DCP presents Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland

Darke County Parks kick off the holiday season with their annual Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland event on December 4th, 5th and 6th. This event is a favorite of the staff and public alike, and is a wonderfully peaceful start to the holiday season. While we can't all gather in celebration the way we had hoped, Darke County Parks is excited to offer a brand-new take on this classic event!

This year, the Winter Wonderland will be a Covid-safe auto tour at Shawnee Prairie Preserve. While we will miss the luminary walk through the woods, this will be a wonderful alternative for 2020. Instead of only three hours on one evening, this year's event will be offered Friday (12/4) through Sunday (12/6) from 6p-9p each night. You choose when to visit!

Each night, staff will be passing out a take-home craft kit to the first 65 children. Wave to Santa and the elves as you drive by the Log House and Blacksmith shop. Don’t forget your letter to Santa, there will be a drive by mailbox!

As part of the annual luminary event, Darke County Parks are taking entries for the snowman decorating contest. The snowmen will be well lit and are a great opportunity to advertise your community group, business, non-profit, church or scout troop! The contest itself will take place virtually on Facebook and Instagram. Followers will vote for their favorite snowman by 'liking' their favorite snowman!

For more information about this FREE event visit www.DarkeCountyParks.org/news or call 937-548-0165.

Greenville Athletic Boosters Thanks Sponsors

The Greenville Athletic Boosters would like to thank all our sponsors in our Back the Wave drive 2020.

Through your generous donations, we raised over $3,000!  This money will be distributed amongst our athletic teams to purchase equipment, uniforms, and various other needs.  We appreciate your support for our student athletes!

Thank you to the following sponsors:

• Greenville Federal Bank
• American Legion Post #140
• Shook Construction
• Grilliot Alignment Service, Inc.
• Mote & Associates, Inc.
• Drew Family Farms
• RJ Warner Insurance
• D. A. Fitzgerald Company & Fitzgerald Motorsports
• Johnston Chiropractic Clinic, Inc.
• Walker Construction Drywall Division
• Jon Coomer Investment Management
• Jim Gable Insurance Agency, Inc.
• Hot Head Burritos
• Francis Furniture
• Treaty City Industries, Inc.
• Dickman Supply, Inc.
• American Title Resources
• Doug Shields Financial Services
• Garmann/Miller Architects & Engineers
• Park National Bank
• Greenville National Bank
• Mark & Cindy Libert
• Dick & Dianne Brown
• Jim & Sharon Buchy
• Teaford's Pizza & Subs
• G & G Floor Fashions
• Margaret B. Hayes, Attorney at Law, LLC
• Splash & Dash Carwash
• MJS Plastics, Inc.
• Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln, Inc.
• Marchal & Marchal, Ltd.
• Zechar Bailey Funeral Home
• Hittle Buick GMC, Inc.
• Marshall Combs Insurance

Greenville Public Library Offers Free Home Delivery

Two members of the Extension Services team:
Susana Castano-Miller and Jeffrey Deeter.

Greenville Pubic Library is especially mindful to provide services to the public in a way that is safe for our patrons and staff, such as curbside pickup and “Grab and Go” by appointment.  Another service that comes in handy during this time is our free home delivery.

Home delivery is part of the Library’s Extension Services program and brings reading materials to those patrons in the community who cannot leave their homes.  Members of our team select books that suit the patrons’ preferences and deliver them directly to their homes on a monthly basis.  

Home delivery can be temporary if desired such as during the winter months or while convalescing.  If interested, please contact Susana at 937-548-3915 or by e-mail at extensionservices@greenville-publiclibrary.org.  Extension Services delivers not only to individuals but also to local nursing homes and preschools.  An average of 700 books a month are circulated.  

Job Posting - Community Health Worker at Family Health

Community Health Worker

Family Health is seeking a Community Health Worker (CHW) who will be responsible for working with Family Health’s staff, and other HCSI (Healing Community Studies Initiative) organizations, in helping clients and their families, who are struggling with OUD (Opioid Use Disorder) navigate community services, obtain resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. Their primary responsibilities will include promoting, maintaining, and improving the health of OUD clients and their families through social support, referral, informal education/counseling, and advocacy at the individual and community level. Community outreach, such as home visits and collaboration with community agencies will be required. This position may require irregular hours. This position will also require travel by the employee in his/her own vehicle or one provided through Family Health.  Must 

Responsible for establishing trusting relationships and effective communication with clients and their families while providing general support and encouragement.

Job Requirements:

• High school graduate or GED
• Successful completion of a Community Health Worker formal training program such as from a college or other education institution. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of all available services provided at Family Health, community resources, interpersonal communication strategies, and computer software. 
• Communicating effectively in both written and verbal form, managing multiple priorities, effective time management practices, de-escalation skills, problem-solving skills, and managing change and conflict.
•  Manage time and deal with multiple priorities, problem solving, exercise sound judgment, define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions, make decisions, maintain information in confidential manner, listen well, maintain records and data, use the computer programs and communicate effectively including via the computer. Encourage staff to work towards their full potential and to provide excellent services to our clients and their fellow co-workers.
• Verifiable good driving record and reliable transportation 
• Possess ability to relate to all persons of various economic levels and cultural orientation who present for services at Family Health.
• Family Health offers a full-time benefit package, including PTO, paid holidays, and retirement plan.

Qualified applicants please send resume to HR@familyhealthservices.org 

Ansonia United Methodist Remains Active

Ansonia United Methodist Church – 200 West High Street in Ansonia – has regular worship services every Sunday at 10:30 am.  The service is also available through live-streaming by visiting Facebook.com/AnsoniaUMC.  Unfortunately, during this time of COVID-19, the Sunday school classes at 9:15 am are only available for adults.

The church will hold two Christmas Eve services on December 24th, the first at 7:00 pm and the second at 11:00 pm.  As we will practice social distancing, seating is limited.

During the Christmas season volunteers from the church also take part in bell-ringing to solicit donations in support of various county food banks and agencies offering assistance with utility bills.  Ansonia UMC is also host to the Ansonia Community Food Pantry, providing for local families in need.  To use the Food Pantry please call (937)-338-4798 for an appointment.

For more information please visit the church web site at Ansoniaumc.com, contact the church – PO Box 457; Ansonia, Ohio 45303, or call (937)-337-5781.

Light Up the Park 2020

Make plans to join the Bradford Community as we come together to start the holiday season. This year’s Light Up the Park event will be held on Saturday, November 28 at 7:00 PM. Gather in Iddings Park for carols and stories before the main event…the lighting of Iddings Park. Kids, be sure to stop by the Letters to Santa station to get your requests in and enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies provided by Bradford Public Library.  

Participants are asked to wear facial coverings and practice social distancing as we gather together. Please dress for the weather.  Parking is available in the library parking lot at 138 East Main Street and at the Depot at 203 East Main Street. 

This year’s event will be held completely outside. In case of inclement weather, the lights will still be turned on, but most activities will not take place. Please watch the Bradford Public Library Facebook page and website for updates on the status of the evening’s festivities. 

Area Bazaar Goes Virtual

The 2020 Angel House Christmas Bazaar has been restructured into a Virtual Christmas Sale. Shoppers may preview items on facebook.com/AngelHouseChristmasBazaar and at tippcityumc.org/bazaar. The sale will take place online only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., December 5. Buyers will make selections, have the option to pay securely online by credit/debit card, or pay in person at pickup the day of the event, at Tipp City United Methodist Church, Third and Main Streets, Tipp City. 

In its fifth year, the transformed event is sponsored by TCUMC to support Angel House Children’s Home in Tanzania, Africa. Planning for the 2020 event was on target with most of the previous year’s vendors having registered.  Then COVID-19 reared its ugly head, and the Bazaar Team was back to the drawing board.

“We considered sponsoring a fully virtual bazaar,” said co-chairwoman, Gina Duncan, “but, determined we didn’t have the specific skill set or adequate time to develop an effective retail outlet for our loyal vendors.” 

The Virtual Christmas Sale will consist entirely of items donated by church members and friends as well as vendors. All proceeds will benefit the Children’s Home in Tanzania. “Our vendors have been extremely generous in their support,” co-chairwoman, Judy Riesser said. “A number of them donated their prepaid registration fees; plus, we have received a wide variety of items to sell.“

The church typically participates in the annual Community Garage Sale, which also generates significant funds for Angel House. Once that sale was canceled, it became more urgent to devise a means to maintain the support TCUMC had provided in previous years. 

The 2020 goal is to raise $8,000 to provide funds to help complete the kitchen/dining hall at Angel House. According to Associate Pastor, Bonita Ritchie, the ministerial staff also decided in the spring to designate the 2020 Gift of Advent Offering toward this goal.

The community is invited to participate in the alternate format and is also encouraged to support the vendors who have donated items. Contact information will be listed on the site.

Items for sale will include: Celtic art, wire-wrapped and fused-glass jewelry, totes for wheelchairs, novels by a local author, Christmas décor, hand-sewn items, trivet sets handcrafted from siding removed from the Bear’s Mill in Greenville, and more.

The Bazaar Team looks forward optimistically to safely reinstating the in-person bazaar in December, 2021.

GREENVILLE CITY PARK STOCKADES RESTORATION UNDERWAY

The restoration and moving of the two stockades have begun in the Greenville City Park.  The goal is to save both stockades by repairing them and moving them from the pond bank to higher ground. The restoration is being done by Myers Excavating and Construction, LLC and the Greenville Street Department. Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution Historical Preservation Committee Chair, Debbie Nisonger, along with Friends of the Greenville City Parks Project Manager, Tom Lucas, are overseeing the project. Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR received a grant from the Coppock-Hole Foundation.

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR is asking citizens to share their earliest memories of the stockades. Please post memories of the stockades at https://www.facebook.com/fortgreenevilledar/

Darke County Parks Goes Solar

The Darke County Parks is excited to announce that they will be going solar! Last year, staff members met with representatives from Electro Green Energy Solutions (GES) http://www.electrogreenenergy.com , a green energy company located out of Sidney, OH, to talk about the possibility of getting solar power implemented at the Bish Discovery Center. EGES was thrilled to potentially be part of this project and diligently worked with their local electrical partner and Indianapolis based Engineering Firm to develop a cost-effective solution for the Center.

While EGES went to work on finding a strategy to make the project happen, parks staff began submitting grant applications in order to acquire the funds needed.

Electro Green Energy Solutions (EGES) has partnered with Garber Electrical Contractors Inc. https://www.garberelectric.com/ who will be donating 100% of the installation, Sims Durkin Associates Engineering Company https://www.sims-durkin.com/, and Dickman Supply http://www.dickmansupply.com/ to bring this project to life. The solar panels that will be installed on the roof of the Bish Discovery Center and will offset over 90% of the Centers current annual energy consumption (5.46kW) and because of the partnerships the Bish Discovery Center will have a payback of under 5yrs.

Staff has plans for a future educational solar display inside the center, as well as various programs focusing on solar energy. Additionally, the Darke County Parks hopes for a collaborative educational partnership with Edison Community College sometime in the future. The Darke County Park District is excited to be a renewable energy leader in the community. This project was made possible with partial funding granted by the Harry D. Stephens Memorial Fund. 

Annie’s G.A.L.A Hits the Bullseye for Garst Museum

Thanks to the creative thinking and diligent work of devoted volunteers, Annie’s G.A.L.A. proved to be a success story! Annie’s Star-Spangled Gala has been a long-standing annual fundraiser for the Garst Museum and normally takes place in June. Due to circumstances surrounding COVID, many things had to change in order to keep the fundraiser on the calendar for 2020. This included the new date of October 3, a different name—Annie’s G.A.L.A (Garst Alternative to the Live Auction), an event website, and pre-ordered dinners that were picked up in the new Garst Museum parking lot.

But, the energy and anticipation did not change. Eager bidders filled the Lowell Thomas Gallery watching the final offers for items mount before the auction closed and waiting for the beach-house drawing winner to be announced. Much excitement of the auction surrounded the competitive bidding on a Bob Brubaker painting, donated by Park National Bank, depicting a fort scene of what might have occurred in the days of General Anthony Wayne.  And, the lucky winner of the drawing for the one-week Florida stay in the Ft. Myers’ home, donated by Mike and Sherri Jones, was Bonnie Perry!

It is the enthusiastic support of the people of Darke County and the generous corporate sponsorships and donations that made Annie’s G.A.L.A. a success. The Garst Museum wishes to thank Aim Midwest Media for their Premier Sponsorship.