OHIO COOPERATIVE
Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative
Pumpkins everywhere
ALSO INSIDE
The cooperative difference
Too much of a good thing
Haunted restaurants
Karen Spice enjoy
Time for a change
Our nation’s workforce has experienced significant shifts these past few years as a new generation of workers and leaders has started taking the place of aging baby boomers like myself. Now, as I prepare for my upcoming retirement in early January, I’m in the process of turning over the leadership of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power to our next president and CEO.
I have had the pleasure of working with Craig Grooms, our current chief operating officer, for more than 20 years. He has rich experience not only with electric cooperatives, but also with other electric and natural gas utilities and from his service in the U.S. Navy. I’m extremely confident in his abilities to lead our organization into the future, and I’m sure he will enjoy the same generous support that I have received from cooperative leaders and members not only here in Ohio but from cooperatives throughout the country.
He will begin in his new role at a time when the U.S. electric industry faces a seemingly unsolvable challenge: to balance consumers’ need for reliable and affordable electricity with industry demands for increased supply and government demands to dramatically reduce carbon emissions. But because of our long-standing focus on serving the needs of our consumer-members, electric cooperatives have plenty of experience balancing those kinds of competing interests and working toward win-win solutions. That means we are well positioned not only to meet our members’ needs, but to help shape reasonable, commonsense policies on a national level. I’m confident that Craig, along with the staff here at OEC and cooperative leaders throughout the country, will help guide us through the challenges ahead.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve in this important mission and for the support you have given me along the way. I have enjoyed every moment working on your behalf to help make our electric cooperatives as strong, unified, and forward-looking as I could. Over the next few months, we will be busy ensuring a smooth transition of leadership and shaping plans for the future. I’m looking forward to this new experience, and I’m excited for the future.
Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO
OHIO’S
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
I have enjoyed every moment working on your behalf to help make our electric cooperatives as strong, unified, and forward-looking as I could.
Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives
6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO
Caryn Whitney Director of Communications
Jeff McCallister Senior Managing Editor
Amy Howat Assistant Managing Editor
Neal Kindig Graphic Designer
Contributors: Adobe Stock, Brian Albright, Margo Bartlett, Jodi Borger, Margaret Buranen, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, and Catherine Murray.
OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.
DEPARTMENTS
4 POWER LINES
Connection to the past: Muskingum County icon is ever mindful of how co-ops changed people’s lives.
8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE
A glimpse of the past: Historical reenactor offers a unique perspective on Ohio’s early inhabitants. 10
CO-OP PEOPLE
Gathering what’s left: Gleaners get farmers’ gift of fresh produce to people in need. 13
GOOD EATS
Autumn delight: Serve up a seasonal meal centered on squash! 17
LOCAL PAGES
News and other important information from your electric cooperative.
33 CALENDAR
What’s happening: October/ November 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
36
MEMBER INTERACTIVE
Oh my gourd! Pumpkins (and their gourdly relatives) make the perfect props for posing for autumn pictures.
13 8 10 36 33 4
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.
Connection to the past
Muskingum County icon is ever mindful of how co-ops changed people’s lives.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARGO BARTLETT
Dorothy Montgomery is old enough to remember when the men from “the REA” (in this case, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative) started digging holes, by hand, to set electric poles along her country road after the creation of the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935.
Each October, as cooperatives everywhere celebrate National Cooperative Month, Montgomery’s story is a reminder of how neighbors and small communities came together to bring power to the nation’s farms and rural countrysides when the big electric companies determined there wasn’t enough money to be made there.
Montgomery recalls the excitement that spread among her family and neighbors as more and more signed up to join the co-op to bring
electricity to their homes and farms — which had previously been lit by oil lamps or “Aladdin lamps.”
There’s one detail in particular, however, that is still fresh in her mind to this day. “I remember the shock if you stuck your finger in the socket,” she says. She’d been told doing that would hurt — “and it did,” she confirms. “Oil lamps never shocked you.”
Now 93, Dorothy is still a live wire, and she remains loyal to the co-op after all this time — mindful of just how much co-ops changed people’s lives in the 1930s and how they continue to do so to this day (co-ops, after all, are still owned by the members they serve and run by trustees elected by the local members to act in the members’ best interest, rather than to be motivated by profit for shareholders).
The big day
Who could forget that Sunday evening back in 1939? Everyone gathered at the church, Dorothy remembers, and the sanctuary was packed. Everyone waited … “then they turned on the lights,” she says. “Everything changed.”
Before the arrival of “the electric,” Montgomery says, her mother used a coal stove. Because her mother “canned everything,” the stove often was roaring and the house was sweltering, especially on hot days. An electric refrigerator was a life-changer.
Each room in the house had a light socket and receptacle, Montgomery says. “It was amazing.”
Unlike with some families, the arrival of electric lights didn’t lengthen evenings much in her household. “Daddy was a getterupper in the morning,” she says, so the family continued to be early go-to-bedders in the evening.
Living legend
former schoolhouse, which John carefully dismantled, labeled, and reassembled, board by board. He finished that project in 1960 and they lived there together until his passing in 2014. She still lives there on her own, though her daughter, local attorney Susan Montgomery McDonald, and Susan’s husband, James McDonald, own and operate McDonald’s Greenhouse and Corn Maze next door.
Montgomery also served four terms as a Muskingum County commissioner, and this year she’s being recognized for serving 70 years as a 4-H adviser.
That connection to 4-H is deeply personal to her, by the way. Not only does it serve as a connection to her childhood on the farm, but she also met John at 4-H Camp Ohio, where he was a lifeguard. “He tried to teach me to swim, but I never did learn,” she says.
Loyal to the co-op
“We haven’t mentioned the irons!” Montgomery says, jumping back to those early days on the farm. Before electricity, she says, they had to use heavy metal irons, heated on the stove or fire, that would get so hot that the handles had to be covered with a cloth to pick them up.
Still, electricity had its rewards. “I think just to satisfy me, we had a radio. Just a little radio. And we had lights on the Christmas tree!” she remembers.
Those early days on the farm, of course, were highly influential on the young Dorothy, and she has become an iconic figure around Zanesville and Muskingum County.
Montgomery graduated from Muskingum College and taught school for several years — mostly in Zanesville, but also for a time in Florida during the 1950s, when her husband, John, was stationed there in the Air Force. Among her pupils there, she remembers, were a group of first graders whose families were with the circus and lived in the circus trains.
When she and John returned to Muskingum County, they bought a
Toasters, too; Montgomery describes tripods that were placed on a coal or woodburning stove on which slices of bread would be “somewhat” toasted — which of course became appliances of the past when electricity was introduced.
Brian Hill, general manager at GuernseyMuskingum Electric Cooperative, says he always looks forward to reminiscing with Montgomery at the co-op’s annual meetings each April.
“Dorothy has such vivid memories and tells such great stories,” Hill says. “She is truly an ambassador for Muskingum County and, really, all of rural southeastern Ohio. I think you could say that people like her are the reason that co-ops came into existence in the first place, and I, for one, really enjoy having that connection to the co-op’s history. It reminds you why we’re here.”
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A glimpse of thepast
Historical reenactor offers a unique perspective on Ohio’s early inhabitants.
Sitting beside a small campfire, its woodsmoke scenting the cool air of a perfect autumn afternoon, I could almost see the scene as vividly as the man seated across from me described it.
“The forest was vast,” he began, gesturing with a sweep of his hand, “stretching from Lake Erie all the way to the Ohio River. Many trees measured 5 to 6 feet through at their base — some even larger — towering skyward 150 feet or more. The only paths through the wilderness were game trails; the only roads were the rivers and streams that my people traveled by elm-bark canoe.”
The man across from me, Roger Moore of Mansfield, says he is “more than 70 winters old.” His shoulderlength gray hair was held behind his head on this day by a hair roach of turkey feathers. A large, round silver earring dangled from each ear, and a silver medallion hung from his neck. He wore a colorful trade-cloth shirt, leggings, and, of course, moccasins. His flintlock muzzle-loading rifle sat nestled in the crook of his arm.
The “my people” he speaks of — and traces his lineage to through one of his grandfathers, a fullblooded Native American — were a mixed-race group (modern-day anthropologists term it a “tri-racial isolate”) known as the Carmel Indians. They lived in
Ohio’s Highland and Meigs counties until as recently as the early 1900s.
Moore inherited his striking facial features from his grandfather. They are so characteristic of the Eastern Woodlands culture of North American Indians that artists and filmmakers have long sought him out to pose for paintings or appear in documentaries. They also add a certain authenticity to his work as an Indian reenactor, during which he offers those vivid descriptions of the Ohio country of a century or more prior to statehood in 1803.
“About 30 years ago, I was contacted by the artist Robert Griffing, who lives in western Pennsylvania,” Moore says. “He paints pictures of early Eastern Woodlands Indians, and his original oils sell for tens of thousands of dollars. He asked if I would come to his studio and model for him. We eventually ended up at the Smithsonian’s Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, where he had me dress in all types of authentic Indian garb while he took hundreds of photos that he later referenced while creating his paintings. I’ve since been featured in dozens of Robert Griffing’s works.”
What Moore is too modest to mention is that his image graces the cover of Robert Griffing’s first book, published in 2000, The Art of Robert Griffing: His
STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS
Journey into the Eastern Frontier. Two other books in the series have since followed: The Native Art of Robert Griffing: The Journey Continues (2007) and The Historical Art of Robert Griffing: An Amazing Journey (2018). If you’re a fan of American Indian history — as I am — any of those three volumes will overwhelm you with its detail and historical accuracy about early Native Ohioans.
“It was my association with Robert Griffing that really opened the door for me as an Indian reenactor,” Moore says. “Because of the popularity of his artwork, I began hearing from national filmmakers.”
He portrayed Chief Hendrick of the Mohawk in a four-part PBS miniseries, The War That Made America, about the French and Indian War, and has appeared in half a dozen or so documentaries produced by the History Channel and A&E, as well as other similar productions.
Those years as a reenactor, he says, have given him some insight into the people he portrays. At the conclusion of our campfire chat, he offered a point of view not often recognized about those early Native Americans who lived in the Ohio country:
“Historically, Indians have been depicted as a people to be feared. And during times of war with the whites or enemy tribes, that was certainly true; they were fierce frontier fighters,” he says. “But they were protecting their way of life, their families, villages, and land. Like you and me today — Indian or white — we would have done no different.”
W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Email him with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@gmail. com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!
what’sGathering left
Gleaners get farmers’ gift of fresh produce to people in need.
BY MARGARET
It’s a good kind of problem for farmers to have: After an unexpectedly seasonable winter and growing season, the Champaign Berry Farm in Urbana produced an unexpected bumper crop of one of its mainstays this year.
“Peaches are very weather-dependent,” says Cathy Pullins, co-owner of the farm and a member of Pioneer Electric Cooperative. “This year we had such a warm winter that the crop was way larger than we had anticipated.”
Obviously, an unexpected bounty is preferred to the alternative, but it still presents some issues to deal with. The farm often donates food to local churches and food banks, but this year’s bumper crop called for something more, and Pullins knew right away what to do with the extra peaches.
“We saved a certain section of the orchard for the gleaners,” she says. “I told the [professional] pickers not to pick those peaches. We like to give back to the community and to those in need. That’s one of our purposes in life.”
Gleaning, described in the Bible’s book of Leviticus, is the practice of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested. Sometimes farmers will intentionally leave a portion for gleaners, though sometimes a farmer can’t find enough workers to pick the produce, or a wholesaler orders less produce than the farmer anticipated.
Rather than leave the perfectly good, but unharvested and unsold, produce to spoil or plow it under, the farmer offers it to volunteers who come and pick it and then transport it to a food bank for distribution to hungry clients.
Pullins called Sue Plummer, program coordinator at the Ohio chapter of the Society of St. Andrew in Cincinnati. The interfaith, nonprofit Society of St. Andrew is the largest field-gleaning organization in the country, mobilizing 30,000 to 40,000 volunteers each year to gather unharvested crops. In Ohio, St. Andrew volunteers gleaned more than 60,000 pounds of food from fields and
BURANEN; PHOTOS COURTESY SOCIETY OF ST. ANDREW
In the first half of 2024 alone, volunteers from the Society of St. Andrew in Ohio gleaned more than 60,000 pounds of food — including copious cabbages — from fields and orchards.
orchards in the first half of 2024 alone. Plummer arranged for some volunteer gleaners to come to the Champaign Berry Farm, pick the peaches, and then transport them to a food bank. They’ve made several return trips throughout the growing season.
“St. Andrew’s is very nice to work with,” Pullins says. “Sue takes care of everything.” When Plummer hears from a farmer that produce will be available for gleaning, she schedules a picking time, then posts that information online for volunteers, who sign up to go to the farm and do the gleaning. Picking shifts last two to three hours.
When Plummer first heard about gleaning, she was running a community garden in Walnut Hills. In 2019, she began working part time for a grant project on gleaning. In 2022 she started working in her current full-time position. Plummer often gets to help with the gleaning. “If I’m needed, I go. I really love it.”
She says that people who volunteer to do gleaning “tend to be individuals, rather than in groups. We get short notice from growers that a crop is ready for picking, maybe only a
couple of days. Then it’s a scramble to get people who can show up then.”
Many volunteer gleaners are retired, because they have the most flexible schedules, though plenty of college students come out, mostly in the summer. Older children are welcome if they are supervised by their parents. Fortunately, Plummer has a lot of regular volunteers, but she can always use more, and more farmers donating food, too.
Plummer says the general public would be surprised “at the amount of food we end up getting, at all the beautiful produce we can deliver to hungry people.” In Ohio, most gleaning work begins at the end of June, and then can go into December for potatoes, root vegetables, and apples.
“The connections I make with farmers, volunteers, people at agencies, that’s the best part of my job,” Plummer says. “Farmers’ work is so hard, to grow what they grow. They don’t like waste. They’re so grateful when they come [to learn about gleaners], because farmers are some of the most generous people I’ve met.”
A young volunteer for the Society of St. Andrew shows a cabbage gleaned in the group’s ongoing efforts to pick excess produce and provide it to food banks for people in need.
Volunteers from the Society of St. Andrew glean peaches from the orchard at Champaign Berry Farm.
Pioneer Electric Cooperative members Mike and Cathy Pullins welcomed gleaners to share in this year’s bumper crop of peaches at their Champaign Berry Farm in Urbana.
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Autumn delight
Serve up a seasonal meal centered on squash!
CREAMY COMFORT RAVIOLI
Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 4
12 ounces ravioli (filled with chicken, mushrooms, or cheese)
3 tablespoons salted butter
¼ cup chiffonade fresh sage leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 loose cups fresh kale leaves
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
8 ounces cooked and diced butternut squash salt and pepper to taste
Cook ravioli according to package directions, then drain and set aside. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage; stir until small brown specks can be seen in the butter, about 5 minutes. Immediately turn heat down to low, add garlic and kale, and cover with lid, cooking until kale is lightly wilted. Stir in cream and broth, then add squash and gently boil until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add ravioli and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.
Per serving: 532 calories, 38 grams fat (22 grams saturated fat), 37 grams total carbohydrates, 169 milligrams cholesterol, 438 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber, 17 grams protein.
SHEET PAN PORK WITH ACORN SQUASH
Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
1½ to 2 pounds acorn squash
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon salt, divided 1 pound thick-cut boneless pork chops
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon honey
2 large apples
¼ teaspoon black pepper
rosemary, sage, and/or thyme (3 to 6 sprigs or 1 to 2 teaspoons dried)
Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut squash in half from stem to end. Scoop out the seeds, discarding strings. Pile seeds on a large baking sheet; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread out in an even layer and bake 7 to 10 minutes until roasted golden and crispy. Scrape into a small bowl to cool.
Slice squash halves into ½-inch-thick crescent moons. On the same baking sheet the seeds were on, place pork chops in the middle; rub with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt, then flip them over. On one side of the baking sheet, pile squash and toss with oil and honey, then spread squash evenly in a single layer around the pork chops. Dice apples; spread among the squash. Sprinkle everything with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and herbs. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the thickest part of the pork reaches 145 F. Serve with roasted seeds sprinkled on top.
Per serving: 333 calories, 14 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 29 grams total carbohydrates, 78 milligrams cholesterol, 357 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber, 25 grams protein.
CAPERS AND COURGETTES
Prep: 10 minutes | Servings: 4
2 or 3 small zucchini, ends trimmed 1 lime, juiced 1 to 2 tablespoons capers ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
A light and refreshing appetizer that’s simple to prepare. Slice zucchini in thin strips or rounds, discarding the first and last (dark peel). Arrange on a plate or platter. Evenly sprinkle zucchini with lime juice, capers, and Parmesan cheese, and serve.
Per serving: 40 calories, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 4 grams total carbohydrates, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 169 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.
PUMPKIN SUNSHINE BREAD
Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 55 minutes | Servings: 16
1¾ cups flour
1¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 orange, zested, and 1/3 cup of the juice
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, mix flour through salt. Make a crater in the middle and add all remaining ingredients. Stir well but do not overmix. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans and evenly divide batter between them. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.
Per serving: 217 calories, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 35 grams total carbohydrates, 23 milligrams cholesterol, 133 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, 2.5 grams protein.
KEY CO-OP TOPICS WITH ED
CO-OPS POWER OUR COMMUNITIES WITH ONGOING PURPOSE
Ed VanHoose PRESIDENT/CEO
This month, more than 30,000 cooperatives across the U.S. celebrate National Co-op Month. It’s a time to reflect on all the aspects that set cooperatives apart from other types of businesses, but more importantly, it’s a time to celebrate the power of co-op membership.
At Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative, we are deeply committed to our members, and we’re glad you are part of the electric cooperative community.
For LMRE, our mission has always been to provide you with reliable, at-cost power, but we also care about your quality of life. We employ local community members just like yourself, who are uniquely suited to meet their neighbors’ evolving energy needs.
Our employees and directors work for the communities in which they live, which keeps them invested in their local community, far beyond just the business of electricity. That’s why LMRE supports local economic development projects, youth programs and scholarships, charitable giving initiatives, and additional programs that make our community a better place to call home.
Some communities are based on geographical proximity, some are based on shared interests or hobbies, and others can even be found in virtual spaces like social media groups. Regardless of where or how they are formed, communities can bring people together and create a sense of belonging.
This October, as we celebrate National Co-op Month and the power of membership, we hope you will recognize the many aspects that make LMRE a community. Our mission revolves around reliable power, but our true purpose is people — the local communities we’re proud to serve.
All co-ops, including LMRE, are guided by the Seven Cooperative Principles, which embody the values and spirit of the cooperative movement. These seven principles are a framework to help all co-ops navigate challenges and opportunities while remaining true to our purpose:
1. Open and Voluntary Membership: Co-op membership is open to anyone who can use the co-op’s services.
2. Democratic Member Control: Members elect a board from among themselves who make decisions that shape the cooperative.
3. Members’ Economic Participation: Members contribute money to the co-op to make sure it runs smoothly now and in the future. At LMRE, this happens through paying your energy bills.
4. Autonomy and Independence: Co-ops are independent and can operate on their own, which ultimately benefits the members.
5. Education, Training, and Information: Co-ops continuously focus on education to ensure employees and directors have the training and information they need to make co-ops successful.
6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives: Co-ops share with and learn from other cooperatives. We help each other out in times of need because we want other co-ops to thrive.
7. Concern for Community: All cooperatives work for the greater good of the local communities they serve. Co-ops give back to their communities to help them thrive and grow.
Medical certification available
Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative provides the accommodation of medical certification for those members who may qualify. When termination of residential electric service would make necessary medical life support equipment inoperable or impair or aggravate an existing serious illness, the member can certify such health hazards to avoid termination of service through proper channels.
Initial certification by the certifying party may be by telephone, contingent that written certification is forwarded to the utility within seven days.
The written certification must include the following:
• Name of the member to be certified
• A statement that the member is a permanent resident of the premises in question
• The name, business address, and telephone number of the certifying party
• The nature of the condition
• The period of time during which disconnection of service would make the operation of necessary medical life support equipment impossible or impair or aggravate an existing serious illness
The cooperative will provide forms for use by licensed physicians or local boards of health physicians for medical certification. To view the forms, visit our website: www.lmre.org/membership-documents-forms
Rural communities depend on co-op voters. Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024
Be an active participant in our democracy.
Be a co-op voter.
WWW.VOTE.COOP
Tuesday, November 5 Polls Open 6:30 am - 7:30 pm
October 7 - Deadline to register to vote
October 8 - Absentee voting by mail begins (mail-in postmark deadline Nov. 4)
October 8 - Early in-person voting begins
October 29 - Deadline to request an absentee ballot
Need to register to vote? Update your voter registration? Request an absentee ballot? Do that and more by visiting voteohio.gov by scanning here ►
LORAIN-MEDINA RURAL ELECTRIC
You may have never heard of an energy storage specialist or a smart grid engineer, but you’ll want to know that the people who are serving in those roles are knowledgeable. Their jobs are all about making your electricity even more reliable and affordable — and they are careers that didn’t even exist a decade or two ago.
The energy industry has gone through profound changes in the past decade as organizations like your local electric cooperative rush to meet growing needs for power while addressing concerns about sustainability and climate. As new technologies have been developed to address key issues, they’ve led to significant increases in new careers.
This month, electric co-ops across America will recognize Careers in Energy Week, Oct. 21 to 25. It’s an industrywide initiative to connect today’s energy workforce with tomorrow’s by making people aware of important and rewarding career opportunities.
Co-op members are familiar with some people who work in the energy industry. The lineworkers who restore their power after a storm and the member service representatives who take calls about outages and billing are the most familiar examples, since members are more likely to interact with them. But no less important are the people who are playing important behind-the-scenes roles in shaping tomorrow’s energy landscape.
Take that energy storage specialist. You know solar energy has the potential to provide more of our electricity, but it has a fundamental problem: It works only when the sun is sufficiently bright. Engineers, technicians, and others are close to creating giant battery-like devices that can store excess solar energy so it’s available when the sun’s out of sight.
Then there are renewable energy engineers, hard at work designing and implementing more efficient ways to harness energy from the sun, wind, and water. Another group of engineers focuses on improving the smart grid, the nationwide network that connects power producers and users. They’re seeking ways to reduce energy waste while improving coast-to-coast reliability.
More environmental scientists are needed to help energy producers better understand how to meet the demands of consumers while protecting local and global ecosystems. It also takes skilled energy policy analysts to analyze data, evaluate the impacts of proposed policies, and advise governments and organizations on energy-related issues.
Many of these positions require extensive education, but others provide entry-level opportunities. For example, as more homeowners want to use new technologies like solar panels, they need trained technicians to install them. Another growing opportunity is for energy advisors, who examine homes and businesses to identify changes that could lead to lower energy bills.
People who have an interest in energy often find work environments they enjoy at local electric cooperatives. One key factor is the critical role co-ops play in the safety and well-being of the communities they serve. People who are proud of the places they call home are eager to give back, and knowing you play a role in keeping your neighbors’ lights on and making your community economically stronger can be quite satisfying.
In this era of job-hopping, a surprising number of coop employees spend most or all of their careers there. Co-ops tend to be some of the community’s most stable employers, and they typically provide plenty of opportunities for personal and professional growth, such as access to specialized training or classes. While co-ops are not-for-profit organizations, that doesn’t mean they’re skimpy when it comes to pay. Both wages and benefits tend to be competitive.
Whether you’re a student getting ready to pursue that first “real” job or an individual who feels ready for a career change, the energy industry is definitely worth exploring. It offers stability, growth, and opportunities that run the gamut from member services to engineering to construction, science and financial management. Your local co-op also gives you the chance to be the person your neighbors know they can depend upon. That’s a benefit that’s tough to beat.
CELEBRATING YOUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
There are tons of reasons to love October — the beautiful fall weather, spooky fun, and (of course) pumpkin spice! But it’s also an extra-special month for electric co-ops like Lorain-Medina Rural Electric because it’s National Co-op Month, a time for us to celebrate the many aspects of co-ops that set us apart from traditional businesses. But even more importantly, this is a time to celebrate you, our co-op members. As members, you get to lead the way. Every decision we make, every service we provide, and every program we offer is done with you, our co-op members, in mind. Here are just a few of the many opportunities you, as LMRE members and valuable contributors to our communities, won’t want to miss.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
LMRE strives to be a good steward of the communities we serve. We actively support programs and events that address the needs, interests, and benefits of our
raffle baskets for local nonprofit fundraisers to CoBank matching grants for school programs and upgraded, safer playground equipment, the co-op is dedicated to putting time and money where it helps our members and communities the most.
Additionally, since its establishment in 1999, LMRE’s People Fund has distributed 720 grants totaling more than $1.9 million throughout the cooperative’s service area. Nine members of the People Fund board, who are appointed for three-year terms from across the different districts in our service territory, meet quarterly to award grants to local community organizations and individual LMRE members. Groups like local fire departments, libraries, food pantries, schools, and more have all benefited from grants provided through the LMRE People Fund over the years, and it would not be possible without the generous contributions of co-op members.
COOPERATIVE YOUTH INITIATIVES
LMRE strives to support all of our members, including our future generations. That’s why we offer several scholarship opportunities to graduating high school seniors each year. Thousands of dollars are awarded to the children of LMRE members pursuing four-year degrees or technical or trade certifications, or who have overcome adversity during their formative years.
Outside of helping cooperative youth financially, LMRE offers two unique opportunities to learn about how electric co-ops fit into the world beyond our service territory. Cooperative Youth Day is an annual event sponsored by LMRE that aims to introduce young leaders to the legislative process and allows them to learn about our government and its relationship with electric cooperatives firsthand. This opportunity includes touring the Ohio Statehouse, meeting legislators who represent our local communities, and forming connections with LMRE as young people living on co-op lines.
Next, Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., gives high school sophomores and juniors the chance to connect with 2,000 other co-op teens nationwide during a once-in-a-lifetime educational leadership
LORAIN-MEDINA RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES
experience. While in D.C., students learn about the cooperative business model, visit Capitol Hill to meet with Ohio’s legislative leaders, and experience the sights, sounds, and rich history of our nation’s capital. Gaining a personal understanding of American history and their role as citizens, students also learn about the importance of the political process and interacting with their government. They leave this experience as better leaders and feel they can make a difference in their community and world.
SPEAKING OUT NATIONALLY
Co-ops do more than advocate for our members on a local level. Nationally, conversations are always happening to
POWERING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1935
action committee of the nation’s electric co-ops. Today, more than 35,000 co-op members actively participate in the PAC, helping to support candidates who fight for the needs of electric cooperatives.
At the end of the day, LMRE and co-ops everywhere are not-for-profit, community-led utilities. Because we are a co-op, we can adapt to our local members’ needs, providing the programs and services you care about the most. That’s the power of co-op membership.
protect the reliable, affordable future of power to rural America. The voices of co-op members are stronger than anyone realizes, especially when it comes to influencing decisions made by local, state, and federal governments. When they are strongest, however, is collectively. To help continue these conversations, co-op members can add to the Voices for Cooperative Power network and work together to influence elected officials who are making energy policy decisions that impact our co-ops and, by extension, our way of life.
Co-op members can also participate and support America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC, the federal political
Energy Tip:
Heat pumps can provide a flexible heating and cooling solution for your home
Keeping monthly electric costs down is a priority for everyone, so we know members are always looking for ways to save a few dollars on their bills. One way to save is by increasing the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling system, and upgrading to an air source heat pump may be what you’re searching for.
Heat pumps move heat in and out of your home to provide efficient heating, cooling, and humidity control. Air source units (often called ductless or mini-splits) are the most widely used heat pump type, and they can offer long-term energy and financial savings. This can be of special interest to homeowners looking to heat or cool individual rooms, additions, or new buildings. You may not realize it, but you’ve already got a heat pump inside your home. Your refrigerator moves heat from colder interior spaces to warmer exterior spaces for cooling, just like a heat pump system for your home. The difference is that heat pump HVAC systems move
in both directions, bringing warm air inside the home during the winter and moving it out in the summer.
Heat pumps can reduce your energy use for heating by up to 50% compared to conventional technologies such as furnaces and electric resistance heating. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioning systems, resulting in improved comfort and lower energy usage in the summer.
Heat pumps are also ideal for those seeking flexibility in placement and use. They can accommodate changes to floor plans and require less space than other HVAC systems because they do not require ducts. Additionally, those with baseboard heating or no central air conditioning looking to upgrade need not worry about the time or cost of ductwork installation when considering replacement or upgrades to their systems. For more information on heat pumps and whether one is the right option for you, contact our energy advisors at 440-647-2133
AT LMRE, WE OFFER REBATES OF UP TO $600 FOR ENERGY STAR-QUALIFIED UNITS AND $400 FOR NON-ENERGY STAR-QUALIFIED UNITS THAT MEET A 15.2 SEER2 OR GREATER RATING. ADDITIONALLY, OHIO HOMEOWNERS CAN CLAIM TAX CREDITS FOR 30% OF INSTALLATION COSTS UP TO $2,000 FOR ENERGY STAR-CERTIFIED HEAT PUMP HVAC SYSTEMS.
UPGRADING YOUR HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS IS A BIG FIRST STEP TOWARD INCREASING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF YOUR HOME, AND THE COOPERATIVE IS EAGER TO HELP YOU SAVE MONEY THROUGH YOUR INVESTMENT IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG TERM.
LMRE plans to discontinue use of 800 number in 2025
For many years, Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative has offered both a local phone number and an 800 option for co-op members concerned about long-distance fees. But starting in 2025, LMRE will only use the local option for calls into the office.
Currently, the co-op is charged a usage fee every time someone reaches out to the office via the 800 number. In an effort to eliminate these unnecessary fees and stay upto-date with the use of cell phones and other call-in options, the cooperative felt it was in everyone’s best interest to discontinue the 800 number’s use moving forward.
“We’re hopeful that removing the 800 number will give our members the clearest, easiest option to reach out to the cooperative,” Manager of Billing Services Diane Wise said. “Whether it’s a routine question or an outage situation, reducing our phone options down to one erases the need to ask ‘Which is the best number to call?’”
What will change for LMRE members?
For the majority of LMRE members, nothing. Those who are already using the 440-647-2133 number to contact the cooperative should continue to do so, and they will not notice a change in how they reach an LMRE employee or the after-hours outage hotline via phone.
Members who dial the 800-222-LMRE (5673) number will be greeted with a short audio recording reminding them that this number will no longer be active as of Jan. 1, 2025 before being redirected to an LMRE
member service representative for assistance. After Jan. 1, any member who calls this number will receive a “phone number unavailable” message.
LMRE has been, and will continue to, phase out the number from public and printed materials over the next several months. If you have any questions, please reach out to cooperative at 440-647-2133 for assistance.
August board meeting highlights
To provide additional transparency to the membership, highlights of the board meetings each month are published in the monthly Ohio Cooperative Living magazine. Due to the expansive number of topics and discussions, these are only the highlights. In accordance with the Code of Regulations, full meeting minutes are available to all members in-person at the co-op during regular business hours.
Call to order
• Meeting was called to order at 6:14 p.m.
Attendance
• All directors were present, as well as legal counsel, President/CEO, senior staff (or representative), and special guests.
Approval of the consent agenda
• Consent agenda consisting of prior meeting minutes, new membership applications, collections report, and outage reports was approved.
Action items
• Safety reports and policies for artificial intelligence use, expense reimbursements, and cooperative car use were approved as submitted.
• Motions were approved for the work order inventory and special equipment, the 2023 Power Requirement Study, and the CFC Financial Expert Director.
• Chair Eaton appointed the directors to the following committees:
• Building and Grounds - Gary Rowland (chair), Keith Lowe, and John Eaton.
• Employee Relations - Brenda Wolfe (chair), Joe Swinko, and Judy Pickworth.
• Youth Committee - Keith Lowe (chair), Rick Dumperth, and Brady McCann.
• Board duties committee abolished.
• Broadband committee adopted and the following directors were appointed: Judy Pickworth (chair), Ken Diedrick, and Joe Swinko.
Committee Reports
• CAO Ruffing gave a report on building updates. Departmental reports
• President/CEO VanHoose reported on financial analysis and cash flow statements. He also provided the LMRE billing department reports. He also reviewed the monthly management and weekly reports, LMRE Property Taxes Audit report, LORCO Contract, and 2025-2026 PJM Capacity Auction Study.
• CSO Clifford provided a strategy report, LMRE People Fund highlights, and feedback from LMRE Annual Meeting.
• CAO Ruffing gave the administration update report and reviewed the administrative policies for intercooperative non-shared equipment and vehicle rental purchases, and attendance by members at meetings of board of directors policies.
Legal
• NRECA Legal Reporting Service Bulletin reviewed by the board.
Association/committee reports
• Reviewed Buckeye Power/OREC President’s report, Cooperative Finance Corporation news bulletins, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association board update without comment.
Adjournment
• The meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PRESIDENT/CEO
Edward VanHoose
Rodney L. Eaton
Chair, District 4
Gary L. Rowland
Vice Chair, District 1
Brenda J. Wolfe
Secretary, District 7
Keith E. Lowe
Treasurer, District 8
Brady McCann
Director, District
Ken J. Diedrick
Director, District 3
Judy A. Pickworth
Director, District 5
Joe Swinko
Director, District 6
Rick Dumperth
Director, District 9
Justis A. Clifford, Chief Strategy Officer
Holly M. Storrow, Manager of Communications
Jennifer M. Gercak, Communications Specialist I
Addie M. Martin, Communications Specialist I
Friendly Spirits
These haunted Ohio establishments have booze — and boos — on tap.
BY BRIAN ALBRIGHT
In the 19th century, Ohio held a crucial place in the national transportation system as Americans gradually gained access to wider and wider areas of the country.
Construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal connected Lake Erie to the Ohio River, creating an inland water route from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. The National Road was the first major highway in the country and brought many thousands of settlers westward through the state. That’s not even to mention Ohio’s role as a part of the Underground Railroad.
As a result, busy inns and taverns sprouted all over, and quite a few of them are still in business today. These centuries-old establishments are rich in history — and in some cases, ghosts. Below, we have listed some of the more notable haunted watering holes in the state for anyone interested in dinner with the departed, or an overnight stay with the spirits.
The Crosskeys Tavern
19 E. Main St., Chillicothe; www.facebook.com/crosskeystavern
This Irish-style tavern opened in the early 1970s, but the building is well over 100 years old and is the previous home of the Chillicothe Baking Co., the Wissler Electric Co., Stones Grill Restaurant, and several other businesses. It’s also said to be haunted by a ghost affectionately known as Harold, who may be the spirit of a man murdered in the alley behind the bar in the early 20th century. While no one’s seen Harold, he’s been reported to have reached out and touched startled employees, turned lights off and on, opened doors, and occasionally caused cold spots. Harold’s presence merits the Crosskeys an occasional spot on the Chillicothe Ghost Walk, part of the Chillicothe Halloween Festival (Oct. 11–13) — though it’s not an official stop on this year’s walk.
Interestingly, Chillicothe is also home to the Wobbly Ghost Tavern (289 E. Main St.), which is not haunted, but does have an annual Halloween Party.
The Golden Lamb
27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon; www.goldenlamb.com
The Golden Lamb has been in business since 1803 and has played host to a dozen U.S. presidents and a wide array of celebrities and politicians. According to legend, it is also home to a number of ghosts, including a young girl and a gaunt-looking man, and it has been dubbed Ohio’s most haunted restaurant by the Food Network.
The Golden Lamb’s official historian, John Zimkus, says the little girl has sometimes been identified as Henry Clay’s daughter Eliza (who died in Lebanon when she was 12) or Sarah Stubbs, the niece of one of the owners during the 19th century. There are a number of suspects when it comes to the identity of the gaunt man, whose appearances are sometimes accompanied by the smell of cigar smoke. Perhaps it’s Supreme Court Justice Charles R. Sherman (father of Lancaster native William Tecumseh Sherman), who died at the Golden Lamb in 1829. Or Albert Stubbs, a previous owner who died behind the lobby desk in 1914
Zimkus, however, thinks it’s Clement Vallandigham, an attorney and 19th-century anti-war Copperhead who was accused of treason and exiled to Canada — but eventually returned to practice law in Ohio. While defending a murder suspect in Lebanon, Vallandigham wanted to prove that the victim may have accidentally shot himself during a scuffle. Practicing for his courtroom demonstration in his room at the Golden Lamb, Vallandigham inadvertently shot himself in the stomach. He died from his wound, but proved his theory of the case — his client was acquitted.
“If anyone has a right to wander our halls as a spirit,” Zimkus says, “it’s Clement Vallandigham.”
Clay Haus
123 W. Main St., Somerset; www.clayhaus.com
Clay Haus, built as a private residence in the early 19th century along the Zane’s Trace roadway in what is now Somerset, has hosted notable visitors such as President Andrew Jackson (cousin of original proprietor George Jackson) and Henry Clay through the years. It’s now a German-American restaurant, and its owners and guests have reported hearing furniture moving, doors slamming, and other strange and unexplained noises. Ghostly visitors have been spotted throughout the building.
Ghost hunters visit often to investigate the paranormal activity there, and the restaurant’s website displays their reports, photos, and recordings so you can judge for yourself.
Learn more about haunted bars, restaurants, hotels, and other locations via the Haunted Ohio series of books by Chris Woodyard, available at www.hauntedohiobooks.com.
The Buxton Inn Restaurant
313 E. Broadway, Granville; www.buxtoninn.com
Opened in 1812, the Buxton may be haunted by its former innkeepers. Massachusetts transplant Orrin Granger opened the original tavern in 1812, and the location also functioned as a stagecoach stop and post office. It was bought by Major Horton Buxton in 1865, then by retired opera singer Ethel “Bonnie” Bounell in 1934. Currently the Buxton consists of the main house and four other historical homes with 25 guest rooms, as well as a tavern and restaurant.
In addition to its long history, the hidden doors and staircases that existed on the property over time (it was purportedly an Underground Railroad stop and later a speakeasy during Prohibition) have added to its ghostly atmosphere, and guests and staff often report strange noises and eerie feelings. The spirits of Granger and Buxton are said to still roam the place, and the mysterious Lady in Blue, who has appeared with a phantom feline, is said to be the ghost of Bounell, who died in the inn, and her beloved cat, named “Major Buxton.”
The Red Brick Tavern
1700 Cumberland St., Lafayette; www.facebook.com/redbricktavern37
The Red Brick Tavern originally opened in 1837 in Lafayette (just north of London) along the route of the National Road as a stagecoach stop and an inn. The tavern closed in 1859, and the building operated as a schoolhouse for a while before being converted back into a tavern in the 1920s.
With such a long and storied history, it’s not surprising that a few ghosts may call it home — including a phantom that may be the spirit of the original owner’s wife (who committed suicide when she found out he was unfaithful) and a ghostly piano player. The current owners, brothers Kyle and Travis Massey, haven’t noticed anything too peculiar since they bought the then-shuttered tavern in 2021, but they are well aware of the building’s haunted reputation.
“The previous owner told us stories about the ghosts, and we have learned more as we uncovered the history of the place,” Kyle Massey says. “People have told us about pictures moving, or having eerie feelings.”
The Masseys have not personally experienced anything paranormal, even when they have spent the night in the building. The Red Brick has not offered lodging in decades, but Massey says they hope to change that once additional renovations are complete — then guests can see for themselves whether anything strange happens at the Red Brick Tavern after dark.
Doctor urges seniors to carry medical alert device
Seniors snap up new medical alert device
that
comes with no monthly bills
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.
Seniors born before 1956 get new medical alert device with 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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new medical alert device 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
HOW TO GET IT:
IF BORN BEFORE 1956:
IF
BORN
AFTER
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. HELP8318
1956: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8318
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.
Unconventional wonders
Oddities of all kinds find a home — and an audience — at a unique Fairborn shop.
BY JODI BORGER
Cherish Harrell first started collecting oddities (and later selling them) when she attended huge conventions like Cincinnati’s HorrorHound or one of the giant regional Days of the Dead events.
Soon, though, she realized that perhaps there was a market for her eclectic and bizarre collection outside of the crowds at the big-city convention centers, and this month, Harrell celebrates the seventh anniversary of opening the Secret Chamber House of Oddities and Artwork in her hometown.
“I wanted a place where people could see those things and have access to them without having to deal with the convention life,” Harrell says. “So I brought it back home to Fairborn.”
The Secret Chamber is not just a store; it’s a hub of creativity and community.
“We host art shows based on themes like Friday the 13th or cryptids,” says Harrell. “We also host themed classes that include making spell kits, crystals, or spooky terrariums.”
Among the events that draw the biggest crowds are the photo shoots with Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon monster from central European folklore that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime; and the evil bunny during Easter.
Stepping into the Secret Chamber, visitors are greeted by an array of interesting and extraordinary items.
“We have an authentic two-headed baby buffalo and an iron tiger that came from the Americana amusement park carousel ride,” Harrell says. “We also have skeletons, haunted dolls, and a ghost cat who is always causing havoc in the shop — tripping people, knocking things off shelves ... a lot.”
The items inside the Secret Chamber are sourced from a network of artists and sellers across the country, as well as oddity stores, flea markets, and roadside sales wherever she finds them.
One of the highlights of the Secret Chamber is its $5 haunted dungeon museum, open to anyone over the age of 18. “It’s a collection of my own of things that have been brought to me or I have acquired, including a large amount of said-to-be haunted items, serial-killer memorabilia, and funeral and morgue supplies,” Harrell says. “We even have a visiting skeleton named Rosie.”
Beyond its often spine-chilling collections, the Secret Chamber aims to be an inclusive haven for all.
“I want a sanctuary for the weird. Everyone should feel like they have a place to go,” she says.
“Unlike other oddity stores, I wanted mine to be based on everyone, not just the dark kids obsessed with black and death. I want that cosplay kid in bunny ears, that anime adult, or even that guy who acts like a dog. ‘Weird’ isn’t just Wednesday Addams.”
The shop showcases items from a variety of cultures, including Indian burners, Mexican artwork, Day of the Dead, New Orleans voodoo superstitions, and even Bigfoot — and it’s garnered a significant following, drawing visitors from near and far.
“A lot of people want to see what the Secret House of Oddities and Artwork offers, and because I refuse to sell online, the only way you can buy from me is to come to my store. It’s pretty awesome to hear on a daily basis someone say this is their favorite store or the coolest place they’ve ever been,” Harrell says.
drove three or four hours just to see you. It creates a constant challenge to bring new things people have never experienced.”
Of course, Harrell also sees plenty of visitors who make a trip to the Secret Chamber an annual event.
“Tons of people come back year after year, some visiting family, others making me a destination on their way through,” Harrell says. “I don’t think people understand the advantage of being so close to the [National Museum of the U.S. Air Force] or highway junctions like Interstates 70, 75, and 675. People put me on their map.”
Despite its spooky leanings that might suggest otherwise, the Secret Chamber is not just a seasonal attraction; in fact, Harrell says that while Halloween obviously inspires folks to drop in, the fascination doesn’t stop on the Day of the Dead.
“Last summer, we even had Alice Cooper visit.”
Harrell’s favorite moments are when she witnesses the excitement of visitors discovering something truly unique.
“I love when people walk around excited, and I hear them whispering, ‘OMG, that’s amazing.’
It’s pretty cool when someone tells you they
Harrell is committed to keeping the shop’s contents fresh and exciting, and she also keeps it visible and active out in the community, participating in charity events such as the Vampire Ball on Oct. 5 at Fairborn’s Phoenix Theater; the Living Dead Prom in June; and an animal welfare fundraiser.
“I believe you have a better experience coming other times because we, and several other places on the street, are open all year round without the crowds,” Harrell says. “We are a lifestyle for many, and I will never stop coming up with fun, weird ideas.”
The Secret Chamber House of Oddities and Artwork
17 W. Main St., Fairborn, OH 45324
Open noon–6 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday
U.S. residents hit Jackpot with ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls
Up for grabs for the next 21-days: Casino Rolls loaded with rarely seen American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins just like the old Casino Slots paid out, all coins are decades old and never to be minted again by the U.S. Gov’t
American
“It’s like hitting the jackpot on an old Vegas Slot Machine decades ago,” said Mary Ellen Withrow.
That’s because for the next 21 days everyone can get these rarely seen ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls, but only those who beat the 21-day order deadline.
These full 15 count ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls are filled with historic American Eagle Ike Large Dollar coins like the ones from 1976 and earlier that were used decades ago in slot machines in the world famous Casinos.
It’s amazing that these Old Vegas Casino Rolls are up for grabs. Just holding one in your hand reminds you of walking down the Vegas Strip in the glory days of Elvis, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. It just makes you feel good.
“I’ll tell you this, it’s the best gift you could ever give someone. It’s actually the perfect gift for any occasion. Everyone you give one of these ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls to will never forget your generosity and they’ll be the envy of all who see them,” Withrow said.
“We’re bracing for thousands of U.S. residents who will be calling to get these ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls over the next 21 days. That’s because these rolls are not torn, faded, ripped or beat up. They are in brand-new pristine collector condition. And here’s the best part. These are full 15 count ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls loaded with the same American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins like the coins used to fill the world famous casino slot machines decades ago, and there can never be any more so there’s no telling what they could one day be worth,” Withrow
limit of 6 ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls per caller has been imposed
SLOTS: Shown above is a post card from the famous Dunes Casino. The hotel opened on the strip in 1955. Over the years, millions have flocked to the world famous Las Vegas Casinos like the Dunes hoping to hit the jackpot. Of course many hit big time, and now for the next 21-days everyone who calls will feel like a winner too. That’s because the last ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls filled with American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins like those that filled the “loose” Casino Slots decades ago are now actually being handed over to today’s callers who beat the 21-day deadline.
explained.
Today’s callers need to remember this. These are not ordinary rolls of coins you get at a bank or credit union. These ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls contain old American Eagle Ike Large Dollar coins commemorating the Rat Pack days of the early 1970’s when Las Vegas Casinos were all the rage. These rolls are now being released from the private vaults at the Lincoln Treasury, each with 15 U.S. Gov’t issued American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins dating back to 1976 and earlier.
We won’t be surprised if thousands of people claim the six roll limit before they’re gone. That’s because after the rolls were sealed with these U.S. Gov’t minted American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins, each veri-
fied to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks are unsearched to determine collector values and the rolls are now securely sealed. That means there’s no telling what’s in each roll.
“My advice, get as many as you can, stash them away in a safe place to pass down from generation to generation,” Withrow said.
“Just imagine how much these remaining ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls could be worth someday. The American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins alone are decades old and are never to be struck again by the U.S. Gov’t,” Withrow confirmed.
Withrow knows a thing or two about money, she is retired 40th Treasurer
of the United States of America and now is the Executive Advisor to the Lincoln Treasury.
All readers of today’s newspaper publication trying to be the first to get the Free Dollar Coin with every ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Roll just need to call the Hotline at 1-888-373-4041 and give the Promo Code IKE184 beginning at 8:30 am this morning. The TollFree Hotlines are expected to be overwhelmed. That’s why everyone hoping to get their hands on these ‘Old Ve-
gas’ Casino Rolls are being urged to call right away. If lines are busy keep calling. All calls will be answered over the next 21 days.
and San Francisco featuring a majestic eagle swooping over the moon’s surface commemorating the original Lunar Landing.
VEGAS
Eagle Casino Roll Handout : Strict
American Eagle Ike Large Dollar
How to get the ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls:
The Call-In Hotlines open at 8:30am (EST) this morning. Callers who beat the 21-day Release deadline are guaranteed to get them for less than $7 per coin that’s only $98 for the full 15 count ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls loaded with decades old American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins. That’s the lowest price ever offered and a real steal for these one of a kind ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls. Important: if any remain after the 21-day deadline the price skyrockets to $255 per roll.
CALL TOLL-FREE: 1-888-373-4041 and mention promo code: IKE184. Or you can order by mail by writing “Casino Rolls” on a piece of paper with your name and full address with your remittance of $98 for a single roll (your choice of roll), or $294 for three rolls (Las Vegas Sign, Roulette, One Arm Bandit), or $588 for all six rolls and mail to: Lincoln Treasury, Promo Code: IKE184 PO Box 9971, Canton, OH 44711. You can also go online: LincolnTreasury.com/6 and use promo code: IKE184 at checkout to claim the discount.
LAST CHANCE: You’ve heard the old saying, “When they’re gone, they’re gone”. That’s why today’s Public Release may be the best chance the public gets to own one of these ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls. And here’s the best part. The price is right, in fact it’s a steal for callers lucky enough to beat the 21-day deadline and get the ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls for less than $7 per coin.
FREE US GOVERNMENT ISSUED LADY LIBERTY PRESIDENTIAL DOLLAR COIN WITH EVERY CASINO ROLL
JACKPOT: It’s like hitting 777 on an old Vegas “one armed bandit”. That’s because the dates and mint marks of the 15 American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins from decades ago are now sealed away in each roll exclusively by the Lincoln Treasury so you never know what you might find. Call this toll-free hotline: 1-888-373-4041 and use promo code: IKE184. Choose from one roll, three rolls, or the maximum of all six rolls. and use
With each Casino Roll, a US Gov’t issued Lady Liberty Presidential Dollar Coin is included FREE. These coins will also never be minted again. Your free Dollar Coin will come in uncirculated condition and protected in a capsule ensuring its safety and protection. When you get the maximum number of Casino Rolls, you’ll also get six of these beautiful presidential dollar coins while they last.
■ HOW MUCH ARE THE ‘OLD VEGAS’ CASINO ROLLS WORTH: There’s no way to tell, but at less than $7 per coin you better believe they’re a real steal. That’s because the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued American Eagle Ike Large Dollar Coins are sealed away inside the 15 count ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls. Coin values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees, but each ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Roll contains American Eagle Ike Large Dollar coins that are decades old. Any scarce coins, regardless of their value that you may find inside the sealed ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls are yours to keep. One thing that is known is these are the only ‘Old Vegas’ Casino Rolls known to exist and you can only get them by calling the toll-free line listed in today’s announcement.
Do Square dancing clubs call Ohioans to join the promenade.
dosi
BY MARGARET BURANEN
On just about any night of the week, though certainly on almost every Friday and Saturday, there’s bound to be a square dance happening somewhere in Ohio.
According to the Ohio Corporation of Dance Clubs, there are more than 70 square dancing clubs around the state — and that’s only those that are members of the corporation; numerous other clubs are independent of that organization.
Centerville first grade teacher Kathy Crow and her husband, Doug, a retired engineer, say there’s a reason for square dancing’s popularity — especially as compared to traditional ballroom dancing. “It’s easier to learn,” Kathy says. “The only requirement is that you can listen and follow the caller’s direction. You don’t even have to move to the beat of the music.”
The Crows got into square dancing by chance. They went to dinner late one summer evening to a restaurant where many of the other patrons were wearing what they later learned to be traditional square-dancing attire: the women in ruffled skirts worn over fluffy crinolines, and men in
western-style shirts that matched or complemented their partners’ outfits.
Curious, Kathy and Doug struck up a conversation with a few of the other diners and realized they had stumbled into a local club’s social event. One dancer gave them a flyer about lessons offered by the club, and they decided to give it a try.
When the lessons began that autumn, the Crows were there, and they’ve been dancing ever since. They’ve found that square dancing offers some significant benefits. “It’s easy for beginners to learn, and learning the different calls helps your brain,” she says. It’s also effective exercise that isn’t dependent on good weather. “Two hours of dancing is like walking 5 miles,” she says.
It’s also social — as they found out during that very first interaction, club members often go somewhere with other dancers before or after an evening of dancing. But it’s broader than that. They dance with their local club, Gem City Square Dancers of Kettering, but also visit other Ohio clubs, and they also travel to state and national squaredancing conventions. “We’ve haven’t missed a national square-dancing convention since 2012,” Doug says.
Through those conventions and other dance-related travel, they’ve become friends with other square dancers all over the U.S. Kathy says that square dancing is popular in other countries, too. And since the calls are always in English, an American can join in square dancing anywhere.
Doug adds that square dancing is fun, you don’t need a partner, and it’s cheap, for both lessons and dances.
Admission to a dance, which includes snacks provided by club members, is typically about $8 to $10. The admission fees are to pay for the caller and sometimes rental for use of a hall.
Square dancing involves sets of four couples who each stand on one side of their own square. A caller tells the dancers what moves to do, to either live or recorded music.
“There are two types of square dancing,” Doug explains. “In the hoedown-type, you swing your partner by the elbow. The modern western that we do is more gentle.”
Kathy notes that occasionally a caller will announce that the next dance is “hot hash” style. “That means the caller calls the moves as fast as he can, and the dancers move as fast as they can. I dance with a 94-year-old man every Monday and he can dance hot hash. Dancing that way definitely keeps your brain and your body active.”
“There are 100 moves in square dancing,” she explains. “That sounds like a lot, but the majority of them are easy to do, like ‘all join hands and circle left,’ and some are combinations of two moves.”
There are different levels of square dancing, from beginning to advanced. Square dance clubs include on their websites the dance levels they host.
Many of them also list a specific time for round dancing, which can be waltz, fox trot, tango, or any other type of ballroom dance. The couples all dance in the same direction around a big circle.
Kathy says that more experienced square dancers are always willing to help beginners. “We all work together to help less-qualified dancers learn the moves. And callers will announce some dances as ‘high-low’ so new dancers know there will be advanced dancers to help them.”
To find a club near you, visit https://squaredanceohio.com/federations-councils/ to find a list of regional councils, then search those groups to find individual clubs within that region. Many clubs offer reasonably priced lessons, which often begin in the fall.
Kathy and Doug Crow say square dancing is a great way to have fun, exercise, and socialize.
The Gem City Squares near Dayton, one of more than 70 square dancing clubs around Ohio, offers regular twice-monthly dances, lessons, and special events.
2024
CALENDAR
CENTRAL
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 artisan 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. 614-321-4833 ext. 103 or www.fairfieldcountyparks.org/events.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
THROUGH OCT. 31 – Corn Maze and Fall Fun Farm, McDonald’s Greenhouse and Corn Maze, 3220 Adamsville Rd., Zanesville. 740-452-4858 or www. mcdonaldsgreenhouse.com.
THROUGH NOV. 14 – Exhibit: Spacewalkers, Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington. Stephanie Rond’s latest body of work, her largest collection of new work in 10 years, is a series of street art installations and indoor work that reimagines what—and who—deserves to be made visible in public space. www. mcconnellarts.org.
OCT. 4, NOV. 1 – 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! See website for a map of current participants: https:// artcoz.org/arts-district-map.
OCT. 16–18 – Ohio World Organization of China Painters Show/School, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Hand-painted, one-of-a-kind china display. Visit the Wendel garage to see china painters in action, creating beautiful porcelain art. 740-681-1423
OCT. 16–19 – 117th Circleville Pumpkin Show, downtown Circleville, Wed. 9 a.m.–10 p.m., Thur.–Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Free. Giant Pumpkin Weigh-in at Court and Main Sts., Wed. 9:15 a.m. Two parades daily, 3:30 and 8 p.m.; Sat. parade 8 p.m. only. Pumpkin products of all kinds, rides, live entertainment, craft and food
vendors, the Giant Pumpkin Pie, and much more! www. pumpkinshow.com.
OCT. 18–20 – Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival, Historic Roscoe Village, 600 N. Whitewoman St., Coshocton, Fri./ Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5–$8; under 12 free. Homemade apple butter cooked over an open fire, live music, free crafts for kids, 100+ craft and food vendors, canal boat rides, lantern tours, and more! 740-623-6567 or www.roscoevillage.com.
OCT. 19–20 – Education of Yesterday 20th Annual Farm Show, 3685 Cass Irish Ridge Rd., Dresden (intersections of St. Rtes.16 and 60), 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Antique tractors, trucks, construction; train rides; working in the fields and displays; kids’ events, music, and food. 740-754-6248 or www.facebook.com/ educationofyesterday.
OCT. 26 – Cemetery Hike at Pickaway Trail, Circleville, 1 p.m. Join us for a walk on the Pickaway Trail and take a short detour along the Richards Family Cemetery. Registration required: mellis@ pickawaycountyohio. gov. Dress for the fall weather and terrain. www.pickawaycountyparks.org.
OCT. 26 – Monster Mash, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Held in conjunction with downtown’s Monster March. Free. Kids can enjoy exciting game stations with plenty of goodies to win. Hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks available for purchase. 740-383-2101 or www. marionpalace.org.
OCT. 30 – Anniversary of Chief Logan’s Speech, Logan Elm Park, Circleville, 5:30 p.m. Join us as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the historical day Chief Logan gave his famous speech under the Elm Tree. Registration required: mellis@ pickawaycountyohio.gov. Program will be canceled in the case of inclement weather. An adult must accompany all children under 12. www. pickawaycountyparks.org.
NOV. 2 – Annual Holiday Bazaar, The Anchor Church, 1365 Chamberlain St., Zanesville, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Crafts, holiday décor, books, gifts, home décor, baked goods, sweet treats, tumblers, and more! Vendor space available: 740-586-4352 (Candace) or https://theanchor.churchcenter.com/registrations/ events/2401405.
NOV. 9 – “Ohio-Erie Canal History,” Canal Park, 23352 Canal Rd., Circleville, 10 a.m. Learn more about the historic features of the canal that can be found at the park. Registration required: mellis@ pickawaycountyohio.gov. Program will be canceled in the case of inclement weather. An adult must accompany all children under 12 www. pickawaycountyparks.org.
NOV. 9 – Veterans March and Ceremony, Canal Winchester, 10 a.m. March begins at Frances Steube Community Center, 22 S. Trine St., and ends at Stradley Place, 36 S. High St., for the ceremony. Free pancake breakfast for veterans and their families 8:30–10 a.m. at the Community Center. 614-834-9915 or www. canalwinchesterohio.gov.
NOV. 14 – “Voyage in Verses: Poets as Spacewalkers,” Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington. An unforgettable evening of poetry and art hosted by poet Cynthia Amoah, who will also be one of the performers bringing Stephanie Rond’s Spacewalkers exhibit to life. www. mcconnellarts.org.
CALENDAR 2024
NORTHWEST
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
OCT. 19–20 – 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. New, used, and vintage items, crafts, and more. Vendors welcome. 419-619-0041 (Christine) or findlayfleamarket@gmail.com.
OCT. 19, 26 – NWORRP Trick or Treat Halloween Train, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay. $3; 12 and under, $2. Take a ride around our tracks and enjoy the Halloween displays. No scary sights — just fun and treats for all! 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.
our stores. Enjoy Christmas music as you explore our vast selection of seasonal items. www.mywestliberty.com.
NOV. 1–3 – First Fridays Holiday Open House, 100 S. Main St., Bellefontaine. Kick off the holiday shopping season in downtown Bellefontaine! Your shopping passport unlocks discounts and raises money for local families in need. www.firstfridaysbellefontaine.com.
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.
THROUGH OCT. 20 – NWORRP Pumpkin Train, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–5 p.m. $3; 12 and under, $2. Ride our quarter-scale train to the pumpkin patch, then return to the station. Additional charge for pumpkins. 419-4232995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.
THROUGH OCT. 26 – NWORRP Halloween Express, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Fri./Sat. 6:30–9 p.m. $3; 12 and under. $2. Take the family on a non-scary Halloween train ride to see the Halloween decorations after dark. 419-4232995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.
OCT. 2, NOV. 6 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities geared for preschoolage children focus on farming and nature in an outdoor setting. Families welcome! 419-447-7073, www.conservesenecacounty.com, or find Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.
SOUTHEAST
THROUGH OCT. 26 – The Frankenstein Experience at Haunted Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, Thur.–Sat. 6:30 p.m. $10–$40. Enjoy a live production, haunted trail, films, escape rooms, and more! www.hauntedmountain.org.
THROUGH OCT. 27 – Glassburn’s Fun Farm, 283 Church St., Bidwell. Corn maze, corn pit, culvert slides, pedal car track, pumpkin patch, duck racing, and more. 740-645-6531 or www.facebook.com/glassburnsfunfarm.
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 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.
OCT. 24 – Fourth Thursdays Pumpkin Walk Trickor-Treat, downtown Lakeview. Dress in your favorite costume, grab some grub from the best food trucks in town, and gather stamps on your Shopping Passport as you fill your bag with treats from local businesses. www. facebook.com/downtownlakeviewohio.
OCT. 26 – Murder Mystery Dinner, Vera Events, 330 E. Court St., Sidney, 5:30–9 p.m. $35–$45/person. A real-life game of Clue complete with a lovely dinner and more! www.sidneyalive.org/eventscalendar/murdermystery-dinner-2
OCT. 27 – Autumn Games and Halloween Customs, Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek, 10051 Township Rd. 47, West Liberty, 4 p.m. Have fun with nature by making toys and decorations using grains and playing games with acorns. Hear spooky stories and help scare the ghosts by coming in costume. Ends with Trick or Treat and a bonfire (weather permitting). www.piattcastle.org.
OCT. 31 – Halloween Spooktacular, 129 N. Detroit St., West Liberty. Free. Bring the whole family to the village for an unforgettable evening filled with bouncing, face painting, costumes, and trick-or-treating. www. mywestliberty.com.
NOV. 1–2 – West Liberty Christmas in the Village, 129 N. Detroit St., West Liberty. Discover unique gifts and holiday decorations in the inviting village atmosphere of
OCT. 18 – Fleetwood Gold: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7:30 p.m. $28–$40. www.majesticchillicothe.net.
OCT. 18–20 – Fall Festival of Leaves, downtown Bainbridge (Ross County), Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. This festival held in “Leaf Country, USA” features an arts and craft show, live entertainment, midways, parades, an antique tractor show, and more. www.fallfestivalofleaves.com.
OCT. 19 – Rule the Roost, Buzzard’s Roost Nature Preserve, 514 Redbird Lane, Chillicothe, 8 a.m. $40–$99 Distances include 7K, 12-hour solo, and 12-hour 2-person relay. https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=113093
OCT. 26 – Chillicothe Halloween Parade, North Paint Street, downtown Chillicothe, 8 p.m. Free. Join the Chillicothe Jaycees and the community for a parade to celebrate the season! www.visitchillicotheohio.com.
OCT. 27 – Annual Food Truck or Treat, Brad Lightle Park, Frankfort, 11 a.m. Free admission. There will be plenty of family fun with food trucks, entertainment, and more activities. www.visitchillicotheohio.com.
NOV. 1 – Comedy Night: Killer Beaz, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7 p.m. $35–$60. From Discovery Channel’s hit series Moonshiners. www. majesticchillicothe.net.
NOV. 1 – Recycle the Cheer, Marietta Main Street, 241 N. Front St., Marietta, 5–7 p.m. We’re teaming up with the Salvation Army of Washington County to collect
NOV. 2 – 16th Homemade Craft Sale and Lunch, Shiloh Church, 2100 Co. Rd. 5, Delta, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Baked goods and peanut brittle, custom jewelry, wood crafts, woven items and rugs, holiday and Christmas décor, and much more! Homemade lunch 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (or till gone). Benefits Sparrow’s Nest Women’s Shelter. 419-533-2083
NOV. 2 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. $6; under 18 free (must be accompanied by adult). 419-647-0067 or www.tristategunshow.org.
NOV. 2–9 – Holiday Shop Hop, Sidney. Shop at local small businesses either downtown or beyond; enter a drawing to win a grand-prize gift basket of items donated by each stop! www.sidneyalive.org.
NOV. 3 – Puck-I-Huddle Fall Craft Show, St. Marys Memorial High School, 2250 St. Rte. 66, St. Marys, 12–4 p.m. Cash donation for admission. Handmade item vendors, direct vendors, concessions. 419-300-4611, info@stmarysohio.org, or www.stmarysohio.org.
NOV. 9 – Bob Ross Painting Class, Lima Public Library, 650 W. Market St., Lima, 1–4 p.m. Free; registration required. For ages 16 and older. Get ready to make some happy little memories as you create your own Bob Ross masterpiece. 419-228-5113 or www.limalibrary.com.
NOV. 9 – Walk with a Doc, Lima Family YMCA, 345 S. Elizabeth St., Lima, 9–10 a.m. Join physicians for this free, informative, and fun walking program. No membership required. www.limaymca.net/walk-witha-doc.
donations of new and used holiday decorations to redistribute to area families. Help us spread the cheer! www.mariettamainstreet.org/events.
NOV. 1–3 – Fall Scrapbooking Crop, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Fri./Sat. 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $60/day or $130/ weekend. Join us for 31 peaceful hours of crafting! www.adenamansion.com.
NOV. 1–JAN. 1, 2025 – Dickens Victorian Village, downtown Cambridge. Stroll the streets to view scenes depicting life in Victorian England, featuring life-sized, handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. 800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.
NOV. 1–JAN. 1, 2025 – Guernsey County Courthouse Holiday Light Show, Cambridge, 5:30–9 p.m. nightly. (Nov. 1–4 begins at 6:30 p.m.) Four different light and music shows performed each evening. Extended hours on selected dates. 800-933-5480 or www. dickensvictorianvillage.com.
NOV. 2 – Welcome to the Holidays Craft Show, Sardis Community Center, 37184 Mound St., Sardis, 9 a.m–3 p.m. Crafts and homemade food. 740-213-5843 or www. facebook.com/sardisohcc.
NOV. 9 – 80s Hair Band Experience, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7:30 p.m. $43–$65. Bring on the Aqua Net and tight pants … it’s time for the Best Hair Bands in the Land. Three-act homage to Poison, Def Leppard, and Bon Jovi. www.majesticchillicothe.net.
NORTHEAST
THROUGH 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.
THROUGH OCT. 31 – Corn Maze, Beriswill Farms, 2200 Station Rd., Valley City, Tues./Wed. 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Thur.–Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Test your sense of direction in this 5-acre maze. See website for additional activities. 330-350-2486 or http://beriswillfarms.com.
OCT. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20 – Fall Foliage Tours, Lorain and West Virginia Railway, 46485 St. Rte. 18, Wellington, departure time 1:30 p.m. The perfect way to spend an
SOUTHWEST
THROUGH OCT. 27 – Barn-n-Bunk Fall Festival Weekends, 3677 Wayne Madison Rd., Trenton, Sat./Sun. 12–5 p.m. Free admission/parking. Duck racing, pottery painting, face painting, fall favorite foods, pumpkin picking, hayrides, and much more! 513-988-9211 or www.barnnbunk.com.
THROUGH NOV. 27 – 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.
WEST VIRGINIA
OCT. 11–12 – Blennerhassett Island Mansion by Candlelight, Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park,
hour or two on a Saturday or Sunday in October. Tickets available at the station on days of operation. 440-6476660 or www.lwvry.org.
OCT. 11–12, 18–19, 25–26 – Ghost Tours of Zoar, 198 Main St., Zoar, 6:30–8:30 p.m. $19. Learn about supernatural encounters shared by staff, visitors, and residents of Zoar on a walking tour of the village. For ages 12 and over. Reservations required. 800-262-6195 or www.historiczoarvillage.com.
OCT. 18 – Wine on Rails, Lorain & West Virginia Railway, 46485 St. Rte. 18, Wellington, 7 p.m. $38 50 ticket includes wine; $25 designated driver ticket. Must be 21 or older. Enjoy tasting a variety of wines as you travel leisurely through southern Lorain County. Ride lasts about 1-1/2 hours. 440-647-6660 or www.lwvry.org.
OCT. 19 – Hartville Coin Show, Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison NW, Hartville, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Over 30 vendors of vintage and new coins, precious metals, and paper currency, plus food and indoor shops. www.hartvillemarketplace.com/events.
OCT. 19 – Sweetest Day Train, Lorain & West Virginia Railway, 46485 St. Rte. 18, Wellington, 6 p.m. $38 50 ticket includes wine; $25 designated driver ticket. Must be 21 or older. Enjoy a variety of wines and a sampling of chocolates as you travel leisurely through southern Lorain County. Ride lasts about 1-1/2 hours. 440-647-6660 or www.lwvry.org.
THROUGH NOV. 30 – Pumpkin Blow, Neusole Glassworks, 11925 Kemper Springs Dr., Cincinnati, Wed./ Thur. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri.–Sun. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. $55 per 30-min. session. Must be age 5 or older. With the help of our professional glassblowers, you can blow your own pumpkin from hot molten glass. Reservations required. 513-751-3292 or neusoleglassworks@hotmail.com.
OCT. 11–13 – Wheat Ridge Olde Thyme Herb Fair and Farm Festival, Grindstone Farm, 817 Tater Ridge Rd., West Union, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5 parking/carload. Artisans, herbs and herbal products, crafters, antiques, homemade foods, pumpkin cannon, antique tractor show, pumpkins, gourds, mums, live entertainment, petting zoo. 937-544-8252 (Kim Erwin).
OCT. 18, NOV. 15 – 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. 513-8321422 or http://fibbrew.com.
OCT. 19 – Hay Wagon Ride, Wagers’ Memorial Park (Devils Backbone), 1301 OH-725 W., Camden, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Ride the hay wagon to and from the Black Walnut Festival. Registration required. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www. preblecountyparks.org.
137 Juliana St., Parkersburg. $27–$37; reservations required. Board the Island Belle sternwheeler at Belpre, Ohio, and travel back in time to an 18th-century party at the magnificent mansion. Enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, period music, and other activities. Harvest Supper offered both evenings ($10–$20); advance reservations required. 304-420-4800 or www. blennerhassettislandstatepark.com.
OCT. 19 – Fall Fort Day, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $7; under 10 admitted free with paying adult. Kids’ and family activities, costumed interpreters, cabin tours. Food available for purchase. 304-695-2220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation.org, or www.fortnewsalemfoundation.org
OCT 25–26 – Old Uniontown Quilt Guild Quilt Show, Ashland Co. Fgds., Mozelle Hall, 2042 Claremont Ave., Ashland, Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $5/adult; free for children. Vendors, raffles for a sewing machine, quilts, and various other quilt-related items. www. olduniontownquiltguild.com.
OCT. 27 – Model Railroad and Toy Show, 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. 42), Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7. Trains and planes and things that GO! Get a jump on your Christmas shopping. 330-948-4400 (Vikki Conrad) or www. conraddowdell.com.
NOV. 1–2 – Season’s Splendor Arts and Crafts Show, Fisher Auditorium and Shisler Conference Ctr., Madison Ave., Wooster, Fri. 5–9 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Over 100 booths, handcrafted items only; no commercial vendors. Food available. www.festival.net.
NOV. 10 – Gruca White Ensemble: “Expanding the Boundaries of the Classical Experience,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. 419-8536016 or www.ormaco.org.
NOV. 13 – An Evening of Wine, Music, and Celebration, Cambria’s Bistro, 132 Main St., Wadsworth, 6 p.m. $50 per person, includes first drink. Join us at our annual dinner to celebrate the 14th anniversary of ORMACO. Seating limited to 100 people, so book early. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.
OCT. 19–20 – Black Walnut Festival, downtown Camden, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 135+ vendors! Artisan crafts, fall produce, antiques/collectibles, parade, car and truck show, Kid Zone, wagon tours, food trucks, and more. Don’t forget the homemade ice cream! www. camdencomeback.org/black-walnut-festival.
NOV. 2 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Sterling Bluegrass Jamboree, 29 E. Main St., Mt. Sterling, 7 p.m. The music kicks off at 6 p.m. with the Sterling Bluegrass Band. Home-cooked food and really fine pies available on-site. 614-323-6938 or www. sterlingbluegrassjamboree.com/upcoming-events.
NOV. 7–9 – Industrial Strength, Roberts Convention Centre, 123 Gano St., Wilmington. Doors open Thur. at 4 p.m., Fri./Sat., at 10 a.m. $35–$150. Indoor music festival featuring the best in bluegrass and American roots music. 937-372-5804 or www.somusicfest.com.
NOV. 9 – Holiday Horse Parade, downtown Piqua, 7 p.m. Free. See horse-drawn carriages, hitches, and riders, all outfitted with holiday lights, making their way down Main Street. 937-773-9355 or www. mainstreetpiqua.com.
Having an event?
Let us include it in our calendar!
AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event, send an email to events@ohioec.org, or mail your information* to:
Ohio Cooperative Living 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229
* Make sure to include all contact information! Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address, phone number, or website for more information.
1 — My granddaughter, Melody, at a Florida pumpkin patch. Kimberly Gardner, South Central Power Company member.
2 — Our daughter, Harper Lou, hauling in her pumpkins. Josh Boley, Washington Electric Cooperative member.
3 — The 25th-largest pumpkin in the world, grown in our backyard! Heidi Treadway, South Central Power Company member.
4 — Our grandson, Lawson Rieman, planted seeds in the landscaping around his home. His mom and dad allowed them to grow, and this is his first harvest! Rose Gerschutz, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative member.
5 — My granddaughter, Meredith Aubery, enjoying a fall Ohio day. Lara Uhl, South Central Power Company member.
6 — Our grandson, Walker, at Fulks Farm in Crown City, Ohio. Roy and Marilyn Jones, Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member.
