Vol. 11 Issue 2

FALL 2017

Fighting food insecurity in Athens County A look at dance clubs on campus

Service dogs LEND A HELPING PAW

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Letter from the Editor

Alexandra Greenberg Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

I don’t know about you, but for me, the holiday season officially starts the first day of November.

The air feels chillier, leaves sound crunchier and pumpkin-flavored confections are abundant. It’s a time to be thankful for what we have and an opportunity to lend a helping hand to those who need it.

This issue features stories of programs that serve Athens County residents even beyond the winter months. Writer Haley Rischar explores our area’s food insecurity issues (pg. 20). More than 20 percent of the county’s residents — higher than both the state and national averages — live every day with uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. The Athens County Food Pantry and its volunteers donate, pack and distribute food to residents in need.

We also feature programs devoted to service dog education and training. On Ohio University’s campus, two organizations were founded to spread the word about service dogs and what they do to help those with different types of needs. Assistant Managing Editor Abbey Knupp spoke with the founders and members of Service Dogs on Campus, which teaches the community about etiquette when dealing with service dogs and their owners, and 4 Paws for Ability, which uses teams of students and community members to train potential furry helpers (pg. 24). (Long story short, don’t pet a puppy in a red vest unless its human says you can.)

We hope these stories and the others in this issue motivate you to go out and do some good of your own. So, cozy up with this issue, get inspired and enjoy your holiday season!

All the best,

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FALL 2017 » VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2

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Incredible central uptown Athens 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. location! 15 person occupancy, Great uptown location, large front parking included. porch, central air, washer/dryer, onsite parking for all residents.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALEXANDRA GREENBERG MANAGING EDITOR ADAM MCCONVILLE ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR ABBEY KNUPP ASSOCIATE EDITORS ALEXIS MCCURDY & LILLI SHER COPY CHIEF ELIZABETH HARPER COPY EDITORS DARYL DAVIDSON, MADISON EBLEN, LANDER ZOOK WRITERS LAUREN CAMPBELL, ANNELIE GOINS, ABBY HARDER, KATE KINGERY, ALLY LANASA, SYDNEY OTTO, HALEY RISCHAR, CORINNE RIVERS WEB EDITORS JULIE CIOTOLA & MICHAELA FATH DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT DARIAN RANDOLPH VIDEO EDITOR CHRISTIAN GOODE

PUBLISHER IGGY COSSMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR EMILY CARUSO ART DIRECTORS TAYLOR DIPLACIDO & JESSICA KOYNOCK DESIGNERS HALEIGH CONTINO, KAITLIN HENEGHAN, JYLIAN HERRING, KATE KINGERY, MADDIE KNOTSMAN, ASHLEY LAFLIN, SAMANTHA MUSLOVSKI, MORGAN MEYERS, MAGGIE WATROS DIRECTOR OF MEMBER RELATIONS MARIE CHAILOSKY MARKETING DIRECTOR SARAH NEWGARDE PHOTO EDITOR SARAH WILLIAMS ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR MADDIE SCHROEDER ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR MAX CATALANO PHOTOGRAPHERS JORDAN ALLISON, AUTUMN CROUSE, AMANDA DAMELIO, KAITLIN MEINZER, KISHA RAVI, BRYCE SMITH, LANDER ZOOK

Want to advertise Interested in in Backdrop? working with us?

Send an email to Stop by one of our weekly backdropadvertising@gmail.com meetings at 8 p.m. to get started. Tuesdays in Tupper 102.

Follow us on Twitter @BackdropMag

SEE THE PHOTO STORY PAGE 32 Ally Valeda-Maiden picks a ripe tomato from the high tunnel. Valeda-Maiden is visiting the Plant Biolog Learning Gardens to find a healthy place to supply food for vegan cooking workshops.

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CONTENTS FEATURES FEEDING THE COMMUNITY

The Athens County Food Pantry provides sustenance to food-insecure Athens County residents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

VESTED FOR SERVICE

Organizations in Athens train service animals and tackle misconceptions about them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Q&A

CALENDAR

The owners of Doctor Pizza and Brenen’s Coffee Cafe share their thoughts on good food and good business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The best events in Athens this winter . . . . . . . . . 30

A TASTE OF LOCAL BUSINESSES

THE DROP

HOMEMADE SOAPS FOR THE SOUL

Space Cadet Welch, an artist and businesswoman, lets her troubled past transform into healing through soap-making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

ATHENS FROM ABOVE

Wyatt Musser documents Athens from an aerial perspective as the future of drone media takes flight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

LEGACY

BUILDING ON OLD FOUNDATIONS

Proposed plans for developing The Ridges focus on meeting community expectations and preserving the area’s history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

THE PEDALER AND THE PACKER

Local businessman Jon Tobin serves as a compass, guiding community adventurers in outdoor recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

SEX & HEALTH THE SELF-LOVE CLUB Cover photo by Kisha Ravi

The Positivity Project offers a supportive and encouraging environment for its members to confront stigmas about body image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

RECIPE

SLICE OF COMFORT

Try one of Backdrop’s original chicken or meat pot pie recipes to warm a cold, winter night . . . . . . . . . . .18

ON THE BRICKS

PHOTO STORY

AN ORGANIC EDUCATION

Students get experience growing produce at the Plant Biology Learning Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . 32

INFOGRAPHIC BRANCHING OUT

Trees on campus breathe new life after Ohio University improves conservation efforts . . . .36

SPORTS

FIT FOR ALL AGES

Jolene Quirke juggles her roles as a business owner, CrossFit coach, athlete and mother . . . . . . . . . . . .38

ENTERTAINMENT

DANCING THE JITTERS AWAY

Students in the mood to dance can tap their feet with the Jitterbug and Ballroom Dance clubs. . . . .40

ROLLING WITH THE TIMES

Athens’ only bowling alley provides a fun atmosphere for families and students alike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

VOICES

JUST BEAD IT

Read about one Backdropper’s experience stringing together a personalized bracelet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

EXHIBIT A Showcasing a graduate student's design work . . .46 PHOTO HUNT Spot the five differences between these photos

of the 2017 Homecoming Parade. . . . . . . . . . . . .47

FALL 2017 » VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2

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Q&A

A Taste of

LOCAL BUSINESSES

BY ABBY HARDER | PHOTOS BY AUTUMN CROUSE

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thens is packed with local business owners passionate about their roles in the community. Doctor Pizza closed in the ’90s after 10 years of business but reopened in summer 2017. Brenen’s Coffee Cafe opened in the ’90s, rebranded a few years later and has since been a staple in the community. Backdrop spoke with the owners of each about what makes a good business and what it takes to run one. b

GARY CHARLES,

DOCTOR PIZZA

WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF DOCTOR PIZZA?

We are a new pizza place that just opened up in August.

We were previously in business from 1981 to 1993, which my father owned. We were on Stimson Avenue right across from Hocking Valley Bank. We make our own dough, sauce, everything, right on hand. [We] use top ingredients. … We do 12-inch toasted subs, we do wings, we do pizza, and we’re thinking about adding salads.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO ATHENS? My dad actually came here and opened the store, so I’ve lived here in Athens my whole life. He opened up the Dominos here in ’69, we left in ’73 and moved to Athens, Georgia, then we came back to Athens, Ohio, in ’83. We really like the community. [When] we reopened, a lot of the older people who remembered us … came back and were really responsive.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GAIN BY REOPENING YOUR BUSINESS HERE? Long-term, I want to start and build this store as a model and move onto other campuses.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’RE NERVOUS ABOUT?

No, not really. I’ve made pizza since I was 5 years old, actually making, not playing. Everyone says pizza is in my veins; they say I bleed pizza. I mean, I enjoy it. It is definitely different times now with finding help, but I really like it and I’m happy to be back. I lost my father on August 21; we opened on August 2. So, he kind of gave me the tools and what I needed, and so I want to make it something really special for him.

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Owners of Brenen’s Coffee Cafe and Doctor Pizza dish out advice from their experiences running restaurants in Athens.

JOSH THOMAS, BRENEN’S

HOW DID YOU AND BRENEN’S END UP IN ATHENS? In 1991, two guys out of Columbus opened up the store.

The original name was actually Yogurt Oasis, and we had three yogurt machines. We had frozen yogurt, still had the deli, very similar. … [But] people thought it was just a yogurt shop. So, they changed the name to Brenen’s, added the coffee area, expanded the deli area and still had yogurt.

I started working here in 1997. I worked for them for three years, and then I bought the store in 2000. Right around the time I bought the store, we dropped the yogurt — no one was really buying yogurt anymore, the trend was kind of gone — so we started focusing more on coffee and deli.

WHAT STRUGGLES DO YOU FACE RUNNING A BUSINESS IN ATHENS AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? Athens is a rollercoaster, that’s probably the biggest struggle. … The uptown area, when I started working here in 1997, looked nothing like this. Right now is just restaurant, restaurant, restaurant, bar, bar, bar, bar, bar, but when I started here there was probably four different clothing stores on this block alone. There was a travel agency, an optician, there were just all kinds of different businesses Uptown; it was more diverse. Now it’s just restaurants. More competition, [and] we have to deal with that. That’s always the biggest challenge.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF WORKING HERE AND YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF RUNNING THE BUSINESS? For me, it’s a little rewarding when I have days where I stand in the middle of the store and I go, ‘This is mine. Wow.’ …

I think when people think about sole-proprietorship or just locally owned business, sometimes they don’t think of it as being as nice as a chain restaurant. But I think we get a lot of compliments in that. … People come in, and I remember them coming in 10 years ago, getting a sandwich. It’s nice seeing people come back in town and wanting to come here. It’s part of their experience.

ANY ADVICE TO A NEW BUSINESS IN ATHENS? You have to be prepared. … Ohio University students will spend money. But in my opinion, Ohio University students are smart with their money. You know, when you look at the demographics, we don’t have the most wealthy students coming to Ohio University, so they need to pay attention to their dollars. So they aren’t going to spend their money on something that isn’t good. … When new businesses open up they think it’s easy money, and it’s not, you have to work for it. You have to be here. You have to put the time in. You have to pay attention.

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THE DROP

Homemade

Soaps for the Soul One local artist uses her soap-making business to help others cleanse their bodies and minds.

BY LILLI SHER | PHOTOS BY MAX CATALANO

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pace Cadet Welch says her name was given to her by the Holy Spirit 20 years ago on the night she fell in love with Jesus Christ on a front porch in Boise, Idaho.

Welch, now an Athens resident and the owner of Space Cadet Soaps, is a successful artist, teacher and mother.

But when she was a teenager, she was on a completely different path.

“I was hitchhiking the country,” Welch says. “This [random] kid I was traveling with kept trying to give me the name Space Cadet, and I refused it over and over again because I was really broken on the inside and didn’t have a lot of dignity or courage. I was having a hard time even making eye contact with people, much less meeting random strangers and having to justify having some stupid [name].”

After getting into a car accident on that trip, Welch and the other teenagers she was traveling with ended up staying at a couple’s house in Boise, where they had an unexpected fourhour discussion about Christianity.

“We left that conversation just realizing that they knew who the real Jesus was, and he was actually really lovely, so we ended up falling in love with him,” she says. “I heard an authoritative voice inside of me that I now know [and] recognize as the Holy Spirit telling me clear as day my name was to be Space Cadet, and so I took it at that point.”

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Another man who was traveling with her changed his name to Smiles, as he, too, felt “an arrow pierce his heart” upon the conversation, Welch says.

Smiles is now Welch’s husband.

Welch says changing her name is a “story of redemption,” as it helped her move beyond drug addiction and selfhatred. Although sometimes she is met with eye rolls and awkward glances when she introduces herself as Space, her name is a continual reminder that she is a different person than she used to be.

“I was just kind of a walking zombie,” she says. “God gave me that name to remind me that I was different, and I was made new because of him, and it kind of forced me out of my shell.”

Welch and Smiles got married 16 years ago and have traveled to more than 40 states together by hitchhiking or driving in a motor home they named Miracle. They have three sons: Forest, Eli and Simon. Welch says her oldest son, Forest, was actually in 24 states before he was 24 months old.

Their family lived in various places and situations around the country before moving to Arcata, California, in 2000 and then Athens in 2009. Welch says she “fell in love” with Athens three months into her relationship with Smiles when they caught a hitchhiking ride to Appalachia.

“In all of our travels, it was the only place in the whole country that we knew we wanted to live someday; it felt

like where we belonged,” Welch says.

“When you have to wait for something, it’s even more special to you.”

Upon their arrival in Southeast Ohio, the Welches moved to a cabin in Amesville and lived there for 10 months.

However, Welch says they valued owning land over owning a home and purchased 20 acres of land in Athens. They lived in a school bus on their Athens property for almost four years before buying the adjoining 9 acres, which included a house and a barn.

Welch began making soap and salve almost 10 years ago after creating a homeschooling curriculum for her sons and, consequently, participating in the learning herself.

“I have so much fun learning the stuff again, because it kind of came alive to me because I was teaching it to my kids,” Welch says. “So, we studied colonial history and how the colonists made stuff, and we made it ourselves in more modern methods.”

Caroline Van Hook, an Ohio University freshman and Athens native, says she met Welch when she was in elementary school through the Redbud Homeschooling Co-op, a collaborative of homeschooling parents that meets weekly to foster community and teach each other’s children.

“She began by just selling to friends, but it began to grow quickly, I think due to her charismatic and passionate personality,” Van Hook says.

The co-op allowed Welch to pass her knowledge of art and natural resources on to students.

“One time I taught an herbal medicine course,” she says. “[I] took the kids out and looked at cool herbs that maybe they wouldn’t know, because their parents wouldn’t be like, ‘Yeah, that’s jewelweed!’”

Welch says she enjoys the solitude that comes with soap making, as it gives her time to think and pray.

“The creation side of things [is] very nourishing to me,” Welch says. “… It’s very satisfying and gratifying to me; it gives me an artistic outlet.”

Welch says she wants her soaps to make the “mundane art of bathing” into a comforting and spiritual act for her customers.

“Basically, my desire for what I’m creating is that it would … cause something that is kind of necessary and mundane, like bathing, to become something that actually fed them and

nourished their spirits instead of just getting their bodies clean,” Welch says.

Welch’s soaps are sold at nine stores in Athens and more in other towns, including those as close as Nelsonville, the Plains and Columbus and those as far as Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Polly Creech, owner of Hyacinth Bean Florist in Athens, says she has been selling Welch’s soaps for about six years.

“I like to carry local products, and a local soap was something that I didn’t have, and so Space came in and asked me if I would like to sell her soap,” Creech says.

Space Cadet Soaps are very popular, Creech says. She has even known people to come to Athens from out of town and buy the soap in bulk while they are visiting.

“One time, this woman came in and bought her mother, like, three bars of soap for Christmas,” Creech says. “And then about a week later, the mother called me and told me that she’s 85 years

old, and since she’s been using this soap, her husband told her that she looked like she’s 20 years younger.”

Welch says she sees local businesses’ commitment to stocking local products as a reflection of Athens community values.

“People see that we are one another’s neighbors, and we need to look out for each other’s best interests,” Welch says.

“When we buy stuff off each other, we enable our community members to do what we love to do, and [are] able to survive off things that are delightful instead of feeling like we all have to turn into machines.”

Although the process of soap making is therapeutic for Welch, the best part of her business is being able to impact the lives of those who use her soap.

“It’s not the stuff that I’m making, but the people that I hopefully get to connect with,” she says. “I hope that everybody that buys soap off me leaves feeling precious and important and blessed.” b

Space Cadet Welch poses with her soaps outside White’s Mill.

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THE DROP

ATHENS FROM

ABOVE

Wyatt Musser takes to the skies to capture a bird’s eye view of Athens.

BY ANNELIE GOINS | PHOTOS BY MAX CATALANO

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or some people, seeing the world from above is a dream that will never be attained, saved for the few moments in an airplane when they aren’t concentrating on how stuffy and small the cabin is. However, Wyatt Musser combined his love of photography and building drones to create a business that gives people just that: a bird’s eye view of Ohio University’s campus and the Athens area.

Musser, an Athens resident and a cook at Nelson Dining Hall, is the owner and only employee at Flying Images LLC. The business is something he does in his spare time to make extra money while putting something he enjoys to good use.

“I watched a video a few years ago for drone racing, and I was hooked on them,” Musser says. “I started building them and learning how they work from the inside out. After a while, I wanted to do more than build and wanted to photograph [and] video with them.”

With his Mavic Pro drone, Musser takes to the skies to gain a new perspective on everything from houses for sale

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to different areas around Athens, including Dow Lake and White’s Mill. However, starting a business with an unmanned aerial vehicle wasn’t easy.

“I noticed that people were put off by the word ‘drone,’ and they thought I was going to drop a bomb on them or something,” Musser says. “They have only heard of the military using them, and they think they are the same thing.”

Many people assume drone means an unmanned military plane that can be flown from a remote location, Musser says.

However, drones have been in use since World War II and have been used recreationally since the 1960s, when there was a widespread fascination with radio-controlled airplanes.

“There is no other way for someone to get up to 400 feet in the sky within minutes and see whatever it is they are looking for,” Musser says.

Over time, people have warmed up to the idea, with Musser’s videos and pictures garnering likes from OU students, alumni and Athens residents. He also does work

for local groups and organizations, including creating a promotional video for Pack 53, a local Cub Scout pack based at Morrison-Gordon Elementary School.

Keith Milam, program activities and civic service chairperson for the Hock-Hocking District, contacted Musser about producing a video for Camp Red Arrow, a Cub Scout summer camp. Musser’s son, Kobe, is in Milam’s Cub Scout den.

“Wyatt was great to work with,” Milam says. “He knows exactly what he’s doing. … All of the work that he does is top-notch.”

Recently, Musser shot and edited a video showcasing a home for the Athens Real Estate Company. He filmed footage of a property for one of the realtors, Susan Barga.

She heard about Musser through social media and contacted him after he left his business cards in the company’s office.

Barga says drone footage offers interested buyers a 3-D experience when viewing a property rather than just looking at pictures. It allows a buyer to see the outside of the house and what is really included in the surrounding woods, especially on larger properties. Barga says Musser produced the video in a timely manner and did everything she could have hoped for.

Musser built his own drone and learned to fly it after he saw a video about drones and decided he wanted to try them out. With $500 flying through the air as he learned the ins and outs of drone piloting, Musser began his journey into the world of the birds.

He doesn’t recommend that method for people starting out with drones, though; he says learning to fly is the first and most important step.

“I would recommend buying a toy drone — one that is about 12 inches diagonal or more — and learning the basics of how to fly,” Musser says. “The ones that fit in the palm of your hand won’t give you the right lessons; you need to fly the big ones.”

After all, he says, the big ones hold the cameras that get those stunning views people want to see. Musser says all that is needed is a steady hand and photographic eye; no science or math is required. He believes drones should be used by anyone who wants to use them.

That being said, there are a few rules. Musser hasn’t personally had issues with flying around Athens or over campus, but has heard of problems from other pilots.

A drone used for commercial purposes must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, and its operator must have a license to be a drone pilot. Although Musser is licensed and his drone is registered, he ran into another issue. He was once asked if he had been flying a drone over an active fire being handled by the Athens Fire Department.

His drone hadn’t been over the fire, but flying over first responders is a huge violation of the FAA’s rules.

As long as a pilot knows the rules inside and out, Musser says drones are fun to fly.

“These rules are on the FAA website and are very easy to find and follow,” Musser says. “Be safe with them and be aware of what is around you when flying. [Drones are] a blast to fly and are worth having in the world and are making it a better place.”

Drones can be used for more than just photographs and videos shot from above the trees, though. They’re also used for endangered wildlife monitoring, search and rescue, and 3-D mapping. NASA even uses drones to test the makeup of the ozone layer. Additionally, Hollywood is embracing the power of drones to get powerful shots that add to the cinematic experience.

Musser doesn’t see the demand declining in the near future.

“The uses of drones [are] essentially endless,” he says.

“Farmers, policemen, firemen, reporters, rescue teams, power line inspectors, construction workers and many more use these drones to help their business grow and/or help people that need it. It can only grow and be more useful in the future.”

For the time being, Musser will continue with his photography and drone flying, giving students, alumni and clients breathtaking views of campus and the city of Athens.

The most rewarding part of getting into drones and flying them, Musser says, is seeing something you put so much time and money into do what it was meant to do: fly and take jaw-dropping pictures and videos.

“Being able to fly something you built yourself or seeing what it sees as you fly is the best experience,” Musser says.

“You become a bird, essentially, and get to see things like you never have before.” b

Wyatt Musser poses with his drone.

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LEGACY

Building on old

FOUNDATIONS

The front of the state hospital in a photo taken after 1894. The building now houses Ohio University's Kennedy Museum of Art.

Ohio University and Athens locals partner on plans to renovate The Ridges.

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY KATE KINGERY | PHOTO PROVIDED BY OHIO UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

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or centuries, The Ridges has overlooked the Hocking River and Ohio University. It began as an asylum in the late 1800s where patients could seek treatment in a world that had just begun exploring the science of mental health. It later became an economic opportunity for the Athens community and a resource for university students and faculty.

The negative stigma associated with the many asylums that were built in America after the Civil War is perpetuated by ghost stories and myths of hauntings.

But, as Southeast Ohio History Center Executive Director Tom O’Grady explains, the asylums were state of the art facilities where cutting-edge treatment techniques were taught and learned by doctors from all over the world.

The Athens Lunatic Asylum opened its doors in 1874. It was a beautiful

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place, O’Grady explains, with botanical gardens, greenhouses, ponds and large parks, and it served a broad range of people in need.

“It was the largest employer of Athens county for a century,” O’Grady says. “It should be nothing less in the future than what it was in the past.”

Many view the The Ridges, which closed in 1993, as an integral part of Athens’ heritage and history, which is why the university and the Athens community are attempting to preserve its integrity as conversations develop about the proposed renovations.

Shawna Bolin, associate vice president of university planning and co-chair of the Ridges Advisory Committee, says the plan was a communal effort. “[The] Ridges Framework Plan wasn’t designed by one administrator on this campus,” Bolin says. “This was a huge

collaboration between the community, city and university.”

Tentative plans to repurpose the buildings that make up the former asylum go as far back as 1989, and since then, they have evolved. Efforts have been made to decide what must be done to repair the grounds. The Ridges Framework Plan, approved by Ohio University's Board of Trustees in 2015, incorporates all previous efforts and has been updated to ensure commitment to OU’s current academic missions and goals.

Bolin defines the process as a public and private partnership; public meetings and workshops were held at the very beginning of the process to provide community members with a sense of input on the proceedings.

After the Master Plan Committee began working with consultants from the university to refine those goals,

the Ridges Advisory Committee was formed. The committee — consisting of OU administrators, the director of the Southeast Ohio History Center, the director of Engineering and Public Works, the Athens City Council president, the vice president for Finance and Administration, and the ServiceSafety director — reviews plans and potential issues put forth by the Master Plan Committee. The advisory committee members play a vital role in providing feedback and reviewing plans, giving the Athens community a voice in determining some of the process.

The Ridges is made up of many different buildings and cottages, aside from the Kirkbride complex where the Kennedy Museum is now. But The Ridges also includes nearly 700 acres of land, meaning there is a lot of space available for development opportunities.

Some of the proposed plans include an eco-village, an outdoor recreation center, graduate/married housing, offices, an arboretum, an outdoor classroom amphitheater and even a site for solar panels and other renewable energy features.

Those ideas are still tentative, though; Bolin says the University Planning office is still currently in the process of project studies.

“It is the deeper study and analysis about what the costs are, what the actual programs may be, where that timing and priority is in conjunction with a lot of other things,” Bolin says. “We take a deeper dive into the buildings, how you renovate them and how do you prioritize what is there.”

Recently, the university invested

$300,000 in a stabilization program, which was requested by the Advisory Committee and backed by University Planning and the Master Plan Committee.

The buildings that make up The Ridges have stood in deferred maintenance for nearly 30 years, but the stabilization package ensures the buildings stay in decent condition until plans are finalized for renovations. Currently, there is no timeline for when the implementation process of the Ridges Framework Plan will begin.

The process is long and expensive, and for local historical preservationists, the pressure is on for the university to follow through on its promises. Many members of the Athens community have misgivings because of the university’s past efforts dealing with preservation.

“The community is very concerned that the university demolished two buildings that were on the national register for historic places just in the past five years,” O’Grady says, referencing the Tuberculosis Ward and Science Hall.

“Both of [those actions were] against very vocal community interest.”

Although O’Grady, a member of the Ridges Advisory Committee, is keeping a keen eye on the proceedings, he remains hopeful for the future. He sees the restoration as a huge opportunity for community stewards to restore The Ridges.

Other historical preservationists have similar opinions. Tim Traxler, a member of the Southeast History Center and longtime Athens community member, stresses the importance of honoring the heritage of The Ridges.

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“What’s important to me is preserving and maintaining the historic character of the place, the sense of place, the meaning of place, respect for those who built and created the place,” Traxler says.

That sentiment is echoed by George Eberts, who has worked for Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare, Athens’ current in-patient mental health treatment facility, for more than 20 years. He believes the university, the historical preservationists and others in the extended Ridges and asylum community are finally on the same page.

“We feel like our values and our hopes are shared and respected by OU,” Eberts says. “... People at OU are making more noise about preservation and reuse than they used to.”

The proposed plans have excited community members and students alike.

Emily Paris, a freshman studying English, grew up in Nelsonville and believes the restoration will have a positive influence. “[The Ridges renovation] will draw in a different demographic, not just college students, but people who are interested in the historical aspects,” Paris says.

The committees in place are now working toward understanding the assets The Ridges provides so there will be an end goal for future plans. The vision being cultivated honors and expands the original influence The Ridges provided in the Athens community. “[The Ridges] was the largest building in America when it was built, because somebody had a vision,” O’Grady says.

“We owe it to those who came before us to take what they did and complement that and enhance it if we can for the future.” b

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Kirkbride Center & Wings Auditorium Former Dining Halls

Former Receiving Hospital

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Service Buildings

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Mechanical Facilities

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LEGACY

&

Owner Jon Tobin describes his latest trip with his sport rock climbing students.

The Pedaler The Packer Jon Tobin shares his love for the outdoors by selling recreational equipment and teaching others how to use it.

BY ELIZABETH HARPER | PHOTOS BY MADDIE SCHROEDER

A

row of Jamis bikes lines the front window of The Pedaler and The Packer, one of the many unassuming stores that sits on Richland Avenue. When the bell above the front door rings, owner Jon Tobin emerges from the back office to greet the customer.

Buddy, the pitbull-labrador mix Tobin rescued, lies on the floor in the back.

Around the back counter, the walls are covered top to bottom in scuba, climbing and camping gear.

“Oddly enough, I’m not your 9 to 5, sitin-an-office corporate type guy. It’s hard enough for me to be inside these four walls around all this cool stuff on a regular basis,” he says. “Now, I get here about 8:30, 9 o’clock, most times I’m out of here at 5:31,

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I’m hitting the door and heading home.

Because I’ve had enough of being inside.”

The shop has been at its current location since October 2001 but has a long history of providing local outdoor enthusiasts with the equipment they need to venture out and explore the world around them. The store has changed locations several times since Tobin acquired it in 1982.

While attending school at Hocking College, Tobin held a job at the Pathfinder, one of a small chain of outdoors stores based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

He started working there to help out the store’s manager, who was a friend of his.

Years later, after graduating from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in outdoor education, marrying and

moving to Athens, Tobin returned to the Pathfinder to manage the store.

He enjoyed it so much, he decided he wanted to start his own shop.

A chance to become partners with a local outdoors store called The Pedaler arose, and Tobin jumped at the opportunity.

The Pedaler had been around since 1973, but when Tobin became partners with then-owner James Bussmann in the early ’80s, they renamed the store The Pedaler and The Packer.

“I was the packer half, and Jim Bussmann was the pedaler half,” Tobin says.

When the two had a parting of minds a year later, Tobin decided to stick with the store and buy out Bussmann. Tobin has been the sole proprietor ever since.

“

If he chooses to do anything, he’s 110 percent in it, whatever it is.”

MIKE HART, ROME TOWNSHIP VFD’S, ASSISTANT CHIEF

Lisa Wood purchases scuba equipment from Tobin.

“[I’ve] met a lot of really cool people, done a lot of really cool things,” he says. “… It’s been an interesting run. I’ve loved every minute that I’ve had here.”

Tobin has always been fascinated by the outdoors. As a boy, he became a Boy Scout and then an Eagle Scout in 1971, which gave him plenty of opportunities to experience outdoor leadership.

Although originally from the Dayton area, Tobin was far from home when he first heard about Hocking College’s premier outdoor recreation program.

As a high school upperclassman, Tobin traveled west to go backpacking. While visiting Yosemite National Park, he unknowingly set up camp somewhere he wasn’t allowed. A park ranger found him and told him he’d have to move, but he offered to drive Tobin to the nearest campground.

Gratefully, Tobin accepted; after a long day of hiking and setting up camp, he had been ready to turn in for the night when the ranger appeared. On their way to the campground, Tobin expressed interest in the park ranger’s job. “[The ranger] laughed and said, ‘Man, you’re never going to make a whole lot of money doing this, but it’s a good time,’” Tobin recalls.

Then the ranger advised Tobin to look at a school in southeastern Ohio that had an excellent outdoor recreation program — Hocking College. Several of the ranger’s fellow Yosemite employees had graduated from there. After hitchhiking back to Ohio, Tobin visited Hocking

College and decided the hands-on curriculum was a perfect fit. He received his associate degree from Hocking before going to OU to finish his bachelor’s.

While at OU, Tobin helped to design a four-year degree program in Wilderness Skills, the precursor to what is now the Outdoor Recreation and Education major. He also acted as a teaching assistant for several classes in his major.

Tobin started working at Hocking College in the ’80s, where he still teaches sport rock climbing, rope rescue and diving.

His passion for the outdoors and outdoor education hasn’t wavered over the years.

“The truth of the matter is, I would teach my classes for nothing if I could figure out how to survive on that,” Tobin says.

When Lisa Wood’s daughter decided to get certified in scuba diving, she came to The Pedaler and The Packer for help.

Neither of them had been to the store before, but it was the first result that came up when they looked online for scuba equipment in Athens.

Tobin worked with Woods and her daughter one-on-one to explain different aspects of scuba diving and to make sure Wood’s daughter had the gear she needed.

“It was really great. We needed someone to just walk us through it,” Woods said.

She was impressed by Tobin’s knowledge and the lengths he went to ensure both she and her daughter understood why each piece of equipment was necessary.

Tobin draws on many years of experience to give sound advice to his customers.

And though Tobin loves the store and teaching, those are far from his only responsibilities. He also serves as the director of the Rome Township VFD Dive Team, a lieutenant with the Rome Township Fire Department and a special deputy for the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

Because of his involvement with those groups, as well his relationships with other fire departments, law enforcement and rescue teams, Tobin is essentially on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At any point in time, he can be called on to recover evidence found in a body of water, lead a search and rescue team or be on-scene at a car wreck.

Rome Township VFD’s Assistant Chief Mike Hart has known Tobin for almost 15 years, since Tobin became involved in the fire service. As both an instructor and a first responder, Tobin stands out from the crowd, Hart says. He’s known Tobin to put in extra hours with struggling students and work with them until they’re comfortable with the material. “[He’s] very adamant about what he does,” Hart says. “If he chooses to do anything, he’s 110 percent in it, whatever it is.”

Tobin sees the opportunity to do all of those things as a way to give back and help better the community, a value he says he was raised on.

“It’s the reason I got involved in the fire department, the reason I got involved in the sheriff’s office, is I see that as community service," he says. "That’s my way of giving back to my community." b

www.backdropmagazine.com

15

SEX & HEALTH

The Positivity Project champions body positivity and self-acceptance.

BY JULIE CIOTOLA | PHOTO BY JORDAN ALLISON

A

s a teenager, Mia Johnson struggled with her appearance.

“Like everyone else, I’ve always struggled with my personal body image and I had a lot of issues in high school with not eating,” Johnson, a senior studying psychology, says. “... I’m on my own personal body positive journey, so I want to bring that to everyone.”

As president of The Positivity Project, Johnson is able to accomplish her goal of sharing her discovery of self-love. The organization, founded in 2016, is devoted to encouraging confidence and acceptance.

“We promote body positivity and self-love,” she says. “Loving yourself at every step of your journey, whether you’re trying to lose weight or gain weight, making sure you’re taking a moment to be like, ‘Yeah, I like myself this way.’”

Johnson co-founded The Positivity Project after taking a course on disordered eating. A graduate student involved with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) encouraged her and a classmate to develop a support group for body positivity. She felt the problem was important to recognize.

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With the help of The Positivity Project, Johnson and club members are able to celebrate and share their unique journeys to self-love with the OU community.

For the past two years, the organization participated in the NEDA Walk, a fundraiser to support eating disorder treatment and awareness. Participants gather at West State Street Park to listen to speakers, raise awareness and form a community of support.

“My favorite part of the NEDA walk was definitely seeing all the hard work, fundraising and dedication that went into [it] actually come together and help an important cause,” says vice president Jasmine Whittington, a sophomore studying early childhood education. “A lot of people worked really hard for it to happen and it was so rewarding seeing it come together and knowing that it really did make a difference.”

The club also co-sponsored Love Yourself Week, which took place Oct. 16-20 and included No Makeup Monday, an art exhibit, LGBTQ+ Dine-N-Discuss, Scale Smashing and more.

Outside of scheduled events, The Positivity Project meets biweekly on Monday nights to share their individual

struggles and support one another.

“It’s a really safe environment, and I felt that way from the beginning,” Whittington says. “That’s why I kept coming back, because we had deep, meaningful discussions, but I felt safe talking about it.”

Whittington says she struggled to appreciate her body growing up and felt like an outcast among her friends, partially because she is 5 feet 11 inches tall.

“I wasn’t very confident at all,” she says. “All my friends were like 5’2” and super cute and there was just me, like lanky and gross. So, when I got older, it became really important to me that I did love myself, and when I got here it was kind of my mission for the year to become comfortable with myself.”

Whittington says she is grateful to be immersed in a group of people who value self-love.

Communications Chair Taylor Bell, a junior studying psychology, says the club gives her confidence and reminds her not to put other people’s opinions above her own.

“In high school, I definitely wore a lot more makeup. And like I’ll have my days where I just put on a bunch,” Bell says.

“But then I don’t really feel like bad not wearing it now. I’ll wake up, my face will be red from washing it and I’ll just go to class and not think about it. Because what people say really doesn’t matter.”

At every meeting, the club designates a featured member of

the week, who stands in the front of the room while the rest of the members write compliments on a chalkboard behind them. Bell says that is a mutually rewarding experience.

Though the club is on the smaller side, with a consistent group of six members, Johnson says she enjoys the intimate discussions. The laid-back environment creates a safe space for each member to share personal experiences.

“I like having a small group of people; we all just kind of hang out,” she says. “It’s kind of just like a regular Monday night with us.”

However, as a result of its active social media presence and flyers posted around campus, The Positivity Project is certainly not unknown to students.

“I have people come up to me all the time like, ‘Oh I saw your name on the flyer, you’re in The Positivity Project. What goes on?’” Bell says. “I’ve never been in another organization, so I guess I don’t have anything else to compare it to, but I feel like people don’t just come up to you on the street and ask. I guess I’m real proud of that.”

Though the club is currently all female, men are encouraged to come to meetings and engage in discussion.

“We are open to everyone joining,” Johnson says. “That’s my biggest thing, I want to have a representative group of people in our organization.” b

The Positivity Project hosted an art exhibit where participants added their comments to a board during Love Yourself Week 2017.

RECIPE Cook up something savory IT’S TIME TO GET COZY: with these quick and easy Cuddle up with a blanket, a good movie and something warm for dinner. Stop making soup and start making pies — pot pies dinner pie recipes. or traditional meat pies, to be exact. Oftentimes, pies sound like strenuous work, but making a good ol’ comfort meal can be quick

BY SYDNEY OTTO PHOTOS BY AMANDA DAMELIO and easy with a few shortcuts. Backdrop’s recipes are very simple to

r o f t m o C f o

Slic e

make, and you can fit in an episode or two of your favorite TV show while they bake.

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CHICKEN POT PIE Ingredients:

1 can cream of potato soup 1 can cream of chicken soup (Substitute a second can of cream of potato soup to make the dish vegetarian.)

1 bag mixed frozen veggies, usually peas and carrots ½ cup cheddar cheese 2 premade pie crusts 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 2. Mix together both cans of soup in a large bowl.

3. Thaw and drain the vegetables. Add them and the cheddar cheese to the soup, and mix.

4. Put one crust in bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Poke some holes in the bottom. Put filling into pie pan and cover with second crust. Pinch edges together.

5. Whisk egg and brush over the top of the pie. Make four cuts in the crust for ventilation.

6. Bake for about 50 minutes until crust is browned.

HOMEMADE PIE CRUST Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, cubed 4 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt together in large bowl.

2. Add cubes of butter. Use fingers to rub the butter into the flour until shaggy pieces of dough are formed. Work quickly, the less the butter melts, the flakier the crust.

3. Slowly drizzle in water, lightly working the dough, when all water is incorporated put dough onto countertop.

4. Knead dough once or twice and divide in two.

5. Roll out into a circle shape about ¼-inch thick and use for your pies!

MEAT PIE Ingredients: Directions:

2 large potatoes 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Salt and ground black pepper 2 pre-made pie crusts

1. Preheat oven to 400 F 2. Cook potatoes in water until tender, about 12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of water used. Mash potatoes and set aside.

3. In large skillet, cook the onion, garlic, beef and pork over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add seasonings and reserved potato water. Mix in well and simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from heat, stir in mashed potatoes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Put one crust in bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Poke some holes in the bottom. Put filling into pie pan and cover with second crust. Pinch edges together.

5. Whisk egg and brush over the top of the pie. Make four cuts in the crust for ventilation.

6. Bake for 35 minutes until crust is browned.

www.backdropmagazine.com

19

FEATURE

FEEDING THE COMMUNITY The Athens County Food Pantry nourishes residents in need.

BY HALEY RISCHAR | PHOTOS BY MAX CATALANO

H

unger does not discriminate for the residents of Athens County, where people of all ages, genders and races walk into distribution centers seeking emergency food supplies. Every cardboard box of food is placed in the hands of someone with their own story of how they got there – each story giving a look into the world of food insecurity.

In Athens County, an estimated 13,260 individuals were food-insecure as of 2015, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap project. The food insecurity rate, defined as the number of people without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, in Athens County is 20.4 percent. That number is 4.4 percent higher than the Ohio average and 6 percent higher than the national average.

In 1980, the Athens County Ministerial Association created the Athens County Food Pantry (ACFP), an all-volunteer nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors, to aid the struggling citizens of Athens County by allocating direct food disbursements.

Located on Richland Avenue, the ACFP uses the bottom floor of a two-story building. Only a small sign on the door distinguishes it from any other establishment. Metal shelving encompasses the small perimeter of the front room, holding seemingly endless rows of canned vegetables and boxed goods. However, the copious amount of food is only expected to last two weeks in the hunger-

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stricken Athens County.

In the back, two small desks sit next to each other in a narrow office. Stacks of paperwork surround board chair Jill Doose and treasurer Bobbi Conliffe, the women behind the financial efforts of the pantry.

Doose, who joined the pantry after moving to Athens in 2001, got involved through her church.

Since joining, she has held every position at the pantry, ranging from food chair to president.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” she says. “…The more you devote to the pantry, the more you get out of it and the more it benefits.”

Mike Harrington, the ACFP food chair, rolls a two-tiered cart piled with boxes in and out of the room, unloading the pantry’s recent food purchase out of his truck.

Harrington, who recently joined the pantry in January, coordinates the buying of food and donations. An Athens local and Ohio University alumnus, Harrington returned to the area four years ago after retiring and began volunteering at the pantry through the Athens Lions Club.

“What is really satisfying to me is how much of an impact [the food pantry] makes in the community,” he says. “Food insecurity was something I was aware of and had heard about, but I really didn’t appreciate how intense it was until I started serving here and saw all the food that we’re packing.”

Two folding tables sit in the middle of the front room for packing, with roughly 70,000 pounds of food expected to be packaged on them over

Cans of food sit in food bank storage, ready to be distributed.

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21

ACFP food chair Mike Harrington unloads the pantry’s recent orders from his truck.

the year. In 2016, the pantry served 5,183 households and a total of 14,448 individuals. As of August, the pantry has served 3,541 households and a total of 9,854 individuals, with numbers expected to continue on the trend of last year.

The food pantry sources its food from three different areas: The Southeast Ohio Foodbank, financial donations and community food donations.

As an agency for United Appeal for Athens County, the food pantry gets funding from individual gifts supported through the non-profit organization.

“We get to take advantage of a lot of programs that are funded through either the U.S. Federal Government, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Ohio Food Program, which [means] we can get food for 19 cents per pound,” Harrington says. “If we get a dollar donation, we can stretch that dollar a lot farther by buying food, but some people like that experience of buying it, so we happily take donations as well.”

The food pantry’s website lists food item staples used in the packages they provide. While the pantry accepts any nonperishable food donation, items such as peanut butter, cereal, canned vegetables, condensed soups and boxed side dishes are preferred because of their longer shelf life.

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“We’ll take any donation as long as it’s not expired,” Harrington says.

Each week, the pantry creates a packing list of what foods will go into the packages for distribution. The list consists of a three-day supply covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. A box can typically feed a family of four, while the bags can feed a family of two. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the pantry has volunteers come and pack these items.

Volunteers from organizations such as Ohio University CHAARG and the Student Alumni Board dedicate their time to help package food and load it for distribution.

“Organizations like the food pantry are important because a large population of Athens is affected by hunger and it hits home,” says OU CHAARG member and ACFP volunteer Michaela Gress.

“Knowing it’s just down the street from us makes you want to jump in and do something about it.”

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Athens County Job and Family Services load the packages up to distribute them at the County Home in Chauncey, Ohio.

“With our volunteer staff, it’s hard for us to actually man a place here,” says Karin Bright, who joined the pantry in 2010 and represents First Christian Church in Athens

as the pantry’s communications chair. “So we found it easier for us to do it out here [in Chauncey at the County Home].”

Job and Family Services will distribute food anytime during office hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The pantry offers emergency pick up at its Richland location for people who need immediate help and distributes a limited number of backs to the Gathering Place, an organization that works with residents struggling with mental illness.

Bill Allen, ACFP donation lead volunteer, joined the food pantry three years ago as a food packer. Learning about the food pantry through his wife, a member of First Presbyterian Church, Allen soon worked his way up to becoming a member of the board.

“It was interesting trying to pay it forward or do something to help folks who were probably less fortunate,” Allen says. “What started out to be a way to do something that didn’t occupy that much time turned into aiding someone or someones in the Athens community.”

Allen describes the people coming to distribution as a broad cross section of ages, genders, and ethnic groups. He says the people coming to collect food are not only a snapshot of Athens County, but a

snapshot of America’s hunger crisis as a whole.

Allen says there is a disconnect between people who believe it’s shameful to ask for help and those who do not.

“Some folks seem to think that everyone should pull up their own bootstraps, but you have to have boots in order to do that,” he says. “Some folks are not at a point where they have boots, and so it’s kind of hard to pull yourself up.”

Bright says certain times of the year can be more difficult for food insecure families. During the holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, various Athens organizations will hold food drives and provide free meals, but after these holidays is when the food pantry’s efforts are crucial.

"You get to late January or February, and everyone’s kind of beyond that and forget,” Bright says. “Those are times for us that are more crucial, those odd times.”

Working within the limited bounds of their office, there is a pressure on pantry volunteers and board members to work efficiently to serve their community.

“We’ve got a board that works really well, we’ve got a group of volunteers that works really well, and we just learn to share this space,” Bright says.

“We just have to make it work.”

Without a landline, the pantry depends on one cell phone, email and the Facebook page. “[The cell phone] gets passed month to month and whoever has that phone is tasked to get the people to the right place,” says Bright. “That person has to know what everybody does so they know the right person to refer them to once they call.”

With donations varying annually, the pantry can struggle financially, but it always finds a way to help others. Some years the pantry has been able to supply “extras” in packages, while other years they have to cut back what goes into each box. “[The Athens community] definitely helps, and they have been incredibly supportive over the years,” Bright says. “Whether it’s running a food drive, making donations or helping to spread the word on things, the Athens community and the university’s support helps keep us going.”

Bright says she realizes it’s difficult for people to ask for help, and some feel the need to justify why they need it. She says she never expects someone to justify why they need food because, although not everyone will reach a point where they can’t buy food, everyone at some point will have a period of financial difficulty.

“It’s a big job. It’s one of those things where [you wonder] ‘Can one person make a difference?’”

Bright says. “Maybe not a huge one, but I figure every person we feed is one less person that’s hungry. So, you do what you can do.” b

Athens County Food Pantry Packing List *Items can vary depending on what is available.

Breakfast BOXES

BAGS

2 boxes of milk

1 box of milk

3 cans of fruit

2 cans of fruit

1 large nut butter

1 small nut butter

1 small jelly

1 small jelly

2 cereal boxes

1 cereal box

1 bottle of juice

Lunch BOXES

BAGS

2 cans of red beans and rice

1 can of red beans and rice

2 boxes of mac and cheese

1 box of mac and cheese

3 cans of soup

2 cans of soup

1 can of salsa

Dinner BOXES

BAGS

1 can of beef stew

2 small cans of sauce

2 small cans of sauce

2 cans of vegetables

4 cans of vegetables

1 bag of spaghetti noodles

1 bag spaghetti noodles

2 cans of meat

4 cans of meat

4 strawberry bars

1 bag of dried beans

2 bags of dried beans 4 granola bars 4 strawberry bars www.backdropmagazine.com

23

FEATURE

VESTED FOR

SERVICE

BY ABBEY KNUPP PHOTOS BY KISHA RAVI AND JESSICA KOYNOCK INFOGRAPHIC BY JESSICA KOYNOCK

4 Paws for Ability and Service Dogs on Campus educate the community about the jobs of canine companions.

24 24

backdrop | Fall 2017 backdrop | Fall 2017

Moana touches noses with Samantha Girvan, secretary of 4 Paws for Ability at Ohio University.

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Unity practices “high-five” and “leave-it!” commands with Maria Martin, president and founder of 4 Paws for Ability at OU.

W

hen Elizabeth Potter was a little girl, she already knew dogs were going to have a large impact on her life. She spent the early years of her life on a farm in West Valley, New York, where her family always had at least one dog around. During her senior year of high school, Potter’s family relocated to Athens to stay with a friend who bred golden retrievers and labrador retrievers, which Potter helped raise to adoption age. It was during that time that Potter truly came to understand the impact a dog could have on an individual’s life.

One day, one of the labrador puppies wriggled away from his mother and got his head stuck in a hole. Potter’s brother found the puppy, which had turned blue from the cold, and managed to save the dog’s life.

“I say that, in turn, he saved mine,” Potter says.

After the dog’s unfortunate accident, Potter lovingly named him Bleu — spelled like the cheese, because she thought it was fancier — and the two instantly clicked.

Bleu followed Potter around and became more attentive to her, noticing when her mood started to change and she grew frazzled or upset. After Potter spoke to her doctor and Bleu received training to aid Potter with her severe depression and anxiety, Bleu became Potter’s first service dog.

“They’re literally attentive to every single thing that you do,” Potter says. “They can detect, at least for me, if you take a breath wrong — if that means I’m going to pass out or have a panic attack.”

After years of being Potter’s companion, Bleu had to be retired due to hip dysplasia and anxieties that he developed as he grew older. Potter is now in the process of training her second service dog, Sebastian, but he is still a puppy and has a long way to go before he is considered an official service dog.

Through her experiences with her service dogs, Potter, now a senior at Ohio University, saw the need for education about

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service animals, so she founded the student organization Service Dogs on Campus in March 2016.

“From my experience, a lot of people just don’t know how to interact with service dogs properly, which can, depending on the person who has the service dog, be very hazardous,” Potter says. “So, my goal is to teach my classmates, my teachers, even local business people where the students might be going on Court Street, how to interact with service dogs.”

PETS WITH A PURPOSE

The first step in educating is to explain the difference between the three types of service animals: emotional support animals (ESAs), therapy animals and service animals.

“Service dogs are trained to do a task related specifically to someone’s disability, whereas an emotional support animal is not trained to do a task,” Potter says. “It can be literally any animal that you’re allowed to have as a pet. Just don’t adopt an ostrich or something that you can’t have in the dorms.”

Service dogs can be trained to help with both visible and invisible illnesses; they can help blind or deaf individuals, be trained for seizure or diabetic alert, aid individuals with mobility issues or help those with severe depression or anxiety.

Although ESAs aren’t trained to perform a specific task, they comfort their owners, which can help individuals with anxiety or depression. Similarly, therapy animals visit hospitals, libraries, nursing homes and other facilities to bring happiness to people and help them relax.

Potter believes people try to pass off civilian dogs — her unofficial term for animals that aren’t trained to be service dogs — or untrained emotional support animals as service dogs, which contributes to misconceptions about service dogs and a negative public perception of them as adequate aid for an illness.

Maria Martin, a senior and the president and founder of OU’s chapter of 4 Paws for Ability, says many people come up

to her when she is with a service dog in training to ask where they can get a service dog vest for their animal.

“It’s hard to tell them you can’t do that, because they might actually need it,” she says. “It’s a tricky situation.”

Although Martin recognizes some individuals could be in need of a service animal but don’t know the right way to acquire such a companion, there are some people who purchase vests for civilian dogs to afford their dog special privileges, particularly if their residence hall or rental company doesn’t allow animals.

Service dog vests can be purchased online through Amazon and other sites, and many websites offer ways to register a service animal online, though Potter says that those websites are scams.

A service dog must be registered through a person’s doctor.

dogs in training to the zoo. Although the dogs are unfazed by the other animals, the zoo animals are fascinated by the dogs and give them an abundance of attention.

EARNING THE VEST

Potter says there are two ways to train service dogs. The first is to train the dog yourself, which is what she does. The second method, which Potter says is more expensive, is to give the dog to an organization that will train the dog for the handler.

OU's chapter of 4 Paws for Ability is one of the organizations that trains service dogs. The organization has trained 11 dogs so far. Founded in 1998 by Karen Shirk, 4 Paws for Ability is based out of Xenia, Ohio, and places approximately 100 service dogs a year.

The training process used by 4 Paws for Ability has four main steps.

“They start off at birth and go through some socialization at the puppy house, where they have different things going on. They have a shopping cart in there and different types of toys,” Martin says. “Around three months, depending on if there is a foster available, they’ll go to prison and have an inmate train them for a few months, like one two months to get some potty training and basic commands.”

After that, the dogs go to a foster home, which includes the college students who are part of 4 Paws for Ability. The fosters focus on socializing the dogs and getting them accustomed to unusual stimuli.

“Our main job is to get the dogs exposed to as many different environments and people as we can,” Martin says. “… We take them to movies, restaurants — pretty much anywhere I can find a new experience for her, I’ll bring her.”

Martin is currently in the process of training a dog named Unity, who enjoys having her belly rubbed and hates loud noises. Getting her accustomed to large crowds and loud noises has been particularly difficult for Martin, so she has taken Unity to a football game and tried to keep her calm in loud, overwhelming situations. But dogs have varying reactions to different things.

“I had a dog last semester that absolutely loved skateboards.

He freaked out over them,” Martin says. “Sometimes, what we do, is if we go over to that little skate park by South Green where people makeshift stuff, we’ll just sit there and give them treats every time a skateboard comes by just to get them used to it and keep them calm.”

One of Martin’s favorite experiences is taking the service

DOG ALLOWED ON PLANE

ANIMAL NOT ALLOWED ON PLANE

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27

“

A lot of people think it’s awesome to have a dog with you all of the time, but it’s a lot of work.”

ELIZABETH POTTER SERVICE DOGS ON CAMPUS FOUNDER

After a few months of conditioning with the fosters, who are also in charge of teaching the dogs basic commands such as sit, stay and heel, the dogs are ready to take their test. If they don’t pass the evaluation, they leave service dog training and are put up for regular adoption. If they pass, they continue training to learn how to do a specific job.

“If they’re going to be a seizure dog, they go to the facility and see if they can detect seizures. If they can’t, then they can’t be a seizure dog, but they could do something else,” Potter says. “Then through that, which usually takes about one and a half to two years depending on the severity of the illness, they are matched with a person with a disability.”

Potter says the prospective handler has to attend a series of sessions with the service dog to see if the pair have a connection and are a good fit for one another.

Coyote, a black lab who is being fostered by Hannah Arth.

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“The task that they’re trained to do is very specific from person to person,” Potter says. “So, if I have a service dog, it does entirely different things than [it would for] the next person, even if they have the same problems that I do.”

ON-CAMPUS COMPANION Although service dogs are instrumental to the lives of their handlers and can make the daily motions of life more pleasant and easier, there are difficulties that come with having service animals, particularly in a place like a college campus.

“A lot of people will stop you and try to dig into every aspect of your life to try and figure out what is wrong with you that would merit you a service dog,” Potter says. “They ask very personal questions, which is OK, but … sometimes they don’t realize that I have class and that I’m a person with stuff to do.”

Petting the dogs or making noises at them can also create an issue and distract them from the task they are supposed to be doing.

“The best way to interact with a service dog is to not interact with them, because a service dog is trained to do a task, and if you interrupt them or distract them it can be very disastrous for the person who has the service dog,” Potter says.

Because 4 Paws for Ability focuses on socializing the animals, they allow people to pet their dogs, which can be confusing to the general populace, Martin says. Consequently, the public doesn’t know the difference between service dogs and service dogs in training, and they think they can then pet any dog wearing a vest.

The best thing to do, Potter and Martin say, is to always ask before petting a dog, even dogs without vests, simply because it is impossible to know the temperament of the dog and if the owner feels comfortable having strangers pet their animal.

“A lot of people think it’s awesome to have a dog with you all of the time, but it’s a lot of work,” Potter says. “There are a lot of psychological aspects that people don’t think about either.

No matter where you go, people are always going to be staring at you, whispering.”

Potter has never become completely accustomed to the stares and the whispering, though she has found ways to make the attention more bearable, but other aspects of having a service dog can be difficult, too.

Instead of living life for one person, a person with a service dog has to cater their life entirely around another animal. The handler is responsible for making sure the dog has enough to eat, enough to drink and is able to go to the bathroom between classes, which can be particularly difficult when there is only a short break and the handler has to use the restroom as well.

“They make life a lot easier, but it’s a new version of life that you have to get used to, and it’s not easy for everyone to get used to that,” Potter says.

Although federal law ensures service animals are allowed in all public places and landlords cannot be exclusionary to those accompanied by a service animal, 4 Paws for Ability has trouble finding individuals who are able to foster animals because the law does not extend to them.

PASSING THE LEASH During the 4 Paws for Ability training process, each dog is assigned to a team, which consists of the primary handler, the co-handler and puppy-sitters, who watch the dog when the primary or secondary handler is not available. Fosters must live off campus in pet-friendly housing, though puppy-sitters can be people who live in residence halls or other housing.

As Unity’s primary handler, it is hard for Martin to be separated from her service dog in training, and it will be even harder when the time comes for the dog to take its evaluation and, hopefully, be placed with a permanent family. Despite the difficulty in saying goodbye to the dogs, Martin knows that the work she is doing is helping a good cause. Her first service dog in training, Spad, was placed with a family in Athens, where he serves as an autism assistance dog.

“I went to his graduation. I met the family. I follow their story and see what I did to help Spad," Martin says. "It’s actually going toward something good. It’s a great feeling.”

For someone who relies on a service dog, the connection can go even deeper. Potter remembers a time a prior roommate took her service dog on a walk without telling her.

“I described the level of panic as stronger than a mom who loses her kid in a grocery store,” Potter says. “It’s a completely different level of connection than you ever experience even with a boyfriend or girlfriend, with someone you’re intimate with. There aren’t words to describe how close that connection is.” b

Martin walks Unity, a golden lab, across College Green.

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29

CALENDAR

OONN TTH THE HHEE Check out these events happening around Athens this winter.

30

BY LAUREN CAMPBELL

Moradok Mai Community Theatre Troupe NOVEMBER 14 AT 7 P.M. As part of International Education Week, the Moradok Mai Community Theater Troupe will perform “A Journey Back Home to Follow in His Majesty’s Footsteps” in Glidden Hall. This is a free show, so be sure to check it out!

Sibs Weekend FEBRUARY 2 - 4 Siblings of Ohio University students are welcome on campus for a weekend of fun events! This year’s activities include a performance by magician Daniel Martin, two hockey games and several other bonding activities. As the weekend approaches, check out OU’s website for a full event calendar.

90 Minutes Series - Bob Ryan NOVEMBER 29 AT 7 P.M. The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism is hosting The Boston Globe sports columnist and ESPN personality Bob Ryan. Students interested in journalism or sports, particularly the Boston Celtics, which Ryan is famous for covering, should attend the discussion in Schoonover Center room 145.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo FEBRUARY 6 AT 7:30 P.M. The South African male choral group is coming to OU to sing and dance in an uplifting, energetic performance. The show will be held at Memorial Auditorium, and tickets are on sale now at the auditorium box office. The cost is $15 for students and $25 for adults.

Broadway for the Holidays DECEMBER 4 AT 7:30 P.M. Join the Ohio University Symphony Orchestra and Chorus at Memorial Auditorium for an evening of holiday hits. The performance, under the direction of Maestro Luke Frazier, will be vocally accompanied by several Broadway stars. Tickets are $8 for students, $15 for adults and $13 for seniors.

Bobcathon FEBRUARY 17 AT 10 A.M. FEBRUARY 18 AT 12 A.M. Bobcathon is a 12-hour dance marathon that benefits the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio. Create or join a team and dance the day away! Participants can register or donate at www.bobcathon.com. Do it for the kids!

backdrop | Fall 2017

How can the Alumni Association

help you NOW?

THE OHIO UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION helps students make the most of their college experience and stay connected with OHIO after they graduate.

BB T O

BobcaThon is a dance marathon on campus to raise awareness and funds for seriously ill children and their families staying at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

BobcaThon culminates in a 12 hour Dance Marathon in February.

You can sign up to be a dancer or volunteer today! www.bobcathon.com

STUDENT ALUMNI BOARD (SAB) SAB is a professional organization that strives to connect students to the University and Bobcat alumni through exciting programs and initiatives. SAB has passionate, creative, and hardworking undergraduates who make a difference on campus. Look out for Homecoming Events including the Yell Like Hell Pep Rally. More information can be found at www.ohiosab.com

QUESTIONS? Contact Katrina Heilmeier at heilmeik@ohio.edu or 740.597.1216

OHIO

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

PHOTO STORY

AN ORGANIC EDUCATION

OU students get hands-on experience growing produce at the Plant Biology Learning Gardens.

BY SARAH WILLIAMS

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F

arming and local food production are a prominent part of Athens. The Learning Gardens at Ohio University make it possible for students, especially those in Professor Art Trese’s sustainable agriculture class, to learn about farming and agriculture in a hands-on manner.

The students take time every week to tend to their gardens and learn how to grow seasonal fruits and vegetables that anyone can grow in their own garden. Another part of the garden is taken care of by Trese and a team of interns from the College of Arts and Sciences. The food they produce is sold to Ohio University and Athens residents at the Learning Gardens on Friday evenings, when visitors have the opportunity to come and pick their own fruit and vegetables.

“I absolutely love it here,” Jules Scott, an intern for the College of Arts and Sciences, says. “There are times I like to get here early or leave late so I can have the garden to myself. It’s my own secret garden.” b

ABOVE

Scott, an intern for the College of Arts and Sciences, walks to get more fertilizer.

FAR LEFT

The door into the Learning Gardens stands open. It was created to protect the cultivation from deer and other animals.

LEFT

Scott plants spinach. The Learning Gardens only plants seasonal vegetables, which helps teach students what can be planted when and guarantees a good harvest.

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RIGHT

Food sits on a table in preparation for a sale at the Learning Gardens.

BELOW

Jack Demain, an intern for the Ohio University College of Arts and Sciences, plants pots of cabbage.

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backdrop | Fall 2017

LEFT Rachel McDonald (right) weights the onions that Alexandria Polanoski (left) is about to purchase.

BELOW

A close-up of Jack Demain planting cabbage.

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35

INFOGRAPHIC

0 , ! .

3 4 % 0 3

Branching Out

Ohio University improves the preservation of trees after it’s named a tree Campus USA.

1

BUILD A CAMPUS TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

BY MICHAELA FATH | INFOGRAPHIC BY EMILY CARUSO

T

his past year, the Arbor Day Foundation named Ohio University a Tree Campus USA, a title granted to campuses across the country that follow a strict set of guidelines set by the foundation. The guidelines aim to improve the overall conservation of trees and create a united environmental community. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, more than 300 universities nationwide are titled a Tree Campus USA. b Ohio University’s Grounds Services

The Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs

THE NEW TREES:

AN

IONS INVOLVE IZAT D

TR

H WIT

O RG

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources

EE C

AM PUS U

The Office of Sustainability

SA

Tree Care Committee

Oaks

The university will plant various species of oaks, including red, black, willow, chinkapin, shingle and swamp white oaks.

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backdrop | Fall 2017

Osage Orange White Shields The fruitless male tree with glossy leaves can tolerate droughty, windy and hot sites.

2

CREATE A CAMPUS TREE CARE PLAN

The Tree Care Plan calls for the planting of new, diverse species of trees across campus.

Due to rising temperatures in fall months, the university has decided to add trees that can stand the heat.

According to the plan, the new trees planted on campus must be either native to the region or provide food to local habitants in fruit or nut form.

3

PRODUCE A CAMPUS TREE PROGRAM WITH DEDICATED ANNUAL EXPENDITURES

The plan also states that only trees of 2 to 2 ½ inches minimum caliper and 4 to 4 ½ inches maximum caliper will be planted.

OU planted a total of 274 trees, pruned 141 trees and removed 120 trees in 2015. That statistic appeared on the university's 2016 Tree Campus USA application.

Hybrid Elms

These and other disease-resistant American Elms will be planted.

4

HOLD AN ARBOR DAY OBSERVANCE

On Oct. 13, the Campus Tree Committee held its 2017 service learning project, a “Sapling Scavenger Hunt.”

OU students signed up to be paired with a Child Development Center (CDC) preschooler to hike a loop around The

5

OFFER A SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT

Ridges using a map.

Students helped preschoolers understand the basics of mapping skills to navigate The Ridges, all while finding different leaves, types of bark and other pieces of the wilderness.

Kentucky Coffee Trees This tree has an oval shape with large, bluish-green leaves. It has a tropical feel, and can easily tolerate heat, droughts and cold. www.backdropmagazine.com

37

SPORTS

FITAGES FOR ALL

A local crossfit champ coaches young and old at her gym, CrossFit SEO.

BY MARIE CHAILOSKY PHOTOS BY LANDER ZOOK AND MAX CATALANO Jolene Quirke, owner and head coach of Crossfit SEO does squat lifts at her gym.

J

olene Quirke’s CrossFit gym will be filled with a diverse group of people ready for a workout in two hours, but right now, the only people on the rubber floor are her two toddler sons, who are playing, crawling and snacking.

On the right side of the room is a huge whiteboard listing names and numbers, which serves as a record of all the people who have gone to CrossFit Southeast

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backdrop | Fall 2017

Ohio that day. In the back of the gym, gymnastics rings hang from the ceiling and free weights litter the floor. All of the doors are open, making the air feel breezy and cool. Between periodic glances in the direction of her kids, Quirke is preparing for her next class and restocking shelves.

She and her husband, Brandon, run CrossFit Southeast Ohio together, but Quirke makes a point to mention

that the gym is first and foremost hers.

Because they both work full time, their children spend a lot of time at the gym, which is evidenced by an organized mess of children’s toys and high-chairs in one corner.

Quirke graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with degrees in exercise physiology and psychology and worked at the Athens Recreation Center

for about five years. But when she found CrossFit after watching her best friend compete at the 2010 Arnold Classic, she discovered the passion that drove her into the CrossFit community.

That summer, she started training at a CrossFit affiliate that was run out of a friend’s garage and was certified to be a trainer a few months later in August 2010. But before opening her own gym, Quirke spent everything she had to do some “research” and see how other Ohio Crossfit gyms, called “boxes,” were set up.

“I went to as many boxes as I could that were already opened — which at that time, there weren’t that many, so I had to travel a little bit,” she says.

In November 2011, she opened her own gym and allowed Athens to become a part of the much larger CrossFit community.

CrossFit was founded by Greg Glassman, who created a workout regimen designed around a certain formula: “The more work you do in less time, or the higher the power output, the more intense the effort.” The program was originally created for emergency personnel, the military and people who need to be ready for anything, Quirke explains. But as more people got involved, CrossFit started reaching everyday people looking for an intense workout.

With more than 13,000 affiliates on all seven continents and in 143 countries, CrossFit has turned into a global community. There are now annual CrossFit competitions widely broadcast all over the world.

Quirke has participated in multiple CrossFit competitions, two of which she completed while pregnant. According to her CrossFit games profile page, she’s 5’0 and, as of 2016, ranked 2nd in the state of Ohio and 154th worldwide. Her profile picture is her holding her sons in a CrossFit gym.

She and Brandon just recently took part in the CrossFit team series. Brandon says the pair had five days to complete and submit four workouts to be ranked as a couple.

“We don’t get to do workouts together all that often with work, the gym and the boys, but it’s fun,” Brandon says.

All CrossFit classes take place in old warehouses, loading docks and sometimes personal garages. There are no ellipticals, treadmills, mirrors or scales in a CrossFit box.

“We have to move our bodies in space,” Quirke says. “We’re not using a machine; we’re producing a machine in that sense.”

Quirke says the workouts are based on gymnastics, Olympic lifting and metabolic conditioning. The goal of the workout is to mirror the functional movements people will have to perform in their lives.

“We’re gonna jump on a box: you might have to jump somewhere in your life quickly,” she says. “We squat a lot: you’re going to have to sit on the toilet for the rest of your life. … We hang from bars: maybe you have to run and jump over a fence or if you want to play with your kids and climb a tree … We’re prepping for experiences in life where we have to be quick.”

Nicole Albers, a junior studying nursing, goes to Quirke’s CrossFit four times a week and says she goes for the planned workouts and the community aspect that places like Ping Recreation Center cannot offer.

“Going to the gym was always hard because just planning what I want to do everyday is just difficult,” she says. “… At Ping, everyone has their headphones in are doing their own thing, but at CrossFit, they’ll blare their own music … and just get you excited for your workout.”

Quirke says CrossFit was designed to have that community feel.

“Everyone is in need of the same type of fitness, but it’s all scaled accordingly for them, and as a coach we’re here to hope that everyone can finish things at the same time,” she says. “What makes it work is the group setting; … you motivate each other. It’s like a friendly, competitive atmosphere.”

Each class has a capacity of 23 people for safety reasons and so the coach can work with everyone.

“Of course we always teach mechanics over intensity,” Quirke says. “We use the whiteboard to always write down our scores no matter what. Whether you have an ailment and maybe you can’t do something, but we give you something else, you’re still up there.”

Scores are recorded to keep track of personal progress through CrossFit. What is recorded as a score varies.

Sometimes the score is the amount of time it takes to complete a CrossFit workout, sometimes it's the amount of weight lifted, and sometimes it's the amount of reps, Quirke says.

Brandon Quirke plays with one of his sons.

The workouts are very difficult, regardless of how fun the environment may be.

“I did not know what I was getting myself into the first day,” Albers says, laughing.

CrossFit is a grassroots company where advertising is not the main focus, and members come by word of mouth. Quirke has tried to market her gym in the past but found the people who come to CrossFit for a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix are the people who stick with it. The gym’s numbers are increasing, and Quirke says she’s the busiest she’s ever been.

CrossFit Southeast Ohio offers a program called Gymrats that teaches kids gross motor functions, coordination, flexibility and the fundamentals of gymnastics in addition to teamwork and respect. Also, Quirke recently got certified in Crossfit Kids so she can train children between the ages of 3 and 18.

With two kids under the age of 3, she believes CrossFit Kids will be what she is really passionate about.

Quirke calls having two toddlers and owning a business “a balance.”

“Some days I don’t think I’m being a good mom, some days I don’t think I’m being a good business owner, and I think that’s a normality to kind of fluctuate back and forth,” she says. “But at the end of the day, I just try to give a little bit of both each and every hour that I can.” b

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39

ENTERTAINMENT

DANCING THE

JITTERS Two on-campus clubs invite students to bust a move on the dance floor.

BY ALLY LANASA | PHOTO BY KAITLYN MEINZER

“I

wanna learn shim sham. Why you wanna? So I can shim sham with you.”

The opening lyrics to “The Shim Sham Song” by The Bill Elliot Swing Orchestra play as Kathryn Presler and Taylor Hostler count off, “Five. Six. Seven. Eight.” The dancers around them follow their lead and do the first steps of the shim sham: single, single, double.

“And hips!” Hostler instructs.

The shim sham is a fast-paced swing dance that begins with solo moves — including kickbacks, scuffs and the Shorty George — and ends with a partnered freestyle.

During her freshman year, Presler, president of the Jitterbug Club, took her now-boyfriend to “How-To Jitterbug” where the two hit it off as dance partners. They began dating shortly after.

That event was her first introduction to swing dance and the club, and it was enough to get her hooked.

The Jitterbug Club, one of several dancing clubs on campus, invites students to attend meetings and learn various styles of partner dancing. New dancers shouldn’t fret about stepping on a few toes or missing a beat, though, because the hour-long dance lessons are geared toward beginners.

“I like swing dancing so much because there’s so much you can do with it,” Presler says. “There’s not really any wrong way to do it, so, I love that! You don’t always have to know every step to be good. There’s always something to learn, always something to improve.”

The club, which was established in the early 2000s, starts each meeting with a beginner lesson and finishes with free dance: a time designated for students to review specific dance styles or to simply gather and bust a move. The Jitterbug Club teaches a vast range of swing dances including the East Coast, the Lindy Hop, the Charleston, the Balboa, the Blues and, of course, the Jitterbug.

Swing dancing consists of American Rhythm dances that originated in the late 1920s combined with the evolution of

40

backdrop | Fall 2017

AWAY

YOU CAN SHIM SHAM, TOO — HERE’S HOW: SCUFFS Kick out, then slide foot back into place 1

2

1

2

KICKBACKS Kick back, then step foot back into place 1

2

SHORTY GEORGE

Put knees together and move back and forth

MEETING INFORMATION: • •

The Ballroom Dance Club will meet Nov. 21, Dec. 5, Feb. 27 and April 24 at 7 p.m. in Baker 240 The Jitterbug Club meets on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in Baker 240/242.

swing jazz music in New York’s Harlem district. Social swing dance is characterized by six-beat and eight-beat patterns.

The Charleston is one example of a swing dance that can be performed solo or with a partner. It’s characterized by fastpaced steps, the swaying of the hips and engagement with the dancer’s whole body.

“I like Charleston because it is a fun, upbeat dance,” Presler says. “You can go quite fast or you can slow it down depending on the song.”

Presler teaches lessons with Hostler, the vice president, and schedules other instructors to lead the weekly meetings. The pair also plan group trips to SwingColumbus events to engage with the swing dancing community and learn new routines. The club organizes social dances at least once per semester; last year, the club hosted a 1920s-themed dance on Dads Weekend.

The Jitterbug Club occasionally coordinates with other groups, such as the Ballroom Dance Club, to teach students new steps and dances. In September, the Ballroom Dance Club’s faculty adviser, Andrew Pueschel, taught Jitterbug Club members how to dance East Coast Swing, a fastpaced, social partner dance that originated in the 1940s.

Pueschel, a professional ballroom and Latin dancer, accepted a position at Ohio University in fall 2016 and noticed the absence of a ballroom dancing organization on campus. He created the Ballroom Dance Club, which held its first meeting in October 2016, to emphasize the benefits of partner dancing.

“Partner dancing is something where not only is it a safe place to take risks in terms of socialization and physical activity, coordination, mental ability, it’s something that anyone and everyone can do,” he says. “And it is enjoyable.”

The club meets only a few times a year due to the small membership size, which Pueschel hopes to increase by making the workshop-based meetings free. The meetings feature partner ballroom dancing, which consists of about 20 different dances.

Pueschel wants students to have fun and be successful, so he teaches styles of dance that have easy routines, such as swing and salsa, but also teaches students how to waltz, cha-cha and do the Argentine Tango.

He hopes the organization will compete in partner dancing at the collegiate level in the future.

“It is a dream of mine to have a competition team via ballroom but at this time, we have to get regular membership up first,” he says.

Pueschel and Presler encourage students of all different backgrounds and skill levels to join in the fun and enjoy the benefits from the physical and social aspects of partner dancing.

“Ballroom dancing and social dancing alike, it’s a free area for anybody to learn,” Presler says. “It doesn’t matter how much or how little you know. It’s just a good space for anybody to come out and try it.” b

Megan Stickney and Joshua McMarrow freestyle partner dance to the end of "The Shim Sham Song."

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41

ENTERTAINMENT

WITH THE TIMES 42 42

backdrop | Fall 2017 backdrop | Fall 2017

Andrew Chiki lines up his shot during a night out with friends at Rollerbowl Lanes.

Rollerbowl Lanes, an Athens staple since 1958, is adapting to the evolving community.

BY ALEXIS MCCURDY | PHOTO BY JORDAN ALLISON

I

t’s Friday night on Palmer Street. Strokes of blue light with accents of pink are painted across the canvas of the lanes. The patterns created by the light dance enthusiastically, accompanying the music that fills the room with a deep bass. The clattering of pins as they fall to the ground and the smooth tap of bowling shoes mingle with vibrant laughter. Rollerbowl Lanes continues its longstanding tradition of entertaining customers from all walks of life.

Since its opening in 1958, Rollerbowl has proven to be a staple of the Athens community. Owner Roger Kasler, son of the original owner, attributes the business’ success to the way Rollerbowl caters toward every customer.

“It’s all great, usually,” Kasler says. “We try to provide some place for people to come and enjoy themselves, … be it a family, be it a fraternity, be it a bunch of kids coming in together to have fun.”

Rollerbowl isn’t necessarily different from other bowling alleys, Kasler says; it’s just like the one in Logan, Ironton or Parkersburg. But when it’s the only set of lanes within a 30 mile radius, the business becomes an integral part to the community.

Kasler also says the diversity in customers has presented some challenges.

“The people here: it’s a huge spread,” Kasler says. “We deal with a ‘bowling marketing guru.’ He’s been in the business, and he specializes in marketing, but he has never figured out our market. What works and what doesn’t work, just because there’s such a big makeup.”

Kasler says the diversity of events in town pose additional threats.

“The lows are every summer, as I’m sure it is for many, many people,” Kasler says. “Our bowling right now is not what it was 20 years ago. People have changed. There’s a lot more to do now than there used to be, as far as recreation.”

Rollerbowl Lanes was conceived after Kasler’s father decided to transform half of his skating rink, known as Rollerkade, into a bowling alley. Rollerbowl was installed in “the low side” of the building, named because of the slight dip in elevation between the two halves of the establishment. It began with eight lanes. After some time, Rollerkade closed down completely, and Rollerbowl

became the sole occupant.

Following a pattern of change, Rollerbowl is introducing a variety of nightly programs to entice new customers. One of the programs is Quartermania, a night that features an $8 cover charge and everything else, including shoes, hot dogs, sodas and game of bowling, is a quarter a piece.

“We’re trying to offer some other programs in addition to other things that are available,” Kasler says. “We’re running a bunch of specials each week and each weekend. So if a person doesn’t like to do it this way, they can do it another way. We keep trying and changing.”

Not knowing what the future of Rollerbowl will be, Kasler is trying to focus on the here and now. Eventually, Kasler would like to see his co-manager and grandson, Tyler Lutz, continue the legacy. Lutz has been helping out the family business for quite sometime, doing everything from administrative work to hand-painting the colored stripes that line Rollerbowl’s walls.

“It’s a family business. It started out just being a job, but then it became much more that,” Lutz says.

However, Lutz is currently a senior who studies online through Southern New Hampshire University, and Kasler would like him to pursue other avenues with his higher education.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kasler says.

“Tyler’s in sports management, and I would expect him to go out and get a good job. Therefore I’m trying to keep [Rollerbowl] up as much as I can, so it has value to sell.”

Lutz says because it is his family’s business, his plans for after college might be derailed a bit. But for now, he’ll just keep working.

Looking into the future, Lutz has big plans for Rollerbowl.

One of his big goals is to modernize Rollerbowl’s business dynamic to adapt to the changing community around it.

“I want [Rollerbowl] to go more toward a sports bar. I’m trying to do little upgrades, like we’re putting in some new TVs so we can show fights and big games,” Lutz says.

Although Kasler is still trying to keep everything working in the meantime, Rollerbowl's main mission is to allow people to simply have fun. If they can’t do that, Kasler says it’s a fault on Rollerbowl’s side.

Tyler Bendig, a fifth-year senior, says that during the time he’s spent at Rollerbowl, he’s done exactly that.

“I really enjoyed the atmosphere,” Bendig says. “I felt like I could relax and not be worried about bowling scores.”

The welcoming atmosphere of Rollerbowl led to the establishment becoming a second home to Kasler.

“If you haven’t been, my advice would just be to come on down and try it; I promise you’ll have a lot of fun,” Kasler says. b

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43

VOICES

BY CORRINE RIVERS PHOTOS BY BRYCE SMITH

One Backdropper’s experience stringing together a personalized bracelet.

M

y mission at Beads & Things was clear: make a simple, yet distinctive bracelet. The goal seemed easy enough; I just needed an idea of what beads I wanted to incorporate. That became the hard part.

Beads & Things, located at 8 N. Shafer St., prides itself on its ever-growing collection of beads, and rightfully so. In a compact house tucked just past the West End Ciderhouse, the timeless store gives everyday people a chance to become jewelry makers.

When I walked in, a variety of colors and patterns immediately caught my eye. No wall was left bare, no shelf unoccupied. Every inch of space in the comfortable home had a purpose. Beads of all kinds sat in decorative jars, just waiting to be chosen for a vintage necklace or a funky bracelet.

For those who work at Beads & Things, the jewelry making process is all about giving customers the opportunity to be designers. The first step is to select individual beads that are of personal interest. After selecting the beads, a jewelry tray is used to arrange

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the beads in the desired pattern for the piece. With the assistance of an employee, the beads are strung together and finished with a clasp for easy wear.

At first, the process was overwhelming. I hadn’t been to Beads & Things before, so I was completely lost as to where I should start; I had absolutely no strategy for choosing beads. I made my way around in a few circles, oohing and ahhing at everything from the colossal charms to the tiny, yet very detailed, accent beads.

I thought to myself, “I will never be able to decide on anything. There are just too many options.” As luck would have it, Niko, a Beads & Things employee, came over and helped me find beads I was interested in. She walked me around the store, pointing out different beads and sharing the stories behind each one. She told me about the detailed stones from around the world: the sunstone from Canada, the pressed glass beads from the Czech Republic, the amethysts from Zambia and Brazil. She spoke with such enthusiasm I couldn’t help but want to buy them all.

What I didn’t realize was each shelf of beads was

color-coded with individual labels, which made my bead-choosing process a lot easier and less timeconsuming. I told Niko my favorite color was purple, and she presented me with three shelves filled with purple beads. Magenta, violet, lilac — you name it, and it was there. For the first time since I’d been in the store, I felt like I could focus on the small selection in front of me and take my time. After about 20 minutes of debating, I picked out my favorites and chose the order I wanted the beads in for my bracelet.

When I felt confident enough, I went back to Niko and she showed me how to put my bracelet together.

I sat down at a small wooden table and placed my individual beads on a jewelry tray. Using a brass cord to string the beads, crimps to keep them in place and a lobster clasp to connect the ends, I slowly — and with a lot of assistance — assembled my bracelet.

As I placed each one of my beads on the cord, Niko explained how they were made by crafters. My favorite was a bead called mookaite, a pale mauve sphere from

the town of Carnarvon in Western Australia, which gets its name from Mooka Creek. Mookaite beads are made from the natural patterns of mookaite rock, and each bead’s pattern is different from the next. Along with the mookaite, my bracelet included pearls, orange sunstone, brown jasper, purple amethyst and a gold-plated charm.

It made for a beautifully special fashion piece.

Beads & Things blew me away with its creative and innovative style of jewelry making. I was surprised to only pay $14.54 for an individual and special bracelet made just for me, which is much less expensive than buying a bracelet or necklace from a traditional jewelry store. Each bead is individually priced, ranging from 24 cents for accent beads to $5 for large, focal-point charms.

Based on my experience and my conversations with Niko, I will definitely be going back with my dormmates to make inexpensive Christmas and birthday presents.

If you want to add a few unique pieces to your jewelry collection, Beads & Things is the place to go. b

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Exhibit A.

Graduate student Adonis Durado has won more than 100 individual awards for his infographics, illustration and design.

WORK BY ADONIS DURADO

RIGHT

"Plan of Attack"

LEFT

"Declutter: Does your life need a restart?"

RIGHT

"The Age of Distraction"

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backdrop | Fall 2017

www.backdropmagazine.com

47

5

1. Bystander in background on the right side is gone 2. The black stripe on the Yemen flag is now green 3. The fourth window from the top left is now open 4. The shoes of the man in the front left are now orange 5. The Ohio University shirt in the right of the frame is now plain green

4 3 2 1

ORIGINAL PHOTO BY SARAH WILLIAMS

Spot the five differences between these photos of the 2017 Homecoming Parade.

PHOTO HUNT

Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery first opened its doors in 2005. Since then, we’ve expanded to include 3 unique Athens locations. Stop by our original Brewpub, located at 24 W Union Street, and sample 18 exclusive drafts made with locally grown ingredients. Right next door, our Public House restaurant features 30 different draft lines and a delicious, locally sourced menu that offers something for everyone.

Public House 22 West Union Street Daily 11am-2am

BrewPub & Public

House N. Congress St.

Court St.

Carpenter St. ve.

Stimson A

Taproom & Brewery 25 Campbell Street Mon-Thurs 2pm-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 12pm-7pm

W. Union St.

BrewPub 24 West Union Street Thur-Sat 4pm-2am

Taproom & Brewery

Just a mile from our uptown locations is our Taproom and Production Brewery, located at 25 Campbell Street. With 16 additional taps, food cart, and a large outdoor patio, it’s a perfect retreat at the edge of town. backdrop | Fall 2017 48@jackieosbrewery

www.jackieos.com