Ohio Cooperative Living - December 2019 - North Central

OHIO

DECEMBER 2019

COOPERATIVE North Central Electric Cooperative

Awardwinning NCE’s newest substation

Silent night ALSO INSIDE ALSO INSIDE Youth Tour Youth Tour all-star all-star Cardinals on Cardinals on the rise the rise Fun holiday Fun holiday events events

Winter energy efficiency tips ❆ Seal air leaks and insulate well to prevent heat from escaping and cold air from entering your home. ❆ Open blinds and curtains during the day to allow sunlight in to warm your home.

❆ Lower your water heater temperature.

The Department of Energy recommends using the warm setting (120 degrees) during fall and winter months.

❆ Close blinds and curtains at night to keep cold, drafty air out. ❆ Set your thermostat at a maximum of 68 degrees during cold weather.

ohioec.org/energy

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

INSIDE FEATURES 14 O TANNENBAUM Is this the year to go with a live tree that you can plant after the holidays?

25 HOLIDAY TRAVEL Eight close-to-home holiday destinations that evoke the story of the first Christmas, foster good cheer, and brighten spirits.

34 SNOWSHOEING Check out a fun, healthy, and relatively inexpensive way to keep exercising — outdoors — during those snowy winter months.

Cover image on most issues: ’Tis the season of hopes and dreams, silence and celebration, wonder and delight.

Make sure to check out our guide to holiday-themed events around the state, beginning on page 25, and a full listing in our calendar section.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

ANOTHER YEAR BETTER

Y

our electric cooperative has no higher purpose than to provide its consumermembers with reliable and affordable electricity and to do so in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Looking back on 2019, a lot has happened that affects those goals.

Improving reliability: Significant investments in the high-voltage grid — lines that move electricity across the state from our generation sources to each co-op — improve reliability in many parts of rural Ohio, but much-needed upgrades are expensive and inevitably lead to escalating costs for the delivery of power to your co-op.

Holding down costs: We’ve been able to keep Buckeye Power’s cost to produce and deliver wholesale power to your co-op steady for the past seven years, despite the rising costs of a more reliable grid. We expect we will able to do so again next year; 2019 was our first full year handling operational responsibility at our Cardinal Plant, which generates the lion’s share of the electricity used by our members. In that time, we’ve been able to find efficiencies and operational savings that have enabled us to hold down costs.

More common-sense environmental regulations: When U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler needed a host to roll out the EPA’s new Affordable Clean Energy rule in July, he chose the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives statewide office — a nod to how hard co-op leaders around the state have worked to achieve common-sense environmental improvements at the plant, which should keep it viable well into the future.

Member satisfaction: Collectively, consumer-members of Ohio electric cooperatives gave their co-ops an unprecedented high score on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index — citing service reliability, friendly and helpful employees, good communications, and having the members’ best interests at heart. Our scores compare favorably to some of the nation’s most popular brands, such as Chick-fil-A, Costco, and Amazon.

A few other significant notes from 2019: • The staff at Ohio Cooperative Living magazine won the George W. Haggard Memorial Journalism Award, presented annually to the nation’s top electric cooperative statewide consumer publication.

• The Central Ohio Lineworker Training (COLT) center set another record for the number of employees participating in job training and safety programs — preparing our people to meet your needs now and into the future.

• The employees at our statewide office and our families took part in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night walk in Columbus. We were among the top teams for fundraising and participation in the fight against cancer.

I’m looking forward to another great year in 2020. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a blessed holiday season!

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Collectively, consumer-members of Ohio electric cooperatives gave their co-ops an unprecedented high score on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.

DECEMBER 2019 • Volume 62, No. 3

MORE INSIDE DEPARTMENTS

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 memberinteract@ohioec.org www.ohioec.org Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Patrick Higgins Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Rebecca Seum Associate Editor

Anita Cook Graphic Designer

Dava Hennosy Editorial Intern Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, Craig Springer, Damaine Vonada, Margie Wuebker, and Patty Yoder.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Elec­tric Co­op­eratives, Inc. It is the official com­mun­ ication link be­tween the elec­­­­tric co­operatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their mem­bers. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

4 POWER LINES

Are we there yet? From Youth Tour to Youth Leadership Council to Harvard, Olivia Velasquez doesn’t shy away from the unfamiliar.

6 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Washington Electric Cooperative: The co-op’s rugged service territory includes mountain views, rolling hills, and the Ohio and Muskingum rivers.

8 OHIO ICON

Hanby House: Benjamin Hanby made his name by penning “Up on the House Top,” and for his family’s efforts to aid freedom seekers through the Underground Railroad.

Cheryl Solomon American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an en­dorse­ment. If you find an advertisement mis­leading or a product unsatisfactory, please not­ify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Of­fi ce, Consumer Protection Sec­tion, 30 E. Broad St., Col­um­bus, OH 43215.

Periodicals postage paid at Colum­bus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101

8

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

Bright Christmas: Thousands of visitors flock each year to this winter wonderland home in Darke County.

12

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE For all advertising inquiries, contact

4

Cardinals: Ohio’s state bird — the highly recognizable “Big Red” — enjoys a population boom in the Buckeye State.

16 GOOD EATS

Going nuts: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Winter’s a great time to enjoy a bountiful supply of numerous nutty favorites.

16

19 LOCAL PAGES

News and information from your electric cooperative.

Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.

Alliance for Audited Media Member Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

37 CALENDAR

What’s happening: December/ January events and other things to do around the state.

40

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Silent night: Members pause for a moment to embrace the holiday cheer.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

ARE WE THERE YET? From Youth Tour to Youth Leadership Council to Harvard, Olivia Velasquez doesn’t shy away from the unfamiliar.

BY REBECCA SEUM

O

livia Velasquez grew up in Gilboa, a tiny, two-road village in northwest Ohio, and though her path has taken her far away, her home remains the center of her compass.

In 2013, as a sophomore at Pandora-Gilboa High School, Olivia was chosen

by Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative as a delegate to the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Youth Tour, an annual leadership program for high school students from families served by electric cooperatives. Since then, she’s made the most of each experience that has come her way.

Much more than a sightseeing trip, Youth Tour was established to inspire our next generation of leaders. The Ohio contingent joins cooperative youth from all over the country for a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C. Students visit important sites, meet members of their congressional delegation, and learn about both public service and the cooperative business model.

Olivia has taken the cooperative values to heart, incorporating Commitment to Community in her personal and professional life. “The Youth Tour trip enlightened me,” she says, “showing me that not only do cooperatives light up homes, but lives as well, by representing us, caring about us, and striving to make progress.”

Step by step Youth Tour participants return home with a deeper understanding of what it takes to be a leader and the skills to put that into action. During the trip, each state selects a delegate to serve on Youth Leadership Council, which meets in D.C. about a month after Youth Tour concludes. Olivia was chosen by her peers to represent Ohio on YLC. Olivia’s parents, Rick and Amy Velasquez, recognized her leadership characteristics from the outset. “Ever since she was small, she’s always been outspoken and independent,” Amy says. Olivia was a voracious reader, first listening to her mother read aloud to her and her sisters, then taking the books in her own hands. “I believe her love of learning came from all that reading,” Amy says.

YLC delegates play an important role during the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s annual meeting the following spring — they’re not only recognized on stage, but they have a hands-on experience with virtually every facet of the meeting. Olivia took her experience even another step; from the pool of YLC delegates nationwide, she was selected to be that year’s Youth Leadership Council national spokesperson — the first delegate from Ohio to win that honor.

Olivia’s speech at the NRECA annual meeting centered on the enduring lessons she gained from Youth Tour. “Although Youth Tour ended a mere week after we boarded that bus, the lessons I and my new friends learned 4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

“People in little towns like mine are heard, and this is how it’s done.” will last a lifetime,” she said. “I finally figured out my own answer to that question: Are we there yet? Youth Tour taught me that we will never be there. Instead, we must continually ask ourselves these questions — make changes in the directions to make progress. In the end, that progress is our destination.”

After YLC Not long after her YLC experience, Olivia was awarded the Ronald McDonald House Charities HACER National Scholarship, which was created in 1985 to help Hispanic high school students finance their college education. Given to only four students nationwide, the dollar amount is substantial — $100,000 — and with it, Olivia was able to take advantage of her acceptance to Harvard University.

Her participation with Youth Tour and YLC allowed her to meet people from all over the country whom she would never have had the chance to otherwise, and at Harvard, she expanded her scope even further — she tried Latin dancing, became a peer counselor, did laboratory research, studied abroad in Argentina, and made friendships with Alzheimer’s patients. “I felt like my mind was being opened day to day,” she says.

This spring, she graduated from Harvard with a degree in integrative biology and a secondary in mind, brain, and behavior. Now, she’s working at McLean Hospital, the Harvard-affiliated psychiatric facility, co-leading group therapy sessions and orienting new patients, with an eye toward medical school.

Olivia Velasquez (above) delivers her powerful speech to the delegates of the NRECA annual meeting — an experience that helped propel her to attend Harvard University (below).

New experiences, new challenges Olivia says her Youth Tour and YLC experience allowed her to meet people with big goals. She felt inspired by those around her, who were ambitious, yet grounded in their communities and their families.

“You know you can do anything you want to do,” she says, “but you don’t really believe it until you see it in the people around you.”

There are some subtler learning opportunities inherent to Youth Tour that go beyond the history and the monuments. “Going to a brand-new place with people you don’t know is daunting, but it really is a great opportunity to learn how to get to know people,” Olivia says. Additionally, the trip opened her eyes to her own community.

“I gained a lot of pride in my state and my town, juxtaposing it with D.C.,” she says. “People in little towns like mine are heard, and this is how it’s done.”

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

W

ashington Electric Cooperative lies in the hilly Appalachian region of southeastern Ohio. Though there is farmland in the western part of the service territory, the best way to describe the surrounding landscape would be “rugged.” The terrain includes mountain views, rolling hills, and the Ohio and Muskingum rivers.

About 75% of Washington Electric’s 10,500 members are residential, but the co-op also serves some prominent commercial businesses, including several in the oil and gas industry.

Wayne National Forest and Seneca Lake A good bit of Washington Electric’s territory is located within the eastern portion of Wayne National Forest. In the Appalachian foothills, visitors can appreciate the natural beauty of the park, including rock formations and wildlife. Wayne National Forest is renowned for its biking, camping, and fishing opportunities. The forest has more than 300 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and ATV riding.

Seneca Lake Park is open year-round, with special events and activities during the summer. The lake, Ohio’s third-largest inland waterway, serves as a border with neighboring Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative, and is known for its boating, fishing, and other opportunities for family fun. Summer activities include a moonlit kayak tour, a magic show, and a movie at the lake. There is also a swimming beach with inflatable water toys for the kids.

Nearby festivals Nearby Marietta hosts a variety of festivals and events that draw tens of thousands to the area. The Marietta Riverfront Roar showcases professional powerboat racing on the Ohio River. Racers and their crews come from around the country for the event.

Spectators get free admission, a close-up view of the boats, and the opportunity to meet the drivers and crews. Marietta also hosts the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, where 30 to 35 authentic old sternwheelers line the riverbank. The festival brings an estimated 100,000 visitors to the area over the weekend and preserves the town’s riverboat heritage. Beyond the sternwheelers, the festival offers family entertainment such as a car show, a photo contest, live music, and fireworks. After the events, visitors can explore downtown Marietta’s dining and unique shopping.

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Co-op Spotlight appears regularly in Ohio Cooperative Living to give a glimpse into the land and the people of Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives.

SUPER COUPON OVER 5,000 5 STAR REVIEWS Customer Rating

1,000+ Stores Nationwide • HarborFreight.com SUPER COUPON

44" x 22" DOUBLE BANK EXTRA DEEP CABINETS

FREE WITH ANY PURCHASE

SUPER BRIGHT LED /SMD WORK LIGHT/FLASHLIGHT

Customer Rating

• Super-Strong, Ultra-Lightweight Composite Plastic • Magnetic Base & 360° Swivel Hook for Hands-Free Operation • 3- AAA Batteries (included) • 144 Lumens

• 14,000 cu. in. of storage • 2600 lb. capacity • Weighs 291 lbs.

CE YOUR CHOIRS OF 6 COLO

99 $449 $ 49999

SAVE

$

2,285

2,735

COMPARE TO $ SNAP-ON MODEL: KRA4813FPBO

*13632330 * 13632330

Item 64446, 64443, 64133, 64954, 64955, 64956

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER COUPON

ALL IN A SINGLE SUPER POWERFUL LIGHT COMPARE TO

ITEM 63878/63991 PERFORMANCE $ 52 64005/69567/60566 MODEL: W2364 TOOL 63601/67227 shown

13

*13620423 * 13620423 Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented.

Valid through 1/25/20 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.

Customer Rating

NOW

COMPARE TO

$1 0

SAVE 83%

DEWALT $ 14

68

MODEL: DW1369

$

99

99

18

99

$2

8

$ 78

COMPARE TO

BLUE HAWK

MODEL: BG8X10-Y

SAVE $ 99 65% 4

ITEM 69115/69121/69129/69137/69249/877 shown

ITEM 5889/62281/61637 shown

ITEM*

*13622072 * 13622072

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Atlas, Bauer, Central Machinery, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 1/25/20.

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

14" ELECTRIC CHAIN SAW

0.6 CFM @ 90 PSI

$

Customer Rating

NOW

20% OFF ANY SINGLE

SUPER 7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" COUPON ALL PURPOSE/WEATHER 3 GALLON, 100 PSI OIL-FREE RESISTANT TARP AIR COMPRESSORS • Air delivery:

29 PIECE TITANIUM DRILL BIT SET

SUPER COUPON

5999OICE YOUR CH

HOT DOG

9 $399

PANCAKE

ITEM 69269 97080 shown

ITEM 61615/60637 95275 shown Customer Rating

$

COMPARE TO

PORTER-CABLE

98

62

MODEL: PCFP02003

SAVE 59%

NOW

$39

$

99

4999

ITEM 64498/64497 shown

COMPARE TO

CRAFTSMAN

SAVE $8074 50%

MODEL: 071-45247

*13651640 * 13651640

*13663714 * 13663714

*13670519 * 13670519

*13690578 * 13690578

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

2000 WATT SUPER QUIET 200 LUMEN LED SUPER BRIGHT INVERTER GENERATOR FLIP LIGHT

Customer Rating

• 12 hour run time

NOW

$449 $

SAVE $ 559

ITEM 62523

99

499

99

COMPARE TO

HONDA

$

1,009

MODEL: EU2000i

1 TON CAPACITY RECIPROCATING SAW FOLDABLE WITH ROTATING HANDLE SHOP CRANE

• Wireless, tool-free and easy installation

Customer Rating

• Boom extends from 34" to 45" • Crane height adjusts from 69-5/8" to 82"

Customer Rating

NOW

NOW

$249

3

$ 99 COMPARE TO

PROMIER $ 99

4

MODEL: SW-SWITCH-12/24

$139

SAVE $ 90

SAVE 50%

COMPARE TO $

ITEM 64189/64723/63922 shown

SUPER COUPON

GOPLUS

$

22999

MODEL: GP-101040150

99

18999

ITEM 69512 61858 shown

Customer Rating

Blade sold separately.

COMPARE TO

PORTER-CABLE $ 98

SAVE 66%

59

MODEL: PCE360

ITEM 65570/61884/62370 shown

NOW

$1 999 $

2999

*13692286 * 13692286

*13694268 * 13694268

*13695934 * 13695934

*13710372 * 13710372

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

9 PIECE FULLY POLISHED COMBINATION WRENCH SETS

130 PIECE TOOL KIT WITH CASE

Customer Rating

YOUR CHOICE

$5 99 7

$

COMPARE TO

HUSKY

Customer Rating

17 97

MODEL: HCW10PCSAE

TYPE ITEM SAE 69043/63282/42304 METRIC 69044/63171/42305

COMPARE TO

ANVIL

$

66

39

MODEL: A137HOS

$29

ITEM 68998/63248/64080/64263/63091 shown

*13795230 * 13795230

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER Customer Rating COUPON

RAPID PUMP 1.5 TON LIGHTWEIGHT ALUMINUM FLOOR JACK • Weighs 33 lbs.

NOW ®

$59

COMPARE TO

K TOOL $ 42

151

MODEL: KTI63094

$

79

ITEM 64552/64832/64980/64545 shown

COMPARE TO

$

39

$1 999

99

NEOCRAFT MODEL: 60635 ITEM 62515/66911 shown

SAVE 50% $2999

*13814950 * 13814950

MECHANICS GLOVES Customer Rating

5

$ 99 COMPARE TO

VALEO $ 99

14

MODEL: 25521

3/8" x 50 FT. INDUSTRIAL GRADE 18" x 12" RUBBER AIR HOSE MOVER'S DOLLY

$499 SAVE 66%

ITEM 62434, 62426, 62433, 62432, 62429, 64178, 64179, 62428 shown

*13829993 * 13829993 LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

2/10/50 AMP, 12 VOLT BATTERY CHARGER AND ENGINE STARTER

Customer Rating

Customer Rating

AVAIL. IN SM, MED, LG, XL, XXL

NOW

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

SUPER COUPON

• 1000 lb. capacity

Customer Rating

NOW

99

99

NOW

99

SAVE 54% $3999

*13731660 * 13731660

SAVE $ 91

• 350 lb. capacity

NOW

SAVE 66%

$ 99

18" WORKING PLATFORM STEP STOOL

Customer Rating

Item 42305 shown

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

$1 8 99 $

24

99

COMPARE TO

$

COMPARE TO

GOODYEAR

29

82

MODEL: 12865

ITEM 61939/62884/62890 shown

SAVE 36%

BUFFALO TOOLS $ 99

22

MODEL: HDFDOLLY

$

10

99

SAVE 65%

NOW

99

$7

ITEM 60497/61899/62399/63095/63096/63097/63098 shown

SAVE 49% $5499

COMPARE TO

59

SCHUMACHER $ 77 MODEL: SE-1250 ELECTRIC

NOW

9 $299 ITEM 60581/3418 60653 shown

*13839287 * 13839287

*13845108 * 13845108

*13850794 * 13850794

*13854979 * 13854979

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 1/25/20*

*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 1/25/20.

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

OHIO ICON

HANBY HOUSE

Westerville

BY DAMAINE VONADA

Location: In the Columbus suburb of Westerville near the western edge of Otterbein University’s campus.

Provenance: Built in 1846, Hanby House was the home of Rev. William Hanby and his family from 1854 to 1870. Hanby was a bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, a co-founder of Otterbein University, an active temperance advocate, and an ardent abolitionist who used the house as a station on the Underground Railroad. Inspired by the story of a broken-hearted slave separated from his sweetheart, Hanby’s son Benjamin wrote a song — “Darling Nelly Gray” — that he debuted in 1856 at a musical gathering in the home’s parlor.

Benjamin Hanby’s ballad became enormously popular and helped crystallize anti-slavery sentiment prior to the Civil War. Hanby started a singing school in New Paris, where in 1864, he composed the jolly tune “Up on the House Top” for a children’s Christmas program. Hanby wrote more than 80 songs before dying of tuberculosis at age 33 in 1867.

In the 1920s, Otterbein graduates John and Dacia Shoemaker rescued the dilapidated house from the wrecking ball and organized a renovation that turned it into a museum. Hanby House opened to the public in 1937.

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Significance: Operated by the Westerville Historical Society, Hanby House is part of the Ohio History Connection’s statewide system of historic sites and museums and is an identified destination on the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Currently: Hanby House honors Benjamin Hanby’s musical legacy as well as his family’s efforts to aid freedom seekers. The exterior of Hanby House recently was painted, changed from white to its original butternut color. According to the site’s manager, Pam Allen, “A paint specialist determined that color by using an electron microscope to analyze all the layers of paint on the house.”

It’s a little-known fact that: Christmas open houses at Hanby House feature tours led by guides in period costumes, traditional refreshments such as mulled cider and ginger snaps, and live performances of “Up on the House Top” and other holiday songs.

Hanby House, 160 W. Main St., Westerville, OH 43081.

Christmas open houses Dec. 3 and Dec. 7, 2019.

For information, call 800-600-6843 or visit www. hanbyhouse.org.

HearClear GO Rechargeable Digital Hearing Aid Technology Only $ 199!*

As

TM

Se en n

O !

TV

(*Each when you buy a pair)

A) Microphone B) Program Bu�on C) Volume Control D) Magne�c USB Charging Port & Rechargeable Ba�ery E) Digital Processor F) Receiver (Speaker) G) Sound Tube

The new Advanced HearClearTM Go rechargeable hearing aid combines advanced technology with a low price to provide you with outstanding value.

5 Star Reviews!

Outstanding Product! “This product is outstanding. Dad loves it, my mom loves it, and I am grateful! Don’t believe that you have to spend a lot of money to get a quality hearing aid” - Gilmore B.

Go Features!

Digital sound processing chip provides crystal clear sound and makes speech easier to understand with less feedback than old analog technology Don’t worry about replacing ba�eries! Full Charge Gives 16 Hours of Use! (Free Charging Base Included) Automa�c Noise Reduc�on and Feedback Canceler 100% Money Back Guarantee

Even Better In Pairs!

Your brain is designed to use both ears working together. In fact, studies show that you may be able to hear up to 3 �mes be�er in noisy situa�ons when using two hearing aids. Buy a pair for the best results and save $80!

HearClear hearing aids have been clinically proven to show significant improvement in speech understanding.

(University of Memphis, 2018)

High Quality.

Easy.

Affordable.

Rechargeable Digital Hearing Aid - For Only $199!* The new HearClear Go Rechargeable Digital Hearing Aids feature advanced digital technology at an unbelievably affordable price! The Go utilizes the key technologies of high-end digital hearing aids while leaving out fancy bells and whistles that increase cost and require expensive adjustments. With the Go, you’ll hear clearly while saving a lot of money!

Your lightweight and discreet Go hearing aids work at a fraction of the cost of name-brand hearing aids, and they’re amazingly convenient! With the Go’s FREE included charging station, you won’t have to keep Charging Stand! buying and replacing tiny hearing aid batteries, and the Go is pre-programmed for most mild to moderate hearing losses— no costly professional adjustments needed. They’re shipped directly to you and help you hear better right out of the box. Simply take them out, put them in, and Go! You can spend thousands on an expensive hearing aid or you can spend just $239 for a hearing aid that’s great for most mild to moderate hearing losses (only $199 each when you buy a pair – hear up to 3 times better than wearing just one). We’re so sure you’ll love your hearing aids we offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee - Risk Free if you are not satisfied for any reason.

MONEY SAVING OFFER! Use Coupon Code: CL9B

1-888-874-3197

*Only $199 Each When You Buy A Pair!

(Coupon Code & Price Valid For A Limited Time Only) TM

Affordable Quality Since 1996!

US Company Owned And Operated

The Go

FDA

REGISTERED

Visit and Save: www.AdvancedHearing.com/CL9B

CO-OP PEOPLE

DREAMING OF A

BRIGHT CHRISTMAS

BY MARGIE WUEBKER

D

ick and Dianne Brown of Greenville welcome visitors by the thousands to their winter wonderland every year, treating guests to holiday trees, whimsical characters, sweet treats, and no fewer than 100,000 brightly colored lights.

2019 marks the 26th year for the Darke County display, and never has a design been repeated from the past — each new season brings a new twist, which draws people from near and far.

Dick Brown, a former business owner and real estate appraiser, remembers when holiday preparations involved putting up just two strings of lights — one on each side of the front door.

A move to a different house sparked his interest in more lights, and the addition of two daughters only intensified that interest. Soon, Brown had pushed his display to upward of 10,000 bulbs. “There were some problems with not enough outlets,” he recalls with a smile.

The Browns even accounted for their display in the plans for their current home on Requarth Road, which includes underground electrical service along the paved driveway and a 300foot swath that serves as a runway for Santa’s reindeerdrawn sleigh. Electricians added 200-amp service in the

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

drawn sleigh. Electricians added 200-amp service in the garage to handle the anticipated load.

Brown says it takes a month to complete the decorating once he starts in mid-October. He starts with the tree ornaments, because arranging the group displays and laying cords for the lights must wait until lawn mowing is done for the season.

“I prefer to work at my own pace,” he says. “Sometimes I work a while in the morning and then come back outside in the afternoon or the evening.”

A 40- by 100-foot barn, which his granddaughter calls “Paw-Paw’s Christmas House,” houses all the decorations. Carefully labeled plastic totes contain lights and smaller items, and paths wind in and around the statues and larger decorations that are arranged on the concrete floor. A 50-foot counter provides space to perform any needed repairs.

The display is open for public viewing from 6 to 11 p.m. from Thanksgiving through Christmas. People can stay in their vehicles for a slow drive through the

wonderland. Others accept invitations to come inside for a quick peek at Dianne’s interior decorations, which include a quaint snow village and a majestic purple tree.

“We give everybody who comes a full-size candy cane,” Dick says. “That amounted to 10,000. I gave out the traditional peppermint ones, but Dianne had more than 90 flavors to choose from.”

Some visitors come bearing homemade treats or small gifts to show their appreciation, and the Browns sometimes find ornaments or other decorations on their doorstep.

“People also want to give us money to help with the cost,” Brown says. “We don’t want anything, because this is our gift to the community.”

The Browns reside at 5480 Requarth Road (at the intersection with Jaysville-St. John Road) near Greenville.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Big Red Cardinals enjoy a population boom in the Buckeye State.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

P

ublished in 2016, The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Ohio is not a casual read. A true tome totaling nearly 600 pages, the book is an inch and a half thick and weighs 6.5 pounds (don’t drop it on your toes).

It’s the go-to source for professional ornithologists and serious amateur birders in the Buckeye State for all things bird-related concerning the more than 200 species nesting here. It has some encouraging things to say about the northern cardinal, Ohio’s state bird (and that of six other states, too).

For instance, the atlas estimates the number of singing male cardinals in the state at a whopping 2.1 million, with the cardinal population as a whole having increased 1.1% per year since 1966. Yet as common as cardinals are, whether viewed on Christmas cards this time of year or on birdfeeders year-round, they have not always been numerous in Ohio.

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

When our state was first being settled and the virgin forests cleared, cardinals were found primarily in the southern half of Ohio, expanding their population north during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, the familiar red birds are found statewide, but are most numerous in southwest counties where National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Counts can exceed 2,000 individuals.

Unlike many other songbirds, cardinals are the paragon of fidelity. Not only are they monogamous for life, or at least until their partner dies, they even stay together throughout the year, not just during breeding season.

In preparation for breeding, both sexes begin singing as early as mid-to-late winter. The singing is sometimes solo, but more often counter-singing — one mate begins a song that the other finishes. You could say they complete each other’s sentences, the ultimate sign of both devoted avian and human couples.

Cardinals (male, left; female, right) mate for life and remain together even when it’s not breeding season.

Once spring arrives, the male begins courtship feeding the female by bringing her tidbits of food, their beaks touching briefly — a kiss? — as she accepts the morsel.

Due to her muted protective coloration, the female has exclusive control of nesting. She selects the site, usually in dense shrubbery or a brushy field border, constructs the nest, then performs the nearly two weeks of incubation required to hatch her two to five eggs.

During that time, the male isn’t just free to go hang out with the boys. He remains somewhere close with an ear cocked, awaiting his mate’s call for food when she grows hungry.

Once the eggs hatch, both male and female bring the nestlings food, which is almost exclusively insects, due to their high protein content. After about 11 days, the fledglings leave the nest, and the male is in charge of feeding them on the ground. The female then

immediately begins a second nesting, producing as many as three or four broods of young cardinals per season in Ohio — hence the high population.

The next Ohio breeding bird atlas is scheduled to be published in another 20 years; what might it have to say about cardinals? Jim McCormac, one of five editors of the current edition, speculates.

“It is safe to say that our ‘redbird’ will be holding strong when the next atlas appears. Adaptability, tolerance of a variety of habitats, and a knack for cohabiting with people should ensure that the cardinal remains abundant into the future.”

In other words, Big Red will continue to boom in the Buckeye State.

W.H. “Chip” Gross (whchipgross@gmail.com) is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor and a member of Consolidated Cooperative.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13

IS THIS THE YEAR TO GET

A LIVE CHRISTMAS TREE?

BY PATTY YODER

A

fter a few years of getting their tree from a corner lot or cutting their own, Hilliard resident Linda Lutz decided she should find out what type of Christmas tree was best for her young family, so she read everything she could find on the subject.

“I researched which option was best for the environment — artificial, live, or cut — then I did a cost analysis to compare prices over time,” she says. “The live tree won, so we tried it.”

For several years after, Linda and her husband, Jim, would dig a hole for their Christmas tree before the ground froze and plant it after the holidays.

Then, they waited. “Because it was winter, the tree would go dormant, so it would be spring before we knew whether it would survive,” Jim says.

Some trees did not last the harshness of winter, but others did.

Years later, evergreens of various sizes dotted their yard, marking Christmas memories with their twin sons, Johnny and Justin.

“We looked at the trees in our yard as a passage of time, the way some families mark their children’s height on a door frame each year,” Jim says.

The couple agreed there are upsides and downsides to having live Christmas trees, so they didn’t get one every year. Live trees weigh around 150 pounds, so they take considerably more effort to move.

With a large root ball at the bottom, the tree itself must be smaller, so there are fewer branches for ornaments and, importantly, less room for presents underneath.

On the positive side, their boys liked celebrating Christmas with a live tree, and everyone enjoyed the evergreen scent that filled their home.

Jim Lutz poses with his twin sons, Justin (left) and Johnny, in front of the family Christmas tree, circa 1990. Linda Lutz says the family enjoyed planting their live trees after the holidays, but they had to get smaller trees to accommodate the root ball in the living room.

14 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

“Even our cat loved the live tree,” Linda says. “She would cuddle up next to it, thinking we went to all that trouble just for her.”

Live tree tips from an Ohio expert Matt Mongin is president of the Ohio Christmas Tree Association and owner of Spring Valley Tree Farm. With more than 30 years in the business, he offers these helpful tips for live tree care: • Select the right species for your property. Popular Canaan firs grow to be 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide, while some spruces can reach beyond 100 feet. Talk to the tree farmer about the right tree for your yard.

• Factor in the root ball. A 5-foot live tree comes with an 18-inch root ball, so choose a smaller live tree than you would a cut tree.

• Recruit a few friends. Live trees are heavy. Mongin recommends having several people to carry the tree up any steps, then setting it on a rug or plastic sheet to slide it to its final display spot. Some of his customers use skateboards to get the tree where it needs to go. Another option: Have your tree delivered.

• Store your tree until spring. After Christmas, keep the tree in a garage or other cool shelter until spring. “Add a cupful of water to the root ball every week, and it will be fine,” he says. “We have a 95% success rate with this method.”

Keep your cut tree beautiful all season Choosing a cut tree this year? Mongin offers this advice:

• Set yourself up for success. For the ultimate stability, use drywall screws to attach a traditional reservoir stand to a 3-foot by 3-foot piece of plywood. “The tree will be immovable,” Mongin says. Put a biodegradable tree bag around the stand for easy post-Christmas cleanup.

• Stop the sap. Sap on the tree base prevents water from moving up the tree. Remove the sap by cutting one-half inch off the base. If you don’t have a saw, ask the tree seller to cut it for you.

Once the tree is in the reservoir, add a gallon of very hot water to dissolve any remaining sap.

• Keep it cool. The display room should have moderate or no heat and twilight lighting.

• Check the water level daily. After the first watering, the water can be any temperature, but make sure the tree base always touches water. Additives are optional, but they can add a few more days to your tree.

• Got pets? Consider a Colorado spruce, which has prickly needles and a scent that cats don’t like. Add a hook to the ceiling to anchor the tree for more stability.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

GOOD EATS

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Winter’s a great time to enjoy a bountiful supply of numerous nutty favorites.

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATHERINE MURRAY

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

BOURBON PECAN PIE Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 35 to 40 minutes | Servings: 8 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup light corn syrup 11/2 teaspoons vanilla 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 13/4 cups chopped pecans melted (roasted, unsalted) 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup whole pecans (roasted, firmly packed unsalted) 4 tablespoons bourbon Preheat oven to 400 F. Place rolled-out pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp edges. Chill pie crust in refrigerator while you work on the next step. In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together eggs, corn syrup, butter, brown sugar, bourbon, flour, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in chopped pecans. Remove pie crust from refrigerator and place on top of a cookie sheet.

Pour pecan mixture into pie pan. Decorate top of pie with whole pecans. Bake pie on bottom rack at 400 F for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. To prevent crust from burning, cover crust edges with aluminum foil. Bake until just set and bubbling at the edges; the inside will still wobble. Let pie cool for an hour before serving.

For an added kick, top with bourbon whipped cream.

Per serving: 584 calories, 37 grams fat (15 grams saturated fat), 56 grams total carbs, 1 gram fiber, 6.5 grams protein.

CASHEW CHICKEN Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 1 pound chicken breast, cut 3 cloves garlic, minced into chunks 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons water 1 bell pepper, sliced 3/4 cup chicken broth 1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 Thai (bird’s eye) red chili 2 teaspoons oyster sauce peppers, optional 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 cups snow peas 2 cups cooked rice 3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews In a skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add chicken and olive oil. Brown until almost cooked through. Add bell pepper, onion, and Thai chili peppers. Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. Add snow peas, cashews, and garlic; cook another minute or two. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until a smooth paste is formed. Mix in chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Pour sauce into pan and stir until incorporated. Let simmer 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Remove Thai chili peppers, unless you like things SPICY! Serve over rice.

Per serving: 623 calories, 11.5 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat), 90 grams total carbs, 5 grams fiber, 37 grams protein.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

ZUCCHINI ITALIANO Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 8 minutes | Servings: 2 2 cups zucchini, roughly julienned 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil dash red pepper flakes 1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds, 4 large slivers of Parmesan cheese roughly chopped Toss together zucchini and garlic. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of the zucchini/ garlic mixture and cook with skillet uncovered until zucchini starts to sear (brown), stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add another layer of zucchini, repeating steps until all zucchini is lightly seared. Bring all zucchini back to the pan.

Add almonds, salt, white pepper, and pepper flakes. Stir until heated through. Transfer to serving dish and immediately top with slivers of Parmesan. This dish can be served as an appetizer or side dish for two.

Per serving: 214 calories, 15.5 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 10 grams total carbs, 3 grams fiber, 12.5 grams protein.

BUCKEYES Prep: 45 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Chill: 1 hour | Servings: 50 2 cups creamy peanut butter (not 1/2 teaspoon vanilla all-natural) 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1/2 teaspoon salt 12 ounces dark chocolate (chips 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened or melting wafers) Beat peanut butter, salt, butter, and vanilla in large mixer bowl until incorporated. Mix in powdered sugar a half-cup at a time until mixture starts to become firm and pliable. Shape into 1-inch balls. If mixture is crumbly, add more peanut butter. If mixture is sticky, add powdered sugar. Dust hands with powdered sugar when rolling. Set balls on baking sheets, silicone sheets, or wax paper. Place in freezer for 1 hour to firm up before dipping.

Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler and fill the bottom level with water. Bring water to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Continually stir chocolate until smooth and melted. If chocolate is too thick, add a teaspoon of coconut oil, shortening, or butter. Remove chocolate from stove. Take peanut butter balls out of freezer in small batches so they stay cool. Use a toothpick or candy dipping tool to dip 3/4 of each ball into chocolate, leaving some of the peanut butter on top showing, like a buckeye nut. Tap each buckeye to remove excess chocolate, then place on a baking sheet to harden. Store in an airtight container. Buckeyes can be frozen, stored in refrigerator, or at room temperature if eaten within a day or two.

Per serving: 163 calories, 9 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), 18 grams total carbs, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Key co-op topics with Ed Many of you already know this, but I began my career in the field of technology. And every once in a while, it’s nice to revisit those beginnings and share some technological tips. This past October was national cybersecurity awareness month, but I have always found it useful to take a moment at the end of each year to perform a few housekeeping items with regard to online safety. With that in mind, here are a few easy things you can do to help keep yourself safe online.

First, change your password. While it would certainly benefit you to update your passwords on a more frequent basis, simply changing your password at least annually will ensure you have a yearly reset of your online security. This is especially important for your financial institutions.

Second, consider enabling multifactor authentication for your critical accounts. Most of us now carry smartphones, so we can quickly receive a text with a code of some kind as an additional step to use when logging in. The goods news is that most financial institutions now have multifactor authentication available. In fact, many have begun to require its use. In the end, it merely helps keep your information safe.

Third, take a moment to update your software. I know it can be time-consuming. I have personally experienced the dreaded moment when I have gone to shut off my

laptop only to be greeted with a screen telling me to wait and not unplug it until updates have been performed.

Still, keeping your devices up to date goes a long way in the fight against known threats. So, take a moment at the end of this year and run those updates.

Ed VanHoose GENERAL MANAGER

Finally, here’s an excellent place to find some online resources to help you keep safe online: https://niccs.uscert.gov/national-cybersecurity-awareness-month-2019.

The database mentions October specifically, but we all should focus on online security more than just a single month of the year.

Unfortunately, identity theft has only increased over the past few years, so I also want to take a moment to let you know where you can go if you’ve already been the target of identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has created an online resource to help victims of identity theft.

You can find it at identitytheft.gov. There is even a tool to help you develop and work through a recovery plan.

I wish you all the best. Be safe out there, both in the physical world and online.

Online resources to help you keep safe online:

https://niccs.us-cert.gov/national-cybersecurity-awareness-month-2019

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

19

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

NCE named 5-Star Co-op for the 2019–2020 election cycle by national trade association Recognition honors co-op participation in nationwide voter engagement effort North Central Electric Cooperative (NCE) was named a “5-Star Co-op” by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The 5-star designation recognizes NCE’s high level of participation in Co-ops Vote, a national get-out-the-vote campaign. The nonpartisan campaign seeks to engage voters and boost voter turnout in areas served by electric co-ops all across the country.

“The 5-Star Program is designed to encourage our rural voters to make their voices heard through the Co-ops Vote campaign,” says FESCO President Ed VanHoose. “It’s not about a political party affiliation. Our cooperatives simply want to ensure our members have every opportunity to vote on those issues affecting them.”

“Electric cooperatives play a unique and special role as a voice in their communities,” says NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. “Elections are important, especially in rural areas, and North Central Electric has used the Co-ops Vote program to increase awareness of our civic duty on Election Day and every day. I’m pleased to congratulate them on this accomplishment as they make a real difference in the communities they serve.”

5-star status marks the highest level of engagement in Co-ops Vote and is achieved when a participating co-op completes at least five activities in the program. Some of the activities NCE chose from included: • Promote campaign on social media • Host a candidate or elected official Meet & Greet • Distribute Co-ops Vote materials at a community event • Host or participate in a voter registration drive • Set up a booth at annual meeting • Display a poster/material in co-op lobby

Five-star status marks the highest level of engagement in Co-ops Vote and is achieved when a participating co-op completes at least five activities under the program.

The Co-ops Vote program can make a difference in our community. More information on Co-ops Vote is available at www.vote.coop.

20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Avoiding rate shock

Annual increase to basic service charge North Central Electric Cooperative’s goal is delivering safe, affordable, reliable electricity to those we serve. Our rate structure is designed to reflect the co-op’s delivery and power supply costs.

Beginning with the February 2020 bills, the basic service charge will increase by $2, from $38 to $40.

The board of directors concluded this adjustment is necessary due to forecasted lower electricity sales and needed system improvements. The North Central Electric Board of Trustees revised the cooperative’s rate schedules at its October meeting, approving the $2 per month increase in the basic service charge for the residential rate.

The difference between on-peak and off-peak electric generation charges will stay at 4 cents per kWh. In 2019, the co-op reached the planned target after gradually increasing the spread annually by one-half cent per kWh.

Basic service charge To avoid “rate shock,” the board opted to raise the monthly service gradually each year in $2 increments rather than moving directly to the full cost of having a service in place. The fee has been adjusted annually for the past ten years.

Members pay the basic service charge regardless of how much electricity they use each month. The fee offsets some of the fixed costs of providing electric services, such as the cost of poles, wires, transformers, and other necessary equipment. The increase in the monthly service charge allows the cooperative to keep pace with the cost of ongoing maintenance and replacements to its 1,793 miles of distribution lines.

Every year, the cooperative conducts a cost-of-service study to ensure these costs will be covered, allowing us to continue providing safe, reliable power at an affordable rate.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20A

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

As a member of your electric cooperative,

YOU get the credit NCE refunds over $820,000 in capital credits

North Central Electric Cooperative members will receive their capital credits refunds on their December bill again this year after a refund totaling $826,204 was approved by the board of trustees at its October meeting. NCE has refunded more than $21.3 million to its members since 1980.

“The board believes by refunding margins, we’re sending a positive message to our members that the co-op is financially stable and that their board is making sure we operate efficiently and effectively,” Board President Duane Frankart says. “Being a member of the co-op is the reason you receive capital credits while other people who are customers of investor-owned utilities, like AEP (American Electric Power) or FirstEnergy, do not.”

Review of Capital Credits Refunds Pre-2011. . . . . $ 14,873,681 2011. . . . . . . . . . . $ 707,530 2012. . . . . . . . . . . $ 578,667 2013. . . . . . . . . . . $ 725,119 2014. . . . . . . . . . . $ 689,373 2015. . . . . . . . . . . $ 693,150 2016. . . . . . . . . . . $ 891,446 2017. . . . . . . . . . . $ 599,174 2018. . . . . . . . . . . $715,947 2019. . . . . . . . . . . $826,204 Total. . . . . . . . $ 21,300,291

This year’s total refund is up about 15% from 2018. The total refund is made of two components — NCE’s portion and a portion returned to the cooperative by Buckeye Power, NCE’s wholesale power supplier.

“The Buckeye Power 2019 refund was 24% more than it was in 2018,” Director of Finance and Accounting Kristine Dawson says. “The cooperative’s portion of the refund also increased slightly.”

The cooperative retains annual margins to provide working capital for new construction, equipment, and system improvements throughout the cooperative’s service area.

If NCE’s revenues exceed expenses for the year, the excess is allocated back to each member’s capital credits account.

The amount credited to individuals is determined by how much electricity a member purchases during the year, as well as the rate at which the member is billed.

The total amount refunded also increases the longer a member remains with NCE as long as his or her electric use remains consistent.

20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Co-op receives Distinguished Contributions to Economic Development Award North Central Electric Cooperative (NCE) received a Distinguished Contributions to Economic Development Award from the Wyandot County Office of Economic Development and Regional Planning for building the Adrian substation. The cooperative was recognized at the organization’s annual dinner, held Nov. 6, 2019.

The nearly $1.8 million substation project, built

by Vaughn Industries of Carey in 2018, is the 12th substation for NCE and will serve the Wyandot area for years to come.

“Building the substation on my watch as a trustee for North Central Electric makes me proud that we are involved in bettering the community by providing affordable and reliable energy for our members,” says Duane Frankart, NCE board president. “This is what the co-op is all about — we are member-owned, and we are here to serve our members.”

The Adrian substation, located in Tymochtee Township in northern Wyandot County, was built to enhance service reliability as well as alleviate some of the load from NCE’s Carey substation. The substation helps satisfy future load growth and maintain reliability

by reducing congestion in the power grid. It also helps to “step down” high-voltage electricity from the transmission system to lower-voltage electricity so that it can be easily supplied to homes and businesses through distribution lines. The substation also accommodates growing demand from the National Lime and Stone Co. and Kalmbach Feeds near Carey.

“The transformer has a capacity of 22.4 megawatts, and that’s large enough that it can help the immediate area and surrounding areas to help keep more people’s electricity on in times of need,” said North Central Electric Director of Engineering and Operations Brad Warnement. “With a project cost of roughly $1.8 million, this was a big investment that will provide benefits to our members and large key accounts in the area for many, many years to come.”

After construction was completed, the substation was connected to NCE’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which gives the cooperative the ability to monitor and control substations from the NCE headquarters with state-of-the-art technology.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20C

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Do unto others ...

Historical Upper Sandusky Mission Church returned to the Wyandot Nation September 21, 2019, will be forever marked in the minds of the people of the Wyandot Nation as a day of celebration. One hundred and seventy-six years in the making, it is the date that their beloved blue limestone Mission Church in Upper Sandusky was returned to them by the United Methodist Church.

During the 1700s, half a dozen major Native American tribes occupied what would become the Buckeye State in 1803. But in a series of continual wars and broken treaties with the fledgling United States, the American Indians were pushed farther and farther out of their territory, until all that remained of Wyandot land was a mere 12-square-mile parcel centered on Upper Sandusky, known as the Grand Reserve.

“As part of the treaty that put them on a reservation, the Wyandots were entitled to request funds from the government to build a meeting house,” says Pastor Betsy Bowen, a member of the committee that oversees the historic building known as the Wyandot Mission Church. “The church was built in 1824, ironically with funds from the U.S. War Department.”

Bowen added that the church’s first pastor was John Stewart, who began in 1816. “He was a young black man from Virginia who came to preach to the red man,” she says. “And he preached to the Indians through another black man, interpreter Jonathan Pointer, who had been adopted by the Wyandots as a child.”

Nevaeh Cooper, a young Wyandot dancer

20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

A series of missionary pastors succeeded Stewart through the years until 1830 when the Indian Removal Act was passed, requiring all Indians living on reservations to move west of the Mississippi.

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES The 664 Wyandots — the last American Indian tribe to leave Ohio — reluctantly began their journey west on July 12, 1843, some on horseback, some in wagons, and others simply on foot. Their path took them through Kenton, Bellefontaine, Springfield, Xenia, and eventually to Cincinnati.

In Cincinnati, tribe members boarded two steamboats that took them to Missouri, a trip requiring nearly three weeks. But upon arrival, there was no land awaiting them as the government had promised. Forced to camp along the Missouri River in cold and damp conditions, some 100 tribe members died that winter — men, women, and children. The remaining members of the tribe eventually moved on to Kansas and Oklahoma. Today, a combined total of over 6,000 Wyandots live in Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Canada.

“For 200 years, the people called Methodists have had a unique bond with members of the Wyandot tribes,” says Thomas Kemper, general secretary (chief executive) of United Methodist Global Ministries, the worldwide mission agency of the denomination. “John Stewart, our first-ever missionary, launched a historic friendship with them in 1816. Since 1844, we have served as stewards of this sacred land and these historic spaces.

Now these lands have been returned to the Wyandot people so they can continue the generations-long tradition of honoring our collective heritage.”

A young Wyandot walks in the processional of the Mission Church.

The recent September celebration began with a standing-roomonly gathering at the John Stewart United Methodist Church in downtown Upper Sandusky, including 120 Wyandots who are members of three tribes from Oklahoma and Kansas. A processional then commenced to Mission Cemetery about a mile away, the line of hundreds of

walkers stretching more than the length of a football field.

The procession was led by a three-man Wyandotte Nation Honor Guard, one of the men carrying a wooden staff topped with the mounted head of a golden eagle.

Immediately following were three chiefs: Billy Friend, Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma; Janith English, Wyandotte Nation of Kansas; and Ted Roll, Wyandotte Nation Honor Guard member head of the Wyandots of Anderdon Nation (Michigan).

Along the route, Upper Sandusky residents watched with interest from their porches or sat in lawn chairs beside the street, rising in respect as the processional neared. One woman even applauded the entire time the Wyandots and others silently passed by. Upon arrival at the cemetery, a solemn ceremony once again transferred ownership of the Mission Church and its surrounding burial grounds to the Wyandot Nation.

Asked what the Mission Church means to the tribes, Chief Billy Friend said, “It’s a key piece of our collective history. In 2007, we began bringing busloads of our highschool and college students here, as well as our elders, for visits. Today marks the most Wyandots who have been at this historic location at any one time since we left seven generations ago in 1843.”

Chief Friend also had high praise for the Methodist Church. “As a tribal nation, we have to fight for everything we get, especially when it comes to land. So for the Methodists to come to us a year ago and offer to give these lands back we thought was a very great and generous gesture. Not all of our history has been good, but now we know that the Mission Church will be a continuing part of that history into the future.”

The Wyandot Mission Church in Upper Sandusky was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 by the U. S. Department of the Interior.

W. H. “Chip” Gross (whchipgross@gmail.com) is outdoors editor for Ohio Cooperative Living magazine.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20E

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Explore the Ohio Statehouse with your cooperative

North Central Electric will be taking students to the Ohio Statehouse on March 11, 2020, for the co-op’s second Ohio Youth Day, an event that gives high school sophomores and juniors the opportunity to speak with legislators and see the government in action.

Students also learn about how the decisions legislators make impact the rural communities where they live.

Ohio Youth Day is step one in the cooperative’s new, more comprehensive youth program, aimed at engaging more youth in the cooperative business model. Those who attend Youth Day will have the opportunity to express interest in applying for the Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Cooperative staff will interview students throughout the Youth Day trip, and two students will be selected as representatives to travel to D.C. Those selected to attend Youth Tour will then have the opportunity to interview for a paid summer internship at NCE. It’s all part of the cooperative’s desire to encourage young people to learn about what makes their rural communities so valuable.

Students may apply for all steps of the program through one application, due at the NCE office by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. For more information on each trip and how to apply, please visit the NCE website at www.ncelec.org or call the cooperative at 800-426-3072.

20F OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • NOVEMBER 2018

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

2020 GRADS

FOR RULES AND APPLICATIONS:

You could win more than $3,800 in our Children of Members Scholarship program!

Visit ncelec.org under the community tab Call the co-op at 800-426-3072 Stop by the co-op office Ask your guidance counselor Deadline to apply: Friday, Jan. 17, 2020

New this year!

TRADE SCHOLARSHIP Are you attending a trade program after high school graduation?

You could win a $500 trade scholarship FOR RULES AND APPLICATIONS: Visit ncelec.org under the community tab Call the co-op at 800-426-3072 Stop by the co-op office Ask your guidance counselor Deadline to apply: Friday, Jan. 17, 2020

North Central Electric Cooperative

Trade Scholarship Program!

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20G

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

BY TERI LEASE, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

North Central Electric tours power plant in southern Ohio Co-op members explore Cardinal Power Plant North Central Electric co-op members, employees, and guests got an in-depth look at Cardinal Power Plant, Buckeye Power’s primary baseload generation asset, at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ annual plant tour on Oct. 3.

The tour provided an up-close look at what goes into generating the electricity our members depend on every day, including the environmental controls that have helped Cardinal to be one of the cleanest generating plants of its kind.

The co-op welcomed Chris Nelson and his students from the electrical trades program at Tiffin Sentinel Career Center on the tour this year. “It was exciting for the students to Instructor Chis Nelson and students from the Sentinel Career Center electrical trades program. see where it all starts and what is involved with the delivery of electricity to businesses and homes,” says Nelson. “The tour was even better than anyone expected.

Not only did the students learn a lot about the process of producing electricity, but it opened the door to more employment possibilities for them. Some of them are now interested in furthering their education as a lineman. This opportunity has sparked many new conversations since we toured the facility.”

Above, members and guests tour the power plant. Right, co-op members Thomas and Linda Schulze during the tour.

20H OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • NOVEMBER 2018

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

BY TERI LEASE, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

People Fund grants local fire department funding for Imagine not being able to see your hand right in front of your face. This was the view for many Buckeye Central Elementary students during training scenarios created by local volunteer fire departments during Fire Prevention Week.

The People Fund granted funding in 2018 to the New Washington Volunteer Fire Department for a heavy-duty smoke generator for use in training scenarios. This equipment is a vital resource to the fire department in more ways than one. The smoke generator provides adequate smoke density to fill an average-size room with dense fog in minutes. By creating a thick, heavy fog, firefighters can train to search for victims trapped in a house or other rescue scenarios. The fog simulates the visibility of a smoke-filled room, imitating situations in which firefighters cannot see their hands in front of their faces.

The department, along with Chatfield Volunteer Fire Department and Bloom Township Volunteer Fire Department, held scenarios during Fire Safety Week that taught the fundamentals of staying low in a house fire, how smoke detectors work, and how to evacuate during a fire. The heavy-duty smoke generator allowed the children to see how smoke remains up high and how the fresh air is lower to the ground.

“The machine has the potential to help educate and save lives within a controlled environment,” says New Washington Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Mark Heefner. “Training exercises like fogging a school bus and running evacuation drills help prepare the students for the worst-case scenario of a bus fire.”

The People Fund is a voluntary program that enables members to round up their electric bill to the next whole dollar. For example, if a bill is $124.54, the bill rounds up to $125, and the extra 46 cents is deposited into the NCE People Fund.

Members can make a huge impact in their community with small donations each month.

North Central Electric accepts and reviews applications quarterly. The next due date is 5 p.m. Dec. 15 for the January meeting. Application requests and rules can be found online at ncelec.org.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

2I

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES MEMBERS’ MARKETPLACE The Members’ Marketplace is a free service to North Central Electric Cooperative members. Ads must be submitted IN WRITING (phone calls will not be accepted) to the cooperative office by the 15th of the month and will be printed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as space is available.

Due to space limitations, new submissions will be given priority over duplicate submissions. Please keep in mind that this is a monthly magazine, and all information is collected at least one full month prior to printing.

For sale • Treadmill, used very little; 32-inch flat screen TV. 419-492-2814.

• 1974 Ford 750 grain truck with 16-foot bed with hoist.

419-569-3692.

• E-Z Roll regal 3-wheel bike, $175. 419-927-2777.

• Bib coverall, blaze orange coat, and other hunting clothes. 419-595-2852.

• Firewood; ash and poplar lumber. 419-545-4070.

• Simplicity snow blower; Sears heavy-duty jointer.

419-447-2271.

• Sunlight supply horticulture light, $40 or best offer; High bay 400 watt light, $40 or best offer for barns or shop. 419-937-2759.

• Savannah banjo, $125. 419-595-2852.

North Central Electric Cooperative hopes that your holidays are merry and bright!

Our office will close at noon on Dec. 13, Dec. 24, and Dec. 31.

Our office will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

For emergency service, please call 800-426-3072.

NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. CONTACT

800-426-3072 | 419-426-3072 www.ncelec.org OFFICE

350 Stump Pike Road P.O. Box 475 Attica, Ohio 44807

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Duane E. Frankart President, District 7

Edward VanHoose

Rodney P. Snavely Vice President, District 4 Kevin E. Bishop Secretary, District 1 Steven J. Seitz Treasurer, District 2

WEEKDAY OFFICE HOURS

Dennis W. Schindler Trustee, District 2

7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

24-hour night depository access

Ronald P. Frisch Trustee, District 5

HAVE A STORY SUGGESTION?

Nick W. Wagner IV Trustee, District 3

Email your ideas to: nce@fesco-oh.org

Michael P. Scherger Trustee, District 6

GENERAL MANAGER

LOCAL PAGES EDITORS

Shannon L. Ketvertes, Director of Communications Teri E. Lease, Communications Manager Holly M. Storrow, Communications Specialist BILL PAYMENT STATIONS Bascom Telephone Co. - Bascom, First Bank - Bloomville, Commercial Savings Bank - Carey, First Citizens National Bank - Carey, Civista - New Washington, First National Bank - McCutchenville & Sycamore, Tiffin Farmers Co-op - Tiffin, Rock Run Bulk Foods - Tiffin, Discount Drug Mart - Upper Sandusky & Willard

David S. Green Trustee, District 1 20B OHIO OHIOCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELIVING LIVING• •DECEMBER NOVEMBER 2018 22 2019

DECEMBER 2017 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

19

What Kind of Hearing Aids Do Doctors Use? The same ones they recommend to their patients!

Advanced Digital Hearing Aid Technology BUY 1 GET 1

FREE Reg: $399.98

Only $ 199 99

Each When You Buy a Pair – LIMITED TIME ONLY!

Doctors love MDHearingAids® for the same reasons patients do. These FDA-registered, medical-grade hearing aids have the same high-tech features found in more expensive hearing aids at a fraction of the cost.

Nearly invisible!

“MDHearingAids are better than expensive clinic hearing aids, which cost thousands more,” says retired physician Dr. Robert A. “I have had five pairs of expensive hearing aids and MDHearingAids are just as good,” adds retired neurosurgeon Dr. Brian L.

Doctors Are Tired of Watching Their Patients Waste Money on Over-Priced Clinic Hearing Aids MDHearingAids are the best value on the market, says Dr. Clarke: “I’m a physician, and I know how much people spend on health care.

They should get the best value, and this product is just as effective (if not more) than traditional overly-priced hearing aids. I will be recommending MDHearingAids to my hearing-impaired patients.”

SAVE 90% COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL HEARING AIDS

CRISP, CLEAR SOUND

STATE-OF-THE-ART FEATURES

NO AUDIOLOGIST NEEDED

MDHearingAids were created by a board-certified otolaryngologist frustrated that patients couldn’t afford the high price of hearing aids.

So, he did the only logical thing…he created a low-cost, feature-packed hearing aid that costs 90% less than a comparable hearing aid.

Behind-the-ear hearing aid with thin tubing for a nearly invisible profile. 3 programs for customized listening environments. Amplifies the critical frequencies of the human voice, without amplifying background sounds, so you can enjoy crisp, clear conversations.

Save time and money, cancel those audiologist appointments!

Advanced hearing aid technology lets you easily program and adjust your MDHearingAid at home. Set-up is fast and easy, too, going from box to ear in just five minutes.

Try it RISK FREE for 45 Days

Try MDHearingAids risk-free with a 100% money-back guarantee for 45 days. Just call toll-free or visit the website shown below. Call now and get free shipping plus a free, one-year supply of batteries.

Call Toll-Free 1-800-940-9678

Visit www.MDBOGO.com

Free 1-Year Supply of Batteries with Offer Code JT71

The Doctor’s Choice for Affordable Hearing Aids DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 23

WIDE AGE

IDE NATIONWGE COVERA

IDE NATIONWGE COVERA

E ID E NWAG TIO ER NACOV

99%

OF THE U.S. POPULATION

99%

OF THE U.S. POPULATION

99%

OF THE U.S. POPULATION

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED Connect on the nation’s largest networks, with coverage to 99% of the U.S.

100%

RISK FREE

G UA R A NTE E

AWARDED BY J.D. POWER “#1 in Customer Service among Non-Contract Value Wireless Providers, 7 Times in a Row.”

100% RISK-FREE GUARANTEE Try us 30 days with zero obligation. It’s completely hassle-free!

OUR NEW RATE PLANS OFFER MORE DATA! See all of our plans at StartCC.com

$20 A MONTH

1 LINE

INCLUDED

250 MINUTES TALK

UNLIMITED 500MB TEXT

DATA

$30 A MONTH

1 LINE

INCLUDED

UNLIMITED TALK

UNLIMITED TEXT

3GB DATA

$55 A MONTH

2 LINES

INCLUDED

UNLIMITED

UNLIMITED TEXT

TALK

10GB DATA

AARP MEMBERS RECEIVE A 5% DISCOUNT ON SERVICE AND USAGE EVERY MONTH. call consumer cellular

(888) 593-6731

visit us online

StartCC.com

© 2019 Consumer Cellular Inc. All rights reserved. All other products are trademarked by their respective manufacturers. New service activation on approved credit. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. Terms and Conditions subject to change. The totals shown here are costs for monthly Consumer Cellular service only. They do not include any state or local taxes. If you’re not completely satisfied within 30 days (data use is limited to 500MB) of activation of your service, cancel and pay nothing. For J.D. Power 2019 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards AARP member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the provider directly for details.

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Holiday Travel ’TIS THE SEASON FOR

Think mistletoe. Think holly. Think of Ohio as one big stocking, stuffed with cool Yule celebrations. We’ve selected eight close-to-home holiday destinations that evoke the story of the first Christmas, foster good cheer, and brighten spirits — all of them ideal spots for making merry with family and friends.

BY DAMAINE VONADA

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

At the Manger University of Dayton, Dec. 2–Jan. 12 Artistry, imagination, and the reason for the Christmas season draw visitors to the University of Dayton’s Marian Library for At the Manger, an annual display of Nativity scenes from the library’s collection of 3,500 crèches representing more than 100 countries. The event shows how different people and cultures interpret the birth of Christ, and this year, the exhibit’s volunteers selected which Nativity scenes to display. Tour guide Ann Persensky picked “Black and Beautiful,” a contemporary crèche by a Dutch-born artist. “One of its Magi is a woman,” says Perensky, “and a curled-up sheep is cuddling beside Baby Jesus.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN HYWET HALL & GARDENS

937-229-4214; www.udayton.edu/marianlibrary/art-exhibits/at-the-manger.php.

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Deck the Hall 2019: A Classic Comic Hero Christmas Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Akron Select evenings, Nov. 29–Dec. 30 Held at the splendid estate created by Goodyear cofounder F.A. Seiberling and his wife, Gertrude, Deck the Hall offers an array of experiences — a million dazzling lights, wondrous holiday music, a gorgeous Christmas tree, hot cocoa, gingerbread, and boutique shopping in the carriage house — for the entire family. Since its

2019 theme is superheroes, the Manor House’s marvelous décor features Wonder Woman, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and other comic book favorites.

330-836-5533; www.stanhywet.org/events/ deck-hall-2019-classic-comic-hero-christmas.

Dickens Victorian Village Cambridge, Nov. 1–Jan. 1

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAMBRIDGE/GUERNSEY COUNTY VCB

With Cambridge’s Victorian-looking downtown as a backdrop, visitors stroll among more than 90 individual scenes with nearly 200 mannequins inspired by A Christmas Carol and Dickens-era England.

Continued on page 28

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 27

Delightfully lifelike figures such as Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, carolers, lamplighters, and Father Christmas populate Wheeling Avenue, and at the courthouse, nighttime light and music extravaganzas are a joy to behold. “People tell me they’ve never seen better light shows anywhere,” says group tour coordinator Bev Keller. Also available are Victorian teas, carriage rides, and performances of an original Sherlock Holmes play, “The Case of the Christmas Carbuncle.”

PHOTOS COURTESY HAYES PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUMS

740-421-4956; www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.

Hayes Home Holidays tours Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Fremont Tours, Dec. 20–22 Rare evening tours of the mansion where President Hayes and his wife, Lucy, lived after leaving the White House present a perfectly lovely opportunity to make holiday memories. “Seeing the home at night is a special experience,” says Kristina Smith, the museums’ communications 28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

manager. “Because almost all the home’s furnishings were their belongings, it feels like Rutherford and Lucy are still here to welcome you.” Other activities include the Hayes Train Special, a model railroad with traditional holiday scenery, and horse-drawn trolley or sleigh rides (depending on the weather) through the grounds surrounding the Hayes Home.

ISAAC MILLER/COURTESY HOCKING VALLEY SCENIC RAILROAD

419-332-2081; www.rbhayes.org/events.

Hocking Valley Scenic Railway holiday trains Nelsonville Depot; Select dates, Nov. 30–Dec. 31 Oh, what fun it is to ride on the HVSR’s trio of festive excursions. The Railway’s Santa Train features the Jolly Old Elf plus a grumpy Grinch, Continued on page 30

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

while the New Year’s Eve Train stops for midnight fireworks and offers both a familyfriendly pizza and soda car and an adultoriented wine and cheese car. New for 2019 is the Holiday Express to Robbins Crossing, a re-created log village where passengers can see how the pioneers celebrated Christmas.

According to Isaac Miller, the conductor, it’s pulled by Ohio’s only operating standardgauge steam locomotive.

PHOTOS COURTESY PYRAMID HILL SCULPTURE PARK

855-323-3768; www.hvsry.org.

30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Holiday Lights on the Hill Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum Hamilton, Nov. 22–Jan. 5 Drive through tunnels of twinkling lights and alleys of gleaming candy canes at Pyramid Hill, one of the nation’s few outdoor sculpture museums and a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative consumer-member. Covering rolling terrain graced by woodlands and lakes, the self-guided tour showcases the park’s internationally acclaimed collection of monumental sculptures.

Executive director Sean FitzGibbons says the event is quite popular because it accomplishes Pyramid Hill’s mission of bringing people to art in nature.

513-868-1234; www.pyramidhill.org/holiday-lights-on-the-hill.

Nutcracker Village and Advent Market Steubenville, Nov. 26–Jan. 4

PHOTOS COURTESY HISTORIC FORT STEUBEN

This truly hometown and homegrown event in Steubenville features the world’s largest collection of life-sized nutcrackers — more than 150 of them.

They’re all made in Steubenville and depict characters and individuals ranging from Santa Claus, Jack Frost, and Charlie Brown to Mother Teresa, John Glenn, and Steubenville native Dean Martin. “People like coming during the day to see the wonderful details on the nutcrackers, but at night with the colorful lights and holiday music, they’re just magical,” says Judy Bratton of the Steubenville Visitor Center.

Adding to the enchantment is a weekend Advent Market with European-style chalets where local vendors and artisans sell holiday foods, gifts, toys, and, of course, nutcrackers.

740-283-1787; www. steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 31

Yuletides of Yesteryear Sauder Village, Archbold Dec. 6–7 “Our traditional Holiday Lantern Tours offer guests an interactive look at the American Christmas traditions from 1850 through the 1920s,” says Kim Krieger of Sauder Village media relations. Sauder Village is Ohio’s largest living-history museum, and the evening tours include visits to historic houses, an original Mennonite church, a oneroom schoolhouse, and a vintage train depot where people of all ages get to enjoy old-fashioned fun such as singing carols, frosting cookies, and a reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

PHOTOS COURTESY SAUDER VILLAGE

800-590-9755; www.saudervillage.org.

32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Enjoy the Ease of Showering Safely So You Can Stay in the Home You Love!

Introducing the

ALL Nk-EInW Wal Shower!

CSLB 983603 F13000002885 13HV08744300

Upgrade your bathroom, upgrade your life. With a new walk-in shower, you can make sure your bathroom ages as gracefully as you do. This shower was designed by experts, with you in mind, focusing on safety and convenience when it matters most. Discover how a Call today and receive exclusive savings of up to walk-in shower can help reduce the risk of falling, giving you the freedom to enjoy your bathroom again. ✔ Commercial Grade Non-Slip Floor ✔ Easy-to-reach Shower Wand

✔ Optional Built-in Seat or

Fold Down Safety Seat

✔ Professionally Installed in 1 day

✔ Lifetime Warranty

✔ Tru Temp Anti Scald Shower Valve

✔ Optional Barrier Free

✔ Ergo L Shaped Grab Bar

Wheelchair Accessible

$750 OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

Call Toll-Free 1-888-662-6631

www.SafeStepShower.com With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Shower.

Not applicable with any previous walk-in shower purchase.

No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase.

Callfor Now Toll-Free 1-888-662-6631 more information and ask about our Senior Discounts.

Financing available with approved credit.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

Winter’s WALK Snowshoeing is fun, easy to learn — and good for you.

BY CRAIG SPRINGER

I

f you think of snowshoes as those tennis-racketlooking things strapped to your feet, like in those 1960s adventure movies, you might want to give them a closer look — especially if you’re looking for a fun, healthy, and relatively inexpensive way to keep exercising outdoors during those snowy winter months.

“If you can walk, you can snowshoe,” says Anthony Zembrodt, Midwest Regional Manager of L.L. Bean’s outdoors programs.

Snowshoes have been around for a long time, born of necessity for traversing the white stuff. Indigenous people of the north have used them for centuries, and European settlers in North America quickly adopted the concept when they arrived and began exploring in the 1600s.

Why use showshoes? When the snow gets deep, the walking gets tough. You have to pull your legs out of a hole with each and every step. It’s like slogging through a slug of mud, and it will tire you right quick. It doesn’t take much imagining for you to feel your hip flexors tiring and aching. Snowshoes, however, spread your weight over a larger area of snow, thus allowing you to travel near the surface, aloft on the snow. The less you sink, the easier the walking.

Modern snowshoes have certainly evolved from those early versions. Though the concept of the snowshoe seems nearly as involved as that of the wheel, the types of modern snowshoes range in nature depending on how they’re to be used. They’re typically made of aluminum frames with a sheath or decking of strong plastic around the part that binds to your boot.

According to Zembrodt, it’s essential that you pick a snowshoe according to your weight, not your height.

“The bigger the snowshoe, the more weight it can support,” he says. “It’s also important to consider the types of terrain you will be trekking — some shoes offer better traction than others.”

Bear in mind snowshoeing is not skiing. Shoeing is relatively inexpensive; you can buy a pair of recreational

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

snowshoes for an adult for less than $100, less than $60 for youngsters. If you venture into more specialized territory, say, long-distance trekking, the shoes become significantly more expensive.

Snowshoeing is an opportune sport; you don’t have to go anywhere special to do it — you can snowshoe out your back door. Neither do you have to get on groomed, designated trails, as you do with most skiing. The equipment is low- to no-maintenance, and there’s little chance your shoes will break under normal wear. It’s easy to learn, too, and unlike skiing, there’s almost zero chance you’ll run into trees or careen off a cliff. Even if you do fall, you’re not going far. You can snowshoe as slow or as fast as you desire.

If you are a walker or a hiker, snowshoeing is a great way to keep up your routine over the winter — and that speaks to perhaps one of the best reasons to snowshoe: for the exercise.

Snowshoeing at a moderate pace burns hundreds of calories in an hour’s time, outpacing running, cycling, or walking in terms of caloric output. “Snowshoeing is a great aerobic activity,” Zembrodt says. “A lot of folks struggle to get outside in the winter months, even if they are frequent hikers during summer. It’s a great way to get outside and have fun in winter.”

With shoeing, the learning curve is flat and the investment minimal. With half a foot of snow on the ground, the bike path, nature center, golf course, or walking trail becomes a whole new adventure and the cold, dark winter a little more pleasant.

Let’s face it, though: Strapping on an extension to your foot to walk on snow is not normal. Of course, it will be a bit clumsy at first. Outdoors-oriented stores such as L.L. Bean, Cabela’s, Dick’s, and Field & Stream, among others, have the shoes you need, and many have clinics to get you breaking trail with that first big snowfall.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 35

SCOTTAmerica’s ANTIQUE MARKETS Favorite Treasure Hunts!

TM

Gold Sponsors

WHERE ONLINE SELLERS GO TO BUY!

OHIO EXPO CENTER - COLUMBUS, OH 800 Exhibit Booths!

ATLANTA EXPO CENTERS - ATLANTA, GA 3,500 Booths!

2019 Shows

2019 Shows

DEC 21 & 22

We thank the following donors for their generosity in supporting our efforts to fight blood cancers at the 2019 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk in downtown Columbus:

740.569.2800

www.scottantiquemarkets.com

2020 Shows JAN 25 & 26 FEB 22 & 23

MAR 28 & 29

DEC 12 - 15

2020 Shows JAN 9 - 12 FEB 6 - 9 MAR 12 - 15

APR 9 - 12 MAY 7 - 10 JUN 11 - 14

JUL 9 - 12 AUG 6 - 9 SEP 10 - 13

Show Hours: Sat. 9am - 6pm & Sun. 10am - 4pm

Show Hours: Thurs. 10:45am - 6pm, Fri. & Sat. 9am - 6pm, Sun. 10am - 4pm

Directions: I-71 Exit 111 (E 17th Avenue) to Ohio Expo Center.

Directions: 3 miles East of Atlanta Airport, I-285 at Exit 55 (3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Rd SE)

MARKETPLACE

M e t al Roofi ng & Pol e B arns 4799 Salem Ave. Dayton , Oh io Silver Sponsors Actuator Services Tom Alban Cheri Gillfillan One Source Advisors

Ohio Oct 2019.qxp_Layout 1 8/20/19 2:58 PM P

(937) 503-2457

Bronze Sponsors

Fast-Growing Trees

For windbreak, screen and shade

10% FALL DISCOUNT

Crowe LLP Terrence Cummings Kurt Helfrich Ohio Custodial Management Pat and Nancy O’Loughlin Power Storage Solutions Peter Schuler Shirley Stutz Kathleen Ward

ManseaMetal. com Materials/Labor Special!

All of their support was critical, as Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives raised more than $38,000 for the LLS.

35 years onsite builder

30x40x9 — $13,700

24x32x9 — $10,700

INCLUDES

1 - 16x8 overhead door opening 2 - 3x3 windows 1 - 3-foot entry door 1-foot overhangs (eaves only) 29-gauge metal siding/roofing

567-209-1109

Serving OH, WV, PA, KY, IND, MICH State/county codes/restrictions, delivery, and travel may be additional

36 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

Call for details • Excludes timber grafts and seedlings

Call 260-749-0891

For FREE color brochure or to place an order

ADVANCED TREE TECHNOLOGY

12818 Edgerton Rd. New Haven, IN 46774 • www.advancedtree.com

2019–2020

DECEMBER/JANUARY

CALENDAR

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

DEC. 12–15, 19–22 – Winter Wonderland Light Display, Sandusky Co. Fgds., 901 Rawson Ave., Fremont. Drivethrough Thur./Sun. 6–8 p.m.; walk-through Fri./ Sat. 6–9 p.m. $1, under 12 free. Craft show, games, horse rides, train rides, music, popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate, and Santa! Donations of food items accepted for food pantry.

419-332-5604 or www.sanduskycountyfair.com.

DEC. 14 – Train Town Show and Swap Meet, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Operating model railroads; more than 200 tables with model railroad, railfan, and general railroad items for sale.

All scales. Food service will be available. 419-228-7141.

DEC. 20 – WinterFest and Santa’s House, Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church, 120 W. Sandusky St., Findlay, 6–8 p.m. Free. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride around downtown, meet with Santa, and enjoy hot chocolate and sweet treats. www.visitfindlay.com.

DEC. 20, 22 – Silver Screen Classics: It’s a Wonderful Life, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo, Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $5. See Frank Capra’s classic Christmas tale come to life on the big screen. 419-2422787 or www.valentinetheatre.com.

DEC. 21 – Toledo Jazz Orchestra Holiday Concert, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo, 8 p.m. $28–$38 plus fees. 419-242-2787 or www. valentinetheatre.com.

DEC. 26–31 – Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides at Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont, 1–4 p.m. $5.50, under 3 free. Ride through the grounds in a horse-drawn sleigh, as President Hayes did. Rides are by South Creek Clydesdales. Horse-drawn trolley ride may be used in addition to or in place of the sleigh depending on demand and staffing. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

JAN. 4 – Model Train Clinic, Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont, 1–4 p.m. $10, C. (6–12) $5, under 6 free; ticket includes access to museum. Veteran model train hobbyists assist you with advice related to model train maintenance and repair, as well as estimating the value of older model trains. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

JAN. 4–5 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $6, free for members, under 18 free. Over 400 tables of modern and antique guns, edged weapons, and sportsmen equipment. 419-647-0067 or www.tristategunshow.org.

JAN. 10 – Silver Screen Classics Double Feature: Dracula and Frankenstein, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo, 7:30 p.m. $5. Two groundbreaking horror films from 1931, in all their black-and-white cinematic glory. 419-242-2787 or www.valentinetheatre.com.

DEC. 5–8, 12–23, 26–30 – Deck the Hall, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, 5–8 p.m. $7–$22, under 5 free. The decorating theme this year is “A Classic Comic Hero Christmas,” featuring the stories of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and others. New this season: Step inside a giant interactive snow globe for your family photos! Santa lights the tree in the courtyard each day at 5:30 p.m. 330-315-3287 or www.stanhywet.org.

DEC. 14–15 – Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Federated Church–Family Life Center, 16349 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – Holidays at the Mansion: “Old $3, under 12 free. Artists and crafters selling their original Fashioned Christmas,” The Victorian House Museum, 484 handmade items. Full concession stand on site. www.

Wooster Rd., Millersburg, Sun.–Thur. 1–4 p.m., Fri./Sat. 1–8 avantgardeshows.com. p.m. $10; seniors and veterans/active military, $9; under 12 free. Tour the 28-room mansion, transformed into a holiday DEC. 15 – Flea Market of Collectables, Medina County Fgds. Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, 9 wonderland. Open house is Nov. 16, 4–8 p.m.; $5. “Santa a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special admission: 6–9 a.m., and Friend — Celebrate the Season!” is Dec. 7. 330-674$3. A treasure trove of vintage items and collectables.

0022 or www.victorianhousemuseum.org.

330-948-4300 or www.conraddowdell.com.

THROUGH JAN. 4 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village DEC. 21 – Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, and Advent Market, Fort Steuben Park and 4th and Markets Sts., Steubenville. Free. Over 150 unique, life-size Emerald Event Center, 33040 Just Imagine Dr., Avon, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Artists and crafters selling nutcrackers in an outdoor display with lights and music. their original handmade items. Full concession stand on Market open Fri.–Sun., 3–9 p.m. 740-283-1787 or www. site. www.avantgardeshows.com. steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com.

JAN. 4 – Antique and Collectible Toy Show, Lakeland THROUGH JAN. 4 – Christmas Wonderland and Gift Community College, AFC Auxiliary Gym, 7700 Clocktower Shop, Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Dr., Kirtland, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $6, C. (6–12) $2, under 6 free.

Mon.–Thur. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. Christmas gifts, nutcrackers, Nutcracker New and antique toys and dolls to buy, sell, or trade.

Diecast cars, trucks, and planes; pressed steel and tin Village memorabilia, and Christmas décor. 740-283-1787 toys and models; farm toys, mechanical toys, and more. or www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com.

216-470-5780 (ask for Tom), cleveshows@att.net, or www. neocollectibletoys.com.

JAN. 4 – Snow Dogs Train Show, presented by Cuyahoga Valley S Gauge Association, UAW Hall, 5615 Chevrolet Blvd., Parma, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $6, under 12 free. Free parking. All-gauge show with over 150 tables of trains and toys, operating layouts, and good food at reasonable prices. 440-833-4366, jvendlinger@gmail. com, or www.cvsga.com. Mailing address: Ken Vendlinger, 28920 W. Willowick Dr., Willowick, OH 44095.

JAN. 8–12 – Ohio RV Supershow, I-X Center, One I-X Center Dr., Cleveland, Wed.–Fri. 12–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $14, under 13 free. $10 parking. Over 600 of the newest RVs including tent campers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motor homes.

330-678-4489 or www.ohiorvshow.com.

JAN. 11 – Mohican Winter Fest, 131 W. Main St., Loudonville, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Aaron Costic and his crew from Elegant Ice Creations will offer six ice carving demonstrations hourly beginning at 11 a.m. Sponsored sculptures will be placed along Main Street on Friday evening or Saturday morning, weather permitting. 419994-2519 or www.discovermohican.com.

JAN. 11–12 – Medina Gun Show, Medina County Fgds.

Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7. 450 tables of displays.

330-948-4400 or www.conraddowdell.com.

JAN. 12 – Winter Hike, Mohican State Park, 3116 St. Rte. 3, Loudonville, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Free. Take a 5K or 10K hike along Clear Fork Gorge. Enjoy hot soup, cookies, and drinks by the fire after the hike. 419-994-5125 or www. discovermohican.com.

NORTHWEST

THROUGH DEC. 26 – Lake of Lights, Saulisbery Park, 13344 St. Rte. 67 W., Kenton, 6–9 p.m. $5 per car. Special events on Sat. and Sun. evenings. 419-675-2547 or www. facebook.com/LakeOfLights.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – Lights Before Christmas, Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, Sun.–Thur. 3–8 p.m., Fri./Sat. 3–9 p.m. $16–$19, under 2 free. Over 1 million lights, the award-winning Big Tree, and more than 200 illuminated animal images. 419-385-5721 or www.toledozoo.org.

THROUGH JAN. 5 – North Pole Express, 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Fri. and Sat. 5:30–9:30 p.m., Sun. 5:30–8:30 p.m. Adults $4, children $3. Hop on board our quarterscale locomotive for a trip through a winter wonderland of sparkling lights and festive decorations. See operating model trains and hundreds of decorated trees, plus a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus (on select days). 419-423-2995 or www.nworrp.org.

NORTHEAST

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2019–2020 CALENDAR

DECEMBER/JANUARY

Continued from page 37

CENTRAL

performance by Columbus Children’s Choir. Hours and schedule of events at www.stateauto.com/Christmas.

DEC. 21–22 – Scott Antique Market, Ohio Expo Center, Bricker and Celeste Bldgs., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission; $5 parking.

America’s favorite treasure hunt! 800 exhibit booths. info@scottantiquemarket.com or www. scottantiquemarkets.com.

JAN. 3 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Stroll the downtown streets while touring over 35 participating galleries, studios, and local businesses, many of which offer demonstrations, make-and-take THROUGH JAN. 1 – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights, activities, and complimentary refreshments. Free shuttle Alum Creek State Park Campgrounds, 3311 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, Sun.–Thur. 5:30–9:30 p.m., Fri./Sat. 5:30– service available on the Fun Bus. Tour maps available at participating galleries and businesses. www.artcoz.org.

10:30 p.m. $20–$30 per car. Drive-through light show.

614-412-3499 or https://butchbandosfantasyoflights.com. JAN. 3–5 – Columbus Build, Remodel, and Landscape Expo, Ohio Expo Center, Kasich Hall, Columbus, Fri. THROUGH JAN. 1 – “A Storybook Christmas,” 12–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $6, Zanesville and Muskingum Co. locations. Over 100 under 18 free. From top-quality exhibits, to informative participating businesses. Drive or walk by to view the decorations or to visit. Nightly light and music show at the seminars, to insightful demonstrations and more, courthouse, Sun.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 6–10 p.m. 740- you’ll discover thousands of smart, stylish, and costeffective ways to design or renovate your home. www.

455-8282, 800-743-2303, or www.visitzanesville.com. homeshowcenter.com.

THROUGH JAN. 2 – State Auto’s Christmas Corner, 518 JAN. 5 – Columbus Paper, Postcard, and Book E. Broad St., Columbus. Free. Historic life-sized Nativity Show, Ohio Expo Center, Rhodes Center, 717 E. 17th St., display. Official lighting is Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m., with

Columbus, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $6. Vintage paper collectibles including postcards, books, paper advertisements, stereo view cards, trade cards, old photographs, magazines, documents, non-sports cards, military paper items, paper sports collectibles, and protective storage options.

614-206-9103 or www.facebook.com/Columbus-PaperShow-134469001768.

JAN. 10 – Improv in the May, Marion Palace Theatre May Pavilion, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $6.

An evening of improvisation comedy featuring audience interaction and suggestions for skits and games. 740-3832101 or www.marionpalace.org.

JAN. 10–19 – Ohio RV and Boat Show, Ohio Expo Center, 717 E. 17th St., Columbus, Wed.–Fri. 12–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $14, C. (6–13) $3, under 6 free. Hundreds of campers and boats from over 21 dealers, plus camping gear, equipment, and related products. www.ohiorvandboatshow.com.

JAN. 11–12 – Columbus Weddings Show, Ohio Expo Center, Kasich Hall, 717 E. 17th St., Columbus, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sample wedding cakes and reception food, see the latest in wedding styles, and meet hundreds of wedding specialists. Daily runway shows. $12 at door; online discount and packages available. http:// cbusweddings,com.

SOUTHEAST

Muskingum Valley bluff between 4 and 4:30 p.m. in near perfect alignment with Sacra Via. Maps and a brief commentary will be provided by Castle archaeologist Wes Clarke. 740-373-1480 or www.mariettacastle.org.

DEC. 28 – Visit with the Pioneers, Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta. Visit the home of General Rufus Putnam to meet with some of Marietta’s citizens from the early 19th century. 740-373-3750 or www.campusmartiusmuseum.org.

DEC. 31 – New Year’s Eve Dance, 26100 Legion Rd., Langsville, 8–12 p.m. $10 cover charge. The Cadillacs out of Racine, Ohio, will be performing live. 740-669-1020 or josephfreeman476@gmail.com.

DEC. 31 – New Year’s Eve Gospel Sing, Harvest Christian Fellowship. Free. 740-704-1487.

DEC. 31 – New Year’s Eve Train and Fireworks, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville, 10:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m. $22–$35. 740-2491452 or www.hvsry.org/trainlist.

JAN. 12 – Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville, 3 p.m. $29–$39. A special matinee performance from “The New Queen of Bluegrass” and her award-winning band. 740-753-1924 or www.stuartsoperahouse.org.

performed each evening. 800-933-5480 or www. dickensvictorianvillage.com.

THROUGH JAN. 5 – “Space: A Journey to Our Future,” Bossard Library, 7 Spruce St., Gallipolis. Free. Interactive exhibition presented in cooperation with NASA and as seen at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. www.bossardlibrary.org.

DEC. 15 – It’s a Wonderful Life: The Musical, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 3 p.m. Presented by the Chillicothe Civic Theatre. Based on the beloved 1946 film, the musical faithfully follows George Bailey’s life THROUGH DEC. 22 – Santa Train, Hocking Valley Scenic from his childhood dreams to his midlife disappointments and beyond, as we all take a journey to discover whether Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville, every Sat. and Sun., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and every Fri. at 6 his life has mattered at all. 740-772-2041 or www. majesticchillicothe.net. p.m. beginning on Nov. 30. $16–$21, under 3 free. www. hvsry.org/trainlist/#santa.

DEC. 18 – Phil Dirt and the Dozers, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 8 p.m. $20–$22. Fans THROUGH JAN. 1 – Dickens Victorian Village, of all ages can enjoy this family-friendly stroll through downtown Cambridge. Stroll the streets to view scenes the band’s oldies-but-goodies along with some of depicting life in 1850s England, featuring life-sized, their favorite Christmas songs. 740-772-2041 or www. handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. majesticchillicothe.net.

800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.

DEC. 21 – Solstice Watch, Sacra Via Park (between Third THROUGH JAN. 1 – Guernsey County Courthouse and Second Sts.), Marietta, 4–5:30 p.m. If the weather Holiday Light Show, Cambridge, 5:30–9 p.m. cooperates, we will view the sun setting on the western nightly. Four different light and music shows

WEST VIRGINIA

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Winter Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort, Wheeling. Featuring 300 acres of twinkling lights over a 6-mile drive. 3D holographic eyewear transforms every point of light into a magical display. Per-car donation requested; valid for the entire festival season. 877-4361797 or https://oglebay.com/events/festival-of-lights.

NOV. 22–DEC. 28 – Celebration of Lights, Morris Park, Fairmont, Fri.–Sun., 6–10 p.m. Suggested donation of $10 per car. See over 475 holiday light displays in this drive-through tour. 304-366-4550 or www. celebrationoflightswv.com.

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

PLEASE NOTE: Ohio Cooperative Living strives for accuracy, but urges readers to confirm dates and times before traveling long distances to events. Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or send an email to events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.

SOUTHWEST

chocolate and cookies and entertainment by Santa’s elves. Reservations recommended. 513-933-8022 or www.lebanonrr.com/northpole.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – Light Up Middletown, Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, 6–10 p.m. daily. Admission by cash donation — you set the price! A drive-through fantasy light display, open in all weather. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus every Fri. and Sat., 7–9 p.m., through Dec. 21. www.lightupmiddletown.org.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Christmas at the EnterTRAINment Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester. See the magic of Christmas at the home of the world’s largest indoor THROUGH DEC. 24 – Christmas in the Greenhouse, train display. Take the family on a “Journey to the North Milford Garden Center (in the Milford Shopping Center), Pole” where you’ll meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. 513-8981025 Lila Ave., Milford. Free. The greenhouse turns into a 8000 or www.entertrainmentjunction.com.

Christmas store, with cut and live trees for sale, crafts and goods made by local vendors, a large train display layout, THROUGH JAN. 5 – Holiday Lights on the Hill, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves and trains for purchase. Wreath-making classes weekly, Rd., Hamilton. Mon.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., $20 per car; Fri.– and Santa visits on Saturdays! Check website or call for updated hours. 513-248-4531 or www.grantsgreenhouses. Sun. 6–10 p.m., $25 per car; museum members $15. A 2-mile drive-through light display. 513-868-1234 or http:// com. pyramidhill.org/holiday-lights.

THROUGH DEC. 28 – North Pole Express, LM&M DEC. 13–14 – “Songs of the Season”: Oxford Musicians Railroad, 16 E. South St., Lebanon. $22–$35; children Holiday Concert, Oxford Community Arts Center, Oxford, under 2, $5. See website for days and times. Take a 7:30 p.m. $10. Each group does two or three numbers. ride on a vintage train to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass plays on Sat., Dec. Children will receive a small gift from Santa. Enjoy hot

14; exact time to be announced later. 513-524-8506, info@ oxarts.org, or www.oxarts.org.

DEC. 15 – Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Oasis Golf Club and Conference Ctr., 902 Loveland-Miamiville Rd., Loveland, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. Full concession stand on site. www.avantgardeshows.com.

DEC. 21 – Winter Solstice Sunset Observance, Serpent Mound, 3850 St. Rte. 73, Peebles, 4–5:30 p.m. 937-2050094 or www.serpentmound.org.

JAN. 1 – World Race for Hope 5K, Hobart Arena, 255 Adams St., Troy, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Free. Join runners and walkers on New Year’s Day to kick off National Slavery Prevention and Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Donations support the nonprofit Free To Run Foundation’s awareness/education programs and charity partners.

Register by Dec. 31 at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/ Troy/WorldRaceforHopeTroy.

JAN. 4–5 – Wedding Expo and Show, Wright State University Nutter Center, McLin Gym, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $5 in advance, $8 at door.

Fashion shows at 1 and 3 p.m. Giveaways, door prizes, demonstrations, and seminars. www.weddingapolis.com.

DECEMBER 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE 1

2

night

SILENT 1. A tranquil early winter night in our neighborhood.

Lorie Wilber

3

Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member

4

2. The Kirk triplets awaiting Santa’s arrival! My children Steel, Volt, and Sterling.

Justin Kirk Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member

3. Curiosity is the cat! Our cat, Chloe, was fascinated by the lights on our Christmas tree.

Toni Kellar

5

Washington Electric Cooperative member

4. Chloe, our English springer spaniel, quietly waits for her Christmas treats from Santa.

Ingrid Benn Weaver Consolidated Cooperative member

5. A winter walk at home.

Richard Breitenbach 6

South Central Power Company member

6. Our 3-year-old granddaughter, Millie Nicholson, up bright and early checking out the Christmas tree.

Perry and Dawn Hamman

7

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member

7. A view of our barn nestled among the trees during a silent winter night.

Julie Wilhelm Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative member

Send us your picture!

For March, send “Tip of the Hat” by Dec. 15; for April, send “Easter Egg Hunt” by Jan. 15. Upload your photos at www.ohioec.org/ memberinteractive — and remember to include your co-op name and to identify everyone in the photos.

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2019

HOW DO CAPITAL CREDITS

WORK?

Co-ops are not-for-profit, so when there’s money left after bills are paid, it’s returned to members as “capital credits,” or “patronage capital.”

Ohio electric co-ops returned $34 MILLION to members in 2018.

Nationally, electric co-ops returned $1.1 BILLION to members in 2017, and $16 BILLION since 1988.

Members paying their bills generates operating revenue for the co-op.

When all the bills are paid, the extra money at the end of each year, called “margins,” is allocated back to each member based on how much electricity they purchased that year.

ohioec.org/purpose

The co-op’s board approves a return of that money to members, often called “capital credits” or “patronage capital.”