The Biggest Week in American Birding and its host, the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), kicks off this week May 6-15. Executive Director Kimberly Kaufman will have a gala at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge this Saturday, May 7 from 6-9 p.m. to mark the 30th anniversary of the BSBO with her presentation, “Reflections of the past. Visions for the Future,” and the BSBO fundraising drive for a new Education Center. The featured keynote speaker is internationally famous birding author Kenn Kaufman.

Our area is so blessed to be served by the dedicated volunteers who call themselves “Fire Fighters”. They do an amazing job of keeping us safe…24/7. From Marblehead to Genoa, they have formed tremendous and cohesive groups within each department. Many of our local volunteer fire departments are looking for new blood. If you have an interest in the notion of saving lives, I suggest you contact the fire department in your area and ask about joining their ranks.

Every business I know of locally is seeking help, particularly in the food service industry. I have heard from several local experts that the season that has already begun will be one of the biggest ever which will make the jobs in this area potentially very lucrative. All you need to be is pleasant and polite.

I was sorry to learn of the passing or Eric Reynold who has been battling Cancer for a while now. He fought well, but his Cancer finally won. Eric was the head caretaker at Port Clinton Yacht Club during the years I served on the Board of Trustees and the Flag. I liked him.

Linda Nichols was selected from among 163 entries who found Wylie Walleye hiding in the ad for John Braun Park on page 3A in last week’s Beacon. Linda wins our weekly $25 gas card graciously donated by Friendship Stores. Each week we hide Wylie in an ad for our readers to find. When one does, they 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!

Monday evening will be a special event at the Arts Garage on West Perry Street in Port Clinton. Michael Shirtz will be performing starting at 6 p.m. Hopefully, He’ll bring his wife Pam, a 2001 PCHS graduate and a great talent in her own right.

The Catawba Island Garden Club will be holding their Annual Plant Sale this Saturday, May 7. It will be held at the John Braun Park Shelter off NE Catawba Rd. (SR 53) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will feature Native Plants, Annuals and Perennials, vegetable and herb plants AND, most importantly, great gifts for Mother’s Day.

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding its May Business-after-hours tonight (Thursday) from 5-7 at First Federal Savings of Lorain located on East Perry Street. It’s Cinco de Mayo and the refreshments are coming from Casa Las Palmas.

We’ve decided to try something new in The Beacon…ASK WYLIE. Yes, our favorite fish has answers for you…any questions you can think of. Just email askwylie@thebeacon.net. Wylie the Walleye is patiently swimming around Lake Erie awaiting a question to be submitted.

Also, we are still looking for pictures for our new section Memory Lane, we really are excited to see what is sent to us to put in the paper for our wonderful to reminisce over when they read The Beacon. Please contact our new sales account representative Corrie Shiplett to sponsor these pictures and send them to memories@thebeacon.net

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be making another visit to the Holiday Inn Express off SR 53 just north of the causeway and SR 163. You can save a life there on Friday, May 13 from 12 Noon to 6 p.m.

Harkening back to days gone by, The Port Clinton High School tennis team dominated the recent Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division Tournament. Owen Auxter defeated Oak Harbor’s Kyle Glaser in the Semi-finals at #1 singles and went on to win the championship. Collin Denno won the title at #2 singles while Oak Harbor’s Danny Tack took 3rd. Blake Denno won the title at #3 singles. The team of Patrick Huskey and Grant Arnold finished runner-up at #1 doubles as did the #2 doubles team of Eddie Fick and Sam Roberts. Congratulations to all our local winners.

The Port Clinton Lions Club will host a drive-thru Chicken Barbecue on Sunday, May 15 at Lakeview Park. Cost is $12. Pickup times will be between 11 a.m. at 1:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets will be available and can be purchased by calling 630-341-8230 or 419-341-1325.

Congratulations to Chelsea Bennice who will be inducted into the Port Clinton High School Hall of Fame. She was at PCHS meeting with students interested in Science and Marine Biology yesterday (Wednesday).

The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the Annual Village-wide Garage Sale Days on June 3 &4. A complete list of sales will be available at the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce and the Oak Harbor Public Library. It will also be available online at www.oakharborohio.net. If you want to place your sale on the list, there is a $3 minimum donation and your information must be in by Tuesday, May 31. For more information, call the Chamber office at 419-898-0479.

The Memorial Day weekend is a busy time in Port Clinton — but it’s also a time for clubs and organizations help support the holiday weekend by becoming a Friend of the Walleye Festival at Waterworks Park, which is held on May 26-30. Names of the supporting organizations will be announced throughout the festival, as well as on a banner at the entrance to the festival. Call the Port Clinton Chamber of Commerce at 419-734-5503.

Everyone loves fireworks, and Oak Harbor has long been known for its lavish display on the night before the Fourth of July, always a great beginning to the area pyrotechnic shows that follow the next evening. To be able to afford this year’s fireworks, which have soared in cost, the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce is holding the Oak Harbor Fireworks Fund Reverse Raffle on Saturday, May 14 at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds Hall. The Oak Harbor Chamber has $50 tickets, which includes dinner and more than $5,000 in raffle prizes. Additional meal tickets are $10. Call 419-898-0479 for information.

Again, with the season just two weeks away let’s continue to support each other as we are all still getting our bearings together from the last two years. We at the Beacon will be helping at Bistro 163 on May 7th from 10:30 – 1:00, stop in to see and meet us all while we volunteer for a great community restaurant that does so much for the community.

Small businesses remember, The Beacon, reaches more than any other paper along the Northwestern part of Lake Erie, call us to get your businesses in our wonderful community paper that reaches 1.4 million plus readers a year.