What a weekend it was! So much to see and do and so little time, as it turned out. On Monday for the trip out to the battle site, Mary Alice and I were honored to join the family of lead Perry Group organizer, Dave Zavagno of Catawba, who will probably sleep long and hard for the next week or so. This man dedicated almost four years of his life putting together what we all experienced this past weekend with the celebration of the Bi-Centennial of Oliver Hazard Perry’s great naval victory in 1813. Last Thursday, I had lunch with Dave at the Lake Erie Legislative Symposium at CIC, and he was still on the phone with the director of the U.S. Navy Band. It seems that the money necessary to bring them here had not yet been transferred from the National Parks account to the Navy Department account. It finally happened later that day. So I would like to send out a personal note of gratitude to Dave and his family for doing such a wonderful job making four days on Lake Erie so incredibly memorable.
If you haven’t seen it, we have some wonderful photos of all of the activities over the weekend on our website, www.thebeacon.net. One was an aerial photo of the Pathfinder leading the Green Island Race fleet out of the Portage River on the way to the starting line Sunday morning. Thank you, Roger Fair! Also, if you haven’t yet seen them on Facebook, we have several incredible videos of THE Ohio State University Marching Band rolling into Put-in-Bay for their appearance there on Sunday afternoon, thanks to PCHS Band Director and OSU Band Alumni, Rod Miller. Check them out.
Our “Find Wylie” winner this week is Dave Rhineberger of Fremont, who was one of 199 individuals who found our friendly fish in the ad for Fairway Villas on page 12C in last week’s Beacon. Dave wins our weekly $20 gift card from Friendship Food Stores as well as a beautiful decorative nautical floor mat from “Capn’s Custom Carpets” at Fort Firelands. We’ll definitely be hiding Wylie again this week. If you find him, drop off an entry form at our office in the Beacon Place Business Center or click on the Find Wylie Icon at our website, www.thebeacon.net.
Every year at this time, we go through the same attempt to change the mindset of many of our readers. Labor Day is NOT the end of the summer season! Thanks to the thermal contribution of Lake Erie, the southern shores tend to remain warmer than the rest of Ohio. So, what that all means is…we will probably have AT LEAST six more weekends of beautiful and warm weather here. So get it out of your head that the season is over! This is the most beautiful time of year here!
My favorite band, The Travelin’ Lounge Lizards, will make their triumphant return to Put-in-Bay for two major performances at Tony’s Garage. Sometime this year, Island troubadour Ray Fogg and Boat House Manager Andy Christiansen purchased the local bar on the corner and are working hard at making it an Island staple. Both have long-standing ties with the Island and were around when the Lounge Lizards were headliners at The Roundhouse. It ought to be fun, Friday and Saturday night. It is also the “official” Historic Weekend on the Island as several thousand boy scouts will make the grounds of Perry’s Monument their home for the weekend.
Otterbein North Shore is holding a special version of “Art for the Heart” this Friday, Sept. 6, from 1-3 p.m. The focus will be on Mixed Media Collage art, which can be really anything. And doing it is good for you. Call today and make a reservation by calling Otterbein North Shore at 419-798-8203. Also, next Tuesday, Sept. 10, they have another in their “Lunch and Learn” programs. Tuesday’s program is titled “Successful Aging – The Top Five Tips”. You are asked to call and make a reservation for that program also. The lunch is “on the house”.
The Humane Society of Ottawa County will have a business meeting and board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Ida Rupp Library in Port Clinton. Humane Society members and others who would like to become members are welcome. They are always looking for new ideas for fundraising.
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be making another visit to our area on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Catawba Township Community Hall on Northwest Catawba Rd. They will be there from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and walk-ins are always welcome.
Also next Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Bloodmobile will be at St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Marblehead from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. Give the gift of life. It will make you feel good.
Also next Wednesday will be Stadium Night for the Port Clinton High School Soccer Boosters. They will have their 6th Annual Chicken Barbecue at True-Lay Stadium serving from 4-6 p.m. To honor the living and the fallen in remembrance of the events that took place on 9/11/2001, they will be honoring local First Responders and Veterans before their match. Pre-Sale tickets are just $8, $10 at the door. To get your tickets in advance call 419-341-9556 or 419-554-1333.
St. Paul United Church of Christ in Oak Harbor is hosting a community sale and vendor table sale at the church located at 165 Toussaint Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. The sale will have garages sale tables featuring household items, clothing, toys, baby gear, electronics, sports equipment, books, paintings, bikes and more. Vendors will include Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Mary Kay, Origami Owl, Rock-it-Out Nutrition, Xabee and others. They have over 20 tables sold for the event. A concession stand will also be open for food and snacks. For more information, call Jackie Timmons at 419-898-2045.
The 8th Annual Golf Tournament for the Scholarship Fund of my old and good friend and fellow Kiwanian, the late Terry Heise, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Oak Harbor Golf Club. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. They will have a $100,000 hole-in-one hole and two players are guaranteed to win a 2-night hotel stay. For more information, call Terry’s son Eric at 614-738-4957 or e-mail him at ebheise1001@yahoo.com. Terry was a friend, coach and mentor in the community and his scholarships go to student athletes who share those traits.