BY JOHN SCHAFFNER

This past Friday, I lost one of my best friends. Denny Bergeman lost a battle with a number of health issues that piled up on him.

It is appropriate to use a football analogy to honor Denny, a long-time friend. He was an all-conference football player at Port Clinton, combining with Bob Nichols for one of the greatest linebacker tandems of all time.

Denny played football for Kemper Military Academy and then Culver Stockton College in Missouri. He was an assistant coach for the legendary Bob Smith at Fremont St. Joe and went on to serve as defensive coordinator for Norwalk’s State Championship team.

Denny and I were close friends since high school. I am having a hard time imagining the world without him.

What has become a fabulous local tradition, the Burning Snowman Festival takes place this Saturday in front of Dock’s Beach House on W. Lakeshore Drive. Festivities begin Saturday around noon, and they will light up the Snowman at 7:30 p.m. to prompt an end of Winter and the coming of an early Spring.

Congratulations to Alice Chandler, who was selected from 176 entries who found Wylie Walleye, our friendly fish, hiding in the ad for Arter Home Furnishings on Page 8 in last week’s Beacon. Alice wins our weekly prize of a $25 gas gift card provided us by the Friendship Stores throughout the area. We will continue to hide Wylie each week in an ad. To enter the contest, look for the link on our website, www.thebeacon.net.

It’s Lent. That means the Port Clinton Knights of Columbus will be holding its traditional Friday Fish Fries starting this week at the Denny Bergeman K of C Hall on E. Perry St., Port Clinton. They will serve from 4-6:30 p.m. every Friday. Dinners are $14 or drive-through for $12.

The St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry has re-opened in Port Clinton in the Port Clinton Plaza Annex behind Rite-Aid, Visions, Slater’s, Lily and Gerts and Bassett’s in Port Clinton. They will be open today (Thursday, Feb. 23) from 4-6 p.m.

The Port Clinton School District Kindergarten registration is underway for the 2023-24 school year. Registration will be taking place until March 9 for the March 16 Kindergarten Kick-off event.

Port Clinton Schools are looking for any child who will be 5 years old by Aug. 1 so they can be registered. The event will be held on Thursday, March 16 in the evening and is required for any child attending kindergarten next year. Students and parents will see first hand the classrooms, numerous arts and educational programs, Makers Space area, meet the staff and learn everything about kindergarten including small class sizes.  Open enrollment is available to families residing outside of the Port Clinton School District limits.

Call the Port Clinton Board of Education Office to register or to inquire about Open Enrollment at 419-732-2102 (press 0).

Shores & Islands Ohio, the destination marketing organization for Erie and Ottawa counties, has announced the launch of its eighth webcam, featuring Lake Erie views online.

The all-new Marblehead Lighthouse cam is now live, with views of the lighthouse and pointing northeast towards Lake Erie, perfect for capturing the sunrise.

The webcam page, viewable at SHORESandISLANDS.com, is the most popular page on the site, visited over 640,000 times in 2022. The webcams account for more than 20% of website traffic and visitors to the page spend upwards of five minutes taking in the views at each visit.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be making a couple of visits soon to Port Clinton. It will be at Immaculate Conception’s school gym on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at Magruder Hospital on Friday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Give blood and save a life.

On Wednesday, March 8, the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a special Job Fair at Port Clinton High School. They are inviting local high schools and the general public to participate in this hiring event for Chamber members. Registration forms can be found at admin@portclintonchamber.com to reserve your spot.

Ottawa Soil and Water is once again holding its annual tree & shrub sale. They are now taking orders for a wide variety of plants for spring delivery. You can order and pay online or download a tree order form by visiting www.ottawaswcd.com.

You can also call 419-898-1595 to have a form mailed to you. Deadline for ordering is March 31. Supplies are limited so they urge you to order soon.

Nominations for the 2023 Oak Harbor Athletic Hall of Fame are due by April 30. The nomination form is located at  www.bcssd.com/athletics.