Ohio Cooperative Living April 2022 - Firelands

OHIO

APRIL 2022

COOPERATIVE Firelands Electric Cooperative

Life on the line

Celebrating lineworkers

Linemen, heroes, and dads

Lineman Appreciation Week

ALSO INSIDE ALSO INSIDE Popping along Popping along Scout’s honor Scout’s honor Ohio’s ‘second roof’ Ohio’s ‘second roof’

Lineworker Appreciation Month

BUILD. MAINTAIN. REPAIR. REPEAT. That's how lineworkers power our lives Thank you, lineworkers, for your dedication, talent, and passion while performing one of the most dangerous – and most important – jobs in America: keeping the lights on.

ohioec.org/purpose

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

INSIDE FEATURES 24 UNION SAVER

An admiration of Ohio’s own U.S. Grant on his 200th birthday.

28 SCOUTS WHO SOAR

Projects show the determination, diligence, and can-do spirit of aspiring Eagle Scouts.

32 HIGH POINT

Check out the beauty and history of Buzzardsroost Rock — Ohio’s “other roof.”

Cover image on most editions: Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative lineman Mike Rowe and apprentice Hunter Flinner work to restore power in southern Holmes County (photo by Taylor Harris, Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative).

This page: The panoramic scene from the top of Buzzardsroost Rock in Adams County has been called Ohio’s most spectacular view (photo by Kevin Williams).

MARCH APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

Energy security T

he recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a stark reminder of what a cold, harsh place the world can be. I have no idea how bad this invasion will turn out to be. Most of us can only wait for news and pray for the safety of the Ukrainian people enduring this brutal attack.

As shock waves of this assault — launched during a time of relative peace — reverberate around the world, it demonstrates once again how important it is to nurture an “all of the above” energy strategy for our country. We cannot isolate ourselves from the effects of world events, but we must ensure an adequate supply of energy resources to meet our most basic security needs.

All the world’s nations, and especially those in Europe, are being taught a lesson in vulnerability.

There are voices saying the lesson to be learned is to abandon fossil fuels in favor of green energy as a way to insulate us from the effects of an energysupply crisis. Unfortunately, that is simply not realistic in the next 20 to 30 years. The non-fossil fuel technologies required to “firm up” the intermittent nature of wind and solar — nuclear power, battery storage, hydrogen — are all at least 20 years away from making a meaningful impact on our energy infrastructure. We will certainly make progress during that time, but we’ll still be dependent on diverse fossil fuel resources if we are to have an affordable, reliable, on-demand supply of energy that our current way of life requires.

In the meantime, your electric cooperatives will continue to promote policies that encourage the efficient and environmentally responsible development of energy resources of all types. The risks of favoring limited-supply sources, like only renewable energy, however, have been made all too clear.

Let’s pray for peace but be strong enough to endure the threats that exist.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

Pat O’Loughlin

PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

All the world’s nations, and especially those in Europe, are being taught a lesson in vulnerability.

APRIL 2022 • Volume 64, No. 7

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

4 DEPARTMENTS

President & CEO Director of Communications Managing Editor Associate Editor

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, Jamie Rhein, Craig Springer, Damaine Vonada, and Kevin Williams.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Elec­tric Co­op­eratives, Inc. It is the official com­munication link be­tween the elec­­­­tric co­operatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their mem­bers. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

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

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

4 POWER LINES

Duty calls: Lineworkers operate under dangerous conditions, so when Mother Nature issues a challenge, they’re more than prepared to answer the call.

6

6 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE Sky dancer: April is the best time to

catch the aerial display of one of Ohio’s oddest birds.

10

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

Popping along: The Pence family

of concessionaires has fed fairgoers for more than a century.

Rootin’, tootin’ & shootin’: Co-op

member Jerry Swank lives the life of an Old West cowboy.

15

15 GOOD EATS

Wrap ’n’ roll: For a snack that’s both

delicious and convenient, wrap it up in a neat little package.

19 LOCAL PAGES National/regional advertising inquiries, contact

Cheryl Solomon

News and information from your electric cooperative.

37 CALENDAR

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

What’s happening: April/May events and other things to do around Ohio.

Ohio-based advertisers contact

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

37

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE Scout’s honor: Scouting makes

Cooperative members:

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

memories that last a lifetime, as our readers share.

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.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

DUTY CALLS L

ineworkers operate under dangerous conditions even on the best of days, so when Mother Nature issues a challenge, they’re more than prepared to answer the call.

This season’s winter storms have done a number on numerous electric cooperatives’ systems — both in Ohio and beyond — that have called Ohio crews into action.

More than 40 Ohio lineworkers spent a good chunk of January in Virginia, helping to restore power to more than 80,000 co-op members after a storm there. Then in early February, 63 lineworkers from 20 cooperatives around the state jumped into action to help restore power to more than 30,000 Ohio coop members when winter storm Landon put a coating of ice over some of the most difficult-toreach areas of the southern part of the state.

Line work is not a glamorous or easy profession.

It takes years of specialized training, ongoing education, dedication, and — equally important — a sense of service and commitment. How else could someone explain their willingness to leave their families to tackle a challenging job in difficult conditions, when most others are sheltering comfortably at home? This dedication and sense of service to the community are truly what sets them apart. That’s why we set aside the second Monday in April to celebrate and recognize the men and women who work around the clock to keep the lights on.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

dan

cer

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

S ky

April is the best time to catch the aerial display of one of Ohio’s oddest birds.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

H

ead outdoors with me after supper some evening during the month of April, and remember to take a jacket, as it will be chilly by the time we return after dark. What we’ll be seeking is an open meadow, grassy clearing, or abandoned field with low groundcover near a moist, brushy thicket. What we’ll be hoping to see — and hear — is one of the most spectacular courtship displays around, from one of Ohio’s oddest birds: the woodcock.

Similar in appearance, both male and female look as if they were designed by a committee. About the size of a robin (only with a shorter tail), woodcock have a long, slender bill, very short legs, a large head connected to a chunky body by a short neck, and large, dark eyes placed well back on the sides of their head. The birds are mostly nocturnal, and, being colored a mixture of browns and grays, are well camouflaged. Normally very secretive, woodcock are usually only seen for a few short seconds when flushed.

But during early spring when the birds have mating on their minds, they toss caution to the wind.

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

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

You’ll likely hear a woodcock long before spotting one, the sound beginning just after sunset. The woodcock’s call has been described as a single loud “peent” or “buzz,” spaced every few seconds. That usually continues for several minutes before the male finally takes wing in a spiral flight skyward, making a twittering sound as he climbs.

Higher and higher he’ll rise, erupting in a bubbling song near the apex of his spiral. He may even go completely out of sight before zigzagging back to earth in a zooming, kamikaze dive accompanied by more twittering. Landing near where he took off, he struts about much like a miniature wild turkey gobbler, then mates with any female woodcock (woodhen) that has been properly impressed.

This show may go on repeatedly for several hours — sometimes all night as the male makes dozens of courtship flights before calling it quits. Then he’s back at it well before dawn the next morning — ending his performance just before sunrise as daylight increases. Display flights can continue through May, sometimes even into June. One macho woodcock was once reported still displaying near Cincinnati in mid-July.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the woodcock a migratory game bird, and says there are two major woodcock populations in North America, each population inhabiting a separate region. The Eastern Region stretches from the Appalachian Mountains east to the coast; the Central Region from west of the Appalachians to the Great Plains. According to Mark Wiley, a wildlife biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, ODNR staff members run 30 to 40 woodcock singing-ground survey routes each spring in the Buckeye State to tally the number of birds.

woodcock watches during April, so if you are unsure what you’re looking for, tagging along on one of these free, fun programs will help get you started.

The yearly spring spectacle of woodcock flights has always been somehow haunting to me, possibly because they happen under cover of darkness, or nearly so — a dusk-and-dawn activity wildlife biologists refer to as “crepuscular.” Once it grows too dark to see the birds silhouetted against the western evening sky, I’ll reluctantly head home. And as I walk, still hearing the faint peenting/buzzing and twittering in the darkness behind me, I’m reminded of how little we know and understand of the natural world. But that’s part of the mystery and magic that continually draw us outdoors.

Don’t miss the show.

Woodcock are known regionally by many names: timberdoodle, bogsucker, hookumpake, night peck, hill partridge, wood snipe, and others.

“Range-wide, the woodcock population is fairly stable in the short term,” says Wiley, “but there has been a gradual long-term decline.”

The Washington, D.C.-based Wildlife Management Institute says American woodcock populations have steadily decreased over the last quarter-century at a rate of around 1% to 2% per year. Wildlife researchers attribute the decline to the loss of young forest and shrubland areas in the eastern and central United States due to human development and changing forestry management practices.

Woodcock return to Ohio during late February and early March each year; April is the best month for viewing courtship-flight displays. Many park districts throughout the state offer

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 7

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 26% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT THROUGH 2022

Lasting is believing.

When you pay good money for something, you think it should last.

We agree. Especially when it’s your family’s comfort.

The lifespan of even the most expensive conventional a/c is just 15-18 years. With a WaterFurnace geothermal unit, you can expect a lifespan of 25 years—sometimes even more. Plus, the life expectancy of the underground infrastructure is at least double that. Longer unit life means less cost to you and less waste in our landfills. And that makes WaterFurnace the better choice.

Geothermal is the only renewable that provides reliable operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Bowling Green United Home Comfort (419) 352-7092

Dresden Federal Htg & Clg (740) 754-4328

Lancaster Fairfield Heating (740) 653-6421

Newark Hottinger Geothermal (740) 323-2330

unitedhomecomfort.com

federalheating.com

fairfieldgeothermal.com

hottingergeothermal.com

Canal Winchester Kessler Htg & Clg (614) 837-9961

Findlay Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638

Mansfield Eberts Energy Center (419) 589-2000

Sidney Lochard Inc. (937) 492-8811

ebertsheatingandcooling.com

Sunbury Westin Air (614) 794-1259

kesslerheating.com

knueve.com

Chillicothe Accurate Htg & Clg (740) 775-5005

Gahanna Custom A/C & Htg (614) 552-4822

accurategeothermal.com

customairco.com/geothermal

Coldwater Ray’s Refrigeration (419) 678-8711

Groveport Patriot Air (614) 577-1577

Marion Wenig’s Inc. (740) 383-5012 wenigsinc.com

Medina Sisler Heating (330) 722-7101

raysrefrigeration.com

patriotair.com

Columbus Geo Source One (614) 873-1140

Holgate Holgate Hardware (419) 264-3012

geosourceone.com

Mt. Vernon Cosby Htg & Clg (740) 393-4328

Kalida Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638

cosbyhc.com

Defiance Schlatters Plbg & Htg (419) 393-4690 schlattersgeothermal.com

sislerwaterfurnace.com

knueve.com

Sarka Electric (419) 532-3492

New Knoxville New Knoxville Supply (419) 753-2444 newknoxvillesupply.com

geothermalcentralohio.com

Toledo Overcashier & Horst (419) 841-3333 ohcomfort.com

Waverly Combs Htg & A/C (740) 947-4061 combsgeopro.com

Wellington Wellington Indoor Comfort (440) 647-3421

sarkaelectric.com

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL MARCH 2022 2022

visit us at waterfurnace.com

The Reliable Renewable is a trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

Sacred Stone of the S outhwest is on the Brink of Extinction

B.

26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise

C

enturies ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise a gemstone of the heavens, believing the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found in the American Southwest–– but the future of the blue beauty is unclear.

On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and purchased it for our Sedona Turquoise Collection. Inspired C. by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork.

You could drop over $1,200 on a turquoise pendant, or you could secure 26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise for just $99.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you aren’t completely happy with your purchase, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited, don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure. Call today!

Jewelry Specifications: • Arizona turquoise • Silver-finished settings

ONLY $99

Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color

A.

Sedona Turquoise Collection A. Pendant (26 cts) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 B. 18" Bali Naga woven sterling silver chain $149 +s&p C. 1 1/2" Earrings (10 ctw) $299 * $99 +s&p Save $200 Complete Set** $747 * $249 +s&p Save $498 ** Complete set includes pendant, chain and earrings.

Call now and mention the offer code to receive your collection.

1-800-333-2045 Offer Code STC634-09

Rating of A+

You must use the offer code to get our special price. * Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. STC634-09, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

Stau e r … A f f or d the E x tr aor d i nar y .® APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9

CO-OP PEOPLE

Popping along The Pence family of concessionaires has fed fairgoers for more than a century.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA

O

ne of Michael Pence’s earliest memories dates to the 1950s, when he traveled to the Indiana State Fair with his parents to sell popcorn. He was only 5 years old at the time — but his daughter, Leslie, got her start in the family’s mobile concessionaire business at an even younger age. “I went to my first fair in 1971,” says Leslie Pence. “It was a street fair in Auburn, Indiana, and I was 2 days old.” The week before she was born, Michael and his wife, Etta, had worked a fair in nearby Bluffton, where the mom-to-be also bought Leslie’s baby clothes.

Today, Michael, Etta, Leslie, and Michael’s brother, Kevin Pence, own and operate Pence’s Concessions from their headquarters at Pence’s Carmel Corn Shoppe (they use the old-fashioned spelling without the second “a”), a multipurpose manufacturing, distribution, and concession trailer facility that sits along U.S. 6 near Bryan, Ohio.

Serviced by North Western Electric, the shop encompasses a kitchen as well as a year-round retail store.

When customers step inside, they’re sure to notice two things: the irresistible aroma of freshly made popcorn and multiple generations of the Pence family busily doing everything from pouring kernels into a popping machine to stocking the shelves. The Pences produce 18 different kinds of popcorn in flavors ranging from tried-andtrue cheese and kettle corn to trendy chocolate mint and banana pudding popcorn, yet caramel corn remains their signature popcorn and a perennial bestseller.

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

Pence family members inside Pence’s Carmel Corn Shoppe (from left): Alexis Stewart, baby Jameson Stewart, Leslie Pence, 3-year-old Emmalyn Stewart, Etta Pence, Easton Kime, and Michael Pence.

“We make the caramel corn from a secret family recipe, and a lot of people tell us they won’t buy any caramel corn but ours,” says Leslie.

Pence’s Concessions originated in 1902, when Michael’s grandfather, Clarence Pence, started selling popcorn and peanuts from a pushcart at state fairs. Michael’s father, Don Pence, continued the business in homebuilt trailers that he towed to fairs and festivals. “My dad didn’t get a manufactured trailer until 1957,” recalls Michael. “I still have that trailer, but it doesn’t travel anymore because we use it for making candy.”

In the 1980s, Michael decided to make the company’s concession trailers pink and green. “I picked that combination because I think it looks good and is very colorful,” he says. “Now people recognize those colors and associate them with Pence’s popcorn.”

Beside popcorn, the Pences make and sell a complete menu of such fair-food favorites as candy apples, caramel apples, cotton candy, taffy, corn dogs, and both Italian sausage and Philly steak and cheese sandwiches. “My family has done a very good job of keeping up our quality and reputation,” says Leslie. “Everyone expects our products to be good.” Savvy fairgoers, for example, know that on a warm and sticky July afternoon, nothing is more refreshing than Pence’s fresh-squeezed lemonade.

“We make it with real lemons, water, ice, and sugar, then shake it just enough,” says Leslie.

From mid-spring through the summer, the shop serves as mission control for 18 concession trailers that rotate to and from county fairs, street fairs, and community festivals within a 120-mile radius of Bryan. Typical destinations include Holland, Michigan; Auburn, Indiana; and the Williams, Defiance, and Fulton county fairs in Ohio. Pence’s Concessions, in fact, is practically an institution at the Williams County Fair, which presented the company with an award for 108 years of service. By the time September rolls around, the Pences have dispatched trailers to events in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas, and during the winter, they go to expos and fairs in Florida.

“We’re never in one location for more than two weeks,” says Leslie, “so we get to experience big cities, small towns, and differences in regional tastes and cultures.”

As it turns out, those differences include candy apples.

“We make the coating for our candy apples from scratch with cinnamon flavoring, but once we get south of Cincinnati, customers want them without any flavoring at all,” says Leslie.

Since Leslie’s daughter, Alexis Stewart, works alongside Etta making candy apples, fudge, peanut brittle, and, of course, popcorn, for the retail store, Pence’s Concessions proudly claims five generations of continuous family involvement. Make that six generations, if you count Leslie’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Emmalyn Stewart, who likes to taste test the cotton candy. “For us, this isn’t just a job,” Leslie says. “It’s our life.”

Pence’s Carmel Corn Shoppe, 10010 U.S. 6, Bryan, OH 43506. 419-636-0888 or 877-8296127, www.pencescarmelcorn.com.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

Rootin’, tootin’ & shootin’

Co-op member lives the life of an Old West cowboy.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA

W

hen Jerry Swank married his wife, Carolyn, in 2003, he wore a rancherstyle felt hat, boots with spurs, and three replicas of the legendary Colt .45 single-action Army revolver that helped tame the American West.

The newlyweds left the ceremony in a white, vis-à-vis carriage pulled by a Percheron mare, and their guests gave them quite a sendoff. “We had 180 people at the wedding, and since about 60 of them carried guns loaded with blanks, we had quite the salute,” Swank says.

Of course Swank would have a Western-style wedding, given his favorite pastime: He’s been a decades-long devotee of cowboy action shooting, a timed, targetshooting sport that utilizes the guns of the Old West. “I compete with single-action

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

revolvers, a lever-action pistol-caliber rifle, and a shotgun that was designed before 1899,” he says.

Swank and his wife are South Central Power Company members who reside on 81 acres of farmland in the Hocking Hills. His interest in guns began when he was growing up in the Middletown area. He was introduced to shooting sports as a member of the Boy Scouts and while hunting with his father, and learned Western riding because his parents and grandparents kept horses.

As an adult, he worked in sales, but he also parlayed his knack for riding and training horses into a carriage ride business in downtown Columbus.

Swank first heard about cowboy action shooting in the early 1990s. “I was reading a car magazine and saw an advertisement about a shooting club starting in central Ohio,” he recalls. Soon after, Swank became a founding member of the Scioto Territory Desperados — he served as its president for several years. “Now we have members from all around the state,” Swank says. The club holds matches at the Cardinal Center shooting range near Marengo.

The Scioto Territory Desperados is an affiliate of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), an Indiana-based organization that promotes cowboy action shooting and serves as the sport’s governing body. “A single-action gun can only be fired after it has been manually cocked,” explains Swank, who is a SASS life member. At shooting events, SASS requires contestants to convey the history and traditions of the post-Civil War and cattle-drive eras by donning period outfits and adopting Old West aliases.

Names of real people — such as Bat Masterson or Jesse James — were taken early on after the club started, so most Desperados these days simply invent their own aliases, such as “Bushwacker Al,” “Stagecoach Hannah,” and “I.B. Gunninferya.” Swank chose “Lucky Levi Loving” for his moniker. “Levi” is simply a Western-sounding version of his given middle name, Lee, but he borrowed “Loving” from a cattle driver who made history. “Oliver Loving helped develop the Goodnight-Loving Trail that went from Texas to Montana,” Swank says.

As for Western get-ups, Swank habitually looks like he just stepped out of the O.K. Corral. “I’ve been in boots and blue jeans my whole life,” he says, “so dressing cowboy is easy for me.” Besides cavalry-style bib shirts and his star-shaped SASS badge, Swank sports a handsome handlebar mustache that would have made Wyatt Earp proud. “My mustache used to be long enough to reach my ears, but now I just use a little wax to keep it neat and curled,” he says.

Swank chose “Lucky Levi Loving” for his Old West moniker. “Levi” is simply a Westernsounding version of Swank’s given middle name, Lee, but he borrowed “Loving” from a cattle driver who made history.

For many years, Swank had a home-based business — appropriately called Lucky Levi’s Leather — where he crafted shooting gear and accessories. “If it’s leather, I’ve made it,” he says. “I did gun belts, holsters, chaps, spur straps, scabbards, and even saddlebags.” Items Swank made for himself include concealed-carry suspenders for his Derringer as well as right-hand and left-hand holsters for the pair of Ruger Vaquero revolvers that he often takes to competitions. “They’re slightly larger versions of the historic Colt .45 and have scrimshaw on the handles,” he says. “One side shows a cowboy on a bucking horse, and the other has double L’s for Lucky Levi.”

Swank closed his leather shop earlier this year, however, and now has set his sights on a retirement career as a certified health coach. Of course, since old cowboys never die, he aims to keep reloading as a cowboy action shooter.

“One reason I got rid of the shop is that it cut into my shooting time too much,” Swank says. “I even lost 165 pounds so I could get on a horse and continue to shoot.”

For more information, visit www.sciotodesperados.com.

MARCH APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13

t s e t n o c e p i c reader re

s d a Sa l

When you think of “salad,” what comes to mind?

A bowl of chopped iceberg lettuce with a glop of dressing on top? A can of tuna mixed with a heaping spoonful of mayo? A giant bowl of colorful, cut-up fruit?

For our 2022 Ohio Cooperative Living reader recipe contest, we’re looking for your most delicious SALAD! Whether it’s extra-healthy or more on the decadent side, we want to hear all about it!

The grand-prize winner will receive an Ohio-made KitchenAid stand mixer. Two runners-up will receive consolation gifts.

Entry deadline is April 15, 2022!

Ground rules

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

• Entries may be submitted by email to memberinteract@ ohioec.org; uploaded to www.ohiocoopliving.com/ memberinteractive; or mailed to Catherine Murray, c/o Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229. Limit of three recipes per entrant.

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

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

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

• Winners will be featured in the August issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.

Great Gardens Start with

DR® Rototillers!

• Bust sod and churn through the most compacted ground • Prepare seedbeds or till garden waste back into your soil • Full line includes walk-behinds, tow-behinds, and cultivators

DRrototiller.com !

LE

SA

FREE SHIPPING

SOME LIMITATIONS APPLY

FREE Catalog!

Call Toll-Free 888-213-1209

GOOD EATS

For a snack that’s both delicious and convenient, wrap it up in a neat little package.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

MARCH APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

BLUE CHEESE AND GRILLED CHICKEN WRAP Prep: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 1 small daikon radish (or red radish) 1 cucumber 1 pound precooked grilled chicken breast, cut into strips

BAKED EGG ROLLS (from page 15) Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Servings: 6

FOR EGG ROLLS 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 large onion, chopped fine 1 cup shredded carrot 1 pound ground beef, pork, turkey, or firm tofu 3 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 4 cups shredded cabbage 1 pound package pre-made egg roll wraps

FOR DIPPING SAUCE ½ cup honey 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Notes: Egg roll wraps are often found in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store or in frozen foods.

To make the egg rolls, heat sesame oil over medium in a large skillet.

Add onion, carrot, and ground beef, sautéing until beef is cooked through, stirring regularly. Stir in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and water, stirring to incorporate. Top with sesame seeds and shredded cabbage.

Cover with a lid and let cabbage steam for a few minutes until wilted and easy to stir. Uncover and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prep a smooth, dry surface and place a small dish of water nearby. Lay out one egg roll wrap at a diagonal (one of the corner points facing you). Spoon a small amount of filling into the middle of the wrap. Fold the bottom corner on top of the filling, then snugly roll it halfway up. Fold both sides inward toward the middle so it looks like an envelope, then tightly wrap until closed. Dip your finger in the dish of water and run it along the underside of the remaining point to seal the layers together. Place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Continue with each egg roll wrap until all the filling is gone. For a crispy texture, lightly spray the tops of each egg roll with cooking spray. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, flipping egg rolls halfway through. In a small bowl, whisk together dipping sauce ingredients.

Serve dipping sauce with egg rolls.

Per serving: 668 calories, 12 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 88 milligrams cholesterol, 1,602 milligrams sodium, 103 grams total carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 40 grams protein.

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

4 10-inch flour tortillas 8 large romaine lettuce leaves 1 large avocado, sliced 4 tablespoons chunky blue cheese dressing

Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to shave the daikon radish and cucumber. Heat chicken to desired temperature, then microwave tortillas for 10 to 20 seconds to make them pliable. Begin placing fillings in the center of each tortilla, starting with the lettuce leaves, then chicken strips, daikon radish, cucumber, avocado slices, and blue cheese dressing. Fold the bottom third of the tortilla up toward the top, then fold in each side, tucking one side into the other.

Per serving: 545 calories, 27 grams fat (5.6 grams saturated fat), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 734 milligrams sodium, 43.5 grams total carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 31 grams protein.

“ITALIAN SUB” PINWHEELS

Prep: 20 minutes | Chill: 1 hour | Servings: 20 8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces boiled deli ham ¼ cup Italian dressing 8 ounces ultra-thin sliced provolone ½ cup mild banana peppers 8 ounces salami 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 8 ounces pepperoni 8 8-inch spinach flour tortillas (12.7 ounces) Note: Meat and cheese slices will probably vary in size.

Divide up the number of slices of each ingredient between the number of tortillas so they will be evenly distributed between each pinwheel. If there’s any cream cheese mixture left over, spoon it into a bowl and let guests spread a little extra on top of their pinwheels.

In a food processor, blend cream cheese, Italian dressing, banana peppers, and Italian seasoning.

Lay out one tortilla on a dry, flat surface. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on the tortilla, almost to the edge.

Next, evenly spread out a thin layer of ham, then provolone, salami, and pepperoni across the tortilla. Begin tightly rolling the end closest to you toward the middle, creating a log.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and ingredients.

Wrap each log in aluminum foil and chill for an hour in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, slice into 1-inch-thick pinwheels. Makes approximately 40 pinwheels.

Per serving: 233 calories, 17 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 662 milligrams sodium, 10 grams total carbohydrates, 0.5 gram fiber, 10.5 grams protein.

MARCH APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

ZESTY ORANGE SWEET ROLLS

Prep: 45 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Rise time: 1½ hours | Servings: 16 2 packages dry yeast (about 3½ cups all-purpose flour 4½ teaspoons) ¼ cup cinnamon ½ cup warm water (100 F to 110 F) 4 tablespoons orange zest, divided 1 cup granulated sugar, divided (about 2 large oranges) 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup half and half (optional) softened and divided 4 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup light sour cream 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon salt (approximately 1 orange) 1 large egg 2 cups powdered sugar Hints: To make the rolls ahead of time, follow the recipe until just before the second rise time. Place in the fridge, and pull out within 24 hours. Allow to rise before baking. Frosting can be prepared ahead and stored covered in the fridge for up to a week.

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 10 minutes for it to foam up. Add ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of the softened butter, sour cream, salt, and egg to the yeast mixture. Beat with a mixer with whisk attachment at medium speed until smooth.

Leaving ½ cup of flour aside, lightly spoon 3 cups of flour into a measuring cup 1 cup at a time, level off with the flat edge of a knife, and add to the yeast mixture, beating until smooth each time until a soft dough forms.

Continue with a stand mixer and switch to a dough hook attachment on medium-low speed (or knead dough by hand on a floured surface). Knead dough, adding 1 spoonful of flour at a time until dough is smooth and elastic and only slightly tacky to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes in a mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top of the dough to help it rise. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place (85 F) for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (This can be done in the oven with a casserole dish filled with steaming water on the bottom rack and the dough on the top rack.) Gently press the dough. If indentation remains, the dough is ready. Punch dough down with your fist, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.

When the dough is ready, mix together cinnamon, ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the orange rind in a small bowl. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick and in a slightly rectangular shape. Evenly spread 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the softened butter across the surface of the dough, all the way to the edges, then evenly pour the cinnamon and sugar mix across butter layer. Starting at the longest side, roll the dough up into a log. Cut log into 16 rolls and place cut-side up in two greased 9-inch round cake or pie pans. Cover with a tea towel and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size. At this point, if you’re wanting extra-gooey rolls, pour half and half evenly across the top of rolls, letting it soak down to the bottom of the pan. If you prefer your rolls to be a bit more bread-like, skip that step. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

In a medium mixer bowl, cream together remaining 4 tablespoons butter, cream cheese, 2 tablespoons orange zest, and orange juice until smooth.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, then beat on high until smooth. Frost rolls while they’re still warm (or if not eating right away, warm up refrigerated frosting a bit in the microwave and stir).

Per serving: 336 calories, 13 grams fat (8 grams saturated fat), 46 milligrams cholesterol, 239 milligrams sodium, 51 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 4.5 grams protein.

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

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.

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

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES GM’S REPORT

LINEMEN,

heroes, AND dads

When you hear the word hero, the first image that usually comes to mind is a masked character clad in a cape and wearing a utility belt filled with futuristic gadgets. They are always ready — at a moment’s notice — to save the world from evil villains and ne’er-do-wells.

In reality, however, heroes come in many forms.

Soldiers defend our freedom. Doctors, nurses, and first responders save lives. Teachers prepare our children for the future. Even the stranger who helps a motorist replace a flat tire is a hero to that person stranded on the side of the road. These and many others are people noted for their acts of courage or nobility of purpose. Simply put, they put the needs of others before their own.

At Firelands Electric Cooperative and in the electric industry at large, you’ve often heard linemen referred to as heroes. Nowhere is this perception more evident than through the eyes of a lineman’s children. Stealthily sneaking out of the house by cover of darkness, their dads wear their own special uniform of lineman’s gear.

In a child’s mind, dad’s hard hat, utility belt laden with

tools, and protective rubber sleeves are not so different from the costume of Batman or Iron Man. Trying not to wake their sleeping families, linemen make their way outside into rain, ice, wind, and snow to restore power to those in need.

Linemen’s children are also well aware that their dads have an alter ego. While attending a baseball game or choir concert, they may Dan McNaull be called away for a power GENERAL MANAGER outage somewhere in Firelands Electric’s service territory. Dad switches from spectator or even coach to lineman, once again putting on his “uniform” to save the day.

For many of the Firelands linemen’s children, their dads have been co-op employees since before they were born. These kids have grown up with a thorough understanding of a lineman’s duties, and they know the challenges and dangers that go along with the job. Restoring power to Firelands’ members during a thunderstorm can be risky business — and this group of youngsters is pretty proud of their dads for doing so.

To recognize the dedication of Firelands Electric’s linemen, the cooperative has designated April 11–18 as Lineman Appreciation Week. We asked our linemen’s children to help celebrate by joining us for a special hero photoshoot in honor of their dads. Make sure to check out the fantastic results on the next two pages. And if you come across a Firelands lineman, give him a herosized thank you!

Clockwise from back left: Kory, Emilee, and Madison Rowland, children of Journeyman Lineman Chris Rowland and Sophia Clemons, daughter of Journeyman Lineman Evan Clemons.

On the cover: Morgan Shepherd, daughter of Journeyman Lineman Robert Shepherd.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 1

19

3/4/2022 2:38:14 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

OUR

dads ARE heroes

lins iel col and Dan Hannah

ring icke au p e b nd on a peyt

LINEMAN APPRECIATION WEEK APRIL 11–18

Rick Bowers

20

Evan Clemons

Zach Collins

Don Englet

Fred Hartman

Chris Kent

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 2

3/4/2022 2:39:01 PM

integrity

innovation

Morgan shepherd

s

sofia clemons

madison, emilEE, and kory rowland

accountability

community commitment

Phil Pickering

Chris Rowland

Robert Shepherd

David Sumpter

Rob Swiger

Matt Whiteside

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 3

20A

3/4/2022 2:39:58 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES YOUTH PROGRAMS

CO-OP AWARDS

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS Firelands Electric is pleased to announce the winners of its 2022 scholarship contest.

Morgan Welch of Crestview High School was selected as the first-place winner of an $1,800 scholarship. The daughter of Mike and Misty Welch of Mansfield, she plans to study at Grace College in the fall. Welch is also now eligible to participate in a statewide contest on April 12 at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives in Columbus.

At this event, representatives from Ohio’s 24 electric co-ops have a chance to compete for additional scholarships worth up to $3,900.

The second-place winner of $1,600 is Ellen Fox of Willard High School. Fox is the daughter of Todd Fox and Bethany Fleiner of Willard. She plans to study nursing and is currently undecided which college she will attend next fall.

Alison Barr of Loudonville High School is the winner of the third-place, $1,400 scholarship. Daughter of Matthew and Kelly Cominsky of Loudonville, she plans to study pharmacy at Ohio Northern University.

Fourth-place winner of a $1,200 scholarship is Madison Beard of Seneca East High School. Beard is the daughter of Josh and Tammy Beard of Attica. She plans to study baking and pastry arts at The Culinary Institute of America.

The fifth-place winner of $1,000 is Allyson Gatchall of Tri-County International Baccalaureate Academy.

Gatchall is the daughter of Scott and Jennifer Gatchall of Mansfield. She has a special nomination to attend the Air Force Academy in the fall.

Aubrianna Lugli of New London High School is the winner of the sixth-place, $750 scholarship. The daughter of Denis and Sherry Lugli of New London, she plans to attend Xavier University with a major in biomedical science.

20B

The winners of Honorable Mention scholarships, worth $500 each, are Ashlee Gantz of Ashland High School and Katelynn Smeltzer of Hillsdale High School. Gantz is the daughter of Raymond and Melanie Gantz of Ashland. She will major in middle childhood education and botany at Miami University next fall. Smeltzer, the daughter of Jason and Jennifer Smeltzer of Perrysville, plans to major in animal science at The Ohio State University–ATI next fall.

Lauren Ayers of South Central High School and Caden Fox of Ashland High School are the winners of Judges’ Choice awards of $500 each. Ayers is the daughter of Jerry and Angie Ayers of Willard. She plans to study nursing next fall at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Fox, son of Jeremy and Adina Fox of Ashland, plans to major in engineering at The Ohio State University.

Firelands Electric offers its scholarship contest annually to graduating high school seniors who reside in a home served by the cooperative. This year, the co-op received applications from students attending Ashland, Crestview, Hillsdale, Loudonville, Mapleton, New London, Seneca East, South Central, St. Paul, Tri-County International Baccalaureate Academy, and Willard high schools.

For more information about Firelands Electric’s scholarships and youth programs, visit our website at www.firelandsec.com.

Class of

2 2 0 2

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 4

3/4/2022 2:40:02 PM

integrity

accountability

community commitment

innovation

Morgan Welch

Ellen Fox

Alison Barr

Madison Beard

Allyson Gatchall

Aubrianna Lugli

Ashlee Gantz

Katelynn Smeltzer

Caden Fox

Lauren Ayers

FIRST PLACE CRESTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

FIFTH PLACE TRI-COUNTY INTERNATIONAL BACCUALAUREATE ACADEMY

JUDGES’ CHOICE ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

SECOND PLACE WILLARD HIGH SCHOOL

SIXTH PLACE NEW LONDON HIGH SCHOOL

THIRD PLACE LOUDONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTION ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

FOURTH PLACE SENECA EAST HIGH SCHOOL

HONORABLE MENTION HILLSDALE HIGH SCHOOL

JUDGES’ CHOICE SOUTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 5

20C

3/4/2022 2:40:07 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES YOUTH PROGRAMS

2020 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Winners of February drawing receive Amazon gift cards

Education helps shape the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why Firelands Electric includes it as one of our seven core principles.

The A Team is a cooperative program designed to encourage students in their pursuit of academic excellence. Students in grades 6–8 are invited to participate and be recognized for their hard work and dedication to education.

Alyssa Clevidence

Hillsdale Middle School Daughter of Daniel and Tina Clevidence

Taylor Smith

South Central Middle School Daughter of Brian and Amanda Smith

Send us your grade card and win!

The next drawing will be held on April 10.

How you can win Students in grades 6–8 who have a minimum of three A’s on their most recent report card and whose parents or guardians are members of Firelands Electric Cooperative are eligible to apply. A copy of the report card should be submitted by mail to Attn: The A Team, Firelands Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 32, New London, OH 44851. Report cards may also be emailed to members@firelandsec.com.

Be sure to include the student’s name, age, school, grade, address, phone number, parents’ name(s), and email address on your entry.

Complete program details are also available at www.firelandsec.com/team.

20D

Carlee Hess

New London Middle School Daughter of Mike and Dawn Hess

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 6

3/4/2022 2:40:10 PM

integrity

accountability

community commitment

innovation

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

LET IT Many of us don’t give our home’s heating and cooling system a second thought unless it’s not working properly. While it’s not necessary to watch your system 24/7, it is a good idea to occasionally take a walk around the outdoor components. Doing so can help prevent higher electric bills and costly repairs. While you may find something that requires the assistance of a qualified professional, sometimes what you discover can be as simple as the air around you.

What does air have to do with it?

If your home has a whole house air-conditioner or heat pump system, you have an outdoor unit that houses your system’s compressor and coil. In summer, these components work in conjunction to transfer heat from inside your home to the outside to keep you cool. Heat pumps work the opposite way during the winter months.

Essentially, the warm and cold air outside are “separated” to bring heat into your home.

This constant back and forth movement requires adequate airflow on the sides as well as the top of your outdoor unit.

Without it, one or all of the following can happen: • Your home won’t stay as warm or cool as you would like.

• The air conditioner or heat pump will have to work harder and longer to move enough air, resulting in higher energy bills.

f low Common obstructions

Lawn or garden structures — Items such as decking, fencing, trellises, or decorative yard structures should never be constructed near or over outdoor HVAC units. Although they don’t always fit the aesthetic of your yard or garden, attempting to hide them can cause more harm than good.

Landscaping — Keep trees, shrubbery, and other vegetation away from your HVAC unit. Even tall grasses can prevent air from reaching the coil. Other landscaping items like potted plants, rocks, yard signs, and benches are also not a good idea.

Other home systems — Venting from other devices in your home can also affect the operation of your HVAC system. Exhaust vents from clothes dryers and kitchen ranges can not only block airflow, but the heat they emit can interfere with the cooling feature of your system. And gas or other fossil fuel valves near your HVAC unit are downright dangerous.

Natural debris — Check for certain obstructions on a regular basis. Snow, ice, leaves, and even the fluff from cottonwood trees can clog up your system. Be sure to clean these off both the sides and top of your outdoor unit as needed.

• The blocked flow of air could cause damage to your unit due to overheating or trapped debris.

Fortunately, airflow issues with your outdoor air-conditioner or heat pump unit are often simple to correct. The easiest action to take is to keep the space around your unit free of obstructions. As a general rule of thumb, nothing should be located within three feet of the sides of your outdoor HVAC unit or six feet above it. If you’re not sure what is recommended for your particular system, check the manufacturer’s specifications.

Just being aware of how poor airflow can negatively impact your air conditioner or heat pump is a big step toward improved efficiency.

Now that you know what to look for, make sure to get that outdoor unit checked out before summer weather arrives!

For more information on how to maintain your air conditioner or heat pump for optimum energy efficiency, check out the articles under the Heat & Cool tab at www.energy.gov/energysaver.

In order for your HVAC system to operate at its most efficient, fencing, shrubbery, and other landscaping should be kept at least three feet away from your outdoor unit.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 7

20E

3/4/2022 2:40:12 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES SAFETY

SURGE PROTECTION 101 A power surge is an unusual and unexpected increase in voltage and can occur due to a variety of reasons.

Regardless of the cause, surges can damage electronic devices and equipment in your home. But with the right precautions, you can avoid these costly repairs and replacements.

One of the most common causes of a power surge is lightning. When lightning strikes an electrical system, the excess current must be channeled somewhere — unfortunately in some cases, it’s sent through your home’s wiring system. Your best bet during severe thunderstorms is to unplug all unused devices and electronics.

Another frequent cause of power surges is electrical overload. This happens when devices or appliances are plugged into an outlet that can’t handle the necessary amount of voltage, or if multiple devices are plugged into a single outlet through an extension cord. If you’re

20F

experiencing power surges due to electrical overload, it’s time to call a qualified electrician to evaluate your home’s electrical needs and to consider installing additional outlets.

Faulty wiring in a home can also cause surges. If you notice burns on outlets plates, buzzing sounds from power outlets, or frequently tripped circuit breakers, your home may be due for electrical wiring repairs or updates.

Surges can also occur after a power outage. Sometimes when electricity is being restored and reconnected, a quick surge in current can occur. It’s best to unplug sensitive electronics during an outage — then wait to plug them back in after power has been fully restored.

Aside from unplugging devices, there are a couple of additional ways you can protect the electronics in your home from power surges.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 8

3/4/2022 2:40:12 PM

integrity

accountability

community commitment

innovation

Point-of-use surge protection devices, like power strips, can protect electronics during most surges. But remember, not all power strips include surge protection, so read the packaging label carefully before you buy and don’t overload the power strip with too many devices.

You can also install specialized electrical outlets that offer additional surge protection. Talk to a trusted, licensed electrician to learn more.

Another option is a whole-house surge suppressor, which can help protect your entire home from power surges. In most cases, whole-house suppressors are connected to your home’s service panel and include features like thermal fuses and notification capabilities that indicate when a specific device has been impacted by a surge. Whole-house suppressors should always be connected by a licensed electrician, so keep the cost of installation in mind when considering the addition of one to your service panel.

Happy Easter

The Firelands Electric Cooperative office will be closed April 15 in observance of Good Friday.

Occasional power surges are inevitable, but by unplugging devices when you think a surge may occur and using additional levels of protection like power strips with surge protection or whole-house surge suppressors, you can better safeguard your sensitive electronics and devices from damage.

The value of electricity

The average payment for a used car is

$450 PER MONTH That’s equal to watching TV for

54,000 HOURS

(That’s more than six years straight!)

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 9

20G

3/4/2022 2:40:13 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES GOVERNMENT

ADVOCATING

FOR AMERICA’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES As a member of Firelands Electric Cooperative, you are among 42 million Americans who can claim ownership in a not-for-profit, member-owned utility that provides electricity at cost. The ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action program is an exciting opportunity for you to raise your voice and participate in the political process.

The Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE) is the political action committee of the nation’s electric cooperatives. For over 55 years, ACRE has been working to support candidates in Ohio and the U.S. who understand and support electric cooperatives and their member-owners. Through Co-op Owners, which is the consumer arm of ACRE, you have the ability to strengthen this support and join over 35,000 ACRE Co-op Owners members who form a strong network dedicated to the long-term success of the electric cooperative program.

If you are not already a member of ACRE Co-op Owners, we hope that you will consider joining this nonpartisan program. Together we will continue to fight for a viable

YES!

environment for electric cooperatives and the quality of life of the people and communities that co-ops serve.

Thank you for your continued support of the ACRE program. If you have any questions, would like additional information, or want to sign up for the ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action program, please contact Firelands Electric Cooperative at 1-800-533-8658 or return the form provided below.

You can also visit www.voicesforcooperativepower.com to join our growing grassroots efforts to promote commonsense energy solutions and the importance of electric cooperatives.

Contributions to ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action are not tax deductible. All contributions to ACRE are voluntary and will be used for political purposes.

Contribution guidelines are suggestions only. You may contribute more or less than the recommended amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal.

I want to help keep the voice of rural electric cooperatives heard in the political process by participating in ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action.

Monthly Bill Addition

REGULAR: $2.08 PER MONTH ($25/YEAR) CENTURY CLUB: $8.33 PER MONTH ($100/YEAR) PRESIDENT’S CLUB: $41.66 PER MONTH ($500/YEAR)* OTHER $

One-Time Contribution REGULAR: $25 CENTURY CLUB: $100 PRESIDENT’S CLUB: $500* OTHER $

I affirm that my contribution has been made with non-corporate funds (Please make checks out to Firelands Electric Cooperative):

NAME: CITY:

ADDRESS: STATE:

EMAIL:

ZIP:

COOPERATIVE: SIGNATURE:

*Federal Election Law requires the following information for contributions exceeding $200: EMPLOYER:

OCCUPATION:

Contributions to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Action Committee for Rural Electrification® (ACRE®) are not tax deductible. Contributions to ACRE are voluntary and will be used for political purposes. You have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal. Any contribution guidelines presented are merely suggestions. You are free to contribute more or less than the suggested amounts, or not at all. NRECA will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of the amount contributed or a decision not to contribute.

20H

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 10

3/4/2022 2:40:14 PM

integrity

accountability

community commitment

innovation SM N E L

IN THE COMMUNITY

PA R AG U

m

id at Mutual aal Power ntr South Ce

S 1 7 -3 5 m

As part of a special partnership between Touchstone Energy Cooperatives and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Firelands Electric received several children’s books for donation in the community at the end of 2021. Co-op employees and trustees then donated additional books and presented them all to the New London Public Library in recognition of International Book Giving Day on Feb. 14.

Mu South Ctual aid at entral P ower

Above, Firelands’ Communications and Member Relations Specialist Tracy Gibb (left) and New London Public Library Director Anne Lowery (right) display some of the books that were collected.

The Imagination Library provides children ages 0-5 across the U.S. with a new, free book every month.

For more information visit https://imaginationlibrary.com.

7 07

International Book Givin g Day Feb. 14

AY

SNAPS hotS

Feb. 25 winter storm

Above: In early February, Journeyman Linemen Rick Bowers, Chris Rowland, and Evan Clemons, along with Lead Linemen Fred Hartman and Rob Swiger, answered a call for help from South Central Power. The fellow electric co-op in southern Ohio was hit hard with heavy ice and snow, resulting in outages for over 24,000 of its members. To view additional storm aid photos, visit www.flickr.com/photos/firelandsec/albums.

At left: Firelands Electric was faced with the aftermath of its own storm on Friday, Feb. 25. Mifflin and Monroe townships, Richland County, sustained the heaviest damage. Crews dealt with damaged equipment and downed wires in some very isolated and hard-to-reach areas.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

04-22--April.indd 11

21

3/4/2022 2:40:35 PM

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES COOPERATIVE UPDATE

highlights

BOARD MEETING Firelands Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees met Jan. 25 and covered the following items: • Board President Dan Schloemer reported that the cooperative received 42 membership applications for approval by the board.

• General Manager Dan McNaull reviewed reports for safety and training meetings held Nov. 19 and Jan. 6, as well as a Federated Insurance workforce safety observation conducted on Jan. 13.

• McNaull reviewed a report from the USDA regarding the cooperative’s loan funding.

• The board reviewed important dates in the 2022 trustee election process.

• McNaull reviewed the monthly tree-trimming and outage reports.

• Heather Niedermeier-Heyman was selected to be the cooperative’s next general counsel, following the retirement of long-time attorney Dave Harwood.

• Trustee Tom Lucha reported on a recent electric industry training session he attended.

• Director of Finance and Accounting Tabi Shepherd reviewed the December financials and 2022 depreciation rate schedule. She also reported on recent accounting and billing department activities.

• McNaull reminded the board of the OEC 2022 Winter Conference, to be held Feb. 15 in Dublin, Ohio, and the NRECA Annual Meeting scheduled for March 6–9 in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Director of Communications and Technology Andrea Gravenhorst reviewed recent activities involving the member services and IT department, including the upcoming 2022 Children of Members Scholarship competition.

• Director of Operations Don Englet reviewed recent activities and projects in the operations department, including mutual aid Firelands provided to Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Virginia following a recent severe winter storm.

The cooperative’s next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26. If you would like to attend the next scheduled meeting, please contact the Firelands Electric office at 1-800-533-8658.

FIRELANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OUTAGE HOTLINE

President, District 1

1-800-533-8658

OFFICE

103 Industrial Drive P.O. Box 32 New London, OH 44851 1-800-533-8658 OFFICE HOURS

Mon.–Fri. 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. www.firelandsec.com

Dan Schloemer

Bruce Leimbach Vice President, District 4

Carl Ayers

GENERAL MANAGER

Dan McNaull

HAVE A STORY SUGGESTION?

Email your ideas to: members@firelandsec.com

Secretary/Treasurer, District 5

W.E. Anderson District 8

Tom Lucha District 3

Gene Lamoreaux District 2

John Martin District 9

Kevin Reidy District 6

Rob Turk 22

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

04-22--April.indd 12

District 7

3/4/2022 2:40:35 PM

❤ Personalized FREE—2 Ways with the Engraved Names and Sparkling Crystal Birthstones of Your Choice

❤ Lavished in gleaming 18K-gold plating ❤ Sterling silver-plated accents JAN

FEB

MAR APR MAY JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT NOV DEC

A BIRTHSTONE FOR EACH CHILD, CHOOSE UP TO 6

Shimmering with beauty, the “Forever “Forever in a Mother’s Heart” Personalized Birthstone Bracelet lets you honor each family member with an elegantly engraved name and a sparkling birthstone! Exquisitely designed and finely hand-crafted, our personalized birthstone bracelet features two charms for each family member. The 18K gold-plated hearts each feature an engraved name and a crystal birthstone in a heart-shaped setting. Each is paired with a rondelle charm sparkling with more crystal birthstones. Up to six family members can be represented. Two more charms—an open heart with clear crystals and a “Love” charm with a clear crystal are plated in shimmering sterling silver. Together the charms on the 18K gold-plated bracelet express the precious joys of a family. Bracelet adjusts from 7" 7" to 8" 8".

Exquisite craftsmanship and Value This gleaming expression of love is available at the remarkable price of just $159.99*, payable in 5 installments of $32.00. Your bracelet comes ready to wear, in a velvet jewelry pouch and gift box along with a Certificate of Authenticity, and is backed by our unconditional 120-day guarantee. To reserve, send no money now; just fill out and mail the Priority Reservation today!

©2022 The Bradford Exchange 01-32269-001-BISIPISC

Order Today at

bradfordexchange.com/32269

Connect with Us!

Uniquely Designed. Exclusively Yours.

The Bradford Exchange P.O. Box 806 Morton Grove, IL 60053-9956

PRIORITY RESERVATION SEND NO MONEY NOW

YES. Please reserve the “Forever in a Mother’s Heart” Personalized Birthstone Bracelet for me with up to 6 names and birthstones indicated.

Print name in block letters Name_____________Month____ Name_____________Month____ (max. 10 characters) Name_____________Month____ Name_____________Month____ and corresponding birth Name_____________Month____ Name_____________Month____ month below.

Signature Mrs. Mr. Ms.

Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address City

State

Zip

E-mail (optional)

*Plus a total of $16.00 shipping and service (see bradfordexchange.com). Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of your jewelry after we receive your initial deposit. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.

01-32269-001-E22452

GRANT

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

Union Saver

An admiration of Ohio’s own U.S. Grant on his 200th birthday.

BY CRAIG SPRINGER

O

hio is known for producing more United States presidents than any other state in the Union — eight in all, including several who were veterans of the Civil War. First among the veterans, and perhaps appropriately so, was General Ulysses S. Grant.

American victory at Bunker Hill in the American Revolution. Perhaps, then, it was no surprise that the 5-foot, 2-inch 17-year-old Grant would accept an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1839.

Grant had the benefit of education as a boy, as his parents were of apparent means to pay for schooling.

Grant attended private schools in Georgetown, as well as the Maysville Seminary across the river in Kentucky.

In his late teens, he attended a school operated by the Presbyterian minister John Rankin in Ripley, Ohio. Rankin is perhaps best known as an ardent and outspoken abolitionist. He was perhaps the most significant conductor of freedom-seeking slaves on the Underground Railroad. It’s no great intellectual leap to think that Rankin’s ethos toward individual liberty affected the future warrior-president.

His father, Jesse, a tanner by trade, was an avowed abolitionist Whig — as were many southern Ohioans at the time. He petitioned Congressman Thomas Hamer, a Georgetown, Ohio, schoolteacher, lawyer, and former speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, for his son’s appointment to the military academy. Hamer obliged.

Grant descended on his father’s side from a family longestablished in America, dating to the Massachusetts Bay Colony circa 1630. His great-grandfather served the British in the French and Indian War, and his grandfather aided the colonists’ cause at the famed

The irony is palpable: Hamer was a pro-slavery Jacksonian Democrat. And there’s this: Hamer did not know the Grant family well, and his recommendation for the teenager erroneously named him “Ulysses S. Grant,” assuming the young man took his mother’s maiden name as a middle name. The congressman’s mistake in nomenclature turned Hiram in to “U.S.,” which became his nickname at the academy — short also for “Uncle Sam,” which also explains why friends and close associates also called him “Sam.” Grant completed his studies at West Point in 1843, by then having grown another 5 inches. The 5-foot, 7-inch

He was born Hiram Ulysses Grant two centuries ago this month along the Ohio River where it starts to make its serious bend to the north toward Cincinnati in Clermont County. It was April 1822 — not too far removed from the frontier period. His parents, Jesse and Hannah Simpson Grant, had made a home in Point Pleasant, Ohio, a year earlier, and in fact, just a few years after the tiny river town was platted.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Grant’s successes in the South were legion, and that convinced Lincoln to have Grant lead the whole affair and draw the horrible war to a close. Grant vanquished Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, and there signed the terms of the South’s surrender.

second lieutenant landed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he served in the infantry (despite his demonstrable horsemanship) and also met and married a Missourian, Julia Dent.

Jefferson Barracks was commanded by General Stephen Kearney and would serve as the launching point from where the U.S. Army would invade Mexico in 1846 and take over much of today’s American Southwest.

Grant, serving in a regiment of regulars, served with great distinction, but the affair left him questioning the legitimacy of vanquishing an easily conquered foe and examining his own conscience in the matter.

In 1854, following bouts with drunkenness, he resigned his Army commission and returned to civilian and family life in Missouri. By turns he failed at several endeavors: farming, tannery, firewood sales, and real estate speculations. When the Civil War began, he accepted a commission as a U.S. Army colonel to lead a regiment of Illinois volunteers. His experience in Mexico served the Union cause well, as he understood that victories are made in supply lines away from the tactical battlefield.

Grant’s successes in the South were legion, and that convinced Lincoln to have Grant lead the whole affair

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

and draw the horrible war to a close. Grant vanquished Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, and there signed the terms of the South’s surrender.

His popularity soared, and he ascended to the presidency in 1869. He would sign into law Reconstruction and Civil Service acts, macerate the Klan, champion the 15th Amendment, create the U.S. Fish Commission, and establish our first national park, Yellowstone.

Along with Grant’s bicentennial birthday, this year also marks the sesquicentennial of his 1872 reelection. Grant, a Radical Republican, was challenged in the primary by Ohioan Salmon P. Chase, who holds the distinction of having served in Congress, in a presidential cabinet, and on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Democrats did not put up a candidate, and instead endorsed Horace Greeley, from a splinter group called the Liberal Republicans, who was selected at that group’s convention in Cincinnati in May of that year. Grant vanquished Greeley in November.

Grant had another nickname from his initials and from his war exploits: “Unconditional Surrender.” But he surrendered to throat cancer in 1885 at the age of 63.

Fortunately for us, the Union survived because of a tenacious patriotic Ohioan shaped by his youth along the north-flowing bend in the river.

SCOUTS WHO

soar

Projects show the determination, diligence, and can-do spirit of aspiring Eagle Scouts.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMIE RHEIN

H

ead to most parks around the state — from small-town playgrounds to urban greenspace to metroparks — and you’ll often see something that’s been added or improved as the result of an Eagle Scout project. Using a combination of can-do spirit and hours of labor, Eagle Scouts have provided parks (and schools and municipalities and lots of other entities) with benefits such as animal habitats, walkways, footbridges, landscaping, shelter revamps, and much more.

Often armed with wood, cement, and a variety of tools, along with fierce determination, members of Scouting BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America) from across the country aim for the Eagle rank. Since 1911, when Eagle Scout became the organization’s highest level of achievement, only 4% of Scouts in the U.S. have earned the honor. Nine U.S. presidents have been involved in Scouting, but of them, only Gerald Ford rose to its highest rank.

The path to Eagle Scout includes a rigorous set of requirements that must all be completed before the Scout turns 18: positions of troop leadership, a selection of required and optional learning on a wide variety of subjects (merit badges), and, most famously, completion of a project that benefits the community.

Before his 18th birthday, Alan Rosenbeck, now assistant park manager at Highbanks Metropark between Columbus and Delaware, looked to Preservation Parks in Delaware County for his Eagle project. The wood duck boxes he built years ago in Char-Mar Park are still in use. Today, Scouts from around the region look to him for their own project support.

“I have Eagle Scouts coming every year,” he says. “Scouts have built barred owl and flying squirrel boxes, taken on repairs, rebuilt structures, or upgraded landscaping.”

In 2020, Nishanth Kunchala of Troop 428 from Powell took on several Highbanks initiatives. “The more he did, the more he wanted to do.” By the time Kunchala was done, he, along with fellow Scouts and others, revamped a picnic shelter building, replaced picnic table boards, and installed ADAaccessible grills and a new brick patio base.

“Currently, we are developing a natural play station.

Another Scout designed and mulched the trail leading to that project,” says Rosenbeck. The trail also curtails invasive species, which was the Scout’s original idea. Along with boosting park offerings, Rosenbeck sees Eagle projects as a way Scouts learn what’s possible.

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

Luke Steffens learned what was possible 10 years ago when his Eagle project transformed a nondescript patch of invasive weeds and dirt in Scioto Audubon Metro Park south of downtown Columbus into a riot of color — a native-species flower garden that serves as a monarch butterfly way station. “I’m glad I helped the park do its mission of attracting native wildlife,” Steffens says. The core of the garden’s pathway near the nature center is still intact, and the New England asters, coneflowers, and butterfly weeds continue to attract butterflies.

Heather Williamson has been with the metroparks system for more than 20 years. “It’s a pleasure to watch how Scouts grow throughout the projects,” she says. At Rocky Fork, one of the parks she manages, Scout-made feeders offer birds a place to fuel up, and a new dog park shelter offers visitors a respite from the sun or rain.

Anthony Steines, a member of Troop 101 in Warren, turned to technology for his Eagle project. One of the troop’s annual projects is to place flags on veterans’ graves in Warren’s Oakwood Cemetery. The historic cemetery, opened in 1848, is a peaceful place of leafy trees and graves that date to the Revolutionary War. Many of them, weathered over time, are difficult to read, and Scouts would have a difficult time each year finding which stones needed flags. So Steines created a map and website, with photos and descriptions, that allow both the troop and public at large to find those graves and honor those veterans. “By giving back to the community, you’re able to see what’s needed” and then fill that need as an Eagle project, says Matt McCracken, scoutmaster of Troop 101 and himself an Eagle Scout.

Since girls were first allowed to join Scouting BSA in 2019, more than 31,000 girls have joined — including Libby Greenbaum, Union County’s first female Eagle Scout. Her father, Lanny, an Air Force veteran, inspired Libby to renovate the entrance of the American Legion Post in Marysville. She removed the ripped tarp and broken plexiglass that had covered the entrance and led a project to build a covered, wood-sided entryway. As part of American Legion Park, the building is next to the municipal pool and the walking path. Its fresh look shows off the community pride and the Eagle Scout’s can-do spirit. “I was very impressed with what she did,” says Mel Cantrell, the post commander. Greenbaum’s work “made a huge difference.”

Notable Ohio Eagle Scouts • Astronaut Neil Armstrong earned his Eagle Scout award in 1947 as a member of Troop 14 in Wapakoneta.

• U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown earned his Eagle in 1967 in Mansfield, in a ceremony that was attended by John Glenn.

• Milton Caniff, the cartoonist famous for comic strips Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon, earned his Eagle while growing up in Hillsboro.

Libby Greenbaum (top), Union County’s first female Eagle Scout, renovated the entrance to Marysville’s America Legion Post for her Eagle project; from left: Lars Haapala is one of numerous Scouts guided each year by Alan Rosenbeck, assistant manager at Highbanks Metropark; Luke Steffes’ project in Scioto Audubon Metro Park still draws monarch butterflies 10 years after its completion; Anthony Steines created a digital map to aid Scouts as they place flags at veterans’ graves in Warren.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

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

What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Knives

 “This knife is beautiful!” — J., La Crescent, MN

 “The feel of this knife is unbelievable... this is an incredibly fine instrument.”

— H., Arvada, CO

® Staueler Price

ImpossibLY ON

$99

OUR BONE-IFIED BEST BLADE 10" blade says you’re bad to the bone

M

y friend Sergio is a mixed martial arts fighter. His shoulders are broad. His muscles have muscles. He’s not the kind of person you want to be on the wrong side of.

easy carrying, it comes with a genuine tooled leather sheath absolutely free! And if you purchase the Blue Bone Bowie Knife and aren’t absolutely satisfied, return it for a full refund.

This manly man is bad to the bone — so much so that he carries a knife with a genuine natural blue bone handle. With its traditional plain edge and serrated spine, this knife can take care of anything life throws Sergio’s way.

Act fast! As Stauer has become popular among knife collectors for our attention to detail and excellent value, our blades usually move quickly. The first time we offered this blade, we SOLD OUT IN THREE DAYS. Of our second run of 2,348, we only have 547 left!

Inspired by our buddy’s blade, we’re offering you the Blue Bone Bowie Knife, a collectable cutlery piece that’s sure to impress.

Join more than 322,000 sharp people who collect stauer knives As beautiful as it is functional, this knife is 10" overall and features a high-quality 420 surgical stainless steel blade with a serrated spine. The handle is constructed of genuine natural blue bone with redwood spacers. On the handle you’ll find design work that’s carved by hand, a testament to its craftsmanship.

This knife is full tang, meaning it won’t wimp out when you need it. This knife also features brass handguards and brass spacers with file work, so you won’t lose your grip. For

Take Sergio’s advice and get the Blue Bone Bowie Knife today.

Otherwise, our fighting friend may have a bone to pick with you...

Knife Specifications: • 10" overall length • 420 surgical stainless steel. Full tang construction • Genuine natural blue bone and redwood handcarved handle • Genuine leather sheath included Blue Bone Bowie Knife $299 $99* + S&P California residents please call 1-800-806-1484 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: BBK139-01

Stauer, 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. BBK139-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 www.stauer.com

Stauer® |

AFFORD THE EXTRAORDINARY

®

HIGH POINT Check out the beauty and history of Buzzardsroost Rock — Ohio’s ‘other roof.’

BY KEVIN WILLIAMS

H

igh ground is challenging to find in Ohio. Alaskans, with their towering Denali, or even Arkansans, with their Ozarks, probably chuckle at the thought of our “high spots.”

Of course, the best-known Ohio pinnacle — the highest point — is Campbell Hill, which rises 1,550 feet above the surrounding plains.

But with the manicured lawns of the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center technical school atop it, one doesn’t necessarily get much of a “wilderness” vibe there.

For a taste of rural and wild, head to Buzzardsroost — Ohio’s “other roof” — a rocky outcropping overlooking the untamed and chocolate-colored Brush Creek, which carves a treacherous valley through Adams County. The view atop Buzzardsroost is one of the best Ohio has to offer. And at close to 1,000 rocky feet high, it seems like one of the state’s highest points.

Each time of year offers something different.

Winter is a solitude of quiet and barren beauty.

Spring is a time of reawakening and colorful songbirds. Summertime cloaks the hills in emerald beauty and wildflower bouquets. And autumn? Stake out a spot and watch the trees covering the valley alight in flaming oranges, crimson reds, and crisp rusts.

Adams County is a study in contrast to the rest of the state. The hardscrabble hills are honeycombed with creeks that pour down from the rocky ridges. Black bear meander into the county from the east in search The increased popularity of the trail to Buzzardsroost Rock has spurred a spate of improvements, such as a boardwalk and steps up part of the trail.

32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

of summer fruits and honey-filled hives. The hills of Adams County are the westernmost whisper of the Appalachians. The county’s rocky ridges shrouded in a summer haze have earned them the moniker of the “Little Smokies,” miniature cousins of their Tennessee counterparts. The place is also steeped in Civil War lore, and the ghosts of Morgan’s Raiders still haunt from their trail of terror through the Union hinterlands.

The Buzzardsroost trailhead is well marked off Route 125 near the town of Lynx — the name an homage to the bobcat, which still prowls these forests. There’s an overflow parking lot on the other side of 125 if the smaller trailhead lot is full — which happens at certain times of year.

An estimated 8,000 hikers have been coming to Buzzardsroost each year recently, according to Mike Hall, Appalachia forest manager at the Nature Conservancy, which manages the trail.

“The secret’s out,” says Carly Powell, a hiker in the Cincinnati Hikes Facebook forum of Buzzardsroost, advising people to arrive early in the day for a hike to avoid crowds.

The Buzzardsroost preserve honors Emma and Christian Goetz, siblings and scions of the well-known Cincinnati beer barons, who would come here to escape the city. A century later, people are still coming here to escape the city.

The trail underwent significant upgrades over the past couple of years, making the Buzzardsroost beauty Continued on page 34

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

Continued from page 33

Notes from the trail Make sure not to ost confuse Buzzardsro H. Rock with The Earl ’s rd Barnhart “Buzza erve Roost” Nature Pres . in Ross County Buzzardsroost Rock is located on State Route 125 near the town of Lynx.

Take a water bottle and a snack and pla n for a 2 /1 2-hour hik e.

Explore the nearby Wilderness Trail, which runs a 2.4-mile loop through the Edge of Appalachia Preserve.

easier to access. While the hike is still rigorous, wooden planks and boardwalks now make the terrain easier to traverse.

Look closely and you will notice lizards skittering up many of the trees. Eastern fence lizard numbers have been on the decline in Ohio in recent decades, but they’re common on the rocky top of Buzzardsroost, where they sun themselves.

About halfway up Buzzardsroost, the trail splits into a loop: one branch off to the right, the other to the left. The right side is slightly longer at 1.2 miles, the left is an even mile. I decided to take the long journey up and save some time down with the shorter route. I enjoyed the solitude, as this rural outpost had rendered my phone signal-less and I was relishing the quiet.

The recent improvements to the Buzzardsroost trail were born from necessity, says Chris Bedel, preserve director.

The growing popularity of the trail was a continuing threat to the native vegetation that occurs there. There’s also the issue of the steep cliffs — if you meander off the path, enticed by the beauty of a view, you may find yourself on the edge of a drop of hundreds of feet.

If you meander too far off the trail, you may find yourself on the edge of a drop of hundreds of feet.

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

All of the improvements have been made with one eye on the future, but one looking back in homage to E. Lucy Braun, the famed ecologist from the University of Cincinnati who studied the area back in the late 1920s and ’30s. “The photo on the sign is E. Lucy knee-deep in prairie vegetation instructing a group of college students, thus showing the lushness of what the prairie vegetation looked like prior to heavy visitation,” Bedel says, adding that Braun was instrumental in the protection of Buzzardroost through her research, advocacy, and even her efforts to form what would become The Nature Conservancy itself.

As I ascended Buzzardsroost, the sounds of cars on 125 faded, and a whispering wind from the south dredged up warm valley air. When I finally made it to the top, I was greeted with a serene panorama of Adams County’s rugged beauty. I wanted to linger and soak in the history and majesty of the area. I munched on granola and watched vultures ride the thermals as they rose from the valley. And I was high enough above Brush Creek to catch a phone signal. My solitude was broken by the ping of a text and suddenly my escape into the wilderness was interrupted. Next time, I’ll turn off my phone.

Make your home more comfortable than ever

“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair.

To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.”

— J. Fitzgerald, VA

NOW

also available in Genuine Italian Leather (as pictured here)

ACCREDITED BUSINESS A+

Three Chairs in One Sleep/Recline/Lift

You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep. Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button.

Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes back pressure relief, to

prevent back and muscle pain. The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage.

White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Genuine Italian Leather, plush and durable Brisa™, stain and liquid repellent DuraLux™ with the classic leather look or plush MicroLux™ microfiber, all handcrafted in a variety of colors to fit any decor. Call now!

The Perfect Sleep Chair®

1-888-820-0178

Please mention code 116676 when ordering.

Genuine Italian Leather A STAND-ASSIST POSITION

Now available in a variety of colors, fabrics and sizes.

Footrests vary by model

classic beauty & style

Brisa™

Saddle

Coffee Bean

plush & durable

Long Lasting DuraLux™

Burgundy

Tan

Chocolate

Blue

MicroLux™ Microfiber

Burgundy

Cashmere

Chocolate

Indigo

stain & liquid repellent

breathable & amazingly soft

Because each Perfect Sleep Chair is a made-to-order bedding product it cannot be returned, but if it arrives damaged or defective, at our option we will repair it or replace it. © 2022 Journey Health and Lifestyle

46608

REMOTE CONTROLLED EASILY SHIFTS FROM FLAT TO

Chestnut

MARKETPLACE

Ohio Mar April 2022.qxp_Advanced Tree 12/17/21

Fast-Growing Trees

For windbreak, screen and timber investment.

Some grow up to 6 feet per year!

Call 260-749-0891

For FREE brochure or to place an order

Pond Chemicals / Management Certified Aquatic Applicators Custom / Pond Aeration Water Features / Fountains De-Icing

ADVANCED TREE TECHNOLOGY

12818 Edgerton Road New Haven, IN 46774

www.advancedtree.com

www.diversifiedpondsupplies.com

419-738-0167

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

BARNS WANTED FOR RECLAIM We pay up front.

Completely insured A+ rating with the BBB.

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

Reach 300,000 of your best customers OHIO

DR® Power Grader

MARCH 2022

COOPERATIVE Official publication of your electric cooperative | www.ohioec.org

Make Your Driveway Like NEW! • Fill in potholes and smooth out washboard

High-tech highway The future of transportation

Ohio Cooperative Living has been a valued presence in rural Ohio homes and businesses for the past 65 years. For advertising information, please contact Rheta Gallagher at rgallagher@ohioec.org today!

ALSO INSIDE Home solar Q&A The cruelest month Storm’s brewing

• Loosen & redistribute existing material • Tow with your ATV, UTV, or tractor

DRpowergrader.com !

LE

SA

FREE SHIPPING

SOME LIMITATIONS APPLY

FREE Catalog!

Call Toll-Free 888-213-1209

2022 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

APR. 16–17, APR. 29–MAY 1 – AKC Fast CAT, The Gated Dock-Canine Enrichment Ctr., 7251 OH-98, Shelby.

Come watch the dogs compete in Fast CAT (Coursing Ability Tests). 419-961-4711, www.thegateddock.com, or find us on Facebook.

APR. 19, 21 – Flowerpot Workshop, Crossway Farms Greenhouse, 2211 Cisco Rd., Sidney. Join us at the greenhouse to plant a flowerpot for downtown and one for yourself. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

APR. 22–23, MAY 14–15 – 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., rain or shine. Free; APR. 10, 17, 24 – Glass Art Workshop, Toledo Museum handicapped accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per show. A of Art, Glass Pavilion Hot Shop, 2445 Monroe St., Toledo, browser’s delight! 419-447- 9613, tiffinfleamarket@gmail. com, or www.tiffinfleamarket.com.

12 p.m. $42 for members, $52 for non-members. You decide which glass object you’ll make. 419-255-8000 or APR. 23 – Chocolate and Wine Walk, 5495 Liberty www.toledomuseum.org.

Ave., Vermilion, noon–4 p.m., rain or shine! $20.

Take a stroll through downtown Vermilion while APR. 16 – Easter Egg Hunt, Northwest Ohio Railroad sampling chocolate treats and/or wine as you visit the Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 10 a.m.–2 participating shops. This year’s theme is Derby Hats, p.m. $3 adults, $2 children 12 or under (includes a train so get creative to win a prize! 440-967-4477 or www. ride). Continuous egg hunt with multiple age divisions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fun and treats for all participating vermilionohio.com. youngsters! Quarter-scale train rides until 4 p.m. 419-423- APR. 24 – Glass City Marathon, 2801 W. Bancroft 2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp. St., Toledo. One of the fastest marathon courses in the APR. 16 – Easter Egg Hunt on the Square, 109 S. Ohio Midwest, regularly in the top list of Boston Marathon qualifying events. 26.2-mile marathon, 13.1-mile half Ave., Sidney. Children ages 1–11 (through 5th grade) search around the Historic Court House for hidden eggs. marathon, 5K, five-person relay, and kids’ run (ages 5–12). www.glasscitymarathon.org.

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

APR. 30 – Toledo Doll, Bear, and Toy Show, Total APR. 16 – Hayes Easter Egg Roll, Spiegel Grove, Sports Rossford, 10020 S. Compass Dr., Rossford, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., early admission 8:30–10 a.m. $7, Museums, Fremont, noon–3 p.m. Each child should under 13 free; early bird, $20. Antique, vintage, artist, bring three hard-boiled colored eggs. Children ages and modern dolls and bears/critters; related items, 3–10 are invited to participate in a variety of egg games that replicate the famous White House Easter accessories, and much more. Door prizes, ID/valuation, and on-site restringing. www.toledodollshow.com.

Egg Roll started by President Hayes. Enjoy games, crafts, and a visit with the Easter Bunny. 419-332MAY 4–7 – Annual Quilt Show, Founders Hall at 2081or www.rbhayes.org.

Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, Wed.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Hundreds of quilts on display from around

NORTHWEST

WEST VIRGINIA

APR. 23 – Ramps and Rails Festival, Elkins Depot, 315 Railroad Ave., Elkins. Ramp-themed foods, live music, and craft vendors. 304-365-7803 or www. elkinsdepot.com/events/ramps-and-rail-festival.

APR. 23 – West Virginia Food Truck Festival, Eleanor Park & Fair Grounds, Park Road, Eleanor, 12–5 p.m.

Free. Food trucks, artisan vendors and demonstrations, a corn hole tournament, and great live music 304-7577282 or www.wvfoodtruckfestival.com.

the region, as well as a quilt shop and vendor market, special exhibits, demos, and workshops. Quilt appraisals on Thursday and Friday, and by appointment on Saturday. 800-590-9755 or https://saudervillage.org.

MAY 7 – Kentucky Derby Affair on the Square, 109 S. Ohio Ave., Sidney. Get your hats and bow ties ready for this derby-themed fundraiser for Sidney Alive. Join us for a garden soirée on the Square, including a derby foot race featuring local celebrity jockeys! Email your celebrity nomination to events@sidneyalive.org. 937658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

MAY 7 – Spring Fest Car Show, Van Wert Co. Fgds., Van Wert, 4–7:30 p.m. $10 fee gives access to all vendors. All cars welcome; only those prior to 1986 will be judged. Dash plaques for first 75; door prizes and goody bags; live DJ spinning the ’50s and ’60s records.

419-733-0055 or www.vanwertcountyfair.com.

MAY 7–8 – “Springtime in Ohio” Old Mill Stream Craft Show, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $6, under 12 free. Early-bird shopping, Sat. 8–10 a.m., $8.

419-436-1457 or http://cloudshows.biz.

MAY 13–15 – NADD Dock Diving Competition, The Gated Dock-Canine Enrichment Ctr., 7251 OH-98, Shelby. Spectators are welcome at the entertaining North America Diving Dogs competition. 419-961-4711, www.thegateddock.com, or find us on Facebook.

MAY 13–15, 20–22 – A Fox on the Fairway, Encore Theatre, 991 N. Shore Dr., Lima, Fri./Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man’s eternal love affair with … golf. 419-223-8866 or www.amiltellers.org.

MAY 14 – Lilac Festival and Street Fair, Clinton Street, Defiance, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Celebrate the official flower of Defiance with the community’s largest arts and crafts fair. Free lilacs to the first 750 attendees. Arts and craft vendors, unique food vendors, and kids’ activities.

419-782-0739 or http://visitdefianceohio.com/events.

MAY 14–22 – West Virginia Strawberry Festival, downtown Buckhannon. Food vendors specializing in strawberry treats of all kinds, arts and crafts show, horse and carriage parade, carnival, exhibits, and much more!

304-472-9036 or www.wvstrawberryfestival.com.

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.

MARCH 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2022 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

NORTHEAST

APR. 4–18 – Annual Spring Quilt Show, Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., or by appointment. Free. 740-283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.

APR. 15–MAY 8 – The Great Steubenville Eggsibition, downtown Steubenville, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Three-foot-tall Easter eggs will be placed in downtown businesses for an all-city, all-ages Easter egg hunt! The 28 giant eggs were painted by local artists. Maps available at Leonardo’s Coffeehouse, the Steubenville Visitor Center, and many local shops. Call 740-632-8909 or www. steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/eggsibition.

APR. 16 – Avon Spring Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Emerald Event Ctr., 33040 Just Imagine Dr., Avon, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Artists and crafters sell original handmade items. Full concessions on-site. 440227-8794 or www.avantgardeshows.com.

APR. 21–24 – Geauga County Maple Festival, Historic Chardon Square, Chardon, Thur. noon–10 p.m., Fri./ Sat. 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Maple syrup and candy contest, lumberjack competition, beard and mustache contest, bathtub races, pageants, and much more. All-you-can-eat Pancakes in the Park every day, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. 440-286-3007 or www.maplefestival.com.

APR. 22–23 – Earlier Times Antiques and Folk Art Show, Harvest Ridge, Holmes Co. Fgds., 8880 St. Rte. 39, Millersburg, Fri. 4–7 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information, contact Cheryl Williams at 614-9895811 or cew3557@yahoo.com.

APR. 23 – Spring Craft and Vendor Show, Market Square at Crocker Park, 239 Market St., Westlake, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Crafters, artists, and small businesses to shop. www.facebook.com/events/602458850949602.

APR. 23–24 – Wayne County Home and Garden Show, 199 Vancouver St., Wooster, Sat. a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. More than 200 exhibitors offering services and products. 330-262-5735 or www. woosterchamber.com/wayne-county-home-garden-show.

APR. 24 – Wayne County Coin Club 68th Annual Coin Show, Wooster High School, 515 Oldman Rd., Wooster, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Free. Dealers and displays; door prizes.

Food on premises. 330-264-9976 or www.wccvb.com.

APR. 29–30 – Watch Fob, Memorabilia, and Toy Show and Sale, Lakeside Sand and Gravel, 3540 Frost Rd., Mantua, Fri. 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free.

The world’s largest display of watch fobs for show or sale, construction equipment memorabilia, gravel pit tours. Free refreshments! www.watchfob.com or www. facebook.com/IWFAI. APR. 29–30 – Wayne County Cupcake Tour, the Kidron/Orrville area, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $15. Seven stores, seven cupcakes, one sweet tour! 800-438-5346 or www. lehmans.com/events for details and ticket information.

APR. 30 – Smithville Village Yard Sales, various locations, Smithville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Approximately 100 yard/garage sales, all in one village! 330-669-2781.

APR. 30–MAY 1 – Ohio Civil War Show and Artillery Show, Richland Co. Fgds., 750 N Home Rd., Mansfield, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7, under 12 free. Military items, relics, and memorabilia to buy,

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon; Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., April–November. Buy local and support your local economy. The market showcases farmers, orchardists, specialty food producers, bakers, horticulturalists, cheese makers, and many other food-based entrepreneurs. 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.

APR. 14–16 – Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. $150. Includes two days of field trips to botanical hot spots; three meals (pack your own light lunches); and two evening presentations. Space is limited; registration

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • APRIL 2022

is required. 937-365-1935 or www.arcofapplachia.org/ annual-wildflower-pilgrimage.

APR. 17 – Singin’ in the Rain, Athena Grand, 1008 E. State St., Athens, 7 p.m. Celebrate the 70th anniversary of this classic musical. 740-593-8800 or www. athenagrand.com.

APR. 22 – Lonesome River Band/Almost Famous, Pennyroyal Opera House, off I-70 at exit 198, Fairview, 7 p.m. $15, under 13 free. Doors and kitchen open at 5 p.m. 740-827-0957 or www.facebook.com/ PennyroyalBluegrassOhio.

APR. 22–23 – The Buck Fifty, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 12 p.m. Overnight, 150-mile relay race that will take runners throughout Ross County.

Runners: $500–$1,350. www.thebuckfifty.com.

APR. 23 – Central Center Car Show, 660 Central Center, Chillicothe, 9 a.m. Bring your classic cars, rat rods, trucks, sports cars, and more! $15 pre-registration gets you a free T-shirt and dash plaque. Vendors, music, trophies, 50/50 raffle, and family fun! www. visitchillicotheohio.com/events.

APR. 23 – Earth Gathering Festival, Pump House Center for the Arts, 1 Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. A juried-invitational art festival with an Earth Day theme designed to enlighten, entertain, and inspire the public with Earth-friendly art, music,

sell, or trade. Cannon firing demos, WWII small arms demos, Civil War hospital scenario and battleground encampments, and much more. 419-884-2194 or www. ohiocivilwarshow.com.

MAY 5 – 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.

MAY 5 – National Day of Prayer Event, LaGrange Community Park, 422 W. Main St., LaGrange, noon.

All are welcome. Please bring your own lawn chair.

440-355-4561.

MAY 6–7 – Dandelion May Fest, Breitenbach Wine Cellars, 5934 Old Rte. 39 NW, Dover, Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Dandelion wine tastings, cellar tours, dandelion sangria, dandelion food, live entertainment, arts and crafts, and vendor fair. 5K walk/run and 10K run Saturday. 330-343-3603 or www.breitenbachwine.com/ events/dandelion-festival.

MAY 7 – Annual Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park Dinner/Auction, Hopedale VFD Social Hall, 103 Firehouse Lane, Hopedale, 4–10 p.m. $20.

Buffet-style dinner at 5 p.m., auction around 7 p.m. For reservations/information or to donate items, call 740391-4135 or 740-942-3895, email info@hcrhp.org, or visit www.hcrhp.org.

MAY 14–15 – Rockarama Jewelry, Gem, Crystal, Fossil, and Mineral Show, Soccer Sportsplex, 31515 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $6, free for kids under 12 and Scouts in uniform. Exhibits, demonstrations, silent/Chinese auctions, door prizes. Fun for the whole family! www. parmalapidary.com/Big1.asp.

food, products, and ideas. 740-772-5783 or www. visitchillicotheohio.com/events.

APR. 23–24 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville. $5, under 13 free. Free parking on fairground lots. 937-728-6643 or www. lucasvilletradedays.com.

MAY 4–SEP. 28 – Courtside Open Air Market, 801 Wheeling Ave.., Cambridge, every Friday, 8 a.m.–noon.

Local plants, produce and flowers, handmade goods, and homemade baked goods. 740-680-1866 or find us on Facebook.

MAY 5–8 – Vinton County Wild Turkey Festival, East Main Street, McArthur. Nightly entertainment, carnival rides and games, car show, quilt show, queen and baby contests, food, and family fun. Grand Parade takes place Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by crowning of the festival queen. https://vcwtf.org/index.html or www.facebook. com/wildturkeyfestival.

MAY 6–21 – Heirloom Plant Sale, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Wed.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m. Choose from among 85 varieties of herbs, tomatoes, vegetables, and flowers.

Metal art and hanging baskets will also be available for purchase. www.adenamansion.com/events.htm.

CENTRAL

THROUGH APR. 30 – Spring Farmers Market, Weasel Boy Brewing Company, 126 Muskingum Ave., Zanesville, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Locally grown produce, homemade food, locally raised/processed meat, farm eggs, Ohio cheese, and much more! www.zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

APR. 12, MAY 10 – Inventors Network Meeting, virtual, 7 p.m. Educational presentations and discussion about the invention process. Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month virtually. 614-470-0144 or www. inventorscolumbus.com.

APR. 15 – “Bring the Farm to You,” Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, near Children’s Garden entrance, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Program included in museum admission; registration not required.

A real-life farm is coming right to the Conservatory!

Kids can interact with chicks, chickens, ducks, a turkey, rabbits, sheep, goats, and a pig during this petting zoo experience. www.fpconservatory.org/events.

APR. 22–24 – Mohican Wildlife Weekend, various locations in Ashland and Richland counties. Free. A celebration of wildlife habitat, heritage, and natural history. Choose from more than 11 program sites that will offer workshops and demonstrations to interest beginners and experienced naturalists alike. 800-6428282 or www.mohicanwildlifeweekend.com.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH APR. 30 – Workshops: Easter Egg and Bunny Paperweights, Neusole Glassworks, 11925 Kemper Springs Dr., Cincinnati, Wed./Thur. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat./Sun. 8 a.m.–8 p.m. $50/ person per 30-min. session. For ages 5 and older. With the help of our professional glass artists, you can sculpt an Easter egg paperweight or a bunny paperweight out of solid molten glass! Ready for pickup in 7 days.

Registration required; check availability by phone or email: 513-751-3292 or neusoleglassworks@hotmail. com. More information: http://neusoleglassworks.com.

THROUGH MAY 25 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, 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. 513-385-9309 or vinokletwinery@fuse.net.

APR. 8–9 – Midwest Ceramic Association Show, Butler Co. Exhibition Bldg., Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Ohio’s original ceramic show. www.midwestceramics.org.

APR. 23 – Tony Danza: “Standards and Stories,” Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $32–$54. Combining timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele performances, Danza performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. 740-383-2101 or www. marionpalace.org.

APR. 23–24 – Annual Daffodil Show and Sale, 537 Jones Rd., Granville, noon–6 p.m. Free. Hundreds of daffodils will be on display throughout the historic Bryn Du Mansion. Learn how to plant, arrange, and care for these wonderful spring flowers. You can also order bulbs for your own garden. www.oagc.org.

APR. 23–24 – Ohio Button Show: “A Passion for Fashion,” Crowne Plaza Columbus-North Worthington Hotel, 6500 Doubletree Ave., Columbus, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. $5. Join us for buttons, competitions, and fun! Saturday evening presentation is “Todd Oldham’s Flair Everywhere.” 614-885-1885 or www.ohiobuttons.org/SpringShow.html.

APR. 24 – Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra Concert, Brown Chapel, Muskingum University, College Drive, New Concord, 7 p.m. $15. 740-8268197 or http://seoso.org.

APR. 29 – Repose of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War Encampment, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capital Square, Columbus, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, a group of Civil War reenactors, will provide an honor guard in the Rotunda where Lincoln lay in repose on this day in 1865. They will also hold an encampment on the statehouse lawn, with cannon firings. https://ohio. org/festivals-and-events/events.

APR. 29–MAY 1 – A Spring Gathering, Franklin Co. Fgds., Burke Bldg., 4100 Columbia St., Hilliard, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5 at door,

under 15 free. Early buyer: Fri. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., $10 (buy online). 125+ vendors. Modern made, vintage, boutique clothing, designers, growers and bakers, food trucks, and live music. 614-296-1621, http:// thevintageandmademarket.com, or www.facebook.com/ RoundBarnVintageandMadeMarket.

MAY 6 – BritBeat, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $20–$30. With mop-tops, retro costumes, vintage instruments, and harmonizing vocals, the band performs all the Beatles’ hits from the sixties.

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

MAY 6 – Pickerington Chocolate Hop, beginning at Columbus and Center streets, Pickerington, 6–8:30 p.m. $5 donation gets you a map of locations around Olde Pickerington Village where you will receive a little chocolate treat as a thank-you. Limited number of maps; donate in advance. www.pickeringtonvillage.com.

MAY 7 – Herb Day, Veterans Memorial Park, 73 W. Johnstown Rd., Gahanna, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Join us in celebrating Gahanna’s 50th anniversary as the “Herb Capital of Ohio”! Visit our marketplace to see what our local artists and herb-based businesses have to offer.

Purchase locally sourced herbs at our plant sale. 614642-4372 or www.ohioherbalcenter.org.

MAY 7–8 – Central Ohio Folk Festival, Highbanks Metro Park, 9466 Columbus Pike (Rte. 23), Lewis Center, Sat. 10:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Sun. 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Suggested donation $10 per adult, $20 per family.

Three performing stages, 30+ music workshops, an ongoing “jam” tent (all welcome), kids’ programming, and more. Saturday night headliner act: The Way Down Wanderers. Food trucks on-site. 614-470-3963 or www. columbusfolkmusicsociety.org/festival.html.

MAY 7–OCT. 29 – Coshocton Farmers Market, 300 block of Main Street, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m.

Fresh local-grown produce; artisans with handmade crafts. www.facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket.

APR. 17 – Easter Egg Hunt, Young’s Dairy, 6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs, 2 p.m. Free. Open to children up to age 10. Each year, Young’s hard-boils and dyes over 7,000 eggs for this fun family event. 937325-0629 or www.youngsdairy.com/easter-egg-hunt.

APR. 22 – 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 on-site. 513-8321422 or http://fibbrew.com.

APR. 22–24 – Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival, downtown Bellbrook. Food vendors, nightly beer garden, live entertainment, craft booths, parade, kids’ activities, 6K run, dog show, pancake breakfast. Locally sourced, authentic sugar maple syrup will be available for purchase. www.sugarmaplefestival.com.

APR. 22–24 – Vintage Market Days: “Live Love Vintage,” Greene Co. Fgds., 120 Fairground Rd., Xenia, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5–$7.50, under 13 free. 120 vendors offering furniture, home décor, vintage and handcrafted items, jewelry, boutique clothing, and much more. Food trucks and live music all weekend. www.vintagemarketdays.com.

APR. 23 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Sterling Bluegrass Jamboree, 26 E. Main St., Mt. Sterling, 5 p.m. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music. Music kicks off at 4 p.m. with the Sterling Bluegrass Band. Home-cooked food, including pies, available on-site. 614-323-6938, sterlingbluegrassjamboree@gmail.com, or www. sterlingbluegrassjamboree.com/upcoming-events.

MAY 6 – First Friday Concert Series: Ronstadt and Fisher, First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Broad

St., Middletown, noon–1 p.m. Free; handicapped accessible. Dynamic, original, moving duets with cello and piano featuring Michael Ronstadt and Serenity Fisher. Bring your lunch if you like. 513-423-4629 or www.myfumc.net.

MAY 6 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Butler County Bluegrass Association, 5113 Huston Rd., Collinsville, 7–9 p.m. Free. Join us for an evening of lively bluegrass music. Reasonably priced home-style food available on-site. 937-417-8488.

MAY 7–8 – Appalachian Festival, Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $3–$12, under 6 free. Handmade crafts and demonstrations, down-home food, Living History Village, educational exhibits, old-time dance, storytelling, and music. May 7 features the lively bluegrass music of Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass and many other bands. 513-251-3378 or www. appalachianfestival.org.

MAY 14 – Loveland Spring Arts and Crafts Show, Loveland Primary School, 550 Loveland Madeira Rd., Loveland, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3. Approximately 100 artists/crafters with unique handcrafted items, including jewelry, baby items, woodcrafts, candles, and more. Bring a nonperishable food item for a free raffle ticket. Concessions on-site. 513-476-5187 or lovelandcraftshow@gmail.com.

MAY 14 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Hamilton’s Urban Backyard, 501 Main St., Hamilton, 7–10 p.m. Free. Enjoy an outdoor evening of lively bluegrass music featuring lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs.

Local craft brews and food trucks available on-site.

Consider bringing a lawn chair. 513-893-9482, info@ hubhamilton.com, or www.hubhamilton.com.

APRIL 2022 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

1

SCOUT’S honor

2

1. Our proud Brownie Scout, Elise, age 8.

Amy Ruane Midwest Electric, Inc., member

3

4

2. At the Memorial Day celebration in Hinckley, Ohio, a Cub Scout hands a carnation to my father, John Ascherl, a World War II Army veteran.

Antoinette Hawk Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member 3. My son Clayton at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

Misty McGiffin South Central Power Company member 4. My son David is the newest Cub Scout in Frankfort’s Simon Kenton Council pack.

Linda Hurless South Central Power Company member

5

6

5. My sons, Bradley and Kyle, posing before marching with their pack in our Veterans Day parade.

Brianne Moore Washington Electric Cooperative member 6. Raising of the Colors at a campout 13 years ago at the Troop 217 Scout cabin in New London. Six of the Scouts in this photo went on to earn the Eagle Scout rank.

Terry Knudsen Firelands Electric Cooperative member (and Troop 217 scoutmaster) Below: E ric Wampler and Joshua Jerome, from Troop 701 in Sunbury, at their Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

Lisa Jerome Consolidated Cooperative member

Send us your picture!

F or July, send “Sparklers” by April 15; for August, send “Sunflowers” by May 15.

Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive.

Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • MARCH 2022

SPONSORED BY OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Nominate a Bright Light in Your Community Inspired by a cooperative member making a difference in your community? Tell their story and they could win $500!* Ohio’s electric cooperatives value those who elevate and energize our communities. That’s why we’re excited to announce the 2022 #WhoPowersYouOhio contest, to honor electric cooperative members who display the qualities of a servant leader in your community. Share their story with us. Together, we will celebrate the power of human connections. Nominate someone special today!

Visit ohiocoopliving.com/wpyo between May 1, and June 4, 2022. Submit a photo of your nominee. Tell us why that person inspires you and how they make a difference in your cooperative community. Deadline for entries: 11:59 p.m., June 4, 2022.

Prizes: Based on their positive impact to their electric cooperative community, up to ten nominees will be chosen to receive $500. *Visit ohiocoopliving.com/wpyo for full contest rules.

Specializing In Post Frame Buildings Call Toll Free (855) MQS-3334

• Free Estimates

www.mqsstructures.com

40’x60’x12’ • Garage/Hobby Shop

Delivery Fees May Apply

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