People Clips

Fostoria Garden Club Fostoria Garden Club had its annual Guest Night May 13, 2026, as 81 members and guests from 8 area Garden Clubs visited our city for our guest night fun and education. Bee decorations abounded throughout the room. A large buffet provided by Fostoria Garden Club members was enjoyed by all. The educational offering "Cherry City Honey" was presented by Gary Wylie, apiarist (bee keeper) and expert from Cherry City Honey Farms, Bellevue. We learned many interesting facts and behaviors about bees and the honey they produce. Door prizes, raffle items, plant sales and treasures table sales items, good conversation and sharing of gardening tips filled the evening. Tiffin Rotary President Charlene Thomas opened the May 12 meeting at the Chandelier Event Center. Chris Lewis offered an opening prayer. Charlene announced that Andra Meyer would be taking a full-time job at the end of May. She told Andra how much our club appreciates all she has done for us and wished her the best going forward. If you know someone who might be interested in working 4–6 hours per week, let Charlene know. We had no guests today. The Basket Fund raised $25. The Weekly Drawing was won by Nancy Weaver and Keith Hodkinson won the Free Meal. Attendance today was 25. Service Co-chair Dave Weininger reported that we have the opportunity for service on June 25th at the First Lutheran Church's Food Distribution. We should be there about 11:30 am and bring water — it gets hot. It normally lasts about 1.5-2 hours. Lee Martin noted that we need to do some weed pulling at Rotary Centennial Park before Memorial Day. He will have a date next week. Keith reported he had painted the base of the Centennial Clock. Our speaker today was Tiffin City Parks & Recreation Director Bryce Kuhn. He began by sharing a video of Tiffin's 19 parks. He then talked about the many Day Camps they will have over a ten-week period this summer for ages 5-15. He expects to serve around 600 kids. Included in those camps are the popular Fire Camp, and through a partnership with Sentinel — a Culinary Camp and Trades Camp. The 4th of July this year will nearly double its expenditure on fireworks and has booked Wally & the Beavs for the band. Last year, they created a wetland which will help during flood events and act as a "teaching moment" for the public. They created two pickleball courts and now provide a six-week course on pickleball play for 4th graders. They are also starting up a pickleball league on Wednesday nights. Thanks to Sutton Bank, they have added an ice rink at Oakley Park as well as a lighted walking path. They also manage the East Green Amphitheater. There they provide Thursday night tunes throughout the summer and some Saturday concerts which benefit non-profits. Their newest project is building a "pump" track at Hedges-Boyer where the goal is to ride a continuous loop of turns and bumps without pedaling or pushing. A park staff of five full-time employees manages 280 acres of land and all activities. Their annual budget is about $704,000. For more info, go to: www.tiffinohio.gov/parks. Cutline: Bryce Kuhn from Tiffin City Parks Talks to Rotary Seneca County Master Gardener Association The Seneca County Master Gardener Association of The Ohio State University Extension had its general monthly meeting May 12. The co-recipients of the 2026 Seneca County Master Gardener Association Scholarship Award were announced. They are Jessica Bowerman, a 2021 graduate of Seneca East High School who is currently attending The Ohio State University and Logan Snavely, a 2026 graduate of Seneca East High School who will also attend The Ohio State University in 2026. June 8 during the hours 6:30-8 p.m. the Seneca County Master Gardeners will be instructing a Container Gardening Workshop at the Seneca East Public Library Attica, 14 N Main St Attica. Participants can register by calling the Seneca East Public Library at 419-426-3825. June 22 at 2 p.m. the Seneca County Master Gardeners will be presenting a library reading program on pollinators for children at the Mohawk Sycamore Public Library. June 27 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. the Seneca County Master Gardeners will be providing a scavenger hunt themed "Bugout" at the Tiffin Farmers Market. Master Gardeners will assist people to find good, bad, and ugly insects that roam our gardens. Master Gardeners will be stationed at various vendors locations to educate people about different insects. Bugout participants are to collect stickers at each station to redeem prizes awarded at the Master Gardener booth. The 2026 Master Gardener Volunteers new member classes are currently forming. Applications are accepted through Oct. 1. The class will run from Oct. 2026-July 2027. The format will be a style of hybrid learning opportunities with online courses and in person labs. Online lectures will be available for the students to move through the course at their convenience. Face to face speakers, field trips, and hands-on events are also incorporated into the curriculum. Each member will have an assigned mentor for any questions and guidance for the duration of the training period. For more information or to sign up for the 2026 Master Gardener Volunteers class: Visit: go.osu.edu/joinscmgv Or email: FAES-senecacountymgv@osu.edu Or call: 419-447-9772 Attica Woman's Literary Guild The Attica Woman's Literary Guild met May 12, 2026, with 17 members present. We gathered at the Attica Community Church and traveled to the Crazy Fox Speakeasy Saloon in Bucyrus. We were met by a representative of the establishment and escorted to the basement which revealed a genuine speakeasy frequented by Al Capone on his railway trips from New York to Chicago. A speakeasy is defined as an illicit establishment that secretly sold alcoholic beverages. The term originated during the U.S. Prohibition era (1920-1933). It comes from the practice of having to "speak easy" (or whisper quietly) when near the hidden entrances to avoid alerting the authorities. We were shown the original brick booths where guests were seated and served and the corner booth which is reported to be one preferred by Al Capone. Other antique features were the glass bricks in a portion of the ceiling allowing the speakeasy staff to keep an eye on who was coming in the front door above. There is a 107 year old elevator, said to be the oldest in Ohio. Speakeasies often required passwords, secret handshakes, or entry through camouflaged doors (like bookshelves or back alleys) to gain access. We were shown the previous entrances to old tunnels which could be used as emergency exits but which were bricked up several years ago. The speakeasy was decorated with many framed pictures of newspaper articles from that time period including one dated Dec. 5, 1933, that proclaimed "Prohibition Ended at Last". Also framed was Capone's House Rules and artists' renditions of Al Capone and ladies of that era. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting this extraordinary piece of history with its ambience and atmosphere of bygone days. An abbreviated meeting was called to order by Vice-President Jacki Tilton. Pennies for the library were collected and roll call was naming your favorite pizza. Vice-President Jacki then introduced Program Committee Chairwoman Anne Fry who informed the members that the theme for the 2026-2027 year would be "Spotlight on History" to honor our nation's 250th year. She gave a brief review of what we could look forward to in the upcoming year's programs. Cheryl Ulmer then distributed the promised list of members' addresses to all in attendance. The meeting was adjourned. We proceeded to Bakers Pizza Sports Shack to enjoy lunch and camaraderie. We will next meet at the Attica Community Church at 8:45 a.m. Sept. 8, 2026, and travel to Neumeister's Candy Shoppe in Upper Sandusky. Enjoy your summer! Green Stem Gardeners Our May meeting was at Sullivan Gardens in Fremont. The owner Brian gave us a tour and gave us plants to fill our 8 inch pots. We welcomed a new member Rene Parman. We have planted the pots in Green Springs and have set up the garden care schedule. We will decorate the library at noon June 4. June 16 we will meet at the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center. Our day trip in July will be to the Butterfly House and a canal trip in Grand Rapids. We will be taking a painting class July 21 at the home of Beth Sage. Green Stem Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. the third Tuesday. If you would like to join us call Pat Saam at 419-307-7776. Kiwanis Club of Tiffin The featured speaker for the May 21 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Tiffin was Tiffin City Schools Superintendent Greg Williamson. Twenty-one were in attendance at Kiwanis Manor in addition to one member who joined via Zoom. Calvert honor student Jenna Keckler was the guest of Bernie Steinmetz and Barb Grisard was the guest of her daughter, Pam Greene. Greg Williamson comes to Tiffin City Schools (TCS) from his previous role as superintendent of Leipsic Local Schools, where he served for over 13 years. He is a graduate of Bettsville High School and after earning his degree from the University of Toledo, began is career at Old Fort Local Schools. Greg spoke highly of those he works with at TCS including assistant superintendent Bob Boes who was a high school opponent in baseball. Greg said he was going through some scrapbooks that his mother had kept and found a game story from when his Bettsville team played Bob's Calvert team. Calvert won that game 4-2 with both Greg and Bob going 1 -3 with a run scored. Greg said he has razzed Bob about that game in that Bob's hit was a single but Greg's was a double. He said that coming to TCS has reinvigorated him and that he see a very promising future for the school system. A bonus for Greg is that his dad lives in Tiffin, which gives him the opportunity to stay with him two or three nights a week. Greg says that he has found a bigger purpose in his life in serving others. Though the enrollment at TCS has dropped a little, the school system still has over 2,000 students. Club president Pam Greene opened the meeting leading everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance and Kiwanis Mission Statement. Pat Nee provided the prayer. Pam recognized Leslie and Bob Reinhart's wedding anniversary, Jan Betz's club anniversary, and Eric Willman's birthday. Pam spoke about the following: * Tammy Waugaman has accepted the role as president-elect and will begin serving as club president beginning October 1 for the new Kiwanis year.* Order forms are available for Kiwanis apparel. Order forms and payment are due by May 28.* Ohio State football raffle tickets are available for purchase with orders and payment due by August 6.* Information was shared about plans of the membership committee with prize drawings for recruiting a new member, bringing a guest, and becoming a new member. A social event will be planned for the fall, including a chili cookoff that will be in place of the annual picnic.* The next Grade A Celebration committee meeting will take place on June 10 at 5:00pm. *The club will again work harness racing at the Seneca County Fair on July 26 & 27. Eric Willman is working on programs and letters to be sent to local businesses.*The Kiwanis Garage Sale is scheduled for August 15 & 16. Members are asked to save items (with the exceptions of mugs, clothing or old televisions).* The Kiwanis Ohio District Convention is also the weekend of August 15 & 16 at the Renaissance Hotel in Westerville, Ohio. Rich Traunero won the 50/50. First Step Center of Domestic Violence president Amy Kinney will be the speaker for the May 28 meeting. The Kiwanis Club of Tiffin meets each Thursday at noon at Kiwanis Manor. If you are interested in making a difference in our community, please go to https://www.tiffinkiwanis.org/get_involved.