BY JOHN SCHAFFNER

I hope you all noticed that The Beacon is a day early this week. We do this every year to come out in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday so that when things slow down for you on Turkey Day, when your belly is full of turkey and dressing, you can relax and read. We want to wish you and yours a wonderful day and holiday season. When we give thanks here, it is to you, our readers. Thank You!

The BIG STORY in Ottawa County continues to be the Oak Harbor Rockets football team at 13-0, making a historic run at a State Championship! They defeated defending State Champion Orrville last Saturday night for the Regional Championship. They play Kirtland, who is also 13-0, to qualify for the State Finals. Go Rockets!

Teri Tooman of Oak Harbor is our winner this week in our “Find Wylie” contest. Teri was chosen from 69 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Bassett’s Market on Page 3A in last week’s Beacon. So, Teri wins our weekly $25 gas card graciously donated by Friendship Stores. Each week we generally 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 the contest.

Speaking of football games, there is this issue of a football game being played up north in a town called Ann Arbor on Saturday. The Ohio State Buckeyes clinched the Big 10 East championship with their win over Penn State on Saturday, so that team up north is little more than a tasty dessert!

Bob Monti received a special honor from Chaplain Chris Roper for his service in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean War.

There was a very special event at Otterbein in Marblehead on Veterans Day. They held a brunch and honored all of the veterans who live there. Among them was Bob Monti, who received a special honor from Chaplain Chris Roper from Interim Hospice of Toledo. Bob was honored for his service in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean War.

We had Coffee with the Editor last Wednesday at Evolve Riverfront Café in Oak Harbor. We learned that nearly 1,000 petitions have been signed to send to Columbus to gain support for funding of the waterfront improvements planned by the Oak Harbor Development Group. You can help by contacting Mike Shadoan at mshadoan@radiantwindows.com.

If you have occasion to interact with any of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputies and you note that they look a little “scruffy,” fear not. It is not a breakdown in discipline. It’s part of their “No-Shave November,” which will morph into “No Shave Winter.” Each participating deputy will donate $30 per month which will be donated to a local children’s charity.

The 16th Annual “Tree-A-Rama” Charity Auction will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8 at Mon Ami. The silent auction starts at 2 and the grand live auction at 4 p.m.

They are looking for donations of decorated Christmas Trees (tabletop to full size), wreaths, centerpieces or any other appropriate auction item. This event is the second-largest fundraiser for the local Salvation Army, behind The Red Kettle campaign. To donate, contact the Salvation Army at 419-732-2769.

The North Coast Concert Band will present their annual Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. in the Port Clinton High School Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature a wide variety of Christmas music, from traditional to jazz to contemporary. Some of the music that will be featured includes arrangements from the movie Polar Express; a jazz arrangement of Go Tell It On the Mountain; a medley of Irving Berlin’s Christmas music; and Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival.

The 2019 Beacon Mitten Tree is up. For over 30 years, The Beacon has had a Christmas Tree decorated with gloves, scarves, caps and, of course, mittens that we pass along to the Salvation Army for distribution to needy families to help keep heads, hands and hearts warm this winter. You can bring your donation to The Beacon office at 205 SE Catawba Rd., next to the Goodwill store. Thank you.

Linda Green will offer Beginner Yoga in the Magruder Conference Center on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. There will be drop-in classes Dec. 3, 10 and 17 for $10 a class.  There will also be a six-week session Jan. 7 through Feb. 11 for $50 total. These classes will be an introduction to yoga postures, stretching, proper breathing, proper relaxation, positive thinking and meditation. Students should bring a floor mat and wear layered comfortable clothes.  For more information call 419-350-8951 or email linda@omnigreen.com.

The annual “Kids for Christmas” Charity event will be held this Saturday, Nov. 30 at Mr. Ed’s Bar & Grille on West Lakeshore Drive. For over 10 years, they have been providing children and families in Ottawa County with gifts, clothes and a warm meal for Christmas. Last year, they raised over $40,000 and helped over 50 families locally.

Donations can be made to: Kids for Christmas, 255 W. Lakeshore Dr., Port Clinton, Ohio 43452, Attention: Chassey Turner. All donations are tax deductible.