Ohio Cooperative Living - September - Tricounty

OHIO

SEPTEMBER JULY 2020

COOPERATIVE Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative

Drive-in time Open air Your annual meeting

Drive-ins make a comeback is getting a twist!

Tropical treats Enjoy a taste Drive-in of the islands time

ALSO INSIDE

Farm Science Review goes virtual Reader recipe contest winners

Your annual meeting is getting a twist!

Good golly, Miss Molly!

ALSO INSIDE Clearing power’s path Summer bird-feeding tips World’s longest yard sale

Your Vote Matters!

VOTE OCT. 5–NOV. 3

GENERAL ELECTION: TUESDAY, NOV. 3 VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCT. 5 EARLY VOTING BEGINS: Oct. 5-23: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday Oct. 24: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday Oct. 25: 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday Oct. 26-30: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday Oct. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday Nov. 1: 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday

ABSENTEE MAIL BALLOTS Oct. 31, noon—deadline to request absentee ballot by mail Nov. 2, Monday—deadline to postmark absentee mail ballot THE BIG DAY: GENERAL ELECTION, NOV. 3 Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Drop off absentee ballots to Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m.

To check your voter registration, register to vote, check your polling place, and get a sample ballot, visit VoteOhio.gov.

VISIT VOTE.COOP TO FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE AND BE A CO-OP VOTER.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

INSIDE FEATURES 24 WIN-WIN For several electric cooperative employees, linework and coaching go hand in hand.

28 RETRO COOL As Ohioans look for distanced entertainment, drive-in theaters make a comeback.

32 GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY! The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has celebrated the genre for 25 years.

Cover image on most issues: In these days of social distancing, drive-in theaters are giving folks more than just a safe place to find entertainment. Some have begun hosting concerts and even corporate events where attendees stay safe in their own cars. (Gabe Shakour – stock.adobe.com)

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

Y

In the bag

ou may have noticed a subtle difference in the presentation of this month’s issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.

For the first time in the publication’s history, it’s being delivered inside a plastic bag — which has nothing to do with the pandemic, by the way. Rather, the packaging includes offers from a sampling of the companies and organizations that advertise in the pages of the magazine. Advertising helps defray the cost to print Ohio Cooperative Living — helping to keep us one of the more economically sound and cost-effective publications in the electric cooperative industry.

Ohio’s 24-member electric cooperative network goes to great measures to ensure that Ohio Cooperative Living offers value to its members — stories about rural, urban, and suburban life; features on the co-ops themselves and the people they serve; articles about recreational, artistic, and seasonal activities across the state; our ever-popular recipe series; “Woods, Waters, and Wildlife,” which grows in popularity monthly; our extensive and widely consulted calendar of events; and the “Member Interactive” section, which lets us feature co-op family fun. We believe that Ohio Cooperative Living celebrates the best of our readership by highlighting the unity and strength of co-op membership.

We strive to attract a mix of advertisers, both perennial and new, that add to the harmony and vigor of our magazine. Ohio Cooperative Living is a viable method for our advertisers to reach their customer base, but more importantly, those advertisers often are already ingrained in the fabric of co-op communities. In many cases, they’re your neighbors and colleagues. The support of our advertisers allows us to produce a relevant and cost-effective magazine; in turn, your patronage of our sponsors helps to support co-op communities throughout the Buckeye State. It’s another thread in the fabric of our community.

So, as you flip through the pages of Ohio Cooperative Living each month, be sure to take note of the advertisements. Some may resonate with you, some may not. In either case, thank you for your support, your input, and, of course, your cooperative spirit.

Stay safe.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

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

We believe that Ohio Cooperative Living celebrates the best of our readership by highlighting the unity and strength of co-op membership.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • Volume 62, No. 12

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com

MORE INSIDE DEPARTMENTS

4

4 POWER LINES

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Patrick Higgins Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Rebecca Seum Associate Editor

Anita Cook Graphic Designer

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Victoria Ellwood, Hunter Graffice, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, and Damaine Vonada.

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices.

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

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

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

Different tech: A COVID-forced move to a virtual event is just another way for the Farm Science Review to showcase the latest in technology.

8 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Carroll Electric Cooperative: The farming-rich area served by the eastern Ohio co-op is home to picturesque scenery and historic heroes.

8

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

YouTube sensations: A Frazeysburg pig farmer hosts virtual field trips for the Ohio Pork Council.

10

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Monster rebirth: After being driven nearly to extinction, the Lake Erie sturgeon is making a comeback.

15 GOOD EATS

Potluck: The winner of our reader

12

contest got her recipe from her grandmother, who was accustomed to cooking for crowds.

19 LOCAL PAGES News and information from your

For all advertising inquiries, contact

Cheryl Solomon

15

electric cooperative.

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

37 CALENDAR

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

What’s happening: September/ October events and other things to do around the state.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Friday night lights: Members look back on a hallowed Ohio tradition.

40

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our new 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.

www.ohiocoopliving.com SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

Online review

Co-op members can still get a valuable experience at this year’s all-virtual Farm Science Review.

BY JEFF MCCALLISTER AND HUNTER GRAFFICE

O

n any given day, 360,000 chicks roam the high-tech henhouse at Meiring Poultry Farm in Fort Recovery.

To protect them from disease and predators, the birds stay inside full time during their entire stay at Meiring, where owner Bill Knapke raises them to become egg-layers, wherever their next home may be.

anything that comes along that makes things easier or more efficient is generally met with appreciation, if not downright enthusiasm.

It’s one of the reasons that the Farm Science Review has been such a popular event throughout its 60-year history.

It has always been a showcase of the latest technology available to the agriculture community.

This year, however, is a little different.

While it’s still about high-tech implements and techniques at the cutting edge of farming research and development, the first bit of technology presented to those who attend this year will be in the very way

Bill Knapke and his family own and operate Meiring Poultry Farm in Fort Recovery.

The four-story henhouse uses an elaborate lighting system that Knapke can control from his smartphone to simulate dawn and dusk. The system controls individual lights within the building, creating total blackness to bright-as-daylight and back again so the chicks become adjusted to the “natural” dawn and rising of the sun to a sunset that draws them into the roosting module where they nest for the night.

The barn has its own Wi-Fi, which Knapke can use to check feeders, lights, and water, all from his phone. “The technology is incredible,” he says. “It lets us have the chicks roam around, but the buildings are cleaner, wellventilated, and work much more efficiently.”

Farmers like Knapke have always been drawn to technology — farming is a difficult life, after all, and 4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

“Agriculture is still the No. 1 industry that supports electric cooperatives, and we support agriculture in return, really in everything we do.”

—Ted Riethman, Pioneer Electric Cooperative

people attend. Because of concerns and restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event, Sept. 22–24, will be entirely virtual. Details on how to join the free event are at https://fsr.osu.edu.

“We understood early on that the show would have to take a drastically different approach in order to meet health and safety requirements,” says Nick Zachrich, Farm Science Review manager.

The three-day event normally draws between 35,000 and 50,000 visitors per day to the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, where they peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors, view field demonstrations, and learn the latest in agricultural production. The event features educational programming as well, not only from Ohio State University and other landgrant institutions but also from other organizations that are committed to both education and the agricultural community.

Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives have been a part of the Farm Science Review for nearly as long as the review has existed.

For years, the co-ops erected a giant tent on the grounds for educational displays and demonstrations of how electricity brings convenience to the modern world. The popular cooking demonstrations, in fact, were first devised as a way to teach farm families about microwave ovens when that technology was cutting edge.

Continued on page 6

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

Continued from page 5

The electric cooperative tent got so popular that the coops decided to pool their money in 2008 to build what is now one of the largest permanent structures on the grounds. In typical years, the building hosts displays about renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as electrical safety demonstrations by co-op employees.

“It’s right there in our principles that we value education and we have concern for our community. Being part of this event gives us the opportunity to engage with so many of our members and helps us live those principles.”

“Electric co-ops first came into existence to serve the needs of farmers who needed electricity on their farms,” says Ted Riethman, marketing and energy use specialist at Pioneer Electric Cooperative in Piqua. “Agriculture is still the No. 1 industry that supports electric cooperatives, and we support agriculture in return, really in everything we do.

“Being a part of the Farm Science Review lets us fulfill several important parts of our cooperative mission,” says Reithman, who leads the statewide planning effort for the co-ops’ participation.

Because of the virtual set-up, the co-ops won’t have a way to participate this year, but Riethman, for one, knows it still will be a useful event for co-op members to log on and take part in. The event will include livestreamed and recorded presentations, such as the field demonstrations popular at the live show, and will be free to visitors.

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CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

CARROLL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

I

n the eastern part of Ohio near the Pennsylvania border, Carroll Electric Cooperative provides reliable and affordable energy to more than 10,000 consumer-members. The area is rich in agriculture, and Carroll Electric serves mostly residential members in its six-county territory.

Carroll County attractions The Carroll County Arts Center features exhibits designed to inspire an appreciation for the arts. It provides classes taught by local artists in birdhouse decorating, woodcarving, oil painting, and more. In keeping with their mission to provide a creative outlet for the community, admission is free to the public.

In the picturesque rolling hills of Carroll County, the 55-acre Bluebird Farm Park features a century-old farmhouse and barns dating back to before the Civil War. Bluebird Farm Park has scenic nature trails, sit-down eating, a toy museum, and an amphitheater for events and outdoor wedding ceremonies. Members of the Carroll County Daffodil Society plant flowers around the restaurant and other buildings, adding to the beautiful landscape of the farm. Atwood Lake is another area known for camping and sailing. Visitors can fish, hike the nature trails, or spend a day at the beach area.

Notable people The Daniel McCook House was home to three brothers and their 15 sons, known as the “fighting McCooks,” who fought during the Civil War. The 1830s restored home is now a museum that has exhibits about the family and the Civil War and features several rooms decorated to fit the time period.

Former professional baseball player Jack DiLauro lives on Carroll Electric’s territory.

DiLauro was a relief pitcher who played against all-time greats such as Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. He spent most of his career in the minor leagues for the Detroit Tigers organization but made it to the majors to play for the “Amazin’ Mets” in 1969, when he was a part of the World Series-winning team.

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

Co-op Spotlight appears regularly in Ohio Cooperative Living to give a glimpse into the land and the people of Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9

CO-OP PEOPLE

sensations Tom Graham hosts virtual field trips for the Ohio Pork Council.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA

T

he sign posted outside the biosecure barn where Tom Graham raises some 2,400 pigs at a time says “NO ENTRY.” Nonetheless, Graham has given tours of his wean-to-finish operation at Oaklawn Farm to hundreds of children in grades K–12. How does he do it? With his smartphone and some help from the Ohio Pork Council.

Graham is a member of The Energy Cooperative, based in Newark, and also serves on the cooperative’s board of directors. In partnership with family members, Graham grows grain and raises Angus cattle and pigs on about 1,000 acres near Frazeysburg that once was owned by famed horse breeder G.W. Crawford. When they purchased the property in 1983, it already had a sow barn, and because Graham’s wife, Sue, is a teacher, they routinely gave tours to students.

“We used to bring in busloads of kids, but after we got a biosecure barn, there wasn’t much they could see,” says Graham. He built the facility in 2004 in order to raise gilts and barrows on a contractual basis for Johnstownbased Heimerl Farms. The arrangement not only frees Graham from worries about market fluctuations but also furnishes income that has helped his close-knit

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

family remain on their farm. “I always tell people my wife teaches at Zanesville High School so I can keep farming,” he says with a grin.

When the Ohio Pork Council launched its Virtual Field Trip to an Ohio Pig Farm program in 2015, Graham was one of its first hosts. “I got involved because I was doing a lot of social media and agriculture-related posts,” says Graham. “I saw virtual trips as an opportunity to acquaint more youngsters with agriculture.” As technological showand-tells, the trips also allow him to give live tours of his biosecure barn without being concerned about importing pathogens and organisms harmful to pigs.

According to Meghann Winters of the Ohio Pork Council, “It’s important to learn about Ohio agriculture from a young age, so that people have an understanding of where food comes from and are informed consumers at the grocery store.” To date, more than 18,000 students from nearly 500 schools have connected with farmers via Wi-Fi and Zoom, and the trips are uploaded to YouTube so that teachers can reference them. Last March, when most schools were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, a trip was even livestreamed on Facebook throughout the United States.

When Graham conducts a virtual trip, he goes whole hog: He wears a noisecanceling headset so that students aren’t distracted by porcine squeals, grunts, and snorts and adjusts his presentation and vocabulary to the kids’ grade level. Graham usually begins by explaining that the pigs arrive at his barn when they are 18 to 21 days old and weigh 12 to 15 pounds. “They get here the day they’re weaned. We have to hand-feed them at first because they’ve never had dry food,” says Graham. Walking from pen to pen, he talks about using heaters, fans, and ventilation boxes to keep the barn at about 74 degrees year-round and the importance of constantly providing the pigs with fresh water and food. After about five months of Graham’s care and feeding, the animals reach their 280-pound market weight.

The virtual trips always include question-and-answer sessions. “They’re fun,” says Graham, “because you have no idea what the kids will ask.” Common questions include “Why are the pigs white?” (they’re primarily Yorkshirebased breeds) and “Where do they poop?” (concrete floor slats let manure fall into a pit beneath the pens).

Students, however, don’t get to see the biosecure protocol that Graham faithfully follows before any contact with the pigs. Anyone entering the barn must remove all street clothing in a “dirty” dressing room, take a shower, then put on barn coveralls and rubber boots in a “clean” dressing room. Exiting the barn, the process is reversed. Since Graham typically tends the pigs three times a day, he has a sixshower-a-day habit. “Hog farmers are the cleanest farmers there are,” he says. “We shower all the time.”

For information on scheduling a tour, visit www.ohiopork.org or call the Ohio Pork Council at 614-882-5887.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Monster rebirth After being driven nearly to extinction, the Lake Erie sturgeon is making a comeback.

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

I

s there really a Lake Erie monster, as some claim? Well, yes, at least potentially. In fact, thousands of small ones are swimming in the big lake right now. Let me explain.

In the early 1800s, untold numbers of lake sturgeon weighing hundreds of pounds each and measuring up to 6 feet or more in length roamed the Great Lakes. One of North America’s largest freshwater fish, sturgeon initially had little economic or food value to humans. Additionally, the fish were highly destructive when unintentionally caught in commercial fishing nets set for more desirable species. As a result, lake sturgeon numbering in the thousands were simply dragged up on beaches to die and rot or were fed to hogs.

Historic photo, Lake Erie lake sturgeon (photo courtesy of Ohio Division of Wildlife).

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

By mid-century, however, market conditions were rapidly changing, and from 1850 to 1870, products derived from sturgeon transformed this once-worthless fish into a valuable commodity. Caviar, fish oil, and a substance known as isinglass — a gelatin used in adhesives made from the air bladder of various fish, especially sturgeon — became extremely valuable. The fish became so sought

Ask

chip!

Email Chip Gross with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@ gmail.com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email.

Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!

www.ohiocoopliving.com Lake sturgeon are listed as endangered, threatened, or a species of concern in 19 of the 20 states of the fish’s U.S. distribution, which includes Ohio.

after, in fact, that one of the largest sturgeon fisheries in America developed on Lake Erie. In 1885 alone, commercial fishermen on Erie netted more than half a million pounds of lake sturgeon.

River near Toledo. The Toledo Zoo is spearheading the effort, aided by state, federal, and provincial government agencies, as well as several universities.

The young fish are raised for six months in a special streamside rearing facility that circulates Maumee River water through its holding tanks. The idea is to imprint the 7-inch sturgeon with a chemical signature that will help them find their way home from Lake Erie in coming years.

“With continued annual fall stockings of about 3,000 sturgeon fingerlings that began three years ago, our hope is that this gentle giant of the Great Lakes will eventually begin spawning again in the Maumee and other Lake Erie tributaries, establishing a selfsustaining population,” says Matt Cross, conservation biologist for the zoo.

According to the Division of Wildlife, last fall a commercial fisherman in the Western Basin of Lake Erie caught a sturgeon identified as one of the fish released a year earlier. It’s the first instance of one of the sturgeon from the reintroduction program being recaptured — a positive sign that the project is on the right track.

W.H. “Chip” Gross (whchipgross@gmail.com) is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor.

But little did anyone at the time realize the party was about over. During the following two decades, the sturgeon fishery collapsed on both the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. A double threat took the big fish down: unregulated fishing, combined with the damming of tributary rivers that eliminated essential spawning habitat.

Also contributing to the population crash was the extremely slow reproductive rate of sturgeon. Although lake sturgeon are believed to have a lifespan similar to humans, females do not become sexually mature until 20 to 25 years of age, then spawn only once every four to six years. Males take 15 years to mature, spawning every one to four years.

A long-term program to reintroduce lake sturgeon to Lake Erie is currently underway on the lower Maumee

A family takes part in last year’s Sturgeon Stocking Day program on the Maumee River. This year’s family event was canceled because of coronavirus concerns.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13

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GOOD EATS

Cook’s choice Winning reader recipe comes straight out of the school cafeteria.

PHOTOS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

Around Sunbury, when Lanie Montgomery shows up at a potluck, folks inevitably find something a bit familiar about the dish she brings.

“When the people that I went to school with or my cousins eat it, they go, ‘This is from the school, isn’t it?’” she says. “They immediately have flashbacks to those peanut butter bars that they had at the school.”

Lanie comes from a long line of school cooks, and her recipe for peanut butter bars — the winning entry in the 2020 Ohio Cooperative Living reader recipe contest — came from her grandmother, who was a cook at Big Walnut Middle School. One of Lanie’s aunts was a cook at the high school, and another aunt cooked at the elementary school.

Continued on page 16

Have you tried one of our recipes? Do you have a recipe to share with other Ohio co-op members? Visit the Member Interactive page on www.ohiocoopliving.com to find recipes submitted by our readers and upload yours.

www.ohiocoopliving.com While you’re there, see an interview with the winner and check out a video of the winning recipe being prepared.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15 LIVING 15

Continued from page 15

“We rarely had them at home, but we always had it in the school cafeteria,” she says.

“When my grandma retired, I asked her for the recipe, and from then on, I carried it out more into the public. Every potluck I take it to — it’s gone. And everybody wants the recipe.”

As winner of the reader recipe contest, Lanie — a member of Mount Gilead-based Consolidated Cooperative — will receive an Ohio-made KitchenAid stand mixer. She says she’s never entered the magazine’s contest before but, as the mother of five kids, she does lots of cooking for large groups and figured her popular dish would fit nicely into the “Potluck” theme.

“Besides the fact that it’s easy to make at a moment’s notice with shelf-stable ingredients that you probably have on hand, it’s delicious,” says Catherine Murray, Ohio Cooperative Living’s food editor, who judged the contest.

“You can really see that the bars would be a crowd-pleaser.”

grand prize winner PEANUT BUTTER BARS Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 20 1 cup butter, softened ICING 1 cup sugar 2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 stick butter 2 eggs 3/4 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon vanilla 2/3 cup creamy 1/2 teaspoon salt peanut butter 1/4 cup milk (or enough 2 cups flour to make it spreadable; start off with a couple 1 teaspoon baking soda tablespoons) 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups quick-cooking oats Beat butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter in an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Add oats and stir until just moistened. Spread onto a 11 x 17-inch baking sheet that has been greased or covered in parchment paper. Smooth until entire pan is covered evenly. Bake at 375 F 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, mix all icing ingredients together in mixer until smooth. Let baked mixture cool, then ice and cut into bars.

Per serving: 433 calories, 24 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 48 grams total carbohydrates, 2.3 grams fiber, 8 grams protein.

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

Runner-up Cindy Grapner of Celina swears she’s a terrible cook. Judging from her block party beans, she’s being a bit hard on herself. As runner-up in the contest, Grapner will receive a copy of The Ultimate Casseroles Book.

“My mother first made this concoction years ago for a family reunion, and it was a big hit,” says Cindy, a member of Midwest Electric. “I have since then developed my own variations: you can use different kinds of beans, add red or green pepper — whatever you like to make it better. Just don’t leave out the bacon!”

BLOCK PARTY BEANS Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 1 hour | Servings: 10 1 pound ground sausage 1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, undrained 1 cup diced celery 1 15-ounce can pork and beans, 2 cups diced onion undrained 1 10.5-ounce can tomato soup 1 14.5-ounce can wax beans, drained 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 1 14.5-ounce can green beans, drained 1 cup brown sugar 6 strips bacon 2 tablespoons yellow mustard 2 15.5-ounce cans Brooks chili beans, undrained Brown sausage, then add celery and onion and cook until tender; drain fat.

Add tomato soup, tomato paste, brown sugar, and mustard. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in beans. Put this mixture in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and mix well. Top with bacon strips and bake at 350 F for 1 hour, uncovered.

Can also be made in crockpot, cooked 5 to 6 hours.

Per serving: 371 calories, 18 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 35 grams total carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 18 grams protein.

Runner-up Leah Beachy is used to cooking for large groups. “I am very fortunate to have grown up in an Amish home, in a family of seven children,” she says. “My mother was a wonderful cook, so I definitely am thankful for the teaching I got in the kitchen. I now have my own family of seven. What a blessing to have these recipes to use for my own family.”

Leah, a member of The Frontier Power Company, earned runner-up for her broccoli salad, which she says always goes quickly when she brings it to potlucks — and is a delicious way to entice kids to eat their vegetables. She’ll also receive a copy of The Ultimate Casseroles Book.

BROCCOLI SALAD Prep: 15 minutes | Servings: 16 2 bundles broccoli 1 head cauliflower 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 10 to 12 pieces bacon, fried and crumbled

SAUCE 2 cups sour cream 2 cups Miracle Whip 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash broccoli and cauliflower and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix sauce ingredients together, then toss with veggies, cheese, and bacon. Best if tossed only an hour or two before serving.

Per serving: 416 calories, 30 grams fat (13 grams saturated fat), 24 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams protein.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

Finally… a better mobility solution than Scooters or Power Chairs.

The Zoomer‘s versatile design and 1-touch joystick operation brings mobility and independence to those who need it most.

If you have mobility issues, or know someone who does, then you’ve experienced the difficulties faced by millions of Americans. Once simple tasks like getting from the bedroom to the kitchen can become a time-consuming and potentially dangerous ordeal. You may have tried to solve the problem with a power chair or a scooter but neither is ideal. Power chairs are bulky and look like a medical device. Scooters are either unstable or hard to maneuver. Now, there’s a better alternative… the Zoomer.

Joystick Control (adaptable left or right)

After just one trip around your home in the Zoomer, you’ll marvel at how easy it is to navigate. It is designed to maneuver in tight spaces like doorways, between furniture, and around corners. It can go over thresholds and works great on any kind of floor or carpet. It’s not bulky or cumbersome, so it can roll right up to a table or desk- there’s no need to transfer to a chair. Its sturdy yet lightweight aluminum frame makes it durable and comfortable. Its dual motors power it at up to 3.7 miles per hour and its automatic electromagnetic brakes stop on a dime. The rechargeable battery powers it for up to

Who can drive a Zoomer? – everyone!

The secret to the Zoomer is its simple steering system. You operate it with a simple-to-use joystick, giving you precision maneuverability and the ability to navigate tight spaces easily with a 25” turning radius. It is designed to let you pull right up to a table or desk. You no longer have to move to another chair to work or eat at your table Zoomer conveniently rolls beneath table or desk

Sturdy & Lightweight Frame

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8 miles on a single 12” charge. Plus, its Folds to 12” in seconds exclusive foldable design enables you to transport it easily and even store it in a closet or under a bed when it’s not in use.

Why spend another day letting mobility issues hamper your lifestyle? Call now and find out how you can have your very own Zoomer.

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The Zoomer Chair is a personal electric vehicle and is not a medical device nor a wheelchair. Zoomer is not intended for medical purposes to provide mobility to persons restricted to a sitting position. It is not covered by Medicare nor Medicaid. © 2020 first STREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

85019

Please mention code 113459 when ordering.

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative’s 83rd Annual Meeting of Members Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater V602 Township Road 6 Liberty Center, Ohio Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Limit of 250 vehicles admitted Gift for each membership Light refreshments Prerecorded meeting starts at dusk Family-friendly movie after meeting

2020 Annual Meeting of Members Program Call to order — Johney Ritz, President Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance — Dustin Sonnenberg, Trustee Reading of the Notice of the Meeting and proof of mailing — Kenneth Brubaker, Secretary Approval of the Sept. 18, 2019, annual meeting minutes — Johney Ritz President’s comments — Johney Ritz Update from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power — Doug Miller Comments on financial report — Greg Steyer, CPA Manager’s comments — Brett Perkins, General Manager Report of trustee election — Brett Perkins Call for adjournment — Johney Ritz

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES GENERAL MANAGER AND BOARD PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Brett Perkins

Johney Ritz

GENERAL MANAGER

BOARD PRESIDENT

S

ince the inception of Tricounty in 1936, members have been meeting every year as a requirement of your cooperative’s code of regulations. The first annual meeting occurred in 1937. Tricounty will hold its 83rd annual meeting of members on Tuesday, Sept.

15, at the Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater, located northeast of Liberty Center. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused dramatic changes in how everyone functions.

What was deemed normal just a few months ago is no longer normal. Our lives and how we operate will likely be forever changed. This is true for Tricounty as well.

Not knowing if large gatherings would be allowed and with concern for the safety of our members, employees, and community, we did not feel comfortable having the “normal” annual meeting of members. This year, many cooperatives opted for a Facebook or YouTube virtual annual meeting of members. We decided to go in a different direction, while still practicing social distancing — by hosting a drive-in annual meeting at a drive-in movie theater. We hope you will join us at the Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater and enjoy your 83rd annual meeting of members from the comfort of your own car.

You will hear reports on your cooperative and be able to watch the recently released family-friendly movie Secret Life of Pets 2 on the big screen. Popcorn, drinks, and candy will be provided, and each membership in attendance will receive a gift.

owners. Our good financial position allowed your board to feel confident in retiring $545,261 in patronage capital last December. This retirement was 50% of the year 2002 allocations and 10% of the year 2018 allocations to current and former members. This was the 42nd consecutive general retirement of capital credits made by Tricounty.

In addition, $211,681 was paid to deceased member estates during the year. Including this $756,942 from the past year, Tricounty has returned nearly $19 million in capital credits to our member-consumers.

Financial

The most difficult thing that your cooperative trustees and management must do is determine the rates that we charge our members. One of the operating principles of your cooperative is to provide reliable electric service at affordable rates, while maintaining the cooperative as a financially secure business, now and into the future. We strive to keep our rates competitive while balancing everrising expenses and meeting financial targets required by our financial partners. The wholesale power cost is our single largest expense and accounts for 64% of our

As we prepare this annual report and finalize plans for this year’s annual meeting, we are pleased to give you another positive report on the financial condition and operation of your cooperative for the past year. A part of the margins generated by your cooperative was used to make capital credits retirements this year. As a Tricounty member-owner, you benefit in a way no investor-owned utility customer ever will. Your capital credits account is a benefit that is exclusive to electric cooperative member20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

The total assets of your cooperative now exceed $19.4 million. We continue to build line extensions, install new services, and rebuild older lines. Our right-of-way maintenance program (tree trimming) helps prevent power outages and reduces damage to our overhead lines during storms. Five Eight Six Nine Zero Zero One

Reliability Tricounty continues to invest in maintenance and capital improvements to provide our members with the reliability of power you have come to expect. We continue to rebuild aging lines, trim trees, and improve our system. Over the next five years, we will be building a new substation north of Delta, near the Ohio turnpike.

Plans are being made to rebuild the Malinta and Maroe substations in Henry County.

Rates

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

total expenses. Even though unwelcome, on May 1, our retail rates increased by $.007 per kWh, and the monthly facility charge increased by $2. To operate with the same level of service, maintain our distribution system, and refund capital credits, this rate adjustment was required.

Tricounty’s rates remain among the lowest for electric cooperatives in Ohio, while we strive to maintain the quality of service you expect.

Safety The safety of our members, employees, and community is the highest priority for our cooperative. We continue to have monthly safety meetings for employees, perform high-voltage safety training for our local fire departments, and publish safety tips in Ohio Cooperative Living magazine. Our goal is to keep all our members and communities aware of the dangers involved in dealing with electricity.

Community One of the seven cooperative principles is “Concern for Community.” Tricounty is committed to supporting our community and its future leaders. We proudly sponsor a local high school student on Ohio’s Electric

The annual meeting: Provisions regarding the annual meeting are in your cooperative’s code of regulations.

An annual meeting shall be held each year. Each member must be given written or printed notice stating the meeting place, day, and hour.

Cooperatives’ annual Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Samantha Johnson was selected as our delegate this year.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 situation, the tour had to be canceled. Tricounty provided six scholarships to area students in 2020. Receiving a Children of Members Scholarship were Jordan Arps, Haley Crouch, Morgan Kamphaus, Hannah Meyer, Rachel Nickels, Lauren Rohrs, Carissa Rosebrook, Kelsey Wagner, and Karley Weber. One Six Five Zero One Zero Four

Closing For over 80 years, your cooperative has been committed to providing members with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. We are excited about the projects, programs, and services we have designed to enhance the quality of life for our members. We will continue to put safety first and are committed to providing excellent service to our members. Your board of trustees and employees appreciate and thank you for your cooperation and support throughout the past year. We hope to see you at the annual meeting of members on Sept. 15 at the Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater.

Election of board members: Provisions for electing board of trustee members are included in the cooperative’s codes. Each member residing within the district for election is mailed a notice explaining how to be considered as a candidate for trustee. The Trustee Nominating Committee selects members from each district who have agreed to run for election and serve.

Membership: Copies of the co-op’s codes are available at the office upon request. The codes provide that any person or firm may become a member of the co-op by making an application for membership, by agreeing to purchase electricity from it, and by complying with its articles of incorporation, codes, and regulations.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Following their

DREAMS

How a Liberty Center couple opened Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater Rod and Donna Saunders, owners of the Liberty Center Field of Dreams Drive-In, think sitting down to enjoy a movie is an important part of life.

“Movies are important on so many levels,” the couple says. “They help you escape into a different world for a while, spend time with family and friends, and help you learn to be creative. They let you see life from a different perspective.”

Why open a drive-in?

Though the drive-in movie theater business peaked in 1958 in the United States, the Saunders thought there was still room for a local place where families could gather for an evening of wholesome fun. Plus, they wanted a way to fill their summers and employ their sons, Denton and Rockne, and their daughter, Callan.

20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

The answer? Open a drive-in theater. As a Toledo Public School teacher and an information technology specialist at Owens Corning, Rod and Donna knew they needed to do research but were confident in their dream.

“When our kids were growing up, money was tight, and it was hard to afford a night out at the movie theaters,” Donna says. “Plus having a child with disabilities, it was hard to expect Rockne (and the other kids) to sit quietly.

The drive-in is great because you can roll up your windows and talk as much as you like without annoying the people around you!”

Affordable family fun with special perks During the summer of 2007, they opened the Liberty Center Field of Dreams Drive-In, conveniently located in the backyard of their property on Henry County Road 6 just south of Swanton.

Their first year, they showed films on a 48 x 20-foot screen.

They soon added a second big screen, as well as a series of games, putting golf, and sand volleyball courts for customers who arrive early.

Their Liberty Center theater attracts viewers from Defiance, Perrysburg, Maumee, Holland, and even Michigan.

“We love what we do because we help families spend time together in a unique, fun, safe, and inexpensive way,” Rod says. “We keep our prices as low as possible so families of all sizes can come have a great night.”

Kids under 5 are free, and customers can bring in their own food with the purchase of a $4 “outside food pass.” However, concessions are reasonably priced and pizzas can even be delivered to your vehicle door. The Saunderses offer frequent customer cards, which allow one free admission after 12 tickets. Customers can also join the theater Facebook groups to get coupons and weekly updates on what is playing.

Low-risk and safe for all ages The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s businesses, and the Saunders’ theater is no different.

However, they point out their business is perfect for those worried about germs, considering customers

can have minimal (if any!) interaction with others while viewing a movie.

“The drive-in is a great option for everyone during this time,” Rod says. “You can stay in your car with the windows rolled up if you are not comfortable. Or you can sit outside your car and keep social distance very easily. There are options for everyone to come and have a safe and enjoyable night. Some of our locations even offer online ordering where your food will be delivered to you directly!”

New entertainment down the road When looking at the future of their company, the Saunderses say their mission will stay the same: “to provide unique, fun, and affordable entertainment.” But they are considering new entertainment options.

“We have continued to expand our business,” Rod says, “as we started with one screen in our backyard and now have three drive-in theaters and two indoor theaters with a total of 15 screens. Video game nights, concerts, pre-recorded dance recitals, and high school graduations are just a few of the different entertainment options we’ve added. I see us continuing to expand as the demand for safe entertainment options continues to grow.”

Today, their son Denton is an intervention specialist and head football coach for Swanton High School, Callan is the vice president of Field of Dreams Drive-In Operations, and Rockne (who has severe mental and physical disabilities) is living happily at the Filling Home in Napoleon.

“Our hobbies include working hard for our five indoor and outdoor theaters, making concrete counter tops, and spending time at our vacation home in Michigan,” the couple says with a smile. “We love it.”

Formally, Rod and Donna’s theaters are called Saunders Theater Properties LLC. Kids under 5 are free. To learn more about the family or see what’s playing, visit fieldofdreamsdrivein.com or call 877-343-5334. The Liberty Center Field of Dreams Drive-In is located at V602 County Road 6.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20C

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

M O V I

E

ANNUAL MEETING:

MOVIE TIME WITH YOUR CO-OP!

DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 LOCATION: Field of Dreams Drive-In Theater — Northeast of Liberty Center along Henry County Road 6, between Roads W (north) and V (south)

ACTIVITIES: Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. Limit of 250 vehicles can be admitted, so please arrive early.

There is no need to exit your vehicle, as this meeting format is intended to be social-distancing friendly. A gift for each membership will be provided. Prerecorded meeting starts at dusk; family-friendly movie starts after the meeting for those wanting to stay.

REFRESHMENTS: Pop, water, hot dog, popcorn, & candy.

20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

The Secret Life of Pets 2 PG | 1 hour, 26 minutes Released June 2019

Cast: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Harrison Ford, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Lake Bell

ADMIT ONE

The movie continues the story of Max and his pet friends, following their secret lives after their owners leave them for work or school each day.

MEMBERSHIP & FAMILY

Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family

Tricounty Annual Meeting Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting starts at dusk Showing afterward: The Secret Life of Pets 2 Snacks and gift provided

*Movie will play immediately after the annual meeting ends*

NOW SHOWING

The Secret Life of

PeTs 2

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20E

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

BALANCE SHEETS AS OF MAY 31

ASSETS UTILITY PLANT Electric plant in service Construction work in progress

Less: accumulated depreciation NET UTILITY PLANT INVESTMENTS Investments in associated organizations Other investments Prepaid pension TOTAL INVESTMENTS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and temporary investments Accounts receivable Materials and supplies Prepayments Other TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS

2020 2019

$20,162,023 $19,596,623 181,087 194,047 20,343,110 19,790,670 7,688,669 7,292,419 12,654,441 12,498,251 4,965,093 900 56,601 5,022,594 267,684 840,680 198,964 418,324 65,766 1,791,418

4,887,482 3,600 87,475 4,978,557 140,800 806,875 204,480 601,606 64,254 1,818,015

TOTAL ASSETS

$19,468,453

$19,294,823

MEMBERS’ EQUITY Patronage capital

$16,097,980

$15,929,198

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Notes payable

1,225,684

1,467,201

CURRENT LIABILITIES Current maturities of long-term debt Accounts payable Line of credit PPP loan Consumer deposits Accrued payroll Accrued taxes Other TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES

241,000 231,600 457,948 456,853 472,453 472,453 229,282 -0104,635 102,710 173,443 162,091 333,734 331,783 47,915 47,356 2,060,410 1,804,846

DEFERRED CREDITS TOTAL MEMBERS’ EQUITY AND LIABILITIES

84,379

93,578

$19,468,453

$19,294,823

(A copy of the complete auditor’s report is available at the cooperative’s office.)

20F OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

STATEMENTS OF REVENUE AND PATRONAGE CAPITAL FOR THE YEARS ENDED MAY 31

2020 2019

OPERATING REVENUES

$9,235,171

$9,656,695

OPERATING EXPENSES Cost of purchased power Distribution – operations Distribution – maintenance Consumer accounts Customer service and information Administrative and general Depreciation Taxes Interest TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

5,525,149 346,942 549,112 188,760 41,846 916,197 584,631 398,705 81,710 8,633,052

5,851,530 273,432 518,054 155,342 44,581 913,525 553,160 404,501 81,128 8,795,253

OPERATING MARGINS

602,119

861,442

PATRONAGE CAPITAL ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS

283,318

504,383

NET OPERATING MARGINS

885,437

1,365,825

9,456 -0- 5,965 15,421

3,437 22,650 5,550 31,637

900,858

1,397,462

NON-OPERATING MARGINS Interest income Gain on disposition of property Miscellaneous income TOTAL NON-OPERATING MARGINS NET MARGINS Patronage capital – beginning of period

Less: patronage capital retired

15,929,198 16,830,056 732,076

PATRONAGE CAPITAL – END OF YEAR $16,097,980

15,173,866 16,571,328 642,130 $15,929,198

HOW YOUR POWER DOLLAR WAS SPENT

Cost of purchased power................ 59.8¢ Operating margins.............................6.5¢ Consumer accounts and customer service..........................2.5¢ Taxes and interest.............................5.2¢ Depreciation......................................6.4¢ Operations and maintenance.............9.7¢ Administrative and general................9.9¢

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20G

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES 2019 MEETING MINUTES

Annual Meeting Of Members Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. September 18, 2019

Tricounty’s 82nd Annual Meeting of Members was held on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at Delta High School, Delta, Ohio. A tabulation of registration showed 169 memberships represented in person at the meeting and 10 memberships voted by proxy. Those attending constituted a quorum. Board of Trustees president Johney Ritz called the business meeting to order. Dustin Sonnenberg led members in the Pledge of Allegiance and gave the invocation. Ritz welcomed members and guests and introduced visitors from neighboring co-ops, board of trustee members, and representatives from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power in Columbus.

Secretary-Treasurer Kenneth Brubaker displayed the official notice of the annual meeting and certification of its mailing to all Cooperative members.

President Ritz asked if there were any changes to the minutes of the 2018 annual meeting provided to each member with their program. There being none, they were approved as presented.

In his address to members, Ritz reported that Tricounty had invested $453,000 this fiscal year to upgrade the utility system, and $518,000 was spent in maintenance of 618 miles of distribution lines. These maintenance and right-of-way programs are vital to provide the reliable electric service members have come to expect.

Ritz announced the cooperative will refund patronage capital credits to current and former members in December totaling about $547,000, signaling that Tricounty is in strong financial shape. Since the first general retirement of capital credits in 1978, the co-op has returned nearly $18 million to its member-consumers.

Ritz introduced the candidates for election as a trustee for Districts I and VI. A Teller Committee was appointed to gather and tabulate the members’ ballots. It was announced that only District I candidates were on the ballot. District VI had only one nominee, and in accordance with the Code of Regulations, that candidate was considered elected by affirmation.

President Ritz asked if there was any unfinished or new business to come before the members. There being 20H OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

none, he introduced certified public accountant Greg Steyer, who gave a report of his audit of the Cooperative’s financial records.

Mr. Steyer reviewed the financial report, noting the main changes from 2018 to 2019. He noted a net margin of $1.4 million was realized for the fiscal year. The co-op remains in sound financial condition with an equity ratio of 82 percent.

Tom Alban, vice president of power generation at Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, briefed members on the power supplier and statewide services association. He reported that co-ops have successfully assumed operational control at the Cardinal power plant and two natural gas peaking plants. It is not anticipated this will result in any significant impact on wholesale power rates.

General Manager Brett Perkins thanked the members for giving the cooperative an exceptional satisfaction score of 92 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). He reported that the score was the highest score ever achieved by a utility in Ohio and ranks Tricounty in the top 3 percent of electric cooperatives in the nation.

Perkins noted this high score was achieved by having dedicated, hardworking, and dependable employees that are committed to providing the members with exceptional service and reliable, safe, and affordable electricity.

Perkins sought to eliminate any confusion among members about House Bill 6, an energy bill recently passed by the Ohio General Assembly. Since cooperatives are not regulated by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission, Tricounty members are not included in House Bill 6, and will not have their electric bills raised by it.

He announced the launch of SmartHub, a comprehensive account management system. It will allow members to monitor their energy use, provide them with detailed billing history and more payment options, and offer account notification and paperless billing.

The Teller Committee announced that Marvin Green of District I and Kenneth Brubaker of District VI were reelected to four-year terms on the Board of Trustees.

A door prize drawing was conducted, and $800 in cash prizes was awarded to members in attendance.

There being no further business to come before the Cooperative members, President Ritz declared the 82nd Annual Meeting of Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. to be adjourned.

Kenneth Brubaker – Secretary

Note: The minutes of last year’s annual meeting will be considered for approval at our Sept. 15, 2020 meeting. If you attended the 2019 annual meeting and have corrections or questions on these minutes, contact our office at 419-256-7900 by Sept. 1.

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Make your voice heard

T

here’s an old political saying: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” This adage is a blunt description of what happens when you don’t engage in the political process and reminds us of the importance of voting.

If you don’t vote, you’re not only missing the opportunity to support a candidate who shares your views and concerns, you’re allowing others to chart a course that impacts your future. That’s why we’re encouraging all Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative members to recognize National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, 2020. While 2020 began as a very active political year, disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic altered the campaign plans of many candidates. They also dramatically reduced overall access to voter registration forms through department of motor vehicle offices, public libraries, and schools.

Suspension of on-site classes at many high schools prevented guidance counselors and government teachers from passing out registration applications to students who reached voting age this spring and summer.

Whether you’re registering yourself or others to vote or helping members of our community get organized, there are many ways to get involved.

Your vision, your vote While local elections may not be as exciting as the highprofile presidential election, they are just as critical.

Local elections have a direct impact on your community and on your quality of life.

Like at the national level, local elections represent who we are as a community and, more importantly, where we want to go. Whether it’s an election for a mayor, sheriff, state representative, school board, or an electric co-op board member, your vision for the community is tied to your vote.

Voting keeps elected officials accountable. Elections are a direct and tangible source of feedback. For example, Tricounty board members provide strategic guidance on the direction of the co-op and how it serves the community. Local board members embody the voice and identity of the community.

Staying in sync with the community Ultimately, the role of the co-op board is governance.

While day-to-day decisions are made by our employees, bigger decisions are made by the board, whose mission it is to look out for the vitality of the co-op and the members we serve. Tricounty board members provide their perspective on community priorities, thereby enabling us to make more informed decisions on longterm investments.

A strong voter turnout shows investment in the community and ensures that a diverse number of views are represented. The whole community benefits when more people participate in the process, because greater numbers reflect a consensus on the direction of the future and the will of the people.

By voting in national, state, and local elections, you are serving as a role model for your family, friends, and colleagues. The act of voting demonstrates your support for the community and helps officials chart a course for the future. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Research candidates, learn about issues that are on the ballot, and get out and vote!

To learn more about National Voter Registration Day or to get involved, visit www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21

TRICOUNTY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

Our office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7, for Labor Day. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Clothes dryers make up a large portion of your appliance energy consumption. Clean the lint filter after each cycle and scrub the filter with a toothbrush once a month to remove film and increase air circulation.

Source: energy.gov

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Johney Ritz President

CONTACT 419-256-7900 www.tricountyelectriccoop.coop

Dustin Sonnenberg

AFTER-HOURS OUTAGE 888-256-9858

Marvin Green David Aguirre W.M. Clark David Clapp

OFFICE 8945 County Road K P.O. Box 100 Malinta, OH 43535

Vice President

Kenneth Brubaker Secretary-Treasurer

Trustees

Brett Perkins General Manager

OFFICE HOURS Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m.

22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

JACKPOT NEWS! Both Jeffrey Morris of rural Swanton and Nicholas Weirich of rural McClure reported spotting his hidden account number in the July issue of Ohio Cooperative Living. They shared the jackpot, with each receiving a check for $30 Your account number is on your bill statement.

Disregard the zeros at the left in the number, but consider any zeros to the right when converting your number to words.

The hidden account numbers are always in Tricounty’s local pages of the magazine.

The jackpot now stands at $50. So read Ohio Cooperative Living, find your hidden account number, report it, and win!

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Coaching, linework go hand in hand for these co-op employees.

BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD

A

fter a long, demanding day at work as part of a line crew, some of our electric co-op team members tackle a different sort of assignment. Swapping their hard hat for a coach’s cap, they’re in for a whole new ballgame.

But frankly, they say, coaching and co-op work line up pretty closely, with teamwork, communication, hard work, and trust all key in both playbooks. We talked to a few to get the scoop on their dual endeavors.

Andrew Ruffing, apprentice lineman at North Central Electric Cooperative based in Attica, sees many similarities between his day job and coaching football. “You’re part of something bigger than yourself.

That resonates in both sports and linework,” he says. “You learn to work as a team, to work toward a common goal.”

Ruffing grew up in Attica and played wide receiver and defensive back for Seneca East High School. Today, he is an assistant coach for the Tigers.

A big part of that job, he says, is to encourage players to develop self-reliance. “One thing I’ve always tried to pass along to athletes is that no one else is going to do your job for you,” he says.

Kyle Hoffman, lead instructor at the Central Ohio Lineworker Training facility, also instructs youth as a coach for the Ashland Middle School football team.

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

“In sports, no one is going to pick up your stuff that you left on the other end of the field. As a lineworker, no one’s going to get you up and out the door in the middle of the night if after-hours dispatch calls.

You have to grab the bull by the horns and be selfsufficient. You have to be a self-starter in both cases.”

Ruffing, who lives in Attica with his wife and children

Andrew Ruffing, an apprentice lineman with North Central Electric Cooperative, serves as an assistant football coach at Seneca East, where he himself went to high school.

(3-year-old River and 6-month-old Lark), says, “A commitment to the community is important to me. The co-op is really involved in the community I grew up in, and coaching at the same school I attended is a good way to give back.

“My job is ‘close to home’ in more ways than one.”

For Ken Peters, system construction and inspection technician at Pioneer Electric Cooperative in Piqua, coaching has evolved over the years. “At first, it was all about winning the game,” he says. “Now I feel sports can teach kids so much about life in general — not just about winning or losing. It’s about the importance of teamwork, building camaraderie, the value of working hard and not quitting, even if you’re having a tough day.”

That’s true on the job, too, says Peters, who spent 20 years as a lineman for Pioneer and now works with the contractors hired to run new lines. “There’s lots of teamwork needed, especially when you’re on a line crew,” he says.

“There’s so much safety involved, you have to work together and have good communication to make it work.”

Peters played basketball when he was a student at Fairlawn High School near Sidney. Today, he’s the JV basketball coach for the Jets, and his younger son plays there as a senior. His older son, a senior at Ohio State, played football, baseball, and basketball for Fairlawn. Peters’ wife played volleyball in college.

“We are a sports family,” he says.

With four children, now ages 12 to 25, Kyle Hoffman has been involved in coaching lots of youth and middle school sports over the years, first in Logan County — where he was a lineman for Pioneer Electric — and now in Ashland, where he Continued on page 26

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Continued from page 25

Ken Peters (left), junior varsity basketball coach at Fairlawn High School in Sidney, says his day job with Pioneer Electric Cooperative in Piqua has helped him to be a better coach, and that coaching has helped him be better in his work for the co-op.

Kurt Detterman (below) was a three-sport athlete in New London before he became a lineman and then a line supervisor at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative. Now he coaches youth baseball and middle school basketball in his hometown.

Detterman, a three-sport athlete during his high school years in New London, has been coaching his son Kade, 11, in baseball since his T-ball days all the way to his current major league Little League team.

“It’s a lot of fun, and this is a great age for kids to enjoy the game for what it is,” he says. “It’s rewarding for me to help the kids learn the fundamentals and put them into action ... and most of all to watch them come together as a team and just have fun.

That makes me happy.” is lead instructor at the nearby Central Ohio Linework Training (COLT) facility.

“Sports was a major factor in my upbringing,” he says.

“It taught me a lot of life lessons.” Today, he coaches 8th grade football at Ashland Middle School, where his son Gavin will be quarterback this year, as well as middle school club baseball.

Whether it’s coaching kids on the field or training apprentice linemen, Hoffman says it all boils down to teamwork. “No one can do linework by himself, and no one can play a game by himself,” he says. “The qualities are the same: you need teamwork and determination, hard work, and a common goal.”

With the young athletes, he says, “it’s awesome when we win games, but coaching is about helping them win in life.”

Assistant Line Supervisor Kurt Detterman says his responsibility at Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative is to prep co-op jobs for the work crews: scheduling, staking the sites, and meeting with co-op members about their concerns. He sees that job dovetailing with his role as a middle school basketball coach and Little League baseball coach in the Ashland area.

“They are very similar situations,” he says. “Here at work, we have a tight-knit group of guys who make up the line crew. They’re a team. You use the same important skills to build a team atmosphere with the kids.

Good communication, developing trust, and building leadership apply to both, and my job is the same — working behind the scenes to set things up.”

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

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Retro cool As Ohioans look for distanced entertainment, drive-ins make a comeback.

BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD

B

ack in their heyday, drive-in movie theaters meant parents could pile the kids in the back of the station wagon and head out to see a flick on a nice summer night, hooking the scratchy metal speaker on the car window, collecting popcorn and Cokes from the concession stand, and maybe playing a few holes of mini-golf to boot … all without making much of a dent in the pocketbook.

At the height of their popularity in the 1950s, America had 4,500 drive-in screens. Today, that number has dipped to less than 350, with Ohio hanging on to 23 or 24. This summer, though, drive-ins are seeing a new surge in popularity, as families everywhere seek ways to get out of the house after months of staying in.

It’s not just movies, either. Drive-in owners are getting creative and making their unique venues work for everything from high school graduations to concerts to corporate meetings.

“There’s an allure to the drive-in movie — it’s classic, it’s fun, there’s a novelty to it,” says Dave Filipi, director of film/video at the Wexner Center for the Arts in

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

Columbus. “With everything going on this year, it’s one way people can go out in public and still maintain a level of social distancing.”

With the Ohio governor’s green light, drive-in theaters were able to reopen in May, as long as they followed certain precautions. It offered moviegoers a safe alternative amid the pandemic, when many other forms of entertainment remained closed.

“We’ve had nothing but praise about being open,” says Walt Effinger, who, with his wife, Cathie, owns the Skyview Drive-In just outside of Lancaster. “It gives the public a place to go, to be outside and away from their homes, to enjoy a movie.”

Effinger says the Skyview made some changes before opening the gates. “We got things in place for the safety of our employees and customers. We follow social distancing guidelines and are only allowing one vehicle at each speaker post instead of two,” he says. “Usually we can hold close to 500 cars, but we’re operating now at 50% capacity.”

In northwest Ohio, Field of Dreams Drive-In, near Liberty Center, is “definitely seeing an increase in new customers,” says Callan Bauer, VP of operations for Saunders Theater Properties. “People are excited to try us out. They don’t have to get out of the car for anything. They can even order from the concession stand from their phones and the food will be delivered right to their car.”

Watch a video about these lasting drive-ins at www.ohiocoopliving.com/driveins.

Bauer started working at the drive-in at age 14, when her parents opened their first theater “literally in our backyard,” she says. “Now we have seven outdoor screens in three drive-in theaters.”

She says there’s a certain magic to the drive-in movie.

“It’s a cool experience to watch people come in and have such a good time. It’s a family-affordable place where they can experience something out of the ordinary. Plus, we have the best popcorn ever.”

The biggest challenge during the pandemic, drive-in owners say, is the lag in the release of new movies as Hollywood has been forced to suspend some operations.

“That’s an obstacle,” Bauer says, “but we’re showing classic films and old favorites. The most popular double feature has been Grease and Footloose, and people loved seeing Jaws and Jurassic Park together.”

Deb Sherman, who owns Aut-O-Rama Twin DriveIn near North Ridgeville with her five children, says new movies like Mulan and Tenet are on the horizon.

Meanwhile, audiences are enjoying old-school classics like The Wizard of Oz and Twister together or Goonies and Back to the Future.

Beyond movies, drive-ins are hosting a number of special events. Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative even rented Field of Dreams for its annual meeting in September. That seemed like the perfect solution for the gathering usually held in a local school, according to General Manager Brett Perkins.

“We’ve invited our members to the drive-in, which can handle 250 cars,” he said. “We’ll welcome everyone ‘live’ — broadcasting on the screen and through their car radios — and play our prerecorded speeches on the big screen. We’ll offer typical movie treats like popcorn and boxed candy … and they can all stay for a familyfriendly movie, too.”

Bauer says the drive-in has hosted several high school graduation ceremonies. “We loved their creativity.

Some of the high schools recorded videos of each student getting their diploma and then showed them on our big screen. Some included prerecorded speeches, and one had their high school choir singing ‘together.’ It was very cool.”

Concerts are a hit, too. “Garth Brooks did a prerecorded concert that was shown at 300 drive-in theaters around the world; you could only watch it at a drive-in,” Bauer says. “We also present live concerts with local and regional bands. People can stay in their cars and enjoy the music.”

Most folks, though, still just love the drive-in for its retro appeal. “I used to go pretty regularly in college,” Filipi says. “It’s a different setting. It’s informal. You can bring a carload of friends or put the kids in their pajamas and let them fall asleep in the back seat. There’s some romance and nostalgia to the whole experience.”

Continued on page 30

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

Continued from page 29

Ohio loves drive-ins Ohio ranks third in the country for the number of surviving drive-in theaters, which are doing a big business in a time of social distancing. According to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association website, Ohio’s member theaters are: Aut-O-Rama Drive-In — 33395 Lorain Road, North Ridgeville; www.autoramadrivein.com Auto Vue Drive-In — 1409 Fourth Ave., Sidney; www.sidneyautovue.com Blue Sky Drive-In — 959 Broad St., Wadsworth; www.blueskydrive-in.com Dixie Twin Drive-In — 6201 N. Dixie Drive, Dayton; www.dixietwin.com Elm Road Triple Drive-In — 1895 Elm Road NE, Warren; www.elmroadtripledrivein.com Field of Dreams Drive-In — V602 County Road 6, Liberty Center; www.fieldofdreamsdrivein.com Hi-Road Drive-In — 8059 State Route 68 N., Kenton; www.hiroaddrivein.com Holiday Auto Theatre — 1816 Old Oxford Road, Hamilton; www.holidayautotheatre.com Lynn Auto Theatre — 9735 State Route 250 NW, Strasburg; www.lynndrivein.com Magic City Drive-In — 5602 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Barberton; www.magiccitydrive-in.com Mayfield Road Drive-In — 12100 State Route 322, Chardon; www.funflick.com/mayfield Melody 49 Drive-In — 7606 Pleasant Plain Road, Brookville; www.chakerestheatres.com Midway Twin Drive-In — 2736 State Route 59, Ravenna; www.funflick.com/midway Skyview Cruise-In — 2420 E. Main St., Lancaster; www.skyviewdrivein.com Skyway Twin Drive-In — 1825 N. Leavitt Road, Warren; www.skywaydrivein.com South Drive-In — 3050 S. High St., Columbus; www.drive-inmovies.com Springmill Drive-In — 1040 Springmill Road, Mansfield; www.springmilldrive-in.com Star-View Drive-In — 2083 U.S. Highway 20 W., Norwalk; www.starviewdriveintheatre.com Starlite Drive-In — 2255 State Route 125, Amelia; https://starlitedriveinohio.com Sundance Kid Drive-In — 4500 Navarre Ave., Oregon; www.greateasterntheatres.com/location/2659/ Sundance-Kid-Drive_In Tiffin Drive-In — 4101 State Route 53 N., Tiffin; www.tiffindrivein.com Van-Del Drive-In — 19986 Lincoln Highway, Middle Point; www.van-del.com Winter Drive-In — 400 Luray Drive, Wintersville; www.winterdrivein.com 30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

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Good Golly, Miss Molly!

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has celebrated the genre for 25 years.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA

A

s vice president of education and visitor engagement at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Jason Hanley often observes the museum’s visitors.

“I constantly see parents and children talking and sharing stories about their favorite musician or song,” says Hanley. “People dance and even cry in the exhibit halls.

It’s incredible to see how rock music has played a role in everyone’s life.”

Indeed, since the 1950s, when Bill Haley and His Comets released “Rock Around the Clock” and Elvis Presley’s rendition of “That’s All Right” drove rock ’n’ roll to the top of the pop charts, the genre has become America’s soundtrack. Rock ’n’ roll is the music that your parents played on transistor radios, that animated your proms and road trips, and that electrified your first romance.

Such is its indelible impact on everyday life that in the last 25 years, nearly 12 million people have visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock Hall was the first museum dedicated to rock ’n’ roll, and its opening on Sept. 2, 1995, in a glistening I.M. Peidesigned building along Lake Erie, was a landmark event for popular culture. “It was truly significant,” says Hanley, “because rock music was being recognized, preserved, taught, and honored in a way traditionally reserved for high art forms.” Rock ’n’ roll’s royalty — think James Brown, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin — showed up and celebrated with epic performances in Cleveland’s old Municipal Stadium. “We occasionally show that concert in the Rock Hall’s theater. It had so many special onstage collaborations, like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band backing Jerry Lee Lewis on ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ ” says Hanley.

In the 1980s, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chose Cleveland for the Rock Hall over New York, Memphis, Philadelphia, and New Orleans because its rock music roots

32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

run deep and strong. Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed popularized the term “rock ’n’ roll” and organized the first rock ’n’ roll concert — The Moondog Coronation Ball — in 1952. Touting its reputation as a breakout city for artists from Buddy Holly to David Bowie, Cleveland campaigned hard to land the Rock Hall by raising $65 million and flooding a nationwide poll with hometown votes.

Cleveland’s persistence paid off. The Rock Hall’s rollout was a turning point for the city and its image — the downbeat that shifted the lakefront from industry to culture and recreation, bolstering the area economy to the tune of $2 billion since 1995. “People around the world make the pilgrimage to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie,” says Hanley.

“It’s a great symbol that identifies this city.”

The Rock Hall’s exhibits take visitors on an incomparable — and often interactive — journey that extends from rock ’n’ roll’s roots in blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, country, folk, and bluegrass to contemporary groups like

25th anniversary high notes Because of the COVID-19 virus, the Class of 2020 Induction Ceremony was rescheduled to Nov. 7 in Cleveland’s Public Auditorium, and for the first time, the event will be broadcast live on HBO. Inductees include Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, the Notorious B.I.G., and T. Rex. The museum is displaying a Class of 2020 exhibit and presenting a virtual exhibit featuring images by veteran induction ceremony photographer Kevin Mazur.

Arrangements also are underway for a special 25th anniversary concert.

Details — and headliners — are pending, so stay tuned …

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

the Lumineers and Arctic Monkeys. “Anything we have on display has to be an authentic artifact that tells part of the story of rock music,” notes Hanley. Visitors get to see guitars owned by Muddy Waters and Eddie Van Halen, outfits worn by the Beach Boys, the Mellotron that the Beatles used for the singular sounds of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” a replica of Pink Floyd’s set from The Wall tour, and handwritten lyrics — including Billy Joel’s “My Life” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” — complete with crossouts and changes that convey the artistic process.

Enhancing those treasures are unique experiences such as watching musicians tell stories about recording sessions or relishing powerful songs and performances that prove rock ’n’ roll is here to stay. “People sometimes think they can blow through the Rock Hall in an hour or two,” says Hanley, “but even if they just watch artists’ videos and listen to music, they easily could spend two days.”

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44114. 216-781- ROCK (7625); www.rockhall.com.

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“It started with the slower steps, the reduced hearing and vision. I hated it, but I started thinking maybe it was time to give up the apartment,” said Pete.

When his son and daughterin-law suggested he move in with them he reluctantly agreed.

Everything seemed fine at f irst. But then Pete’s

“This little FastHelp device is my guardian angel. I’m so glad my daughter-in-law got it for me.”

-Pete Shaw Decorated WWII Veteran daughter-in-law, Maryanne, began to notice the shuffling steps, the difficulty with mundane tasks, but worst of all she found out about the falls, nothing serious yet but disturbing.

Maryanne began to worry that something might happen when they weren’t around.

That wasn’t a risk Maryanne was willing to take.

“I started looking into medical alert devices. But they are like $50 to $100 a month.” said Maryanne, “We just didn’t have it plus all the other costs, equipment, installation, deposits, it never ends.”

“Just when it seemed like Pete was headed for a nursing home, I saw an article about FastHelp™ in my newspaper,” continued Maryanne, “I found out it instantly connects you to unlimited help, nationwide, everywhere cell service is available.”

“I also learned there are no contracts, no deposits, and no monthly bills ever,” Maryanne explained, “it was like all my prayers were answered, Pete would be able to stay with us.”

“If Pete would have been

sent to a nursing home we could have lost him forever,” said Maryanne, “FastHelp has been a Godsend for us.”

FastHelp works at home or anywhere cell service is available so whether Pete or one of the brand new 50,000 users are out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino they are never alone.

“Folks absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, it’s free for life,” said Joseph Rodgers, Chief of Staff for U.S. based Universal Physicians.

Millions of seniors fall every year and spend painful hours praying for help.

But seniors who fall and get immediate help are much more likely to avoid getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home safely and independently.

Yet cou nt le s s s en ior s are still risking their safety because they just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.

That’s why seniors who want to avoid the nursing home and its potential death sentence are rushing to get FastHelp free for life once they cover the first month as long as they call before the 7 day deadline ends. Heavy call volume is expected so if lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered.

WWII HERO GETS TO STAY AT HOME: Pete Shaw has always been sharp as a tack, but when the minor falls started, Pete nearly landed in a nursing home. But Pete dodged all that when his daughter-in-law found this number (1-800-929-8049 EXT: FHHW208) and got him a tiny medical alert device that instantly connects him to help whenever and wherever he needs it with no monthly bills ever.

How FastHelp keeps seniors out of nursing homes We sat down with Philip Howren MD, top emergency room physician, to find out how FastHelp can help seniors stay out of nursing homes.

This is what he said: “I see it every day, one fall or major health event and seniors land in a nursing home. In an emergency situation seconds count and a few minutes can make all the difference.

“I love FastHelp because it immediately and directly connects you to highly trained emergency operators who can help you.

That saves time and can be the difference between coming back home or a potentially fatal nursing

home confinement.

“Another reason seniors end up in nursing homes is they can’t afford the cost of a medical alert device but with FastHelp they are never alone and they are never exposed to any monthly bills. And the best part is they get to continue living in their own homes and their families don’t have to worry.

“Here’s the bottom line, the Coronavirus Pandemic hits seniors harder than anyone else and the nursing home is the worst place they can be, so if I can help them keep living in their own homes with FastHelp, that’s a win for everyone.”

HOW TO GET FASTHELP FREE FOR LIFE

For the next 7 days seniors born before 1956 are getting FastHelp Free For Life to help them avoid the catastrophic health and financial risks associated with a nursing home confinement. Here’s how it works. The sleek little device normally goes for $299 and an open line to immediate help whenever and wherever you need it is worth $149 per month.

This week only, if you were born before 1956 the device is free when you cover only the first month for just $149 and you never see a monthly bill. In other words it’s Free For Life. Seniors are urged to call 1-800-929-8049 EXT: FHHW208.

• Seniors born before 1956: To get FastHelp Free For Life, call this Toll-Free Hotline:1-800-929-8049 Ext: FHHW208

• Those born after 1956: You cannot get FastHelp Free For Life and must pay $448. Call: 1-800-929-8165 Ext: FHHW208

FASTHELP IS COVERED BY A 30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE LESS SHIPPING AND A 1 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY. FASTHELP IS A 3G GSM CELLULAR DEVICE. FASTHELP WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE 911 CALLS WHEN CELLULAR SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE SUCH AS IN REMOTE AREAS. FASTHELP USES GPS TRIANGULATIONS TO APPROXIMATE YOUR LOCATION WHEN YOUR DEVICE IS TURNED ON. DR. HOWREN IS A COMPENSATED MEDICAL ADVISOR AND FRANK MCDONALD IS AN ACTUAL USER AND COMPENSATED FOR HIS PARTICIPATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. UNIVERSAL PHYSICIANS 7747 SUPREME AVE, NORTH CANTON, OH 44720.

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36 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

2020 CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the developing coronavirus situation, many of these planned events may have been postponed or canceled. Please seek updated information before traveling.

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

Landing Park located on the west end of Market Street. 740-455-8282 or www.facebook.com/ LorenaSternwheeler.

SEP. 18–20 – Backwoods Fest, 8572 High Point Rd., Thornville, Fri./Sat. 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Over 300 arts and crafts vendors, food, and bluegrass music. 740-246-4709, info@thornvillebackwoodsfest.com, or www. thornvillebackwoodsfest.com.

SEP. 25–26 – The Country Shop Hop, business locations in the Amanda, Stoutsville, and Tarlton area. Participating businesses will be extending special offers to all “shop hoppers.” Pick up details at The Olde Barn at Garrett’s Mountain, 8650 Gerhart Rd., Amanda, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 740-5032125, or www.countryshophop.com.

SEP. 25–26 – Sims Fall Festival, 11300 ChillicotheLancaster Rd., Amanda, Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Bean cook Friday night. Display of antique farm equipment, arts and crafts, antiques, mums, pumpkins, and fall items. Special Civil War encampment by the Sons of the Union of the Civil War from Lancaster, Ohio. Gen. Sherman’s cannon will be fired Fri. 6 p.m. and Sat. 11 a.m., 1 p.m. Special kids’ games and activities on Saturday. 740-9692225 or www.simsfallfestival.com.

OCT. 3–4, 10–11, 17–18 – Lorena Sternwheeler Fall Foliage Cruise, Zanesville, 2–3 p.m. $10, Srs. $9, C. (2–12) $6. Advance sales only. Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Muskingum River to see the fall colors. Board at Zane’s Landing Park located on the west end of Market Street. 740-4558282 or www.facebook.com/LorenaSternwheeler.

OCT. 9–11 – Columbus Italian Festival, St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church, 720 Hamlet St., Columbus, Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun. noon–7 p.m. $5, under 12 free. 614-294-8259 or www.columbusitalianfestival.com.

OCT. 13 – Inventors Network Meeting, Rev1 Ventures for Columbus, 1275 Kinnear Rd., Columbus, 7 p.m. The focus this month is “How to Do Digital Marketing to Sell My Invention.” 614-4700144 or www.inventorscolumbus.com.

OCT. 17 – Grandma Gatewood’s Fall Colors Hike, Hocking Hills State Park, 19852 St. Rte. 664 S., Logan, starts at 9 a.m. A strenuous hike that spans 6 miles, from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls and back. Approx. 3–4 hours. 740-385-6841 or www. thehockinghills.org/Events.htm.

SEP. 18–20 – WACO Celebration and Fly-In, WACO Historic Airfield and Learning Ctr., 1865 S. Co. Rd. 25A, Troy. WACO owners fly their aircraft back to Troy, the site of their manufacture. Come see these beautiful aircraft close up and talk to the owners, tour the newly renovated museum, and take a ride in an open cockpit biplane! Food available. www. wacoairmuseum.org.

SEP. 19 – Piqua Arts and Ale Fest, Canal Place, Piqua, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. A true celebration of the arts, the festival features arts and craft vendors, live music, a kids’ activity area, a painting competition, and Ohio SEP. 4–OCT. 2 – Piqua Fine Art Exhibition, Apple craft beers! www.piquaartscouncil.org.

Tree Gallery, 405 N. Main St., Piqua. Miami Valley’s SEP. 23–26 – Seaman Fall Festival, Seaman, premier art exhibition, featuring over 200 works from day and night. Free. One of Ohio’s oldest festivals. artists across the state. www.piquaartscouncil.org.

Contests, rides, entertainment, flea market, floral hall, SEP. 9, 16, 23, 30, OCT. 7, 14 – Bluegrass horse and pony pulls, tractor pulls, fabulous food.

Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Contact Doris Bailey at 937-386-2083.

Cincinnati, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and SEP. 25 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing an evening of lively bluegrass music by Vernon Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m.

McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations strongly Free. Enjoy an evening of craft beers and lively recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse. bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian net, or www.vinokletwines.com/post/2018/09/30/ Grass. Food truck available on site. 513-832-1422 or bluegrass-wednesdays-spaghetti-meat-balls. http://fibbrew.com.

SEP. 17–20 – Old Timers Days Festival, 123 N. SEP. 26–27 – Harvest Extravaganza, 5207 Weavers Main St., Peebles, Thur. 6–10 p.m., Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–11 Ft. Jefferson Rd., Greenville, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Street fair with craft Country setting event with many vendors, live music, and vendor booths, 5K run, car show, grand parade, and food. If you love handmade treasures, clothing, baked goods contest, raffles, kids’ events, pet parade, jewelry, primitives, antiques, home décor, or good local bands, and more. 937-587-3749 or https:// ol’ rusty junk, this is the place for you! Follow us on oldtimersdaysfestival.yolasite.com.

Facebook @themasonjarcandles or contact us at 937-417-5566.

OCT. 2 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Butler County Bluegrass Association, Community Ctr., 5113 Huston Rd., Collinsville, 7–9 p.m. Enjoy lively bluegrass music with lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs.

Good, reasonably priced homestyle food available on site. 513-410-3625 or www.fotmc.com.

OCT. 3 – Celebrate Fall at the Johnston Farm, 9845 N. Hardin Rd., Piqua, 12–5 p.m. Tour the Johnston home, visit the Historic Indian and Canal Museum, and take a ride on the General Harrison of Piqua, a replica of a 19th-century canal boat. 800-752-2619 or www. johnstonfarmohio.com.

OCT. 10–11 – Fall Farm Fest, Lost Creek Reserve and Knoop Agricultural Learning Ctr., 2385 E. St. Rte. 41, Troy, Sat. 12–7 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. Free.

Corn maze and cannon, pumpkin patch, scarecrow contest, wagon rides, pony rides, kids’ activities, and more. 937-335-6273 or www.miamicountyparks.com/ fall-farm-fest.

OCT. 15 – An Evening with Urban Meyer, Hobart Arena, 255 Adams St., Troy, 8 p.m. $30/$50. www. hobartarena.com.

OCT. 18 – Music at the Mound with Steve Free, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 1 p.m. Free admission; $8 parking. http://arcofappalachia.org/ steve-free.

CENTRAL

THROUGH OCT. 24 – Delaware Farmers Market, Delaware Co. Fgds., 236 Pennsylvania Ave., Delaware, Sat. 9–12 p.m. The market will continue, but it has been temporarily relocated from downtown to the fairgrounds. 740-362-6050 or www. mainstreetdelaware.com/event/farmers-market.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Zanesville Farmers Market, Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville, every Sat., 9 a.m.–12 p.m. www. zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

SEP. 12–13, 19–20 – Lorena Sternwheeler Public Cruise, Zanesville, 2–3 p.m. $10, Srs. $9, C. (2–12) $6. Advance sales only. Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Muskingum River. Board at Zane’s

SOUTHWEST

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2020 CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the developing coronavirus situation, many of these planned events may have been postponed or canceled. Please seek updated information before traveling.

NORTHEAST

SEP. 7–19 – Constitution Days: “Celebrate the Constitution,” Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free displays and activities commemorating our nation’s founding document. 740-283-1787 or www. oldfortsteuben.com.

SEP. 12–17 – Wayne County Fair, Wayne Co. Fgds., 199 Vancouver St., Wooster. 330-262-8001 or www. waynecountyfairohio.com.

SEP. 18–19 – Ohio State African Violet Society Show and Sale, Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 Trimble Rd., Mansfield. Free. 937-654-7014, melsgrice@gmail.com, or www.osavs.org.

SEP. 18–20 – Great Mohican Indian Pow-Wow, 23270 Wally Rd., Loudonville, Fri./Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. $8, C. (6–12) $4, under 6 free. Weekend passes available. Native American

live music, dancing, drum competitions, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, and fire starting demonstrations.

800-766-2267 or www.mohicanpowwow.com.

SEP. 19–NOV. 1 – Corn Maze, Beriswill Farms, 2200 Station Rd., Valley City, Tues.– Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. $5–$9, free for kids under 3 and seniors. Test your sense of direction in this 5-acre maze. Flashlight Nights, Saturdays in October, open till 10 p.m. 330350-2486 or http://beriswillfarms.com.

SEP. 20 – Wellington Harvest of the Arts, 101 Willard Memorial Square, Wellington, 11–4 p.m.

Free admission and parking. We feature about 90 juried fine and folk art vendors and a handmade quilt raffle. Food may be available. 440-647-2120 or http:// wellingtonfriends.org.

SEP. 26 – Oktoberfest, Painesville Depot, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, noon–10 p.m. $5, C. (3–12) $3, Family $12 (max. 2 adults, 3 children). Authentic German brats, kraut, potato salad, and beer; German dancing; and live music. 216-470-5780 or www. painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.

SEP. 26 – Oktoberfest, Wolf Creek/Pine Run Grist Mill, St. Rte. 3 S., Loudonville, noon–11 p.m. Ages 21+, $5; ages 10–20, $1; under 10 free. Enjoy nearly 100 foreign and domestic beers, wine, live music all day, and food vendors. Three large heated tents on site. www.wolfcreekmill.org/events.html.

SOUTHEAST

17, food trucks, a beer/wine garden, and more! 740439-2238 or http://downtowncambridge.com.

SEP. 24–27 – Barnesville Pumpkin Festival, 117 Cherry St., Barnesville. Parade, fun contests and activities, live music, a variety of pumpkin-based food, and the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off. 740-4252593 or www.barnesvillepumpkinfestival.com.

SEP. 26 – Sternwheel 5K Run and Walk, downtown Marietta. Rescheduled from May. 740-525-3713, evybryant@yahoo.com, or https://ohio-riversternwheel-festival.myshopify.com.

SEP. 26–27 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville, Sat. 7 THROUGH SEP. 25 – Rise and Shine Farmers a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–4 p.m. $5 Saturday, $4 Market, 2135 Southgate Pkwy. (near Tractor Supply Sunday; under 13 free. Large flea market. Animals Co.), Cambridge, Fridays, 8 a.m.–noon. 740-680-1866 to buy, sell, or trade. 937-728-6643 or www. or find us on Facebook. lucasvilletradedays.com.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Chillicothe Farmers Market, OCT. 1–4, 8–11 – Blithe Spirit, Chillicothe Civic 475 Western Ave., Suite F, Chillicothe, 8 a.m.–noon.

Theatre, S. Walnut St., Chillicothe. Dates subject to The first hour of the market is reserved for high-risk change. http://cctchillicothe.com. shoppers. http://visitchillicotheohio.com.

OCT. 2–4 – Paul Bunyan Show, Guernsey Co. SEP. 12 – Arts, Music, and Food Festival, Fgds., 335 Old National Rd., Lore City (Cambridge), downtown Cambridge. Artisans, musical Fri./Sat. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $5–$10 entertainment including The Dirty Mule and Lock (advance tickets $4–$8); free for 6 and under. The

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

OCT. 2–3 – Woosterfest, downtown Wooster, Fri. noon–11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Traditional Oktoberfest celebration. 330-262-5735 or www. woosterfest.com.

OCT. 3 – “German Immigrants and Migrants in Ohio,” Zoar Schoolhouse, 221 E. 4th St., Zoar, 11 a.m.– noon. Free. Timothy Anderson is the speaker. https:// historiczoarvillage.com.

OCT. 3–4 – The Great Berea Train Show, Cuyahoga Co. Fgds., 19201 E. Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $8; under 16 free with adult; $10 for 2-day pass. Around 700 vendor and display tables featuring new and used model trains, accessories, and supplies for all scales. Many operating model railroad layouts. info@thegreatbereatrainshow.org or www. thegreatbereatrainshow.org.

OCT. 4–17 – “Riverboats on the Ohio,” Historic Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free exhibit and programs. 740-283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.

OCT. 10–11 – Olde Stark Antique Faire, Stark Co. Fgds., Exhibition Bldg., 305 Wertz Ave. NW, Canton, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.$5; under 13 free. Antiques and collectibles from over 100 dealers.

330-794-9100 or find us on Facebook.

original American forestry show, featuring lumberjack competitions, demonstrations and clinics, wood crafts, and much more. 888-388-7337 or www. ohioforest.org.

OCT. 3 – Main Street Fall Festival, downtown Cambridge. 740-439-2238 or http:// downtowncambridge.com.

OCT. 10–11 – Chillicothe Trade Days, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. $5, under 13 free. Large flea market. Animals to buy, sell, or trade. 937-272-2897 or www. chillicothetradedays.com.

OCT. 11 – Artists-in-Sanctuary Gallery Show and Festival, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Gala showcase and sale of the paintings produced by the nationally known Ohio plein air artists-inresidence during their stay at the Sanctuary. Artists will be available for conversation and questions.

Light refreshments will be served. https:// arcofappalachia.org/artists-in-sanctuary.

NORTHWEST

entertainment, camping sites, and food. Featuring Neon, Burn Out, Muffler Rap, and Flame Throwing events. Vintage auto racing cars Fri. 5 p.m. and Sat. 1 p.m. Registration info and details on the website.

419-225-8545 or www.rebelrunlima.com.

SEP. 18–20 – Delphos Canal Days and Parade, downtown Delphos, Fri. 4 p.m.–midnight, Sat. 10 a.m.–midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Free; fees for certain events. Kids’ events, live music, fair food, car show, and other entertainment. 5K walk/run Sun. 9 a.m.; parade Sun. 2 p.m. along Second Street. https:// delphoscanaldays.com.

THROUGH OCT. 10 – The Great Sidney Farmer’s SEP. 19–20 – Pumpkin Fest with Tracks to the Past, Market, Courthouse Square, 109 S. Ohio Ave., Sidney, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 every Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–noon. Free. Fresh produce, Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $10. Pumpkin crafters, baked goods, jams, jellies. 937-658-6945 or Train rides, pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, www.sidneyalive.org. miniature horse cart rides, pumpkin chunkin’, and corn cannons. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Bluffton Farmers Market, facebook.com/nworrp.

Citizens National Bank parking lot, 102 S. Main St., Bluffton, 9 a.m.–noon; 8:30–9 a.m. for seniors SEP. 25 – Band Night: “It’s a Hoedown at a and at-risk shoppers. www.explorebluffton.com/ Campground,” Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. farmers-market.

Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. Hobo stew, 6 p.m.; please bring a side to share (donation). Crafts, 6 p.m. Adults help SEP. 5–7 – West Liberty Labor Day Festival, 576 kids learn to square dance, 8–9:30 p.m. Adults-only Pickrelltown Rd., West Liberty. Free. Tractor show square dance, 9:30–11:30 p.m. Park visitor fee if not and parade, entertainment including “Little Texas,” flea market, and craft show. For more info, see www. camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. 419448-0914 or www.walnutgrovecampground.co. westlibertylions.org.

SEP. 17 – Wine, Chocolate, and Art Walk, downtown SEP. 26 – Food Truck Festival, Allen Co. Fgds., Lima, 5–9 p.m. Tickets presale only: $25/$30. Begins 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 3–10 p.m. $10, under 13 free. Over 15 unique food trucks, beer garden, at the Wingate by Wyndham. A full night of fun, contests and games, kids’ corner, and live delicious treats, entertainment, trolley and Lucky entertainment from around the region. Admission Limo rides, food trucks, street artists, and a small cost includes 2 drink tickets. 419-222-6045 or www. business hop. Over 20 participating venues hosting either a wine or a chocolate sampling for your tasting; visitgreaterlima.com/lima-ohio-calendar-events. promotions; and pop-up shops. www.visitgreaterlima. SEP. 26–27 – Johnny Appleseed Park Apple com/lima-ohio-calendar-events.

Festival, Allen County Farm Park, 1582 Slabtown Rd., Lima, 12–6 p.m. Free. Children’s activities, tractor and SEP. 18–19 – Rebel Run, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 horse-drawn hayrides, antique farm tools, harvestHarding Hwy., Lima, Fri. 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 8 time foods, pioneer demonstrations, and general a.m.–6 p.m. $5, under 13 free. Classic car, truck, family fun. Live entertainment both days. www. and motorcycle event with People’s Choice awards, visitgreaterlima.com/lima-ohio-calendar-events.

WEST VIRGINIA

THROUGH NOV. 1 – Blennerhassett Voyage Package, North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo. $130 package includes one night of lodging for two at North Bend, two tickets for sternwheeler ride to and from Blennerhassett Island, wagon ride tour of the island, tour of the Mansion, and passes for the Museum.

304-643-2931, www.northbendsp.com, or www. blennerhassettislandstatepark.com.

SEP. 12 – Harvest Day, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, 12363 Cass Rd., Cass, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Local artisans with sales and demonstrations, vintage trades, apple butter

SEP. 26–OCT. 25 – Pumpkin Train, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–5 p.m. $3; ages 12 and under, $2. Ride a quarter-scale train to the pumpkin patch to find that special pumpkin, then take one more trip around the track to return to the station. Pumpkins $5 each, but no purchase required for the train ride. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.

OCT. 3 – Fall Festivities at Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. Trick or Treat/Hay Wagon Ride, 4 p.m. The Haunted Horse Shoe Shelter, 8–9 p.m. (donation). Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free.

Event may be adjusted due to weather. 419-448-0914 or www.walnutgrovecampground.

OCT. 3–4 – Tri-State Gun Show, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $6. www.tristategunshow.org.

OCT. 4 – Gymanfa Ganu, Gomer Congregational Church, 7350 Gomer Rd., Gomer, 7 p.m. Free. Welsh singing festival devoted to four-part singing of hymns and anthems. 419-642-2681 or www.gomercc.org.

OCT. 9–10 – Fall Festivities at Walnut Grove Campground, 7325 S. Twp. Rd. 131, Tiffin. The Haunted Horse Shoe Shelter, Fri./Sat. 8–9 p.m. (donation). Halloween Luncheon and Crafts, Sat. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. (donation). Trick or Treat/Hay Wagon Ride, Sat. 4 p.m. Park visitor fee if not camping: $2.50 per person, 4 yrs. and under free. Event may be adjusted due to weather. 419-448-0914 or www. walnutgrovecampground.co.

OCT. 9–11 – Lauer Farms 1944: WWII Living History Weekend, Historic Lauer Farm Park, 800 Roush Rd., Lima, Fri. 4–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Travel back in time to 1944 to experience WWII. Interact with 150 to 200 living history reenactors and watch as the Allied Forces battle the oppositional Axis Powers. 419-221-1232 or www.facebook.com/LauerFarms1944.

making, hayrides, live music, field day games prizes, and more. 304-456-4300 or www.wvparks.com.

Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/website for more information.

SEPTEMBER 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

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Friday night lights 3

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1. Upper Sandusky Rams versus Carey Blue Devils 2019: sunset makes a score.

Doug Keller North Central Electric Cooperative member 2. Buckeye Central’s 2019 senior football players: Nick Ramey, our grandson Jacob Maxhimer, Davey Williams, Garret Harrison, and Jake Heefner.

Penny Maxhimer North Central Electric Cooperative member

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3. My daughter, Emma, on her first marching band performance at a high school football game. She is playing the same clarinet I did in school almost 30 years ago!

Linda Hurless South Central Power Company member 4. Black River Pirate Marching Band, from Black River High School in Sullivan, Ohio, during the 2019 season.

Nancy Powell Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member 5. Siblings William and Evelyn Flick, with their cousin, Riley Flick. This would be the last time they would play against each other.

Leigh Flick Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member

6

7

6. We have a great time taking our grandsons, Jayden and Camden, to the local Friday night high school football game. Go Cougars!

Katie Grubba South Central Power Company member 7. New London High School senior football banners.

Amy Dalton Firelands Electric Cooperative member

Send us your picture! For December, send “Naughty or nice” by September 15. For January, send “Mask fashion” by October 15.

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

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

Find more photos on the Member Interactive page at

www.ohiocoopliving.com

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • SEPTEMBER 2020

Right TREE, Right PLACE CALL

811

before you dig

to locate underground electric or other utility lines. This is a free service and it’s the law!

Before you buy a tree, look up and around.

See any power lines? That’s your cue to plant far away—use the chart below as a guide.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Avoid planting shrubs and flowers around green transformer boxes and electric meters. Your co-op needs access for meters, and it’s safer to keep the space clear.

Tree Planting Guide 50' 40' 30'

NO-TREE ZONE

20' 10' 0' 10'

20'

30'

40'

Small-Tree Zone: Less than 25' tall and spread at least 25' from lines.

ohioec.org/purpose

50' Medium-Tree Zone: 25'-40' in height and spread at least 40' from lines.

60'

70' Large-Tree Zone: Larger than 40' in height and spread at least 60' from lines.

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