From left, Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce President, Nicole Kochensparger; Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Coppeler; Rick Rudolph of Edward Jones; FAC Volunteer Coordinator Ashley Walterbusch; and FAC Executive Director Connie Roe celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new Free Shed. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

In a modest corner of Port Clinton, a dynamic team of two women are quietly working to feed the entire county. Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center (FAC) Executive Director, Connie Roe, and Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Walterbusch, served 200,000 meals to area children during FAC’s Summer Lunch Program. Now, they have created a new concept for feeding hungry residents: the Free Shed.

The Free Shed is a 24-hour, self-serve food pantry located on the FAC property at 570 S. McKinley Dr. in Port Clinton. During the Free Shed’s ribbon cutting hosted by the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 30, the shed was packed with everything from juice boxes and peanut butter to canned pasta and boxes of macaroni and cheese.

The Ottawa County Commissioners presented a proclamation in honor of the new Free Shed food pantry. Shown here are, from left, FAC Volunteer Coordinator Ashley Walterbusch, Ottawa County Commissioner Donald Douglas, FAC Executive Director Connie Roe and Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Stahl. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“This was Ashley’s brainchild,” Roe said.

Walterbusch has a heart for the hungry. It was she who pushed the Summer Lunch Program to the 200,000-meal benchmark, and it was she who envisioned transforming an outdoor shed into an easy-access food pantry.

“I wanted people to have access to food without the stigma of filling out paperwork,” Walterbusch said.

Leaving the shed open all day, every day was a difficult decision. The FAC staff hopes people will not take advantage of the shed when no one is around and will respect its design as a ready resource for those in need. In the end, Walterbusch decided to place her hope in the goodness of man and open the shed’s doors at all hours.

FAC Executive Director, Connie Roe, and FAC Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Walterbusch, stand inside the new Free Shed which offers 24-hour access to food. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“I hope this works,” she said. “I’m really excited to offer this to the community.”

The Free Shed was funded by the Ottawa County Community Foundation and will include a Narcan vending machine offered by the Ottawa County Health Department. Donations of non-perishable food and personal hygiene items are always welcome.

The Free Shed offers free food to anyone in need. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

With 200,000 meals and a shed full of free food in their open hands, Walterbusch and Roe have become nurturing mothers to an entire community, keeping nourishment and hope within reach for anyone in need.

“I’m amazed at the work they do,” said Ottawa County Commissioner Donald Douglas. “I’m always wondering what they will do next.”