News Briefs Week of 11/30/2020

Therapeutic riding
Therapeutic riding sessions at Serenity Farm Equestrian Center are planned for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in 2021.
Programs will run April through October, with appropriate safety measures in place. Serenity Farm staff, volunteers, and horses are looking forward to welcoming riders back to the barn, which is located at 21870 Lemoyne Rd., Luckey.
Call 419-833-1308 or email serenityfarmoffice@gmail.com for more information.

Share the Love
Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. (WCCOA) is participating in the 2020 Subaru Share the Love Event as a member of Meals on Wheels America – one of four national Share the Love charitable partners supported through the campaign.
Through Jan. 4, 2021, Subaru of America will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased to the customer’s choice of participating charities.
“I am proud to say this is the 10th year WCCOA has partnered with area Subaru dealerships for this event. With the help of Subaru and MOWA, we are able to raise awareness of the importance of a hot, nutritious meals to our older, frail clients. These meals and drivers provide nourishment, a daily well-check, and happiness to the older adults we serve,” said Angie Bradford, WCCOA’s Director of Food Service.
Participating Meals on Wheels America members, like WCCOA will receive a share of the donation raised by Subaru in their state. WCCOA has continued partnership throughout the years with LaRiche Subaru in Findlay and Yark Subaru in Toledo to raise awareness for this annual year-end sales and giving event.
Over the last 12 years, Subaru of America and its participating retailers have donated more than $176 million to its charity partners. This year’s Subaru Share the Love Event is on track to bring that total to over $200 million, proving there’s no limit to the amount of love we can all share.
For more information, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/sharethelove.

Warm Heart,
Warm Hands
Bay Area Credit Union’s Warm Heart*Warm Hands project was established 25 years ago with the goal of helping children in the community.
Each year, as the holidays approach, credit union employees and members, and community members donate new hats, scarves, mittens and socks, which are then displayed on a “Mitten & Sock Tree” through the end of the year. In celebration of Warm Hearts*Warm Hands’ quarter-of-a-century anniversary, Bay Area is asking members and the community to vote for one of their favorite local charities by donating quarters. Charities include Nature’s Nursery, Jerusalem Township Food Pantry and East Toledo Family Center.
Vote by stopping into the credit union at 4202 Navarre Ave., Oregon and drop quarters in the vote boxes. The first-place winner will receive $500 plus all the quarters/change in vote box; second-place will receive $250 plus all the quarters/change in vote box and third place will receive $100 plus all the quarters/change in vote box.

Get creative
with art boxes
After the success of the Art Box pilot in June, The Arts Commission’s Art Loop program launched a second edition of the program, designed to engage the community through the arts while also supporting local artists and businesses.
The Arts Commission hired local artists to help design creative prompts and select a variety of art supplies that suit people of all ages and skill levels. Each box is $30.
Art Boxes are $30 each and include full-size, premium art supplies from Art Supply Depo. Libbey Glass has donated glassware to be included in each box for a special demonstration using alcohol inks. A full-color “Let’s Create” booklet with a menu describing each product, corresponding prompts and lessons from featured artists is also included.
Purchase an Art Box online at theartscommission.org/artloop through Thursday, Dec. 3 or while supplies last. Purchasers will receive a confirmation email with full instructions for pick-up, set for Dec. 1 and 8 from 3-5 p.m. at the Arts Commission, 1838 Parkwood Boulevard, Toledo.
Visit The Arts Commission’s website for new printable pages and video demos. Share work online with #MyVibrantToledo.
Featured artists include:
• Stephanie Scigliano - alcohol inks.
• Isaac Klunk – illustrator.
• Shoshana Lavetter-Keidan- mixed media.
• Paul Verdell - oil pastels.
• Shannon Eis - mixed media, alcohol inks.
• Mary Willets - floral paper artist.
• Kaiden Sims (youth artist, age 11) - mixed media.
• Harry Terrell - oil pastels.
In response to COVID-19, The Arts Commission staff is working remotely until further notice. For more info, contact Art Loop Manager Natalie Tranelli-Jacobs at njacobs@theartscommission.org.

Operation
Birthday Wish
This GivingTuesday, Dec. 1, Sandusky County Young Professional Group (SCYPG) hopes to inspire generosity with the goal of giving birthdays to vulnerable youth who are a part of Sandusky County foster and kinship care programs.
GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, calling on the power of people and organizations to transform communities and the world.
The SCYPG joined GivingTuesday to kick-off a new program, “Operation: Birthday Wish,” which will launch on Jan. 1, 2021. The mission of “Operation: Birthday Wish” is to provide youth in foster or kinship care the opportunity to celebrate their birthdays and make birthday wishes.
An entire birthday celebration is assembled, packaged and then delivered to a Sandusky County foster child. The party in a box includes a birthday cake, candles, party plates, a birthday present and party decorations.
Currently, there are approximately 90 youth in foster or kinship care in Sandusky County. The SCYPG has a goal of raising $10,000 to supply 100 birthday boxes to youths and young adults throughout the county.
“More often than not, children are placed into a home with nothing but the clothes on their backs. In the case of kinship placement, families may not be prepared to raise additional family members, but are also too proud to ask for additional help, or may not qualify for assistance,” said Andrea Gibson, president of the SCYPG. “Every child deserves the opportunity to celebrate special milestones throughout the year.”
Visit www.scypg.org or go.rallyup.com/givingbirthdays to make a donation, or email sanduskycountyypg@gmail.com for more ways to get involved.
For more details about the GivingTuesday movement, visit www.givingtuesday.org.

2021 dog licenses
Wood County Auditor Matthew Oestrich will begin accepting 2021 dog registrations Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Ohio law requires all dogs 3 months old and older to be registered in the county in which the dog is kept.
Dogs may be registered for a one-year or three-year term or for a permanent license, good for the life of the dog. Fees are $14 for one year, $42 for three years and $140 for a lifetime license. No refunds will be permitted.
Kennel owners are required to register annually by Jan. 31 for a fee of $70.
Dog owners who get a dog after Jan. 31 are required to register the dog 30 days after the acquisition or when the dog reaches 3 months of age.
The preferred method of renewal due to the coronavirus pandemic is by mail or online. Internet applications may be completed at auditor.co.wood.oh.us and require a $2.15 credit card processing fee per license. Mail-in applications must include the dog’s age, sex, whether spayed or neutered, color, length of hair, breed of dog and the name, address and phone number of the owner. Send info and payment to the auditor’s office at One Courthouse Square, P.O. Box 368, Bowling Green, OH 43402.

Oregon tree lighting
The City of Oregon will present its annual Tree Lighting Event Saturday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m., 5330 Seaman Rd. To keep the holidays safe and bright, this year’s tree lighting will be drive-thru event. Attendees are invited to bring snacks and drinks.
Santa, Mrs. Claus and DJ Jason Kelley will be on hand before and after the tree lighting. Those who aren’t able to attend may watch live on the City of Oregon Facebook Page.

Northwood tree lighting
The City of Northwood’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the city municipal building, 6000 Wales Rd.
Come visit Santa and drop off your Christmas list. Masks and social distancing are mandatory.

Drive-thru Breakfast
with Santa Dec. 5
Oregon-Northwood Rotary Club will present a COVID-friendly Breakfast with Santa Drive-thru Event Saturday, Dec. 5 from 8-10 a.m. in the Clay High School parking lot, 5665 Seaman Rd., Oregon.
Due to concerns over COVID-19, Rotary Club members have opted to modify the annual Breakfast with Santa, which the organization has been hosting for about 30 years.
Families can enter the parking lot near the football field and stop at several stations:
Station 1. Receive paper and pencil to write a letter to Santa while you wait, and receive a donut in a sealed bag.
Station 2. Receive materials to make a Christmas craft at home.
Station 3. Receive a toy and wave to Santa.
Station 4. Mail the letter to Santa in the special mailbox, which will be processed by Santa's Rotary elves.
The Rotary normally charges $3 for the annual event, with proceeds going to help local food banks, however, this year, the event will be free, with the goal of brightening the holidays for local families.
Sponsors are welcome to help support the event.
More details are available www.facebook.com/OregonNorthwoodRotaryClub.

Visits with Santa
In a “normal year, the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce would be putting the finishing touches on plans for the annual Olde Fashioned Christmas event, held annually on the first Saturday in December.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chamber Executive Director Valerie Winterfield knew they would not be able to have their usual event, but wanted to find a way to still bring Christmas cheer to the children and community. She reached out to the financial institutions in town to partner with the Chamber to offer socially distanced visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. “They were excited and willing to help in any way they could,” Winterfield said.
Santa will still arrive in Oak Harbor at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, and will be escorted by Portage Fire District through the streets of town. Santa and Mrs. Claus will then be available for social distanced visiting on the following days and times:
• Saturday, Dec. 5, 5-7 p.m. at the Croghan Colonial Bank drive-thru.
• Fridays, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, 6-8 p.m. at Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union drive-thru.
Children are encouraged to bring their letters for Santa, as all letters will be answered by Santa and his elves. After sharing their letter and wish list for Christmas, Santa will send the children a special treat through the drive thru tube.

Nativity scenes
in Gibsonburg
Gibsonburg area churches will present a Drive-thru nativity on Dec. 5 and 6, from 5:30-7:30 pm. The free presentation of the biblical Christmas story will be portrayed in nine scenes by families from the community.
Narration is available in sanitized cassette, CD or flash drive formats to accommodate all vehicles.

Ghanbari supports
business fairness
bill in House
State Rep. Haraz N. Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, said he voted in favor of House Bill 621 during a recent session because it allows small businesses to maintain operations during a public health emergency.
The bill allows businesses that can comply with safety standards from government orders or regulations to stay open.
“I continue to hear from our small business owners throughout Wood County,” said Ghanbari. “These small businesses should have every opportunity to take necessary precautions for their employees and customers and remain open for business like their corporate counterparts. Our small businesses are part of our communities’ identity.”
The bill, called the Business Fairness Act legislation, creates competitive fairness by giving small businesses the ability to maintain operations during a public health emergency. Ghanbari testified on the floor of the chamber in support of the bill.
Ghanbari acknowledged on the House floor one of several examples of constituents that have reached out to his office with concerns over the shutdowns against small businesses versus large-retail businesses. During the initial shutdown, many large-retail stores could remain open while “non-essential” businesses, restaurants and bars were forced to close due to health orders issued by the administration.
The bill is supported by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, and Ohio Small Business Council. Ghanbari was an original co-sponsor of the bill on May 7.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

ODNR seeking
deer samples
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is encouraging white-tailed deer hunters in Lucas, Fulton, and Williams counties in northwest Ohio to submit samples of harvested deer to be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer populations. While CWD has not been detected in Ohio’s wild deer herd, the Division of Wildlife is enhancing surveillance efforts in specific counties after the disease was detected in southern Michigan. Participation is voluntary and free of charge.
Hunters who participate in the program are asked to remove the head from a harvested deer and drop it off at any one of 12 collection stations.
Collection station kiosks are available until Jan. 10, 2021. A kiosk at each location provides instructions on how to properly submit the deer head for testing. Hunters will be provided a unique specimen number which can be used to check results in approximately eight weeks. Results can be found under the District Two Enhanced Surveillance Results tab on the Chronic Wasting Disease page at wildohio.gov.
Only adult deer harvested from Lucas, Fulton, and Williams counties will be accepted at the collection stations. If a deer is being sent to a taxidermist, it should not be submitted for testing. To submit a deer, remove the head approximately 4 inches below the bottom jawbone.
Hunters outside of Lucas, Fulton, and Williams counties may submit a deer for testing at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for a fee.
Call 614-728-6220 for information.
The Lucas County collection station locations are:
-Cleland’s: 10306 Airport Highway, Swanton.
-Spencer Township Fire Department, Holland.
-Mallard Club Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon.
-Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Check Station, Oak Harbor. This location is not a kiosk, but all supplies and instructions will be located at the self-serve controlled waterfowl hunt station.