OHIO
FEBRUARY 2021
COOPERATIVE Firelands Electric Cooperative
Donut mind if I do A sugary trail in southwestern Ohio
ALSO INSIDE Collective voice Forging a path Hero dogs
Concern for Community THAT’S THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
We take care of our neighbors and communities through service projects that benefit organizations like Ronald McDonald House Charities.
ohioec.org/purpose
OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
INSIDE FEATURES
12 DONUT PARADISE Foodies can explore and devour their way through Ohio’s sweetest trail.
24 HE WHO SMELTED IT The process for obtaining aluminum
was invented in an Oberlin backyard.
28 HERO DOGS Ohio golden retrievers are helping all dogs live healthier lives.
32 STREAMING CONSCIOUSNESS Buckeye-based podcasters share their stories around the world. Cover image on most editions: Lily Garver, an employee at Kelly’s Bakery in Hamilton, demonstrates the proper way to eat the donut shop’s signature Kelly Bread. This page: Extreme heat and an electrical charge turn bauxite into aluminum, a metal once considered to be more precious than silver.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1
UP FRONT
Being involved W
ith a month of the new year now under our belts, we can see the hope of a healthier and happier year, we can expect new ideas on how to govern our country and our institutions, and we can take away lessons from our recent experiences regarding what worked and what did not. Electric cooperatives, like most enduring institutions, are guided by principles and governed by people entrusted with the best interests of the enterprise. We may have taken for granted our ability to get together, discuss ideas, and elect leaders to guide our organizations — but we endured, we stuck to our principles and values, and we found new ways to meet our obligations to you, our consumer-members. We can carry forward an appreciation for the importance of cooperation, collaboration, and compromise as the foundation for achievement and accomplishment. We have an opportunity to reflect on the changes that resulted in improvements, as well as the traditions that continue to hold value, and we can recognize that the way we’ve always done things may not be best — or even possible anymore. We are certain that new government priorities will emerge this year, some of which will have the potential to directly affect our ability to provide a reliable and affordable supply of electricity to your home or business. Your electric cooperatives are actively engaged in fostering rapport with legislative officials, with the objective of representing the best interests of — and effecting the most favorable results for — you, our members. Our story, “Collective voice,” on page 4, provides a glimpse into the electric cooperative government affairs program, our advocacy efforts, and the benefits of legislative outreach to co-op members. We’ll also let you in on how you can get involved. Through our participation, we can help honor Lincoln’s solemn oath that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
We have an opportunity to reflect on what changes are improvements, and which of our traditions continue to hold value.
FEBRUARY 2021 • Volume 63, No. 5
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
MORE INSIDE
4
DEPARTMENTS
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO Patrick Higgins Director of Communications Jeff McCallister Managing Editor Rebecca Seum Associate Editor Anita Cook Graphic Designer Contributors: Margaret Buranen, Colleen Romick Clark, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, Michael Pramik, Wendy Pramik, Craig Springer, 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.
4 POWER LINES
Collective voice: Co-ops and their members have representatives’ ears through support of ACRE.
7
CO-OP SPOTLIGHT
North Central Electric Cooperative: Located in the heart of northern Ohio, NCE takes pride in superior service to members and the community.
8 CO-OP PEOPLE
Iron man: A member of South Central Power Company, master blacksmith Doug Lockhart forges his own path through life.
Logan’s trees: A pair of trees named for the prominent Mingo chief stood witness to Ohio’s storied history.
American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop
10
15 GOOD EATS
Easy pantry meals: Sometimes you just have to pull together a quick dinner with ingredients already at hand.
electric cooperative.
Cheryl Solomon
8
10 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
19 LOCAL PAGES News and information from your
For all advertising inquiries, contact
7
15
36 CALENDAR
Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes. Alliance for Audited Media Member
What’s happening: February/March events and other things to do around the state.
40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE
Golden anniversaries: Members celebrate love’s longevity.
40
Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our new site features an expanded Member Interactive area where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.
www.ohiocoopliving.com FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3
POWER LINES
Collective voice Co-ops and their members have representatives’ ears through their support of ACRE. BY JEFF MCCALLISTER
4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
A
llen Heindel of Celina says he’s not particularly active politically, beyond voting for issues and candidates that represent his views.
both in total number of members (more than 6,200) and total annual amount contributed to the cause.
“Our cooperatives made a concerted effort to put the However, as a member of St. Marys-based Midwest issues in front of our members a few years ago, when there Electric, Heindel were some specific things understands that in front of Congress that “When you, as a legislator, get there are political would have been especially issues that affect the costly to them, because donations from a group like cooperative and, as those issues may well have ACRE, you can be sure that a result, also affect caused the shutdown of his own individual our power plant,” says Matt group’s voice is going to be interests. Berry, general manager heard loud and clear.” of Midwest Electric. “We “I feel that Midwest got that information out, — Brian Hill, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative general manager does a nice job the members agreed that keeping us informed our position needed to about what’s be communicated to our representatives, and we got happening legislatively and how those things might affect hundreds of members to sign up almost overnight.” the cost of electricity,” says Heindel, an engineer with Crown Equipment Corporation in New Bremen. “It just That kind of grassroots involvement from similarly makes sense for electric cooperative members to have a motivated individuals can have a significant impact on voice in the legislative arena, because these are things that legislation, according to Brian Hill, the general manager affect us every day.” of New Concord-based Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative. Before he took over as GMEC’s general Heindel says his parents, also Midwest members, were manager, Hill represented the 97th district in the Ohio active participants in ACRE — the Action Committee for House of Representatives for six years and served another Rural Electrification, which was founded in 1966 — and he few months in the Ohio Senate. His campaign was the and his wife recently decided to join, through ACRE’s Corecipient of donations from ACRE. op Owners for Political Action (COPA). They make a small donation to the political action committee (PAC) each “No one should have any illusions that their donation is month through an addition to their electric bill. going to buy anyone’s vote — that’s not what it’s all about,” says Hill. “But when you, as a legislator, get donations from ACRE is the federal PAC of the nation’s electric co-ops. a group like ACRE, a truly grassroots organization that It supports political candidates who will speak for and might not have a huge amount of money but has a large protect the interests of electric co-ops and their members number of contributors, you can be sure that that group’s around the country. Through COPA, co-ops can invite voice is going to be heard loud and clear.” their residential consumer-members to be politically engaged in ACRE and in other important grassroots “ACRE is a completely nonpartisan organization,” says advocacy initiatives. Marc Armstrong, director of government relations at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, the statewide organization More than 35,000 individuals nationwide make an average that provides services to Ohio’s co-ops. “The idea is to annual contribution of $65 to be members — and Ohio, in support candidates who have shown that they support the fact, is the national leader in co-op members’ participation, issues that we also support.”
Several co-ops in Ohio hold events for their members — such as this ACRE breakfast hosted by Firelands Electric Cooperative — to help members become familiar with the candidates and issues supported by ACRE (photos by Tracy Gibb).
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5
Dan McNaull, general manager of Firelands Electric Cooperative, addresses members during an ACRE breakfast, which featured Rep. Bob Gibbs (center, seated), as well as state representatives.
Among national priorities in the next legislative session will be to ask Congress to allow repricing of some of the debt held by co-ops nationwide, which could save a typical co-op around $2 million per year in interest payments — members’ money — by taking advantage of current rates.
How to make your voice heard
In Ohio, a main priority will be to expand connectivity to broadband in un- or underserved parts of the state, area that is largely served by electric co-ops. Regulations, tax reform, and governance are also issues in which co-op members have a vested interest.
Electric cooperative members can add their voice to thousands of others around the state and nation by joining ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action for as little as a $25 annual contribution, or about $2.08 per month.
Heindel appreciates the work done by co-op and local representatives to keep membership apprised of co-oprelated issues. “To me, it’s helpful to be able to get insight that goes beyond what news coverage is able to convey,” he says. “Being a member of ACRE has helped me, I think, to get a complete picture of the issues involved and really opened my eyes to the items that are important to me as a co-op member.”
Ninety-nine percent of all contributions to ACRE go directly to the campaigns of candidates for political office, based solely on their support for electric cooperative issues — and never on party affiliation.
“Before the pandemic, we hosted a breakfast for our ACRE members and invited our U.S. congressman and two state representatives,” says Dan McNaull, general manager of Firelands Electric Cooperative in New London. “For some of our members, that was the first time they ever had an opportunity for one-on-one conversations with their elected representatives. But just as importantly, it let the representatives actually see the expressions of our members when they were talking about these things, to see how passionately they felt.”
6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
“Sometimes, when someone emails or writes to their representatives, they wonder if that message even makes it out of the mailroom,” says Dan McNaull, general manager of Firelands Electric Cooperative. “With an ACRE membership, we are assured that our messages are being personally delivered and that they are being heard.” Those wishing to join with their contributions should contact their electric cooperative for details and information. The process is usually as simple as filling out a short form and agreeing to have the small donation added to a member’s monthly electric bill.
CO-OP SPOTLIGHT
NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
L
ocated in the heart of northern Ohio, North Central Electric Cooperative (NCE) serves 9,972 consumer-members on 1,794 miles of electrical line across eight counties. NCE, whose headquarters is in the small town of Attica, serves communities that offer a variety of opportunities to locals and visitors alike.
Service partners In addition to residential service, NCE boasts a strong and diverse commercial and industrial presence in its service territory, and provides electricity for several larger industrial companies. The National Lime and Stone Company in Carey provides aggregates and minerals throughout Ohio and the U.S., while remaining a local business proud of its history of civic involvement. The company offers tours and other educational opportunities for local school systems, and employees work with local charities and organizations to benefit their community. NCE also serves Charter Steel, a leading American supplier of carbon and alloy steel bar, among other products. NCE further serves three rural schools and offers a variety of youth-focused programs for students, including scholarships, internships, and the chance to participate in Ohio Cooperative Youth Day and the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
Things to do NCE’s service territory comes to life in the summer months, with a variety of places and activities for both residents and visitors to enjoy. Acres of campgrounds, local and county fairs, and several festivals liven up the warmer Ohio months. The Oak Ridge Festival in Attica, held in July and October, is a particular favorite, with live entertainment, handmade items, food, and fun for the whole family. Seneca Caverns in Bellevue is one of Ohio’s largest underground caverns, where visitors have the opportunity to descend 110 feet below the surface for a truly memorable adventure. North Central Electric prides itself on being with its members from the time they wake up, while they’re on the job or in school, and when they return home at night. It’s all part of being a cooperative family.
Co-op Spotlight appears regularly in Ohio Cooperative Living to give a glimpse into the land and the people of Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 7
CO-OP PEOPLE
IRON MAN
Master blacksmith Doug Lockhart forges his own path through life. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA
8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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woman who had purchased a skillet from Lockhart Ironworks recently asked Doug Lockhart if he could add a helper handle to her cookware. The veteran blacksmith, a South Central Power Company member, gladly obliged. “I enjoy making things like they did in the olden days,” says Lockhart, “when people actually could come into a shop and talk to the blacksmith.” Lockhart’s shop sits amid 83 acres of woods and fields on his farmstead, 10 miles northeast of Logan. He and his wife, Berta, live in an 1824 log farmhouse; keep ducks and goats for eggs, meat, and milk; raise some hay; and harvest their trees for lumber that they cut in the farm’s sawmill. While a metal pole barn houses the ironworks’ forges and anvils, the smithy’s gift shop was once a dog kennel before Lockhart upcycled it into a showcase for the wide variety of hooks, fireplace pokers, knives, cooking utensils, and other items that he and his family — son Benjamin Lockhart, daughter Annah Lockhart, daughter Danielle Chamberlain, and son-in-law David Chamberlain — handmake. “Our kids were all raised in the shop and taught forging skills,” says Lockhart. “They’re also cross-trained on every station in the shop so that anybody can do any job.” Danielle, for example, started working there at age 12, and when she turned 18, he sold her the Ironworks for one dollar. “I did that so when I’m not around anymore, the kids can go back into the shop and continue the business without any courts involved,” he says. Lockhart’s introduction to blacksmithing came in 1981, when he was studying to be a living-history interpreter at Salem College in West Virginia. The curriculum’s 18th- and 19th-century occupations included printing, carpentry, and basketmaking, but Lockhart recognized his calling the first time he saw a blacksmith hammering hot metal. He was all in. “That was the day I started eating coal for breakfast,” he recalls. Blacksmithing dates to the ancient Iron Age, and in medieval Europe, it was considered the king of all the trades because, unlike a mason, weaver, or glassblower, only a blacksmith can make his own tools. Because Lockhart strives to preserve those age-old traditions and techniques even while he practices them, he also operates the Southern Ohio School of Blacksmithing. “An unbelievable amount of things a blacksmith knows how to do are being forgotten or not handed down,” Lockhart says. “My passion is passing my knowledge on to my kids and students.” Although he suspended classes because of COVID-19, students typically receive a full day of instruction at
Doug Lockhart (opposite page) caught the blacksmithing bug while he was in college, and when his daughter, Danielle Chamberlain, (above) turned 18, he sold her his ironworks business.
Lockhart Ironworks, where they finish four projects. Of course, blacksmiths always strike while the iron is hot, so mastering the scorching 3,000-degree fires is a must. “You’ve got to get close to that dragon in the forge and can’t be afraid,” says Lockhart. “If you learn to work with fire, it becomes your ally, and you can create something.” During 40 years of blacksmithing, Lockhart’s creativity has ranged from restoring historic iron bridges to designing a National Christmas Tree ornament to fashioning light fixtures for Disney World’s Beauty and the Beast Castle. He also reproduced vintage sconces at the Ohio Governor’s Residence and made two state-sealinspired sculptures — a sheaf of wheat and cluster of arrows — for the residence’s Heritage Garden. Besides iron, Lockhart works in copper, bronze, and brass, and he chose carbon steel for Lockhart Ironworks’ line of heirloom-quality skillets. “Only a handful of blacksmiths in the United States currently make cookware, and we spent three years consulting with chefs and developing our skillets,” says Lockhart. Carbon steel is lighter and more durable than cast iron and yields a smooth, naturally nonstick cooking surface. “Put just a small amount of oil in the pan, and a fried egg practically floats on the surface,” says Lockhart. In addition, skillet handles are attached with rivets and have a low-enough pitch to easily fit in an oven. Every Lockhart skillet comes with not only care instructions but also a thank-you card featuring a photo of the entire family of blacksmiths. “I have each of the kids sign the card,” says Lockhart. “I want customers to know who made their cookware, and that it’s made in the USA.” To learn more, view videos, and shop for cookware and other items, visit www.themakersofhandforgediron.com. Lockhart Ironworks is open to the public, but visitors should call ahead: 740-380-6816.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9
WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
Logan’s trees The Logan Elm and Logan Oak stood witness to Ohio’s storied history. STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS
The Logan Oak, which stands in a cemetery near Logan, is estimated to be more than 600 years old.
10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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ogan’s Lament is well known in Ohio history. Chief Logan of the Mingo tribe of Native Americans uttered the short speech in October 1774 from beneath a huge, spreading elm tree in his camp, located a few miles south of what is today Circleville, Ohio. What Logan was specifically lamenting is less well known — and the incident is both intriguing and tragic. Logan (known as Talgayeeta to his Indian brothers) had always considered himself a friend of the white man — so much so that his fellow tribesmen even mocked him for it, claiming he would one day regret his beliefs. Unfortunately, they were right. In April 1774, Logan was away hunting when members of his family and some friends ran afoul of a settler named Daniel Greathouse and his band of border thugs, all of whom hated Indians. The Greathouse party first feigned friendship, then once they had gained the Indians’ confidence, murdered them in cold blood. Among those killed were Logan’s wife, brother, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, as well as a fetus — a future nephew — that was slashed from his sister’s pregnant womb.
Today, the Logan Elm is long gone; the tree finally succumbed in 1964 to disease and repeated lightning strikes. In its prime, it measured 104 feet tall, its branches spread 180 feet wide, and the circumference of the trunk was 24 feet. Fortunately, the place where it once stood has been preserved by the Ohio History Connection as the Logan Elm State Memorial and is open to the public. If you’d like to visit a living tree of similar size, the Logan Oak stands in the northeast corner of the Old Logan Cemetery in Logan, Ohio. A plaque there claims that the white oak is more than 600 years old, which is possible for such a long-lived species. If that age is accurate, the Logan Oak was already a century old when Christopher Columbus began his journey toward North America in 1492 and nearly 400 when Logan lamented under the nearby elm. W.H. (Chip) Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. For more information on the Logan Elm State Memorial, visit www. ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/logan-elm.
In retaliation, Chief Logan and small parties of Mingo and Shawnee took to the warpath, vowing to kill 10 whites for each Indian who had been slain. Logan personally vowed to take the lives of 20 settlers in retaliation for the death of his unborn nephew. Months later, after the killing had ceased, Logan issued his lament (in part): “During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his tent, an advocate for peace. Nay, such was my love for the whites that those of my own country pointed at me as I passed and said, ‘Logan is the friend of the white man.’ I had even thought to live with you, but for the injuries of one man … [who,] last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relatives of Logan, not sparing even my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance … Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one.” The Indians had long memories, reserving their greatest tortures for their greatest enemies. Daniel’s brother, Jacob, who also played a part in what came to be known as the Yellow Creek Massacre of Logan’s relatives and friends, was on that list. In 1791, according to legend — a full 17 years later — the Indians captured Jacob and his wife. The method the warriors used to kill the pair is too gruesome to describe here; suffice it to say that Jacob’s wife died relatively quickly, but Jacob himself suffered hours in unspeakable agony before death finally came.
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 FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11
Donut paradise Foodies can explore and devour their way through Ohio’s sweetest trail. BY MICHAEL PRAMIK; PHOTOS BY WENDY PRAMIK
I
n the kitchen of Jupiter Coffee and Donuts in Fairfield, Ohio, co-owner Cindy Wallis proudly shows off a feathery circle of sweetness — warm, luscious, and oozing with classic glazed-donut flavor. Certainly, this is donut heaven, and it’s just a small serving of the nirvana available on the Butler County Donut Trail, 13 shops that celebrate the specialized culinary craft. For many, the southwestern part of the state has become the sweet pastry’s Promised Land. “Donuts sell here. They just sell,” says Terri Niederman, owner of the Donut Spot, also in Fairfield. “It’s unbelievable.” Nine shops, in cooperation with the Butler County Convention and Visitors Bureau, launched the trail in 2016 to boost sales and draw visitors. Participants secure a Donut Trail Passport and have it stamped at each location. A completed passport earns the bearer a souvenir T-shirt. It didn’t take long for the idea to pay off. Tracy Kocher, with the visitors bureau, says a small group of travelers came to her office two days after the trail opened, bearing completed passports. “That group comes back every year,” she says.
The trail has successfully tapped tourists’ sweet tooths. Kocher says the number of passports handed out or downloaded has topped 400,000, and more than 25,000 have finished the trail. Visitors have come from all 50 states and 22 countries. The bureau has a “donut concierge” line that visitors can call for assistance, including setting up itineraries and finding places to stay. “We’ve seen people completing the trail as an activity before a family member is deployed overseas, or to celebrate the completion of cancer treatment. We’ve seen wedding parties, team building, and school trips,” Kocher says. “It’s family friendly, anybody can do it, and everybody loves a donut.” The trail runs from Middletown in the northeast to Oxford in the west, through Hamilton and neighboring Fairfield, and to West Chester in the southeast. You can pick up a passport at any of the stops. Wallis established Jupiter in 2014 with her husband, Gregg Trueb, both Miami University graduates. When two marry from that college, it’s known as a “Miami Merger,” and Continued on page 14
12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
This page: Cindy Wallis of Jupiter Coffee and Donuts gives the call of "Hot glaze!" to let staff know this batch is ready to sell. Opposite page: Terri Niederman of the Donut Spot displays her wares.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13
Amanda Stevison (right) preps a batch of donuts at Mimi's in Hamilton, while employees at Holtman's in West Chester serve them up by the dozen (bottom). Meanwhile, an employee at Jupiter uses a cutter (left) to start the next batch.
Grab your Butler County Donut Trail Passport, complete the journey, and earn your SWEET Donut Trail T-shirt.
Which shop will be your favorite?
Continued from page 12
Dayton (30 min.)
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1518 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 45044
66
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Holtman’s Donuts
9558 Civic Centre Blvd., West Chester, OH 45069
Milton’sDonuts Donuts Milton’s
10
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Mimi’s Donuts & Bakery
11
The Donut Dude
Oxford Doughnut Shoppe Hamilton, OH 45013
12
3533 Blvd., 3533Roosevelt Roosevelt Blvd Middletown, OH 45044
Middletown, OH 45044
7
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West Chester
Cincinnati (20 min.)
Pastry Pastry Shop Shop 1 Central 1518 Central Ave. 1
(90 min.)
6
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177
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Ross
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7967 Cincinnati Dayton Rd., 7967 Cincinnati Dayton Rd. West Chester, OH 45069 West Chester, OH 45069 7132 Cincinnati Dayton Rd., Liberty Township, OH 45069
2 Holtman’s Donuts 7 Mimi’s Donuts & Bakery 11 The Donut Dude 9558 Civic Centre Blvd 2267 Millville Ave. 7132 Cincinnati Dayton Rd. 3
Jupiter Coffee & Donuts
West OH 45069 5353 Chester, Dixie Hwy.,
8
Fairfield, OH 45014
2267 Millville Ave., Hamilton, OH 45013 (Optional) 120 S. Locust St., Oxford, OH 45056
The Donut Hole by Milton’s Liberty Township, OH 45069 8268 Princeton Glendale Rd., West Chester, OH 45069
Coffee & Donuts 8 Oxford Doughnut Shoppe 12 The DonutSpot Hole by Milton’s Kelly’s Bakery The Donut 3 Jupiter 5353 Dixie Hwy. (optional stop) 8268 Princeton Glendale Rd. 4
1335 Main St.,
Hamilton, OH OH 45013 Fairfield, 45014
5
4
Martin’s Donuts
Kelly’s Bakery
4 W. State St., Trenton, OH 45067
Ross Bakery
9A 9B
120 S.Eaton Locust St. Ave., 1051 45013 or OH45056 Hamilton, Oxford, OH 4421 Hamilton Cleves Rd., Hamilton, OH 45013
Ross Bakery
13
5148 Pleasant Ave.,
Fairfield, OH 45014 West Chester, OH 45069
13
The Donut Spot
1335 Main St. 5148 Pleasant Ave. 9A Hamilton, OH Visitors 45013 Bureau 1051 Eaton Ave. Fairfield, OH 45014 Butler County 8756 Union Centre Blvd., West Chester, OH 45069 OR Download your Butler County Donut4421 TrailHamilton Passport,Cleves and Rd. fun things to do9B along the way OH at BCDonutTrail.com Hamilton, 45013 4 W. more State St. 5discover Trenton, OH 45067
Martin’s Donuts
For information, visit www.gettothebc.com/donut-trail or call the Donut Trail concierge line at 513-860-0917.
they created a donut to mark that occasion — the Miami Maple Merger, crafted with maple fluff and candied pecans. Wallis relates that story as she’s turning over raised donuts in hot oil. She shocks bystanders by suddenly screaming out, “Hot glaze!” “That way, the staff out in front knows that the donuts are about to be glazed, and we can start selling them now,” she says. Across town at the Donut Spot, Niederman has been making donuts for two decades. She says the trail has been good for business, although locals don’t need any help finding her. On a recent Valentine’s Day she sold more than 1,500 specialty donuts in addition to many dozens of the glazed variety. “Butler County has a lot of donut shops per capita,” she says. “It’s unbelievable the number of donuts we can run through.” Niederman’s sister, Diana Ramsey, owns another stop on the trail: Kelly’s Bakery in Hamilton, where the specialty of the house is Kelly Bread — essentially a huge, pull-apart glazed donut with cinnamon icing. About 31/2 miles southwest, Mimi’s Donuts and Bakery is tucked in a nondescript strip center adjacent to the Millville Cemetery, where owner Sherry Richardson opened the store in 2015 after retiring as a police officer. Mimi’s makes a tempting cake-style treat, filled with peanut butter and covered with chocolate icing and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pieces. While many of the Donut Trail stops are nestled in quiet retail centers, there’s nothing subtle about Holtman’s — the West Chester location of the Cincinnati-based chain that’s on the trail is surrounded by huge retail developments, such as Top Golf and Ikea, as well as several chain hotels and restaurants. Holtman’s has been around for 60 years and has earned its strong reputation by making everything from scratch each day. You can watch much of the magic happen through a large window. Holtman’s isn’t afraid to top their donuts — with bacon, children’s cereal, sprinkles, you name it. While it’s possible to complete the trail in a day, travelers along the trail don’t have to finish the circuit in one trip to earn the T-shirt. Check Facebook pages for daily hours of your planned stops before you go, and remember that some of the shops will close early if they sell out that day’s goodies.
14 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
GOOD EATS
Easy
pantry meals Sometimes, you just need to pull dinner together at the last minute. Here are some easy dishes that come together quickly and use ingredients you likely have on hand. RECIPES AND PHOTOS BY CATHERINE MURRAY
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15
ITALIAN POLENTA BOWL
15-MINUTE BLACK BEAN SOUP (From page 15)
Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Servings: 6 3 (15.25-ounce) cans black ½ cup water beans, not drained 1 teaspoon ground cumin 24 ounces (3 cups) mild ½ teaspoon garlic powder chunky salsa ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 15-ounce can corn, drained
Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Servings: 4 1 tablespoon olive oil 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 pound boneless, skinless 3.8-ounce can sliced black chicken breast olives, drained 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth separated 4 cups water 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained 1 cup instant polenta and rinsed ½ teaspoon black pepper 14-ounce can quartered 2 ounces goat cheese (optional) artichoke hearts
Pour black beans into a large pot. Mash about 1/3 of the beans against the side of the pot. Add in rest of ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly. Finish with your favorite toppings, such as corn chips, sour cream, avocado, or cheddar cheese.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons of the Italian seasoning and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove from skillet; let cool for a minute, then cut into strips. Cover chicken and set aside. Using the same skillet, simmer together the chickpeas, artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes, black olives, and broth. Add chicken strips and heat through. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in instant polenta and black pepper. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. When ready, pour polenta into serving bowls, then top with chicken mixture and crumbled goat cheese (optional).
Per serving: 559 calories, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 1,310 milligrams sodium, 112 grams total carbohydrates, 24 grams fiber, 26 grams protein.
Per serving: 868 calories, 22 grams fat (5.5 grams saturated fat), 84 milligrams cholesterol, 689 grams sodium, 111 grams total carbohydrates, 29 grams fiber, 61 grams protein.
16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
PUMPKIN SPICE PANCAKES WITH SWEET SYRUP Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 6 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin 2 teaspoons baking powder 1½ cups + 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ½ teaspoon salt In a large bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir to incorporate. In a medium bowl, whisk canned pumpkin, 11/2 cups milk, butter, egg yolks, and vinegar. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites into batter, careful to stir as little as possible. Grease and heat skillet over medium heat (300 F in an electric skillet). Pour 1/3 cup batter into skillet.
2 eggs, separated 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ½ cup (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side. Try flipping the first pancake a few times to get a sense of the best cook time. Cook remaining pancakes. To make syrup, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl. Serve immediately. Per serving: 386 calories, 10 grams fat (5.5 grams saturated fat), 81 milligrams cholesterol, 530 milligrams sodium, 64 grams total carbohydrates, 2.5 grams fiber, 11 grams protein.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17
TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 6 to 8 16-ounce box rotini pasta 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided 5 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed 1 tablespoon dried minced onion 4 ounces canned mushrooms, drained (optional) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 12-ounce cans tuna in water, 2 cups milk drained 10.75-ounce can condensed ¼ cup bread crumbs cream of mushroom soup Cook rotini pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter with the dried onion. Add flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until flour begins to brown and have a nutty smell. Slowly whisk in milk, then whisk in cream of mushroom soup until sauce thickens. Add ½ cup of the cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in rotini, peas, mushrooms, and tuna. Pour into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Melt remaining butter and toss with the bread crumbs. Scatter crumbs over cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crumb topping is nicely browned. Per serving: 631 calories, 25 grams fat (13 grams saturated fat), 147 milligrams cholesterol, 666 milligrams sodium, 58 grams total carbohydrates, 1.5 grams fiber, 42 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.
www.ohiocoopliving.com While you’re there, see a video of some of our tasty dishes being prepared. 18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES GM’S REPORT
AVOIDING SOLAR ENERGY SCAMS Solar energy is booming, and its future is brighter than ever. Through the use of rooftop solar panels, many homeowners can now harness the sun’s rays to produce their own electricity that’s environmentally friendly and more cost effective than ever before. Unfortunately, with the increasing popularity of solar, some businesses are taking advantage of consumers who are interested in generating their own energy. While many solar companies are genuine and truly want to help consumers with a successful solar installation, there are the occasional bad apples. You’ve likely heard a story or two about solar vendors that promised rooftop panels that would generate enough electricity to power the entire home. Then, after the homeowner has signed a contract and paid thousands of dollars for the installation, the solar panels aren’t producing energy as expected, and the vendor is nowhere to be found. Sadly, this story has been the reality for many. If you’re interested in solar panels for your home, consider these tips before installation: • Talk to the energy advisors at Firelands Electric Cooperative first. We want you to feel confident about any decisions you make about your home’s energy use, so that you can get the best return on your investment. • Collect at least three quotes from different solar companies to ensure you’re getting a competitive
deal. As with any major purchase, research is key, so thoroughly read customer reviews for each of the solar vendors. • If you speak to a vendor and they use highpressure tactics, like an offer that’s only good for 24 hours, run! Any reputable solar company will recognize that you need time to review a proposal and thoroughly weigh your decision.
Dan McNaull
GENERAL MANAGER
• You know if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, if a solar company is making promises that sound unachievable and outlandish, they probably are. Remember, if you have any questions, you can always count on Firelands Electric Co-op for advice. • When it’s time to review and sign a solar contract, make sure the language is clear and easy to understand. Ensure any prior verbal (or emailed) promises are included in the contract. • Finally, keep in mind that solar won’t be able to provide all of your electric needs. Your home uses power around the clock, including when your solar panels aren’t generating. In addition to a monthly solar panel payment, you will continue to have a monthly electric bill to cover the difference between what you produce and the amount of electricity you actually use. Remember to combine these two costs to get a clearer picture of the impact solar will have on your monthly household budget. Going solar is a major decision, so you’ll want to conduct a good bit of research first. If you’re looking for a general starting point, check out the Department of Energy’s Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar at www.energy.gov.
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES RIGHT-OF-WAY MAINTENANCE
MAKING
RELIABILITY A TOP PRIORITY One of Firelands Electric Cooperative’s most important annual projects is right-of-way clearing, or vegetation management. Keeping power lines clear of tree limbs and brush helps the co-op: • Reduce power interruptions • Improve service reliability • Restore outages more quickly • Avoid unexpected and costly repairs • Create a safer environment for crews and the community
What is a right-of-way? A right-of-way is the strip of land underneath or around power lines and transformers that Firelands Electric Cooperative has the right and responsibility to maintain and clear. We must keep trees and other vegetation a proper distance from equipment in order to prevent harm to people or disruptions in electric service. Specifications vary, but a general rule of thumb for maintaining a safe right-of-way is 20 feet of clearance on either side of primary lines. The area above poles and wires should be kept completely clear of all vegetation. For pad-mounted transformers (those installed on the ground), shrubs and other plants should be kept a minimum of 10 feet away.
Why is it important? Trees and small animals cause a substantial number of power outages every year. While the co-op has little control over the animals, our crews can take steps to reduce the impact of downed trees. Clearing the right-of-way is vital to keeping our members’ power on. Branches and limbs that come into contact with power lines can cause voltage fluctuations, blinking lights, or even an outage for cooperative members. Right-of-way clearing also keeps your family safer by ensuring that tree branches and vegetation do not become energized due to close contact with a downed
power line or other electrical equipment. With the ability to carry up to 34,500 volts, a power line touching a tree branch can be incredibly dangerous — even deadly. Be mindful when around trees that are close to power lines and make sure children know that climbing trees near power lines or playing near pad-mounted transformers is extremely dangerous.
Our responsibility
James Miller
Firelands Electric maintains SYSTEM RIGHT-OF-WAY 995 miles of line that bring COORDINATOR power to over 9,100 homes and businesses. This gives Firelands Electric’s right-ofway maintenance crews a big job to do. Each year, we make a plan for tree contractors to work in specific areas of the cooperative’s service territory to try to keep ahead of any potential issues. If a tree invades the right-of-way, the cooperative’s vegetation management team will trim back branches and brush using any combination of chainsaws, bucket trucks, tree climbers, brush chippers, or mowers. We occasionally use chemical control methods to stop lowgrowing plant species, which can climb and outgrow trees near power lines. If you have existing trees on your property that are in danger of making contact with the cooperative’s power lines, we encourage you to notify us. For more information on the cooperative’s vegetation management program, questions about tree trimming, or assistance in selecting the right tree to plant, visit our website at at www.firelandsec.com/right-way-clearance or contact Firelands Electric’s System Right-of-Way Coordinator James Miller at 1-800-533-8658.
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Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place Trees beautify our neighborhoods, and when planted in the right spot, can even help lower energy bills. But the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a hazard … especially to power lines.
LARGE TREES
Height/spread of more than 40 feet, such as: • • • •
Maple Oak Spruce Pine
• Birch • Sweetgum • Linden
MEDIUM TREES
SMALL TREES
Height/spread of 25 to 40 feet , such as:
Height /spread of no more than 25 feet , such as:
• Washington hawthorn • Golden rain tree • Eastern redbud • American arborvitae • Dogwoods
• Star magnolia • Crabapple • Lilac Avoid planting within 20 feet of power lines. When planting within 20 feet is unavoidable, use only shrubs and small trees. 40ft.
40 ft. high or less les
Tree pruning zone
Maximum tree height 25 ft.
70ft.
60ft.
50ft.
40ft.
30ft.
20ft.
10ft.
0
10ft.
20ft.
Source: The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
2021 RIGHT-OF-WAY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM Vegetation management and right-of-way tree maintenance is tentatively scheduled in 2021 for the following areas and will include brush hogging, cutting, trimming, and any necessary tree removals: Ashland County — Green, Mifflin, Milton, and Perry townships Huron County — Fitchville, New Haven, New London, and Richmond townships Richland County — Mifflin, Monroe, and Weller Township FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES CO-OP NEWS
DIFFERENT IS BETTER As a member-owned cooperative, Firelands Electric is different from investor-owned and municipal power suppliers. Our purpose is not to make profits for distant shareholders, but to provide our members with the best possible service. While this obviously means delivering reliable, affordable electric power, it also represents a strong commitment to the little things that add value to being a member.
Rebates One of the best ways to reduce energy bills is to make your home more energy efficient. Firelands Electric offers rebates to our residential and commercial members on a dozen different efficiency upgrades, including electric water heaters, heat pumps, geothermal units, appliances, and insulation.
Energy consultations Our member services department is always willing to help with efficiency questions. While these can often be answered over the phone, sometimes a more in-depth look may be necessary. In these cases, a FREE in-home consultation with Firelands’ energy advisor may be in order.
SmartHub With Firelands’ SmartHub app, members can pay their electric bill easily and securely, but the app does so much more. You can view your electric use, report outages, update account information, sign up for or update Auto Pay, and enroll in email or text alerts. Visit www.firelandsec.com/smarthub-101 to find instructions on how to register.
Advanced metering In addition to standard readings, our state-of-the-art metering system provides daily and hourly readings, as well as voltage and “blink” readings. Integrated with our mapping system, it also helps pinpoint outage areas and speeds up restoration efforts.
Alerts
restorations, peak alerts, usage thresholds, and payment confirmations.
Payment options Whether you pay via mail, Auto Pay, SmartHub, over the phone with a check or card, or use our night drop box, convenience is key. No matter which option you choose, Firelands never charges a fee based on the type of payment method used.
Capital credits Members have financial equity in Firelands Electric based on their electricity purchases. This capital is used to maintain and improve our distribution system. As a member-owned organization, this investment in your co-op is returned over time. Since the first capital credits refund in 1948, Firelands has paid back more than $16 million to our members.
Democratic control Your board of trustees is made up of nine Firelands Electric members just like you. Elected by you — our members — this board is the governing body that sets policies and guides the direction of the co-op when it comes to electric rates, capital credits, and reliability investments.
Youth programs Firelands awards over $10,000 in scholarships each year to high school seniors who live in a home served by the co-op. We also sponsor an annual electrical safety contest, provide informational materials to youth groups, and conduct frequent giveaways to encourage electric and energy education.
Want more info? If you would like more information about any of the services available to Firelands Electric members, visit www.firelandsec.com or call our office at 1-800-533-8658. We’d be happy to explain the cooperative difference and what makes your membership special!
Thanks to SmartHub and our advanced metering technology, members can sign up to receive notices via email or text message regarding their electric account. Notifications are available for power outages and 20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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SAFETY
PLEASE
MOVE OVER
FOR ROADSIDE CREWS
Every year, workers along the side of the road are injured or killed by vehicles crashing into a crew’s site, even though it’s marked with bright cones and warning signs.
• Penalties for violating these requirements in Ohio range from $300 to $1,000 or even loss of your driver’s license.
To reduce incidents that harm police officers and other first responders, Ohio’s Move Over law was passed in 1999. The law was expanded in 2013 to include any stationary vehicle with flashing lights, such as tow trucks, construction equipment, and utility vehicles.
If you plan to travel and want to know the specifics of Move Over laws outside of Ohio, a list summarizing each state’s law can be found on the AAA website at drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/move-over-law.
Each state’s Move Over laws are slightly different, but the basic concepts are the same: • When you approach a work zone, change lanes if there’s more than one on your side of the road, to put an empty lane between your vehicle and the roadside crew. • If it’s not possible or safe to change lanes, slow down. • Drivers must obey all traffic instructions posted as part of the worksite. • Keep control of your car, which means paying attention and responding to weather conditions — heavy rain or a slick road might mean you need to slow down even more. And no texting, fiddling with the radio, or other distractions.
Electric utility crews are special cases to watch out for. A study of utility worksite accidents found that the relatively temporary nature of power line repairs can catch motorists off guard. A roadside construction operation might close a lane for days or weeks, giving time for people familiar with the area to anticipate a change in traffic pattern. Utility work, however, can start and finish in a few hours, possibly raising risks with drivers who might think they know the road ahead. Another risk to watch for is when worksites are being put up or taken down. Roadside accidents can happen as crews are setting up signs and traffic cones. Don’t drive distracted. Drive according to the conditions of the road. Be courteous to roadside work crews. Watch the signs and obey them. And certainly, follow laws like Move Over. It’s good advice that could save a life.
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES TRUSTEE ELECTIONS
LOOKING FOR
LEADERS LIKE YOU
Firelands Electric Cooperative is guided by a board of trustees who are also members of the co-op. It is this board’s responsibility to represent members’ best interests when making significant decisions, which can affect issues such as service rates, work plans, reliability, and rights-of-way. Seats on the cooperative’s board are incredibly important positions in our community. It’s essential to elect strong leaders who understand the community’s needs, selected from a diverse pool of candidates. Fresh perspectives help the co-op enact policies that keep our community competitive, so members are always encouraged to run in our board elections. Firelands Electric’s board is a democratically elected body nominated by members of the cooperative’s service territory and voted into position by members who choose to participate in the co-op’s open election. Any co-op member who is in good standing and resides in a district with an open spot on the board is invited to run for that position. In 2021, Firelands Electric will again hold elections via mail and online ballot, rather than at the annual meeting. More details regarding this voting process are outlined on the following page. Board members for districts 2, 7, and 9 will be elected this year. Interested candidates are required to collect 20 member signatures from within their district and submit an election application by Friday, March 19. Petitions will be available starting Feb. 5 at the Firelands Electric Cooperative office, located at 103 Industrial Drive, New London. Trustees matter and can make a difference. Call 1-800-533-8658 or visit www.firelandsec.com for additional information on how to run for our board of trustees and to find out more about the election process.
BOARD DISTRICTS District 1: Richmond, Norwich, and Greenfield townships District 2: New Haven, Ripley, Greenwich, Ruggles, Cass, and Blooming Grove townships District 3: Peru, Bronson, Fairfield, and Hartland townships and Fitchville Township west of State Route 250 District 4: Clarksfield and Rochester townships, Fitchville Township east of State Route 250, and north of CSX rail in New London municipality and New London Township District 5: Monroe, Green, and Lake townships District 6: Butler, Clear Creek, Orange, Weller, Milton, and Mifflin and Madison townships north of State Route 42 District 7: Vermilion, Mohican, Montgomery, and Perry townships District 8: Mifflin Township south of State Route 42 in Ashland and Richland counties District 9: South of CSX rail in New London municipality and New London Township Firelands Electric Cooperative is governed by a board of trustees, nominated and elected by our members in accordance with our Code of Regulations. Our service area is divided into nine districts, which are based on equitable representation of the geographic areas served by Firelands. Trustees from three districts are elected each year, and those selected by the membership to represent each district serve a term of three years.
Nomination petitions to become a candidate for the 2021 trustee elections will be available at the Firelands Electric Cooperative office starting Feb. 5. 20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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Voting procedures
Trustee elections will take place this spring via mail and online ballot Per the Code of Regulations, Firelands Electric Cooperative’s election of trustees will be conducted by mail and online ballot again this year. A thirdNORWICH party, independent 1 service provider will manage the election, RICHMOND overseeing the online voting portal, the printing and mailing of ballots, and receiving and tallying all votes.
PERU
BRONSON
GREENFIELD
NEW HAVEN
HARTLAND
CLARKSFIELD
FAIRFIELD
FITCHVILLE
NEW LONDON
RIPLEY
GREENWICH
RUGGLES
3
Members will receive candidate biographies and a paper ballot in the mail near the end of April. Votes can be cast online via a secure link available at www.firelandsec.com or by returning a completed paper ballot in the envelope provided. The account number on record, which is found on your printed or emailed monthly billing statement, will be required to cast your vote online.
2
BUTLER
4
9
ROCHESTER
TROY
CLEAR CREEK
ORANGE
JACKSON
MILTON
MONTGOMERY
PERRY
6 WELLER
MIFFLIN MIFFLIN
Only original ballots will be accepted; no photocopies are permitted. If more than one ballot is submitted or more than one voting method is used, the first ballot received by the independent service provider will be considered final.
8
7
VERMILLION
MOHICAN
5 MONROE
Voting will open on Saturday, May 1, and will close Sunday, June 13, at 11:59 p.m. Paper ballots must be mailed to the independent service provider and cannot be accepted at the co-op office. Any ballots received by the independent service provider after the close of voting will not be counted, so please allow ample time for delivery if sending by mail.
GREEN
LAKE
Winners of the election will be announced at Firelands Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting on Saturday, June 19, at the Firelands Electric Co-op facility in New London. Results will also be posted on the co-op’s website and published in Ohio Cooperative Living magazine.
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES ENERGY EFFICIENCY
CAN YOU
CLOSE THE DOOR ON ENERGY WASTE?
Heating and cooling costs take up a good chunk of your energy budget. During extreme weather conditions, many homeowners look for quick and easy ways to save energy. One commonly used method is to close doors and vents in unused rooms, reducing the amount of space that needs to be heated or cooled. It sounds like a good idea, but will it really help trim back your energy bills?
What’s really going on behind closed doors It’s a common misconception that closing off some rooms in your home will reduce the amount of space you need to heat or cool, thus lowering your energy costs. In reality, closing doors and vents in unused rooms can actually increase your energy use. Heating and cooling systems are designed for balance, so that the amount of air returned to the air handling unit is roughly equal to the volume delivered through the supply vents in each room. When doors are closed, room air pressure increases. The extra pressure pushes air out through any openings in walls or windows. Rooms with closed doors can leak air in increased amounts. The air that escapes from the room must be replaced, increasing the amount of air being drawn and the load on your heating and cooling system. Also, the increased duct pressure results in lower air flow with fixed-speed blowers and increased energy use with variable-speed blowers. So, although shutting doors may sometimes be necessary for privacy or a little quiet time, it’s not a good way to reduce your energy bills.
Making room for energy savings There are still plenty of other good options when it comes to improving home energy efficiency and comfort: • Hire a qualified professional to inspect and clean your heating and cooling system at least once a year. • Make sure that all supply and return air vents are open and free of obstructions, such as rugs or furniture. • Check exterior doors and windows for gaps or air leaks and seal with weatherstripping or caulk. • Ensure that your walls and attic are properly insulated for your local climate. A qualified insulation contractor or energy auditor can inspect your home and tell you whether you need to add insulation. If your heating or cooling system is older or in need of repair, consider replacing it with a new ENERGY STAR system. ENERGY STAR-certified units use less energy than standard models while still providing the same level of comfort and performance. For help with your energy efficiency questions, contact Firelands Electric Cooperative’s energy advisor at 1-800-533-8658 or visit www.firelandsec.com/energy-efficiency. 20F OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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OUR ENERGY PORTFOLIO
Where your
POWER
comes from
BASE-LOAD & PEAKING FACILITIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY
• Cardinal Power Plant — Brilliant, OH 1,230 MW from coal-fired power plant
• OurSolar community solar farms & EnviroWatts 2.1 MW at 23 Ohio locations
• Clifty Creek and Kyger Creek Plants 434 MW from coal-fired generation via Ohio Valley Electric Corporation
• Anaerobic digesters — livestock farms 4.5 MW from four biogas animal waste systems
• Robert P. Mone — Convoy, OH and Greenville — Greenville, OH 710 MW from natural gas peaking plants
• Gas generation — Hancock and Perry county landfills 9.6 MW from methane-produced power • Entitlement from New York 55 MW from hydropower at Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers
Buckeye Power and its 24 member co-ops, including Firelands Electric, take a balanced, all-of-the-above approach to energy.
We are committed to safe, reliable, affordable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly electricity. FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20G
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES YOUTH PROGRAMS
2020 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Winners of December drawing receive Amazon gift cards
Education helps shape the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why Firelands Electric includes it as one of our seven core principles. The A Team is a cooperative program designed to encourage students in their pursuit of academic excellence. Students in grades 6–8 are invited to participate and be recognized for their hard work and dedication to education.
Preston Smeltzer
Loudonville Middle School Son of Jason and Jennifer Smeltzer
Kade Detterman
New London Middle School Son of Kurt and Maria Detterman
Send us your grade card and win! The next drawing will be held on Feb. 10.
How you can win Students in grades 6–8 who have a minimum of three A’s on their most recent report card and whose parents or guardians are members of Firelands Electric Cooperative are eligible to apply. A copy of the report card should be submitted by mail to Attn: The A Team, Firelands Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 32, New London, OH 44851. Report cards may also be emailed to members@firelandsec.com. Be sure to include the student’s name, age, school, grade, address, phone number, parents’ name(s), and email address on your entry. Complete program details are also available at www.firelandsec.com/team.
Wesley Wilson
Western Reserve Middle School Son of John and Jenny Wilson
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CO-OP NEWS
k n a h T you! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the USO annual drive looked a bit different in 2020. For the 13th year in a row, Firelands Electric Cooperative served as a donation location for the USO of Northern Ohio’s Step Up for Soldiers. From Nov. 11 through Dec. 11, Firelands joined forces with local radio stations WLKR-FM and K96-FM to collect health and wellness items, snacks, and games for the Bob Hope USO Lounge at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Available to U.S. military servicemen and women and their families, the lounge provides a place to grab a snack, send email, read, or just find a quiet spot on a busy day of travel.
FIRELANDS
BROADBAND UPDATE Recognizing that many members’ homes do not have access to reliable high-speed internet, in 2019 Firelands’ management team and trustees began exploring the possibility of launching a broadband cooperative. Over the past year, we’ve had two different broadband feasibility studies conducted by industry experts. These studies were initiated knowing that the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) would be injecting billions of dollars into the construction and operation of rural broadband networks. Various options from fixed wireless to fiber to the home were analyzed. Partnerships with other electric cooperatives were also considered, which could provide necessary economies of scale. Each study revealed that major additional funding, beyond what Firelands could safely provide without negatively impacting the cooperative’s finances, would be required from RDOF for a successful broadband launch. When first released this past spring, RDOF preliminary information showed that up to $18M would be available through a reverse-bid auction process for Ashland, Huron, and Richland counties. Unfortunately, these three counties and their available funds were removed from RDOF’s eligibility list. Although the dates have not yet been released, there will be an RDOF II program, likely in late 2021 or 2022, that may offer additional rural broadband funding.
Co-op members, employees, and the community helped make this year’s drive a success. A special thank you to the staff at South Central Local Schools and Pepperidge Farm of Willard for their generous contributions again this year!
Without significant grant funding from a program such as RDOF, or perhaps through the State of Ohio, Firelands Electric’s management and trustees are unable to chart a course for broadband that would not put undue financial strain on the cooperative. In the meantime, we will continue to examine all options that would help extend high-speed internet throughout the Firelands Electric Cooperative area.
Dan McNaull General Manager
Dan Schloemer President Board of Trustees
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FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES COOPERATIVE UPDATE
highlights
BOARD MEETING Firelands Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees met Nov. 24 and covered the following items: • Board President Dan Schloemer reported that the cooperative received 63 membership applications for approval by the board. • Director of Operations Don Englet reviewed recent activities and projects in the operations department, including a line extension project and outages due to a windstorm on Nov. 15. • The board reviewed and approved a report from a safety meeting held Oct. 30. • General Manager Dan McNaull reviewed trustee election procedures for the coming year. Following discussion, the board voted to conduct the 2021 trustee elections by mail and online ballot. • Director of Finance and Accounting Tabi Shepherd reviewed the October financials and reported on recent accounting and billing department activities.
• Director of Communications and Technology Andrea Gravenhorst reviewed a report on recent activities involving the member services and IT departments and reminded the board that the USO Step Up for Soldiers annual drive would run through Dec. 11. • District 6 Trustee Kevin Reidy reported on an NRECA course he recently attended on board operations. • District 3 Trustee Tom Lucha reviewed a recent NRECA course he participated in regarding board decision-making. Firelands Electric Co-op is democratically controlled and governed by local people committed to policies that result in a safe and reliable electric system, fair rates, financial responsibility, and superior member service. The cooperative’s next board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23. If you would like to attend the next scheduled meeting, please contact the Firelands Electric office at 1-800-533-8658.
• McNaull reviewed the outage report for October and the status of the current tree trimming program.
FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OUTAGE HOTLINE
President, District 1
1-800-533-8658
OFFICE
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Rob Turk 22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
02-21--February.indd 12
District 7
1/4/2021 3:27:48 PM
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He who smelted it The process for obtaining aluminum was invented in an Oberlin backyard. BY CRAIG SPRINGER
A
s you peel the aluminum wrapper as thin as onion skin from your Valentine’s Day candy, you can thank the inventor, chemist, and capitalist Charles Hall. His story is a sweet one that has nothing to do with love or chocolate, directly. Instead, it’s one born of an affection for knowledge and from an inquisitive mind, one driven to invent. Thompson, Ohio, native Charles Hall discovered by experimentation the process that reduces aluminum from its ore to the malleable metal that swaddles your candy or can be put to use in any of thousands of ways. It all started in Ohio in February 135 years ago. What is today a most common metal was, prior to 1886, a semi-precious commodity more expensive than silver. Aluminum does not occur in nature in a metallic form, say, like gold or silver, but it is the third-most-common metal in the world in its ore form, called bauxite. Where there is clay, you can probably find bauxite — it’s that common. Aluminum oxides have long been used to harden clay pots, as evidenced in Persian pottery. It’s found in ancient Egyptian cosmetics and medicines. In more modern times, the metal was commonly used in lighting rods for fire prevention, given the ease at which it conducts electricity. In fact, a 6-pound, 9-inch pyramid of aluminum was set atop the Washington Monument in 1884 just for that purpose. The cost of that pyramid is unknown, but had it been constructed two years later, its cost would have been far less: Reducing aluminum’s ore to a metal was labor-intensive and expensive before a 23-yearold Hall — working in a shed in his parents’ Oberlin
24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
The Hall process produces aluminum with a purity of above 99%, such as in the billets above. Before Charles Hall came up with the process, which involves running an electrical current through molten bauxite to separate its components (left), aluminum was considered a precious metal, rarer than gold or silver (photo by Maksim Gusev/Getty Images).
backyard — happened upon what is now called the Hall method for reducing globs of ore to metal by applying electric current. Hall was in the spring of life during the Civil War. He was one of eight siblings, the son of parents engaged in the ministry. At the outbreak of the war, the family returned from a foreign mission in Jamaica to Thompson, and there, Charles was born. He came of age at a time of rapid change in science, and his innovation in metallurgy fell in that milieu. Charles Hall became interested in chemistry as a boy, spurred by his father’s books on the subject. He entered Oberlin College at age 16 and eventually intersected with a professor of chemistry, Frank Jewett, who mentored the young student. Hall and Jewett experimented in the professor’s lab with aluminum reduction using heat and electricity, but met with no great success. After graduation, Hall continued his experiments in an outbuilding behind his parents’ home. With a small furnace that produced high heat, an elaborate array of batteries, and much trial and error, Hall eventually extracted the Continued on page 26
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25
Charles Hall is commemorated with a statue not of bronze, but aluminum, on the campus of Oberlin College in Lorain County.
Continued from page 25
lightweight metal from an admixture of salts and clays. The discovery created an entirely new industry. Hall secured a patent, and he went from an Oberlin shed to a nearby mecca of metal reduction: Pittsburgh. The then 25-year-old chemist secured financial backing to produce aluminum on an industrial scale. His Pittsburgh Reduction Company got off the ground and found new markets for the newly affordable metal. The ease of Hall’s reduction method dropped the price of aluminum like, well, an aluminum ingot sinks in a pond. Hall’s Pittsburgh Reduction Company in 1907 became the Aluminum Company of America, perhaps better known as ALCOA, and he became a wealthy man and philanthropist. Hall died in 1914, unmarried and without children. He left vast amounts of money to charity. Inexpensive aluminum found its use in electrical transmission, cookware, machinery, and aircraft. Aluminum was the primary structural component of a new U.S. Navy rigid airship endeavor in 1922 and would frame countless aircraft during the Second World War. Charles Hall is remembered not in bronze, but aluminum, on the Oberlin College campus. His likeness looks contemplatively at an aluminum globule and holds a chemistry book — memorializing a man with an inventive mind and a heart for charity. 26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
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Hero dogs
Ohio golden retrievers are helping all dogs live healthier lives. STORY BY MARGARET BURANEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF KIM AND SCOTT FAULK
28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
Nine-year-old Montana (above and at left on the opposite page with Kim Faulk and Montana’s late brother, Spenser) is part of a nationwide study about golden retrievers that researchers hope will benefit all dog breeds.
G
olden retrievers are beautiful and affectionate dogs. They’re great with children and get along with other dogs and, usually, cats. Those characteristics make them among the most popular dog breeds. Sadly, more than half of them develop cancer, which is in fact the leading cause of death in all dogs age 2 and older. That’s why, in 2012, the Morris Animal Foundation launched one of the largest, longest-running animal-health studies in history. The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study (GRLS) enrolled 3,044 dogs to be followed for their entire lives. The researchers’ aim is to discover nutritional, environmental, and other risk factors for cancer and other major health problems in all dogs. The owners and their veterinarians collect health and behavior information on every dog for the researchers. In Ohio, 102 golden retrievers were enrolled in the study. Among them is Montana, now 9, who lives in Oberlin with his owners, Kim and Scott Faulks, members of LorainMedina Rural Electric Cooperative. Montana was a full brother to Ryder, the Faulks’ first golden retriever. “Ryder gave us three wonderful years,” says Kim Faulk. “He was never upset or angry, always loving and trusting.” The Faulks were devasted when Ryder died of cancer at only 3 years old. Ryder is the reason that Montana is a “Hero,” which is what GRLS participants are called.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29
Scott Faulk sits in the bed of his truck with Montana. Montana is a golden retriever “Hero” who is part of a study about the breed’s susceptibility to cancer. The Faulks enrolled Montana in the study after their first golden, Ryder, died of cancer at only 3 years old.
“We thought it was a great idea to enroll his full brother in the study,” Faulk says. “We wanted to see if we could get some answers.”
health of our pets,” Douds says. “I wasn’t able to go into research after graduation, so at least this may help make up for a part of that.”
The Faulks’ third golden retriever, Spenser, was a GRLS Hero, too. Sadly, Spenser (named for the Spenser: For Hire mystery series) also died of cancer about a year ago.
Since the GRLS began, Douds has cared for four golden retrievers, owned by three different clients. Two of the dogs succumbed to cancer.
“Spenser was a joy,” Faulk recalls. “He had the cutest puppy face until the day he died.”
Douds says the participating veterinarians submit multiple samples of hair, nails, urine, and blood. There is an extensive questionnaire to fill out online after every visit, and many owners find it easier to leave their dog at the office for part of the day, since the process takes a while.
“We’ve lost two retrievers to this horrible thing,” she says. “My husband and I — and Montana — are giving back, and that’s all we can do.” Besides Montana and their golden retriever puppy, Jake, the Faulks have three cats: LuWeeze, Inky, and Rambo, who, incidentally, all adore Montana. The GRLS dogs’ owners must keep detailed records about the dogs’ diet, behavior, sleeping habits, and more. They fill out an annual questionnaire that Faulk says takes two to three hours to complete. “They want to know about chemicals you use at home, whether or not you put chemicals on your lawn, and other environmental information,” she says. The owners’ other major commitment is to make sure the dogs get needed medical care and a thorough annual physical from a veterinarian, who also contributes to the study. The Faulks’ animals are cared for by Dr. John Douds of Douds Veterinary Hospital in Oberlin, where Faulk works as a pet groomer. “I really feel like it’s a privilege as a private practitioner to be able to make a significant difference in the future
30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
“The study requests seem to change a little from year to year as the scientists keep learning new facts,” he says. Douds describes the GRLS as “the first large-scale prospective study of dogs.” Instead of looking at past records to try to find answers (a retrospective study), this 3,000-dog investigation follows the health of the very young all the way through their end-of-life changes. Douds adds, “Goldens are prone to many types of cancer and are an ideal breed to monitor, because of their size and temperament. Although cancer is the prime target, some very smart people working with the information we send may be able to uncover the genetics and risk factors for many other illnesses in multiple canine breeds.” Faulk is grateful for the GRLS. “Too many people are losing precious pets to cancer,” she says. For more information about the MAF and the GRLS, visit www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/golden-retriever-lifetime-study.
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Streaming consciousness Ohio podcasters share their stories around the world. BY PATTY YODER
A
week after Paula Schleis retired from the Akron Beacon Journal, she received a text message from her nephew:
I know what you’re going to do in retirement — do a podcast with me. Schleis texted back: What’s a podcast?
Podcasts, she soon learned, are digital audio programs that listeners can stream or download. The technology emerged in 2004, allowing people to play internet radio shows on iPods and other early devices — hence the name. Today, Apple’s iTunes is home to more than 1.5 million programs covering nearly every topic imaginable. After several brainstorming sessions, Schleis and her nephew, Stephen Yoder, created Ohio Mysteries, a podcast that explores unsolved crimes, local legends, and interesting stories with an Ohio connection. They use Facebook and Instagram to interact with a growing community of armchair detectives — some of whom occasionally provide additional details or a family connection to that week’s episode. “We’ve told the story of everything from the gold of Minerva to the monsters that live in Lake Erie,” says Yoder, the show’s host and producer. “People sometimes stop me on the street and say, ‘You were talking about my aunt on your show.’” Schleis, the storyteller, relies on her newsroom experience to research each mystery. She has a gift for pulling out details that paint a clear — and sometimes harrowing — picture, as in the 1846 Donner party’s doomed trek west.
Paula Schleis and Stephen Yoder untangle state lore on their Ohio Mysteries podcast.
32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
Not all stories are grim. The show also explores Wooster’s claim of having the first American Christmas tree and why buzzards visit Hinkley every March 15. To Schleis, Ohio Mysteries is part entertainment and part crowdsourcing unsolved crimes.
Kim Jump, host of OOD Works, interviews horticulturist and business owner Floyd Poruban in his home for episode 9: “Floyd Poruban Runs Successful Nursery.”
“It’s a long shot — it would be like winning the lottery if you can solve a crime that way, but it can happen,” she says. “To us, this is a labor of love.” Mysteries and true crime are popular podcast themes, but they’re not for everyone. Listeners who want a positive boost to their day can look to Kim Jump, creator of the OOD Works podcast, which shares success stories from the state’s Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. To Jump, OOD’s chief of communications, it’s a platform to connect people to employment, disability determinations, and independence. “The longer format of podcasts allows us to share details, and there’s just something about listening to an individual’s voice that highlights their personalities,” she says. It’s impossible to miss the enthusiasm in an episode featuring Brock Ewing, a Marion resident determined to “prove to the world that just because my eyes don’t work doesn’t mean I can’t do things that you can do or out-achieve the things you do.”
Paula Schleis, a former Akron Beacon Journal reporter, relies on her newsroom experience to research her podcast.
A longtime podcast listener herself, Jump learned the technical aspects of sound mixing and editing by reading articles, watching YouTube videos, and taking online
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33
Josh White (left) and Tyler Cassidy (not pictured) say they knew they'd made it onto the podcast scene with their mysterybased series when they got their first troll in the comments section.
classes. Building new skills can be frustrating, but Jump says she finds inspiration through OOD clients, who, by necessity, have to find workarounds in everyday life.
“So many crazy events happened in that one location, and when you think things couldn’t get any more bizarre, it gets worse,” White says.
“The individuals we serve are so unique, and they have incredible stories to share,” she says. “It’s an honor to lift them up and reaffirm the progress they’ve made in their lives and celebrate that.”
The longtime friends are surprised by the amount of attention the show has received since its 2020 debut.
Podcast newcomers Josh White and Tyler Cassidy parlayed their love of scary movies and murder-mystery dinners into The One That Got Away, a weekly show about bizarre crimes, with plenty of comic banter (and salty language, so listener beware) thrown in. Their stories span government scandals, giggling grannies, and the infamous Cecil Hotel, home to multiple grisly activities since it opened in 1927.
“We have dedicated fans who message us after the show,” White says. “They’re an off group, kind of like us, and we really enjoy interacting with them.” Listeners around the world give the TOTGA high ratings, and the show once reached the top 200 podcasts in the U.S. and No. 2 in Bolivia, of all places. “The five-star reviews are great, but it was a two-star review that got our attention,” Cassidy says. “We knew we made it when we finally got our first troll.”
Never tried it? Here’s how to listen to a podcast If you have a smartphone, you probably have a podcast app already, or you can download one from Google Play or the App Store. Once it’s installed, use it to browse a list of popular podcasts or search for specific topics, like “Buckeyes” or “NPR.” When you find something that interests you, download individual episodes or subscribe to the entire series.
34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
No smartphone? Many podcasts have websites that list and stream each episode. If a friend tells you about a can’t-miss story from Ohio Folklore, for example, you can visit www.ohiofolklore.com, select the episode you want to hear, and click “Play.” It will stream right into your computer speakers.
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2021 CALENDAR
FEBRUARY/MARCH
NORTHWEST
p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $10 at door; $5 in advance at Tony Packo’s or Walt Churchill Market, or buy online; under 12 free. Talk directly to the experts about your dreams of updating the inside of your home, sprucing up your curb appeal, or building a brand-new home — all under one roof! www. toledohba.com or www.toledohomeshow.com. FEB. 26 – Burning Snowman Fest, 249 E. Perry St., Port Clinton, noon–10 p.m. Say goodbye to those winter blues as you enjoy live bands, local food vendors, craft beers, and the climax of the fest — the burning of a giant snowman! See Facebook page for FEB. 16 – Virtual Tales for Tots, University of Findlay Mazza Museum, online event. A fun storytime tailored entertainment lineup and activities. 419-357-6247, www.facebook.com/BurningSnowman, or https:// for toddlers and preschoolers, with activities, sign putinbay.com/events/burning-snowman. language, and songs. This month’s selected book is Love Monster by Rachel Bright. Video will be posted on MAR. 6–7 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., the museum’s website and Facebook pages at 8 a.m. 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. on the day of the event. www.mazzamuseum.org. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 FEB. 19–21 – HBA House and Home Show, SeaGate p.m. $6, members and under 18 free. Over 400 tables of modern and antique guns, edged weapons, Convention Ctr., 401 Jefferson Ave., Toledo, Fri. 3–8
NORTHEAST
THROUGH MAR. 7 – “Colors!” Exhibit, McKinley Presidential Library and Museum, Keller Gallery, 800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW, Canton, Tue.–Sat. 9 a.m.–12 p.m., 1–4 p.m. $8–$10. Features artifacts from the museum’s permanent collection that are grouped by color, ranging from vintage dresses and hats to glassware and china. 330-455-7043 or https:// mckinleymuseum.org/exhibits/keller-gallery. FEB. 13–14, MAR. 13–14 – Medina Gun Show, Medina Co. Fgds. Community Ctr., 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. 42), Medina, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7. Over 450 tables of displays. 330-9484400 (Jim Conrad) or www.conraddowdell.com. FEB. 14 – Dane Vannatter: “Come to the Cabaret,” online concert, 2 p.m. Free. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Vannatter will sing the romantic songs of Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, and other songwriters of the Great American Songbook. Piano accompaniment by Joe Hunter. Livestream at www. facebook.com/Ormaco.Inc. FEB. 14–16 – Big House Valentine’s Bash, Malabar Farm State Park, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas, Fri. 6 p.m., Sat. 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $50/person. Preregistration required. Join us for an evening of Just Jazz Live as they present artistic stylings in the
tradition of the Great American Songbook while you enjoy a five-course meal in the historic Big House. Ticket includes a guided tour of the house one hour before the show. 419-892-2929 (Victoria Cochran) or www.malabarfarm.org. FEB. 17 – “Praying Grounds: African American Faith Communities,” Western Reserve Historical Society online event, 6–7 p.m. $10–$15. Part of the “Speaking of Cleveland” lecture series. Historian and author Regennia N. Williams will discuss the evolving role of religion in Black America, based on her ongoing research for the Praying Grounds Oral History Project and her books and other publications. Register for the Zoom event at www.wrhs.org/events/speakingof-cleveland-praying-grounds. FEB. 21 – Flea Market of Collectables, Medina County Fgds. Community Ctr., 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. 42), Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special admission, 6–9 a.m., $3. A treasure trove of vintage items and collectables. 330-948-4300 or www. conraddowdell.com. FEB. 26–MAR. 7 – Cleveland Auto Show, IX Center, One I-X Dr., Cleveland. $14, Srs./C. (7–12) $12, under 7 free. Indoor test drives, vehicle giveaway, classic car competition, and other special features. See website for hours and schedule of events. www. clevelandautoshow.com. FEB. 27 – Almost Queen, Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron, 8 p.m. $29–$59+. New date; tickets from previous date will be honored. Donning genuine costumes, Almost Queen recaptures the live energy and precision that is the ultimate Queen experience. 330-535-3179 or www.akroncivic.com/shows/206. FEB. 28 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron, 4 p.m. $45–$69+. 330-535-3179 or www.akroncivic.com/ shows/157.
36 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK
and sportsmen equipment. 419-647-0067 or www. tristategunshow.org, MAR. 7 – Virtual Funday Sunday: “Horsin’ Around,” University of Findlay Mazza Museum, online event. Enjoy virtual activities from the familiar organizations and individuals you see during traditional Funday Sundays at the museum. Video will be posted on the museum’s website and Facebook pages at 8 a.m. on the day of the event. Be sure to tune in until the end for a chance to win a Mazza prize pack! www. mazzamuseum.org. MAR. 14 – Family Concert: “Outer Space Symphony,” virtual event, 3 p.m. Blast off for outer space with the Lima Symphony Orchestra. Guided by a young starship captain on the bridge of her ship, take a musical journey to the outer reaches of the solar system and back again, from Star Trek to Star Wars, E.T. to Holst. www.limaciviccenter.com.
MAR. 6–7 – Dave and Ed’s Super Auto Events ProFormance Swap Meet, Stark Co. Fgds., 305 Wertz Ave. NW, Canton, gates open at 8 a.m. both days. Single day $7, weekend pass $10, under 12 free. Ohio’s largest indoor/outdoor performance meet, featuring vendors selling circle track, drag, sprint, and street parts. Two heated indoor buildings as well as outdoor spaces. 330-477-8506 or www.autoevents.com. MAR. 11–12 – The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare: The Next Generation, Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron, Thur./Fri. 7 p.m., Fri. 4 p.m. $30. The show begins with Aesop’s classic fable but continues the story 10 years down the road, now including the new generation. Tortoise Junior and Lil’ Hare enter a whole new kind of race that leads them into unexpected territory. Can the fathers come together to find and save their children? 330-535-3179 or www. akroncivic.com/shows/269. MAR. 13–14 – Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Rocky River Memorial Hall, 21016 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Large show featuring artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. Portion of proceeds benefits local nonprofit Wigs for Kids. www.avantgardeshows.com. MAR. 14 – Any Road, online concert, 2 p.m. Free. The ensemble group’s program will consist of a discussion of the history of American music broadly classified under the umbrella term of “Americana,” from its roots in blues and Appalachian mountain music to the melding with folk and country that characterizes the genre. The group will perform examples of the genre through popular music history featuring instrumentation such as banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, cajón, and washboard. Livestream at www. facebook.com/ormaco.inc.
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. FEB. 16 – Russian National Ballet Theatre, Secrest Auditorium, 334 Shinnick St, Zanesville, 7–9 p.m. $55. The company will present Romeo and Juliet with music by Tchaikovsky, and Carmen with music by Bizet. 740-588-0871, zanesvilleconcert@gmail.com, Facebook: "Zanesville Concert Association," or www. zanesvilleconcertassociation.org. FEB. 17 – "Classic French Date Night," Franklin Park Conservatory virtual cooking class, 6–7:30 p.m. $20–$25. Traveling to Paris might be out of reach right now, so join us virtually for a delicious French bistro-style dinner! Kristi Crilles will teach you how to pan-fry a tender strip steak with a delicious red wine sauce and lightly steamed green beans, seasoned THROUGH FEB. 28 – "Russian Decorative Arts from with herbs de Provence and topped with toasted the Tsars to the USSR," Decorative Arts Center of almonds. Complement the main course with simple Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, Wed.–Fri. 11 a.m.–4 oven-baked frites dipped in French aioli, and end the p.m., Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. Free. From the decadence meal with a chocolate soufflé for dessert. Register of the tsars to the destitute communist-rule years, online at www.fpconservatory.org/events/classicRussian history is filled with contradictions. During the french-date-night-2. Bolshevik Revolution (1917–45), a significant amount FEB. 21– Fairfield County Antique Tractor Club of Russian-made art was destroyed, lost, or taken Toy Show, Fairfield Co. Fgds., AAA Bldg., 157 E. from the country. For the first time, curator Michael Fair Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Lunch served Reese will display his incredible private collection. by local 4-H club. For exhibitor info, contact Doug www.destinationdowntownlancaster.com/calendar. Shaw, 4585 Crumley Rd. SW, Lancaster, OH 43130. FEB. 9 – Inventors Network Meeting, virtual event, 740-407-2347, stractorlover@sbcglobal.net, or www. 7 p.m. Educational presentations and discussion about fairfieldcountytractorclub.com. the invention process. Meetings held the second FEB. 26 – "Virtual Paint and Sip: Floral Cascade," Tuesday of each month. For more information, call virtual class, 6–8 p.m. $18–$20. Grab a beverage 614-470-0144 or visit www.inventorscolumbus.com. and join us on Zoom as art educator Sarah Robison
CENTRAL
conducts the class. Learn to paint different types of flowers in a lush draping design. All painting experience levels can participate. A painting supplies list will be provided in advance, or you can pick up a supply box at the Conservatory for $10. Register online at www.fpconservatory.org/events/virtual-paint-andsip-floral-cascade. MAR. 6 – Columbus Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Makoy Event Ctr., 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Large show featuring artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. Portion of proceeds benefits local nonprofit Hope Hollow. www.avantgardeshows.com. MAR. 13 – St. Patrick’s Day Parade, historic downtown Dublin, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. The day starts with the Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast at Sells Middle School, 7–11 a.m., and continues with the parade stepping off at 11. Approximately 110 units including marching bands, clowns, floats, and giant balloons are featured. After the parade, guests can find Irish entertainment and specials at various Dublin establishments. 614-410-4545 or www. visitdublinohio.com/events/annual-festivals-andevents/st-patricks-day. MAR. 13 – Maple Tapping Festival and Pancake Breakfast, Charles Alley Nature Park, 2805 Old Logan Rd. SE, Lancaster. Breakfast served 8–11 a.m. ($5/ plate); festival 8 a.m.–noon (free). www.ci.lancaster. oh.us/281/Maple-Tapping-Festival.
FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37
2021 CALENDAR
FEBRUARY/MARCH
SOUTHEAST
FEB. 13 – Hayes Anniversary Banquet, Lucy Hayes Heritage Center, 90 W. Sixth St., Chillicothe, 4–6 p.m. $25. A dinner to commemorate the December 30, 1852, marriage of Lucy Ware Webb and Rutherford Birchard Hayes. Payment must be made by Feb. 10. For more information, call 740-775-1780 or visit http://visitchillicotheohio.com/event. FEB. 27 – Motown Sounds of Touch, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 8–10 p.m. $18–$20. The Midwest’s number one
SOUTHWEST
THROUGH FEB. 24 – 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 music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Because of restricted seating due to COVID precautions, reservations are strongly recommended and should be made early. 513385-9309 or vinokletwinery@fuse.net. FEB. 19–21 – Miami County Home and Garden Show, Hobart Arena, 255 Adams St., Troy, Fri. 2–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $6, under 13 free. With people staying home now more than ever, home improvement projects are on everyone’s minds. Early spring is a great time to get those projects started! Talk to experts on everything from kitchen and bath
WEST VIRGINIA
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the developing coronavirus situation, many of these planned events may have been postponed or canceled. Please seek updated information before traveling.
“Motown sound” vocal group performs all your favorite Motown hits. 740-772-2041 or www. majesticchillicothe.net. MAR. 4–7, 11–14 – Blithe Spirit, Chillicothe Civic Theatre, 83 S. Walnut St., Chillicothe, Thur.–Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. $12–$15. Noel Coward’s supernatural comedy about a married novelist whose late first wife is accidentally summoned during a séance, leading to a complicated love triangle with his current wife. 855-723-3768 or www.cctchillicothe.com. MAR. 13 – Fiber Artisans Fair, Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Learn about weaving, knitting, quilting, and more. Have your questions answered by experts or hobbyists in the fiber arts, or share your own techniques and suggestions. Many artisans will offer items for sale. 740-373-3750 or www. campusmartiusmuseum.org. MAR. 13 – Miller’s Automotive-Racers Swap Meet, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, 9 renovation to outdoor projects. 937-339-7963 (Donna Cook), eo@westernohiohba.com, or www. miamicountyhomeshow.com. FEB. 27–28 – Dayton Off-Road Expo, Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Rd., Wilmington, Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5, under 13 free. Jeeps, monster trucks, raffles, vendors, and more! Fun for the whole family. 877-428-4748 or www. daytonoffroadexpo.com. FEB 27–28, MAR.4–7 – Cincinnati Home and Garden Show, Duke Energy Convention Ctr., 525 Elm St., Cincinnati. See website for times and schedule of events. $11–$14, under 13 free. www. cincinnatihomeandgardenshow.com. MAR. 4–6 – Spring Fever Indoor Pull, Preble Co. Fgds., Expo Bldg., 722 S Franklin St., Eaton, 7–11 p.m. $20, under 11 free. Sponsored by Angry Farmer Products. Three days of truck and tractor pulling indoors. Vendor space is available. 937-564-5633 or www.springfeverindoorpull.com. MAR. 7 – Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Oasis Golf Club and Conference Ctr., 902 LovelandMiamiville Rd., Loveland, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Large show featuring artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. Portion of proceeds benefits local nonprofit Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank. www.avantgardeshows.com.
FEB. 27 – Cardboard and Duct Tape Sled Race, Blackwater Falls State Park, 1584 Blackwater Lodge Rd, Davis. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with race to follow. Fee under $5. Make a sled of cardboard and duct tape able to withstand a race down the Blackwater Falls sled run. The goal is to have super-safe sledding fun. This year’s theme is Star Wars. Get creative! 304-259-5216, blackwaterfallssp@wv.gov, or https://wvstateparks. com/park/blackwater-falls-state-park.
38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2021
a.m.–4 p.m. From restoration to racing: race cars, tools, hot rods, apparel, collectibles, go-karts, and more. www.millersswapmeet.com. MAR. 14 – Aoife Scott, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 7 p.m. $19–$44. New date; tickets from previous date will be honored. Aoife is an award-winning folk singer and songwriter based in Dublin, Ireland. Born into the legendary Black family, Aoife is steadily rising to the top of the traditional and folk music scene. www. peoplesbanktheatre.com.
Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/ website for more information.
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FEBRUARY 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39
MEMBER INTERACTIVE
Golden anniversaries 2
1
1. Ann and Pete Bird, my mother- and father-in-law, on their 50th anniversary. Jodi Bird South Central Power Company member 2. We had our 50th anniversary on June 13, 2020. Thurman and Sheila Harmon Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative members 3. My parents, Richard and Barbara Fischer, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2020. Christina Fischer Pioneer Electric Cooperative member
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4. My dad and mom, Karl and Dorothy Hein, on their 50th wedding anniversary. Christa Hein Consolidated Cooperative member 5. Every year, my parents, Ron and Karen Pairan, get their photo taken on their anniversary. This year they celebrated 50 years of marriage with a photo of their extended family. Front row: my nephew Jon, my niece Noelle, my son Noah, my niece Abbie, and my nephew Nick. Back row: my sister-in-law Anne, my brother Tom, my father, my mother, my son Christopher, my wife Kelly, and me. Scott Pairan South Central Power Company member See more Golden Anniversaries at www.ohiocoopliving.com/reader-photos.
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Send us your picture! For May, send “Little League” by Feb. 15; for June, send “Ohio countryside” by March. 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 • FEBRUARY 2021
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40’x60’x12’ • Garage/Hobby Shop
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STRUCTURES, LLC Installed
30’x40’x10’ • Garage/Hobby Shop
•2-10x10 Garage Doors
•2-9x8 Garage Doors
•1-3’ Entry Door
•1-3’ Entry Door
•Sof�it/Wainscot Optional
30’x60’x12’ • Storage Building
Installed
•Sof�it Optional
24’x32’x10’ • Garage/Hobby Shop
•1-60’ Sidewall Open •5-12’ Bays •3’ Overhang On Front
30’x36’x10’ Horse Barn with 8’ Lean-to
Installed •10’ Split Slider w/Windows •1-3’ Entry Door •3-4’x7’ Dutch Doors •Sof�it Optional
Installed
Installed •2-9x8 Garage Doors •1-3’ Entry Door •Sof�it Optional
30’x48’x16’ • Drive Thru RV Storage
Installed •2-12x14 Garage Doors •1-3’ Entry Door •Sof�it/Wainscot Optional
