Ohio Cooperative Living - August 2022 - Buckeye

OHIO

AUGUST 2022

COOPERATIVE Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative

Virtual annual meeting Aug. 13 at 10 a.m.

ALSO INSIDE Powering communities Starstruck in Hocking Hills Geocaching fun

BUILDING A NEW HOME? Contact your electric cooperative for free energy advice.

As a member of your local electric cooperative, you have access to free energy-saving tips and information. We’ve been your trusted source of energy advice for more than 80 years.

Contact your cooperative and learn about the latest energy-efficient technologies for running your new home.

ohioec.org/energy

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

INSIDE FEATURES

24 E-GAMING IN THE OUTDOORS

Geocaching is a way to mix some exercise with a video-game-like challenge.

28 SMALL-TOWN GENIUS

Ohio inventor Charles Kettering was responsible for the car starter and nearly 200 other patents as well as a world-renowned cancer hospital.

32 BESTIES’ RETREAT

Stark County makes a case to host that girlfriends’ outing you know you’ve been hankering for.

Cover image on most editions: Catherine McSwain of West Union, a member of Adams Rural Electric Cooperative, won top prize in the 2022 Ohio Cooperative Living Reader Recipe Contest with her Strawberry Fields Steak Salad (photograph by Demi Martin).

This page: Beverly Pottmeyer, a Washington Electric Cooperative member, submitted this sunflower photo for our August Member Interactive section. See page 40 for more reader sunflower photos.

AUGUST AUGUST2022 2022 • • OHIO OHIOCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELIVING LIVING 1 1

UP FRONT

Working together for you C

ooperation among cooperatives is a principle ingrained in the cooperative business model and lived out by cooperative employees when we face challenges. This summer, we have already seen powerful storms tearing through much of Ohio — uprooting trees, breaking utility poles, disrupting electric service, blocking roads, and generally making a mess of things.

Some co-op members were without power for up to a week as tree damage was cleared and repairs were made. The article on page 4 details some of the efforts required to get the lights back on as quickly as possible, thanks to the hard work of cooperative employees and the assistance provided from across our cooperative network here in Ohio and six other nearby states.

We’ve also seen weaknesses in the broad power grid when hot weather follows strong storms — vulnerabilities that have resulted from a combination of aging infrastructure and premature retirement of older power plants. Cooperative leaders have been working together, in Ohio and across the country, to help policymakers recognize that now more than ever, people are depending on a reliable power grid. A diverse set of controllable, always-available power generation plants, like those owned and operated by Ohio’s electric cooperatives, makes our supply both more reliable and more affordable. That diversity allows us to better handle unexpected challenges not only from the weather but also from economic upsets.

Cooperatives continue to do our part by regularly investing in the infrastructure needed to generate and deliver power to your home. By working together, we have a stronger voice to advocate for clear-eyed, commonsense policies that serve the public interest.

We will continue to see hot summer days, cold winter nights, and damaging storms. Ohio’s electric cooperatives will continue to work together to provide you the best service possible.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Pat O’Loughlin

PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Cooperative leaders have been working together to help policymakers recognize that now more than ever, people are depending on a reliable power grid.

July 2022 August 2022 • Volume • Volume 64, 64, No.No. 10 11

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com Patrick O’Loughlin Caryn Whitney Jeff McCallister Rebecca Seum Crystal Pomeroy

6 DEPARTMENTS

President & CEO Director of Communications Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editor Graphic Designer

Contributors: Jodi Borger, Colleen Romick Clark, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Vicki Reinhart Johnson, Neal Kindig, Shelby Bradford Moore, Catherine Murray, Wendy Pramik, and Damaine Vonada.

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 $5.64 to $7.08 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices.

Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215.

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

4 POWER LINES

Helping hands: After summer storms caused widespread outages in Ohio, co-ops from near and far jumped in to help.

10

6 Empowering employees: As

workplaces go, co-ops stand out by providing lots of qualities that define a great job.

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

Star struck: Brad Hoehne is

12

always looking up at the John Glenn Astronomy Park.

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Specter of the forest: Stumbling upon a haunting, mysterious ghost pipe is one cause for celebration — and pictures.

15

15 GOOD EATS

Salad days: Our top reader recipe

takes advantage of fresh strawberries at their ripe, juicy peak.

19 LOCAL PAGES National/regional advertising inquiries, contact

Cheryl Solomon American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop

News and information from your electric cooperative.

37 CALENDAR

37

What’s happening: August/ September events and other things to do around Ohio.

Ohio-based advertisers contact

Rheta Gallagher 614-940-5956 | rgallagher@ohioec.org

Cooperative members:

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Sunflowers: Readers love to pose with those giants of the garden.

40

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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POWER LINES

Helping Hands

After summer storms caused widespread outages in Ohio, co-ops from near and far jumped in to help.

BY JEFF McCALLISTER

A

s Father’s Day approached this past June, so did a weather pattern that brought with it a series of storms across Ohio. The storms appeared initially to be strong, to be sure, but not out of line with the usual tempests that sweep through the Midwest every summer.

Over the next few days, however, the event distinguished itself as one of the most damaging and expensive weather-related calamities Ohio’s electric cooperatives had ever witnessed.

Analysis later showed that the first wave during the overnight hours of June 13–14 brought with it three tornadoes and a powerful macroburst storm just in a 53-minutes span, wreaking havoc on distribution and transmission systems across the state; all of the 24 electric distribution cooperatives in Ohio reported outages, including a few that suffered widespread damage — downed lines, broken poles — to their systems.

As the co-ops organized resources to restore the systems to turn power back on to their members, the next several days brought alternating extreme heat and additional powerful storm systems that made the work of restoring service both 4

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

more dangerous and more plentiful. Problems on AEP’s high-voltage transmission network resulted in more than 100,000 central Ohio homes and businesses having their power intentionally shut off for long stretches of time.

Often, when summer (or winter) storms cause outages, the affected area is concentrated enough that the individual co-op can rally its own lineworkers to handle the repairs.

Occasionally, it’s bad enough that a nearby co-op will jump in to offer assistance and equipment to restore power.

This storm, however, officially classified as a derecho, affected so much of the state that Ohio co-ops initially had few workers to spare for those who were hit hardest. “This storm brought more damage to our cooperative than we’ve seen in the 28 years I’ve been here, and our neighboring cooperatives in Ohio were hit hard, too,” says Phil Caskey, CEO of Mount Gilead-based Consolidated Cooperative.

So the call went out around the region, and by midday on the first full day after the first storm, 17 crews from Kentucky had hit the road to help. By the next morning, crews from Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Virginia had arrived

to pitch in. In all, workers came from 14 co-ops in six states to join those from Ohio and West Virginia on the job. “The great part of belonging to a network of not-for-profit cooperatives is that we have hundreds of like-minded utilities across the country who are willing to pitch in, and we made great use of those resources,” Caskey says.

As each co-op’s power was restored, its linemen and those helping there moved on to the next affected area. Nearly all repairs were finished by June 23.

Miller noted that many Ohio co-ops were hit hard by the storm and still sent crews to co-ops with greater needs. “I’ve worked aid after several hurricanes,” Miller says. “The parts of Holmes and Wayne counties I saw right after this storm looked very similar to what I saw during Hurricane Hugo and Hurricane Katrina storm restoration — it was shocking to see such large trees down everywhere. The difference? A hurricane gives you time to plan.”

“For total amount of damage, it will likely surpass both the January 2005 ice storm and June 2012 derecho, two of the worst weather events in recent history,” says Dwight Miller, who in his role as director of safety training and loss prevention at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, coordinated the efforts.

By the numbers

In total, the jobs took nearly 13,000 hours of lineworker assistance. “We are so grateful to the folks who put their lives on hold to help us and to their home cooperatives who had to pick up the slack while they were gone, all so that our members could so quickly resume their own lives,” Caskey says.

Out-of-state mutual aid: 62 workers from 14 coops in six states put in about 7,600 hours of labor.

How Ohio electric cooperatives were affected Peak outage: about 72,000 Broken poles: more than 500 Co-ops requiring mutual aid: 7

In-state mutual aid: 67 workers from 15 Ohio coops put in about 5,300 hours of labor.

Workers from 14 cooperatives in six states — including the pair at left from Kenergy in Kentucky — came to Ohio to help repair distribution systems after a wave of June storms did widespread damage here.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Empowering employees

As workplaces go, co-ops stand out by providing the qualities that define a great job.

BY SHELBY BRADFORD MOORE

G

eorge Carter spent 17 years working in the electric cooperative industry before he became president and CEO of Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative in Paulding in 2005. He says there are a couple of reasons he’s spent more than 30 years of his career at cooperatives: those who surround him, and the important work co-ops do in their communities.

The 24 electric cooperatives that power rural Ohio are focused on improving quality of life for co-op members and ensuring the long-term prosperity of the communities they serve. That focus, employees say, is what makes cooperatives different from other workplaces. When a team is focused on a common goal, especially one that makes a positive impact on communities they love, it often results in fulfilled employees.

“I have been blessed with a great group of employees who have always gone above and beyond expectations,” he says.

“It’s been easy to stay.”

It’s not unheard of, in fact, for someone to spend their entire career with the same co-op.

It’s a common sentiment among employees at electric cooperatives, because co-ops provide many of the qualities that define a great job: a close-knit team, community involvement, and growth opportunities, just to name a few.

After he graduated from high school, Anthony Smith had the opportunity to take a summer job at Marysville-based URE (Union Rural Electric Cooperative). That summer job, in turn, influenced his decision to study engineering in college.

Smith continued working at URE while he studied electrical engineering technology at Columbus State Community College and computer engineering technology at DeVry. He rose from his entry-level role drawing maps and drafting substation projects to eventually become the co-op’s CEO in 2017.

“Training and education are priorities for electric cooperatives, and I wish more people realized how innovative co-ops actually are when it comes to technology deployment,” Smith says. “On top of that, co-ops offer attractive employment opportunities and are some of the most people-oriented employers you can find.”

Growth opportunities offered by coops have also attracted prospective employees who are interested in switching George Carter represents Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative at a community event.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Above, employees at URE work as a team to support community initiatives; below, Brittany Root found that South Central Power Company provided the supportive environment she was looking for in a job.

industries. Brittany Root, member services representative at Lancaster-based South Central Power Company, worked in the corporate banking industry before becoming a stayat-home mom to her five children. When the opportunity to join South Central Power presented itself, Brittany felt encouraged by the support offered by the cooperative.

“I had just gone back to college to finish my bachelor’s degree when I began interviewing with South Central Power, and when I learned about the co-op’s tuition reimbursement program, it felt like a natural fit,” says Brittany. “I was excited to work with a company so closely involved with the community while also having the ability to grow in my own career.”

She recalls countless examples during her 17 years with HWEC when members of her team have quietly and humbly supported their neighbors — anonymously paying the bill of a struggling member, cutting wood to heat a sick member’s home, starting a meal train for a member in need. “What makes co-op employees so special,” Tate says, “is who they are when no one is looking.”

For information about working at electric cooperatives, visit www.ohioec.org/careers.

Brittany successfully completed her undergraduate program this spring and now holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Ohio Christian University.

Since joining the co-op in 2019, she has taken on more of a leadership role that allows her to focus on the training and development of others in her department and offer them the same level of support she was given.

As someone who recruits and hires talent for her co-op, Robyn Tate, director of human resources and community relations at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative in Millersburg, has an acute awareness of the characteristics of those who surround her.

“Cooperative employees are the salt of the earth. You truly do gain another family when you work at a co-op,” Tate says. “Our jobs go far beyond providing power.”

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Feeding Your Need for New Ideas

Farm families like yours are growing their businesses to ensure their best farm futures.

Farm Bureau helps your competitive advantage by advocating for members, connecting you to a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and providing you with insights and business solutions to grow your bottom line.

Learn more at OhioFarmBureau.org

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Business Solutions for Members health care • workers’ comp program savings • energy program • temporary worker services • legislative, regulatory, legal risk management information • financial and insurance products and services • legal education • StoneX member benefit • market intel • property crime watch program

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CO-OP PEOPLE CO-OP PEOPLE

STAR STRUCK G

Brad Hoehne is always looking up at the John Glenn Astronomy Park.

BY DAMAINE VONADA

etting Brad Hoehne to stand still for a photo isn’t easy. The director of John Glenn Astronomy Park (JGAP) is so enthusiastic about sharing the wonders of the universe with visitors that he constantly points out the brightest stars, waves his arms to demonstrate the paths of comets, or makes circles with his hands to show how the orbits of Earth and Mars bring them closest together every 26 months.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

PHOTO COURTESY BRAD HOEHNE/JOHN GLENN ASTRONOMY PARK

“It’s a joy to talk to people about astronomy,” says Hoehne. “I’ve been stargazing most of my life, and this park is a great way to bring others into the fold and get them interested in science in general.”

Served by South Central Power Company, the park sits on an open patch of land within Hocking Hills State Park.

It’s named for the Ohio-born-and-bred astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth. JGAP opened in 2018, but Hoehne had been thinking for years about creating a venue where the public could connect with the cosmos. “I got the idea in 2003,” he says. “I was giving a talk about the Perseid meteor shower, and a woman mentioned that it would be great to have a place to look at the stars on her own without having to pay something or drive for a long distance.”

While hikers and outdoors-lovers prize the pristine scenery and fantastic rock formations in southeast Ohio’s Hocking Hills, the region’s distance from big city lights also makes it a natural destination for amateur astronomers. “This place is about as dark at night as it gets in Ohio,” Hoehne says.

He certainly ought to know about the Buckeye State’s nocturnal skies. Hoehne, who is from Columbus, has been studying them ever since he was a preschooler and snagged a plastic telescope on a trip to COSI. Although his day job is working as a medical photographer and illustrator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Hoehne

has devoted countless nights to astronomy, serving as president of the Columbus Astronomical Society and presenting numerous programs at Perkins Observatory in Delaware. “I started volunteering at the observatory in 1994 because I wanted to be there to view Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 when it crashed into Jupiter,” he says.

“It’s a joy to talk to people about astronomy,” says Hoehne. “I’ve been stargazing most of my life, and this park is a great way to bring others into the fold and get them interested in science in general.”

The Friends of Hocking Hills State Park raised more than $1 million to build JGAP, and Hoehne worked closely with members of the nonprofit organization to design it. He also enlisted help from his wife, Lucia Hieida-Hoehne, who used her architecture training to turn his concepts into reality by acting as the dark park’s construction manager. “I did the fun work, and she did the grunt work,” Hoehne says, grinning.

Near the plaza, a small observatory houses one of the largest telescopes in Ohio — a Dobsonian with a 28-inch mirror that Hoehne calls JGAP’s “wow” telescope — as well as a special solar telescope for observing the sun.

Though people can bring their own telescopes to JGAP anytime, Hoehne typically only opens the observatory’s roof and conducts programs on Fridays and Saturdays.

Late summer is the best time to see the Milky Way at JGAP.

PHOTO BY DAMAINE VONADA

JGAP features a circular plaza proportioned to convey a sense of the solar system’s magnitude. The plaza is 80 feet in diameter, representing the size of the sun. Inside are a round bench measuring 7.5 feet in diameter and an 8.25-inch diameter sphere that indicate the relative sizes, respectively, of Jupiter and Earth. Flanking the plaza are stone pillars that earn the structure the nickname “Ohio’s Stonehenge.” The pillars have slots that channel shafts of sunlight on the days that start each season. The slots on the plaza’s east side catch sunrises on the solstices and equinoxes, and the ones on the west side catch the sunsets, Hoehne says.

“December 8,” says Hoehne, “is going to be ideal because Mars will appear at its best and brightest in the night sky.”

Learn more about John Glenn Astronomy Park and its programming at www.jgap.info or www.friendsofhockinghills.org.

Brad Hoehne (above right) is director of the John Glenn Astronomy Park (viewed from above at right), which sits inside Hocking Hills State Park and affords the opportunity to photograph spectacular views of the night sky — such as the photo on the left that Hoehne took of the Milky Way.

PHOTO COURTESY BRAD HOEHNE/JOHN GLENN ASTRONOMY PARK

And at the end of the year, the view of Mars should be positively heavenly, for Earth and the Red Planet once again will circle near each other.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Specter of the forest STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

I

enjoy reading — always have. One of my favorite books is Wilson Rawls’ 1961 classic, Where the Red Fern Grows. The author reveals the origin of the title of his fiction novel through his young protagonist, Billy Colman, who lived in the Oklahoma Ozarks: “I had heard the old Indian legend about the red fern. How a little Indian boy and girl were lost in a blizzard and had frozen to death.

In the spring, when they were found, a beautiful red fern had grown up between their two bodies. The story went on to say that only an angel could plant the seeds of a red fern, and that they never died; where one grew, that spot was sacred.”

Ohio has its own version of a “red fern,” a plant eerie and haunting, mysterious and ephemeral, yet at the same time beautiful and delicate — it’s known as “ghost plant” or “ghost pipe.” Native American tribes were familiar with it, which is why the plant is sometimes also called “Indian pipe.” To botanists, it is Monotropa uniflora.

The plant grows in such deep, dark forests and is so short-lived that I’ve only seen a handful during a lifetime of wandering the woods. One was growing along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, spotted during a day hike with my wife. Several other plants I’ve stumbled across here in Ohio (not literally, thankfully), but not often. Each serendipitous find is truly a special event to be celebrated and, of course, photographed.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

“They’re pretty common but also pretty easily overlooked, as they have no bright colors to catch one’s eye,” says Jim McCormac, retired from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and one of Ohio’s leading botanists. “They tend to bloom during the dog days of summer, when not as many people are traipsing about the woods with all the heat, humidity, and biting deer flies. The plant’s been documented in at least 50 Ohio counties and probably occurs, or has occurred, in all 88.”

An herbaceous perennial, ghost plants are usually waxy-white, sometimes a pale pink, and often flecked with black specks. Even more rare, such as Wilson Rawls’ storied fern, a few ghost plant variants can be colored a deep red.

Ghost plants lack the green coloring of most plants because they do not produce chlorophyll. Rather, they are (big-word alert) mycoheterotrophs, simply meaning they feed on fungi associated with certain trees, often beeches. This parasitic relationship allows the ghost plant to live on the forest floor in areas of dense canopy cover, where summer sun cannot penetrate.

Usually, several individual plants grow in a group, as high as a foot tall, looking like white, scaly clay pipes that have been stuck into the ground on their stems.

A good time to search for ghost plants is a few days after a rainfall.

Above: A ghost plant found in Ohio; left: A ghost plant found along the Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob, near Roanoke, Virginia.

Now, mid- to late-summer, is the time of year to look for a ghost plant. Take a hike at a state park, state nature preserve, or another mature forest location to search for one. And to prepare for the experience, you just might read Where the Red Fern Grows.

If you happen to know of any food or medicinal value associated with ghost plants and would like to share that information, you may contact me by email at whchipgross@gmail.com. I will then, in turn, share the information with other OCL readers in a future online “Ask Chip” column.

Ask

CHIP!

Email Chip Gross with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@ gmail.com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email.

Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!

www.ohiocoopliving.com AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

GOOD EATS

READER RECIPE CONTEST

Salad days!

Grand-prize winner’s recipe is best when strawberries are at their ripe, juicy peak.

LEAD PHOTO BY DEMI MARTIN; RECIPE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATHERINE MURRAY

C

atherine McSwain has made her Strawberry Fields Steak Salad for years — it’s her husband’s favorite meal, after all. The day she got a little tired of serving store-bought dressing with it, however, was the day it went from really good to exceptional.

McSwain’s entry earned the top prize — a KitchenAid stand mixer — in this year’s Ohio Cooperative Living reader recipe contest that asked for your best salad recipes.

Continued on page 16

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

15

Grand-prize winner

Continued from page 15

STRAWBERRY FIELDS STEAK SALAD Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Servings: 2

For dressing:

4 tablespoons orange marmalade 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons grapeseed/canola oil

2 tablespoons water ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 2 pinches kosher salt

Mix all of the above in any order you like … it tastes great no matter what you put in first.

For salad:

4 cups arugula or romaine ½ cup shredded mozzarella

8 ounces sliced strawberries 6-ounce ribeye steak

Grill or pan-fry ribeye steak that has been salted liberally. Set aside until ready to cut into thin strips. Prepare strawberries by slicing into pieces. Arrange salad topped with mozzarella cheese; add strawberries and then strips of steak on top. Dress with marmalade mixture to finish.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

More than 300 submissions rolled in from around the state, ranging from simple garden salads to mayo-based egg or tuna concoctions, and a surprising number of gelatin-based dishes mixed with anything from maraschino cherries to cottage cheese — there are lots of different kinds of dishes referred to as salad.

Catherine, a member of Adams Rural Electric Cooperative in West Union, says her salad is especially popular in early summer when she gets strawberries that are at the peak of ripeness — but oh, that dressing!

“The orange marmalade dressing just came to my mind one day when I was having a craving for something a little bit different than the usual dressings I buy from the store,” she says. “I had been watching cooking shows for a few years and felt adventurous enough to give making a concoction of my own a whirl.”

Runner-up

ORANGE CREAM FRUIT SALAD

Prep: 10 minutes | Servings: 8 to 10 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits, pudding drained 16-ounce can peach slices, drained 1½ cups milk 1/3 cup frozen orange juice 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, concentrate drained ¾ cup sour cream 2 medium firm bananas, sliced 1 medium apple, chopped In a large bowl, combine fruits and set aside. In a small bowl, beat pudding mix, milk, and orange juice concentrate for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well. Spoon over fruit and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Donna Calloway, a member of Pioneer Electric Cooperative in Piqua, has been making her

version of this fruity classic for more than 30 years, since she got the basic recipe from her husband Brian’s grandmother. Now she serves it to her five grandchildren.

“This one has been handed down over many years,” Donna says. “It’s simple to make, and you can expand the recipe for however large your crowd might be — I used to serve it at birthday parties for all three of my kids.”

Donna Calloway, Piqua

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

17

Carole Okuley, Bluffton

Runner-up

CUCUMBER ASIAN SALAD Prep: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 3 tablespoons light soy sauce ¼ cup sesame oil 1 teaspoon lime juice 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3 to 4 cups sliced mini cucumbers, ¼ inch thick 1½ tablespoons sesame seeds

¼ cup finely diced onion 4 finely diced mint leaves (optional) 1 Bosc pear, peeled, halved, seeded, sliced in ¼-inch slices, and cut into approximately inch-long pieces 2 tablespoons grated carrot 3 tablespoons slivered almonds ½ of a red bell pepper, sliced like matchsticks

Whisk together first six ingredients, then add the rest. Mix well to coat; let marinate a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Toss a few times to coat well while marinating.

Check it out!

Have you tried one of our recipes?

Do you have a recipe to share with other Ohio co-op members? Visit the Member Interactive page on www.ohiocoopliving.com to find recipes submitted by our readers and to upload yours.

Carole Okuley, a member of St. Marys-based Midwest Electric, enjoys

experimenting with recipes and food of all kinds. When her nephew married a woman from Taiwan, Carole was inspired to incorporate some Asian-inspired flavors into her cooking. When the call for entries came out, she says she just looked around her pantry to see what she could come up with, and this spur-of-the-moment cucumber salad impressed our judges with its unique combination of ingredients enough to award her a runner-up prize.

“I will often just use whatever I have in the refrigerator and pantry,” Carole says. “I don’t think I would ordinarily put pears into something like this, but I happened to have some, so I thought I’d try it. I’m glad I did.”

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

www.ohiocoopliving.com While you’re there, check out a video of a few of our recipes being prepared.

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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2021 ANNUAL REPORT BOARD OF TRUSTEES

YOUR

ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Paul Berridge PRESIDENT

Dennis L. Blakeman

William Holcomb 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

Nanette Gill

J. Wesley Williams

Roy D. Sprague

Ron Hatfield

James Herrell

2ND VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Mission statement

Jodie Penrod

20

C. Tonda Meadows EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative strives to provide dependable electric service to our memberowners at the most reasonable cost.

Thanks for allowing us to serve you.

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative Inc. «

«

«

56

328

374

« £ ¤ £ ¤ «

Ross County

35

50

«

«

372

327

« « « 220

Piketon

160

335

139

« Scioto County

« 139

160

Syracuse

« 554

Cheshire

Centerville

279

« 233

«

« « « Gallia «

« 124

Racine

160

«

Rio Grande

850

325

588

County

« 338

« 735

Gallipolis

« 7

335

New Boston 140 52 Sciotodale

Portsmouth

«

325

140

« «

Pomeroy Middleport 7

«

South Webster

139

248

124

«

325

«

«

Rutland 124

124

« Vinton

Oak Hill

279

£ ¤ «

« «

327

Lucasville

423

«

35

«

681

Meigs County

160

Jackson County

«

684

93

776

« £ ¤

«

«

32

Rosemount

«

« « £ ¤ « «

Beaver

143

689

788

Jackson

«

32

33

692

« 124

329

681

32

93

«

£ ¤

« « ««

«

Wellston

50

Athens County Albany

Hamden 160

Coalton

£ ¤

356

349

Pike County

690

Athens

«

Zaleski

324

«

«

682

56

93

683

Waverly City 104

278

677

50 McArthur

23

£ ¤

«

£ ¤ « ¬ « « « « «

£ ¤ «

23

328

Vinton County

671

23

« «

327

«

Amesville 329

682

93

772

BUCKEYE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE SERVICE AREA

« « « « ¬

691

550

550

The Plains 13

«

56

« «

«

Chauncey

«

159

« 141

Wheelersburg

« « 93

373

«

Lawrence County

522

« 253

Franklin Furnace

« 218

« 553

650

£ ¤

790

775

« Hanging 52 Rock Ironton

«

« «

Crown City

378

7

«

«

217

141

« 378

«

Coal Grove

«

Athalia

« « « « « ¬

243

775

243

South Chesapeake 527 Point Burlington

0

5

10

7

243

20 Miles

Interstate US Highway

The Seven Cooperative Principles State Highway

Cities

Counties

Buckeye

Voluntary and open membership

Autonomy and independence

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, 2007

Democratic member control

Education, training, and information

Members’ economic participation

Cooperation among cooperatives Concern for community

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20A

2021 ANNUAL REPORT MESSAGE FROM YOUR GENERAL MANAGER AND BOARD PRESIDENT Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative is pleased to announce that 2021 was another successful year for your cooperative. Thanks to the diligent efforts of management and employees, BREC remained financially strong, maintained a high level of member satisfaction, and provided exceptionally reliable and safe electricity to our members. We continued to invest in projects to replace aging line and equipment, increase capacity for load growth, and upgrade technology.

As a supplier of electricity, BREC is an essential business.

After lessons learned in 2020, we continued to adapt to the continuing wave of COVID outbreaks and guidelines.

Permanent improvements were in place to allow members to more easily conduct business with the co-op utilizing available technology and improved processes. We were able to continue to place the safety and health of our staff and members at the top of our list of priorities.

Due to continuing health and safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the board of trustees and management staff concluded it would be best to again hold the 2021 annual meeting of members online in a virtual format. Our annual meeting typically attracts 800–1,000 people, and with the uncertainty regarding restrictions of large public gatherings and the availability of our normal event venue, the decision was made to hold a virtual meeting. The virtual annual meeting was presented on Saturday, Aug. 14, at 10 a.m. Members were encouraged to take an active role in their cooperative by viewing the event on our webpage. Prior to the meeting, provisions were made for members to provide their input.

In February 2021, Buckeye REC experienced major winter ice storms, covering our territory with an inch of ice, below-freezing temperatures, and nearly a foot of snow. The extreme weather conditions caused extensive damage and resulted in a state of emergency in Lawrence and Gallia counties. 7,700 members were without power.

Buckeye REC had over 150 broken poles, multiple miles of downed and tangled power lines, and damage into the millions of dollars. The extent of the devastation to the 640-mile Lawrence County system, as well as southern Gallia County, was historic for the cooperative. Our support during this disaster came from partners within the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives system, who provided repair, tree crews, and equipment through the 23 sister Ohio electric cooperatives mutual aid network. Our BREC linemen team (plus support staff) was increased by 60 linemen from

20B

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Ohio’s cooperatives. Over 55 additional personnel made up of contractors and tree crews provided support as well, bringing the daily total to around 200, including the office team.

Governor DeWine authorized funding from the Ohio EMA (Emergency Management Agency) through the state disaster relief program for Tonda Meadows the ice storms. As a result of the EXEC. VP/GENERAL cooperative’s efforts, including weeks MANAGER of gathering required information to receive this funding, we were given a $9,080,526.20 estimated Ohio EMA grant award for damages sustained by the co-op. Of the total award, $3 million is being spent on the ice storm restoration costs and an additional $6 million for rebuilding, strengthening, and restoring our heavily damaged system. The grant is a 75/25% split, with Paul Berridge Buckeye REC responsible for 25% of PRESIDENT the cost. The work includes the rebuild of approximately 28 miles of three-phase line and 14 miles of single-phase line. Engineering and construction contractors are already in place, and work has already begun. The project is targeted for completion by Jan. 1, 2023. This was the best possible news that our members could receive after such devastating storms.

BREC was awarded a $2.5 million grant under the 2019 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative for the installation of fiber. The project will connect several of the co-op’s substations located throughout our southeastern Ohio service territory and required co-op funding as well. Environmental studies have been completed and an engineering firm selected.

The initiative is expected to improve service reliability and security and to utilize available technologies among BREC’s substations by providing an infrastructure, or “backbone,” for future broadband expansion by internet service providers (ISP), who will provide “last-mile” service to connect homes and businesses to high-speed internet in the remote unserved and underserved areas of our service territory.

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

We are a nonprofit enterprise, which means any money collected in excess of that required for the cooperative to operate is allocated back to each member’s account as patronage capital, or capital credits, as we refer to them. At least once a year, the board of trustees considers whether we can return some of these investment dollars to our members. Over $1.5 million was paid back to members in 2021 through a general retirement of capital credits and capital credits refunds paid out to estates.

This refund or credit should be considered as a reduction when calculating our overall rates. This return on your investment (known as patronage “cash back”) is proof of the stability of your cooperative.

Safety

BREC continues to put its greatest emphasis on safety.

In 2021, we were put to the test in two ways. Near the beginning of the year, we were all affected by a major ice storm, and near the end of the year, the cooperative underwent a voluntary safety evaluation. Thanks to the hard work of our employees and the support of management and the board of directors, the cooperative passed both tests.

The year started off with a once-in-a-decade or more major weather event, the February 2021 ice storms. A priority on safety contributed to the fact that there were no significant incidents or injuries reported by the over 100 BREC employees, mutual aid co-op crews, and contractors during the ice storm, despite the hazardous road and terrain conditions, constant tree removal, and lines down.

We are proud of the work all of the crews were able to perform safely under hazardous conditions.

BREC participates in the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP), a program designed to promote safety and establish standard work practices. Every three years, an on-site inspection is conducted in which outside evaluators from the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives safety department, as well as two safety professionals from other cooperatives, evaluate our safety program and inspect facilities. The RESAP has strengthened our approach to our individual safety programs and prepared our employees for day-to-day work as well as the ice storms of February 2021. The fundamental guiding principles include a formal statement of leadership commitment and embracing safety as a core value, with cooperative leaders and employees taking ownership of the safety plan and its system and processes that create a safe working environment.

Engineering

BREC completes new substation upgrade Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative members in the Rutland area of Meigs County should be noticing a significant improvement in their electric service reliability.

BREC has been upgrading and modernizing its equipment in phases, thanks to long-term planning that accommodates necessary improvements in a financially responsible manner. The Rutland substation had reached a point of needing a complete rebuild or replacement due to issues with the existing station power transformers.

The recent upgrade has enabled this station to not only provide a greater level of reliability, but also support backfeeding in multiple directions. That means if one substation or equipment down the line has an outage, BREC can send power from another substation to those consumers whose power is out. So, if an outage does occur, backfeeding gets the power back on for those consumers a lot faster while repairs are being made.

The substation was built to today’s standards at a total cost of approximately $1.1 million. Rutland substation took approximately four months to demolish and rebuild with two additional months for final testing and commissioning.

The BREC-owned 34.5 kV (34,500 volts) subtransmission system that supplies Rutland substation was recently inspected for reliability, and some sections were rebuilt.

Operations

In 2021, Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative completed several projects as part of our current construction workplan. Among those projects were line upgrade projects, including installing 11.6 miles (approximately $2 million) of 336 ACSR and removing 245,000 feet of old copper conductor and poles.

Other line improvements included the beginning of a rebuild (existing line improvements) in the Bolins Mill and Darwin area to facilitate backfeeding between our Bolins Mill and Meigs substations while also improving reliability for the local members. This initial phase included approximately 2 miles of rebuild that will be part of a total 8-mile improvement project.

BREC contractor crews were busy May through July replacing damaged poles from the February 2021 ice storm. Crews also changed several poles that needed to be replaced for strengthening in Meigs County for the Frontier cable project.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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2021 ANNUAL REPORT

The line upgrades included replacement of the poles and wires and also incorporated a protection scheme review (fuses and breakers) and revisions as determined was necessary.

As a result of the February 2021 ice storm, BREC received over $9 million in grant funding from the state of Ohio OEMA (Ohio Emergency Management Agency) to rebuild 42 miles of electric lines in the Lawrence County and southern Gallia County area, with a target date of completion of Jan. 1, 2023.

Buckeye REC owns and operates 18 substations. As part of ensuring safe and reliable operations, Buckeye inspects and maintains each substation through monthly visual inspections and a detailed inspection program that is currently on a five-year cycle.

At a cost of over $2 million, BREC right-of-way (ROW) mowing crews and contractors mowed and trimmed approximately 300 miles of our lines. The emerald ash borer beetle continued to cause extensive damage and die-off of the Ohio ash tree population. Buckeye REC crews and contractors also removed approximately 1,400 off-ROW dying or dead trees that posed a threat to BREC electric lines, with about 29% of them being ash trees.

Member services

The member services department strives to make sure that our members have a positive and satisfying experience in whatever way they interact with their cooperative. The coronavirus continued to bring us new challenges. Here are a few highlights from the member services department from 2021: COVID-19 impact: All Buckeye employees are considered essential workers. Our Rio Grande office was closed and reopened numerous times depending on the current virus levels and internal staffing health and availability. Service to members that required in-person interactions were handled through the drive-thru or special arrangements during those periods.

Annual meeting: For the safety and health of our members and staff, the 2021 annual meeting was held virtually. The annual meeting was successfully presented on Saturday, Aug. 14, at 10 a.m.

Phone system and IVR (interactive voice response): The member services department receives an average of around 3,000 phone calls per month from members with concerns, questions, and requests. Our IVR automated phone system handles as many as 12,000 calls a month.

20D

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Scholarships and Youth Tour: Buckeye REC provided $5,000 for four Children of Members Scholarships, including a new fourth-place scholarship. The 2021 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., was canceled again due to COVID-19. #WhoPowersYouOhio winner: Ohio electric cooperatives value those who elevate and energize our communities.

The Who Powers You Ohio contest honored electric co-op members who display qualities of a servant leader in their community. Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative was proud to announce one of the winners of the contest, BREC member Kevin Dennis. Kevin is one of six winners in Ohio who won $1,000 for his contribution to our community through the Field of Hope women’s drug and alcohol addiction rehab center. 556260001 Blood drive: Buckeye REC teamed up with the American Red Cross to host our third annual blood drive. With the help of our donors and volunteers, we were able to collect enough blood to save up to 54 lives in total. With the nation facing a severe blood shortage, this event couldn’t have come at a better time.

Our past and our future

Just like in 1938, your electric cooperative continues to face obstacles and challenges. Maybe not a pandemic all those years ago, but certainly our share of severe weather over the past 80-plus years (including one of the worst ice storms our territory had seen in 20 years in 2021). There have been many lessons learned and experiences gained, and we’ve come out stronger.

From our beginnings as a small, rural electric cooperative, we have progressed into an integral piece of Ohio’s electric cooperatives. Your cooperative served 18,600 consumers in 2021 in parts of nine counties: Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton.

We average around seven consumers per mile of line, and the current distribution system totals nearly 50,000 poles and 2,600 miles of primary and secondary lines.

We cannot forget the struggles thousands of rural families endured before their homes were electrified and the way electric cooperatives formed to bring light to that darkness.

We strive to keep pace with new technology as the needs of our members evolve. While times and technology continue to change, our commitment to our members will not. BREC will continue to explore new opportunities to help our members and our communities.

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Please JOIN US Paul Berridge PRESIDENT

On behalf of BREC, we want to thank you for your continued support and allowing us the privilege of serving you, our members. The virtual annual meeting will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m. Although the meeting will be held exclusively online, we encourage our members to take an active role in your cooperative by viewing this important event on our webpage at https://buckeyerec.coop/annualmeeting. Please take this great opportunity to hear about the highlights of 2021 and be better informed about your cooperative.

Virtual annual meeting of members Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, at 10 a.m.

Members can watch the video of the meeting at https://www.buckeyerec.coop/.

Order of business: Commencement/call to order Reading of “notice of meeting” and proof of publication or mailing Reading of 2021 annual meeting minutes and action thereon Board, officer, committee, and management reports Unfinished business New business Adjournment Due to continuing health and safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, BREC’s board of trustees and management staff have concluded it would be best to hold this year’s annual meeting of members online in a virtual format. We encourage our members to take an active role in your cooperative by viewing this important event on our website.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

20E

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

BUCKEYE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. BALANCE SHEETS December 31, 2021 and 2020 ASSETS UTILITY PLANT Electric plant in service Construction work in progress Less: Accumulated provision for depreciation and amortization NET UTILITY PLANT INVESTMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS Investments in associated organizations Deferred charges TOTAL INVESTMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $20,122 ($13,804 in 2019) Materials and supplies Other current and accrued assets TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS

2021

2020

$ 123,051,085 4,384,648 127,435,733

$ 119,379,510 6,140,819 125,520,329

(25,308,350) 102,127,383

(24,324,923) 101,195,406

20,509,675 17,172 20,526,847

20,996,942 101,343 21,098,285

2,487,146

2,174,420

3,574,829 1,906,972 2,474,944 10,443,891

3,263,456 1,575,416 2,906,820 9,920,112

$ 133,098,121

$ 132,213,803

Audited Financial Statements are available in their entirety, upon request, at the cooperative during normal business hours.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

BUCKEYE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. BALANCE SHEETS December 31, 2021 and 2020 LIABILITIES AND EQUITIES EQUITIES Patronage capital Other equities Accumulated other comprehensive income TOTAL EQUITIES LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Mortgage notes payable - CFC Mortgage notes payable - FFB Deferred credits Accrued postretirement benefits TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES CURRENT LIABILITIES Current maturities of mortgage notes payable Accounts payable - purchased power Accounts payable - other Consumer deposits Deferred credits - current portion Accrued taxes Accrued vacation and sick leave Accrued wages and related withholdings TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITIES

2021

2020

$ 41,246,370 4,268,403 371,995 45,886,768

$ 41,178,293 4,075,727 404,985 45,659,005

34,398,422 40,084,423 718,536 533,273 75,734,654

36,319,177 39,095,680 870,827 501,897 76,787,581

3,007,249 1,880,250 2,401,814 1,117,902 1,101,101 1,373,904 440,576 153,903 11,476,699

2,794,501 491,649 2,336,163 1,094,347 1,003,196 1,344,796 548,508 154,057 9,767,217

$ 133,098,121

$ 132,213,803

Audited Financial Statements are available in their entirety, upon request, at the cooperative during normal business hours.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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2021 ANNUAL REPORT

BUCKEYE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. STATEMENTS OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 2021

2020

OPERATING REVENUES

$ 41,703,190

$ 40,487,089

OPERATING EXPENSES Cost of power Transmission expense Distribution expense - operations Distribution expense - maintenance Consumer accounts Administrative and general Depreciation of utility plant Taxes Miscellaneous TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

21,999,747 426 3,647,762 4,153,644 1,310,913 2,525,442 3,629,221 1,171,697 39,628 38,478,480

21,707,077 425 3,302,676 3,832,898 1,235,267 2,358,743 3,548,882 1,163,218 44,310 37,193,496

3,224,710 2,716,109 508,601 1,125,461 1,634,062

3,293,593 2,798,317 495,276 1,374,205 1,869,481

44,797 10,197 54,994

183,770 1,776 185,546

$ 1,689,056

$ 2,055,027

OPERATING MARGINS BEFORE INTEREST Interest on long-term debt OPERATING MARGINS AFTER INTEREST Capital credits OPERATING MARGINS NON-OPERATING MARGINS Interest income Other income TOTAL NON-OPERATING MARGINS NET MARGINS FOR PERIOD

Audited Financial Statements are available in their entirety, upon request, at the cooperative during normal business hours.

Cost of power 57%

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

2021 Operating Expenses Distribution expense – operations 9%

Distribution expense maintenance 11%

Consumer accounts 3%

Administrative and general 7%

Taxes 3%

Depreciation of utility plant 9%

Manage Your Account Like Never Before!

Do you have SmartHub? SmartHub is Buckeye REC’s free online bill payment system packed with more tools than simply an online payment system. With SmartHub, you can sign up to receive notifications through text or email, monitor your energy use, and report outages without making a phone call.

Creating a SmartHub account is easy, and if you run into any issues, our friendly staff will gladly assist you.

After registering your account online, you can download the SmartHub app and begin monitorying your account and usage through our app. This cutting-edge technology was designed to save you time in your busy life and fits our goal of providing you with access to your personal account at all times of the day.

To sign up: Visit our SmartHub page at buckeyerec.coop/ smarthub, and click on the registration button. Follow the instruction while you use your account number to register for SmartHub. After you have registered your account, you can access your account using the SmartHub app for your smartphone or tablet. Download it by searching “SmartHub” in the App Store or Google Play. You can also use the QR code below to be directed to SmartHub in the appropriate store.

SmartHub Features: • Provide 24-hour access to account(s).

• Allows you the option to sign up for email or text notifications and choose which messages you want to receive, such as billing information or outage notifications.

After installing the SmartHub app, input the sign-in credentials you used to register the account.

That’s it! Your app will now display everything you have access to from your computer.

• Allows you to pay electronically using Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or an electronic check transaction. The app then displays payment postings in real time. Multiple accounts can pay with a single payment.

• Provide current and historical billing and electrical usage information.

• Allows you to enroll in paperless billing.

S MAR T MANAGEMEN T.

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AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

21

Reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of vandals of BREC line facilities or other property/vehicles A standing reward of up to $2,500 will be payable for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons for the willful damage and/or theft of BREC property, including poles and lines, all equipment used to distribute electricity, substations, buildings, vehicles, tools, and other equipment.

Payment of reward money will be subject to the following terms and conditions: A. Total amount paid per occurrence or related occurrence will be up to $2,500. Where more than one person claims such reward, the payment will be based upon the first receipt of information by either BREC or law enforcement officials and communicated to BREC on which the arrest of a suspect(s) who is/are later convicted of the act of willful damage and/or theft to cooperative property.

B. Total amount paid per occurrence to more than one qualified claimant will be up to $2,500. In the event that more than one claimant qualifies for payment of reward money, the total reward shall be divided between/among the claimants based on the relative value of the information provided

by the various claimants. Such division of the reward shall be solely determined by BREC in consultation with its legal counsel.

C. Final qualification of any reward offered shall rest solely within the discretion of Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. D. Confidentiality of information on which claimant(s) qualify for reward money: E. BREC will honor claimant’s request for anonymity in receiving such reward, provided claimant(s) for reward money is/are not required under law or during arrest or court proceeding to be identified, such as appearing as a witness against suspect(s).

F. Change in amount of reward: The BREC board of trustees reserves the right to supplement these amounts to meet individual circumstances of damage to cooperative property.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Paul Berridge

C. Tonda Meadows Executive Vice President/General Manager

President – Jackson County

CONTACT 740-379-2025 | 800-231-2732

www.buckeyerec.coop

OUTAGES OR EMERGENCIES

800-282-7204

OFFICE

4848 St. Rte. 325 South P.O. Box 200 Rio Grande, OH 45674-0200

William Holcomb 1st Vice Pres. – Athens, Meigs, and Vinton counties

J. Wesley Williams 2nd Vice Pres. –Pike, Ross, and Scioto counties

Dennis L. Blakeman

Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

BILL CREDIT PRIZE

Nanette Gill

The monthly bill prize amount is $50.

Athens, Meigs, and Vinton counties

Ron Hatfield James Herrell Lawrence County

Jodie Penrod Gallia County

22

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Capital credits refunded to the estates of Buckeye Rural Electric Co-op members for June 2022 totaled $16,349.74. In case of death of any members of Buckeye REC, contact the member service department at 740-379-2025 or 800231-2732.

Jackson County

Lawrence County

OFFICE HOURS

CAPITAL CREDITS

HIDDEN NUMBER BILL CREDIT

An account number has been incorporated into one of the articles on the local pages (at the center) of this magazine. If you fi nd the number, and it is your account number, call the office and you will be given a $50 credit on your electric bill. You must call by the end of the month in which the number was published.

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E-GAMING

in the outdoors Geocaching is a way to mix some exercise with a videogame-like challenge.

BY VICKI REINHART JOHNSON

24

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

G

eocaching — a smartphone version of hide-and-seek — turns GPS technology into a family-friendly game for getting outside.

If you’re looking for a way to get your kids or grandkids out from behind their electronics and into the sunshine and fresh air, geocaching might be the hobby you seek. It combines physical exercise with the mental challenge of finding hidden caches.

When it was created 22 years ago, it was described as a “high-tech treasure hunt,” and though geocaching has evolved over the years, the basic premise remains the same. GPS coordinates are used to track down caches, or “treasure” hidden in containers. From the first cache hidden near Portland, Oregon, the number of caches has grown in two decades to well over 2 million worldwide, according to www. geocaching.com, the hobby’s worldwide coordinator. There’s sure to be a few near you right now.

There’s no digging involved. Caches are hidden above ground. They can range from shoebox-sized containers to micro-caches a few inches long, but you’ll know what you’re looking for before you begin.

Getting started involves downloading the geocaching.com app on your smartphone ahead of time and making a plan. It’s free, but there’s a paid version that goes more in-depth for people who find they enjoy the hunt.

Also in preparation, gather a few small items — known as “swag” — to leave in the caches you find. Tiny caches don’t have items to exchange, but larger ones do. For example, if you have kids along, they might choose a small toy to take from a cache and leave one in return. Adults can find a piece of treasure for themselves and leave keychains, decorated rocks, or just about any small token in return.

Before setting out, explore the app or the geocaching.com website to find a few caches near your home or near the location you want to visit. There usually are lots of caches at parks, but they also can be found in towns, at historical sites, at businesses, and lots of other places. Each cache has a listing in the app that offers details and hints for finding it.

During the hunt, use your phone to navigate to the location shown on the map. It will get you within 30 feet of your prize. Then start searching. Larger caches are usually easier to find in the beginning. The app has a rating system that will give you an idea of the difficulty of the find and the difficulty of the terrain. Containers are sometimes left in the open, but others are cleverly hidden.

Continued on page 26

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Continued from page 25

After you find a cache, take it a short distance away from its hiding place before opening to avoid giving away the exact location. It isn’t required that you exchange items in the cache, but finding “treasure” is fun, especially for kids.

You can take a swag item and leave an item of the same approximate value, but nothing edible or perishable.

Sign the logbook with your geocaching.com username and the date, and then carefully close the cache and put everything back as you found it for the next person.

Some caches contain collectibles, trackable items, or geo-coins. In some cases, multiple caches must be found to solve a puzzle.

In the beginning, just know that if you take a “trackable” item, you have an obligation to place that item in a new cache within a week or two. “Trackables” have a unique tracking number that you can look up on the website to get details about where the item has been and where it’s going.

While geocaching is an activity unto itself, the game has been combined with other types of recreation such as bicycling, orienteering, and even paddling rivers and streams. There are organized events sponsored by state organizations such as Ohio Geocaching Association (www.ohgeo.org) and regional groups.

Traveling Ohio’s geo-trails In May, Coshocton Ring Trail launched, offering more than 40 caches based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. An exclusive coin can be earned by finding 16 of the caches and completing the passport with the code words and cache numbers. Passports are available at visitcoshocton. com/geotrail.php with clues available at geocaching.com and on the geocaching app.

In fall 2021, Destination Seneca County launched its Seneca County Geo Trail, highlighting 20 sites in the towns of Tiffin and Fostoria, the rural villages across the county, historical places, and county parks.

To earn the official Seneca County Geo Trail coin, you must find 15 out of the 20 caches. Anyone who completes all 20 caches also receives a trackable tag. Complete a passport by finding the code words in each cache. Passports can be found online at www.destinationsenecacounty.org/ seneca-county-geo-trail.

To find geocaches near you, simply sign up for a free (or paid) membership to geocaching.com and search for the area you want to visit by city name or county name (including “Ohio” or the state you want to visit for best results). Here is a small sampling of the many geocaching themes to be found in Ohio: • Spirit Quest tours, which feature cemeteries • Hocking Hills Adventure GeoTrail • “Tour the World Cities” series, which can be found in cities/towns/villages with the same name as a foreign city • Cache series with food-related themes such as doughnuts or coffee shops • Cache series related to historical sites • Challenge caches that require people to answer questions or solve puzzles that lead them to a cache

26

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

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27

Small-town genius

Ohio inventor was responsible for the car starter and nearly 200 other patents as well as a world-renowned cancer hospital.

BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

W

hen automobiles were first being developed more than a century ago, they were as dangerous to start as they were to drive. You didn’t just turn a key in the ignition or press a button on the dashboard as we do today. Rather, early car and truck engines were started by turning a hand crank that, at times, could suddenly and violently reverse direction and “kick back,” resulting in a person suffering a broken arm — or worse.

When one man was actually killed in such an accident, Henry M. Leland, the head of Cadillac, was determined to put an electric self-starting device on his cars. When his engineers failed to come up with a self-starter small enough to be practical, Leland turned to Charles F. Kettering. Kettering and his new company, Delco, accomplished the task quickly and efficiently, and electric self-starters first appeared on Cadillacs in 1912.

Born in Loudonville, Ohio, in 1876, Charles Kettering

was the fourth of five children in his family. Poor eyesight caused him headaches in grade school, but he persevered to attend the College of Wooster before transferring to Ohio State University in Columbus.

However, continuing eye problems eventually forced him to withdraw, and he took a job at the Star Telephone Company in Loudonville as foreman of a line crew.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

“People won’t ever remember how many failures you’ve had, but they will remember how well it worked the last time you tried it.”

Depressed at not being able to complete his education, Kettering applied his innate, unique thinking to his job. As a result, his spirits gradually revived. No doubt helping him recover mentally during those early years was meeting his future wife, Olive Williams of Ashland, Ohio. Eventually his eye condition improved enough that Kettering was able to return to college, graduating in 1904 from OSU with a degree in electrical engineering.

Kettering was hired out of college by National Cash Register (NCR) in Dayton to work in its research lab, where he distinguished himself as a practical inventor, securing 23 patents for the company in just five years.

“I didn’t hang around much with the other inventors and the executive fellows,” he is famously quoted as saying. “I lived with the sales gang. They had some real notion of what people wanted.”

Scenes from the Kettering chronology (counterclockwise from top left): As a foreman of a telephone line crew in the midst of his college years; working on his revolutionary electric car starter; and making a speech in 1944 during one of his many return trips to Loudonville — the photo on the opposite page shows how Kettering was warmly greeted when he visited.

A colleague at NCR, Edward Deeds, eventually persuaded Kettering to partner with him and turn his talents toward the growing automotive industry. He and Deeds recruited other NCR engineers to join them nights and weekends tinkering in Deeds’ barn. The group became known as the “Barn Gang,” eventually incorporating as the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company — better known as Delco — with Charles Kettering as its head. In 1916, Delco was sold to United Motors for $2.5 million — equivalent to about $60 million in today’s dollars — making Kettering and the other Delco founders a tremendous amount of money for the time.

From that point forward, Kettering’s professional

career skyrocketed. He eventually acquired 186 patents, was the head of research at General Motors for 27 years, and was even featured on the cover of Time magazine on Jan. 9, 1933. One of Kettering’s co-workers at GM described him as “one of the gods of the automotive field, particularly from an inventive standpoint.”

Describing his perseverance, can-do attitude, and knack for invention, Kettering is quoted as saying, “People won’t ever remember how many failures you’ve had, but they will remember how well it worked the last time you tried it.”

Yet for all his wealth and national fame, Charles Kettering never forgot his small-town roots, returning to Loudonville occasionally to visit family and friends.

In August 1946, on his 70th birthday, the town threw an elaborate celebration for Kettering, and he brought along with him a fellow inventor who happened to also live and work in Dayton: Orville Wright. Yes, that Orville Wright, half of the famous Wright brothers team who had invented and flown the world’s first airplane in 1903.

Various schools and colleges are named for Kettering, as is the Dayton, Ohio, suburb. His many philanthropic works include financing the building of Kettering Hospital in Loudonville in 1957. Today, he is remembered through the eight Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center locations in New York City. In southwest Ohio, the Kettering Health Network includes nine hospitals and medical-center campuses.

Charles F. Kettering died in 1958 at the age of 82.

Yet after all the ensuing years, at least two Kettering scholarships are still presented annually to graduating Loudonville High School students. One scholarship is awarded in the field of agriculture; the other, not surprisingly, for science and technology.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

29

CALL FOR ENTRIES

COOPERATIVE CALENDAR

Photo Contest

Ohio Cooperative Living magazine is seeking photography submissions from our electric cooperative members. Submissions may fall within the following categories: best wildlife, best landscape, best floral, and best overall photo. Winning submissions will receive a cash prize and be published in the 2023 edition of the cooperative calendar. For more information, visit OhioCoopLiving.com/calendar.

Requirements • • • • • • •

One photo entry per household.

High-resolution, color, digital images only.

Only JPEG or TIF file formats will be accepted.

Please send submissions by email attachment only to photo@ohioec.org.

Photo format must be horizontal and capable of filling an 8 x 11-inch image area.

Provide an explanation of the photo — the where, what, when — as well as who took the shot.

Include your name, address, phone number, and the name of your co-op.

Deadline for submission: August 15, 2022 30

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

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Besties’ retreat Best friends (above, from left, and shown on opposite page) Katie Helfrich, Kim Fulks, Stephanie Snee, Marella Murphy, Summery Rowlands, and Brittany Buch pose for pictures while embarking on a night out with Canton Food Tours.

Stark County makes a case to host that girlfriends’ outing you know you’ve been hankering for.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY WENDY PRAMIK

L

ike many moms whose children play sports in school, Kim Fulks of North Canton has formed close friendships with other moms just like her.

Their sons play football, and the moms regularly meet at practices, games, and other extracurricular activities that define their roles as parents.

But during one warm, breezy evening in mid-spring, Fulks and five other football moms exchanged their hoodies and sweatpants for dresses and sandals, creating a one-of-a-kind girlfriends’ getaway.

They embarked on a night out with Canton Food Tours, a service that local entrepreneur Barbara Abbott established a decade ago as a fun way to explore the city through its assorted eateries.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

And as she lightly dips a spoon into a bowl of turtle soup at Bender’s Tavern, Fulks says she relished the opportunity to kick back without a game result, homeschooling chores, or the uncertainty of the pandemic to worry about.

“Having that chance to take a break and get away from the kiddos and everyday crazy life is a breath of fresh air,” says Fulks, an aesthetician instructor in nearby Uniontown. “We need it. It gives me motivation to keep things going.”

The Canton area caters to moms with an abundance of great food, shopping, and other laid-back ways to get your kicks. Abbott offers food tours with flexible start times to accommodate those with little ones in school — moms can enjoy a day tour and still be on time to pick up their kids or have dinner ready for them after they get off the bus.

“I’ve certainly seen an increase in girls’ outings for our food tours,” Abbott says. “There’s a need in general for people to reconnect, and the tours are a great way to do so.”

The moms chose the “Evening Hall of Fame City Food Tour,” which lasted a few hours and was led by a tour guide. They dined on gourmet hot dogs and selected a card game from thousands of options at Milestone Games.

Then, they popped into Bender’s Tavern for a slow-paced dinner with wine before sampling calzones and meatballs at Johnny Lookout’s Pizza Tavern. They picked up takeout at Basil Asian Bistro and visited an art gallery. Along the way, they learned how Canton earned its reputation as the “Hall of Fame City.”

That was especially fun for one of the moms, Stephanie Snee, of Jackson Township, who organized the night out. Snee teaches kindergarten and said she loves the city’s football history, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“It was such a fun moms’ night out,” she said.

“I’m a type-A planner, but it’s kind of nice to let someone take over.”

The food tour is one of several ideas to set up a girls’ getaway for a day in the Canton area. Turn the page to discover a few others.

Continued on page 34

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Continued from page 33

Have high tea and cute sandwiches

Gal pals seeking an afternoon bite with a dollop of elegance will enjoy the Dragonfly Tea Room in Canal Fulton.

Situated inside one of the area’s oldest homes, the tearoom is the perfect spot for sipping tea and noshing on finger sandwiches and scones smeared with Devonshire cream. High tea, accompanied by petite goodies neatly stacked on tiered trays, is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Take a seat inside the darling dining room, decorated with teapots and doilies, or sit outside on the breezy patio. Each customer’s tea arrives in separate teapots, which are delightfully mismatched.

Tiffany Craney opened the tearoom in the city’s historic downtown in 2011, but the business quickly outgrew its space. In 2019, Craney moved it to a spacious lot along the Tuscarawas River that used to be an art gallery and glass studio, tripling its size.

Also on-site is a bed-and-breakfast above the tearoom, a gift shop, and the adjacent Dragonfly Winery, which offers flatbread pizzas to go along with nearly a dozen types of wines. The tearoom and winery are popular spots for wedding showers and baby showers.

Enjoy spirits, music inside a Tuscan-inspired chapel

If a visit to Gervasi Vineyard is on your bucket list, take the girls to the Still House for a taste of the 55-acre, Tuscan-inspired wine resort.

Opened in late 2018, the 10,000-square-foot chapel is modeled after the 17th-century St. Gervasio church in Denno, Italy, where owner Scott Swaldo’s grandmother was baptized. The vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and iron chandeliers set the stage for a tour of the cutting-edge distillery where wine-barrel bourbon, rose vodka, and orange gin are made.

The Still House is a coffee shop by day and lounge by night, with extensive selections of spirits, cocktails, draft beers, wines, and live music. It offers more than 120 varieties of bourbon, whiskey, tequila, and other spirits.

“We try to keep it fun and light-hearted in here,” says Maria Terez, a barista and bartender at the Still House.

“You can pop in anytime.”

Terez recommends a Lush Blush, made with Gervasi Spirits Sinner’s Blush Rose Vodka and strawberry purée. Those strong of heart might enjoy the Wrath of the Bean, a showstopper drink made with Gervasi’s Wine Barrel Bourbon, Grand Marnier, Fernet-Branca, and Gervasi’s bold cold-brew coffee and served in a French press with dry ice.

Gal pals gather for tea and treats at Dragonfly Tea Room in Canal Fulton (left), while sisters Elith Rizo and Adela Rizo strike a pose at Gervasi Vineyard (below).

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

Dori Heck displays a glass of sangria at the Sangria Stand in Massillon (above) while Janet Hoover (left) inspects merchandise there. Spots such as Sangria Stand or the Shops at Hartford Kitchen in Hartford (below) offer lots to do in a single stop.

Sip sangria, rent a ball gown in downtown Massillon

Dori Heck opened the Sangria Stand in downtown Massillon to appease a growing number of moms who’d developed a taste for the delicious, homemade wine-and-fruit drinks she served from her front porch.

“They’d yell out their minivans, ‘You got that sangria today?’” says Heck, seated outside her bar and boutique. “Yeah, come on up.”

At the time, Heck, originally from Redondo Beach, California, was selling vintage clothing on Etsy. She collected high-end gowns during her travels, and women would inspect the clothing while drinking sangrias.

“I’d come home from work, and there’d be 10 women drinking on our porch,” says her husband, Matt. “Our daughter described it as a lemonade stand with sangria.”

So, in 2014, Heck decided to meld the two hobbies into one business. She secured a liquor license and opened the Sangria Stand. Now, women come to hang out, shop, and sip the cool, fruitinfused wine while checking out gowns for sale and rent.

Shop your heart out in Hartville

Whether it’s a bedazzled jean jacket or the new Star Wars-patterned Vera Bradley backpack, you’ll find all the latest trends at the Shops at Hartville Kitchen in Hartville.

The 25,000-square-foot retail space is part of an even bigger shopping hub that’s home to a gigantic hardware store, flea market, and the Hartville Kitchen, where you can order meatloaf with mashed potatoes with a slice of Dutch apple pie and even see a live dinner show.

The center holds periodic ladies’ nights, which include dinner and a presentation of some of the hottest items for sale at the shops.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Call/Text 567-232-2500 www.allohiobarn.com

Pond Chemicals / Management Certified Aquatic Applicators Custom / Pond Aeration Water Features / Fountains De-Icing www.diversifiedpondsupplies.com

419-738-0167

sales@diversifiedpondsupplies.com 15069 Blank Pike Rd. Wapakoneta, OH 45895

2022

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

CALENDAR

AUG. 19–21 – Fairfield County Antique Tractor and Truck Show, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster. Free. Toy show, hit-miss engines, steam engines, field demos, kiddie tractor pull, garden and tractor pull, children’s activities, craft show. Pancake breakfast on Saturday. Contact Doug Shaw at 740-4072347 or Glen Bader at 740-304-4170 (camping).

AUG. 28 – Lancaster Community Band Concert, Rising Park, 1120 N. High St., Lancaster, 4 p.m. Free. Please bring a blanket or lawn chair. 740-756-4430.

SEP. 2–5 – Obetz Zucchini Festival, Fortress Obetz, 2050 Recreation Trail, Obetz, Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat./Sun 11 THROUGH AUG. 14 – CAPA Summer Movie Series, a.m.–11 p.m., Mon. 12–6 p.m. Free. National and local Ohio Theatre, 55 E. State St., Columbus, Wed.–Sun. 7:30 entertainment on two stages, rides, games, car show, p.m., Sun. matinee 2 p.m. $6. America’s longest-running merchants, food, and all things zucchini! 614-491-1080 or classic film series. 614-469-0939 or www.capa.com. www.obetzzucchinifest.com.

THROUGH SEP. 24 – Sunbury Farmers Market, 9 E. SEP. 3–5 – Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival, Granville St., Sunbury Square, Sunbury, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. downtown Canal Winchester, Sat./Sun. noon–11 p.m., Mon. 740-513-9192. noon–6 p.m. Free. Musical performances on two stages, parade, car cruise-in, food vendors, farmers market, kids’ THROUGH OCT. 29 – Coshocton Farmers Market, rides, ice cream social, Columbus Zoo animals, and more.

300 block of Main Street, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Fresh local-grown produce; artisans with handmade 614-837-7493, or www.cwlaborday.org. crafts. www.facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket.

SEP. 3–5 – West Jefferson Ox Roast, Garrette Park, 3 Fellows Ave., West Jefferson. Entertainment, food, rides, THROUGH OCT. 29 – Delaware Farmers Market, 20 arts and crafts, kiddie pedal pull, contests, car show, Winter St., Delaware, Sat. 9–12 p.m. 740-362-6050 or bicycle tour, and more. Grand parade Sat. noon; on www.mainstreetdelaware.com/event/farmers-market.

Monday, our famous “Ox Roast” sandwiches! 614-879THROUGH OCT. 29 – Zanesville Farmers Market, 9287 (Jeff Pfeil) or www.westjeffoxroast.org.

Adornetto’s, 2224 Maple Ave., Zanesville, Sat. 9 a.m.– noon. Starting in June through August, the market is also SEP. 8–10 – Marion Popcorn Festival, downtown Marion, 11 a.m.–midnight. Free. Parade Thur. 6 p.m. open Wed. 4–7 p.m. www.zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

Rides, games, arts and crafts, free entertainment, corn THROUGH OCT. 30 – Rock Mill Days, Stebelton Park at toss tournament, food, and, of course, popcorn for all!

Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, Wed./Sat. 10 740-387-FEST (3378) or www.popcornfestival.com. a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. Free. Tour the restored 1824 gristmill, walk on the iconic Rock Mill Covered Bridge, and SEP. 9–10 – Lithopolis Honeyfest, 5 E. Columbus St., Lithopolis, Fri. 3–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. enjoy Hocking River Falls. Weather permitting. 740-681Honey tasting, honey extraction, honey bake-off, bee 7249 or www.fairfieldcountyparks.org. beards and beekeepers, honey bee education, mead AUG. 9, SEP. 13 – Inventors Network Meeting, competition, free kids’ crafts, and more. 614-769-3824 or virtual, 7 p.m. Educational presentations and discussion www.lithopolishoneyfest.com. about the invention process. 614-470-0144 or www.

SEP. 9–11 – Columbus Dispatch Home and Garden inventorscolumbus.com.

Fall Show, Ohio Expo Ctr., Bricker Bldg., 717 E. 17th Ave., AUG. 14–20 – Muskingum County Fair, Muskingum Columbus. Find ideas and inspiration to make your home Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville. Information and and backyard more functional and beautiful. Connect schedule available at www.muskingumcofair.com.

CENTRAL

WEST VIRGINIA

AUG. 19–20 – Parkersburg Homecoming Festival, Second St., Parkersburg. Free. Parade, pageants, live music, rides, vendors, food, Rubber Ducky Derby, and more. www.parkersburghomecoming.org.

AUG. 20 – “Reflections of the Putnam Daughters During an Afternoon Tea,” Blennerhassett Museum, 137 Juliana St., Parkersburg, 12:45–1:45 p.m. $5. Learn

in-person with local experts in remodeling, kitchen, bath, décor, and outdoor living. More than 170 companies represented. www.dispatchshows.com/home-andgarden-show.

SEP. 9–11 – Mantua Potato Festival, Buchert Memorial Park, Mantua, Fri. 6–11 p.m., Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun. 1–6 p.m. Free; $5 parking. Live music, carnival rides, games, kids’ activities, contests, parade Sun. 1 p.m., beer tent, spud favorites including pierogies, potato pancakes, and fresh-cut french fries. 330-352-6099 or www. mantuapotatofestival.org.

SEP. 9–11 – Columbus Oktoberfest, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Fri. 5–12 p.m., Sat. noon– midnight, Sun. noon–8 p.m. Free; parking fee. Food, fun, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, entertainment, beer, polka, and more. www.columbusoktoberfest.com.

SEP. 10 – David Church in Concert, Logan High School, 14470 OH-328, Logan, 6–9 p.m. Reserved tickets $25–$30, general admission $20. 740-974-9885 or www.davidchurch.net.

SEP. 11 – Columbus Paper, Postcard, and Book Show, Ohio Expo Ctr., 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $6. Old paper items, postcards, books, photographs, sports and non-sports cards, ads, and much more, along with supplies to store and protect your collections.

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

SEP. 11 – Central Ohio Symphony: “Mainly Mozart Moments,” Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 2:30 p.m. Adults $20, students $10. 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org.

SEP. 14 – United Way Kick-Off and Community Care Day, Ed Sands Bldg., Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 7:45 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the fairgrounds and then head out to participate in hands-on projects throughout Fairfield County. www. uwayfairfieldco.org/kickoffcare-day.

SEP. 15 – Clint Black in Concert, Knox Memorial Theater, 112 E. High St., Mount Vernon, 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. $58–$125. The country music legend and multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter will perform his iconic hits. 740-462-4278 or www.mvac.org/ events.

historical tidbits about the Putnam and Blennerhassett families along with proper afternoon tea etiquette of the 1800s. www.greaterparkersburg.com/events.

SEP. 3–5 – West Virginia Sunflower Festival, Sunset Berry Farms, 791 Sunset School Rd., Alderson.

Sunflowers, farms, food, and fun. 304-646-3784 or https://tinyurl.com/2s3t4tb5.

Make sure you’re included in our calendar!

Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or send an email to events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

37

2022

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

CALENDAR

NORTHEAST

SEP. 2 – First Fridays on Fourth, 155 N. 4th St., Steubenville, 6–10 p.m. Free. Monthly themed celebration featuring art, crafts, games, food trucks, live entertainment, and activities to stimulate the imagination. www.theharmoniumproject.org/first-fridays.

SEP. 2–5 – “Light Up KI,” locations throughout Kelleys Island. Homes, businesses, and boats docked at our marinas will be decked out with lights and decorations during Labor Day weekend as a show of pride for our community. Prizes given in separate categories; judging on Saturday night. Come explore the island at night! www.kelleysislandchamber.com.

AUG. 18–21 – Lexington Blueberry Festival, Community Park, Plymouth Street, Lexington, Thur./Fri. SEP. 3 – Tom O’Grady: “An Astronomical Expedition 4–10:30 p.m., Sat. 12–11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

by Canal and Stagecoach,” Historic Zoar Village, School Blueberry games, car and bike show, big wheel race, live House, Zoar, 11 a.m.–noon. Free. 800-262-6195 or music, parades, pageants, food, and more. www.historiczoarvillage.com. www.lexblueberryfest.com.

SEP. 3–4 – Annual Art Festival, 3rd and Market Sts., AUG. 19 – Hot Potatoes: “Blues and Swing with a Big Toronto. Free. Diverse selection of handmade arts and Easy Touch,” John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 2122 crafts, continuous live entertainment, and a large variety Williams Rd., Wooster, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Free. In the event of delicious food. http://focusintoronto.com/festival. of rain, the concert will be held at Fisher Auditorium, 1680 SEP. 4 – Creston Labor Day Car Show, Creston Madison Ave., Wooster. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org. Community Park, 175 N. Main St., Creston, registration AUG. 20 – Mark Cory: “Colonel Crawford,” Fort 8–11 a.m. ($10–$15), car show noon–3 p.m. Free for Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd., Bolivar, 11 spectators. Prizes, concessions, music, entertainment. a.m.–noon. Free. www.fortlaurensmuseum.org.

330-435-6021 or www.crestonvillage.org/car-show.

AUG. 21–28 – Lorain County Fair, 23000 Fairgrounds SEP. 4–18 – “Celebrate the Constitution,” Historic Fort Rd., Wellington. Ohio’s second-largest county fair.

Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Sat 10 a.m.–4 440-647-2781 or www.loraincountyfair.com. p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Annual exhibit and activities focusing on the nation’s founding document and the AUG. 27–28, SEP. 3–5 – Great Trail Arts and Crafts issues and personalities of the time. 740-283-1787 or Festival, Great Trail Festival Grounds, 6331 Canton www.oldfortsteuben.com.

Rd., Malvern, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5–$7, under 10 free. A celebration of American folk art, with distinctive arts and SEP. 9–11 – Mantua Potato Festival, Buchert Memorial crafts, living history, period music and dancing, and much Park, Mantua, Fri. 6–11 p.m., Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun. 1–6 more. 330-794-9100 or www.greattrailfestival.com. p.m. $5; parking fee. Live music, rides, potato-themed

419-562-2728 or www.bucyrusbratwurstfestival.com.

AUG. 18–20 – National Tractor Pulling Championships, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green. $21–$46; kids 10 and under free. Camping package available. 419-354-1434 or www.pulltown.com.

AUG. 19–21 – Bremenfest, Crown Pavilion, 2 W. Plum St., New Bremen. Food, games, 5K and 1-mile Fun Run, car and motorcycle show, live music, parade, pageant, and much more. http://bremenfest.com.

AUG. 20–21, SEP. 10–11 – The Fantastic Tiffin Flea Market, Seneca Co. Fgds., 100 Hopewell Ave., Tiffin, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission and parking; handicap accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per THROUGH OCT. 15 – Great Sidney Farmers Market, show. 419-447- 9613 or www.tiffinfleamarket.com.

109 S. Ohio Ave., Sat. 8 a.m.–noon. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

AUG. 27 – Fort Meigs After Dark Lantern Tour, Fort Meigs, 29100 W. River Rd., Perrysburg, 8 p.m. $10–$15.

AUG. 13–14 – “Sixty Years’ War for Ohio: Registration and pre-payment required. 419-874-4121 or American Revolution,” Fort Meigs, 29100 W. River www.fortmeigs.org.

Rd., Perrysburg. $7–$12; ages 5 and under free.

Living history encampment and battle reenactment AUG. 30–SEP. 5 – Van Wert County Fair, Van Wert Co. commemorating the long fight for the Ohio Country. 419- Fgds., 1055 S. Washington St., Van Wert. 419-238-9270 or 874-4121 or www.fortmeigs.org. www.vanwertcountyfair.com.

AUG. 17–20 – Pemberville Free Fair, 405 E. Front SEP. 6–11 – Alumapalooza, 420 W. Pike St., Jackson St., Pemberville, One of the last free fairs in Ohio! Two Center. Family-friendly festival for people who love parades, rides, food, bingo, and more. 419-601-1970 Airstream travel trailers; open to owners and non-owners (Randy Jennings), 419-287-4848 (Carol Bailey), alike. Informative seminars, fun presentations, trailer www.pembervillefair.org. open houses, cooking demos, and factory tours.

813-200-8877 or http://alumapalooza.com.

AUG. 18–20 – Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival, downtown Bucyrus. Grilled brats and many other festival foods, SEP. 2–5 – S.C.R.A.P. Antique Tractor Show, White parades, pageants, arts and crafts, contests.

Star Park, 960 Twp. Rd. 60, Gibsonburg. $5/day.

NORTHWEST

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2022

contests and games, parade Sun. 1 p.m., beer tent, and spud favorites such as perogies, potato pancakes, and fresh-cut french fries.

330-352-6099 or www.mantuapotatofestival.org.

SEP. 10 – Treasure Island Day, throughout Kelleys Island, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Treasure seekers can find unique items at great prices. Maps available at the Island Market, Unc’l Dik’s, and Kelleys Island Chamber Office. www.kelleysislandchamber.com.

SEP. 10–11 – Appalachian Ohio Antique Power Club Fall Gathering, Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park, 43672 Stumptown Rd., New Athens, Sat. 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $5. 330-401-5129 or www.facebook.com/appalachianohioantiquepowershow.

SEP. 10–11 – Old Construction and Mining Equipment Fall Show, Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park, 43672 Stumptown Rd., New Athens, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $5. Operating and static displays of antique construction and mining equipment, crawlers, trucks, models, and more. oldironshow@yahoo.com or www.facebook.com/ocmes.

SEP. 10–15 – Wayne County Fair, Wayne Co. Fgds., 199 Vancouver St., Wooster. 330-262-8001 or www.waynecountyfairohio.com.

SEP. 11 – Strauss Duo: “Sounds of Seasons,” HeARTland, 8187 Camp Rd., Homerville, 2 p.m. Free.

Violist Michael Issac Strauss and cellist Cathleen Parlow Strauss will perform solo and duo works. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at Homerville U.M. Church, 8964 Spencer Rd., Homerville.

419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

Featuring CO-OP tractors and equipment with Ohio-built engines. Antique cars/trucks, tractor pulls, primitive demonstrations, flea market, auction, food, and much more! 419-307-4265 or www.S-C-R-A-P-inc.org.

SEP. 2–5 – West Liberty Labor Day Festival, West Liberty Lions Park, St. Rte. 245, east edge of West Liberty.

Country Legends concert on Saturday (www.countrylegendscs.com) and CAIN in concert on Sunday (free), antique farm equipment and parade, flea market, crafts, classic car cruise-in, food vendors, and kids’ activities. www.westlibertylions.org.

SEP. 2–8 – Fulton County Fair, Fulton Co. Fgds., 8514 St. Rte. 108, Wauseon. $5, under 16 free. www.fultoncountyfair.com.

SEP. 10 – Lima Area Concert Band: “American Road Trip,” Veterans Memorial Civic Ctr., 7 Town Square, Lima, 7:30 p.m. Featuring tuba player Jason Roland Smith. Purchase tickets at https://limaareaconcertband.org/2022-season.

SEP. 10–11 – Toledo Lighthouse Waterfront Festival, Maumee Bay State Park, 1750 State Park Rd. #2, Oregon.

Live music, arts and crafts including nautical items, lighthouse stories, kids’ activities, food, and silent auction.

Boat rides to lighthouse, weather permitting ($35). 419691-3788 or www.toledolighthousefestival.com.

SEP. 14–17 – Apple Week, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Visit our 140-year-old cider mill; enjoy apple treats from the bakery. Special applethemed recipes and activities.

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

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH SEP. 4 – Tecumseh!, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, Mon.–Sat. 8 p.m. $25–$45. Experience the epic, action-packed production showcasing the life story of the Shawnee leader. www.tecumsehdrama.com.

THROUGH SEP. 28 – Courtside Open Air Market, 801 Wheeling Ave.., Cambridge, Fri. 8 a.m.–noon. Local plants, produce and flowers, handmade goods, and homemade baked goods. 740-680-1866 or find us on Facebook.

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon; Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., April–November. 740-593-6763 or www.athensfarmersmarket.org.

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Art Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Handcrafted local artisan-made works. Variety of artists changes weekly. www.facebook.com/athensartguild or https://athensartguild.org.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH AUG. 25 – Uptown Music Concert Series, Uptown Park, Oxford, every Thursday at 7 p.m. Free.

513-523-8687 or www.enjoyoxford.org.

THROUGH SEP. 28 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, every Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free bluegrass entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations strongly recommended. 5133-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.

THROUGH SEP. 29 – Summer Concert Series, The Square, Liberty Center, Thur. 6–9 p.m. (weather permitting). A different live band each week. www. liberty-center.com/events/summer-concert-series-2.

AUG. 12–18 – Miami County Fair, Miami Co. Fgds., 650 N. County Rd. 25A, Troy. $6 day pass; under 9 free.

937-335-7492 or www.miamicountyohiofair.com.

AUG. 13–14 – Biplane Ride Weekend, WACO Historical Society, 1865 S. Co. Rd. 25A, Troy. Experience the thrill of a lifetime with a ride in an open-cockpit biplane! $200

AUG. 15–20 – Meigs County Fair, Meigs Co. Fgds., 41850 Fairgrounds Lane, Pomeroy. $8. 740-992-6954 or www.themeigscountyfair.com.

AUG. 17–20 – Nelsonville Parade of the Hills, Public Square, Nelsonville. Free entertainment, pie contest and auction, regional art, parades, concessions, midway, and carnival. Old-time fiddlers’ contest on Friday.

740-753-4346 or www.paradeofthehills.org.

AUG. 20 – Cambridge Classic Cruise-In, downtown Cambridge, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. From hot rods to Harleys, there is something for everyone! 740-439-2238 or www.downtowncambridge.com.

AUG. 21 – Barton Polkafest, Firemen’s Field, 52176 Barton-Blaine Rd., St. Clairsville, noon–8 p.m., music, dancing, Polish food and more. 740-695-3029.

AUG. 27 – “Sand in the Streets” Volleyball Tournament and Beachfest, downtown Chillicothe, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. $5. The second-annual event returns to downtown with 300 tons of sand on the streets.

Enjoy dancing in the sand after the tournament as Funky Brewster plays some of your favorite tunes. www.downtownchillicothe.com.

SEP. 3–6 – Washington County Fair, 922 Front St., Marietta. $10. 740-373-1347 or www.washcountyfair.com.

SEP. 2–4 – Portsmouth River Days Festival, Court Street Landing, Ohio Riverfront, Portsmouth. Longest continuous-running festival in Ohio. Live music, children’s activities, boat races, and great food. www.friendsofportsmouth.com.

for a 10- to 12-minute ride. 30-minute ride ($350) can be scheduled at your convenience.

937-335 9226 or www.wacoairmuseum.org.

AUG. 19–27 – The Great Darke County Fair, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweltzer St., Greenville. $7, under 12 free. $7; $25 for 9-day pass.

937-548-5044 or www.darkecountyfair.com.

AUG. 20 – Annual Farm Toy Show, Highland Co. Fgds., 9447 Smart Rd., Hillsboro, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $3. 937-3933215, 937-393-3752, or www.facebook.com/SWOFTCC. AUG. 26 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free.

Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Wide variety of craft beers and food truck eats available.

513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.

AUG. 27 – Tipp City Trans Am Cruise In, 6 S. 3rd St., Tipp City, 5–9 p.m. Free. Registration 5–7 p.m. ($10); awards and door prizes at 8:30 p.m. Dash plaques to first 250 entries. Open only to Firebirds, Formulas, Firehawks, Trans Ams, and GTAs. 50/50 drawing, door prizes, food, entertainment, walking tour, live DJ. www.homegrowngreat.com/event.

AUG. 27 – Tour De Donut Ohio, downtown Troy. A unique bicycle event, where your ability to eat donuts is just as important as your ability to ride your bicycle fast!

Kick off the weekend on Aug. 26 with the Donut Jam in downtown Troy, 5–10:30 p.m., for an evening of music, drinks, and fun. www.thetourdedonut.com.

SEP. 2 – First Friday Concert Series: Miami Valley Klezmer Ensemble, First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Broad St., Middletown, noon–1 p.m. Free;

SEP. 3 – Caterpillar Round-Up, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge, 1–4 p.m. Free.

937-365-1935 or www.arcofappalachia.org.

SEP. 3, 5 – “Laboring Downtown — Historical Industries in Chillicothe,” Sat. 2–4 p.m., Mon. 10 a.m.– noon. $5–$15. Walking tour of downtown Chillicothe to explore the history of the working-class employers in and near the business district — many of whose buildings still stand. 740-775-4036, ihs@horizonview.net, or https://visitchillicotheohio.com/event.

SEP. 5–11 – Belmont County Fair, Belmont Co. Fgds., 45420 Roscoe Rd., St. Clairsville. $10. www.belmontcountyfair.org.

SEP. 9–11 – Murder Mystery Dinner, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, 6 p.m. $50–$55. Hone your skills as a rookie crime-solver in an entertaining atmosphere filled with great food and mystery. www.adenamansion.com.

SEP. 9–11 – Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, Front and Greene Sts., Marietta. Sternwheeler races, pageants, car show, live music, food, fireworks, 5K, and more.

800-288-2577 or https://sternwheel.org.

SEP. 11 – Barton VFD Polka Dance, Firemen’s Field, 52176 Barton-Blaine Rd., St. Clairsville, 2–6 p.m., food, raffles, and more. 740-695-3029.

SEP. 12–18 – Guernsey County Fair, Guernsey Co. Fgds., Old Washington. 740-489-5888 or www.guernseycountyfairgrounds.org.

handicapped accessible. Bring your lunch if you like.

Unique mix of Eastern European klezmer melodies blended with percussion and Afro-Cuban dance beats.

513-423-4629 or www.myfumc.net.

SEP. 3–5 – Fort Rowdy Gathering, Covington Community Park, 140 W. Broadway St., Covington, Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Mon. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Experience what life was like in a small, bustling trading village in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Homemade food, arts and crafts, demonstrations, contests, and other entertainment.

937-473-5439 or www.fortrowdy.org.

SEP. 9–11 – Clinton County Corn Festival, Clinton Co. Fgds., 958 W. Main St., Wilmington (enter from gate on 268 S. Nelson Rd.). Featuring Oliver and related companies. Corn Olympics, antique tractor pulls, horse pulls, antique cars and trucks, hit and miss engines, steam engines, demos, homemade food, and much more. 937-383-5676 or www.cornfestivalonline.com.

SEP. 10 – Troy Porchfest, downtown Troy, 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Over 40 bands in a hodgepodge of styles and genres will be playing throughout the Southwest Historic District on porches, patios, yards, and lots. Pick up a walkable map of the event and choose your favorite bands. There will be food trucks and artisan tents. www.troyhayner.org.

SEP. 15–18 – Old Timers Days Festival, 123 N. Main St., Peebles. Free. Parades, pageants, contests, raffles, kiddie tractor pull, giant RC racers, power wheels derby, live music, and much more. Car, truck, and motorcycle show Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m.; $15 registration. 937587-3749 or https://oldtimersdaysfestival.yolasite.com.

AUGUST 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

My daughter-in-law, Hilary, reflecting on the beautiful sunflowers. Julie Finnegan, North Central Electric Cooperative member

My daughter, Avery, and me at the Coshocton Sunflower Festival.

Jenna Regula, Frontier Power Company member

Enjoying a beautiful sunny day in the sunflower fields. Lorrie and Doug Wilber,

Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative members

Sunflowers Sunflowers grown in our “Boaty McBoatface” garden bed. Megan Gibson, Consolidated Cooperative member

Talon, enjoying our sunflower field.

Kristin Holbrook, North Western Electric Cooperative member

Our twin granddaughters, Emery and Laine, in the back of our daughter’s 1970 Ford 100 pickup truck. Rob and Janet Fulton,

Logan County Electric Cooperative members

Our grandson, Emmitt, in the sunflower field his grandpa, Dave, planted last summer. Kelly Freund, Paulding Putnam

Electric Cooperative member

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For November, send “Salute!” by Aug. 15; for December, send “Candy Canes” by Sept. 15.

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STRUCTURES, LLC Installed

30’x40’x10’ • Garage/Hobby Shop

•2-10x10 Garage Doors

•2-9x8 Garage Doors

•1-3’ Entry Door

•1-3’ Entry Door

•Sof�it/Wainscot Optional

30’x60’x12’ • Storage Building

Installed

•Sof�it Optional

24’x32’x10’ • Garage/Hobby Shop

•1-60’ Sidewall Open •5-12’ Bays •3’ Overhang On Front

30’x36’x10’ Horse Barn with 8’ Lean-to

Installed •10’ Split Slider w/Windows •1-3’ Entry Door •3-4’x7’ Dutch Doors •Sof�it Optional

Installed

Installed •2-9x8 Garage Doors •1-3’ Entry Door •Sof�it Optional

30’x48’x16’ • Drive Thru RV Storage

Installed •2-12x14 Garage Doors •1-3’ Entry Door •Sof�it/Wainscot Optional