Welcome Back to School from the Stanford Family on Spencerville Road! The Story of Us August 2022
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HONORING FAMILY WISHES, THEN & NOW Trusted for over 75 years of funeral service Committed to providing our community with respectful, dignified, and professional services. We believe in giving back to the community that has supported us. Learn more about what we have to offer you and your loved ones at (419)www.bayliffandson.com645-4501 311 West Main Street Cridersville, Ohio 45806 AUGUST 2022 • 3 SHAWNEE LIFE
APPLIANCES Tracy’s Appliances (419) 223-4786 Westrich Furniture & Appliances (419) 695-6045 CANCER CARE / ONCOLOGY Cancer Care of West Central Ohio (419) 221-2273 CLEANING Northwest Ohio Kwik Dry (419) 701-2081 DONATION PICK UP Habitat for Humanity Lima ReStore (419) 222-4937 EDUCATION Lima Central Catholic High School (419) 222-4276 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Brunk Electric (419) 812-2821 ENTERTAINMENT Westgate Entertainment Center (419) 227-7231 EVENT SPACE The Meeting Place on Market (419) 330-5630 FINANCIAL ADVISORS Financial Clarity Group (513) 752-0386 FOOD & DRINK The Meeting Place on Market (419) 330-5630 Purple Feet Wine Boutique (567) 940-9944 FOUNDATIONS WATERPROOOFING& The Basement Doctor (419) 229-5800 These local businesses are proud to serve our community and sponsor Shawnee Life magazine. Their contri butions make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and let them know that you saw them in Shawnee Life magazine. Neighborhood SponsorDirectory FUNERAL HOME Bayliff & Son (419) 645-4501 FURNITURE Tracy’s Appliances (419) 223-4786 Westrich Furniture & Appliances (419) 695-6045 HEALTHCARE Mercy Health – St. Rita’s (419) 227-3361 HEATING & AIR Cleaves American Heating & Air Conditioning (419) Washam227-4328PlumbingHeating&Air(419)339-0729 INSURANCE Beery Insurance Services (419) 228-4000 JEWELER Vons Diamonds & Jewelry (419) 227-5616 MANUFACTURERS & INDUSTRY Cenovus Energy Lima Refinery (419) 226-2300 PET MEMORIAL SERVICES Bayliff & Son (419) 645-4501 PHOTOGRAPHY The Ayers, Inc. (419) 222-9377 PLUMBING Washam(419)HeatingPlumbing&Air339-0729 POOL CARE & INSTALLATION Shawnee Pools (419) 330-5630 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS & PRINTING SERVICES ProForma Add-A-Line (419) 224-8747 REALTORS Busy B Realty (419) Cowan339-0600Realtors(419)222-1212 RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Burton’s Ridge Assisted Living (419) 228-8412 SECURITY Lima Security, Inc. (419) 222-1250 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ProForma Add-A-Line (419) 224-8747 SKILLED NURSING & REHAB Shawnee Manor (419) 999-2055 TRANSPORTATION / LIMOS / PARTY BUS Lucky Limo, LLC (419) 236-3964 WEDDINGS The Ayers, Inc. (419) 222-9377 Lucky Limo, LLC (419) ProForma236-3964Add-A-Line(419)224-8747 4 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
CONTENTS AUGUST 2022 • 5 SHAWNEE LIFE 30 NEW: TARA ON THE TOWN - OUR NEW LIFESTYLE WRITER, TARA, SHARES ALL ABOUT THE DELICIOUS FOOD AND THE LATEST TRENDS SEEN AROUND TOWN AT VARIOUS EVENTS! 6 FROM DIANE’S DESK A message from the publisher, Diane Schoonover. 34 NEW: TRAVEL TALES - EXPERIENCE VARI OUS VACATIONS, NEAR AND FAR, BY TRAV ELING VICARIOUSLY THROUGH STORIES SUBMITTED BY OUR READERS 8 KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR - MEET THE STANFORD FAMILY 28 PRECIOUS PETS Everyone loves to share stories about their pets. Find out how many people tend to treat them like another member of the family. 12 & 15 MAKING A MARK See what a difference our local non-profit organizations and service groups are making. 16 THE JOYS OF TOYS Show off your favorite “toy” or hobby! 21 MERCY MATTERS Learn how Mercy Health provides high-quality hometown care. 22 SAVVY SPACES Inspiration abounds as we highlight interior design ideas, curb appeal strategies, and explain how to make your house feel like a home. 25 CENOVUS SAYS Get the latest news from Lima Refinery and learn how Cenovus is reducing environmen tal impacts, leveraging new technology, and contributing to our community. 29 FINANCIAL FOCUS Securities, Real Estate, Tax Planning. We bring the sharpest minds with their practi cal advice of how to strategically invest your capital to meet you family’s goals. 32 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT Our sponsors have the opportunity to share who they are and how their businesses work. 36 AMAZING ACHIEVERS Amazing students are all around us. Our Ju nior Writers share stories about successful stu dents, athletes or events in the local schools. 38 DISH-CUSSIONS What’s cooking in Shawnee? This is where you will discover a delicious recipe and the story behind the dish and the chef! 39 WELCOME WAGON New people are always moving into Shawnee... meet them here!
Is the first day of school really right around the corner? Summer is truly flying by! I have filled my days with going on little getaways, hosting pool parties, cleaning and organizing around the house, and getting coaching sessions on Adobe InDesign from my husband during the few days my son is at summer camp. Although my husband, Nick, didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had for his self-selected title last month of Cabana Boy, he does fulfill his current job as Grammar Police quite nicely. I am in awe of him as a writer! Having a slightly different pace during the summer, has allowed me to focus on new featured articles and Shawnee Life social events, as well as reflect on connections with our beloved business sponsors!
From Diane’s Desk... 6 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
Part of our mission is to keep the content interesting and fresh. You will notice two new featured article sections this month – Tara on the Town and Travel Tales. Tara on the Town is our new lifestyle section where Lima socialite, Tara Reynolds Bales, highlights fashion and food at all kinds of events around town. If you are attending an event that you think we should cover, send us an invite and we will see if Tara can make it or send us photos of Shawnee Life readers wearing fantastic fashions or enjoying fabulous food, so we can include it in the magazine. Travel Tales is where you submit stories about your fabulous vacation adventures, near and far. This could be a weekend getaway, a trip out of state or an adventure to a distant land. We, as readers, then get to travel vicariously to these wonderful places or find inspiration and decide to plan the same trip! I am also loving the events we are offering to our readers. July’s event was the Summer Drink and Dinner Tour! Thank you to everyone that came out! It was nice to ride in Lucky Limo’s Party Bus and connect with fellow Shawnee Life Magazine community members at the various stops. In August we are planning a Back-to-School Celebration on August 21st at Westgate Entertainment Center’s newest attraction, Back Alley Axe! I can’t believe Lima finally has an axe-throwing room! I feel like this will be the perfect family outing. Mom and Dad can have a mini “date night” while throwing axes and having a drink, while the kiddos are enjoying games in the party room with the Fun Hostess, riding bumper cars, climbing the rock wall and so much more! Bowling lanes will be reserved for the group too so the kids may decide to get a game started with their friends or the entire family may opt to bowl a few rounds together. Food will also be provided for everyone! I truly hope to meet more of you at this event! My 8-year-old son Evan actually does some important behind-the-scene jobs for the magazine, like inventorying and organizing promotional items and stocking the magazine rack. Most recently he started working side-by-side with me on the task of confirming that all of the ads submitted from our business sponsors have been accounted for in the issue right before it goes to print. As he was reading off the names and highlighting each business on a checklist, I realized that we had a connec tion with almost every business that is represented in the magazine. I started telling my son stories about how certain businesses provided us with great service, or how I enjoyed my experience while visiting the business or how awesome the owner was to work with! I am proud of the businesses that sponsor Shawnee Life Magazine because I can personally vouch for them! If you ever have a posi tive experience with any of the businesses in our Sponsor Directory, please don’t hesitate to share a testimonial with me or post it on our Shawnee Life Magazine Facebook page! Word of mouth is how successful businesses are made!
MEET THE TRIBE Diane Schoonover Publisher Michael Ayers Photographer Nick Schoonover Grammar Police Janine Douglass DISH-cussions Anca DeifendeiferQin Making a Mark DamschrodeGeorgiannar Precious Pets Molly Ellerbrock Graphic Designer Julie Lundin Know Your Neighbor Nicole Davis Welcome Wagon / Mercy Matters Tara Reynolds Bales Tara on the LifestyleTown AUGUST 2022 • 7 SHAWNEE LIFE
NeighborYourKnow
by Julie Lundin
Meet the FamilyStanford 8 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
Meet the Stanford family: James, Kristina, Chris topher “CJ”, Johnathan “Johnny”, Lucas, and their 7-year-old Italian Mastiff, Bane. The Stanfords live on Spencerville Road in Shawnee. They have lived in their home for two years, but have been Shawnee residents for the past 13 years. “Our first and second houses were in the Ottawa Hills neighborhood and we loved it there. We moved because we wanted more land, otherwise we probably would have never left. We love that we have land for the kids to run around and ride the 4-wheeler. We love that it is secluded enough to feel like the country but still surrounded by people so we don’t miss the feel of community,” stated Kristina. James is Shawneefromandhe works as an operator at the Cenovus Refinery in Lima. Kristina grew up in multiple cities throughout California and she is currently an author, wedding coordinator, custodian, and administrative assistant at Cable Road Alliance Church. After graduating high school James joined the Navy. He was even tually stationed in Point Mugu, California. When Kristina graduated from high school she attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colorado. While James was stationed in
Beulah Beach Camp this summer, which they thoroughly enjoyed! Together, the Stanfords enjoy going hiking in the mountains (especially the Gatlinburg area), riding ATVs, fishing, wandering around museums, and visiting the indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge each winter. Trips to California to see family, as well as visiting South Carolina each year to see friends, is also a part of their adventures! In all that Available on Amazon.com
Point Mugu, Kristina was away at college, but they met each other through various family functions. Upon finishing his military contract in 2007, James and Kristina moved to Lima. Two years later, they were married and bought their first home in Shaw Jamesnee. enjoys woodworking and has restored the three houses they have owned here in Shawnee. Kristina wrote a book for her boys called The Hero Brothers Set the Table which was published in July 2020 and inspires teamwork in order to defeat the evil Giant. She also finds great joy in speaking about being an author for the local schools. Writing has kept her very busy and she is currently working on two more books. CJ is entering 6th grade at Shaw nee Middle School and he enjoys his youth group at church, totheandsoccer,ofball…withfootballwood3rdLucasbaseball,football,andnee5thJohnnyingisbaseball,football,band,andinterestedintryoutwrestling.isenteringgradeatShawMiddleSchoolheenjoyssoccer,andpiano.isenteringgradeatMapleandheenjoysandbasethehopeseventuallytryingbasketball,wrestling.Allofboyswereablespendaweekat
the Stanford family does, they believe that the most important thing to do is laugh. Through the use of humor - playing jokes on each other, being sarcas tic and witty - the family enjoys all that they do together. In fact, the Stanfords embody what the father of American psychology, William James, once said, “We don’t laugh because we are happy - we are happy because we laugh.”
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Axe throwing is now at Westgate! Our axemasters will show you how to throw, all you need to do is book your night online at www.westgateentertainmentcenter.com Rent a lane for you and some friends or rent the whole room for bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, gender reveals. 721 N Cable Road, Lima, OH 45805 419-227-7231 REQUEST YOUR FREE QUOTE TODAY! 419-236-3964 | LuckyLimoLLC.com NEW! 12 Passenger Mercedes Sprinter GIVING YOU THE PRIVATE COACH FEEL! Smart TV • LED Lighting • Premium Stereo System Rear Storage for Luggage 10 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
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STAFFING: LifeWise will be staffed with skilled teachers who have experience working with and teaching children. Volunteers will chaperone students to and from the elementary buildings and help in the classroom. Everyone involved with LifeWise will undergo a thorough background screening.
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WHEN: The program will initially be offered to Elmwood and Maplewood students beginning this fall. Students will have the option of attending weekly LifeWise classes during “Specials” time, which will take place during the school day, for approxi mately 40 minutes.
Shawnee LifeWise Academy is a new and exciting collabora tion between Shawnee Alliance Church and LifeWise Acad emy. The program, which adheres to both federal and state laws, is rapidly growing in popularity in the Lima area and all participation is voluntary upon permission of the parent or guardian. “Whether through Trunk-N-Treat, Upward Basketball, 5th Quarter, and now LifeWise Academy, our desire at Shawnee Alliance Church is to offer opportunities that spiritually enrich families in our community,” says Pastor Kris Browning. “We have seen tremendous impact academically and socially for children in Elida and other nearby communities that have begun similar programs, and I am prayerfully optimistic that LifeWise Shawnee will meet a need for many of our families,” he Indianbrooksays.
resident Josh Keller is excited about LifeWise coming to Shawnee. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Released Time Religious Instruction help fill a need in sup porting the spiritual growth and character development of the youth in our community,” says Keller. “I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between Shawnee Alliance Church, Shawnee Schools, and the Shawnee community to create this exciting opportunity. While my oldest daughter moves to the Middle School next year, I am looking forward to enrolling my youngest as soon as she begins attending Elmwood in a couple of years!”
ENROLLMENT: To enroll your child in Shawnee LifeWise Academy, please visit: lifewiseacademy.org/limashawneeoh and complete the enrollment form. If you have questions or concerns, or are inter ested in making a financial donation, please contact Pastor Kris Browning, Shawnee Alliance Church, at 419-991-6546 or via email at lifewiseacademy.org.limashawneeoh@ by Brenda Burgy of Pond View Estates
MarkaMaking
Did you know that Shawnee Elmwood and Maplewood stu dents can now attend off-site, non-denominational, Bible-based character education classes during the school day? It’s true! The Shawnee School Board of Education recently approved Released Time Religious Instruction to begin this school year. If you have not yet enrolled your student, there is still time. The good news? There’s no cost to you. The program is funded through private donations and the church, and no school or public resources will be used.
Registration now underway for Shawnee LifeWise Academy
WHERE: All Released Time Religious Instruction will take place at Shawnee Alliance Church, 4455 Shawnee Road. Shawnee Alliance Church will provide transportation to and from the program.
WAREHOUSINGE-COMMERCEDESIGN
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Shawnee High School Class of ’72, Congratulations!! We heard those words 50 years ago and off into LIFE we went! Now we are coming back together to commemorate and share our journeys and the joys, sorrows, challenges and triumphs experienced along the way! Our goal is to have as many classmates as possible together since our Dear Ol’ Shawnee Band played Pomp and Circumstance on June 4th, 1972. 50 Years is an achievement, a milestone, a triumph… Let’s celebrate US! Friday through Sunday, October 7 – 9, 2022 Our Host Hotel: Wingate by Wyndham (visitgreaterlima.com) Friday, October 7 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm - Complimentary Reunion Tailgate Party Pre-Game at J’s American Pub 7:00 pm - Shawnee versus Ottawa Glandorf Football Game General Admission Tickets - $8 online Shawnee High School, 3333 Zurmehly Road, Lima 45806 Post-Game Libations Downtown Saturday, October 8 10:00 am - A personal, Steve Owen, A.D., TOUR of Shawnee High School, Classrooms & Activity Areas Afternoon – Meet & Greet Hospitality Room at Wingate by Wyndham Time for Tennis or Golf! 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Reunion Reception and Hosted Bar 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Reunion Dinner - $50 per person Veteran’s Memorial Civic and Convention Center, City Club Banquet Room. 7 Town Square, Lima 45801 Sunday, October 9 9:00 am – Noon – Fond Farewell Brunch with Mimosas$10 per person In ArtSpace Lima, across the street from the Wingate by Wyndham Contact the Committee at shawneeclassof1972@gmail.com Free Water Testing & Advising Pool Installation • Retail Store • Service Department Large Selection of Chemical Lines Family - Owned 419-999-1505 Shawneepoolslima.com 4580 Spencerville Rd., Lima, OH 45805 too much money! Do not advertise in Shawnee Life or you will get a lot more business and exceed your wallet’s capacity. You’ve been warned. For everyone else, ads@ShawneeLife.comcontact: WARNING: Business Owners with 14 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
• Purposes: To develop optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed; to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; to inspire respect for the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people; to aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of human kind, community life and the world.
Optimist Salute America Flag Project – We put up over 80 flags in front Shawnee, Apollo and LCC on National holidays.
• Mission: By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.
Students of Honor and Achievement – We honor five graduat ing seniors with a banquet from each of the following schools: Shawnee, Apollo, Perry and LCC.
Safety Officer of the Year – Each year we honor one safety officer - either a Fireman or Police Officer from Shawnee or Perry Township, for their valor and service to the members in our com Shawneemunity.
Facebook.com/Shawnee-Optimists-297323585401 by Jenene Nicholson, Shawnee Optimist Club Treasurer
• Vision: Optimist International is recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential.
FUNDRAISER: The Spring Pancake Breakfast is our largest fundraiser. In 2022 we served more than 800 meals and raised more than $6000.
Some of our projects include:
MarkaMaking
32 members meet at noon on the first Wednesday of each month at the Old Barn Restaurant and Grill. Our next member meeting will be on September 7, 2022. We sponsor the Shawnee Middle School Junior Optimist Club and the Shawnee High School Octagon Club.
The Shawnee Optimist Club was organized more than 40 years ago as part of Optimist International.
OFFICERS: Dave Belton - President, Barb Dukeman - Vice President, Patty Cassell – Secretary, Jenene Nicholson - Treasurer
Optimist International Oratorical Contest – Interested students present a speech on the pre-assigned topic at a school-level contest. The top 10 students move on to compete at the club level. This winner can then move on to the regional, state and possibly international level.
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Optimist International Essay Contest - Interested students sub mit an 700-800 word essay on the pre-assigned topic. The Es say Contest gives young people the opportunity to write about their own opinions regarding the world in which they live. In addition to developing skills for written expression, partici pants also have the opportunity to win a college scholarship! College Scholarship Contest – We offer up to five $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors from the following schools: Shawnee, Apollo, LCC and Perry Educator of the Year – Each year we honor one educator for their dedication and service to the students in our community.
SHAWNEE OPTIMIST CLUB
16 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE ToysofJoysThe The Convenient Camper
By Bill and Kendra Mulholland of Indianbrook Growing up, I had gone on campingmanytrips with my parents and family. As some thing I tuallychildren,withtheseIenjoyedgreatlyasachild,wantedtoshareexperiencesmywife,andevenourgrandchildren. We first started camping in a very large tent back in 2006 and eventually purchased our first travel trailer a couple of years later. Since then, we have purchased three additional travel trailers, with our newest purchase of the 2022 Forest River Vibe model in May 2022. We mostly like to travel to state parks and camp grounds that are within close proximity to our home in Indianbrook. Indian Lake State Park has been Kendra’s favorite spot simply due to the many op portunities for activities for all ages. I do not have a preference as long as I am with my family and friends. We have been discussing taking the new RV on more distant adventures to explore new places and things in the near future. I believe we may be taking the new RV to the Hocking Hills area in Au gust sometime, which we are looking forward to. We have enjoyed many fun camping trips with family and friends over the years and we are look ing forward to many more in the future. We enjoy the serenity and peaceful environment we find when we go camping. It provides us an op portunity to escape the stresses of our everyday lives and to decompress for a bit. Although our new RV has many things to offer for comfort, we just enjoy sitting outside in nature together, playing games, go ing for walks, or just reading to relax. Even though this summer started off on a sour note for our family, we will not lose the livetunitiesopportoourbest lives going forward. We look forward to meeting others who enjoy camping as much as we do and hope to make many new friends along the way. Safe travels to everyone who enjoys camping as much as we do.
Lucky Limo LLC - 120 South Canal St, Spencerville, OH By Mark Evans (owner of Lucky Limo) My fiancé Amanda and I love to camp with our three kids at Huggy Bear Campground in Middle Point. This is definitely our favorite spot, so much so that we rented permanent spots for our campers there for 8 years. Now, we do enjoy going back there mul tiple times a year, sometimes staying for a week at a time. Hayes, Harper and Emma enjoy the facilities that are available at Huggy Bear, while we love that the kids always have something to do! They have three swimming pools, a splash pad, swimming and fishing ponds, mini-golf, a playground, two kan garoo jumpers, sports fields and trails for our golf cart! Some of the best things about camping are the friendships we have made over the years and there is always fun to be had. I also enjoy when everyone in the family is loaded up on the golf cart and is cruis ing around, visiting with each other, and listening to music. In 2020 when Covid hit our business very hard, we stopped renting our permanent spot at the camp ground and made the decision to offer our Salem Hemisphere camper up for rent for others to enjoy. With having great success in renting out the Salem
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Hemisphere we decided this past winter to add an additional rental camper, which led to the purchase of our Keystone Hideout. Both of the campers are very similar which makes it easier for us to rent out. I realized that many people miss out on the wonder ful joys of camping because there is so much work involved. My business now offers a camper rental service to help you take the work out of camping. You rent the spot, provide us with the lot number, we then show up, set the camper up and have it ready for when you arrive.Here are some highlights of the Salem Hemisphere and our Keystone Hideout campers that are available for rent from Lucky Limo: Sleeps 10, electric awning, outdoor kitchen with fridge, indoor and outdoor stereo system, gas grill and much more! You can find out availability by visiting luckyli mollc.com, calling 419-236-3964 or by using Face book Messenger @LuckyLimoLLC.
$TWO419-701-2081ROOMCARPETCLEANINGSPECIAL99*WHOLE HOUSE AIR DUCTS CLEANING & SANITIZING *Up to 8 vents Includes Clean, Deodorize, Protect & *OversizedDisinfectorL-shaped combo rooms are considered 2 rooms $199* WWW.NORTHWESTOHIOKWIKDRY.COM NWOHIOKWIKDRY@GMAIL.COM HOW CAN WE BE OF SERVICE TO YOU? Deep Cleaning Technology All-Natural & Pet Friendly Super Fast Drying Time "Nothing is impossible The word itself says I'M POSSIBLE!" Audrey Hepburn WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL 18 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
We will be located just North of the rabbit barn. Mention you saw our ad and get a special surprise! Want to WIN a ‘sweet’ treat on your doorstep? The first 10 people to text us how many condiments are at the snack booth wins! Text your name, address and the number to 419-371-4633 to enter to win. BUYING SELLING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BusyBRealty(419) 339-0600 | darheit@busybrealty.com at the Allen County Fair August 19-27th Now is the time to spruce up your kitchen with summertime savings! Shop our selection of appliances.419-223-4786 @tracysapplianceslima tracysapplianceslima.com 4064 Elida Road, Lima, OH 45807 SHOP SMART SHOP LOCAL SHOP rebatesFactoryareavailable! Check us out on Facebook! • APPLIANCES • MATTRESSES • DELIVERY • FINANCING • SERVICES & PARTS • INSTALLATION AUGUST 2022 • 19 SHAWNEE LIFE
HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNIVERSE OF YOU 15226LIMADV World-class health care in your neighborhood Whether it’s tackling a serious health issue or improving your overall well-being, we’re committed to helping you stay healthy and strong. Our doctors and health care professionals are passionate about improving your overall health with personalized health care solutions so you can be there for what matters most. Visit mercy.com to find a location and connect with a primary care provider today. 20 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
On another visit to Elmwood, Mrs. Cupples’ first graders visited Mrs. Hedges for their music class. GoNoodle allows for students in Mrs. Hedges’ classroom to have a fun, energizing, brain break while meeting state music standards at the same GoNoodle! by Nicole Davis time. Students love to move to the beat of the music on GoNoodle and sing along with familiar songs. Mrs. Hedges likes to do this in class when a brain or movement break is needed to gain attention. She also uses the KidzBop station most often in the music room as it allows for singing and dancing to happen at the same time.
Have you ever heard of GoNoodle? GoNoodle is a web-based educational tool geared toward K-5 that is designed to encourage movement throughout the day. GoNoodle does this with fun videos and interactive activities. Not only do children in Shawnee benefit from the exceptional program, but all schools in a three-county area do also! Thanks to Mercy-St.Rita’s, all schools in Allen, Auglaize, and Putnam County receive the premium package in their classrooms. At Elmwood Elementary, in the Shawnee School Dis trict, GoNoodle is an important tool used every day.
Mrs. Daily, the principal of Elmwood Elementary, also shared how grateful she is for the positive im pact GoNoodle has on her school. “Our kids need and require movement more than ever.” She went on to explain that it supports positive behavior, uses move ment to boost mental effects, and promotes whole wellness for the students. In self-contained class rooms, GoNoo dle is the perfect transition time for children, “to be ready for the next challenge.”
MattersMercy
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I had the privilege of observing GoNoodle in action!
Mrs. Cupples and her first-grade classroom include it in their daily routine to transition between indepen dent and group learning. They often use GoNoodle after lunch to get up and move or during rainy days. The young learners were excited to share the variety of songs that they enjoy and knew their favorites by heart. KidzBop with popular music, obstacle courses, work out tunes, silly songs, Play60, and yoga exercis es were only some of the choices they shared. More importantly, they expressed how GoNoodle made them feel: “calm,” “happy,” “sweaty,” “I feel like I can do my work,” and “ready for the day!”
22 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE SpacesSavvy
Reflections on Reflection
If a mirror provides a reflection of how we appear on the outside, maybe a home provides a reflection of how we appear on the inside.
The place I live is a collection of momentos, photo graphs, hand-me-downs, art, craft, travel treasures, even the occasional on-sale mistake records and represents my moods, aspirations, future and past. That sounds serious but in fact it’s joyous – do mestic place-making is a daily creative endeavour that keeps me constantly switched on to sights and sounds beyond my white brick house on Summer Breeze Court. In 2017 I decided to sell a tidy ranch home that I’d perfectly cus tomised to reflect my style and way of life. I’d raised a son and grown my real estate business in that house. While it was full-tobursting with memo ries, unique design features and comfort ing familiarity - it was a naturally dark space and what once felt cozy, had begun to feel gloomy and stale. I decided I’d not only build, but that I would design and influence every aspect of the Fivebuild.years on, and I live in a light, modern but classically-inspired home – a place that celebrates my ever-growing collection of compelling original art and quirky cherished objects. As a real estate agent, I advise sellers to remove the personal from the property they seek to sell (good advice) but as a home owner my advice is personalize your space at every turn. Lean into the natural de sire to make your home a reflection of who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. (But be ready to edit, store and de-clutter when it comes time to sell). I hope my love of Naples, Florida is apparent in my Ohio home. For me, Florida is not sail boats, palm trees and sand. Florida’s ‘Neapolitan’ vibe is all about light, reflection and the archetypal if not slightly rogue detail. For example, my favorite lo cal hot spot in Naples is a place called Barbatella, a ‘spirited Italian trattoria.’ (https://barbatella naples.com/see-inside) Its intimate bar features a rich green wall covered in ceiling medallions. One scrolling embellished circle after another gives the wall unex pected texture and a wonderful rhythm. I borrowed this design detail; ofceilingbeautifulnumerous,circularmedallionsvaryingsizesand designs are perfectly placed above a sitting room adjacent to the master suite of my Lima home. This relatively simple but ultimately spectacular design by Debbie Lane of Park Lane Estates
My Home is my Diary
Favorite Space feature reminds me of good times and good com pany, often over a cup of early morning coffee. Whether from a yard sale at Indian Lake or back-street boutique in London, collect ing when you’re traveling is the best way to enliven the space you call home. Con stantly gathering objects, ideas and art from outside your zip code will ensure that your house serves as a place of inspiration. Don’t we all want to look across our sitting room and feel a little rush of adrenaline as we’re reminded of the first time an object caught our eye? Along with high ceilings and large windows, I’ve used white to reflect the incoming light throughout my home. French oak flooring, Quartzite counters and a glass back splash – all sourced from shops in Naples – serve as a pure canvas for my assem blage of images, paintings, prints and sculptures. From drawings of ballet dancers my father bought me when I was a teen, to a ceramic piece covered in iridescent pond animals bought at a gallery in Montana while on vaca tion with my son, I’ve spent a lifetime collecting visual embellishments that boldly punctuate the lightness of my home. The effect feels invigorating. At different times of day, depending on the angle of the sun, collected art and objects look renewed, changed, other-worldly.While I’m grateful and pleased when visitors to my home compliment the space I’ve created, ulti mately I’m always seek ing to please an audience of just one. I’m the resi dent critic, and ensuring that the aesthetic delights, comforts and inspires me, is what this place called home is all about. Charmed Chairs My favorite space is one of the smallest. The sitting room off my bedroom is a place of perpetual happi ness. Designed with only one thing in mind – quiet contemplation – this is where I find peace over a cup of coffee. Playing with proportion, I installed an enormous ceiling light in this petite room – like a planet, it’s a sun shining over my most personal of spaces. Two chairs and a table are the only furniture. But they aren’t just any chairs. I found these on a curb near my home on Nixon Avenue many years ago. It was a time when money was tight – these stun ning art deco-style shell chairs came to me like a gift from the design Gods. They’ve been reupholstered no less than three times, and wherever I go, these chairs will come too.
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CE N OVUS .COM 24 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
Today, Lima Refinery produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petrochemical feedstocks. We have a capacity of 175,000 barrels per day. A quarter of the gasoline consumed in Ohio comes from the Lima Refinery. We supply jet fuel to airports in Dayton, Columbus, and Pittsburgh, and the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, putting us in the U.S. defense supply chain. Today, Cenovus Lima Refinery processes 175,000 barrels per day. Our main products are gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Editor’s note: Material sourced from Allen County Historical Society and book let prepared for Lima Refinery 125th anniversary written by Thomas F. Stemen, who retired from the refinery. 1950s: The Lima Refinery, as seen in this un dated photo from the 1950s. Photo courtesy of the Allen County Historical Society.
John D. Rockefeller didn’t hesitate when opportunity presented itself. When he learned of the oil reserves found in Lima, he jumped.
1910: John D. Rockefeller founded the refinery in 1886. This photo shows the refinery as it looked in 1910. Photo courtesy of the Allen County Historical Society.
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Lima Refinery celebrating 135 years Cenovus Energy excited about next chapter
Rockefeller sent three men to purchase land for a refinery. He paid James Hover $20,789 (about $600,000 in today’s dollars) for his 193 acres, then a bean field. Construction at the new site began September 12, 1886. The rest, as they say, is history. Cenovus Lima Refinery is celebrating its 135th anniversary this fall. The actual anniversary occurred during our turnaround in 2021, a time when we focused on safely completing the major maintenance effort, so we postponed the celebration until this year. The occasion gives us a moment to reflect on the many years the Lima community has supported the refinery and ex press appreciation for the generations who have contributed to our longevity. Stay tuned for more about our celebrations. Cenovus Energy has owned the Lima Refinery since 2021, when the company acquired Husky Energy, which had owned the refinery since 2007. Cenovus is a Canadian-based integrated energy company headquartered in Calgary. We’re committed to the safe, reliable, and responsible operation of the refinery. And we’re a committed community partner, making purposeful investments to strengthen the Lima area.
But in the early days of the refinery, gasoline was a waste prod uct and discarded. Our first main product? Lamp oil. However, the crude from Lima’s oil field came with high sulfur content, giving the kerosene a terrible stench. No one wanted the lamp oil in their homes. With the price of his oil plummeting, Rock efeller was counseled to cut his losses and walk away. He did the opposite, hiring scientist Dr. Herman Frasch and purchasing his inventions that produced clear and clean-smelling lamp oil. Rockefeller’s investments and early gambles paid off and the refinery’s course was set. Mitigating that sulfur, it turns out, was fore shadowing. In 2019, the refinery completed its Crude Oil Flexibility Project, which allows us to process more crude from Western Canada, which contains more … you guessed it, sulfur. Many of the improve ments address removing sulfur. The project positioned the refinery for another generation of operation and supporting the Lima community. The Lima Refinery is a key part of Cenovus’s North American integrated energy strategy, especially with the ability to process more Western Canadian crude. We’re excited to write the refin ery’s next chapter, together.
SaysCenovus
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PetsPrecious by Georgie Damschroder Colossal Canines
The Truesdales love sitting outside when the weather turns nice with their pups; Embyr will lie in the sun next to them, while Ashyr will run repeatedly around the house like lightning with his iconic green ball in tow! Perhaps the reason these breeds are so large is because they are so full of extra love!
We all know that some dogs can get very big; it shows even more when an excited (and huge!) pooch tries to clamber into your lap and pass as a Chihuahua. But exactly how big can these dogs get? Two breeds in particular, the Great Dane and the Bernese Mountain Dog, look like skyscrapers in compari son to just about anything. In fact, the tallest dog ever recorded was a Great Dane, by the very fitting name of Zeus, who stretched to be forty-six inches tall! For context, the average seven-year-old human is about that height. Bernese Mountain Dogs, though not quite as tall, are still certainly sights to be hold. Weighing in at around 115 pounds they can also grow as tall as twenty-seven inches. It’s pretty clear that you wouldn’t want one of these curling up on your lap, or more accurately, your entire body! Two of these mammoths live right in Indianbrook with the Truesdale family: five year-old Embyr-Lyn, the Great Dane, and two year-old Ashyr Blaze, the Bernedoodle (a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a poodle). They were adopted when they were still puppies, and they were both named after firefighters. Embyr is known for being very lazy, snuggling down in many pieces of furniture that her family has halfheartedly tried to keep her off of! She also enjoys the sun and will bask on the porch when the weather is just right. Embyr also despises any form of water, unless of course it’s in her bowl. This includes staying away from pools, rain, and snow at all costs, and getting very sassy if she is forced to engage with them! Embyr is also not a fan of any car rides. “Embyr refuses to sit or lay down, which makes transporting a 150-pound pup interesting!” says Mrs. Truesdale. Ashyr, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of his sister. He adores rain and snow, and will often stay firmly outside in it, much to the dismay of his owners. Ashyr also does not like summertime, and much prefers his frosty forecast. He loves going for long rides in the doorless Jeep, kept in place only by his seat belt harness. A green ball and baby blankets are Ashyr’s prized possessions, and he refuses to leave the house without them. Both dogs live with Todd and Amee Truesdale, along with two rescue cats, a bunny, and their three human siblings: Nick, Sydnee, and Joey. Todd has worked for thirty-five years as a fire chief at the Shawnee Township Fire Dept., and Amee works for the Institute of Orthopedic Surgery and recently tran sitioned into banking. When the dogs are home alone, they certainly take advantage of it! They lounge on the furniture despite not usually being al lowed on it and have fun counter-surfing and destroying much of what they can get their paws on! Embyr and Ashyr are also known for turning on the sink faucets themselves to get water when they’re home alone, all while their family watches them on their home cameras and try to stop them virtually!
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IT’S SUMMERTIMETime to entertain! 4 19 - 8 1 2 - 28 2 1 brunkelectric@gmail.com Interior | Exterior | Landscape your outdated lighting with LEDs REFRESH Call us today to schedule! (419) 339- 0 7 29 School is back in session! Have a GREAT school year! Have you had your dryer vent cleaned? Have you noticed your dryer not drying like it used to? 28 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
Years ago there were few ways for the IRS to track the movement of money. The IRS relied on em ployers issuing W-2s to employees and sending a copy to the IRS. Now that the IRS has computers they compare all of the W-2s received for an SSN to the personal tax return filed for that SSN. Pretty straightforward big-brother tactic, except not all workers are employees. To attempt to reduce the tax gap the Service wanted a way to quantify the amount paid to those working outside the traditional employment arrangement. Specifically, sub-contractors. So, they did what bureaucrats do. They created a form for that and birthed Form 1099-MISC in the 1980’s which is another big-brother tactic to coerce parties to report activity to the IRS. It is a multi-purpose document used to report various types of payments. Subcon tractors, Attorneys, Rent, etc.
It is interesting to note that transactions processed as “Friends and Family” are not required to have a 1099-NEC issued by the third-party digital payment vendor. However, if the IRS later determines that a 1099 should have been issued the burden shifts from the digital transaction facilitator, to the Mythpayer.busted.
The myth that is circulating is that the amount reportedon a 1099-NEC is taxable. vices and were paid $600 or more in a calendar year. And, of course the payer sends a copy to the IRS. That way the person being paid will be inclined to report the full amount of their revenue on their tax return. If they don’t, the IRS will send them a gentle reminder that they missed something. Keep in mind the 1099-MISC for the recipient only includes revenue or sales. It is key to understand that a 1099 does not reflect the amount of profit the re cipient earned during the year or even profit earned from the issuer of the 1099-MISC. With that background we jump forward to 2022 and the IRS has birthed yet another form called the 1099-NEC (non-employee compensation) as a partial replacement for the 1099-MISC. The MISC is still alive and kicking but has less work to do since payments to contractors are no longer reported on the MISC. In addition to a brand spanking new form, the IRS now requires your favorite digital money transfer services to report all transactions
The myth that is circulating is that the amount re ported on a 1099-NEC is taxable. That simply isn’t the complete story. The 1099-NEC only represents revenue. Since the majority of Americans receive W-2 in come, they’re not accustomed to what a 1099-NEC represents. This lack of understanding has created some very strong comments on social media and has probably stopped more than a few people from using cash apps. While the amount that is reported on a 1099 could be significant, income tax is not paid on the amount of revenue, sales, or gross-receipts received. The Internal Revenue Code requires the IRS to extract the tax from profit (the financial gain). That is, revenue (sales) less expenses or basis (investment). For example, you sell a bicycle for $700 and collect through a payment app. The cash app will send you and the IRS a 1099-NEC reflecting the $700 sales price. When preparing your tax return for the year of the sale you will report the $700 sales revenue and subtract what the bicycle cost you. The IRS has no way of determining what you paid for it. (It is your responsibility to be able to support your cost/basis.)
sFocusFinancial
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The 1099-MISC was to be issued by a business to unincorporated entities (people) who provided ser greater than $600. Square, PayPal, Venmo, etc. and that’s where the myths begin.
by Michael McCormick, CPA Michael McCormick is the Principle of Financial Clarity Group, Inc. an Ohio CPA and Investment Advisor Representative, with over 20 years experience. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Busi ness Administration and a 1988 graduate of Lima Central Catholic. He can be reached at 513-488-1121 or mike@financialclaritygroup.com and www.financialclaritygroup.com
Mythbusting the Venmo Tax
On June 9, 2022, I attended Mercy Health Foundation’s Third Annual Red Door Gala at the Veterans Memo rial Civic and Convention Center. To quote Franki Valli & The Four Seasons, “Oh What A Night!” From the moment I walked into the venue, I was in Hollywood! Hundreds of guests wearing stunning attire while walk ing down the red carpet was a wonderful sight. The food was delectable and beyond words. The atmosphere was exciting, and the room was filled with positive energy.
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TowntheonTara
Oh, What a Night! by Tara Reynolds Bales
Mercy Health presented me and 350 of my closest friends with over-the-top, to-die-for culinary creations by David Lani and team. David’s artistic flair exploded with candied bacon trees, mini duck confit wonton pizzas, tempura crispy honey pecan chicken, and many other de lectable delights. My favorite was David’s take on street tacos. The ahi poke street tacos with spicy mayo and roasted pineapple salsa were the hors d’oeuvres I didn’t know I needed in my life! As much as I loved his street tacos, nothing could be outdone by Chef David’s volcano ice sculpture raw bar. Jumbo shrimp cocktail, greenlipped mussels with tomato bruschetta, and raw oysters with strawberry mignonette decorated the sculpture. It was an artful display of culinary gratification. Well done, David and team! The culinary de lights continued with chocolates.withoutChefAlisasweetssucculentbyChefMcPheron.AlisapulledallthestopsherboozyThey were full of flavor and simply melted in my mouth. Chef Alisa continued to please the chocolate lovers in the room with luscious, sweet, and rich chocolate mousse topped with creamy whipped cream. Every spoonful was heaven. Better yet, the macaroons were airy bits of celestial heaven, as gor geous as delicious.
Ann Trueblood Stiles Jim & Anne Gideon Morgan Gideon & Deana Carter Sara Ambroza, Karen Grothouse, Ronda Lehman Dave & Kelly Frost Dave & Sara Ambroza Maeggan & Kyle Walter Images courtesy of TheAyers.com and Heather Marie Photography.
The Red Door Gala was the place to be and to be seen. Who knew so many fashionistas were in Lima, Ohio?
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Keeping with the red theme of the night, Maria Sanko and Gena Guagenti wore flattering red dresses while their husbands, Drew Sanko and Dino Guagenti, added a pop of red with their ties. What a great looking four some! Dave Frost, Foundation Board Member, admired his wife, Kelly’s shiny red satin dress. Dr. Anne Gideon, retired Mercy Health physician, with her always life-ofthe-party husband, Jim, exuded elegance in her offshoulder red dress. Posing with performer, Deana Carter, Morgan Frost Gideon defined the night with her chic knee-length red dress with ruffled sleeves. Black exudes formality even at a Red Door Gala. Sara Ambroza, Mercy Health Foundation President, turned heads with a Frank Lyman dress from Jean and Lily’s Fashion Boutique in downtown Lima. She popped color with red heels and trendy earrings. Abe Ambroza, CEO of the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, sported a dapper black tuxedo and bow tie. Ann True blood Stiles, Mercy Health’s Community Affairs Coordi nator, took her look to the next level with her red to black ombre nails and heels. Wearing a stunning all-black Aladdin-style outfit with a flirty slit, Ronda Lehman, Mercy Health Marketing President, looked marvelous as she mingled with other guests. She might not have been wearing all black, but Karen Grothouse, CEO at Spherion Lima, was simply elegant in her gray and black dress from her mother’s collection, as she made the rounds at the gala.
I don’t have enough space to describe all the fabulous people at the gala, but…Polka dots are back, and Kyle Walter brought dots to the gala with style. Kyle wore a black-and-white polka-dot jacket with a pin-striped pocket square. His daring red pants were worth the risk. Maeggan Walter added red flare with open-toed, anklestrapped sandals. The Walters brought fun, daring, and head-turning fashion to the gala.
Watching Deana Carter perform Strawberry Wine was the perfect end to an amazing night. I had the pleasure to attend this fashionable event which raised well over $270,000 to support neuroscience, stroke care and in-patient rehabilitation services. If you want to sup port Mercy Health Foundation, enjoy culinary delights, mingle with amazing, fashionable people, and want to be seen, plan to attend the 4th Annual Red Door Gala on June 8, 2023. I will see you there. - Tara on the Town Drew & Maria Sanko Gena & Dino Guagenti
Personal, well-informed service, best prices and a huge choice of top-value merchandise — these all combine to make Westrich Furniture & Appliances, the best place to do your furniture and appliance shopping. Westrich Furniture is located at 1105 Elida Avenue in Delphos, which is well worth the pleasant country drive from any where in the region. As a destination shopping trip, shoppers know they are in for a treat when they drive up to the Westrich Furniture building that has an astounding 200,000 square feet of merchan dise. It is the largest furniture store in northwest Ohio and continues to grow with the latest 30,000 sq ft ware house just being built adjacent to the current store. With that comes the ability to stock more inventory so you don’t have to wait months on end for delivery. Purchas ing in larger quantities, also allows Westrich Furniture to be more aggressive with their pricing. A walk through seven spacious showrooms reveals an extensive selec tion and something for every budget. Custom orders are always available as well. Jack Westrich, owner of the business, explained that his family has been in the furniture and appliance business for 85 years this year. “My father started with one store in 1937 which eventually became three stores in downtown Delphos,” Jack said. It all began in October, 1937, when Melvin F. Westrich founded Westrich Fur niture and Appliances, at 122 North Main Street where Mel sold small appliances & toys. The old Kroger store across the street was purchased for as a warehouse. In 1973, Jack, son of Mel, joined the firm and his first as signment was to get the Kroger Store ready for a per manent furniture sales room. In 1975, a big change took 85-Year Family Legacy Continues to Grow
32 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE SpotlightSponsor
place as the old Capitol Theater was purchased next door to the old Kroger store and Tom Broyhill gave Jack the opportunity to turn the theater into a Broyhill gallery; the 199th Broyhill gallery in the country. Also at this time, land was purchased and a new warehouse was built at the current location. Finally in 2005, business had grown to the point of moving the entire Westrich operation solely under one roof. Jack now has 60+ employees in his busi ness, who, he said, “are just like family.”
Westrich Furniture is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Monday-Friday; from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday; and 12-4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 419695-6045 or visit westrichfurniture.com
Westrich Furniture continues its service driven busi ness with 5 highly-trained technicians and 5 office staff who service furniture in their in-house shop. Jack noted, “We have the ability to service and maintain what we sell and then some.” The appliance department is full of experience with Jim Mesker who has 65+ years with the Westrich Store.
“Customers can do their shopping and compare prices apples to apples,” Jack said. “They will find we can beat prices anywhere, even Internet shopping. We do not have the biggest sale of the year every week. We give our best foot forward right from the start. We are really proud of what we do here. We have a variety of price ranges, too,” he said. Plus, a shopper at Westrich Furniture will have the extra benefit of free delivery in a 50-mile area. “We make your money go a long, long way,” Jack added. A delivery staff of 20+ will give a great ending to the shop ping experience.
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The Westrich family is honored to have been chosen as the Allen County Small Business of the year in 2016 and the Delphos Area Chamber Small Business of the year in 2022. Whether shoppers are looking for a new sofa or a refrigerator, everyone can count on the friendly, personal assistance of 20 friendly and knowledgeable, noncom missioned, sales staff to assist. Jack said his salespeople do not use the fast-talking, high-pressure sales tactics that offend so many shoppers. “Our people all work togeth er,” he said. “So, they are most interested in helping the customer with his/her purchase.”
Alaskan Adventure!
If you like to visit local craft breweries and eat fresh salmon, Alaska is definitely for you! We even took a gondola to the top of Alyeska Resort in the Chugach Mountains for dinner, which (for you ski enthusiasts) has the longest double black run in North America. Beautiful views and wonderful food to boot!
Alaska is a state that is definitely good for the mind, body and soul.
We also spent a day going up class five rapids in Devil’s Canyon Gorge. The boat actually goes against the cur rent! Seeing several moose along the water was just as thrilling as the rapids. All of this at the base of the largest mountain in North America, Mt. Denali. While in a store later that day, the clerk announced that the man check ing out had just reached the 18,000 foot summit! Hiking eight hours a day with 50 pounds on his back, his climb took 20 days. Everyone in the store clapped and cheered for his accomplishment!
Going to visit five-time Iditarod winner Dallas Seavey’s camp was a true highlight. Seeing how over 150 Alaskan sled dogs live was intriguing. Each dog had a pulley from their dog house where they could run about 15 yards. This is all they know. Treated like athletes with the best medical care and food, they love to run! I was able to mush my own dog team, and when the handlers went to harness the team each dog was barking and running as if to say, “Pick me! Pick me!” My sled had wheels, which is how the dogs are trained during the summer months.
by Julie Lundin of Indianbrook Beautiful. Inspiring. Wild. These three adjectives best en compass the 49th state, Alaska. I was fortunate enough to travel to Alaska this June with my brother, sister-in-law and my dearest friend since fourth grade. I have traveled a lot in my life and this was, perhaps, the most beautiful and awe-inspiring place I have ever visited. My nephew and his wife are dentists currently living in Alaska, but they will be leaving to head back to Michigan next sum mer. If I was ever going to go, this was the time! We flew into Anchor age at midnight, with the sun still up in the sky. From that point on, I knew I was going to have an adventure I would never forget! Each day we would put our backpacks on our backs, hiking boots on our feet, and bear spray on our hip to hike trails through the woods, meadows, and mountains. The big gest hike took us to the top of “Little” O’Malley Moun tain. The hike was long and exhausting, but I felt very ac complished as I reached the summit. Being on top of the world via my own two feet sure is good for one’s spirit.
34 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE TalesTravel
Taking the Alaskan Railway to the small town of Talk eetna was as though I was thrust back in time 100 years. I met several people who live “off grid” and hearing their stories of how they get through each day without indoor plumbing, a refrigerator, electricity, or even a shower was amazing! To top it off, 50% of Alaskan residents who don’t live in a city, actually choose to live this way. In some respects, not having the Internet and constant bad news in the world at their fingertips is, perhaps, a “new” and happier way to live.
TalesTravel
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The treehouses are modern rustic design, very comfortable and all of them have firepits, hot tubs, hammocks and hanging beds on large wooden patios surrounding the treehouse! Each treehouse also has a fully equipped kitchen, coffee bar, fireplace, a lovely oversized spa-like walk-in shower, WiFi, smart TVs, binoculars, walk ing sticks and they even included an emergency teddy bear! The place is pet-friendly and there are plenty of hiking trails to explore right on the property!
They cut four trails of various lengths and difficulty that meander throughout the property and there is river access that allows you to launch or land your canoe and kayak, fish or just swim in the Hocking River. They are in the middle of building a deck that overlooks the river. As they begin their ninth tree house, they focus on mak ing each one unique on the inside and out. Whether it be hidden rooms, hanging picnic tables, queen-sized bunk beds or extensive decking systems that allow you to move from treehouse to tree house without ever touching the ground, they make it a point to design every single one with the goal of hearing: “Oh my goodness I love this...I want to do this at my house” and they are lucky enough to hear that on a daily basis.
Hocking Hills by Diane Schoonover of Indianbrook We finally visited a place I have heard many people recom mend - HOCKING HILLS! Our first stop was Ash Cave in Hocking Hills State Park. A short hike brought us to an absolutely breathtaking horsehoe-shaped recessed cave. There is a small tributary that beautifully cascades over the rim into a small pool below that my son, Evan, loved playing in. We learned that Ash Cave was named after the gigantic pile of ashes found under the shelter by early settlers, which were most likely from Indian campfires built up over hundreds of years. Jack Pine’s Glass Studio and Lake Hope are two other attractions we plan to visit next time. While Ash Cave was a fun high light of our trip, our stay at the new and unique resort called The Treehouses at River Ranch was memorable!definitely We met the owners, Todd & Missy Hanby, and learned they wanted to build a tree house resort that could allow entire families or just a couple to be able to vacation in a luxury tree house that provided everything you needed other than your suitcase. The Hocking Hills has an amazing array of activities that everyone loves, but sometimes you might want to get to your vacation spot and not have to get back in your car for a few days. This 150acre resort has eight treehouses around the perimeter with a huge field on top of a hill in the middle that is filled with numerous handmade (by Todd) oversized wooden activities and games like: a giant Connect Four, colossal check ers, giant T game, horseshoe pits, a giant corn hole board that you shoot oversized bags with a water balloon launcher, giant Jenga, a 13-foot wall maze, super Skee Ball and more!
They have the next three tree houses planned and will start brainstorming one after that pretty soon. A few months ago they were finishing the day and ran into a mother and father whose teenagers were out in the field playing games. They waved Todd & Missy over, introduced themselves, and told them that they just wanted to thank them because, to their delight, their teenagers had not picked up their phones in two days. They said they had never had a family vacation where everyone had something to do at all hours of the day that did not involve wifi or their cell phones. Todd & Missy high five’d each other and thought, that is exactly what we were wanting to happen. If you really want to know what sets River Ranch apart from all the other cabins and vacation properties, they are the only stay and play resort in the Hock ing Hills.
In order to give you a better understanding of how it has affected my life, I should tell you the story first. When I was one, my mom noticed a strange white glare in my left eye, and was immediately alarmed. I was taken to the doctor, and then to another, and then to another, and then my parents were finally told that their baby had retinoblastoma. This is a cancer that forms on the retina in one’s eye. My parents were given an impossible choice, to give me chemotherapy, or to have my eye removed all together. They chose the safest option, which was to have my eye removed. So, when I was a baby, my left eye was removed and replaced with a prosthetic, leaving me blind in that eye.
How Does an Optimistic Mindset Change My Tomorrow?
As a result of having a prosthetic left eye, my eyes look different from everyone else. My left eye doesn’t move when the right one does, and my left eyelid is almost always about half closed. The truth is, the hospital visits and the cancer wasn’t what made things so hard for me, it was the way that people reacted to seeing someone who looked differ ent from them. Elementary school was a disaster of other kids always asking me what’s wrong with my eye, which eventually progressed to getting picked on, to being bullied about it. From my perspective, there were two ways I could have responded to the hand of cards I was dealt in life. One way is that I could hate the world, never look anyone in the eyes, and sulk for the rest of my life. I could wish to look different, I could wish to be someone else, and I could listen to the cruel words I have heard, and despise myself. But that’s not what I did. At a very young age I realized that I had a different perspective on life that I knew other kids didn’t have. I understood people’s differences. It forced me to learn to look past other’s physical appearances, in the same way I desperately wanted them to look past mine. As I got older, I started to realize how lucky I was to be alive. I had miracu lously survived a deadly disease, which is a bless ing that many others who have suffered with cancer didn’t get. With these insights, I decided that I was going to choose a positive outlook on life; an opti mistic perspective. Why would I sulk about being a cancer survivor? Why would I hate the way I look when all it does is prove what I have been through? The mindset I made a conscious choice to have is summed up in that if I can go through cancer, as well as bullying, and still come out with lessons learned and a positive attitude, there are no chal lenges that I can’t face.
I don’t necessarily remember having cancer. I was so young that the hospital visits were just a blur of doctors shining flashlights in my face and getting wheeled away from my parents in a hospital bed. Al though I don’t remember this time in my life fully, it’s still a huge part of my identity, and it affects me every day. I would never sit here and tell you that cancer is a good thing, or that I’m glad I had it as a child, but I will tell you I wouldn’t change whether or not it happened. It altered my life in terrible ways that a child should never experience, but it also altered my life in beautiful ways, giving me a perspec tive that most children growing up don’t get.
36 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE AchieversAmazing
Brian, Olivia & Sally Garver
by Olivia Garver
2022 Shawnee Optimist Club Essay Contest Winners: 1st Place - Olivia Garver, LCC 2nd Place - Brianna Ridenour, Shawnee HS 3rd Place - Nicholas Chambers, LCC Shawnee Optimist Club Projects
AUGUST 2022 • 37 SHAWNEE LIFE AchieversAmazing
I have never let cancer, my facial differences, or the hate of others get in the way of what I want to do in life. I didn’t let it affect me when I started high school, I didn’t let it affect me when I joined the golf team, or when our golf team went on to win state. I didn’t let it affect me when I auditioned for our school’s musical, or when I was cast as the lead. This mindset completely changes my tomorrow. It changes it because with this mindset, I know I will not let cancer affect or define my future. I won’t let it affect me when I go to college and make new friends, I won’t let it af fect me when I’m searching for a job, I won’t let it change what I want to do with my life. It’s hard to turn having cancer around to being optimistic about the future, but my life now, and the entire rest of my life would be completely dif ferent if I didn’t.
2022
2022 Shawnee Optimist Club Oratorical Contest Winners: 1st Place - Sofia Bravo, Shawnee Middle 2nd Place - Riya Naroor, Shawnee Middle 3rd Place - Georgianna Damschroder, Shawnee Middle
DISH-cussions
By Janine Douglass Here’s a way to take full advantage of your robust, ripened and readyto-pick garden bounty. Taking her rootsagriculturalseriously, Becky Wendroth, having grown up on a farm in Min nesota, raises an enviable bumper crop of produce at her Shawnee home for 5 years now, including raspber ries, lettuce,strawberries,asparagus, beans and peas, serving as enticing, raw “garden snacks” with children, Abigail and Henry. But the mocktail/cocktail recipe that she shares with us and no doubt, with husband, Scott, Pathologist at Lima Pathology Associates, harvests the rhubarb from a plant brought from her own parents’ garden.
Ingredients: • 8 c. cut-up rhubarb • 2 qt. water • 3 c. sugar
CookDirections:rhubarb, water, sugar and lemon juice until rhubarb is tender; drain. To the juice, add jello and vodka, if desired. Freeze in repurposed gallon plastic ice cream containers. To serve, unmold in a punch bowl, or scoop into glasses, and add 7-Up or strawberry pop.Refreshing
• Kids and adults love this summertime drink! Its beautiful color makes it even more enticing, and the huge rhubarb leaves atop the fleshy, edible stalks make fun fantasy elephant ears or jungle fans for children, reaping the benefits of making indelible happy memories.
• ½ c. lemon juice
Rhubarb Slushfor Kids & Adults
A few special notes:
38 • AUGUST 2022 SHAWNEE LIFE
• Becky and family also enjoy a delicious rhu barb nial.herbaceouseration,secondmadecrumblefromhergeninterstateperen
• Cut rhubarb to approximate 1 inch pieces
• 7-Up or strawberry pop • 1 c. vodka (optional) • 1 small package (3 oz.) strawberry jello
From the Kitchen of Becky and Scott Wendroth of Hawthorne Drive
• Adding vodka to the slush keeps it from freez ing solid, making it easier to scoop out individual portions. If you want to omit alcohol, it will freeze solid, so freezing into smaller portions is recom mended to ensure easier scooping!
• Cook rhubarb until tender over medium heat. Do NOT bring to a boil. You just want the rhubarb tender, not falling apart.
WagonWelcome
WELCOME WAGON
Reeves and Lunsford Families to Shawnee!
The Reeves family moved to High Ridge Road, in Fair Oaks Estates, in December and are looking forward to getting to know their neigh borhood and joining the Shawnee community. Dr. Lance Reeves is a podia trist at West Central Ohio Podiatry and Emily is a stay-at-home mom with their two children, Whitney (18 months) and Silas (2 months). They moved to the Lima area four years ago for Lance’s podiatric surgical residency at St. Rita’s. Lance is originally from California and Emily is from Illinois. As a family, they love going on walks, playing outside, and going to the park or splash pad. The Reeves also love being a part of Grace Community Church as the members have become their extended family since their relatives are out of state.
by Nicole Davis Jordan and Jaina Lunsford have lived in Lima for the past five years and just recently purchased their home on Algonkin Trail in Indianbrook. Jaina is a video editor at VideoBranch and Jordan works at U.S. Plastic Corp. as a web developer. They enjoy visiting many of the local coffee shops in Lima, most notably Light on the Corner and Vibe Coffeehouse & Cafe. The Lunsfords have been happily married for six years and have enjoyed their first few weeks in Shawnee. They are looking forward to living here for many years to come!
AUGUST 2022 • 39 SHAWNEE LIFE
Welcome Basket made possible by: Bayliff & Son, Brunk Electric, Cleaves American, Kwik Dry, The Meeting Place, Mercy Health, ProForma Add-A-Line, Purple Feet Wine Boutique, Tracy’s Appliances, Westgate Entertainment Center
WELCOME
New to Shawnee? Welcome to our Community! If you’re new to the area, we have a beautiful gift basket full of wonderful donations from our magazine sponsors and friends. Introduce yourself and your family by emailing our Welcome Wagon Coordinator, Nicole Davis, at WelcomeToShawnee@gmail.com, and we’ll deliver a gift basket to your doorstep.
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