Ohio Cooperative Living – May 2026 - Butler

Be SAFE around LIGHTNING

If you hear thunder, you are close enough to get struck by lightning.

Seek shelter indoors:

• Refrain from using corded electrical devices

• Avoid running water, including baths and showers, and stay away from windows

• Stay in shelter until 30 minutes after the last thunder

If you can’t get to shelter:

• Avoid open fields and hilltops

• Stay away from tall, isolated trees and objects

• Spread out from others if you’re in a group

ohioec.org/purpose

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • MAY 2026

INSIDE

TRAVEL ISSUE

23 LIGHTHOUSE LIVING

Fairport Harbor’s ‘Lighthouse Lady’ is restoring the guardian of the Grand River one slow step at a time.

26 FESTIVALS OF FOOD

On just about any weekend of the year, one Ohio community or another is showing off its love of — and pride in — its favorite food.

32 TRAIL TOWN MAGIC

Many of the small towns that dot the Buckeye Trail are shaping a new kind of Ohio hospitality experience.

Cover image on most editions: The West Breakwater Light, a lighthouse situated where the Grand River flows into Lake Erie, had been abandoned for 60 years but is now on the National Register of Historic Places (photograph by W.H. Chip Gross)

This page: Line crews from electric cooperatives across Ohio and surrounding states jumped into action to help restore power in areas hit hard by a windstorm in March. Here, a crew from Indiana prepares to replace a damaged pole in Carroll County.

Reminder from Mother Nature

The violent windstorm that swept across Ohio and much of the rest of the Midwest on March 13 was a powerful reminder about how quickly the weather can change — and how much we all depend on electricity in our daily lives.

Gusts were strong enough to bring down trees, snap utility poles, peel shingles, and unceremoniously toss around just about anything that wasn’t tied down. In other words, it was the kind of weather that makes folks worry about whether or not their lights will stay on.

At your electric cooperative, preparing for times like that is year-round work — not just when a storm shows up on the radar. Co-op crews spend countless hours inspecting poles and lines, replacing worn equipment, and generally strengthening the system, piece by piece. The goal is both vital and straightforward: Find problems before a storm finds them.

Because most wind-related outages start with trees, co-ops invest significantly in right-of-way maintenance — keeping trees and other vegetation away from power lines. It’s the first line of defense and one of the most effective tools in a co-op’s arsenal to prevent outages.

Sometimes, however, Mother Nature demonstrates that even the best preparation has limits; some storms simply are stronger than the systems built to withstand them, and when widespread winds whip up and trees start coming down, damage can add up pretty quickly.

That’s why readiness goes beyond well-maintained equipment and clear rights-of-way. It takes a dedicated team of people to restore power, and when damage is both severe and widespread, co-ops sometimes have to reach out for help, as several did in response to that mid-March storm. It showed yet again that mutual aid — the practice of co-ops helping co-ops — is one of the greatest strengths of the cooperative network, as you will read in our story on page 4

The storm was also a time to remember that line work can be both dangerous and demanding, even in the best of conditions, and restoration work after a storm is even more so. Everyone at the co-op understands how frustrating it can be to lose power, but they also know that safety must come first. Every. Single. Time. Any time power goes out, cooperative crews will respond as quickly as possible, but their responsibility to go home at the end of the day is sacred, and they take it seriously.

It might demand a little more patience from members while the lineworkers do their job as quickly, and safely, as possible, because at times like that members can be assured of two things: your co-op will always show up and when they do, they will do the job the right way.

Thank you for your continued support, but especially when the weather makes a tough job even tougher.

Craig Grooms PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Co-ops spend countless hours strengthening the system, piece by piece. The goal is simple and straightforward: Find problems before a storm finds them.

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives

6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com

Craig Grooms President & CEO

Caryn Whitney Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Senior Managing Editor

Amy Howat Assistant Managing Editor

Neal Kindig Graphic Designer

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

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $6.48 to $7.92 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

DEPARTMENTS

4 POWER LINES

Gusts, grit, and the power of cooperation: When a storm disrupts power to 88,000 members, co-ops call on mutual aid for help in a hurry.

10

CO-OP PEOPLE

A tradition of showing up: Blood drives are a point of pride for one co-op member — and an entire community.

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Explorer: Hall of Fame outdoors writer brought the world home to his readers in the Buckeye State.

15

GOOD EATS

Microwave meals: When time’s short and appetites are long, these dishes are ready in a flash.

19 LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

37 CALENDAR

What’s happening: May/June events and other things to do around Ohio.

National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon

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

Cooperative members:

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

Alliance for Audited Media Member

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area, where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state. 15 10 12 4 40 37

40

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

May flowers: We all know what April showers bring, and co-op members show off their green thumbs this month — as Pioneer Electric Cooperative member Stacey Koons did with this photo of her son, Jackson, admiring some especially large black-eyed Susans.

Gusts, grit, and the power of cooperation

BY CARYN GOLDEN WHITNEY

Appropriately, spring’s swift, early arrival in Ohio this year came on a Friday the 13th.

A fast-moving low-pressure system tore across the state this past March, unleashing widespread damaging winds. The National Weather Service measured sustained winds up to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 85 mph.

Trees, with root systems anchored in ground already waterlogged from previous rain, could not stand up to the sudden blast, and very quickly, power outages began to mount. At the peak of the storm, more than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in Ohio; 88,000 of those were in areas served by electric cooperatives.

11:52 a.m., March 13:

Trouble begins

In Millersburg, in eastern Ohio, reports of outages started coming in to Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative around noon. “The numbers escalated quickly through the afternoon,” says Robyn Tate, the co-op’s vice president and chief administrative officer, noting that the hardest-hit areas were also the most rural. Large trees came down and numerous poles snapped under their weight.

By midnight, 10 of the co-op’s 19 substations were without power from the transmission provider, and 11,000 of the co-op’s 18,000 members were in the dark.

Holmes-Wayne was not alone. Nearly all of the 24 co-ops in Ohio experienced outages from these high winds; seven were hit hard enough that they sent out a call for help. Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ statewide office had already jump-started the process of accessing the damage and coordinating mutual aid.

6:37 p.m., March 13: Peak of the storm

By the time the statewide co-op outage number peaked just after 6 : 30 that evening, it was clear that co-ops were looking at a multi-day restoration effort. More than 11 ,000 of the 28 ,000 members of The Energy Cooperative in Newark lost power. Paulding Putnam, the Paulding-based co-op, reported some 50 poles down across its service territory.

Because so many Ohio co-ops were occupied wiuth their own systems, line crews had to be called in from out of state to help, as well. “It’s a process that’s been in place a long time,” says Chris Napier, director of safety training and loss prevention at the Ohio statewide office, who coordinated the mutual aid effort. “Co-ops are always prepared to assist.”

The scale of the mutual aid was immense Ohio: 37 lineworkers from 11 cooperatives

• Indiana: 34 lineworkers from 14 co-ops

• Kentucky: 9 lineworkers from 2 co-ops

• Virginia/Delaware/ Maryland: 8 lineworkers from 2 co-ops

• 36 bucket trucks

• 9 digger derricks

March 14–18: Dangerous, demanding work

“Restoration after a windstorm of this magnitude is rarely straightforward,” Napier says. “Downed trees and remote locations make it tough for crews to get where they need to go, and they’re never really sure what they’ll find when they do get in there.”

Rugged terrain can compound that challenge. At Holmes-Wayne, for example, crews often had to haul equipment by foot into areas unreachable by trucks. “The work was extremely labor-intensive just to get to some of those remote locations,” Tate says. “Then when they got there, since they couldn’t get a truck into the work zone, that meant they were climbing poles — and even though they make it look easy, if you’ve ever tried that, you know it isn’t easy.”

Casey McVicker, member services manager at GuernseyMuskingum Electric Cooperative, says more than 30 poles had been broken and over a third of the co-ops’s nearly 18,000 members lost power. Mutual aid crews started at the New Concord office for a safety briefing and onboarding, then were partnered with GMEC employees —”birddogs” — to help them navigate the unfamiliar terrain and maximize safety. “It would have taken probably twice as long to restore power if not for the help of our sister cooperatives,” McVicker says.

Small moments, lasting impact

Amid the heavy damage, difficult conditions, and long hours, there were lighter moments — scenes that captured the cooperative difference.

When Holmes-Wayne crews stopped to repair an outdoor light at a member’s home, for example, the Bryant family’s curious 3 -year-old, Frank, watched linemen Cody Spreng and Josh Johnson do their work. They took a few minutes to talk with him, show him what they were doing, and answer everything they could, and the interaction sparked something bigger. “Frank walked away inspired,” his mom shared on social media, touched by the patience and kindness. She said the moment ignited his imagination in a way she couldn’t have on her own (see photo at right).

As the crews battled exhaustion and difficult conditions, cooperative communities responded with overwhelming support. Co-op staff and even some members volunteered time and donated food to keep the crews fed. Lunches were delivered to job sites.

“We always get snacks and drinks dropped off for our linemen, and a full meal is provided every morning and evening for everyone working to get the lights back on,” Tate says.

Safety is non-negotiable

But it’s more than food. The pressure to get power back on for members is real, and crews worked 16hour days, racing daylight and even more wind and weather in the days following the storm.

So those little moments serve to remind line crews just why they do what they do. And all the words of encouragement from members — in pwerson aand online — mean just as much. Nearly all the cooperatives impacted received dozens of “thank you” posts on their Facebook pages from their members, even those still patiently waiting for power to come back on.

In all of that, Napier says line crews’ commitment to safety never wavered. “Safety is non-negotiable, period,” he says. “The goal at the end of every day is to get everyone back home safely.”

March 18: Restoration complete

Five days after the storm, power was restored to the last members who had still been in the dark because of the storm. Napier marked the occasion with a congratulatory message to those from across the state and beyond who had taken part in the effort. You could sense the pride in the work and gratitude for the safety of all those involved.

“Poles have been planted in the ground, wire pulled in the air, and time sacrificed away from family and friends to bring us to this point,” Napier wrote.

“WELL DONE!!”

“Greatlength!Stays inplacewhenbending over.Washesbeautifully withnoshrinkage.Would recommendtoanyone!” –N.Reno,NV

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS:

Ashland Comfort Control (419) 281-0144 comfortcontrolohio.com

Bowling Green United Home Comfort (419) 352-7092 unitedhomecomfort.com

Chillicothe

Accurate Htg & Clg (740) 775-5005 accurategeothermal.com

Coldwater

Ray’s Refrigeration (419) 678-8711 raysrefrigeration.com

Defiance

Schlatters Plbg & Htg (419) 393-4690 schlattersgeothermal.com

Dresden Federal Htg & Clg (740) 754-4328 federalheating.com

Findlay Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638 knueve.com

Gahanna

Custom A/C & Htg (614) 552-4822 customairco.com/ geothermal

Groveport Patriot Air (614) 577-1577 patriotair.com

Holgate Holgate Hardware (419) 264-3012

Kalida Knueve & Sons Inc. (419) 420-7638 knueve.com

Sarka Electric (419) 532-3492 sarkaelectric.com

Mansfield Eberts Energy Center (419) 589-2000 ebertsheatingandcooling. com

Marion Wenig’s Inc. (740) 383-5012 wenigsinc.com

Medina Sisler Heating (330) 722-7101 sislerwaterfurnace.com

Mt. Vernon Cosby Htg & Clg (740) 393-4328 cosbyhc.com

New Knoxville New Knoxville Supply (419) 753-2444 newknoxvillesupply.com

Portsmouth

Accurate Htg & Clg (740) 353-4328 accurategeothermal.com

Sidney Lochard Inc. (937) 492-8811

Sunbury Westin Air (614) 794-1259 geothermalcentralohio.com

Toledo Overcashier & Horst (419) 841-3333 ohcomfort.com

Wellington Wellington Indoor Comfort (440) 647-3421

Saving is believing.

Think you can’t afford a geothermal heat pump?

After a closer look, you may be surprised at its overall affordability.

A geothermal heat pump is much cheaper to run than the most efficient furnaces and air conditioners. In fact, your energy bills can be cut by as much as 70%. As a result, many geothermal homeowners see a return on investment of 10-20% over the life of their system. When you crunch the numbers, you’ll see WaterFurnace is the money-saving choice. Visit waterfurnace.com to get your home’s customized geothermal savings estimate.

Geothermal is the only renewable that provides reliable operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

A tradition of showing up

Blood drives are a point of pride for one co-op member — and an entire community.

BY JILL MOORHEAD

Roger Bender doesn’t think much about the number. From his farm outside Fort Loramie, where he’s a member of Piqua-based Pioneer Electric Cooperative, he’s been showing up to blood drives for more than 50 years. A pint here. Platelets there. Time spent in folding chairs at St. Michael Hall, sleeves rolled up, watching as the same people come through the door.

mark them. Reds, blacks, faded grays, they sit in drawers and closets, each one stamped with a message: “Give blood. Give love.” “Find the hero in you.” “Be the good.” Some mark milestones, others came from small-town drives meant to thank donors and draw in new ones.

Bender keeps his favorites; they’re a regular part of his wardrobe. But he also gives them away: to neighbors who can’t donate anymore, to friends, to anyone who might wear one out into the world and make someone else think twice about passing by the next blood drive.

He doesn’t give blood for the shirts. He does it for what happens inside St. Michael Hall, the recurring home to Fort Loramie’s drives.

Behind the scenes

Hours before go-time on the day of a blood drive, St. Michael’s is already awake. The Fort Loramie Community Service Club (of which Bender is a member) handles the setup. Tables are lined up in neat rows, and volunteers move with quiet efficiency to prepare the space.

National Honor Society members from the local high school arrive early to help, taking care of the heavier lifting. The American Legion Auxiliary prepares food for the donors — hot sandwiches and homemade cookies are available for those who give (a step up from the usual bagged snacks available at blood drives).

Roughly one in eight of the town’s residents (somewhere around 200 people) will pass through the hall over the course of the day. It’s more than just a routine for many in the community; it’s become something deeply personal.

Everyone has a reason

Bender has seen it happen again and again. He recalls the story of a young couple who never miss a drive, often bringing their three children along.

“Her mom had cancer,” the man says. “And that used a lot of blood.”

Bender sees another man at a table across the way — someone who, by his own admission, hates needles. Still, Bender says he comes to every drive. “If my wife could go through what she did for three years of cancer treatment,” the man told him, “I can deal with this.”

Over time, it’s added up to hundreds of donations — gallon upon gallon — and a mountain of T-shirts to

There’s the story of a young man who suffered severe burns and needed transfusions to survive. Before it happened, he had already donated more than 70 times himself. When word spread, the community responded the way it always does, by showing up.

A point of community pride

Years ago, a retired nurse named Irene Boerger helped build the local blood donation program into something lasting. She encouraged people not just to give, but to return, and to bring others with them. Over time, that persistence shaped the culture of the area. At one point, it became one of the highest donor regions in the country on a per capita basis.

It doesn’t matter to any of them that the blood collected doesn’t necessarily stay in Fort Loramie. It goes to supply hospitals across an 18-county area. The need is constant, with the blood being used for cancer patients, trauma victims, and surgeries that can’t wait.

To meet that need, the drives have expanded. What used to be three per year in Fort Loramie is now six. Nearby communities have done the same, creating more opportunities for people to step forward.

Do what you can

For years, Bender donated whole blood, a process that took 10 minutes or less. But after retiring from teaching in 2011, he was encouraged to switch to platelets and plasma, which are especially important for cancer and burn patients. The process takes longer. Blood is drawn, separated, and returned in cycles. Sometimes it keeps him in the chair for more than an hour.

Last year alone, he donated 28 times. It sounds like something worth bragging about, but Bender is more proud of the community effort than he is his own contribution. “I’m just fortunate to be healthy enough,” he says.

There are still small rewards. T-shirts. Sweatshirts. Coffee mugs. Tokens meant to thank donors and maybe catch someone’s attention out in public. For Bender, it’s more about what he leaves behind.

Explorer

Hall of Fame outdoors writer brought the world home to his readers in the Buckeye State.

BY W.H. “CHIP”

GROSS;

PHOTOS COURTESY

OF STEVE POLLICK

Steve Pollick, the former outdoors editor for The (Toledo) Blade, even after decades of international adventures and more awards than he can count, remains one of the most humble, unassuming, approachable, and genuinely friendly people anyone could ever meet. He spent decades narrating his travels for his readers, and, now in his late 70s, still has a regular outdoors/environmental column, “Open Season,” that appears monthly in Ohio Outdoor News Recently, I sat down with Steve to talk about his career and his life in the outdoors, and just listen to some of his fascinating stories.

During the second half of the 20th century, every big-city daily newspaper in Ohio employed a full-time outdoors writer. That person wrote a column several times per week — usually including a feature-length story on Sundays — highlighting the Buckeye State’s fishing, hunting, natural resources, and nature-related activities. Among the very best of those unique scribes was Pollick, who wrote for The Blade from 1982 to 20ll.

Born in Cleveland and raised in Fremont, Pollick displayed early interests in both the outdoors and writing. He soon discovered, through his high school English teachers, that he had an innate ability to break down complex concepts and make them easy for people to understand.

He graduated from the University of Toledo and earned a master’s from Ohio State, then went to work as a general assignment reporter for The Blade.

His editors noticed his wellresearched, accurate stories, and offered him the coveted position of outdoors editor. He jumped at it.

“When I accepted the job, [owner Paul Block Jr.] told me he expected just two simple things of me,” Pollick remembers: “‘I want you to travel the world, and just do The Blade some good.’ It was an outdoor writer’s dream come true.”

Pollick certainly took the assignment to heart. He traveled to some 45 countries during his nearly 30-year career, filing stories from exotic locations around the globe — including two notable trips to China and one to the Arctic in extreme northern Canada.

“The China trips involved me tagging along with members of the Toledo Zoo, who were working with the Chinese government to live-trap pandas in the bamboo forests of China’s Southwest Mountains,” Pollick says. “Some of the captured pandas were transported to China’s Wolong research center, while others came to Toledo for a one-year exhibit.”

The trip to the Barren Grounds of the central Canadian Arctic was for a series of stories on the “caribou” Inuits, indigenous people who mistakenly used to be called Eskimos. “They survived primarily by hunting migratory caribou, and I wanted to tell the story of their primitive, disappearing culture,” Pollick says. “I rode dog sleds pulled by fan-teams, with Elizabeth Alooq, the first Nunavut provincial minister, who spoke almost no English.”

Pollick’s newspaper stories were so enlightening and worldwide in scope that they quickly caught the attention of the prestigious Explorers Club in New York City, and he was made a member in 1987 (joining fellow Ohioans Neil Armstrong and John Glenn). He was granted emeritus status in 2017, six years after retiring from The Blade. “Apparently they thought my writings contributed to the good of the Explorers Club mission of education,” he says, “so I rated the extra recognition.”

Pollick says he dodged death at least eight times during his many years of traveling to remote locations around the globe. “I was charged by large, dangerous wild animals three times: a bull hippo, cow elephant, and female tiger. I nearly froze to death, twice; almost crashed a bush plane I was flying; survived a 105-degree fever for several days; and much closer to home, on Lake Erie, two fishing buddies and I had our boat completely swamped by a rogue wave.”

Of course, things weren’t always so life-or-death. He remembers being invited to eat a meal in a rural Chinese community, where he was seated around a wooden table with a large stew pot sitting in the middle of it. “My host handed me a ladle and motioned for me to dip out some food from the pot,” he says. “When I did so, out came a rooster’s head, complete with neck attached. My host was very pleased, as the head and neck were considered the choice pieces of the meal. Actually, it didn’t taste too bad.”

Pollick says one of the greatest outdoor memories of his career came while covering the 2000 Iditarod, the annual sled dog race stretching 938 miles from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.

“One night, I had the opportunity to borrow a snowmobile and take a solo ride of several miles up into the mountains,” he says. “The temperature was ‘plenty-below zero,’ but I was dressed for it. I remember it was a clear, windless, star-filled night, with the colorful Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, hanging over it all.

“I stopped the snowmobile in a mountain pass, and as I sat there in the deep silence of Alaska’s winter wilderness, a wolf pack began howling far away on the ridge to my left. They were soon answered by a second wolf pack howling far away on the ridge to my right. It was one of the most spectacular, serendipitous moments I’ve ever experienced in the out-of-doors — that experience went deep into my soul.”

Steve Pollick was inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame in 2022

W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Email him with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@gmail.com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!

www.ohiocoopliving.com

CATHERINE MURRAY

Microwave meals

When time’s short but appetites are long, these dishes are ready in a flash.

MICROWAVE MEATLOAF (WITH TWO SIDES)

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes |

Servings: 4

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large egg

¼ cup dry breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon onion soup mix (stir before measuring)

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

3 tablespoons thick BBQ sauce, divided

1½ cups water

2/3 cup milk or water

1 teaspoon garlic salt, divided

1½ cups instant mashed potato flakes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large crown of broccoli

In a medium bowl, mix together beef, egg, breadcrumbs, soup mix, mustard, and 1 tablespoon of the BBQ sauce. Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place in a lightly greased, microwave-safe casserole dish or loaf pan. Cover dish with a microwave-safe lid or plate and microwave on high 9 to 12 minutes, until the center reaches 160 F. Keep covered and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine water, milk, and a ½ teaspoon of the garlic salt. Stir in potato flakes until just moistened and top with butter. Cover bowl with a microwave-safe plate and microwave 3½ minutes on high. Carefully remove from microwave and fluff potatoes with fork while mixing in the melted butter. Cover and set aside. Place broccoli stem-side down into a microwave-safe mixing bowl with 2 inches of water in the bottom. Microwave on high 6 to 8 minutes, until the thickest part is easily pierced with a fork. With tongs, transfer broccoli to a serving bowl and cut into pieces with a knife and fork. Glaze meatloaf with remaining 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce; cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Slice meatloaf. Sprinkle mashed potatoes and broccoli with remaining ½ teaspoon garlic salt; serve hot.

NOTES: Jazz up the vegetables with cheese sauce, gravy, or a drizzle of BBQ sauce. Use a towel or oven mitts — the dishes will be hot!

Per serving: 476 calories, 21 grams fat (9 grams saturated fat), 42 grams total carbohydrates, 140 milligrams cholesterol, 1,038 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber, 33 grams protein.

5-MINUTE FRENCH TOAST

Prep: 4 minutes | Cook: 1 minute | Servings: 2

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk*

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sugar, honey, agave syrup)

2½+ cups cubed bread**

Optional toppings: powdered sugar, fruit, maple syrup

*Any milk you have on hand will do, including sweetened and vanilla-flavored milk alternatives. **Rustic, crusty, and sturdy breads will retain more texture than soft, squishy breads in the microwave.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sweetener with a fork. Add bread cubes and toss with fork to thoroughly coat. If there’s excess egg mixture at the bottom, add a few more bread cubes until fully soaked up. Split between two microwave-safe mugs or bowls. Microwave 45 seconds, stir, then cook in 15-second increments until bread is no longer shiny. Protect hands with a towel to remove from microwave. Let cool slightly before topping with powdered sugar, fruit, and/or a drizzle of maple syrup (optional).

Per serving (not including toppings): 256 calories, 6 grams fat (0 grams saturated fat), 39 gram total carbohydrates, 94 milligrams cholesterol, 393 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber, 11 grams protein.

OMELET ANYTIME

Prep: 3 minutes | Cook: 2 minutes | Servings: 1

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons water

a dash of salt and pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons mix-ins*

*Omelets are versatile, with countless cheese, meat, vegetable, herb, and seasoning combinations to choose from. Omelets shown have Parmesan pesto, goat cheese and spinach, and cheddar and salsa.

In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs, water, salt, and pepper. Add mix-ins, whisking once more. Coat a 2-cup microwave-safe mug or bowl with cooking spray (the eggs will puff up to almost 3 times their size). Pour in egg mixture. Lightly cover with a microwave-safe plate or lid (don’t seal; steam should escape) and microwave on high, checking doneness in 30-second increments, until eggs are fully opaque. Use a towel or oven mitt — the dish will be hot! Let cool slightly before eating.

Per serving (not including mix-ins): 143 calories, 9 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 1 gram total carbohydrates, 372 milligrams cholesterol, 266 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber, 13 grams protein.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH CHICKEN ALFREDO

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes |

Servings: 2

2-pound spaghetti squash

4 tablespoons water

8 ounces precooked chicken*

7 ounces Alfredo sauce

½ cup shredded mozzarella

1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan minced parsley for garnish (optional)

*Diced grilled chicken shown, or use rotisserie, baked, or canned chicken.

Pierce exterior skin of squash with fork 6 to 10 times. With a sharp knife, cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and ribbing. Place one half hollow side down in a microwave-safe dish with lid (such as CorningWare) along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, until fork easily pierces all the way through the flesh. Set aside to cool and repeat process with the second squash half. Spread chicken pieces onto a microwave-safe plate and microwave until warmed through but not piping hot. (Time will depend on size of pieces and if chicken is frozen.) Meanwhile, scrape the inside of the spaghetti squash with a fork to create “noodles,” transferring the strings to two microwave-safe bowls. Split the Alfredo sauce and warmed chicken between the bowls; toss with fork to coat, then top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Microwave each bowl until cheese has melted and dish is hot throughout. Garnish with parsley (optional). Makes two meals or four side-dish servings.

NOTE: If you don’t have a microwave-safe dish with lid to fit the spaghetti squash, try placing a microwave-safe plate on top. Otherwise, cook uncovered but double the water and expect it to take longer to cook Per serving: 584 calories, 34 grams fat (16 grams saturated fat), 28 grams total carbohydrates, 154 milligrams cholesterol, 657 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber, 42 grams protein.

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC

$5.7 million invested in power reliability and electric operations in 2026

Keeping the lights on for more than 12,000 members across our service territory requires careful planning, ongoing maintenance, and strategic investment. Each year, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative evaluates the condition of our system and identifies projects that will strengthen reliability, improve safety, and prepare the electric grid for the future.

Our 2026 work plan reflects that commitment. Through targeted investments in vegetation management, equipment upgrades, system maintenance, and infrastructure improvements, the cooperative will continue building a stronger, more resilient electric system for members.

Clearing the way for reliable power

One of our largest investments in 2026 includes tree and vegetation management, with $1.14 million dedicated to managing vegetation along 14 power line feeders served by six substations.

Trees and vegetation are among the leading causes of power outages, especially during storms. By proactively trimming branches and removing potential hazards along power lines, we can reduce the risk of outages before they happen. This ongoing work protects power lines from falling limbs and ensures crews can access equipment safely when maintenance or repairs are needed.

Rebuilding aging infrastructure

Investing more than $2.4 million in rebuilding projects is essential to maintaining the reliability, safety, and longevity of our electric system. Many existing infrastructure components such as poles, conductors, and hardware experience wear over time due to weather exposure, aging materials, and increasing load demands.

Rebuilding projects allow the cooperative to proactively replace aging facilities with modern, more resilient equipment that reduces outage frequency and improves system performance.

An additional $80,000 is budgeted for equipment maintenance, including work on voltage regulators, which help maintain consistent voltage levels across the system. Properly functioning regulators ensure members receive stable, high-quality power while also lowering long-term maintenance costs and strengthening the grid against storms and other disruptions.

Cody Holthaus MANAGER OF ENGINEERING

Expanding the system for growth

Allocating $755,000 for line extensions supports the continued growth and development within Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s service territory. As new homes are built, extending electric lines is necessary to provide reliable power to new members. This enables the cooperative to construct new distribution lines, transformers, and related infrastructure needed to connect these members safely and efficiently. By investing in line extensions, the cooperative not only fulfills its mission to serve its community but also ensures all areas have access to dependable electric service.

MONTH’S BILLS WERE MAILED MAY 6 AND ARE DUE MAY 20 See next page for payment options

THIS MONTH’S BILLS WERE MAILED

MAY 6 AND ARE DUE MAY 20

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

AUTO PAY

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

Follow these steps to enroll in Auto Pay:

1. Log in to SmartHub

2. Select Bill & Pay then Auto Pay Program

3. Accept the Auto Pay Terms & Conditions

4. Select Enroll under Auto Pay Enrollment

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

ONLINE

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

MOBILE APP

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

PHONE

Call 855-940-3867 to use our Self-Serve phone number. The automated system allows you to pay your bill 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call our office at 513-867-4400 during normal business hours to pay with a card.

COOPERATIVE’S OFFICE

Pay your bill at the cooperative’s office at 3888 Stillwell Beckett Road in Oxford, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our office has a drop box that can be used to make payments after hours or on the weekends. Please, do not put cash in the drop box.

FIRST FINANCIAL BANK

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

BILL CREDIT WINNERS

Did you attend our virtual annual meeting in April? If so, you could be the winner of a $50 bill credit. Congratulations to the March winners!

Teresa Carrier • Kendra McWhorter • Larae Metcalf • Judy Payne • Maxine Roberts

2026 WORK PLAN COMPONENTS

Upgrading equipment

To safely maintain and repair our electric system, crews rely on specialized vehicles and tools. In 2026, we will invest more than $550,000 in new equipment and trucks, including a bucket truck and trailers for transporting equipment. These vehicles are essential for reaching power lines, repairing damage, and responding quickly to outages across the cooperative’s service area.

Strengthening substations

Substations serve as critical hubs that distribute electricity throughout the cooperative’s network. We will invest $250,000 in substation improvements in 2026. This includes:

• Completing the Milford Substation relay project, which already received more than $750,000 in investment in 2025. Our Milford Substation serves members in Milford, Oxford, and Somers townships. Relay upgrades improve system protection by helping isolate faults quickly, minimizing the number of members affected by outages.

• Replacing steel masts at our Layhigh Substation. Our Layhigh Substation serves members in Hanover, Morgan, and Ross townships. Structural improvements like mast replacements ensure substations remain safe and reliable for years to come.

Preventive maintenance

In addition to upgrades, substations require regular maintenance to ensure reliable operation. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative has allocated $145,000 for substation testing and maintenance. This includes oil testing for equipment, battery testing for backup systems, preventive maintenance inspections, and mowing and vegetation control at substation sites. These routine tasks help detect issues early and prevent unexpected equipment failure.

Supporting technology behind the grid

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative relies on a sophisticated software system to monitor the grid, manage outages, track equipment, and maintain member service. In 2026, we will dedicate more than $200,000 to hardware and software systems, primarily for support, maintenance, and updates that keep these

critical platforms running smoothly. Reliable technology allows employees to monitor system performance, respond more efficiently to outages, and maintain accurate operational data.

Metering and member connections

Accurate metering is essential for billing and system monitoring. In 2026, we will invest more than $180,000 in meters and metering equipment, including new electric meters, meter bases, and testing and maintenance equipment. These upgrades support reliable energy measurement and ensure the cooperative continues providing accurate billing and system data.

One of our largest investments in 2026 is tree and vegetation management, with $1.14 million dedicated to managing vegetation along 14 power line feeders served by six substations. The planned tree and vegetation management route for 2026 is shown above. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative will send members email or letter notices before work takes place in their area.

Maintaining the backbone of the system

Poles are the backbone of our distribution system, supporting miles of power lines across the cooperative’s territory. In 2026, we will invest $44,000 in pole testing around our New Biddinger and Shandon substations. These substations serve members in Crosby, Harrison, Morgan, and Ross townships.

Continued on page 20B

Pole testing helps identify structural issues such as rot or deterioration before a failure occurs. When weak poles are identified, they can be repaired or replaced, preventing outages and improving system safety for members and lineworkers.

A commitment to members

Every project in our 2026 work plan supports Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s mission to improve the quality of life for our members. From trimming trees and testing poles to upgrading substations and maintaining equipment, these investments ensure the cooperative’s system remains strong and resilient. Electric reliability is the result of careful planning, ongoing maintenance, and a commitment to serving our members today and into the future.

We offer water heater rebates for members building a new home or replacing a fossil fuel or electric water heater. Rebates are applied to the retail price of a Marathon electric water heater purchased from the cooperative. A radio-controlled switch is required for a rebate. In 2026, members can receive a $650 rebate on a 100-gallon water heater, a $550 rebate on an 85-gallon water heater, or a $350 rebate on a 50gallon water heater.

We also offer a $650 rebate for the purchase of a new heat pump water heater. A member can purchase and install a new heat pump water heater unit that has a storage volume of 55 gallons or less to receive the rebate. The cooperative does not sell or lease heat pump water heaters. On-demand water heaters are not eligible for this rebate.

YOU

DON’T LEAVE THE TV ON FOR AN EMPTY HOUSE, SO WHY PAY TO HEAT OR COOL IT WHILE YOU’RE AWAY?

Don’t make your house work so hard when you’re not home. By adjusting the thermostat, turning off the water heater, and unplugging unnecessary appliances and devices, you can save some serious money while you’re at work or on vacation. Find out how the little changes add up by using SmartHub’s advanced home use data, which shows you which of your appliances are using the most energy each month and helps you find ways to take control of your energy bill.

Learn more about advanced home use data and find ways to start saving on your electric bill in SmartHub.

2026 scholarship RECIPIENTS

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

2026 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Education is the building block of a strong community. That’s why we offer scholarships for high school students whose parents are cooperative members. We hope these scholarships prepare the recipients for leadership roles in our community.

SADIE ABBITT is the daughter of Jason and Robbyn Abbitt. She is graduating from Talawanda High School and will attend Miami University to major in chemical engineering and environmental sciences after graduation. Sadie’s favorite extracurricular activity in high school was marching band. After college, she would like to do field research in water treatment.

As the recipient of the Michael L. Sims Scholarship from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, Sadie will receive $2,500 each year of her college career for up to four years. She will compete for up to $4,600 in additional scholarships from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. Michael L. Sims was Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s general manager who retired in 2020 after working at the cooperative for 44 years.

MORGAN HOLMES is the daughter of Adam and Valerie Holmes. She is graduating from Ross High School and will attend Miami University to major in finance. Her favorite extracurricular activity in high school was cross country because it was a great opportunity to be competitive while creating a strong bond with teammates. After college, Morgan plans to begin her career in finance by joining an established firm where she can grow her skills in wealth management and investing.

Morgan is the recipient of the cooperative’s $3,000 Thomas Humbach Scholarship. Thomas Humbach was Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s attorney from 1983 until his retirement in 2021.

DANIELLE SCHULTE is the daughter of Lisa and Steve Schulte. She is graduating from Ross High School and will attend college to major in nursing. Danielle’s favorite extracurricular activity was serving on the Youth Philanthropy Committee, for which she helped review applications and award $50,000 in grants to local youth-focused nonprofits, eventually serving as vice president her senior year. After college, Danielle hopes to start her career in pediatric nursing and eventually pursue higher education to become a nurse practitioner.

Danielle is the recipient of the $3,000 R. Fred Woodruff Scholarship from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. R. Fred Woodruff was the cooperative’s first attorney. He was hired by the board of trustees shortly after graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s law school in 1938 and retired in 1983.

BRAYDEN KIDD is the son of Amy and Savalas Kidd. He is homeschooled and will attend Cedarville University to major in mechanical engineering. His favorite extracurricular activity in high school is basketball. In college, Brayden is looking forward to learning more about mechanical engineers and what they do. After college, he plans to start his own business.

Brayden received the Community Achievement Scholarship because he is heavily involved in the community and passionate about improving the quality of life in our service territory.

ADDISON ROLLER is the daughter of Lydia and Stephen Roller. She is graduating from Talawanda High School and will attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She intends to receive a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Addison’s favorite extracurricular activity in high school was being heavily involved in FFA.

Continued on page 20F

2026 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Continued from page 20E

In college, she is most looking forward to furthering her education in a field that she is passionate about and gaining new and rewarding relationships. After college, Addison plans to be a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital or a travel nurse working around the world. Addison was a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative delegate on the Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C.

SADIE VAN GORDEN is the daughter of Amanda and Zack Van Gorden. She is graduating from Talawanda High School and will attend a trade school after graduation to become a welder. Sadie’s favorite extracurricular activities in high school were FFA and track.

Sadie is the recipient of the cooperative’s $1,500 Touchstone Energy Achievement Scholarship, which is awarded to a high school senior who is attending a technical college or trade school after graduation.

BRYCE WORTMAN is the son of Amber and Lewis Willeford. He is graduating from Talawanda High School and plans to attend Miami University to major in theater

and arts management with dance and musical theater minors. In high school, Bryce’s favorite extracurricular activity was marching band and drama club. In college, he is looking forward to receiving the education that will pave the way for his passion in life and also making a lot of new friends. After college, Bryce plans to move to Boston, Massachusetts, with hopes to begin his journey with professional theater. Bryce was a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative delegate on the Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C.

MAX ABDIN is the son of Anna Abdin. He is graduating from William Henry Harrison High School and will attend college to major in mechanical engineering. His favorite extracurricular activity in high school was lacrosse. Max most looks forward to living on his own and meeting new people during college. After college, he plans to travel to many places around the world. Max was a Butler Rural Electric Cooperative delegate on the Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C.

Happy Memorial Day!

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s office is closed Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day. Have a safe and happy holiday!

BUTLER RURAL Community Solar

An affordable, effortless way to add solar to your energy mix

Subscribe today! | butlerrural.coop

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s community solar program offers one of the cleanest and most affordable renewable energy sources available. By grouping solar panels together, costs are shared, power output is maximized, and the hassle of rooftop installation is avoided.

You can purchase subscriptions to Butler Rural Community Solar panels to support the benefits of solar energy without incurring upfront costs and without having solar panels located at your home. Generating energy with solar power is a renewable energy source. Our community solar arrays are located on the corner of Lanes Mill and Stillwell Beckett roads across from our office and at other locations throughout Ohio.

Members who participate in Butler Rural Community Solar can lock in the community solar rate for up to 20 years. This rate will remain constant for the duration of your agreement while other wholesale energy costs are subject to increase with market fluctuations.

The community solar rate is currently higher than energy produced by traditional resources, so participating in Butler Rural Community Solar will not decrease your electric bill. The community solar rate is $0.11157 per

kilowatt-hour. This estimated cost will be in addition to participating members’ current electric bills.

You can subscribe to up to ten panels and can choose a five, 10, or 20 year agreement. The Butler Rural Community Solar rate will be fixed during the agreement.

Sign up for Butler Rural Community Solar today at butlerrural.coop > Energy Solutions > Member Programs > Community Solar or call 513-867-4400.

COMMUNITY SOLAR BENEFITS

> Lock in a portion of your energy costs

> No upfront or maintenance costs

> Protects against inflation

> No changes to your property or installation barriers

> Immediately available solar power

The power of giving Butler Rural Electric Cooperative members donate more than $43,000 to local organizations

This spring, cooperative members donated to local non-profit organizations through Butler Rural Community Connection. Community Connection gives grants to local non-profit groups in Butler, Preble, Hamilton, and Montgomery counties.

9,415 cooperative members and 23 employees contribute to Community Connection by rounding up their monthly electric bills to the next highest dollar amount or by making donations throughout the year. These generous donations make a huge impact in our communities.

The Butler Rural Community Connection Board of Trustees met in March to choose grant recipients. Community Connection received 42 grant applications requesting more than $106,000. The board chose to fund 29 of these applications, totaling $43,006.14.

The Community Connection trustees are voluntary board members and are co-op members. They are separate from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s board of trustees. They meet twice a year to evaluate Community Connection applications and select grant recipients.

SPRING

The next Community Connection application deadline is August 28. Visit butlerrural.coop > Community > Community Involvement > Community Connection to apply for a Community Connection grant. The Community Connection Board of Trustees will meet September 9 to award fall grants.

Community Connection is a separate entity from Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. Donating to the program is voluntary and does not affect the cooperative’s rates.

We hope the lives of our members have been touched by Community Connection. We are thankful for the continued support from members and employees who donate to the program.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION GRANT RECIPIENTS

Animal Friends Humane Society

$2,000 for animal medical costs

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County

$1,500 for match-based activity program

Crosby Township Senior Citizens Club

$800 for program membership fee

Edgewood Intermediate School

$1,598 for a 3D printer

Edgewood Primary School

$1,550 for reading program supplies

Feed the Hungry Project Dream Center

$1,750 for washer and dryer

Friends of Neighbors in Need

$1,000 for backpack program

German Township Police Association

$1,200 for digital cameras

Gratis Firefighter’s Association

$1,000 for thermal imaging cameras

Harrison Senior and Junior High Music Boosters

$2,000 for marching band uniforms

Madison Sports Club

$1,500 for an AED

Morgan Township Historical Society

$978.90 for upgraded displays

National Inventors Hall of Fame

$2,850 for Camp Invention

New Miami Local School District

$1,000 for playground updates

Oxford Brave

$1,956.82 for an AED

Oxford Empty Bowls

$1,838 for Bowl-a-Thon supplies

Play in the Park

$750 for children’s activities

Preble Shawnee Elementary School

$2,500 for playground updates

Preble Shawnee High School Ag Ed

$325 for trail guides

Ross Band Boosters

$2,000 for band uniforms

Safe Haven Farms

$2,000 for animal care program

A Community Connection grant funded scholarships for students to attend Camp Invention at Marshall Elementary. The camp provides STEM activities to develop creativity, inventive thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Scouting America Girls Troop 1293

$1,482 for camping tents

St. Clair Township Fire Department

$737.75 for a cold water rescue suit

Talawanda High School Mock Trial Team

$900 for Mock Trial program

Talawanda Middle School Science

$1,649.67 for Blinky robot kit

The Coleraine Historical Society

$700 for cemetery bench

Thread Up Oxford

$2,240 for storage equipment

Union County College Corner Joint School District

$2,000 for tutoring fees

Union County High School After Prom

$1,200 for after prom

Another grant funded Cub Scout Pack 3961’s annual Fall Campout at Hueston Woods State Park, where members hiked, cooked over campfire, and visited the nature center.

Butler Rural Community Connection helped fund Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County’s Club of Unmatched Littles skating social event, which engaged children with volunteers and staff to make lasting and impactful matches.

Butler Rural Electric Cooperative receives safety certification

Every three years, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative participates in the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program, or RESAP, which is a comprehensive safety audit that evaluates policies, procedures, training, and day-to-day operations. The program helps electric cooperatives review their safety practices, identify areas for improvement, and ensure employees are equipped to work safely while delivering reliable power to the communities they serve.

In 2025, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative completed its most recent RESAP review, reflecting the cooperative’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a strong culture of safety. For electric cooperative members, these regular safety recaps and certifications are important because they demonstrate accountability and transparency. By reviewing and improving safety practices on a consistent schedule, the cooperative helps protect employees in the field, reduce service disruptions, and maintain the dependable electric service members rely on every day.

Pictured from left are Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Director of Safety Training and Loss Prevention Dwight Miller and Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees President David Evans.

Lee P. Geiger

Vickie Jo Barger

Jay T. Hasbrook

Ronald Kolb

Scott Lessing

Thomas L. McQuiston

Robert Spaeth

TRUSTEES

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

BUTLER RURAL ELECTRIC

Lighthouse

BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

In the small Lake Erie waterfront town of Fairport Harbor, east of Cleveland, Sheila Consaul is a celebrity of sorts. Known to locals as “The Lighthouse Lady,” she purchased the derelict Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light at the mouth of the Grand River in 2011 and has been restoring the lighthouse to its former glory — one slow step at a time — ever since.

“The lighthouse had been unoccupied by keepers for some 60 years,” she says. “The lighthouse is a labor of love, but the restoration has taken me much longer than I ever expected. Just in paint alone, I’ve used 150 gallons: 90 gallons of that on the interior and 60 gallons on the exterior.”

Consaul, a communications consultant, has painstakingly turned the lighthouse into her summer dream home in those 15 years since she ponied up $71,010 for it at a U.S. General Services Administration federal auction. She lives and works there from May to October, then returns to her winter home in Virginia for the remainder of the year. The following photos are a peek inside the historic light, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025.

living

Constructed in Buffalo, New York, in the early 20th century, the shell of the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light (measuring 3,000 square feet and weighing 65 tons) was loaded onto the steamer SS Wotan and moved 147 miles west to Fairport Harbor, where it was mounted on its base, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and finished in place (historical photo circa 1921).

The lighthouse, which sleeps 10 people, has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, with the

Visitors to the lighthouse are invited to sign the guest book located just inside the front door.

While mostly staying true to the lighthouse’s original interior design, Consaul added a decorative compass rose inlay to the original dark-colored, wooden flooring on the thirdfloor landing.

work on the airy main living level, which contains the kitchen, living room, and dining area.

When owner Sheila

is in residence

Festivals food

BY MARGIE WUEBKER

Ohioans love to eat. In fact, on just about any given weekend of the year, you can find a festival somewhere in the state that shows off a given community’s love of — and even pride in — its favorite food.

There are food festivals in the Buckeye State for just about any craving, from apples to zucchini. Depending on the season, you can pig out on pickles, potatoes, pawpaws, or pork rinds; you can gorge on garlic or graze on grapes; and you can savor strawberries and sweet corn at more smalltown celebrations than you can shake a stick at.

We found a comprehensive list at www. ohiofestivals.net, but here are just a few of our favorite food-specific festivals happening in Ohio during the year.

Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival, Aug. 13–15

Although their ancestors originated in South America, the first tomatoes developed for commercial production were produced in Reynoldsburg, hence its claim as the “birthplace of the tomato.” The Columbus suburb has been celebrating that tradition since the 1960s with the Tomato Festival, featuring events such as Tomato Wars and the Tomato Smash, as well as tomato-based foods of all kinds. The festival offers carnival rides, royalty pageants, and car/bike shows, but the unique and often messy competitions — the dodgeball-like food fight of the Tomato Wars and more family-friendly Tomato Smash, where barefoot contestants stand in barrels to see who can stomp the most juice out of the tomatoes inside — are the most memorable. There’s also a pizza challenge and a spaghetti-eating contest with one rule: no utensils allowed. Food stands abound with each required to feature at least one tomato-based offering.

Durbin Bean Bake, Celina, Sept. 7 www.facebook.com/4BeanBake

What began as a reunion for veterans in 1898 has become a Labor Day tradition at its rustic, out-of-the-way setting west of Celina. The event draws young and old alike for old-fashioned games like running and sack races, slipper kicking, horseshoes, wheelbarrow races, and husband/wife calling. There is even a baldheaded competition — for women as well as men. The day begins at 10 a.m. with musical entertainment, a petting zoo, an inflatable bounce house, flag raising, and a memorial service filling the hours while beans with ham and bacon simmer in 10 wood-fired kettles. Volunteers take turns stirring the large pots with longhandled wood paddles throughout the afternoon, until the appointed 4:30 p.m. serving time. Along with the star of the show, the on-site cook shack offers wholehog sausage and chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, noodle and vegetable soups, and assorted pies. Attendees should bring lawn chairs as well as sturdy bowls or pots for the beans.

Ox Roast Fair, Mantua, July 17–19

www.stjosephmantua.com/ox-roast-fair

Folks in northeast Ohio never need to ask, “Where's the beef?” They simply head to the Ox Roast Fair at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mantua, where volunteers annually prepare some 2,800 pounds of sirloin roast in brick-lined fire pits. After 10 to 15 hours, the meat emerges perfectly tender and flavorful, and ready for purchase on a sandwich, as part of a three-course option, or as an ox sundae — a concoction of mashed potatoes topped with gravy, sliced beef, and sour cream, with a cherry (tomato) on top. There’s also plenty of entertainment — live music, semitruck and tractor pulls, carnival rides, frog jumping and hot dog eating contests, and vendor booths. The festival also features a traditional Ox Run through town, a ceremonial blessing of bikes, and an Ox Land geared for young children.

Poultry Days, Versailles, June 12–14

Versailles will celebrate its 75th annual Poultry Days this year with a brand-new distinction: After serving 40,179 chicken dinners throughout the course of last year’s festival, it’s the “world's largest chicken barbecue.” In fact, more than 1.2 million meals have been doled out since Poultry Days debuted in 1952 as a means of saluting the community's rich history as a leading poultry producer. Other food offerings include hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, elephant ears, and ice cream, but the chicken is far and away the star of the show. Planners also provide a smorgasbord of activities, musical entertainment on two stages, a classic car show, amusement rides, a petting zoo, and a grand parade. The Poultry Days Ultimate Classic draws Frisbee-style disc-flinging teams from near and far, and fireworks close the festival in colorful and booming fashion.

Strawberry Festival, London, June 25–27

www.londonstrawberryfest.com

Spring is strawberry season, and other than ribs, which seems to be a category all its own, the berries take the shortcake as the most popular festival feature in the state — at least a dozen strawberry festivals take place in May and June. Shandon, near Cincinnati, has the oldest and Troy boasts the largest. Strawberry festival season wraps up the last weekend of June, when the London Strawberry Festival takes over the community’s downtown area. Each vendor must feature at least one strawberry-themed treat, so along with the expected — shortcake, smoothies, ice cream, and donuts — visitors can stumble across more nontraditional strawberry-laced treats like loaded churros, nachos, pizza, and even pickles. In addition to rides and games, each day features a different vehicle show, and there’s also a circus, pageants, arts and crafts, and a festive parade. Live entertainment is also an important part of the schedule, and local talent is showcased in a Strawberry Idol competition.

Live it up. Underground.

You may think you know Kentucky, but you’ll discover surprises at every turn. Explore exhilarating above- and below-ground experiences. Come and play where the future is bright and the adventures are never-ending. Y’all interested? Plan your trip to our new Kentucky home today.

Find Your Go in Cadiz & Lake Barkley

GO EXPLORE. GO CAMP. GO BOAT. GO ANTIQUING.

Adventure has a rhythm here, and it starts in Cadiz. Launch the boat, cast a line, wander wooded trails or tee up a laid-back round of golf. Roam historic downtown in search of one-of-akind antique finds, then settle in near the shoreline in a cabin, a cozy bed-and-breakfast or lakeside glamping accommodations made for easy mornings and lingering sunsets. Keep the momentum going by planning ahead for October’s 50th Trigg County Country Ham Festival, a weekend filled with Kentucky heritage, food, music, crafts and friendly small-town charm.

GoCadiz.com/things-to-do

Caves, Culture and Corvettes

DISCOVER BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY

Ready for a spring getaway? Bowling Green sets the stage for unforgettable family adventures. Take a boat tour through the underground waterways of Lost River Cave. Down the road, Chaney’s Dairy Barn serves award-winning farm-fresh ice cream made by the lovable Jersey cows on site. Experience the history of America’s sports car at the National Corvette Museum, then get behind the wheel of a Corvette C8 or high-speed kart at the NCM Motorsports Park. And with Mammoth Cave National Park only 45 minutes away, Bowling Green is the perfect destination to shake off those winter blues.

VisitBGky.com

Lift Your Spirits EXPLORE THE WINE, WHISKEY & ALE TRAIL

Just 20 minutes south of Louisville, explore the Bullitt County Wine, Whiskey & Ale Trail. Discover the James B. Beam American Outpost & Distillery, the Four Roses Bourbon Warehouse & Bottling Experience and Coxs Creek Distilling. The trail also features four award-winning wineries and two craft breweries. Get a free souvenir glass when you complete the trail.

TravelBullitt.org

Two Festivals, One Stay SUMMER GLOW, FALL HERITAGE

In Pendleton County, the best getaways start slow, with coffee on the front porch, cool air and views that make you pause for a moment. You will wake up early on purpose just to watch the morning sun rise across the ridgetops and valleys. Plan your stay around two can’t-miss festival weekends: In July, Balloons & Tunes features events for the whole family, including a balloon glow and a new drone show. When autumn is in the air and leaves are starting to fall, enjoy a Pendleton County tradition, the Kentucky Wool Festival. This family-friendly heritage event is steeped in the history of sheep with weaving and spinning demonstrations, artisans and crafters, music, and food.

PendletonCountyTourism.com

Beer Cheese Bliss Starts Here COME TASTE THE LEGEND

Winchester, Kentucky, turns up the flavor with its famous Beer Cheese Trail ® . Sample bold, tangy spreads, sip local brews and meet the makers who put this Always Original delicacy on the map. It’s a deliciously fun excuse to eat, explore and celebrate Kentucky creativity. Don’t miss the annual Beer Cheese Festival on June 13, 2026 — it’s the tastiest time to visit.

VisitWinchesterKY.com/directory/ winchester-beercheese-trail/

Trail Town

Many of the small towns that dot the Buckeye Trail are shaping a new kind of Ohio experience.

BY JILL MOORHEAD

When hikers on a specific path in Ohio — whether tackling miles on a through-hike or heading out for a shorter day trip — enter town, there’s a chance they’ll spot a simple sign: Buckeye Trail Town.

It’s a signal that they’ve arrived somewhere that’s prepared for them. Hikers can count on a Buckeye Trail Town for the basics, like a place to use the restroom, grab food, maybe rest for a bit — but also people and places that can make the journey memorable: a unique ice cream shop, a local bar, a conversation with someone who knows the trail.

The Trail Town program, launched by the Buckeye Trail Association in 2012, has grown steadily to include communities across the state that can be accessed from the trail. The program is designed to support hikers, but the benefits run both ways. As interest in the Buckeye Trail continues to grow, with thousands of followers tracking and sharing their journeys, these towns are becoming destinations in their own right, drawing visitors who might not have otherwise found their way there. That reliability creates opportunity for the towns themselves. In places like Deersville, hikers know they can stop at the general store for a scoop of Buckeye Crunch ice cream, with proceeds supporting the trail. In Milford, a visit to Roads Rivers and Trails might mean picking up a T-shirt that maps out the Buckeye Trail alongside the many other trails that pass through town — a visual reminder that this small Ohio community sits at the intersection of a much larger network of trails stretching across the country. With every hiker who comes to each of the 25 Buckeye Trail Towns, that means business.

Trail towns are rarely in locations with the money for large-scale tourism campaigns.

Continuedonpage 34

Continued from page 33

But the small, consistent interactions — meals, purchases, conversations — add up over time, bringing new people into communities and giving local businesses a reason to invest in the trail experience. Behind it all is a program that is largely volunteerdriven. The Trail Town initiative is coordinated by volunteers, including Kim Love-Ottobre, the Trail Town coordinator, who works closely with communities as

reach out first, and designation is marked by a public celebration — often a proclamation ceremony that brings together local leaders, residents, and trail supporters. And that may be the most defining feature of the Buckeye Trail Town program: It’s grassroots from its very roots. Along the Buckeye Trail, the success of the network isn’t measured by how many towns are added, but by how many choose to take part, and the trail magic that happens along the way.

CALLING ALL shutterbugs!

2027 CALENDAR PHOTO CONTEST

Co-op members: Have you captured a memorable scene from around your community? See YOUR photo in the 2027 Ohio Cooperative Living cooperative wall calendar!

We’re looking for the best images to showcase in every season of the year — flowing landscapes, delicate flowers, amazing animals, or just everyday life. Winning entries will receive a cash prize and be featured in next year’s calendar!

Photo requirements

☀ High-resolution, color, digital images only

☀ Horizontal format, capable of filling an 8x11-inch image area

☀ No watermarks or extreme filters

☀ Only JPG or TIFF formats accepted

HOW TO ENTER

☀ Send submissions by email attachment only to photo@ohioec.org

☀ Provide an explanation of the photo — the what (or who), where, and when — as well as the name of the photographer if it was someone other than you

☀ Include your name, address, phone number, and the name of your co-op

☀ One entry per household

2026

CALENDAR

MAY/JUNE

MAY 16 – Bryan Chamber Spring Fling, Courthouse Square, 138 S. Lynn St., Bryan, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Variety of vendors, farmers market, live music, food, and more. 419636-2247 or www.bryanchamber.org.

MAY 16 – “The Art and Science of Nature,” Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek, 10051 Twp. Rd. 47, West Liberty, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Explore the ways nature inspired art, architecture, and poetry here at the castle. Hands-on art and science activities for all ages. www.piattcastle.org.

MAY 17 – Shelby County Coin Club Coin Show, American Legion Post 217, 1265 Fourth Ave., Sidney, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information, call 937-339-5437

the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. Sat. 7 a.m.–noon: pancake and sausage breakfast at the Fire Station. Sat. 8:30 a.m.–noon: Collector Car Cruise-In downtown; open to the public. Sun. noon: BBQ chicken dinner at the Community Church drive-thru, $10; the ladies of the church will also be selling pieces of pie. Sun. 6:30–8:30 p.m., free concert in the park at the former school by the Vintage 3 band from Greenville; bring your lawn chairs. Call 419-7955511 for more info.

MAY 9–SEP. 13 – NWORRP Museum Summer Hours, 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $3; 12 and under, $2. Quarter-scale train rides, model train displays, museum tours, games, play area, and more. 419-423-2995, www.facebook.com/nworrp, or www.nworrp.org.

MAY 9–10, JUN. 13–14 – Findlay Flea Market, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission. New, used, and vintage items, crafts, and more. Food trucks on-site. Vendors welcome! 419-619-0041 (Christine) or www. findlayfleamarket.com.

MAY 9, 23, JUN. 13, 27 – Market on Main, downtown Kenton, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Outdoor market showcasing vendors, makers, and growers. Shop local, discover unique goods, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. 419-673-4131 or www.facebook.com/marketonmainkenton.

MAY 15–17 – Settlers’ Encampment and Historical Timeline Event 1763–2021, Auglaize Village, 12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. $5; 12 and under free. Step back in time and see how settlers survived in each era. Includes demonstrations and instructions. Visit with the Robinson Battery of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Teddy Roosevelt. School Day is Friday, May 15 419-990-0107, villageauglaize@gmail.com, or www. auglaizevillage.com.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH JUN. 24 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.

MAY 9 – Biergarten, Liberty Home Association, 2361 Hamilton-Cleves Rd. (Rte. 128), Hamilton. Food, music, and German beer. Doors open at 5 p.m. Polka Cola Band plays 6–10 p.m. 513-571-6198, www.facebook.com/ libertyhomeassociation, or www.libertyhome.net.

MAY 19 – Dr. David Cox: “Fort Jefferson,” New Madison Public Library, 142 S. Main St., New Madison, 6–7 p.m. Free. Part of the Historical Speaker Series. Reservations recommended. 937-996-1741, info@ newmadisonpubliclibrary.org, or www.mynmpl.org.

MAY 22 – St. Marys Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast, USWA Local Union Hall, 227 E. South St., St. Marys, 8:30–10:30 a.m. $25; includes breakfast. Speakers will be Representative Jim Jordan, Mayor Joe Hurlburt, School Superintendent Bill Ruane, Auglaize County Sheriff Mike Vorhees, and Auglaize County Commissioner David Bambauer. For questions, email info@ stmarysohio.org. Purchase tickets at www.stmarysohio.org/ legislative-breakfast.

MAY 22–23 – Downtown Sidewalk Sales, Sidney, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

MAY 23 – Spring Street Fair, downtown Sidney, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Enjoy opening day of the Great Sidney Farmers Market, plus kids’ activity zone, live performances, craft show, and food trucks! 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

MAY 23–OCT. 10 – The Great Sidney Farmers Market, Sidney, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Opening day on May 23 features extended market hours till 1 p.m. 937-658-6945 or www. sidneyalive.org.

MAY 25 – Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony, West Liberty, 2 p.m. Parade starts at the old high school and ends at the Town Hall. Ceremony to follow includes high school band, a 21-gun salute, “Taps,” and a benediction provided by a local pastor. www.mywestliberty.com.

MAY 29–31 – Mendon-Union Alumni Weekend, Mendon. Fri. 7 p.m., Mendon Library: historical presentation about

MAY 23 – Family Program: Spring Bird Hike, Wagers’ Devil’s Backbone Memorial Park, 1301 OH-725 W., Camden, 9–11 a.m. Free. Hike and bird ID led by naturalist/nature photographer Tom Hissong. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@ gmail.com, or www.preblecountyparks.org.

MAY 28–OCT. 8 – Piqua Community Farmers’ Market, 116 W. High St., Piqua, Thur. 3–6 p.m. The very best locally grown food, home-baked items, and handmade crafts. www.piquafarmersmarket.com.

JUN. 10 – “Food and Family History: How Food Tells Your Family Story,” New Madison Public Library, 142 S. Main St., New Madison, 1 p.m. Free. Presentation by Tina McGillvary from OSU Extension. 937-996-1741, info@ newmadisonpubliclibrary.org, or www.mynmpl.org.

JUN. 13 – Biergarten, Liberty Home Association, 2361 Hamilton-Cleves Rd. (Rte. 128), Hamilton. Food, music, and German beer. Doors open at 5 p.m. Vereins Musikanten German Band plays 6–10 p.m. 513-571-6198, www.facebook.com/libertyhomeassociation, or www. libertyhome.net.

JUN. 13–14 – Hueston Woods Arts and Crafts Fair, Doty Pioneer Farm, 6924 Brown Rd., Oxford, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5/person or $10/car; under 12 free. Juried art and crafts show, with a large group of craft and food vendors. Email oxfordmuseumassociation@gmail.com or visit www.oxfordmuseumassociation.com/art-craft-fair-oxfordohio-hueston.

JUN. 3–4 – PCDL Annual Book Sale, Ottawa Elementary, 123 Putnam Parkway, Ottawa, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. No entry fee! Books are 50 cents. Thursday is $4 per bag! Hosted by the Friends of the Putnam County District Library. 419-2314858 or friendspcdl@gmail.com.

JUN. 5–JUL. 25 – Lima Locos Home Games, Simmons Field, 616 Heindel Ave., Lima. $4–$6. See their complete schedule online at www.limalocos.net.

JUN. 12–13 – Pork Rind Heritage Festival, North Main Street, Harrod. Fresh fried pork rinds from Rudolph Foods. Live music, kids’ activities, craft show, fireworks on Friday night, car show Saturday afternoon, WAR Wrestling Saturday evening. www.porkrindfest.com.

JUN. 13–14 – Antique Tractor Show/Pulls, Flea Market, and Fiber Arts Show, Auglaize Village, 12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. Antique tractors and hit-miss engines on display. Antique tractor pulls Sat. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Small hitch fee for tractor pulls; no charge to show tractor. The Fiber Group will be demonstrating period spinning, weaving, sewing, and quilting on various types of fiber equipment of the various time periods. For more information, contact Lorie Konopka at 567-239-2125 or villageauglaize@gmail.com; call 419-990-0107; or visit www.auglaizevillage.com.

JUN. 13–14 – Family Fun Weekend: “Summer Kick Off,” Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $5/person. Enjoy games, quarter-scale train rides, bounce house, and other familyfriendly activities all afternoon for one price. 419-423-2995, www.facebook.com/nworrp, or www.nworrp.org.

MARKETPLACE

2026 CALENDAR

CENTRAL

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Coshocton Farmers Market, Coshocton County Maintenance Garage, 23220 Co. Rd. 621, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–noon. Locally grown produce, baked goods, and artisan crafts. Rain or shine. www.facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket or market. manager@coshfarmmarket.org.

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

MAY 22–24 – Coshocton Flint Festival and Spring KnapIn, Coshocton Co. Fgds., 724 S. 7th St., Coshocton, Fri./Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $5 per vehicle. A fun, educational weekend for the whole family. Watch craftsmen make arrowheads, spear points, stone and bone tools. Rocks, gems, minerals, and jewelry makers! Atlatl demos as well. For camping and vendor info, call 814-720 -7512 or 330-473-7014

MAY 30 – Boogie on the Blacktop: Rockhouse, Circleville Eagles, 135 E. Main St., Circleville, 7–11 p.m. $5. Outdoor concert with food vendors and drinks. www.pickaway.com.

JUN. 4–6 – Logan Washboard Arts and Music Festival, downtown Logan. Celebrating a unique piece of American history: the washboard! Washboard factory tours, arts and crafts, food, live music, and more. washboardfestival@gmail. com or www.loganwashboardfestival.com.

JUN. 5–7 – “Ferns of the Appalachian Heartland,” Hocking Hills Region Preserve and Parks, 16684 Kreashbaum Rd., Rockbridge. $325/person. An immersive hands-on workshop focused on introductory fern identification and ecology in our state’s most show-stopping Appalachian landscapes and fern-loving habitats. www. arcofappalachia.org/ferns-home.

MAY 13 – Meet Me at the MAC Happy Hour, McConnell Arts Center, Worthington, 6–8 p.m. $15. Enjoy a wine tasting and a preview of the Worthington Arts Festival artists as you shop at the art market, all while enjoying music from DJ Joseph Moore. Includes snacks from JT’s Pizza & Pub. Tickets available at www.mcconnellarts.org.

MAY 15–16 – Spring in the Country Shop Hop, various businesses in the Amanda, Tarlton, and Stoutsville area. Enjoy a ride in the country to shop for unique treasures, vintage finds, good food, and so much more. Join our scavenger hunt to gather entries into our drawing for “shop hop” bucks. 740-207-1808 or www.countryshophop.com.

MAY 16 – Art on the Canal Art Stroll, Historic Downtown Canal Winchester, noon–6 p.m. Enjoy a vibrant afternoon of free entertainment, including live music, exhibits, and performances, while exploring a variety of exquisite fine art created by talented central Ohio artists. Be sure to stop into our local shops and dining destinations. 740-5033945 or www.destinationcw.org.

MAY 16 – “Get to Know Your Weeds”: A How-To Workshop, Darby Landscape Supply, 8075 Harrisburg Pike, Orient, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. Free. Learn how to identify common “weeds” and discover which ones may actually be helping your garden, plus compost, mulch, herbicides and natural deterrents to weeds. 614-809-8538 or www. darbylandscape.com.

JUN. 5–6 – The Downtown Exchange Artisans Market, 527 Main St., Fri. 5–9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. A unique shopping experience featuring quality Ohio makers and artisans. Arts, crafts, and food. www.downtown-exchange. com/DTXAM.

JUN. 6–7 – Lancaster Old Car Club Spring Festival Car Show and Swap Meet, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster. Free admission; $5 parking. Saturday Cruise-In, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday Car Show, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. ($15 registration fee). Join us for classic cars, food trucks, a swap meet, car corral, and crafts along with a live DJ both days. www.lancasteroldcarclub.org.

JUN. 13 – Artist Day in the Cemetery, Chili Crossroads Cemetery, 29463 Co. Rd. 236, Fresno, 12–4 p.m. Join us in the heart of beautiful Ohio Amish country for a day of art, painting, sketching, or photography. Light refreshments served. Free event; donations for cemetery upkeep appreciated. RSVP at catandy7@aol.com.

JUN. 13 –Annual Ohio Suppressor Fest, 3722 Marysville Rd., Delaware, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Factory direct reps on-site from your favorite suppressor brands, hundreds of products on display with swag (purchase tickets to demo the product), all indoor range lanes suppressed fire only, premium raffles, industryrelated seminars, food trucks, and more! https://blackwingsc. com/osf.

WEST VIRGINIA

MAY 16 – John Randolph Spring Arts Kick Off, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $8; 10 and under free. Live demonstrations of

blacksmithing, tin smithing, fireplace cooking, outdoor bread baking, and various other crafts. Enjoy Appalachian heritage food, live music, and more. 304-695-2220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation.org, or www. fortnewsalemfoundation.org.

MAY 25 – Memorial Day Celebration, Fort New Salem, 81 Settlers Lane, Salem, 11 a.m.–noon. Free. Join us for a special celebration of this American holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, in which we honor, remember, and respect the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. 304-695-2220, director@fortnewsalemfoundation. org, or www.fortnewsalemfoundation.org.

JUN. 13 – Taste of Parkersburg, Bicentennial Park, 210 3rd St., Parkersburg, 6–11 p.m. $20–$25. Local food, fine wines, craft beers, and live music. 304-865-0522 or www. downtownpkb.com.

THROUGH MAY 24 – Spring Plant Sale, Adena Mansion & Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Wed.–Sat. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. Stop by the greenhouses to browse our selection of vegetables and flowers for sale. Speak with our horticulturalist for advice and interesting information about the plants. www.adenamansion.com.

MAY 5, 19, JUN. 2, 16 – Mom Café, Betsey Mills Club, 300 4th St., Marietta, 10–11:30 a.m. Free to new or expectant parents. Open to all moms looking for a sense of community and support. Join us for discussion, self-care, and resources. Snacks and incentives provided. 740-3734981 or www.betseymills.club.

MAY 6, JUN. 3, JUL. 1 – Women in Business Salon, Betsey Mills Club, 300 4th St., Marietta, 6–8 p.m. $25/meet or $75/ full salon. Group trilogy series: meeting of professional businesswomen once a month for three months to share insight and real-world experience. Snacks and drinks available. 740-373-4981 or www.betseymills.club.

MAY 11, 25, JUN. 8, 22 – American Sign Language Class, Betsey Mills Club, 300 4th St., Marietta, 6 p.m. Free to members; $10/class non-members. Taught by deaf instructors and interpreters. Learn ASL and deaf culture. All ages welcome. 740-373-4981 or www.betseymills.club.

MAY 15 – Hollywood Nights: Bob Seger Tribute, Majestic Theatre, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 7:30 p.m. $39– $59 www.majesticchillicothe.net.

NORTHEAST

MAY 1, JUN. 5 – First Fridays on Fourth, 155 N. 4th St., Steubenville, 6–10 p.m. Free. Street music-themed celebration featuring art, crafts, games, food trucks, live entertainment, and activities to stimulate the imagination. www.theharmoniumproject.org/first-Fridays.

MAY 17 – Peggy Coyle: “Crazy for Patsy Cline in the 50s,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free. Taking us into the 1950s, Peggy Coyle will join guitarist Jackson Boling in a program of songs made famous by Patsy Cline. Seating is on a first-come, firstserved basis. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

MAY 22 – Revolutionary War School Day, Fort Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd. NW, Bolivar, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $7; free for one adult per group. Open to all public, private, and homeschool students between fourth and eighth grade. Interactive stations and demos will cover Revolutionary War history, local Ohio history, archaeology, and more. Registration required. 330-874-2059, fortlaurens@gmail.com, or www.fortlaurensmuseum.org.

MAY 22–23 – Tuscarawas County Home and Garden Show, Tuscarawas Co. Fgds., 259 S. Tuscarawas Ave., Dover, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. https://biastarkeco.com/events.

MAY 15–17 – Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV), Yoctangee Park, Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe. The TOSRV is a legendary cycling event that has been a rite of passage for riders of all levels for over six decades. https://outdoorpursuits.org/tosrv.

MAY 20 – “Exploring the Fort Ancient Earthworks,” Ohio University Chillicothe, Bennett Hall, 101 University Drive, Chillicothe, 6 p.m. Free. Join Bill Kennedy, archaeologist and site manager at Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve, to learn about the amazing earthworks, their structure, and the believed lifestyles of those who built them. www.facebook.com/ friendsofhcnhp.

MAY 22–24 – Feast of the Flowering Moon, Yoctangee Park, Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Free. Family-friendly entertainment featuring Native American music and dancing, crafters, Mountain Man Encampment, main stage entertainment, carnival rides, and much more. www. feastofthefloweringmoon.org.

MAY 28 – Chillicothe Paints Home Opener, V.A. Memorial Stadium, 17273 St. Rte. 104, Chillicothe, 7:05 p.m. $5–$7. The Paints will face the Kokomo Creek Chubs. www.chillicothepaints.com.

MAY 30 – Bink Fox Fishing for Vinton County Cancer Group, Racine, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Catfish tournament open to the public. Enjoy games and raffles. See some big catfish weighed in. Preregistration required; contact Janet Fox at 740-418-8404 or email jfoxmartin@yahoo.com.

JUN. 4 – John E. Hancock: Book Talk and Signing, Ohio University Chillicothe, Stevenson Learning Center, 101 University Drive, Chillicothe, 6–8 p.m. Free and open to the public. The author will discuss his book Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks: Landscape Monuments of the Ancient Ohio Valley. Books available for purchase. Attendance limited; registration required. https://forms.gle/ VJsBMbyWtsYUCoM86

JUN. 4–SEP. 6 – Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe,

MAY 23 – Deersville Community VFD Annual Fireman’s Fair, Historic Deersville, noon–7 p.m. Fish fry, Chinese auction, water battles between Harrison County fire departments, and an old-fashioned parade at 3 p.m. All are welcome. Help support our local fire fighters! Contact Kenny Klamert at 330-340-6087 for more information.

MAY 23–24 – Great Lakes Fiber Show, Wayne Co. Fgds., 199 Vanover St., Wooster. Knitting, spinning, and weaving competitions; fleece show; fiber arts workshops. 100+ vendors. Buy yarn, fiber, fiber arts equipment for spinning, weaving, yarn winding, knitting, crochet, felting and more. www.facebook.com/greatlakesfibershow/events.

MAY 23–24 – Revolutionary War Reenactment, Fort Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd. NW, Bolivar, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10; 12 and under free. Watch a mock skirmish for American Independence by volunteer reenactors from the Brigade of the American Revolution. Demonstrations, food, vendors, kids’ games, and more. 330-874-2059 or www.fortlaurensmuseum.org.

MAY 28 – Fort Steuben Summer Concert Series: Opening Night, Fort Steuben Park, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Thur. 7–9 p.m. Free. 740-283-1787 or www. oldfortsteuben.com.

MAY 29 – Concert: Josee McGee and Jackson Boling, John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 2122 Williams Rd., Wooster, 6:30 p.m. Free. In the event of rain, the concert will be held inside the Welcome Center. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

MAY 29–AUG. 1 – “Joyce Hannon Followed Her Dream,” McCook House Museum, 15 2nd St., Carrollton, Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5. Exhibit featuring the accomplishments of Joyce Hannon, who developed a promising property in Carroll County into a popular destination. View a collection of her hats and other memorabilia. 330-437-9715 or kathorn4120@gmail.

Tues.–Sat. 8 p.m. $35–$75. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader as he struggles to defend his sacred homelands in the Ohio country during the late 1700s. www.tecumsehdrama.com.

JUN. 6–7 – Art on the Square, 215 West St., Caldwell, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Arts and crafts, food, and music. It’s About Time Duo performs Sat. 12–2 p.m. Artists and craftsmen to enter show  contact Trudy Martin at 740-516-3035. For more info: director@visitnoblecountyohio.com or www. visitnoblecountyohio.com.

JUN. 11–13 – Southern Ohio Forest Rally, various locations. Free. The event transforms the rolling hills and forests of Southern Ohio into a high-octane playground for rally enthusiasts, families, and adventure seekers. www. southernohioforestrally.com.

JUN. 13 – Kenworth Truck Parade, 45 E. Second St., Chillicothe, 8:30 p.m. Don’t miss the chrome, lights, and big-rig pride as these beauties light up the streets! www.visitchillicotheohio.com.

JUN. 13–14 – America 250 Celebration: “A Revolutionary Family Experience,” Adena Mansion & Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. Free. Experience the sights and sounds of the 18th century through artillery demos, musket and rifle drills, period military music, hands-on exhibits, children’s games, cooking demos, and much more. www. visitchillicotheohio.com/america250-rosscountyohio.

JUN. 12–14 – “Insect Epiphany: How Our Six-Legged Allies Shape Human Culture,” Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. $325/person. Join nationally recognized author and entomologist Barrett Klein for a perspective-shifting look into the insect world. Includes field excursions, nighttime UV light observations, identification, storytelling, and hands-on entomological techniques. Register at www.arcofappalachia.org/ insectepiphany.

com. Susie’s Doll Museum remains open for tours by appointment; contact the Carroll County Park District office at 330-627-8046 or info@ccparkdistrict.org.

JUN. 4–6 – Bolivar Strawberry Festival, downtown Bolivar. Live bands, pageants, strawberry eating contest, carnival rides, kids’ activities, food and drink concessions, vendors, crafters, 5K run, and more. Parade on Saturday. www.bolivarmainstreet.com/strawberry-festival.

JUN. 6 – Jazz Under the Stars: The Jazz Shepherds, Uptown Park, Medina, 7 p.m. Free. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 317 E. Liberty St., Medina. to ormaco.org, or call 419-853-6016

JUN. 6, 13 – America 250: Zoar Towpath Trail History Tours, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Walk the scenic Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail between Zoar and Fort Laurens, Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort, while exploring the rich history of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Learn how the canal shaped commerce, travel, and daily life in the 19th century, and discover the stories that connect these historic landmarks along this peaceful stretch of trail. Tickets at www. historiczoarvillage.com.

JUN. 13 – Secrest Garden Fair, Secrest Arboretum, 2122 Williams Rd., Wooster, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Juried arts and crafts vendors, plant sale, gardening workshops, kids’ crafts, local food trucks, and guided tours of the gardens. Rain or shine! www.friendsofsecrest.com.

JUN. 14 – Eric Benjamin: “Leonard Bernstein, MidCentury Musician,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free. Benjamin will share the music and story of Leonard Bernstein, exploring his enormous impact on 20th-century music and culture through his work as a conductor, composer, and educator. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 My grandson, Hank Robbins, in our spring flowers. Dixie Robbins, Darke Rural Electric Cooperative member

2 Some beautiful flowers and a busy bee I saw during a walk with my daughter, Ella, at Innis Woods. Kimberly Chave, South Central Power Company member

3 Our dog, Molly Kate, was checking out the dandelions. Susan Marsh, Firelands Electric Cooperative member

4 Wisteria flowers on the arbor we built in 1993 Ricky and Pamela Weippert, Paulding Putnam member

5 Sunflowers planted on the farm, watching the bees. Lincoln Deitrick, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative member

6 Hallie Faith and I went for a visit to our favorite Aunt Lizzy’s house (Elizabeth Hayslip). We got to see koi fish in her beautiful pond and smell her pretty wildflowers. Holly Combes, Adams Rural Electric Cooperative member

For August, send “Showtime at the fair” by May 15; for September, send “Only in Ohio” by June 15.

Scan the QR code or upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive. Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.

Call before you dig!

ohioec.org/purpose

Know what’s below—dial 811 before any project that requires digging.

Underground utilities, such as gas, water, and electric lines, can be a shovel thrust away from turning a spring project into a disaster. Play it safe by dialing 811 three days before digging to find out where utility lines run on your property. It’s free, fast—and may save a life!