Ohio Cooperative Living – June 2026 - Butler

OHIO

JUNE 2026

COOPERATIVE Official publication of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative

ALSO INSIDE The cloud next door

Life in the fast lane

Made in Appalachia

WHERE WE LIVE WE HAVE MEMBERS

ACTIVELY

OUR COMMITMENT

Your local electric cooperative is not just a service provider — we’re active members of our community.

We take pride in serving our members and going the extra mile in everything we do. Get closer to your co-op to find out more ways we support you and strengthen our community.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

INSIDE FEATURES 21

YURT-TOPIA

From primitive to luxurious, an overnight stay in a yurt can offer an experience for everyone.

24 HIGH AND FAST

Great Ohio Coaster Club members travel the state and beyond in search of thrills.

28 BUILT WHERE IT BELONGS

A McConnelsville company reimagines Appalachian furniture manufacturing.

Cover image on most editions: Dairy farmers Bonnie and John Ayars have devoted themselves to keeping agriculture accessible for future generations (photograph by Theresa Ravencraft).

This page: Great Ohio Coaster Club members await the delayed drop of Siren’s Curse at Cedar Point (photograph by Bob Kilner/ Great Ohio Coaster Club).

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

1

CONNECTIONS

Options for new power?

A

s the electric industry settles into the new reality that comes with serving the power needs of large data centers, generators, including Buckeye Power, must balance reliability and cost when considering new generating resources.

It seems obvious that new generation resources will be needed, and not just any resources, but baseload power — those that run 24/7, regardless of weather or time of day. Coal plants, such as the co-op-owned Cardinal Plant in Brilliant, and natural gas combined-cycle plants are other examples of baseload generation, and of course are crucial contributors of steady, reliable power to the grid.

The completion of two nuclear units in Georgia in 2024 has helped renew interest in a nuclear option. Nuclear generators not only provide reliable baseload power, they do so with no emissions during operation. Nuclear units can last 50-plus years, with costs that have proven to be both low and stable. Nuclear power comes with risks, though: Upfront cost can be more than five times the cost of a new natural gas power plant and construction can take 10 to 15 years. Those plants have also faced public push-back, often driven by limited familiarity with how plants are regulated and how their safety systems work. If nuclear is going to play a bigger role in the future, it will take steady and clear communication to help the public better understand the technology and have confidence in its safety.

Over the last 10 or 15 years, natural gas combined-cycle plants have been the most common new baseload resources built in the U.S., and it’s relatively easy to understand why. I think of it like buying a new car: The best purchase is one that’s solid and reliable (though maybe not very flashy) that you can get for a reasonable amount of money and finance it over a reasonable amount of time. Natural gas combined-cycle plants can often be built in 5 to 7 years and run 30-plus years, and they’re typically paid off over that same period, helping keep annual costs (and therefore customer bills) more affordable.

So, while companies are working to reduce the challenges created by nuclear plants — including research on small modular reactors, natural gas combinedcycle plants are likely to remain the preferred option for new baseload generation in the near term. And meanwhile, as demand continues to increase, existing coal plants will have to keep playing an important role in keeping electricity both affordable and reliable.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

Craig Grooms

PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Natural gas combined-cycle plants are solid and reliable, can often be built in five to seven years and run 30plus years, and they’re typically paid off over that same period.

JUNE 2026 • Volume 68, No. 9

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com Craig Grooms Jeff McCallister Amy Howat Neal Kindig

4 DEPARTMENTS

President & CEO Senior Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editor Graphic Designer

Contributors: Margaret Buranen, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Jill Moorhead, Catherine Murray, Theresa Ravencraft, and Jamie Rhein.

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 $6.48 to $7.92 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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

4 POWER LINES

The cloud next door: The rise of

data centers creates both challenges and opportunities for electric cooperatives and their members.

8

8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Pint-sized predators: The

American kestrel is the smallest and most common falcon in Ohio — and the nation.

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

10

Cream of the crop: After more than 50 years, co-op members are still dedicated to educating the next generation of dairy farmers.

13 GOOD EATS

By the seashore: These

mouthwatering mouthfuls will have you dreaming of the beach.

13

17 LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

33 CALENDAR

What’s happening: June/July

National/regional advertising inquiries, contact

Cheryl Solomon American MainStreet Publications 847-749-9015 | cheryl@amp.coop

33

36 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Roller coaster: Co-op members

Cooperative members:

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

events and other things to do around Ohio.

love a good thrill ride! For example, South Central Power Company member Amy Smith shared this picture of her husband, Kris, and their daughter, Kaylee, ready for a spin on Dollywood’s Big Bear Mountain.

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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.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

3

POWER LINES

The cloud next door

The rise of data centers creates both challenges and opportunities for Ohio co-ops and their members.

BY JEFF MCCALLISTER

I

f the internet had a physical body, data centers would be its brain. If you’ve ever streamed a show, backed up your photos, or asked a smart speaker for the weather, all of that information came through a data center.

As more companies race to expand their cloud capacity and computing power, they need more data centers, so the massive, quietly humming facilities are popping up in lots of different places. They might be tucked into industrial parks, converted from former warehouses, or, increasingly, rising up from a farm field into the rural landscape — in other words, places where people live, work, and raise families.

When big changes come very quickly, often with little or no information that’s easily accessible, neighbors tend to react with suspicion and sometimes even anger.

Residents of towns like Trenton, in Butler County, and South Bloomfield, in Pickaway County, have crowded local zoning boards, signed petitions, and generally begun pushing back against data centers planned in those communities. In fact, at least 30 Ohio municipalities have enacted or are considering enacting moratoriums on new data centers.

And that raises a question: What’s the big deal?

What is a data center?

Data centers are simply buildings, often minimalistlooking on the outside, filled with racks of servers,

4

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

powerful computers that store, process, and transmit the information that keeps the internet running. Of course, they run on electricity — and lots of it, because all that information must be available in an instant every second of every day of the year.

If you store your digital photos in “the cloud,” that’s where they are. But data centers also process information.

Every Google search runs through a data center — and since the arrival of Google’s AI-powered Gemini search tool, each individual search uses about 10 times the electricity they used before Gemini.

Also, Google’s isn’t the only software that uses artificial intelligence. In fact, the top five most-visited websites (and at least 16 of the top 20) rely heavily on AI. The average prompt on ChatGPT uses about 0.34 watthours of electricity, according to the company’s founder — about what an oven would use in a little over one second, or a high-efficiency lightbulb would use in a couple of minutes. Imagine the power and computing capacity needed to process a billion prompts every day, as ChatGPT claims it receives.

All that power consumption also generates a lot of heat, so data centers must be kept cool, and most use fans and water as the coolant.

The upside Living near a data center isn’t like living near a factory or airport. There’s no smoke, no crowds, and no rush-hour traffic jams. The benefits of a nearby data center can be surprisingly tangible.

• Economic growth — Data centers bring investment. A single facility can cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build, and that money flows into local construction, utility, and service businesses. After opening, they still create stable, well-paid technical jobs and often partner with local schools or workforce programs.

• Infrastructure upgrades — Data centers often pay to upgrade roads, power lines, and fiber networks.

Translation: Your internet might get faster, and your lights might flicker less. Ohio’s electric cooperatives, in fact, have developed a rate structure specific to data centers that charges them for that new infrastructure, rather than passing it on to other co-op members.

• Low daily impact — Unlike distribution centers or manufacturing plants, data centers generate minimal traffic. Employees come and go in small numbers, and there’s no constant flow of trucks. For many neighborhoods, they’re among the quietest commercial neighbors around.

Continued on page 6

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

5

Continued from page 5

Reasons for concern

Co-ops are ready

Still, living near a data center isn’t all upside. These facilities come with their own quirks — some subtle, some more noticeable.

Electric cooperatives in Ohio own all the power generation they need to power their members’ homes and businesses, and the rate structure they’ve developed to serve data centers ensures that will be the case for a long time to come.

• Noise pollution — They may not create noise from machinery or traffic, they aren’t necessarily silent.

One of the biggest complaints from those who live near large data centers is a steady hum coming from cooling fans and backup generators. While modern centers use noise reduction designs, the sound can be noticeable, especially during maintenance or generator testing.

• Energy consumption — Data centers use enormous amounts of electricity. While that in itself doesn’t directly raise your utility bill, it can be a challenge for electric cooperatives to insulate current members from the costs of system upgrades needed in order to serve such large loads.

Water use is another challenge. Some data centers are converting to a closed-loop cooling system that eliminates the need to draw water from municipal or well water supplies, but otherwise, it’s estimated that those billion daily ChatGPT prompts alone take about 85,000 gallons of water to cool the processors handling them.

• Visual impact — Data centers are not exactly a charming part of the landscape. They are usually large, boxy, and often windowless buildings with prominent transmission lines coming into large new substations located close by. A data center can be a jarring industrial intrusion on a tranquil countryside.

• Land use concerns — Loss of farmland or green space is a problem, as the largest data centers can cover a larger footprint than three or four Wal-Marts, causing debate on whether the economic benefits outweigh the change in the character of an area.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

“Ohio’s electric cooperatives stand ready to serve any data center that is built in co-op territory, but our members will not be asked to shoulder the costs associated with serving them,” says Craig Grooms, president and CEO of Buckeye Power, the generation and transmission cooperative owned by Ohio’s co-ops.

“Owning our power generation has long insulated members from a lot of the highs and lows of the energy market, and our data center rate schedule builds on that foundation so that as new, large users connect to the grid, co-op members will continue to be protected for generations to come.”

Your neighbor has a dirty little secret.

What exactly is your neighbor keeping underground?

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7

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Pint-sized

predator The American kestrel is the smallest and most common falcon in Ohio — and the nation.

BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

Y

ou might see one while you’re driving down an interstate highway or a country road: a relatively small, robin-sized bird that you might not think much about until you realize that it’s hovering 50 feet or so in the air, intently staring down at the grassy road berm below.

You’ve very likely spotted an American kestrel, the Buckeye State’s smallest falcon; if you’re really lucky, you may see the bird dive, hit the ground feet-first with talons extended, then fly off carrying an unsuspecting victim: insect, mouse, vole, or even another small bird.

More commonly known in years past as sparrow hawks, kestrels measure just a foot or less in body length, but have a wingspan of up to 2 feet, which aids them in their unique hovering style of hunting.

Despite their small size, kestrels possess the same fierce, intense nature of larger falcons, such as the peregrine, which also lives in Ohio. Kestrels, however, are no match for peregrines’ speed. In level flight, peregrines have been clocked at 70 miles per hour, and in a steep dive known as a stoop, they can reach 200 mph — the fastest creature on earth!

What makes a falcon a falcon? In other words, what special characteristics separate falcons from other birds of prey?

“Falcons look like hawks, but they’re not very closely related,” says Kevin McGowan, a native Ohioan and professional ornithologist who works as an avian educator for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. “Both falcons and hawks are fast-flying daytime predators that capture prey with the strong talons on their feet and rip them up with their sharp

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

down-curved bills. But falcons are built for speed, with long, pointed wings and long tails. Hawks and eagles have broad, blunt wings that are made for soaring and using updrafts to travel long distances without beating a wing. Falcons can soar a bit, but they prefer to flap their wings, and do it fast, to get where they want to go.”

McGowan says there are other “modifications in design” that set them apart from hawks. “Falcons typically have a dark ‘mustache’ mark on their faces: broad and bold on a peregrine, weaker and thinner on a merlin or gyrfalcon, and small and precise on a kestrel,” he says. “Falcons also have a ‘tomial tooth,’ a notch on the cutting edge of their upper bill that they use to kill their prey by cutting through the spine. They also have a bony tubercle in each nostril that may help them breathe better when traveling at high speeds, kind of like a hood scoop on a fast car.”

Want to Build a Kestrel Nest Box? If you’re looking for a simple woodworking project — especially an activity that could be shared with a bird-loving, conservation-minded young person — consider building a nesting box for kestrels. The birds are naturally treecavity nesters, but through the years have adapted to also use nest boxes.

Kestrels are the smallest and most numerous falcons not only in Ohio but in all of North America. Yet even though they’re a predator, sometimes the hunter can become the hunted. Kestrels are preyed upon by other raptors, both diurnal and nocturnal: goshawks, redtailed hawks, barn owls, sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks, even crows.

Kestrels have played an important part in wildlife conservation history. During the late 20th century, they were the principal species used to document the accumulation of harmful pesticides in birds of prey.

That discovery, in turn, ultimately led to the recovery of the bald eagle population in Ohio and across the U.S. A little-known fact about kestrels is that they’re avid baseball fans, especially fond of night games. Perching on light poles, foul poles, and other high vantage points surrounding a lighted baseball diamond, the birds seem to enjoy the game like anyone else. Occasionally, they’ll swoop down into the powerful stadium light beams to catch a snack of a moth or other winged insect. Many of those nocturnal hunting flights at ball games have been caught on camera, becoming part of national TV sports coverage — sure beats waiting in line at the concession stand.

Ask

chip!

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

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

9

CO-OP PEOPLE

Cream

of the

crop After more than 50 years, co-op members are still dedicated to educating the next generation of dairy farmers.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA RAVENCRAFT

Bonnie Ayars, right, and her son, Lucas, represent the fourth and fifth generations of farmers in the family.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

T

hough they also raise corn, soybeans, and hay at Ayars Family Farm in Mechanicsburg, John and Bonnie Ayars are, at their core, dairy farmers.

John’s parents, Jack and Gladys Ayars, started the farm, which they called Land of Living Farm, when they arrived from Kansas after the Dust Bowl. John and Bonnie took over after they married in 1972 and grew it into one of the larger such operations in the state.

They’ve been passionate advocates for agriculture in Ohio and beyond ever since.

But it’s not just milk or even the marketing of genetics from their purebred cattle that’s at the heart of the business. From the start, it’s the educational aspect of the farm that appealed to Bonnie and John, who are members of Piqua-based Pioneer Electric Cooperative.

Each summer, the Ayarses welcome hundreds of local elementary school students to the education center they built on the farm.

Visitors get to meet and touch famous cows like Buckeye Bessie, Honeybun, and Bravo. They feed calves, try to milk a cow, and sample ice cream made on the farm.

Bonnie, who graduated from Ohio State, has been a dairy specialist with OSU Extension, where she teaches dairy cattle selection and evaluation courses, since 2006.

“I love teaching and being with kids,” she says. “It regenerates you. Nothing will keep you as young as working with kids. It’s a part of my life now and I couldn’t live without it.”

That passion for ag education started early.

“I was 9 years old the first time I showed a calf at the Ohio State Fair,” Bonnie says. “I coach dairy judging teams and have taught judging classes for 53 years. We have a long history with the Ohio State Fair.”

In fact, the couple was inducted into the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame in 2011. The National Dairy Shrine honored Bonnie with its Pioneer Award in 2021 in recognition of her contributions to the dairy industry — noting particularly Bonnie and John’s efforts over the

years in breeding and developing one of the nation’s finest Guernsey herds at their farm, which has produced more than 20 national champions. She’s one of only a handful of women to have earned the award. “If I was supposed to find a glass ceiling, I must have missed it,” she says.

John and Bonnie have been honored with the American Guernsey Association’s Distinguished Service Award and are in OSU’s Dairy Science Hall of Service. Bonnie was Ohio Agriculture Woman of the Year in 1993 and the World Dairy Expo Woman of the year in 1994. Along with state and national events, both have judged dairy shows all over the world, including the World Dairy Expo.

However, it’s John and Bonnie’s youngest son, Lucas Ayars — part of the fifth generation of farmers in the family — who is responsible for the farm’s most widespread recognition outside of the industry. While attending Ohio State University, he developed a capstone project for producing, marketing, and selling homemade ice cream made with the family’s pasture-fed Guernsey cow milk.

The family put his plan into action in 2010, and now Ayars Family Farm Ice Cream is sold at more than 30 local markets in western Ohio. Popular flavors include chunky cookie, brownie cow, and buttercup, as well as seasonal favorites such as peaches ’n’ cream in July, Buckeye Bessie in August, and pumpkin in October.

“If you want to be successful on a dairy farm, you can’t focus on the milk alone,” Lucas says. “You must look for ways to use the milk to make high-demand items, like cheese and ice cream — consumers typically eat more milk than they drink.”

Their farm also was the first stop on Luke Bryan’s 2018 Farm Tour, the country music superstar’s concert series to benefit farmers. That show drew more than 20,000 fans to the Ayarses’ hayfield.

Of course, while the Ayars family has experienced success over the years, they have also had their share of hardships as well. “There is good and there is bad in life, and we have walked both paths,” John says.

“It makes us stronger and makes us appreciate where we are today. We have come a long way, and we are grateful for it all.”

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

11

GREATER

Discoveries ARE ALWAYS FOUND AT BLENNERHASSETT ISLAND STATE PARK

Tales of conspiracy, sites that changed the course of history, engaging museums, and wellpreserved architecture paint the picture of the rich past of Greater Parkersburg. Step back in time with us.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

WEST VIRGINIA

GreaterParkersburg.com 800.752.4982

GOOD EATS

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS

BY CATHERINE MURRAY

By the

re

se a s ho

These mouthwatering mouthfuls will have you dreaming of the beach.

DRESSED SHRIMP PO’BOY

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Servings: 4 A “dressed” po’boy is one topped with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles, and a slathering of remoulade. ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Creole (or coarse ground) mustard 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish (or pickle juice) 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish 1 teaspoon lemon juice hot sauce, to taste peanut oil for frying 1 cup flour ½ cup fine cornmeal

1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 2 eggs 1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed* 4 hoagie rolls, split horizontally ¼ head iceberg lettuce, shredded 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced ¾ cup dill pickle chips (optional)

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise through hot sauce; cover and chill.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat ¼ inch of peanut oil. While it’s heating, mix flour through pepper in a shallow bowl.

In a second shallow bowl, thoroughly scramble eggs. Cover a large plate with paper towels. The oil is ready when bubbles form around an inserted wooden spoon or chopstick.

Dredge shrimp through the egg, then coat in flour mixture. In small batches, fry coated shrimp until golden on both sides (2 to 3 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Once the shrimp is done, slather remoulade on the insides of the rolls, then stack lettuce, tomatoes, pickles (if desired), and fried shrimp on top. *Small/medium (40/50) shrimp shown. Increase amount of oil and fry time for larger shrimp.

Per serving: 668 calories, 19 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 85 grams total carbohydrates, 183 milligrams cholesterol, 1,382 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber, 36 grams protein.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

13

OCEANSIDE SALTWATER TAFFY Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 30 minutes

Check it out!

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

www.ohiocoopliving.com

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons 2/3 cup light corn syrup unsalted butter, softened, divided 3 tablespoons water 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon flavoring* 1½ teaspoons cornstarch 2 to 4 drops food coloring ½ teaspoon sea salt (optional) *Use ½ teaspoon of super strength/concentrated candy flavors (such as LorAnn brand) or 1 teaspoon of flavor extracts (such as vanilla) or bakery emulsions.

From a 12-inch-wide roll of wax paper, cut three 30-inch long pieces. Align the sheets so all edges match. Fold stacked sheets in half widthwise, then in thirds lengthwise and in thirds widthwise. Cut along the folds to make 54 candy wrappers. Coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with 1 teaspoon softened butter. Place in fridge to chill.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (triple-ply metal, enameled cast iron, or copper), mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt with a wooden spoon. Place over medium-high heat and stir in the water, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons butter. Continue stirring with wooden spoon until the mixture begins to boil (about 10 minutes), at which point stop stirring — and don’t stir again!

Use an eye dropper or pastry brush to apply a small amount of water to any sugar that’s crystallized on the sides of the pan above the liquid line. Insert a candy thermometer below the liquid line but not touching the bottom of the pan. Continue to boil mixture undisturbed until it reaches hard-ball stage on the thermometer (260 F), approximately 10 to 20 minutes; immediately remove pan from the heat.

Once cooled to 240 F or below, stir in flavoring and food coloring. Place chilled baking dish on a heat-proof surface and pour hot taffy into it. Lightly touch surface of taffy every few minutes until it’s cool enough to comfortably hold. Grease hands with butter and peel taffy away from dish. With hands over the baking dish, begin pulling taffy, stretching it with both hands, then folding it back into itself for 10 to 15 minutes. As air is worked into the taffy, it will expand, turn opaque, and become lighter in color.

When taffy is no longer stringy, the color is uniform and shiny, and it becomes difficult to pull, press it into one seamless oblong piece. (If folds are still visible, place taffy in a lightly greased airtight container for 20 minutes or until the seams disappear.)

Lightly coat a large work surface and cutting utensil (bench scraper, knife, or kitchen scissors) with nonstick spray. Cut taffy into 4 pieces widthwise. Wrap 3 of them in wax paper and set aside. Roll and stretch remaining piece to approximately ½ inch in diameter, then cut into 1½-inch-long pieces. Place each piece in the center of a cut of wax paper, bring the bottom edge up and over taffy, then pinch and roll up into a cylinder. Pick up with one finger on the seam and twist each end closed. Repeat with remaining pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 50 pieces of taffy. Per piece: 32 calories, 0.5 gram fat (0 grams saturated fat), 7 grams total carbohydrates, 1 milligram cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber, 0 grams protein.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

MINI BOARDWALK CHURROS Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes 1 tablespoon cinnamon ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup water 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup flour 2 large eggs

In a small baking dish, mix cinnamon with the ½ cup of sugar. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, water, and salt to a boil, then stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and add flour; stir with a wooden spoon until dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a mixer bowl and allow to cool to below 125 F.

or cookie press) and a 3/8-inch open star tip.

(Adjust frying time if using a larger or smaller piping tip.)

vegetable oil for frying

Pipe churros directly into the hot oil, using scissors to cut the batter in 4- to 5-inch pieces.

Fry 3 to 4 churros at a time until golden brown (about 1 minute per side), using heatproof tongs to keep them from touching; flip and Meanwhile, in a wide, deep, heavy-bottomed remove from the oil. Let drip for a second over skillet over medium heat, bring an inch or so of the skillet, then immediately roll across paper vegetable oil to 350 F. (When it’s time for frying, towels and transfer to the cinnamon-sugar consider recruiting an assistant.) Line a baking mixture. Use a spoon and/or separate set tray with paper towels and another baking tray of tongs to coat in sugar and transfer to the with a cooling rack. Using a mixer with paddle cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough. attachment, incorporate one egg, then the Churros can be stored in an airtight container at second; scrape sides of bowl and mix once room temperature for a day or refrigerated for 3 more. Transfer dough into a sturdy piping bag days and reheated in the oven at 375 F for 4 to (reusable silicone, heavyweight bag with liner, 6 minutes to revive crispy texture.

Makes about 35 churros. Per piece: 48 calories, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 7 grams total carbohydrates, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 71 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber, 1 gram protein.

COASTAL CRAB CAKES

Prep: 20 minutes | Chill: 1 hour | Cook: 12 minutes | Servings: 6 crab cakes ¼ cup mayonnaise 4 sprigs fresh parsley, minced 1 large egg 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

pinch of black pepper 18 ounces canned lump crab meat, drained* ½ cup panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup canola oil (or other neutral oil) lemon slices and tartar sauce for serving

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, parsley, egg, mustard, Old Bay, and pepper. Gently fold in crab meat and breadcrumbs. Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Press mixture into 6 equal-sized patties and transfer them to the lined tray. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

of the oil and place a second spatula on top, then flip both spatulas over so the top spatula catches the crab cake. Use the now-empty spatula to nudge the crab cake into the oil.)

Set a large plate covered with a double layer of paper towels next to the stove. Pour about half an inch of oil into a large, deep, and heavybottom skillet over medium-high. Heat until the oil sizzles when a bread crumb is dropped into it. Using a heat-safe spatula, lower 3 crab cakes into the oil, one at a time. Cook until medium golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. (Tip: Use one spatula to scoop the crab cakes out

Repeat with remaining crab cakes. Serve with lemon slices and tartar sauce. To freeze, let cool to room temperature, then stack in an airtight container with wax sheets separating them.

Store 4 to 6 months. Thaw in fridge overnight, then reheat crab cakes at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through. *The amount of salt in canned crab meat varies between brands. Bumble Bee Lump Crabmeat (which contains 30% of the recommended daily value of sodium per serving) was used to test this recipe. You may need to add more salt.

Per serving: 225 calories, 17 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 4 grams total carbohydrates, 91 milligrams cholesterol, 534 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber, 13 grams protein.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

15

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16

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

COORDINATING POWER ACROSS THE GRID When you flip a switch, electricity is there – instant, reliable, and ready to power your day. Behind that simple moment is a carefully coordinated system made of many grid power players, all working together to keep the lights on. It’s important to understand how this system works and who’s involved in delivering the electricity you depend on every day.

It all starts with generation owners and operators. Power plants convert energy from a variety of sources, such as natural gas, coal, nuclear energy, and renewables like wind or solar, into electricity. These facilities may be owned by electric utilities, government entities, or private companies. A diverse mix of generation sources helps ensure reliability while also supporting affordability and sustainability goals.

Once electricity is generated, it needs to travel, often across long distances, to reach local communities. That’s where transmission owners and operators come in. Using high-voltage transmission lines strung along massive towers, they move bulk electricity from power plants to local areas. You’ve likely seen these lines along highways or across open land. Because electricity can’t easily be stored in large quantities, this system must constantly move power from where it’s produced to where it’s needed, all in real time. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative is a member of Buckeye Power, our generation and transmission cooperative, a not-for-profit wholesale power provider that generates and transmits electricity to all electric cooperatives in Ohio.

lines. We also maintain utility poles, power lines, electric substations, and other essential equipment in our community.

When storms roll through or outages occur, our crews are the ones working to restore power as quickly as possible.

We’re proud to serve over 12,000 members Tom Wolfenbarger GENERAL MANAGER across four counties and we’re committed to providing electricity you can count on.

Finally, there’s you — the end user. Homes, businesses, and industries all play a critical role in the grid. Your energy use directly influences how much electricity needs to be generated and delivered at any given time. During periods of high demand, like hot summer afternoons or cold winter mornings, the grid must work harder to meet increased use. Simple steps like adjusting your thermostat or avoiding running appliances from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. can make a meaningful difference.

Coordinating the flow of large amounts of power is a complex job, especially across multiple states or regions.

In Ohio, we’re part of a regional transmission organization, or RTO, that handles this responsibility. Our RTO doesn’t own power plants or transmission lines. Instead, it acts as a traffic controller for the grid, balancing supply and demand and directing which power plants should generate electricity at any given moment to help ensure reliable service and cost-effective energy for members.

Beyond these key power players, there are additional organizations working behind the scenes to ensure our grid remains reliable and secure. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, develops and enforces reliability standards through a collaborative stakeholder process that includes utilities, regulators, and industry experts. NERC also monitors the grid, trains personnel, and assesses risks to help maintain a strong and resilient electric system across North America.

Meanwhile, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission provides oversight to ensure wholesale energy markets operate fairly and efficiently.

Then, there’s the part of the grid most people are familiar with – your local electric utility. That’s where Butler Rural Electric Cooperative comes in. We take electricity from the high-voltage transmission system and deliver it directly to your home through lower-voltage distribution

From generation, through transmission, to your local utility, it takes a coordinated effort to power your everyday life. We’re proud to be your trusted energy partner and to play our part in keeping the grid strong for the communities we serve.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

17

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

THIS MONTH’S BILLS WERE MAILED JUNE 4 AND ARE DUE JUNE 22

Consider the convenient, secure payment options below to avoid mail delays and late fees.

AUTO PAY

MOBILE APP

Reduce the stress of missing a payment or receiving a late charge by having your payment automatically removed from your checking or savings account on the due date.

Easily manage your account on the go and make payments with our free SmartHub app. Available on the App Store or Google Play Store — search for SmartHub.

Follow these steps to enroll in Auto Pay:

3. Accept the Auto Pay Terms & Conditions

Call 855-940-3867 to use our Self-Serve phone number.

The automated system allows you to pay your bill 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call our office at 513-867-4400 during normal business hours to pay with a card.

4. Select Enroll under Auto Pay Enrollment

COOPERATIVE’S OFFICE

1. Log in to SmartHub 2. Select Bill & Pay then Auto Pay Program

5. Follow the instructions and continue paying your bill until your statement reads “Automatic Payment – DO NOT PAY!”

ONLINE Pay online through SmartHub by visiting butlerrural.coop or download the SmartHub app. If you don’t want to create a SmartHub account, use the Pay Now tab on the home screen of our website to quickly and securely make a payment.

BILL CREDIT WINNERS 18

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

PHONE

Pay your bill at the cooperative’s office at 3888 Stillwell Beckett Road in Oxford, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our office has a drop box that can be used to make payments after hours or on the weekends.

Please, do not put cash in the drop box.

FIRST FINANCIAL BANK Pay your electric bill at any First Financial Bank location with no charge. Visit the bank’s website for branch locations. Payments may take up to 24 hours (during normal business hours) to be received.

Did you attend our annual meeting in April?

If so, you could be the winner of a $50 bill credit. Congratulations to the April winners!

Michael Chaney • Tim Holschuh • Alexandra Persinger • Beate Schlake • Theresa Swartz

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Grid power players

Electricity is available with the flip of a switch, but it travels great distances and is coordinated among multiple entities before it reaches your home or business. Take a look at the grid power players that ensure you receive reliable electricity.

1. Generation owners & operators

Power plants can be owned and operated by electric utilities, government entities, or other private companies. Power plants produce electricity by converting energy from various sources like natural gas, coal, nuclear, or renewable sources into electricity. Ohio cooperatives own Buckeye Power, which generates ample electricity for the cooperatives’ needs.

2. T ransmission system owners & operators

The transmission grid moves large amounts of electricity over long distances using high-voltage transmission lines attached to large towers. Like power plants, these lines can be owned by a variety of public and private companies.

3. Organized wholesale markets

A regional transmission organization coordinates the flow of electricity by balancing supply and demand in real time and managing the dispatch of electric generation and transmission across large areas with the participation of generation and transmission owners in our area of the country.

4. E lectric utilities (That’s us!)

Electric distribution utilities like your local cooperative take electricity from the transmission system and deliver it to homes and businesses through lower-voltage distribution lines. They also maintain local power lines, poles, and other essential equipment.

5. End users (That’s you!)

End users consist of the homes, businesses, and industries that consume electricity. Their demand drives how much electricity is generated and how the grid is managed in real time.

Other key players: NERC: The regulatory authority that develops and enforces mandatory, reliability standards for the North

American bulk electric grid.

FERC: Independent federal agency that oversees interstate transmission and wholesale electricity sales, ensuring fair access to the grid.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18A

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Ron Kolb and Bob Spaeth retire from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees In April, we celebrated the retirement of Ron Kolb and Bob Spaeth from our board of trustees.

Ron Kolb has been a cooperative member in Reily Township for 60 years and was a board member for 36 years. Ron is a retired farmer and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was a member of the Butler County Fair board for 15 years and has served as president and vice president of the Butler County Pork Producers.

Ron and his wife, Janice, have three children and six grandchildren. He enjoys collecting and restoring John Deere 110 lawn mowers and helping his son with his pulling truck.

Ron Kolb Bob Spaeth Bob Spaeth has been a cooperative member in Morgan Township for 48 years and was a board member for 18 years. Bob is a retired member of April 29 was Ron and Bob’s last board meeting. Their the Morgan Ross Athletic Association after serving as wisdom, knowledge, and guidance have contributed trustee for 12 years. He has two children. Bob is a selfgreatly to the success of our cooperative. employed carpenter and enjoys fishing and tractor pulls Congratulations, Ron and Bob! in his free time.

Are you ready to save with co-op rebates?

We offer a $600 rebate for the purchase of a new dual-fuel heat pump, a replacement dual-fuel heat pump, and a new or replacement air-source heat pump to an existing electric back-up system. Members with dual fuel receive a reduced kWh rate of 2 cents on any heat pump use from September through May.

A heat pump is an energy-efficient system designed to provide year-round comfort in your home. In the winter, the heat pump provides warm, comfortable heat. In the summer, it becomes a central air conditioner, extracting heat from inside your home and pumping it outdoors.

UP TO

$600 REBATE

18B

Members must use an HVAC contractor from our Air Source/Dual Fuel Heat Pump Contractor List to qualify for the rebate. This is available at butlerrural.coop. If you are installing a heat pump, contact us prior to installation to make sure it qualifies for our rebate.

Visit butlerrural.coop or call 513-867-4400 to learn how to qualify and apply for your rebate!

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

SKIP THE STAMP

With postage rates on the rise, now’s the perfect time to go paperless.

In 2025, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative saved over $40,600 thanks to members enrolled in paperless billing! These savings helps keep our rates stable for all members.

How to switch to paperless billing Step 1: Get SmartHub

Step 4: Turn on paperless billing

• Download the SmartHub app from your phone’s app store, or

• Choose the account you want to update.

• Visit our website and click on My Account at the top of our homepage.

• Toggle Paperless ON and confirm your selection.

Step 2: Log in or register

Step 6: (Optional, but encouraged) Set up Auto Pay

• Log in with your existing SmartHub account, or

• From the Bill & Pay menu, select Auto Pay program

• Select “Register now” to create your SmartHub account.

• Accept the Auto Pay Terms and Conditions

Step 3: Go to settings • In SmartHub, look for Settings on desktop or tap the “...” on mobile to select settings.

• Select Paperless Billing.

• Select Enroll under Auto Pay Enrollment, then select Add New Bank Account.

• Follow the instructions and continue paying your bill until your statement reads Automatic Payment – DO NOT PAY!

Need assistance? Call our office at 513-867-4400.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18C

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

2026

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTION RESULTS

During Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting April 30, members approved the 2025 annual meeting minutes and the 2027 nominating committee members.

The nominating committee will choose candidates for next year’s board of trustees election.

All members were mailed a ballot along with biographies for each of the candidates running for the board this year.

1,386 out of 10,563 members voted — that’s over 13% of our members! 722 voted by mail, 455 voted through our election website, and 217 voted through SmartHub.

Over 1,300 members vote in board of trustees election

Members could vote for one candidate in each district.

Board members represent all members, not just the members in their township or district.

All cooperative elections are conducted by an independent third-party company. This year’s election was completed and certified by Survey and Ballot Systems.

Using a third party maintains the integrity of our elections.

Cooperative employees and board members do not have contact with ballots or voting results before they are announced. Our attorney received the election results once the election closed and announced the results at our annual meeting.

Steve Grote was elected in District 6, which includes Morgan Township in Butler County. 1,302 votes were cast in this district. Members Mike Lampe and Darryl D. Huff also ran for election in District 6.

Steve is a business development manager at Solenis, a specialty chemical company. He has a bachelor of science degree from Miami University in paper science

ELECTION RESULTS

Steve Grote DISTRICT 6

18D

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

Michael Tilton DISTRICT 7

John Broering Sr. DISTRICT 8

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

and engineering and an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology. Steve is a past member of the Ross and Morgan Township Volunteer Fire Department, with over 20 years of service between both, and is an active member of the Morgan Township Board of Zoning Appeals. Steve is married to his wife, Amy, and has five children and three grandchildren. Steve enjoys spending his free time on the lake, exploring the mountains of West Virginia on his side-by-side, and attending cattle and hog shows at the county fairs.

John has over 40 years in the manufacturing sector. He receive a chemical engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati and a mechanical engineering degree from Miami University. John has been a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative member for over 40 years and is a member of the Harrison High School STEM program advisory board. He is also a regular blood donor and assists with youth sports activities. John has six adult children and nine grandchildren. During his free time, John enjoys taking care of his home, spending time with family, and traveling.

Michael Tilton was elected in District 7, which includes Hanover and St. Clair townships in Butler County. 1,222 votes were cast in this district. Member Melissa Hays also ran for election in District 7.

Thank you for being involved in your cooperative!

Mike has been a member of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees for 23 years and has received the Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold credentials through NRECA. He retired as the Chief Deputy Auditor for the Butler County Auditor’s Office. He has served on the Butler County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol since 1994 and is an instructor for Butler County Sharpshooters 4-H Club.

In the past, Mike has served on the Butler County Farm Bureau board, the Butler County Law Library Board, and the Hanover Township Park Committee. Mike and his wife, Teresa, have three children. In his free time, Mike enjoys woodworking, beekeeping, and muzzleloading.

John Broering Sr. was elected in District 8, which includes Colerain, Crosby, and Harrison townships in Hamilton County. 1,180 votes were cast in this district. Member Victoria Corder also ran for election in District 8.

Thank you to the seven members who ran in this year’s election and thank you to the members who voted. Your vote is your voice. By participating, you are part of the process to make the cooperative the best it can be.

Board member compensation

We are focused on the cooperative’s governance and remain transparent when reporting board member compensation each year. Our board members receive a per diem for attending meetings and training but do not get paid a salary or receive benefits like health insurance.

The average annual compensation is $12,900 per board member, which varies based on office and certification.

The chart below is based on data from NRECA’s 2024 director’s survey with 3% escalation. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s values are actual and are based on the 12 months ending April 30, 2026. The chart compares our board member compensation to the compensation received by electric cooperative board members nationally, regionally, and from co-ops of the same size.

Twelve-month board compensation comparison $25

THOUSANDS

$20 $15 $10

$19.1

$15.9

$16.5

$12.9

National

Regional

Consumer Size

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative

$5 $0

The chart above is based on data from NRECA’s 2024 director’s survey with 3% escalation. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s values are actual and are based on the 12 months ending 4/30/2026. The chart compares our board member compensation to the compensation received by electric cooperative board members nationally, regionally, and from co-ops of the same size.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18E

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

2026 Community Events Join us at these events sponsored by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative!

OXFORD’S UPTOWN MUSIC SERIES

BUTLER COUNTY FAIR COOKOUT

Enjoy a summer evening with us in Oxford! Hear great music from Lisa Biales at this outdoor festival from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Bring your friends and family, blankets, and lawn chairs!

Junior fair exhibitors and their families enjoy a meal and relax after spending the day moving their animals and equipment onto the fairgrounds for the Butler County Fair, which begins the next day.

Thursday, June 4

Saturday, July 25

FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA AT HUESTON WOODS STATE PARK

PREBLE COUNTY JUNIOR FAIR EXHIBITOR PICNIC

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative helps sponsor the Fireworks Extravaganza at Hueston Woods State Park.

Enjoy a cookout, DJ, and fireworks launched from the middle of Acton Lake.

Butler and Darke Rural Electric Cooperatives sponsor this annual picnic at the Preble County Fairgrounds.

Junior fair exhibitors and their families enjoy a meal and relax after spending the day moving their animals and equipment onto the fairgrounds for the Preble County Fair, which begins the next day.

Sunday, July 5

FAMILY DAY MEMBER APPRECIATION EVENT Friday, July 10

One of our most popular events is our annual member appreciation day. Family Day is at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your family for free hot dogs, popcorn, Flub’s ice cream, games, annual meeting recaps, caricaturists, and more!

Friday, July 31

CAMDEN BLACK WALNUT FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

Visit the popular Black Walnut Festival with more than 135 vendors. Visitors will enjoy a fun fall festival including food trucks, kids zone, entertainment, parade, and car show.

Shandon’s Strawberry Festival June 13 Shandon will hold its 99th annual Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Shandon. The event is handicapped accessible with free parking and admission.

Food and refreshments will be available at the old Fire House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Community House beginning at 10 a.m., and the Shandon Congregational Church from noon to 5 p.m.

Outdoor vendors and artists will open their booths at 10 a.m. They will be located in the village and the field by the Old Fire House. Local shops will be open all day for country crafts, original art, pottery, and antiques. Call 513-470-1517 for vendor information.

18F

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

The Annual Antique Tractor Show exhibits will be behind the Old Fire House with a parade at 2 p.m. Call Chip at 513-313-3034 for more details on the tractor show.

The Salty Dog Museum will be open during the festival.

A ride on an antique fire engine will be available from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from the museum to downtown Shandon and back. The Salty Dog Museum and Ron’s Machine Shop will host a free cruise-in for antique and classic cars.

Call 513-738-4180 or email jonsian@stows.us for more information.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Local students receive scholarships from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Sadie Abbitt was awarded a $1,900 scholarship from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, our statewide service organization, in April. She competed for this scholarship along with 24 students representing each of Ohio’s electric cooperatives.

Sadie is the daughter of Jason and Robbyn Abbitt and is the recipient of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s Michael L. Sims Scholarship. A senior at Talawanda High School, Sadie will attend Miami University to major in chemical engineering and environmental sciences after graduation. Her favorite extracurricular activity in high school was marching band. After college, she would like to do field research in water treatment.

Sadie Van Gorden was awarded a $1,000 trade school scholarship from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. Sadie is the daughter of Amanda and Zack Van Gorden. She graduated from Talawanda High School and will attend a trade school after graduation to become a welder.

Sadie’s favorite extracurricular activities in high school were FFA and track. Sadie is the recipient of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s $1,500 Touchstone Energy Achievement Scholarship, which is awarded to a high school senior who is attending a technical college or trade school after graduation.

Sadie was selected based on academic achievement, a GPA requirement, a strong recommendation, and

essays outlining career goals and knowledge of the cooperative business model. This scholarship supports electric cooperative members and their dependents as they pursue certificates in accredited trade and technical programs, helping meet the growing demand for skilled workers across Ohio.

Gracie Abrams was awarded a $1,000 scholarship through Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ Children of Employees and Trustees scholarship competition. The funding for this scholarship comes from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and the Ohio Line Supervisors Association, awarding a total of $44,600 to 21 high school seniors across the state.

Gracie is the daughter of Christy and Steve Abrams and is a senior at Talawanda High School. She qualified for the scholarship because Steve is a lineworker at Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. Students from electric cooperative communities across Ohio competed in the program, with finalists evaluated on academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement.

OLSA is a statewide organization of operations managers and supervisors from rural electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia, focused on professional development, knowledge sharing, and strengthening cooperation among electric utilities.

Scholarship recipients

Sadie Abbitt

CHILDREN OF MEMBERS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Sadie Van Gorden

TRADE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Gracie Abrams

CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES AND TRUSTEES SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

18G

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

YOUTH TOUR

delegates

18H

Ann Marie Davis

Carley Kroeger

Addison Sloan

Ava Vanderbilt

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

2026 YOUTH TOUR DELEGATES Youth Tour is an annual leadership program sponsored

by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative and Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. It’s a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., that gives exceptional high school students the opportunity to meet with congressional leaders at the U.S. Capitol, make new friends from across the country, and see many of the famous Washington, D.C., sights.

These delegates are children of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative members and completed an application and interview to attend Youth Tour in June. We hope the trip prepares delegates for leadership roles in our community.

Ann Marie Davis is the daughter of Eric and Theresa Davis and is a sophomore at Royalmont Academy. Her favorite extracurricular activities in school include student retreats and service trips, which allow her to grow in her faith alongside classmates. Ann Marie’s favorite activity outside of school is being a competitive trapshooter through the Amateur Trapshooting Association; Academics, Integrity, and Marksmanship Program; and the Scholastic Clay Target Program. Ann Marie achieved a spot on the 2026 AIM All-State team and the 2025 All-Scholastic National team. She is also a 4-H member involved in the Butler County Junior Fair Board and Carteens and is a 4-H camp counselor. After high school, Ann Marie plans to attend college to study meteorology and communication.

Carley Kroeger is the daughter of Adam and Angie Kroeger and is a junior at Ross High School. In high school, Carley’s favorite extracurricular activity is marching band, where she plays the clarinet. Outside of school, her favorite activity is participating in YoungLife. She works part-time at Chick-Fil-A and volunteers at the annual Jeffrey G. Hoeh Memorial Golf Outing, which funds care for those with cancer and other diseases. Carley’s favorite

hobbies include fishing and reading. After high school, she hopes to attend Miami University to study marketing and intends to enroll in the Air Force ROTC program to become a public affairs officer.

Addison Sloan is the daughter of Erin Simpson-Sloan and Phil Sloan and is a sophomore at Edgewood High School.

Addison’s favorite extracurricular activity in high school is playing for Edgewood High School women’s soccer team.

Her favorite activities outside of school include all of her 4-H activities such as Carteens, serving on the junior fair board, being a clover leader, and serving as a 4-H camp counselor. Addison works at Just Farmin’ in St. Clair, Ohio, which is a family-owned farm that grows organic produce such as lettuce, microgreens, and edible flowers. She volunteers at St. Matthew Lutheran Church to maintain their landscaping and placed flags and wreaths on veteran graves within our local cemeteries. After high school, Addison plans to study agricultural and resource law because she is interested in environmental sustainability, food systems, and public policy.

Ava Vanderbilt is the daughter of Albert and Tammy Vanderbilt and is a junior at Ross High School. She is co-president of her school’s HOSA – Future Health Professionals chapter. Ava is also a varsity cheerleader and loves being on the sidelines, cheering on the Rams. She works at a local greenhouse and at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

In her free time, Ava enjoy being outside, walking her dog, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

After graduation, she plans to attend college to become an airline pilot and hopes to further her commitment to service by joining the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps while in college.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

19

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

FAMILY DAY MEMBER APPRECIATION EVENT Friday, July 10 • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative 3888 Stillwell Beckett Road Oxford, OH 45056 Bring your family for free hot dogs, popcorn, Flub’s ice cream, games, prizes, caricaturists, and more!

View our annual meeting and speak with co-op leadership during Family Day!

If you miss our in-person annual meeting or didn’t get a chance to view the virtual meeting this year, you can view the annual meeting recording during Family Day! You will also have a chance to speak with co-op board members and leadership during the day.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

David Evans PRESIDENT

Jim Meador

VICE PRESIDENT

CONTACT

513-867-4400 butlerrural.coop OFFICE

3888 Stillwell Beckett Road Oxford, Ohio 45056 OFFICE HOURS

Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

20

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

Mike Tilton

SECRETARY & TREASURER

Lee P. Geiger ATTORNEY

Vickie Jo Barger John Broering Sr. Steve Grote Jay T. Hasbrook Scott Lessing Thomas L. McQuiston TRUSTEES

Tom Wolfenbarger GENERAL MANAGER

Jade Guthrie

MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

SMARTHUB

Access your electric use, pay your bill, and report outages through our free SmartHub app.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC

Yurt-topia From primitive to luxurious, an overnight stay in a yurt can offer an experience for anyone.

BY JAMIE RHEIN

M

ore than three thousand years ago, nomads in Central Asia moved from place to place with their homes on their backs. The structures — wood frames covered with felted wool or animal fur — were light, yet they could withstand the winds of the barren steppe.

Borrowing from those traditional Mongolian designs, modern yurts use a lattice-and-roof-wheel frame covered with a durable, weather-resistant vinyl shell. The roof wheel is often capped with a Plexiglass dome. They’re typically built on platforms or decks with permanent flooring — meant to stay put rather than for nomadic life.

Yurts, in fact, are still part of Mongolian culture today, and their usefulness has been noticed — they’ve inspired a unique lodging trend that’s gaining more and more fans.

Add some other modern conveniences, and it makes for glamping at its finest. Turn the page to check out a few options for yurt stays right here in Ohio.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

21

Yurts can offer surprising comfort and amenities, as seen in these photos from Hocking Hills Yurts and Cabins. Opposite page, views from the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls and from Kelleys Island State Park.

Hocking Hills Yurts & Cabins When Pat and Crystal Murtha stayed in a yurt in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, they found the perfect addition for their 12 acres in Hocking Hills, where they are members of Lancaster-based South Central Power Company and already had a cabin rental available for travelers. “The idea was for something different,” Pat Murtha says. “Yurts give you that outdoor feel, but you have everything you need.” They now have two yurts on the property, Arbor Ridge and Urban Retreat, tucked in their woods outside Laurelville.

Internal walls in the round latticework space create two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bedrooms, living room, dining area, and fully stocked kitchen are open to the Plexiglass dome for a view of the sky. A large flat-screen TV, electric fireplace, air conditioning, heat, and Wi-Fi make this woodland getaway a modern haven in every season. Each has a six-person, private hot tub, an outdoor grill, and a fire ring. www.hockinghillsyurtsandcabins.com

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

The Wilds For an Out of Africa experience in an upscale setting, The Wilds has just the thing with its yurt stays. Built to reclaim formerly stripmined land, The Wilds is a conservation center where endangered species roam the rolling hills and grasslands near Cumberland.

From the deck of a luxury yurt, guests can watch a variety of inhabitants — from rhinoceros and zebras to Sichuan takin and Persian onager — then turn in and enjoy the yurt’s plush bedding and well-appointed bathroom. Sightings, of course, vary depending on the day, and guests should bring binoculars to heighten the views.

At night, the absence of light pollution makes for a stargazing feast with animal sounds as the accompaniment. Concierge services, an animal safari, breakfast, and dinner are included with a stay. www.thewilds.org

Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls Since 1987, the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls has been a champion for Hocking Hills beauty and a respite from urban busyness. The inn’s three yurts combine camping with the inn’s upscale offerings.

Each yurt is a luxury experience built for two. Cozy up in front of the gas-log stove while savoring the inn’s specialty cookies and a mug of hot tea. A king bed, tiled shower bathroom, microwave, and small refrigerator add to the glamping factor. Each yurt also has a private deck with a view of the woods. At night, stargaze through the yurt’s dome.

Kindred Spirit, the Inn and Spa’s restaurant and bar in the original 1840s cabin, offers signature dishes, craft cocktails, and a seasonal menu. The Rise and Dine menu offers a mix of breakfast and lunch items — breakfast is included with an overnight stay. www.innatcedarfalls.com

Ohio State Parks With miles of multi-use trails and lakes, Ohio State Parks are both a bounty of nature and an outdoor playground — and three state parks have seasonal yurts that combine rustic living with a camping vibe. Vinyl canvas creates the feeling of sleeping in a tent without the hassle — listening to rain is pleasant without having to fret about water seeping inside.

In Courtland County, Mosquito Lake State Park boasts one of Ohio’s largest lakes (7,850 acres), and has two yurts with prime views of the scenic shoreline. The two yurts at Harrison Lake State Park in northwest Ohio are near that park’s 95-acre lake, playground, and shower house.

Both parks’ yurts have a similar setup: two bunk beds (twin on the top, double on the bottom), a small refrigerator, a microwave, a small table and chairs, and a fan.

The two furnished yurts at Kelleys Island State Park, in the basin of Lake Erie, are bigger, include a kitchen, and have large decks that are perfect hangout spots in the evening.

A fire ring and picnic table complete the campground spot of each park’s yurts, which are available seasonally, from the middle of April to October.

Inside a rustic yurt at Harrison Lake State Park.

www.ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/unique-getaways (search “yurts”) JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

23

High an High an High an an High an

BY MARGARET BURANEN

R

emember your first roller-coaster ride? Most likely, the coaster climbed slowly up a steep hill, paused for an instant while you checked out the landscape far below, then plummeted back down to earth through various twists and turns as people, including you, screamed with delight and thought, “This must be what flying feels like.”

Garfield Heights resident Bob Kilner was 5 years old when his dad took him on his first roller-coaster ride, and the experience started Kilner on a leisure-time pursuit he still enjoys whenever he can.

Kilner, a chemistry teacher at Eastlake North High School, is president of the Great Ohio Coaster Club, where he says he’s formed lasting friendships with fellow coaster enthusiasts — whom he describes as “friendly people who want everyone to have fun.” But the relationships, he says, go deeper than a common admiration for corkscrews and loop-de-loops. “I lost my dad last year,” he says. “I didn’t publicize it, so I was amazed at how many people from the club reached out to me.”

24

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

nd fast nd fast nd nd fast nd fast fast Great Ohio Coaster Club members travel the state in search of thrilling rides.

Kilner says the club currently has more than 900 members, though membership numbers fluctuate and in times past have been well over 1,000. They can be singles, couples, families with children and teens, or just groups of friends. They live in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Canada.

The Great Ohio Coaster Club started in 1992, when its three founders, who lived near Akron, wanted to take advantage of the proximity to Cedar Point and its several coasters (Kilner notes that either “coaster” or “roller coaster” is correct).

Annual club dues are $20 for one person, $25 for a couple, and $30 for a family up to six members, and benefits of membership are substantial, with discounts on travel and admission fees to theme parks in Ohio and elsewhere. The club also hosts three or four events at theme parks each year, as well as an annual holiday party. Members also receive the club’s magazine, which is published four times a year.

Continued on page 26

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

25

Continued from page 25

There is also a national club for coaster fans, called American Coaster Enthusiasts, and though Great Ohio Coaster Club is not affiliated with it, many members belong to both clubs.

Why do people enjoy riding coasters? “A lot of people like the thrill of it,” Kilner says. “Some people use it to overcome their fear and some of them go on to really like coasters. I love the thrill of it — you really feel like you’re flying.” He also stresses that roller coasters are carefully inspected and maintained for safety. “You’re not going to get thrown off,” he says.

Just like people who participate in other activities, these coaster aficionados enjoy talking about their favorite subject: in this case, coasters they have ridden. Kilner says they compare their experiences and have their favorite coasters.

Among the members’ favorites are Cedar Point’s tallest and fastest coasters, including Steel Vengeance, Top Thrill 2, Siren’s Curse, Maverick, and Millennium Force. Besides being conveniently located for Ohio residents, Cedar Point has a large-enough collection of coasters to offer visitors different levels of speed and thrill, including slower, gentler ones for children.

Kilner’s personal favorite American coasters are Fury 325 at Carowinds in North Carolina and the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.

And he says he hopes to add more to the list of those he’s ridden. New coasters, after all, are being built all the time, and though theme-park officials tend to be very secretive about their plans for new coasters, rumors say there’s one being built in Saudi Arabia that supposedly will be the world’s tallest and fastest. “It’s outrageous,” he says.

For more information on Great Ohio Coaster Club scan the QR code below.

Along with trips to amusement parks for plenty of roller coaster thrills (such as on Cedar Point’s Maverick, shown above and on the previous page), members of the Great Ohio Coaster Club gather for annual events such as a holiday party.

26

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

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Built where it belongs McConnelsville company reimagines Appalachian furniture manufacturing.

BY JILL MOORHEAD

A

deeply worn long wooden table, believed to date back more than 400 years, is the centerpiece of the Contraxx Furniture offices in McConnelsville. It has moved through farmhouses and bank offices, absorbing generations of conversations about livelihoods and futures long before the company itself came into being. The table was a gift from a mentor of owner Mike Workman, a selfdescribed “hillbilly at heart.”

When Workman created Contraxx Furniture, he set out to prove that Appalachian Ohio could build a future without leaving itself behind.

Early in his career, Workman learned how the national furniture world works — through trade shows, corporate showrooms, and long days selling into a system built for scale. During his years at Taylor Woodcraft, a McConnelsville-based school furniture manufacturer, he built relationships with major retailers, including Williams-Sonoma. He began supplying consumer pieces — starting with stools — and saw how demand could push standardized production toward customization.

When Taylor shut down after a corporate acquisition, those relationships became a bridge. What began with stools expanded to tables, then cabinets, and eventually led to an unexpected call from a designer asking whether Workman could build furniture for a hotel.

Loss and redirection were familiar territory. As a first-year student at Ohio University, Workman posted a 1.6 GPA and was called into the provost’s office. “I don’t think you’re cut out for this,” she told him. Given one condition to stay — raise his GPA to a 2.2 — he quit two jobs, focused, and finished the semester at 2.20. Years later, after spending two decades helping build Taylor Woodcraft into a nationally recognized manufacturer, he watched it close anyway, undone by corporate decisions made far from the community it supported.

He stayed on for a year to help wind the company down. The experience forced a reckoning with how and where furniture could be made.

“I knew I couldn’t do this again,” he says. The logic of highvolume manufacturing — chasing scale, lowering costs, moving production overseas — came at too high a cost. He had seen what 28

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

it did to towns in North Carolina. He had watched it hollow out places that depended on steady, skilled work. And he was seeing it happen at home.

In Morgan County alone, the decline of the coal industry cost the community roughly 2,000 jobs. What remained was a workforce with deep practical knowledge but few stable options. Workman realized that instead of producing thousands of identical pieces at a time, he could reverse the model and bring manufacturing back to his region by focusing on custom work — made one piece at a time.

That idea became Contraxx Furniture.

Rather than operating as a single factory, Contraxx functions as a distributed manufacturing network, coordinating more than 250 family-owned wood, metal, and stone shops across Ohio, Appalachia, and western Michigan. About 45 of those shops form the company’s core production partners. Each specializes in a particular skill (think: legs, tops, case goods, finishing), allowing work to be shared and flexible and reliable. Because production isn’t dependent on constant high volume, shops can weather fluctuations without collapsing. Jobs could be steady and the skills of the people around him could be used.

For Workman, this model aligns naturally with the region itself.

Farming, he notes, is no longer the reliable cash crop it once was for many Appalachian families. But barns with silos tell another story: Those are people who already know how to make, fix, and adapt. “When you grow up rural,” he says, “you learn how to survive.

You rebuild engines. You fix what breaks. That ethic is embedded.”

Contraxx offers a way to turn that knowledge into a living, one that keeps families on their land and children in local schools.

Workman is careful to deflect attention from himself. “I don’t want to be a hero,” he says. Contraxx doesn’t exhibit at trade shows or chase growth for its own sake. The company is selective about its clients, focused largely on hospitality projects where trust and followthrough matter. Internally, it operates horizontally, with shared responsibility and shared reward. “We don’t want to be the biggest,” Workman says. “We want to be the best.”

His vision extends beyond the business. He imagines McConnelsville on the front page of Time magazine as a challenge to the onedimensional portrayals that have come to stand for Appalachian life. He’s seen firsthand how his Appalachian community adapts to a changing world while retaining its values. “This is America,” he says.

“It’s been flown over and driven through, but people don’t always stop to see what it offers.”

The craftsmen who build furniture for Contraxx Furniture have created stunning pieces that are featured in the hospitality industry, including 1857 Prime, the Kansas City restaurant owned by NFL superstars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes.

Back at the long wooden table, community meetings still happen — about schools, businesses, and what comes next. It’s used not just by Workman, but by neighbors and local leaders who gather there to make decisions together. “It’s heard a lot of stories,” Workman says.

“I’ve never been at a meeting at this table where something negative didn’t turn into something positive.” For him, the work continues not in distant boardrooms, but in Morgan County, where decisions are made close to home by the people they affect.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

☀ Include your name, address, phone number, and the name of your co-op ☀ One entry per household

2026 CALENDAR

JUNE/JULY

NORTHWEST

JUN. 26 – Shelby County Community Picnic, Downtown Court Square, Sidney, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Free. Celebrate America’s 250th! Bring a blanket, relax, and enjoy family fun, live music by the Sidney Civic Band, and kids’ crafts. https://sidneyalive.org/eventscalendar/shelby-countycommunity-picnic.

JUN. 27 – Day in the Park, Recreation Park, 850 Center St., Bryan, midway open 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Join us for a full day of family fun, fantastic food, tethered hot-air balloon rides, and a spectacular fireworks show. Balloon rides at 7:30–9:30 a.m. and 6:30–8:30 p.m.: $20; 12 and under, $10. 419-636-2247, info@bryanchamber.org, or www. bryanchamber.org.

THROUGH SEP. 13 – NWORRP Museum Summer Hours, JUN. 27 – Downtown Putt-A-Round, Sidney, 2–5 p.m.

Teams putt around the downtown at different putting 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $3; 12 and greens created by downtown businesses, all for a chance under, $2. Quarter-scale train rides, model train displays, museum tours, games, play area, and more. 419-423-2995, at a prize! 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

JUN. 27 – West Liberty Summer Street Market and Car www.facebook.com/nworrp, or www.nworrp.org.

Show, Lions Club Park, 576 Twp. Rd. 174, West Liberty, JUN. 5–JUL. 25 – Lima Locos Home Games, Simmons noon–10 p.m. Vendors, food trucks, live music all day, car Field, 616 Heindel Ave., Lima. $4–$6. The Locos are a show noon–6:30 p.m., and a spectacular fireworks display member of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, providing minor league-level competition for NCAA players at dusk. www.mywestliberty.com/events.html.

JUN. 28 – Historical Independence Day Celebration, who wish to continue on into professional baseball. See Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek, 10051 Township Rd. 47, West their complete schedule online at www.limalocos.net.

Liberty, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Join us for a 19th-centuryJUN. 13, 27, JUL. 11, 25 – Market on Main, downtown Kenton, Outdoor market showcasing vendors, makers, and style Independence Day celebration! Bring a picnic lunch, growers. Shop local, discover unique goods, and enjoy the learn how to play period games such as cricket and hoop rolling, enjoy poems and stories about Fourth of July vibrant atmosphere. 419-673-4131 or www.facebook.com/ customs, and listen to a reading of the Declaration of marketonmainkenton.

Independence. At the end of the day make “firecrackers” JUN. 18–20 – Bryan Jubilee, Bryan Courthouse Square, and watch them fly, and help make the cannon boom.

138 S. Lynn St., Bryan, Thur./Fri. 5–11 p.m. (ride wristband www.piattcastle.org/events. $20), Sat. 1–11 p.m. (ride wristband $25) with parade JUL. 2–4 – Old Fashioned Farmers Days, Van Wert Co. at 2 p.m. Enjoy carnival rides, classic fair food, live Fgds., 1055 S Washington St, Van Wert. Celebrating our entertainment, and a lively midway. 419-636-2247, info@ 50th year! Truck and tractor pulls, flea market, live music, bryanchamber.org, or www.bryanchamber.org. car show, kiddie and adult pedal pulls, food vendors, JUN. 20 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, machinery demos, garden tractor pulls, and camping.

Ottawa Metro Park, 2632 Ada Rd., Lima, 7 p.m. Enjoy an Antique tractor pull on the 4th. www.facebook.com/ evening of lively bluegrass music featuring lightning-fast OFFAVWOHIO. instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs. 513-607-1874 or www.fotmc.com.

WEST VIRGINIA

JUN. 12–14 – Fostoria Glass Society of America Glass Show and Sale, Moundsville Center Bldg., 901 8th St., Moundsville, Sat. 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. $8.

Premiere Fri. 4–7 p.m., $10. 3-day ticket $20. Featuring glassware by Fostoria, Imperial, Morgantown, Fenton, and others, including Depression glassware. Auction Sat. 5 p.m., flea market Sun. 7 a.m.–noon. 304-845-9188 or www. fostoriaglass.org.

JUN. 20–21 – Weekend of Workshops, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $8; 10 and under free. See live demonstrations as well as numerous artisans in various cabins. To participate in workshops, preregister and pay registration fee to secure your spot. 304-6952220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation.org, or www. fortnewsalemfoundation.org.

JUL. 11, 25 – Myths of the Mountains, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem. Lamplight guided tour (approx. 1 hour) led by period-dressed guides, with each cabin housing a storyteller who spins tales of Appalachia. Gates open at 8 p.m.; groups begin tours every 10 minutes. 304-6952220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation.org, or www. fortnewsalemfoundation.org.

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JUL. 4 – Independence Day Concert and America 250 Picnic, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, Spiegel Grove, Fremont, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free.

Celebrate this special day with us at the site of America’s first presidential library. Bring a picnic or purchase food on-site. Enjoy games from days past, kids’ activities, curator talks, historic speeches, and a patriotic concert by a band featuring members of the Toledo Symphony (2 p.m.). Bring your own chair or blanket. 419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

JUL. 4 – Star Spangled Spectacular, Faurot Park, South Cole Street, Lima, 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Free. Join us for a familyfriendly day of events celebrating our great country! Kicks off with the Freedom 5K at 9 a.m. and ends with fireworks at 10 p.m. Schedule of events at https://lima 4th.com.

JUL. 5 – Motorama, AuGlaize Village, 12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. This event is open to self-propelled, motorized, or powered “anything”: antique cars, custom rods, fire trucks, and cycles. No registration or fee required.

As part of our America 250 celebration, we will be featuring “Transportation in America.” 419-990-0107, villageauglaize@gmail.com, or www.auglaizevillage.com.

JUL. 11 – Defiance Jazz Festival, Kingsbury Park, 118 Auglaize St., Defiance, 3:30 p.m. $10; kids get in free!

Festival honoring two pioneers of jazz, Milt Buckner and “Wild Bill” Davison, both of whom called Defiance home.

Enjoy an evening filled with jazz music, children’s activities, and community spirit! www.facebook.com/defiancejazz.

JUL. 11 – Malinta Festival, Monroe Twp. Fire House, 8931 Co. Rd. K-2, Malinta, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Bingo, flea market, tractor show, chicken BBQ, wagon rides, kids’ area, live entertainment, auction, caboose tour, and lots more. 419966-9909 or www.facebook.com/Malintafest.

JUL. 11–12 – Family Fun Weekend: “Mid-Summer Celebration,” Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $5/person.

Enjoy games, quarter-scale train rides, bounce house, and other family-friendly activities all afternoon for one price. 419-423-2995, www.facebook.com/nworrp, or www. nworrp.org.

Send us your event Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS in advance to

events@ohioec.org.

Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

33

2026 CALENDAR

JUNE/JULY

CENTRAL

under free. Features antique John Deere equipment, parts, toy and food vendors, and family fun! Complete list of activities at www.ohiotwocylinderclub.org.

JUN. 19–21 – Zane’s Trace Commemoration, Putnam Landing area, Zanesville. FUN, parade, arts and crafts, food, history, live music, contests, karaoke, “Anything That Floats but a Boat” race, outhouse race, and much more! www.zanestracecommemoration.com, www. facebook.com/ZanesTrace, or www.facebook.com/ groups/818007238715059.

JUN. 20 – “Backyard Wildflowers”: A How-To Workshop, Darby Creek Fields and Flowers, 11670 Darby Creek Rd., Orient, 9–10 a.m. Free. This hands-on workshop THROUGH OCT. 31 – Coshocton Farmers Market, is designed for homeowners to learn how to convert acres Coshocton County Maintenance Garage, 23220 Co. Rd. or areas into vibrant wildflower fields. This is an outdoor 621, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–noon. Locally grown event; check our social media for weather updates! produce, baked goods, and artisan crafts. Rain or shine.

To register, text “Wildflower” to 614-809-8538. www. www.facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket or market. facebook.com/darbyflowerfields/events. manager@coshfarmmarket.org.

JUN. 20 – Zoom Duck Derby, Zoombezi Bay, 4850 Powell JUN. 5, JUL. 3 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Rd., Powell. 7,000 rubber ducks will race down the lazy Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Come downtown on the first Friday of river competing for cash prizes up to $1,500! Rubber ducks each month, when all our participating galleries, studios, $5 each. Anyone in the USA can participate, and you do and small businesses are open at the same time! See the not need to be present to win. Additional games, prizes, Artist Colony of Zanesville’s website for a map of current and crafts for kids, plus exclusive time on select water participants: https://artcoz.org/arts-district-map. attractions. 740-368-5810 or https://alphagroup.net/events/ zoom-duck-derby.

JUN. 5–6, JUL. 3–4 – The Downtown Exchange Artisans Market, 527 Main St., Zanesville, Fri. 5–9 p.m., JUN. 20–21 – Worthington Arts Festival, Worthington Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. A unique shopping experience featuring Village Green (at the intersection of High Street and 161), quality Ohio makers and artisans. Arts, crafts, and food.

Worthington. One of central Ohio’s premier community fine www.downtownexchange.com/DTXAM. art/fine craft shows, named as one of the nation’s top 200 arts festivals by Sunshine Artist magazine. More than 120 JUN. 13 – Annual Cruise-A-Palooza, Main Street, vendors from across the country. www.mcconnellarts.org.

Amanda. Held rain or shine. Free admission. Registration starts at 10 a.m.; $15 per vehicle, or $10 with donation JUN. 25 – “Get to Know Your Weeds”: A How-To of two canned food items. Trophies for best cars, dash Workshop, Darby Creek Fields and Flowers, 11670 Darby plaques to first 50 entries. DJ Johnny Garber, raffle, food, Creek Rd., Orient, 10–11 a.m. or 6–7 p.m. Free. Learn how and more! www.facebook.com/CruiseAPaloozaAmandaOH. to identify common “weeds” and discover which ones may actually be helping your garden. We also cover compost, JUN. 18–20 – Eastern National Expo XIII, Fairfield Co. mulch, herbicides, and natural deterrents to weeds. To Fgds., 157 E. Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $5; 12 and

register, text “Weeds” to 614-809-8538. www.facebook. com/darbyflowerfields/events.

JUN. 27 – Boogie on the Blacktop: Trailer Park Boys, Circleville Eagles, 135 E. Main St., Circleville, 7–11 p.m. $5. Outdoor concert with food vendors and drinks. www. pickaway.com.

JUN. 28–JUL. 4 – Marion County Fair, 220 E. Fairground St., Marion. Harness racing, Tough Truck, figure 8 racing, rodeo, NTPA tractor pull, demo derby, and more. Enjoy spectacular fireworks on the 4th. 740-382-2558 or www. marioncountyfairgrounds.com.

JUN. 30–JUL. 4 – Ashville 4th of July Celebration, Ashville Park, 165 Walnut St., Ashville. Nightly live music, assorted rides, games, and foods of all kinds. Huge parade at 11 a.m. Saturday, with fireworks at 10 p.m. For questions, call the village office at 740-983-6367..

JUL. 9–11 – Picktown Palooza, 300 Opportunity Way, Pickerington. Entertainment, food vendors, Freedom 5K, beer garden, Business Showcase Row, and our popular car, truck, and bike show. For adults 18 and older, but under 18 welcome when accompanied by a paying adult. 614-3792099 or www.picktownpalooza.org.

JUL. 10–12 – Lilyfest, Bishop Educational Gardens, 13200 Little Cola Rd., Rockbridge, 43149, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Arts and crafts, live music, food, gardens, guided nature hikes, and more.

Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists will be on hand to answer questions. 740-969-2873, www.lilyfest.com, or www.facebook.com/lilyfestfun.

JUL. 11 – Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 12–8 Annual Charity Event, Smitty’s Tavern, 55 N. Main St., New Holland. $5 donation at gate. Live music, food and drinks, auctions, gun raffles, vendors, and more!

All proceeds benefit First Capital Ruck 22, a Chillicothe nonprofit devoted to veteran suicide prevention and awareness. 740-301-4485 (Derek Hartman) or 513-5209641 (Brant Parker).

SOUTHWEST

JUN. 24 – “‘America’s First Spy’: Revolutionary War Patriot Nathan Hale,” New Madison Public Library, 142 S. Main St., New Madison, 6–7 p.m. Free. Part of the Historical Speaker Series. Reservations recommended.

937-996-1741, info@newmadisonpubliclibrary.org, or www. mynmpl.org.

JUN. 27 – Family Program: Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Garber Nature Center, 9691 OH-503 N., Lewisburg, Sat. 7–9 p.m. Free. Join us for a fun evening of special mountain music. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@ gmail.com, or www.preblecountyparks.org.

JUN. 28 – George and Martha Washington’s Love Story, Heritage Hall, Lost Creek Reserve, 2645 St. Rte. 41, just east of Troy, 5 p.m. An engaging program about the Washingtons, portrayed by Curt Radabaugh and Alysa Dupuy. The public is welcome. Part of our America 250 Celebration. 937-339-5209 or https://ethsofohio.com.

JUL. 11 – Biergarten, Liberty Home German Society, 2361 Hamilton Cleves Rd., Hamilton. Food, music, German beer.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Band plays 6–10 p.m. 513-571-6198, www.libertyhome.net, or Facebook page for the Liberty Home Association.

JUL 11 – Family Program: “Fascinating Fossils,” Wagers’ Memorial Park (Devils Backbone), 1301 OH-725 W., Camden, Sat. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Free. Join Doug and Amy Horvath for a hike and identify fossils. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www.preblecountyparks.org.

THROUGH JUN. 28 – Hummingbird Feeder Workshop, Neusole Glassworks, 11925 Kemper Springs Dr., Cincinnati. $65/person per 45-minute session. Reservations required; payment due at scheduling. Age: 12 years and older. With help from our professional glassblowers, you can blow an adorable hummingbird feeder from hot molten glass. Ready for pickup in 7 days. 513-7513292, neusoleglassworks@hotmail.com, or http:// neusoleglassworks.com.

THROUGH JUL. 29 – 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.

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

THROUGH OCT. 8 – Piqua Community Farmers Market, 116 W. High St., Piqua, Thur. 3–6 p.m. The very best locally grown food, home-baked items, and handmade crafts. www.piquafarmersmarket.com.

JUN. 16 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Ross Community United Methodist Church, 2943 Ham-Cleves Rd., Hamilton, 7 p.m. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music. 513-607-1874 or www.fotmc.com.

JUN. 19–21 – The Friends of Serpent Mound’s Summer Solstice Celebration Festival, Soaring Eagle Retreat, 375 Horner Chapel Rd., Peebles, Fri. 3–7 p.m., Sat./Sun. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Free. Family-friendly festival, next door to the Great Serpent Mound. Theme is “Appalachian Food and Culture.” Presentations, music, hikes, kayaking, and workshops. About 50 vendors, including food! www. serpentmound.org/sscfestival or find us on Facebook.

JUN 20 – Family Program: Spring Bird Hike with Tom Hissong, Garber Nature Center, 9691 OH-503 N., Lewisburg, Sat. 9–11 a.m. Join us for a hike and identify birds. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www. preblecountyparks.org.

JUN. 20 – Oxford in Bloom Garden Tour, various locations, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., rain or shine. $20 prior, $25 day of the tour. Visit six lovely outdoor garden spaces around charming Oxford. For more information, visit www. desfleurs.org or “Des Fleurs Garden Club” on Facebook.

Tickets available starting Jun. 1 on our website, at Kroger, or at Shademakers in Oxford.

NORTHEAST

America’s Homefront in the 1940s, where hospitality greets you and the WWII Salvation Army Canteen will be brought to life. Victory Garden displays, 250 Rosie the Riveters, and more. 1-hour troop train rides Sat. 12–4:30 p.m. $39+. 740922-6776 and https://dennisondepot.org/event.

JUN. 20 – Opera Under the Stars: “Opera, Light Opera, and Broadway Favorites,” Uptown Park, Medina, 7 p.m.

Free. Enjoy favorite opera tunes, as well as lesser-known works and beloved melodies from operettas and musicals.

Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics. In case of rain, the concert will move to the United Church of Christ, 317 E. Liberty St, Medina. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

JUN. 21 – Wooster Grace Church Father’s Day Car THROUGH AUG. 1 – “Joyce Hannon Followed Her Show, Wooster High School, 515 Oldman Rd., Wooster, Dream,” McCook House Museum, 15 2nd St., Carrollton, 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Rain date: June 28. Free registration, 8 Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5. Exhibit featuring the a.m.–2 p.m. (trophy eligibility, 8–11 a.m.). Free food and accomplishments of Joyce Hannon, who developed music. Trophies and prizes! Call or text 330-264-9459 a promising property in Carroll County into a popular or email info@graceforohio.org. Preregister at https:// destination. 330-437-9715 or kathorn4120@gmail.com. graceforohio.cls.co/auto.

THROUGH NOV. 21 – Age of Steam Roundhouse Tours, JUN. 26 – Esto Jazz, John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 213 Smokey Lane Rd. SW, Sugarcreek, Thur.–Sat. 10 a.m., 12 2122 Williams Rd., Wooster, 6:30 p.m. Free. Instrumental p.m., 2 p.m. $12–$20; 2 and under free. Learn about steam group that performs a variety of contemporary jazz, pop, locomotives and the history of the railroad. Only online standards, and original compositions. In the event of rain, purchases guaranteed for selected day and time. Youth the concert will be held inside the Welcome Center. 419tours available ($5–$10) some Fridays and Saturdays. 330- 853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

852-4676, https://ageofsteamroundhouse.org.

JUN. 26–28 – Cy Young Days Festival, Newcomerstown.

JUN. 18–20 – Dean Martin Hometown Festival, Entertainment, games and rides, classic car show, oldSteubenville. Three days of activities, food, and fun to fashioned baseball games, sports card show, food, grand celebrate native son Dean Martin and his legacy. Includes a parade, and more. This year’s guest of honor is Cy Young golf scramble, the Dino Dash 5K, concerts, car cruise, and Award winner R.A. Dickey. www.cyyoungdaysfestival.com. more. www.deanmartinassociation.com.

JUN. 26–27 – Annual Ohio Vintage Truck Reunion, JUN. 19–20 – “Homefront to War Front: Steam to Ashland Co. Fgds., 2042 Claremont Ave., Ashland. From Victory,” 213 Smokey Lane Rd SW, Sugarcreek, Fri./Sat. pickups to Class 8’s and everything in between, trucks 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Gates open 9:30 a.m. $5. Roundhouse of all makes and sizes are welcome! On-site food and Tour, $15; train ride, $6. See how American military forces camping. Held in conjunction with the White Bash of the and steam railroads worked to support the war effort and Classic White Truck Group and Gathering of Classic Autocar achieve Allied victory in WWII. Static displays, artillery and Group. 330-682-1707 or www.ohvintrkreu.com. small arms demos, WWII military vehicles, and more. 330JUN. 27 – Ashland Airport Annual Pancake Breakfast, 852-4676 or https://ageofsteamroundhouse.org/events Ashland County Airport, 700 Twp. Rd. 1102, Ashland, 8 JUN. 19–20 – “Homefront to Warfront – Victory on a.m.–noon. Drive in, skydive in, or fly in for a delicious the Homefront,” Dennison Depot Railroad Museum, pancake breakfast hosted by EAA Chapter 255. Donations 400 Center St., Dennison, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. Explore only. Various games and prizes may be won. All donations

will be used for EAA educational youth programming. Free parking for your airplane, helicopter, or car. For more information, email eaachapter255@gmail.com.

JUN. 27 – Thunder Over Holmes County, Historic Downtown Millersburg. Free. Enjoy inflatables, touch a truck, kids’ games, and other activities on the Courthouse Lawn. Fireworks at dark (about 9:45 p.m.). 330-674-2412 or https://historicdowntownmillersburg.com/event/thunderover-holmes-county-june-27-2026.

JUN. 27 – Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ReDedication, Fort Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd., Bolivar, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 330-874-2059 or www. fortlaurensmuseum.org.

JUL. 11 – America’s Basket Festival, 517 Main Street, Dresden, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission. Celebration of Dresden’s rich basketmaking heritage, featuring local vendors, live music, food trucks, shopping, crafts, and more. www.facebook.com/AmericasBasketFestival.

JUL. 11 – “Mark Twain, America’s Greatest Humorist,” McCook House Museum, 15 2nd St., Carrollton, 11 a.m.

Mark Dawdziak of Cuyahoga Falls, author of several books on Twain, will discuss the great humorist’s ties to Ohio and share excerpts from Twain’s own writing. Reservations not required. Donation only. Bring lawn chairs. 330-437-9715 or kathorn4120@gmail.com.

JUL. 11–12 – Ashland County Yesteryear Machinery Club Annual Show, Ashland Co. Fgds., 2042 Claremont Ave., Ashland. International, Farmall, Cub Cadet, and Case Tractors equipment, garden tractors, Scouts, trucks, and buses. Flea market space available. Contact Kevin Williard at 330-465-3387 or rwilliard1966@yahoo.com.

JUL. 11–12 – KidCycle, Clark Community Center, 1390 St. Rte. 83, Millersburg. A way for you to buy and sell your gently used children’s items. Drop off your stuff before the sale; no need to stay. Tagging and helper information can be found at www.facebook.com/KidCycle. Contact Kelly at 330-600-4028.

JUL. 12 – Speaker Series: “Genealogy Research,” Fort Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd., Bolivar, 11 a.m.

The executive director of the Ohio Genealogical Society, Noel Poirier, will speak about genealogy research for Fort Laurens. 330-874-2059 or www.fortlaurensmuseum.org.

SOUTHEAST

a.m.–4 p.m. $5. National dealers highlighting Cambridge Glass, along with various other elegant glass companies, Depression glass, kitchenware, and more. 740-432-4245 or www.cambridgeglass.org.

JUN. 27 – Glass Dash, St. Benedict’s Gymnasium, 701 Steubenville Ave., Cambridge, 7–8:30 a.m. early bird, $10; 8:30–11 a.m., $5. www.cambridgeglass.org.

JUN. 28 – Tour of the Canal Route Through Chillicothe, Water Street, Chillicothe, 1–4 p.m. $15–$20. Follow the fascinating route of the historic Ohio Erie Canal through Chillicothe with guides stationed at sites along the way, to share stories and insights about the canal’s past. www. visitchillicotheohio.com/america250-rosscountyohio.

JUL. 2 – First Thursday Food Truck Fest, downtown Chillicothe, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 5–9 p.m. $5.

Enjoy a variety of food trucks, a beer wagon, and live music, with every dollar raised supporting the community. www.visitchillicotheohio.com/eventcalendar.

JUL. 5 – American 250 Movie Event: 1776, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 2 p.m. Free. A musical comedy-drama chronicling the political struggle to adopt the Declaration of Independence. www. majesticchillicothe.net.

JUL. 10–12 – “Old Growth Legacies of the Ohio Valley,” Tremper Mound Preserve, Portsmouth. $350/person.

Explore some of the most ancient forests in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky, learn about regional old-growth ecology and the larger-than-life folks who facilitated the forests’ protection. Registration required. www. arcofappalachia.org/oldgrowth-legacies.

JUN. 2, 16, JUL. 7, 21– Mom Café, Betsey Mills Club, 300 4th St., Marietta, 10–11:30 a.m. Free to new or expectant parents. Open to all moms looking for a sense of community and support. Join us for discussion, selfcare, and resources. Snacks and incentives provided.

740-373-4981 or www.betseymills.club.

JUN. 4–SEP. 6 – Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, Tues.–Sat. 8 p.m. $35–$75. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader as he struggles to defend his sacred homelands in the Ohio country during the late 1700s. www.tecumsehdrama.com.

JUN. 8, 22, JUL. 13, 27– American Sign Language Class, Betsey Mills Club, 300 4th St., Marietta, 6 p.m. Free to members; $10/class non-members. Taught by deaf instructors and interpreters. Learn ASL and deaf culture.

All ages welcome. 740-373-4981 or www.betseymills.club.

JUN. 13 – Fearing Township Volunteer Fire Department Ice Cream Social, 1975 Stanleyville Rd., Whipple, starting at 4 p.m. Contact us at 740-525-1891 or fearingtownship@gmail.com for more information.

JUN. 13 – Raccoon Creek Market, Buckeye Furnace Historic Site, 123 Buckeye Park Rd., Wellston, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Outdoor market with over 30 vendors, food trucks, and local musicians. The museum and gift shop will be open, and you are welcome to tour the park. www. buckeyefurnace.org/raccoon-creek-market.

JUN. 19–21 – Firefly Watching Weekend, Tremper Mound Preserve, Portsmouth. $325/person. Witness the dazzling lightworks of southern Ohio’s fireflies. Learn about the natural history of fireflies including Chinese Lanterns, Little Grays, and Treetop Flashers, and seek out their mesmerizing showcases at night. Registration required. www.arcofappalachia.org/fireflies-home.

JUN. 20 – Fearing Township Community Garage Sale, Fearing Township Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding homes, Whipple, 9 a.m.–noon. Contact 740336-4062 or fearingtownship@gmail.com for info.

JUN. 20 – Monster Truck Bash, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. $12–$140.

Witness fan-favorite Pro Monster Trucks in a high-flying freestyle showdown. They will leave you on the edge of your seat with jaw-dropping action! https://tickets. monstertruckboxoffice.com.

JUN. 26–27 – National Cambridge Glass Collectors Glass Show and Sale, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., Cambridge, Fri. 1–5 p.m., Sat. 10:30

JUNE 2026 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING

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MEMBER INTERACTIVE

1

Roller Coaster

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2

3

5

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1. My daughter, Ashley, climbing up the lift hill of the Wild Eagle roller coaster at Dollywood. Gary Smith, Washington Electric

4. My son, Riggs, and his best friend, Camden, riding their first roller coaster at the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival. Blaine Klaus, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member.

2. Siera and Dad at the IX Amusement Park. David Hess,

5. Riding the roller coaster at Tuscora Park: grandchildren T.J., Trevor, and Tori, and friend Mackenzie. Patty Quaglia, South

Cooperative member.

Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member.

3. Danielle Hughes, brother Nick Vas, and kids Karis, Emma, and Isaiah. Danielle Hughes, Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member.

6. Our daughter, Jenna, and her dad on The Racer at Kings Island. John McKinney, Pioneer Electric Cooperative member.

Send us

For September, send “Only in Ohio” by June 15; for October, send “Best friends” by July 15.

picture!

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

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

YOUR

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Central Power Company member.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2026

SAVE A LIFE

Downed power lines and distracted drivers

Drivers distracted in their cars crash into utility poles too often. It can lead to outages but, even worse, it can be deadly if you don’t know what to do.

Downed lines energize the ground up to 35 feet away.

1. Stay in car if no fire 2. Call 911 and wait for emergency crews 3. If fire, open door, jump out, keep both feet together on the ground 4. Shuffle feet away from car 35 feet; keep both feet on the ground at all times

BUT

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