Erb’n Roots
Working farm becomes “rural playground” on weekends
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ALSO INSIDE
Revisiting renewables
Those garden gems
Sandcastle art
Washington Electric Cooperative
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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JULY 2024
Working farm becomes “rural playground” on weekends
ALSO INSIDE
Revisiting renewables
Those garden gems
Sandcastle art
Washington Electric CooperativeOHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JULY 2024
America’s fastest-growing sport is fun, social, and a hit with all ages.
Ohio native Carl Jara uses a beachy medium to reach for the ‘wow’ factor with his art.
Cover image on most editions: When Brad Ryan found his then80-year-old grandmother, Joy, had never seen a mountain, it inspired a record-breaking quest — and healed a family rift.
This page: Pickleball, a sport somewhere between tennis and pingpong, has been America’s fastest-growing sport for three years running (photograph by Olga Nikiforovavia/Getty Images).
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives
6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO
Caryn Whitney Director of Communications
Jeff McCallister Senior Managing Editor
Amy Howat Assistant Managing Editor
Neal Kindig Graphic Designer
Contributors: Tim Baldwin, Margaret Buranen, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, and Jamie Rhein.
OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.
Revisiting renewables: What’s so complicated about switching to green energy? 8
Walking-stick work of art: Our outdoors editor goes on a quest for the perfect hiking helper.
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Destination everywhere: Prolific park explorers now look for new treks to tackle.
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Straight from the garden: The freshest of garden gems take these recipes to the next level.
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News and other important information from your electric cooperative.
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What’s happening: July/August events and other things to do around Ohio.
National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon
American MainStreet Publications
847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop
Cooperative members:
Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.
Alliance for Audited Media Member
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Sandcastles: Members share their sandy works of art — such as the photo at right, submitted by South Central Power Company member Robin Snyder, who was rightfully proud of “the most, best, never-beenanother-one-like-it” family design!
Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com!
Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area, where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.
re your favorite hiking trails somehow growing inexplicably longer and steeper? If so, congratulations! You’re a “seasoned citizen.” For most outdoor folks, that hard-won status usually kicks in sometime around age 50.
The realization that I had qualified for the honored designation dawned on me a few years ago while hiking in the Hocking Hills in southeast Ohio. That region has some of the most beautiful trails in the Buckeye State, but also some of the most rugged. About halfway through my day I was wishing I had a hiking staff — especially when ascending or descending the steep, rocky, narrow footpaths.
Thus began my search for just the right sapling from which to make a staff. Sure, I could have purchased a pair of those lightweight, aluminum trekking poles,
but that’s not what I had in mind. What I was looking for was a single small tree with a natural spiral — something unique, something with character.
After a lengthy search spanning several months, I eventually found just the right tree — growing, of all places, on my own property
About a dozen feet high, it was a thin sugar maple that had grown straight up for about feet, then grew straight again. Perfect!
What caused the spiraling? Chad Sanders, a forester friend of mine who works for the Ohio Division of Forestry at Mohican-Memorial State Forest near Loudonville, has a theory: “Probably an Oriental bittersweet vine or some other vine wrapped itself around the tree for a few years as it grew,” he says.
I’m not a woodworker, but fortunately I have a buddy who is a master at the craft. Gary Isbell, a member of Consolidated Cooperative, turns out gorgeous cabinets, tables, chairs, and other functional works of art from his basement workshop near Sunbury in central Ohio. I asked him if he could work his magic on my maple sapling and turn it into a hiking staff, and he was eager to take it on: “I thrive on trying new projects that I’ve never tackled before,” he told me.
As you can see by the accompanying photos, the hiking staff turned out great — a work of art that I will enjoy for the rest of my days. No doubt, it will be passed down to my kids and grandkids down the
line. Weighing about 3 pounds, the staff measures just over 5 feet in length, is an inch-and-a-quarter in diameter at the top, and tapers to 1 inch in diameter near the bottom.
You don’t have to be a geezer like me to benefit from a hiking staff. In addition to helping you walk more steadily, a hiking stick has other uses. For instance, it can be used to move briars and other obstructions out of your path, and it will help you cross creeks or other wet areas more securely. Also, a hiking staff could potentially be used as a stout defensive weapon to fend off predators.
Prolific park explorers now look for new treks to tackle.
No one could have known when Brad Ryan’s parents divorced years ago that it would result in a long, record-breaking, heartwarming journey.
“There was some grievance that I was holding onto,” Brad says, recalling matter-of-factly his decade-long estrangement from his grandmother, Joy Ryan. He began letting go of that grievance when they ran into each other at a family wedding in 2008. “She was 80 and she told me she regretted never seeing a mountain in her lifetime. I’ve traveled around the world a little bit and when she told me that, it kind of jarred my heart.”
Joy lives in Duncan Falls, a sleepy town nestled against the rolling hills along the Muskingum River southeast of Zanesville, where she’s a longtime member of New Concord-based Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative. When they finally reconnected, Brad noticed she was suffering some health issues, and clearly needed a change.
Brad was in veterinary school when he took Joy, at the time 85, camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That was the beginning of an odyssey that grabbed national attention — and spurred his realization that something had been sorely missing in his life for years: his grandmother, Joy.
That first trip was rough. It was the first time Joy had ever slept in a tent, and she fell off the air mattress — twice. But it was perfect.
“Yeah, that didn’t bother me at all,” Joy exclaims with energetic defiance. “It was raining cats and dogs, but a little rain doesn’t hurt anybody.”
Undeterred by torrential downpours and mud, and inspired by their ascension to the top of the miles-long Alum Cave Trail, Brad wondered if she’d like to visit all 63 U.S. national parks. She replied with a phrase remembered from his youth: “Let’s give it a whirl!”
And so they did. Beginning in 2015, they began hitting more national parks. Zion, check. Shenandoah, check. Cuyahoga, Rainier, Denali, Yosemite, Everglades, Yellowstone, Badlands, check-check-check-check-check. You get the idea.
It took eight years to check them all off the list. The final one was also the most distant — they ventured the 7,000 air miles from Muskingum County to the National Park of American Samoa in May 2023.
They chronicled their adventures with plenty of cool photographs via their Instagram account, @grandmajoysroadtrip. Along the way their account attracted more than 107,000 followers.
When Joy travels, she doesn’t simply sit in a seat looking out a window; Brad stresses that she gets involved. “I want people to really know what Grandma Joy is actually made of,” he says. And while Joy won’t come out and say she put her grandson to shame on the hiking trails, Brad isn’t bashful about spilling the beans. “If I stopped on the trail to take a picture of a butterfly, I’d look up and she’d be half a
football field in front of me,” he says, laughing. “That’s true.”
There are more examples. Like the time when Joy, alone, rolled down a towering sand dune at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. What else? “Well, we went whitewater rafting in Alaska,” Joy says, “and we went zip-lining at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, and we walked the New River Gorge Bridge.”
In fact, she set the record by a decade as the oldest person to complete the zip-line course, which includes launching off 10 different platforms. The bridge is the third tallest in the U.S. and the longest steel span in the Western Hemisphere. A small wrinkle: Brad’s not so keen on heights. “I’m telling you, when we had to go underneath that bridge, it took him a lot of courage to do that,” she says. “They said, ‘Who wants to go first?’ and of course my big mouth — I said, ‘I’ll do it!’ and I forgot Brad had to go, too. He’s a pretty good guy.”
The duo’s mission did not go unnoticed. In addition to Insta-fame, the Today show featured them in the Rocky Mountains National Park, and Rachael Ray surprised the pair with trips to national parks in Alaska. They twice appeared on David Muir’s America Strong, and twice on the Tamron Hall Show. They’ve been featured on CNN, on NPR, and in magazines and podcasts too numerous to count.
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Continued from page 11
Give Grandma Joy a follow @grandmajoysroadtrip on Instagram
But once they finished their list, they realized they didn’t want to quit traveling together, and now they’ve gone international. After jaunts to the African nation of Kenya and to the Galapagos Islands (gifts from Hall and National Geographic), they’ve now set their sights on visiting all seven continents. Recent trips have included Ecuador and Chile — so check Africa and South America off the list, along with North America, of course.
“Right now we’re in the early stages of planning a trip to Australia and a fall trip to Antarctica,” Brad says. “That will be five out of seven continents.”
Joy says that everywhere she’s gone during her adventures, she’s felt at home. “As soon as you say, ‘Hi! How are you?’ strangers become friends for sure. That’s how everybody is all over the world,” she says.
Now 94, Grandma Joy has earnest advice: “If somebody asks you to go somewhere, do not say ‘No,’ because the next day you’ll regret it. If you don’t go when people ask, you can’t complain because you have to sit there in a chair on the porch.”
The freshest of garden gems take these recipes to the next level.
Lots of ingredients can be made into great pesto: basil, of course, as well as arugula, spinach, parsley, carrot greens, and fennel fronds; this one features sorrel and chives, two fast-growing and spreading perennials. Sorrel, while less commonly known, is easy to grow in Ohio and, like chives, is one of the first things to come up in spring and lasts all the way through fall. Sorrel has a tart, lemony flavor, perfect for pesto. Harvest herbs at the end of the season to make a large batch to freeze for quick dinners all winter long. Note: Sorrel comes in many varieties; one is red-veined, which would likely influence the pesto's color.
Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 7 to 12 minutes | Servings: 6 to 8
1 medium garlic clove
3 ounces unsalted walnuts or pine nuts
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, divided 1 ounce chives
3 ounces sorrel leaves (thick or tough stems removed)
2 to 6 tablespoons lemon juice
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound pasta of your choice
Cook pasta according to package directions and plan for the pesto to be ready before the pasta is done cooking. Place garlic, nuts, and 1 ounce of the Parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Tear chives into 3-inch pieces, add them to the food processor, and pulse again. Add sorrel leaves and pulse again — if the processor struggles to break them apart, scrape sides and rearrange them. Once a finely minced paste is formed, pulse in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until smooth, adding more oil to loosen the paste if needed. Taste: If flavor is dull or bitter, adding more lemon juice (or a dash of salt) should do the trick. Transfer cooked, hot pasta to a large bowl and spoon some pesto on top. With a pair of tongs, mix to generously coat pasta with pesto. Just before serving, add a dash of lemon juice and sprinkle with thinly shredded Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate leftover pesto with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation and use within a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Per serving: 357 calories, 14 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 129 milligrams sodium, 45 grams total carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 13 grams protein.
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 2 minutes | Servings: 8
½ jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 medium clove garlic
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
a few sprigs cilantro or chives, coarsely chopped
3 cups trimmed and cut fresh green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 medium cucumber, diced small
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes (Roma or cherry preferred)
Using an immersion blender, blend the first 8 ingredients (jalapeño through chives) to make dressing. Set aside. Bring a small pot of water and a dash of salt to a boil, throw in green beans, and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooled. In a large bowl, toss vegetables together. Let sit 5 minutes, then drain excess liquid from vegetables. Toss vegetables with dressing and serve. Refrigerate leftovers; eat within 4 days.
Per serving: 108 calories, 7.5 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 153 milligrams sodium, 10.5 grams total carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 45 minutes | Servings: 16 to 20
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons cardamom
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2½ cups grated carrots (or parsnips)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons chai spice mix
In a small bowl, mix together spices (cinnamon through nutmeg). Reserve 2 teaspoons of this chai spice mix for the frosting. In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the bowl of chai spice mix.
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend together carrots, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs. With a spatula, fold dry ingredients into carrot mixture until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.
With an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and remaining 2 teaspoons chai spice mix. Add milk to desired consistency. Frost cake when both cake and frosting are at room temperature.
Per serving: 388 calories, 18 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 50 milligrams cholesterol, 199 milligrams sodium, 54 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams protein.
While chicken cacciatore is traditionally served over rice, pasta, orpolenta, continue the garden theme with mashed potatoes or spaghetti squashinstead .
Cook: 25 minutes | Bake: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 to 8
3 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken (legs, thighs, and/or drumsticks) salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¾ cup dry white wine
3 or 4 large tomatoes
a few sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, and/or thyme
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 pounds mashed potatoes
Boil water in a small pot. Cut an “X” in the bottom of each tomato and carefully submerge them in the water for 60 seconds. Drain tomatoes and run under cold water to cool them down enough to handle. Peel and discard skin, then chop tomatoes and set aside.
Pat dry chicken and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven (or a tall oven-proof pan). Cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and sauté onion and peppers until softened, about 7 minutes, then add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Carefully pour in wine and bring to a simmer, loosening any bits from the bottom. Add tomatoes along with herb sprigs and a bit more salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water, then stir into the vegetables. Cook until simmering again.
Heat oven to 350 F. Nestle chicken pieces into the vegetables and place uncovered on middle rack in oven. Bake about 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened. Discard herb sprigs. Serve over mashed potatoes.
Per serving: 402 calories, 22 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 83 milligrams cholesterol, 185 milligrams sodium, 23 grams total carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 24 grams protein.
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We have all experienced a time when the lights blink — maybe once, or even two or three times — and then the lights come back on and stay on. No, it’s (probably) not God trying to get your attention. This phenomenon of the power blinking on and off is actually done on purpose to help eliminate longer-duration power outages.
The electric distribution system is a complex network of wires and equipment carrying high-voltage electricity across the countryside to your house. Along the way, many potential obstacles can — and sometimes do — interrupt the path from the generation station to you and cause a power outage. These can include trees, animals, lightning, defective equipment, etc. Most of these conditions are temporary in nature and will go away in short order. For example, the wind may blow a tree branch into a power line for just a few seconds before it falls away to the ground, or a squirrel may contact a line for only a moment. Because the issue is temporary and goes away quickly, we would rather have the power stay on than unnecessarily require a line crew to respond while people are in the dark. So, how do the blinking lights play into this?
To protect equipment, our line crews, and the public, the electric distribution system utilizes various protective devices to sense a problem and open the line to disrupt the flow of electricity. Problems on the system are typically sensed by seeing a large increase in electrical current flowing through the protective device. (For the technical folks, this increase in current is caused by a shorter path to ground or “short circuit” that provides less resistance and therefore causes more current to flow than would be seen when serving normal system needs.) Some of these devices, like fuses, heat up with this increased current and melt open, causing a sustained outage until a line crew corrects any issues and then refuses the line to restore power.
Other protective devices, called reclosers or breakers, can open the line when they detect an increase in current, and then re-close to determine whether the problem has gone away. If it has, all the downline customers have seen one momentary blink in their power — a nuisance to be sure, but better than having the power off for the time it takes for a line crew to respond, patrol the line (and maybe find nothing except a dead squirrel at the bottom of a pole), and then determine it is safe to reenergize the line. If the recloser closes back into the line and the problem has not gone away, it opens (blinks) the line again. This process can occur up to four times before the recloser stops attempting to determine whether the problem has gone away and locks open the line until a line crew responds.
So, the next time the lights blink but do not stay out for more than a few seconds, know that the protection processes have successfully worked to clear a temporary condition and keep your power flowing. With that said, if you start experiencing a large number of blinks, especially when the weather is good, please call in and let us know. This could be an indication that a piece of equipment is failing and if we can catch it ahead of time, we can reduce the time you may be without power.
Members gather for co-op news, food, and fellowship.
Washington Electric Cooperative held its 84th Annual Meeting of Members on May 16, marking yet another successful year of safely and responsibly delivering reliable electric service, innovative energy solutions, and superior member service.
Results of the mail-in board of trustees election were announced, with incumbent Gale DePuy securing reelection with 908 votes over Jedd Butler’s 400
Board Chairman Paul Fleeman spoke about reliable electric service, which he said is a top priority. Efforts to improve reliability in 2023 included right-of-way clearing, routine maintenance, and equipment upgrades. He said trees are a major cause of power outages, so the co-op invested heavily in right-of-way maintenance, spending more than $1 7 million on clearing and applying safe herbicides. The co-op’s management team
continually looks for opportunities to upgrade lines and equipment, focusing on making them more reliable and easier to maintain.
Fleeman said the cooperative is financially strong, as evidenced by its ability to retire $470,000 in capital credits to members in 2023. Unlike investor-owned utilities, which distribute profits to investors, electric cooperatives operate on a not-for-profit basis, returning margins to members through capital credits based on their electricity purchases. This systematic capital credit retirement program reflects the cooperative’s commitment to its members and community.
General Manager/CEO Jeff Triplett echoed Fleeman’s positive sentiments and praised the hard work of the cooperative’s employees, attributing Washington Electric’s success in large part to their commitment to serving members and fulfilling the cooperative’s mission.
Transitioning to the broader electric system, Triplett spoke about both positive developments and challenges. He said the area’s new high-voltage transmission system has improved reliability throughout southeast Ohio and lays a foundation for future economic growth. However, he also discussed cost increases associated with transmission delivery and highlighted constraints in certain areas, particularly central Ohio, due to increased demand from developments like new data centers. On the power generation side, Triplett said the industry faces huge challenges in meeting stringent EPA regulations on carbon dioxide emissions, noting the potential implications for reliability of the national electric system.
Triplett also spoke about Washington Electric’s efforts to support broadband expansion in rural areas, citing successful collaborations with telecommunication providers. A recent project in Noble County funded by a $1.5 million Appalachian Regional Commission grant facilitated the installation of fiber attachments on more than 200 miles of poles, significantly improving broadband access for rural residents.
The meeting included a canned food drive for the Lower Salem food pantry, emphasizing the cooperative’s commitment to local support. Attendees enjoyed a meal from KFC and received $10 credits on their electric bills, as well as a small gift and an opportunity to win door prizes. Eric Lankford of Lowell won the grand prize of a $250 electric bill credit.
The watery January sun dipped toward the tree line, casting soft shadows into our snowy pasture. I paused, plastic bucket still in hand, lulled by the soft thump and whoosh of our cows’ muzzles in their black plastic feed troughs.
They love their sweet feed, and with their thick, long Highland coats, they were unbothered by this icy wind that sliced across the field and stirred their long locks in countless directions.
It is perhaps the greatest irony of life: We’re deep into the journey before we stop taking it for granted.
These everyday gifts to our senses — the lowing of a happy cow muzzle-deep in an evening treat, a windswept rattle of a spent cornfield, the yellow explosions of spring daffodils — often go unnoticed these days, numbed as we are by aimless surfing through TikTok or the wider world of instant gratification.
This is what we’re trying to change out here at Erb’n Roots, six miles northeast of downtown Marietta. We’ve opened our working family farm to the public on select weekends and to scheduled school, church, and community group outings to share our love of the outdoors and animals with others.
Now that we’re open this summer, blue jays, robins, mockingbirds, sparrows, wrens, and chickadees provide the rotating soundtrack that begins at daybreak with the gentle coo-AH-coo of a mourning dove and is punctuated
with the tck-tck-tck of a pileated woodpecker - no Wi-Fi connection or charging station required.
These 108 acres are hills and fields anchored by towering sycamores and crisscrossed by decades-old cow trails and creeks that in the summer teem with minnows and crawdads and skinks and snails.
Leaves and underbrush stir with squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs.
A streak of a white tail marks the departing deer as they bound into the safety of the cool shadows.
Butterflies dance from milkweed to daisy.
Grasshoppers vibrate the day. Katydids soothe the night.
Frogs slip into the creeks. A box turtle stares.
Back when we were deep into winter, I knew that the crack and gurgle of our winter-crusted creek hid life below the surface.
On that particular winter night, as the icy day diffused into the gray silence of early evening, it felt surreal to consider all we’re trying to do in such a short time, and — if I’m honest — a bit terrifying, too.
These 108 acres offer places to explore, to breathe deeply and listen, and to recenter ourselves on what makes us human. We’ll offer classes out here and provide space for families to wander. We’ve cut trails and hung hammocks.
Still. Opening our parents’ place to the public? Crazy.
Dad had been a country boy, hunting ginseng on these hills and pulling bass and catfish from the Ohio River and its tributaries. It was the 60s. Vietnam raged and the world raced into outer space. Dad had just finished a stint in the U.S. Army in Germany. There he’d met a long-haired city girl from Coventry, England, a city that was still marred by the World War a quarter-century earlier.
They married in a medieval British church on New Year’s Day, 1966, and arrived in Marietta the following summer, falling in love a second time with this land here — a strawberry farm formerly owned by my great Uncle Phillip and Aunt Freida. It was a tiny home with bare light bulbs and a kitchen pump.
They moved in on Independence Day, my mother liked to tell friends, the irony threaded into her thick British accent.
Where our parents lacked cash and land, they had dreams, faith, and grit.
The monthly mortgage, as carefully inked in their tiny bank book: $56 a month. Just $56. Can you imagine?
Dad bought pigs and chickens and cows and took a job as an industrial welder. Mom learned to tend peas in the spring and fill the cellar in the fall, taking work as a shorthand secretary before we arrived.
For five decades, theirs was a never-ending squabble with Mother Nature. The rocky ground shattered countless plow blades and bent baler teeth. The creeks ran dry as often as they overflowed with a force that uprooted trees and slung rocks into low-ground hayfields.
Tractors needed never-ending repairs; trees fell on fence lines. A pack of dogs got our goats one year and my 4-H rabbit, another. Spring calves didn’t always survive.
Spring rains made the garden a soggy pit, summer sun pulverized it into dust.
Yet somehow, this frustratingly rocky dirt that bent hoes also heaved an abundant supply of potatoes, tomatoes, and a gazillion different types of beans. It gave us night crawlers for our fishing trips and pasture for a never-ending herd of cattle.
The thick tangle of brush that turned back every effort to control it also provided protection to an abundance of juicy raspberries.
Continued on page 18D
Erb’n Roots is a nearly 110-acre working farm with a 1.5 mile hiking trail, camping, hammocking, and fun for all ages. It is located at 363 Killwell Run Road, just outside of Marietta. Here’s a peek at some of its attractions:
The Big Barn: Grab a trail map, a drink and a snack, or a walking stick before heading out on your hiking adventure. The barn can also host classes and small, informal special events at its custom-built, 16-feet banquet table.
Magnificent Beasts: Meet Rosie, Peaches, Chai, Ruby, Emmy, Diamond, and Puff, the fold of Highland Cows that call Erb’n Roots home. You might also glimpse the farm’s legacy herd of Angus. Be sure to wave hello to Annabelle! And the four tiny goats — Yeti, Yuki, Aggie, and Dot — would love to take that fresh clover or a bit of hay off your hand.
The Sassy Heifer: New in 2024, the farm will convert its barnyard into a Sassy Heifer patio. Refuel with light snacks or refreshments with your dining companions, the Highlands. But please don’t share your munchies! They prefer pasture.
Shop and Concessions: Take a bit of the farm home with you from the barn store. Whether it’s a memento for you or a gift for that special one in your life, you’ll find a selection of lotions, art, puzzles, and home décor.
Stay: The farm’s original 1930s home includes an upstairs Airbnb, offering a quaint living area with a kitchenette.
• Flowers at Sunset, Aug. 10
• Yoga Under the Red Moon, Aug. 17
• Wild Weekend & Scavenger Hunt, Aug. 31 – Sept. 1
• Yoga Under the Harvest Moon, Sept. 14
Erb’n Roots is a working farm, so public weekends are scheduled around their work. Follow Facebook and Instagram for updates and check erbnroots.org/events for a list of upcoming events.
Public weekends are generally $5 per person or $15 per carload.
Contact:
Phone: 740-336-1905
Email: info@erbnroots.com
Website: erbnroots.org
Facebook: Facebook.com/erbnroots
Continued from page 18C
The rains that overflowed the creeks also cut rocks into beautiful waterfalls.
Through all of this, life fell into three lessons: Honesty, hard work, kindness. Lock them into your character early, our parents taught us, and life’s decisions come a lot easier. Our lives continued on. Mom became a pastor. They sold berries and baked goods at the farmers market. My brother, Jeff, continued farming, and my sister, Toni, carved out a career in child care. I worked in newspapers. We had children of our own.
Cancer claimed Dad in the middle of a March night in 2021. Mom’s fingers were entwined with his at the last. Then, even as we planned his memorial, Mom was diagnosed with brain cancer, dying 51 weeks later.
In the numbing emptiness that followed, it was my sister who suggested sharing my parents’ slice of this Earth — these hills and all the life on them — with others.
After all, Mom and Dad loved to share their portion of countryside contentment with others. I can still see them: Mom, in her faded lavender apron dusted with flour, is pulling tray upon tray out of the oven for guests — cookies, scones and an endless variety of breads. Dad, gone now three years, in my mind is still showing off his livestock to neighbors, shoring his secrets to finding four-leaf clovers, or offering young’uns a ride on the tractor yet and another eye-rolling Dad joke.
With each passing month, my siblings’ vision of sharing these acres comes into sharper focus for me.
Mine has been a round-trip journey, returning here more permanently having once left in our rusty farm truck for the shimmering lights of college and city. Now a city girl, I have come to rely on late-night pharmacies and an endless choice of restaurants. I appreciate the ability to reach world-class museums and an international airport within an hour’s drive. And I wouldn’t change my life outside of Marietta for anything; it gave me my children and husband and countless treasured adventures.
But as I return all these weekends to get the farm ready for our first full season, I realize there’s something so satisfying in watching the sun burn off a morning mist in the holler.
Out here, there is a sense of scale that doesn’t fit into a cell phone screen. Out here, the predictability of the seasons is a love song of sorts — ever-changing verses within a largely unchanged refrain from year to year.
It saddens me to know there are those who don’t know even to miss this.
We opened for five short weekends last fall as a trial run. The supportive community that is the Mid-Ohio Valley came out by the carloads: parents, couples, kids, seniors. If our little adventure works out — if the community finds it worthy — the credit will go to our parents who taught us the value of that only time and presence reveals.
The seasons have changed again, and now I’m clearing out the old canes in the blackberry patch — a job I’ve never minded up here in the full sun. We’re still building fences for our first full season, and we’re readying my great-uncle’s barn for the arrival of our new goats.
The breeze is warm this time as it disturbs the Highlands’ locks again. They’re grazing on tender spring pasture now, and I can hear their soft, rhythmic tugs at the thick green grass. We’re hoping to move honeybees here in the coming weeks, and I’m strategizing how to fight back against the invasive spotted-wing drosophila that has ravaged the berries lately. These are small steps of many as we work back into this land the biodiversity that will help sustain it for generations to come.
Rosie ambles over, the grandmother of our fold. It’s silly I know, but I look into her soulful eyes under those silly cow bangs as though seeking confirmation that we’re doing the right thing here.
I can only imagine Dad shaking his head right now, wondering why in the world his cornfield now has a portable toilet.
I can only hope that Mom would accept that we didn’t have the time last year to fill the cellar — as she did every year — with the harvest from our gnarly, old Kieffer pear trees.
In their absence, our decisions will continue to be guided by the very same lessons they passed to us: honesty, hard work and, above all, kindness.
I like to think Erb’n Roots will fill those directives. I hope you find they do.
Washington Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees met in regular session on May 23 at the co-op’s office in Marietta. The following actions occurred:
• The board unanimously voted for these board members to serve in the following roles: Paul Fleeman, chairman; Brent Smith, vice chairman; Betty Martin, secretarytreasurer; and Gale DePuy, assistant secretary-treasurer.
• Board members approved the cooperative’s capital credit estate retirements and new member list.
• Director of Safety and Compliance Josh Jump gave the May safety report.
• Director of Finance and Administration BJ Allen presented the March 2024 financial reports.
• Board members reviewed proposed revisions to Policy 313: Identity Theft Prevention.
• General Manager/CEO Jeff Triplett presented reports on the engineering and operations department, as well as updates on recent co-op events, trainings, and member inquiries. 1143227500
• Director of Marketing and Member Services Jennifer Greene provided a report on the marketing and member service department, including a summary of the 84th Annual Meeting of Members.
• Director of Information and Operational Technology Allen Casto provided a report on the activities of the information technology department.
Washington Electric Cooperative 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 9 a.m. July 25 at Washington Electric’s office at 440 Highland Ridge Road, Marietta.
Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC) is not just about providing energy solutions; it’s about giving back to the community. The cooperative’s Employee Giving Program exemplifies this commitment, with one employee choosing a local nonprofit organization each quarter to receive a $500 donation.
This quarter, Jennifer Davis, an accountant at WEC, chose to help alleviate student lunch debt at Waterford Elementary School. Her decision reflects WEC’s dedication to addressing local needs. Davis’s sentiment echoes the cooperative’s values, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that no child goes hungry.
WEC’s Employee Giving Program isn’t just about the money; it’s about fostering solidarity and inspiring others to make a difference. By empowering employees to direct donations where they’re needed most, WEC helps strengthen the fabric of the communities it serves.
Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., refunded capital credits totaling $122,401.53 to the estates of 57 members through May. If you know of a deceased member, please have the executor of the estate call our office for information on the member’s capital credits.
If you find the number of your account in the local (center) pages of this magazine, call the co-op office by the 16th of the month in which it is published; you will receive at least $10 credit on your electric bill
Water heater – rebates of $150 for qualifying 50-gallon or higher new electric water heaters.
Geothermal – rebates of $600 for newly installed ENERGY STAR-rated geothermal systems.
Air conditioners – rebates of $100 for ENERGY STAR-rated whole-house air conditioning systems.
ENERGY STAR Appliances – $100 rebate for members who replace existing refrigerators and stand-alone freezers with a new ENERGY STAR-labeled appliance. Rebates of $25 for ENERGY STAR-labeled electric clothes washer or electric clothes dryer. Rebates available on first-come, first served basis.
Call or visit our website for details.
Outage reporting – Call 740.373.2141 or use the SmartHub app to report a power outages 24/7.
Outage alerts — Use our SmartHub system to sign up for free outage alerts and other co-op information.
Online bill payment — Visit www.weci.org to use our secure SmartHub online payment system.
Automatic bill payment — Call our office for details on having your electric bill drafted from your checking or savings account each month.
Pay your bill by phone — Call (844) 344-4362 to pay your electric bill with a check, credit card or debit card.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Paul Fleeman, CCD, BL Chairman 740-934-2306
OFFICE HOURS CONTACT
740-373-2141 | 877-594-9324 www.weci.org
REPORT OUTAGES 877-544-0279 or via SmartHub OFFICE
440 Highland Ridge Road P.O. Box 800 Marietta, OH 45750
OFFICE HOURS Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Brent Smith, CCD, BL Vice Chairman 740-585-2598
Betty Martin, CCD, BL Secretary-Treasurer 740-473-1539
Gale DePuy, CCD, BL
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer 740-473-1245
William Bowersock, CCD, BL 740-373-5861
Brian Carter, CCD, BL 740-732-4076
Larry Ullman, CCD, BL 740-934-2561
CCD — Credentialed Cooperative Director BL — Board Leadership
Jeff Triplett General Manager/CEO jeff.triplett@weci.org
BILL PAY SmartHub www.weci.org
HAVE A STORY SUGGESTION?
Email your ideas to: jgreene@weci.org.
Facebook.com/WashingtonElectricCoop
(formerly Twitter) X.com/washelectcoop
BYMARGARET BURANEN
ThepopularityofpickleballinOhio,like seeminglyeverywhereelse,isincreasing poppingrapidly,withmoreandmorecourts upallthetime.
Clevelandhasanactivepickleballscene,where websitesdevotedtosteeringprospective pickleballersincluderatingsofcourtsand constantlyupdatednews.InCincinnati,26 newcourtswereaddedjustthisspringat SawyerPointPark,whichisnowastoponthe ProfessionalPickleballPlayersnationaltour. ButtheclaimtobeingOhio’spickleball capitalmaywellbelongtoMiddletown,and thecreditforthatacclaimgoestoresident StanleyVolkens.“He’sthereasonwehave pickleballhere,”saysMichellCook,board memberofthe Middletown Pickleball Association.Volkensdiscoveredpickleballwhenhebegan tospendwintersinArizona.Hefellinlove withthesportandplayeddaily.Butwhenhe returnedtoMiddletownhewasdismayedto findnaryacourt—notasingleone.AfterdrivingaroundMiddletownandfinding 17emptytenniscourts,Volkenssawhis opportunity;hegatheredsomefriendsand madeacasetoMiddletown’sParksDepartment, whichagreedtodedicatespacetotheactivity, andVolkensstartedrecruitingMiddletown
TheRecreationandParksDepartmentin Columbus,forexample,nowoversees118 indoorandoutdoorcourtsin35 locations.
suburban backyard.
There are pickleball venues in every U.S. state and Canadian province — likely spots include senior residence communities, YMCAs, community recreation centers, schools, and parks. USA Pickleball maintains a comprehensive list at www.places2play.org.
drawing players from schools in several states.
“We have former professional football, basketball, hockey, and baseball players playing on our courts,” Cook says. But because pickleball is played at different levels, a person doesn’t have to be a good athlete to enjoy playing it. Cook describes herself as proof of that.
According to USA Pickleball, there were 4.8 million players in 2021; as of February 2024, that number had
“I am the most unathletic person,” she admits. “When I was a child, my mom signed me up for every team that you didn’t have to try out for, just to get me out of the house.”
When Cook moved from Mason to Middletown, she had no idea what pickleball was. A friend who is an avid pickleball player got her interested in the sport.
“I started playing and fell in love with it,” she says.
“It’s easy to learn and it’s addictive.”
Her demanding job as a special education paraprofessional with the Middletown Public Schools limits her to playing pickup games during summers. She serves as director for two other pickleball tournaments.
“I love the atmosphere around pickleball and how it brings people together,” she says. “It’s the most social sport.”
Your body’s temperature is regulated by water.
The Earth’s temperature is regulated by water.
Shouldn’t your home’s temperature be regulated by water?
The comfort of radiant meets the efficiency of geothermal
Geothermal heat pumps circulate water underground to provide the ultimate in energy-efficient heating and air conditioning. Radiant systems circulate water throughout your floors to provide the ultimate in luxurious comfort. WaterFurnace’s new HydroLogic radiant panel married to our 5 Series OptiHeat unit is simply the easiest way to combine the two worlds. You’ll love your warm, toasty floors—and you’ll adore your utility bill. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn more.
Ashland Comfort Control (419) 281-0144 comfortcontrolohio.com
Bowling Green
United Home Comfort (419) 352-7092 unitedhomecomfort.com
Chillicothe
Accurate Htg & Clg (740) 775-5005 accurategeothermal.com
Coldwater Ray’s Refrigeration (419) 678-8711 raysrefrigeration.com
Defiance
Schlatters Plbg & Htg (419) 393-4690 schlattersgeothermal.com
Dresden Federal Htg & Clg (740) 754-4328 federalheating.com
Findlay Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638 knueve.com
Gahanna
Custom A/C & Htg (614) 552-4822 customairco.com/ geothermal
Groveport
Patriot Air (614) 577-1577 patriotair.com
Holgate
Holgate Hardware (419) 264-3012
Kalida Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638 knueve.com
Sarka Electric (419) 532-3492 sarkaelectric.com
Lancaster Fairfield Heating (740) 653-6421 fairfieldgeothermal.com
Mansfield Eberts Energy Center (419) 589-2000 ebertsheatingandcooling. com
Marion Wenig’s Inc. (740) 383-5012 wenigsinc.com
Medina Sisler Heating (330) 722-7101 sislerwaterfurnace.com
Mt. Vernon Cosby Htg & Clg (740) 393-4328 cosbyhc.com
New Knoxville New Knoxville Supply (419) 753-2444 newknoxvillesupply.com
Newark
Hottinger Geothermal (740) 323-2330 hottingergeothermal.com
Portsmouth Accurate Htg & Clg (740) 353-4328 accurategeothermal.com
Sidney Lochard Inc. (937) 492-8811
Springfield Danco Enterprises (937) 969-8440 daytongeothermal.com
Sunbury Westin Air (614) 794-1259 geothermalcentralohio.com
Toledo Overcashier & Horst (419) 841-3333 ohcomfort.com
Wellington
Wellington Indoor Comfort (440) 647-3421
Ohio native Carl Jara uses a beachy medium to reach for the ‘wow’ factor with his art.BY JAMIE RHEIN; PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF
CARL JARA
When a rig filled with 20 tons of sand arrives and dumps it on a beach, Carl Jara digs right in. Armed with shovels, buckets, imagination, and technical ingenuity, Jara turns massive amounts of sand into art.
Swimming pool liners, tiered like a wedding cake and stacked five to six tiers high, become packed with sand and compressed with water. Jara nimbly moves up and down the tiers, working from top to bottom — pulling away, adding to, carefully carving each tier until he’s skillfully turned those billions of glacial till particles into masterpieces.
Jara is a professional sand sculptor, and he’s been at this experiential public art form for 33 years. It’s a career that has taken him to 38 states and 13 countries, as far away as Australia. He’s won 14 world championships and earned medals at countless other contests along the way.
So how does a kid from Akron rise to the top of the sand-sculpting profession? It started back at Firestone High School. When he ran out of art classes to take, his teacher connected him to Tom Morrison, president of
the International Association of Sand Castle Builders. Jara had found his fit. Under Morrison’s tutelage, he learned how to work sand and envision a business. In the early days, his only pay was a trip with free food and a free hotel room. But paired with his day job as exhibits fabrication specialist at the Cleveland Natural History Museum, Jara’s sand sculpting has become a lucrative career.
He’s been featured in the Travel Channel’s Sand Blasters and Sand Wars, and he’s even made a sculpture on billionaire Richard Branson’s private island in the British Virgin Isles. “I sunk up to my knees in sand,” Jara laughs, recalling the challenge.
Meeting challenges is Jara’s forte.
“Sand sculpture is a muscle. The more you do it, the more you know what to do,” he says. Earlier in his career, when he did as many as eight contests per year, Jara improvised his designs, making them up as he went. These days, he has a plan in mind before he tackles a sand mountain.
Although he uses sculpting tools, Jara relies the most on his hands. “I like smooth and clean work,” he says. “My
hand is more sensitive to imperfections. We respond to the beauty of the material, and the beauty of the sand is that I can take it away and I can add. It allows me to adjust the piece. Light is the biggest issue. It can throw you off. When the sun comes out, mistakes are glaring. I work the entire piece and go back at different times of the day to see what’s there and make adjustments.”
To win a contest, Jara explains, a sculpture needs to have three things: “The number one factor is the ‘wow’ factor. Does it take your breath away? Does it have a concept? How well is the concept explained?” Then there is a technical component. “Are people playing it safe?”
Jara’s strength is not playing it safe, even if it means figuring out how to have a 700-pound head hang over nothing. Or creating a sculpture of a man holding himself in the palm of his own hand and repeating that four times with each identical man smaller than the last — Infinity won him a world title.
He gets much of his inspiration from his own memory. “I’m translating pieces of my life like pages of a diary,” he says.
Entropy, for example, was a sculpture of the head of a man seemingly buried to his nose, with pain etched across his face and vacant eyes, looking as if it might sink further and disappear into the sandy beach. Inside the head were family photographs. The sculpture, which won third place at the Hampton Beach Masters in 2022, was inspired by his father’s longtime dementia.
“I want you to have your own ideas about what a sculpture means. I don’t have to make it obvious.” Whether Jara is creating a work-for-hire sculpture or getting inspiration from his own life, he sees the importance of the moment. “Sand sculpting is like a symphony experience. You do it for the experience. When it’s done, it’s done.”
• Headlands Beach State Park, July 10–12 (the Headlands BeachFest has been canceled, but Jara will be creating a sculpture on-site).
• Cleveland Octoberfest, Berea, Aug. 30–Sept. 2 and Sept. 6–7.
From exploring historic neighborhoods to famous stories of intrigue, you can discover the past right here in Greater Parkersburg.
Ride the Island Belle sternwheeler down the Ohio River to explore the dramatic past and scandalous backstory of Blennerhassett Island and tour the reconstructed mansion.
Take a walking tour of ornately detailed Victorian-era homes within the Julia-Ann Square Historic District, the state’s largest and oldest residential historic district.
Visit one of America’s finest and most complete historic mansions, filled with heirlooms collected by the five generations who called Henderson Hall their home. Learn how oil and gas fueled the industrial revolution at the nationally recognized Oil & Gas Museum
People don’t always do what their doctor says, but when seasoned veteran emergency room physician, Dr. Philip B. Howren, says every senior should have a medical alert device, you better listen up.
“Seniors are just one fall away from being put in a nursing home,” Dr. Howren said. “With a medical alert device, seniors are never alone. So it keeps them living independently in their own home. That’s why seniors and their family members are snapping up a sleek new medical alert device that comes with no monthly bills ever,” he said.
Many seniors refuse to wear old style help buttons because they make them look old. But even worse, those medical alert systems
come with monthly bills.
To solve these problems Universal Physicians, a U.S. company went to work to develop a new, modern, state-of-the-art medical alert device. It’s called “FastHelp™” and it instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“This slick new little device is designed to look like the pagers doctors wear every day. Seniors love them because it actually makes them look important, not old,” Dr. Howren said.
FastHelp is expected to hit store shelves later this year. But special newspaper promotional giveaways are slated for seniors in select areas. ■
■ NO MONTHLY BILLS: “My wife had an old style help button that came with hefty bills every month and she was embarrassed to wear it because it made her look old,” said Frank McDonald, Canton, Ohio. “Now, we both have FastHelp™, the sleek new medical alert device that our grandkids say makes us look ‘cool’ not old,” he said. With FastHelp, seniors never have to worry about being alone and the best part is there are no monthly bills ever.
It’s just what seniors have been waiting for; a sleek new medical alert device with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with just the push of a button for a one-time $149 price tag that’s a real steal after today’s instant rebate
The phone lines are ringing off the hook.
That’s because for seniors born before 1956, it’s a deal too good to pass up.
Starting at precisely 8:30am this morning the Pre-Store Release begins for the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp™ One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“It’s not like old style monitored help buttons that make you talk to a call center and only work when you’re at home and come with hefty bills every month. FastHelp comes with state-of-the-art cellular embedded technology. That means it works at home or anywhere, any-
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because it instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
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time cell service is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, the instant rebate that practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.
FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever.
Better still, it comes with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever – which makes FastHelp a great choice for seniors, students and professionals because it connects to one of the largest nationwide networks everywhere cell service is available for free.
And here’s the best part. All those who already have an old style monitored medical alert button can immediately eliminate those monthly bills, which is why Universal Physicians is widely advertising this announcement nationwide.
“So if you’ve ever felt a medical alert device was too complicated or expensive, you’ll want to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device with no monthly bills,” said Lawrence.
The medical alert device slugfest was dominated by two main combatants who both offer old style monitored help buttons that come with a hefty bill every month. But now Universal Physicians, the U.S. based heavyweight, just delivered a knockout blow sending the top rated contenders to the mat with the unveiling of FastHelp. It’s the sleek new cellular embedded medical alert device
that cuts out the middleman by instantly connecting you directly to highly trained 911 operators all across the U.S. There’s absolutely nothing to hookup or install. You don’t need a land line and you don’t need a cell phone. Everything is done for you.
“FastHelp is a state of the art medical alert device designed to make you look important, not old. Old style
monitored help buttons you wear around your neck, or require expensive base station equipment or a landline are the equivalent of a horse and buggy,” Lawrence says. “It’s just outdated.”
Millions of seniors fall every year and spend hours lying on the floor helpless and all alone with no help.
But seniors who fall and get immediate help are much more likely to avoid
getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home independently.
Yet millions of seniors are still risking their safety by not having a medical alert device. That’s because seniors just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.
That’s why seniors born before 1956 are rushing to
cash in the whopping $150 instant rebate before the 21 day deadline ends.
So there’s no need to wait for FastHelp to hit store shelves later this year because seniors born before 1956 can get it now just by using the $150 instant rebate coupon printed in today’s newspaper before the 21 day deadline ends. If lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered. ■
Use the rebate coupon below and call this Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-330-4294 DEPT. HELP8234
1956: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8234
THE BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. FastHelp with the instant rebate is a real steal at just $149 and shipping and there are no monthly bills ever.
PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal irresistible. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.
CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1956 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.
BARNS WANTED FOR RECLAIM
We pay up front.
Completely insured A+ rating with the BBB. Call/Text 567-232-2500 www.allohiobarn.com
July 18-20th, 2024
Guernsey County Fairgrounds Old Washington, OH
Marshall Tucker Band Travis Tritt Hunter Hayes Craig Morgan LANCO and more!
Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor, W.H. “Chip” Gross, has been a freelance outdoors and nature writer/photographer for more than 40 years, and is the author of six previous books and well over 1,000 magazine articles.
In this his latest book, How to Become a Freelance Outdoors & Nature Writer, he humorously reveals the many publishing secrets he’s learned from both sides of the desk — as a writer and as an editor:
Ն What’s a saleable story idea?
Ն Approaching magazine and book editors
Ն Researching, writing, and submitting the magazine story
Ն Writing the outdoor book
Ն Outdoor photography: Illustrating your writing
— “This is more than a writing book. It shows both beginning and experienced writers the basic and advanced techniques of how to get published — taking an outdoor magazine/book idea from concept, to writing, to publication, to payment.”
— “It’s not necessarily the best writers and photographers who regularly get their stories and photographs published. It’s the best writers and photographers who are also the best marketers that regularly get their stories and photographs published. I’ll show you how.”
Copies of Chip’s new book — both softcover and digital versions — may be purchased at Amazon.com.
and more. Vendors welcome! Contact Christine at 419-619-0041 or findlayfleamarket@gmail.com for more information.
JUL. 25 – Fourth Thursdays S’more Walk, downtown Lakeview. Collect an ingredient at each participating downtown business to build your own sweet s’more treat, then roast it over our live fire while enjoying food trucks and live music. Get your shopping passport stamped for a chance to win a camping gift basket! www. facebook.com/downtownlakeviewohio.
JUL. 25–28 – Wetzelland 2024 Annual Biker Bash, Grover Hill. Great weekend full of great music! Bike show and bike rodeo games, contests, and more. www. wetzelmc.com or follow Wetzelland on Facebook.
a.m.–3 p.m. $6; Scouts in uniform and ages 12 and under free; 2-day admission $8. Handicap accessible. Over 200 tables. All gauges and scales. Railroad memorabilia and railfan items; model railroad layouts and displays; play area. Food available. 260-760-1666, railcarman@ frontier.com (Chuck White), www.vwrrhw.com, or find us on Facebook.
THROUGH SEP. 15 – NWORRP Museum Summer Hours, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $3; 12 and under, $2 (includes 1 train ride ticket per admission). Museum tours, quarter-scale train rides, model train displays, games, play area, and more. 419-423-2995, www. nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.
THROUGH OCT. 12 – The Great Sidney Farmer’s Market, 109 S. Ohio Ave., every Sat. 8 a.m.–noon. Vendors from all around the area provide great food, crafts, and more! 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.
JUL. 3, AUG. 7 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities are geared for preschoolage children and focus on farming and nature in a picturesque outdoor setting. Families welcome! 419447-7073, www.conservesenecacounty.com, or follow Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.
JUL. 19–20 – July Downtown Sidewalk Sales, Sidney. Various downtown shops will offer deals and discounts. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.
JUL. 20–21, AUG. 10–11 – Findlay Flea Market, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission. Variety of merchandise: new, used, vintage items, crafts,
JUL. 26–28 – Hamler Summer Fest, Hamler Community Park, 100 S. 1st St., Hamler. $5–$7, under 16 admitted free with parent. Polka bands, German food, cornhole tournament. Sunday is Kids’ Day. www. hamlersf.com.
JUL. 27 – Flair on the Square, 1 Courthouse Square, Bryan, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Free. Juried art fair, emerging artists’ exhibit, food trucks, live music, hands-on art projects, performing arts, and more. See the complete schedule at www.flaironthesquare.com.
JUL. 27 – Made in Ohio at Hurley Farm, 9249 St. Rte. 117, Huntsville. Find unique crafts and vendors, check out fresh local produce, eat at the food trucks, and have a fun summer day at the farm! www.facebook.com/ hurleyfarmsllc.
JUL. 27–28 – Family Fun Weekend: “Mid-Summer Celebration,” Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 1–4 p.m. $5. Games, quarterscale train rides, bounce house, and other family-friendly activities and events. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.
JUL. 27–28 – Railroad Heritage Weekend Model Railroad Show and Swap, Van Wert Co. Fgds., 1055 S. Washington St., Van Wert, Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10
JUL. 13, 27 – Myths of the Mountains, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem. Lamplight guided tour (approx. 1 hour) led by period-dressed guides, with each cabin housing a storyteller who spins tales of Appalachia. Gates open at 8 p.m.; groups begin tours every 10 minutes. 304-695-2220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation.org, or www. fortnewsalemfoundation.org.
Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to: Ohio Cooperative Living 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or send an email to events@ohioec.org.
Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.
JUL. 28 – “The Art and Science of Nature,” Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek, 10051 Township Rd. 47, West Liberty, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Nature educators will lead tours, discussions, and demonstrations on varieties and species that live in the surrounding area. Discover how artists in the past incorporated elements of the natural world into the construction and decoration of the Castle, and enjoy activities focusing on visual and performing arts exploring nature. www.piattcastle.org.
AUG. 2 – First Fridays Taste of Bellefontaine, 100 S. Main St., Bellefontaine. Use your tasting passport to sample food from many of our downtown restaurants and vote for your favorite. www.firstfridaysbellefontaine. com.
AUG. 6 – National Night Out Tuesday, downtown Sidney, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Free. Activities and more promoting a positive relationship with police, first responders, and community. 937-658-6945 or www. sidneyalive.org.
AUG. 10 – Harborfest Indian Lake, Lakeview Harbor, intersection of OH-235 and OH-366, Lakeview. Back by popular demand are the Wacky Boat Races! Grab your team and build a “boat” that floats using non-marine materials. www.facebook.com/downtownlakeviewohio.
AUG. 10 – Paddles, Pedals, and Pints, Sidney. Free admission; activities/tastings additional charge. A day on the Great Miami River and Tawawa Park featuring kayaking, cycling, kids’ triathlon, craft beer, and soda tastings. After-party on the Square. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.
AUG. 2–3 – West Virginia’s Largest Yard Sale, Upshur and Lewis counties, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Shop hundreds of yard sales to find hidden treasures, score amazing deals, and support local communities. https://visitbuckhannon. org/events/wvs-largest-yard-sale-2
THROUGH SEP. 28 – Sunbury Farmers Market, 36 Cherry St., on the Square of Sunbury, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Offering local products — handmade, homemade, or homegrown. Vendors welcome. 740-513-9192 or sunburyohiofarmersmarket@gmail.com.
THROUGH OCT. 26 – Coshocton Farmers Market, 22442 Co. Rd. 1A, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–noon. Fresh, locally grown, in-season produce; baked goods; and handmade crafts. For the most up-to-date information about vendors who will be attending the market, visit www.facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket or email market.manager@coshfarmmarket.org.
THROUGH OCT. 27 – Rock Mill Days, Stebelton Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, Wed./ Sat. 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. Tour the restored 1824 gristmill, walk the covered bridge, and view the waterfall near the headwaters of the Hocking River. On the last Sunday of each month, see how corn was ground 200 years ago. 614-321-4833 ext. 103 or www. fairfieldcountyparks.org/events.
JUL. 5, AUG. 2 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Come downtown on the first Friday of each month, when all our participating galleries, studios, and small businesses are open at the same time! Visit the Artist Colony of Zanesville’s website for a map of current participants: https://artcoz.org/arts-district-map.
THROUGH SEP. 1 – Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 8 p.m. $30–$50. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader as he defends his sacred homelands in the Ohio country during the late 1700s. www.tecumsehdrama.com.
THROUGH NOV. 2 – Athens Farmers Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Wed. 9 a.m.–noon. Open year-round Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Voted Ohio’s #1 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.
JUL. 7, 21 – Sunday Sampling, Darby Creek Fields and Flowers, 11500 Darby Creek Rd., Orient. $10; 10 and under free. Families welcome. Stroll through 14 fields of flowers while enjoying some of our favorite locally made foods and beverages. Weather permitting. 614-809-8538 or www.darbyflowerfields.com.
JUL. 11, AUG. 8 – Inventors Network Meetings, Rusty Bucket, 3901 Britton Parkway, Hilliard, 43026, 7 p.m. Informal meetings for networking and invention-related talk. 614-470-0144 or www.inventorscolumbus.com.
JUL. 12–AUG. 25 – CAPA Summer Movie Series, Ohio Theatre, 55 E. State St., Columbus, Wed.–Sun. 7:30 p.m., Sun. matinee 2 p.m., “Cartoon Capers” Sat. 10 a.m. Series showcasing classic films and cult movies. 614-469-0939 or www.capa.com.
JUL. 18–21 – Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association 75th Annual Reunion, Pastime Park, Plain City. Gates open at 8 a.m. $10. Exhibition of a large variety of older equipment in operation as well as several steam engines. John Deere will be our feature tractor. Truck and tractor pulls Sat. 6 p.m.; vintage truck/car show Sun. 10 a.m. Flea market vendors every day. 614-273-5625 or www.mvsteamshow.com.
JUL. 19–20 – Pieceable Quilters 2024 Quilt Show, Zanesville High School, 171 Blue Ave., Zanesville, Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $6; 12 and under free with an accompanying adult. The show includes a vast display of guild-made quilts as well as food, a quilt raffle, vendors, and a silent auction. https://pieceablequilters. weebly.com.
JUL. 20 – Boogie on the Blacktop featuring Rockhouse, Circleville Eagles, 135 E. Main St., Circleville, 7–11 p.m. $5. Outdoor concert with food vendors and drinks. www.pickaway.com.
JUL. 24–AUG. 4 – Ohio State Fair, Ohio State Fgds., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–9 p.m. General admission $10–$12; 5 and under free. Free parking. 888-OHO-EXPO (888-646-3976) or www.ohiostatefair.com.
JUL. 27–28 – Frankfort Sunflower Festival, downtown Frankfort, Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Family fun for all ages with concessions, car show, kiddy tractor pull, games, live music, baby contest, sunflower contest, craft tent, and much more. www. sunflowerfestival.net.
AUG. 2–3 – Deerassic Classic Giveaway and Expo, Deerassic Park Education Center, 14250 Cadiz Rd., Cambridge. Outdoor exhibitors, stage shows, raffles, prizes, food, and entertainment. Call or go online to purchase tickets. 740-435-9500 or https:// deerassicclassic.com.
AUG. 3 – Kings Inn Car Show, 7 N. Main St., Kingston, 12:30 p.m. Annual car show with trophy and gas cards awarded for the Top 3. Voting is by public input. No entry fee; donation requested for the Ross County Humane Society. www.visitchillicotheohio.com.
AUG. 3–10 – Ross County Fair, 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. General admission $5. Enjoy the number and quality of exhibits and displays that are products of hard-working, creative individuals from the Ross County area. Food, games, live entertainment, rides, and much more for the whole family. www. rosscountyfair.com.
JUL. 25–27 – Goodtime Quilters Guild Quilt Show, Ohio Christian University, Maxwell Center, 1476 Lancaster Pike, Circleville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $8; 3-day admission $12; cash only. 150+ quilt displays, raffles, door prizes. 740332-6344 (Barb Harwood) or www.goodtimequilters.org.
JUL. 27 – Down on the Farm, Historical Mt. Oval, U.S. 23 and 3601 Emerson Rd., Circleville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission. Antique tractors, animals, farmers market, food, and more. Historical house tours, $5. www. facebook.com/mtovalhistorichouseandfarm.
JUL. 27 – Black Wing Summer Blast Car Show, 3722 Marysville Rd., Delaware. Family-friendly, fun-filled day, all to support youth shooting sports. Car show 10 a.m.–1 p.m., huge raffle, manufacturer rep expo, food trucks onsite, Machine Gun Challenge event, and more. Proceeds to benefit Ohio Clay Target League – 6th–12th grade youth shooters. https://blackwingsc.com/summer-blast.
AUG. 2–5 – 35th Annual Farm Days, Morrow Co. Fgds., 195 S. Main St. (U.S. 42), Mount Gilead. $5; under 12 free. Featuring Ford tractors and equipment. List of events available at www.morrowcountytractor.com.
AUG. 8–10 – All Ohio Balloon Fest, Union Co. Airport, 15000 Weaver Rd., Marysville. Hot air balloons, aerial rides and entertainment, live music, face painting, food vendors, and more. New for 2024: T-6 Texan rides! Bring your own lawn chairs. 937-243-1091 or www. allohioballoonfest.com.
AUG. 10 – Books in the Barn, 5530 Radnor Rd., Radnor, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Book signings by Christian and family-friendly authors. Shop arts and crafts and directsales vendors. Enjoy homemade food and baked goods. 614-381-8191 or www.maryrodman.com.
AUG. 10 – Union County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, Union Co. Fgds., 845 N. Main St., Marysville, 8 a.m.–noon. Sun and shade perennials, native plants, shrubs and trees, grasses, bulbs, and daylilies. Plants are grown by Master Gardeners and sold at reasonable prices. 937644-8117, https://union.osu.edu, or on Facebook at http:// bit.ly/UCMGFB.
AUG. 4 – An Evening with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 7–9 p.m. $10–$55. www. tecumsehdrama.com.
AUG. 8–11 – Rivers, Trails, and Ales Festival, East Muskingum Park, 310 Front St., Marietta. A down-home celebration of paddling, road and mountain biking, and fine local ales in Ohio’s No. 1 destination for outdoor adventure: Marietta! Also enjoy live music, kids’ activities, and the RTA Adventure Expo (Sat. 3–7 p.m.). www.rtafest. com or www.facebook.com/RTAfest.
AUG. 9–11 – Salt Fork Arts and Crafts Festival, Cambridge City Park, Cambridge, Fri. 12–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. A juried festival that showcases high-quality art in a variety of mediums by artists from around the country. Also features student art, Appalachian heritage displays and demos, live entertainment, concessions, and kids’ activities. 740-5840652 or www.saltforkfestival.org.
AUG. 11 – “The Story of Ohio’s Canals: An Engineering Endeavor That Can Still Be Traced in Ohio’s Landscape,” Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, 2 p.m. Free. Tom O’Grady will discuss the construction of the canals and how they opened up Ohio to world commerce. www.adenamansion.com.
THROUGH AUG. 1 – Fort Steuben Summer Concert Series, Fort Steuben Park, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Thur. 7–9 p.m. Bring a blanket and picnic basket and enjoy a free concert at this site overlooking the Ohio River. 740-283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.
THROUGH AUG. 3 – Woodcarver’s Exhibit, McCook House Museum, 15 S. Lisbon St., Carrollton, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Exhibit included in museum admission: $3; ages 5–12, $2. Co-organizers of the event are master carvers Ken Grigsby and Keith Shumaker. For further information, call 330-437-9715 or 330-627-3345
JUL. 1–SEP. 1 – Steubenville Catfish Crawl, downtown Steubenville. Ten 5-foot-long, intricately painted fiberglass catfish will be on display around the downtown. Grab a map and find them all! Maps available at Leonardo’s Coffeehouse, 159 N. 4th St. www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/catfish.html.
JUL. 19 – Rachel Brown and The Beatnik Playboys, John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 2122 Williams Rd., Wooster, 6:30–9:30 p.m. The band will perform various country, oldies, rock, and blues covers. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at Fisher Auditorium, 1680 Madison Ave. Free, but registration recommended: 419853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.
THROUGH AUG. 28 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.
JUL. 5–AUG. 30 – Night Hikes, Hueston Woods State Park, 6301 Park Office Rd., College Corner, Fri. 9:30 p.m. Meet at the Indian Mound in the Campground for a nighttime adventure. Please wear appropriate footwear. Leave your flashlights in the car; we will hike by moonlight. www.ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/ find-a-property/hueston-woods-state-park.
JUL. 12–13 – Quilts of Highland County Quilt Show, Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro, Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. $5. Quilts, vendors, demonstrations, silent auction. “Underground Blues” raffle quilt; tickets $1 each or 6 for $5. For more information, call Connie Storer at 937-763-7650
JUL. 27 – A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society Annual Convention with Wayne County Maker Faire, Wayne Co. Fgds. Event Center, Wooster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free and open to the public. See vintage Erector sets and running models made by the A.C. Gilbert Company. The Maker Faire showcases local “makers” with 3D printing and CNC, and numerous other talented makers of unique items. https://waynecounty.makerfaire.com.
JUL. 27 – Hobo Day and Model Trains Flea Market, Painesville Railroad Museum, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Railfanning, costume contest, and live music 1–3 p.m. by Young and Blue. Food and beverages available for small donation: hamburgers and hot dogs, 12–2:30 p.m.; hobo beans and corn roast. 216470-5780 (Tom) or www.painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.
JUL. 27–28 – Zoar Antiques Show and Artisan Tent, 198 Main St., Zoar, 10 a.m. –4 p.m. $12; 12 and under free. Shop from high-quality artisans, antique dealers, and folk artists; enjoy the juried craft and art show; and tour historic buildings. 800-262-6195 or www. historiczoarvillage.com.
JUL. 29–AUG. 4 – Columbiana County Fair, 225 Lee Ave., Libson. 330-424-5531 or www. columbianacountyfair.com.
JUL. 29–AUG. 4 – Medina County Fair, 720 W. Smith Rd., Medina. $8; 5 and under free. Tyler Hubbard in concert Jul. 31 330-723-9633 or www.medinaohiofair.com.
AUG. 2 – First Fridays on Fourth, 155 N. 4th St., Steubenville, 6–10 p.m. Free. Patriotic-themed celebration featuring art, crafts, games, food trucks, live entertainment, and activities to stimulate the imagination. www.theharmoniumproject.org/first-Fridays.
AUG. 2–4 – Twins Day Festival, 9825 Ravenna Rd., Twinsburg. The world’s largest annual gathering of twins. Open to the public! 330-425-7280 or www.twinsdays.org.
AUG. 3 – Jazz under the Stars: Grant Heineman, Uptown Park, 79–89 Public Square, Medina, 7 p.m. The Cleveland-based musician will present an evening of energetic and melodic jazz fusion arrangements and compositions. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 317 E. Liberty St. Free, but registration recommended: 419-853-6016 or www. ormaco.org.
AUG. 4 – Chardon Arts Festival, Chardon Square (intersection of Rtes. 4 and 66), 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission. Juried art show hosting over 100 artists, both local and out of state, and featuring works in a variety of mediums. http://chardonsquareassociation.org.
AUG. 4–11 – Annual Pleasant Home Camp Meeting, 9682 Camp Rd., West Salem. Come enjoy an oldfashioned revival camp service in the exact location it was held more than 100 years ago. Each night we offer dinner by donation (5:30 p.m.) and different singing groups (6 p.m.), with revival services at 7 p.m. Youth night is Aug. 10, with services, food, games, and a bonfire. 330590-9682 or find us on Facebook.
AUG. 9–OCT. 12 – Plant and Animal Fiber Exhibit, McCook House Museum, 15 S. Lisbon St., Carrollton, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3. See a variety of handmade items from local crafters including baskets, rush, reed, caned bottom chairs, woven rugs, wall hangings, knitted and crocheted items, and much more. 330-437-9715 or kathorn4120@gmail.com.
AUG. 11 – Bob Mollard: Keyboards, Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Mollard, the principal keyboardist for the Akron Symphony Orchestra, will take us on a performing tour of keyboard instruments (piano, harpsichord, celesta). Registered piano technician Stewart Freedman will be on hand to address their technical differences. Free, but registration recommended: 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.
JUL. 19, AUG. 16 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, a wide variety of craft beers at the Beer Garden, and food truck eats. 513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.
JUL. 20 – Miami County in Bloom Garden Tour, locations in Troy and Piqua, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $15 presale, $20 day of tour; under 10 free. Enjoy the day touring six beautiful gardens. See a variety of gardening styles, including a whimsical outdoor gardening “farm,” formal gardens, and fun, casual spaces. Tickets will be available at seven convenient locations throughout Miami County. For more information, visit http://go.osu/ MiamiGardenTour or call 937-440-3945
JUL. 26–28 – Christmas in July Campout, Hueston Woods State Park, 6301 Park Office Rd., College Corner. Free. Decorate your campsite, take part in activities, and have fun at our naturalist programs. 513-523-6347 or www.ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/ hueston-woods-state-park. To reserve a campsite, please visit www.reserveohio.com.
JUL. 26–28 – Annie Oakley Festival, Darke Co. Fgds., Gate 5, Greenville. A family-friendly festival honoring Darke County’s most famous daughter. Shooting contests, fast draw competitions, cowboy mounted shooting, kiddie tractor pull, car show, and much more. www.annieoakleyfestival.org.
JUL. 27 – Biergarten Band Night, Liberty Home German Society, 2361 Hamilton Cleves Rd., Hamilton, 5–10 p.m. Vereins Musikanten, 6–10 p.m. https:// libertyhome.net or follow Liberty Home Association on Facebook.
JUL. 27–28 – Gathering at Garst, 205 N. Broadway, Greenville, Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Living history encampment set up in a timeline manner dating from 1785 to 1865, with reenactors demonstrating what life was like for our ancestors. Live music and entertainment, arts and crafts, food vendors, and more. www.darkecountyparks.org/gathering.
JUL. 28 – Family Program: The Dulcimer Guy, Garber Nature Center, 9691 OH-503 N., Lewisburg, 4 p.m. Enjoy a free concert by Matthew Dickerson, National Champion on the hammered dulcimer. Registration required. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www.preblecountyparks.org.
AUG. 1–4 – World’s Longest Yard Sale, locations along U.S. 127 through Greenville. www.127yardsale.com.
AUG. 3 – Biergarten Band Night, Liberty Home German Society, 2361 Hamilton Cleves Rd., Hamilton, 5–10 p.m. M*A*M*B (Middle Aged Man Band), 6–10 p.m. https://libertyhome.net or follow Liberty Home Association on Facebook.
AUG. 3 – Vernon Fest, Famous Old Time Music Co., 1196 Ross Millville Rd., Hamilton, 2–9 p.m. $10. Features music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass plus other fine regional bands. Raffles, “Split the Pot,” and door prizes. Food and drink for sale on-site. No overnight camping facilities. Bring a lawn chair. 419-5681220 or vernon@iglou.com.
AUG. 9–15 – Miami County Fair, Miami Co. Fgds., 650 N. County Rd. 25A, Troy. $6 daily; under 9 free. Competitions, entertainment, harness racing, tractor pulls, art exhibits, games and rides, and great food. 937335-7492 or www.miamicountyohiofair.com.
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1. The Yetter and Willis families love making memories together at the beach — this is at Myrtle Beach in 2019
Samantha Willis, Firelands Electric Cooperative member
2. My grandsons, James Pycraft and Ryan Wissel, look like they want sand garages.
Thomas Seman, Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member
3. Kendall and Tessa Hall and Steve and Ben Kopp, building sandcastles on the beach at the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
Lisa Kopp, Firelands Electric Cooperative member
4. My nephew Robbie gave up on his sandcastle and tried to become one instead.
Katie Grubba, South Central Power Company member
5. My grandsons’ mega-sandcastle in Florida.
Kay Jackson, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative member
6. A sandcastle that we built in South Padre Island.
Kurt Martin, North Central Electric Cooperative member
7. Our granddaughter Susie had tons of fun on Galveston Island.
Beth Howard, Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative member
For October, send “Oh my gourd!” by July 15; for November, send “On horseback” by Aug. 15. Send us YOUR picture!
Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.
As a member of an Ohio electric cooperative, you can help keep the rates stable and affordable by reducing energy use during peak hours on hot summer days. The hottest times of day — usually between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. — create the highest demand for electricity and when demand is high, so is the price. If we can reduce electric use during peak hours, we can reduce power costs for all the members.
Here are a few simple ways you can help your cooperative “beat the peak” this summer by shifting your energy use to off-peak hours:
R R R R
Turn off unnecessary lights and electronics when they aren’t being used
Run your dishwasher and do laundry early in the morning or later in the evening
Shut blinds and curtains during the day to keep the sun from warming your home
Schedule your pool pump to run during off-peak hours
By adjusting the times you use electricity this summer, you can help us keep stable despite the heat! If we all work together, we all will benefit. That’s the power of cooperation and your electric cooperative membership.