BY SHERI TRUSTY

All Ottawa County widows are invited to a free Valentine’s Day event created just for them. The Port Clinton Area Valentine’s Day Widows Luncheon will be held in The Loft of Gideon Owen Wine Company on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the lunch and program begin at noon. The event is free, but registration is required. Registration can be made by emailing welcome@thechapel.family, stopping by The Chapel at 4650 E. Port Clinton Eastern Rd. in Port Clinton, or call 419-627-0208.

The Valentine’s Day Widows Luncheon will feature music, games, prizes, and lunch catered by Gideon Owen. The event will be hosted by Pastor Todd Nielsen of The Chapel.

The event was started in 2019 by EZ Sales Team/Keller Williams realtor Jamie Knight in 2019 after a pastor friend challenged him to create an event for widows.

“My friend said, ‘I know you’re going to say this is crazy, but I do this for all the widows at Camp Patmos. Would you be willing to take up the torch and build a Valentine’s Day event for widows in the Port Clinton area?’” Knight said.

Knight enlisted the help of former Chapel pastor, Ryan Morter, who helped him promote the lunch through area churches.

“Ryan was my front man, and I had only one stipulation. It couldn’t be about just one church,” Knight said. “Ryan reached out to all the denominations. I just wanted to make sure it got to all the women.”

This year’s donors include Walker Funeral Home, Bassett’s Market, The Orchard and Realty Star. Many individuals, churches and organizations, including volunteers from Light House Sober Living, all collaborating to make the day special for widows.

“It’s a whole community of people doing this,” Knight said. The Widow’s Luncheon that started as a challenge has become a passion for Knight.

“I love this event. It means more to me than all my realty work,” he said.

For Knight, the lunch is a way to recognize and thank the many women in the community who have given so much.

“Widows are the backbone of our community. They contribute to the family and that is extraordinarily important. The men in the community unintentionally forget about the women, but they are the ones who give men integrity and character,” Knight said. “This event is all about being grateful for that gift of life.”