Ohio Cooperative Living - April 2019 - North Western

OHIO

APRIL 2019

COOPERATIVE

Living

Official publication of North Western Electric Cooperative | www.nwec.com

ALSO INSIDE Sasquatch watchers Giving vinyl a spin Scientist captains

Your Annual Meeting Is April 27 page 19

Celebrate National Lineworker Appreciation Day: April 8

Lineworkers serve on the front lines of our nation’s energy needs, and we honor the men and women who work in challenging and oft en dangerous conditi ons to keep the lights on.

To recognize your co-op’s dedicated employees, #ThankALineworker this April.

ohioec.org/purpose

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

INSIDE HIGHLIGHT 24 GIVING VINYL A SPIN Cleveland’s Gotta Groove rides a wave

of nostalgia in the recording industry.

FEATURES 30 SCIENTIST CAPTAINS

Academics studying Lake Erie have found an invaluable, if unexpected, source of data.

34 THESE WALLS CAN TALK Dozens of Ohio post offices contain history lessons on community and American can-do spirit.

Cover image on most issues: Union Rural Electric Cooperative crew leader Sean Luellen captured this image of URE line technician Sam Bevis at work in the bucket during a gorgeous autumn day. Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 8.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

ALWAYS ON DUTY April showers bring out the best in cooperatives.

A

cross the state, Ohio’s electric co-ops invest in new and updated equipment to bring electricity to your home or business on a continuous and uninterrupted basis. Cooperatives engage technological advances to track the performance of our electric distribution networks and to solve problems quickly. We train our staff to be available when you need us and to resolve issues safely and reliably.

Today, more than ever, our world is powered by our electric system. Yet, in spite of investments in technology, time, and preparation, Mother Nature still puts us in our place from time to time.

The past winter brought an unexpected ice storm to northwestern Ohio, followed by a brutal February windstorm that caused power outages across the state. Now, as the season thaws into spring, we brace ourselves for inevitable thunderstorms, while crossing our fingers to ward against tornadoes.

Your electric cooperative is staffed with dedicated employees who respond to each and every event that comes our way. From the member service representatives who take your calls to the engineers and managers who formulate appropriate action plans to the linemen who brave the elements to restore your electric service, each member of the team is committed to the three “R’s” — respond, restore, and reassure.

April 8 is Lineworker Appreciation Day, when we recognize the professionals who put themselves in peril to provide the power that energizes us. Even under the best circumstances, line work is a difficult and potentially dangerous job. As recent events remind us, the skills of lineworkers are most crucial when conditions are worst.

To do the job effectively and consistently, lineworkers rely on their support systems. Training, obviously, is of utmost importance, and your co-op ensures that lineworkers stay up to date on best practices. The rest of the co-op team is there to be sure that work is dispatched efficiently and that proper materials and equipment are on hand for repairs. They let our members know what to expect. Often overlooked, but perhaps most important, is the pillar of our families, as we respond to routine and emergency calls alike.

Electric cooperatives are sometimes compared to a big family — check out page 4 to read about a few Ohio linemen who have taken that to another level … and the next time you turn on a light, thank a lineman.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

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

April 8 is Lineworker Appreciation Day, when we recognize the professionals who put themselves in peril to provide the power that energizes us.

April 2019 • Volume 61, No. 7

MORE INSIDE

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 Contributors: Brian Albright, Colleen Romick Clark, Victoria Ellwood, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, Jamie Rhein, Damaine Vonada, and Kris Wetherbee.

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

DEPARTMENTS 4 POWER LINES

FAMILY AFFAIR: Line work is a profession that often sees fathers and sons, or even brothers, follow in each other’s footsteps.

8

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

SQUATCHER GATHERING: A Salt Fork State Park conference is the epicenter of Ohio’s Bigfoot phenomenon.

10 OHIO ICON

MIAMISBURG MOUND: The Adena mound near the Great Miami River is one of the nation’s tallest earthworks.

12 IN THE GARDEN BROCCOLI BASICS: It takes a bit of finesse to grow a stalk that’s

head and shoulders above the rest.

15 GOOD EATS

FLAVORFUL FUNGUS: High in fiber and vitamin-rich, mushrooms are a healthy and versatile way to enhance any meal.

18 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

GUERNSEY-MUSKINGUM ELECTRIC: The east-central Ohio co-op counts The Wilds and Ohio’s largest state park among its members.

19 LOCAL PAGES For all advertising inquiries, contact

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

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

News and important information from your electric cooperative.

28 CO-OP PEOPLE RAMPING IT UP: After a fortuitous find, South Central Power Company members specialize in aromatic agriculture.

37 CALENDAR

WHAT’S HAPPENING: April/May events and other things to do.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE MUD SEASON: Readers get down and dirty after April showers.

IN THIS ISSUE Marietta (p.4) New Concord (p.4,18) Paulding (p.5) Marysville (p.5,6,34) Newark (p.6) Lore City (p.8) Miamisburg (p.10) Cleveland (p.24) Gibralter Island (p.30)

Ada (p.34) Waverly (p.34) Granville (p.34) Springfield (p.34) Fairborn (p.34) New London (p.34) Georgetown (p.34) Portsmouth (p.34)

Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

ALL IN THE Electric cooperatives are often thought of as “family” — after all, they share common principles and a commitment to their communities that make for relationships that go deeper than just another business or utility.

Sometimes, though, “family” is literal. Line work, especially, is a profession that often sees fathers and sons or brothers, perhaps, follow in each other’s footsteps on the job. Here are some of their stories.

BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD

Frank Wells and Jake Wells Between the two of them, brothers Frank and Jake Wells have more than half a century of service working on co-op lines. Jake is a crew foreman at Washington Electric Cooperative, based in Marietta, while Frank, the younger of the two, is a journeyman lineman with Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative, based in New Concord.

Frank got into the business first, citing the compensation and chance to work outdoors as incentives. He didn’t waste time in sharing those attributes with his brother.

“I tried everything else first — all sorts of different jobs,” Jake says, “but Frank kept trying to talk me into working with him as a lineman. At first I said ‘no way.’ I was scared to death to climb those poles.

Not because I was afraid of heights, but because of the hazards of working with electricity.”

He soon came around. “Back then, you just had to be brave enough to try it,” he says. While most line crews primarily use bucket trucks to maintain lines these days, Jake says he still climbs regularly. “We’re currently replacing 150 poles. I’m getting my hooks out and helping pave the way for the contractors.”

The brothers grew up together on the family farm — where Jake still lives — north of Marietta. He cares for about a dozen head of cattle on his 60 acres and raised show pigs for a long time. Frank, on the other hand, calls his acreage a “hobby farm,” with some horses and a couple of pigs and “just enough land to keep me busy.”

The brothers also enjoy caring for their co-op members. “You meet all kinds of different people, and I like that aspect of my job,” Jake says. “At the end of the day, when you get 400 to 500 people’s power back on when it’s five below zero, you feel pretty darn good.”

4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

Mike Klima and Jake Klima Mike Klima, a journeyman lineman for 22 years at Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative in Paulding, says he thinks he inspired his son, Jake, to follow in his career footsteps. “He saw that I liked my job and enjoyed the work,” Mike says. “We have a lot in common — working outside and doing things with our hands — so the job seemed like a good fit. I’m very proud of him.”

Jake, a journeyman lineman at Union Rural Electric Cooperative, based in Marysville, is proud of his dad, too. “As a boy, it was normal for Dad to leave family functions and holidays when he was on call,” he remembers. “We kids understood that. It made us proud that he was helping people and restoring their electricity. I learned from him at an early age what the co-op was all about — we put our members’ needs first — so, when I was a senior in high school, I made my decision to be a lineman, too.”

Getting to know the co-op members is central to the job, Mike says. “It’s a very rewarding career, especially as you get to know the customers. We always talk to people before we work on their property. We explain what we’ll be doing. They’re so appreciative of us working out there in all kinds of weather — rain or snow or 10 below zero.”

Father and son also enjoy hunting and fishing together, whether angling on the waters of Lake Erie or dropping a hook in a pond near Jake’s house.

The best thing, they both say, is swapping stories. “We can talk shop, share information, and compare how we do our jobs. Usually, I give Jake a call early in the morning to see how his day’s going to go,” says Mike. Adds Jake: “It’s fun to discuss different ways to get the job done.”

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

Dana Springer, Ernie Springer, and Tyler Springer When Dana Springer was a youngster, he and his siblings could hear electric company dispatches come through on a scratchy radio at home when his dad, Ernie, was on call. Ernie, now retired, worked as a lineman and line supervisor for 35 years for Licking Rural Electric Cooperative, now The Energy Cooperative, based in Newark. “We could hear that old radio all night long.

But we didn’t mind,” Dana says.

In fact, it probably inspired him. Dana went to college for a couple of years and then worked on the family’s 1,000acre farm in eastern Ohio, where they grew corn and soybeans and raised cows and pigs. “Farming wasn’t very profitable in the 1980s, so I sent an application to the coops and started as an apprentice lineman at Union Rural.

Now, I’ve been on the line crew for almost 34 years.”

His dad, however, hasn’t completely given up the farm.

Now retired from the co-op for more than three decades, Ernie still farms about 80 acres, and Dana still helps out during harvest time.

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

The two enjoy hunting and fishing together, and they also like to talk shop. “We get together and talk about how things are done,” says Dana. “He still looks at the lines when we’re driving down the road; it’s hard to get it out of your system.”

Dana’s son, Tyler, has followed in his dad’s and grandpa’s footsteps, too, and works as a transmission operations reliability supervisor for AEP; his team is responsible 24/7 for the regional AEP transmission system, monitoring power flows and voltages.

Dana says he’s always appreciated his job’s challenges.

“I like working outside and doing something different every day, no matter what’s happening. A couple of weeks ago, we had two car wrecks that damaged poles and a windstorm that made a tree come down and break a pole.”

Through the challenges, Dana always keeps some longtime advice in mind. “Dad’s always said, ‘Keep your mind on the job, keep your eyes on what you’re doing, make sure you get home at night. Be safe.’”

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

SQUATCHER Salt Fork State Park conference is the epicenter of Ohio’s Bigfoot phenomenon STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

D

o I believe in the existence of Bigfoot, a hair-covered, 8-foot-tall mysterious monster that smells bad and has been rumored to live in remote Ohio woodlands since the mid-1700s? No. No, I don’t.

But many people do. So many, in fact, that the Buckeye State has no less than three annual conferences dedicated to Bigfoot believers. Much of the activity takes place in and around Ohio’s largest state park, Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County near Cambridge.

“The Bigfoot page is the most visited section of our website,” says Debbie Robinson, executive director of the Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors and Convention Bureau.

“Our 2019 events calendar includes the annual Ohio Bigfoot Conference, Bigfoot Adventure Weekends, Creature Weekends, and monthly Bigfoot night hikes at the park.”

Another name for Bigfoot is Sasquatch, and true believers refer to themselves as “Squatchers.” USA Today even ranked Salt Fork as one of the top 10 “Squatchiest” places in the country.

John Hickenbottom, a state naturalist at Salt Fork, coordinates the monthly summer Bigfoot night hikes, which take place during the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day. “The hikes have become very popular,” says Hickenbottom, “with anywhere from 150 to 300 people attending each time we hold one. We offer both a family-friendly hike and one for adults only.”

Saturday, May 4, will mark the eighth annual Ohio Bigfoot Conference at Salt Fork. Attended by several thousand people including vendors, the official conference is only one day, but activities extend over the entire weekend. Its website says the conference has grown into the world’s premier Bigfoot conference.

One of a half-dozen Bigfoot experts and celebrities who spoke at last year’s conference — and who is scheduled to appear again this year — is James “Bobo” Fay. Hailing from California, Fay is best known for his role on the Animal Planet TV show Finding Bigfoot. Fay says he sighted his first Sasquatch in 2001 in northern California and has seen several more in various places across the country. He’s not yet spotted a Sasquatch during his visits to Ohio, but claims to have heard two, both at Salt Fork State Park.

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

GATHERING A carved Bigfoot family tries to look inconspicuous at the Ohio Bigfoot Conference (left); Bigfoot expert Bobo Fay (black shirt) poses for a photo with a fan.

Asked why he believes Salt Fork is so “Squatchy,” Fay says that it’s the perfect Bigfoot habitat. “Sasquatch are omnivores, eating both vegetation and preying on other animals, and Salt Fork is a large natural area with plenty of wild foods. It also has a huge white-tailed deer population, which helps a Bigfoot survive the winter.”

Bigfoot sightings have been reported from every state except Hawaii and by all demographics. “The number of reports nationally tends to correlate with rainfall totals,” Fay says. “For instance, 95 percent of Bigfoot reports come from areas with at least 20 inches or more of annual rainfall. In desert regions, there are very few sightings, virtually none. So, a Bigfoot sighting is not a cultural phenomenon — it’s a biological phenomenon.”

According to Fay, the Ohio Bigfoot Conference is the oldest, biggest, and best-run Bigfoot conference in the country. “It’s a great time and definitely something people should check out,” he says.

By the way, Salt Fork State Park is on Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative lines. Would that make any Bigfoot found living within the park an electric co-op member?

For more information, visit www.ohiobigfootconference.org and www. visitguernseycounty.com.

W.H. “CHIP” GROSS (whchipgross@gmail.com) is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor, and in all his years spent outdoors, he’s not yet spotted a Bigfoot ... but he’s looking!

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9

OHIO ICON

THE MIAMISBURG MOUND Miamisburg

BY DAMAINE VONADA

Location: On a 100-foot-high bluff near the Great Miami River in Miamisburg Mound Park.

Provenance: Originally measuring 68 feet or more in height, the conically shaped Miamisburg Mound was built by members of the Adena culture, who flourished in what is now southern Ohio from approximately 800 B.C. to 100 B.C. The Adena — and later, the more sophisticated Hopewells — built thousands of earthworks near the Ohio River and its tributaries, and it’s believed that the Miamisburg Mound was constructed layer by layer as a burial place. “The Miamisburg area was probably an Adena gathering site,” says Miamisburg Historical Society curator Gary Petticrew. “We don’t know when they started the Miamisburg Mound, but it probably took hundreds of years to reach its zenith.”

Pioneer Jacob Lawres purchased acreage containing the mound in 1806 and subsequently sold it to John Treon, who appreciated the mound’s historical and archeological significance. Although most ancient earthworks were leveled to make way for farms, quarries, roads, and factories during the 1800s, Treon and his descendants protected the Miamisburg Mound. In 1920, the Treon family sold it to Dayton industrialist Charles Kettering, who later donated the mound and 37 surrounding acres of parkland to the state historical society. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed stone steps as a public works project in the 1930s, allowing visitors to ascend from the base to the top of Miamisburg Mound.

Significance: Despite an 1869 excavation attempt that likely diminished its height to 65 feet, the Miamisburg Mound remains Ohio’s tallest — and one of the nation’s largest — conical earthworks. With 116 steps leading to an observation platform at its summit, the mound also is famous for its panoramic views of the Great Miami River Valley.

Currently: The Ohio History Connection owns the Miamisburg Mound, the city of Miamisburg maintains Mound Park, and the Miamisburg Historical Society organizes tours and special events.

It’s a little-known fact that: Two pioneering archaeologists from Chillicothe — newspaper editor Ephraim Squier and physician Edwin Davis — surveyed the Miamisburg Mound for their landmark scientific research study, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley. Released in 1848, Ancient Monuments was the Smithsonian Institution’s debut publication, and its very first figure depicts the “Great Mound at Miamisburgh, Ohio.”

The Miamisburg Mound, 900 Mound Rd., Miamisburg, OH 45342. For additional information, call 866-580-6508 or 937-859-5000 or visit www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/ miamisburg-mound or www.historicalmiamisburg.org.

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

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APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

IN THE GARDEN

BROCCOLI BASICS Broccoli is one of the easiest of veggies to grow, but it takes a bit of finesse to finish with a cut that’s head and shoulders above the rest.

BY KRIS WETHERBEE; PHOTO BY RICK WETHERBEE

M

any of us gardeners have our vegetable favorites, but truth be told, I’m a bit biased when it comes to broccoli. Not only do its flowers attract beneficial insects, but its culinary versatility and ease of growing make this cool-season favorite one of the most desirable vegetables to grow in the kitchen garden. When grown in the cool weather of spring or fall, the result is a sweeter-tasting head with gourmet flavor. Growing broccoli with sweet, tender, tasty heads is all about getting plants off to a good start, keeping them content, and heeding the signs.

The need for speed — One of the best-kept secrets to growing a prime head of broccoli is to grow it fast. Any setbacks that slow down the plant’s growth will result in inferior-tasting heads. Transplants are key for early-spring plantings. Set out four- to six-week-old hardened-off starts in the ground about four weeks before your last spring frost (young seedlings can withstand a light frost, but be sure to cover them if a heavy frost is expected). For fall-harvested crops, seeds sown directly into the ground in July to early August may produce more vigorous plants.

Another way to speed things along is with the right amount of sun, soil, and water.

Choose a sunny location with at least five hours of daily sun. Moist but well-draining soil rich in organic matter is best, with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8 and soil temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees. Deep, consistent moisture is key — lack of adequate moisture can result in premature, poor-quality heads. Mulch helps to maintain soil moisture, moderate soil temperatures, and keep roots cool.

Happy plants make for tasty heads — Broccoli is a moderately heavy feeder, so keep plants well-fed by digging in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or a thin layer of rotted manure before planting. Work in about a half shovelful of either aged manure or compost or mix in 1/4 cup (per plant) of complete, nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer.

If your soil fertility needs a boost, you may also need to side-dress plants with additional compost, rotted manure, or other nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as fish meal. Start with a light side dressing when the central head is about an inch across.

More may be needed once the central main head has been cut.

Heed the harvest signs — All your efforts to grow broccoli with great taste will be in vain if you miss the signs on when to harvest the head. For best flavor, harvest when the unopened flower buds are just starting to swell, but before they begin to yellow. Wait too long and the stalks will become tough, with stronger-tasting heads.

Harvest heads in the cool of the morning before the heat sets in the plant. Cut the central stalk at a 45-degree angle, about 5 to 8 inches below the head. Doing so will encourage side-shoot production and increase plant yield. Harvesting these side shoots regularly will encourage continued production.

KRIS WETHERBEE is a master gardener from Oregon.

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

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READER RECIPE CONTEST

Meatless Monday

Ground rules • Entrants must be electric cooperative members or residents of an electric cooperative household.

Does your family do “meatless Mondays” or something similar? Are you a full-time vegetarian, or maybe just an occasional one?

For our 2019 Ohio Cooperative Living reader recipe contest, we’re looking for the best meatless main dish recipe in Ohio. Whether it’s extra hearty or more on the lighter side, send us your best!

The grand-prize winner will receive an Ohio-made KitchenAid stand mixer.

• To enter, write down your recipe, including all ingredients and measurements, directions, and number of servings. Then tell us the basic story behind your recipe — when, why, or how YOU do meatless. Is your recipe a family tradition, passed down through generations? Or did you make it up one day out of thin air? A good back story can never hurt!

• Submissions may be an original recipe or one adapted from an existing recipe published elsewhere, with at least three distinct changes from the published version.

• On each recipe, include your name and address, a phone number and email address where you can be contacted, and the name of your electric cooperative.

• Entries should be submitted by email to memberinteract@ohioec. org, or sent to Catherine Murray, care of Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229.

• Limit of three recipes per entrant.

Two runners-up will receive consolation gifts.

Entry deadline: May 16, 2019

• Contest winners will be announced in the September edition of Ohio Cooperative Living.

Technical Scholarships Available for Adult and High School Co-op Members Rules and applications are available at www.ohioec.org/TechnicalScholarship APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 30

14 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

GOOD EATS

Ffungus lavorful

High in fiber and vitamin-rich, mushrooms are a healthy and versatile way to enhance any meal.

SIMPLE MUSHROOM SALAD Prep: 5 minutes | Servings: 4 Le aves from 1 large head bibb lettuce, washed 16 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin 2 tablespoons oregano

2 teaspoons garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, juiced

On four salad plates or a large platter, lay down lettuce leaves. Top with sliced mushrooms and sprinkle with oregano, garlic salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Serve cold.

Per serving: 172 calories, 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 7.4 grams total carbs, 3 grams fiber, 4.6 grams protein

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

PORTOBELLO BEEF BURGUNDY Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 7–9 hours | Servings: 6 3 tablespoons canola oil 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 11/2 cups dry red wine 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon beef bouillon 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 pound sliced baby portobello 1/2 teaspoon thyme mushrooms 1 teaspoon rosemary 1 pound egg noodles, cooked 1/2 teaspoon pepper parsley for garnish (optional) 2 pounds stew beef In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Add beef, tossing to coat.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown beef in a single layer, flipping to brown all sides. When done, transfer to slow cooker.

Add wine to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add bouillon and bring to a boil. Transfer to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, until meat is tender. Stir in mushrooms. Cover and cook on high 30 minutes longer, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Serve hot over noodles and garnish with parsley if desired.

Per serving: 474 calories, 18 grams total fat (1 gram saturated fat), 28 grams total carbs, 2 grams fiber, 40 grams protein

MUSHROOM AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO CROSTINI Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Servings: 12 8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in French or Italian baguette olive oil 1/4 cup olive oil 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, divided 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon pepper 11/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 pound white mushrooms 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut baguette into ½-inch slices. In a shallow dish, pour olive oil and mix in salt and pepper. Dip each slice into olive oil, coating both sides, and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until bread is golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through. Remove crostini and let cool.

In a food processor, finely chop mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 ounces of Parmesan cheese. Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. Place mushroom mixture in large skillet and sauté on medium heat until hot and bubbling. Serve on top of crostini, garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Per serving: 158 calories, 11 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 10 grams total carbs, 1.6 grams fiber, 6 grams protein

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

BAKED MUSHROOM AND SPINACH TAQUITOS Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced thin 6 ounces lite cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup light sour cream 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, divided 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon cumin 2 cups spinach 11/2 cups shredded colby jack cheese 12 6-inch corn tortillas cooking spray 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon lime juice 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Preheat oven to 425 F. Cook mushrooms in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes to release moisture.

In a food processor, blend cream cheese, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 chipotle peppers, and 1 teaspoon cumin until smooth. Add mushrooms, spinach, and colby jack cheese, pulsing to combine.

In batches of 4, spread tortillas out on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Take out of microwave and remove one tortilla at a time from plate. Place filling on one end of tortilla and roll tightly, careful not to overfill. Place seam-down in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray top of taquitos with cooking spray. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

To make dipping sauce, chop remaining two peppers and combine them with remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic powder. Serves 4 as appetizers, 2 as a meal.

Per appetizer serving: 496 calories, 27 grams fat (17 grams saturated fat), 45 grams total carbs, 8 grams fiber, 21 grams protein

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

GUERNSEY-MUSKINGUM ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

G

uernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative (GMEC) serves 17,091 consumer-members in east-central Ohio. The unglaciated terrain doesn’t lend itself to wide swaths of farmland, but the hills make for fine pasturelands for cattle raising, and poultry barns fit nicely in the valleys. Because it’s situated in the midst of the Utica Shale, the oil and gas industry is a strong economic driver for the region.

Avon calling!

GMEC’s largest consumer-member, in terms of electricity use, is the Avon distribution center in Zanesville. Around 2.8 million Avon products are handled in this nearly 600,000-square-foot facility every day.

Proud heritage Astronaut and Senator John Glenn and his wife, Annie, grew up in the area and attended nearby Muskingum University. The John and Annie Glenn Museum in New Concord offers tours that enlighten visitors about the statesman’s life and career.

The great outdoors The area has much to offer for outdoorsmen and women. Hunting is a popular pastime in this area of the state, and an abundance of state-owned and privately run spaces in the area served by GMEC means there’s no lack of opportunities for getting back to nature.

One of GMEC’s best-known consumer-members, The Wilds is a 10,000-acre conservation and education center operated by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Visitors ride in open-air vehicles through the habitats of wild creatures, including rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches. Wild animals aren’t always friends to electrical distribution, though. GMEC once had to help the facility safely relocate ospreys that thought the tops of electrical poles were a good place to build their massive nests.

GMEC also powers Ohio’s largest state park. Hiking, fishing, golfing, a public beach, educational programs led by a naturalist, and more are available within the 17,229 acres of Salt Fork State Park. Fully equipped cabins are available to rent, as are accommodations with plenty of amenities at the lodge.

Most recently, the state opened the Jesse Owens State Park and Wildlife Area, adding 5,735 acres of recreational land to the region, with a promise to expand to over 13,000 acres.

Deerassic Park Education Center holds programs and events designed for the whole family to learn about and enjoy the outdoors. A herd of 30 deer call the property their home. Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative hosts a family fun day there every year, providing food and activities for members and their families.

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

Annual Meeting

See you at your

Doors Open

Saturday, April 27 Edon Northwest School, 802 W. Indiana St., Edon

Vote

5 p.m.

for your trustees

Dinner

— Only one vote per member (the registered account holder)

Hear from your co-op leaders

6 p.m.

— Meet your cooperative CEO, board and employees

Learn about the benefits of your membership

Meeting

— Rediscover the unique co-op business model, including the many perks

Enjoy dinner, a gift bag and a chance to win prizes

7 p.m.

— E ach member who attends is entered in drawings for bill credits, including one bill credit of $500!

There is no charge for this event, but we ask that you make a reservation so we can plan accordingly. Reservation deadline is April 24.

Making a reservation is EASY! • Return the reservation card received with your bill.

• Call 419-636-5051 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Sign up online starting March 15 at our website, www.nwec.com.

You will receive instant confirmation that your reservation was accepted with online or phone call reservations.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

North Western Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting April 27, 2019 The annual meeting of the members of North Western Electric Cooperative, Inc. will be held on

Saturday, April 27, 2019, at Edon Northwest School, Edon, Ohio. Registration will begin at 5 pm, cafeteria-style dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and a business meeting will follow at 7 p.m. to take action on the following matters: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Reading of Notice of Meeting and minutes of last annual meeting; The election of two (2) trustees of the cooperative, if applicable; Reports from the chairman, auditor and president; Industry update by a representative of Buckeye Power/OEC; Announcement of winners of scholarship and Youth Tour programs; Awarding of door prizes — energy credits and one grand prize; All other business which may come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

In connection with the election of two (2) trustees scheduled for this meeting, no nominating petitions were received by the Cooperative and the following incumbents have indicated their willingness to be candidates. Pursuant to the Code of Regulations, additional nominations will be called for from the floor during the meeting and if there are none, the following incumbents will be considered elected by affirmation and no election will be held: District #3 (Bridgewater, Madison and Superior townships in Williams County)

Kim Shoup 10349 County Road 12 Montpelier, OH 43543 District #7 (Delaware, Noble and Washington townships in Defiance County)

Richard Polter 14240 Mud Creek Road Sherwood, OH 43556

There is no charge for the meal; however, reservations are required. Reservations will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 and can be made by: 1. Mailing in your reservation card or including it in your payment envelope.

2. Calling 419-636-5051 or 1-800-647-6932 during normal business hours.

3. Visiting our website, www.nwec.com and completing the online reservation form.

Kim Shoup, Secretary 1/31/19

20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

Proposed changes to Code of Regulations The following changes to the Code of Regulations are proposed by the NWEC Board of Trustees for approval by the membership at the annual meeting of the members on April 27, 2019. These changes will be presented by the legal counsel of the cooperative and time for discussion will be allowed at the meeting.

Added changes are in bold print. The deleted changes are in strike-through print.

PROPOSED CHANGE #1 – Adding the option of the month of March ARTICLE III, SECTION 1. Annual Meeting.

The annual meeting of the members shall be held during the months of March or April, with preference given to the month of April, in each year at such place within the service area of the Cooperative as selected by the Board and which shall be designated in the notice of the meeting for the purpose of electing Board members, passing upon reports for the previous fiscal year and transacting such other business as may come before the meeting. It shall be the responsibility of the Board to make adequate preparations for the annual meeting. Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Cooperative. In the event that such annual meeting is not held, for any reason, a special meeting in lieu thereof shall be called and held as soon thereafter as convenient, and any business transactions or elections held at such meeting shall be as valid as if transacted or held at the annual meeting.

PROPOSED CHANGE #2 – Adding the option of electronic notification and removing the personal notification option ARTICLE III, SECTION 3. Notice of Members’ Meetings.

Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting or an annual meeting at which business requiring special notice is to be transacted, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, either personally or by mail (including publication within a magazine mailed to the members) or by electronic means, by or at the direction of the Secretary, or upon a default in duty by the Secretary, by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Cooperative, to each member. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the member’s address as it appears on the records of the Cooperative, with postage prepaid. If provided by electronic means, it shall be sent to the address provided to the Cooperative by the member for receipt of electronic transmission. If personally delivered, the notice shall be hand delivered to the member. The failure of any member to receive notice of an annual or special meeting of the members shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the members at any such meeting. Notice of adjournment of a members’ meeting need not be given if the time and place to which it is adjourned are fixed and announced at such meeting.

PROPOSED CHANGE #3 – Adding the options of electronic and by mail voting ARTICLE III, SECTION 4. Quorum.

The members entitled to vote present in person at any meeting of the members, voting by mail, electronic means, including internet voting or any combination thereof shall constitute a quorum.

Continued on page 20B

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A

Proposed Changes to Code of Regulations, continued from page 20A

PROPOSED CHANGE #4 – Adding the options of electronic and by mail voting ARTICLE III, SECTION 5. Voting.

Each member shall be entitled to one vote and no more upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. All questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of the members voting thereon in person, by mail or by electronic means, including voting, except as otherwise provided by law, the Articles of Incorporation or this Code of Regulations.

PROPOSED CHANGE #5a – Removing tie-breaker ballot PROPOSED CHANGE #5b – Removing term limits for trustees ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2. Election and Tenure of Office.

The Board shall divide the service area of the Cooperative into seven districts so that equitable representation may be given to the geographic areas served by the Cooperative. The Board shall have the power to change the boundaries of such districts whenever in their opinion the purpose of this Section requires such a change. Each district shall be represented by one Board member. Not less than two Board members shall be elected each year by secret ballot at the annual meeting of the members, or at any meeting held in lieu thereof as hereinbefore provided, by and from the members to serve for a term of three years or until their successors have been elected and shall have qualified, subject to the provisions of this Code of Regulations with respect to the removal of Board members. Board members may be elected by a plurality vote of the members. In case of a tie vote, there shall be a second secret ballot for the office and if the tie is not broken thereby, the election to such office shall be decided by a flip of a coin. No person shall hold the office of Board member for more than five consecutive three- year terms. A break in tenure of one year or more shall qualify the person for re-election to the Board.

PROPOSED CHANGE #6 – Removing the nominations from the floor ARTICLE IV, SECTION 4. Nominations.

Trustees shall be nominated by a procedure commencing with the mailing of a letter by the Secretary or a designee to each member residing within the district or being eligible to vote within the district for which a trustee is to be elected not less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the annual meeting. Each letter shall contain all necessary instructions for obtaining and completing a Nominating Petition and the name of the trustee whose term is expiring. Any member residing within the district for which a trustee is elected and who is qualified shall be eligible to complete the Nominating Petition. If an incumbent chooses to remain a candidate and is still eligible then he or she will automatically be placed on the ballot and will not need to submit a Nominating Petition.

A Nominating Petition shall include all of the following to be considered complete:

1. Name, address and account number of eligible qualified member who consents to be nominated.

2. District for which the trustee is to be elected.

3. Signature, name and address of no fewer than twenty (20) members residing in the district from which

the trustee is to be elected.

4. Signature of member consenting to and submitting the Nominating Petition.

5. Copy of the Code of Regulations sections on the qualifications and election process for trustees.

6. Date of the annual meeting at which the election results will be announced.

All Nominating Petitions must be delivered to the principal office of the Cooperative in Bryan, Ohio no later than ninety (90) days prior to the annual meeting of the members. The election committee (with assistance from Cooperative personnel), which consists of the Secretary and two (2) other members of the board named by the 20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

board, shall meet to review and verify all Nominating Petitions and all member signatures. If necessary, the Cooperative attorney may be called upon for legal advice regarding a Nominating Petition qualification(s).

The Secretary or designee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Cooperative at least 75 days prior to the annual meeting a list of eligible candidates and their addresses, which shall be placed on the ballot to be voted on at the next annual meeting of the members.

Should there be (a) no incumbent eligible and only one Nominating Petition submitted or (b) only the eligible incumbent and no Nominating Petition submitted then that member shall be considered elected by affirmation and no election shall be deemed necessary for that particular district. Should there be no incumbent and no Nominating Petition submitted for a district, then this shall be considered a vacancy and will be treated as such.

At the meeting at which Board Members are to be elected, the Chairman or his or her designee shall call for additional nominations from the floor. No person shall be voted upon for membership on the Board who has not signified a willingness to serve if elected. Nothing contained in this Section shall affect in any manner whatsoever any action taken by the Board.

NWEC and NWOP will be CLOSED Good Friday, April 19.

To report an electrical outage, please call NWEC at 1-888-636-5051.

For emergency service for current customers, NWOP’s office can be reached at 844-636-NWOP (6967).

POWER

OUR / Y D IN H E B S E C A F E TH

!

l

#ThankALineman APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20C

Trustee Nominations No petitions received for districts 3 or 7 The two districts to be voted on at the 2019 annual meeting are District 3, composed of Bridgewater, Madison and Superior townships in Williams County and District 7, composed of Delaware, Noble and Washington townships in Defiance County.

No petitions were received for this year’s board elections. The incumbents in each of these districts have chosen to remain candidates and will automatically be placed on the ballot. Kim Shoup is the incumbent for District 3 and Richard Polter is the incumbent for District 7.

The Chairman of the Board (or his designee) will also call for additional nominations from the floor during the annual meeting to be held on April 27, 2019, at Edon Northwest School in Edon, Ohio. If there are nominations, those members will be considered write-in candidates. If there are no further nominations at the meeting, the incumbents shall be considered elected by affirmation and no election shall be deemed necessary for that particular district.

District 3 Kim Shoup, age 64, and his wife, Cindy, live in Superior Township and have three sons and three grandchildren. He is Recycling Program Manager for Williams County Health Department and is completing his third term as a NWEC trustee and has served as secretary on the board for the past nine years. He has successfully completed training for and received the Director Gold Certification through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). A graduate of Northwest State Community College, Shoup served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Guatemala. He is also an elder at West Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Montpelier.

District 7 Richard (Dick) Polter, age 82, and his wife, Carma, live in Delaware Township and have three children, six grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Retired from Frey Office Supply, Dick was appointed by the NWEC Board in 2012 to complete an unexpired board term, then was elected by members in 2013 to continue serving. He has sucessfully completed training for and received the Director Gold Certification through NRECA. A former Community Memorial Hospital Board and Mark Township Board member, Dick is currently Zoning Inspector for the Mark Township Board. He attends Mark Center Methodist Church.

20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

Call now!

Camping season is here!

WE'LL HELP YOU GET READY.

844-636-6967 NWOhioPropane.com 04125 State Route 576, Bryan, Ohio 43506

Clean, portable, safe and long shelf life — propane is an ideal fuel for camping. Check out this list of ways propane can save you time and money on your next trip:

Portable cylinders are usually mounted to fifth-wheel units and folding campers. Motor homes typically use a single tank installed underneath the chassis.

Propane camp stoves

Portable propane heaters

Cook up some dinner the fast way! Because it’s lighter and more affordable, propane is ideal for camp stoves. It also burns cleaner than other options.

Imagine chilly spring temperatures or unexpected storms blowing in.

You don’t want to be left in the cold without a source of heat.

Propane in RVs Did you know propane can provide heat and hot water as well as power for the stove and refrigerator in a camper?

Using single cans of propane, these small, portable heaters can keep a tent warm for several hours. Look for heaters with safety features such as carbon monoxide detectors and accidental tip-over shutoff.

There are two types of propane systems on RVs: portable cylinders and permanently installed tanks.

NW Ohio Propane sells 20-pound cylinders or refills of any size. We can answer questions and help get you on the road! Call 1-844-636-NWOP (6967) or visit our website, NWOhioPropane.com, for pricing and details.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21

Did you know?

SAVE $5 OFF METALINK INTERNET JUST FOR BEING AN NWEC MEMBER Call MetaLINK at 888-999-8002 to get this discount today!

Starting a digging project?

Call 811 to learn where underground utilities are located.

It’s a law that homeowners call the Ohio Utilities Protection Service at 811 at least 48 hours before beginning a digging project. Protect yourself from injuries!

CONTACT

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

800-647-6932 419-636-5051 www.nwec.com

Andrew Farnham

OFFICE 04125 State Route 576 P.O. Box 391 Bryan, OH 43506

OFFICE HOURS Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

CHAIRMAN

Mitchel Headley VICE CHAIRMAN

Kim Shoup SECRETARY

Dean Harrington Jordan Ruffer Richard Polter Tom Case TRUSTEES

Pearl Rakes

Darin Thorp

EDITOR

PRESIDENT/CEO

SECOND-CHANCE WINNERS If you attended the last annual meeting and did not win a prize that night, your name has been entered in our secondchance drawing! We draw two names each month, and those members will receive a $20 bill credit. You do not have to contact us to receive the credit — it will automatically be applied to your main NWEC account. This month’s winners are: STEVEN SMITH JESSIE GRIMM Congratulations and thank you for attending your meeting!

22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

NEWS AND VIEWS

BUILDING FOR YOUR FUTURE

2018 annual report

Management Summary Andrew Farnham, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Darin Thorp, President/CEO Financial Strong and reliable continue to describe North Western Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NWEC) and its financial performance in 2018. Total net margins were $1.96 million, which includes the NWEC portion of Buckeye Power’s margin allocation to its member cooperatives. Of course, NWEC’s margins belong to our members and are returned in the form of capital credits. Attaining adequate margins each year is critical to the vitality of NWEC and is necessary to maintaining the financial metrics expected by our lenders.

The cost of power purchased from our generation and transmission affiliate, Buckeye Power, represents about 61 cents of every dollar spent by our members on electricity. Other expenses are inherently associated with the distribution of electricity by the cooperative and cannot be avoided. These expenses include property taxes, depreciation of physical Based on financial assets and interest on projections for 2019, long-term debt. These no rate adjustment expenses make up is necessary for another 15 cents of residential members. every dollar spent by our members. Still, other expenses, referred to as “controllable costs,” amount to around 16 percent of members’ monthly bills. These expenses include operation and maintenance costs, personnel and benefits, and administrative and general expenses.

The management of NWEC operates in an effective and efficient manner to successfully contain costs and maximize every dollar.

In 2018, operating revenue was $15.52 million — an increase of 7.3 percent from 2017. The value of the cooperative’s assets remained strong at $36.7 million.

NWEC sold 125.7 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2018, an increase of 7.45 percent from 2017. Most of this change is due to weather; however, our cooperative did see substantial growth in new services, which was a 92 percent increase over new services in 2017.

NWEC continues to remain financially sound and able to meet all key financial targets required by our financial partners, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utility Service (RUS) and the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC).

Electric cooperatives differ from other utilities in that we return excess margins to our members.

During 2018, the NWEC Board of Trustees approved general capital credits refunds of $922,906. Our

cooperative also distributed refunds to estates of deceased members, which totaled $135,993. The total capital credits refunds to date now exceed $18 million. Both estate and general capital credits refunds have been made annually since 1978.

NWEC is a strong and stable organization, wellpositioned to continue safely providing reliable, competitively priced electric service to its members well into the future.

Rates NWEC’s Board of Trustees, management and employees work hard to deliver electric power that is safe, reliable and cost-competitive. Members can be assured that their cooperative is keeping rates competitive while balancing the replacement of aging infrastructure to improve our service reliability.

Based on financial projections for 2019, no rate adjustment is necessary for residential members.

The wholesale power cost adjustment component, which is based on the cost of electricity we purchase from our wholesale power supplier, Buckeye Power, increased in 2018 from an average of $0.0021999 per kWh in 2017 to an average of $0.0025399 per kWh. This increase equated to $0.34 per 1,000 kWh NWEC purchased in 2018.

Buckeye Power itself is a cooperative — owned and governed by the 24 electric co-ops, including NWEC, that it supplies with power. Buckeye’s costs were on the rise in previous years because of investments for environmental compliance at its power plants. It has completed the required modifications and as a result, NWEC now has ownership in one of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the world — Cardinal Generating Station in Brilliant, Ohio. Buckeye Power does not anticipate raising costs in the near future, provided no new regulations are enacted by the government.

NW Ohio Propane, LLC In 2017, the cooperative launched its wholly owned subsidiary business, NW Ohio Propane, LLC (NWOP). 2018 saw continued growth and expansion of the propane business. NWOP’s goal is to be the energy provider of choice for our community, both for NWEC members and non-members. NWOP’s mission is to provide our customers with exceptional service at competitive prices.

In its second year, NWOP provided service to hundreds of cooperative members and non-member customers. NWOP currently serves Williams, Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Paulding counties in Ohio.

Our NWOP team comprises highly trained, highly skilled and safety-conscious individuals ready to meet the customer’s propane needs. Our drivers and installers are CTEP-certified and are experienced at performing the most difficult installations.

to members who took advantage of our rebate programs, which vary from ENERGY STAR appliance rebates to geothermal and heat pump incentives.

As part of our commitment to providing quality service and value, customers now have online access to delivery records and payment options. In addition, NWOP now is able to serve customers in southern Michigan and northeastern Indiana. Our customer service, field service and delivery personnel are ready to become “your local propane partner.”

In 2018, NWEC invested just over $1 million in capital improvements to our system. Some of these improvements included replacing 1.3 miles of copper line, converting 1.9 miles of singlephase to three-phase line and installing 1.1 mile of primary underground line. The System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) for 2018 was 63.36 minutes, which is down drastically from 157.30 minutes in 2017. SAIDI is the average duration of electric service interruptions — including outages — per member during the year.

In other words, the reliability of our system shows that if members were out of power, their electricity was restored 63 minutes later.

Member Service In 2018, NWEC’s member satisfaction survey came back with positive results. Although slightly down from the previous year, a score of 84 is well above the national average. We have always scored very high marks in reliability, but this year, we showed great improvement in “resolving any issues or problems,” “friendly, courteous employees” and “environmental concerns.” We will continue to strive to meet and exceed our members’ expectations.

It has been almost eight years since your cooperative began offering online bill pay, which has enabled our members to take greater control of their finances and payment options. In early 2016, our online bill payment system was upgraded to SmartHub, which allows members to monitor their electric use. As of this report, 2,017 members have signed up to use SmartHub. In total, over 44 percent of NWEC’s membership are paying their bills online or through auto-pay. Online bill pay, used in conjunction with our paperless billing statements, helped reduce the cooperative’s printing and postage fees.

Your cooperative strives to be your trusted energy efficiency expert, offering various tools, calculators and resources to help members reduce electric use and save money. More than $21,000 was distributed

Reliability

Safety The safety of our members, employees and community is a high priority for our cooperative — so high that safety is a vital part of our overall strategic plan.

In 2018, NWEC conducted several demonstrations showing the danger of high-voltage electricity at local schools, campgrounds and county offices.

More than 1,300 members of our local communities received high-voltage awareness training in 2018.

Our goal is to keep the public aware of the dangers involved in dealing with electricity.

Legislation The legislative landscape in 2018 continued to be one of constant change. The new administration under President Donald Trump stopped or put on hold many initiatives started by former President Barack Obama’s administration, which have led to numerous lawsuits and challenges with no end in sight.

continued on next page

2018 annual report continued from previous page

Cooperative members played a big role in the past several elections. Therefore, it is no wonder the administration is focusing on the infrastructure and economics of rural America. The recently passed Farm Bill included money for rural development, including funds for broadband. NWEC is evaluating the implications and future prospects of the Farm Bill.

In 2016, NWEC introduced the POWERUP Scholarship. This award was created to encourage and reward students who have successfully completed a vocational training program at either Four County Career Center or Vantage Career Center. Hannah Maxcy, a Four County Career Center student, received the $1,000 award.

Community

In 2018, NWEC introduced the Gertrude Studer Memorial Scholarship. This new award was created to encourage and reward students who are actively involved in 4-H or FFA. Rebecca Schroeder, an Edgerton High School student, received the $500 award.

One of the Seven Cooperative Principles is “Concern for Community.” NWEC is committed to supporting the communities we serve and our future leaders.

That’s why we’re proud to continue offering local high schoolers a spot on the Rural Electric Youth Tour. Last summer, we sent Casey Leppelmeier, a sophomore at Edgerton High School, and Jaret Dye, a sophomore at Montpelier High School, to Washington, D.C., to learn about leadership, teamwork, electric cooperatives and the ideals on which our nation was founded.

NWEC also provided six scholarships to area students in 2018. Receiving Children of Members scholarships were Kira Keegan of Fairview High School and Andrew Caryer of Hicksville High School, $1,500 each; and Rebecca Schroeder and Drew Herman, both of Edgerton High School, $750 each. Andrew Caryer also received a $1,200 statewide scholarship from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives in Columbus.

The Touchstone Energy Special Achievement Scholarship was created to reward students pursuing a college education despite unique personal challenges. NWEC awarded this $1,000 scholarship to Bryse Wagner of Bryan High School in 2018. All scholarships are earmarked for collegerelated expenses.

NWEC also offers the Give Us An “A” Program. In 2018, 16 area students each received a $25 gift certificate for receiving at least one “A” on their report cards.

NWEC cares about improving the quality of life in areas we serve. We work together with you, our members, on efforts like Operation Round Up, which rounds up members’ electric bills to the nearest dollar and donates the accumulated spare change to local groups, organizations, schools and individuals in need. 2018 saw $21,000 donated, all right in our area.

NWEC members have donated almost $450,000 since the program’s inception in 2001.

Closing Your cooperative has been committed to providing members with safe, reliable and affordable electricity. We are enthusiastic about the projects, programs and services designed to enrich the quality of life for our members and communities.

MISSION STATEMENT North Western Electric Cooperative is a member-owned business providing energy and related services to its customers. Our dedicated employees deliver high-quality, reliable services at competitive prices.

We will be your provider of choice.

BUILDING FOR YOUR FUTURE

YOUR CO-OP BY THE NUMBERS

7

TR U ST E ES

• 18

EMP LOY E ES

5,935

• 6

T R UCKS

1,076

METERED ACCOUNTS

MILES OF LINE

9

20,457

SUBSTATIONS

125,703,128 total kWh sold in 2018

1,312

average kWh used per month (residential)

POLES

Balance Sheet As of December 31, 2018, as compared with December 31, 2017

2018

2017

$36,704,951

$35,352,494

-$13,479,290

-$12,576,589

$23,225,661

$22,775,905

$1,046,323

$148,680

Receivables - accounts, notes & interest

$2,496,445

$2,649,230

Investments in associated organizations

$8,230,201

$7,452,728

Materials & supplies

$242,197

$206,393

Other assets

$551,514

$660,237

$35,792,340

$33,893,173

$1,366,293

$1,282,154

Assets: Utility plant Less: reserve for depreciation Book value of utility plant Cash & short term investments

TOTAL ASSETS Liabilities: Accounts payable Accrued taxes & deferred credits

$972,367

$941,102

Long-term debt

$16,094,626

$15,247,077

Deferred credits

$0

$0

$18,433,286

$17,470,333

Patronage capital - regular

$11,646,515

$11,402,787

Patronage capital - G&T

$5,712,539

$5,020,053

$17,359,054

$16,422,839

$35,792,340

$33,893,173

48.50%

48.45%

TOTAL LIABILITIES Net Worth:

TOTAL NET WORTH TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET WORTH EQUITY RATIO

How Your Power Bill Dollar Was Spent

Statement of Revenue & Expenses For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 2018

2017

$15,346,543

$14,311,696

$173,170

$150,226

$15,519,713

$14,461,922

$9,488,834

$8,855,467

Revenue: Electric energy revenue - customer Other operating revenue TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE Operating Expenses: Cost of power Operation expense

$482,116

$516,665

$593,124

$512,515

$442,949

$392,659

$31,425

$42,873

$995,087

$996,518

$12,033,534

$11,316,697

$1,098,774

$1,080,333

Interest expense

$648,743

$606,605

Property tax expense

$568,344

$528,473

$1,949

$4,053

$2,317,810

$2,219,465

$14,351,345

$13,536,162

$1,168,369

$925,760

$33,886

$-152,315

$756,252

$596,193

$790,138

$443,878

$1,958,507

$1,369,638

4.02

3.26

Maintenance expense Customer account expense Sales expense Administrative & general expense TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES Other Deductions: Depreciation expense

Other deductions TOTAL OTHER DEDUCTIONS TOTAL COST OF ELECTRIC SERVICE Operating Margins ADD: NON-OPERATING MARGINS: Interest income & other G&T capital credits NON-OPERATING MARGINS TOTAL MARGINS TIMES INTEREST EARNED RATIO

2018 annual report BUILDING FOR YOUR FUTURE

Andrew Farnham

Mitch Headley

Kim Shoup

Dean Harrington

District #1 Chairman

District #2 Vice Chairman

District #3 Secretary

District #4 Trustee

Tom Case

Jordan Ruffer

Richard Polter

Darin Thorp

District #5 Trustee

District #6 Trustee

District #7 Trustee

President/CEO

North Western Electric Cooperative, Inc.

NW Ohio Propane, LLC.

Andrew Overman, Director of Finance & Accounting Bob Carter, Staking/Field Engineering Technician Braden Miller, Apprentice Lineman Chad Livensparger, Apprentice Lineman Chris Everetts, System Engineer Doug Dulle, Journeyman Lineman Doug Hammond, Utility Person/Custodian Dustin Everetts, Director of Operations & Engineering Jamie Napolski, Member Service Representative Joe Belcher, Journeyman Lineman Lee Keppeler, Journeyman Lineman Levi Brandt, Apprentice Lineman Nikki Fenicle, Plant Accountant Pearl Rakes, Director of Marketing & Communications Todd Long, Journeyman Lineman Tom Clark, Journeyman Lineman Tracey Carter, Director of Human Resources

David Dietsch, Director of Operations Jenni Koch, Customer Service Representative Bowen Aldrich, Delivery Driver/Service Technician

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APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 23

revival Cleveland’s Gotta Groove finds success in record revival.

BY BRIAN ALBRIGHT

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

COURTESY OF GOTTA GROOVE RECORDS

GIVING VINYL A SPIN

W

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyl sales hit rock bottom in 2005, when they accounted for less than 1 percent of industry revenues. But Slusarz (a former executive at Newbury-based manufacturer Kinetico) and Earley (a record wholesaler) both felt that vinyl was about to experience significant growth, while existing manufacturing capacity was limited.

“A lot of the new records were being made by indie rock acts, but there weren’t enough copies being made,” Earley says. “It was a challenge at the wholesale level because once a record sold out, it was a long time before you could get more pressed.”

BRIAN ALBRIGHT

hen Vince Slusarz and Matt Earley teamed up to open Gotta Groove Records in Cleveland, a casual music fan might have wondered if they were out of their minds. In 2009, the facility was one of the first new record-pressing plants to open in decades — long after sales of vinyl LPs had been eclipsed by CDs, downloads, and musicstreaming services.

Slusarz had retired and was interested in starting his own company — one that would create manufacturing jobs in the region. He was a longtime fan of vinyl and took note when his college-age daughter started buying new vinyl records.

“I looked at the statistics and saw that vinyl sales were creeping up, and I wondered if there could be a potential business in it,” Slusarz says.

Earley, meanwhile, had come to a similar conclusion about the vinyl market.

He reached out to the same New Jersey pressing plant to make an offer on the equipment, but Slusarz already had the presses. Earley made contacted Slusarz, and after a few months of meetings, he stepped in as Gotta Groove’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Continued on page 26

BRIAN ALBRIGHT

Slusarz had to clear two hurdles, though: He didn’t know anything about making records, and there hadn’t been any new record presses made in decades. He was able to buy his first presses from a New Jersey plant that was about to shut down. He drafted a mechanic from his former company to help set up the equipment.

COURTESY OF GOTTA GROOVE RECORDS

Above: Gotta Groove owner Vince Slusarz displays raw vinyl (top) as well as a lacquer disc used to create the metal record pressing plates. Opposite, a newly pressed record comes off of the stamper. Below, there’s just something about playing a record on a turntable that streaming can’t match.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Sounds of success Gotta Groove almost immediately attracted clients because of the dearth of pressing plants in the U.S. at the time (there are now around 30), but Slusarz has since grown the business by targeting underserved clientele.

While roughly 20 percent of Gotta Groove’s business comes from major labels, the company primarily fills a niche by providing one-stopshop record production and distribution services for smaller labels and independent artists.

BRIAN ALBRIGHT

Continued from page 25

Gotta Groove occupies part of a sprawling, century-old industrial complex that used to house Tyler Elevator Products. A few dozen employees (many of them local musicians themselves) work at the factory, which operates eight presses and two shifts.

Slusarz’s bet on vinyl has paid off. The RIAA reports that vinyl sales rose from $66 million in 2009 to $395 million in 2017. Gotta Groove now presses 1 million records or more each year — everything from a reissue of Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits to local indie releases.

They also press records for a number of Ohio-based labels, including Rockathon Records, home to Dayton-based indie rock veterans Guided by Voices.

“There’s a desire among people to own something tactile and physical, and there’s some backlash to digital music, too,” Slusarz says. “For younger people, there’s also a social aspect to vinyl. No one says, ‘Come over to my house and listen to streaming music.’ But you can invite people over to put on records, and they can thumb through your albums while they listen. It’s a pleasurable experience.”

Gotta Groove Records is located at 3615 Superior Ave., Suite #4201A, Cleveland, OH 44114. Visitors can tour the plant — just call ahead at 800-295-0171.

Visit their website at www.gottagrooverecords.com.

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

BRIAN ALBRIGHT

Making a record is a multistage process. Master recordings are first transformed into a lacquer disc, which is used to create a two-part metal stamper. Those stampers are affixed to the record presses at Gotta Groove, where chunks of raw vinyl are pressed between them, like batter in a waffle iron. Cold water stiffens the vinyl, and after the excess is trimmed off the edges, the records drop into a stack. Quality control staff inspect the records and listen to a sample of each batch before they are packaged and prepared for shipping.

Gotta Groove employees Heath Gmucs (closest to the press) and Kevin McCann inspect one of the company’s record presses (bottom). Once the record is pressed, the excess vinyl is trimmed and the finished record is dropped onto a stack (top).

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APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 27

CO-OP PEOPLE

RAMPING it up fter a fortuitous find, South A Central Power Company members specialize in aromatic agriculture.

T

he pursuit of fortune often leads people far from home. Sometimes, however, Lady Luck shows up unannounced literally right in your own backyard.

In 1976, David and Jane Kunkler purchased 40 rural acres in Perry County at a sheriff’s sale, built a home, and moved in. “The land had been uninhabited since 1888,” David Kunkler says. “A family by the name of Elder last lived on it. The husband and wife raised 13 children here.”

The Kunklers, members of South Central Power Company, enjoyed their picturesque property immensely, but they were often curious about the small, green plants that emerged from the forest floor during late winter each year. Growing in profusion, the plants covered 5 acres or more.

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

“It wasn’t until 2008, while reading an issue of Bon Appetit magazine, that I discovered the plants were ramps,” Kunkler says. “I learned that some people were paying big money for them — $13 per pound on the East Coast.”

Also known as spring onions, wild leek, wood leek, or wild garlic, ramps grow wild throughout much of the eastern U.S. and north into eastern Canada. According to the Kunklers, the epicenter of ramps in North America is West Virginia. Huntington’s annual April ramp party — April 27 this year — is known as Stink Fest.

Ramps smell and taste much like a crisp, garlicky onion.

The Kunklers prefer them minced into sauces or chopped up and cooked with rice and a little butter. Sliced and fried with potatoes and eggs is also tasty. During spring, the entire plant is edible, including bulb, stem, and slim leaves that measure about 10 to 12 inches long.

David Kunkler, left, shows off part of his harvest from the family ramp-farming operation in Perry County. Kunkler and his wife, Jane, came across acres of ramps growing on their property shortly after they bought it in 1976, and they have turned the find into a profitable mail-order business.

The Kunklers sell ramp seeds (60 seeds for $4) and bulbs ($10 per pound) year-round. They sell whole plants (also $10 per pound) during spring.

“People buy whole plants to eat, but they buy the seeds and bulbs to begin growing their own ramp gardens,” Kunkler says. “It takes five years for seeds to develop into a harvestable ramp patch, but much less time if you plant bulbs.”

The Kunklers are split about how the ramps came to be growing on their property and not on those of any of their neighbors. “I believe it was the Elder family who planted them years ago,” Kunkler says. “Winter vitamin deficiencies were common during the 1800s, and eating spring ramps literally saved people’s lives.”

His wife disagrees, however. “I think that ramps have always grown here naturally, as our land is too steep and rocky for farming. As a result, it has never been plowed or even timbered,” she says.

Jane and David first began selling their ramps to a market in Columbus’s Short North District, as well as to a few highend restaurants in central Ohio. Today, they sell mainly online, shipping 500 to 600 pounds of ramps annually to gourmets in every state except Alaska and Hawaii.

“Our local postmistress in Somerset tells us she knows exactly when one of our boxes arrives for shipping,” Jane Kunkler says. “She can tell by the smell.”

For more information on the Kunklers’ ramp business or to order, visit www.ledgerockfarms.com.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

Scientist CAPTAINS

Academics studying Lake Erie have found an invaluable, if unexpected, source of data.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OHIO SEA GRANT

BY JAMES PROFFITT

Charter captain Dave Spangler (in yellow) practices a little citizen science aboard a Stone Lab vessel near Middle Bass Island.

I

t’s no secret that Lake Erie’s recent algae blooms have a small army of scientists and conservationists working nonstop to remedy its troubles. But a little-known faction has been feeding valuable data to those problemsolvers: charter captains.

Now, more than a dozen captains provide a steady seasonlong stream of info to scientists. “We give the exact location we were when we sampled and offer the water temperature, depth, clarity, and also wind conditions and anything else that’s happening at the time,” Spangler says.

“We first started with the Ohio EPA,” says Dave Spangler, longtime captain and vice president of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association (LECBA). The EPA, he says, sent lab technicians wading near shore to collect samples. “The better part of the Western Basin just wasn’t getting covered,” he says. “We’re all out there every day already, so why not (make use of us)?”

Algae blooms, which can create harmful toxins in the water, have been around for years, but gained notoriety in 2014, when a massive bloom caused Toledo’s drinking water to become unusable for three days. The Toledo water crisis made international news — and it was terrible for tourism, including the fishing business. Captains’ work as scientists has been expanding ever since.

30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

PHOTO BY JAMES PROFFITT

Ohio Wildlife Council member George Klein takes a break from fishing to check out the most recent data compiled by charter captains.

“During the past two seasons, we’ve been sport fishing out on the lake with Ohio Division of Wildlife, and we implant walleye with radio telemetry transmitters,” says Paul Pacholski, LECBA president. Pacholski works nearly full time on education, public relations, and data collecting for the group. “We’ve recently worked with Wayne State University on an invasive species study and Heidelberg University on a Maumee River water flow study,” he says. In fact, Pacholski says he and other charter captains have worked with just about every university in the region on not only Lake Erie-related research projects, but also inland marshes and estuaries.

When asked if charter captains weren’t supposed to be out on the lake during the algae crisis, Pacholski laughs. “My mom wrote me a note that said I can go anywhere I want,” he brags.

Justin Chaffin, research coordinator at Stone Lab, Ohio State University’s island science spot (situated on tiny Gibraltar Island at Put-in-Bay), says the partnership works well. “We train the captains to collect the samples, but also to talk about the data and issues with their customers, and that translates into a really great outreach project.”

Chaffin says info from charter captains gets compared to bona fide, professional data — and it’s solid. “It’s surprising how accurate the charter captain data set is,” he says. “The added benefit is they have opportunity to talk with the public about all the issues and disseminate accurate information.”

Captains have their fishy fingers into more than just algae blooms and radio telemetry. Another Stone Lab study determines how water turbidity and algae affect the vision of both walleye and their favorite food, emerald shiners.

“We’re learning some really cool things about which lure colors that walleye prefer under different conditions,” says Suzanne Gray, assistant professor of aquatic physiological ecology at Ohio State. Spoiler alert: “When there’s an algae bloom, I believe having black components in the lure is beneficial,” she says.

While Gray and staff have been working with fish in the laboratory, captains are doing the same on the lake via a cellphone app developed by graduate student Chelsey Nieman. The app allows captains to capture and send on-the-water data — and photos — back to Stone Lab. The photos provide information as detailed as a fish’s eye size, exact location of a catch, and an image of water at the site, all of which is meshed with satellite imagery and info from scientific buoys and weather stations.

“They have a vinyl sheet with a ruler on it,” Gray says.

“There’s a color wheel and a place to put the lure that caught the fish. They place fish on the ruler, the lure in the box, and take a photo off the side of the boat. Some of the charter captains love to email Chelsey with their stories. I think it’s great.”

This summer, Gray, staff, and students will fish with captains in controlled angling studies. “So far, they’re only telling us what’s successful, not all the lures they switched out, all the ones that didn’t catch fish. This is the first time I’ve tapped into the expertise of people who are actually out there, the ones on the water. They know the lake and they know the fish, and that’s been truly awesome.”

JAMES PROFFITT is a freelance writer from Marblehead.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 31

Chicago Doctor Shakes Up Hearing Aid Industry

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APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

These walls can talk Dozens of Ohio post offices contain history lessons on community and American can-do spirit.

BY JAMIE RHEIN

D

uring the Great Depression, two federal programs — the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project (FAP), which was a part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) — put thousands of artists to work. Murals were painted across the U.S., including more than 60 in Ohio, with post offices reaping the bounty.

The post offices, several of which themselves were built with WPA money, “are a great snapshot of Ohio history and public art,” says Barbara Powers, head of the State Historic Preservation Office. “So many murals focused on scenes with local connections and an element of nostalgia.” Many of the buildings still retain their original woodwork and features.

The murals, mostly oil on canvas and glued to the walls, are as varied as the communities that inspired them.

When artist Albert Kotin took on the Ada post office mural in 1939, he imagined life in the 1800s when “people had settled down to peaceful pursuits,” he wrote.

His Country Dance is a lively mix of musicians, partnerswinging couples, and children joining in.

In Marysville, James Egleson’s nostalgic view depicts two farmers, hoes propped nearby, reading their newspapers as their cows look on. In 1940, Egleson painted The Farmer fresco-style, directly on a post office wall.

Ron Best’s 1942 mural in the Waverly post office also tells of nostalgic times. Arrival of the Packet shows a boat with passengers traveling along a canal while townspeople look on.

Artist Wendell Jones turned to Granville’s religious past for inspiration. In the 1938 First Pulpit in Granville, settlers join in thanks after cutting down a tree for their first altar

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

and pulpit. For Jones, his painting shows Americans as those who “shall never be destroyed.”

At age 13, Herman Wessel went to the Cincinnati Art Academy, beginning a career that spanned the world. His two 7-foot murals in the Springfield post office depict the city’s early industries. Printing in Springfield and Manufacture of Farm Implements are in the post office’s original section, which is now a museum. The detailed, art deco postal windows and the period artifacts round out the artistic touches in the room.

Like the Springfield post office, other post offices have changed. The original post office in Fairborn has been turned into a library. Fortunately, the 1941 Wright Brothers in Ohio mural by Henry Simon was moved to the town’s new post office.

In 1940, when Lloyd R. Ney painted his New London Facets in the New London post office, town resident Vaughn Neel was 11 years old. Later, as the post office’s window clerk, Neel created a binder of mural-related correspondence and articles. “This is one of three murals like it in the U.S.,” recalls Neel, who at 88, recently retired as treasurer of the New London Historical Society. Ney pushed for his abstract design to be accepted by the FAP, which leaned toward realistic scenes. Recently cleaned, the mural showcases the bright colors of Ney’s vision, and the post office still has the binder that Neel created.

Ohio native Richard Zoellner has murals in two post offices.

Tobacco Harvest, painted in 1938 for the Georgetown post office, shows farmers in a tobacco field with Georgetown’s prominent buildings in the background. His smaller 1937 murals in the Portsmouth post office, Coal Barges and Waterfront, depict that town’s river history.

Also at the Portsmouth post office, town native and artist Clarence H. Carter’s four murals, Characteristic Local Scenes in Portsmouth, cover three walls. Although Carter’s visual story of Portsmouth’s riverboat, farming, and factory history is stunning, for longtime resident Robert Mohl, the mural of the town’s 1937 flood is most remarkable. “See how the sacks were filled to try to stop the water,” he says, pointing to the frantic scene.

For Mohl, 80, the murals opened his mind when he was a child. “When you are a kid, you are down so low — the murals are up so high.

It’s staggering to realize that the world isn’t billboards once you appreciate the world of handmade, of brushes, colors, and ideas.”

JAMIE RHEIN is a freelance writer from Columbus.

Opposite page: Richard Zoellner’s Tobacco Harvest adorns the wall at the post office in Georgetown; Manufacture of Farm Implements (above) is one of two murals Herman Wessel created for the post office at Springfield; right, top to bottom: Country Dance in the Ada post office imagines life in the 1800s; Lloyd R. Ney had to lobby the Federal Art Project to accept his abstract design for the New London post office; Clarence H. Carter painted four murals that cover three walls at the post office in Portsmouth.

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APRIL/MAY COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

CALENDAR

APR. 13 – Bucyrus Model Railroad Association Train Show and Swap Meet, Crawford Co. Fgds., 610 Whetstone St., Bucyrus, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5, under 12 free. Club Room will be open with operating layouts for all to enjoy. Exhibit tables available for selling, trading, and swapping. 866-562-0720 or 419-462-5035.

APR. 13 – CMP Monthly Air Rifle and Air Pistol Match, 1000 Lawrence Dr., Port Clinton. Free admission and parking. Competitions feature a Junior Air Rifle 3x20 and 3x10; 60 Shots Air Rifle and Air Pistol match; and 20shot Novice Prone match. Rental equipment is available for a small fee. 419-635-2141 (Brad Donoho), lsherman@ THROUGH APR. 28 – “Expanded Views: Native thecmp.org, or www.thecmp.org.

American Art in Focus,” Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 APR. 20 – Hayes Easter Egg Roll, Spiegel Monroe St., Toledo. Both historical and contemporary Grove, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Native American art is featured, including new acquisitions Museums, Fremont, 2–3:30 p.m. Admission is three and a large-scale work by James Lavadour. 419-255-8000 hard-boiled colored eggs. For kids age 3–10. Prizes, or www.toledomuseum.org. games, crafts, and visits with the Easter Bunny. 419APR. 5, 12, 19, 26; MAY 3, 10 – First Fridays, 332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org. downtown Sidney. Participating shops and restaurants APR. 20 – Easter Egg Hunt, Northwest Ohio stay open later, and many offer a First Friday discount.

Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay.

937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

Adults, $3; children 12 and under, $2 (includes a train ride).

APR. 7 – Toledo Doll, Bear, and Toy Show, Lucas Continuous egg hunt with multiple age divisions from Co. Fgds., Maumee Rec. Ctr., 2901 Key St., Maumee, 10 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Quarter-scale train rides continue until a.m.–4 p.m., early admission 8:30 a.m. Admission $6; 4 p.m. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www. early bird, $20. Free parking. Antique, vintage, artist, and facebook.com/nworrp. modern dolls and bears, as well as accessories, antique APR. 21 – Easter Egg Hunt on the Square, 109 S. toys, vintage holiday items, appraisals, and on-site doll Ohio Ave., Sidney. The hunt starts promptly at 11 a.m. Four stringing. 734-282-0152, sandy4085@hotmail.com. or groups: ages 1–2; 3–5; 6–8; and 9–11. 937-658-6945 or www.toledodollshow.com. www.sidneyalive.org.

APR. 11 – Through the Drinking Glass Tasting APR. 22, 24 – Hidden Spaces, Secret Places and Pairing Event: Ohio Wines, 109 S. Ohio Ave., Tour, downtown Sidney. Tour starts at 109 S. Ohio Ave. Sidney. Time to be determined. 937-658-6945 or www.

Tickets available on website; space is limited. 937-658sidneyalive.org.

6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

APR. 12–13 – Home Sweet Home: A VintageAPR. 27 – Chocolate and Wine Walk, 5495 Liberty Inspired Market, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Ave., Vermilion, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $20. Take a stroll through Lima, Fri. 5–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $5, under 12 free. downtown Vermilion while sampling chocolate treats and/ Free swag bags to the first 50 guests. Vintage, rustic, or wine as you visit the quaint shops. 440-967-4477 or primitive, shabby chic, antiques, repurposed, and upcycled http://vermilionchamber.net. items. Food trucks on site. 419-230-1756 or http:// APR. 27–28 – The Fantastic Tiffin Flea Market, homesweethomevintagemarket.com.

Seneca Co. Fgds., 100 Hopewell Ave., Tiffin, Sat. 9 APR. 12–14 – Southern Gospel Expo, Trinity a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission and Friends Church, 605 N. Franklin St., Van Wert, Fri. 5 p.m., parking; handicap accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per Sat. 4 p.m., Sun. 6:30 (doors open at 4 p.m.). Free. Over show. 419-447- 9613, tiffinfleamarket@gmail.com, or 25 gospel groups from around the country. Food court www.tiffinfleamarket.com. available each night. 419-238-2788 or www.trinityvw.com.

APR. 27–28 – Ghost Town Spring Crafts and APR. 12–14 – Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition, Antiques Festival, 10630 Co. Rd. 40, Findlay, Sat. 9 McDonald’s Youth Theatre, 991 N. Shore Dr., Lima, Fri./ a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www.facebook.com/ Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A girl-loves-ghoul rock ‘n’ roll Ghost-Town-Findlay-Ohio-1525098627787387. off-Broadway musical set in the 1950s. www.amiltellers.org.

NORTHWEST

WEST VIRGINIA

APR. 6 – Wheeling Jamboree Anniversary Show, Capitol Theatre, 1015 Main St., Wheeling, 7–10 p.m. $20–$65. This annual event celebrates the occasion when

the country music program left the radio studio to become the second-oldest country broadcast stage show in history.

304-243-4470 or www.capitoltheatrewheeling.com.

APR. 21 – Easter Day Buffet, North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. $23.95.

Reservations recommended. Easter egg hunt at 2 p.m.

304-643-2931 or www.northbendsp.com.

MAY 1–OCT. 27 – Blennerhassett Voyage Package, North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo. $130, includes one night of lodging at North Bend, sternwheeler ride to and from Blennerhassett Island, wagon ride tour of the island, and tour of Blennerhassett Mansion. 304-643-2931, www.northbendsp.com, or www. blennerhassettislandsatatepark.com.

APR. 28 – Glass City Marathon, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. 26.2-mile marathon, 13.1-mile half marathon, 5K, and five-person relay. www.glasscitymarathon.org.

MAY 1–5 – Annual Quilt Show, Founder’s Hall at Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, Wed.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Quilts on display from around the region, vendor market, exhibits, and workshops. Appraisals Thur. and Fri., and Sat. by appointment only. 800-590-9755 or https:// saudervillage.org.

MAY 3–12 – Biggest Week in American Birding, Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Ctr., 1750 State Park Rd., Oregon. Free. Enjoy the spectacular birding in northwest Ohio, the “Warbler Capital of the World.”

Activities include guided walks through Magee Marsh, bird ID workshops, birding by canoe, and birder’s marketplace. 419-898-4070 or www. biggestweekinamericanbirding.com.

MAY 4 – Kentucky Derby Affair on the Square, 109 S. Ohio Ave., Sidney. Time to be determined. Get your hats and bow ties ready! Vote for your favorite jockey, and enjoy southern fare and bourbon mint juleps at the cash bar (21 and over). 937-658-6945 or www. sidneyalive.org.

MAY 4–5 – “Springtime in Ohio” Art and Craft Show, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $6 for unlimited entry both days; under 12 free. Repurposed goods and furniture, décor, jewelry, kids’ activities, and demos. 419436-1457 or http://cloudshows.biz/event-calendar.

MAY 5 – Fort Recovery Museum Opening, 1 Fort Site St., Fort Recovery. 1 p.m. Free. Dedication of battlefield exhibits; virtual tour; unveiling of 1793 fort wall discovery/demarcation. Speaker at 3 p.m. 419-375-4384, www.fortrecoverymuseum.com, or find us on Facebook.

MAY 11 – Lilac Festival and Street Fair, downtown Defiance. Celebrate the official flower of Defiance with the community’s largest arts and crafts fair. Free lilacs to the first 500 attendees. 5K race, the Power of Purple parade, music, vendors, and kids’ activities. 419-782-0739 or http:// visitdefianceohio.com/annual-events.

MAY 11 – Spring on the Farm, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Explore the farm with your children through great books and many fun hands-on activities. 800-590-9755 or https://saudervillage.org.

Continued on page 38

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 events@ ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2019 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

Continued from page 37

Stop by the Visitor Center at 120 S. 3rd St. to get a map.

740-283-1787 or www.visitsteubenville.com/events.

APR. 25–28 – Geauga County Maple Festival, Historic Chardon Square, Chardon. Arts and crafts, lumberjack competition, beard and mustache contest, bathtub races, pageants, and other events. Enjoy allyou-can-eat Pancakes in the Park every day, 8 a.m.–2 p.m.: adults $8, under 6 free. 440-286-3007 or www. maplefestival.com.

APR. 26–27 – 55th Annual International Watch Fob Association Show and Sale, Lakeside Sand and Gravel, 3540 Frost Rd., Mantua, Fri. 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission. The world’s largest watch fob, construction memorabilia, and toy show. Free refreshments. 440-816-1882 or chuck@ dhsdiecast.com, www.watchfob.com, or www.facebook. com/iwfai.

APR. 27 – Medina Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Medina Community Rec. Ctr., 885 Weymouth Rd., Medina, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3, under 12 free.

Join us at our newest show launching this spring! Feature artists and crafters selling their original handmade items. www.avantgardeshows.com.

APR. 27 –18th Annual Lakeside Sand and Gravel Open House and Antique Equipment Show, 3450 Frost Rd., Mantua, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Antique construction and mining demos. Bus tours of the company’s sand and gravel operations. Lunch provided with donation. 330-274-2569 or www. lakesidesandgravel.com.

APR. 27–MAY 11 – Annual Spring Art Show and Sale, Eastern Gateway Community College, 4000 Sunset Blvd., Steubenville. Sponsored by Steubenville Art Association. 740-264-2959.

MAY 3–4 – Dandelion May Fest, Breitenbach Wine Cellars, 5934 Old Rte. 39 NW, Dover, Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Dandelion food and wine tastings, dandelion sangria, dandelion picking contest and jelly-making, entertainment, and vendor fair. 5K run.

330-343-3603 or www.breitenbachwine.com/events/ dandelion-festival.

MAY 4–5 – Ohio Civil War Show and Artillery Show, Richland Co. Fgds., 750 N Home Rd., Mansfield, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7, under 12 free.

Free parking. Military items, relics, and memorabilia to buy, sell, or trade. Cannon firing and WWII small arms demos, Civil War hospital scenario and encampments, and much more. www.ohiocivilwarshow.com.

MAY 4–5 – Model Train Days, Painesville Railroad Museum, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, C. (3–12) $3, Family $12. Operating layouts in N, HO, and S scale, and O and G gauge. Flea market on grounds.

Food and drinks available. 440-417-6746 or www. painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.

MAY 5 – Harrison Career Ctr. FFA Tractor, Truck, Engine, and Car Show, Harrison Co. Fgds., 550 Grant St., Cadiz, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., registration starting around 9:30 a.m. Donation for admission. 330-440-5578, HCCFFA@yahoo.com, or www.facebook.com/HCCFFA. MAY 11 – Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park Dinner/Auction, Wallace Lodge, Sally Buffalo Park, 100 College Way (43000 Industrial Park Rd.), Cadiz. $18. Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., followed by speaker and auction. For reservations or to donate items: 740-391-4135, 740-942-3895, info@ hcrhp.org, www.hcrhp.org, or www.facebook.com/ HCRHP. MAY 11 – German Maifest, Historic Zoar Village, 198 Main St., Zoar, 10 a.m – 5 p.m. Free. Traditional German food and drink, music, dancing, games, art projects, and a Maypole. Grand opening of the “Sense of Zoar” art exhibit at the Bimeler House. 800-262-6195 or www. historiczoarvillage.com/events.

MAY 11 – Avon Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Emerald Event Ctr., 33040 Just Imagine Dr., Avon, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3, under 12 free. www. avantgardeshows.com.​ MAY 11 – Zoar Plant Sale, Zoar Garden, 168 W. 4th St., Zoar. 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, vegetables, shade plants, and shrubs. www. historiczoarvillage.com/events.

tickets, and raffle. Lunch at 12:30 with the Style Show to begin shortly afterward. 740-439-8151 or http:// seormc.org.

APR. 13 – Patty Griffin, Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville, 8 p.m. $43–$58. 740-7531924 or www.stuartsoperahouse.org.

APR. 14 – Ben-Hur, Athena Grand, 1008 E. State St., Athens, 6 p.m. $12.50. 60th anniversary of this film classic. 740-593-8800 or www.athenagrand.com.

APR. 20 – Earth Gathering Festival, Pump House Ctr. for the Arts, 1 Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, 11 a.m.–6 THROUGH DEC. – Athens Farmers Market, p.m. Free admission. Juried art festival with an Earth 1000 E. State St., Athens, Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat., Day theme. Affordable handmade art and great music 9 a.m.–noon. Farmers, orchardists, specialty food from local and regional artists. 740-772-5783 or http:// producers, bakers, horticulturalists, cheese makers, and visitchillicotheohio.com. more. 740-593-6763 or www.athensfarmersmarket.org.

APR. 20 – Easter Egg Hunt, Deerassic Park APR. 12–14 – Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage, Education Ctr., Cambridge, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Free. Youth Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. under 12 hunt eggs for tickets and prizes. 740-435-3335 Join us for a weekend of guided hikes, delicious meals, or www.deerassic.com. and special talks from our guest speakers. Our 2019 APR. 25–28 – Pike County Dogwood theme is “Signature Animals of the Great Eastern Festival, Main St., Piketon. Daily entertainment, Forest.” Space is limited and registration is required. food, contests, rides, parade, and more. www.

937-365-1935 or www.arcofapplachia.org/annualpikecountydogwoodfestival.com. wildflower-pilgrimage.

APR. 27–28 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. APR. 13 – 51st Wing 12 Daffodil Luncheon, Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville. $3, under 13 free; Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., early bird admission, $4. Free parking on fairground lots.

Cambridge. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Vendors, quilt 937-728-6643 or www.lucasvilletradedays.com.

APR. 28 – Spring Hike, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, noon–4 p.m.

Free. Guided woodland hike, limited to the first 30 who register the day of the hike. Two hikes, at noon, and 2 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. http:// visitchillicotheohio.com/event/spring-hike-2.

MAY 2–5 – Wild Turkey Festival, 100 E. Main St., McArthur, Thur. 5–11 p.m., Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m. Carnival rides, games, car show, quilt show. Parade and crowning of the Wild Turkey Festival Queen at 6 p.m. Saturday. 740-591-1118, chriscram59@ gmail.com, or www.wildturkeyfestival.com.

MAY 3–5 – Spring Women’s Retreat, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. Enjoy the company of other like-minded women and get back to nature in the way that suits you best. Space is limited.

Register at http://arcofappalachia.org/womens-retreat/ or 937-365-1935.

MAY 3–SEPT. 27 – Rise and Shine Farmers Market, 2135 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, Fridays, 8 a.m.–noon. 740-680-1866.

MAY 4 – Spring Fest, Deerassic Park Education Ctr., Cambridge. 740-435-3335 or www.deerassic.com.

NORTHEAST

THROUGH APR. 22 – I-X Indoor Amusement Park, IX Center, One I-X Dr., Cleveland. Annual spring event offers a full day of family fun at a budget-friendly price! Rides, games, food, and attractions, all under one roof. 216-265-2586 or www.ixamusementpark.com.

APR. 1–13 – Spring Quilt Show, Historic Fort Steuben Visitor Ctr., 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat. noon–4 p.m. 740-283-1787 or www. oldfortsteuben.com.

APR. 4–6 – Vernal Poolooza Science Conference, Ashland University Convocation Ctr., 638 Jefferson St., Ashland. www.ohwetlands.org/ vernalpoolooza-2019.

APR. 13 – Canton Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, St. George Serbian Ctr., 4667 Applegrove St. NW, North Canton, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $3, under 12 free.

440-227-8794 or www.avantgardeshows.com.

APR. 14 – Black Violin: Classical Boom, Connor Palace, Playhouse Square, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 7 p.m. $10–$45. 216-771-4444 or www.playhousesquare. org/events.

APR. 19–MAY 12 – Shrek the Musical, Geauga Lyric Theater Guild, 101 Water St., Chardon, Fri./Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $10–$18. Based on the Oscar-winning film. 440-286-2255 or www.geaugatheater.org.

APR. 21–MAY 12 – The Great Steubenville Eggsibition, various locations, Steubenville. Huge handpainted “eggs” offer a downtown scavenger hunt!

SOUTHEAST

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

CENTRAL

THROUGH SEPT. 15 – “Blooms and Butterflies,” Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $12–$19,under 3 free.

Daily butterfly releases at 1 and 3 p.m. 614-715-8000 or www.fpconservatory.org.

THROUGH AUG. 3 – “Luminous: Encaustic Works by Barbara Vogel,” Zanesville Museum of Art, 620 Military Rd., Zanesville, Wed., Fri., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Thur. 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m. $4–$6; under 10 and members free. www.zanesvilleart.org.

APR. 5–7, 12–14 – O’Donnell’s Pub, Zanesville Community Theatre, 940 Findley Ave., Zanesville, Fri./ Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2:30 p.m. Comedy by Zanesville native Christopher Brooks. 740-455-6487 or www.zct.org.

APR. 6, 13, 20, 27 – Spring Farmers’ Market, Weasel Boy Brewing Company, 126 Muskingum Ave., Zanesville, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. www. zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

APR. 7 – Ragtime Rick and the Chefs of Dixieland, Clintonville Woman’s Club, 3951 N. High St., 2–5 p.m. $15–$20. Sponsored by the Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society. 614-558-2212, www.cohjs.org, or Facebook. com/COHJS. APR. 11–14 – Equine Affaire, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus. $8–$15, under 6 free. Experience the nation’s premier equine exposition. 740-845-0085 or www.equineaffaire.com.

APR. 12–13 – Spring at the Round Barn, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, Fri. 4–8 p.m. (early buying: $10), Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. ($5, under 12 free). Free

SOUTHWEST

parking. An upscale market bringing together more than 125 vendors. Farmhouse décor, clothing, candles, jewelry, crafts, live music, and food trucks. 614-296-1621 or find us on Facebook.

APR. 13 – Church Basement Ladies: Rise Up, O Men, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 2 p.m. $20–$35. Hilarious new national touring musical is the latest addition to the Church Basement Ladies series.

740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org.

APR. 13 – Midwest Scholastic Rowing Sprints, Dillon Lake, 5265 Dillon Hills Dr,, Nashport. www. midwestscholasticrowing.com.

APR. 13–14 – AG Days, presented by Hocking County Farm Bureau, Hocking Co. Fgds., 150 N. Homer Ave. Logan, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Historic farming practices, antique tractors, threshing machines and corn sheller, steam-powered sawmill, and hit-and-miss engines. Bluegrass band, kids’ activities.

740-474-6284 or www.ofbf.org.

APR. 13, 27, MAY 11 – Nelson T. Gant Homestead Tours, 1845 W. Main St., Zanesville, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. or call for appointment. Officially recognized as an Underground Railroad site. 740-453-0988, 740-3191157, or www.nelsontgantfoundation.org.

APR. 26–28 – Mohican Wildlife Weekend: Pick Your Path, various locations in Ashland and Richland counties. Free. A celebration of wildlife habitat, heritage, and natural history. Workshops and demonstrations. 800642-8282 or www.mohicanwildlifeweekend.com.

APR. 26–28 – Vintage Market Days, Franklin Co. Fgds., 4951 Northwest Pkwy., Hilliard, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p,m. $10 for early buyer, $5 for Sat./ Sun. only, under 13 free. An upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, decor, outdoor furnishings, and more. www.vintagemarketdays.com.

APR. 27 – Earth Day Celebration, Coshocton County Career Ctr., 23640 Airport Rd., Coshocton, 12–4 p.m. Free. Exhibits and vendors including artisans, organic farmers, community groups, and Native American culture.

Explore solar power and green enterprises. Live raptor demos, kids’ activities, entertainment, and food. 740-5026546 or www.cecaware.org.

St., Hamilton, 7–9 p.m. Free. Lively bluegrass music. vaughnjh@gmail.com.

APR. 5, MAY 3 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Butler County Coon Hunters Club, 200 Warwick Rd., Hamilton, 7–9 p.m. Donations requested. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music.

513-410-3625.

APR. 12–13 – Midwest Ceramic Association Show, Butler Co. Exhibition Bldg., Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ohio’s original ceramic show. www.midwestceramics.org.

APR. 14 – Annual Farm Toy Show, Champaign Co. THROUGH JUNE 16 – Butterflies of Ecuador, Fgds., 384 Park Ave., Urbana, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2, under 12 Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, 10 free. Look, buy, sell, or trade. Over 120 tables, including a.m.–5 p.m. $7, Srs. $6, C. (5–17) $4, under 5 free. 513parts dealer. 937-826-4201.

421-5707 or www.cincinnatiparks.com/krohn.

APR. 21 – Easter Egg Hunt, Young’s Dairy, 6880 APR. 1–31 – Easter Egg Paperweight Blow, Springfield-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs, 2 p.m. Free.

Neusole Glassworks, 11925 Kemper Springs Dr., Open to children up to age 10. 937-325-0629 or www.

Cincinnati, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. $40 per 30-minute session. youngsdairy.com/easter-egg-hunt/.

For ages 5 and older. Sculpt molten glass into egg-shaped APR. 26–28 – Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival, paperweights! Pickup in 7 days. Reservations required. downtown Bellbrook. Live bands, beer garden, parade, 513-751-3292 or neusoleglassworks@hotmail.com. children’s tent, 5K run, dog show, recycled sculpture APR. 1 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, contest, and more. www.sugarmaplefestival.com.

Miami University Downtown Downhome, 221 High

APR. 27 – Ohioana Book Festival, Columbus Metropolitan Main Library, 96 S. Grant, Columbus, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. More than 100 Ohio authors gather with readers for a day of panel discussions, readings, a book fair, children’s activities, and more. 614-466-3831 or www. ohioana.org.

APR. 27 – Taste of Marysville, Marysville High School Field House, 800 Amrine Rd., Marysville, 5–9 p.m. $10 buys 8 tasting tickets; you choose the vendors.

937-243-5833 or www.tasteofmarysville.com.

APR. 28 – Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra Concert, Brown Chapel, College Dr., New Concord, 7 p.m. $15. Season finale of favorites! 740-8268197 or www.seoso.org.

APR. 28 – Zane Grey Day, National Road–Zane Grey Museum, 8850 E. Pike, Norwich, 1–4 p.m. An afternoon of fun outdoor activities. www.ohiohistory.org.

MAY 3 – Chocolate Hop, Columbus and Center Sts., Pickerington, 6–8 p.m. $5, receive a map of locations around the Olde Village where you will receive a chocolate treat. www.pickeringtonvillage.com.

MAY 3 – The Everly Brothers Experience, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $15– $28. The Zmed Brothers simulate the sound of the legendary rock ’n’ roll singing duo. 740-383-2101 or www. marionpalace.org.

MAY 4–5, 11–12, 18–19, 25–26 – Rock Mill Weekends, Stebelton Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, Sat./Sun. 12–4 p.m. Free. Tour the restored 1824 gristmill. Grinding demos on May 26. 740681-7249 or www.fairfieldcountyparks.org.

MAY 4, 11, 18, 25 – Spring Farmers’ Market, Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. www.zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

MAY 11–12 – Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships, Dillon Lake, 5265 Dillon Hills Dr,, Nashport. www.midwestscholasticrowing.com.

APR. 26–28 – Vintage Market Days, Greene Co. Fgds., 120 Fairground Rd., Xenia, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p,m. $10 for early buyer, $5 for Sat./Sun. only, under 13 free. An upscale vintage-inspired indoor/ outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, home décor, outdoor furnishings, and more. www.vintagemarketdays.com.

MAY 5 – Music at the Mound with Steve Free, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 1 p.m.

Free admission; $8 parking fee. http://arcofappalachia. org/steve-free.

MAY 10 – Taste of the Arts, Main and Ash Sts., Piqua. An evening of fun, music, and food. Shop, enjoy live music, and sample food from various local restaurants and caterers. 937-773-9355 or www. mainstreetpiqua.com.

MAY 10–12 – Appalachian Festival, Coney Island Amusement Park, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Fri. 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $10, Srs. $5, C. (2–12) $2, under 2 free. Crafts, food, Living History Village, old-time dance, storytelling, and music. www.appalachianfestivalcincinnati.org.

APRIL 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE 1

Mud Season 3

4

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5 8

9

7 6

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4. Our grandchildren, Jeffrey and Jaime, having fun making mud pies.

Patty and Larry Quaglia South Central Power Company members

1. Our son, Kyle Ross, doing what he does best — playing in the mud.

Tim and Cathy Ross Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative members

2. DIY mud boots and gloves — Shelby, daughter of Ryan and Jen Michaels.

Jenifer Michaels North Central Electric Cooperative member

3. Our dog, Finley, LOVES the mud season.

Julie Puckett Pioneer Electric Cooperative member

5. Years ago, my son, Spencer, and his friends, Maddi and Morgan, enjoyed the end of summer at an annual Swamp Festival in Moreland.

Tonya Schmid Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative member

6. The Urbansky brothers, Avan and Ean, take a mud bath.

Betty Urbansky Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member

7. My grandsons, Nick and Jake Swisher, happily riding in a field of mud!

Pat Swisher Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member

8. Pugs and Nubs were caught in the Pig Scramble at the Attica Fair by Lily and Lucas Pifher.

Ruth Pifher North Central Electric Cooperative member

9. Our children, Emily and Luke, enjoying the country life.

Troy and Kim Howard South Central Power Company members

10. Grandson Wesley Cadigan and grandnephew Ashton Fannin out mudding in the spring.

Steve Lemon South Central Power Company member

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2019

At Ohio’s electric cooperatives, we work hard to take care of our neighbors—whether that’s across town or across the globe. Ohio cooperative linemen brought electricity for the first time to three remote Guatemalan villages over two trips in two years. We’re helping to light the world, one village at a time.

ohioec.org/purpose