Joe Von Thron passed away recently in Florida. He was a graduate of Port Clinton High School and became a family physician near Cape Canaveral before there ever was a Cape Canaveral. Since he was one of the very few family docs there, NASA asked him to take care of the families of the original seven Mercury astronauts.

When his mother Verdi passed away in Port Clinton, he had a conversation with Dr. Mark Hablitzel about helping with creating tennis courts at Port Clinton High School. He told Mark that when he sold his mother’s home, half the proceeds would go to the tennis courts, which now bear the family name.

Congratulations to members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church at the corner of Second and Jefferson Streets near downtown Port Clinton. They are celebrating 125 years of service to the community. That means that they began late in the 19th century!

Rick Orovitz of Oregon and Port Clinton was selected from among 124 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Kenny’s Remodeling on Page 7B in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations to Rick, the winner of our weekly $25 gas card graciously donated by Friendship Stores.

Each week we hide Wylie Walleye in an ad and our readers, when one of them finds him, can either bring in a contest entry cut out of the paper or log onto our website … www.thebeacon.net … and let us know where he is, thus entering, and possibly winning our weekly contest.

The folks at Joyful Connections have postponed their annual Fall Fundraiser “Family Frenzy” until next March 19. Once again, health concerns are the reason for the postponement.

Congratulations to Port Clinton’s Reagan Ruthsatz (3rd singles), Paige Reineck and Alyssa Mares (1st doubles), as well as Emma Hand and Jessa Bolander of Oak Harbor for earning 1st team All-Sandusky Bay Conference at last weekend’s tournament held at the Von Thron Tennis Courts. Arielle Montowski (1st singles), along with Lilly Howell and Alexa Taylor (2nd doubles) of Port Clinton received 2nd team All SBC honors.

The season is winding down at Put-in-Bay, but it certainly isn’t over just yet. Featured in October will be Oktoberfest on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9-10, and Halloween at the Bay on Saturday, Oct. 23. The annual Oktoberfest will be celebrated with German food, hot-spiced wine and cold beer. The good times will roll on Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. For crazy costumes, Halloween at the Bay will welcome witches, ghosts, goblins and much stranger characters all around the South Bass Island pubs and restaurants. For more information, go online to visitputinbay.com.

Holy Assumption Orthodox Church will add yet another welcoming touch to the Marblehead Lighthouse Festival on Saturday, Oct. 9, taking orders for Saturday delivery of perogi, kielbasa, halupki and other tasty goodies at the final Holy Assumption Market Day. You’ll have pre-order and pick up the delectables by 11:30 a.m. Email advance orders by Friday to: info@holyassumptionmarblehead.org or by leaving a message at 419-798-4591.

The Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District meeting recently began with special recognition of third grade student Braxtyn Hansen, son of Ashley and Brock Hansen. The youngster showed a lot of “Rocket Pride” and kindness by holding a fundraiser at “Little Bub’s Homestead,” where he sold mums as well as his own homegrown pumpkins.

The fundraiser was for his former second grade teacher, Kathy Spangler, who is battling cancer. Braxtyn, who also held a raffle for Spangler, wanted to thank her for the impact she made on him during the last school year.

Superintendent Guy Parmigian expressed deep pride in Braxtyn, and said his “kindness and compassion were a true model for the entire school district.”

Decorate your auto or truck with your favorite kid-friendly Halloween theme or character and join Port Clinton’s downtown businesses for Main Street Port Clinton’s annual Trick or Treat on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 1-4 p.m. More than 350 boys and girls turned out in 2019 and city officials are hoping for even more children and their families this year after the 2020 event had to be cancelled. For more information about Trunk or Treat or to reserve a space call the Main Street office at 419-734-5503. Plan on arriving by noon to start decorating.