NW Ohio Life Fair
Pro-life organizations throughout the area will convene for the third annual Northwest Ohio Life Fair April 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the St. Rose School gymnasium, Perrysburg. This free event is open to the public.

“Our purpose is to serve as a local information resource for anyone interested in becoming active in pro-life advocacy,” said Ann Barrick, Life Fair organizer and founder of ProLifeConnection.

For more information, visit www.prolifeconnection.com.

Tuition increase approved
During their regular meeting March 23, members of the Terra Community College Board of Trustees voted to raise tuition by 3.5 percent beginning fall semester.

The vote followed a presentation by Treasurer Randy McCullough, who told the board that while the college can expect a 2.7 percent increase in state subsidy, it would not receive $1 million in federal stimulus dollars as it had the past two years, resulting in a funding cut of $860,000 for the 2011-2012 year.

Since a 3.5 percent tuition increase will raise $328,000, Terra officials will still be looking to trim $532,000 from the budget.

Terra receives 33 percent of its funding from the state and 57 percent from tuition, McCullough said.

“We have seen a 40 percent decline in state support since fiscal year 2000,” said Dr. Marsha S. Bordner, Terra President. “So we have been doing more with less for years.

“But at some point, you can’t continue to cut more without affecting the quality of education our students receive. With this hit from the state, we felt we needed a tuition increase coupled with asking our budget managers to cut their departments’ expenses. This will hurt.”

The 3.5 percent increase is the maximum allowed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s budget.

A helping hand
The Eastwood Key Club will be offering free assistance to any resident of the district who needs help with general lawn clean up Saturday, April 16 (rain date April 23).

To be added to the schedule or for more information, call the high school office at 419-833-3611 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Adopt-A-Highway
Each year, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) spends $4 million on litter pick-up – funds that could be used to install 323 culverts, pave 40 miles of a two-lane road, install 340 miles of guardrail, or purchase 28 snowplow trucks, ODOT Director Jerry Wray noted.

“While potholes remain a priority this time of year, our crews must also focus on litter pick-up before the mowing season begins,” Wray said.

Statewide last year, ODOT spent $4.4 million and 206,221 hours picking up 392,305 bags of trash.

Each March, ODOT organizes cleanup events around the state as part of the annual Great American Cleanup. ODOT’s more than 1,400 Adopt-A-Highway groups – at least one in each of Ohio’s 88 counties – clean a two-mile section, or interchange, a minimum of four times a year for two years. On average each year, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers pick up 25,000 bags of trash, saving the department $280,000.

Groups wanting to adopt a section of highway or an interchange may apply at www.transportation.ohio.gov.

Light of Hope
Pinwheels representing child abuse investigations in Sandusky County in 2010 will be placed on the lawn of the Sandusky County Courthouse April 5, at 1:30 p.m.

The pinwheel display, which will be placed by Fremont Middle School students, is part of a community collaborative planned in observance of the 2011 Light of Hope® child abuse prevention effort in Sandusky County, held in conjunction with Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.

Other activities include columns on child abuse prevention printed in school newsletters throughout the county and placement of a banner, paid for by the Fremont Exchange Club, in the Sandusky County Courthouse throughout April.

For more information on Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month activities, call Carol at CASA at 419-355-1442.

Alcohol server training
Prevention Partners, with the help of the Ohio Investigative Unit, is offering free merchant trainings using the A.S.K. (Alcohol Server Knowledge) Program.

The goal of the classes is to help all Wood County Liquor Permit holders and their employees understand current alcohol laws and to detect false identifications.

The classes will be held at the Perrysburg Police Division, 330 Walnut St., Perrysburg, April 20 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. or May 11 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Sign-in sheets are sent to Columbus, participation is recorded and certificates are created then returned to Prevention Partners for distribution by mail.

To register or for more information, call 419-874-4242. Funding for the training is provided through a Parents Who Host Lose the Most Grant.

Babysitter training
The American Red Cross will offer Babysitter Training Saturday, April 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, 450 N. Rocky Ridge Rd., Rocky Ridge.

Participants should 11 to 13 years old and are asked to pack a sack lunch. Space is limited to 15 students. The fee is $30, however, full scholarships are available to students through a grant from the Ottawa County Community Foundation.

American Red Cross babysitters learn skills and information they need to be more confident and knowledgeable about childcare. They will receive the updated handbook, which includes a take-home DVD and a certification card upon completion.

To register, call 734-1100 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

Spirit of Wood Co.
Nominations are being accepted through April 29 for the annual Spirit of Wood County Awards.

Wood County residents are invited to nominate current or former county residents for awards in one of seven categories – Agricultural Leadership; Industrial/Economic Development; Education for Civic Responsibility; Liberty Through Law/Human Freedom; Religion and Liberty; Self-Government; and the Lyle R. Fletcher Good Citizenship Award.

Nomination forms and category descriptions are available on the Wood County website, www.co.wood.oh.us, by following the “Spirit of Wood County Awards” link.

Awards will be presented June 12 by Commissioners James Carter, Tim Brown, and Alvin Perkins.

For more information, contact the Commissioners’ Office at 1-866-860-4140 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Survivorship workshops
Throughout April, ProMedica Cancer Institute (PCI) is offering Breast Cancer Survivorship workshops focused on surviving breast cancer.

The free workshops will be held April 6, 13 and 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Toledo Hospital’s Donald V. Kellermeyer Medical Education Center Auditorium, 2121 Hughes Dr. (hospital entrance #5).

Workshops include: 
• April 6 – Optimizing Wellness: Exercise and Complementary Therapies.

• April 13 – Self Advocacy: Your Rights as a Survivor.

• April 20 – Giggling Your Way to Good Health.

The program series was made possible through a grant from the Northwest Ohio Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

To register or for more information, call 877-291-1441 or visit www.promedica.org/cancer.

Collection underway
Wendy’s Restaurants of the greater Toledo area have joined ISOH/IMPACT to help provide relief to victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.

Through April 17, local Wendy’s restaurants, including locations in Oregon, Perrysburg, Rossford and Toledo, will serve as collection points for first aid items and cash contributions.

Among the items being collected are adhesive bandages, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, assorted bungee cords, gauze pads, cleaning supplies, latex gloves (box), resealable bags, cleansing wipes, compass, fanny packs, flashlights with batteries, foil emergency blankets, ibuprofen tablets, utility knife, over-the-counter medications, acetaminophen tablets, tweezers, socks, plastic ponchos, duct tape, gauze, safety pins, surgical tape, waterproof matches, whistles and wound closure strips.

Those who are interested in helping are encouraged to give items to fill a bucket as part of the Bucket Brigade, a program created by ISOH/IMPACT.

Wendy’s is giving donors a $1 coupon.

ISOH/IMPACT has also begun a text-to-donate campaign. Those interested in donating $10 can text “giveten isoh” to 20222.

Gas bill assistance
Columbia Gas of Ohio reminds customers that assistance for natural gas bills is still available.

The winter heating season officially ends April 15. Until that time, customers may utilize a $175 payment to restore or maintain service. This is a one-time option and there is no income qualification.

Should the customer not have $175, the funds are available through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), administered locally at the Economic Opportunity Planning association (EOPA). EOPA, located at 505 Hamilton St., Toledo, has open walk-in hours daily from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.

Call Columbia Gas at 1-800-344-4077 for more information.

Environmental forum set
The Environmental Education Council of Ohio will hold an Environmental Forum April 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Maumee Bay State Park and Conference Center, 1750 State Park Road #2, Oregon.

Topics of discussion include Lake Erie Issues (Asian carp and harmful algae blooms); Sustainability (LEED building, waste stream reduction and community gardening) and Green Energy (wind, solar and biofuels).

The public is invited. Pre-registration is required. For more information or a brochure, call 419-893-1966 or visit www.eeco-online.org.

Motorsports welding 
The Northwest Ohio Section of the American Welding Society and Owens Community College will present the 15th Annual Motorsports Welding Program April 7 at the Automotive Technologies Center on the Owens campus.

More than 30 competition vehicles will be on display from 6 to 9 p.m. In addition, there will be welding and cutting demonstration, along with a Virtual Reality welding simulator. The participant who makes the best weld of the night will get a new welding helmet from Lincoln Electric.

The speaker for the evening will be Karl Hoes, from the Lincoln Electric Company, who will discuss welding processes used in building competition vehicles.

For more information, call Dick West at 419-862-2933.

Renaissance Gala 
The East Toledo Family Center is gearing up for the 2011 Renaissance Gala, which will be held April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Glass City Boardwalk, 27820 East Broadway St., Walbridge.

In celebration of the center’s 110th anniversary, this year’s gala will benefit the “Branching Toward the Future” campaign.

The evening’s festivities will include introduction of the Distinguished Citizen, Educator of the Year and Warren Densmore scholarship winners by Allison Brown, of FOX Toledo News. There will also be entertainment provided by The Cake Walkin’ Jass Band, auctions and other activities to round out the evening.

Tickets are $55 per person and $100 per couple. For tickets or more information, call Tracy at 419-691-1429.
  

Sit-in planned
To kick off April/National Donate Life Month, several northwest Ohioans will take a seat to take a stand on the importance of organ and tissue donation.

Life Connection of Ohio, an organ procurement organization that serves northwest and west central Ohio, will host its first-ever Donate Life Sit-in Tuesday, April 5 at 9 a.m. through Wednesday, April 6 at 9 a.m. at WTOL TV, 730 N. Summit St., Toledo.

During the 24 hours, transplant recipients, donor family members and those who support the cause will rotate in and out of the Green Chair, which is “the star” of Donate Life Ohio’s latest awareness campaign.

Among those planning to participate in the sit-in are Jake Saunders, a 6-year-old transplant recipient from Oregon (4:30 to 5 p.m.); Kandy Takas, kidney transplant recipient from Millbury (5 to 5:30 p.m.); Ali Morgillo, of Northwood, a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator at Life Connection of Ohio (3 to 4 a.m.); Kathy White, of Pemberville, islet cell transplant recipient (7 to 7:30 a.m.) and retired nurse Millie Dierker, of Pemberville (7:30 to 7:45 a.m.).

The overstuffed Green Chair’s meaning is two-fold. When it’s empty, it symbolizes the loss of someone who was waiting for a transplant that never came. When someone is sitting in the chair, it showcases a transplant recipient’s second chance at life.

The tagline of the Green Chair Campaign is “Don’t let another chair go empty,” encouraging more people to register as organ and tissue donors.

For more information about organ and tissue donation, call Life Connection of Ohio at 419-893-4891. Register as an organ and tissue donor at www.DonateLifeOhio.org.

Pearson program
The Friends of Pearson Park will present “Wind Power Development and Bird Conservation: Are They Compatible?” April 13 at 7 p.m. in the Packer Hammersmith Center at Pearson Metropark in Oregon.

The program will be presented by Mark Shieldcastle, who will discuss the issues surrounding placement of wind turbines in migratory bird stopover habitats.

Shieldcastle, who has a degree in wildlife management from Ohio State University, was on staff at OSU with the Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit before accepting a position with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, where he spent 32 years as a wildlife biologist specializing in avian research. Currently he is employed as Director of Research for the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

Senior levy on ballot
Voters in Sandusky County are being asked to approve a 0.5-mill replacement levy at the May 3 ballot that will support programs for senior citizens in the county.

Senior services are made possible in part by a levy, which is due for approval every five years. The last levy was approved in November 2006.

The levy is expected to cost owners of a $100,000 home $15.31per year – no more than they are paying on the current levy. In fact, some homeowners may see a decrease in the amount they pay due to decreased home values, but this levy does not incur any new taxes.

Sandusky County Senior Services, administered by WSOS Community Action Commission, is operated with funding from the Area Office on Aging and a levy, which voters originally approved in 1987. The funding also supports meals delivered to home-bound senior citizens, the senior centers, and some transportation services, which help senior citizens to get to doctor appointments, dialysis treatments, and so on.

WSOS operates four senior centers in Sandusky County, including sites in Woodville, Gibsonburg, Clyde, and Fremont.

For more information on the levy or WSOS Senior Services, call 334-8911 or toll free 1-800-775-9787.

Aerial Ball Drop
In celebration of the American Red Cross’ 25th Annual Red Cross Golf Scramble, members of the community are invited to purchase a chance to win $250 in the Aerial Ball Drop.

At 2 p.m. April 16, the Red Cross drop 1,000 balls at the Oak Harbor Golf Club. The four balls closest to the pin or in the cup will each be winners of a $250 cash prize. Tickets are $5. Entrants need not be present to win.

Aerial Drop tickets are on sale the Oak Harbor Golf Club, Village Inn and Pit Stop in Oak Harbor; Country Keg in Graytown; and the Red, White & Brew in Elmore.

Call 419 734-1100 for more information.

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