Pickerington August/September 2016

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 2016

Shutterbugs!

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

INSIDE Watch Dog Dads Carnegie Library building’s 100th birthday Food pantry volunteer Dick Sloan

©2015 OhioHealth

OhioHealth Pickerington Medical Campus

More expert care than you expected, closer than you ever imagined.

+ Your busy schedule just got a whole lot more

256

256

Rd N

Hill Rd N

r

ll e

Dr

outpatient surgery center

Dr

+ 24/7 emergency care and the area’s only

Refugee Rd

i dm Win

neighborhood

r

ll e

+ Expert, board-certified physicians right in your

i dm Win

physical therapy and imaging all in one place

Refugee Rd

Hill

manageable with expert doctors, lab services,

OhioHealth Pickerington Medical Campus 1010 Refugee Road, Pickerington, OH 43147

Find a physician at OhioHealth.com/Pickerington

A FAITH-BASED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM + RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL + GRANT MEDICAL CENTER + DOCTORS HOSPITAL GRADY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL + DUBLIN METHODIST HOSPITAL + HARDIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL + MARION GENERAL HOSPITAL + REHABILITATION HOSPITAL O’BLENESS HOSPITAL + MANSFIELD HOSPITAL + SHELBY HOSPITAL + WESTERVILLE MEDICAL CAMPUS + HEALTH AND SURGERY CENTERS PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY CARE + URGENT CARE + WELLNESS + HOSPICE + HOME CARE + 28,000 PHYSICIANS, ASSOCIATES & VOLUNTEERS

B:11.25”

S:9.875”

T:10.875”

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

3

pickerington magazine TM

1335 Dublin Rd., Ste. 101C Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241 www.cityscenecolumbus.com Kathleen K. Gill

With over 250 majors to choose from, get a great education at half the cost of other schools.

Enroll Now! Autumn Semester Begins August 22

Imagine your possibilities. www.ohio.edu/lancaster (740) 681-3310

Gianna Barrett

Vice President, Sales

Dave Prosser

Chief Creative Officer

Gary Hoffman

Creative Director

Garth Bishop

Managing Editor

Hannah Bealer Amanda DePerro Spring Koger Lindsey Capritta, Katie Ellington, Hannah Herner, Hailey Stangebye Julie Camp

weekendscene

President/CEO

Editor Assistant Editor Editorial Assistant Contributing Writers

Marketing Manager/ Account Executive

Brenda Lombardi Lauren Prehm

Advertising Sales

Jamie Armistead

Accounting Manager

Circulation

614-572-1240

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com CityScene Media Group also publishes: CityScene Magazine www.CitySceneColumbus.com Dublin Life Magazine www.DublinLifeMagazine.com Westerville Magazine www.WestervilleMagazine.com Tri-Village Magazine www.TriVillageMagazine.com

Looking for something to do?

See what’s on the menu this weekend and beyond!

Sign up for CityScene Magazine’s weekly event newsletter

Check out cityscenecolumbus.com

4

Healthy New Albany Magazine www.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com HealthScene Ohio www.HealthSceneOhio.com The Publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or email gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage.

The appearance of advertising in Pickerington Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or service by the City of Pickerington.

Pickerington Magazine is published in June, August, October, December, February and April. Subscriptions are free for households within the city limits of Pickerington, Ohio. For advertising information or bulk purchases, call 614-572-1240.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Pickerington Magazine is a registered trademark of CityScene Media Group. Printed in the U.S.A.

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

pickerington magazine volume 8, number 6 august/september 2016

6 Calendar 9

News and Information from the City of Pickerington

11

News and Information from Violet Township

p.14

14

faces

Pay It Forward North grad teaches inmates to train service dogs for military veterans

17

in focus

magazine The Official Magazine of Pickerington and Violet Township

Mailed to EVERY homeowner and business in Pickerington and Violet Township

GET NOTICED. Contact Gianna Barrett today for great rates!

Paternal Positivity Watch Dog Dads program brings dads into schools to serve as role models

19

Bump, Set, Serve

p.17

p.22

student spotlight

614-572-1255

gbarrett@cityscenemediagroup.com

One-time Central volleyball player now dedicates her time to helping others

22

Shutterbugs

26

Strong as Steel

Life through the lenses of Pickerington residents

Though no longer full of books, Pickerington’s Carnegie Library reaches a milestone

around pickerington

27

Photos from the community

on the table

28

Grocery Guru

Dedicated food pantry volunteer, a onetime grocery store worker, goes above and beyond

30

bookmarks

On the cover: Photo by Jill Ann Ladrick

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com PickeringtonMagazine www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

5

pickerington community calendar august/september 2016 Through Sept. 29

Aug. 13

Aug. 20

Olde Pickerington Farmers’ Market

LEGO Palooza Days

MMA Insurance Family Fun Day

Thursdays, 4-7 p.m., 89 N. Center St., www.pickeringtonvillage.com Local vendors offer fresh produce, baked goods, crafts and more in the fourth year of Pickerington’s farmers’ market.

1-3 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library provides the bricks for its monthly LEGO building challenge.

Aug. 16 First Day of School www.pickerington.k12.oh.us

Aug. 16 PPL Book Club 7 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s main book club discusses A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler.

Mark you r calendar for these commun ity events

10 a.m.-2 p.m., Victory Park, 100 Lockville Rd., www.pickeringtonchamber.com This first-ever event features entertainment for all ages, but children in particular.

Aug. 21-27 Restaurant Week Throughout Pickerington, www.pickeringtonchamber.com Restaurants across the city offer specials, discounts and prix fixe menus as part of this initiative of the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce.

Aug. 24 Pizza Wars

Museum Open House Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society, 15 E. Columbus St., www.pickeringtonhistoricalsociety.com The Historical Society opens its doors to the public to check out its artifacts, including a new collection of prehistoric tools and arrowheads.

Aug. 9 Summer Dog Tales 6:30-7:30 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org Library visitors can read one-on-one with a canine buddy.

Aug. 12 Reynoldsburg-Pickerington Rotary Club Annual Golf Outing 10:45 a.m.-5 p.m., Cumberland Trail Golf Club, 8244 Columbia Rd. SW, Pataskala, www.rprotaryclub.com The Rotary Club’s annual golf scramble benefits endeavors of the Pickerington and Reynoldsburg school districts.

6

Aug. 27 Tyler’s Light Golf Outing Noon, New Albany Links Golf Club, 7100 New Albany Links Dr., New Albany, www.tylerslight.com The fifth annual Tyler’s Light Golf Outing benefits the organization’s efforts to fight drug addiction and abuse.

Sept. 3-18 BIA Parade of Homes Verona, Powell, www.biaparade.com There are 16 builders lined up for this year’s BIA Parade of Homes in Powell’s Verona community.

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

Photos courtesy of Olde Pickerington Farmers’ Market, Pickerington Public Library and Pickerington Lions Club

Through Dec. 17

4-7 p.m., American Legion Post 283, 7725 Refugee Rd., www.pickeringtonchamber.com This new event organized by the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce pits pizza bakers across the city against one another in a communityvoted battle royale.

Sept. 5 Lions Club Parade and Fish Fry 10 a.m. parade, 11 a.m. fish fry, Victory Park, 100 Lockville Rd., www.pickeringtonvillage.com Pickerington’s Labor Day tradition is a major community event and a fundraiser for the Pickerington Lions Club.

Building Exclusively in

Meadowmoore www.donleybuilders.com

Model Home: 8202 Meadowmoore Blvd.

Pickerington, OH 43147 614.837.0723

FAIRFIELD NATIONAL BANK

Tiffany Ruckman, Manager 614.759.1522

IS MOVING We look forward to seeing you!

Our Pickerington office is relocating this fall to make banking even more convenient for you.

Our office is moving to the Sherman Center located at 1274 Hill Road North.

Sept. 5 Dog Splash 4:30-7 p.m., Pickerington Community Pool, 11330 Stonecreek Dr., www. pickerington.net The 2016 pool season closes out by inviting residents to bring their dogs for a dip. Owners must provide proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations.

• Open Monday through Saturday • More space for client meetings • Drive-up ATM Come see us for the resources you want with the attention you deserve.

PARK NATIONAL BANK FAIRFIELD NATIONAL DIVISION

Personal • Business • Trust & Investment Services www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

7

pickerington community calendar august/september 2016 continued Sept. 10-Dec. 31

Sept. 20

An Ohio Childhood: 200 Years of Growing Up

PPL Book Club

Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, www.decartsohio.org Paintings, photos, sculptures, toys, clothing, furniture and art materials depict how growing up in Ohio has changed over the course of two centuries.

7 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library’s main book club discusses American Pain: How a Young Felon and his Ring of Doctors Unleashed America’s Deadliest Drug Epidemic by John Temple.

TM

magazine

Central Ohio’s most-read arts and entertainment magazine!

Sept. 16-18 Harmony Harvest Festival Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, www.fairfieldcountyfair.org The Standing Stone Strings & Things dulcimer club’s annual festival features live performances, workshops and a jam session, among other things.

Sept. 17-Feb. 26 Totally Tiffin Ohio Glass Museum, 124 W. Main St., Lancaster, www.ohioglassmuseum.org The museum’s next exhibition features pieces made by glass artisans working in Tiffin from 1888-1980.

Sept. 18 Carnegie Library Building’s 100th Birthday Party

Get daily updates at cityscenecolumbus.com

Prizes, ticket packages, deal alerts & more!

2-4 p.m., Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society, 15 E. Columbus St., www.pickeringtonhistoricalsociety.com Demonstrations, music, refreshments and historical exhibits are all part of this Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society event commemorating 100 years of the Carnegie Library building it now calls its home.

Sept. 24 Bark for Life 1-4 p.m., Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, www.fairfieldcountyfair.org This American Cancer Society event recognizes the roles of cancer survivors’ canine companions.

Sept. 24 Grandma Gatewood and UFOs Over Ohio 2-4:30 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.org The library kicks off its Ohio Pride Series with programs focused on Emma Rowena Gatewood, the first woman to walk the Appalachian Trail, and UFO sightings in Ohio and beyond.

Supporting central Ohio’s visual and performing arts since 1999

Submit Your Event

DON’T MISS OUT SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

8

CONNECT

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

Happy Trails Two City parks get 4,500 more feet of multi-use paths The pathway for Pickerington walkers, runners and bikers to enjoy the beauty of Sycamore Creek and Victory parks will be widened, expanded and paved this year.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has awarded the City of Pickerington a $150,000 grant to expand and build new multi-use trails within Sycamore Creek Park.

The nearly 57-acre park already has several walking trails. Funds from the state will add 4,500 more feet of paved multi-use trails in the park, around the entire pond and a connector trail to Lockville Road to link the park with the nearly 6-acre Victory Park.

It is important to have a variety of bike path options that connect throughout the City, said Pickerington Parks and Recreation Director Rebecca Medinger.

“The community will be able to start at one end of the park and loop around several areas within the park, rather than having to start at one end and ending at the other with no way to connect back,” Medinger said. “This is also an opportunity to showcase different areas of the

change of activity that the community is interested in,” she said.

“Bike paths are huge right now throughout the country, as is getting people outdoors to be active.”

Pickerington City Engineer Scott Tourville said the work on the trails will begin once the grant is authorized in late summer or early fall. While work is expected to be finished this fall, some work may have to be finished in the spring of 2017.

park that people may not know we have, like access to the other side of the pond.”

The parks are widely used yearround, Medinger said, and the 10foot pathways will encourage people to enjoy them even more.

“We need to keep up with the

Further Filtration

Improvements at water treatment plant help keep City’s water top-quality Pickerington residents may not notice a difference in their water quality when they turn their faucets on this fall, but improvements to the water filtration system will guarantee the City’s high standards are maintained.

Pickerington has five production wells in service throughout www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

the City, providing service to 5,600 accounts and producing approximately 2 million gallons of water per day.

The water pumped from the wells flows through gravity filters for iron and manganese removal, said Utilities Plant Superintendent Glen Hacker.

9

News and information from the City of Pickerington

There are also filters for silt density index reduction and reverse osmosis for hardness reduction before the water enters the distribution system.

The $455,000 water treatment plant filtration improvements, funded through the City’s Water Fund, currently under-

way include maximizing the efficiency of the water infiltration system and upgrading outdated hardware and software controls that will increase the overall plant efficiency.

“The City of Pickerington continues to improve plant performance in order to

provide high-quality drinking water to its residents,” Hacker said.

Work on the water treatment plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

A Voice for Development New Economic Development Director Liberty Schindel Pickerington’s new Economic Development Director is championing the City as the place for businesses to make their mark in central Ohio.

Liberty Schindel took the helm as Pickerington’s point person for positioning the City on April 5 after Joe Henderson accepted a similar job with the City of Upper Arlington.

Schindel, a native of the Cleveland area, knows business.

Prior to accepting the Pickerington position, she served for three years as the Economic Development Specialist for the city of Independence.

Her primary role was to “administer the business retention and expansion program,” she said. She also assisted the Independence mayor’s office with special projects and managed the city’s website and her department’s social media.

Schindel brings a wealth of knowledge of government and experience with constituents to the Pickerington job.

For three years, she served as the District Outreach Representative for U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette and, later, U.S. Rep. David Joyce.

“The work included representing the members in a seven-county district and responding to correspondence and case work inquiries from constituents and businesses, presenting to local groups and stakeholders, and serving as the liaison with federal, state and local agencies for the member’s constituents,” Schindel said.

Schindel graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in political science and obtained her master’s in public administration with a concentration in city management from Cleveland State University.

10

“Central Ohio is a thriving market,” she said. “The prospect for future economic development in the City of Pickerington is bright, as demonstrated by the number of inquiries the City receives and the projects that are underway.”

citydirectory Pickerington City Hall, 100 Lockville Rd.

(All numbers prefixed with the 614 area code)

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 Liberty Schindel

Pickerington City Manager Bill Vance said Schindel was “by far the most qualified applicant” for the job.

“As Pickerington’s City Manager, I felt professionally blessed to have been in the position to hire Ms. Schindel and make her professional talents, experiences and local government supporting state and federal connections available to our community and our region,” Vance said.

Schindel said everyone she has met has been very warm and welcoming as she learns the region and everything it has to offer in an effort to promote Pickerington, retain existing businesses and attract new ones.

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 Back-to-School Vehicle Safety It is hard to believe that we are already discussing the end of summer and the start of a new school year.

The beginning of the school year is a time when children are at increased risk of transportation-related injuries from pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and motor vehicle crashes. The National Safety Council (NSC) and American Academy of Pediatrics offer the following health and safety tips and encourage us all to the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing be cautious as students return to class a stopped bus. A few precautions go a Aug. 16. long way toward keeping children safe: Slow Down: Back to School • Don’t block the crosswalk when Means Sharing the Road stopped at a red light or waiting to School days bring congestion: Yelmake a turn, forcing pedestrians to go low school buses are picking up their around you; this could put them in the charges, kids on bikes are hurrying to path of moving traffic. get to school before the bell rings and • In a school zone, when flashers are harried parents are trying to drop their blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians kids off before work. crossing the crosswalk or intersection.

It’s never more important for drivers to • Always stop for a school patrol ofslow down and pay attention than when ficer or crossing guard holding up a kids are present – especially before and stop sign. after school.

• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds If You’re Dropping Off and parks, and in all residential areas.

Schools often have very specific • Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare drop-off procedures for the school year. a pedestrian, even if you have the Make sure you know them for the safety right of way. of all kids. More children are hit by cars • Never pass a vehicle stopped for near schools than at any other location, pedestrians. according to the National Safe Routes • Always use extreme caution to avoid to School program. The following apply striking pedestrians wherever they to all school zones: may be, no matter who has the right • Don’t double park; it blocks visibility of way. for other children and vehicles.

• Don’t load or unload children across Sharing the Road with the street from the school.

School Buses • Carpool to reduce the number of If you’re driving behind a bus, allow vehicles at the school. a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you Sharing the Road with Young more time to stop once the yellow lights Pedestrians start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states According to NSC research, most to pass a school bus that is stopped to of the children who lose their lives in load or unload children. bus-related incidents are 5 to 13 years • Never pass a bus from behind – or old, and they’re walking. They are hit by from either direction on an undivided www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

road – if it is stopped to load or unload children.

• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop.

• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.

• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks.

Sharing the Road with Bicyclists

On most roads, according to the American League of Bicyclists, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, though bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of collision is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.

• When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist.

• When turning left with a bicyclist approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass.

• If you’re turning right and a bicyclist is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals.

• Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this.

• Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods.

• Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars.

• Check side mirrors before opening your door.

By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can coexist safely in school zones.

11

School Buses Are Students’ Safest Mode of Transportation

Some 25 million students nationwide begin and end their day with a trip on a school bus. Designed for safety with flashing lights, giant mirrors, high seat backs and that bright yellow color, school buses keep more than 17 million cars away from school buildings every day.

School buses are the safest way to get to and from school. Riding a bus to school is 13 times safer than riding in the family vehicle and 10 times safer than walking.

don’t. Children should not rely on them to do so.

Tips for a Safe Ride

While school buses are, by far, the safest way for students to travel, children need to do their part to stay alert and aware of their surroundings to prevent injury. NSC urges parents to teach their children the following safety rules for getting on and off the bus, and for exercising good behavior while riding.

Getting on the Bus:

• When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing Taking the Bus is the Best or other behavior that can lead to Option carelessness.

If bus service is available in your area, • Do not stray onto the street, alleys or the NSC recommends students take private property. the bus rather than walk or ride with • Line up away from the street or road parents or teenagers. as the bus approaches.

More school-age pedestrians have • Wait until the bus has stopped and been killed during the hour before and the door opens before approaching after school than any other time of day, the bus. according to the National Highway Traf- • Use the hand rail when boarding. fic Safety Administration. And though vehicle drivers are required by law to Behavior on the Bus: stop for a school bus when it’s loading • Don’t speak loudly or make loud or unloading passengers, they often noises that could distract the driver.

• Stay in your seat.

• Don’t put your head, arms or hands out the windows.

• Keep aisles clear of books and bags.

• Get your belongings together before reaching your stop.

• Wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat.

Getting Off the Bus:

• Use the hand rail when exiting.

• If you have to cross in front of the bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead, until you can see the driver.

• Make sure the driver can see you.

• Wait for a signal from the driver before crossing.

• When the driver signals, look left, right, then left again. Walk across the road and keep an eye out for sudden traffic changes.

• If your vision is blocked, move to an area where you can see other drivers and they can see you.

• Do not cross the center line of the road until the driver signals it is safe.

• Stay away from the rear wheels of the bus at all times.

We Are Being Invaded

By Chad Lucht, Fairfield Soil & Water Conservation District, and Jason Van Houten, Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Forestry No need to worry, we are not being invaded by the aliens from Independence Day: Resurgence. Instead, our stream corridors and wooded areas are being taken over by the invasive species bush honeysuckle.

An invasive species is a plant, fungus or animal that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species), and that has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment. There are three types of non-native bush honeysuckle: Amur (Lonicera maackii), Tartarian (Lonicera tatarica) and Morrow (Lonicera morrowii).

These three non-native bush honeysuckles are a significant problem in central Ohio. Bush honeysuckle typically grows with multi-stem arching branches up to 18 feet tall. They have very fragrant spring flowers colored 12

white/yellow (Amur, Morrow) or pink/ red (Tartarian), and berries that turn red in late summer. They are among the first bushes to green up in the spring and the last to lose their leaves in the fall.

Leaves are oval- to ovateshaped, come in opposite pairs, have smooth margins and are 1-3 inches long. Their twigs are colored brownish-gray and hollow, and develop splitting bark as they get older. Native honeysuckles and lookalikes do not have hollow stems. Invasive bush honeysuckles are extremely shade tolerant and will take over a woodland understory.

As foreign invaders, they have very few checks and balances in Ohio. Most wildlife, including deer, do not browse on bush honeysuckle, instead choosing native species to eat. Also, very few of our native insects will feed on bush honeysuckle.

In the absence of management, a dense monoculture of bush honeysuckle with low biodiversity forms, limiting tree regeneration and shading out spring wildflowers. These non-native monocultures support fewer insects (bird food) than our native shrubs would. Studies have also shown bush honeysuckle berries are not as nutritious for our birds as many of our native berries are.

Management is needed to keep these unwanted plants in check, and people should hand-pull small shrubs when the soil is wet. Larger shrubs should be cut down, and the cut-stump should be treated with an appropriate herbicide labeled for treating stumps.

In general, the best time to treat invasive plants with an herbicide is late summer and early fall. It is extremely important to follow the herbicide label directions for safe application, to protect the environment and for the most effective results. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

A Few Life-Changing Moments

By Michael Proctor, AHA CPR Coordinator, Violet Township Fire Department I would like to take a moment to introduce you to the Bystander CPR Program.

The Violet Township Fire Department is diligently working to enhance the community’s understanding and capability to perform compression-only CPR (bystander CPR). In a nationwide study by the American Heart Association, it was discovered that less than 20 percent of bystanders begin CPR during situations where it is needed.

For every minute that a person is in cardiac arrest, his or her chance of survival decreases by 10 percent.

When an individual’s heart stops, so does the blood flow to the brain, the heart and other vital organs. After six minutes of being in cardiac arrest, with no CPR, brain tissue begins to die. Brain death may occur after ten minutes of cardiac arrest.

I believe these numbers and facts are extremely important because, in Violet Township, our average response time is just over six minutes. This is calculated from the time that a 9-1-1 call is dispatched until we arrive on the scene.

This creates an enormous challenge to the EMS providers if CPR was never initiated prior to our arrival at the scene.

Without bystander CPR, our ability to obtain a return of spontaneous circulation is greatly diminished. The best chance for surviving cardiac arrest, and walking out of the hospital unassisted, occurs when the patient receives immediate CPR. The Bystander CPR Program is being introduced to our community to increase the awareness, simplicity and importance of how a bystander can assess a person you think may be in cardiac

arrest and ultimately start CPR if needed. Performing bystander CPR is the single most important step to saving the life of a person who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

If you are asking yourself, “Why is it that so many people don’t start compressions?” the reality is that there are many reasons. Some people panic or are in shock. Others may not know what to do. Some fear legal consequences, or are afraid of hurting the victim or patient.

This program is designed to calm your fears, explain all of these issues and ramifications, and ultimately make you more comfortable with performing this critical life saving step. The program will teach compression-only CPR in a minimal amount of time. Our goal is to reach the maximum amount of people in the community, leaving them with the tools, materials and information so they can react appropriately and instinctively in an emergency.

Through this program, the hope and goal of the Violet Township Fire Department is to create a community-wide Bystander CPR Zone. This would mean that 90 percent of the residents in both the City of Pickerington and Violet Township would receive the bystander CPR training.

Eventually, we hope to illustrate this important safety awareness area via the display of stickers and signs that announce that the community, residents, employees and businesses are trained participants. These stickers or signs by no means would make one responsible

Oct. 16 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

to start CPR; they would simply be there as a public reminder of the importance and emphasis the community has placed on knowing how to perform CPR. Additionally, we are trying to create an AED registry. The registry would instruct people in the community on where to locate the nearest AED in the event one is needed. This registry will be accessible to the 9-1-1/emergency dispatchers as well as on smart phone apps. The AEDs can be utilized in conjunction with bystander CPR. You will be able to visit the Violet Township website and simply watch a video to receive this training. This is a non-certification class that will only take a few minutes to watch or share with others. The Violet Township Fire Department will continue to offer CPR certification classes at the firehouse, which you can add to your bystander CPR training.

We continue to proudly serve our community. Please help us save lives by learning bystander CPR.

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 Amanda DePerro

Paying it Forward

North grad teaches inmates to train service dogs for military veterans

F

Photo courtesy of Maddie Meglich

or 2012 Pickerington High School North alumna Maddie Meglich, the day begins like most 22-year-olds’: She wakes up and goes to class.

She works part-time as a host at a local restaurant (Crab Shack Caribba) and, in her limited free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and watching Netflix.

But another part a day in the life of Meglich – who is working toward her master’s degree in occupational therapy at West Virginia University – is apt to turn a few heads. She works face to face with inmates at Federal Correctional Institution Morgantown, a minimumsecurity federal prison.

The program she works on teaches inmates to train service dogs that will be given to military veterans. The program is one of three through Hearts of Gold, a service dog training and research organization.

The first Hearts of Gold program teaches college students at WVU to train service dogs. The second program, Project ROVER, is more research-based, and aims to find the tangible impact that service dogs have on veterans who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Meglich’s program is veteran-toveteran; the inmates who are approved for the program, as well as those who receive the trained dogs, are military veterans.

Meglich discovered the program when she

14

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

THANK YOU for making our 5th Annual Tyler’s Light 5K another success!

Don’t forget to check out these upcoming Tyler’s Light events: August 27, 2016: 5th Annual Golf Outing September 24, 2016: 5th Annual Benefit Ride *Follow our social media page(s) for more details on these upcoming events.

SPEAK UP! SAVE A LIFE! Though Hearts of Gold’s main focus is training service dogs and researching their benefits, it does place service dogs with U.S. veterans, especially those living with PTSD.

DEFINING & REFINING LIFE...

It’s all about Trust, Value & Details

Photos courtesy of Hearts of Gold

took a class through Hearts of Gold two years ago during her junior year of undergrad at WVU. She loved it so much that she became a teaching assistant in a more advanced Hearts of Gold class.

When Meglich excelled at the program, she was offered the job at the prison, which she excitedly accepted, though not all of her friends and family were as excited as she was.

Not enough studies exist to invariably prove that dogs help treat symptoms of PTSD, but man’s best friend can provide companionship and can be trained to help do things that veterans physically cannot. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

NJWCONSTRUCTION.COM

740.654.8227 15

Photos courtesy of Hearts of Gold

“A lot of people think that it would be scary, but it’s really not. … It’s not very intimidating at all,” says Meglich. “Everybody that I talk to, they’re always very intrigued by it and ask lots of questions.”

Meglich’s job entails teaching one-hour classes three times a week, supplying them with food and other materials for the dogs, and bringing the dogs to the veterinarian for check-ups and emergencies. Meglich sees the impression the dogs have on the inmates each time she goes to teach.

Photos courtesy of Maggie Meglich

A symptom of PTSD can be isolation; service dogs can encourage their owners to leave the house and lead a more normal, active life.

Meglich trains a dog to retrieve a water bottle from a refrigerator.

16

“It really makes an impact,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of them tell me they’ve gotten so much out of it, and they want to do something once they get out with dogs.”

The biggest difference-maker for the inmates, Meglich says, is during the dogs’ placements, when inmates can see how much they’ve helped somebody else.

In order to make giving up the dogs easier for the inmates after training completes, each dog is rotated among the inmates in the program every three months.

“It’s really tough to give up a dog,” says Meglich, who is fostering a Hearts of Gold dog herself. “Knowing that the dog is going to be for somebody else to help them out, I think, helps ease that (pain).”

Meglich’s class is made up of 17 inmates who are tasked with teaching the dog very basic commands, such as “sit” and “heel.” They’re also required to train the dogs not to pull on their leashes, bark in their kennels or, most difficult, solicit attention in public. The program at the Morgantown institution is only two years old, so Hearts of Gold is still nailing down the best amount of time for training for both dogs and inmates, but Meglich estimates the dogs need two years’ training time, on average.

Inmates must apply for the job and are vetted in order to make sure they don’t have a history of violence, especially abuse against animals or children. Only military veterans are accepted. The program is only able to take so many inmates at once, and Meglich says some inmates who are not accepted do reapply.

“It’s really unfortunate, because there are a lot of non-veterans who want to get involved,” says Meglich, though she notes that the program accepts non-veteran inmates to work with the dogs in other ways, such as taking them for walks or runs.

The experience with Hearts of Gold will benefit Meglich in the long run, she says, and has helped her realize her desire to work with animal-assisted therapies.

“I’ve learned so much about training dogs with the program,” says Meglich. “I just love working with Hearts of Gold. It’s an awesome program to be involved in.”

Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Working dogs • More working dogs • Canine Companions at Walking Classic www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

in focus

By Garth Bishop

Paternal Positivity

Watch Dog Dads program brings dads into schools to serve as role models

W

Photos courtesy of Becky Hornberger

hen a student’s father came to Violet Elementary School’s thenprincipal, Becky Hornberger, in 2013 to suggest she check out a program to put more positive male role models in schools, she was intrigued.

She quickly found herself impressed by the Watch Dog Dads program and started a local chapter at Violet. Fast-forward three years, and there are 70 fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles and other father figures making periodic visits to Violet to give students more male figures to look up to.

The program is part of WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students), an international initiative of the National Center for Fathering. A total of 5,348 schools across 47 states – as well as China, Canada, Mexico and Barbados – have started their own WATCH D.O.G.S. chapters since the initiative began in 1998.

Violet Elementary School fathers and Watch Dog Dads participants (from left) Derick Ross, Paul Tumidolsky and Joe Whitcraft pose with their children on their days at the school. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

17

Watch Dog Dads is not the only district program focused on positive male behavior. Tussing Elementary School has a separate program called Young Gents, aimed at giving third- and fourthgrade boys the skills and training they need to be gentlemen and leaders at school and in life.

Its goals: to give students positive male role models whose presence demonstrates the importance of education, and to enhance school security and reduce bullying by their presence.

Hornberger knew the program had seen some success in Reynoldsburg City Schools, but it wasn’t until she saw a moving Today Show segment in which it was featured that she realized she had to have it at Violet.

“It really gets dads involved in the schools,” Hornberger says.

The school already saw a good deal of involvement from students’ mothers through its PTA, but fathers were, Hornberger says, something of an untapped resource. On top of that, a solid majority of staffers at Violet are – as is often the case at elementary schools – female.

That meant students had ample opportunity to interact with female role models, but comparatively few opportunities when it came to the opposite sex – particularly those children who are already lacking on that front. And male role models are important, Hornberger says, mentioning statistics that show inverse relationships between positive male figures and such pitfalls as teen pregnancy and dropouts.

Midway through the 2013-14 school year, Violet brought in a group of district fathers for doughnuts on a Saturday morning, then encouraged them to check out a calendar in the cafeteria and pick out a day or two to visit.

“The commitment is one full school day – or, if their kiddos are kindergartners, a half-day – they’re going to spend in the school,” says Hornberger.

On a given dad’s day, he usually greets students as they come into the building, then is introduced by his child(ren) on the morning announcements. From there, he has his day scheduled for him, determining where he’ll be and when, with a building staffer guiding him at all times. Each father is briefed on expectations and safety measures.

Generally, a dad will visit at least one classroom at each grade level, as well as 18

the library, gym, cafeteria and playground, all while students are present. They make sure the kids are following the rules and making good choices, Hornberger says.

“It’s very generalized activities that any dad would be able to do,” she says.

Most classroom visits come during enrichment and intervention time, often referred to as “E&I time” in Pickerington, which is a period when teachers work with students in small groups to give them more individualized attention. That gives program participants the chance to interact with the other students in the classroom – playing games, reading to them, doing writing exercises, presenting math facts, whatever the teacher needs.

Other activities including stocking books and reading aloud in the library, officiating sports on the playground, making sure no student is left out during lunchtime, helping out the custodial staff, setting up for evening events and handing out spirit sticks to children who they see exemplifying Violet values.

“They really become an integral part of our school environment,” Hornberger says.

A special Watch Dog Dads bulletin board hangs in the school, adorned with photos of visitors and their children.

Hornberger often gets feedback from fathers about how positive the experience was, and how much they now appreciate the teachers for the exhausting job they do.

“Many of those dads return for visits three or four times throughout the year,” Hornberger says. “I think our dads have had a really great experience with it, overall.”

Paul Tumidolsky, who has sons in fourth and seventh grades, has been involved with Watch Dog Dads since its inception at Violet, visiting the school several times a year to help out wherever he might be needed. He has a particular recollection of an incident in which he encouraged a student who had not done his homework to finish it in time to catch the end of recess, and was thanked afterward by an aide who noted that the student re-

sponded better when given that instruction by a fellow male.

“Kids would come up to me and talk to me about everything,” Tumidolsky says.

“It’s another adult that they can trust.”

It benefits the school, too: The days on which the school has a Watch Dog Dad in attendance see fewer disciplinary referrals, for instance. It can also be helpful for any student who school staff know to be having a tough time, as the participant may be directed to work specifically with such a student.

“It really builds our kiddos up because it helps them feel important and helps them feel seen by an adult,” Hornberger says.

Hornberger left Pickerington Local Schools in June, but Watch Dog Dads is expected to continue on at Violet under new principal Dee Copas.

Not only is the program going strong at Violet, it’s migrated to other district schools as students and their fathers have. Violet feeds into Harmon and Toll Gate middle schools, and now, both schools have their own Watch Dog Dads programs.

Toll Gate has had the program for about six months. Participants there are involved with reading and intervention in the classroom, collaborate with leadership teams and have supervisory roles on the playground.

“They also work one-on-one with our students during E&I time,” says Principal Kara Jackson. “They help out in our library, they help out in our office, they help out in our cafeteria.”

Sign-ups work in much the same way, though at Toll Gate, participants only visit on Mondays and Fridays. There has been a group of 10 to 12 fathers who have been visiting consistently, and the school is working to increase participation, Jackson says, as the program has been improving connections among students.

“It’s been a great addition to our school programming,” she says.

Garth Bishop is managing editor.

Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • How to be a good role model • Raising boys vs. raising girls • Violet Elementary’s Yoga Club www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

student spotlight

By Katie Ellington

Photos courtesy of Emerson Goldenbagen

Student Spotlight features a student from a different area high school in every issue.

Bump, Set, Serve One-time Central volleyball player now dedicates her time to helping others

E

merson Goldenbagen has always been a team player, whether it’s on a sports team, in student government or in her community.

The Pickerington High School Central senior played soccer for a few years before discovering volleyball in the third grade. She loved the sport, but after eight years of playing in rec leagues, travel teams and with the Tigers, Goldenbagen made the decision to give up volleyball her junior year and focus on academics and her new role as vice president of student council.

“I didn’t want to just have a title,” she says. “I wanted to be involved. I want to make a change in the school.”

One change Goldenbagen and her peers on student council hope to bring to Central is a boost in school spirit. The council hopes students will see school as not only a place for learning, but a place to engage in the community through clubs, sports and other activities.

Fun is a big priority. It’s why the student council held a lip sync battle against the principal and vice principal during one of last year’s pep rallies, and spent long hours planning a Hollywood-themed homecoming dance.

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

19

“People were telling us it was the best homecoming they’d been to,” says Goldenbagen.

This year, Goldenbagen is looking forward to serving as the vice president of her class and student council for the second year in a row. She’ll also take on the role of president for Central’s National Honor Society chapter.

Students qualify and are nominated for NHS membership based on excellence in four key areas: scholarship, leadership, service and character. The 70 hours of volunteer work – 20 over the summer and 50 during the school year – required shouldn’t be a problem for Goldenbagen, as she loves giving back.

She joined Key Club, a student-run volunteer organization, and volunteered at the iRun for Jonah event during her freshman year. The next year, she volunteered

Above: Emerson Goldenbagen participates in a beach volleyball event. Top: Goldenbagen (center) with her sister, Kennedy, and brother, Griffin.

with the iRun planning committee. By the time she was a junior, she had earned a position as a committee board member.

“It’s very close to my heart,” says Goldenbagen.

Her older brother was good friends with Jonah Hoser, whose family was the original beneficiary of the event. Each year, the race raises money to help a local family pay medical expenses, a cause Goldenbagen says is more than worth the time invested.

20

“It’s really cool to see all these people on the start line together because they want to make a change in someone’s life,” she says.

Goldenbagen also maintains an impressive academic record: three years of honors courses and four AP classes to date. This year, she’s taking AP Physics, AP Calculus II, AP Government and AP Psychology, plus college-level English.

“I like to challenge myself,” she says.

Goldenbagen hopes the rigorous course load will help prepare her for college. While she hasn’t decided on a specific major – she wants to do something with biology – she has her sights set on The Ohio State University.

Despite her numerous achievements, Goldenbagen remains humble, especially when talking about her leadership roles. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE EYE CARE IN CENTRAL OH

Goldenbagen with other organizers of the iRun

“I don’t want to say I’m ‘in charge’ (of NHS) because I don’t really think anyone is ‘in charge’ in those situations,” she says.

“It’s a group effort. … I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some great people and great students. It’s never been just me.”

She also credits her family for teaching her about working hard, giving back and being responsible. She owes everything she is to her mother, Jennifer, a social worker, she says.

“If I’m frustrated with school or upset about something, she always knows what to say,” Goldenbagen says.

She’s also thankful for the support and example of her grandfather James Murray and her older sister and brother, Kennedy and Griffin, who are studying chemical engineering and welding engineering, respectively, at OSU. “They’re my best friends,” she says. “I know I can go to them with anything.”

Katie Ellington is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

Dr. Todd Chontos • Dr. Douglas Ryen Dr. Travis Storm • Dr. Brian Tracy Dr. Jaclyn Paskiet

Pickerington Eyecare helps to keep the future looking bright with our excellent eye care services and products in Pickerington, OH.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Fellow former Central volleyballer Maria Bauers • Chair volleyball • Pet food pantry, operated by NHS students • NHS member and former North drum major www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

141 Clint Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147 www.pickeringtoneyecare.com Call

614.575.0111 to make an appointment

with one of our Pickerington family eye doctors.

21

Pickerington

Shutterbugs!

Life through the lenses of Pickerington residents

Amanda Saltalamachia

Jessica Junk Patricia Hunter 22

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Gina Wright

Pamela Lauderback

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Submit your photos for our “Around Pickerington� page!

Send high-resolution images to pickeringtonmag@gmail.com.

Jill Ann Ladrick

23

Amanda Saltalamachia

Jill Ann Ladrick

Gina Wright

Patricia Hunter 24

Amanda Saltalamachia www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Gina Wright

Jessica Junk

Patricia Hunter Jill Ann Ladrick www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

25

Sturdy as Steel

By Hannah Herner

Though no longer full of books, Pickerington’s Carnegie Library reaches a milestone

26

Hannah Herner is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • 31-year librarian looks back • History of the library in numbers • Former library Director Suellen Goldsberry • Library’s Outreach Services program www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Photos courtesy of Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society

I

f Pickerington’s Carnegie Library building were a person, it would have a lot of candles to blow out this fall.

The building, located at 15 E. Columbus St. in Olde Pickerington Village, is set to celebrate its 100-year anniversary in September.

The library program was Though the library opened a major initiative of Carnegie’s, in 1916, the process actually dating back to the 1890s. In began in 1911. At the time, total, the effort resulted in the the Violet Township Public Libuilding of almost 1,700 librarbrary consisted of 2,100 books ies, many of which still stand, housed in two 8-by-8-foot including the main Columbus rooms. Seeing an opportunity Metropolitan Library. to grow, E.R. Wooley, the mayor At the time the library was of Pickerington; Georgia Finley, built, the village of Pickeringpresident of the library’s board ton had only 310 residents, not of trustees; and F.C. Wingier, Mayor E.R. Wooley enough to meet the population president of the Violet Townrequirement of 1,000 people to ship Board of Education, applied for a grant apply for a Carnegie grant. So Pickeringfrom steel industry titan Andrew Carnegie ton partnered with 2,000-resident Violet and the Carnegie Corporation.

Township and passed a joint resolution to “You’ve got to admire their courage raise at least $1,000 a year to maintain the and their persistence for going after a Carn- library, with Carnegie supplying a grant of egie Library,” says Maggie Arendt, publicity $10,000 to get it built. director for the Pickerington-Violet Town“It was fairly controversial at the time. ship Historical Society. “We were one of the Some people didn’t want (the joint resolusmallest communities in the United States tion),” Arendt says. “A thousand dollars to get a library.” was a lot of money back in 1912.”

But those who pushed for the library were successful, and the Violet Township Public Library was dedicated on Sept. 4, 1916 at the Labor Day Homecoming Parade.

The library grew and changed over the years, adding multimedia resources and more books, forcing it to spread out between multiple buildings. In 1993, a levy was passed to build the new Pickerington Public Library on Opportunity Way. The Carnegie Library building was then converted into a museum that serves as the headquarters of the historical society.

Peggy Portier, president of the historical society, says the group was lucky to get the building, which is now owned by the city of Pickerington, as it affords the group more space for the historical artifacts.

On Sept. 18, the historical society will celebrate the Carnegie Library building’s 100th birthday with a party from 2-4 p.m. In celebration, the society is will present a special exhibit with items from the time period in which the library opened, including clothing and automobiles. Festivities will also include an Andrew Carnegie impersonator, a self-guided walking tour and live music.

Portier and Arendt agreed that they hope the library will remain a piece of the community for years to come.

“There are people who have no idea it exists, and we’d like to change that, but I think the people who know about us know that this is a significant historic building,” Portier says.

Around Pickerington Want your snapshots to appear in print? Send your high-resolution photos to pickeringtonmag@gmail.com along with your name and a caption!

Food Truck Frenzy: June 5 Photos courtesy of Barbara Meek

Olde Pickerington Village PetFest: June 3 Photos courtesy of Jason Diehl and Peggy Portier

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

27

on the table

By Hailey Stangebye

Grocery Guru

Dedicated food pantry volunteer, a one-time grocery store worker, goes above and beyond Amidst the hustle and bustle of preparations for the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington’s Food Truck Frenzy is a volunteer who calmly and methodically sorts through produce.

Potatoes, apples, raspberries: All of these fresh foods pass under the watchful eye of long-time volunteer Dick Sloan on that busy day in June.

Sloan, 78, retired from his job with the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 2004 and moved out to the Pickerington area with his wife, Sue. But about four years ago, Sloan began to seek out ways to keep busy around the community.

After scanning through a bulletin at Peace United Methodist Church, says Sloan, he reached out to the food pantry to offer his expertise.

“When I was growing up, my dad had a grocery store,” says Sloan.

Summers for Sloan were spent bagging groceries, stocking shelves, running the cash register and, really, doing a little bit of everything. He eventually ran the entire produce department.

Since then, Sloan has worked a number of jobs, but he never forgot the values that he learned from that family grocery store.

“My dad always put in my head – the whole family, you know – if he couldn’t get us to do it right, how the heck could he get the other employees to do it right?” says Sloan.

Dick Sloan

“He takes care of that produce like it’s a baby,” says Gessica Peraza, director of operations at the food pantry.

Sloan meticulously caters to each type of food to keep it fresh for as long as possible.

“We have someone who understands produce,” says Barbara Meek, the pantry’s director of community relations and development.

Sloan brings an air of tenacity and attention to detail to the food pantry; he will

“My Grandma’s Baked Apples” Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees “Her recipe was a little of this, a little Fahrenheit (or slightly lower if you of that, so I had to fight to figure it out want to bake the apples more slowly). myself.” –Dick Sloan Slice apples in half and remove any undesired seeds.

Ingredients Measure out some water so that it 4 to 8 Jonathan Apples fills a 13” by 9” baking pan to about ¼ 3 Tbsp. butter, melted of an inch high. Combine water, flour, 2 Tbsp. flour butter and sugar in a bowl.

Light or dark brown sugar to taste Place apples face up in the baking (about ¼ cup) pan. Pour sugar mixture over the tops of the apples, making sure each is sufficiently coated in the mixture.

28

Place pan in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes, depending on desired texture and oven strength.

Periodically throughout the baking, use a baster to absorb the juices at the bottom of the pan and redistribute them over the tops of the apples to keep them moist.

When a warm, golden brown hue is achieved and the apples are fragrant, they are ready to enjoy. Serve immediately or store in jars in the refrigerator for later.

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Photos courtesy of Gessica Peraza

RECIPE

Sloan helps bring a pallet of bottled water into the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington.

rarely settle for less than perfection when it comes to stocking or produce.

“My wife even raises heck with me,” says Sloan. “I go into the grocery store and I see some of the guys stock shelves, and they don’t face everything out. They just shove it on the shelf.”

The shelves at the PCMA Food Pantry are carefully organized in neat rows from the front of the shelf all the way to the back. Likewise, the produce is sorted with a fine-toothed comb to select the highest quality items available for the shelves.

“When (the food) comes in … you’ve got to go through everything because, a lot of times, they’ve just thrown in their trash.

I mean, a lot of stuff is rotten to begin with,” says Sloan. “We try to go through

Sloan loads up supplies for pantry clients. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Sloan works with other volunteers to look through onions donated to the pantry.

… with the premise that you wouldn’t put out anything that you wouldn’t want to eat yourself.”

For Sloan, it’s important not to sacrifice the quality of the food just because the families are in need. In Pickerington, the need for the food pantry is deceptively high.

“A lot of people perceive Pickerington as not needing a pantry,” says Peraza. “But if you look at the numbers and the families and you hear the stories that we hear, they definitely need it.”

Each month, the food pantry serves about 600 people, or up to 170 families.

The pantry operates on the generosity of the community and dedicated volunteers like Sloan.

“We have an amazing community,” says Meek. “We can ask for anything and they usually will come step up to the plate.”

Sloan’s dedication to the food pantry embodies the community’s tireless support to feed the hungry.

“Everybody knows who (Sloan) is, and he’s a great guy,” says Peraza. “We couldn’t do it without him.”

Hunger Action Month September is designated Hunger Action Month, and the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington is getting in on the action.

The pantry is part of H3 (Hunger, Health, Hope), which works to build awareness of hunger in Fairfield County and increase communication among county food pantries and supporting organizations.

The first Thursday of September, everyone is asked to wear orange to raise awareness of hunger, and food drives will be held by various organizations throughout the community.

Hailey Stangebye is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

RELATED READS www.pickeringtonmagazine.com • Produce: fresh, frozen or canned?

• Food pantry’s Summer Feeding Program • More on the food pantry • Award-winning apple pie recipe 29

bookmarks

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

Ohio Pride Series

Discover hidden gems of the Buckeye State The library is excited to offer this series of programs for the fall.

Sept. 24: Grandma Gatewood, discussing the legendary Emma Rowena Gatewood, the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, and the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Oct. 6: The educators and their ambassador wolf of Ironwood Wolves, and Just How Weird is Ohio? with James Willis, author of Weird Ohio Oct. 20: Educators from the Ohio Bird Sanctuary presenting Buckeye Birds of Prey

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

By Ben Montgomery In 2012, Emma Gatewood was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame. At Hocking Hills State Park, there is a six-mile section designated as the Grandma Gatewood Trail. It connects Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls to Ash Cave.

Area 51

By Nadia Higgins This book covers stories about America’s most secret base.

Aliens and Other Visitors

By Ruth Owen If aliens aren’t real, why have there been so many sightings? Could life from other planets really travel to earth?

Ohio’s Historic Haunts, Ohio Ghost Stories and Weird Ohio

By James Willis The past comes alive in more ways than one in these books by Ohio oddity investigator James Willis.

The Hidden Life of Wolves

By Jamie and Jim Dutcher Jim and Jamie Dutcher share heartwarming moments of their experience in the life of a wolf pack. Shown through stunning photography, these pictures remind us of the close link between wolves in the wild and our family pets.

A Wolf Called Romeo

By Nick Jans This is the true story of Romeo and the six-year relationship he had with the people of Juneau. As Romeo began to tag along with cross-country skiers on their daily jaunts, play fetch with local dogs or simply lie near author Nick Jans and nap under the sun, a trusting relationship developed between the people and dogs of Juneau and this gentle black wolf.

Identifying Birds of Prey

By Laura Erickson Ever wonder whether that is a hawk or falcon flying overhead? Or what type of owl is in that tree? This quick reference guide will help with identification and make bird-watching even more enjoyable.

30

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

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

Sunday 1-5 p.m. www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

There’s only one sports medicine leader for student athletes.

We’re the best at getting them ready for battle. The best at getting them back in the game. And the best at bringing their goals into reach. We’re the sports medicine experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and we’re the best equipped to treat all sports injuries including concussions, rehab sports injuries or prevent them from happening in the first place. So, if your athlete is 18 or under, don’t risk their career to anyone else.

Visit NationwideChildrens.org/Sports-Medicine.

LET’S FIND THE RIGHT DOCTOR TODAY,

SO TOMORROW CAN BE EVEN BETTER.

Mount Carmel Medical Group is pleased to welcome

LISA WARNER, MD Family Medicine MCMG Pickerington 641 Hill Road North Pickerington, Ohio 43147 614-833-0880 | mountcarmelmedicalgroup.com

Now accepting new patients.