Port Clinton has a new park. Once again the residents of Port Clinton’s northeast neighborhoods have come together to grab a lemon, squeeze it and make a little lemonade for all to enjoy.
Dave and Cathy Mehl and their helpers have taken a concept and a dilapidated old church building property on Beech Street and are transforming it into a beautiful garden. The First Baptist Church, Port Clinton’s first black church, was torn down last year on the site. It will be known as Beech Street Park. It has been a cooperative effort among several organizations including the Conestoga group, Port Clinton City Council and the Friends of Port Clinton Parks.

In a stunning act of community philanthropy, Mary Heineman, matriarch of the Heineman family in Port Clinton, turned over the keys to the old Heineman Distributing Company property on West Second Street in Port Clinton to the organization controlling the Portage Resale Center, represented by Bob and Linda Snyder. The actual event took place Tuesday morning at the Sutton Center, another endeavor of the Snyder Group of Companies.
Mary Heineman, widow of the late Harry Heineman, who along with his cousin Otto founded the distributorship in the mid 1930s, told the gathering that she and Harry had discussed what to do with the building. She stated that Harry told her that they ought to do something that will commemorate the accomplishments of the Heineman family and their contribution to the community. Now that the I’s have been dotted and the T’s crossed, she believes that Harry would be most happy with how the building will be used and how the Heineman name will be dedicated.

Magee Marsh Wildlife Area is offering a variety of nature programs throughout the summer. All programs are offered free of charge and while organizers would like who is coming, no advanced registration is needed.
• Night Hike — meets at the bird center at 9 p.m. Saturday, June 2
• Parents of preschoolers will want to mark the following Fridays on their calendars:  June 8 and 22, July 13 and 27 and Aug. 3 and 24. Special activities from “Growing Up Wild” will be held at the Bird Center from 10 to 10:45 a.m.  Each session will include going outside.
• Kids like to fish? Bring them out to the pond at the Bird Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 16, for a Kids Fishing Day. Bring a chair; poles and bait will be provided. The marsh will have some folks available to show you how it’s done. You may keep the fish you catch or return them to the pond. Also on June 16 will be the monthly Hike the Dikes walk. Meet at the Bird Center at 9 a.m. to explore the summer residents of the marsh. Attend three Hike the Dikes walks to earn a hickory walking stick.

At the regular meeting of the Danbury Township Trustees held May 23, the following business was conducted:
• Road Superintendent Brett Waldron reported he investigated options for mosquito control, met with Barnes Nursery to discuss management of the brush drop-off site, presented a recommended program for cemetery software, reported on recent repairs to the Keeper’s House, reported another sink hole occurred on Erie Beach, met with Kathy Jo Schweizer regarding record retention for the maintenance department, met with Dianne Rozak and the Elyria township trustees and their park superintendent for a tour of Meadowbrook and worked with LaFarge Quarry and Danbury high school students on a community clean-up project on the southern border of the quarry. Waldron advised the department has been busy mowing and trimming parks, roadsides and baseball fields in preparation for the holiday. He also extended a thank you to Deb Biro for her work in coordinating the plantings at the parks and the police building with the assistance of Danbury high school students.

Most of the fraternal organizations in the United States have fundraising efforts for their own “flagship” charities. The flagship charity of the Ohio Knights of Columbus has long been the support of citizens with developmental disabilities. On Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, the Oak Harbor K. of C. will conduct the annual “Measure Up Campaign” at Oak Harbor Community Market. This street collection raises funds to provide additional programs and services for people with developmental disabilities.  

The Port Clinton High School Commencement ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 2, at True Lay Stadium.
Due to the construction at Bataan Memorial Elementary, parking will be available at the following areas: grass area by the Board of Education Office; Port Clinton High School Main Parking Lot (Shuttles every 5 minutes to the stadium and back again after the ceremony); and street parking around True-Lay Stadium. Handicapped parking will be available at the stadium, however, guests must arrive prior to 10:15 a.m. After 10:15 a.m., no cars will be allowed inside the stadium gates.

Fresh veggies and flowers could be yours. This year, the Community Garden at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 541 Church Road, Marblehead, is taking a different direction. Instead of one big garden, the space is being divided into plots (approximately 20 feet x 15 feet) and inviting anyone from the congregation and community who would like to plant and tend their own garden to plant a plot.

The Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca Joint Solid Waste District will offer grants in the second round of the Competitive Funding Program in 2012. Eligible participants are required to attend a meeting prior to submitting an application. 
The grant program’s main priority is to set up recycling programs for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, townships, cities and villages in Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca counties. Once a recycling program has been established, an agency can apply for funds for products made from 25 percent recycled material. The District cannot fund any privately owned businesses.

The Port Clinton Board of Education honored retiring staff members at its May meeting. Pictured with Superintendent Pat Adkins (left) and Board of Education President David Belden (right) are the retirees who attended: Dan Timmons, Bob Polachek, Brenda Hetrick, Lupe Wuersig and Karol Smercina. Other retiring staff members include Carol Clemons, Gail Perl, Mary Evans, Brenda Stewart, Beverly Trent and Betty Krizan.

Learn to compost Thursday, May 31, at Riehm Farm Market in Tiffin. Pre-registration is required for the event, which is sponsored by Riehm Farm, Sandusky County Park District, Ottawa County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca Joint Solid Waste Management District. There are two available sessions because of limited space: 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Registered participants will be put into a drawing to win composting and gardening door prizes. In addition, participants will be provided with snacks and a tour of Riehm Farm’s compost area and green house. The farm market is located at 7224 N. Ohio 53, Tiffin.
Sign up by calling the Sandusky County Park District office at 419-334-4495 or toll free at 1-888-200-5577. Pre-registration deadline will be Wednesday, May 30, and the cost to participate is $5.
Information regarding the workshop can also be found on the OSS Solid Waste District’s website, www.recycleoss.org, or by searching Ottawa Sandusky Seneca Green Recycling Scene to view posts from the District’s Facebook page.