News Briefs Week Of 4/4/2022

Penta Career Center to host Community Service Day

Penta Career Center will host a Community Service Day on Monday, April 11 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on the school’s Perrysburg Township campus, located at 9301 Buck Rd.
A variety of services will be offered free to veterans and active service members, and at a small cost for others.
Community Service Day is being held in honor of Penta’s designation as a Purple Star School and in recognition of the Month of the Military Child.
Planned activities and services include:
• Cut-A-Thon. Cosmetology will offer simple haircuts, styles and basic manicures. ($5 minimum donation for non-military members). Proceeds raised will benefit the Wood County Fraternal Order of Police.
• Tire Checks and Basic Car Washes. Automotive Technology students will set up drive-through stations near the Penta Greenhouse.
• American Flag Retirement. Residents can drop off their old, worn American flags at Penta’s main entrance to be properly retired by firefighter students and staff.
• Clothing Drive. Sponsored by the Inventory & Warehouse Operations program, the drive will collect adult clothing and shoes in clean, wearable condition. No undergarments accepted. Clothing donated will be used to stock Penta’s on-campus closet for students who have clothing needs. Also, some clothing will be donated to Vietnam Veterans of America.
For more information about Community Service Day, call 419-666-1120.

Mercy hiring event
Mercy Health will host a hiring event on Saturday, April 9, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Mercy College of Ohio. The event is open to anyone seeking to work in healthcare, but with special emphasis on high school and transfer students looking to work while pursuing an education.
Those attending will learn about the education benefits Mercy Health offers hospital employees. Benefits now extend to part-time employees, including those actively pursuing a degree. All tuition expenses for Mercy Health associates pursuing nursing at Mercy College are paid in full, and assistance is provided for all Mercy College programs. Entry-level positions at Mercy Health include nursing support, housekeeping, dietary/food service, patient transport, and more.
Information about Mercy College’s various options for nursing and allied health programs and campus tours will be available.
The event will be held in the sixth floor Hanson Learning Commons on the Mercy Campus, 2200 Jefferson Ave., Toledo.
Participants should bring multiple copies of their resumes, if they have one, and be prepared to interview. Representatives will be available to help create resumes for those who need one. Masks will be required.
Guests who bring a friend to the event will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card.

Aspire Program
accepting students
The Vanguard Sentinel Aspire Program is accepting students in Fremont, Oak Harbor and Port Clinton.
Free Aspire classes are available for adults interested in obtaining a GED or improving basic skills in preparation for college, a career, an apprenticeship, a certificate training program or additional workforce training.
Classes help students improve reading, math, writing, and basic skills. Orientation to the Aspire program is required before enrollment in classes. Attend orientation to set goals, complete placement testing and develop an individualized learning plan.
Upcoming orientation dates include:
• Fremont – Vanguard Adult Workforce Development Center, 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. April 19 and 21, May 3 and 5 and June 7 and 9.
• Oak Harbor – Ottawa County Resource Centre, 9 a.m., April 5 and 7, May 3 and 5 and June 7 and 9.
Call the Vanguard Adult Workforce Development Center at 419-334-6901, ext. 2700 to register or obtain more information.

Church welcomes
ministry April 7
Ashland Church, 2350 Starr Ave., will host Dennis Karp, of Chosen People Ministries, on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. to engage attendees in an understanding of the “Shema.”
The prayer begins in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 – “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
It is prayed twice daily by Jewish people and is foundational for all people of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Karp will explain and demonstrate how the Shema is prayed and its meaning for today.
The public is welcome to the free event. A love offering will be received for the Chosen People Ministries.

Free weather safety
seminar planned
The public is invited to attend a free weather safety seminar sponsored by the Lake Township Police Department, in conjunction with its Neighborhood Watch program.
The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 at the Lake Township Hall, 27975 Cummings Rd., Millbury.
WTVG chief meteorologist Jay Berschback will present the hourlong program, which will include a question-and-answer session.
Police Chief Mark Hummer noted this year’s program will be a restart of an annual event that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ever since we initiated the Neighborhood Watch program, we have offered this training in the springtime,” Hummer said. “Things have changed over the last 12 years since the deadly tornado struck the township in June 2010, and we want our area residents to have the most up-to-date information on tornado and severe storm safety.”
The June 2010 EF4 tornado killed seven people and caused heavy property damage in Lake Township. It touched down first in Moline before touching down again in Millbury. Along the way, it heavily damaged the township police department building and Lake High School.
“People who lived in this area at that time are keenly aware of how dangerous storms can be,” Hummer said. “We want our residents to be as safe as they can be, so we offer this seminar before the peak of the storm season.”
Pre-registration is not required. For more info, call Ron Craig, the police department’s community policing officer and crime prevention officer, at 419-481-6354.

WCCOA to offer
home repair series
The Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. (WCCOA) will present a three-part series, “Spring Home Repairs? Learn How to Work with Contractors,” at the Wood County Senior Center, 140 S. Grove St., Bowling Green.
The programs will take a comprehensive look at the homeowner/contractor relationship and provide tips for ensuring a home repair project goes smoothly. Panelists will include contractors, attorneys and consumer advocates.
• Part I: What Can Go Wrong? Tuesday, April 5, 4:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about common issues and legal basics. Bowling Green City Councilmember Rachel Phipps will moderate the discussion.
• Part II: Bidding and Contracting, Tuesday, April 19, 4:30 p.m. Consider best practices for obtaining quotes and what a contract should include. Lisa Myers, a social worker with WCCOA, will moderate the discussion.
• Part III: Q &A with Contractors, Tuesday, May 3, at 4:30 p.m. Hear directly from contractors and learn about their expectations of clients.
Advance registration is required by calling the WCCOA Programs Department at 419-353-5661 or 800-367-4935 or email programs@wccoa.net.
For information on WCCOA programs and services, visit wccoa.net.

Park grants
available
The Park District of Ottawa County is pleased to announce a grant opportunity for Ottawa County political subdivisions, public schools, and public libraries to apply for funding in order to offer greater access to outdoor recreation opportunities. Grant projects are required to provide improvements to public outdoor recreation facilities, green spaces, and/or trails located all or part in Ottawa County.
The Board of Park Commissioners has approved up to $200,000 in funds for the grant program. Digital applications are available online at www.ottawacountyparksoh.org or by e-mailing Jannah Wilson at jwilson@ottawacountyparksoh.org.
Interested applicants may also make an appointment to pick up a paper copy by contacting the district office at 419-707-4051. Completed applications must be submitted no later than May 25 at 4:30 p.m. Entities will be notified of grant approval status by June 30. This is a reimbursement program, funds will be dispersed after the project is completed and proper documentation is submitted.

OneOhio funding
to be discussed
Wood County will host a meeting April 11 to discuss the OneOhio plan and opportunities for distribution of settlement funds from State opioid litigation settlements. The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. in the county commissioners’ hearing room in the county courthouse complex in Bowling Green.
Political subdivisions and agencies interested in seeking funding through the OneOhio Foundation Board are strongly encouraged to attend. The process to submit funding proposals and the by-laws for Region 17 will be discussed.
Under the OneOhio Memorandum of Understanding, Wood County is part of Region 17 which includes Sandusky, Seneca, Hancock, Crawford, Hardin, Ottawa, and Wyandot Counties. The regional board will receive and evaluate local funding proposals in order to make recommendations to the OneOhio State Foundation Board.
Commissioner Ted Bowlus will represent the interests of Wood County and its local governments and agencies on the board.
For information, contact Andrew S. Kalmar, Wood County Administrator.