEST VIRGINIA
THROUGH DEC. 29 – Celebration of Lights, Morris Park, Fairmont. $10/car, $30/bus. See over 540 Christmas light displays in this 1 3-mile drive-through tour. Wednesdays are walker nights: $5/person; under 12 free. See website for schedule. 304-366-4550 or www.celebrationoflightswv.com.
THROUGH JAN. 5 – Winter Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort, Wheeling. Featuring 300 acres of twinkling lights over a 6-mile drive, with more than 100 lighted attractions. Per-car donation requested, valid for the entire festival season. 877-436-1797 or www. oglebay.com/events/festival-of-lights.
DEC. 7 – Model Train Clinic, Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $5; 5 and under free. Get your model trains in excellent working order just in time for the holidays. Clinic participants can run their trains on the “Hayes Train Special” track. 419332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.
DEC. 12–15, 19–22 – Winter Wonderland Light Display, Sandusky Co. Fgds., 901 Rawson Ave., Fremont. Drive-through Thur./Sun. 6–8 p.m.; walk-through Fri./ Sat. 6–9 p.m. Admission $1 or a nonperishable food item per person to benefit food pantry. Craft shows, kids’ activities, horse rides, refreshments, entertainment, and Santa every Friday and Saturday! 419-332-5604 or www. sanduskycountyfair.com.
DEC. 14 – National Model Railroad Association Train Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5; 12 and under free. 419-2287141 or www.allencofair.com/events.
DEC. 15 – Winter Festival of Crafts, Franciscan Center at Lourdes University, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission/parking. A beautiful setting for our last show of the year. Pick up that last-minute holiday gift or decoration that will make your holiday bright! 419-842-1925 or www. toledocraftsmansguild.org/shows.html.
DEC. 20 – Classic Movie Night: White Christmas, Hancock Historical Museum, 422 W. Sandusky St.,
Findlay, 7 p.m. Free. Historical information presented before and discussion after the movie. Popcorn and refreshments provided; BYOB. 419-423-4433 or www. hancockhistoricalmuseum.org/special-events.
DEC. 20–21 – Hayes Home Holidays, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont, 5–9 p.m., final tour starting at 8 p.m. $8–$10; 5 and under free. Tour the Hayes home to see the historically accurate Christmas decorations. Before or after the tour, enjoy the “Hayes Train Special” model train display in the auditorium. 419332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.
DEC. 20, 22 – Silver Screen Classics: It’s a Wonderful Life, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo, Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $5. Frank Capra’s classic tale comes to life on the big screen. 419-242-2787 or www.valentinetheatre.com.
DEC. 26–31 – Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides at Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont, 1–4 p.m. $7; 2 and under free. Ride through the grounds in a horsedrawn sleigh, as President Hayes did, or in a horsedrawn trolley. Rides are by South Creek Clydesdales. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.
JAN. 3–31 – Art Contest: “Not So Bad Art by Good People,” sponsored by the Logan County Art League. Artwork created by 11 selected Logan County VIPs will be on display until Jan. 30 in the lobby of the Citizen’s Federal Savings and Loan, 100 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, during bank lobby hours. Vote for your favorite in person or on our website. Artwork auctioned to the highest bidder at Honey Birch Farm on Jan. 31. https://logancountyartleague.org.
JAN. 4–5 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $8; 18 and under and members free. Cash only. 450 tables of modern and antique guns, edged weapons, and sportsmen equipment. 419-647-0067 (Manetta Obringer) or www.allencofair.com/events.
DECEMBER/JANUARY
NORTHEAST
THROUGH DEC. 29 – Elegant Illusions DriveThrough Park, Portage Co. Fgds., 4215 Fairground Rd., Atwater, Thur./Sun. 6–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 6–10 p.m., closed Mon.–Wed. $20 car, truck, SUV, van; $40–$50 limo and bus. All-new LED displays, the latest in animatronics, and over 50 holiday scenes, plus visits with Santa and Mr. Grinch. 330-947-2974 or www. elegantchristmaslighting.com.
THROUGH DEC. 31 – “Elegance of Christmas Past,” Victorian House Museum, 484 Wooster Rd., Millersburg, Sun.–Thur. 1–4 p.m., Fri./Sat. 1–8 p.m. This year we are re-creating some decorating themes of the past, as well as adding a vintage clothing display throughout the house. 330-674-0022 or www. facebook.com/VictorianHouseMuseum.
THROUGH DEC. 31 – Ashtabula County’s Lights on the Lake, Lakeshore Park, 1700 E. 1st St., Ashtabula, Fri.–Sun. 6–9 p.m.; open Dec. 24–25, 31: 6–9 p.m. Car or van $5, bus $1/person, mini bus $20. Largest holiday light display on Lake Erie, with over 70 displays on 54 acres of rolling hills and the majestic lake as a backdrop. 440-993-1051 or www.aclotl.com.
SOUTHEAST
THROUGH DEC. 22 – The Magic of Christmas Mansion Tours, Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum, 532 N. Chestnut St., Barnesville, Fri. 5–8 p.m., Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. Join us for some Christmas cheer and see our museum decorated for the season. This year’s theme is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. www.belmontcountymuseum.com.
THROUGH DEC. 22 – Santa Train, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville. $19–$24; under 3 free. Santa boards the train and visits with each child as the train traverses the historic Hocking River Valley. See website for dates and times. www.hvsry.org/train-rides/santa.
THROUGH JAN. 10 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort, Steubenville Visitor Center, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville. Free. Over 200 large-as-life, unique nutcrackers are stationed throughout the downtown and Fort Steuben Park 24/7; Advent Market, hayrides, the Holly Trolley, children’s activities, music, crafts, and much more. 740-283-4935 or www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage. com.
NOV. 29–DEC. 1, 6–8, 13–15, 20–29 – Medina County Fair Drive-Thru Holiday Lights, Medina Co. Fgds., 720 W. Smith Rd., Medina, Sun.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 6–10 p.m. Car $10, small bus/15-passenger van $20, large bus $50 330-723-9633 or www. medinaohiofair.com.
NOV. 29–DEC. 1, 5–23, 26–30 – Stan Hywet’s Deck the Hall, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, 3–8 p.m. $9–$24; 2 and under free. Over 1 million holiday lights illuminate the estate, and the Manor House is decorated in beautiful holiday fashion. Enjoy shopping and refreshments before or after the tour. 330-315-3287 or www.stanhywet.org.
DEC. 6–8, 13–15 – Candlelight Holiday Tours of Malabar Farm, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas, Fri./ Sat. 5–8 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. $6; ages 6–18, $4 Self-guided tours of Louis Bromfield’s Big House, all decked out for the holidays. Enjoy cookies and warm drinks after the tour. 419-892-2784 or www. malabarfarm.org/events.
DEC. 14 – Solon Hometown Holiday Market, Solon Recreation Center, 35000 Portz Parkway, Solon, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission. Artists and crafters will be selling their original handmade items. Celebrate the holiday season while shopping local! www. avantgardeshows.com.
THROUGH DEC. 28 – Athens Farmers Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Voted Ohio’s #1 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.
THROUGH JAN. 1 – Dickens Victorian Village, downtown Cambridge. Stroll the streets to view scenes depicting life in Victorian England, featuring life-sized, handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. 800-933-5480 or www. dickensvictorianvillage.com.
THROUGH JAN. 1 – Guernsey County Courthouse Holiday Light Show, Cambridge, 5:30–9 p.m. nightly. Four different light and music shows performed each evening. Extended hours on selected dates. 800-933-5480 or www. dickensvictorianvillage.com.
DEC. 14–15 – Chillicothe Christmas Tour of Homes, downtown Chillicothe, Sat. 4–8 p.m., Sun. 1–5 p.m. $25. Tour 10 beautifully decorated homes and museums, including historic and mid-century modern homes. www.visitchillicotheohio.com.
DEC. 15 – Columbus Symphony Holiday Pops Spectacular, Ohio University Chillicothe, Shoemaker Center Gymnasium, 101 University Dr., Chillicothe, 4–7 p.m. $5–$25. www.downtownchillicothe.com.
2024
CALENDAR
DEC. 14–15 – Jingle Mingle Craft and Vendor Show, Ehrnfelt Recreation Center, 18100 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, Sat. 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission. Over 70 vendors selling handmade crafts, wood items, home decor, seasonal items, handmade cards, and much more. www. hometownvendors.org.
DEC. 22 – Flea Market of Collectables, Medina County Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special admission 6–9 a.m., $3. A treasure trove of vintage items and collectibles. 330-948-4300 or https://conraddowdell. com/event.
JAN. 4 – Snow Dogs Train Show, presented by Cuyahoga Valley S Gauge Association, Emidio and Sons Expo Center, 48 E. Bath Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $6; under 12 free. Free parking. Operating layout of several gauges, many dealers, good food at reasonable prices. www.cleveshows. com or www.cvsga.com.
JAN. 12 – Bill Lestock: Mandolin, Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free. Lestock plays original instrumental mandolin music that blends bluegrass, old-time, baroque, and blues. A firefighter for 33 years, he incorporates melodies and imagery inspired by a life and culture of firefighting. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. 419-8536016 or www.ormaco.org.
JAN. 13 – Mohican Winterfest, Loudonville. Free. Family festival centering around Olympic Ice Carvings and the Model Train Expo. 419-994-2519 or www. discovermohican.com.
DEC. 16 – Christmas with John Berry, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, Time: 7:30 p.m. $25–$55. The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter is back for his 28th annual Christmas tour. bringing the joy of live music and much-needed Christmas spirit to his fans. www.majesticchillicothe.net.
DEC. 21 – Solstice Watch, Sacra Via Park (between Third and Second Streets), Marietta, 4–5:30 p.m. Free. Weather permitting, we will view the sun setting in near perfect alignment with Sacra Via. Maps provided. Archaeologist Wes Clarke will discuss the astronomical alignments of Marietta’s mound structures. 740-373-1480 or www. mariettacastle.org.
DEC. 31 – New Year’s Eve Train and Fireworks, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville, 10:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m. $25–$38. The train will travel to East Logan and return, stopping near the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year with a fireworks display! Refreshments served. www.hvsry.org/train-rides/new-years-evetrain-fireworks.
JAN. 11 – The Outlaws, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $33 and up. www.peoplesbanktheatre.com/event.
2024 CALENDAR
DECEMBER/JANUARY
CENTRAL
THROUGH JAN. 1 – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights, Alum Creek State Park Campgrounds, 3311 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, Sun.–Thur. 5:30–9 p.m., Fri./ Sat. 5:30–10 p.m. Locally owned and family-operated drive-through holiday light show. See website for ticket information. 614-412-3499 or https://butchbandosfantasyoflights.com.
THROUGH JAN. 5 – Wildlights at the Zoo, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell, Sun.–Thur. 5–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 5–10 p.m. Included with zoo admission. Millions of LED lights, animated musical light shows, Santa, reindeer, and plenty of holiday family fun. www.columbuszoo.org/wildlights.
NOV. 29–JAN. 6 – Nativity at Cathedral Square, St. Joseph Cathedral, 212 E. Broad St., Columbus. Free. Historic outdoor life-sized Nativity display (formerly at State Auto). Lighting times: daily 6–8 a.m., 5–11:30 p.m.; until 12:30 a.m. Fri./Sat.; Christmas Eve 3 p.m. until 8 a.m. Christmas Day. Choir schedule available at www.facebook.com/catholicmuseumcolumbus.
SOUTHWEST
THROUGH DEC. 18 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www. vinokletwines.com.
THROUGH DEC. 23 – North Pole Express, LM&M Railroad, 16 E. South St., Lebanon. $35–$50; under 2, $10. See website for days and times. Take a ride on a vintage train to visit with Santa and his elves! Children will receive a souvenir bell and a holiday cookie. Hot chocolate available for purchase. 513933-8022 or www.lebanonrr.com/northpole.
DEC. 6, JAN. 3 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Come downtown on the first Friday of each month, when all our participating galleries, studios, and small businesses are open at the same time! https://artcoz.org/arts-district-map.
DEC. 14 – Annual Holiday Cookie Walk, Fairfield County Genealogical Research Library, 503 Lenwood Dr., Lancaster (corner of West Mulberry and Lenwood), 1–4 p.m. Great variety of holiday treats. 740-653-2573 or www.fairfieldgenealogy.org.
DEC. 15 – Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Makoy Event Center, 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $3; under 12 free. Artists and crafters will be selling their original handmade items. Full concessions stand on-site. A portion of proceeds will benefit Hope Hollow. www. avantgardeshows.com.
DEC. 21–22 – Polaris Makers Market Christmas Shows, Polaris Fashion Place, 1500 Polaris Parkway, Columbus, Sat. 12–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Local makers and small businesses selling their one-of-a-kind wares and holiday gifts. www. polarismakersmarket.com.
DEC. 21–22 – Scott Antique Market, Ohio Expo Center, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission; parking $7. America’s favorite treasure hunt! info@ scottantiquemarket.com or www.scottantiquemarkets. com.
JAN. 3–5 – Columbus Building and Renovation Expo, Ohio Expo Center, Kasich Hall, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Fri. 12–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun.
11 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, under 18 free; parking $7. From top-quality exhibits to insightful demonstrations and more, you’ll discover thousands of ways to design or renovate your home. www.homeshowcenter.com.
JAN. 10–19 – Ohio RV and Boat Show, Ohio Expo Center, 717 E. 17th St., Columbus. $15, 12 and under free; parking $7. The new year’s RVs, campers, boats, pontoon/tritoons, PWCs, golf cars, and motorcycles. On-site beer garden and refreshments provided by Schmidt’s Sausage Haus! www.ohiorvandboatshow.com.
JAN. 12 – Columbus Paper, Postcard, and Book Show, Franklin Co. Fgds., Edwards Bldg., 5035 NW Parkway, Hilliard, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $6. Vintage paper, postcards, books, ads, non-sports cards, photographs, comics, magazines, documents, and much more. 614-206-9103 (Terry Bigler) or www.facebook.com/ Columbus-Paper-Show-134469001768
JAN. 12 – Columbus Wedding Expo by A Bridal Affair, Marriott Columbus Northwest, 5605 Paul Blazer Parkway, Dublin, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission; registration required. Giveaways including wedding rings, honeymoons, and gift cards; vendor discounts and specials. Every couple receives a special wedding gift card, value $200. Register at www.eventbrite.com.
JAN. 12 – Ohio Guitar Show, Makoy Center, 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. $10 (cash only). Over 100 dealers. Buy, sell, or trade guitars, amps, effects, parts, catalogs. 740-797-3351, guitardigest@ frontier.com, or https://ohioguitarshow.com.
THROUGH DEC. 31 – Light Up Middletown, Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, 6–10 p.m. daily. A drive-through fantasy light display, open in all weather. Admission by cash donation; you set the price! www.lightupmiddletown.org.
THROUGH JAN. 5 – Christmas at the Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester. Take a magical journey through a winter wonderland to the North Pole and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. World’s largest train display, kids’ play area, interactive attractions. We are closing in January 2025, so this is your last chance to enjoy our amazing event! www. entertrainmentjunction.com.
THROUGH JAN. 5 – Holiday Lights on the Hill, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., Hamilton. Tues.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., Fri.–Sun. 6–10 p.m.; closed Mondays except Dec. 23; closed Christmas Day. $25/car; $50/large vehicle. Drive-through tour featuring over 1 million lights and illuminated installations by local artists. www.pyramidhill.org/events/lights.
DEC. 1–31 – ParkLights at Caesar Ford Park, 520 S. Stringtown Rd., Xenia, 6–9 p.m. Drive-through dazzling light display. 937-562-6440 or www. gcparkstrails.com/events/parklights.
DEC. 11–12 – “Jingle Jazz: The Nutcracker Remix,” The Redmoor (Mt. Lookout), 3187 Linwood Ave., Cincinnati, 7 p.m. Ring in the holiday season with the CCJO! Enjoy swinging remixes of your favorite holiday classics, many of which were written by members of the orchestra. 513-227-1039 or www. cincinnatijazz.org.
DEC. 14 – Christmas in Loveland, Historic Downtown Loveland, 4–8 p.m. Free. Carriage rides, complimentary tastings from area restaurants, crafts, holiday beverages, live Christmas entertainment, live Nativity scene, and more. https://lovinlifeloveland. com/events/christmas-in-loveland.
DEC. 21 – Winter Drive-in Movie, Hueston Woods State Park, 6301 Park Office Rd., College Corner, 6–10 p.m. Free; donations appreciated. Join us at the beach to enjoy two winter movie favorites! Food trucks and vendors will be available. 513-523-6347 or www.ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-aproperty/hueston-woods-state-park.
JAN. 11 – “Chocolate Meltdown and More!,” Oxford Arts Center, 10 S. College Ave., Oxford, 1–5 p.m. Free. Chocolate vendors, art exhibition, games, and other fun events. 513-524-8506 or www.oxarts.org.
These are two of our 16 great-grandchildren: Stella (5) and Sterling (3), decorating our tree!
, Firelands Electric Cooperative member
Our grandchildren, Tori, Trevor, and T.J. Wilson, being “good little children” in anticipation of Santa!
For March, send “Hoops hysteria” by Dec. 15.
Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website. Send us YOUR picture!
For April, send “Spring break” by Jan. 15.
Linda Marks
Patty Quaglia, South Central Power Company member
Grandpa Gary reading ’Twas the Night Before Christmas to his granddaughter, Emma. Fianna Wagner, Darke Rural Electric Cooperative member
Son JJ Raynes, mother Michelle DeSantis, and Santa. Marie Raynes, South Central Power Company member
Maverick Johnson, grandson of Mark and Tammie Johnson. Tammie Johnson, Washington Electric Cooperative member
before Christmas
My
Linda
Roman,
Grand-twins, Sam and Lily, anxiously waiting for Santa. Cheri Raphael, Firelands Electric Cooperative member
Moo-ry Christmas from the Carmins — Caleb, Jess, Colby, Jase, Fin the beagle, and Winchester and Remington.
Jessica Carmin, URE–Union Rural Electric Cooperative member
filling the stockings.
Kim Kimble, North Central Electric Cooperative member
My great-grandson, Tucker, has the milk and cookies out and is ready for Santa.
Susan Wiberg, South Central Power Company member
granddaughter Ruby and her dog, Harbor, eagerly awaiting Santa!
Hug, North Western Electric Cooperative member
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WINTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY TIPS
Energy strategies to keep your holidays merry, bright, affordable and safe!
Seal air leaks to prevent heat from escaping and cold air from entering your home.
Use timers indoors and out to give your decorations—and your electric bill—a break.
Switch to a smart thermostat and save up to 15% on energy costs.
Open blinds and curtains during the day to allow sunlight in to warm your home. Close blinds and curtains at night to keep out cold, drafty air.
Switch to LED lights. They stay cool, use up to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs, and reduce the risk of fire.
ohioec.org/energy
Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees to prevent scalding and save energy.
Avoid running cords under rugs or in places where pets might be tempted to chew.
