One of my very best and oldest friends, Dave Drusbacky, passed away Monday morning following a stroke. As sad as I am at his passing, I am filled with so many happy memories of good times with Dave and his family. He was a 1966 grad of Port Clinton High School, and he and I were in Chorale together and played on the golf team.

We had an opportunity to perform Handel’s Messiah in high school as part of a community choir, and we transformed the Hallelujah Chorus into the “Cassius Clay” version, and that was our personal greeting call for over 55 years.

His family — wife Jane and daughters Morgan and Jessica — meant the world to him. Both daughters were outstanding swimmers at Port Clinton. He had a great career at Biro Manufacturing. I will miss him very much. He is one of those people in my life I can never replace.

I was very heartened to observe the Memorial Day program at Port Clinton’s Veterans Park Monday morning. The crowd there was very large, and it was nice to see so many young people and children there to honor the fallen from all of the wars America has participated in. They especially need to know and understand the sacrifices of those in our military who gave the ultimate sacrifice, not for money, not for medals, but for our freedoms which so many take for granted.

Jacob Radabaugh of Findlay was selected from among 163 entries who found Wylie Walleye hiding in the ad for Rich’s on the Run on Page 8A in last week’s Beacon. So, Jacob 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!

Please remember that Wylie is patiently waiting for his wonderful community to send in questions for him to swim around and find answers to.

We at The Beacon enjoy printing memories in our wonderful largest printed newspaper in Ottawa County, yes we are the largest printed newspaper now. Please send any memory pictures to memories@thebeacon.net or mail to P.O. Box 176, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.

The $1.4 million renovation project at Port Clinton Yacht Club is just about done. The last major renovation there took place in 1956. They hope this will do it for another 60 years.

Samba Joia Percussion Ensemble, from the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, performs this Friday, June 3 at 5 p.m. at Riverfront Live on Madison Street in Port Clinton.

I was personally honored to serve as the “celebrity starter” and master of ceremonies for Sunday’s Linda Hartlaub Memorial 5K run to benefit Ottawa County Transitional Housing, Inc. and Ruth Ann’s House for battered women. I was honored also to be asked to serve on the OCTHI Board by their chairwoman Kassie Anderson. That organization has evolved into doing so much more for the community than just Ruth Ann’s House, providing services for the homeless and displaced in Ottawa County. And, yes, there are people here who find themselves in such a situation.

The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the Annual Village-Wide Garage Sale Days in The Village this Friday and Saturday, June 3-4. A complete list of sales will be available at the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce and the Oak Harbor Public Library, and also on www.oakharborohio.net. If you have any questions call the chamber office at 419-898-0479.

Speaking of Oak Harbor, with just over a month until the Oak Harbor Independence Day Celebration on July 3, the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce is making the final push to reach its fundraising goal to support the fireworks show this year.

As a result of a significant price increase in costs due to supply chain issues, the Chamber has reached out to the community for support to ensure that the event could continue.

Thanks to business and individual donations, the Fireworks Fund Reverse Raffle, and the first Oak Harbor Lions Club sandwich sale in May, the Chamber has reached approximately 75 percent of its goal.

The community still has an opportunity to support in the following ways:  The Oak Harbor Lions Club will host another Sandwich Sale this Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Harbor Hardware’s Mill St. parking lot. They will also be selling paper stars through the end of June at Community Markets and Friendship Sunoco. Simple monetary donations can be made directly to the Chamber of Commerce at their office in downtown.

The Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce will hold their 14th Annual Golf Outing this Monday, June 6 at the Catawba Island Club. The fee is $140 per player and includes: green fees, golf cart, box lunch and dinner. Please call Teri Cassell at the Chamber office at 419-702-7492 for more information.

There are just two team openings for the 33rd Annual Chick Schaffner Memorial Charity Golf Classic co-sponsored by Materion and Schaffner Publications, Inc. The event, named for longtime Materion Plant Manager, Henry “Chick” Schaffner, who also happens to be my father, will be held at the beautiful Catawba Island Club golf course on Monday, June 27. To register your team for the 4-person scramble, log onto the website, steinhospice.org and click on the link to the tournament.