Ohio Cooperative Living – December 2023 - Midwest

OHIO

DECEMBER 2023

COOPERATIVE Midwest Electric, Inc.

The gift of co-op membership: $2 million coming back to members pg 17

ALSO INSIDE Youth Tour tales

Model railroads

Holiday baking

HOW DO CAPITAL CREDITS

WORK?

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

Annually, Ohio electric cooperatives return about $35 million to their members.

Nationally, electric co-ops returned $1.4 BILLION to members in 2021, and $20 BILLION since 1988.

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

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

ohioec.org/purpose

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

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

INSIDE FEATURES 21

TROLLS EVERYWHERE

At the Troll Hole Museum in Alliance, Santa is a troll at Christmas, and troll nostalgia lasts all year long.

30 CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE RINGING

“A Carillon Christmas” in Dayton showcases Carillon Historical Park’s signature bell tower.

Cover image on most editions: Soaring 200 feet into the sky and lit with 20,000 bulbs, the Carillon Tree of Light in Dayton is billed as the largest musical Christmas tree in the state (photo courtesy of Carillon Historical Park).

This page: Model railroader Dave Nenna built this N-scale model of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway and its famous Tehachapi Loop, where the track goes in a complete circle to pass over itself to gain elevation, in the basement of his Cincinnati home (photo courtesy of John Burchnall).

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

1

UP FRONT

Winter is coming W

inter poses a particular set of challenges to your electric cooperative’s commitment to provide members with an uninterrupted supply of power every hour of every day of the year. Winter storms in particular can wreak havoc on electric lines, and often result in longer outage times because icy roads and fallen trees and limbs make it even more difficult to mobilize people and equipment to the areas that are hardest hit. Access to downed lines is slow and tedious, and working conditions that lineworkers face when they arrive to make repairs are often difficult and even dangerous.

Co-ops, of course, have been rising to those challenges since their beginnings. Recently, however, co-ops face a new, even more difficult test. Demand for electricity continues to grow, slowly but steadily, while generation resources continue to be retired faster than they are being replaced, creating ever-increasing strain on the national and regional power grid.

Last Christmas, electric utilities in several nearby states were forced to shut off power to thousands of customers to avert widespread uncontrolled blackouts during a brief but frigid winter storm. Thankfully, with diminished reserves and emergency operations, we were able to get by here in Ohio. But now a new independent analysis has concluded that the entire Midwest, along with most of the eastern United States and Canada, is at risk of widespread outages again this winter because there simply may not be enough power generation available during extreme weather conditions. Though Ohio’s electric cooperatives maintain healthy reserves of generating capacity, we are only a small part of the larger grid and are still subject to the potential for broad regional shortages.

We have been working with grid operators, federal regulators, and elected officials to change policies that are forcing power companies to shutter fossil-fuel generators not only before the end of their useful lives, but before there’s anything available to replace them. Alarmingly, 6,000 megawatts (about 4% of the generation capacity) has been retired from our regional network just since last Christmas, and so, again, we find ourselves at risk for the “rolling blackouts” that are used as a last resort to stabilize the grid when it doesn’t have adequate electric generation supply.

We urge you to be prepared for the hazards that cold winter days may bring and be ready to make extra conservation efforts when called upon. At the same time, please know that your electric co-op is doing everything it can to keep the lights on, no matter how challenging that might become.

2

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

Pat O’Loughlin

PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Ohio’s electric cooperatives maintain healthy reserves of generating capacity, but we are only a small part of the larger regional grid.

DECEMBER 2023 • Volume 66, No. 3

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

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

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

Contributors: Margaret Buranen, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, Jamie Rhein, 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 Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices.

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

The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215.

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

4 DEPARTMENTS 4 POWER LINES

It’s not just hype: Years down the road, participants in Youth Tour still say it was “the trip of a lifetime.”

10

10 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

A “wild” idea: Need a gift for an outdoors enthusiast on your list? You might want to consider an endlessly entertaining trail camera.

13 GOOD EATS

13

Smokin’! Not just for giant cuts of meat, smoke adds unmistakable flavor to all kinds of food.

17 LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

26 CO-OP PEOPLE

26

All aboard! Interested in trains?

Model railroading is a hobby that can last a lifetime.

33 CALENDAR National/regional advertising inquiries, contact

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

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

33

36 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Cooperative members:

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

Holiday baking: It’s that time of year when members get in the kitchen to create some yummy memories.

36

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.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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POWER LINES

I𝗍𝗍𝗍𝗍𝗍𝗍𝗍𝗍

𝗍𝗍

ju𝗌𝗌t

Y E P H

COMPILED BY JODI BORGER

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very June, electric cooperatives from around Ohio and across the nation sponsor high school sophomores and juniors on a trip to Washington, D.C., where the students learn about the cooperative business model, visit Capitol Hill to meet with legislative leaders, and explore the rich history of the nation’s capital.

Beyond that educational experience, though, Youth Tour delegates also are encouraged to connect with other students from all over the nation, forging friendships and creating memories that in many cases impact their future endeavors.

Those connections are the reason Youth Tour is billed as “the trip of a lifetime.” Ohio Cooperative Living caught up with several former delegates — some of whom have even joined the co-op family as employees — to see just how their experiences have played a part in their lives after high school. Here are their stories, in their own words:

OLIVIA VELASQUEZ, 2013

The Youth Tour was a pivotal experience during my transition from high school to college. Growing up in a tiny Ohio village, attending even tinier Pandora-Gilboa High School, I attended Youth Tour in 2013. After high school, I pursued my education at Harvard University, and I am currently studying at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.

I applied for the Youth Tour when my dad, hearing about the tour through Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, encouraged me to attend. As I learned more about it, I grew curious and excited about the chance to explore one of America’s historic cities.

It turned into much more than that. Youth Tour opened my worldview in ways I had not imagined — providing me with a positive perspective and the opportunity to find my place in the world. I was elected to represent Ohio 4

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

on the Youth Leadership Council [YLC] and from there was selected to give a speech on the main stage at the NRECA annual meeting.

I believe the experience I had on the Youth Tour set me apart from other high school students applying to universities like Harvard. It allowed me to define my narrative, showcasing where I came from, why it was significant, and why I sought a larger city and new experiences.

The Youth Tour exposed me to opportunities that exceeded my expectations. I met individuals with aspirations of attending law school or entering social work, and it was inspiring to see that they, like me, came from small towns but were determined to pursue their dreams.

This experience motivated me to push my own limits.

I’m grateful to my electric cooperative, Hancock-Wood, for making this life-changing experience possible. Though the Youth Tour lasted only a week, the lessons and friendships formed during that time will last a lifetime.

Olivia Velasquez says her experience on Youth Tour helped set her apart as she applied to college.

pants in Youth Tour

Years down the road, partici

etime.’ lif a f o ip tr e h ‘t s a w it y sa ill st

ANDY DENNY, 2015

My journey with the Youth Tour began with a simple misconception — I saw it as a free vacation. Little did I know that this experience would reshape my life and instill a deep appreciation for cooperatives and the energy industry.

In 2015, I was chosen by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative to attend Youth Tour. It was during that trip, standing amidst the monuments of our nation’s capital, that I realized there was more to this adventure than I initially thought. The experience was transformative, and it led to further involvement. I represented Ohio on the YLC and even served as a “blue shirt” chaperone [at the NRECA annual meeting] in 2016.

The friendships forged with fellow participants from across the country remain strong to this day, and many have turned into professional connections within the electric cooperative community.

The most eye-opening part of the journey was my visit to NRECA’s headquarters, where I discovered a world of career opportunities within cooperatives. The Youth Tour played a pivotal role in my career choice. It fueled my passion for the cooperative world, prompting me

to change my college major to communications, with a focus on nonprofit studies. Today, I’m proud to be part of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, working to empower communities with reliable electricity.

The Youth Tour isn’t just another expense for cooperatives; it’s a wise investment. It has a lasting impact, inspiring participants like me to return as employees and ensuring the cooperative spirit lives on.

KIRA JONES, 2016

I had the opportunity to follow in my mother’s footsteps when I was selected by my co-op, URE [Union Rural Electric Cooperative in Marysville] and participate in the Youth Tour. It was a dream come true for me, as I had been eager to return to Washington, D.C., ever since my middle-school trip there. What made the experience even more special was that I wasn’t alone; a childhood friend also attended the Youth Tour the same year.

The trip had a challenging start because I had a foot injury, but I refused to let it deter me from the experience. I had been in a cast right up until we left on the bus, and I had to navigate the trip using a combination of a wheelchair and crutches. I was touched by the kindness and support I received from others on the trip. The friendships I made

Andy Denny (left) was so impressed with the co-op world she discovered on Youth Tour that she eventually came back to work for Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. Kira Jones (right photo, with walking boot) was touched by the helpful kindness of other participants.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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during Youth Tour have proven to be one of the most important components of my trip.

After high school, I pursued a degree in child and family development at the University of Akron. I currently work full-time as a wedding coordinator for BTTS Holdings at their Brookshire Event Venue located in Delaware, Ohio. I continue to follow many people I met on the trip on social media, finding joy in their accomplishments and staying connected to the memories we shared.

The Youth Tour had a significant impact on my life, and it even sparked the interest of my sister, who, unfortunately, had her own Youth Tour experience canceled due to COVID-19. The Jones family’s connection to the Youth Tour remains strong, bridging generations and offering a sense of shared adventure and camaraderie.

MADELYN LAMB, 2018

I attended Youth Tour in 2018, an opportunity that would not only take me to the heart of American history, but also reshape my perspective and lead me to a fulfilling career in the cooperative world.

I applied for the Youth Tour out of my love for history and an interest in Washington, D.C. The chance to meet my representatives in person was one of the things I looked forward to most. My application process involved a test and interview at our cooperative’s annual meeting in Paulding, and I remember feeling grateful when I was selected to represent my co-op, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative.

Initially, I was apprehensive. As a shy and reserved teenager, it was well outside my comfort zone. However, the experience broke me out of my shell and allowed me to form connections with other teens from all over Ohio and beyond, all of us united not just by our membership in electric co-ops, but by the experience itself. Attending a service at the National Cathedral and

exploring the Udvar-Hazy Center, with its airplanes and space memorabilia, were among my most memorable moments. By exposing me to the diverse lives of rural teens from across the nation, the trip deepened my understanding of my peers.

The Youth Tour left a lasting impact on me. I made lifelong friends and even attended college with two individuals from my Youth Tour class. I earned a business administration degree with a minor in marketing from Bowling Green State University, then found my way back to the cooperative world — I now work as a marketing specialist at Paulding Putnam Electric. I’m also pursuing an MBA, a journey that began with the remarkable experience of the Youth Tour.

LEVI GRIMM, 2018

When I applied to go on Youth Tour, I had only a limited knowledge of what the trip entailed. It was recommended by family friends, who told me it was a perk of being a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative member. So a friend and I applied and attended as high school freshmen in 2018.

As it turned out, Youth Tour exposed me to people with diverse interests, experiences, and goals, and played a significant role in shaping my future. I am currently a junior at Miami University, majoring in information systems and entrepreneurship.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to take part in Youth Tour. Some of my favorite things about it were the close bonds formed, the inside jokes that then led to lasting friendships, and the chance to meet students from other states. I ran for the role of Ohio YLC delegate and represented Ohio at national events, including NRECA’s annual meeting.

There was one part of the trip that I feel particularly helped shape my future. While we were visiting Capitol

Madelyn Lamb (left) says Youth Tour stretched her comfort zone as she connected with peers from around the country. Levi Grimm (right photo, fourth in line) was inspired by his experience meeting with legislators to seek — and find — a college internship on Capitol Hill.

6

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

Hill, I had a moment that sparked an interest in politics and civic engagement. That experience led me to intern with U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson in Washington after my freshman year in college. During the internship, I worked on legislative matters, community relations, and constituent interactions, and I was able to draw on my experience from Youth Tour to help me understand the importance of my role.

During the internship, I had a full-circle moment when I spoke with high school students from that year’s Youth

Tour. I later participated in a fellowship with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, focusing on civic engagement and leadership. This experience gave me a broader perspective on rural community issues and led to policy and advocacy work with the Ohio Farm Bureau, which related to electric cooperatives.

To see whether your electric cooperative sponsors students on Youth Tour or for application details, contact your local co-op office.

s e i r o m e m h Fres

Generations of students from electric cooperatives around Ohio and across the nation have described Youth Tour as “the trip of a lifetime” — but it’s not just a feeling students develop years after the trip.

We asked a few of the most recent delegates for their thoughts immediately after they returned home:

Dylan Pence

Braden Knippen

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative

I had my doubts and wondered if I would actually make any friends.

However, I was surprised how easy the trip makes it to meet new people. No matter if you’re shy or nervous, you will have a great time.

By the end of the first day of Youth Tour, I was sitting in the lobby of our hotel, laughing and playing cards with six people from all over Ohio that I could truly call “friend,” even though I hadn’t even known them 24 hours prior.

Ryan Mestemaker, Darke Rural Electric Cooperative Seeing the memorials lit up at night was breathtaking. From the Capitol rotunda to meeting with our state’s legislators, there were so many new experiences that opened my eyes to parts of our lives and parts of our nation’s history that I never knew before.

Brooklyn Wright

North Western Electric Cooperative

The historical part of it was very interesting, but the best part was meeting new people … from all over the United States. By the end of the trip, I had made many new friends, seen many new things, and learned so much.

Grace Lee, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Meeting students from around the U.S. was an amazing experience. I enjoyed learning about how our local electric co-op is connected to the national co-op and how D.C. is a big part of all of them.

Cooper Kidwell

Consolidated Cooperative

I made so many memories — best friends I would never have met without this trip. It was great to learn about the different states from the viewpoints of the kids who live there.

Darcie Reinhart, Consolidated Cooperative We saw so many fascinating things, but the real takeaway was the lesson I learned about appreciating where we came from and the people who served to get us here, and about how important electric cooperatives are.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Members, friends, and employees of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives would like to thank the following for their generosity in supporting our efforts to fight blood cancers at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2023 Light the Night Walk:

Double-platinum sponsors: Your Partner for Success

Platinum sponsors:

Mary Beth & Tom Alban

Thank you!

Your support was crucial as our company raised $80,993 for this year’s event.

810 OHIO OHIOCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELIVING LIVING• •DECEMBER OCTOBER 2023

Gold sponsors:

CoBank

Thompson Hine

Silver sponsors:

Pat & Nancy Cross Creek O’Loughlin Builders Crowe LLP Sargent & Lundy United Rentals Gordon Iseminger GNS Dry Sorbent Injection IGS Specialists

Bronze sponsors: Bruceton Petroleum Kurt & Andrea Helfrich Neal & Erin Shah

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

A ‘wild’ idea

Need a gift for an outdoors enthusiast on your list?

You might want to consider an endlessly entertaining trail camera.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

What trail camera should I buy?

or years, hunters have been using trail cameras to scout for game, which, in the Buckeye State, usually means white-tailed deer. But, interestingly, a growing segment of the trail-camera market now has nonhunters purchasing the relatively inexpensive cameras to capture wildlife images 24/7.

As with buying any photography equipment, it’s always wise to purchase the best camera your budget allows.

This pays dividends not only in the quality of photos, but also in the longevity of the camera. Expect to pay less than $100 or as much as several hundred dollars for a trail camera. The price will depend mainly upon whether or not cellular capability is important to you, as some advanced trail cameras can transmit photos from the field directly to your cellphone or other electronic devices. However, you’ll pay a premium for that service.

F

For instance, I’m not a deer hunter, but my wife and I maintain a corn-filled deer feeder on our rural property in north-central Ohio during the winter months. In addition to attracting deer, a certain red fox gave us a chuckle one night. He stopped at the salt block we have lying on the ground near the feeder and gave it a sniff. He then proceeded to lift one of his rear legs and squirt the salt block before trotting on. I wouldn’t have wanted to be the next deer licking that salt block!

Trail cameras take both still photos and video clips of wildlife and provide endlessly entertaining images. If there’s someone on your Christmas list who would like to try this fun and fascinating outdoor hobby — or if you’d like to try it yourself — here are a few suggestions to help get you started, based on my own experience: 10

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

One item not to skimp on is the removable memory card a camera requires. Most trail cameras operate on an SD card — short for secure digital — and the specs for a particular camera will list the size of card needed for best results. Always buy quality memory cards!

Where should I set up my trail camera?

In addition to monitoring home deer feeders and bird feeders, you can mount the camera most anywhere: adjacent to wildlife trails or watering areas, overlooking feeding areas and food plots, along woods roads or field

edges — the possibilities are endless. Choose a relatively flat area that’s clear of brush so the camera has an unobstructed view of any approaching animals.

How should I set up my trail camera?

If at all possible, point the camera north. Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, if you aim your camera in either of those two directions, the movement of the sun throughout the day may inadvertently trigger the camera. Likewise, do not point the camera south.

In North America, the sun is in the southern sky, so if aimed that direction, your photo subjects will be backlit on sunny days. Pointing your camera north avoids all of those issues, giving you the best photos possible.

What’s possible…

Ask

CHIP!

Also, when positioning a trail camera along a game trail, aim it either up or down the trail, not directly perpendicular to the trail. In other words, give the camera as much distance as possible to detect a moving animal and take the photo. Keep in mind, too, that most trail cameras are designed to take photos at relatively close distances, usually 20 to 40 feet.

One last tip concerns security. Replace the nylon strap that comes on your trail camera with a length of darkcolored or camouflaged parachute cord. The cord is narrower than the camera’s original strap, hence much less obvious in the woods. Many trail cameras have been stolen by thieves who first noticed a wide strap around a tree, not the camera itself.

For years, Robert Bush Sr. has been using trail cameras set up near downed logs spanning small streams in Pennsylvania to capture photos of wildlife crossing the logs. Aim your smartphone camera at the QR code to see a fascinating, eight-minute highlight video.

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

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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! ' n i k o m S GOOD EATS

t, smoke adds a e m f o ts u c t n Not just for gia avor to all kinds of food. fl unmistakable PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY RECIPES AND

SMOKY SKILLET SAUSAGE MAC & CHEESE

Prep: 15 minutes | Chill: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 13.5 ounces kielbasa, sliced into rounds 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons flour 1½ cups half-and-half 1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 teaspoon ground mustard seed ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 to 4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, hand grated 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, hand grated 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, hand grated minced parsley for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni, salt, and a dash of oil. Cook according to al dente package directions.

Drain and set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown sausage rounds in oil, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set sausage aside and quickly wipe oil from skillet. Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly, until flour begins to smell nutty (1 to 2 minutes).

Gradually whisk in the half-and-half, dried onion, ground mustard seed, and black pepper. Continue whisking until the mixture bubbles and thickens (about 2 minutes). Slowly add cheese by the handful, letting it melt before adding the next, stirring constantly. Mix in cooked macaroni, then browned sausage, cooking a minute longer to heat through. Garnish with parsley (optional) and serve hot.

Per serving: 496 calories, 31 grams fat (18 grams saturated fat), 86 milligrams cholesterol, 499 milligrams sodium, 34 grams total carbohydrates, 1.5 grams fiber, 21 grams protein.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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SMOKED SALMON QUICHE Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 1 hour | Servings: 6 1¼ cups flour, plus more for rolling 1 stick salted butter, cut into ½-inch dice and chilled

1 teaspoon olive oil 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water 4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped 1 leek, white/light green part only, sliced into thin 5 large eggs rounds

1½ cups half-and-half ½ teaspoon dill ½ teaspoon lemon pepper (or black pepper)

To make the crust, combine flour and butter in a food processor. Pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Drizzle in ice water and pulse in 1-second bursts until dough begins to stick together. Gather dough and form a ball. Roll out crust and fit into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing crust into corners, and crimp edges. Poke some holes in the crust with a fork. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Heat oven to 425 F. Line crust with parchment or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or dry rice. Make sure the weights are snug against the sides of the pan. Place on a cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Set aside to cool and lower oven temperature to 350 F. Sauté leek in oil for 5 to 7 minutes. Spread across bottom of the pie crust and top with smoked salmon. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the salmon. Place on cookie sheet and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until center is puffed up and jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 407 calories, 28 grams fat (16 grams saturated fat), 222 milligrams cholesterol, 573 milligrams sodium, 25 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams protein.

Check it out!

See videos of some of our mouth-watering recipes being prepared at

www.ohiocoopliving.com 14

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

SMOKED CLUB SANDWICH Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 2 minutes | Servings: 4 1⁄3 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 2 large kaiser rolls

1 pound smoked turkey and/or smoked ham 4 slices crispy smoked bacon, torn in half 1 large tomato, sliced handful of large lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, rosemary, and garlic.

Thinly spread mayo mixture on the insides of the kaiser rolls, reserving most of it for later. Lightly toast rolls mayo-side down in a large skillet. Build the sandwiches by stacking the remaining ingredients and slathering with mayonnaise. Cut in half and serve. Any remaining mayonnaise would be excellent for dipping french fries.

Per serving: 319 calories, 17 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 1,258 milligrams sodium, 17 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 21 grams protein.

SMOKED GOUDA CAULIFLOWER BAKE Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes | Servings: 6 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 8 ounces 1⁄3-less-fat cream cheese, softened ½ cup sour cream

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon ground mustard seed 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese (approx. 5 ounces)

In a large skillet, bring ¼ inch water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add cauliflower in an even layer, cover with lid, and steam for about 3 minutes, until slightly tender.

Drain well. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, crushed red pepper, mustard seed, and garlic powder. Mix in half of the Gouda, then the cauliflower.

Transfer mixture to an 8 x 12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Gouda on top. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and broil a few minutes to get a toasty golden top.

Per serving: 239 calories, 19 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 470 milligrams sodium, 6 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 13 grams protein.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Reach 300,000 of your best customers OHIO

DECEMBER 2023

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

Dazzling display

Dayton’s Carillon Christmas

ALSO INSIDE Youth Tour tales

Model railroads

Holiday baking

Ohio Cooperative Living has been a valued presence in rural Ohio homes and businesses for the past 60 years. 83.4% of our readers have taken action from something they have seen in Ohio Cooperative Living.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

MIDWEST ELECTRIC LOCAL PAGES

Midwest Electric to return nearly

$2 million in patronage 7,774 current and former members will receive cash back for the holidays

P

atronage capital is the cooperative’s margins, or profits. We use the margins to help pay for capital investments, such as building or replacing power lines and other electric system improvements.

Then, at a later date, the margins are returned to you as cash back. It represents each co-op member’s ownership — or equity Matt Berry, CEO — in their cooperative. Patronage mberry@midwestrec.com capital is allocated to members in proportion to the dollar amount of electricity you used. (Read more about this on page 18) This month’s payment will go to those who used Midwest Electric’s service in 2007. A typical residential member from that year will receive, on average, $175 in patronage cash back this month. Since 1955, Midwest Electric has returned more than $42 million in patronage cash back to our members. For this month’s payment, each eligible member will receive the refund either as a credit on their electric bill mailed around Nov. 21 or as a separate check this month.

When it comes to returning patronage cash back to members, Midwest Electric is among the strongest of America’s 800 electric cooperatives. Every year varies but, on average, we return two to three times more than other electric cooperatives, as a percent of total equity. For example, in 2023 we paid back 6.93% of our total equity and the national electric cooperative average was about 2.5%.

Since our inception, we’ve paid back 55%of our total patronage. The national cooperative average is 29%.

The electric co-op model is not an investment tool but a way to provide an essential, community-based service at reasonable costs. If positive margins are made then they can be invested back into electric system upgrades and assigned and returned to those who used the service and provided the margins. It is a perpetual service that should always benefit its users.

Every product or service anyone purchases includes a margin for the business to be able to survive and continue

providing the service or product. Our business model is the only one that ever pays those margins back to (and only to) its member-owners.

Consider reinvesting a portion back into your co-op’s political efforts Another way we prove the value of the cooperative difference is when we work with legislative leaders on your behalf.

State and federal laws and regulations can have a significant impact on the cost and reliability of electric power. We stay in regular contact with our political leaders to ensure they understand how proposed laws impact cooperative members.

For as little as $25 per year ($2.08 per month added to your electric bill), you can join America’s Electric Cooperatives Political Action Committee and team up with 700+ Midwest Electric members. Nationally, more than 36,000 co-op members, employees, and trustees belong to our political action committee, which supports legislators dedicated to keeping your electric bills affordable. Simply return the form on the bottom of page 18 to join today!

Call us at 800-962-3830 with any questions about patronage cash back. If you would like to reinvest a portion of your cash back into our political action efforts to ensure your voice is heard by lawmakers, please complete the form on the next page and mail it back to us. Thank you for your consideration!

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

17

MIDWEST ELECTRIC

EVERY MEMBER GETS A PIECE OF THE PIE You’re more than a consumer — you’re an owner of Midwest Electric.

Patronage cash back (known as capital credits) represents this ownership and is one of the most unique and rewarding benefits you enjoy as a member of a cooperative.

What’s the difference between allocated and retired patronage credits?

Allocated patronage appears as an entry on the permanent financial records and reflects your ownership in Midwest Electric. Every spring, we notify our members of the amount added to their patronage capital accounts through a printed notice on electric bills. When patronage capital credits are retired, a check or bill credit is issued to each eligible member.

Will I receive a check every year?

Not necessarily. The board of directors must authorize a retirement before you receive a check. When considering a retirement, the cooperative’s board must consider the financial condition of the cooperative, the need for cash, and the availability of funds.

What happens to my patronage capital when I leave the co-op’s service area?

Your patronage cash back account balance remains on the books in your name and member number until they are retired. Because payments are made to current and former

members alike, you should ensure that Midwest Electric always has your current mailing address on file.

I have been a co-op member for several years. When will I receive a patronage cash back payment?

Midwest Electric currently operates on a 16-year patronage rotation, while most co-ops go more than 20 years before retiring patronage. (While 16 years is our current method, it can change.) Until they’re retired, patronage funds are used to help finance reliability improvements, line rebuilds, and other electric system upgrades. Most of that equipment has a life of 20 to 50 years. Financing is a balance between loans and member equity (patronage). Too much in loans, and interest expense gets too high. Too much in member equity, and members’ costs are financing more of the system.

What if the account holder dies?

We need to be notified by a relative or other legal representative when a member passes away so that the patronage account can be closed, paid out, or transferred to another person’s name.

Help keep the voice of rural electric cooperatives heard in the political process by reinvesting your patronage cash back in America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC. Simply return this form with your next payment or drop it off at our office.

I want to help keep the voice of rural electric cooperatives heard in the political process by participating in America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC. Return this form with bill payment or drop at the co-op office.

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 $_____________________

I affirm that my contribution has been made with non-corporate funds NAME: _______________________________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________

CITY: __________ STATE: ______________ZIP: _______

COOPERATIVE: ________________________________

EMAIL: _______________________________________

SIGNATURE: ___________________________________

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

OCCUPATION: ___________________________

Contributions to the NRECA America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC are voluntary and will be used for political purposes. You have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal. Federal law prohibits contributions from foreign nationals who lack permanent resident status. 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.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18A

PAC legislative breakfast and Member appreciation day

M

ore than 250 members and guests attended Midwest Electric’s legislative breakfast on Friday, Oct. 27, to hear local legislators give industry updates and answer questions. State Representatives Angela King, Susan Manchester, and Roy Klopfenstein, as well as State Senator Matt Huffman and Pat O’Loughlin, president and CEO of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, participated.

Midwest Electric is a political leader in Ohio, with more than 700 members of America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC, a nonpartisan group supporting legislators who support co-ops and affordable, reliable electricity. After the breakfast, another 500 members attended Member Appreciation Day festivities until 4 p.m.

During the breakfast, legislators covered a wide range of topics from reliability concerns to local control of wind and solar farms, ag tax credits, electric vehicles, and decisions on the ballot on Nov. 7: Issues 1 and 2, and electric aggregation (which will not affect Midwest Electric members; the co-op is neutral).

Klopfenstein and King both expressed the importance of being educated about the electric industry and current concerns, as well as the value of being a PAC member of the co-op. Both agreed action needs to be taken at the federal level, due to the continued shutdown of baseload power plants like coal.

“Solar and wind will not replace gas and coal,” Klopfenstein said. “Last I checked, I’m still looking for the person who can turn the wind or sun on and off. We need more members of the PAC. We have a lot of folks who need educated. It ought to be a goal for Ohio to have reliable, affordable, sustainable power.”

“I recently went on a tour of the gas Mone Peaking Plant in Convoy, Ohio, with Midwest Electric,” King said. “We all want reliable power, but it’s getting harder with the demand for net

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

zero. The possibility of blackouts is a real concern. Having the ability to pick up the phone and dial CEO Matt at Midwest for energy advice has been invaluable.”

O’Loughlin cited last year’s Christmas Eve emergency event as evidence that power supply is not meeting demand during extreme weather.

“Any time it gets very cold, we’ll be faced with these emergency events,” O’Loughlin said. “The biggest reason we have to close power plants is government policy. We have to produce the same amount of electricity as people use. Reliable power is becoming a bipartisan issue.”

Huffman discussed the passage of Senate Bill 52, giving control to local townships and counties for solar and wind farm decisions.

Klopfenstein shared he felt electric vehicles “don’t make sense yet” for the general public, given the limited range and long charging times, stating he only knew two people with EVs. “They are pushing EVs. It’s misguided,” Klopfenstein said. “It’s not there yet; I trust the consumer.”

CEO Matt Berry provided an update on the kilowatt-hour (kWh) tax legislation, which would put the co-op’s kWh tax revenue into a state rural development fund that can be used for local purposes. Currently, Berry states, Ohio’s kWh tax is four times higher than the national average — just under a half cent per kWh, which is collected and sent by Midwest Electric on to Columbus.

He also warned members to be cautious with deceptive solar vendors, becoming increasingly common in Ohio, using shoddy installations, deceptive marketing, and predatory lending.

Afterward, Member Appreciation Day kicked off with a free lunch, electrical safety and energy presentations, lineworker equipment booths, and more.

Check out our Facebook page for more photos. Be sure to click the LIKE and follow button to stay up to date.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Making a difference

$15,025 in donations to 21 local organizations

Members of Midwest Electric recently donated $15,025 to 21 west-central Ohio charities and community projects through the cooperative’s Community Connection Fund. Thanks to the 90% of members who round up their bills and donate to this fund, Midwest Electric has provided $1,347,304 to 1,147 local charitable causes since 1998.

locally

A board of trustees, composed of co-op members and separate from the Midwest Electric board, oversees the application and allocation process. Individuals or organizations can obtain an application by calling 800-962-3830.

Trustee update: Welcome to our new Community Connection Fund trustees: Marilyn DeVita, Allen/Putnam counties; Nicole Tebbe, Auglaize/ Shelby counties; and Shanelle Sellers, Van Wert County.

LATEST CCF GRANT RECIPIENTS INCLUDE: • Historic Main Street of Van Wert for the National Bank clock project — $1,100.00

• Marathon XII: Running for Jersey to fund a scholarship in memory of Jersey Poff — $750.00

• American Township Police Department in Allen County for the purchase of handheld MARCS radios — $3,000.00

• Grand Lake Recreation Club to purchase lighted channel markers — $400.00

• Delphos Community Christmas Project to provide a “Happy Christmas” for needy children in the Delphos school district — $500.00 • Lima Symphony Orchestra to support the Symphony Storytime program — $250.00 • ACTS Character Academy to purchase classroom technology equipment — $500.00 • The Arc of Allen County to replace the flooring in the daycare room — $500.00

• Erastus Church in Mercer county to fund a weeknight children’s program — $425.00 • St. Joseph Men Sodality of St. Anthony in Mercer county to purchase items to build the St. Anthony Guardian Angel Playground — $500.00 • New Bremen Blanketeers to purchase blanketmaking supplies — $500.00 • New Knoxville Class of 2028 to help fund the Washington, D.C., trip — $800.00

• Choosing Life Pregnancy Center of Mercer County to support training on a new ultrasound machine — $1,000.00

• Christmas Jubilee in Auglaize county to assist needy families in the Wapakoneta school district to ensure a healthy and joyous holiday season — $800.00

• Fort Recovery Cheerleading to purchase new uniforms for the cheerleaders — $500.00

• Wapakoneta Area Ministerial Association to fund their voucher program — $250.00

• The MED Foundation of Mercer county to purchase a laptop computer — $750.00

• Let’s Back the Blue to support the “Blue Lights for Canned Goods” program — $500.00

• Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics to purchase lighting to illuminate an outdoor walking path — $500.00

• St. Mary’s Middle School to purchase books for classroom libraries — $1,000.00

• Mercer County Aktion Club to purchase items to support various projects — $500.00

Tebbe

Sellers

DeVita

Midwest would like to say “thank you” to the following members for the valuable service they’ve provided to the Midwest Electric Community Connection Fund Board over the past three years: Steve Butcher, Allen/Putnam counties; Scott Snethkamp, Auglaize/Shelby counties; and Beverlee Profit, Van Wert County.

Other Midwest Electric members currently serving on the Community Connection Fund board are Jeremy Monroe, Auglaize/Shelby counties; John Miller, Mercer/Darke counties; L.J. Bertke, Mercer/Darke counties; Sharon Solano, Auglaize/Shelby counties; Karen Heinrichs, Mercer/Darke counties; and Jim Link, Allen/Putnam counties.

Thanks to all board members for their community service!

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18C

MIDWEST ELECTRIC

Four new jobs created from Midwest Electric revolving loan fund

M

idwest Electric recently provided a small business loan to Rush Sports Complex. The low-interest loan was provided through the co-op’s Revolving Loan Fund, which aims to support local businesses and empower the community by creating and retaining jobs in west-central Ohio.

Rush Sports Complex opened its doors in Celina, Ohio, in September of 2022, offering recreational sports leagues, tournaments, basketball, volleyball, and soccer facilities, a golf lounge, a weight room, and more.

To expand its facilities, Rush Sports Complex recently renovated its North Field House, which includes basketball, volleyball, and pickleball courts. The loan from Midwest Electric will provide funding for the North Field House’s basketball and volleyball equipment and create four full-time jobs.

To learn more about Rush Sports Complex, visit their website at www.rushsportscomplex.com

What’s the Revolving Loan Fund?

Midwest Electric’s Revolving Loan Fund features a competitive interest rate for job creation projects in rural west

Midwest Electric Business Development Coordinator Joel Johns presents a loan to Rush Sports Complex owner Branden Rushton to purchase sports equipment and create four new full-time jobs.

For more information call us at 800-962-3830 or visit midwestrec.com/ economic-development. central Ohio. The minimum loan amount is $5,000; the maximum depends on the amount of available funds at the time of the request. The project must have a minimum of 10% equity infusion. Other requirements apply.

“The main purpose of the Midwest Electric Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) is to create or retain jobs in west-central Ohio, which is essential for the community well-being,” says Joel Johns, business development coordinator for Midwest Electric. “Any local business within the seven-county area that we serve is eligible to apply for a low-interest loan for fixed asset financing.”

Winter generator usage tips Winter is here, and if your electricity goes out due to snow and ice, a generator can keep your power flowing to your home or business.

1. Take stock of your generator. Make sure equipment is in good working order before starting and using it.

2. Review the directions. Follow all manufacturer's instructions. Review the owner's manuals so equipment is operated safely.

3. Install a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector in your home. This alarm will sound if dangerous levels of carbon monoxide enter the building.

4. Have the right fuel on hand. Use the type of fuel recommended by the generator manufacturer. Store gas only in an approved container and away from heat sources.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

5. Ensure portable generators have plenty of ventilation.

Generators should NEVER be used in an enclosed area or placed inside a home, a building, or a garage, even if the windows or doors are open.

6. Keep the generator dry. Do not use a generator in wet conditions. Cover and vent a generator.

7. Only add fuel to a cool generator. Before refueling, turn the generator off and let it cool down.

8. Plug in safely. If you don't yet have a transfer switch, you can use the outlets on the generator. If you use an extension cord, it should be heavy-duty and designed for outdoor use.

It should be rated (in watts or amps) at least equal to the connected load. Make sure the cord is free of cuts, and the plug has all three prongs.

9. Do not use the generator to "backfeed" power into your home electrical system. Trying to power your home's electrical wiring by "backfeeding" — plugging the generator into a wall outlet — is dangerous. You could hurt or kill lineworkers and neighbors.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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MIDWEST ELECTRIC

ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO GET HELP WITH UTILITY BILLS:

If you need help with your utility bills and are facing a possible shut-off of services, there are places you can go for help.

HEAP

Columbus, OH 1-800-282-0880 www.energyhelp.ohio.gov

ALLEN COUNTY

West Ohio Community Action Partnership 38 Auglaize St., Wapakoneta 419-227-2586 | www.wocap.org Appointment hotline: 419-227-2586 Allen Co. Job & Family Services 951 Commerce Pkwy, Lima 419-228-2621 | acjfs.org

AUGLAIZE COUNTY

West Ohio Community Action Partnership 13093 Infirmary Road, Wapakoneta 419-227-2586 | www.wocap.org Appointment hotline: 419-227-2586

Auglaize Co. Job & Family Services 12 N. Wood St., Wapakoneta 567-242-2700 www.auglaizecountydjfs.org

Mercer County Job & Family Services 220 W. Livingston St., Suite 10, Celina 419-586-5106 | mercercountyohio.org/jfs

Mercy Unlimited 38 E. Auglaize St., Wapakoneta 419-738-3161 | www.mercyunlimited.org

Putnam County Job & Family Services 575 Ottawa Glandorf Rd. Suite 1, Ottawa 800-523-8790

St. Vincent DePaul Center 107 W. Pearl St., Wapakoneta 419-738-7456 | Friday, 9-11:30 am

MERCER COUNTY

PUTNAM COUNTY

Putnam County Community Action 1205 SE 3rd Street, Ottawa Main office in Findlay: 419-423-3755 Satellite office in Ottawa: 419-523-5345

West Ohio Community Action Partnership 420 N. Brandon, Suite A, Celina 419-227-2586 | www.wocap.org Appointment hotline: 419-227-2586

VAN WERT COUNTY

OUR Home Family Resource Center 117 W. Fayette St., Celina 419-586-4663 | www.ourhomefrc.com

If you’re getting behind on your electric bill, please call us. We might be able to work out payment arrangements for your past due amount, and we will help you with service agencies. Remember, we are on your side

Northwestern Ohio Community Action 114 E. Main St., Suite 1, Van Wert 419-238-4544 Utility Assistance: 419-219-4641

and want to help!

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Our offices will be closed Dec. 22, Dec. 25, Dec. 29 (starting at 11:30 am), and Jan. 1 for the holidays. Please use SmartHub to report outages and receive text updates.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICE

06029 County Road 33A St. Marys, OH 45885 CONTACT

800-962-3830

ACCESS YOUR ACCOUNT ONLINE

www.midwestrec.com Report an outage and pay your bill through our free mobile SmartHub app.

OFFICE HOURS

Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.– p.m.

20 2023 22 OHIO OHIOCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELIVING LIVING •• DECEMBER MARCH 2018

James Wiechart, president Randy Heinl, vice pres.

Kathy Brake, secy./treas.

Steve Bauer Bob Barnt Gary R. Knapke Roger W. Rank Larry Vandemark Adam Johnson Attorney

CEO

Matt Berry mberry@midwestrec.com

A copy of Midwest Electric, Inc.’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations is available from the co-op office and online at midwestrec.com.

Call us to receive your copy.

FIND US ON:

Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube.

Trolls everywhere!

At the Troll Hole Museum in Alliance, Santa is a troll at Christmas, and troll nostalgia lasts all year long.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMIE RHEIN

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

21

W

hat happens when you receive a troll doll at the impressionable young age of 5? If you’re Sherry Grooms, you end up with a museum.

“One troll becomes a row of trolls on a shelf, then a whole room,” Grooms explains. Her collection has since grown to more than 9,000 (and counting), which has earned Grooms a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest troll doll collection. The Troll Hole in Alliance showcases that bounty, as well as Grooms’ passion for these wild-hairdo dolls sometimes described as “just so ugly — or scary — they’re cute.”

For Grooms, part of the trolls’ allure is in their life lessons.

“The world works on cooperation; trolls cooperate,” she says, opening the door that leads to the first of the museum’s 14 rooms. “Trolls live by the Golden Rule, and they have a splinter in their eye so they only see goodness.” With Grooms as a guide, the tour is a trip through legends, folklore, and pop culture, all mixed together with childhood nostalgia. This is collecting on steroids, with healthy doses of creativity and passion.

One room has the Troll Bowl, a dollhouse version of a football stadium, where trolls are dressed as football players and fans sport NFL attire. There’s also the Rock ’n’ Troll Hall of Fame featuring troll versions of Rod Stewart, Justin Timberlake, KISS, and more.

Troll collecting has made Grooms an expert on troll doll history. The original is from Denmark, where Thomas Dam carved wooden dolls for his daughter, inspired by trolls of Scandinavian folklore. Dam’s designs became mass-produced in the U.S. in the 1960s.

In the rooms dedicated to troll legends and folklore, Scandinavian and Smoky Mountain trolls are in the whimsy mix. Here, children’s picture books highlight the literary traditions of these magical, mythical creatures. There’s also the Billy Goats Gruff bridge that leads to trolls’ golden treasures. Rooms designed like a troll’s abode cleverly highlight their interests. “Trolls like the powers of earth elements. They like to drink, dance, and sing. Life is meant to be enjoyed,” says Grooms.

Sherry Grooms’ world-record collection of trolls includes plenty of treasures besides the wild-haired toys of Trolls movie fame.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

Grooms’ troll collection also includes more than 40,000 pieces of troll memorabilia, most produced in the 1960s, early ’70s, and the ’90s, in the height of troll popularity.

These rooms are pop-culture powerhouses. The girls’ room, with hues of every shade of pink, showcases items from roller skates and bedspreads to lip gloss and more.

The most pop-culture troll tribute, though, goes to Dreamworks’ movie Trolls. When Trolls hit the theaters in 2016, an avalanche of troll goods hit the market. Trolls movie memorabilia has a room to itself in the museum.

During Christmas, the Troll Hole sparkles with twinkling lights and themed trees, invoking the question, “Is Santa really a troll?” Grooms certainly builds that case in each of 13 rooms, where one of the 13 troll Yule lads of Iceland is hidden. The Yule lad scavenger hunt ends with the unveiling of their mother, Gryla, the original keeper of the naughty and nice list. Christmas trolls are also showcased year-round with new ones added.

“I’m trying to get out of my hoarding,” says Grooms, but it’s hard to resist a find. Recently, she drove to St. Louis to pick up boxes of trolls someone had rescued from a dumpster. “It’s pretty cool because there were some custom trolls. Now I have over 240 more,” she says,

explaining that since each is unique from the others, they can be added to the Guinness World Record collection.

She also gets random packages in the mail, like one small box with trolls and troll clothes sent by a woman in her 80s who wanted them to go to a good home. As she eyes up stacks of unopened boxes in the sorting room, it’s clear the current 9,000 number is on its way up.

The Troll Hole, 228 E. Main St., Alliance, OH 44601. Open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Thursday– Sunday. The museum’s gift shop has trolls for sale. Hot chocolate, coffee, and tea are available at the Grumpy Troll Coffee café. 330-596-1157, www.thetrollhole.com.

Trolls or similar creatures can be found in mythology and folk tales from around the world.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

23

Impossib le Entire Bo Price x LESS TH For AN

Survive Just About Anything for Under $20

O

n any outdoor adventure, Mother Nature’s job is to present you with challenges. Some days she’s more demanding than others. And on those days, you’d better come prepared. The Stauer Survival Box is a near-guarantee you’ll be up to the challenge.

The stainless steel multitool offers wire cutters, knife, bottle opener, file, a set of screwdrivers, a pair of pliers and much more. The powerful flashlight has three different settings, and the tactical loop watch is a reliable, water-resistant timepiece that clips to your hip and never leaves your side. All told, opening the Survival Box gives you instant access to nine different tools for JUST $19.50.

$20

Regularly priced at $99, take advantage of this special offer while supplies last!

Regularly sold for $99, we’re offering this collection of survival essentials to you for A FIFTH OF THE NORMAL PRICE! Why? Because we’ve had an incredible year and we feel like giving back to our valued customers. As this kit has proven to be one of our all-time best sellers, we can only extend this offer while supplies last. Of our initial run of 1,737, more than half have already sold.

Your move, Mother Nature.

Praise for Stauer’s Survival Box

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Survival Box Specifications: • Multitool: 3 1/4" x 1" folded • Flashlight: 3 1/2" x 1", 260 lumens, takes AA batteries (not included), three LED light modes: strong, medium and caution flashing • Watch: 2 3/4" x 1", battery type SR626SW (included) Survival Box $99 $19.50* + S+P Save $79.50 *You must use Insider Offer Code: SVB176-01 to get this price.

California residents please call regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.

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Your Insider Offer Code: SVB176-01

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Box includes flashlight, watch and multitool with wire cutters, knife, bottle opener, file, screwdrivers, pliers and more!

Stauer, 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. SVB176-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 www.stauer.com

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25

CO-OP PEOPLE

BY MARGARET BURANEN

J

ody Davis got his first electric train for Christmas when he was 8 years old. But his love affair with trains started even earlier.

“Railroad tracks ran behind our house,” says Davis, a member of New Concord-based Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative. “When I was about 2, I remember insisting on being lifted up to stand in the kitchen sink and watch the train, even though it was the middle of the night.” Davis says he went back to sleep immediately after the trains passed, but he doesn’t think his parents were so fortunate.

Davis joined Associated Model Railroad Engineers of Coshocton when he was 14, and currently, at 55, serves as president.

An early start

It’s a familiar story with model railroaders: A childhood fascination with trains leads to a Christmas or birthday gift of a model train set. Retired music educator Bruce Knapp, 81, of North Bend, is still an active participant and member of the National Model Railroad Association’s Cincinnati chapter.

“For my fourth birthday, my parents gave me a Marx windup train,” Knapp recalls. “When I was 8, I got an American Flyer at Christmas. My interest in model railroading grew from there.”

Knapp still has that American Flyer train and, he notes, “It still runs.”

American Flyer’s manufacturer, the Lionel Company, still makes electric trains. The American Flyer became a popular Christmas gift through advertising in the

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

December issues of national magazines. The print ads usually featured a boy and his dad running their train near a Christmas tree. If a girl was included in the picture, she was in the background watching.

Such gender-specific advertising was typical of the way toys were marketed in the 1940s and 1950s, but Knapp says he has known many women who have been involved in model railroading for years. “Some of the best model railroaders are female,” he says.

All shapes and sizes

Model trains come in different sizes, measured by a particular scale. All of the components of a layout — the tracks, train cars and locomotives, buildings, and scenery — are made proportionate to that scale. This consistency adds to the realistic look of the entire layout.

Knapp’s railroad is made to HO scale, 1:87, which is among the most common and most popular. N scale is 1:160. Larger scales include S at 1:64 and O, which is 1:48. The tiny Z scale is 1:220.

Model railroaders can design their layout to portray an imaginary railroad, a railroad that is typical of a particular time period, or a real railroad traveling through a real geographic location.

Davis and the 50-member Coshocton club’s current project is the creation of an HO-scale layout of the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad, which became part of the New York Central System. Club members meet every Friday to run the trains and work on the layout.

Knapp, meanwhile, is working on a model of the Santa Fe Railroad going through the Raton Pass. “I’m modeling the

This layout depicting a Pennsylvania logging operation, built by the Eastern Loggers group in Cincinnati, is now on permanent display at the Pennsylvania Lumbering Museum in north-central Pennsylvania (photo courtesy of John Burchnall).

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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railroad as it was in 1951,” he says. “That was about the end of Santa Fe’s steam locomotives and also the first generation of diesels, an interesting combination of equipment.”

doing construction or electrical work on the layout.

“Personally, I enjoy building the buildings and adding colors on the locomotives.”

The Raton Pass is on the border of southern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. Knapp has actually ridden through the railroad tunnel there numerous times when he travels on Amtrak from Chicago to Los Angeles to visit his brother.

Knapp says that kids can learn a lot from it, including “history, geography, basic mechanics, carpentry, electronics, and more.”

One member of the Cincinnati club has designed his train layout to show the present-day CSX Railroad.

Another member’s model railroad replicates the Colorado Western Railroad.

Knapp says that model railroaders search through old books and photographs in their efforts to make their layouts look as realistic as possible. This background research increases their knowledge of local history.

The hobby evolves

Model railroading is a hobby that adults and older children can enjoy together. Davis says some folks enjoy running the trains while others prefer

In years past, analog control allowed a model railroader to run one train at different speeds and move it forward or backward, or stop it. Knapp says this type of setup is ideal for a beginner.

But model railroading isn’t a hobby stuck in the past.

As with other hobbies and leisure interests, computers have changed it. The development of digital command control, or DCC, has given model railroad operators many more ways to enjoy their hobby. Knapp says DCC makes it possible to run several trains through larger, more complicated layouts at the same time.

“With DCC you can add lights flashing on and off and sounds, such as a diesel locomotive’s horn,” he says.

“DCC has made a big change in my layout because

Model railroading is an intergenerational hobby. Here, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member Jody Davis shows Samson Hall the finer points of operating this HO-scale layout at a club meeting at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds (photo courtesy of Lance Hall).

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

Bob Lawson, a member of the Cincinnati chapter of the National Model Railroad Association, built this large HO-scale model of the Southern Railway, which traveled from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, in his Cincinnati-area home (photo courtesy of John Burchnall).

it allows for precise control. It’s the ultimate for a model railroader.”

Knapp advises people who want to get started in model railroading to “go to a train show. Talk to the experienced model railroaders there before you start spending money. Also, check your public library for books on model railroading. Our club donates books every year to the Cincinnati Public Library.”

He adds, “When you are ready to buy, make sure you get good equipment that will hold up. Lionel makes models sized to most scales, though some are really expensive.”

Bruce Knapp, 81, of North Bend, has been running model trains since his fourth birthday (photo by Sam Parfitt/courtesy of John Burchnall).

Join the club!

There are model railroad clubs all around Ohio. Both Knapp and Davis urge anyone interested in model railroading to contact their nearest club, as visitors are always welcome.

Being involved in a model railroading club offers members several advantages. Besides the friendship of other members, expert help is readily available. Some model railroad clubs host a holiday open house for anyone who wants to watch their members’ trains in action. These events are especially fun for kids.

Here are only a few selected clubs around the state (most have websites and/or Facebook pages): All Trains Bunch (Piqua); Associated Model Railroad Engineers of Coshocton; Central Ohio Model Railroad Club (Worthington); Central Ohio Ntrak (Columbus); Central Ohio S Gaugers (Gahanna); Cincinnati Northern Model Railroad Club (Hamilton); Crossroads Model Railroad Club (Vandalia); Cuyahoga Valley S Gaugers (Cleveland); Cuyahoga Valley Terminal Model Railroad Club (Cuyahoga Falls); Delaware County Model Railroaders Group (Sunbury); Guernsey Valley Model Railroad Club (Cambridge); Lima Model Railroad Club; Massillon Railroad Club; Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club (Parkersburg, W.Va.); National Model Railroad Association, Div. 5 (Mentor); National Model Railroad Association, Div. 7 (Cincinnati); Sebring Model Railroad Club; Southwestern Ohio S Scalers (Mason); Zane Trace and National Trail Model Railroad Club (Zanesville).

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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hristmas C bells are ringing ‘A Carillon Christmas’ in Dayton showcases Carillon Historical Park’s signature bell tower.

T

BY DAMAINE VONADA

his time of year, you can find dozens of events that feature chestnuts roasting on open fires and Yuletide carols being sung by choirs, but there’s only one holiday celebration that features Ohio’s grandest musical Christmas tree.

Soaring 200 feet into the sky, the Carillon Tree of Light consists of 20,000 bright-white bulbs that drape over Deeds Carillon, a landmark bell tower at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton. “Deeds Carillon is a 151-foot-tall musical instrument with 57 bells,” says Alex Heckman, vice president of museum operations for the park. “Since the Tree of Light peaks above the top of the tower, it’s the largest musical Christmas tree in the state.”

Located on 65 acres bordering the Great Miami River, Carillon Historical Park is an open-air museum founded in the 1940s by industrialist Edward Deeds and his wife, Edith. Because his passion was history and hers was music, they made Deeds Carillon the focal point of a collection of buildings and artifacts that highlight both Dayton’s heritage and its many contributions to industry and transportation. The architectural firm Reinhard & Hofmeister, whose projects include New York’s Rockefeller Center, designed the Art Deco-style limestone carillon, and the Olmsted Brothers, founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects and instrumental in the creation of the National Park Service, laid out Carillon Park’s landscape.

Deeds Carillon’s first concert was on Christmas Eve 1941. Just over two weeks earlier, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor had thrust the nation into World War II, and Daytonians gathered at the carillon to take comfort in the sound of bells ringing out a program of carols that began with “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Even the carillon’s bronze doors lent poignancy to that inaugural performance. At Mrs. Deeds’ direction, they were inscribed with lines

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

from “Christmas Bells,” a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem that features the hopeful refrain “peace on Earth, goodwill to men.”

“A Carillon Christmas” lasts from Thanksgiving week until December 30, and Deeds Carillon serves as the event’s time-honored centerpiece. It not only turns into a spectacular Tree of Light every evening, but also provides the soundtrack for the event, delighting visitors with the tintinnabulations of automated Christmas songs as well as live concerts. “On certain dates,” says Heckman, “our carillonneur plays holiday music on a keyboard that sits 80 feet above the ground.” Not surprisingly, the musical selections include “Jingle Bells” and “Silver Bells.”

With the entire park decked out for the holidays, visitors often arrive early enough in the day to enjoy the festive campus and explore step-back-in-time buildings and exhibits that cover everything from a Shaker community and canals to world-changing Dayton inventions such as the cash register, the automobile self-starter, and the airplane. Dayton bicycle mechanics Orville and Wilbur Wright used their knowledge of machinery to invent the airplane, and Carillon Park displays its greatest treasure — the 1905 Wright Flyer III — inside its Wright Brothers National Museum complex. The Flyer III was the world’s first practical airplane, and, notes Heckman, “It’s the only airplane designated a National Historic Landmark.”

To see the park at its merry-and-bright best, take a ride on the Carillon Park Railroad, a narrow-gauge train whose locomotive mimics the steam engine that pulled Dayton’s first passenger train in 1851. “The railroad is a wonderful experience for families,” says Heckman. “It makes a mile-long loop around the park, and when the Christmas lights are twinkling, everything looks special.”

Another fun ride awaits inside the park’s Heritage

Carillon Historical Park in Dayton gets decked out for “A Carillon Christmas,” which harkens back to Yuletide seasons of yesteryear and transforms its signature bell tower into Ohio’s largest musical Christmas tree (top three photos by Damaine Vonada; remaining photos courtesy Carillon Historical Park).

Center, where the Carousel of Dayton Innovation lets riders go for a spin on a cash register, a pop-top soda can, and other novel seats.

Although the Heritage Center’s large exhibit of locally manufactured antique toys provides the perfect setting for visits with Santa, little ones also can write letters to the jolly old elf inside the Newcom Tavern, a 1796 log structure that was once a post office and an inn. In addition, the park’s one-room schoolhouse hosts nightly puppet shows based on The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter, which was published in 1903, shortly before the Wright Brothers achieved their first flight at Kitty Hawk.

While the aroma of hearth-baked gingerbread cookies entices everyone to the Morris & Hetzel Bakery’s circa 1815 stone cottage, it’s the smell of ink and the clatter of a linotype machine that fascinates visitors at Gem City Letterpress. Carillon Park is the nation’s only museum with a fully operational 1930s printing shop, and you can watch workers demonstrate the equipment they use to print recipes for the bakery’s cookies; the tavern’s letters to Santa; and charming Christmas cards whose greetings range from “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” verses to the Yuletide message that the Wright Brothers and their sister Katharine sent in 1911.

The very mention of Christmas, the Wrights reflected, “sets our hearts aglow” and “prompts the feeling of goodwill within us.” Those sentiments, like the bells of Deeds Carillon, still ring true.

Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton, OH 45409. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas cards and other Gem City Letterpress products are available for purchase at the Carillon Historical Park Museum Store. For hours, admission fees, and holiday activities, call 937-293-2841 or visit www.daytonhistory.org.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

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2023 CALENDAR

DECEMBER/JANUARY

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

NORTHWEST THROUGH JAN. 7 – “Hayes Train Special” Model Train Display, Hayes Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont. Free; donations accepted. Operating model train display runs through an intricate Victorian holiday scene.

Interactive buttons, multi-tier layout. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

DEC. 1–30 – Upper’s Winter Fantasy of Lights, Harrison Smith Park, 525 E. Wyandot Ave., Upper Sandusky, Fri.–Sun. 6–10 p.m., Mon.–Thur. 6–9:30 p.m. $10/car $15/van, $50/tour bus. The park’s 33 acres will be ablaze with millions of lights and a THROUGH DEC. 24 – Christmas Cruise Thru, myriad of unique light displays. 419-294-2351 or Defiance Co. Fgds., 530 S. Main St., Hicksville, 6–9 www.uppersfantasyoflights.org. p.m. every night. Goodwill donation for admission.

DEC. 15, 17 – Silver Screen Classics: It’s a Over 2.5 miles of displays with over 3 million LED Wonderful Life, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior or RGB light configurations. Every Thursday, ice St., Toledo, Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $5. See Frank skate for free on our indoor rink while enjoying Capra’s classic tale come to life on the big screen.

Christmas music. Check website for other special 419-242-2787 or www.valentinetheatre.com. events. www.christmascruisethru.com.

DEC. 21–22 – Hayes Home Holidays, 1337 Hayes THROUGH DEC. 30 – North Pole Express, Ave., Fremont, 5–8 p.m. Price TBA. Tour the Hayes Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Fri./Sat. 5:30–9 p.m., Sun. 5:30– Home to see the historically accurate Christmas 8:30 p.m. Closed Dec. 24. $5; 12 and under, $4. Hop decorations and learn about Christmas and New Year’s traditions. Before or after the tour, see the on board our quarter-scale trains for a magical trip through a winter wonderland of sparkling lights and “Hayes Train Special” model train display in the auditorium. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org. festive decorations. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus on select nights. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or DEC. 26–31 – Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides at www.facebook.com/nworrp.

Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont. Times and prices TBA. Ride through the wooded estate THROUGH DEC. 31 – Lights Before Christmas, Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, Mon.–Thur. 3–8 of President Rutherford B. Hayes in a horsedrawn sleigh or trolley pulled by South Creek p.m., Fri.–Sun. 3–9 p.m. Over 1 million lights, the Clydesdales. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

Big Tree, and 200+ illuminated animal images.

419-385-5721 or www.toledozoo.org.

WEST VIRGINIA

THROUGH JAN. 8 – Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort, Wheeling, dusk to midnight nightly. Featuring 300 acres of twinkling lights and displays over a 6-mile drive. $30 per-car donation requested; valid for the entire festival season. https://oglebay.com/lights-drive.

THROUGH DEC. 30 – Celebration of Lights, Morris Park, Fairmont, Wed.–Sun. 6–10 p.m.

DEC. 31 – Walleye Drop 2023, downtown Port Clinton, 4 p.m.–midnight. Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a kids’ dance party, DJ, ice sculpture demo, games, food, and music, ending at midnight with fireworks and the walleye drop! 419-635-7470 or www.wyliewalleyefoundation.com.

JAN. 2–26 – Art Contest: “Not So Bad Art by Good People,” sponsored by the Logan County Art League. Artwork created by selected Logan County citizens will be on display at Citizen’s Federal Savings and Loan, 100 N. Main St., Bellefontaine.

Vote for your favorite piece of art in person or on our website. Celebration dinner and auction of artwork on Jan. 26 starting at 5 p.m. https:// logancountyartleague.org.

JAN. 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!

419-447-7073, www.conservesenecacounty.com, or follow Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.

JAN. 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 sportsmen equipment. 419647-0067 or www.tristategunshow.org.

JAN. 7 – Silver Screen Classics: Casablanca, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo, Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $5. 419-242-2787 or www.valentinetheatre.com.

See over 540 holiday light displays in this 1.3-mile drive-through tour. Thur.–Sun.: $10 per car, $30 per bus, under 12 free. Wednesday nights are walker nights, with the park closed to traffic; $5 per walker, under 12 free. 304-2784192 or www.celebrationoflightswv.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.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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2023 CALENDAR

DECEMBER/JANUARY

NORTHEAST

THROUGH DEC. 10 – Candlelight Holiday Tours of Malabar Farm, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas, Fri./ Sat. 5–8 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. Adults $6, youth $4.

Tour Louis Bromfield’s Big House, all decked out for the holidays. Enjoy cookies and warm drinks.

You might even see Santa! 419-892-2784 or www.malabarfarm.org/events.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – A Child’s Storybook Christmas, The Victorian House Museum, 484 Wooster Rd., Millersburg, Sun.–Thur. 1–4 p.m., Fri./Sat. 1–8 p.m. Come see the mansion fully decorated for Christmas, with each room taking on the theme of a selected holiday children’s book. 330-674-0022 or www.facebook.com/ VictorianHouseMuseum.

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH DEC. 16 – Cambridge Glass Museum Holiday Hours, 136 S. 9th St., Cambridge, Fri./Sat. 12–4 p.m. $6, Srs. $5, under 12 free. 740-432-4245, www.cambridgeglass. org, or www.visitguernseycounty.com.

THROUGH DEC. 17 – Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum Christmas Tours, 532 N. Chestnut St., Barnesville, Fri. 5–8 p.m., Sat./ Sun. 1–4 p.m. (closed Nov. 24). Join us for some Christmas cheer and see our museum decorated for the season. This year’s theme is “The 12 Days of Christmas.” www.belmontcountymuseum.com.

THROUGH DEC. 17 – Santa Train, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville. $19–$24, under 3 free. Santa comes on board and visits with each child as the train traverses the historic Hocking River Valley. www.hvsry.org/train-rides/santa.

THROUGH DEC. 30 – Athens Art Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Members of Athens Art Guild offer handmade and juried arts including pottery, live edge

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THROUGH JAN. 6 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort, Steubenville Visitor Center, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville. Free.

Over 200 large-as-life, unique nutcrackers are on display throughout downtown and Fort Steuben Park 24/7; Advent Market, hayrides, the Holly Trolley, children’s activities, music, and much more. 740-283-4935 or www. steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com.

DEC. 1–3, 7–23, 26–30 – Deck the Hall, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, 5–8 p.m. $9–$24. See the 1.2 million holiday lights illuminating the estate, the Manor House beautifully decorated in holiday fashion, Santa and Mrs. Claus (until 12/23), the Reindeer Flight Academy, and more!

Enjoy cocoa and a hot gingerbread cookie or other refreshments before or after the tour. 330-315-3287 or www.stanhywet.org.

DEC. 1–3, 8–10, 15–31 – Medina County Fair Drive-Thru Holiday Lights, Medina Co. Fgds., 720 W. Smith Rd., Medina, Fri./Sat. 6–10 p.m., Sun. and weeknights 6–9 p.m. $10 for vehicle; $20 for small bus or 15-passenger van; $50 for bus. www.medinaohiofair.com.

DEC. 9 – Jingle Mingle Craft and Vendor Show, Ehrnfelt Recreation Center, 18100 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Free. Over 70 vendors. www.hometownvendors.org.

DEC. 16 – Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, St. George’s Fellowship Centre, 3204 Ridgewood Rd., Fairlawn, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $3, under 12 free. Artists and crafters will be selling their original handmade items. Last show of the season! A portion of proceeds will benefit a local nonprofit, the Karen Foundation for MS. www.avantgardeshows.com.

DEC. 16–17 – The Holiday Shop at Market Square, Crocker Park, 239 Market St., Westlake, Sat. 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Different vendors for each day. www.hometownvendors.org.

DEC. 17 – Flea Market of Collectables, Medina Co. Fgds. Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. 42), Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special admission, 6–9 a.m., $3. A treasure trove of vintage items and collectables. 330-948-4300 (Jim Conrad) or www.conraddowdell.com.

JAN. 10–14 – Ohio RV Supershow, I-X Center, One I-X Center Dr. (6200 Riverside Dr.), Cleveland, 44315. Explore hundreds of the newest tent campers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motor homes. 440-667-4304 or www.ohiorvshow.com.

JAN. 13–14 – Medina Gun Show, Medina County Fgds. Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $8. 450 tables of displays. 330-948-4400 or www.conraddowdell.com.

furniture, fiber arts, paintings, glassware, jewelry, wood, and much more. For more information, email athensartguildevents@gmail.com.

THROUGH DEC. 30 – Athens Farmers Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon; through Nov. 23, Wed./Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Voted Ohio’s #1 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www.athensfarmersmarket.org.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Dickens Victorian Village, downtown Cambridge. Stroll the streets to view scenes depicting life in 1850s England, featuring life-sized, handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. 800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Guernsey County Courthouse Holiday Light Show, Cambridge, 5:30–9 p.m. Sun. and weeknights; 5:30–11:30 p.m. every Fri./Sat. and Dec. 24–26, 29–31, and Jan. 1.

See the courthouse decked out with thousands of pulsating colorful lights synchronized to holiday music, three 20-foot Christmas trees, and 60 animated displays. 800-933-5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.

DEC. 2, 9, 16 – Bruce Family Trees, 48601 Township Rd. 63 (Chapel Hill Rd.), Lewisville, 10 a.m. till dusk. Cut your own Christmas tree! Enjoy a wagon ride through the woods and trees, then come in to warm up with complimentary hot chocolate as you sit beside the fire. Local crafts are also for sale. 740-567-3320.

DEC. 16–17 – Athens Holiday Shoppe, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Presented by

Athens Art Guild. Over 40 local artisans will offer handcrafted, handmade items just in time for gift giving, including pottery, glassware, wood, jewelry, fiber arts, paintings, furniture, sweet treats, and so much more. For more information, email athensartguildevents@gmail.com.

DEC. 17 – Columbus Symphony: Holiday Pops Spectacular, OU-C Shoemaker Center, 101 University Dr., Chillicothe, 5 p.m. $5–$25. A concert that will bring holiday cheer to the whole family. Tickets available on www.eventbrite.com.

DEC. 21 – Solstice Watch, Sacra Via Park (between Third and Second Sts.), Marietta, 4–5 p.m. If the weather cooperates, we will view the sun setting on the western Muskingum Valley bluff in near perfect alignment with Sacra Via. Maps and a brief commentary will be provided by Castle archaeologist Wes Clarke. Attend in person or virtually. 740-373-1480 or www.mariettacastle.org.

DEC. 31 – New Year’s Eve Train and Fireworks, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville, 10:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m. $25–$38. The train will travel to East Logan and return, stopping near the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year with a fireworks display! Refreshments will be served.

Tickets available at www.hvsry.org/train-rides/ new-years-eve-train-fireworks.

JAN. 14 – Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville, 3 p.m. $30–$35. A special matinee performance from “The New Queen of Bluegrass” and her award-winning band. 740-753-1924 or www.stuartsoperahouse.org.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

CENTRAL

THROUGH JAN. 7 – Wildlights at the Zoo, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell, Sun.–Thur. 5–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 5–10 p.m.

Included with zoo admission. The season comes alive with millions of LED lights, animated musical light shows, Santa, reindeer, and other holiday attractions. www.columbuszoo.org/wildlights.

DEC. 10 – Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show, Makoy Event Center, 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $3, under 12 free.

Artists and crafters will be selling their original handmade items. Full concessions stand on-site.

A portion of proceeds will benefit Hope Hollow. www.avantgardeshows.com.

THROUGH DEC. 17 – Dickens of a Christmas, DEC. 14, JAN. 11 – Inventors Network Meeting, Ohio Village, 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Sat. The Point at Otterbein University, 60 Collegeview 5:30–9 p.m., Sun. 1–5 p.m. $14–$18; 3 and under Rd., Westerville, 43081, 7 p.m. Dec. 14 is the annual free. See Charles Dickens’ festive and enduring meeting, including election of trustees for 2024. vision of Christmas come to life. 800-686-1541 or Zoom meetings on Dec. 21 and Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. www.ohiohistory.org.

614-470-0144 or www.inventorscolumbus.com.

THROUGH JAN. 1 – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of DEC. 15 – Holiday Spectacular with the Columbus Lights, Alum Creek State Park Campgrounds, 3311 Symphony Orchestra, Faith Memorial Church, 2610 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, Sun.–Thur. 5:30–9 West Fair Ave., Lancaster, 7:30 p.m. $30; children p.m., Fri./Sat. 5:30–10 p.m. $20–$30 per car; $10; 2 and under free. Enjoy an evening of holiday see website for additional pricing information. songs and carols. 614-469-0939 or 740-654-1711; Locally owned and family-operated drive-through www.columbussymphony.com or www.faithm.ch. holiday light show. 614-412-3499 or https:// DEC. 15 – Away in the Basement: A Church butchbandosfantasyoflights.com.

Basement Ladies Christmas, Marion Palace Theatre THROUGH JAN. 1 – A Storybook Christmas, May Pavilion, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m.

Zanesville and throughout Muskingum County. $12–$29. A fun-filled holiday show for the whole Explore storybook-themed attractions at family. 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org. businesses and locations throughout the area.

DEC. 16 – James Tormé: The New American Nightly light and music show at the Muskingum Songbook Holiday Concert, Secrest Auditorium, County Courthouse, Sun.–Thur. 5–9 p.m., Fri./Sat. 334 Shinnick St., Zanesville, 7:30 p.m. $55. www.

5–10 p.m. Visit our website for more details: www. zanesvilleconcertassociation.org. visitzanesville.com.

JAN. 5–7 – Columbus Building and Renovation Expo, Ohio Expo Center, Kasich Hall, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Fri. 12–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, under 18 free. From top-quality exhibits to insightful demonstrations and more, you’ll discover thousands of smart, stylish, and cost-effective ways to design or renovate your home. www.homeshowcenter.com.

JAN. 5–14 – Ohio RV and Boat Show, Ohio Expo Center, 717 E. 17th St., Columbus, Wed.–Fri. 12–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $15; 6–13, $3; under 6 free. Shop for all your outdoor, camping, and boating needs. Beer garden and concessions on-site. www.ohiorvandboatshow.com.

JAN. 6 – Sixth Annual Winter Hike, Smeck Park, 7395 Basil Rd, Baltimore, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. After a fun 2-mile hike, enjoy hot drinks and roasted potatoes with toppings. 614-321-4833 ext. 103 or www. fairfieldcountyparks.org.

JAN. 7 – Winter Wedding Expo and Show, Hilton at Easton, 3900 Chagrin Dr., Columbus, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Immerse yourself in a world of wedding inspiration and connect with top vendors and experts in the industry. Daily runway shows. Free ticket with code at www.eventbrite.com.

JAN. 7 – Ohio Guitar Show, Makoy Center, 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. $10 (cash only).

Over 100 dealers; buy, sell, trade. Guitars, amps, effects, parts, catalogs. 740-797-3351, guitardigest@ frontier.com, or https://ohioguitarshow.com.

JAN. 12 – Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, Cornerstone Global Methodist Church, 207 S. Court St., Marysville, 7 p.m. Doors open 6 p.m. Part of the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series. Entertainment, food, and homemade pies on-site. 937-642-4712 or www.marysvillewinterbluegrass.com.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH DEC. 23 – North Pole Express, LM&M Railroad, 16 E. South St., Lebanon. $25–$40; children under 2, $5. See website for days and times. Take a ride on a vintage train to visit with Santa and his elves! Children will receive a small gift and a holiday cookie. Hot chocolate available for purchase. 513-933-8022 or www.lebanonrr. com/northpole.

THROUGH DEC. 27 – 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.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – Light Up Middletown, Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, 6–10 p.m. daily. A drive-through fantasy light display, open in all weather. Admission by cash donation; you set the price! www.lightupmiddletown.org.

THROUGH DEC. 31 – Pyramid Hill Lights, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., Hamilton, Mon.–Thur. 6–9 p.m., Fri.–Sun. 6–10 p.m. $25 per car. A 2-mile drive-through light display, including illuminated installations by local artists. 513-868-1234 or http://pyramidhill.org/holiday-lights.

THROUGH JAN. 2 – Christmas at the Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester. $15.95–$19.95.

Experience the magic of Christmas at the home of the world’s largest indoor train display. Take the family on a “Journey to the North Pole” where you’ll meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. 513-898-8000 or www.entertrainmentjunction.com.

THROUGH JAN. 7 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland, Montgomery Co. Fgds., 645 Infirmary Rd., Dayton, 6–10 p.m. nightly. $30/car.

Immerse yourself in our all-new, award-winning, drive-through light display synchronized to music.

Includes a mesmerizing 300-foot RGB tunnel, 50-foot Christmas trees, walls of lights, and much more! www.shadrackchristmas.com/dayton-oh.

DEC. 1–31 – ParkLights at Caesar Ford Park, 520 S. Stringtown Rd., Xenia, 6–9 p.m. Drivethrough light display. www.gcparkstrails.com/ events/parklights.

DECEMBER 2023 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Holiday baking

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1–My granddaughter, Rylee Rae Thompson, rolling dough for a pie crust. Paula Gilley, South Central Power Company member. 2–My granddaughter Kennedy displays her cookies! Nancy Mullins, Adams Rural Electric Cooperative member. 3–Family cookie baking, with Klay (left) and Kolt (right).

Kacey Kramer, South Central Power Company member. 4–My grand-twins, Lillian and Sam, proudly showing the sugar cookies they baked. Cheri Raphael, Firelands Electric Cooperative member. 5–Libby and Gwenny decorating (and tasting) Christmas cookies at Grandma’s. Rebecca Franck, Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative member. 6–Kenton, our 5-year-old son, with his freshly baked and decorated cookie for Santa. Kayla Forry, MidOhio Energy member. 7–My daughter, Emma Sims, age 3, baking Christmas cookies with her Mimi, Becky Martin, my mom. Amy Sims, South Central Power Company member.

Send us

YOUR picture!

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For March, send “Pi(e) Day” by Dec. 15. For April, send “Wind in my hair” by Jan. 15.

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

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

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2023

Did You Know?

Even as demand for electricity is constantly growing, Ohio has lost 80% of the always-available coal-fired plants that ensure the lights will come on every moment of every day.

“

Energy transformation can be navigated, but reliability MUST be anchored as our North Star guiding the journey. As it exists today, the electric grid is operating ever closer to the edge where reliability is at risk.

”

—James Robb, CEO North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)