country living may 2016 washington

Official publication ofyour electric cooperative

MAY 2016

Local co-op pages 19-22Funny signs 24Spring and summer festivals 26Jack Nicklaus 30

Project Ohiolights upGuatemala 4

www.ohioec.org

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D E P A R T M E N T S

F E AT U R E S

24 FUNNY SIGNS We feature a montage of the hilarious signs you sent us from around Ohio and beyond.

26 FUN AND FUNNY FESTIVALSWe suggest four spring and summertime festivals foryou to consider.

30 GRIN AND (GOLDEN) BEAR IT Check out our compendium of facts about Jack Nicklaus in observance of this month’s 40th annual Memorial Tournament in Muirfield.

31 WHAT A KICK! Kick up your heels and try FootGolf.

Our lineup of spring andsummer “Fun and Funny

Festivals” includes the DogFest at Zoar.

Beloved bybikers and

hikers alike,the Little Miami

Scenic Trail turns25 this year.

Linemenand other

representativesfrom Ohio’s Electric

Cooperatives traveled tothe remote Guatemalan village

of La Soledad in March to bringlight and power to the gratefultownspeople. Read about “ProjectOhio” on page 6.

3 COOPERAT IVE CONNECT ION

6 POWER STAT ION

8 THE 7 COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

14 GARDENING LANDSCAPE

16 FOOD SCENE

24 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

32 CO-OP PEOPLE

34 OHIO ICON

36 MAY CALENDAR

39 OHIO QUIZ

Next month...The work ofGovernment Affairs

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Sometimes our perceptions become skewed by whatwe hear or read in the news. Headlines often empha-size problems and concerns but rarely celebrate theslow, constant progress made by business or idustry.We often need a reality check, or an opportunity tolook at the facts and adjust our perception. I hopeyou’ll take a few moments to look at the electricpower industry as I see it.

Production of U.S. electric power is cleaner thanit’s ever been, by a lot. Sounds like a bold claim, butit’s true by every measure. Since 1990, emissions ofregulated pollutants from the production of electricityhave steadily decreased. Depending on the factorsmeasured, we produce one-third more electricitytoday, with 65 percent to 80 percent lower emissions,as compared to 1990. That’s correct — in 2015, weproduced about one-third more electricity than we dida quarter of a century earlier, with far fewer emis-sions.

You might wonder how we did it. Like many accom-plishments, the reduction of emissions is the result ofhard, concentrated effort. The technology used toscrub pollutants from power plant smoke stacks hasimproved dramatically throughout the past 25 years.Coal-burning power plant efficiencies have been en-hanced, which typically reduces emissions by about90 percent. Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives have been atthe forefront of the charge.

New supplies from shaleformations have made nat-ural gas more available andless expensive. As a result,some older, coal-firedplants have been replacedby new, cleaner-burningnatural gas-fired powerplants. In fact, it is ex-pected that in 2016, we’llproduce more electricity from natural gas than fromcoal. That’s a first. As recently as 2005, more thanhalf of the electricity produced in the U.S. was fromcoal. Today, that figure stands at about 33 percent.

Renewable energy sources have been on the rise, aswell. As of 2015, hydropower has remained at aboutsix percent of U.S. power generation, while electricproduction from wind and solar power sources hasgrown from about two percent to more than eightpercent of the nation’s total. Ohio’s electric coopera-tives have been regularly adding renewable energysources, too.

Regardless of what you may have heard, facts arefacts. The U.S. electric power system remains theenvy of the world. The powerful combination of safe,reliable delivery and clean, affordable productionmakes our electric power system world-class. Thatfact may not make headlines, but it’s good news forthose of us who use electricity every day.

2 COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

Cooperative Connection

Reality check

PAT O’LOUGHLIN, PRESIDENT & CEO • OHIO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES & BUCKEYE POWER


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 3

May 2016 Volume 58, No. 8

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives

6677 Busch Blvd.Columbus, OH 43229

[email protected]

www.ohioec.org

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Patrick Higgins Dir. of Communications

Rich Warren Managing Editor

Magen Howard Associate Editor

Adam Specht Member Services &

Communications Consultant

Chris Hall Communications Specialist

Nikki Heath Communications Specialist

Nila Moyers Administrative Assistant

COUNTRY LIVING (ISSN 0747-0592)is the official public ation of Ohio RuralElec tric Co op eratives, Inc. With a paidcirculation of 294,359, it is the monthlycom mun ication link be tween the elec tricco operatives in Ohio and West Virginiaand their mem bers. Nothing in this pub-lication may be reproduced in any man-ner without specific written permissionfrom Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives,Inc. All rights reserved.

The fact that a product is advertised in Coun try Liv-ing should not be taken as an en dorse ment. If youfind an advertisement mis leading or a product un-satisfactory, please not ify us or the Ohio AttorneyGeneral’s Of fice, Consumer Protection Sec tion, 30E. Broad St., Col um bus, OH 43215, or call 1-800-282-0515.Periodicals postage paid at Colum bus, OHand at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to edi-torial and advertising offices at: 6677 BuschBoulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101

Cooperative members —Please report any change of

address to your local electric cooperative.

National advertising representatives:

NATIONAL COUNTRY MARKET,800-NCM-1181

State advertising representatives:

Sandy Woolard 614-403-1653Tim Dickes 614-855-5226

Alliance forAudited Media Member

Follow us on :

ohioec.orgCheck out the mobile-friendlywebsite and digital editionof Country Living, as well asother timely information fromOhio’s electric cooperatives.

Home improvement

For a package of stories describing how toenhance the curb appeal of your home — in-cluding improvements with doors and win-dows, paint, and windows and siding — lookunder “Online Exclusives” under the Coun-try Living button at www.ohioec.org.

Ohio travel

Want to see Ida McKinley’s tiara? A Lima jailcell that John Dillinger broke out of? You neverknow what you’ll find in Ohio’s small-town mu-seums. Click on the cover of the current issueand go to page 20.

RecipesIn addition to the last installment of egg recipes you sent for the recipe

contest in January, check out the Lake Erie fish recipes submitted byCooking Editor Margie Wuebker and Nutrition Editor Diane Yoakamunder the “Food Scene” button.

In addition• Read a story on “Can you have a Zero Net Energy Home?”• See more photos of the work of Project Ohio in Guatemala.

In this issue:Sandusky Bay (p. 12)

Quailcrest Farm (p. 14)

Lakeside (p.26)Cambridge (p. 26)

Versailles (p. 26)

Zoar (p. 26)Memorial Tournament, Muirfield (p. 30)

Findlay (p. 32)

Little Miami Scenic Trail (p. 34)

Online exclusives


mailto:[email protected]



POWER STATION

GUATEMALA IS THE “place of manytrees,” but for the 322 residents ofLa Soledad, nestled 8,800 feetabove sea level, within the rugged,mountainous terrain of the coun-try’s central region, the only thingthey knew about electricity waswhen lightning lit up the skies ofthe surrounding forest. Thatchanged in March, when 17 line-men, representing Ohio’s 24 elec-tric cooperatives, spent more thantwo weeks bringing light to part ofthe 20 percent of Guatemala thathad never known electricity.

It takes a village

La Soledad’s picturesque back-drop is the setting for 72 primi-tive homes that house the villagepopulation, composed primarilyof families who eke out a livingdoing backbreaking farm work.According to Dwight Miller,director of safety and loss controlfor Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives,the partnership between thevillage residents and the “ProjectOhio” linemen crew was a perfectpairing.“The people of La Soledad

work tirelessly, in unforgivingconditions, and that resonatedwith the crew,” says Miller. “Line-men are used to hazardous, re-lentless work, in all kinds ofweather, when the stakes are

high,” Miller adds. The Ohio crew was determined

to bring power to the tiny com-munity, and the citizens of LaSoledad worked side-by-side withthe linemen to hand-dig holesthrough seemingly impenetrablerock, set 70 poles and 67 anchors,and do what was needed to bedone to bring light to their lives.

Attitude of gratitude“La Soledad was considered the

least of the villages in the area,”Miller states. “Now, it’s at the topof the list. Because of the electrifi-cation, people from nearby vil-lages are streaming into LaSoledad to build homes.”La Soledad’s value system can

likely take partial credit. Accord-

This littlelight of mine...

"Project Ohio" is endorsed by the NationalRural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA),with its tenet to promote global developmentvia rural electrification.

To see more photos of Project Ohio,go to www.ohioec.org.

STORY BY

PATRICK HIGGINS

‘Project Ohio’ brings power and light to a Guatemalan village




ing to Miller, the village has an over-whelming sense of community. TheOhio linemen and native men alikestarted each day in prayer and then gotdown to work as a team. Most work-days were virtually sunup to sundown;a treacherous trip down the mountain-side for supplies meant even longerhours. In a land where hot showershad to wait until the water boiled andtoilets are flushed by using buckets,life above the clouds wasn’t quiteheaven.But despite the grueling work and

endless hours, sweat and sacrifice werebalanced by levity and laughter. Thegratitude of the villagers and the op-portunity to forever change their liveswas a beacon for the Ohio linemen.

Los niños“Sundays were reserved for church

and fun,” Miller indicates. After serv-ices, however, given the choice to go

into town for “R&R,” the linemenopted to stay in La Soledad. The rea-son? The village’s smallest residentshad captured the linemen’s hearts. Soc-cer, football (American style), candy,and cornhole games were the order ofthe day. “‘Project Ohio’ did more thancross international lines,” Miller notes.“It brought generations and culturestogether.” The crew brought more than elec-

tricity to La Soledad. Fortified by dona-tions from back home, the bountybrought by the crew included 310 barsof soap; 340 toothbrushes and tubes oftoothpaste; 156 assorted toys; 170 pairsof shoes; 24 blankets; umbrellas; schoolbackpacks; boxes of school supplies;and financial contributions that willallow La Soledad’s children to completegrades 7 to 12 (to do so, electricity inthe village schoolhouse is a requirementof the Guatemalan government).

( — continued on page 6)



“Until I got to La Soledad, I didn’t know what poor was,”admits Chris Napier, safety and loss control consultant forOhio’s Electric Cooperatives. “Still, I wouldn’t think twice aboutgoing back.” In fact, “sign me up” reflects the sentiments of theentire Ohio crew. The linemen and the villagers had formed abond, even as they were beginning to see the light at the end ofthe tunnel.

6:32 p.m.The lights pierced the darkness on Saturday, March 12, in an

inauguration celebration that lasted into the now-illuminatednight. Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives President and CEO PatrickO’Loughlin greeted the crowd in Spanish, joined by PauldingPutnam Electric Cooperative CEO George Carter, who suppliedcandy for the piñatas. “There’s a special place in my heart for thepeople of La Soledad,” Miller intimates. The village, which usedto shut down at nightfall, now has reason to burn the midnightoil — or to at least leave the lights on.

Project Ohio ( – continued from page 5)



IN OUR SEVEN-PARTseries, you’ll learn how

the same sevenprinciples that guide

cooperatives around theworld also govern your

local electric co-op,keeping you — a valuedmember-owner — asthe primary focus.

Principle 3, “Members’Economic

Participation,” reads asfollows: “Members

contribute equitably to,and democratically

control, the capital oftheir cooperative.”

Principle 3:Members’ Economic Participation

TheBY SAMANTHA RHODES

Legionnaires: Dedicated to their country

THE NUMBER OF OHIO VETERANS who are members of the American Le-gion — about 105,000 — exceeds the maximum capacity of “The Horse-shoe,” The Ohio State University Buckeyes’ football stadium.Compared to the Legion’s nationwide membership of nearly 2.2 mil-

lion, Ohio comprises only a small chunk of the country’s largest veterans’service organization. But Ohio Department Adjutant Tom Simons, a re-tired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and member of South Central PowerCompany from Canal Winchester, says Ohio plays a vital role.“As veterans, we say an oath to defend and support our constitution,

and that doesn’t stop when we get out of uniform,” Simons says. “Wefirmly believe that as an American citizen, you have responsibilities toparticipate in your government. We try to teach that to our youth.”For more than 70 years, the Ohio department has annually sponsored

Buckeye Boys State, a weeklong leadership camp for high school boys tolearn about American government. Nationally, more than 20,000 youngmen from their respective states participate in Boys State every year.Alumni include former President Bill Clinton, professional basketballplayer Michael Jordan, and astronaut Neil Armstrong — to name a few.Simons says that the organization is nothing without its local posts in

each state — the place where every resolution starts.Across Ohio, numerous posts are stationed in electric cooperative

service territories, forging close relationships with their city councils anddonating to various programs like local Scout troops. Each post evensponsors a Legion baseball team that competes throughout the year.“Veterans understand teamwork, and our Legion baseball teaches how

to work in a collective to achieve a common goal,” Simons says. “No mat-ter what service you’re in, it’s all about teamwork.”

Living the principle

Just as you pay your monthly electric bill to your co-op, American Le-gion members also contribute by paying annual membership dues tocover administrative costs.Both forms of economic participation make the contributors part-

owners of their organization. In other words, as a paying member of yourelectric co-op, you democratically control the capital and common prop-erty of the cooperative and reap the same benefits as other member-own-ers.“Whether you’re a member of the Legion or your electric co-op, having

ownership gives you a stake in the fight and brings you into the team,”Simons says. “Then you start to understand what your part is in it.”

To learn more about the American Legion or to find a post in your area, visitwww.legion.org.



http://www.legion.org

Understanding capital credits

Did you know that by paying your monthly electric bill on time, you’re helping se-cure your co-op’s future?According to Cathy Bitler, vice president of member service and community rela-

tions at South Central Power, your electric co-op has two means of raising capital tofund its operations — through member participation or through loans. Thus, whenmembers contribute to the company, they assure that funds are available to operatethe cooperative without having to borrow money from a bank.“Members help hold down the cost of money, which holds down costs for every-

one,” Bitler says.Your cooperative then uses that money to cover its expenses, including hiring and

training staff, buying equipment, and building power lines to deliver safe, reliablepower to homes, farms, schools, and businesses. But because cooperatives operate on a not-for-profit basis, any margin — or capi-

tal — left at the end of the year after all of the bills are paid is credited to memberson an equitable basis. That’s where capital credits come in.“Think of it this way: Capital credits are the members’ share of the cooperative’s

success in operating efficiently,” Bitler says. “It’s unique to our business model.”All cooperatives handle capital credits in different ways. For example, some send

checks, while others issue rebates or credits on future electric bills. Even deceasedmembers can still receive capital credits to their estate.

To find out how your cooperative handles capital credits, call or visit your co-op’s website.



LAST OCTOBER 30, Roger Keller, the energy advisor atConsolidated Electric Cooperative (CEC), arrivedhome after some late evening work when his wife,Brenda, offered him some coffee. With just one sip,Roger started choking and fell to the floor, his left sideparalyzed. Sensing that Roger had just had a stroke,Brenda called for help, and Roger was rushed to ahospital in Marion.Since there were no stroke specialists on duty, Roger

was evaluated by an off-site physician by a devicecalled “telestroke,” where doctor and patient interactthrough a television screen. The doctor ordered thatthe clot-busting drug tPA be administered. Roger wasthen flown by helicopter to Riverside Hospital inColumbus, where doctors were able to remove the clotfrom his brain. Several minutes later, he started re-gaining feeling in his left side, a very promising sign.After a week in the hospital, Roger was moved to a

rehabilitation center, where his recovery was swift. Hewas back at work on Feb. 15, as good as new. “If I’d waited longer to receive treatment because I

didn’t have access to telestroke, my recovery would havebeen much longer,” Keller says. “There’s a good chance

I’d still be in a wheelchair.” Infact, there’s a chance he’d havebeen wheel chair-bound therest of his life. By a miraculous coinci-

dence, Consolidated hadexpanded bandwidth in-frastructure within its ter-ritory in 2014, including tothe Marion hospital whereRoger had the telestrokeconference. As ConsolidatedPresident and CEO PhilCaskey puts it, “WhenCEC embarked on ourproject to bring high-speed data capabili-ties to our serviceareas, we hopedand expected theresult would be toimprove the qual-ity of life for ourmembers andcommunities. It’salmost impossibleto express the joythat we feel by

having helped to provide such a life-altering outcomefor any person, let alone such a valued member of ouremployee family.” Roger’s stroke story hasn’t ended with his recovery.

He was requested by the American Heart Associa-tion/American Stroke Association to travel to Wash-ington, D.C., to advocate for the Further Access toStroke Telemedicine Act, also known as the FASTAct, which would require Medicare reimbursementfor all telestroke evaluations. Because he lives in arural area, Roger is eligible for this reimbursement.Patients at urban or suburban hospitals are not.Roger doesn’t think that’s right. “Everybody should

have access to Medicare reimbursement, regardless ofwhere they live,” he says. “I told them I’d be happy to go.” So, in early March, Roger and 200 other stroke

advocates and neurologists from across the U.S. wentknocking on the doors of lawmakers to tell their sto-ries. Ohio legislators visited included Senator SherrodBrown and representatives Pat Tiberi, Steve Stivers,and Joyce Beatty. Representative Beatty didn’t need any convincing.

A stroke victim herself, she introduced the FAST billto the House. It’s also been introduced in the Senateand has been assigned for committee consideration inboth chambers.After their visits, seven congressional members

pledged their support for the FAST Act, so Roger feelsgratified that his trip was worthwhile. He urges Coun-try Living readers to add their voices to the call by con-tacting their congressional representatives. To makethat process easy, go to yourethecure.org. Just click onthe red button “Take Action Today” and be guidedthrough the process of expressing your support.

FAST actionRoger Keller’s rapid recovery from a stroketurned him into a congressional advocate

BY RICH WARREN

A telestroke device allows stroke patients to be evaluated by anoff-site physician through use of web-based communications.



IN ONE OF Hank Williams Jr.’smore famous songs, entitled “ACountry Boy Can Survive,” heclaims, “I can plow a field all daylong; I can catfish fish from dusk’til dawn.” Applying that samelogic, Scott Heston must be acountry boy, too, because he candefinitely catch catfish from dusk’til dawn — all day long for thatmatter. Of course, he is fishingLake Erie’s Sandusky Bay.Located at the south edge of

the Western Basin just west ofthe town of Sandusky, the bay is

catfish heaven. Shallow, muddy,and full of natural fish food, tensof thousands of channel catfishroam the bay, weighing up to 12pounds or more and measuringmore than 30 inches. “The fishingjust con tinues to get better,” saysHeston. “In recent years, the cat-fish have grown even bigger.”Heston, from Sugar Grove,

should know. He has been fishingSandusky Bay for more than 40years. His grandfather onceowned a small cabin beside thebay and taught him how to fish. “He and I would fish together

almost every weekend during thesummer,” Heston says. “I remem-ber my parents driving up to thelake one weekend to spend some

time at the cabin with us. Theydecided to go to nearby CedarPoint amusement park for theday and asked me if I wanted togo along, thinking I’d jump at thechance. I told them I’d rather gofishing with Grandpa — and Idid.” Heston begins his catfishing

each spring in May and continuesthrough September. “The bestfishing is during the heat of sum-mer, during July and August,” hesays. “That’s usually when thewalleye and yellow perch fishingon the main lake is slow, but youcan always catch catfish in thebay.”I fished with Heston on a per-

fect July morning last summer. Ihave to admit that at the begin-ning of the trip I was a little skep-tical about the numbers and sizeof catfish he claimed we’d catch.

(If maybe you

ChasingMr. WhiskersLake Erie’s Sandusky Bay is ‘Catfish Heaven’

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

STORY AND PHOTO BY W. H. ‘CHIP’ GROSS




haven’t heard, some fishermenare known to stretch the truth abit.) But during three hours offishing, we caught more than 40channel catfish — so many Ieventually lost count. Some ofthose fish weighed nearly ninepounds!Any size catfish is fun to catch,

but the biggest are brawlers. Iwas daydreaming for a few min-utes while waiting for a bite, anda large cat hit so hard it nearlyjerked the rod from my hands. Alittle later, Heston almost lost arod over the side of the boat.For hooking the large cats,

Heston borrows a techniquefrom yellow perch fishing, usinga weighted spreader with twohooks as his terminal tackle. Butunlike in perch fishing, he baitsthe hooks with raw shrimp tails,not live minnows. “I once bought cooked shrimp

by mistake and couldn’t under-stand why the fishing was soslow that day,” he says. “But whenI switched back to uncooked rawshrimp, the fish started bitingagain. When fishing for catfish,it’s all about the scent of thebait.”If you’d like to fish with Scott

Heston, he opened a catfishingcharter service earlier this year. A

family-friendly trip aboard Cap-tain Scott’s boat is a great experi-ence for kids.“I use a 24-foot pontoon boat,

so there is plenty of room forchildren and families to movearound,” he says. “To make it eas-ier for novice anglers, I do every-thing everyone else doesn’t wantto do, such as baiting hooks andtaking fish off, even cleaning thecatch.” Heston recommends a half-

day (four-hour) charter for fami-lies. If you’d like to make it aweekend at the lake, he suggeststaking the kids to Cedar Pointon day two. Just don’t be sur-prised if they’d rather go catfish-ing again instead.

To find out more about Scott Heston’scatfishing charter service,call 740-243-1772, or go towww.captainscottcc.com.

Outdoors editor W. H. “CHIP”

GROSS, a member of ConsolidatedElectric Cooperative, is interestedin hearing from you about anyoutdoor story idea you might likehim to investigate. His e-mail ad-dress is [email protected];his website is www.chipgross.com.


http://www.captainscottcc.com


http://www.chipgross.com

GARDENING LANDSCAPE

AT QUAILCREST FARM, GinnaPhillips and her siblings encouragepeople to enjoy the many gardensthat grace the family’s 200 acres ofland near Wooster.Quailcrest Farm, which is

served by Holmes-Wayne ElectricCooperative, is the gardening busi-ness that Phillips owns and oper-ates with her sister, DeborahRobinson, and brothers, TobyBruch and Rusty Bruch. It’s alsothe place where the four of themgrew up after their parents, Tomand Libby Bruch, transplantedthem in 1957 from Cleveland towhat was then a dairy farm.The Bruch youngsters were

raised in the colonial-style farm-house that still stands along Quail-crest Farm’s driveway and nowshelters yet another generation ofthe family. The late Libby Bruch launched

the Quailcrest Farm gardeningbusiness in 1975. “My mother wasa great gardener,” says Phillips.“She couldn’t find the herbs andperennials she wanted, so she de-cided to grow them herself.” Mrs. Bruch turned an old sum-

mer kitchen into a small shop andplanted row after row of perenni-

als in the farm’s fields. “In theearly days,” recalls Phillips, “cus-tomers would drive out to ourfarm to dig up clumps of whateverplants they wanted and then takethem back home.” Quailcrest Farm today is a

unique gardening destination thatmeasures up to its “magical placein the country” motto. Part nurs-ery, part greenhouse, and part giftshop, it’s a relaxed and welcomingplace where the friendly farmdogs, Lola and Sarge, greet cus-tomers; where hundreds of vari-eties of flowering trees, shrubs,and other perennials are propa-gated; and where the Tea House

Garden’s giant allium, heliopsis,and acanthus provide a naturallylovely setting for weddings. It’salso where old-fashioned lilacs andcrab apple trees surround a recon-structed schoolhouse and wherean entire family of dedicated gar-deners tends the grounds, culti-vates the plants, and eagerlyshares their years of knowledgeand experience. Although Quailcrest Farm sells

everything from hostas to heirloomtomato plants to hanging basketsof flowers, it’s known for its phe-nomenal selection of herbs andscented geraniums. “We have hun-dreds of different herbs,”

From hostasto heirlooms

Quailcrest Farm has becomea gardening destination

STORY BY DAMAINE VONADA

PHOTOS BY GINNA PHILLIPS

Just for fun Mark your calendar for these enjoyable Quailcrest Farm events.“Quail Cup” Old Time Baseball, Sunday, May 29 —Bring a chair and watch “gentlemanly” teams play 1860s-style

baseball. No spitting or cussing, but plenty of fun and fresh air, as wellas flourishing plants for sale.

Spring Garden Fair, June 11 and 12 —More than 60 artisans bring their garden-related wares and

demonstrate their skills. Come for hypertufa planters, miniature gardens,live alpacas, food wagons, and gardening ideas galore.

Herb Fair, Sept. 10 —Ushering in autumn and the holidays, the fair offers bountiful herbs

and beautiful dried flowers, a bevy of artists and craftsmen, and abonanza of antiques, furniture, fine jewelry, and more.




says Phillips, “including about 15 va-rieties each of rosemary, thyme,lavender, and basil.” With some 50scented geraniums, Quailcrest alsooffers a delightful and diverse selec-tion — lemon, rose, citrus, nutmeg,ginger — of fragrant foliage.“Scented geraniums,” notes Phillips,“make nice container plants. Somepeople like to place pots of thelemon ones around their patios toward off mosquitoes.” Since May is a prime planting

month for Ohio gardeners, Quail-crest Farm’s greenhouse is brimfulof flowering annuals, vegetableseedlings, and popular perennials,such as butterfly plants, coral bells,and coneflowers. Customers whobring their own containers can pickout plants, pot them up at the on-site potting shed, and then shop forgarden accessories, fairy gardenitems, silk floral arrangements, andmuch more in the bright and airyGift Barn. The formal herb garden’s mint

and lavender are coming to life, andthe peony garden is in full, exquisitebloom. “Our peonies,” declaresPhillips, “look gorgeous in May.” DAMAINE VONADA is a freelance writerfrom Xenia.

Quailcrest Farm, 2810 Armstrong Rd.,Wooster. Guided group tours with boxlunches, by reservation. For hours andother information, call 330-345-6722, orvisit www.quailcrest.com.

From hostasto heirlooms

Member interactive:Send us your photos and stories!

If we use your photo, you will get a Country Livingmug.

If we use your essay, you’ll get: $25For July, send us by May 15photos of “Look-alikes.”

For August, send us by June. 15essays on “My (not so) secret obession.”

Guidelines:1. Stories no longer than 150 words2. Digital photos should be a minimum of 300 dpi3. One entry per household per month4. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you

want anything returned

5. Include your name, mailing address and the nameof your electric co-op

6. E-mail: fromourmembers @ ohioruralelectric.coop

By U.S. mail: Editor, Country Living, 6677 BuschBlvd., Columbus, OH 43229


http://www.quailcrest.com

FOOD SCENE

Something f ishygoing on

SPRINGTIME LURES ANGLERS to Lake Erie, where fishlike yellow perch and walleye abound. Once the “catchof the day” is brought home, it must be cooked prop-erly to ensure flakiness and optimum flavor.Don Schonauer of Chardon considers Lake Erie

perch “yellow gold,” claiming its flavor is excellent dueto cold water temperatures and a diet rich in minnows.It has neither a fishy taste nor a telltale smell.Schonauer, who prefers perch deep fried in peanut oil,

recommends using a cooking thermometer to ensure theoil reaches 375 degrees, before adding fillets.

Bev Frischkorn of Mentor on the Lake loves the

“mighty awesome” flavor of walleye grilled to perfec-tion in foil packets with fresh garden produce. She al-ternates vegetables in season from the garden orfarmers’ market.“My husband is a purist — he thinks fish needs to

be fried — but this is a welcome alternative,” she says.“Try it once, and you’ll be hooked.”

The Ohio Division of Wildlife (http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov)provides many recipes for baked fish. Also, see additional fishrecipes at www.ohioec.org.

STORY BY MARGIE WUEBKER;

PHOTOS BY CHERYL BACH

Try your hand at cooking Lake Eriebounty — walleye and perch



http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov


LAKE ERIE YELLOW GOLD(DEEP-FRIED PERCH FILLETS)

12 to 15 perch fillets1 cup Kentucky Kernel seasoned flour1 cup of your favorite bread crumbs (Shore Lunch) or crushed pretzels

Water12 to 16 oz. peanut oilWash perch fillets. In a plastic Ziploc bag, mix seasoned flourand bread crumbs or crushed pretzels. Place wet fillets in bagand shake well, until all fillets are coated. Take fillets out of bagand place on separate plate. Place remaining flour and breadcrumbs from bag into a bowl and slowly add water, until youhave a pancake batter consistency. Bring peanut oil to 375 de-grees in deep-frying pot. Dip fillets one at a time and drop intohot oil. Fillets should immediately float. Cook 1-1/2 minutes oneach side or until golden brown. Serves 3 to 4.

BAKED PERCH

1 lb. perch filletsCooking spray2 Tbsp. Italian-style bread crumbs1 tsp. parsley1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese1/2 stick butter, meltedPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray baking pan with cookingspray. Create one layer of fillets in bottom of pan, covering theentire bottom. For the topping, mix bread crumbs, parsley, andParmesan cheese. Using a basting brush, spread melted butteron top of fish and then spread topping, covering all of the fil-lets. Bake fish for 12 to 15 minutes depending on size of fillets.Fish are done when they are white and flaky when tested witha fork. Serves 3 to 4.

GRILLED WALLEYE AND VEGETABLES IN FOIL POUCHES

8 oz. walleye4 Tbsp. butter 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, sliced 1 onion, sliced 4 cups sliced summer squash 1 large garden pepper, sliced1 cup mushrooms, sliced Salt and lemon pepper to taste2 cloves of garlic, minced 6 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped Use half of all ingredients for each serving packet. Adjust typeand amount of vegetables to taste and availability. Prepare grillfor medium-high heat (about 400 degrees). Tear off two largesquares of aluminum foil, each about 10 inches in length. Foldeach in half to create a fold line, then open, like a book. Cut

the fish into two equally sized portions. On each piece of foil,place 1 Tbsp. of the butter on the foil. Layer half of the vegeta-bles on top of butter. Lay one piece of fish on top of the veg-etables. Season well with salt and lemon pepper and mincedgarlic (or other seasonings of choice). Layer remaining half ofvegetables on top of fish. Top with 1 Tbsp. butter. Fold up thesides of the foil and seal edges tightly to make a pouch. Placethe packets directly on the grill. Cook for about 10 minutes. Usea spatula to carefully turn the packets. Cook until the packetspuff up (about 5 minutes). Remove packets from the grill with aspatula and place them on a plate. Use kitchen shears or aknife to cut a slit through the top center of each packet to foldopen. Open carefully — the steam that will rise from eachpacket is hot. Check to be sure fish is opaque and cookedthrough to the center. If not, place back on the grill for 5 to 7more minutes. Top the fish with freshly chopped basil. Servethe fish pockets directly in the foil to retain all of the flavors.Serves 2.

Deep-fried perch

Baked perch




Three ways to increase your omega-3 fat intakeThree ways to increase your omega-3 fat intakeBY DIANE YOAKAM, RD, LD

Talk of good fat and bad fat consumes the nutrition world. Omega-3 fatty acids rank high on the list of healthy fats and offerhead-to-toe health benefits for dementia, depression, heart health, and arthritis. Adding a few servings of the following foods is thebest bet for adequate intake.

Fish: Two crucial omega-3 fats are found primarily in fish and fish oil. Both these fats are an important part of the processinvolved in reducing inflammation in the body and lowering triglyceride levels. Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis also benefit,since stiffness and joint pain are reduced. Fish oil supplements appear to boost the effectiveness of medications often used to easeanti-inflammatory conditions. The best sources of omega-3 fats are salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, anchovies, tuna,and cod liver oil. Two servings of fish are recommended weekly.

Flax and chia seeds: Plant sources of omega-3 fats contain an essential fat that must be consumed through dietary sources. Arecent study found that this fat limited growth of cancer cells in both breast and cervical cancers and also caused cell death ofcancer cells, without harming healthy cells.

Walnuts: Walnuts provide 100 percent of the recommended daily serving of plant-based omega-3 fats in just a quarter cup. Menshould consume 1.6 grams of this fat daily, while 1.1 grams per day is sufficient for women. Walnuts are an easy way to get moreomega-3 into the diet, as they require no preparation, making them an excellent on-the-go source of healthy fat.

For recipes and tips on how to increase omega-3 fats, visit www.ohioec.org.

FOOD SCENE




Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Visit our website at www.weci.org

“Looking out for our cooperative members.”

Monday–Friday7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

440 Highland Ridge Road P.O. Box 800

Marietta, OH 45750 Phone: 740-373-2141

Toll-free in Ohio: 877-594-9324

After-hours: 877-544-0279

Jack Bragg [email protected]

David P. Miller, CCD, BL Chairman

740-732-5402

Paul S. Fleeman, CCD, BL1st Vice Chairman

740-934-2306

Betty Martin, CCDSecy.-Treas.740-473-1539

Eldon E. Miller, CCDAssistant Secy.-Treas.

740-373-8594

William Bowersock, CCD, BL Trustee

740-373-5861

Gale DePuy, CCD, BLTrustee

740-473-1245

Larry Ullman, CCDTrustee

740-934-2561

CCD - Certified Cooperative Director; BL - Board Leadership

Board of Trustees

Office Hours

General Manager/CEO

Pay your bill online at weci.org!

O�cial NoticeThe 76th Annual Meeting of Members

of Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Thursday, May 19, 2016WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

440 HIGHLAND RIDGE ROAD, MARIETTA

Door prize drawings!Grand prize:

$250 electric bill credit!

Order of Business:5 p.m. Registration beginsFREE KFC DINNER5 – 6 p.m. Entertainment by Pickin’ on Country6 p.m. O�cial welcome6:05 p.m. Business session — meeting called to order

A. Reading of unapproved minutes of previous meetingand action thereon

B. Reading of notice of meeting and proof ofpublication and mailing thereof

6:10 p.m. Nominations report and election information6:15 p.m. Buckeye Power update6:30 p.m. Management reports6:45 p.m. Youth report

C. Unfinished businessD. New businessE. Door prize drawingsE. Election resultsF. Adjournment

Washington0516.indd 1 4/26/16 2:20 PM

http://www.weci.org


A children’s book titled Safety 1st, Safety Always encompasses many of the traditional safety lessons parents should teach their children. We drill young-sters about safety from an early age because we know how important it is to protect ourselves and the peo-ple we care about. In recognition of May as National Electrical Safety Month, let’s take a look at how elec-tric cooperatives have been stepping up to the plate when it comes to safety in our communities.

In 2007, Federated Rural Electric Insurance Ex-change, which insures many electric co-ops nation-wide, initiated a campaign called “Culture of Safety.” It was designed to create greater awareness about safety issues at all electric co-ops and to reduce “lost-time accidents,” which are any incident resulting in an employee missing time at work.

Through the use of strategy labs across the coun-try, Federated brought together co-op CEOs and general managers, operations supervisors, safety directors, and linemen to better understand how each group viewed safety. Out of this evaluation came the “Speak Up, Listen Up” program, which empow-ers anyone who sees a potentially unsafe situation to “Speak Up” and encourages everyone to “Listen Up” to concerns about safety. The results have been dramatic, with more than a 30 percent decline in the number of accidents over the past nine years.

Safety is of the highest importance at Washington Electric. In addition to ensuring our employees have the tools and training they need to perform their

jobs safely, we also work to educate our communities about electrical safety and other hazards through electrical safety demonstrations given to groups of all ages. 1291215202

As a member, you have a role, too. If you see any situations or practices that seem dangerous, you should report them as soon as possible to Washington Electric Cooperative. Treat all downed lines as if they are energized, and never climb or attempt to handle a tree that has a limb caught in a power line. Also, before you perform any kind of digging on your prop-erty, you need to contact the Ohio Utility Protection Service. This service will help you determine whether there are any underground electric or other utility lines that could cause harm.

The implementation and success of the Culture of Safety program demonstrates a very important point: If we are intentional about our actions, we can indeed change the culture in our organizations. The same is true for our families, our teams, and any groups we belong to.

We also know that living our cooperative prin-ciples and values is equally important. We have the best business model because it puts you, the mem-ber-owner, at the center of our e�orts.

We look forward to being your safe electricity pro-vider and energy advisor long into the future.

MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20A20 COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

Electric co-ops embody a culture of safety


jobs safely, we also work to educate our communities about electrical safety and other hazards through electrical safety demonstrations given to groups of all ages. 1291215202

As a member, you have a role, too. If you see any situations or practices that seem dangerous, you should report them as soon as possible to Washington Electric Cooperative. Treat all downed lines as if they are energized, and never climb or attempt to handle a tree that has a limb caught in a power line. Also, before you perform any kind of digging on your prop-erty, you need to contact the Ohio Utility Protection Service. This service will help you determine whether there are any underground electric or other utility lines that could cause harm.

The implementation and success of the Culture of Safety program demonstrates a very important point: If we are intentional about our actions, we can indeed change the culture in our organizations. The same is true for our families, our teams, and any groups we belong to.

We also know that living our cooperative prin-ciples and values is equally important. We have the best business model because it puts you, the mem-ber-owner, at the center of our e�orts.

We look forward to being your safe electricity pro-vider and energy advisor long into the future.

MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20A20 COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

Electric co-ops embody a culture of safety

Despite being categorized as leisure activities,swimming and boating can quickly become danger-ous. While water-safety behaviors like wearing life jackets and maintaining safe boating speeds have become commonplace, a serious hazard remains that is often overlooked. This silent killer, classified as electric shock drowning, occurs in fresh water when a typically low-level alternating current (AC) passes through the body, which causes muscular paralysis and eventually leads to drowning.

“Although there are reported incidents every year, there is a lack of awareness about the dangers of elec-tric shock drowning,” says Brett Brenner, president of the Electrical Safety Foundation International. A 21-year-old Illinois man died in 2015 when touching a dock ladder at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Additionally, there were at least two fatalities in Kentucky in 2013 and a pair of deaths in both Missouri and Tennessee during the Fourth of July holiday in 2012. Each of these victims was under the age of 13. Further, electric shock drowning deaths are usually recorded as drowning because victims show no signs of burns, so many instances remain undocu-mented.

While a lack of awareness persists about the dan-gers of electric shock drowning, positive strides are being taken to combat the problem. In Tennessee, state legislators passed the Noah Dean and Nate Act in 2014, which protects state residents from electric shock injuries and drowning deaths near marinas and boat docks. The bill is named in memory of 10-year-old Noah Dean Winstead and 11-year-old Nate Lynam, who died from electrical injuries they suffered on July 4, 2012, at a marina in Tennessee. Jessica Winstead, Noah Dean’s mother, was the driving force behind the bill, which she crusaded tirelessly for to prevent similar accidents. An inspection following the tragic incident found that the marina did not have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

Under the Noah Dean and Nate Act, Tennessee marinas must install ground fault protection, post notices about the danger of electrical leakage into waters surrounding a marina, and undergo a safe-ty inspection conducted by the state fire marshal between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2017, and every five years thereafter. The law went into effect April 1, 2015. A similar law was passed in West Virginia in 2013 following the death of Michael Cunningham, three years after he passed away at the age of 15, and

in Arkansas in 2012 after several electrocu-tions near docks there and in surrounding states.

The 2011 National Electrical Code addresses the dangers in marinas and boatyards by requiring the main overcurrent protective device to be GFCI-protected. However, this only applies to installations and inspections, which are recommended annually but not enforced.

Protect yourself and your loved ones from the risk of electric shock drowning and common boat electri-cal hazards with these handy tips from ESFI.

Don’t allow yourself or anyone else to swim near docks. Avoid entering the water when launching or loading your boat.

Always maintain a distance of at least 10 feet between your boat and nearby power lines.

If you feel a tingle while swimming, the water may be electrified. Get out as soon as possible, avoiding the use of metal objects such as ladders.

Have your boat’s electrical system inspected and upgraded by a certified marine electrician who is familiar with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes 303 and 70.

Have GFCIs installed on your boat, and test them once a month.

Consider having equipment leakage circuit inter-rupters (ELCI) installed on boats to protect nearby swimmers from potential electricity leakage into water surrounding your boat.

Only use shore or marine power cords, plugs, receptacles, and extension cords that have been test-ed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or Intertek (ETL).

Never use cords that are frayed or damaged or that have had the prongs removed or altered.

Never stand or swim in water when turning off electrical devices or switches.

Electric shock drowning can also occur in swim-ming pools, hot tubs, and spas. Have an electrician inspect and upgrade your pool, spa, or hot tub in accordance with applicable local codes and the National Electrical Code (NEC).

For ESFI’s complete collection of Boating and Marina Safety resources, visit www.esfi.org.

— Electrical Safety Foundation International

Be aware of the dangers of electric shock drowning


http://www.esfi.org

MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20C20B COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

Capital creditsWashington Electric Cooperative, Inc., refunded

capital credits totaling $59,861.63 to the estates of 51 members through March 2016. If you know of a deceased member, please have the executor of the estate call our o¥ce for information on the member’s capital credits.

Credit for account numberIf you find the number of your account in the local

(center four) pages of this magazine, call the co-op o¥ce; you will receive at least $10 credit on your electric bill. In March, Earl Pickenpaugh of Caldwell did not locate his account number. If you find your account number, call the co-op o¥ce by the 16th of the month in which it is published.

Co-op Connections CardWashington Electric Cooperative

members saved $193.24 in Feb-ruary on prescription drugs with the Co-op Connections® discount card. Members have saved a total of $82,917.90 since the program launched in June 2011. Be sure to check out www.connections.coop for information on discounts from national retailers and Coupons.com!

Co-op rebate programsWater heater — rebates from $200 to $400 for

qualifying 50-gallon or higher new electric water heaters.

Dual Fuel — rebates of $500 for new heat pumps installed with a fossil-fuel furnace system and co-op load-management switch.

Geothermal — rebates of $600 for newly in-stalled geothermal systems.

Air conditioners — rebates of $100 for whole-house air conditioning systems with co-op load-management switch. Applies to systems young-er than 10 years. Call for details.

Co-op services availableAfter-hours outage reporting — Call 877-544-

0279 to report a power outage outside of business hours.

Outage Alerts – Sign up to receive free outage and peak alerts and other important co-op information by phone, text, or e-mail. Visit notify.weci.org or call our o¥ce to enroll.

Online bill payment — Visit www.weci.org to use the cooperative’s secure Easy2Pay online payment system.

Automatic bill payment — Call our o ce for details on having your electric bill drafted from your checking or savings account each month.

Pay your bill by phone — Call 866-923-8148 to pay your bill with a check, credit card, or debit card.

Co-op Connections CardWashington Electric Cooperative

Ball-Caldwell Homestead to receive historical markerThe Noble County Historical Society will host a ceremony to dedicate a historic marker at the Ball-Caldwell Homestead on June 2.

The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation of the American flag by Boy Scout Troup 501 and the singing of the National Anthem by Jeannette Feldner. Remarks will be made by representatives from Ohio History Connection as well as Caldwell Mayor Jon Bates and Noble County Com-missioner Gary Rossiter. Tours of the home will be given fol-lowing the dedication, and a square dance will be in the barn at 7:30 p.m. with music by the Buckeye Travelers Band.

The home was built by Samuel Caldwell in 1832. The Caldwell family later donated land to the village of Caldwell to make it the Noble County seat. In 1920, Ball became the second family name on the property’s deed. Later, Robert and Mary Ann Ball purchased the home to restore the structure and furnish it with articles of the period from places through-out Noble County. The Noble County Historical Society purchased the homestead in 2009 for a museum and as a hosting site for events and community activities.

The Ball-Caldwell Homestead is at 16 East St., Caldwell. Call 740-732-5288 for more information.


http://www.connections.coop

http://www.weci.org

MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20C20B COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

2 0 1 5A N N U A L R E P O R T

Cover photo courtesy of Denny Betts Photography: Facebook.com/DennyBettsPhotographyTaken July 2015 above Montpelier, Ohio



MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20E20D COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

David Miller, CCD, BL, Chairman

Paul Fleeman, CCD, BL,First Vice Chairman

Betty Martin, CCD, Secretary/Treasurer

Eldon Miller, CCD, Asst. Secretary/Treasurer

William Bowersock, CCD, BL Gale DePuy, CCD, BL Larry Ullman, CCD

Washington Electric is a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative serving portions of six counties in southeastern Ohio. Locally owned and operated, the cooperative is governed by a democratically elected seven-member board of trustees.

CCD = Credentialed Cooperative Director BL = Board Leadership

Mission StatementWashington Electric Cooperative, Inc., is a local,

consumer-owned, nonprofit cooperative whose mission is to provide reliable electricity and other services to consumers while assuring the financial integrity of the cooperative and maintaining a strong community presence.

Seven Cooperative PrinciplesVoluntary and open membership

Democratic member control

Members’ economic participation

Autonomy and independence

Education, training, and information

Cooperation among cooperatives

Concern for community

Your electric cooperative


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20E20D COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

From the boardroom

Washington Electric fondly lookedback at its proud 75 years of service at the 2015 Annual Meeting. As we look to the future, we face a time full of challenges and opportunities in serving the needs of our membership. The basic mission of the cooperative, to provide reliable elec-tricity and other services while ensuring financial integrity and maintaining a strong community presence, will serve as the compass as we begin this journey.

Following the cooperative business model and the seven cooperative princi-ples will ensure that Washington Electric meets this basic mission. Because Wash-ington Electric is a cooperative, we are a consumer-owned, not-for-profit busi-ness, designed to represent the interests of the owner-members and act as good stewards of the assets that are entrusted to us. Being a local entity, our services are provided by local people who have a vest-ed interest in the communities we serve. We serve our neighbors, not absentee owners or unknown shareholders in far-o� places, so the success of the coopera-tive and the communities we serve are of the highest importance.

Moving forward into the future is not without challenges. Regulations like the Clean Power Plan and Waters of the United States threaten to drive up the cost of generating, transmitting, and delivering electric energy, and the magnitude is unknown. Our membership and all utility users are facing econom-ic challenges themselves, so how we approach these regulations and their potential costs is very important. Costs also continue to escalate for materials, supplies, insurance, and many other operating needs, which continually

makes it more di¥cult to hold down the cost of electricity delivered to homes and businesses. Aging transmission and dis-tribution infrastructure requires cooper-atives and other utilities to invest in and replace significant segments, resulting in costs to raise and service the necessary capital to keep the system functional and viable. Washington Electric continues to invest significant dollars in our right-of-way clearing program that has and will continue to improve the reliability of our members’ service. This is a consistent and continuing maintenance program that must be followed to help ensure the reliability of our system. Economic chal-lenges have resulted in reduced revenues as demand for electricity has consistently dropped, making it more di¥cult to recover all the costs of operation. High-er-e¥ciency appliances and equipment, a general slowing of the economy, less than ideal weather conditions, and more consumer attention to conservation have trended revenues down over last few years.

Washington Electric will move for-ward into the future by adhering to the cooperative principles and the purpose defined in its mission that has served it so well historically. WEC will continue to explore new technologies, practices, and methods to continue providing electricity at a fair cost. The future is bright, even with the challenges we face, thanks to the capable and dedicated team we have as-sembled to meet these challenges. When you have the right team in place, it is pos-sible to complete even the most di¥cult tasks and achieve the farthest-reaching goals.

Jack Bragg Jr.,General Manager/CEO

Washington Electric CooperativeFulfilling the mission, providing for the future


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20G20F COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.BALANCE SHEETS

December 31, 2015 and 2014

ASSETS 2015 2014

UTILITY PLANT 47,106,034 45,614,296Electric plant in service Construction work in progress 238,037 490,174 47,344,071 46,104,470Less: Accumulated provision for depreciation and amortization (11,465,324) (10,787,836)NET UTILITY PLANT 35,878,747 35,316,634

INVESTMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS Investments in associated organizations 7,733,110 7,154,188Deferred charges 674,429 785,115TOTAL INVESTMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS 8,407,539 7,939,303

CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 1,417,544 1,125,217Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $263,890 ($249,046 in 2013) 2,921,311 3,486,502Materials and supplies 362,480 335,781Prepayments 103,466 109,568

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 4,804,801 5,057,068

TOTAL ASSETS $49,091,087 $48,313,005

LIABILITIES AND EQUITIES

EQUITIES Patronage capital 21,281,105 21,092,676

Accumulated other comprehensive income 448,700 460,100Other equities 5,357 5,357TOTAL EQUITIES 21,735,162 21,558,133

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Mortgage notes payable 22,572,472 22,734,754Accrued sick leave 353,702 373,422Accrued postretirement benefits 292,600 307,600TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES 23,218,774 23,415,776

CURRENT LIABILITIES Line of Credit 500,000 Current maturities of long-term debt 991,000 1,012,000Accounts payable 1,215,758 1,030,239Consumer deposits 220,787 208,467Accrued liabilities 1,209,606 1,088,390TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 4,137,151 3,339,096

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITIES $49,091,087 $48,313,005


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 20G20F COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.STATEMENTS OF REVENUES AND EXPENSES

For the Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014

2015 2014

OPERATING REVENUES $16,526,592 $17,148,231

OPERATING EXPENSES Cost of power 8,850,064 9,047,054Distribution expense - operations 1,135,681 987,894Distribution expense - maintenance 2,148,008 1,999,172Consumer accounts 549,705 608,101Administrative and general 1,280,658 1,304,613Depreciation and amortization 1,359,273 1,292,327Taxes 496,689 494,336TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 15,820,078 15,733,497

OPERATING MARGINS BEFORE FIXED CHARGES 706,517 1,412,895 Interest on long-term debt 1,133,055 1,124,178

OPERATING MARGINS AFTER FIXED CHARGES (426,538) 288,717 Capital credits 836,694 596,609 OPERATING MARGINS 410,156 885,326

NON-OPERATING MARGINS Interest income 129,571 82,436 Other income 23,342 76,539 TOTAL NON-OPERATING MARGINS 152,913 158,975

NET MARGINS FOR PERIOD $563,069 $1,044,301

HOW YOUR POWER DOLLAR WAS SPENT IN 2015

Cost of Purchased Power…….………..52.3%

Line Operation & Maintenace……....19.22%

Kilowatt Sales Tax …………….…………2.94%

Consumer Accounting & Collecting...2.51%

Depreciation………………………………..8.04%

Administrative & General……………....7.56%

Customer Service Expense…….……...0.74%

Interest Expense Long Term…………..6.67%


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 2120H COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

2015 brought exciting technology advance-ments for Washington Electric. The most notable among these was an automated meter reading (AMR) project that not only eliminated the need for members to submit monthly meter readings, but also enhanced our accounting, billing, and outage management practices.

AMR is a comprehensive set of technologies and software applications that allows utilities to remotely collect meter readings and send them to a central database for billing. Washington Electric uses the Aclara Two-Way Automatic Communication System (TWACS), which uses our existing power lines to communicate with the meter and to transmit consumption data. This system provides many benefits for the coop-erative, including meter-reading accuracy, help-ful electric consumption data for the consumer, and data that is used in assessing and restoring power outages.

It’s important to note that this is not a ra-dio-based system, so no wireless radio frequency signals are transmitted. The meters use “power-line carrier” technology to send and receive data to and from the cooperative over the power lines. The substation is connected to the o¥ce via a se-cure computer network. There are no radioactive elements that emit radiation.

TWACS-enabled electric meters only commu-nicate when scheduled, and each communication with the cooperative takes less than eight sec-onds. TWACS automates only the meter-read-ing process. No user or account information is transmitted. Data collected via TWACS is the same data currently available from manually

read meters. Members have asked us if their meters know

what electrical devices or appliances are being used inside the home. The answer is no. Meters only collect the hourly energy-use data. The meters do not know what appliances are being used, and they cannot monitor personal activ-ities inside the home. The collected data is no di�erent than what would be collected if a meter reader visited your home. So in fact, AMR is ac-tually a less invasive method of collecting meter readings.

This advanced technology has also allowed us to close a billing gap. Prior to AMR, the billing period was a month or more behind. For example, bills due in October were actually for August’s electricity use. Using AMR means the co-op is able to read your meter monthly and bill you for the energy consumed during that 30- or 31-day billing period, with no time gap in between energy use and billing.

“With this new technology, Washington Elec-tric is now more automated than many cooper-atives throughout the country — even some that are 50 times our size,” said Allen Casto, Washing-ton Electric’s information technology specialist. “Members are now being billed for the electricity they consume in a much timelier manner. Our customer service representatives now have better information for helping members understand their energy use. We’re proud to have put in place a system that not only makes our em-ployees’ jobs easier, but ultimately — and most importantly — benefits our members.”

WEC uses advanced technology to improve members’ electric service


MAY 2016 • COUNTRY LIVING 2120H COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2016

Get to know your co-op networkThe power behind your powerEvery day, Washington Electric Cooperative is hard at work to make sure all of our members have the electric power they need at the best pos-sible price. And behind the scenes, we are work-ing with a network of cooperatives to make that happen.

Washington Electric is a member-owner of Buckeye Power, Inc., our wholesale electricity provider, along with 24 other electric distribution cooperatives serving Ohio. We helped to create this second-tier co-op so that we have more control over power supply and pricing.

It takes a lot of money to run an electric co-op, so when we need to borrow capital, in addition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service, we know we can also turn to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). CFC is a lending cooperative owned by elec-tric co-ops throughout the country.

As you know, every month we generate an elec-tric bill that we send to you either electronically or through regular mail. We use National Information Solutions Cooperative to ensure we can apply the latest technology to send timely, accurate bills to you.

No business can operate without several di�erent types of insurance, such as general liability, auto, and worker’s compensation. So once again, along

with other electric cooperatives across the country, we are members of Federated Rural Electric Insur-ance Exchange. This allows us to maintain reliable coverage at an a�ordable price.

It also takes a whole lot of “stu�” to operate an electric co-op, such as poles, wires, transformers, and many other items that you may not see. This is why we partnered with other co-ops to create the Rural Electric Supply Cooperative, which allows us to have quick access to all the materials we need at the best price.

Washington Electric is also a member of Touch-stone Energy® Cooperatives, a nationwide alliance of 750 local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. Our participation gives us access to a wealth of educational materials and helps us to benchmark our performance in comparison with other co-ops so that we can learn from others as we constantly strive to serve you better.

Finally, your cooperative is also part of the Coop-erative Response Center, which allows us to answer your calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You see, while you are a member of one electric co-op, you are actually connected to many other co-ops. Being connected to this cooperative network ensures your needs are met in the most e¥cient and cooperative way possible.



Washington Electric Cooperative440 Highland Ridge Road, Marietta, OH 45750

740-373-2141

After-hours outage calls: 877-544-0279www.weci.org

Facebook.com/WashingtonElectricCoop



http://www.weci.org

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Funny signs

Chip Hart, HillsboroSouth Central Power

Max Wood, SpencervilleMidwest Electric

Mary Maag, FindlayHancock-Wood EC

Angie Hamey, SomervilleButler REC

Greg Keller, BellefontaineLogan County EC

David Kupchick, West SalemLorain-Medina REC

See our guidelines and deadlines on page 39 for future months’ submissions.

Editor’s note:We received an avalanche of submissionsfor this category. To see more of the funny signs you sentus, go to www.ohioec.org.




Cathy Thomas, StrongsvilleSouth Central Power

John Lamp, WoosterHolmes-Wayne Electric

Donald Weyrick, AkronCarrroll EC

Dean Jones, HillsboroSouth Central Power

Donna BreitingerSouth Central Power

Terri Bates, LaGrangeLorain-Medina REC

Harriet Bailey, WestervilleConsolidated EC




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Fun and funny

festivalsSpring and summer

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2

3

4



43

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Wooden Boat Show and Plein Air Art Festival,Lakeside

They’re two terrific events at one exceedinglylovely location on the shores of Lake Erie at Lake-side, a family-oriented community where the sum-mertime Chautauqua fun combines activities formind, body, and spirit. Morning swims, afternoonshuffleboard, and evening concerts are all in aday’s fun at Lakeside, but in mid-July, its quintes-sential weekend features two singular outdoorevents. The Wooden Boat Show presents the timeless

beauty of some 75 vessels dating back to the early1900s, while the Plein Air Art Festival providesthe rare pleasure of communing with artists asthey paint on Lakeside’s pristine grounds. Added attractions: Musicians perform at Lake-

side’s Pavilion; the Hotel Lakeside grills picnicfare; and nostalgic boat rides are available onAmazing Grace, a 1937 Richardson Cruiseabout.Both events are free, but visitors must purchase aChautauqua Pass (starting at $7) to enter thegated Lakeside community.

Wooden Boat Show, July 17; Plein Air Art Festival, July 15-17.

For more information, call 866-952-5374, or visit

www.lakesideohio.com.

— Damaine Vonada

Dog Fest, Zoar

Diving dogs, jumping dogs, and swimming dogs— they’re all the darlings of the Dog Fest of Zoar,but the aquatic performances of the BuckeyeDockDogs are only part of the canine competitionand crowd-pleasing entertainment found here. Seehow your own dog stands up as an athletic wun-derkind in agility and skill-based feats like obsta-cle-course runs. You can also show off your dog’sgood looks in the pet parade and costume con-tests. The owner-pet look-alike contest is another

shout-out opportunity at the two-day festival in ahistoric village founded by German separatists in1817. See what’s new in the pet care scene, get aphoto of your pet, and pick up pet paraphernaliaand treats at the vendor booths before headinghome.

June 11-12, 198 Main St., Zoar. For more information, call 330-

874-3011.

— Jamie Rhein

The Jerusalem Experience, Cambridge

Each summer, Jesus’s story comes to life at theLiving Word Outdoor Drama, where costumed actors of all ages take the stage. Stories like theSermon on the Mount, the Good Samaritan, andthe Last Supper unfold in the naturally landscapedamphitheater on a slice of farmland outside ofCambridge.The Jerusalem Experience is a one-day multi-

sensory event in August that’s an addition to theoutdoor drama’s repertoire. The amphitheater,with its Bible-inspired sets, becomes the backdropfor kids and adults to learn about biblical timesfirsthand. From costume making to carpentry, orfrom basket making to pottery and playing games,families learn about Jesus’s time with hands-onactivities. Try your skills blowing the shofar, theancient instrument made from a ram’s horn, tradi-tionally used for Jewish religious purposes. Foodof the time period is included.

August 27, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 6010 College Hill Rd., Cambridge.

$10 admission includes a ticket to the outdoor drama. For

more information, call 740-439-2761 or visit

www.livingworddrama.org.

— Jamie Rhein

Poultry Days, Versailles

Chicken reigns supreme in this Darke Countycommunity with the approach of Versailles PoultryDays. From whimsical chickens painted on villagestreets to the crowning of Miss Chick and LittleMiss Chick, to a huge inflatable chicken float inthe lavish parade, the event celebrates the area’shistory as a leading poultry producer.This year’s theme continues in that vein with

“Salute to the American Farmer.” More than25,000 barbecued chicken dinners will be servedthroughout the weekend, along with an array offestival foods. Two parades will pass throughvillage streets, while other activities include theUltimate Frisbee Tournament; corn hole games;kiddie tractor pulls; musical entertainment;amusement rides; concession stands; a book sale;and art, photography, woodcarving, and flowershows.

June 10-12 on the former Versailles High School grounds, 459

S. Center St., Versailles. For more information, visit

www.versaillespoultrydays.com.

— Margie Wuebker


http://www.lakesideohio.com

http://www.livingworddrama.org

http://www.versaillespoultrydays.com

THE MEMORIAL TOURNA-MENT founded by JackNicklaus turns 40 thismonth, so what bettertime to laud Ohio’s own

golf legend? Wehereby present aNicklaus “golf digest.”

BiographyName: Jack William Nicklaus Birthdate: Jan. 21, 1940Birthplace:Columbus, OhioParents:Charlie and HelenNicklaus Education:Upper Arlington HighSchool; Ohio State UniversitySpouse:Barbara, married 1960

Children: 5Grandchildren: 22Residence: FloridaNickname:Golden BearNoteworthy:While UpperArlington’s teams are called“Golden Bears,” a sportswriteralso applied that nickname to theblonde, burly young Nicklaus.

Professional CareerPGA Tour Victories: 73Holes-in-One: 21Top Money Winner: 8 timesPGA Tour Earnings: $5,723,192Champions Tour Victories: 10Champions Tour Earnings:$3,372,207Total Victories: 118 (includingunofficial and international events)Major Titles:A record-setting 18(6 Masters, 5 PGA Championships,4 U.S. Opens, 3 British Opens)Noteworthy: Endurance may beNicklaus’s greatest golfing feat. In1963 at age 23, Nicklaus was theyoungest person to win theMasters Tourna ment. In 1986, 46-year-old Nicklaus took the Mastersa record-setting sixth time and wasits oldest winner. In 2015, at 75,Nicklaus aced the Masters Par 3Contest’s fourth hole.

KudosGolfer of the Century/Millen-nium, Associated Press, BBC, numerous golf publications; 20th Century’s Best Male Athlete,Sports Illustrated;Presidential Medal of Freedom,2005’Congressional Gold Medal, 2015Noteworthy: In 2006, Nicklauswas the fifth non-Ohio State bandmember privileged to “dot the i”in Script Ohio.

Memorial Tournament, 2016 The prestigious PGA invitationalis played on the Nicklaus-designedcourse at Dublin’s Muirfield Vil-lage Golf Club. Hosted by Nick-laus, it honors leading golfers andraises millions for local charities.

Noteworthy:Muirfield’s namesalutes the Scotland course whereNicklaus won the 1966 OpenChampionship, clinching his firstcareer grand slam.

From Nicklaus:“Professional golf is the only sportwhere, if you win 20 percent ofthe time, you’re the best.”“It takes hundreds of good golfshots to gain confidence, but onlyone bad one to lose it.”“If you want to hit it farther, hit itbetter.”“Golf is not, and never has been,a fair game.” DAMAINE VONADA is a freelancewriter from Xenia.

For more information on the MemorialTournament, call 614-889-6712, or visitwww.thememorialtourament.com. Thismonth’s Ohio Quiz on page 39 alsofeatures Jack Nicklaus.

Grinand (Golden)Bear itCelebrating Jack Nicklaus and the 40th Memorial TournamentBY DAMAINE VONADA



http://www.thememorialtourament.com


REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KIDhow much fun it was simply kick-ing a ball? In keeping with thatconcept, a new sport has arisen inrecent years — footgolf. It’s beingplayed on golf courses around theworld, and some 25 courses havebeen developed in Ohio during thepast decade alone.The sport is played like golf, but

footgolfers don’t use the sameholes or greens as regular golfers.The object of the game is to kick a#5 soccer ball from a designatedtee box into a 21-inch-diametercup in as few strokes (kicks) aspossible. Par per hole is usuallyfive or less. Footgolf holes are gen-erally shorter than standard golfholes, so players can play a roundof either nine or 18 holes in aboutone to two hours, respectively.Footgolf doesn’t require expen-

sive equipment (clubs), clothing,or specialized skills. It’s alsocheaper — a round of nine holesusually costs less than $10.Green Hills Golf Course

(www.greenhillsgolf.com)near Clyde added footgolfjust a year ago. “In Sep-tember, we were surprisedthat more rounds of foot-golf were played on ourexecutive course than reg-ular golf,” says AdamCrockett, one of thecourse’s co-owners. “Manyof those people participat-ing were families, some-times three generations —kids, parents, and grand-parents.”Footgolf was a good fit

for Green Hills because italready had an executive(par-three) course that wasunder utilized. “So nineholes of footgolf lent itself well tothat course’s shorter layout,” saidCrockett.Tiffin University’s women’s soc-

cer team played footgolf at thecourse last year, and the ClydeHigh School boys’ soccer teamplayed weekly during the summeras a team-building activity. “Many of those young people

had not been exposed to a golfcourse atmosphere before, and as aresult, some returned to try regu-lar golf,” says Crockett. “Footgolf is

a good crossover sport, gettingnew people interested in tryingtraditional golf.” That’s importantto golf course owners such asCrockett, as the number of peopleplaying golf in America is gradu-ally declining. The governing body for footgolf

in the U.S. is the American Foot-Golf League (AFGL). For more in-formation, or to locate a footgolfcourse near you, go to www.afgl.us.Adult or young person, if you cankick a soccer ball, you can playfootgolf!

W. H. “CHIP” GROSS is CountryLiving’s outdoors editor.

What a kick!Kick up your heels and try footgolf

BY W. H. ‘CHIP’ GROSS

It looks like soccer, and players arekicking an actual soccer ball, but foot-golf’s goal is to get the ball not into anet but into a 21-inch cup in as fewkicks as possible. And just like golf,each hole has a par, of usually five orless. (Photos courtesy of the AmericanFootGolf League)


http://www.greenhillsgolf.com

http://www.afgl.us


PUTTERING AROUND IN RETIRE-MENT can mean different thingsto different people. For some, itmeans practicing their golf swing,leafing through a few books,maybe crafting a birdhouse ortwo.But 83-year-old John Cheney

of North Baltimore in WoodCounty is more likely to spend hisfree time patching up a 28-tonmilitary recovery vehicle, or as-sembling a Cold War-era rocket.Cheney is a retired U.S. Army

Reserve lieutenant colonel whoalso worked for 41 years forHancock-Wood Electric Coopera-tive, serving as CEO for 14 ofthose years. For decades, he hascollected and rebuilt dozens ofmilitary vehicles and assortedmateriel. With his son, JohnCheney II, he’s amassed one ofthe largest private collections ofmilitary vehicles, rockets, andmissiles in the world.The beneficiaries of the

Cheneys’ passion have been thecitizens of northwest Ohio andvisitors from, well, all over.Cheney has been a driving forcein the Findlay Military Show, anannual three-day celebration ofthe armed forces that has been

going strong for 29 years.This year’s show is expected to

include up to 300 vehicles thatvisitors can inspect up-close. Theevent, put on by the Findlay Mil-itary Association, is held annu-ally on Armed Forces Dayweekend, the third weekend inMay.“We want to educate the peo-

ple,” says Cheney II. “We wantthem to see the complexity andthe simplicity of the vehicles. It’sone thing to go to a museum andsee one, but it’s another thing tosee it drive past you and stopwhere you can touch it. That’simportant.”Other highlights of this year’s

Findlay Show will include:

• A pass-and-review, in which ownerswill set their vehicles in motionaround the fairgrounds

• A swap meet that will include morethan 100 vendors trading militarymemorabilia, as well as vehicle parts

• Battlefield re-enactments and living-history displays

• Musical performances

• An awards breakfast on Saturdaymorning.

Keith Kimmel, commander ofthe Findlay Military Association,

says an Indiana-based nonprofitgroup is scheduled to bring anAmerican Huey 369 helicopter.You actually never know who’s

going to show up. “Last year, agentleman brought a semi-truckfrom Rhode Island with twoarmored vehicles on it,” Cheneysays. “We didn’t even know hewas coming.”Cheney, a Lima native, joined

the Army as a commissioned offi-cer, after graduating from Bowl-ing Green State University in1954. He served in active duty fora few years, assigned to workwith rockets and missiles. Theyincluded corporal missiles, whichwere the first guided weapons inthe United States to carry a nu-clear warhead, and Honest Johnrockets, the nation’s first nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface rocket.A tour of the Cheneys’ three

barns reveals their impressive,sprawling collection, which in-cludes 35 trucks, eight types ofrockets and missiles, about 15trailers, and a large library on thehistory and restoration of militaryvehicles.The collection includes an

MGR-1 rocket, otherwise knownas the Honest John. “This is iden-

A rock star with rocketsFormer co-op CEO collects them — as well as military vehicles andmissiles — and you can see them at the Findlay Military Show in May

BY MICHAEL PRAMIK

CO-OP PEOPLE



tical to ones I shot in the ’50s,”Cheney says.Other collectibles include Nike

Ajax and Nike Hercules missiles,a Little John rocket, and a SovietSA-2 missile. Their vehicles in-clude the huge military transportmachine; a half-track vehicle;several Jeeps; a Hawk missileloader transporter; even a modi-fied Soviet GAZ-69 anti-tankmissile launch vehicle.There’s also a launcher for the

Little John rocket. “It’s the ulti-mate Jeep accessory,” jokesCheney II, “to have a towablenuclear missile behind you.”The Findlay Military Show is

one of the top military vehicle at-tractions in the country, andmuch of its prestige reflects theCheneys’ dedication to their craft,Kimmel says.“Their collection is unbeliev-

able,” he states. “John was acareer man in the Army, and hisson knows every detail of everytype of vehicle and weapon. He’sjust a world of information.”Cheney describes their collec-

tion as “a mobile museum.” It’s alabor of love. They often find var-ious parts of a rocket or vehiclesin different locations. Touring his

garage, Cheney points to an Hon-est John rocket.“We found the motor at a

junkyard in southern Indiana,and we found the warhead besidea barn in Kentucky,” he says. “Wefound the launcher at a surplusdealer in Texarkana, Texas.”The extra effort is worth it,

they say.“We’ve had the pleasure of

having veterans see the equip-ment they used to operate and re-

living their lives,” says Cheney II.“That’s the reason we collect andrestore these vehicles.”

MICHAEL PRAMIK is a freelancewriter from Columbus.

This year’s Findlay Military Show runsfrom May 20-22 at the Hancock CountyFairgrounds, 1017 E. Sandusky St., inFindlay. For more information, call 419-429-7344, 419-721-4456, or visitwww.findlaymilitaryshow.org.

John Cheney, former CEO of Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, and his son, John Cheney II,have amassed one of the largest private collections of military vehicles, rockets, and missiles inthe world. Many of their prized possessions will be among the 300 vehicles on display at theFindlay Military Show, an annual three-day celebration of the armed forces held during ArmedForces Day weekend, the third weekend in May. (Photo by Wendy Pramik)


http://www.findlaymilitaryshow.org

ICON

Location: Largely following thecourse of the Little Miami River,a state and nationally designatedscenic stream, the nearly 80-mile-long recreational trail stretchesfrom Springfield to the east sideof Cincinnati.

Provenance: In the 1970s, theOhio Department of NaturalResources and local govern-ments began acquiring right-of-way property on the route ofthe old Little Miami Railroad,which was incorporated in 1836and initially ran betweenSpringfield and Cincinnati.Those rights-of-way were con-

verted into a paved recreationaltrail that opened in 1991 andbecame a major feature of LittleMiami State Park, a nontradi-tional linear greenspace thatflanks the trail for some 50miles.

Significance: The Little MiamiScenic Trail is one of the nation’slongest continuously paved multi-use trails. It’s also a part of threelarger trails — the seven-stateNorth Country National ScenicTrail; the Buckeye Trail, whichloops for some 1,400 milesaround Ohio; and the Ohio toErie Trail system between Cleve-land and Cincinnati. In addition,it’s a mainstay of the largestpaved trail network in the UnitedStates — Miami Valley BikeTrails, which boasts 330 miles ofintersecting trails in southwestOhio.

Currently: Celebrating its 25thanniversary this year, the LittleMiami Scenic Trail is one ofOhio’s most popular rail trails,with more than 900,000 user vis-its during 2015. The tree-shaded,serpentine trail boasts the naturalbeauty of the Little Miami River;traverses a corner of the statewhose history dates back to theHopewell Indians; and leads toattractions that range fromYoung’s Jersey Dairy to Fort An-cient earthworks to Kings Islandamusement park. The trail is alsoa destination for cross-countryskiing, rollerblading, backpack-ing, and horseback riding.

It’s a little-known fact that: Ac-cording to surveys conducted bythe Miami Valley Regional Plan-ning Commission, the LittleMiami Scenic Trail’s annualimpact on the regional economyis about $13 million.

For more information about the LittleMiami Scenic Trail, its route, andrecreational opportunities andattractions along it, visit:www.miamivalleytrails.org;http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/littlemiami;www.gcparkstrails.com;www.littlemiamistatepark.org;www.railstotrails.org; andwww.traillink.com.

TheLittle MiamiScenic TrailSouthwest Ohio BY DAMAINE VONADA



http://www.miamivalleytrails.org

http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/littlemiami

http://www.gcparkstrails.com

http://www.littlemiamistatepark.org

http://www.railstotrails.org

http://www.traillink.com

MAY 2016 CALENDAR

NORTHWESTMAY 6-15 — Biggest Week inAmerican Birding, many locations inthe Oak Park area. A variety of fieldtrips, workshops, and demonstrationsduring the peak of spring warbler mi-gration. www.biggestweekinamerican-birding.com.

MAY 7 —Schedel GardensCommunity Day Festival, 19255 W.Portage River South Rd., Elmore, 10a.m.-3 p.m. Vendors, demonstrations,food, and drink. Free. 419-862-3182 orwww.schedel-gardens.org.

MAY 7, 8 — Northwest OhioBlacksmiths Hammer-In, AuGlaizeVillage and Farm Museum, 12296Krouse Rd., Defiance. Registration fee.Demonstrations, workshops, classes.419-542-6464 or www.auglaizevil-lage.com

MAY 11-14 — Perrysville Free StreetFair, 2016 N. Bridge St., Perrysville,Wed.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m., Fri. 9-11 p.m.,Sat. 12 noon-11 p.m. Fri.night gardentractor pull, Sat. parade. 419-938-6142

MAY 13 — Mercer County Ribfest,ribs from vendors from all over Ohio,5-11:45 p.m. 419-586-3239 orwww.ohio.org/events/mercer-county-ribfest

MAY 14 — Spring on the Farm,Encore Theater, 22611 St. Rte. 2,Archbold, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Guests expe-rience what life was like in rural Ohiomore than 100 years ago. 800-590-9755 or http://saudervillage.org.

MAY 14 — Lilac Festival andStreetfair, downtown Defiance, 10a.m.-4 p.m. 419-782-0739 or http://visitdefianceohio.com.

MAY 14 — Bluffton Arts and CraftsFestival, downtown Bluffton, 9 a.m.-3p.m. 419-369-2985, ext. 118, orwww.explorebluffton.com.

MAY 15 — Van Wert Area BoychoirSpring Concert, Trinity UnitedMethodist Church, 220 S. Walnut St.,Van Wert, 3 p.m. Free will offering.419-238-1962.

MAY 20-22 — Hamler Country Fest,St. Rte. 109, Hamler. Three days ofcountry music with Craig Campbell,Nashville Crush, Tony Rio, and more.419-748-7459 or www.hamlercoun-tryfest.com.

MAY 21 — Antique Car Gathering,Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2,Archbold, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 100 antique cars on display in the historicvillage. 800-590-9755 or http://saudervillage.org.

MAY 21 — Toledo Jazz Orchestra:The Beatles, Valentine Theatre, 400N. Superior St., Toledo. 419-242-2787or www.thetoledojazz orchestra.org.

MAY 21 — KeyBank Pops: Music ofthe Rolling Stones, StranahanTheater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd.,Toledo, 8-10:30 p.m. 419-381-8851,419-246-8000, or www.toledosym-phony.com.

MAY 21, 22 — Settlers Re-enactment,AuGlaize Village and Farm Museum,12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. Living his-tory demonstrations of how settlersfrom 1750 to 1812 survived. 419-636-2560 or www.auglaizevillage.com

MAY 26-30 — Walleye Festival,Waterworks Park, Port Clinton. Live en-tertainment including a kids’ fishingderby, carnival rides, a beer fest, aGrand Parade, live concerts, and hun-dreds of vendors. 419-734-5503.

MAY 27-29 — Antique Tractor andGas Engine Show, Shelby Co. Fgds.,Sidney, $2. 937-596-6812

MAY 28-30 — Logan Hills FestivalHall-Fawcett Park, Zanesfield. Free.Living history, music, outdoor drama,native woodland gathering. http://loganhills.homestead.com

NORTHEASTMAY 1 — Frank Lloyd Wright HomeTours, 534 Morgan St., Oberlin, 1-5p.m. $5. 440-775-8671.

MAY 1 — Ohio Civil War Show,Richland Co. Fgds., Mansfield, Sat. 9a.m.-5 p.m, Sun. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $7.Seven buildings with 750 tables of mil-itary items, relics, and memorabiliafrom 1785 to 1945. Buy, sell, or trade.800-642-8282 or 419-525-1300.

MAY 1 — A Night of Sinatra,TrueNorth Chamber Orchestra and BigBand, Emerald Event Ctr., 33040 JustImagine Dr., Avon, 3 p.m. 440-949-5200 or www.tncarts.org.

MAY 5-7 — Minerva Village-wideGarage Sales, more than 40 garagesales throughout Minerva. 9 a.m.-5p.m. 330-868-7705, ext. 106, or 330-868-3783.

MAY 6, 7 — Dandelion MayFest,Breitenbach Wine Cellars, 5934 OldRte. 39 Northwest, Dover, Fri. noon-7p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Dandelionfood tastings, cooking demonstrations,entertainment, dandelion picking con-test, vendor fair. 330-343-3603 orwww.breitenbachwine.com.

MAY 7 — Celtic Beltane Festival,Columbia Woods Park, Norton, gatesopen 10 a.m. Celtic music and danc-ing, Highland athletes competition,children’s games, vendors, clan tents.www.scottishamericansociety.org.

MAY 15 — Paddle and Pedal Fest,Lakeview Park 1800 W. Erie Ave.,Lorain, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Try out kayaks,stand-up paddleboards, or canoes.Pre-register at 800-LCM-PARK orwww.metroparks.cc.

MAY 21 — Brass Band, Big BandConcert, Medina Performing Arts Ctr.,851 Weymouth Rd., Medina, 7 p.m.Presented by the Brass Band of theWestern Reserve. Admission. 614-563-7170.

MAY 26 – Summer Concert Series,Berkman Amphitheater, Fort SteubenPark, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, 6:30-9 p.m. Classic car cruise-in, craft ven-dors, and family-friendly music.740-283-1787 orwww.oldfortsteuben.com.

CENTRALMAY 1 — “Come, Stay With Me,”Lancaster Chorale Concert, St. MaryChurch, 132 S. High St., Lancaster, 4 p.m. Traditional harmonies ofMendelssohn and Brahms, and mod-ern American and British composi-tions. 740-687-5855 orwww.lancasterchorale.com”

MAY 6 — Olde Pickerington VillageChocolate Hop, 15 E. Columbus St.,Pickerington, 6-8:30 p.m. Small dona-tion for a map of the many OldeVillage businesses offering a “thankyou” chocolate treat. 614-321-8821 orwww.pickeringtonvillage.com.

MAY 7 — Time Travelers Ball, Tri-Rivers Career Ctr., 2222 Marion-Mt.Gilead Rd., 7 p.m. $20. The evening isan opportunity for participants to“travel” to their favorite time in historywhile dressing in period clothing. 740-387-4255 or www.marionhistory.com.

MAY 7 — Herb Day, Ohio HerbEducation Ctr., 110 and 117 Mill St.,Gahanna. 614-342-5240 or http://ga-hanna.com.

MAY 7-9 — Central Ohio FolkFestival, Battelle Darby Creek MetroPark, Galloway. 614-470-3963 orwww.cfms-inc.org.

MAY 11 — Culpepper &Merriweather Circus, field behind100 Washington St., CanalWinchester, shows at 5 and 7:30 p.m.Advance discount tickets $10, $7 C.and Srs. 614-837-1851 or http://canal-winchesterlions.org.

MAY 12 — Five Nights on Campus –The General Guinness Band, OSUMarion, 1465 Mt. Vernon Ave.,Marion, 7:30 p.m. $10, Srs. $9, Std.

$4. Lively ballads, fiddle tunes, andstep dancing. 740-725-6340.

MAY 13-15 — Community DaysFestival, Fairfield Co. Fgds., Lancaster,Fri. 4-10 p.m., Sat. noon-10 p.m., Sun.noon-6 p.m. Amusement rides, food,arts and crafts show. Marbles tourna-ment Sat., car show on Sun., Civil Warencampment all 3 days. 740-654-9248or www.communitydaysfestival.org.

MAY 15 — Lancaster Fairfield YouthChoir Spring Concert, FirstPresbyterian Church, 222 N. Broad St.,Lancaster, 4 p.m. 740-654-7392 orwww.lancasteryouthchoir.com.

MAY 20 — One for the Road, MayPavilion, Palace Theatre, 276 W.Center St., Marion, 7:30 p.m. Hitsranging from 1958 to today. 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org.

MAY 20 — Six One Pour: The Ohio CraftBeer Fest, Huntington Park, 330Huntington Lane, Columbus, 7p.m.-11 p.m. www.columbusbeer-week.com/sixonepour.

MAY 21 — Goodwill Wheel-A-Thon,Tri-Rivers Career Ctr., 2222 Marion-Mt.Gilead Rd., Marion. Charity auctionand wheelchair roundup beginning at10 a.m. Registration begins at 9:30a.m. 740-387-7023 or www.marion-goodwill.org.

MAY 28, 29 — Asian Festival, GenoaPark, 303 W. Broad St., Columbus, 10a.m.-9 p.m. Free. Learn about the cul-tures and traditions of people fromChina, Japan, India, Indonesia,Cambodia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand,Philippines, Laos, and Pakistan.http://asian-festival.org.

MAY 28-30 — Utica Sertoma IceCream Festival, Ye Olde Mill andVelvet Ice Cream Co., 11339 Mt.Vernon Rd., Utica. 800-589-5000 orwww.sertomaicecreamfestival.com.

MAY 30 — Memorial DayCelebration, Veterans Memorial Park,Lockbourne. Parade starts at 12 noonwith service honoring TuskegeeAirmen, WASPs, and other veterans tofollow. 614-491-3161.

SOUTHEASTMAY 1 — Morel Mushroom Mania,Shawnee State Park, 14755 Cadiz Rd.,Lore City. Learn how to find and cookthese mysterious mushrooms. 740-858-6652.


PLEASENOTE• Country Living strives for ac -curacy but strongly urges readers to confirmdates and times before traveling long dis-tances to events. Submit listings AT LEAST90 DAYS prior to the event bywriting toCountry Living, 6677 Busch Blvd.,Columbus, OH 43229 or [email protected] Livingwill not publish listings thatdon’t include a complete address of wherethe event takes place or a number to call formore information.


http://www.biggestweekinamerican-birding.com



http://www.schedel-gardens.org

http://www.auglaizevil-lage.com



http://www.ohio.org/events/mercer-county-ribfestMAY



http://saudervillage.org

http://visitdefianceohio.com

http://www.explorebluffton.com

http://www.hamlercoun-tryfest.com



http://saudervillage.org

http://www.thetoledojazz

http://www.toledosym-phony.com



http://www.auglaizevillage.com

http://loganhills.homestead.com

http://www.tncarts.org

http://www.breitenbachwine.com

http://www.scottishamericansociety.org

http://www.metroparks.cc

http://www.oldfortsteuben.com

http://www.lancasterchorale.com%E2%80%9D

http://www.pickeringtonvillage.com

http://www.marionhistory.com

http://ga-hanna.com

http://ga-hanna.com

http://ga-hanna.com

http://www.cfms-inc.org

http://canal-winchesterlions.org



http://www.communitydaysfestival.org

http://www.lancasteryouthchoir.com

http://www.marionpalace.org

http://www.columbusbeer-week.com/sixonepour



http://www.marion-goodwill.org



http://asian-festival.org

http://www.sertomaicecreamfestival.com


MAY 2016 CALENDAR

MAY 1 — Zane Grey Day, NationalRd. Zane Grey Museum, 8850 E.Pike, Norwich, noon-4 p.m. 740-872-3143 or www.ohiohistory.org.

MAY 5-8 — Wild Turkey Festival,McArthur. A turkey calling contest andstreet fair with a parade, car show, quiltshow, rides, games, and entertainment.800-596-4459 or 740-596-5033.

MAY 6, 7 — Salt Fork GospelJubilee, Salt Fork Lodge andConference Ctr., 14755 Cadiz Rd.,Lore City, Fri. 6 p.m., Sat. 1 p.m.Reservations. 740-435-9000, 740-432-3787, or www.saltforkstatepark-lodge.com.

MAY 6, 7 — Spring Fest, DeerassicPark Education Ctr., 14250 Cadiz Rd.,Cambridge, noon-4 p.m. 740-435-3335 or http://deerassic.com.

MAY 7 — Spring Craft Show, LakeHope State Park, 27331 St. Rte. 278,McArthur, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Stop by theLake Hope Dining Lodge and browselocal crafters selling their wares. 740-596-5253.

MAY 7 — Otway Cruise-in CarShow, St. Rte. 348, Otway, registra-tion 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Drive through arestored covered bridge. $10. 740-372-3395.

MAY 13-15 — Cambridge SingersSpring Show, Scottish RiteAuditorium, 941 Wheeling Ave.,Cambridge, Fri./Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3p.m. 740-432-3956.

MAY 14 — Cabela’s King KatTournament, 300 block of First Ave.,Gallipolis, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Fishingtournament. 740-446-6882, 270-395-4204, or www.kingkatusa.com.

MAY 14 — Cabela’s Kids’ FishingRodeo, Bob Evans Farm, 10854 St.Rte. 588, Rio Grande, 8 a.m.-noon.740-446-6882, 270-395-4204, orwww.kingkatusa.com.

MAY 14 — Glenn Miller Orchestra,People’s Bank Theatre, 222 PutnamSt., Marietta, 8 p.m. $15/$20/$25.740-373-0894.

MAY 26-29 — Feast of theFlowering Moon, downtownChillicothe, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Free. Afamily-oriented event featuringNative American music, dancing,traders, and exhibits. 740-702-7677,800-413-4118, or www.feastofthe-floweringmoon.org.

MAY 26-30 — Moonshine Festival,downtown New Straitsville. Moon -shine still display, vendors, moon-shine burgers, moonshine pie, moon -shine doggies. 740-394-2239orwww.explorehockinghills.com.

MAY 27-30 — Muskingum ValleyTrade Days and Flea Market, St.Rte. 78 in Reinersville, 13 mi. east ofMcConnelsville. Free. 740-558-2740

MAY 28 — Gallipolis Bass BustersYouth Fishing Day, Bob Evans Farm,10854 St. Rte. 588, Rio Grande, 10a.m.-2 p.m. 800-994-3276 orwww.bobevans.com.

SOUTHWESTTHROUGH JUN. 19 — InternationalButterfly Show: Butterflies of theCaribbean, Krohn Conservatory,1501 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati. $7, C.$4. 10,000 colorful butterflies in thegreenhouse. 513-421-5707 orwww.cincinnatiparks.com/krohn-con-servatory.

APR. 30-MAY 1 —American Quarter HorseAssoc. Youth Show, Roberts Arena,4095 St. Rte. 730, Wilmington. 937-382-1965 or www.robertsarena.com.

MAY 1 — Bear’s Mill Spring OpenHouse, 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Rd.,Greenville, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tour the four-story working mill, shop in the store,and browse in the gallery. 937-548-5112 or www.bearsmill.com.

MAY 6-8 — Appalachian Festival,6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Fri/Sat 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-6p.m. Two music stages, Appalachianstorytelling, living history, crafts,demonstrations, food. 513-251-3370or www.appalachianfestival.org.

MAY 13-15 — Maifest, GermaniaPark, 3529 W. Kemper Rd.,Cincinnati, Fri. 6 p.m-12 a.m., Sat. 2p.m.-12 a.m., Sun. 12-8 p.m.Traditional German food and enter-tainment. 513-742-0060 or http://germaniasociety.com.

MAY 14 — Hug the Earth Festival,Stillwater Prairie Reserve, 9750 St.Rte. 185, Covington, noon-5 p.m. Livemusic, tree climbing, archery, geo-caching, rock wall, zip line, and highropes stations. 937-335-6273 orwww.miamicountyparks.com.

MAY 20-22 — Arcanum Old-Fashioned Days, George St.,Arcanum. 937-692-5139

MAY 20-22 — A World A’Fair, DaytonConvention Ctr., downtown Dayton,Fri. 5 p.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-11p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day in-ternational festival of music anddance. http://aworldafair.org.

MAY 21 — Upper Valley Fiber Fest,Duke Lundgard Bldg., Miami Co.Fgds., Troy, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Lots ofhands-on demonstrations and plentyof vendors. 800-348-8993 orwww.upper valley fiberfest.org.

MAY 21 — Oxford Wine Festival,Uptown Park, Oxford, $20 in ad-vance, $25 at door. Includes five tast-ing tickets and a tasting glass.513-523-5200 or www.oxfordwine-festival.com.

WEST VIRGINIAMAY 7 — Engines and WheelsFestival, North Bend State Park, 202North Bend Park Rd., Cairo. Old-fash-ioned engines and turn-of-the-cen-tury industrial, oil field, and farmmachinery. 304-628-3587.

MAY 13, 14 — Bluegrass Festival,North Bend State Park, 202 NorthBend Park Rd., Cairo. 304-643-2931.

OHIO CAMPGROUNDS


U

1. Masters2. 263. 1971 and 19784. Scioto5. Akron’s Rubber City Open6. 19617. Time8. 59. 198810. University of St. Andrews in Scotland11. Tiger Woods12. 5 pounds

Ohio Quiz(Answers from page 39)


http://www.ohiohistory.org

http://www.saltforkstatepark-lodge.com



http://deerassic.com

http://www.kingkatusa.com

http://www.kingkatusa.com

http://www.feastofthe-floweringmoon.org



http://www.explorehockinghills.com

http://www.bobevans.com

http://www.cincinnatiparks.com/krohn-con-servatory.APR



http://www.robertsarena.com

http://www.bearsmill.com

http://www.appalachianfestival.org

http://germaniasociety.com

http://www.miamicountyparks.com

http://aworldafair.org

http://www.upper

http://www.oxfordwine-festival.com



OHIO MARKETPLACE

***ADVERTISE HERE***ONLY $310 FOR 3 MONTHS!

Largest circulation of any Ohio rural magazine.COUNTRY LIVING

Rich Warren 614-846-5757 [email protected]

OHIO QUIZ

A few of the “Bear” facts

This month’s quiz features Jack Nicklaus, the pro golf superstarand elder statesman whose signature Memorial Tournamentshines the PGA’s spotlight on his hometown of Columbus everyMay. We’ll provide the clues about golf’s famous “Golden Bear,”and you score the answers. For example, if the clue is “Who arethe ‘Big Three’ credited with popularizing golf?,” the answerwould be “Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus.”

CLUES1. Nicklaus was the first golfer to win this tournament in twoconsecutive years, 1965 and 1966.2. In 1966, Nicklaus also became the youngest player to win thecareer grand slam — Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship,PGA Championship — of men’s golf. How old was he?3. When did Nicklaus achieve his second and third career grandslams? 4. Coached by his father and club pro Jack Grout, Nicklaus beganplaying golf at age 10 at what Columbus-area country club?5. At 18, Nicklaus played in his first PGA tour event. What was it?

6. Nicklaus was the first to win both theNCAA golf championship and U.S. Amateurin the same year. What year was it?7. After his first professional win at the 1962U.S. Open, what magazine put Nicklaus onits cover?8. How many times has Nicklaus been onU.S. teams that bested Great Britain to win theRyder Cup? 9. In 1973, Nicklaus became the first golfer ever towin $2 million during a career. When was he the firstto hit the $5 million mark?10. In 1984, what university gave Nicklaus the first honorarydoctorate it ever presented to a sportsman?11. Wheaties featured Nicklaus and what other golfer on its“breakfast of champions” boxes in 2003?12. Prior to his 2005 British Open appearance, the Royal Bank ofScotland made Nicklaus the first nonroyal living person to appearon one of its bank notes. What was its denomination?

ANSWERS ON PAGE 37




OHIO QUIZ

A few of the “Bear” facts

This month’s quiz features Jack Nicklaus, the pro golf superstarand elder statesman whose signature Memorial Tournamentshines the PGA’s spotlight on his hometown of Columbus everyMay. We’ll provide the clues about golf’s famous “Golden Bear,”and you score the answers. For example, if the clue is “Who arethe ‘Big Three’ credited with popularizing golf?,” the answerwould be “Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus.”

CLUES1. Nicklaus was the first golfer to win this tournament in twoconsecutive years, 1965 and 1966.2. In 1966, Nicklaus also became the youngest player to win thecareer grand slam — Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship,PGA Championship — of men’s golf. How old was he?3. When did Nicklaus achieve his second and third career grandslams? 4. Coached by his father and club pro Jack Grout, Nicklaus beganplaying golf at age 10 at what Columbus-area country club?5. At 18, Nicklaus played in his first PGA tour event. What was it?

6. Nicklaus was the first to win both theNCAA golf championship and U.S. Amateurin the same year. What year was it?7. After his first professional win at the 1962U.S. Open, what magazine put Nicklaus onits cover?8. How many times has Nicklaus been onU.S. teams that bested Great Britain to win theRyder Cup? 9. In 1973, Nicklaus became the first golfer ever towin $2 million during a career. When was he the firstto hit the $5 million mark?10. In 1984, what university gave Nicklaus the first honorarydoctorate it ever presented to a sportsman?11. Wheaties featured Nicklaus and what other golfer on its“breakfast of champions” boxes in 2003?12. Prior to his 2005 British Open appearance, the Royal Bank ofScotland made Nicklaus the first nonroyal living person to appearon one of its bank notes. What was its denomination?

ANSWERS ON PAGE 37



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