Drop, Swap & Roll event can help parents on a budget
Owens Community College students are reaching out to families in the surrounding communities with a limited clothing budget by hosting the academic institution’s first clothing swap for infants, children and pregnant women titled “Drop, Swap and Roll!” Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Audio/Visual Classroom Center Room 125.

The daylong event is free and open to the public.

Attendees are encouraged to bring gently used, folded clothing of all sizes for infants, children and pregnant women to the community outreach event. Items being accepted include T-shirts, hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, pajamas, pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses, collared shirts, buttoned shirts, costumes, jackets, coats, snowsuits, shoes and boots, among other items. The clothing swap is not accepting clothing with visible stains, holes, broken zippers and missing buttons.

A point system will be established to determine the value of each clothing item donated by attendees. Individuals will then be given a tabulated voucher sheet to use when selecting the number of items from the already donated clothing selection. Participants are not limited to the number of items they may donate to the clothing swap event.

“People can select any clothing size or gender specific item when swapping,” explained Owens student and clothing swap event co-coordinator Allison Freeman of Bowling Green. “Individuals can also use their tabulated voucher sheet at any time during the event as selection will vary throughout the day dependent upon what people bring and take home.”

Any items not claimed during the clothing swap event will be donated to Polly Fox Academy in Toledo.

The “Drop, Swap and Roll!” event is being coordinated by Freeman and fellow student Krysta Waterfield as part of their community activism project in the Service Learning Capstone class. The class combines community service with academic instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking and personal and civic responsibility.

For more information about the clothing swap event, call 567-661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 2569.

College & Career 101
College & Career 101, a free resource fair open to all area students in grades seven through 12 and their families, will be held Nov. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Bowsher High School, 2200 Arlington, Toledo.

Local businesses, community organizations and representatives from over 50 post-secondary education institutions (universities & colleges, community colleges, vocational schools, trade schools, career colleges, and the military) will offer exhibits and presentations on everything parents and students should know about the many options for higher education.

Students and parents will be able to get answers, tips and advice about admissions, how to pay, selecting a school and areas of study, and more. There will also be several presentations, including a financial aid seminar at 6:15 p.m. where students and parents will receive specific instructions on how to apply for funds and also sign up for a FASFA Pin.

This fair is free, open to the public and registration not required. It is being presented by TPS Parent Congress. Contact Chris Varwig at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.tpspc.org or www.facebook.com/tpspc for more information.

Petals and Plants Open House
A Holiday Open House will be held Nov. 11 and 12 at Petals and Plants, a flower and gift shop operated by high school students in the Floral Design/Greenhouse Production program at Penta Career Center.

The open house hours will be Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. Petals and Plants is located on the Penta campus at 9301 Buck Rd. in Perrysburg Township. Visitor parking for the Open House is available adjacent to the Floral Design/Greenhouse Production lab near the large greenhouse.

Visitors should follow the Penta campus signs to the designated parking area. Special items on sale at the Holiday Open House include themed trees and holiday floral arrangements created by the Floral Design/Greenhouse Production students.

Other items available for purchase during the event include garden art by George Carruth, Root Candles, Reed Room Fragrances, greeting cards, angels, jewelry and a variety of home décor items.

Gingerbread houses, designed and built by students in Penta’s Culinary Arts program will be on display during the Holiday Open House. Some of the gingerbread houses will be sold to winning bidders in a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting the Penta Student Scholarship Fund.

For more information about the Holiday Open House, contact Jim Henline at 419-666-1120 ext. 6553.

Terra registration
Registration for Spring 2011 classes at Terra Community College begins Oct. 25.

Returning students have already been encouraged to meet with their advisor prior to registering. New students are asked to call the Admissions Office at 419-559-2349 for a testing and advising appointment.

The Spring schedule can be found online at www.terra.edu. For best selection of courses, students are urged to register early.

For more information, call 419-559-2349.

Eastwood Pops Concert
The Eastwood Eagle Marching Band will hold their annual Pops Concert Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the high school gym. The concert will feature music from the 2010 marching season. This event is free and open to the public.

Contracts approved
At a special meeting Oct. 14, the Terra Community College Board of Trustees approved contracts for the renovation of Building D.

Bids were accepted from four general contractors, four electrical contractors, five HVAC contractors, four plumbing contractors and two combined bids for plumbing and HVAC.

The low bids, which were accepted, were:

• General contractor – Harp Contractors Inc. (HCI), Northwood, $2,305,000.

• Electrical contractor – Woolace Electric, Stryker, $718,100.

• HVAC contractor – Bay Mechanical, Lorain, $1,083,000.

• Plumbing contractor - H.J. Schodorf, Willard, $270,640.

• Fire protection contractor – Vulcan Fire Protection, Carey, $106,803.

The total contract amount awarded was $4,483,543. The project is being funded by the Ohio Board of Regents in the amount of $3,444,760 and the balance of $1,038,783 will come from local funds.

Building D was recently vacated by the HVAC, Welding and Power Technologies programs when they were moved to the new Skilled Trades Center. The renovation will provide classrooms, offices and labs to serve the nursing, allied health, music and arts programs.

Terra plans to offer new allied health programs in collaboration with neighboring colleges as well as maintain and expand its existing nursing programs. The newly renovated space will provide for simulated patient and model laboratories, patient rooms and physical therapist patient rooms.

It will also provide upgraded space for the college’s growing music and arts programs, which includes performance and practice areas as well as studio spaces. The new design will also incorporate many energy savings and conservation measures.

Small Business Basics
The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra Community College is offering free, two-hour seminars, “Small Business Basics,” designed to answer questions about starting, buying or expanding a small business.

The seminar will help entrepreneurs to avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary steps. Participants will learn the basics of name registration, licensing, taxes, zoning, business entities, employees, insurance, financing and business planning.

The November schedule includes:
Nov. 3 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Ottawa County Improvement Corporation (conference room), 8043 W. SR 163, Oak Harbor.

Nov. 23 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Terra Community College (Building B, Room 101), 2830 Napoleon Rd. Fremont.

The events are free and open to the public.

To register or for more information, call Bill Auxter, director of the Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra toll-free at 800-826-2431 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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