Ohio Cooperative Living – February 2024 - Darke

OHIO

FEBRUARY 2024

COOPERATIVE Darke Rural Electric Cooperative

Sweet treats

ALSO INSIDE Working for the co-op Matt Light foundation Ohio’s indigenous past

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)

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

INSIDE FEATURES 21

HONORING OHIO’S INDIGENOUS HERITAGE

A United Nations committee shines a new light on a collection of ancient earthworks.

28 SWEET AND SPIRITED

Miami County trail offers enticing indulgences fit for a Valentine’s treat.

Cover image on most editions: Made-from-scratch marshmallows add a loving touch to a warm cup of cocoa — one of several examples of foods we feature on page 12 that you might not think to make at home, but are simple and oh-so-good (photograph by Catherine Murray).

This page: Mound 7, or Central Mound, is one of 25 modern restorations of Hopewell-era mounds that make up Mound City, part of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park near Chillicothe. Mound City is one of eight Ohio earthworks that collectively have been designated as a World Heritage Site alongside cultural and historical treasures such as the Great Pyramids and the Statue of Liberty.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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UP FRONT

Behind the scenes

T

he integrated electric network that brings power to your home or business is a technical marvel. That network manages the flow of electrons, traveling at the speed of light, from the massive generation stations that produce them to towns and cities, to homes and businesses across the country.

Much of what makes this system work goes unnoticed. Of course, everyone sees the poles, wires, and transformers that connect every neighborhood up and down nearly every roadway, or the few large generating stations that produce the power we distribute.

What’s probably noticed least — but what makes the whole thing work — are the people working to ensure that you receive reliable electric service as affordably as possible.

It takes more than the lineworkers you see up on the poles, more than the power plant operators who keep the generators running, to make this complex system work.

In fact, most of the work to provide that reliable electric service all day, every day, goes on behind the scenes, unnoticed by nearly everyone. It requires engineers, accountants, service representatives, mechanics, warehouse workers, technicians, IT professionals, communicators, dispatchers, schedulers, supervisors, managers, and more. What’s more important even than the job descriptions are the skills and attitudes that people in those jobs bring to their roles. It takes people who are committed, service-oriented, accountable, and available when and where they’re needed.

You may not know it, but many of the people doing that behind-the-scenes work are your neighbors. People who work for electric cooperatives typically live in the communities they serve. It’s yet another reason you can be certain that decisions made by the co-op are made with the best interests of their members in mind.

I would just like to say, to the nearly 1,500 workers employed by Ohio’s electric cooperatives, our power plants, and our key suppliers — all of whom play a part in providing that vital service safely and reliably every day: Thank you all; we couldn’t do it without you.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Pat O’Loughlin

PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

People who work for electric cooperatives typically live in the communities they serve, so you can be certain that decisions are made with the best interests of members in mind.

FEBRUARY 2024 • Volume 66, No. 5

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

4 DEPARTMENTS

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

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Randy Edwards, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Jill Moorhead, Catherine Murray, Wendy Pramik, and Margie Wuebker.

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 61764, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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

4 POWER LINES

‘I work for the co-op’: It takes

considerable effort from a multitude of people, all working together, to make electric cooperatives go.

8 CO-OP PEOPLE

A ray of Light: Super Bowl champ

puts his long-learned lessons to use through his Darke County foundation.

10 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

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

to spend a lot of money on feeders to attract feathered friends to your backyard.

12 GOOD EATS

Made from scratch: It’s easy to

just grab pre-made grub, but for a glorious gift, give homemade a go.

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17 LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

What’s happening: February/ March events and other things to do around Ohio.

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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

10

On the ‘cheep’: There’s no need

33 CALENDAR National/regional advertising inquiries, contact

8

Romantic dinner: Members share their snapshots of having snacks with their sweeties.

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Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com!

Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area, where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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POWER LINES

A job at the local electric cooperative is a chance to help power the community.

‘I work

for the

BY JEFF MCCALLISTER

T

he jobs most people likely think of when they consider working at the local electric cooperative either require advanced electrical engineering degrees or involve climbing poles and working in potentially hazardous conditions — which might make working for the co-op seem either not very attractive or not realistically attainable, depending on someone’s education, training, and mindset.

In reality, though, neither impression could be further from the truth. While it’s true that line work can be both difficult and dangerous, and electrical engineers are vital to the process of reliably delivering electricity to co-op homes and businesses, there are plenty of other positions that can lead to rewarding co-op careers.

For example, as a key accounts representative at Lancaster-based South Central Power Company, Jody

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Williams performs job functions such as member service, business development, and event planning — even employee relations at times.

“Key accounts representatives generally serve as points of contact for our larger members, like schools, industries, and businesses, and our job is to do everything we can to support their needs,” Williams says. “As co-op employees, though, we’re also ready to pitch in anywhere when the need arises — collaborating and being helpful to each other, because there are a lot of moving pieces and parts that go into just being the co-op.”

Along with the aforementioned lineworkers and engineers, most co-ops employ: • Member service representatives, who answer members’ questions on the phone or in person, help them understand their bills, and process payments.

co-op’ Lineworkers (left) may be the most visible employees at the electric cooperatives around the state, but co-ops have lots of other work to be done — Jody Williams, for example, works with larger consumermembers as a key accounts representative at South Central Power Company in Lancaster (photo by Robb McCormick Photography).

• Information technology professionals, who ensure the safety, stability, and efficiency of the co-op’s computer and other electronic equipment, networks, and software.

• Human resources professionals, who recruit and hire talent and manage employee programs and benefits.

specialists, who · Geographic information specialists ensure co-op maps, outage management, and field inventories are up to date.

• Safety and compliance specialists, who ensure the co-op employees operate the electric system safely and according to state and federal laws.

• Marketing and communications professionals, who keep the membership informed about co-op news, events, and programs.

Among the 25 electric distribution cooperatives based in Ohio and West Virginia, three co-op-owned power plants, and the statewide association that serves all of them, coops employ more than 1,500 people. Countless more work for co-ops by contracting individually for specific services or as employees of companies that do work for the co-ops.

• Energy advisors, who conduct energy audits and help member with high bill complaints.

The 24 electric cooperatives that power rural Ohio are focused on improving quality of life for their members

• Accounting and finance professionals, who keep the company’s books and pay the bills.

Continued on page 6

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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Robyn Tate (right) handles both human resources and community relations at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative in Millersburg, so she has a unique vantage point to see the co-op’s importance to the area.

Continued from page 5

and ensuring the long-term prosperity of the communities they serve. That focus, employees say, is what makes cooperatives different from other workplaces. When a team is focused on a common goal, especially one that makes a positive impact on communities they love, it often results in fulfilled employees.

“I’m surrounded by people who genuinely want to help each other and help in the community. It’s really rewarding to see how hard these men and women work.”

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

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

“I love being part of the co-op,” Williams says. “I love when we get out there in the community, meet people, and pull together when it’s needed. I’m surrounded by people who genuinely want to help each other and help in the community. It’s really rewarding to see how hard these men and women work.

“I’m glad to be able to say, ‘I work for the co-op,’ and know that I’ve helped.”

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Economic force

Because electric cooperatives operate mostly in smaller towns and in more rural areas, they’re important to the economic wellbeing of those areas both as employers and as contributors to the overall economy. A new report commissioned by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, in fact, calls co-ops “crucial engines of economic development both nationally and at home in their local communities.”

The report, Economic Powerhouses: The Economic Impacts of America’s Electric Cooperatives, details how the country’s approximately 900 consumer-owned, not-for-profit, and democratically governed electric co-ops contribute to the local and national economies. Within the counties they serve, according to the report, co-ops supported jobs for nearly 424,000 people earning $33 billion in pay and benefits annually and contributing an average of $75 billion per year to local economies from 2018 to 2022. They also pay about $1.3 billion annually in state and local taxes.

In Ohio alone, co-ops also have contributed more than $1.7 million to local charitable causes, and have returned more than $37 million to members in capital credits.

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CO-OP PEOPLE

A ray of Light

Super Bowl champ puts long-learned lessons to use through his foundation.

BY MARGIE WUEBKER

M

att Light learned plenty of important lessons while playing football. A three-year twoway starter at Greenville High in Darke County, Light earned a scholarship to play at Purdue University, where he spent three years protecting the blind side of future Hall of Famer Drew Brees and helped lead the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 36 years.

He was chosen in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, who had finished a lowly 5-11 the year before. But that 2001 season was a momentous one — for the nation, for the NFL, for the Patriots, and for Light himself.

COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS/DAVID SILVERMAN

Two days after New England lost its opener to the Cincinnati Bengals, the 9/11 terrorist attacks shut everything down, everywhere. The NFL was among the first organizations to return, to try to give the nation a sense of normalcy, and among the first games scheduled was the Patriots against the New York Jets.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

That game is iconic in NFL history, first as a symbol of the country’s patriotism and resolve, and also because the Patriots’ quarterback was injured and replaced by little-known backup Tom Brady, who would go on to become arguably the best football player of all time.

Less celebrated, perhaps, is that it also marked the first career start for Light at left tackle — the position most responsible for protecting the quarterback. Light would spend 11 seasons in that spot, starting 153 of his 155 professional games — including five Super Bowls, three of which the Patriots won. He’s already in the Patriots Hall of Fame and was one of 173 players nominated for this year’s class of inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

It was that first year of professional football when he started making good on one of his earliest lessons.

“My grandmother (Arlene Light) used to tell me, ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’” Light says.

Campers and staffers gather at the firepit by Camp Chenoweth’s pavilion for fellowship and relaxation.

“I always wanted to make a difference and help people succeed, and I dreamed about starting a program where young people could learn lifelong skills.”

His wife, Susie, shared that same vision. The two had met at Purdue and married during his rookie season with the Patriots, and together, they created the Light Foundation.

The foundation is headquartered at Chenoweth Trails, near the Ohio-Indiana border west of Greenville, where it is served by Darke Rural Electric Cooperative. The foundation began developing the rustic 500 acres of land in 2009, adding trails and infrastructure, and today the facility hosts more than 7,500 young people and a small army of dedicated volunteers for its numerous programs each year.

Camp Vohokase (which means “light” in the Cheyenne language) represents the premier component of that programming. Considering applicants’ essays and recommendations, Light selects four incoming high school freshmen per year to enter the program. The boys come from at-risk communities in various parts of the country that have a connection to the Lights or the foundation. “Our mission is to take young people out of their everyday environment and provide them with unique opportunities that ignite their passion, purpose, and motivation to succeed,” Light says. “This aspect of the foundation will always hold a special place in our hearts.”

Light considers the nightly fireside chats during the Chenoweth Trails experience as a special highlight, with participants creating dialogue about the real and frequently difficult issues they face away from the peaceful Darke County setting.

Another program that draws eager participants is Timber Frame Leadership Camp. Working with local artisans and volunteers, youths learn to turn standing timber into lumber. That wood, along with hand-hewn beams and other rustic material Light salvages from old barns throughout Ohio and beyond, then forms the basis for

many of the facility’s structures — a covered bridge, the bell tower, indoor kitchen and bathroom facilities, a timber-framed banquet hall, and the rustic headquarters building. Two large environmentally friendly yurts provide more overnight accommodations.

Participants work on base structures during the threeday events, with the foundation staff completing structures as time permits. “I guess my goal is to create a timber town, one building at a time,” Light says. “We’ve made progress over the years, but there are still more projects in the planning.”

The camp also hosts programs that reflect Light’s love of football, the outdoors, and fishing and hunting.

Various youth groups and nonprofit organizations use the facilities throughout the year. Interested parties must apply, but there is no charge to the groups. In addition, the foundation supports a reading program that supplies books for first-grade students throughout the county, and awards $10,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors.

The Lights and their four children continue to live in New England but spend much of each summer in the Greenville area, working at the foundation’s various camps and special events. The foundation has a national board of directors and maintains an office in Massachusetts that handles 90 percent of its fundraising activities.

Light has no doubt the foundation will continue its work in years to come because it is family based — Matt and Susie’s four children also take part — and committed to community service. “Having it be a family affair is something that really sets us apart,” Light says. “Our goal is to inspire kids to work hard, put their best foot forward, and strive to become champions in the game of life.”

Chenoweth Trails, 440 Greenville-Nashville Road, Greenville, OH 45331. www.mattlight72.com.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

On the cheep STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

I

’m a backyard bird-feeding genius. (Please don’t ask my wife about that statement; she claims to have multiple examples of my less-than-genius status — and not just pertaining to bird feeding. But she does tend to exaggerate.)

Now, where was I? Oh, right: bird feeders.

An easy-to-construct cage-trap suet feeder attracted this pileated woodpecker.

I maintain nine bird feeders outside my home-office window. Only two of them were commercially manufactured, and one of those two was given to me as a gift. The other seven I cobbled together from material I had on hand. I don’t mind spending money when I have to, but if I can save a few bucks and still get the job done, I’m all for it, especially with the continually rising cost of bird feed.

To attract a variety of winter birds, I offer three types of food: black oil sunflower seed, beef suet, and peanut butter.

Below are descriptions of the types of feeders I use (I think Rube Goldberg would be proud).

Satellite-dish sunflower seed feeder If you’ve lived in rural Ohio more than a few years, you probably have a small, obsolete satellite dish taking up space in your garage, pole building, or barn. Have you ever thought of repurposing it into a tray feeder?

I took a hacksaw and shortened the metal arm attached to my old satellite dish to about 8 inches. I then drilled two holes in the arm a few inches apart vertically, and mounted the dish on a four-by-four treated-wood post, 7 feet long.

Burying 2 feet of the post into the ground holds the feeder rock-solid. Attach the dish — concave side up, of course — to the post about 4 feet from the ground, using bolts or heavy wood screws as fasteners.

The last step is to drill a half-inch hole in the middle of the satellite dish to allow water to drain. An added advantage of this feeder is that during the summer, you can cork the hole to create a shallow birdbath. Not surprisingly, seedeating birds are drawn to this feeder: Cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, tufted titmice, goldfinches, and purple finches are the usual visitors. Sparrows and dark-eyed juncos (also

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

There’s no need to spend a lot of money on feeders to attract feathered friends to your backyard.

known as snowbirds) will eat the seed beneath the feeder dropped on the ground by the other birds.

Cage-trap suet feeder This is another one you may already have on hand. I took a muskrat cage trap, removed one of its two doors, and wired the other door shut. By adding a 2-foot length of chain to the open top of the cage, I can now hang this suet feeder from a tree limb. I have a second, smaller cage trap that I mounted directly to a tree using plastic zip-tie fasteners.

Don’t have any cage traps? Taking some 1-inch wire mesh and shaping it into a 4-inch square a foot or two in length will accomplish the same thing. Essentially, you want to create a narrow hanging basket. Hairy, downy, and red-bellied woodpeckers, as well as flickers, are the usual visitors to suet feeders. If you’re lucky, maybe even a crowsized pileated woodpecker may show up.

Pine-log peanut butter feeder Start with a pine log measuring 3 to 4 inches in diameter and about 18 inches in length. Bore 1½-inch holes completely through the sides of the log, spacing the holes several inches apart and at right angles to one another.

Screw in a hook eye to the top of the log for hanging and you’re in business.

This pine-log peanut butter feeder is a favorite of nuthatches.

Using a flexible spatula, fill the holes with inexpensive peanut butter. Both white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches will love you. Over time, the relatively soft pine wood will absorb the peanut butter oil, making the feeder weather- and rot-resistant, so it can last for years.

If you have your own DIY winter bird feeder idea you’d like to share with other co-op members, email me a photo and brief description of your creation at whchipgross@gmail.com. I may use it in one of my future “Ask Chip” online Q&A columns.

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 Ask

CHIP! FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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h c t a r c s

m o r f e d Ma

ade m e r p b a r g It’s easy to r a glorious gift, grub, but fomade a go. give home

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

MADE-WITH -LOVE MARSHMALLOWS Prep: 1 hour | Set: 8 hours | Servings: 24

¾ cup water, separated ¾ ounce unflavored powdered gelatin (3 packets) 2 cups sugar ½ cup evaporated milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ cup powdered sugar ¼ cup cornstarch

Per serving: 108 calories, 0 grams fat, 1 milligram cholesterol, 28 milligrams sodium, 12 grams total carbohydrates , 0 grams fiber, 11 grams protein.

For cookie cutter shapes, use a 9 x 13-in ch cookie sheet with a half-inch lip.

For square cubes cut with a knife, use an 8 x 8-inch casserole dish.

Pour ½ cup water into the bowl of a stan d mixer fitted with whisk attachment.

Add gelatin and let sit to soften, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, evap orate d milk, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan.

Whisk constantly over low heat until suga r disso lves, then turn up to medium/medium-high . Bring to a gentle boil, then immedia tely redu ce to medium-low. Don’t stir at all as the mixt ure continues to boil and turns a dark er colo r.

Wait patiently for a candy thermometer to reach 240 to 245 F (about 15 minutes.)

Remove from heat immediately.

Pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixt ure and beat on low until incorporated . Add vanilla extract and beat on high until thick, fl uffy, and tripled in volume, about 10 to 15 minutes.

While this is happening, lightly coat cook ie sheet/baking dish, along with a few spatulas, with nonstick spray. Mixture is ready when it becomes glossy, thick, and whit e in color and when beater is lifted, the mixture slow ly drips back into the bowl. Quickly scra pe mixture into prepared pan with a spatula and smooth out top with the second spat ula.

Allow to set uncovered for at least 8 hours.

Combine powdered sugar and cornstarc h. Sift some over the surface of the mars hmallows.

Use cookie cutters or a large knife to cut the marshmallows. Sift or roll cut mars hma llows in powder to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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ROASTED TOMATO MARINARA SAUCE Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 1 hour | Servings: 7 4 tablespoons olive oil 10 small or medium garlic cloves 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 5 sprigs fresh thyme 4 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon vegetable bouillon 1 teaspoon dried onion 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Note: Fresh herbs can be replaced with 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano and ground thyme; add once the sauce is on the stove.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat a few 9 x 13-inch glass baking dishes with olive oil and distribute garlic, rosemary, and thyme across them, then place tomatoes, skin side down, in a single layer and drizzle balsamic vinegar and a bit more olive oil across the top.

Roast 40 to 50 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and wrinkled and liquid has reduced significantly.

With a slotted spoon, transfer tomato mixture to a medium pot (removing herb stems). Measure out ½ cup of the remaining roasting liquid and add to tomatoes, along with bouillon, dried onion, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender for a smooth sauce. Serve over pasta or store in an airtight container — 1 week in fridge or 4 months in freezer. Makes 4 cups.

Per serving: 130 calories, 9 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 322 milligrams sodium, 13 grams total carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 3 grams protein.

EASY GUACAMOLE Prep: 10 minutes | Servings: 4 1 large ripe avocado ½ lime, juiced

1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced red onion (optional) 1 tablespoon minced cilantro

½ teaspoon ground cumin dash of cayenne pepper

If you’re in the habit of buying pre-made guacamole or only enjoying it in restaurants, then it’s time to learn how unbelievably easy it is to make at home.

Have all ingredients ready to go. With a large knife, slice the avocado in half lengthwise, rotating around the pit. Take each cut in one hand and lightly twist to split the two halves apart. Aim the middle of the blade at the center of the pit and with some force, wield it like an ax into a tree stump, allowing the knife to get stuck in the pit, then twist and pull the knife handle to remove the pit.

Use the edge of a heavy bowl to separate the blade from the pit (it’s too slippery to loosen with your fingers.)

Choose a bowl about twice the size of your avocado. Take a large dinner spoon and scrape the avocado flesh out of the skin, avoiding any significant brown spots, and transfer to the bowl. Add remaining ingredients; chop avocado with the dinner spoon and mix all together. Aim for the texture you like: extra chunky, very smooth, or somewhere in between. Taste; if flavor is too mild, add a bit more lime juice or cayenne. To avoid browning due to oxidization, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole for up to 2 days. Serving size intended as a chips and dip appetizer for 4.

Per serving: 157 calories, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium, 21 grams total carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 5 grams protein.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE Homemade ricotta is too special to be buried inside a lasagna. Let it be the hero in fresh dishes like bruschetta or salads, on charcuterie boards, or paired with melons and berries.

Cook: 20 minutes | Cool/Drain: 40 minutes | Servings: 6 2 quarts organic whole milk 1 cup whipping cream, pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup fresh lemon juice In a large, nonreactive pot, combine milk, cream, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring regularly for about 20 minutes, until temperature reaches 180 F. The key is to make sure the milk does not boil — heat slowly and keep an eye on it. Add lemon juice and stir; the milk will begin to curdle immediately. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until large curds form and float. Remove pot from heat and let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl (to keep the whey for soup stock or cooking grains). Drain cheese in lined colander for 15 to 30 minutes. Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Per serving: 55 calories, 5.5 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 19 milligrams cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium, 1 gram total carbohydrates. 0 grams fiber, 1 gram protein.

Check it out!

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

www.ohiocoopliving.com FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

DARKE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Darke REC’s Operation Round Up makes a significant impact with $11,400 in donations

I

n a heartfelt display of community support, members of Darke Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) recently contributed a total of $11,400 to various local charities and community initiatives through the Operation Round Up program. The initiative, which allows participating members to voluntarily round up their monthly electric bills to the next dollar, has been a beacon of generosity since its inception in June 2004, with cumulative contributions now surpassing an impressive $482,550.

The recipients of these funds represent a diverse array of causes, reflecting the cooperative’s commitment to addressing the unique needs of the community. The recent beneficiaries include: 1. Lewisburg Fire Department: Gear racks – $2,800 2. New Madison Community Fire Company, Inc.: Combat Sniper fire hose – $3,600 3. Darke County Weekday Christian Education, Inc.: Printing, postage, snacks, and crafts – $1,000 4. Ansonia Jr./Sr. High FCCLA: FCCLA jackets – $500 5. Arcanum Preservation Society: Breaker box replacement – $1,500 6. Preble County Historical Society: Wildflower Gardens – $1,000

7. Mississinawa Valley H.S. Dance Team: National dance competition in Florida – $1,000 Operation Round Up functions on the principle of small, consistent contributions, with participating members willingly rounding up their monthly bills to contribute the additional pennies to the program’s “Trust” fund. A dedicated board of trustees, composed of Darke REC members, including Susan Laux (chairman), Joan Buschur (treasurer), Missy Schmitz (secretary), Paul Robbins, Wendy Aker, Shirley Hundley, and Kris Osterbur, oversees the allocation of funds. These volunteers, who meet twice a year to review applications, face the challenging task of determining which requests should receive funding, especially when the demand exceeds the available funds. Their goal is to ensure that the disbursed funds have the maximum positive impact on the local communities served by the cooperative.

The average donation per member remains modest, at less than six dollars per year. Darke REC invites its members to consider joining the Operation Round Up PLUS program, allowing them to contribute additional funds each month. For those interested in making a difference and supporting community initiatives, contact the Darke REC office at 937-548-4114 or use your smartphone to scan the provided QR code. Together, these collective efforts continue to make a meaningful impact on the wellbeing of the local community.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

17

DARKE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

W

hen outdoor temperatures drop, our electricity use increases. That’s because we’re doing more activities inside, and our heating systems are running longer and more often to counteract colder outdoor temperatures. Factor in that we all tend to use electricity at the same times — in the morning and early evenings — and that equals a lot of strain on our electric grid.

At Darke Rural Electric Cooperative, we work closely with our local generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in resource and infrastructure planning to ensure you have the power you need whenever you flip a switch, but the electric grid is much larger than your local co-op and G&T. In winter months, when even more electricity is being used simultaneously across the country, it is possible for electricity demand to exceed supply, especially if an unexpected event like a sudden snow or ice storm or equipment malfunction occurs. If this happens, which is rare, the grid operator for our region of the country may call for rolling power outages to relieve pressure on the grid, and Darke will inform you about the situation.

Darke Rural Electric Cooperative and our G&T, Buckeye Power, take proactive steps to create a resilient portion of the grid and ensure electric reliability in extreme weather, including regular system maintenance, grid modernization efforts, and disaster response planning, but it takes everyone to keep the grid reliable.

To help keep the heat on for you, your family and neighbors, here are a few things you can do to relieve pressure on the grid (and save a little money along the way): • Select the lowest comfortable thermostat setting and turn it down several degrees whenever possible. Your heating system must run longer to make up the difference between the thermostat temp and the outdoor temp.

18

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

• Pro tip: Seal air leaks around windows and exterior doors with caulk and weatherstripping. Air leaks and drafts force your heating system to work harder than necessary.

• Stagger your use of major appliances such as dishwashers, ovens, and clothes dryers.

• Pro tip: Start the dishwasher before you go to bed and use smaller countertop appliances like slow cookers and air fryers to save energy.

• Ensure that your heating system is optimized for efficiency with regular maintenance and proper insulation.

• Pro tip: Make sure your furnace filter isn’t clogged and dirty. Replace it as needed.

• When possible, use cold water to reduce water heating costs.

• Pro tip: Setting your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees can help you save energy and reduce mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes.

• Unplug devices when not in use to eliminate unnecessary energy use. Even when turned off, electronics in standby mode consume energy.

• Pro tip: Plug devices into a power strip so you can turn them all off at once with the push of a button.

As we face the challenges posed by winter weather, understanding its impact on energy demand is crucial for maintaining a reliable power supply. By adopting energy conservation practices during periods of extreme cold, not only can you save money on your electric bills, but you can also each contribute to the resilience of the power grid, keeping our local community warm and connected.

2024 ANNUAL MEETING HEALTH FAIR FOR MEMBERS Wayne Hospital will conduct a health fair at the Annual Meeting of Members on March 14. Offered services will include a wellness blood panel (which the member must pay for at the annual meeting) as well as several other tests. Body mass index, heel bone density test, pulmonary function test, and blood pressure/pulse are free to members who register and pay for the health awareness blood panel.

Cost to members: $50

Wellness panel (fasting): 14 chemistry tests checking a wide variety of systems (including fasting glucose for diabetes, tests to screen for renal and liver disease, bone health, etc.), plus a lipid panel (to evaluate hyperlipidemia as an index to coronary artery disease.)

$30

Hemoglobin A1c: Used to assess glucose control in diabetics. Frequently used in conjunction with a fasting glucose test to diagnose diabetes.

$45 $45

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): A screening test for thyroid disease.

$60

Vitamin D: A test to screen for Vitamin D deficiency, a very common deficiency in the American population. Vitamin D plays an integral role in bone health and decreasing the risks for colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and autoimmune diseases.

$30

Complete Blood Count (Hemogram): A screen to evaluate overall health and detect a wide range of hematologic disorders, including anemia.

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA): For men only — a screening test for early detection of prostate cancer.

Body Mass Index, Heel Bone Density, Pulmonary Function, Blood Pressure/Pulse Ox, and DermaScan all offered free of charge. If you are interested in participating in the 2024 Health Fair at the Darke REC Annual Meeting of Members, please fill out the form below and send it to Attn: Jennifer Davenport, Darke Rural Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 278, Greenville, OH 45331. To pre-register, please send completed form by March 1, 2023. Send no money — pay at the Annual Meeting.

2024 Darke REC Annual Meeting Health Fair Thursday, March 14, 2024 - Wayne Hospital - sign-up sheet

Name: _____________________________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

City/State/ZIP: ________________________________________________________________________

Birth date: ___________________________________________________________________________

Phone #: ____________________________________________________________________________ FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

19

DARKE RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

TRIP OF A LIFETIME

JUNE 15 TO 21, 2024

AN ALL-EXPENSE-PAID TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

WHAT IS YOUTH TOUR? • • •

An all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., paid for by Darke Rural Electric Cooperative.

A week of visiting historic monuments, touring world-class museums and meeting elected officials.

Developing lifelong friendships with delegates from across the country!

HOW TO APPLY • • •

Applicants must be a sophomore or junior in high school.

You and your parents or guardian must be served by Darke Rural Electric Cooperative.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

District 1: Aaron Siefring District 2: David Coons District 3: Tod Carroll, V.P. District 4: Michelle Marker, Sec./Treas.

District 5: Robert Godown District 6: Steve Vanzant District 7: Matt Webster, President GENERAL MANAGER/CEO

Ted Holsapple

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

HAVE A STORY SUGGESTION?

Email your ideas to: jend@darkerec.com Your electric bill is due the 10th of each month. If you do not receive your bill, it is your responsibility to contact the office before the due date.

PAYMENT OPTIONS Office, nightdrop, mail, online banking, recurring payment, SmartHub, or phone.

Honor i ng

Ohieono’sus Ind ig

past

n and a new A global designatio brate the legacy state park both cele al inhabitants. of the state’s origin

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

21

‘Globally signi signif icant’ UN designation shines a new light on some of the state’s historical treasures.

By Jill Moorhead

J

ennifer Aultman speaks with reverence when she talks about Ohio’s earthworks — eight of which, linked together as the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, have been inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The designation goes to places with “cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional that it transcends national boundaries and is of importance to present and future generations of all humanity.” “(The designation) is this concept that there are places, no matter what side of a country’s borders they fall on, that should matter to all people,” says Aultman, chief historic sites officer at Ohio History Connection, which manages three of the eight earthworks included as a single site on the U.S. World Heritage application (the others are managed by the National Park Service).

About 1,100 landmarks around the globe have been added to the list since the program began in 1972, with 25 of them in the U.S. This is the first in Ohio.

Why are they special?

There are 10 criteria, any one of which qualifies a site for the World Heritage list. The OHC/NPS team cited two of those as they made the case for the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.

First, they argued that, considering their size, geometry, and precise astronomical alignment, the Hopewell earthworks are “masterpieces of human creative genius.”

“They have very specific geometry,” Aultman says. “They 22

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

have nearly perfect circles, and you can see the same exact sizes of circles repeated across Ohio. They’re not by accident. Those measurements mattered — for reasons that we don’t understand, but they mattered.”

What makes them even more impressive, Aultman says, is that the enormous walls, mounds, and shapes were built by people using simple digging tools like clam shells or deer scapulas attached to the end of sticks, yet they form geometrically precise squares, circles, and octagons that align perfectly with the complex cycles of the sun and moon. “They put earth into woven baskets and moved it one basket at a time to build the walls,” Aultman says.

“When you consider the human undertaking and the commitment, it’s pretty incredible.”

The second criterion that scored the UNESCO designation was that the earthworks bear “exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition.” “(Hopewell-era people) were bringing ceremonial objects and materials to the Ohio River Valley from across two-thirds of North America,” Aultman says. The earthworks, for example, contain blades of obsidian from what is now Yellowstone National Park, grizzly bear teeth from the Rocky Mountains, shells from the Gulf Coast, and copper from Southern Canada. “We know that these items weren’t traded. It appears that people were bringing things for a spiritual movement.”

How did it happen?

It’s not easy to earn the World Heritage Site designation.

Each UNESCO member nation maintains a list of tentative nominees, and after a five-year research and evaluation

At left: Members of the United States nominating delegation presented their application to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in September 2023 (photo courtesy of the Ohio History Connection).

process that began in 2003, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks was officially added to the U.S. tentative list by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2008. The U.S. selects one site per year from the list for formal nomination.

Ohio History Connection and the National Park Service worked on the Hopewell application for a decade before they were invited to put together a formal nomination in 2018. The State Department hand-delivered the proposal in the midst of the pandemic to Paris, where it was then vetted for authenticity and integrity. The nomination was officially put forward to the World Heritage Committee in January 2022.

Finally, late last year, a delegation that included representatives from American Indian nations, including the Seneca, Miami, and Wyandot — all of which are descended from the Hopewell-era people who built the earthworks — along with Ohio History Connection staff, and representatives from the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park in Chillicothe traveled to Saudi Arabia to present the application to the World Heritage Committee, a group of representatives from 21 countries that meets once a year to render final decisions. Spoiler: It was approved.

“It was incredibly hard to believe and process that it had actually happened,” remembers Aultman. “[Chief Glenna Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe] started speaking about how important this is to her and to indigenous people generally, and that’s when I started to realize the enormity.” Delegates from around the world showered the U.S. delegation with congratulations. “I get teary,” she says. “I was elated and incredibly humbled.”

What now?

So what is the impact on Ohio? As Aultman points out, “There’s not a big pot of money” that goes along with the designation — “not a dime.” But Dan Moder, executive director of Explore Licking County and incoming board chair for the Ohio Travel Association, says that it could have larger implications for state tourism.

“There are 85 other counties in Ohio that have other cool things,” Moder says. “There is renewed or brand-new interest in how to take the visitor to Ohio and keep them in Ohio as long as we can. As time goes on, we will see a lot more collaboration from county to county. It’s exciting.” Two other Ohio sites are among the 18 that remain on the U.S. tentative list: the Serpent Mound in Adams County and a set of four sites in Dayton that are associated with the Wright brothers’ pioneering efforts in human flight.

Aultman says the designation is already changing the way Ohioans are thinking about mounds that exist across the state. “[Hopewell earthworks] are but a few among hundreds and hundreds of earthworks spread all over central and southern Ohio,” she says. “If you grew up in Portsmouth or Marietta, for example, you may think that everywhere is like that. But in the past few months, you hear that these places are really unique and it’s shifted people’s thinking. Communities that have earthworks are suddenly aware that theirs are connected to something that’s globally significant. It allows them to consider preserving and honoring them.”

W hat are

t h ey?

T

he Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, actually comprise eight separate works that span locations in Licking, Ross, and Warren counties.

They were constructed between 1,600 and 2,000 years ago by the original inhabitants of North America — the ancestors of the indigenous people whom Europeans met when they arrived here. The sacred sites were places of ceremony that drew gatherings of visitors from across the continent.

Newark Earthworks Two separate works, each managed by the Ohio History Connection, lie less than 2 miles apart in Licking County and form the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures remaining in the world. Together they have been named Ohio’s official state prehistoric monument.

Nearly four football fields in diameter, GREAT CIRCLE EARTHWORKS is so large that it touches both the cities of Newark and Heath. Its walls are between 8 and 13 feet high, and the ring has a bird-shaped mound known as the Eagle Mound in its center. The circle is large enough that the Great Pyramid of Giza could fit inside its walls.

Less than 2 miles away sits the OCTAGON EARTHWORKS in Newark. An architectural feat of astonishing precision, it consists of a 50-acre octagon connected to an almost-perfect 20acre circle with a stone platform known as the Observatory Mound on the outer ring. The entry points align perfectly with the extreme rise and set points of the moon’s 18-year cycle.

The grounds of both are open year-round from dawn until dusk, though access to the Octagon Earthworks is limited because the land has been home to Moundbuilders Country Club since 1910.

(Removing the golf course was a requirement of including the Octagon Earthworks in the UNESCO application, and the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that Ohio History Connection, which has owned the land since 1933, can terminate the country club’s lease through eminent domain.)

There is a museum and visitors center at the Great Circle, open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Thu.–Sat. Continued on page 24

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

23

Clockwise: The reconstructed Central Mound at the Seip Earthworks southwest of Chillicothe (photograph by Mary Salen/Getty Images); the National Park Service uses interpretive mowing to show the size and scale of the now-eroded structures at Hopeton Earthworks north of Chillicothe (photograph courtesy of John Hancock via the Ohio History Connection); an aerial view of Mound City, the centerpiece of the National Park Service’s Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (photograph by John Blank/courtesy of the National Park Service); the Octagon Earthworks in Newark were spared much of the destruction suffered by similar works because a golf course was built on them, rather than being used for farmland or for industrial purposes (photo courtesy of the Ohio History Connection); an artist’s rendering shows the moon at the northernmost rise point of its 18.6year cycle, as would be seen from above the Observatory Mound of the Octagon Earthworks (illustration via ancientohiotrail.org).

Continued from page 23

Fort Ancient Earthworks Built on a steep bluff overlooking the Little Miami River, FORT ANCIENT EARTHWORKS and Nature Preserve is Ohio’s oldest state park, managed by the Ohio History Connection. It doesn’t have the geometric structures the other sites have; rather, its 3½ miles of earthen walls — some as high as 23 feet — enclose a 100-acre irregular-shaped plateau above the Little Miami River. It’s the largest hilltop enclosure in North America, but while the name suggests that this site was used as a defensive structure, evidence shows that it, too, was a ceremonial gathering place and astronomical observatory. The park grounds and visitors center, 6123 St. Rte. 350, Oregonia, are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sat. and noon–5 p.m. Sun. Admission is $7, under 6 free.

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Five earthworks in the UNESCO group make up the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in and around Chillicothe, managed by the National Park Service.

MOUND CITY is the centerpiece of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, having become a national monument in 1923. It consists of 25 mounds of various shapes and sizes enclosed by a low wall in an area just over the size of 10 football fields. All the mounds that are present are modern restorations based on intact base layers and early surveys of the site.

While most Hopewell complexes were seemingly used for less than two centuries, evidence suggests that the 111-acre HOPEWELL MOUND GROUP maintained its

24

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

significance as a ceremonial center throughout the entire era of the Hopewell Culture, about 400 years. It was the site of the largest mound of the Hopewell world.

HOPETON EARTHWORKS, directly across the Scioto River from Mound City, has been almost completely eroded by modern agriculture, but the locations of its original walls and mounds have been revealed by modern, scientific archaeology and are made visible by interpretive planting and mowing of the site by the National Park Service.

The shapes that make up the SEIP EARTHWORKS — two enormous circles and a square — use precisely the same dimensions as four other earthworks in the Paint Valley area around Chillicothe, suggesting a common unit of measurement among the Hopewell-era people. What’s left of the Seip works has been largely unexplored.

What’s most astonishing about the HIGH BANK WORKS is that it was constructed with the same design as the Octagon Earthworks 64 miles away in Newark — the circles of each, in fact, are the exact same size — but the with the axes rotated at exactly a 90-degree angle to one another. High Bank is currently a research preserve, open to the public only by special arrangement with the National Park Service.

All of the park grounds except at the High Bank Works are open to visitors from dawn to dusk every day. The main visitors center for the National Historical Park is at Mound City, 16062 St. Rte. 104, Chillicothe, and is open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. daily. Facilities vary at the other locations.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

25

Great Council State Park is scheduled to open near Xenia early this year.

The Shawnee story New state park to highlight the history and heritage of Ohio’s early inhabitants.

T

BY RANDY EDWARDS

he last organized departure of Shawnee people from Ohio began in September 1832. Pushed from their homes by the 1830 Indian Removal Act — about two decades after the death of their celebrated leader, Tecumseh — the last band of the once-powerful nation began a difficult journey to Indian Country, now known as Oklahoma.

It’s been nearly two centuries since that sorrowful exodus from Lewistown, but the Shawnee have not forgotten their roots, says Glenna Wallace, chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, based near Wyandotte, Oklahoma.

“Ohio will always be our homeland,” Wallace says. “That’s where our ancestors were, where our ancestors died.”

Telling the story of the Shawnee — and their relationship with Ohio settlers — is the motivation behind the creation of Great Council State Park, scheduled to open early this year on State Route 68 between Xenia and Yellow Springs.

Wallace, who has tangled with state officials on other issues, praises ODNR and the Ohio History Connection for the efforts to accurately present the Shawnee story in the new park.

“I’ve always told them, ‘Don’t talk about us, talk with us,’ and that has happened from day one with this project,” she says.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who hails from that part of Ohio, chose the name to reflect a collaborative way of presenting history. “Growing up near Oldtown, I have always been captivated by the area’s Shawnee and pioneer past,” he said.

“Great Council State Park will ensure this fascinating history will continue to be passed down to future generations.”

Talon Silverhorn, naturalist supervisor of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft, says the park will help preserve the legacy of the Shawnee and also remember the people of European descent who settled in Greene County.

“Great Council represents the reuniting of the people and communities and histories that have been separated

26

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

for many years,” says Silverhorn, a citizen of the Eastern Shawnee who grew up on the Oklahoma reservation.

ODNR broke ground in May 2022 at the site of historic Oldtown, a village at the center of Shawnee culture in the late 18th century. Visitors may be surprised to find that the property covers just over 14 acres.

The park’s three-story, 12,000-square-foot interpretive center, described as a modern take on the Shawnee council house, features a mix of human and natural history.

The main floor features a “living stream,” a theater, and a gift shop, while the second floor is dedicated to the history of the Shawnee people — from pre-settlement days, when they roamed widely over the eastern continent, to modern life in Oklahoma.

The lower level meets museum-grade curation standards, including strict environmental and security controls, to house specialized exhibits, displays, and artifacts. The inaugural exhibit features a series of photos from the three federally recognized Shawnee tribes, all now located in Oklahoma and all of whom were consulted in developing the center.

Although modest in size and heavy on history, the new state park incorporates plenty of nature, says Mary Mertz, ODNR’s director.

Along with the living stream in the council house, the park includes a short walking trail through a native prairie restoration with a connection to the Little Miami River through land owned by the Little Miami Conservancy.

“We envision people watching the movie, checking out the aquatic species in the stream, learning about the history, and then walking down to the river,” Mertz says. “We hope to see families, school groups, Scouts, and all people use this space to learn more about the tribes who used to call this part of Ohio home.”

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Sweet and spirited STORY AND PHOTOS BY WENDY PRAMIK

A

mong Ohio’s numerous tourism “trails” that group loosely kindred attractions to create a single novelty destination, the recently conceived Sweets and Spirits Trail in Miami County seems a perfect pairing for this time of year.

Launched in March 2023, the 19-stop trail is a creation of the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau.

“Miami County has a long-standing candy shop in its sixth generation (Winans Chocolates + Coffees in Troy) and three vintage candy shops, one in each of its largest three downtown communities,” says Leiann Stewart, the bureau’s executive director. “That prompted the original idea of a sweets trail, and as we were discussing trail ideas, sweets and spirits just fit together.”

My husband, Mike, and I made a date of it recently. To guide us along the route, we downloaded the Miami County Sweets and Spirits Trail app, which showcases all stops and includes a map with distances between each location. Some spots offer incentives for visiting, including purchase discounts, free samples, or a free shot glass. As we virtually checked in at each location, we earned points toward prizes from the visitors bureau.

We were taken with the area’s charming small towns and the warmth and authenticity of the trail’s shop owners. For example:

• Indian Creek Distillery on Missy Duer’s family farm in New Carlisle — which was new to us, although not new at all. Missy and her husband, Joe, revived the farm’s old distillery in 2012. “This farm’s been in my family for over 200 years,” she says. “I’m the sixth of seven generations that have actually worked here.” 7095 Staley Road, New Carlisle, OH 45344; www.indiancreekdistillery.com.

• In historic downtown Tipp City, we discovered Rad Candy Company, a quaint sweets shop owned by Kari and Mark Underwood and Chad Mowen, whose enthusiasm was apparent as they invited us on a delightful trip down memory lane with their offerings of retro delights such as Pop Rocks, Necco Wafers, and hot-selling Clark Bars. In addition to candy, they also offer glass-bottle sodas, Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, toys, comic books, vintage Halloween masks, and packs of unopened trading cards. “We want everyone to come in and find something that reminds them of their childhood,” Kari Underwood says. 114 E. Main St., Tipp City, OH 45371; www.facebook.com/radcandyco.

• In downtown Troy, we encountered more sweets at Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company. Founded by Margaret Berg, a Culinary Institute of America alum, Bakehouse offers a delightful array of freshly baked cookies — as well as a 20-year-old sourdough starter. 317 Public Square SW, Troy, OH 45373; https://bakehousebread.com.

Below left: Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company in Troy offers an array of freshly baked cookies, including oatmeal raisin and ginger molasses. Below right: Greg Taylor pours a bottle of whiskey at Hayner Distilling in Troy.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Miami County trail offers enticing indulgences fit for a Valentine’s date.

As it approaches its first anniversary, the trail has drawn nearly 500 pass holders working to complete the trail for fun and prizes.

“Miami County has some really great history and businesses with a story to tell,” Stewart says. “That’s why we created the trail.” Plans are in the works to expand the trail by as many as 10 new stops, including ice cream parlors.

Here are a few other stops we explored on our trip: A.M. Scott Distillery: Anthony Scott, former co-owner of Moeller Brewing, opened his newest concept in a historic 1920s Pontiac dealership in Troy last September.

Technically, it’s a blending company; Scott purchases distillate from outside of Ohio, blends and bottles the whiskeys, and then sells them under the A.M. Scott label. The luscious single-barrel rye demonstrates the company’s focus on flavor and affordability. “I wanted a top-end whiskey at an affordable price,” Scott says. “We’re trying not to kill folks on the price.” 250 S. Mulberry St., Troy, OH 45373; www.scottdistillery.com.

Hayner Distilling: Founded in 2018 by Greg Taylor and Andrew Wannemacher, Hayner Distilling in Troy resurrects the pre-Prohibition Hayner Distilling Company, once one of the state’s largest distilleries. Using a surviving 110-yearold bottle of Hayner Whiskey, the distillery partnered with Kentucky’s Bardstown Bourbon Company to produce

the first new batch of Hayner in more than a century. The bottle shop has limited hours on the weekends, when visitors can stop in to shop and taste. 619 Lincoln Ave., Troy, OH 45373; www.haynerdistilling.com.

Dobo’s Delights Bake Shoppe: Visitors and locals alike enjoy the sweet traditions of Hungary at Dobo’s in Piqua.

Cindy Dobo, a baker with a passion for authenticity, has owned the shop for 25 years. She makes an assortment of pastries, like crescent-shaped linzers and the eightlayer Dobos Torte, with some seriously old, yet highquality, equipment. Don’t miss the Cinnamon Pinwheels, a nostalgic favorite. “Everybody’s mother or grandmother made them with leftover pie dough,” Dobo says. “We started making them, and people love them.” 417 N. Main St., Piqua, OH 45356; https://dobosdelights.com.

Crooked Handle Brewing Company: Celebrating its first-year anniversary in downtown Piqua, Crooked Handle Brewing Company anchors Lock Nine Park, a scenic community hub preserving the historic Miami and Erie Canal Lock 9. Nestled in a century-old building, the brewery offers German lagers, wheat beers, American amber ales, and hard ciders. Brewmaster and owner Jason Moore established the business in 2015, and the Piqua pub is its second location. 123 N. Main St., Piqua, OH 45356; https://crookedhandle.com.

Below left: Customers at Rad Candy Company survey the retro candy offerings, including Pop Rocks, Necco Wafers, and Clark Bars. Below right: Visitors at Indian Creek Distillery cozy up to the bar for some samples.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

U.S. zip codes turn up silver for residents Sealed Vault Bags full of State Silver Bars are actually being handed over to the first U.S. residents who find their zip code listed in today’s publication and call before the 21 day order deadline ends to claim the bags full of pure silver NATIONWIDE - Operators at the National Silver Hotline are struggling to keep up with all the calls.

That’s because Silver Vault Bags loaded with pure .999 State Silver Bars are now being handed over to everyone who beats the order deadline.

“That’s why U.S. residents will be hoarding all the silver bars they can get their hands on before the deadline ends.

This comes as no surprise after the standard State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury was dropped for everyone who gets the Silver Vault Bags making them a real steal,” said Mary Ellen Withrow, the emeritus 40th Treasurer of the United States of America.

“As executive advisor to the private Lincoln Treasury, I get paid to deliver breaking news.

And here’s the best part.

This is great news for U.S. residents because the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury is a real steal,” said Withrow.

The only thing residents need to do is find the first 2 digits of their zip code on the Distribution List printed in today’s publication. If their zip code is on the list, they just need to call the National Silver Hotline before the deadline ends.

And here’s the good news. Residents who do are getting the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $390 for each State Silver Vault Bag which is just $39 for each pristine Silver half ounce bar as long as they call the National Silver Hotline at 1-888-706-6536 before the deadline ends.

Phone lines open at precisely 8:30 A.M. this morning and are expected to be flooded by U.S. residents looking to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the

■ U.S. RESIDENTS CASH IN: Calls are pouring in from state residents who are trying to get their hands on the Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags pictured above before the deadline ends. That’s because residents who find the first two digits of their zip code printed in today’s publication are cashing in on the reduced State Minimum price set for the next 21 days by the Lincoln Treasury.

Who gets the Silver Vault Bags: Listed below are the zip codes that get to claim the Silver Vault Bags.

If you find the first two digits of your zip code below immediately call: 1-888-706-6536 DEPT. SMB162 Alabama 35, 36 Alaska 99 Arizona 85, 86 Arkansas 71, 72 California 91 Colorado 80, 81 Connecticut 06 Delaware 19

Florida 32, 33, 34 Georgia 30, 31, 39 Hawaii 96 Idaho 83 Illinois 60, 61 62 Indiana 46, 47 Iowa 50, 51, 52

(Continued on next page)

30

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Kansas 66, 67 Kentucky 40, 41, 42 Louisiana 70, 71 Maine 03, 04 Maryland 20, 21 Massachusetts 01, 02, 05 Michigan 48, 49 Mississippi 38, 39

Missouri 63, 64, 65 Montana 59 Nebraska 68, 69 Nevada 88, 89 New Hampshire 03 New Jersey 07, 08 New Mexico 87, 88

New York 00, 10, 11, 12 13, 14 North Carolina 27, 28 North Dakota 58 Ohio 41, 43 44, 45 Oklahoma 73, 74 Oregon 97

Pennsylvania 15, 16, 17 18, 19 Rhode Island 02 South Carolina 29 South Dakota 57 Tennessee 37, 38 Texas 75, 76, 77 78, 79, 88

Utah 84 Vermont 05 Virginia 20, 22, 23, 24 Washington 98, 99 West Virginia 24, 25, 26 Wyoming 82, 83

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

(Continued from previous page)

Lincoln Treasury to date.

That’s why U.S. residents who find their zip code on the distribution list today are being urged to call.

Since this special advertising announcement can’t stop anyone from buying up all the new 2024 Edition U.S. State Silver Bars they can get their hands on, the Lincoln Treasury has not set a limit of how many Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags residents can get – these are the bags pictured that contain 10 individual Silver Vault Bags each. Everyone who gets these will be glad they did.

“Residents who want to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury better hurry. That’s because after the deadline ends, the State Minimum for these pristine half ounce U.S. State Silver Bars set by the Lincoln Treasury will go up to $68 per bar no matter how many bars people get,” Withrow said.

“We’re bracing for all the calls and doing the best we can, but with just hours left before the deadline ends, residents who find the first 2 digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication need to call the National Silver Hotline,” Withrow said.

READ THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If you find your zip code on the distribution list printed in today’s publication read below then immediately call: 1-888-706-6536 DEPT. SMB162 I keep calling and can’t get through: Keep trying. Right now everyone’s looking to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury. In fact, we won’t be surprised if thousands of residents order up as many Silver Vault Bags as they can get their hands on before the deadline ends. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury has been reduced to just $39 for each silver half ounce bar for everyone who gets the vault bags. And since each Silver Vault Bag contains 10 pristine State Silver Bars for just $390 we’re guessing state residents will be claiming two or more bags while they’re up for grabs. But all those who really want to cash in are taking the Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags containing 100 State Silver Bars before the deadline ends and the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury goes up to $680 per Vault Bag. In fact the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury is reduced even further for those getting the Jumbo Bags so just be sure to ask the National Silver Hotline operator for your discount. So if lines are busy keep trying.

How much are the Silver Vault Bags worth: It’s hard to tell how much these Silver Vault Bags could be worth since they are in pristine condition, but those who get in on this now will be glad they did. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury goes up to $680 per bag after the deadline ends. So you better believe that at just $390 the Silver Vault bags are a real steal for everyone who beats the deadline.

Can I buy one State Silver Bar: Yes. But, the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $39 per bar applies only to residents who purchase a Silver Vault Bag(s). That means only those residents who order a Silver Vault Bag(s) or a Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bag get the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury. All single bar purchases, orders placed after the deadline and all non-state residents must pay the normal state minimum of $68 per silver half ounce bar.

Why is the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury so low now: Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to get the silver at the reduced State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury. Now all residents who find their zip code on the Distribution List to the left are getting the Silver Vault Bags for themselves and all the solid .999 pure State Silver Bars found inside. The price for each Silver Vault Bag after the deadline ends is set to the normal state minimum of $680 which is $68 per bar. But residents who beat the 21-day deadline only cover the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $390 for each State Silver Bar Bag which is just $39 per bar as long as they call the National Silver Hotline before the deadline ends at: 1-888-706-6536 DEPT. SMB162. Hotlines open at 8:30 A.M.

*** All 48 States listed are available - States not listed are already sold out ***

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES FULL-HALF TROY OUNCE SOLID .999 FINE SILVER

DATE NUMBERED IN WHICH THE STATE RATIFIED THE CONSTITUTION AND WAS ADMITTED INTO UNION BACK

FRONT

■ SILVER HITS ROCK BOT TOM: It’s good news for state residents who get the Silver Vault Bags each loaded with 10 solid .999 pure State Silver Bars. That’s because residents are getting the reduced State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury as long as they call before the deadline ends.

CERTIFIED SOLID SILVER PRECIOUS METAL

ALL 48 STATES LISTED ARE AVAILABLE. 2 STATES ALREADY SOLD OUT.

PHOTO ENLARGEMENT SHOWS ENGRAVING DETAIL OF SOLID HALF OUNCE STATE SILVER BARS THE LINCOLN TREASURY LLC. IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, U.S. GOV’T, A BANK OR ANY GOV’T AGENCY. THE INCREASE IN COLLECTIBLE VALUE OF SILVER DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANY INCREASE IN VALUE. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR PURCHASE, RETURN THE ENTIRE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. LINCOLN TREASURY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST RETURN SHIPMENTS. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. LINCOLN TREASURY 8000 FREEDOM AVE., N. CANTON OH 44720. © 2023 LINCOLN TREASURY P7408 OF23267R-1

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Keeping the lights on

ALSO INSIDE Tastes like robin Tragic tale of the Wuebker brothers Forgotten France

For information and rates, send an email to

advertising@ohioec.org.

2024 CALENDAR

FEBRUARY/MARCH

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

NORTHWEST

FEB. 7, MAR. 6 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities are geared for preschool-age 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.

FEB. 8–18 – Live Theatre: Misery, Van Wert Civic Theatre, 118 S. Race St., Van Wert, Thur.–Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $16. 419-238-9689 or www.vwct.org.

FEB. 17 – 2024 Casino Royale, Seiberling Gymnasium, 132 Rebecca St., Tiffin, doors open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds to benefit the Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Many activities planned, including live music

by The Together Band, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar. Registration required at www. senecaregionalchamber.com.

FEB. 19 – Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides, Spiegel Grove, Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Fremont, 1–4 p.m. $6; 2 and under free. Celebrate Presidents Day by taking a trolley ride through the Hayes estate. 800-998-7737 or www.rbhayes.org.

FEB. 24 – Burning Snowman Fest, Dock’s Beach House, 252 W. Lakeshore Dr., Port Clinton, noon–10 p.m. $25. For ages 21+ only.

Say goodbye to winter with the burning of a giant snowman! Live music, food, and drink; all proceeds go to charity. 419-357-6247 or www.facebook.com/BurningSnowman.

MAR. 2 – Glass City Wine Festival, Glass City Center, 401 Jefferson Ave., Toledo. $25–$40.

Toledo’s premier wine, food, and shopping festival. www.glasscitywinefestival.com.

MAR. 3 – “Acoustics for Autism” Music Festival, 300 block of Conant and surrounding area, Maumee, Mar. 3 at noon–Mar. 4 at 2 a.m. Free for all ages. Ninety bands on eight stages. Proceeds go to provide support and information, resources, and financial assistance to families affected by autism. www.acousticsforautism.com.

MAR. 3 – Get the Led Out: Tribute to Led Zeppelin, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center., 7 Town Square, Lima, 7 p.m. From $29.

A celebration of “The Mighty Zep.” 419-224-1552 or www.limaciviccenter.com.

MAR. 8–10 – Lima Noon Optimist Home Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, Fri. 4–9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. $2 donation. Proceeds help fund youth activities and Safety City. www.limaoptimist.com/home-show.

MAR. 9 – Chicago Transit, The Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin, 7:30 p.m. $10–$40.

Longest-running Chicago tribute band and the only one to carry four lead vocalists, just as the band Chicago does, along with a three-piece horn section and five-piece rhythm section. 419-4488544, info@ritztheatre.org, or www.ritztheatre.org.

MAR. 9 – Lima Symphony: “Joyful, Joyful,” Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center., 7 Town Square, Lima, 7:30 p.m. $10–$35. Music director Andrew Crust conducts the orchestra and chorus in a powerhouse of 19th-century symphonic choral works, concluding with Beethoven’s triumphant “Ode to Joy.” 419-2225701 or www.limasymphony.com.

MAR. 12 – Defiance Community Band: Spring Concert, Defiance High School Gym, 1755 Palmer Dr., Defiance, 7:30 p.m. Free.

For more information, contact Erin Redick at defiancecommunityband@gmail.com.

MAR. 14 – Toledo Symphony Concert, Sauder Village, Founder’s Hall, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 7:30 p.m. 800-590-9755 or www.saudervillage.org.

WEST VIRGINIA FEB. 18 – West Virginia’s Premier Wedding Expo, Erickson Alumni Center, Morgantown, 1–3 p.m. $15 general admission; $29 VIP. Meet the area’s leading wedding professionals and find what you need to plan your special day. Giveaways, wedding apparel fashion show, prizes, live music, and more! https:// infinitystudioseventplanning.com/wedding-expo.

FEB. 24 – Jazz Night at the Robinson Grand, 444 W. Pike St., Clarksburg, 7–9 p.m. $35. Features a dozen jazz musicians and five different performance spaces, two complimentary small-bite buffets, and three cash bars. 855-773-6283 or www.therobinsongrand.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 phone number/website for more information.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

33

2024 CALENDAR

FEBRUARY/MARCH

NORTHEAST

FEB. 23 – Kent BeatleFest, downtown Kent.

Free. Come together for the annual celebration of the Fab Four’s music, featuring a stellar lineup of bands at various venues throughout downtown. www.kentbeatlefest.com or www.facebook.com/ KentBeatleFest.

FEB. 23–MAR. 3 – Cleveland Auto Show, IX Center, One I-X Dr., Cleveland. $12–$15; 6 and under free.

Concept, pre-production, and production vehicles, plus indoor test drives, vehicle giveaway, classic car show, and more. www.clevelandautoshow.com.

FEB. 24 – Intermediate Beekeeping Class, Life Church, 1033 Elm St., Grafton, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Offered FEB. 9–10 – Ernie Haase and Signature

by Lorain County Beekeepers Association for 2nd- or Sound Valentine’s Show, Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, 7 p.m. $49–$68. Purchase tickets 3rd-year beekeepers. Free for members. $10 or $20 for nonmembers; class fee includes LCBA membership for at 855-344-7547 or www.ohiostartheater.com.

2024. www.loraincountybeekeepers.org.

FEB. 9–MAR. 3 – Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, Great Lakes Theater, 2067 E. 14th St., FEB. 24 – Brite Winter, West Bank of the Flats, Cleveland. See website for days and times. $20–$89. Cleveland, Sat. 3 p.m.–Sun. 1 a.m. Community festival featuring diverse musical acts, artwork, games, food, In this comedic twist on the famous mystery, Poirot and more. www.britewinter.com. must solve the crime of a man stabbed in his locked compartment on the opulent Orient Express — MAR. 1, 8, 15, 22 – Beginner Beekeeping Class, where every passenger is a suspect. 216-241-6000 Life Church, 1033 Elm St., Grafton, 7–9 p.m. Offered or www.playhousesquare.org.

by Lorain County Beekeepers Association to those new to the hobby or who have struggled in the past FEB. 11 – Olivia Polash: “A Sample of Cello Suites,” with beekeeping. $50 class fee includes 1-year LCBA Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. Register membership and monthly email newsletter for you and your family. www.loraincountybeekeepers.org. at www.ormaco.org or call 419-853-6016.

FEB. 16–19 – Medina Ice Festival, downtown Medina. MAR. 2–3, 9–10 – Maple Syrup Festival, Malabar Speed carving contests, individual and team ice-carving Farm State Park, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas, 12–4 p.m. competitions (Fri./Sat.), Fire & Ice display (Fri. 7 p.m.), ice Free. Live historic and modern demonstrations, horsedrawn wagon rides, food and maple products to taste sculpture garden featuring more than 120 sculptures, and buy. Also enjoy self-guided tours of the historic Big food and drink vendors. www.mainstreetmedina.com/ House. 419-892-2784 or www.malabarfarm.org. medina-ice-festival.html.

MAR. 2–24 – Chatham Annual Sugarbush Pancake FEB. 18 – Flea Market of Collectables, Medina Co. Breakfasts, Chatham Memorial Hall, 6299 Avon Lake Fgds. Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd. (St. Rte. Rd., Chatham, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

42), Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special Adults $12; Srs. $11; under 10, $8. Credit cards accepted. admission, 6–9 a.m., $3. A treasure trove of vintage Sponsored by Chatham Volunteer Fireman’s Assoc. For items and collectables. 330-948-4300 (Amanda information, call 330-410-6237 or 330-635-0958.

Whitacre) or www.conraddowdell.com.

SOUTHEAST

FEB. 16 – Great Backyard Bird Count, Lake Hope State Park, Nature Center, 27331 St. Rte. 278, McArthur, noon–4 p.m. Free. Come out to assist us with this global citizen science project to identify and count bird species. No prior birding experience necessary! 740-596-3030, www.facebook.com/ LakeHopeStatePark, or www.ohiodnr.gov.

FEB. 17 – Aubrey Rey, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7:30 p.m. $10–$20. www.majesticchillicothe.net.

34

FEB. 18 – Ross County Bridal Show, Unioto School, 14193 Pleasant Valley Rd., Chillicothe, 1–4:30 p.m. $10 at the door. Celebrating its 15th year! Vendors, dancing, games, door prizes, free massages, minimakeovers, and more. For questions, contact T&T Advertising at 740-649-6177.

FEB. 22 – 38 Special, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $58+. www.peoplesbanktheatre.com.

FEB. 23 – Sara Evans, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $50+. www.peoplesbanktheatre.com.

FEB. 24 – Chillicothe Comedy Night “Raise the Roof” Fundraiser, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7 p.m. $15. Join Lori Graves and 12 of her local OUC comedy workshop grads as they take the stage for a night of laughs. Proceeds will go toward funding the next phase of renovation for the theatre. www.majesticchillicothe.net.

FEB. 24 – Nature Nook, Shawnee State Park Lodge, 4404 St. Rte. 125, West Portsmouth, 1–4 p.m. Free. Talk to the park naturalist and check out the cool

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

MAR. 3 – ORMACO Jazz Lunch, Our Lady of the Cedars, 507 S. Cleveland Massillon Rd., Fairlawn, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. $55. Includes a cocktail, a hearty Mediterranean brunch, and dessert. Music by vocalist Dane Vannatter and the Eric Everett Trio. Attendance is limited, so book now: www.ormaco.org or 419-853-6016.

MAR. 8 – Jason Gray, Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, 7 p.m. $39–$58. Purchase tickets at 855-344-7547 or www.ohiostartheater.com.

MAR. 9–10 – 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 (Jim Conrad) or www.conraddowdell.com.

MAR. 10 – Cleveland Comic Book and Nostalgia Festival, Doubletree by Hilton Cleveland/Westlake, 1100 Crocker Rd., Westlake, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5; 6 and under free. Free parking. Comic and toy vendors, guest comic creators, hourly prizes. 330-462-3985, jeff@ harpercomics.com, or www.harpercomics.com.

MAR. 10 – Jerry Popiel: “The Classic Songs of Folk-Rock,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. The singer/songwriter and multiinstrumentalist performs the songs of the era’s luminaries, such as James Taylor, Jim Croce, Simon & Garfunkel, and more. Register at www.ormaco.org or call 419-853-6016.

MAR. 13 – Rachel Brown: “Songs of American’s Favorite Female Singers and Songwriters,” Medina County District Library, 210 S. Broadway St., Medina, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. The South Euclid-based keyboardist will present songs and stories from many great American women performers. Register at www.ormaco.org or call 419-853-6016.

MAR. 15 – Karen Peck and New River, Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, 7 p.m. $36–$55. Purchase tickets at 855-344-7547 or www.ohiostartheater.com.

critters. 740-858-6652, www.facebook.com/ ShawneeStatePark, or www.ohiodnr.gov.

FEB. 24 – “Stalking the Skunk Cabbage,” Shawnee State Park Lodge, 4404 St. Rte. 125, West Portsmouth, 10 a.m.–noon. Free. Meet in the lobby, then go on an auto tour through the forest in search of this amazing flowering plant. Wear gum boots, dress for the weather, and be prepared to get muddy. 740-8586652, www.facebook.com/ShawneeStatePark, or www.ohiodnr.gov.

MAR. 2 – Statehood Day Celebration, various locations in Chillicothe, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Celebrate Ohio becoming the 17th state of the union in the first capital of Ohio! Many historical attractions are open for tours and special exhibits and presentations as part of the celebration. www.visitchillicotheohio.com.

MAR. 8–9 – Home, Garden, and Business Expo, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., Cambridge. 740-439-6688 or www.cambridgeohiochamber.com.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH MAR. 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.

FEB. 16–18 – Miami County Home and Garden Show, Hobart Arena, 255 Adams St., Troy, Fri. 2–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $6; 12 and under free. 937-3397963, donna@westernohiohba.com, or www. miamicountyhomeshow.com.

FEB. 24–25 – Dayton Off-Road and Outdoor Expo, Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Rd., Wilmington, Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10; 12

CENTRAL

FEB. 2, MAR. 1 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Come downtown on the first Friday of each month, when all of our participating galleries, studios, and small businesses are open at the same time! Visit the Artist Colony of Zanesville’s website for a map of current participants: https:// artcoz.org/arts-district-map.

FEB. 8, MAR. 14 – Inventors Network Meetings, Rusty Bucket, 3901 Britton Parkway, Hilliard, 43026 (614-777-5868, MyRustyBucket. com), 7 p.m. Informal meetings for networking and invention-related discussion. 614-470-0144 or www. inventorscolumbus.com.

FEB. 16 – The Kody Norris Show, Cornerstone Global Methodist Church, 207 S. Court St., Marysville, doors open 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m. $25, under 12 free. Part of the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series.

Entertainment, food, homemade pies on-site. 937-6424712 or www.marysvillewinterbluegrass.com.

FEB. 17 – Backyard Bird Count 4.5-Mile Hike, Alum Creek State Park, Delaware. Free. Meet at the park office, 3615 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, 2–4 p.m. All

and under free. Vendors, rig competition, raffles.

Fun for the whole family! 877-428-4748 or www. daytonoffroadexpo.com.

FEB. 24–25 – 20th Century Cincinnati, Sharonville Convention Center., 11355 Chester Rd., Cincinnati, Sat. noon–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10–$15; ticket good both days. Sat. preview 9–11 a.m., $30–$40; includes weekend pass. One of the best modern design shows in the country. Period furniture, lighting, decorative objects, housewares, pop culture memorabilia, and fashion. 513-951-6626 or www.20thcenturycincinnati.com.

FEB. 25, MAR. 2, 9 – “Early Signs of Spring,” Rocky Fork State Park, 9800 N. Shore Dr., Hillsboro, Sat. 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 1–3 p.m. Free. Join a naturalist on a guided 3-mile hike to search for early signs of spring, maybe even the first wildflowers of the year. 937-3934284 or www.ohiodnr.gov.

MAR. 2 – Butler Philharmonic Orchestra: “Mendelssohn Mania,” Sorg Opera House, 63 S. Main St., Middletown, 7:30 p.m. $20. www.butlerphil. org or Facebook: @officialbutlerphil.

MAR. 4 – Monday Music Night: McIntyre Bluegrass Trio, Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Ave, Centerville, 7–8 p.m. Free. Enjoy lively banjo, fiddle,

and guitar music performed by Vernon and Kitty McIntyre and guest Robert Campbell. 937-435-3700 or https://wclibrary.evanced.info/signup/calendar.

MAR. 5 – Down Home Downtown Bluegrass, Miami Down Home Downtown, 221 High St., Hamilton, 7–8:30 p.m. Free. Featuring Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music with lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs. For details, email vaughnjh@gmail.com.

MAR. 9 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Sterling Bluegrass Jamboree, 29 E. Main St., Mt. Sterling, 7 p.m. Enjoy lively bluegrass music with lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs. Music kicks off at 6 p.m. with the Sterling Bluegrass Band. Homecooked food and fine pies available on-site. 614323-6938 or www.sterlingbluegrassjamboree.com/ upcoming-events.

MAR. 15 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, a wide variety of craft beers at the Beer Garden, and food truck eats. 513832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.

levels of birders welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them. Moderate difficulty: some hills and stream crossings. 740-513-6382 (Lindsey Krusling) or www.facebook.com/AlumCreekStatePark.

FEB. 17–25 – Central Ohio Home and Garden Show, Ohio Expo Center, Bricker and Celeste Bldgs., 717 E. 11th St., Columbus, Sat. 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m., weekdays 11 a.m.–7 p.m. More than 300 exhibitors in remodeling, landscaping, and home improvement, plus demos, local experts, and much more! www.dispatchshows.com/home-and-garden-show.

FEB. 18 – Central Ohio Antique Bottle Club’s Annual Show and Sale, Doubletree Inn, 175 Hutchinson Ave. (I-270 and Rte. 23), Columbus, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $5. Early buyers, 7–9 a.m., $20. www.fohbc.org/shows. Contact Rojer Moody, 740-703-4913, rtmoody@juno.com, or Brad Funk, 614-264-7846, bradfunk@yahoo.com.

FEB. 18 – Fairfield County Antique Tractor Club Toy Show and Sale, Fairfield Co. Fgds., AAA Bldg., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Two large heated buildings with displays and vendors. Lunch served by local 4-H group. 614-571-7136 (Teresa Brudzinski) or www.fairfieldcountytractorclub.com.

FEB. 24–25 – Maple Syrup Tours, Dawes Arboretum, Main Shelter House, 7770 Jacksontown Rd., Newark, 1–3 p.m. $5–$10; under 5 free. Take a guided walk along the trail to discover the many ways maple syrup has been made throughout history. At the end of the trail, peek inside the log cabin and taste a sample of this all-natural treat! Tours are first come, first served.

740-323-2355 or www.dawesarb.org.

FEB. 29–MAR. 3 – Arnold Sports Festival and Arnold Expo, Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Hundreds of booths with the latest in

sports equipment, apparel, and nutrition, plus three stages hosting unique, non-stop competitions and entertainment. www.arnoldsports.com.

MAR. 3 – Buckeye Comic Con, Courtyard by Marriott Columbus West, 2350 Westbelt Dr., Columbus, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5; 6 and under free. Free parking. Comic and toy vendors, guest comic creators, hourly prizes.

330-462-3985, jeff@harpercomics.com, or www.harpercomics.com.

MAR. 7 – Inventors Network Meeting, The Point at Otterbein University, 60 Collegeview Rd., Westerville 43081, 7–8:30 p.m. 614-470-0144 or www. inventorscolumbus.com.

MAR. 12 – New Albany Symphony Orchestra: The Story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, McCoy Center for the Arts, 100 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., New Albany, 3 p.m. $10–$25. Guest narrator Angela An (10TV news anchor). 614-469-0939 or www. newalbanysymphony.com.

MAR. 13 – “Not Since Tecumseh: Darkness at Midday — A Total Eclipse of the Sun,” Tri-Rivers Career Center, 2222 Marion-Mt. Gilead Rd., Marion, 7 p.m. Free. OU astronomy instructor Thomas O’Grady will share details of the 1806 event called “Tecumseh’s Eclipse” and discuss the dynamics that cause these unique celestial phenomena. The first 300 guests will get a complimentary pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses. 740-387-4255 or www.marionhistory.com.

MAR. 15 – Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Cornerstone Global Methodist Church, 207 S. Court St., Marysville, doors open 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m. Part of the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series. Entertainment, food, homemade pies on-site. 937-642-4712 or www.marysvillewinterbluegrass.com.

FEBRUARY 2024 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

35

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Romantic dinner

2

1 3

4

5

1 — Setting up for our secluded picnic dinner for two! Rose Edwards, The Frontier Power Company member.

2 — Bar en croûte feuilletée at Epcot during our honeymoon. Crystal Pomeroy, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives staff.

3 — My husband, Travis Thompson, and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary with a romantic dinner at the Glenlaurel Inn in Rockbridge. Sandy Thompson, South Central Power Company member.

4 — Our son, John, and his wife, Jana, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary with a romantic dinner at Yamato Steakhouse. Ricky and Pamela Weippert, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative members.

5 — My husband, Eddi, and I (on the right) out with my parents, Ray and Hettie, having a little double-date on a special day. Katie Grubba, South Central Power Company member.

Send us

For May, send “Mom at her best” by Feb. 15; for June, send “Inland shores” by March 15.

picture!

Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.

YOUR 36

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • FEBRUARY 2024

Concern for community Electric cooperative employees and trustees around the state show their concern for the places they live, work, and serve in many ways.

Their generous support of the Community Foundation of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, through payroll deductions and one-time donations, has allowed the foundation to provide more than $125,000 in grants to dozens of organizations that are near and dear to our employees’ hearts in the last six years.

Cooperative Family Fund

Capital Area Humane Society

Stefanie Ronald Spielman Fund for McDonald

AHA! A Hands-On Adventure

St. Jude’s Human Childrens Connections

Breast House

Hospital Fund

Cancer Charities

Gracehaven, Inc.

Association of Louisiana Electric

Star Imagination Library Huckleberry House Children’s House Hunger Colony Common Alliance Tennessee Electric Project

Cooperatives disaster relief efforts

Ohio Governor’s

RESCUEDohio disaster relief efforts Ohio Ground Cats Leukemia & Cooperative Association

JR Memorial Worthington Resource Pantry Free Store Cruise for a Cure Lymphoma

Florida Electric Cooperatives Association - disaster relief efforts

Society Union Clear

NRECA International County 4-H Creek Saving Grace Autistic Self Scioto County Career Farm Technical Center to Kentucky Rural Cat rescue Advocacy Network benefit the Blake Rodgers Disaster Relief Memorial Scholarship Fund and local Ovarian Cancer relief efforts Cooperative Alliance of Ohio

BrAva Development LifeCare

American Red Cross Might Foundation Alliance’s Kentucky Rural Disaster Relief Children’s

“Meals on

Fund and local relief efforts Museum Dolly Parton’s Wheels”

Imagination

Niche Seekers Trevor Project Library of Ohio program

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