Ohio Cooperative Living – April 2023 - Adams

INSIDE

FEATURES

22 AXIS SALLY

Mildred Gellars wanted publicity and attention — she got plenty of both, but maybe not in the way she had imagined.

24 RAIN GARDENS

The suddenly trendy landscape feature is more than just a pretty, decorative hole in the ground.

28 EASTER EGG-CITEMENT

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums continue a tradition the Ohioan brought to the White House.

Cover image on most editions: April is Lineworker Appreciation Month, when co-ops everywhere take time to say a special thanks to their crews for putting it all on the line. This page: Ever thought of being a lineworker? Ohio’s co-ops built their own training facility to bolster the skills, safety, and know-how of their workers.

It’s about the people

Electric cooperatives make substantial investments in the communities we serve, from the power plants that send power across the grid to your local co-op to the poles, wires, transformers, and meters that generally blend into the local landscape. These are all expensive and long-lived physical assets necessary to make your lights come on day in and day out.

But our most important investments — and our greatest assets — are the people who work for our electric co-ops. People are what make the whole thing go. Management at every electric cooperative seeks to recruit, employ, and develop people with the necessary attitude and skills to serve your needs: engineers, accountants, member service representatives, and, of course, lineworkers.

Lineworkers have long stood as the human symbols of electric service, representing the strength, skill, and determination needed to build and maintain the electric lines that keep us connected, through whatever conditions Mother Nature sends our way.

Ohio’s electric cooperatives have invested in our own lineworker training and apprenticeship program to ensure the people keeping your lights on get the best training possible to safely and efficiently work through the challenging conditions they are faced with every day. You can learn more about the path to becoming a lineworker, the training it takes, and the essential role they play on page 4 , as we celebrate lineworkers this month.

I also want to thank and recognize the hundreds of other cooperative employees who help make our organizations run — keeping your electricity service safe, reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible. The essential service provided by cooperative employees throughout Ohio and across the country sometimes goes unnoticed, but it is always appreciated. Thank you.

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

Lineworkers have long stood as the human symbols of electric service, representing the strength, skill, and determination needed to build the electric lines that keep us connected.

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives

6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757

www.ohiocoopliving.com

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Caryn Whitney Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Amy Howat Associate Editor

Crystal Pomeroy Graphic Designer

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Randy Edwards, Victoria Ellwood, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, Craig Springer, and Damaine Vonada.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 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 Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

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DEPARTMENTS

4 POWER LINES

So, you want to be a lineworker? The job is tough and dangerous, but the work is rewarding and the perks are many.

8 CO-OP PEOPLE

Honey of a hobby: Co-op employees find that beekeeping is a sweet way to spend their off-work hours.

10 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

King of the castle: Searching for burrowing crayfish is a rite of spring, says our outdoors editor, Chip Gross.

13 GOOD EATS

Jammin’ jelly: Of course, there’s nothing wrong with good old strawberry preserves, but thick, luscious jam can be oh-so-much more!

17 LOCAL PAGES

News and information from your electric cooperative.

33 CALENDAR

National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon

American MainStreet Publications

847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

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

36 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Tea party: Members' children (and some grown-ups) gather around the table for a steaming cuppa — as in the photo at right by Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member Tonia Edmonds of her daughter and friends.

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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.

lineworker? So, you want to be a

BY RANDY EDWARDS

Travis Wise has been an apprentice lineworker for only about a year, but already he’s experienced the kind of extreme weather that is both the scourge of the lineworker and a source of collective pride.

In June 2022, a derecho packing a macroburst, three tornadoes, and powerful straight-line winds left thousands without power in the midst of a heat wave. Six months later, the winter storm that hit Ohio just before Christmas brought snow and sub-zero temperatures with wind-chill readings in the minus-30 range, along with another round of power outages.

Despite the inhospitable weather conditions, Wise spent long days outdoors with his team of lineworkers at Consolidated Cooperative, returning power to customers who desperately needed it.

“In June, we were working 16 hours a day in 90-degree weather, for about a week,” says Wise, 22. “Then winter storm Elliott hit (in December) and we worked a lot of overtime when it was minus 30. We’ve seen the hottest of the hot and the coldest of the cold.”

“Sure, I want to be home,” Wise says. “But there are people out there who don’t have power and if we’re not out there doing this, then who is?”

That sense of mission, along with a strong work ethic and a focused mind, is what Ohio’s electric cooperatives look for when hiring apprentice lineworkers, says Kyle Hoffman, manager of the Central Ohio Lineworker Training (COLT) facility in Mount Gilead.

“It takes a certain mindset to want to go into this line of work — a very focused individual who loves to be outside, who loves to work with their hands,” says Hoffman. “Because when most people are seeking shelter from the storms, you’re going out into it.”

After they are hired by one of the 25 electric co-ops in Ohio and West Virginia, apprentice lineworkers begin rigorous training at COLT, learning the fundamentals of electricity; how to install, maintain,

The job is tough and dangerous, but the work is rewarding and the perks are many.

Travis Wise trained at a trade school near his home before he began his apprenticeship lineworker training for Consolidated Cooperative in Mount Gilead.

and repair power lines; and how to operate a variety of vehicles used in line work.

But first and foremost, they learn safety.

“It is a hazardous occupation,” Hoffman says. Most power lines in Ohio carry 7,200 volts of electricity. “The hazards of the occupation are what require the highest level of training. It takes a highly knowledgeable and highly skilled individual to do this kind of work.”

The knowledge and skill are earned over a four-year apprenticeship, including 8,000 hours of on-the-job training interspersed with 600 hours of instruction at COLT. The pride of COLT is the indoor training facility, completed in 2017. Its ceiling is high enough to accommodate 40-foot utility poles, which students learn to climb wearing pole climber boots with gaffs — metal spikes that penetrate the wood.

On the walls are banks of electric meters and rows of gear: climbing belts and safety harnesses, rubber gloves and sleeves, flame-retardant clothing, and an assortment of hand tools.

The 16-acre outdoor training area is similarly equipped with multiple poles rigged with power lines that are energized at a voltage lower than that of live distribution lines, to better manage the safety of the students while they learn. “If they make a mistake here, they’re going to walk away from it,” Hoffman explains.

About 150 apprentice lineworkers are engaged in training in any one year, along with 35 to 40 journeyman (fully trained and qualified) lineworkers who come for continuing education. After the four-year apprenticeship, a lineworker is fully qualified and also has earned a commercial driver’s license and 45 college credit hours.

For many of the students, this is not their first trip up a pole. Wise, for example, spent six months in lineworker training at a trade school near his childhood home of Knockemstiff, in Ross County. For Paul Pfenning, 31, a job with Midwest Electric in his hometown of St. Marys, in

Auglaize County, came after eight years of military service, in the Air Force and Air National Guard, before attending a lineworker training program in Georgia.

Military service is excellent preparation for a lineworker, Pfenning says. “It’s a tough job, but that’s probably why I’m interested in it. In my military career, I’m used to structure, attention to detail, a strong work ethic,” he says. “As a lineman, attention to detail keeps you safe and gets you home at night.”

“When they heard I was going to go to do the lineman training, people said, ‘Do you really want to stand out in the cold and the blistering sun?’ To be honest, that stuff never bothered me,” Pfenning says. “I’ve been an outdoors guy all my life, and in the military, the mission never stopped just because it was raining.”

Like the job, the training is challenging work and doesn’t happen overnight, but Wise says he’s undaunted by the process.

“A lineman told me one time, ‘You know, you’re going to be an apprentice for such a short time, and you’re going to be a lineman for 40 years. You’re going to get your time in the bucket.’ So, I’m not in any rush to speed through it."

Lineworkers at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives earn top salaries and benefits, and they’re in demand. Hoffman explains that demand for lineworkers is expected to continue growing in the coming years due to retirements and an increasing focus on improving the reliability of the electricity grid.

And some of the benefits are intangible, yet rewarding.

“When the lights go back on and you get that applause in the middle of the night, and people come out and say, ‘Thank you.’ You’re doing something more than just going to work each day,” Hoffman says. “That’s really what line work in the co-ops is all about.”

Paul Pfenning says his military background was good experience for becoming a lineworker at Midwest Electric in St. Marys.

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honey of a hobby

By Victoria Ellwood

Encountering thousands of bees could be a little disconcerting — maybe downright terrifying — for most of us. But two Ohio electric cooperative employees share their backyards with hundreds of thousands of bees, and they say coexisting with the buzzing critters is intriguing, relaxing, and oh-so-sweet.

“In the summertime, my boyfriend and I will walk down by the hives and see what the bees are doing. It’s really interesting to watch them. They’re gentle, they fly in and out, and they leave you alone,” says Missy Davis, staff accountant at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative in Millersburg, who has six hives on her rural property near Wooster.

Likewise, Stacey Shaw, safety director and line supervisor at HWEC, has at least 10 beehives on his property near Millersburg, with up to 100,000 bees in each one.

“Sometimes, I lie down on the ground and just watch them,” he says. “Each hive has its own personality. Some are really docile, and then you have some that can be more aggressive. But the term ‘worker bee’? They earn that. As soon as daylight comes, they head out strictly for work; they work nonstop until dark and then do it all over again the next morning.”

Co-op employees find beekeeping is a sweet way to spend their off-work hours.

Missy Davis, staff accountant at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative in Millersburg, keeps six beehives on her property and has created her own logo for the honey they produce.

CO-OP PEOPLE

Adds Missy: “It’s kind of mind-blowing the vast number of bees that can be in one hive and the amount of work they do. And it’s crazy how much honey they make. They’re really cool creatures.”

Both Missy and Stacey got involved in beekeeping as a hobby, and quickly became infatuated with their tiny livestock.

“I was looking for something to do when I retire, and I figured bees are something we need for our food supply,” explains Stacey. “After reading about them for 10 years, I decided to do it a couple of winters ago.”

Though it’s simply a hobby, his family has gotten the buzz, too. “Our house has a lot of bee things in it — ‘bee’ this and ‘bee’ that. My daughter even hosted a ‘bride to bee’ wedding shower.”

Missy, who created a “Missy’s Honey” logo for her hobby, experiments with making beeswax lip balms and hand scrubs, but mostly just harvests the honey. “Depending on how good the nectar flow is in the summer, you can end up getting 6 to 8 gallons of honey from each hive,” she explains. “The alfalfa fields and white clover that grow around my home make the honey super sweet.”

She suits up in her protective gear to interact with her bees, after finding out the hard way she’s allergic to bee stings. “I learned real quick that they can get you,” she says. “Now I keep an EpiPen handy. But the more you work with them, the more they recognize you. They’re really pretty gentle.”

Stacey Shaw, safety director at Holmes-Wayne Electric, says he often just lies on the ground and watches his 10 hives, each of which, he says, has its own distinct personality.

Kin g of the castle

Searching for burrowing crayfish is a rite of passage in the spring.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W. H. “CHIP” GROSS

Sometime when you feel like getting outdoors and impressing your young kids/grandkids this spring, tell them this story: Say you’re going to visit a king who lives in a castle. Would they like to come along and meet him? To add to the mystery, tell them the king only comes out of his castle at night. What youngster is going to say no to that?

Take along a shovel, a bucket, and a pair of gloves. What you’ll be digging for are burrowing crayfish, which build a mud chimney — or “castle” — several inches high, giving away their location. This is the ideal season of the year to look for the chimneys of burrowing crayfish, before vegetation emerges and makes them more difficult to see. The edges of moist farm fields and wet areas are good places to begin your search.

Known variously as crayfish, crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, or by many other local names, these crustaceans look like mini freshwater lobsters — and taste like it, too. Crawfish boils in the South (especially in Louisiana, where the clawed critters routinely grow much larger than here in Ohio) are highly anticipated party gatherings.

Worldwide, crayfish have a tremendous diversity; there are nearly 700 species, with 475 of those found in North America. The majority of the North American species are in the eastern half of the continent and associated with the Appalachian and Ozark mountains.

“In Ohio, we live in the center of the world’s crayfish diversity, with new species still being discovered and described,” says Roger Thoma, who’s been studying crayfish, a field of science known as astacology, for more than half a century. “The Buckeye State currently has 22 native and two introduced species of crayfish.”

Thoma has recently put that accumulated knowledge into his new book, A Naturalist’s Guide to the Crayfish of Ohio, published by the Ohio Biological Survey. According to Thoma, there are three general categories of Ohio crayfish: stream dwellers, rock dwellers and bank burrowers, and primary burrowers. It’s the last category, primary burrowers, that construct chimneys, and there are six of those species in Ohio.

“The burrows of these species can sometimes be quite deep, up to 6 feet, but 2 to 3 feet is more the norm,” Thoma says.

“The simplest of the burrows are vertical, with only one entrance and no side tunnels. Some species construct complex tunnels with multiple entrances, side tunnels, and enlarged chambers the size of a football.”

As for size, most primary burrowers max out at about 5 to 6 inches in length. But the threatened crawzilla crawdad — yes, that’s its actual common name — can measure up to 8 inches.

“That name originated with early Ohio crayfish researcher Ray Jezerinac,” Thoma says. “He collected a specimen from the wild that was so large he kept

students to observe. He named the specimen 'crawzilla.' It’s also the largest burrowing species I have collected, a very robust crayfish.”

The only crayfish that’s larger in Ohio is the non-native red swamp crayfish. Having unintentionally become established in the Sandusky Bay area of Lake Erie, the species is expanding its range and can measure a full foot in length.

One note: Make sure to get permission from the landowner before digging on private property, and always replace whatever soil you might dig up in your search for burrowing crayfish.

W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor.

jammin’jelly

GOOD EATS

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS

BY CATHERINE MURRAY

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 10 minutes | Servings: about 7

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup shortening

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg, separated

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

6 ounces jam or jelly of your choice

Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, egg yolk (reserving white), and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy and well incorporated. Mix in flour and salt until dough just holds together. Dip fingers in egg white and shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb down in the center of each, leaving an indentation for jelly or jam.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake 10 minutes or until a light golden brown. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Using a small spoon, fill thumbprint craters with jam (apricot jam shown). If you prefer your cookies to be extra neat and tidy, heat jam in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds to loosen it a little — it will cleanly fill the thumbprint. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Makes 15 cookies.

Per serving: 275 calories, 15 grams fat (6.5 grams saturated fat), 41 milligrams cholesterol, 102 milligrams sodium, 35 grams total carbohydrates, 0.5 gram fiber, 3 grams protein.

Ofcourse,there’snothing wrongwithgoodoldstrawberry preserves,butthick,lusciousjam canbe oh-so-muchmore!

CARAMELIZED ONION JAM

NOTE: Onion jam pairs well with pork, chicken, and lamb, or add to a charcuterie board, pizza, crostini, or grilled cheese.

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes | Servings: 12

¼ cup olive oil

3 pounds sweet onions, diced small

2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 sprig fresh rosemary

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onions and cook, stirring often until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add herb sprigs. Cook another 3 minutes, stirring often.

Evenly sprinkle sugar over the onions and cook without stirring until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes (if sugar is disturbed by stirring or shaking, it will seize into clumps and require more time to melt). Increase heat to medium-high and cook untouched until it becomes an amber-colored caramel, about 6 minutes — watch closely and reduce heat if caramel begins to burn.

Stir in the vinegar and cook another 5 minutes or so. It’s fully thickened when a spoon across the bottom of the pan separates the jam for several seconds. Discard herb sprigs and season with salt to taste. Cool, then transfer to a sealed container. Store in fridge for a week or freezer for 3 months. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving: 130 calories, 4 grams fat (0.5 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 28 milligrams sodium, 23 grams total carbohydrates, 2.5 grams fiber, 1 gram protein.

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.

RED PEPPER JELLY-GLAZED CHICKEN

Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

1/3 cup red pepper jelly

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 pound thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Say you’ve been gifted some pepper jelly, or you see it on a store shelf and wonder, “What would I ever use this for?” Here’s your answer! There are many varieties of pepper jellies out there: Hot Pepper Jelly, Jalapeño Jelly, Hot Pepper Bacon Jam, and different combinations of peppers and fruit, like Pineapple Pepper Jelly. The red pepper jelly in this recipe is relatively mild, sweet, and flavorful, just like a red bell pepper. As a bonus, the glaze can be transformed into a delicious salad dressing by adding ¼ cup of olive oil and a dash of salt.

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients listed except chicken. Lay chicken breasts flat in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon and spread glaze evenly over each breast, then flip and coat the other side. Spoon any remaining glaze into the bottom of the dish. Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 18 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with your choice of side dishes (asparagus and wild rice shown). Have some pepper jelly left over? Spread on a buttermilk biscuit or crackers.

Per serving: 288 calories, 9 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 101 milligrams cholesterol, 192 milligrams sodium, 19 grams total carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 33 grams protein.

RASPBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Note: Bringing the ingredients up to room temperature ensures a smooth cheesecake. Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 70 minutes | Chill: 6 hours | Servings: 12

6+ tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces graham cracker crumbs (about 2 cups)

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup raspberry jam

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine butter and crumbs, then press into a buttered springform pan. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-low for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl a few times. Beat in sour cream, then eggs one at a time, then vanilla, beating well after each addition. Pour half the batter over the graham cracker crust. In a small bowl, combine jam with lemon juice. Evenly space 5 small spoonfuls of jam mixture onto the batter. Using a skewer, ice pick, or thin knife, start in the middle of each dollop of jam and pull out toward the cheesecake batter, continuing to return to the middle and pull outward to create a curved star-like pattern. If there are still large patches of white cheesecake, add small dots of jam and create the same pattern by starting in the middle and pulling outward toward the cheesecake batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter over the jam, lightly smooth out the top, then follow the same instructions, placing spoonfuls of jam mixture and creating the same star-like pattern.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place a roasting pan with hot water on the bottom rack. Bake cheesecake for 60 minutes on middle rack before opening the oven door, then check doneness — it’s ready when the edges stay firm and slightly puffed and the center is a little wobbly when jostling the pan. Continue baking in 5- to 10-minute increments until done. Set pan on a wire rack to cool completely (about an hour), then wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap and chill for 5+ hours. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving. Pull off pan sides and bottom and place cheesecake on serving platter. Cut slices with a thin, non-serrated knife, or try thick fishing line pulled taut. Wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge when ready to eat.

Per serving: 502 calories, 32 grams fat (19 grams saturated fat), 132 milligrams cholesterol, 313 milligrams sodium, 47 grams total carbohydrates, 0.5 gram fiber, 8 grams protein.

anti-tip technology

Like millions of older Americans, I struggle with mobility. For years, I watched my quality of life slip away, as I was forced to stay home while friends and family took part in activities I’d once enjoyed. I thought I’d made some progress when I got a mobility scooter, but then I realized how hard it was to transport. Taking it apart and putting it back together was like doing a jigsaw puzzle. Once I had it disassembled, I had to try to put all of the pieces in the trunk of a car, go to wherever I was going, and repeat the process in reverse. Travel scooters were easier to transport, but they were uncomfortable and scary to drive, I always felt like I was ready to tip over. Then I found the So LiteTM Scooter. Now there’s nothing that can hold me back.

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Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a scooter that’s designed with seniors in mind. They created Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that makes it virtually impossible to tip over. If you try to turn too quickly, the scooter automatically slows down to prevent it from tipping over. The battery provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the So LiteTM Scooter is the most portable scooter ever—but it can hold up to 275 pounds—yet weighs only 40.8 pounds without the battery! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat, trunk or even on an airplane. It folds in seconds without tools and is safe and reliable. Best of all, it’s designed with your safety in mind, from the newest technology and superior craftsmanship. Why spend another day letting your lack of mobility ruin your quality of life? Call now and find out how you can get a So LiteTM Scooter of your very own.

ADAMS RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

The power behind YOUR POWER

The old saying declares that April showers bring May flowers. But April’s showers often arrive as part of spring storms, which can also bring the less-welcome companions of thunder, lightning, high winds, and the power outages they cause. While Adams Rural Electric strives to provide reliable electricity to our members, sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. Most of us can ride out a storm from the comfort and convenience of our homes. However, one group of professionals springs into action when the weather takes a turn for the worst — co-op lineworkers.

One of the most dangerous jobs

Braving stormy weather and other challenging conditions, lineworkers often must climb up 40 feet or more, carrying heavy equipment, to restore power. Doing one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., lineworkers must perform detailed tasks next to high-voltage power lines. To help keep them safe, lineworkers wear specialized protective clothing and equipment at all times when on the job. This includes fire-resistant clothing that will self-extinguish, limiting potential injuries from burns and sparks. Lineworkers also wear both insulated and rubber gloves to protect them from electrical shock.

The lineworker’s job today goes far beyond the highly visible aspects of climbing to the top of poles to repair wires. They also are information

Erika Ackley GENERAL MANAGER

experts who can pinpoint an outage from miles away and restore power remotely. Line crews use their laptops and cell phones to map outages, take pictures of the work they have done, and troubleshoot problems. In our community, our Adams Rural Electric lineworkers are responsible for keeping 1 ,332 miles of lines across five counties working to bring power to your home and our local community 24 / 7 , regardless of the weather, holidays, or personal considerations.

While the increased use of technology means that some of the lineworkers’ tools have changed over the years, their dedication to the job has not. Being a lineworker is not a glamorous profession. At its essence, it is inherently dangerous, requiring work near high-voltage lines in the worst of conditions. During rain and ice storms, high winds, or extremely cold weather, crews often work around the clock to restore power.

Express your gratitude

While April is known for spring showers, there is also a day set aside to “thank a lineworker.” Lineworker Appreciation Day this year is April 10. So during the month of April, if you see a lineworker, please pause to say “thank you” to the power behind your power. Let them know you appreciate the hard work they do to keep the lights on.

Employee Spotlight

Jordan Williams has been with Adams Rural Electric for three years. Jordan started her career as a customer service representative at Adams Rural Electric and is now working in the accounting department.

When asked what she likes about working at the co-op, Jordan says that she enjoys working with numbers, which makes accounting a great fit for her. She also appreciates serving the rural community in which she lives.

Outside of work, Jordan has a passion for art and she enjoys painting with watercolors the most. Jordan lives outside West Union with her husband and their two dogs. Together, they enjoy hunting on their family farm, fishing, riding side-by-sides, and boating on the Ohio River. Jordan also likes traveling by cruise ship to explore other countries.

Scholarship Winners

In February, Adams Rural Electric Cooperative interviewed 12 outstanding students for its annual scholarship competition. The students were judged on personal achievements, scholastic records, teacher recommendations, and how they presented themselves during a personal interview.

The first-place scholarship of $1,200 was awarded to Darby Mills from Peebles High School. Darby is the daughter of Deirdre and David Mills. She plans to attend Wilmington College and pursue a career in agriculture science education. By placing first at Adams REC, Darby also qualifies to compete for an additional scholarship at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives in Columbus.

The second-place scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to Ethan Beekman of Peebles High School. Ethan is the son of Johnny and Donnie Beekman. He plans to attend

Hocking College and pursue a natural resources law enforcement career.

The third-place scholarship of $800 was awarded to Kelsey Cornette of North Adams High School. Kelsey is the daughter of Nathan and Jessica Cornette. She plans to pursue a career in speech pathology.

The fourth-place scholarship of $700 was awarded to Karlee Lawson of Northwest High School. Karlee is the daughter of Nathan and Stephanie Lawson. She plans to attend Shawnee State University and pursue a career in health care radiology.

The fifth-place scholarship of $600 was awarded to Mitchell Ohnewehr of North Adams High School. Mitchell is the son of Matthew and Melanie Ohnewehr. He plans to attend Alice Lloyd College and pursue a career in mathematics secondary education.

Adams Rural Electric Cooperative would like to commend every student who applied for a scholarship and wish them all the best in their endeavors.

1st place Darby Mills

2nd place Ethan Beekman

3rd place Kelsey Cornette

4th place Karlee Lawson

5th place Mitchell Ohnewehr

ADAMS RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

As a member, you have a voice

Election procedures

Adams Rural Electric Cooperative’s policies and procedures are determined by an elected board of trustees, who are also member-owners of the cooperative. The Adams REC service territory is made up of nine districts, with one board member representing the cooperative from each district.

You, as a cooperative member-owner, have the privilege to vote for the trustees who sit on the board of your cooperative. It is the responsibility of the board of trustees to see that the cooperative remains financially stable. 3500340801 The board must continually look ahead to anticipate the needs of the membership, such as the building of new substations and replacement of damaged or outdated equipment. They must keep abreast of changing legislation, rising costs, and new technology in order to make decisions that will keep the cooperative not only financially viable but also able to supply the best electric service possible to the membership.

You can make your voice heard each year by casting your votes for the trustees by mail-in ballot. The results of the election, as well as updates on the status of the cooperative, are announced at the Annual Meeting of the Members.

Following is information on the nominating and election of trustees excerpted from Adams REC’s code of regulations:

General powers

The entire business and affairs of the cooperative shall be managed by a board of nine trustees, which shall exercise all of the powers of the cooperative except such as are by law, the Articles of Incorporation, or the Code of Regulations conferred upon or reserved to the members.

Election and tenure of office

The service territory of the cooperative is divided into nine districts; one board member shall be elected from each district. Board members shall be elected for three-year terms by mail at the Annual Meeting of the Members, with three trustees elected each year. No person shall be eligible to become or remain a trustee who is not a member and bona fide resident in the district within the service area of the cooperative which they are to represent.

Nomination

It shall be the duty of the board to appoint, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days before the date of the mailing of the notice of the meeting of the members at which members of the board are to be elected, a committee on nominations consisting of not less than five nor more than 11 members, who shall be selected so as to ensure equitable representation on the committee to the geographic areas constituting the service area of the cooperative.

Nominations shall include at least two candidates from each district for a board member representing such district, which is to be filled at the next Annual Meeting of the Members. No person shall be voted upon for membership on the board who has not signified his willingness to serve if elected.

The notice of the Annual Meeting of the Members, as well as ballots and instruction for the return of the ballots, shall be mailed at least 30 days before such meeting. Any 25 or more members may make other nominations by petition more than 15 days prior to the mailing of the notice of the meeting of the members.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the election process of your cooperative.

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The Adams Rural Electric office will be closed on Friday, April 7, to recognize Good Friday.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

This planting season, include energy efficiency in your landscaping plans. Adding shade trees around your home can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 6 degrees. To block heat from the sun, plant deciduous trees around the south side of your home. Deciduous trees provide excellent shade during the summer and lose their leaves in the fall and winter months, allowing sunlight to warm your home.

Source: Energy.gov

CONTACT 937 -544 -2305 | 800 -283 -1846 www.adamsrec.com

OFFICE 4800 St. Rte. 125 P.O. Box 247 West Union, OH 45693

OFFICE HOURS

Mon.–Fri., 7 :30 a.m.–4 p.m.

OUTAGES

Report outages by calling the office or through your registered account on SmartHub. Do NOT report on Facebook as it is not monitored and could be missed.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Donald C. McCarty Sr. President

Charles L. Newman Vice President

Kenneth McCann Secretary

Stephen Huff

Blanchard Campbell

William Wylie

M. Dale Grooms

William Seaman

David Abbott

Manager

HIDDEN NUMBER BILL CREDIT

Each month, an account number is hidden in the local pages of the magazine. If you find your account number, please call the office by the end of the month for which it appeared. You will receive a $20 credit on your electric bill. Your call affirms permission to publish your name as a winner in an upcoming issue of Ohio Cooperative Living magazine.

BY CRAIG SPRINGER

Mildred Gillars wanted publicity and she craved attention; she got plenty of both. She also sought adoration, but she was universally reviled. She died destitute and lies in an unmarked grave in Columbus.

On March 15 , 1946 , 77 years ago last month, Ohioan Mildred Gillars was arrested by the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps in Berlin, Germany. Officers had trailed her for several months after the end of hostilities in World War II, as she was wanted for treason, a charge that could send her to the electric chair.

Gillars did not steal state secrets or reveal information to the enemy. She performed in a play, Vision of Invasion, on May 11, 1944, in the role of a distraught Ohio mother named Evelyn whose dead soldier son came to her in a dream as he perished in an invasion of Europe. Gillars performed the part in a radio studio in Berlin. Her audience numbered in the hundreds of thousands: members of the American military throughout Europe and North Africa and at sea — as well as radios in American homes in the eastern U.S.

Someone else was listening, too — and recording: the Federal Communications Commission in Maryland. The play was intended to break the morale of the Allied military might that the Germans knew was amassing to cross the English Channel. It was theater as psychological warfare. Mildred Gillars was born in Maine in 1900 and came of age in Ohio, the stepdaughter of an alcoholic dentist who once practiced in Bellevue. Home life was tumultuous.

She graduated high school in 1917 at Conneaut, near the extreme northeastern corner of the state, and attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where she majored in dramatic arts. Gillars, who went by the nickname “Milly,” took roles in plays and earned a reputation as an excellent orator, eccentric, and a bit of a coquette.

Her impetuous nature came into bloom her senior year, when she left Delaware before graduating college to

pursue acting in New York City. She landed gigs in stock companies and played traveling vaudeville shows, and worked as a sculptor’s model on the side. But her acting career went flat and she headed to Europe in 1928, with stops in France and Algeria before she landed in Germany in 1934. She taught English at Berlitz School and wrote theater and movie reviews for Variety and the New York Times. Then, in 1940, she took a job with German state radio as “Midge at the Mike.”

The former Buckeye with a silky voice trained in drama was a perfect fit to amplify the Nazi propaganda to American listeners without a heavy German accent. Gillars’ work behind the microphone disparaging FDR, Jews, and the Allies would earn several nicknames: Berlin Betty, Berlin Bitch, Olga, and Axis Sally. The last stuck.

Gillars co-produced two regular radio shows, intended to taunt American servicemen and rattle Americans back home. She visited POW camps and hospitals and interviewed the captives, falsely representing herself as being with the International Red Cross. In GI Letterbox and Medical Reports , Gillars distorted and aired the interviews to make it appear as though the captives were treated well and sympathized with the Nazis. She broadcast names and serial numbers of men killed in combat. Several former POWs would show up at her eventual trial and confirm her seditious and licentious character.

Her daily show Home Sweet Home Hour opened with the sound of a lonesome train whistling in the distance. In a girl-to-girl tone, Gillars would lead off with, “This is Berlin calling the American mothers, wives, and sweethearts. And I would just like to say, girls, when Berlin calls it pays to listen.” To sow seeds of doubt and play on homesickness, Gillars taunted the servicemen in a sultry voice about their unfaithful wives and girlfriends cavorting with boys in convertibles. In between the taunts, she spun big-band records — Glen Miller, Benny Goodman — and brought in live orchestras.

Gillars stayed at it until two days before Germany surrendered in May 1945. She purposely melded into anonymity in a ravaged Berlin, knowing American authorities were after her. Upon her arrest, she was held in a prison camp at Frankfurt until turned over to the FBI in January 1949. A criminal complaint read, “From Dec. 11, 1941, through May 6, 1945, from the German Reich she did unlawfully, willfully and treasonably adhere to the government of the German Reich, an enemy of the United States, and did give to the said enemy aid and comfort.”

She was charged with eight counts of treason. Her trial in Washington, D.C., lasted 102 days and included hours of listening to her broadcasts as well as testimony from former POWs. On March 11, 1949, 74 years ago last month, she was acquitted on seven of those counts, but convicted of the last one: performing in Vision of Invasion

Gillars’ defense that she swore allegiance to Hitler under duress and that she was merely a paid performer and not a party propagandist did not hold up. She did, however, escape the electric chair and instead was sentenced to 10 to 30 years as a “tier-2 traitor.”

While in prison she converted to Catholicism, and upon her parole in 1961, she came to Columbus and landed paid work as a teacher at Our Lady of Bethlehem convent and its attendant grade school. She eventually returned to Ohio Wesleyan and earned her college degree in speech after a 51-year hiatus.

Noted biographer Richard Lucas wrote that she may have outlived her troubled and seditious past. Mildred Gillars died of cancer — destitute and without heirs — in 1988, and at her passing, her friends and associates were stunned to learn through local and national media coverage that the elderly lady they had known as “Miss Mildred” was the reviled Axis Sally. She lies at rest in an unmarked grave in St. Joseph Cemetery, south of Columbus.

To check out the complete FBI file on Mildred Gillars, go to https://archive.org/details/ MildredGillars/page/n643/mode/2up?q=ohio.

BY RANDY EDWARDS

In April of 2020, we were just beginning to wrap our heads around the notion that the coronavirus pandemic would not simply disappear after the weather turned warm. We began to accept that, for a while at least, our days would mostly be spent within the walls of our home and the boundaries of our neighborhoods. Schools were shuttered, office workers were learning to Zoom, and spring travel plans shifted to staycations.

Suddenly, everyone was developing a hobby: baking sourdough bread, knitting sweaters, learning to speak French, or playing the piano. Animal shelters were overrun with requests for dogs.

My family dug a hole in the ground and let it fill with water.

If that seems like a modest aspiration, understand that I’ve coveted a rain garden for many years. Designed to temporarily capture and slow the flow of water off your property, rain gardens are a practical and beautiful

landscape feature that is becoming popular, especially for those looking to lighten their footprint on the Earth.

It’s a given that in a rainy environment like Ohio’s, we can’t let water simply pool wherever it wants. Because most of our homes have subterranean foundations, we need to keep rainwater away from the house if we want to keep our basements dry and protect our foundations. So, in keeping with building codes, homebuilders install drainage tile and sump pumps to keep the water routed toward a stormwater collection system, which could be a storm sewer in an urban area or a drainage ditch out in the country.

This approach works (usually), but the long-term effects of our collective rush to drain can be hard on rivers and creeks and the aquatic critters that live therein. Storm water management systems can cause rivers to be “flashy” — meaning the water rises and falls quickly, scouring that river-bottom habitat, causing erosion, and leading to flooding downstream. Storm drainage

The suddenly trendy landscape feature is more than just a decorative hole in the ground.

systems also carry sediment and trash from city streets, grease and oil from cars, and fertilizers and pesticides from yards and fields.

Rain gardens are shallow depressions in the ground that collect rainwater and allow it to slowly percolate into the soil instead of rushing off into the street. These features filter stormwater and prevent flooding as well as providing habitat for birds and butterflies and natural beauty that lasts throughout the year.

After a consultation with our local soil and water conservation district, we staked out a section of yard on the side of the house near two downspouts and began to dig. This led to plenty of curious questions from passing neighbors out walking (6 feet apart at the time, of course). Spurious speculation about our efforts included a small swimming pool, a large bird bath, even one suggestion of a hole to bury a body. We smiled grimly at their jokes and kept digging, by hand, until one more-helpful neighbor let us know that Home Depot rents excavating equipment and offered his truck to help fetch an earth-mover.

This was a game-changer, and in one day we had the rough outlines of the garden in place. After several bags of soil amendments and placement of carefully selected plantings, we routed the water from the downspouts into the rain garden.

Early on, I’ll admit, it looked like a muddy hole in the ground with a few scrawny shrubs. But later in the season, and especially by the next season, we were delighted by how lovely it looked, with wetland vegetation like buttonbush and queen of the prairie jostling for sunlight with black-eyed Susans and swamp milkweed.

There are many resources available to help homeowners plan, build, and maintain a rain garden. The Central Ohio Rain Garden Initiative has a complete building guide and a list of suitable native plants. The Toledo-Lucas County Rain Garden Initiative also has a step-by-step guide. But first check in with your local soil and water conservation district, as some offer classes and advice. Because rain gardens help relieve stress on municipal storm drainage systems, some communities even have cost-share programs that reimburse homeowners for plants, mulch, compost, and other rain garden materials.

A final thought: We surrounded our garden with solarpowered lights, both to add nocturnal beauty and to keep our guests from toppling into the garden while leaving one of our backyard parties. It’s kind of hard to miss, with its shrubbery and tall grasses, but your family and friends will thank you.

• Consider the size but be flexible. There’s a formula for measuring how large your rain garden needs to be, based on the size of your roof and other factors. We didn’t have quite enough room, but our smaller rain garden captures the water from most rain events. In serious downpours, the garden overflows into a swale and into the storm sewer. If you want, you can add a downstream drain and route the overflow directly into the storm sewer.

• Be realistic about what you can do by hand. In my neighborhood, at least, it doesn’t take long to get past the topsoil and into clay, which doesn’t come up easily. The rented excavator cost a bit but was worth every cent.

• Follow the directions to test the drainage. Dig a hole, fill it with water, and see how much it drains in 24 hours. That’s how deep you want your rain garden to be, and that’s important because the water needs to disappear within 24 hours of the rain event. Otherwise, you’re making a place for mosquitos to breed, and nobody wants that.

• Accept that your neighbors may look at you strangely at first, but will be impressed when the plants begin to grow and blossom.

A few things to keep in mind

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Easter egg-citement

BY DAMAINE VONADA

The Rutherford B. Hayes Library and Museums continue a longstanding tradition the Ohioan brought to the White House.

The Easter Egg Roll at the Hayes Library and Museums is a tradition brought back to Ohio when the 19th president returned to his Fremont home after his term in office.

For more than 25 years, children have been bringing colored Easter eggs to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums (HPLM) in Fremont. Why? To play old-fashioned games in which they use wooden spoons to roll or carry their hardboiled eggs across the front lawn of the Hayes Home, the 31-room Victorian mansion where the 19th U.S. president and his wife, Lucy, lived after leaving the White House in 1881.

The 2023 Hayes Easter Egg Roll starts at noon on April 8, the Saturday before Easter, and HPLM’s special events

coordinator, Joan Eckermann, is expecting hundreds of youngsters and their family members. “People seem to love the Easter Egg Roll,” says Eckermann. “It’s such fun to see the children’s reaction when the Easter Bunny arrives.” Egg games were popular during the late 1800s, and in Washington, D.C., residents especially enjoyed spending Easter Monday on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, where they picnicked and watched children rolling eggs — and often themselves — through the grass. After some rambunctious egg rollers damaged the landscaping

in 1876, members of Congress promptly protected their turf by passing a law prohibiting people from using the Capitol grounds for a playground. Because it rained in 1877, the law wasn’t enforced until 1878, when police expelled youths carrying colored eggs from Capitol Hill. President Hayes saved the day for the disappointed children by letting them roll eggs on the White House’s South Lawn.

Hayes certainly had no way of knowing it on that April 22, 1878, but he started one of the executive mansion’s oldest and most beloved traditions: the White House Easter Egg Roll. Except for a few years when the nation was at war, the weather was inclement, or COVID was feared, presidents have hosted Easter Monday fun and games at the White House ever since. Indeed, the event quickly mushroomed, and in 1916, when the Easter Egg Roll resumed after a World War I hiatus, another president from Ohio — Warren G. Harding — welcomed more than 50,000 children. First Lady Florence Harding and “First Dog” Laddie Boy also joined the festivities, which included an appearance by costumed actors from the play Alice and the White Rabbit

The Hayes Museums' Easter Egg Roll mimics the South Lawn’s rituals by featuring 1800s games, a scavenger hunt, and story reading. Obviously, if President Hayes weren’t the White House event’s founding father, kids today probably would not forsake screens and smartphones to roll eggs at HPLM. Perhaps Hayes had a soft-hearted response to Congress’s hardboiled law because he and Lucy raised five children. Or maybe Hayes let the good times roll on the South Lawn simply because egg games were the Gilded Age equivalent of cornhole. Open to children ages 3 to 10, the 2023 Hayes Easter Egg Roll takes place on April 8. Participants should bring three hardboiled, colored eggs to use in the games. There is no charge for the event or visiting Spiegel Grove’s grounds, but the Hayes Home and Hayes Museum have admission fees. For more information, call 419-332-2081 or visit www.rbhayes.org.

The pioneer of presidential sites

In the 1860s, Sardis Birchard, a Fremont businessman who was Hayes’s uncle and boyhood guardian, constructed the original part of the Hayes Home on a 25acre estate that he called Spiegel Grove. After Birchard died in 1874, Hayes inherited Spiegel Grove and began making improvements and additions that transformed the house into a manse whose features – including a rooftop lantern and stunning staircase — exemplify Victorian architecture. Hayes was especially partial to its splendid wraparound veranda.

Following Hayes’s death in 1893, one of his sons, Col. Webb Cook Hayes, honored his legacy by creating a library and museum at Spiegel Grove in cooperation with the State of Ohio and what is now the Ohio History Connection. Opened in 1916, the library-museum building pioneered the presidential library concept. Col. Hayes and other family members lived in the Hayes Home until 1965, and it subsequently became a house museum and HPLM’s flagship attraction.

As presidential destinations go, HPLM is exceptional because it contains a chief executive’s home, library, museum, and grave. museum,

One of the most popular events at the Hayes Library's Easter Egg Roll is the arrival of the Easter Bunny.

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2023 CALENDAR

NORTHWEST

handicapped accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per show. Food available for purchase. 419-447-9613 or www. tiffinfleamarket.com.

APR. 29–SEP. 10 – NWORRP Museum Summer Hours, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $3; 12 and under, $2 Museum tours, quarter-scale train rides, model train displays, games, play area, and more. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.

MAY 3 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities are geared for preschoolage children and focus on farming and nature in a picturesque outdoor setting. Families welcome! 419447-7073, www.conservesenecacounty.com, or follow Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.

APR. 16–MAY 28 – Chunky Knit Blanket Workshop, Vandermark Estate and Events Venue, 9095 Spencerville Rd., Spencerville, 2–5 p.m. $40. Learn step by step how to hand knit a beautiful and cozy chunky chenille blanket. www.thevandemarkestate.com/book-online.

APR. 23 – Glass City Marathon, Toledo. One of the fastest marathons in the U.S. Events include 26 2-mile marathon, 13 1-mile half marathon, and five-person relay, 5K and kids run on Apr. 22. www.glasscitymarathon.org.

APR. 29 – Chocolate and Wine Walk, downtown Vermilion, noon–4 p.m., rain or shine! $25. Take a stroll through the town while sampling chocolate treats and/or wine as you visit the participating shops. 440-967-4477 or www.vermilionohio.com.

APR. 29 – Toledo Doll, Bear, and Toy Show, Total Sports Rossford, 10020 S. Compass Dr., Rossford, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. ($8, free for 12 and under); early bird, 8–9:30 a.m. ($20). Antique, vintage, artist, and modern dolls and bears/ critters, related items, accessories, and more. Door prizes, ID/valuation, and restringing. www.toledodollshow.com.

APR. 29–30 – 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;

SOUTHEAST

MAY 5 – Star Gazing at Schoonover Observatory, 670 N. Jefferson, Lima, 9 p.m. Free. Come see the stars with us! If you have a telescope, bring it along; Lima Astronomical Society members will show you how to use it and will answer any questions. Weather permitting. https:// limaastro.com.

MAY 5–6 – Spring Fest, Van Wert Co. Fgds., 1055 S. Washington St., Van Wert, Fri. 4–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Plant sale, landscaping equipment sale, car show, food and craft vendors, entertainment, and more. 419-238-9270 or www.vanwertcountyfair.com.

MAY 5–AUG. 4 – Limaland Motorsports Park Races, 1500 Dutch Hollow Rd., Lima, 7:30–10:30 p.m. Sprints, UMP Modifieds, Thunderstocks, and more! Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m., grandstand gates at 5 p.m., warmup laps begin at 6:30 p.m. See website for updated information. www.limaland.com.

MAY 6 – Free Comic Book Day, Alter Ego Comics, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Readers of all ages can choose a free comic book from a selection of different titles. There will be characters in costume, and we encourage you to come dressed as your favorite character! 419-224-6700 or www. facebook.com/AlterEgoManiacs.

Chillicothe, Tues.–Sun. Exhibition includes artwork from over 40 regional artists working in a variety of media. Displayed artwork will be available for purchase. www.thepumphouse.art.

APR. 15 – Earth Gathering Festival, Pump House Center for the Arts, 1 Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Features around 40 vendors offering Earth-friendly art and products along with several musical acts throughout the day. www.thepumphouse.art.

APR. 15 – Archaeology Day, Lucy Hayes Heritage Center, 90 W. Sixth St., Chillicothe, 1–4 p.m. Archaeologist Jeb Bowen coordinates the event, as children learn for 10 minutes at five stations that include metal detecting and historical artifacts. Gary Argabright will present ancient technologies. 740-775-5829 or find us on Facebook.

MAY 6–7 – “Springtime in Ohio” 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. Early-bird hours Sat. 8 a.m.–10 p.m.; must purchase tickets online. www. visitfindlay.com/events.

MAY 6–7 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima (2 miles east of Lima on St. Rte. 309), Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $6, free for members, under 18 free. Over 400 tables of modern and antique guns, edged weapons, and sportsman’s equipment. 419-647-0067 or www.tristategunshow.org.

MAY 3–6 – Annual Quilt Show, Founder’s Hall, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, Wed.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $11–$15. Hundreds of quilts on display, quilt shop and vendor market, special exhibits, demos, and workshops. Quilt appraisals available. 800-590-9755 or https:// saudervillage.org.

MAY 5–14 – Biggest Week in American Birding, various locations in Oak Harbor and Oregon. $10–$75. Field trips, presentations, workshops, and special events. 419-8984070 or www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com.

MAY 12–21 – Four Weddings and an Elvis, Encore Theatre, 991 N. Shore Dr., Lima, Fri./Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A romantic comedy set in a Las Vegas wedding chapel that hosts four of the most memorable ceremonies you will ever see. 419-223-8866 or www.amiltellers.org.

MAY 13 – 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. Includes food vendors, 5K race, and kids’ activities. Free lilacs to the first 750 attendees. 419-782-0739 or https://visitdefianceohio.com/annual-events.

MAY 13 – Findlay Craft Beer Fest and Wine Tasting, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 5–9 p.m.; VIP admission at 4 p.m. For age 21 and older only. Sample offerings from several local craft breweries and a local winery. Includes refreshments and entertainment. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www. facebook.com/nworrp.

MAY 5 – The Farm Hands, Pennyroyal Opera House, off I-70 at exit 198, Fairview, 7 p.m. $15 (cash only); 12 and under free. Doors and kitchen open at 5 p.m. 740-8270957 or www.facebook.com/PennyroyalBluegrassOhio.

MAY 6 – The Big Deal at Great Seal, Great Seal State Park, 4908 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 7 a.m. $39–$99 Register by Apr. 6. The course is a 25K loop with roughly 2,800 feet of elevation gain of southern Ohio Appalachian foothills. Choose your distance: 50K, 25K, or 5K. www. facebook.com/runfluent.

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon; Apr. 20–Nov. 23, Wed./Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Voted Ohio’s #1 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www.athensfarmersmarket.org.

APR. 5 – 2023 Season Opening Day, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Wed.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. noon– 5 p.m. $6–$12. The historic estate of Thomas Worthington reopens for the season with tours of the beautifully restored mansion, gardens, museum, and outbuildings. www.adenamansion.com.

APR. 6–29 – Chillicothe Art League Spring Open, Pump House Center for the Arts, 1 Enderlin Circle,

APR. 22–23 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville, Sat. 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–4 p.m. $7; 12 and under free. 937-728-6643 or www. lucasvilletradedays.com.

APR. 28 – Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, Pennyroyal Opera House, off I-70 at exit 198, Fairview, 7 p.m. $15 (cash only); 12 and under free. Doors and kitchen open at 5 p.m. 740-827-0957 or www.facebook.com/ PennyroyalBluegrassOhio.

MAY 4–7 – Vinton County Wild Turkey Festival, East Main Street, McArthur. Amusement rides, car show, bike show, live music, grand parade, and more. https://vcwtf.org or www.facebook.com/wildturkeyfestival.

MAY 6 – Kentucky Derby Party, Chillicothe Country Club, 800 Arch St., Chillicothe, 4:30–9 p.m. (approx.). $60/ person. Enjoy dinner, games, and auctions and support the Hope Clinic of Ross County. Tickets can also be purchased at Julie’s on Paint or Eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Nancy Jones at 740-253-2779 or nancy.jones@ hopeclinicgres.org.

MAY 6 – Spring Fling Market and Craft Show, Mt. Logan Learning Center Gymnasium, 841 E. Main St., Chillicothe, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Local vendors, shops, and lunch. 740-7732638 or find Mt. Logan Elementary School on Facebook.

MAY 6–28 – Heirloom Plant Sale, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Wed.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m.–5 p.m. Featuring heirloom varieties of flowers and vegetables. These varieties were passed on before the advent of industrial farming, with many going back to the 19th century. www.adenamansion.com.

2023 CALENDAR APRIL/MAY

NORTHEAST

Farm.” 740-792-4426 or www.thehealingland.com.

APR. 21–22 – 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 information, contact Cheryl Williams at 614-989-5811

APR. 27–30 – 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, all-you-can-eat pancakes, arts and crafts, lumberjack competition, baking contest, pageants, and much more. 440-332-7055 or www.maplefestival.com.

APR. 30 – Canton-Akron Comic, Toy, and Nostalgia Convention, St. George Event Center, 4667 Applegrove St. NW, North Canton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5; age 6 and under free. Comic and toy vendors, guest comic creators, hourly prizes. 330-462-3985 or www.harpercomics.com.

MAY 4 – National Day of Prayer Event, LaGrange Community Park, 422 W. Main St., LaGrange, noon. All are welcome. Please bring a lawn chair. For further information, contact LaGrange United Methodist Church at 440-355-4561

THROUGH APR. 23 – The Great Steubenville Eggsibition, downtown Steubenville, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Three-foot-tall Easter eggs are strategically placed in downtown businesses for an all-city, all-ages Easter egg hunt! The 35 giant eggs were designed and painted by more than 20 different local artists. 740-632-8909 or www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/eggsibition.

APR. 8 – Freeport VFD Spring Craft Show, 119 E. Main St., Freeport, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Contact Linda Fritter at 740-213-9197 to reserve a table or donate food for the eat stand. https://facebook.com/events/s/craftshow/726115969179580

APR. 10–22 – Annual Spring Quilt Show, Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat. noon–4 p.m., or by appointment. Free. Over two dozen handcrafted quilts on display. 740-283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.

APR. 15–16 – Antlers & Anglers Sportsman’s Showcase, Ashland Co. Fgds., 2042 Claremont Ave., Ashland, Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Celebrate the great outdoors! Seminars, demos, food vendors, prizes, and giveaways. www.armstrongonewire. com or www.facebook.com/followarmstrong/events.

APR. 15, 22, 29, MAY 6 – LCBA Memorial Garden Hands-On, Life Church, 1033 Elm St., Grafton, 10 a.m. Students will work with an experienced beekeeper to learn how to inspect the hive to determine the health and productivity of the bee colony. www. loraincountybeekeepers.org.

APR. 19 – Lecture Series: “Building an Independent Farmstead,” Leonardo’s Coffeehouse, 159 N. 4th St., Steubenville, 7–9 p.m. Free. Authors Shawn and Beth Dougherty will speak on “Feeding the Family from the

WEST VIRGINIA

APR. 28–29 – Annual International Watch Fob Association Show and Sale, Lakeside Sand and Gravel, 3498 Frost Rd., Mantua, Fri. 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. World’s largest watch fob, construction memorabilia, scale model, and toy show. Combined with Lakeside Sand and Gravel Antique Equipment Show and Open House. See construction equipment as old as 1910 and take gravel pit tours. 50/50 raffles both days. Free food and refreshment. www.watchfob.com or www. facebook.com/IWFAI.

APR. 28–30 – Mohican Wildlife Weekend, various locations in Ashland and Richland counties. Free. Explore the Greater Mohican area by land and water. 800-6428282 or www.mohicanwildlifeweekend.com.

APR. 28–30, MAY 5–7 – Bag Lady Tour, various locations in Lorain, Ashland, Medina, and Huron counties, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. A fun-filled driveyourself shopping tour. Pick up a map of participating businesses at first stop or download from website. 440371-7589 (Sue) or www.countrytourgroup.com.

APR. 29 – Great Outdoorsman Show, Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Features hunting, firearms, ammunition, and fishing vendors along with camping and outdoor gear exhibitors. Get tip and tricks from industry experts as well. 330-877-9860 or www. hartvillemarketplace.com/events.

APR. 29–30 – Wayne County Home and Garden Show, Wayne Co. Fgds., 199 Vancouver St., Wooster, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Features innovative products and services that will transform your home and lawn, plus kids’ activities, food, and plant sale. 330-262-5735 or www.woosterchamber.com/waynecounty-home-garden-show.

APR. 22 – West Virginia Food Truck Festival, Eleanor Park & Fair Grounds, Park Road, Eleanor, 12–5 p.m. Free. Food trucks, artisan vendors and demos, a cornhole tournament, and great live music 304-7577282 or www.wvfoodtruckfestival.com.

APR. 29 – Ramps and Rails Festival, Elkins Depot, 315 Railroad Ave., Elkins, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ramp-themed foods, live music, and craft vendors. Train rides available. 304-365-7803 or www.elkinsdepot.com/ events/ramps-and-rail-festival.

MAY 13–21 – 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.

MAY 5 – First Fridays on Fourth, 155 N. 4th St., Steubenville, 6–10 p.m. Free. Art, crafts, games, food trucks, live entertainment, and activities to stimulate the imagination. www.theharmoniumproject.org/first-Fridays.

MAY 5–6 – Dandelion May Fest, Breitenbach Vineyards, 5773 Old Rte. 39 NW, Dover, Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Dandelion wine tastings, sangria, and food, plus cellar tours, arts and crafts, vendors, and live entertainment. 330-343-3603 or www.breitenbachwine. com/events/dandelion-festival.

MAY 6–7 – Ohio Civil War 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. Artillery show, cannon firing demos, Civil War hospital scenario and battleground encampments, WWII small arms demos, and much more. 419-884-2194 or www.ohiocivilwarshow.com.

MAY 7 – The Baker’s Basement: “The Anatomy of a Concert,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. Register at www.ormaco.org or by calling 419-853-6016

MAY 12–13 – Annual Spring Festival and Auction, 8001 Township Rd. 574, Holmesville. Proceeds benefit children and adults in Holmes County DD facilities. Furniture and quilt auction, bake sale, drawing prizes, children’s games, volleyball, and food; entertainment Fri. evening; breakfast Sat. morning; chicken barbeque Sat. 11:30 a.m. 330-674-8045 or www.holmesdd.org.

MAY 13 – Plant Discovery Day, Secrest Arboretum, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Free. Annual sale featuring new and unique annuals, perennials, herbs, and woody plants. See website for plant list. https:// friendsofsecrest.com/plant-discovery-day.

Get listed 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.

APR. 1–30 – “Best of Pickaway County” Art Contest, ArtsAround Gallery, 135 W. Main St., Circleville. Art from Pickaway County high school students will be on display throughout the month, with prizes being awarded at the end of April. For more information, contact Steve Sawyer at Ssawyer43113@gmail.com.

APR. 15 – Adult Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt, Union Co. Fgds., 845 N. Main St., Marysville, 8:30 p.m. $25 Hunt for thousands of filled Easter eggs by flashlight! Afterparty includes food, adult beverages (must be 21+), raffles, contests, and entertainment. Proceeds benefits the Hope Center. www.eventbrite.com/o/the-courtrightgroup-32590899443

APR. 15 – Quilters Market Day: “A Flea Market for Quilters,” Fredericktown Schools, 111 Stadium Dr., Fredericktown, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5. Buy and sell quilting tools, books, patterns, fat quarters, quilted items. Fat quarter drawing, quilt show, quilting demos. Lunch available for purchase. 740-485-1281 (Patty) or https:// fredericktown.org/qmd.

APR. 15, MAY 6 – Chihuly Night, Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, 7–10 p.m. $15–$25. All 18 Chihuly installations will be professionally lit up to create breathtaking views. www.fpconservatory. org/events.

APR. 16 – Pickerington PetFest, Victory Park, Lockville Road and Park Alley, Pickerington, 1–4 p.m. Check out all the pet-related vendors at this annual, family-friendly event. Bring your pets; leashes, please. www.pickeringtonvillage.com.

APR. 19–23 – Buckeye Dulcimer Festival, Recreation Unlimited, Ashley. Instruction in playing traditional instruments, including dulcimers, autoharp, clawhammer banjo, and others. Classes, jams, and concerts. 937-295-5253 or www.buckeyedulcimerfestival.com.

APR. 22 – Ohioana Book Festival, Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Main Library, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, More than 120 Ohio authors and illustrators will attend. Books available to purchase from the Book Loft. 614-466-3831 or www.ohioana.org/programs/ ohioana-book-festival.

APR. 23 – A Cappella Concert, Boardman Arts Park, 154 W. William St., Delaware, 2–5 p.m. Free. Groups from Ohio Wesleyan and area high schools will serenade you while you enjoy spring at the park. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. www.boardmanartspark.org.

APR. 23 – Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra Season Finale, Brown Chapel, Muskingum University, College Drive, New Concord, 7 p.m. $15 740-826-8197 or http://seoso.org.

APR. 28–29 – Spring at the Round Barn: Vintage and Made Market, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, Fri. 4–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $7. Open-air and barn markets showcasing 125+ modern makers, purveyors of authentic vintage finds, boutique clothing, designers, growers, food trucks, and live music. 614-2961621 or https://thevintageandmademarket.com.

APR. 29 – Sunbury Farmers Market Vendors Meet-NGreet, Sunbury Town Hall, 51 E. Cherry St., Sunbury, 9 a.m.–noon. Season sign-up day. Light refreshments will be served. 740-513-9192 or sunburyohiofarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

MAY 5 – Pickerington Chocolate Hop, beginning at

kids’ activities, dog show, 5K run, and more. Pancake breakfasts 8–11 a.m. ($5–$10). Locally sourced, authentic sugar maple syrup available for purchase. www.sugarmaplefestival.com.

APR. 21–23 – Vintage Market Days: “Here Comes the Sun,” Greene Co. Fgds., 120 Fairground Rd., Xenia, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Vintage and vintage-inspired market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, home décor, handcrafted items, and more. Food trucks and live music all weekend. 765-576-0042 or https://vintagemarketdays. com/market/dayton-cincinnati.

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 6 – The Righteous Brothers, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. $12–$65 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org.

MAY 6–SEP. 30 – Sunbury Farmers Market, Sunbury Town Square, 9 E. Granville St., Sunbury, 9 a.m.–noon. Offering local handmade, homemade, and homegrown products. 740-513-9192 or sunburyohiofarmersmarket@gmail.com.

MAY 6–OCT. 28 – Coshocton County Farmers Market, 22375 Co. Rd. 1A, Coshocton, 8:30 a.m.–noon. Local fresh produce, baked goods, and artisan crafts at our new location by the Walhonding River. market. manager@coshfarmmarket.org or www.facebook.com/ coshoctonfarmersmarket.

MAY 7 – “The Art of Tea,” Ohio Herbal Center, Gahanna, 11 a.m. $25. Learn the subtle nuances of making tea and blending herbs for taste and wellness. Tastings will be provided. You’ll receive a variety of herbs to take home, along with recipes. Registration required; limited class size. 614-642-4372 or www.ohioherbalcenter.org.

MAY 11–13 – Ham and Eggs Music and Comedy Show, Ohio University Lancaster, 1570 Granville Pike, Lancaster, Thur./Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 3 p.m. $10. Join us for our 51st year of music and laughter as we raise money for college scholarships. https://lancastermenschorus.org.

MAY 13–14 – AG Days, Hocking Co. Fgds., 150 N. Homer Ave., Logan, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Antique tractor display and ride (19 miles}, sawmill display, steam engines, hit-and-miss engines, old car show, and much more. Lumber sale Sun. 3 p.m. Pancake breakfast Sat./Sun. morning. For more information, contact Betty Shaw at 740-422-8285 or bettylshaw43@ gmail.com.

S. Broad St., Middletown, noon–1 p.m. Free. Bring a lunch to enjoy during the show. 513-423-4629 or www. myfumc.net/first-fridays-concert-series.

MAY 6–7 – GeoFair 2023, Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Rd., Sharonville, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $5–$12. Greater Cincinnati’s annual gem, mineral, fossil, and jewelry show. www.geofair.com.

THROUGH MAY 31 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.

APR. 9 – Easter Egg Hunt, Young’s Dairy, 6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs, 2 p.m. Free. Open to children up to age 10. We will hard-boil and dye over 10,000 eggs for this fun family event. 937-325-0629 or www.youngsdairy.com/easter-egg-hunt.

APR. 21–22 – Midwest Ceramic Association Show, Butler County Exhibition Bldg., Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Ohio’s original ceramic show. www.midwestceramics.org.

APR. 21–23 – Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival, downtown Bellbrook. Food vendors, nightly beer garden, live entertainment, craft vendors, parade,

APR. 21, MAY 19 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, a wide variety of craft beers at the Beer Garden, and food truck eats. 513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.

APR. 22 – Oxford’s Community EarthFest, Memorial Park, uptown Oxford, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Games, interactive exhibits, workshops, farmers market, live music, and more. https://enjoyoxford.org/calendar.

APR. 22 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Sterling Bluegrass Jamboree, 26 E. Main St., Mt. Sterling, 7 p.m. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music, kicking off at 6 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 5 – First Friday Concert: Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, First United Methodist Church, 120

MAY 13 – Crafty Supermarket, Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Indie craft show featuring more than 100 makers from all over Ohio, the Midwest, and beyond. 513-226-0901 or www.craftysupermarket.com.

MAY 13 – Loveland Athletic Boosters Spring Arts and Crafts Show, Loveland Primary School, 550 Loveland Madeira Rd., Loveland. Adults $3. Approximately 100 artists and crafters selling unique handcrafted items. lovelandcraftshow@gmail.com or 513-476-5187

MAY 13 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Appalachian Festival, Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, 4 and 6 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of lively bluegrass music featuring lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs. 513-251-3378 or www.appalachianfestival.org.

MAY 13–14 – Appalachian Festival, Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Rain or shine. $5–$15; under 6 free. Traditional craft demonstrations, dancing, storytelling, Mountain Village living history area, music on three stages, food vendors. 513-251-3378 or www.appalachianfestival.org.

Our granddaughter, Marylynne, having tea with some very special friends. Traci Zeimer, South Central Power Company member

Tea party

Tea party for my daughter

Leanne’s 5th birthday. Ellen Reed, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member

My daughter Ellie enjoyed a tea party with her Madame Alexander doll. The tea set is a family heirloom, belonging to my mother, Carol Wise. Kira Davis, Midwest Electric member

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Our daughter, Molly (3), serves up tea and smiles! Ann-Morgan and Justin Krueger, Union Rural Electric Cooperative member

An afternoon tea at Cambridge Tea House in Columbus. Jodi Bird, South Central Power Company member

For July, send “Fair food” by April 15; for August, send “Vintage school days” by May 15.

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Summertime tea party with my granddaughters, Norah (4) and Amelia (2). Joining them is their best friend, our golden retriever, Mattis. Mary Rice, Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member