April 8, 2021

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021

A park with a purpose

Non-renewed OU faculty struggle to find new jobs PG 8

Deep dive into the life of ROTC students PG 12

Here’s your essential summer Athens bucket list PG 21

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Looking back on my favorite Athens memories

MOLLY SCHRAMM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For the last four years, Athens has been my home away from home. Whether it’s been my time at Ohio University, The Post, the places or the people, I’ve had some of the best times here and formed some great memories.

Lots of college is a blur, but I can still clearly remember when the entire class of 2021 marched from The Convo to College Green for the Involvement Fair. Now, I’m a half step away from real adulthood. Looking back, I think part of me is even going to miss hiking up Morton and Jeff Hill. Maybe just a tiny piece.

It would be too daunting to recap all of my favorites from the past four years, but here are just a couple of my favorite memories from Athens:

since extinct Shively sandwich Grab ’n Go at a South Beach picnic table.

Eating in dining halls with my friends I’d be lying if I said dining hall food was immaculate, but regardless, the atmosphere in a dining hall is. Whether it was Nelson, Shively or Boyd, I also found myself full of laughter at the dining halls. Between the communal feel and the rounds of applause that follow someone dropping a plate or cup, dining halls don’t get enough credit for how they shape your college experience. To this day, I still miss eating the

Sitting at the various coffee shops Sitting on College Green and working is nice, but there’s something so special about sitting at the various coffee shops around Athens. In fact, I wrote this column while sitting at Court Street Coffee.

If anything, my four years here have shown me the importance of celebrating local businesses. I’ve laughed, cried, grinded on homework and more at Athens local coffee shops, and I despise the day I won’t be able to grab a

Driving around Athens County My best friends and I do this thing back home in Cincinnati where we just drive around the city with no destination in sight. This often leads us to marveling at homes we can’t afford, finding cool spots we weren’t aware of, listening to loads of music and having great conversations.

Transitioning that to Southeast Ohio, driving around here has been a joy. While I’m a city girl at heart, there’s something so calming about winding through the hills and greenery of Athens with the windows down.

quick cup of coffee from them before work.

Going to Lucky’s Oh, Lucky’s. Not to be that person who raves about their favorite college bar, but I hold Lucky’s Sports Tavern near and dear to my heart. Whether it’s the drinks, the cheese sticks, the 25-cent pool or the wonderful people behind the bar, on any given week throughout my senior year, you could probably find me there a couple nights.

My mom likes to joke and call me Norm from Cheers, but in reality, I just love the atmosphere and the memories that have come from spending time there. Sue me, I guess, because I’m going to miss that dive bar.

With a little over three weeks left in college, I’m hoping to cram in some more lifelong memories in Athens. But no matter how much I do in my numbered days, I don’t think anything will cover up the sadness I’ll feel when I leave because Athens is just that memorable.

Molly Schramm is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Molly at ms660416@ohio.edu or tweet her @_molly_731.

COVER DESIGN BY MARY BERGER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Molly Schramm MANAGING EDITOR Baylee DeMuth DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Geiger EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons ASST. NEWS EDITOR Emma Skidmore LONG-FORM EDITOR Jillian Craig SPORTS EDITORS Jack Gleckler, J.L. Kirven CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Lily Roby OPINION EDITOR Noah Wright ASST. OPINION EDITOR Mikayla Rochelle THE BEAT EDITOR Madyson Lewellyn ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Emma Dollenmayer COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger SLOT EDITORS Eli Feazell, Anna Garnai, Katey Kruback, Molly Powers ART ART DIRECTOR Mary Berger ASST. ART DIRECTOR Olivia Juenger DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Kelsey Boeing PHOTO EDITOR Nate Swanson DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Brianna Lender SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Taylor Burnette DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Ethan Sands BUSINESS STUDENT MEDIA SALES INTERNSHIP MANAGER Andrea Lewis MEDIA SALES Grace Vannan

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ISSUE 26, VOLUME 137

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Vehicles for Vaccination OU students find their own way to get the COVID-19 vaccine

CLAIRE SCHIOPOTA FOR THE POST Before Ohio University announced its plans to provide vaccines to students, many were already finding their own ways to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Thursday, OU said it will begin distributing the Johnson and Johnson vaccine at Heritage Hall, 191 W. Union St. Students are

now able to make appointments, and clinics will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks, according to a university news release. Although this will make the vaccine more available to students, some were already taking advantage of opportunities to receive the vaccine throughout Southeast Ohio.

Charlie Knox, a sophomore studying strategic communication, signed up to get his

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

vaccine from Shrivers Pharmacy, 21 Hocking Mall, Logan. He received his first shot of the Moderna vaccine March 25.

“I saw that they changed the requirement. I was like, ‘Oh, that’d be so cool. I’d be able to get my vaccine,’” Knox said. “My roommate … sent me the link to this location, and we scheduled for our times, and it was actually really simple … then we had a friend drive us down.”

Knox will receive his second vaccine four weeks after his first shot. It was a simple process, and Knox said people just need to know where to look for open appointments.

“I was lucky because I have a friend that was able to drive us,” Knox said. “Make a day out of it, and go down to wherever you can, and go get (the vaccine). It doesn’t matter which one you get at this point. Just get one so we can all go back to the way things were.”

Angel Vergona, a junior studying political science pre-law and sociology, has been doing everything she can to get students to vaccination clinics. Vergona got the Moderna vaccine around the same time as Knox and will receive her second dose April 19. She received her vaccine at Fruth Pharmacy, 8972 United Lane, Athens.

“I’ve been on the waitlist for a bunch of vaccines, but before … you weren’t allowed to just really give them out unless there was extra doses,” Vergona said. “I was just on Twitter and saw that Governor DeWine had said that it was OK to give any extra appointments, so I went on to the website where you can check … they had like 10 open appointments a day, so then I called, and they said if we could get there, we could have them.”

Vergona went with two others to receive the vaccine. Soon after, she began sending information out to student organizations she was a part of where many underclassmen without transportation expressed interest in receiving the vaccine.

“We realized it was 40 minutes away, most of the extra doses,” Vergona said. “I took to the group chats, and a lot of people stepped up, either go with them if they were already getting it or some people even offered to drive them. So, everybody was really great about trying to help everyone.”

Now that vaccines are more accessible on campus, the need to drive far away to find available appointments will hopefully be lessened. Still, Vergona emphasized the importance of receiving the vaccine.

“I would just obviously say to every student to get the vaccine if you can or to at least consider it. There’s a lot of misconceptions going around about the vaccine,” Vergona said. “I would urge anyone who has hesitations to look into it or talk to somebody who’s more educated on the vaccine, like a medical professional, before just not getting it.”

OU has also introduced Bobcat Health Ambassadors — a peer group that promotes an initiative for students to understand what must be done to stop the spread of COVID-19 — to assist in student vaccinations.

Ambassadors will be around campus to talk to students about how they can register at the vaccination clinics, Carly Leatherwood, university spokesperson, said.

“Ensuring our students are vaccinated is a huge step forward toward a return to the collaborative, experiential learning environment we all crave and that OHIO is known for delivering,” OU President Duane Nellis said in a university-wide email.

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NEWS BRIEFS

Vaccines being offered on-campus to OU students; graduate students report difficulty in teaching during a pandemic EMMA SKIDMORE ASST. NEWS EDITOR Coronavirus: OU to provide vaccines to students on-campus

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced in a tweet April 1 the state of Ohio will be focused on providing vaccinations to all college students who want the vaccine.

DeWine wrote he believes this will potentially increase the vaccination rate, and it is a strategic move designed to vaccinate students before they leave campus. The Athens City-County Health Department is also advocating for increased access to vaccines for students.

Jack Pepper, administrator at the Athens City-County Health Department, said the department wants anyone who wants the vaccine to have access to it, and this eligibility is one more step in ensuring as many people as possible get the vaccine.

Ohio University President Duane Nellis said he is grateful to DeWine in a university news release. Students are also encouraging others to get vaccinated.

Sarah Born, a junior studying exercise physiology, said the more people who get vaccinated, the better chance students have of in-person classes next fall.

Vaccines will be provided to students through clinics at Heritage Hall. Students will receive the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only has one dose. Clinics will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks, with the first clinic held April 7. Vaccination

options at regional campuses are still being developed.

The university encouraged students with other appointments to cancel them and get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine on campus.

OU also hopes to use this opportunity to provide hands-on experience to nursing students. Ken Johnson, chief medical affairs officer and executive dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, said the clinics are an incredible opportunity for medical and nursing students to help the community and gain practical experience. Johnson said he is proud of the university’s involvement in the vaccination effort.

OU is also looking into increasing the number of in-person classes offered during the Fall Semester as vaccinations increase. Nellis said in a university-wide email colleges and campuses are identifying classes that could be moved to an in-person format, should guidelines change.

Graduate students on teaching during a pandemic and balancing responsibilities

Some Ohio University graduate students have said they have a difficulty balancing teaching and other responsibilities, especially during a pandemic.

Many graduate students work as teaching assistants, or TAs, who instruct consistently. Marc Guagenti, a firstyear graduate student studying philosophy, is a TA for Principles of Reasoning. Guagenti said he spends about 20 hours a week as a TA, as opposed to the 10 hours a

week it is limited to.

Guagenti said balancing his job as a TA, among other responsibilities, is especially difficult during the coronavirus pandemic. He also said TA training is not very comprehensive, and there is a lack of instruction when it comes to Blackboard training.

Steel Brooks, a TA in the Fall Semester for Introduction to Visual Communication Skills: Photography and a first-year graduate student studying photography, said the TA training was a general orientation. Brooks said he felt like a lot of it was not applicable to him, given the individualized nature of TA positions. Guagenti also said both professors and students have needed assistance in getting used to learning remotely.

Brooks said one of the challenges in teaching remotely is lack of engagement from students, and he has had to come up with tools to get students to participate in classes. Luis Miguel Lopez Londono, a Ph.D. student in communication studies, is currently an instructor for Communication Among Cultures. Londono said he also feels disconnected from his students by communicating purely through a screen. He hopes he can continue to improve on his teaching structure and reflect on his strategies.

@E_SKIDMOREGS ES320518@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Individuals argue in parking lots; man suspects friend stole money ANNA MILLAR FOR THE POST

troubles and had already called someone to come help them out.

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The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious persons report in the Carbondale area. The caller said there were individuals walking around with flashlights in the area.

Deputies patrolled the area but did not locate the individuals.

JUST CAR PROBLEMS

Deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle report on State Route 685 near Glouster, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. The caller said the vehicle had pulled into their driveway and was not leaving.

When deputies arrived, they spoke with the owner of the vehicle. The owner said they were having tire

4 / APRIL 8, 2021

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing $65 at West First Street in The Plains. The caller said he invited a friend over to his house and noticed the money was missing after the friend left.

PARKING LOT RAGE

Deputies responded to a reported road rage incident at South High Street in Glouster, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. The caller said he was driving through the parking lot when another vehicle pulled out and almost hit his.

He said the woman driving the other vehicle yelled at him. Both individuals continued yelling obscenities at each other all the way into another parking lot. Upon ar-

rival, deputies told both to leave the area and stay away from each other.

The business attached to the parking lot in question did not have security camera footage of the incident. No charges will be filed at this time.

MYSTERY TRAILER

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to an open door complaint at Beech Road in The Plains. When deputies arrived, they checked the residence but did not make contact with anyone.

The owner of the trailer is unknown. Deputies shut and secured the door, and no further action was taken.

@ANNAMILLAR16 AM157219@OHIO.EDU

Financial layups RYAN MAXIN FOR THE POST Ohio University men’s basketball’s Mid-American Conference championship victory and NCAA tournament run were exciting enough for students and fans alike, but it gave OU and Athens businesses even more reason to celebrate: financial leverage.

After OU defeated Buffalo to win the MAC championship, stores around Athens wasted no time in seizing the economic opportunity.

Gene Armes, general manager at College Book Store, said the store had MAC Championship shirts designed and ready to print before the game was even played in case OU won. Once OU won, the shirts that were not NCAA-affiliated were offered for sale on the College Book Store’s website within minutes and in the physical store by noon of March 14.

UniversiTEES, 30 N. Court St., also sold MAC Championship shirts online and in-store following OU’s win, Lee Barber, store manager at UniversiTEES, said.

While neither store commented on the exact dollar amount of revenue driven from MAC championship apparel sales, both Armes and Barber said their stores experienced an increase in customer traffic and sales following OU’s victory, which was needed to offset some of the strains put on the stores by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Bobcat’s post season run was a welcomed boost to our traffic and sales at a time when all retailers are struggling to make ends meet due to the effects of COVID-19 and the decreased student presence here on campus,” Armes said in an email. “The tournament related shirts have all sold very well with some designs being completely sold out in selected sizes.”

Although some stores did benefit from OU’s postseason success, OU saw the biggest financial gains.

Mike Ashcraft, assistant athletics director for communications at OU, said the university received a $50,000 payout from the MAC for winning the MAC championship. Additionally, Ashcraft said Adidas paid OU $15,000 for its postseason success. Licensing deals also played a large role.

“In regard to athletic department revenue, the most immediate financial impact is through royalties from licensed apparel sales and activated bonuses tied to post season success,” Ashcraft said in an email. “By winning a game in the tournament, Ohio earned the Mid-American Conference an NCAA unit point that will provide new revenue to be divided up among MAC member institutions over the next six years.”

OU’s victory over Virginia in the NCAA tournament additionally amplified the university’s profits. However, many of the benefits from the tournament win are not directly financial, Ashcraft said.

“Brand lift and social media engagement garnered from an NCAA tournament appearance will be felt throughout campus for several years and can impact athletic recruiting, university enrollment and student engagement,” Ashcraft said in an email.

In order to take advantage of OU’s increased airtime on a national scale, the university invested in local advertising spots to air during games, Carly Leatherwood, university spokesperson, said. The money spent on advertising came from an existing planned media venture.

OU spent $13,702.50 on advertising spots in the Columbus market, Leatherwood said. The spots encompassed 27 first-round games, including the first four matchups.

OU also spent $1,228.50 in the Dayton market and $1,890 in the Charleston market, Leatherwood said.

“As part of our media buying philosophy, we believe live sports are a great opportunity to get our brand in front of potential students, parents and University alumni,” Leatherwood said in an email. “We regularly purchase advertising during high-profile games, including when Ohio University’s athletic teams are competing on a national stage.”

In terms of other expenses to OU, Ashcraft said travel, hotel and meal expenses were directly covered by the NCAA. Benefits will aid OU in its future endeavors, both

OU men’s basketball’s success benefits university, local businesses inside and outside of athletics, Ashcraft said.

In OU’s 2020-21 budget book, there is $18,266,973 allocated for athletics revenue and $18,228,866 for athletics expenses.

“Licensed apparel royalties, increased ticket sales and MAC revenue distribution will be directed to the athletics budget while the potential boost to university enrollment will benefit the university as a whole,” Ashcraft said in an email. “Our goal will be to generate additional revenue this fall and winter through increased ticket sales and donations.”

@RYANMAXIN RM554219@OHIO.EDU

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Campaigning for Collin’s Law OU hosts letter-writing campaign in support of Collin’s Law MAYA MORITA STAFF WRITER MOLLY WILSON FOR THE POST

Ohio University and 16 other colleges hosted a letter-writing campaign beginning Monday in support of Collin’s Law. April 5 through April 9, students will be stationed outside Baker University Center to provide anyone interested with the tools to email or mail a letter to their state representative or senator regarding Collin’s Law. Those stationed at the tables urged students who passed them to take a minute and fill out a letter. Molly Davis, a junior studying public health who helped organize the event, said she even asked high school students who were touring campus to participate.

Students were provided with a tem-

plate letter when they arrived at Baker in which they could provide a personal story relating to hazing or explain why Collin’s Law is important to them and send it to their respective state senators, according to a previous Post report.

Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life Ariel Tarosky organized the campaign and invited other universities across Ohio to take part.

“I believe, someone came to (Tarosky) with the idea, and then she reached out to OSU … and then they reached out to these other universities across Ohio, and I think it blossomed from there, but it did start at Ohio University,” Collin Wiant’s mom, Kathleen Wiant, said.

Maire Conlan, a sophomore studying sociology-criminology who helped work the event Monday, thinks hazing gives Ohio a poor reputation.

“Ohio is one of the leaders in hazing incidents and deaths, and I feel like that doesn’t represent who we are as a community or campus,” Conlan said. “In the

news, when you see a hazing death, so often it’s from Ohio. It hurts because I have so much pride from being here, but other people see us as an epicenter of this.”

Ryan Gwin, a sophomore studying early childhood education, participated in the letter writing campaign Wednesday. Gwin said he is glad to see Greek life getting involved with Collin’s Law. “I just think it’s something that shouldn’t be going on here, or any school, and I’m glad that my — and other sororities and fraternities — are stepping up and trying to work for a good or better cause,” Gwin said.

Davis emphasized how hazing can happen in numerous contexts.

“Hazing is not just alcohol and substance abuse-related accidents,” Davis said. “It can be emotional. It can be physical. It can be anything like that, so that’s why we’re here today, and that’s why we’ll be here all week.”

State Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, who drafted the bill last year, said Greek

life should still be at universities in Ohio, but they need to be held accountable.

“We’re not trying to disband them. We just think that people should be held accountable when things get out of hand, such as what happened in Collin Wiant’s case,” Edwards said.

With this campaign, Kathleen Wiant said she wants legislators to listen to students.

“I want the legislators to hear from students, which is the end result from this,” Kathleen Wiant said. “I think we’re at the point where the students are being very loud, very vocal and saying that they’ve had enough of hazing and that they’re done with it.”

Kathleen and Wade Wiant, parents of Collin Wiant, pose for a portrait outside the courthouse in Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

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Job Search Struggles OU non-renewed faculty grapple with simultaneous job search, professorial duties RYAN MAXIN FOR THE POST Ohio University professors whose contracts were not renewed are struggling to cope with finding employment elsewhere and feel unsupported by the university as their time at OU comes to a close.

In May 2020, 53 instructional faculty members were notified the university was not going to renew their contracts, according to a previous Post report. The faculty members were given a year’s notice of their contract terminations, which will be occurring at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.

For Heather Edwards, an English professor, the current state of OU’s finances led her to predict that her contract was in jeopardy. “(OU has) been talking about budget cuts, and one of the things that always comes up is (contracts),” Edwards said. “In reality, salaries are a big chunk of the money that the university uses, and so for about three years, I would say, there’s been this idea that I could potentially not be working here anymore.”

Despite having this knowledge in the back of her head, Edwards’ transition to employment away from OU was not made any easier, especially because she felt she was not given adequate support by the university. At one point, Edwards had to contact human resources multiple times to find out what to do, Edwards said.

“There isn’t a recognition (by OU) that we were expected to do our job this year. I still have a full teaching load, and I’m supposed to do that and somehow find a job,” Edwards said. “I feel like this idea that we were going to be able to make this fluid move from finding out that we didn’t have a job to suddenly finding another job doesn’t actually take into consideration what the reality of our positions are. Like I said, there really hasn’t been any support along the way.”

As a result of this lack of support, Edwards said she suffered from anxiety and depression but stressed that her work and students at OU helped her make it through. For her, knowing she had to leave OU and Athens was one of the hardest parts of losing her job.

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I was on track to earning my college degree. With all this uncertainty, I took a reduced class schedule.

Now I’m ready to get back on track.

“One of the things that happened for me was it was so devastating to hear that news,” Edwards said. “I’ve been here for so long, and I consider myself part of OU and essential to OU in all these ways, and then you’re being told that you aren’t and that you kind of have to find a new place.”

Elizabeth Thompson, an English professor, was also let go by OU after her contract was not renewed. Similar to Edwards, Thompson experienced a lot of anxiety surrounding her transition in employment.

“I was experiencing so much stress and anxiety over finding a job … I was kind of like, ‘I really could lose my house. I may not get a job for many, many years,’” Thompson said. “There was a lot of sleeplessness.

There was a lot of just general feelings of anxiety and worry and sometimes panic as I contemplated what would happen in the worst-case scenario.”

According to that same previous Post report, OU has partnered with a third-party company, Careerminds, to help non-renewed faculty with resume building, connecting with recruiters and developing a career marketing plan.

Carly Leatherwood, a university spokesperson, said OU put a lot of thought into partnering with Careerminds to assist non-renewed faculty members.

“Our partners were selected for their experience working with professionals in both

academic and administrative fields and were charged with helping impacted employees with support, such as strengthening their resume or CV, developing career marketing plans, and connecting with recruiters,” Leatherwood said in an email.

Despite those benefits, both Edwards and Thompson felt working with Careerminds was not helpful for them.

Leatherwood said this is the first time the university has heard concerns from faculty on the usefulness of Careerminds. She also said OU’s human resources department plans to follow up with faculty members and Careerminds to clear up any issues of which it was not previously made aware.

With the end of the semester approaching, Edwards reflected on the difficulty of the situation into which she and many other colleagues have been thrust.

“I’ve been here for 12 years. So one of the things that people keep asking is, ‘Well, where are you going to go? Are you going to go home?’ … That sounds like an easy question, but it’s not,” Edwards said. “It’s like somebody asking you to find a home somewhere else when this is your home.”

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Athens Area Lions Club encourages participation in NexTrex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge KAYLA BENNETT STAFF WRITER The NexTrex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge is an effort to have the people of Athens and surrounding areas recycle plastic more.

This collaborative project is bringing together several Lions Clubs, including Athens, Alexander and The Plains. Each group is trying to collect plastic in order to keep it out of landfills and put it to better use. In order to start recycling again in Athens, plastic will be collected at multiple locations throughout the local areas.

Plastic collections include, but are not limited to, clean plastic film produce bags, store bags, ice bags, reclosable bags, bread bags, newspaper bags and bubble wrap.

For every 500 pounds the club collects, it will receive one polymer-composite park bench for the city of Athens from NexTrex.

“I just strongly believe in getting all this

plastic out of the landfill,” Nancy Clark, vice president of the Athens Area Lions Club, said. “I have talked with a lot of the recycling people while working on this, and there’s just not a way to do it right now on a large scale. We do what we can, when we can. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Clark also added Athens’ local Kroger has barrels in its lobby where people can once again start recycling their plastic bags.

“If you have recyclables, you should definitely take them anywhere you can that is accepting it,” Clark said.

Plastic can also be dropped off at Mac’s Work Wear, 940 E. State St., or All American Trophies, 92 N. Plains Road.

“It’s turned into a lot bigger project, and a lot more people are getting involved than what we thought would,” Jim McClaren, the owner of Mac’s Work Wear and a member of the Athens Area Lions Club, said. “We thought we’d be getting little amounts of plastic, and we were hoping to get enough

to get 500 pounds, which is what you need to get one of the benches. We’ve gone way past that. The community has been really good about responding a lot more than what we thought we would get.”

Every amount of plastic makes a difference, and donating can lead to becoming more aware of what can be recycled and what cannot be.

Other clubs around Athens are participating in this challenge, including The Plains Lions Club, Alexander Lions Club and Alexander Leo Club.

“The plastic doesn’t go anywhere, so it just stays in the landfill,” Jenn Davies, vice president of the Alexander Lions Club, said.

“It can’t be recycled or used in other means for the most part. Taking care of our environment — which is one of the pillars of the Lions Club — we have to take care of it if we want it to be around for a while.”

Davies is proud of how much plastic her club has collected and encourages other

clubs to participate in this challenge and make it an ongoing event.

Clark, McClaren and Davies believe this challenge will help better the environment.

Athens’ challenge ends May 15, so the Lions Clubs encourage all members of Athens to recycle what they can, whenever they can.

@KKAYYBEN KB084519@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

Students Stop the Hate OU Chinese Learners Association raises awareness, fights against AAPI hate crimes RILEY RUNNELLS CULTURE EDITOR On March 27, demonstrators held up signs that read “Stop Asian Hate,” “Stop Racist Violence” and “Hate is a Virus” as dozens gathered by the Athens County Courthouse to protest hate and violence against Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and other race-based minority groups.

The Stop Asian American/Pacific Islander, or AAPI, Hate Rally was in response to the Atlanta spa shootings targeting people of Asian descent, but the Ohio University group behind planning the rally has been around for quite a while.

“Chinese Learners’ Association helps OU to persevere and continue building an ever-more inclusive community,” Yuxi Zhou, a fourth-year graduate student studying chemistry and biochemistry, said in an email. “Our goal is also to bring solidarity together not only within the Chinese/Chinese-American community, but also the whole community together.”

The OU Chinese Learners Association has a long history of presence dating back to before the current executive board and adviser can even remember, but the name has changed over the years. “Chinese Learners

Association” has been the name for at least the past five years, Yuqiu You, the organization’s adviser and an associate professor at OU, said.

“There are lots of (Chinese) scholars, as well as faculty and staff, and we just feel we are here at a foreign country. We are learners — that’s our purpose,” You said.

“It doesn’t matter if we are students or we are faculty or staff. Our purpose, why we came here, is to learn. That’s why we’re the Chinese Learners’ Association.”

The executive board is made up of four students and an adviser, including Zhou as president, Shirley Wang as vice president, Suzy Zhang as secretary and Qinwen Wang as treasurer. The group is mainly financed by the OU International Student Union but has also been sponsored by Donkey Coffee, AT&T and more, including funding from the Chinese Consulate for the annual Chinese New Year Gala.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the group adapted by holding weekly virtual meetings. The association fundraised to help Wuhan, China. Then, after the pandemic hit the U.S., the members donated PPE, including masks and coveralls, to the Athens County Health Department and Russ College. The club also donated its funding to OU’s International Student and Faculty Services.

With the pandemic, however, came increased ac-

Athens community members, including Ohio University’s Chinese Learners Association, gather on March 27, 2021, in Athens, Ohio, to rally against Asian hate due to the recent mass shooting that claimed the lives of multiple Asian women. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

10 / APRIL 8, 2021

counts of hate crimes against AAPI. OU’s Chinese Learners Association wanted to come up with a way to combat that hate and stand up to the violence.

“We were very frustrated and heartbroken to see the brutal and tragic violence that took place in Atlanta, Georgia where 3 Asian/Asian-American owned businesses were targeted, and 8 innocent lives died,” Zhou said in an email. “Nevertheless, the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people also took place in many other cities, particularly, there were many cases (of) people randomly beating the elders.”

The members were so frustrated, in fact, that they organized the Stop AAPI Hate Rally at the Athens County Courthouse, where a diverse audience came to show support and stand up to xenophobia.

“We think this is extremely important that we should have an open dialogue around the history of the tensions and re-establish the cross-cultural allegiance,” Zhou said in an email. “We need to show our support and unite in the efforts against racism, sexism and violence now more than ever.”

You said as the organization’s adviser, she was very proud of their hard work.

“At the beginning, I kind of worried if many people would attend or what the impact would be over there … but they worked very hard, and they connected to the community, and there were lots of people out there,” You said. “Even the Mayor, Mr. (Steve) Patterson, attended our rally, and he’s very supportive. It turned out very well, and as their adviser, I feel like I’m really proud of them.”

Zhou is currently working on the programming committee for “Real Talk About Big Questions,” which is a conversation held by OU’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion in partnership with Global Affairs to help participants understand the increased visibility of violence and discrimination against AAPI populations.

In addition, she and the other members of the organization are going to continue holding meetings, open to anyone who wants to join — be it an AAPI individual or an ally/co-conspirator to the AAPI population.

“Our organization is trying to empower Asian/ Asian-American especially for the Chinese community and promote awareness and action for AAPI hate crimes,” Zhou said in an email. “Our organization tries to unite our communities to stand against racism, including hate against AAPI.” Zhou, You and the rest of the organization’s members feel proud of their continued work and support toward the AAPI community and encourage any OU students to join the organization or use their platforms to raise awareness for AAPI people.

“OU (focuses) on the diversity and individuation of students, where they come from different cultural backgrounds all over the world,” Wang, a sophomore studying psychology, said in an email. “Our organization (upholds) this purpose, provides for Chinese and even Chinese-American community (support), in order to study, live, socialize and grow together. We are a part of (the) OU community. Our goal is to help our members integrate into the OU family and to give (support) when they (meet) difficulties.”

@RILEYR44 RR855317@OHIO.EDU

Honoring memory with monarchs LILY ROBY ASST. CULTURE EDITOR The Monarch Park, 8351 Morris Road in Albany, is a new space being developed near Athens in order to encourage locals to get outdoors by facilitating a space for both the natural life cycle of monarch butterflies and discussing social justice issues.

For Athens community member Cory Frederick, the Monarch Park is a lifelong dream that is finally coming to fruition.

Since the late 1980s, Frederick grew up on the land where the park is currently being built, and he plans to create the park in his daughter’s honor.

“So, I’m a trans man, and I had a daughter who was born prematurely. She passed away at 23 weeks,” Frederick said. “And so this land is kind of dedicated in her memory — sort of a sense of renewal — and this is a place that we can all come to and be a part of nature.”

Most of the funding for the project comes right out of Frederick’s pocket, but he has taken donations in the past and appreciates the help of community members to do things like clear trails or build gazebos. The park is an endeavor that Frederick has always been excited to take on, and he’s eager to create an environment that will promote both being in nature and having discussions about social justice issues.

“You know TED Talks, right?” Frederick said, “So I’ve always wanted to have a space like that that can facilitate that kind of environment. Maybe it’s music.

Maybe it’s spoken word, but (I’m looking forward to holding) community events that draw people together and give people food for thought.”

As an executive director of Goldfall Consulting Services in Plain City, Frederick works as an equity, diversity and inclusion consultant, discussing issues in regards to race, sexual orientation, gender identity and other similar topics. In the future, he hopes to host weekend workshops for professionals working in helping professions, such as social work, education, counseling and therapy. Frederick even plans to offer license recertification for participants and workshops specifically for trans youth and parents of trans youth. These workshops

are estimated to begin in June, when the Park officially opens.

“And (yet another) part of this project is short term rental,” Frederick said, explaining he’s been looking at placements on sites like Airbnb, Vrbo and Homeaway.

“We’ve been cooped up, quarantining for this last year, so I know at least where I live, people are looking for really unique experiences, and I know that our place can provide that for them.”

The first stage in his plan to develop short-term rental at the Park is focusing on “glamping,” or glamorous camping, a new trend for people of all levels of camping experience, where tents or gazebos to stay in are typically already set up and prepared upon the campers’ arrival in order to ease the more stressful sides of camping outdoors.

Of course, the Park offers sites for people to traditionally camp, but there will also be a “luxury glamping gazebo” and a 10-foot by 10-foot creative cabin style tent with 30 foot ceilings and a full size bed inside.

Another key part of the Monarch Park is focusing on accessibility. Frederick said had his daughter survived, she likely would have had developmental disabilities. As he was planning the project, it hit him that he needed to ensure the is Park highly accessible.

“I want this to be a place where other people can come and feel included and feel like they belong,” Frederick said.

“That’s my overarching goal for the park, and I hope that everybody who comes to visit leaves with a sense of belonging, that they can have a place to come back to and hopefully make more memories.”

Frederick is trying his best to be thoughtful and intentional about his land use and land management as he puts together the park, and so sustainability is at the forefront of its development as well as he works to eradicate invasive species, such as ornamental olive and multiflora rose.

The land is also dedicated as a monarch butterfly waystation, or a place for monarch butterflies to stop by in the late summer and early fall on their journey to winter in Mexico. As a waystation, the park creates a space for travelling butterflies to mate and lay eggs and also is abundant with milkweed and other favorite plants of monarchs in order to feed and shelter future baby caterpillars until they form their cocoons and join the others on their trip south.

“A lot of our native wildflowers are in danger of human encroachment and pesticides, encroachment in terms of land development, land use and things like that,” Frederick said. “So, we’re just making a concerted effort to intentionally plant some of these, like milkweed for instance … so our job is to restore some of those native wildflowers the monarch depends upon and, in doing so, that creates other opportunities for other species as well. It just really increases the bounty and diversity in terms of the foliage and the animals that need them.”

Doug Althauser, executive director of the Family & Youth Law Center at Capital University in New York and a good friend of Frederick, is excited to see where the project goes and has been eager to support the park since the early stages of its planning.

“I think (it’s important to) have an opportunity for people to camp, for young people to go on a field trip, for people to understand the need to preserve an environment for butterflies or for any kind of nature,” Althauser said. “You know, (Frederick’s) got a dream, more than anything else, and this isn’t something the state is doing. This isn’t something that a foundation is doing. This is something that an individual is doing for the benefit of the community, and I really like the idea of supporting that.”

The Monarch Park plans to open its doors to the public Saturdays and Sundays for community members to stop by and check it out, but workshops won’t begin, and most of the construction won’t be complete until June at the earliest.

Frederick encourages local artisans and community members to reach out to him if they’re interested in utilizing the black walnut trees on the property, putting an event or workshop together with other community members and creators or simply volunteering with the development of the park. Anyone interested can contact Frederick by messaging him via Facebook.

“Sometimes, you plant a seed, and you don’t exactly know what it’s going to turn into,” Frederick said. “And I planted this seed when I was a little kid, and it sounds really cliche, but I’ve kept my dream alive, and it’s finally starting to blossom, so I’m excited.”

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Q&A

ROTC students train, serve while gaining valuable life experiences RILEY RUNNELLS CULTURE EDITOR Reserve Officer Training Corps, or ROTC, is a college program for students who are interested in different branches of military service.

The program at Ohio University offers two branches: Air Force and Army. The program typically consists of workouts three times a week, a class that all participants take and training in uniform-like military drills and active shooter training.

Anyone who wants to can join ROTC. However, contrary to popular belief, not every member of ROTC gets their college paid for. Those who do are in the program on scholarship and are required to serve in their respective branches of the military for four years after they graduate from college.

Those who do not join ROTC just for staying in shape, discipline, friendships and the same appeal that any other campus organization would have.

Due to COVID-19, ROTC adapted by splitting up each group into two flights. For Air Force, the two flights are called Alpha and Bravo. The various members of ROTC lead the workouts alongside a cadre (an active duty or enlisted military) member.

Though the schedule is rigorous, with most of the workouts beginning at 6 a.m. sharp in Walter Fieldhouse or Ping Recreation Center, the students involved find they gain a lot of great life lessons and experiences from the program.

The Post sat down with Lanae Lang, a junior studying communication studies, a ROTC cadet on scholarship to serve in the Air Force after college and the public affairs head of ROTC, to talk about OU’s program, the different types of people in ROTC and common misconceptions about ROTC. TP: Tell me about a normal day in the life of a ROTC student.

Lang: A normal day, for example, a Monday or Wednesday would start out like this: we go to PT (physical therapy), and we do about an hour-long workout, and then right afterwards, I go to class. I also have an internship. I intern for a wedding and event planner in Chicago, so then after my classes, I typically work on some internship stuff. I take a nap — much needed since we have to wake up at 5 a.m. And then in the afternoons, I’ll either go for a walk if it’s warm out, I’ll go for a drive, hang out with friends, go study, and then my friends and I like to grab dinner in the evenings or just hang out.

12 / APRIL 8, 2021

ROTC takes up a lot of time in the mornings, and you do have to do an extra class.

But otherwise, it’s the same as any other college student. It’s really great because it allows us to be flexible. We are working towards a career in the Air Force, but we also get to enjoy being a college student.

TP: What’s something about ROTC that not everyone knows?

Lang: A fun fact that a lot of people don’t know is that you can actually be in the guard and in ROTC, and I have a few friends that are in the guard and ROTC, and a reason that people would do this is if they didn’t earn the Air Force ROTC scholarship but they still wanted to get college paid for. They could technically enlist, and then they would get their college paid for, and then also join ROTC. So, this is a little bit tough to explain, but they would enlist in the Air Force as an enlisted member, go to college, but then after college since they’re in the ROTC program, they would switch over from enlisted to officer but they still get their college paid for. And I have a few friends that do that. And that’s a good option if you’re open to being deployed potentially, and you also want to stay in college though and earn your degree.

TP: What’s it like to be a woman in ROTC? Lang: I have not felt too different as a woman in ROTC or in the military environment. Yes, we are a little bit outnumbered.

For example, there’s typically one woman for every four men. But, for me, I never felt too different. I was very lucky; I have great leaders, I have great wingmen and they never make me feel different or less than.

It’s a really great environment, and I’m really close with the girls that are in ROTC, and we’re very excited for active duty in the Air Force.

TP: What do you want to do with ROTC? Lang: I’m a contracted cadet. I applied for an Air Force ROTC scholarship in high school, so they’re paying for my four years of college and giving me a stipend and incentives every month and semester. So, in return, right when I graduate from college, I’ll commission active duty in the Air Force, and I’ll serve about four to six years. It depends on what job you get. But I would like to do public affairs. So, I would serve for four years, and what public affairs does is we would be dealing with the media and social media, maybe going on TV and speaking on behalf of the Air Force, we would be kind of giving the public eye an idea of what the Air

While adjusting her mask, Lanae Lang scans Walter Fieldhouse for her next photo to shoot while working as the public affairs head for ROTC on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

(NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

Force is doing and portraying us in a positive light. And we would also have a big role in recruiting and trying to get people interested in joining the Air Force.

TP: Does going into the Air Force automatically mean you’re a pilot?

Lang: Typically when people think of the Air Force, they think of flying planes and pilots, but there’s actually not as large of a percentage of pilots in the Air Force as people think. A lot of the jobs in the Air Force are very behind the scenes. For example, I would like to go into public affairs, and I have friends that want to be engineers. I have friends that want to go into intelligence or logistics or maybe something with computers and cyberspace and stuff like that.

There’s a ton of behind-the-scenes jobs. For example, mechanics is a very big job in the Air Force, and it’s very important because of all the equipment that we use like for the planes. People think of planes and flying when they think of the Air Force, but it’s so much more than that.

TP: What are some common misconceptions about ROTC or things you feel you have to explain to a lot of people that are not true?

Lang: A lot of people just don’t know what ROTC does. They might think that it’s

goofy or weird. I’ve had friends tease me for being in it just because they don’t really understand what the program does and what it’s for. The whole base of the program is basically just to prepare you to be a great leader in the Air Force while still allowing you to pursue your degree. So, in my opinion, it’s the best of both worlds because you get your degree, but you also get to serve right after college. You have a job lined up, you stay fit because we’re working out all the time, you make lifelong friends, you get to meet people who have similar values as you. It’s really great. I obviously enjoy my other curriculars that I do; for example, I’m in a sorority, I’m in a professional fraternity and I’m in the Snow Cats, but I really would not be enjoying my college experience as much if I didn’t have ROTC. I really feel like it keeps me grounded, and it keeps my priorities straight and honestly, without it, I probably would not be as motivated to do as well in school because they really do hold us to a high standard.

To learn more about ROTC students, watch The Post’s “A Day in the Life of an ROTC student” video.

@RILEYR44 RR855317@OHIO.EDU

Well before sunrise, Ohio University’s ROTC Air Force and Army branches gather and stand at attention prior to the day’s scheduled exercises and activities on Monday, March 22, 2021. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

Lang steps inside her car, ready to continue another full day involved as an ROTC cadet, participation in sorority life and an internship on Thursday, March 25, 2021. With a schedule as dense as Lang’s, ROTC has helped shape her life by time blocks and routine. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

At dawn, Lang is in full uniform and makes her way to Walter Fieldhouse where she will fulfill her duties as public affairs head of ROTC on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

(NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

Lang fixes her pant leg inside her boot, as expected due to the strict discipline and dress code held by ROTC, while her camera dangles next to it around her neck. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

Athens celebrates National Poetry Month with Athens, Ohio poet laureates MARY JANE SANESE FOR THE POST April is National Poetry Month, and Athens has multiple events to help celebrate the occasion.

Athens Poet Laureate Wendy McVicker and the state of Ohio’s poet laureate, Kari Gunter-Seymour, are making it so every month could be considered poetry month in Athens.

Athens was one of the first cities in the state to have a poet laureate.

“My understanding is that the poet laureate of Athens kind of encourages those people to explore their own creativity,” Athens Councilwoman Beth Clodfelter, D-At Large, said. “And so they don’t just go talk to them and then put poems in front of them and ask them to read them, which could be great. But they get them writing and starting to think about, ‘How do I turn my ideas into a poem?’ The fact that the city of Athens has made this intentional decision to select one person at a time to be responsible for doing that I think is a really nice thing about our town.”

McVicker said she always wanted to be a fiction writer. She first started writing as an adult when she had two small children and found herself only being able to write during their naptime. She then realized writing poetry was a better fit for her.

14 / APRIL 8, 2021

She started getting active with her children’s school and going into classrooms as a volunteer helping the students with poetry. She then started visiting other schools, art centers, libraries and many other places through the Ohio Arts Council for about 20 years.

“The thing that I personally have enjoyed the most about Wendy McVicker’s tenure as the Athens Poet Laureate is that she writes poems on the sidewalk in front of her house,” Clodfelter said. “So it’s just amazing. Just encountering it, there’s a bright spot in the day.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, McVicker’s term as poet laureate was extended until the end of 2022.

McVicker has many ideas for Athens, such as “Poetrees,” which would involve combining the ideas of planting trees and poetry together to help the environment and get more people involved with the arts.

McVicker is the Southeast regional co-coordinator for Poetry Out Loud, an annual national poetry recitation competition for high school students. McVicker, along with Stuart’s Opera House, supports students through workshops to prepare them for the event.

“I believe poetry is the language of the heart,” McVicker said. “We are taught in school a lot about discursive language, language that can tell you what happened, language that can explain to you how things work, but we aren’t always given the language for talking about what happens inside ourselves — and,

to me, that is poetry.”

McVicker frequently posts videos of poetry readings on her Facebook page. She also hosts “River of Words,” a conversation series with regional poets, through WOUB. Her next episode will feature Stephanie Kendrick and be available for listening April 13.

Past interviews with other poets, including Gunter-Seymour, can be streamed on SoundCloud.

“I just hope that people will go and read a poem out loud,” McVicker said. “And if they enjoy that experience, read it out loud to somebody else because poetry is meant to be out loud.”

Both McVicker and Gunter-Seymour believe their jobs as poet laureates are to help other poets get their voices out and get people involved in poetry all over the city, county and state.

Gunter-Seymour said she started to write poetry to cope with pressure and trauma that came from a family issue she was dealing with. She said someone told her to try poetry because poetry uses fewer words to say more and really makes a person focus on the writing.

“I think it’s a real honor for the community of Athens and the poetry community of Athens that Kari Gunter-Seymour has become the state of Ohio poet laureate,” Clodfelter said. “I think it says a lot about the quality of the poets that we have here.”

Gunter-Seymour is a ninth-generation Appalachian.

She recently published A Place So Deep Inside America It Can’t Be Seen, which is a collection of poems centering around her family history and hometown.

“It helped me bring some order to the chaos that I was feeling,” Gunter-Seymour said. “I feel so strongly about the fact that poetry can literally help heal people. It’s therapeutic. Writing it can help heal people, sharing it can help heal people. It also builds community and expresses things with beautiful, selective, perfect language.”

On April 7 at 2 p.m., Gunter-Seymour will host a virtual reading and Q&A event through Ohio University Southern. More information on upcoming events with Gunter-Seymour can be found on her website.

Gunter-Seymour also hosts Spoken & Heard monthly with Stuart’s Opera House. The virtual event features award-winning poets, authors and musicians from all over the country. The next event will be held April 15 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

In addition, The Athens County (and Friends) Poets & Storytellers is holding a virtual open mic event Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Anyone can sign up to attend, and there are still some open spots to actively participate.

Clodfelter, McVicker and Gunter-Seymour encourage people to celebrate the month and make connections with others and their inner-selves through this medium.

“You get around poets and you have friends for life,” Gunter-Seymour said. “We’re just trying to tell our truths and build our communities and make the world a better place. So any opportunity to lift up others especially the group in Athens, I can speak for them that everybody here works really hard to lift each other up.

And I’ve seen that across the state.”

@MARYJANESANESE MS943920@OHIO.EDU

On a Vintage Voyage

Wallahalla Vans provides unique outdoors experience with Volkswagen camper van

BAYLEE DEMUTH MANAGING EDITOR Andie Walla and Scotty Hall have taken their love of camping and transformed it into a 1999 Volkswagen Winnebago Eurovan Camper so others can experience the great outdoors with ease.

Walla and Hall are the owners of Wallahalla Vans, a Volkswagen camper van rental company in Athens. The pair rents out their camper van to people looking to explore Southeast Ohio. Being avid backpackers themselves, Walla and Hall were looking for a simpler and more comfortable way to travel not only for themselves but others, too.

“I think a lot of people that are interested … aren’t necessarily campers that aren’t going to backpack into the woods or set up a tent. They want a bed to sleep in,” Walla, who is also a School of Media Arts and Studies lecturer, said. “This is perfect for you because you don’t have the responsibility of the ownership and upkeeping the vehicle — you just get to enjoy it.”

But Walla and Hall are no strangers to the hosting business. Before Wallahalla had wheels, it was a home one could rent on Airbnb. For over five years, Walla and Hall ran a successful Airbnb until they sold the house in 2019, opening up the opportunity to purchase their VW camper van.

“I think a lot of our experience as Airbnb hosts kind of carried over to this van because we know what it means to be a good host, communicator,” Walla said. “It’s a cultural icon to have a Volkswagen camper van. So, I think we’re really looking for a niche market of people that are looking to do smaller trips here in the Southeast Ohio tri-state area that really appreciate what a 1999-year-old van is.”

The 17-foot pop-up camper comes with a sink, a refrigerator, a two-burner propane gas stove and a backseat that folds out into a full-size bed, with room to sleep up top in the popup as well. Walla and Hall make sure the camper is filled with everything someone might need for camping, from kitchen utensils and fire starters to a first aid kit and drink Koozies. It also includes exterior amenities, such as an awning, outdoor chairs and a table.

“We really take pride in how well it’s stocked and the fact that you just basically need to show up with your clothes and your food and pretty much everything else is in there that you could think of,” Walla said.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Wallahalla Vans didn’t rent out its VW camper van as much as it would’ve liked, having only a few rentals in 2020. But with it being the only experience of its kind in the Southeast Ohio area, Walla foresees a more popular season this summer.

“We’re hoping to rent it out a lot more this summer and are definitely gonna try to do some more promoting of it,” Walla said. “It was kind of one of those things where with COVID, it was kind of hard to judge like, ‘OK, how do you deal with this?’ and I think the more we know as we go. And especially now that the weather’s nice, we are in full swing and ready to rent it out.”

Even with a full schedule of bookings, Walla and Hall make sure their family is able to enjoy the camper, too.

“We do like to go to Hocking Hills and Lake Hope and places like that, too,” Walla said. “And sometimes … we’ll drive it Uptown. I couldn’t tell you how many times we just parked in

front of O’Betty’s hot dogs and ordered our food and just sat in our van and ate and enjoyed. We used to go backpacking a lot when we were younger, and I think when you get a little older, you like to be a little bit more comfortable when you’re traveling, so this was a great way for us to have a little bit more luxury when we’re enjoying the outdoors.”

When Sherri Oliver found out her good friends were starting up a camper van business, she knew she and her husband, Brian Koscho, had to experience it for themselves. The two of them used the camper van to travel to Lake Hope State Park and Forked Run State Park for their 10-year anniversary.

“When it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to travel outside of the local area due to COVID during summer 2020, renting a campervan and checking out some beautiful state parks in Southeast Ohio seemed like a fun way to spend our 10th wedding anniversary,” Oliver said in an email.

“The first night at Lake Hope we had terrible thunderstorms and downpours. Like, the kind of rain that would completely ruin a tent camping trip. And we did not care at all because we were safe and dry inside the EuroVan. That alone made it totally worth it!”

To Koscho, this new form of traveling was a worthwhile experience that made his and Oliver’s anniversary memorable.

“We love camping, and traveling in the outdoors, and we try to take road trips with camping around the country as much as we can,” Koscho said in an email. “This was a new way to experience that kind of trip and was really fun! It made the anniversary special even during a pandemic, and we really enjoyed spending time in these beautiful parks in southeast Ohio in this really cool van.”

Whether it’s someone’s first camping trip or their 50th, Walla encourages anyone and everyone to experience the camper life.

“I feel like once you stay in a camper van, you get hooked,” Walla said. “And I think that it’s something that everyone should try. Even if you’re a little hesitant to the outdoor world, I think van life is definitely a little bit more accommodating and comfortable for you, and you don’t know until you try.”

@BAYLEEDEMUTH BD575016@OHIO.EDU

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VOLLEYBALL

Looking back on Ohio’s successful yet adverse season Ohio finished the season 12-8 after several bumps along the way ASHLEY BEACH AND MOLLY BURCHARD FOR THE POST All good things must come to an end.

Ohio walked out of the Mid-American Conference tournament with a season-ending 3-1 semifinal loss to Western Michigan on Friday. With the loss, the Bobcats finished the season with a 12-8 winning record. Ohio’s third-place finish in the MAC was truly a team effort as the Bobcats battled through several changes to the season due to COVID-19.

COVID-19 was a challenge right off the bat for the Bobcats. On Oct. 12, the MAC elected to postpone fall sports to the winter/spring season. The athletes now had more time to prepare for the season, but with this came new precautions and protocols. Players wore masks during each match and were regularly tested in attempts to keep the season alive.

Ohio faced the music early on in this COVID-19 season. It had six canceled matches, with the first cancelation coming Jan. 28 against Eastern Michigan. The Bobcats lost six matches to cancelations over the course of the season. This hurt the Bobcats when it came down to standings because Ohio had no more room for errors in the second half of the season, but its early successes boosted it to the top.

The Bobcats won 12 matches this season, but four of those matches came as full-series sweeps. In only its third series of the season, Ohio won six straight sets against Buffalo, sweeping the Bulls 3-0 in back-toback games. In this series, Ohio had a smaller number of kills than normal with 83, but that did not matter. The Bobcats were still able to capitalize on Buffalo’s 35 errors.

Ohio did not earn a series sweep throughout the entirety of March but finished the season strong with a match sweep in its last regular season series at Northern Illinois to secure a spot in the MAC tournament. These matches were quick, as the Bobcats were dominant in all six sets against the Huskies.

In the series, Ohio had 101 kills compared to Northern Illinois’ 73. Because of the large number of kills, assists in this series were high as well. Setter Vera Giacomazzi finished the series with 81 assists.

Arguably, the Bobcats’ most impressive match of the season came against Kent State 16 / APRIL 8, 2021

on March 16. Ohio went down 0-2 after a fast-paced first two sets but came back and rallied, winning the match 3-2 on the road.

It was an outstanding performance, and Ohio looked like a completely different team during set two. All parts of Ohio’s gameplay were elevated during the final three sets of the comeback win. Mariana Rodrigues acted as a dual threat at Kent State, totaling 12 kills and 13 digs for Ohio. Sam Steele finished with a match high of 34 digs.

Coach Deane Webb has the largest roster in the MAC, and it gave several players their own moment to shine. Early on, Webb used this flexibility to his advantage by moving players around to new positions to fill any voids due to injury. Stars were born out of struggle, and it showed in their performances.

The lights went out in The Convo to introduce the starters in the Bobcats’ first match Jan. 22, and then they went out for good during the second set. The match was moved, and the Bobcats played a doubleheader Jan. 23, where freshman setter Tria McLean made a season-opening statement in game two after making her Ohio debut in game one. Her introductory statement of 49 assists and nine digs were both season highs.

McLean would go on to play six matches for the Bobcats, showing the strength of the freshman class.

Freshman Elizabeth Hoerlein did not step onto the court until Feb. 18 during the match at Bowling Green. However, it wasn’t until March 19 against Western Michigan that Hoerlein got to make an impact for Ohio. Hoerlein looked a bit out of touch with the offense at first but adjusted quickly. She had no attack errors and three kills on five attempts against the Broncos. In just her third match, Hoerlein started for Ohio.

The third freshman standout for the Bobcats was Sam Steele, who took over the helm as libero for the Bobcats this season. She made a name for herself early in the season with her defensive prowess. Steele was constantly diving to the floor and running toward the stands to keep volleys alive. Her talent reflects in her season statistics positively as she collected 436 digs in 79 sets, earning herself

Ohio University setter Vera Giacomazzi sets the ball in a game against University at Buffalo that would lead to victory for the Bobcats on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021.

(TRE SPENCER | FOR THE POST)

a spot on the MAC All-Freshman team along with Caitlin O’Farrell.

Senior Tia Jimerson also made waves for the Bobcats throughout the season. She led the team in kills with 215 successful swings.

Her .354 hitting percentage was the best of the Bobcats and landed her second-highest in the MAC, earning her First-Team All MAC honors. Jimerson was a vocal leader and consistently pushed the Bobcats despite not always being on the court after a mid-season injury sidelined her for a handful of matches.

In her final season at Ohio, setter Giacomazzi earned 776 assists, the second most in her four-year career with the Bobcats and the third most in the MAC this season. In addition, she totaled 196 digs, which is also the second most of her collegiate career. With these stats, Giacomazzi was named to the All-MAC second team. In a normal length season, Giacomazzi may have been able to pass her record 1353 assists in 2019.

Looking ahead to next season, Ohio is currently returning all but Giacomazzi. The

upcoming fall season will be a quick turnaround for the Bobcats, who will be starting the season just a few short months after the conclusion of the 2021 season. There will also be adjusting to do for Ohio, who will have to go back to a completely different style of schedule. Despite the readjustment, the Bobcats are looking to have a promising season come fall. They can use the team chemistry they built this year to help them play even better.

@MOLLY_BURCHARD8 MB712319@OHIO.EDU @ASHLEYBEACHY_ AB026319@OHIO.EDU

BASEBALL

Ohio settles for series split with Toledo after dropping 2 straight J.L. KIRVEN SPORTS EDITOR

The next step for this team is learning how to dominate the entire weekend.

Despite starting the weekend with two of its best performances of the year, Ohio ended it anticlimactically against Toledo.

The Bobcats destroyed the Rockets in games one and two but dropped games three and four by a run each, resulting in a series split between the two teams.

What could have been an opportunity to pounce on one of the weaker teams in the Mid-American Conference ultimately was lost for the Bobcats (11-11, 5-7 MAC).

Ohio has shown time and again this season that it can beat whomever it plays.

GAME 1: OHIO 13, TOLEDO 2

Everything went right for the Bobcats on Friday. Pitcher Joe Rock controlled the mount, striking out seven batters and only allowing two hits in the process. It was a normal day at the site for the left-handed junior. All season long, he’s shown he can deliver not only on the college level but potentially in the pros as well.

But enough about pitching. Ohio’s bats were on fire against Toledo, but the Bobcats weren’t swinging with reck-

less abandon. Ohio forced 10 walks out of Toledo and, when the time was right, capitalized on the weak pitching. Every starter collected a hit, but the afternoon was highlighted by a grand slam by Isaiah Peterson in the eighth inning.

Trevor Hafner had a perfect afternoon, going 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. Trevor Lukkes (2-4, two RBIs) and Harry Witwer-Dukes’ (two singles, an RBI and one run scored) swings were also in rare form.

Ohio’s 13 runs were the most since its 14-3 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee on March 5. It was also only the second time the Bobcats reached double digits this season, but Ohio’s bats weren’t cooled off just yet.

GAME 2: OHIO 11, TOLEDO 6

Ohio and Toledo played two seven-inning games Saturday. And for Bobcat fans, there is good news and bad news.

Chronologically speaking, the good comes first.

The Bobcats’ offense carried its momentum into Saturday’s first game, easily

defeating Toledo by five runs. By the end of the first inning, Ohio was up five-tozilch, thanks to four — yes, four — consecutive home runs.

Witwer-Dukes, Sabastian Fabik, Hafner and Mason Minzey had their own personal MAC home run derby at the expense of Toledo pitcher Kyle Jones. By the time Jones was pulled in the fourth inning, the Bobcats were in control and confident.

Freshman righty Logan Jones earned his first win of the season, and Edward Kutt IV secured his fourth save, but unlike Friday, Toledo showed it could hang with the Bobcats.

GAME 3: TOLEDO 6, OHIO 5

OK, time for the bad news.

For the first time all series, Ohio was outhit by Toledo (11-7), and it bit the Bobcats in the tail at the end.

Game three was tight throughout, but Ohio couldn’t find its magic in the bats and fell to the Rockets 6-5. Hafner and Spencer Harbert each hit home runs, but the patience and precision the Bobcats showed Friday and earlier in the afternoon wasn’t there.

Ohio’s pitching also took a step back in game three. Starter Braxton Kelly didn’t have his best game, giving up nine hits, five runs and five errors in 5.1 innings of work. Still, Ohio was up in the series and had the opportunity to win its first MAC series of the season heading into Sunday’s finale.

GAME 4: TOLEDO 7, OHIO 6

Up 4-1 at the half inning point of the fifth, Ohio looked like it would beat Toledo and finally finish the weekend above .500.

Unfortunately for the Bobcats, there was still plenty of baseball left to be played. Toledo went on to tie the game in the fifth and take the lead with three runs in the seventh inning. The Rockets would ultimately secure their comeback with a 7-6 victory.

Ohio hasn’t won Sunday since March 7, and the pattern of starting the series strong but finishing weak is becoming prominent. In just the span of a weekend, the Bobcats can manage to look great, good, average and bad.

Ohio will return to Bob Wren Stadium next weekend for a four-game MAC series against Eastern Michigan. Game one is scheduled for Friday, April 9, at 6 p.m.

Ohio pitcher Joe Rock pitches the ball during Ohio’s game against Morehead State on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Rock pitched a no hitter as Ohio won 6-0. (ANTHONY WARNER | FOR THE POST)

@JL_KIRVEN JK810916@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

SOCCER

Ohio looks to end the season on a high note with a pair of home matches WILL CUNNINGHAM FOR THE POST The Bobcats look to end on a high note with two matches at home to close out this season’s shortened campaign. They take on Kent State on Thursday and will finish the regular season with Buffalo on Sunday.

Here is everything you need to know:

OPPONENT: vs. Kent State (2-4, 2-4 Mid-American Con-

ference) - Kickoff is at 4 p.m.

- Kent State has lost its last four matches, including a 3-1 loss to Ohio in mid-March.

- The Golden Flashes had their matches against Buffalo and Miami postponed last week, so they will have had 10 days off going into Thursday’s match.

- Kent State’s match on Sunday has also been postponed, so Thursday’s contest will be its season finale.

PLAYER TO WATCH: The Golden Flashes have only

scored five goals all year, but senior forward Yasmine Hall has scored three of them.

OPPONENT: vs. Buffalo, (4-1-1, 4-1-1 MAC)

- Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

- Buffalo has won four of its last five matches and has not lost in over a month. This includes a double overtime win over Ohio on March 21.

- The Bulls are currently in second place in the MAC, but given that each of Bowling Green’s final four matches were postponed, they could qualify for the MAC championship game with two wins this weekend.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Senior forward Marcy Barberic has tallied six goals and an assist for the Bulls this season.

NOTES ON THE BOBCATS:

- Ohio currently sits at 2-6 and has lost its last four matches. However, one of its two wins came over Thursday’s opponents, Kent State. That match was one of Ohio’s best performances of the season, and they came out with a 3-1 victory.

Ohio University head soccer coach Aaron Rodgers calls out from the sidelines during the home game against Miami on March 4, 2021 in Athens, Ohio. (MACKENZIE TYSON | FOR THE POST)

- The Bobcats will finish with a losing record for the first time in three seasons. However, ending the season on a high note will give them something to build on in a shortened offseason.

month leases

@WILLOCUNNINGHAM WC425318@OHIO.EDU

PLAYER TO WATCH: Junior forward Abby Townsend has consistently been Ohio’s most dangerous player this season.

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PONDERING WITH PATTERSON

The importance of holiday traditions LAUREN PATTERSON is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University Holidays always have a way of feeling different with age. It’s a shift felt when the holiday arrives. We might not feel the same feelings of excitement and anticipation. Another holiday passing in the pandemic allows this shift to feel even more peculiar.

Nonetheless, hints of normalcy bring some of this magic back. Holiday traditions help keep the spirit going.

They allow feelings of childhood magic to remain, providing normalcy in the process. Continuing holiday traditions, big or small, can help to keep this magic and contribute to the feeling of normalcy.

Holiday traditions may change as we change. Growing older allows you both to miss out on certain elements

of holidays and begin others. Easter egg hunting used to be one tradition in which my brother and I took part.

Easter baskets, and even a note to the Easter Bunny, were always essential to ring in the holiday. As these traditions no longer carry on, others do and help to keep a holiday feeling like a holiday.

One tradition my family has for Easter that we were able to continue is our yearly egg fight. To prepare before the meal, we color hard-boiled eggs and write our names in white crayon to decipher whose egg belongs to whom.

Once it’s time to start, each person holds their egg, and we go around the table hitting our eggs into each other to determine whose egg will be the last one uncracked. Whoever wins gets not only the satisfaction of having the best egg, but also good luck. Although not a personal tradition, as this game has been around in different variations for centuries, our annual egg fight provides normalcy and familiarity, feel-

ings that can be very hard to come by during this time.

Our yearly egg fights are a small tradition that has remained constant throughout my entire life. They are in good fun and bring everyone together in the process. Keeping this tradition has allowed for Easter to not feel all that different. It has allowed for a sense of pattern, and any ounce of normality should be clung to and celebrated. The ability to carry out our egg fight this year allowed for a sense of normality and closeness.

It is important to carry out holiday traditions when possible to create these feelings. Incorporating holiday traditions virtually through platforms such as Zoom or FaceTime can also still be a way to maintain closeness and can be helpful. While everything constantly changes, a solace in familiarity may be found in continuing traditions.

As we continue to navigate life throughout the pandemic, alternative

ways of going about doing things are constantly presented. As eligibility for vaccination continues to increase, we are experiencing even more beneficial changes. Holiday traditions are able to roll with these changes and should be kept and carried out in order to aid in spirit and regularity.

Lauren Patterson is a sophomore studying journalism. Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Lauren? Tweet her @lpaatt.

BETWEEN THE LINES

Being an Asian adoptee amid anti-Asian violence BAYLEE DEMUTH is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University A week or so ago, I read an article about being an Asian adoptee amid the spike in anti-Asian violence. I’ve been reading a lot of articles lately about the increase in Asian hate crimes, but none hit home quite like this one.

To be honest, I haven’t really had any conversations about the rise in anti-Asian violence aside from the occasional “that’s really bad” or “what’s happening is terrible” comments. And I don’t blame my friends or family for not sitting down and processing how these acts of violence make me feel, but then I’m left wondering if all my fear and hurt is invalid.

If I ever talk with friends or family about being Asian American, I always have a hard time describing where I fit in. On the outside, I am Chinese Amer-

ican, but on the inside, the culture and environment I was raised in doesn’t reflect that. So, like the article states, I don’t feel like I belong in either the Asian community or white America.

When I feel out of place, it makes having those conversations about issues like Asian hate difficult. Sometimes, I feel like an impostor talking about the increase in hate toward Asian Americans because I myself don’t feel “Asian enough” to have any opinions on it.

But because of the way I’m perceived on the outside, I still experience racism just like the rest of the Asian community, especially as the coronavirus began to plague the U.S. in early 2020.

Sometimes, I’d be at the grocery store, and people would avoid going down the same aisles as me, or I’d be flashed a glare in the checkout line. Last summer, someone I worked with told me I needed to “get the virus under control.”

It’s not new to me that people would treat me differently based on the color of my skin, but it’s hard to deal with it at

times because I am American. I’ve lived all but five months of my life in the U.S., yet I still face the backlash of Asian hate solely based on my outward appearance.

I think in the past few years, I’ve become a lot more aware of how I’m treated because of my race and am more willing to speak out about it, but I also know for a long time, I didn’t know how to react to blatant racism. If my peers pulled at the corners of their eyes or asked if I used chopped sticks at every meal, I just shrugged it off. I didn’t understand how they saw me any different from themselves, but reflecting on those incidents now, I wish I would’ve understood how terrible those insults were.

When the massacre of eight people, six of them being of Asian descent, happened in Atlanta, I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know who to talk to or if the feelings I had were even valid, because, again, I didn’t feel Asian enough to weigh in. But I am exactly the right amount of Asian, and I have every right to mourn the lives of those who were

lost because they were part of the Asian community, just like me.

There will always be times, as an Asian adoptee, where I won’t feel part of the conversation, but I know my voice, feelings and opinions matter, too.

I’m extremely fortunate for the life my parents have given me, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities being adopted has granted me. My Asian American experience is as valid as anyone else a part of the Asian community, which is why I will continue to advocate for stopping Asian American and Pacific Islander hate every chance I get.

Baylee DeMuth is a senior studying journalism. Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Baylee?

Tweet her @bayleedemuth.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

Browse Pinterest and TikTok

All social media, Pinterest and TikTok, specifically, are fantastic resources to find skills to add to your creative tool belt.

These platforms are an asset to those in creative life. Pinterest and TikTok are terrific resources to add to your inspiration folder as well. The benefit of using these platforms to get inspiration is that it’s easy to find work from people in all different skill levels, giving you a wide variety of art to be exposed to.

Invest in a creative aid book

ILLUSTRATION BY MARY BERGER

6 ways to work on your creativity skills every day MARY BERGER ART DIRECTOR

arts and crafts. Here are six ways to practice your creativity daily:

The past year of living through the pandemic has taken a toll on everyone. People are tired, bored and burned out. So, what better time than now to enlighten yourself on ways to become more creative and artistic every single day?

Arts and crafts are a great way to clear the fog from your mind. Art can also be the perfect hobby to acquire — one that you can do in-between classes or work.

Whether you’re a beginner artist who likes to doodle or an advanced painter selling portraits for a living, you will need inspiration and passion to allow you to create beautiful

Keep an inspiration journal or folder

Any time you see something that inspires you on social media, in a magazine or even on a billboard driving to work, snap a photo of it to reference later.

Collecting design work and art over time can stimulate the creative juices inside of you. After building a decent collection of inspiration, this is a great place to turn to when experiencing artist block or boredom.

The art you have collected can give you inspiration to make your own adaptations of specific art styles.

Many artists and crafters in the world have made books, specifically for artists who need a push in the right direction when it comes to finding inspiration and exercising the right side of their brain. Having these books on hand is a huge tool for any artist because the tips never go out of date. Any time you are feeling in need of some advice or inspiration, these books are waiting for you.

There are hundreds of books out there waiting for you to explore. Some of the best creative aid books are 365 Days of Art: A Creative Exercise for Every Day of the Year

by Lorna Scobie, Piccadilly’s 500 Drawing Prompts Notebook and Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

by Austin Kleon.

Take an art class

Sign up for an art class! Whether in person through school, a local art studio hosted class or an online course, it could be an amazing way to practice your creativity and skills every day as well as having a schedule to hold yourself accountable. It is amazing what you can learn over the span of a couple of weeks and how evident your skills will show in your work.

Some of the best art classes available online are on Skillshare.com and Creativebug.com.

Skillshare.com is an excellent resource on a variety of topics including design work, animation and painting. Each Skillshare class is taught by esteemed artists or professors all over the world, making it a legitimate resource for your creative side.

Creativebug.com is another incredible website with classes more focused on crafts, sewing and embroidery projects. JOANN

Fabric and Craft Stores run Creativebug.com, making it guaranteed to have some cool, unique crafts and skills to offer.

Try an artistic warm-up exercise

Artist block warm-up exercises are honestly some of the greatest ways to spark the creativity in your brain. These activities are short art ideas that can be altered and repeated millions of times with different results after each. These activities are open to interpretation and adaptation, so go into these with an open mind, and go crazy.

Commit yourself to a daily art challenge

Daily art challenges are a great way to hold yourself accountable for working on art everyday. Art challenges can differ. But, by getting the gist of them each day, you can create art in a short time span, such as 15 or 30 minutes. The challenges are meant to get you to practice your skills every day to get into the habit of making beautiful content.

Part of the fun of these challenges is to post it all on social media, using a specific hashtag so all creators of the challenge can see each other’s work every day.

One popular challenge to try could be the 20 Art Styles challenge. In this challenge, the prompt is to redraw yourself every day in a different style. One day, you could draw yourself as a character from Bob’s Burgers, another day as a character from The Fairly OddParents and so on. This one is tagged with #20stylechallenge or #20styles.

Of course, there will be days when you are not beaming with creativity, but trying these resources above will hopefully give you the jumpstart you need to create something wonderful.

@MARYBERGS10 MB690617@OHIO.EDU

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The ultimate Athens summer bucket list JULIANA COLANT FOR THE POST The end of school is quickly approaching, and summer is only a few weeks away. While some may head home for the summer, many people will be staying in Athens for the infamous “Athens summer” experience. Athens may be a small city, but don’t let that fool you; there’s plenty of things to do.

Daydream of those fast-approaching summer days with an ultimate Athens summer bucket list. Here’s six things to do:

WEEKEND TRIP TO COLUMBUS

Live the city life by taking a weekend trip to the state capital. The list of things to do in Columbus is endless. Treat your taste buds at The North Market or go shopping at Easton Town Center. You can also explore the Columbus Museum of Art or COSI Science Center. No matter what you chose to do, you’re guaranteed a fun-filled Columbus weekend getaway.

ATHENS FARMERS MARKET

Athens Farmers Market is open

year-round every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Also, the Wednesday market days begin April 21 and go from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Over the summer, it is located in the front parking lot of The Market on State mall in Athens. According to its website, the Athens Farmers Market is rated as one of the best markets in Ohio. It offers an array of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, pastries, preserves and more. It is a great way to support local businesses and eat delicious food. Afterward, grab

your friends, and cook a meal with the goods you purchased.

@COLANT_JULIANA JC079419@OHIO.EDU

WATER ACTIVITIES AT DOW LAKE

Dow Lake is located in Strouds State Park. The 161-acre lake is the perfect spot for cooling off from the hot summer. It offers boating; you can bring your own or rent one. If boating isn’t your speed, you can also go paddle boarding, kayaking or swimming in the lake.

For boat rental information, call 740594-2628.

VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT AT STROUDS STATE PARK

Strouds State Park also has a 700foot sand beach on the east side of Dow Lake. It is open from sunrise to sunset.

Gather your friends, and grab a volleyball. Then, unleash your competitive side by having a volleyball tournament on the beach.

HIKING IN HOCKING HILLS

Hocking Hills is a state park located near Athens in Logan. It boasts six hiking trails, varying in degrees of difficulty. Here, you can work out and enjoy nature all at the same time. Additionally, Hocking Hills features activities like hunting, fishing, camping and canoeing.

HAMMOCKING ON SOUTH GREEN

Soak up the sun and beautiful scenery on Ohio University’s campus. Take advantage of the numerous trees by relaxing in a hammock. Hammocking is perfect for reading a book or taking a nap.

Find a hammock online at Amazon or at a store such as DICK’S Sporting Goods.

Isabella Milstead sits patiently next to Sam Green as he ties a fishing line to his pole on a dock at Dow Lake in Strouds Run State Park while soaking in the early spring warmth on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender Chesterhill Produce Auction hosts its Spring Consignment Auction KAYLA BENNETT STAFF WRITER

Gearing up to host its biggest event of the year, Chesterhill Produce Auction, 8380 Wagoner Road, is having its Spring Consignment Auction on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The auction will be full of different types of handcrafted wood furniture, antiques, farm machinery, vegetable starter plants and more. There will also be a small animal livestock auction.

The event will be hosted outdoors, but COVID-19 guidelines are still to be followed. There will also be a country cooking cart where food will be served, so people will be able to buy breakfast and lunch.

“It is outside, so people can practice social distancing. Masks are still

required,” Jessica Dotson, manager of Chesterhill Produce Auction, said.

“We try to do our best through safety precautions. There are hand sanitizers and hand washing stations throughout the property for people to be able to use. It’s just a good time — the weather is supposed to be nice — (it will) be a good chance for people to get outdoors and go to something and not feel too crowded or unsafe.”

A walk through of everything being auctioned off will start at 8 a.m. The auction will begin at 10 a.m., and the second auctioneer will begin around 11 a.m. outside. The livestock auction will start around 1:30 p.m.

“In April and November, we do what we call the ‘Consignment Auction,’ which basically means that community members can bring valuable things that they have to

Mike Nichols works the podium as the auctioneer at the Chesterhill Produce Auction in Chesterhill on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. (NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

22 / APRIL 8, 2021

auction off,” Tom Redfern, director of Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry at Rural Action, said. “It serves as an opportunity for the community to make some money and for us to offer a bigger option that features a variety of household goods, tools and farming equipment. So, it’s a big event that we do.”

An array of customers and businesses come to these auctions including, but not limited to, Ohio University, Ohio State University, various restaurants and some other schools.

Farmers local to Chesterhill participate in the auctions, and even people from around the Ohio River will join to include their goods in the auction.

Chesterhill will also be hosting additional produce auctions. Auctions will start April 26, and they will run Mondays and Thursdays at 4 p.m. throughout the year until October.

Throughout those months, the second Saturday of every month will be called “Saturday at the CPA.” On those Saturdays, Chesterhill will auction off wood furniture and livestock. Those Saturdays go from March through December.

“There’s no pressure to buy anything the first time if you’re not sure what’s being bid on right now or ‘How much did I just pay for that thing?’”

Molly Sowash, Sustainable Agriculture AmeriCorps member in Rural Action, said. “But if you get the swing of things, you can get a number and start bidding if you’re feeling courageous, and if not, you can just come and hang out.”

Sowash added there is a country store full of goods with a set price, including local syrup, noodles, cookies, T-shirts, candy and more.

The auction is an opportunity to safely enjoy the presence of others while savoring different types of food and more. Attendees are welcome to bring chairs and enjoy the weather.

“This year, we are partnering with

IF YOU GO WHAT: Chesterhill Spring Consignment auction WHERE: 8380 Wagoner Road, Chesterhill WHEN: Saturday, April 10 ADMISSION: Free Triple Nickel Diner, which is a local farm to fork restaurant in Chesterhill, featuring local food,” Redfern said. “And when you come to the produce auction and purchase something, you can take your receipt to the diner, and they will honor that for 10% off your meal.”

Dotson, Redfern and Sowash are looking forward to a successful auction and encourage people to experience the event firsthand.

“We’re excited to have it this year because we weren’t able to have it last year, and our customers really look forward to it,” Dotson said. @KKAYYBEN KB084519@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? Take a walking tour of the Athens Asylum; virtually view student theater productions ISABEL NISSLEY FOR THE POST

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 IWeek Culture Day at 9 a.m., hosted virtually by Ohio University International Student and Faculty Services Office and Office of Global Affairs and International Studies. Celebrate the final day of IWeek 2021. International students will be highlighted virtually during culture day. New videos can be found each hour on the OU IWeek website.

Admission: Free Diversity & Inclusion Drop-In Career Corner at 10 a.m., hosted virtually by OU’s Career and Leadership Development Center and Division of Diversity and Inclusion. Get help with career-related needs from career coach Tamika Williams. Sessions are often used to discuss resume feedback or to answer general questions about career development.

Admission: Free Coping Clinic: Feel Good Fridays at 11 a.m., hosted virtually by OU’s Counseling and Psychological Services. Join Counseling and Psychological Services for an online, drop-in workshop that offers students creative ways to explore their thoughts and feelings.

Resources to practice healthy behaviors will also be presented. Students do not have to be a client with Counseling and Psychological Services or

currently located in the state of Ohio to engage in Coping Clinic workshops.

Admission: Free Virtual Shabbat at 6 p.m., hosted

by Hillel at Ohio University via Zoom.

Join OU Hillel for a student-led, virtual Shabbat. Although the event is online, students are still encouraged to lead prayer, offer a D’var or contribute musically. Registration is required through OU Hillel’s website.

Admission: Free

SATURDAY, APRIL 1O “For the Love of Athens” Photo Contest Gallery Exhibit at 8 a.m., hosted

by ARTS/West and the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St. View “For the Love of Athens,” a photo contest and exhibition celebrating the people and places of Athens County.

The show has been on display over the past few months at ARTS/West, and now, it is being hosted at the Athens Community Center for an encore viewing. Questions can be directed to Emily Beveridge at 740-592-4315 or ebeveridge@ci.athens.oh.us.

on the Athens Asylum, will be leading an outdoor walking tour of the historic asylum grounds and buildings. Pre-registration is required, and spots can be reserved by calling 740592-2280.

Admission: Southeast Ohio History Center members: $15; regular non-member adult: $18, students with a Student ID: $10, children 12 and under: free LFC Presents: Clue at 7 p.m., hosted virtually by the Lost Flamingo Theatre Company. View the Lost Flamingo Theatre Company’s live production of Clue. In the play, six colorful characters find they’re all suspects for dinner-party murder at their host’s lavish mansion. Their precious secrets are revealed, and the murderer could strike again any time, so they had better find a clue. Tickets can be purchased through AnywhereSeat.

the trials and tribulations of growing up. The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Spring Awakening is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock ‘n’ roll. The link to stream the musical is available via showtix4u.com.

Admission: General admission: $10, student admission: $5

SUNDAY, APRIL 11 Day Paddling - Canoeing at 1 p.m., hosted by Bobcats Well-Being and OU Campus Recreation, Strouds Run State Park. Join Outdoor Pursuits for a day of paddling at Strouds Run State Park.

Participants can sign up through OU’s RecShop website.

Admission: Free

Admission: $10 or any amount higher for donations Tantrum Theater presents: Spring Awakening at 8 p.m., hosted virtually by Tantrum Theater. View Spring Awakening, an angsty rock musical adaptation of the seminal play about

@ISABELNISSLEY IN566119@OHIO.EDU

Admission: Free Athens Farmers Market at 9 a.m., hosted by Athens Farmers Market, 1002 E. State St. Shop for locally grown and locally made foods and goods at the farmers market. The market accepts SNAP, credit cards and wholesome wave. Masks are recommended, and social distancing protocols are in place.

Admission: Free Spring Consignment at 10 a.m., hosted by Chesterhill Produce Auction, 8380 Wagoner Road, Chesterhill. Attend the 2021 Spring Consignment auction featuring handcrafted wood products, quality consignments, farm tools, livestock and more. Consignments need to be in by April 9. Walkthrough will begin at 8 a.m. on April 10.

The auction will start at 10 a.m. Questions can be emailed to jessica@chesterhillproduceauction.com.

Admission: Free Walking Tour of the Historic Athens Asylum at 2 p.m., hosted by Southeast Ohio History Center, 100 Ridges Circle. Tour the famous Athens Asylum, one of the few Kirkbride asylums left. George Eberts, long time asylum employee and local expert

VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS GALA APRIL 14, 2021 REGISTER FOR THE EVENT WWW.OHIO.EDU/LEADERSHIP-AWARDS

BROUGHT TO YOU BY STUDENT AFFAIRS AND DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

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NOW RENTING 2021-2022 CLOSE TO CAMPUS with MANY EXTRAS * Rent is listed as per person/per month

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85 West State Street 2 or 3 Bedroom . $499*

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Call TODAY to schedule a viewing

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