Pickerington Magazine August/September 2015

T h e O f f i c i a l M a g a z i n e o f t h e C i t y o f P i c k e r i n g t o n a n d V i o l e t To w n s h i p

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015

Shutterbugs!

Pickerington residents submit their favorite shots for our annual look at the community

ALSO INSIDE Bicentennial Boxing Big Brothers Big Sisters Library Director Retires

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inside

August/September 2015

6 Calendar 9

News and Information from the City of Pickerington

11

News and Information from Violet Township

p.14

14

faces

Turning a New Page Third decade of service will be the last for Pickerington Public Library director

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in focus Big Time

Growth of local BBBS chapter means more opportunities for children in need of companionship

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Festivity and Fisticuffs

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Shutterbugs

p.25

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Bicentennial boxing exhibition pays tribute to Pickerington’s pugilistic past

Life through the lenses of Pickerington residents

Hailing History Pickerington celebrates two centuries

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p.26 On the cover Shutterbugs submission by Michael Magee

student spotlight Arts and Sciences

Music, physics and a tireless work ethic keep Central senior going

28 on the table Special Orders

Generosity is on the menu for Meals on Wheels restaurant partners

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bookmarks

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www.pickeringtonmagazine.com www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

6810 Thrush Dr. - Canal Winchester 5

community calendar

Mark your calendar for these community events

August 2015 Through Sept. 24

Aug. 22

Thursdays, 4-7 p.m., 89 N. Center St., www.pickeringtonvillage.com More than 30 vendors offer baked goods, fresh produce, crafts and more.

1-8 p.m., New Albany Links, 7100 New Albany Links Dr., New Albany, www.tylerslight.com This event – with a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start and a 6 p.m. dinner – raises money for Tyler’s Light, a Pickeringtonbased organization dedicated to providing information and resources to fight drug addiction.

Tyler’s Light Golf Outing

Aug. 1

Free Kids’ Party Noon-4 p.m., Pickerington Senior Center, 150 Hereford Dr., www.pickeringtonseniorcenter.org The Pickerington Senior Center hosts rides and food – including hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones and KoolAid – for children 12 years and under.

Aug. 2

Summer Concert Series 7-8:30 p.m., Sycamore Park, Amphitheater, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.net The final performance of the 2015 Summer Concert Series features rock group the Floorwalkers.

Aug. 7

Family Luau Night 6-9 p.m., Pickerington Community Pool, 11330 Stonecreek Dr., www.pickerington.net Visitors are asked to bring a dish to the pool’s annual Hawaiian potluck.

Aug. 11

Summer Dog Tales 6:30-7:30 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org Children ages 5-10 can sign up to read one-on-one with a canine buddy provided by the Connection.

Aug. 25

Violet Township Women’s League Meeting 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 283, 7725 Refugee Rd., www.vtwl.org At its monthly meeting, which is open to guests as well as members, the league hosts a potluck and meet-and-greet.

Aug. 29

15th Anniversary Celebration Fundraiser 6-9 p.m., Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, www.decartsohio.org The Decorative Arts Center celebrates 15 years with cuisine by Pacers Catering, live entertainment, a silent auction and a cash bar, with proceeds benefiting the center’s arts education program.

Aug. 13

First Day of School www.pickerington.k12.oh.us Grades 1-12 go back to school. Kindergarten starts Aug. 19.

Aug. 13

Brown Bag Book Club 1-2 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s lunchtime book club discusses Ordinary Grace by Kent Krueger.

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www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Farmers’ market photo courtesy of Margaret Arendt; Floorwalkers photo courtesy of the Floorwalkers; Dog Tales photo courtesy of Pickerington Public Library

Pickerington Farmers’ Market

September 2015 Sept. 3

Founders’ Day Banquet 6:30 p.m., Pickerington Senior Center, 150 Hereford Dr., www.pickeringtonhistoricalsociety.com Former mayors of Pickerington will be honored at the 29th annual Founders’ Day Banquet, organized by the Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society.

Sept. 5-7

Photo courtesy of Brian Fox

Pickerington Bicentennial Celebration 2-10 p.m., Sept. 5 and 6; 10 a.m.6 p.m., Sept. 7; Victory Park, 100 Lockville Rd., www.pick2015.com Pickerington’s yearlong slate of bicentennial activities concludes with its three-day homecoming celebration, featuring carnival games, inflatables and other children’s entertainment, live

Mayors Dale Huntwork, Tom Burkhardt, Randy Hughes, Rita Ricketts, Tom Brubaker and Lee Gray

music, amateur boxing matches, food era historical demonstration and the vendors, a parade, fireworks, an 1815- annual Lions Club Fish Fry.

Turnberry Travel Presents

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Come and learn how Princess and Turnberry Travel can make your dream a reality

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Wednesday, September 23, 7–9 pm at The Fairfield Inn • 2826 Taylor, Rd. Reynoldsburg

RSVP by Sept. 16th

614.866.4411 www.TurnberryTravel.com 1184 Hill Rd. North (Next to Red Velvet Café) ships of Bermuda and British registry.

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

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September 2015 Sept. 7

Dog Splash 4-7 p.m., Pickerington Community Pool, 11330 Stonecreek Dr., www.pickerington.net The pool closes out its 2015 season with a pool party for pooches. Owners must provide proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations, and no dogs in heat are allowed.

Sept. 10

Brown Bag Book Club 1-2 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s lunchtime book club discusses The Dinner by Herman Koch.

Sept. 12-Dec. 31

Early Visions of Ohio: 1765-1865 Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, www.decartsohio.org This exhibition features paintings, drawings, maps and other items depicting Ohio that were created between 1765 and 1865.

Sept. 16

Sept. 19

The Picture of Health opening 1 p.m., Ohio Glass Museum, 124 W. Main St., Lancaster, www.ohioglassmuseum.org In conjunction with Fairfield Medical Center’s 100 Years of Caring celebration, the museum’s new exhibition focuses on glass used to provide medical services over the last century.

The exhibition is scheduled to run for a year.

Book to Reel: A Movie Lovers Book Club 7-8 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s new film-centric book club discusses To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Sept. 19

Born on Krypton … Created in Cleveland 11 a.m.-noon, Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org Mike Olszewski – president of the Siegel and Shuster Society, a group dedicated to providing information about the Ohio origins of Superman – gives a presentation on the superhero, including rare artifacts and unseen video.

Sept. 25-26

Civil War Symposium

Sept. 11

Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Challenge 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Cumberland Trail Golf Club, 8244 Columbia Rd. SW, Pataskala, www.pickeringtonchamber.com Registration is at 10:30 a.m., lunch is at 11 a.m., a shotgun start is at noon and a dinner and awards reception is at 5 p.m.

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Shaw’s Restaurant & Inn, 123 N. Broad St., Lancaster, www.fairfieldheritage.org The Fairfield Heritage Association’s annual Civil War event features speaker Robert L. O’Connell, author of Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman.

Submit Your Event

Do you have an event you would like to submit to our calendar?

Send details and photos to gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

INSIDE

PICKERINGTON

N E W S & I N F OR M ATI O N F R O M T H E C I T Y O F P I C K E R I NGT ON

Bicentennial Bash

A look at this year’s Labor Day celebration Nearly 10,000 people are expected to come home for a spectacular Pickerington 2015 Bicentennial Homecoming over Labor Day Weekend.

The three-day event, sponsored in part by OhioHealth, kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.

Pickerington Mayor Lee Gray said it is important to celebrate the City’s heritage.

“It’s our bicentennial – our City’s 200th birthday,” Gray said. “And it’s an opportunity to celebrate how our community has evolved over 200 years.”

The Bicentennial Committee has partnered with the Pickerington Lions Club to make this an “event to remember,” said Tammy Sawyer, committee member and executive assistant to the Mayor.

To celebrate, adults and children will enjoy inflatables, a zip line, laser tag, Extreme Air and many other attractions at Victory Park provided by SuperGames.

There will also be carnival games, live music, live boxing, more than a dozen

food vendors and the Lions Club Fish Fry in the park each day.

History will be relived with a Vintage Square area near the Historical Society and Museum. Vintage Square gives visitors a glimpse of what life in Pickerington was like in 1815.

Activities begin at 2 p.m. on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 and end at 10 p.m. On Monday, Sept. 7, the fun begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m.

Several special events are planned during the Homecoming, including a performance by Reaganomics, a Columbusbased 1980s party and dance band at

7 p.m. Sunday, and fireworks at 9 p.m. following.

On Monday, residents will enjoy a large Labor Day parade with six 28-foot floats, marching bands, and other surprises to entertain the crowd at 10 a.m.

When the candles are finally blown out on the Bicentennial celebration, Mayor Gray hopes that a couple of his wishes come true.

“I hope that we bring our community closer by providing fun activities for all ages and that people learn about our history during the process,” Gray said. “The Labor Day Homecoming and Fish Fry has been a Pickerington tradition for more than 60 years. I hope this event helps to let everyone know about the tradition and that it continues for many years to come.”

To learn more about Pickerington’s bicentennial celebration, please visit www.pick2015.com.

Corridor Creation

Refugee Road project will make it easier to get from one end of Pickerington to another The City of Pickerington has been awarded $13.65 million to transform Refugee Road into a convenient corridor designed to ease traffic congestion in the area.

The latest major roadway project for the City comes on the heels of an $8 million safety and beautification project for State Rt. 256 that is currently underway.

City Engineer Scott Tourville said the new project is just in the design stage, but it will eventually improve about 1.3 miles of roadway that feeds into the State Rt. 256 and Refugee Road intersection.

The project will travel from Wheatfield Drive, which is the western corporation www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

New Ohio Health facility at 1010 Refugee Road

limit, to near Woodstock Avenue, the eastern corporation limit.

Road work includes widening, reconstructing and resurfacing the present four lanes to five and adding center turn lanes or medians if necessary. Drain-

age improvements and pedestrian/bike pathways are also a part of the major construction project.

“These improvements will provide long-term capacity to the Refugee corridor. We’ll be able to provide the 9

News and information from the City of Pickerington

necessary infrastructure for both current and future traffic volumes,” Tourville said.

“We should be able to get ahead of problems, rather than trying to catch up to traffic problems down the road. Being able to use the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) money really helps, since we’re leveraging that with the other grant funds to do the work all at once.”

Funds for the projects come from a $5.75 million award from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, $4.4 million in TIF from Ohio Health and $3.5

million from the Ohio Department of Transportation Safety Program.

“Projects are funded based on the merits of the project, benefits to the public, available funds and how this project compares to other projects seeking funds at that time,” Tourville said. “We have a very good project in terms of benefits to the public, so we’ve scored well enough to receive significant funds.”

While construction on the corridor is not slated to begin until late 2018, plan-

ning for the major roadway improvement project is underway. Part of the planning process will center on the impact construction work will have on traffic, especially during rush hours.

“We’ll try to balance the need to complete the project quickly and costeffectively with the need to maintain traffic,” Tourville said.

Construction on the corridor is expected to be completed in 2019.

An Investment in Leadership

Training program for police sergeant will bolster department’s operations The Pickerington Police Department knows that an investment in its officers is an investment in the community.

Recently, the department made a commitment to send a member of its leadership team to a special training program in Columbus. Sgt. Chad Wallace, who has 16 years’ experience in law enforcement, attended an 11-week course through the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.

The Public Safety Leadership Academy course was developed by the university and the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The program is funded by the state of Ohio and paid for with taxes from casinos so that law enforcement agencies are not burdened with the cost.

Pickerington Police Chief Mike Taylor recommended Wallace for the intensive training, which is designed to enhance the skills of law enforcement supervisors and leaders throughout the state.

University professors, law enforcement instructors and other professionals taught courses that centered on cultural diversity, modern leadership styles, interpersonal and organizational communication, union contract negotiations, grant writing, leadership, and the development of large-scale enforcement initiatives.

“The training I received will be passed on to the officers I supervise to help them make better decisions, communicate better with the public and 10

positively handle challenging situations in an appropriate manner.”

citydirectory Pickerington City Hall, 100 Lockville Rd.

(All numbers prefixed with the 614 area code)

Sgt. Chad Wallace (center)

learn more about themselves so they can better serve the community,” Wallace said.

In addition to the instruction provided to the law enforcement executive team members, the academy conducted personal assessments of the students to determine their strengths and weaknesses so that they could use their skills to their advantage.

Wallace said the assessments instilled a renewed confidence in his skills, and the training was a valuable experience.

“It is important for the Police Department to invest in its supervisors and get them this kind of training so that they will be ready to take over leadership roles within the department when current staff members retire,” Wallace said. “These officers are then better equipped to train people below them to take over their positions as they move up within the department. It also gives the department the leadership skills to

Building Services ..................... 833-2221 City Clerk/Council..................... 837-3974 City Manager........................... 837-3974 Development Services.............. 833-2204 Engineering Services ............... 833-2221 Finance Services...................... 837-3974 Human Resources.................... 837-3974 Income Tax Division.................. 837-4116 Mayor’s Office (Lee A. Gray)............................ 837-3974 Mayor’s Court.......................... 837-3974 Parks and Recreation............... 833-2211 Police Services......................... 575-6911 Service Department Streets.................................... 833-2292 Utility Billing............................. 833-2289 Utility Maintenance................... 833-2292 Water Plant.............................. 833-2290 Waste Water Plant.................... 837-6490 Water Reclamation.................. 837-6470 www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

News and Information From

Violet Township

By John Eisel, Violet Township Director of Operations

Community Service Performed

by Ridgeview Junior High Students

T

hank you to the youth of our community.

We were recently approached

by Susan Caudill, the principal of Ridgeview Junior High School, asking if we had “any work that needed done” at our Township facilities. We responded to her request and, as part of their community service projects, 22 hardworking, kind and amazing junior high students were delivered to our administrative office. Another 22 students were delivered to our Service Center facility.

They performed many landscaping tasks, such as pulling weeds, loading wheelbarrows with mulch, shoveling, planting flowers and mulching. It was fun and interactive, and we were all proud to be part of their project.

Many thanks to the great students of Ridgeview for all of their work.

Oct. 11, 2015 Annual Fire Department Open House 1-3 p.m.

Our annual Open House is always a huge day for our community. It is an event you and your family don’t want to miss! www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

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From the Violet Township Fire Department

By Assistant Chief Jim Paxton

VTFD Works to Engage Children – and Potential Future Firefighters

B

eing a history buff, I often wonder if the parents of the “Greatest Generation” had any premonition of what their children would face and accomplish as adults.

As a parent, how do you know if you are properly preparing your children for their future? What skills and aptitudes will they need? How will the decisions we make affect the world our children will inherit? What can we do today to fortify their future?

The Violet Township Fire Department (VTFD) is invested in the children of our community. As public servants, the membership of VTFD realizes and understands the responsibility we have in providing for the safety and the increased awareness of the community.

This is especially relevant when it comes to children.

Members of the fire department have actively participated in safety talks and tours at the fire houses, schools, community events and birthday parties.

In conjunction with the Pickerington Local School District, the VTFD helps organize and run the Holiday Toy Drive.

The VTFD offers car seat installation and provides juvenile fire-setter consultations. The department strives to find ways to update and enhance our safety services and messages.

Though most elementary schoolaged children are eager to see the fire trucks and firefighters, it often is more difficult for us to effectively reach out to and communicate with the junior highand high school-aged crowd. The VTFD has found ways to interact with these age groups through participation in organizations and functions such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Exploring and the former Mentorship Program.

The department has also had success teaching a “Baby-Sitters” first aid and CPR class.

The interactions with the youth of the community have proven to be a valuable

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tool. On several occasions, our crews have arrived on a scene to find the child of the residence has been the one to initiate a 9-1-1 call, start CPR or react in a manner that made a significant difference in a safe outcome of the incident.

Kids are smart and often remain calm in moments of crisis and chaos.

As we near fall, we grow closer to fire safety month and the annual fire department Open House (Oct. 11). Please honor us with the privilege of showing you the Violet Township Fire Department. One of the youthful visitors may grow to be the chief one day. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

By Tommy Springer, Conservation Technician/Wildlife Specialist, Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District

Take Steps to Reduce Water Pollution Caused by Pet and Goose Waste

W

ater quality has been at the forefront of many issues nationwide over the years, but never, it seems, more so than the last year.

From the recent drinking water advisory on the west side of Columbus to the ongoing drought in California, people have expressed great concern over the quality and availability of water, and rightfully so. While access to clean drinking water in the community is generally taken for granted, there is always the potential for negative impacts to local water sources.

Some of the most common pollutants found in any body of water are the various forms of coliform bacteria such as E. coli. These bacteria can cause a host of diseases in people and create multiple problems for fish and other aquatic organisms.

They often originate from the manure of warm-blooded animals such as humans, pets and wild birds and animals.

Because a majority of the community is connected to a central sewer system or permitted home septic systems, the main source of coliform bacteria comes from domestic and wild animals.

There are more than 4,200 registered dogs in the 43147 ZIP code alone, and they create an average of ¾ pounds of feces per day. That’s almost 1.5 tons of untreated waste that could potentially pollute our waters daily. However, responsible pet owners who pick up after their dogs and properly dispose of the waste can prevent much of the bacterialaden feces from getting washed into nearby bodies of water.

One other large source of E. coli in the area is waste from an animal that is a little more difficult to manage: the good old neighborhood Canada goose.

Geese are among the the few wild animals that have readily adapted to an urban environment and, in many cases, prefer the well-manicured lawns and parks present throughout the communi-

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

ty. Also, as many of you have undoubtedly noticed, Canada geese can create a copious amount of waste and often deposit it near water sources.

There are other habits of geese that make their contributions to water pollution such a problem. Geese like to assemble large flocks in small areas and, in an urban environment where food is plentiful, often don’t leave an area unless forced out by harassment or bad weather. These preferred locations become literal dumping grounds for goose waste, and the bacteria and nutrients from the goose droppings can be concentrated in nearby ponds and streams.

Residents and property owners can help reduce the amount of feces by taking a couple of simple steps to reduce an area’s attractiveness to geese: 1. Stop feeding the geese.

Not only does this reduce the natural fear factor wild animals have towards humans, but the snack of choice, white bread, is lacking many nutrients geese need in their daily diet. The old phrase “don’t feed the animals” has been around for such a long time because it is as relevant today as it was many years ago.

2. Discourage geese from using a pond by simply allowing some vegetation to grow along the water’s edge. Cattails, bulrushes and sedges are all native plants that, if allowed to spread around portions of a pond, make a site less appealing to geese. Tall vegetation obstructs visibility for waterfowl and makes them feel less secure from predators, which is why many of the development and condominium

retention ponds that are mowed right to the water’s edge are so attractive to these birds.

Pet owners, property managers and concerned citizens can each play their part in helping to reduce the amount of animal waste entering the water supply, and we at the Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District hope everyone will take the necessary steps to preserve the quality of our water.

How to Reach Us Violet Township Administrative Offices 12970 Rustic Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147 614-575-5556 www.violet.oh.us Violet Township Fire Stations Phone 614-837-4123 Fire Chief: Michael Little #592: 8700 Refugee Rd. #591: 21 Lockville Rd. #593: 2365 Taylor Park Dr. (behind hhgregg) Violet Township Service Center Phone: 614-382-5979 490 Center St. Pickerington, OH 43147 13

faces

By Sarah Sole

Third decade of service will be the last for Pickerington Public Library director

A

fter 30 years with the organization, Director Suellen Goldsberry is retiring from the Pickerington Public Library in August.

In the three positions she has held during her tenure, Goldsberry effected change on a variety of levels, from her efforts to automate the library system in 1990 to securing the passage of a muchneeded 2009 operating levy.

Goldsberry has also seen the library’s patrons grow from children to adults, some of whom now take their own children to visit the library. Her own introduction to the library also happened at a young age.

“I grew up in a family that really appreciated library service,” Goldsberry says.

Her father served on the Pickerington Public Library board for 20 years.

Her grandmother, who lived in rural Athens County and was unable to drive, got her library books delivered by mail.

While her grandmother never completed high school, Goldsberry says, she never stopped learning.

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Born in 1950 in Athens, Goldsberry moved with her parents to Pickerington when she was 3. Her childhood was marked by an appreciation of literature, a love that would grow into something more concrete when she volunteered at her school library.

“That just sort of planted the seed,” she says.

Still, Goldsberry is careful to separate her love for library work from her love for reading, saying the former has to do more with providing a service and helping people. After all, she says, she’s never read a book on the job.

Goldsberry joined the library in September 1985 as the first full-time children’s librarian, responsible for story times and children’s programming. The facility was in the old Carnegie Library Building at 15 E. Columbus St. back then, and the children’s library, which she managed by herself, was downstairs,.

The position worked well for Goldsberry, whose love for children initially

motivated her to pursue elementary education when she first attended college.

“I looked at my time as a children’s librarian not so much as work as getting paid to play,” she says.

In 1990, Goldsberry helped automate the library system. Together with a coworker, she worked nights for about a month to add barcodes to each of the library’s approximately 48,000 books.

Technology has evolved with Goldsberry’s career. Prior to her employment, she had to work on a computer for one of her classes in library education.

“I was scared to death of that thing,” she says.

When Goldsberry began working as a full-time library employee, she did so while also maintaining her roles as fulltime student and full-time mother of three young girls.

Goldsberry had left Asbury College (now University) in Wilmore, Ky. at age 20 to get married. In her late 30s, motivated by her father and grandmother, she decidwww.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Photo by Sarah Sole

Turning a New Page

2014 Pursuit of Excellence Award

Photo courtesy of Suellen Goldsberry

Each year, only two percent of funeral homes earn the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the National Funeral Directors Association. Ours is one of them.

Since 1982, the NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award has been a hallmark for those funeral homes that are committed to providing exceptional service to grieving families and the community, while adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards.

You and your family can trust our staff to exceed your expectations – and provide award-winning service – before, during and after the funeral.

CANAL WINCHESTER 650 West Waterloo St. Canal Winchester, OH 43110

Suellen Goldsberry celebrates her birthday with her granddaughters. From left to right: Kendall Brown, Rylan Brown and Lilith Kile.

ed to return to college, this time attending Ohio University’s Lancaster campus.

While her parents were supportive of her decision, her husband was decidedly less so.

When Goldsberry told her husband she wanted to return to school and become a librarian, he refused to pay for it.

She took out a student loan and paid her own way. Her marriage ended when she was 42.

At one point, when her marriage was in distress, Goldsberry, who had become a single parent, had to cut back to taking one course at a time. Her youngest daughter, then 19, was still living at home. Then, in 2000, her 80-year-old father suffered a massive heart attack and died.

Goldsberry credits her professor at the time for helping her stay motivated.

“If she hadn’t been so understanding, I think at that point, I would have just given up, because it was just too overwhelming,” Goldsberry says.

Goldsberry graduated with a bachelor of science degree in organizational communication, since the university did away with its library media program.

Goldsberry became assistant director in 2000 and held the position for nearly www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

(614) 837-7126

PICKERINGTON 550 Hill Rd. N Pickerington, OH 43147

www.spencefuneralhome.com

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16

The children’s area of the Pickerington Library has changed a great deal since Goldsberry began working at the library.

six years. During that time, she enrolled in Ohio University’s executive public administration program. She became director in February 2006 and graduated with her master’s degree in 2007.

In 2009, Goldsberry led a successful campaign for an operating levy. While the library passed a bond issue in the early 1990s to build its facility, by 2009, Pickerington had grown considerably. The campaign was a multi-year project, and one the library very much needed to win.

“Things had gotten tight enough that we had to let some people go,” Goldsberry says.

Luckily, Goldsberry had people close to her who could provide advice. Her daughter was working for the Ohio State House of Representatives, while Bob Blair, director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, was a library board member.

Goldsberry’s community service has extended beyond her career. In 1993, she served a year as a Violet Township trustee after being appointed to fill a vacancy. Following that, she served on the township’s zoning board. She has been involved in the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce since 2006, when she became library director. For several years, she served on the Taste of Pickerington Committee, and she’s currently chairwoman of the board.

Her outreach efforts throughout her career haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2011, Goldsberry received the Pickerington Alumni Association Outstanding Mem-

ber Award and, in 2013, she received an ATHENA Award from the Chamber.

When she retires at the end of August, Goldsberry hopes to spend time with her family. Her granddaughters are 11, 7 and 3. She especially wants time to connect with the eldest before the preteen gets much older.

“I had a very special relationship with my grandmother, so I guess that’s what I’m wanting,” Goldsberry says.

Goldsberry also looks forward to spending more time with her mother, who is 93.

In addition to cleaning up her own garden, Goldsberry will also help her niece with her special events floral business.

“I never wanted to stick around and become the one that was hiding in the office waiting to retire,” Goldsberry says.

Sarah Sole is an editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Pickerington Public Library joins Central Library Consortium • The library’s outreach program • The ATHENA Award, which Goldsberry won in 2013 • Pickerington’s “Officer Batman” retires www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

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in focus

By Hannah Bealer

Photos courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County

Big Time

B

ig Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County is looking to expand its reach in the Pickerington community as more and more parents, guardians and teachers refer children to the mentoring program.

The Fairfield County branch of Big Brothers Big Sisters has been in operation since the mid-1980s, but it entered Pickerington Local Schools about five years ago.

“It was really born out of corporate and local volunteers, and we worked with the schools to help facilitate how the matches could meet during the school days,” says Kim Clark, executive director of the Fairfield County branch.

In 2014, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County served about 220 children. About 25 of those children were from Pickerington Local Schools.

18

Growth of local BBBS chapter means more opportunities for children in need of companionship

“It’s certainly a growing program,” says Clark.

Though the program’s size did not increase much the first few years, a growing number of referrals in the community has jump-started a search for Bigs to pair with Littles and a look into what the school district’s needs are.

Reliable volunteers, Clark says, can be found just about anywhere.

“My goal, as I’m coming into the end of my first year (with the organization), is to put some focus and some energy into the program,” Clark says. “If anything, our goal is to grow our Pickerington program because we know that the need is tremendous. … Now is the time to reach out to the community and make sure that everyone in Pickerington knows we are here and available.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters offers two types of programming:

A Big and his two Littles attend Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Bowl for Kids Sake fundraising event.

• Community-Based Mentoring: A Big and his or her Little spend unstructured time together, usually two to four times a month for two or three hours.

They can participate in a variety of activities together, from going to the fair or the movie theater to playing sports at a local park. The goal is to help Littles learn new skills and explore new interests.

• School-Based Mentoring: Bigs meet with Littles regularly during the school year. In Pickerington, Bigs meet with their Littles about once a week during lunch time.

“We have a lot of kids who, through mentoring, get scholastic help,” Clark says. “A teacher might (ask a Little) to read (with his or her Big), or do some of those basic things kids might not have someone at home to help with.” www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

While any child will be considered for the program, Clark says some come from nontraditional or troubled homes.

Sometimes, a child has merely moved away for the first time, there’s been a death in the family or his or her parents are going through a divorce.

“What we try to do is infuse an adult in the situation so that child can turn to them and talk to them,” Clark says. “It’s not a replacement for a parent, but it’s a third party who can stand back and offer extra support to the child.”

Ashley Aellig, a counselor at Harmon Middle School, says she’s witnessed the benefits of children having that mentor figure.

“What’s great about Big Brothers Big Sisters is that it’s a program that connects kids to the community and the school,”

Through community-based mentoring, a Big and his or her Little can participate in a variety of activities together, such as going to the movies or playing sports.

Kim Clark, right, receives a donation for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County.

An anonymous donor provided Bigs and Littles with tickets to an Ohio State University basketball game.

Aellig says. “The students look forward to that consistency. Their parents might have to work second shift, or maybe they have a babysitter. But with their Big, they know they have a personal connection.”

Aellig says that many of the children have participated in the program since elementary school.

“The students I talk to, especially the fifth-graders, were so excited to have their www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

“To me, a Big exemplifies patience. …

That’s what we’re all about at school, doIn school-based mentoring, Bigs and Littles are ing whatever we can to help whatever stuencouraged to read and complete homework together. dent is in front of us. That student is so lucky that their Big would do that.”

Bigs come in every Wednesday,” she says.

For more information on Big Brothers “They had established a consistent relation- Big Sisters of Fairfield County, visit www. ship with their Bigs. … At Harmon, we talk bbbs-fairfieldoh.org. a lot about how important it is for students to establish three adults they can count on.”

Hannah Bealer is an assistant Clark says the program works hard to editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ make sure the matches stay together. cityscenemediagroup.com.

“That’s always the dream – that you get those matches started when they’re in kindergarten or first grade, and that match will stay together for an extended period of time,” she says.

RELATED READS Aellig recalls one story from the past school year that stood out to her. A girl’s www.pickeringtonmagazine.com Big could not attend their session one day.

• STEM mentorship in Dublin When another student heard, that student’s Big invited the Little to spend time • Club Hope at Pickerington’s high schools with them.

“What a powerful thing that that Big • Central’s Butterfly Project taught those boys that day,” Aellig says. • Kids help out with pet food pantry 19

By Cameron Carr

Festivity and Fisticuffs

A

city only gets one bicentennial, so Pickerington is making sure its celebration this year packs a serious punch.

Literally.

Though the city has been celebrating its bicentennial all year, everything comes to a head with the homecoming festivities on Labor Day weekend. A variety of events will take place at and around Victory Park, including a parade, carnival games and fireworks.

These types of events are not uncommon for local-level celebrations, but one particular aspect stands out as unique: a series of USA Boxing sanctioned fights.

Starting at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6, fighters ranging from 8 to 30 years old will compete in amateur-style boxing matches. The competitors will vary greatly as both male and female boxers will compete in weight classes from 55 pounds to super heavyweight. “(It’s) some of the best fighters from around the area – high-level amateur boxing,” says Rob Pilger of Grandview Heights-based Pilger’s Old Skool Boxing and Fitness Academy, who is helping organize the event.

Pilger says that the variety in age groups, skill levels, genders and boxing styles will make the fights exciting to watch.

Mayor Lee Gray felt it important to include boxing in Pickerington’s bicentennial celebration to commemorate the city’s history with boxing and wrestling.

“Depending who you talk to, boxing and/or wrestling is a part of Pickerington’s history,” Gray says.

“There were matches Downtown.

And the late James Jeffries was from Pickerington; he was a world heavyweight champion. Having these fights is just another way to connect to our history.”

Though few definite details can be found about these long-ago fights

Bicentennial boxing exhibition pays tribute to Pickerington’s pugilistic past

in Pickerington, some residents maintain first-hand accounts. Gary Taylor, former president of the Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society, remembers wrestling events taking place in the community when he was growing up in the 1940s.

“I would’ve been 8 or 9 years old,” says Taylor, who attended some of the matches with his father.

The events took place in a vacant lot at the intersection of Columbus and Center streets that was typically used to screen movies on the side of a building. Taylor estimates fewer than 1,000 people made up the community at the time, which he says was still only a village. Without much access to theaters or televisions in the area, the movie nights and wrestling matches were the two biggest social events for residents.

The matches typically paired local wrestlers against each other and drew large crowds. A wrestler by the name of Boivin “Hap” Houser lived across the street from the empty lot and would organize many of the matches. Houser, a crowd favorite, frequently defeated his opponents.

Still, Taylor notes that Houser would invite his competitors over to clean off and eat dinner after the fights.

Taylor believes the matches were promoted by grassroots methods such as handmade signs and says there wasn’t as much showmanship as there is in many modern fighting events.

“I would relate it more to what you would see in high school and college today,” Taylor explains.

Beyond wrestling, Violet Township holds significance in boxing history as the birthplace of James J. Jeffries, who reigned as world heavyweight champion from 1899-1905.

He bested Bob Fitzsimmons for the

Championship boxer James J. Jeffries, a Violet Township native 20

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

H U G U E N I N F A M I LY

Photo by Hannah Bealer

D E N TA L Chad Huguenin, D.D.S.

Rob Pilger

championship and remained undefeated until his retirement. According to the Historical Society, Jeffries’ family left the area to settle in Los Angeles when he was 8 years old.

Jeffries, whose original home was moved piece by piece and reconstructed in the old village area of Canal Winchester, infamously suffered his only loss after coming out of retirement to fight Jack Johnson, the first African-American world heavyweight champion, in 1910.

Still, Jeffries’ strength and endurance during his career led many noteworthy boxers and promoters to label him as one of the greats.

Those interested in this aspect of Pickerington’s history, or anyone wanting to watch live boxing, can enjoy the free fights until 9 p.m., when the city will begin a fireworks display. Seats will be set up around the ring in addition to open space to watch from a hill.

Cameron Carr is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Irish amateur boxing at the Dublin Irish Festival • The history of Irish boxing • Boxer who competed at the Arnold • Self-defense for women • A different kind of punch www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

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21

Pickerington

Shutterbugs!

Life through the lenses of Pickerington residents

Andie Myers

Pamela Lauderback 22

Kelly Koesters www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Cheryl Bach

Jason Barton

Tyler Goodwin

Rebecca Medinger

Janice Thomas

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

23

Patricia Hunter

Start collecting your photos now for next year’s Pickerington Magazine Shutterbugs feature!

Mikayla Smith Jill Ann Ladrick

24

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

By Christina Szuch

Hailing History

Photos courtesy of Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society

P

ickerington’s bicentennial year has already been graced with a kickoff event, a time capsule opening, a tea party and a pool party, but the best – and biggest – is yet to come.

Labor Day weekend – Sept. 5-7 – will mark the city’s 200th birthday with a sizable homecoming celebration at Victory Park.

What sets this year’s event apart from the typical homecoming weekend?

“More entertainment, more games, more food,” says Rebecca Medinger, director of parks and recreation for the city. “We’re hoping that this event will draw attention to homecoming weekend and bring more people down to the Lions Club event in the years to come.”

The Pickerington Lions Club holds a fish fry and parade each Labor Day weekend.

At the homecoming celebration, there will be more than a dozen food vendors; games for all ages, including laser tag, inflatables and a zip line; live music; fireworks; an amateur boxing showcase; opportunities to explore the Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society’s museum; and a Vintage Square area reminiscent of the city circa 1815.

There will also be the traditional parade, which will include at least six 28-foot floats made specifically for this year’s event, along with hundreds of participants.

Pickerington celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1965 and its transition from village to city in 1990, but the bicentennial event will be its biggest yet, showing just how much the city has evolved over the past 200 years. Thinking back to the original founders of Pickerington and imagining their reaction to what it has become, Peggy Portier, president of the Historical Society, says they wouldn’t recognize it.

On Sept. 15, 1815, Abraham Pickering founded the town of Jacksonville. Twelve years later, it was officially renamed Pickerington. The town began with plots of land reserved for educational purposes, a cemetery and a church.

“The community has revolved around church, school and agriculture from the beginning,” says Portier.

It started off small, but railroads put the city on the map, Portier says. Commercial railroads passed through downtown Pickerington, attracting people to businesses such as the renowned Pickerington Creamery, which operated from 1900 to 1989. Though the creamery is long closed, historical artifacts are on display at its former site, 94 W. Church St. In its early years, Pickerington was home to a Methodist church, a four-lane duckpin bowling alley, boxing matches downtown, movies shown on the side of what is now Park Alley Banquet Hall, a Carnegie Library, farmland and schoolhouses, to which students were transported by horse-drawn wagons. The first high school graduating class consisted of four students.

Christina Szuch is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Pickerington celebrates two centuries The Independent Order of Odd Fellows band greets Pickerington Depot arrivals on Labor Day. The photo is estimated to date to 1915.

Above: A float in Pickerington’s sesquicentennial Labor Day parade in 1965. Left: The Tabernacle, which hosted United Brethren Association summer camps from 1889 to 1910.

Above: The 1907 construction of Violet Township High School, the city’s first high school. Left: A baseball card of Pickerington native Earl Moore, who played professionally from 1901 to 1914.

25

student spotlight

By Francis Pellicciaro

Student Spotlight is a new feature in Pickerington Magazine, featuring a student from a different area high school in every issue.

Arts and Sciences

Music, physics and a tireless work ethic keep Central senior going

I

f you see a princess walking down the streets of Pickerington, feel free to bow.

Alison Ross, who is entering her senior year at Pickerington High School Central, was crowned princess of Pickerington’s bicentennial celebration after sending in an essay and interviewing for the positon.

Ross may be able to wear a crown, but in her day-to-day life, she wears many hats. As she begins 12th grade, she is considering studying biochemistry in college, on a path toward attending graduate school for optometry.

The majority of people who study optometry choose biology or chemistry for their undergraduate college major, she says so “why not combine the two?”

The Ohio State University and Indiana University have been foremost in her considerations of a future graduate school, though she has also thought of going to optometry school in Puerto Rico.

Other scientific subjects that have captured her interest include chemistry

Ross was named one of the princesses of Pickerington’s bicentennial.

Ross with younger brother Brian 26

and physics. The latter appeals to her in no small part because of its application to one of her other activities: archery. After two years of practice with a recurve bow, she can hit a bull’s eye at 50 yards, and she has used her skill for examples in physics class.

Ross is also a varsity cheerleader at Central and has cheered for every season

of football and basketball since she was in seventh grade. She has been involved in music for even longer.

“I started playing piano in third grade,” she says.

She was introduced to the piano by her mother, Nancy. When the Central orchestra needs a pianist, Ross fills the role.

She knows the orchestra well, as she is also its principal cellist. When the group played for judges of the Ohio Music Education Association, she performed two songs on cello and one song on piano.

Ross also gives cello lessons and participates in a Pickerington Local School District volunteer program called For the Love of Music, for which she and other students have visited three Pickerington elementary schools and helped a teacher introduce children to music.

“I enjoy working with younger kids and teaching them music,” she says.

Ross is also part of a youth praise band. She has sung and played piano in the band since its inception during her freshman year of high school, and says that music helps people with their spirituality www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Photos courtesy of Alison Ross

Alison Ross in fall 2014

Above: Ross with her brother, Brian, and her parents, Jeff and Nancy. Right: Ross plays the electric cello at Pickerington High School Central’s Electrify Your Strings concert.

because they can be part of it as opposed to just sitting through church service.

Ross’ talent in math and science, she says, comes from her father, Jeff. Her artistic side comes from her mother, and she also has a lot in common with younger brother Brian.

“My father and brother are really into scouting; my mother and I are into 4-H,” Ross says.

Ross is working on two projects through 4-H. One involves training her 2-year-old dog, Indy, a maltipoo (poodleMaltese mix), for a 4-H dog competition at the Fairfield County Fair.

“He’s my first dog, so I’m amazed that I’ve been able to do so much with him,” Ross says.

She’s also sewing a dress for her senior prom, which she will show at the county fair.

Ross says a prom dress is representative of the person wearing it.

“I’m trying to make it as original and (symbolic of) my personality as I can,” Ross says.

Francis Pellicciaro is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

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RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Former Pickerington vocal music director John Long • Cellists – and other musicians – of ProMusica • Musical duo that sometimes works with a cellist • Previous Student Spotlight Lavonca Davis • Previous Student Spotlight Laveta Burke www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Call 614.834.6624 or visit mmains.net

107 W. Columbus Street Pickerington, OH 43147

27

on the table

By Athnie McMillan-Comeaux

Special Orders Generosity is on the menu for Meals on Wheels restaurant partners

M

A Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County delivery driver brings food to clients.

28

“It’s just gotten people out more.

It’s gotten them a place where they can socialize,” says Locke. “The people who get home deliveries have to be homebound in so many different ways, but for those people who can get out and do things, this gives them a place to go to where they can get a meal.”

The organization’s Pickerington partner is Olde Village Diner. It also works with Ma-Maw’s Diner in Baltimore.

Ma-Maw’s has been working with Meals on Wheels for 14 months now, but Cena Grimm, owner of Ma-Maw’s, has been looking into a partnership with the organization for much longer.

“I had actually inquired probably four or five years ago,” says Grimm, “and at the time, they weren’t making that program any larger.”

The opportunity soon arose, though.

“Behind my diner is a retirement home … and I think they were doing the www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Photos courtesy of Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County

ost people tend to associate Meals on Wheels with home delivery, but in and around Pickerington, individuals in need of the organization’s services also have options for dining out – sort of.

In recent years, Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County has started a new program: partnering with local restaurants to help expand the range of services it offers and give those who receive Meals on Wheels a few more choices.

When the local chapter – which makes home deliveries Monday through Friday each week – started this new endeavor two years ago, it was a way to increase its presence in Pickerington and surrounding areas.

“We were looking for a site in Pickerington because we used to have a site in Grand Haven, but that dwindled,” says Amber Locke, fiscal manager for Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County.

The organization talked to its state sponsor, which suggested partnering with local restaurants.

“I lost my mom eight years ago, and it was her diner. It’s just a really good way to give back to the community.

Life is short … and I just think you should pay more forward.”

—Cena Grimm

Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County also manages several congregate meal sites, at which meals are dropped off for distribution. Pictured are the managers of those sites.

Grimm and her staff devote a large amount of their time to working with those Baltimore residents who receive food from Meals on Wheels, visiting homes every Monday through Friday afternoon from 11 to 2.

“I’ve got a two-week meal plan, and I put the calendars out and they come in,” she says. “We know the people who are on Meals on Wheels, and we just go in and give them a friendly face and someone to visit them every day.”

Grimm emphasizes that she and her staff provide not just food, but company and comfort as well.

The food that recipients of Meals on Wheels get from MaMaw’s is the same thing they would get if they were go to the restaurant and purchase a meal, usually the lunch special, with an alternative option provided as well.

“They can get a chef salad if they don’t like what we’re serving today,” says Grimm.

Grimm sees her work with Meals on Wheels as a way to give back to her community.

“I lost my mom eight years ago, and it was her diner,” says Grimm, “It’s just a really good way to give back to the community. Life is short … and I just think you should pay more forward.”

Athnie McMillan-Comeaux is a contributing writer.

Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

For more information on Meals on Wheels of Fairfield County, including qualification criteria and volunteering opportunities, visit www.mowfc.org.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com Meals on Wheels in the kitchen area in the unit behind me,” says Grimm. “They closed that down, and one of my customers is actually the chairman, and he asked me if I would still be interested, and I said definitely, yes. I thought it was something that was needed in the Baltimore community.” www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

• Small businesses that contribute to charity • Organizations to volunteer with in central Ohio • Fast-casual dining options • Soup-making for charity • Food pantry keeps options interesting 29

bookmarks

By Colleen C. Bauman, Pickerington Public Library Community Services Coordinator

PPL Staff Recommendations

What book was your favorite when you were young, and what is a favorite to recommend today?

Joan Underwood, Tech Services:

Lisa Howe-Johnson, Patron Services:

The Little House on the Prairie book series

by Laura Ingalls Wilder I love reading them over and over.

It reminds me of times that my parents would talk about how life was when they were growing up and, plus, it was one of the few things we watched as a family growing up. I still go back and read them today.

Cathy Burden, Juvenile Services Manager:

Little House on the Prairie

Not being a big independent reader, I was so proud of completing such a long book. I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. I think I was around fourth grade. I do like history and the time period when Little House on the Prairie took place.

Colleen Bauman, Community Services:

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The Gingerbread Man

by Richard Scarry (Little Golden Book) I can remember sitting on my father’s knee and hearing this book over and over until I could “read” it back to him.

by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway, and

The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read

by Irma Simonton Black Children will love The Giant Jam Sandwich, a wonderfully illustrated story with nonsense rhyming text. The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read is a story about a toy maker who never wanted to learn to read until his wife went away and he had to grocery shop.

Two classics!

April Anda, Juvenile Services:

Library Lion

by E.L. Konigsburg I totally understood Meg’s feelings of being the older sister with all the responsibilities. What could be better than running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art? My favorite newer books are the Castle Glower series by Jessica Day George for 8- to 12-year-olds.

Suellen Goldsberry, Library Director:

The Giant Jam Sandwich

by Michelle Knudsen A lion saunters into the library and, as long as he doesn’t break any rules, he is welcome to stay. Not everyone who works there is happy about that decision. It’s a nice story about when rules are made to be broken. My favorites as a child were The Poky Little Puppy

by Janette Lowrey and Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss.

Grace Walker, Juvenile Services:

The Baby-Sitters Club series

by Ann Martin These were my favorite books as a child. My favorite children’s book right now is Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox, a hilarious take on the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Library Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday 1-5 p.m.

30

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

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