BY JOHN SCHAFFNER

This Sunday, Aug. 15 at noon, the membership of Port Clinton Yacht Club will vote on a $1.6 million renovation project for their clubhouse, which was built in 1961. The project entails a new roof, heating and air conditioning improvements, expansion of the riverfront deck, new windows, electrical improvements and interior remodeling. If passed, the project will begin in October and scheduled completion by Memorial Day of 2022.

State and local officials broke ground on Monday for a new Peloton factory that will be its first large manufacturing plant in the United States. The plant in eastern Wood County is just a stone’s throw from Genoa and Elmore in western Ottawa County, and 25 minutes from Oak Harbor, which should share in the more than 2,000 good-paying jobs that will be coming to the area in the next two years.

Although Monday was the groundbreaking ceremony, dirt is already being moved for the million-square-foot factory scheduled to open in 2023 that will make Peloton bikes and treadmills. Products produced at the facility will be shipped worldwide with a goal of investing $400 million over the next three years and having a $138 million in annual payroll.

The local Knights of Columbus Perch, Peach, Pierogi and Polka Festival is back for this coming Labor Day Weekend. It starts Friday from 5-9 p.m. and continues Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 9 p.m. at Denny Bergeman Hall on E. Perry St. in downtown Port Clinton. There will be fantastic food and drink available including perch dinners and sandwiches, pierogies, Polish sausage, French fries, peach pie with ice cream and cold drinks.

Gary Matthews of Port Clinton was selected from among 157 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Genoa Bank on Page 3A in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations to Gary, 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 Humane Society of Ottawa County is holding their last dog wash of the season this Saturday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to Noon at Bayside Comfort, 280 S. Bridge Rd. (SR 269), Lakeside- Marblehead. This is located adjacent to the Bark Until Dark dog park, and just south of E. Harbor Rd. Cost is $10 per dog or $15 for 2 dogs. All proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Ottawa County.

Playmakers Civic Theatre , 604 W. 6th St., Port Clinton has a wild and wacky comedy production of “How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse RELOADED on stage tonight (Thursday) through Saturday, Aug. 12-14 at 8 p.m. Directed by veteran Douglas Braun, the play will teach the finer points of zombie invasion survival! For $10 tickets, call 419-734-5044 or check availability at Lily & Gert’s in Port Clinton. Donor tickets are $25 and include a private party.

The Playmakers crew is already laying the groundwork for its next production, hosting auditions for its Christmastime production, “Nuncrackers.” Auditions will be Sept. 12 at 2 p.m. and Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Playmakers Civic Theatre.

This Saturday morning is also the 50th Anniversary of the Port Clinton Yacht Club Commodore’s Cup sail race. The event was established by then Commodore Henry W. “Chick” Schaffner and was won by INDECISION, a boat owned by the partnership of Chuck Schaffner, Steve Willford and yours truly. Chuck and Steve will be joining me onboard my current boat SCOOP this Saturday as we attempt to “bring the band back together”!

Join Riders Unlimited for their Annual Golf Outing on Sunday, Aug. 22, at Oak Harbor Golf Club. The event begins at 1 p.m. and is 18 holes with a cart for $60 per player. There will putting contests, silent auctions and more. For more information or to sign up, contact Chuck at 419-602-3667. Riders Unlimited is a 501 (c)3 non-profit equestrian organization that provides equine assisted activities and therapy to individuals with disabilities, including Veterans and First Responders.

The winner of the Bash on the Bay Raffle is Denise Derbyshire. Denise won two tickets to the Bash on the Bay on Aug. 25 and 26, featuring Blake Shelton and Keith Urban. Also included in the package is round trip tickets on the Jet Express, two nights at the Island House Hotel and food vouchers at the Clinton House.

The raffle resulted in almost $1,400 being donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Thanks to everyone who participated in the raffle.

Port Clinton High School will be offering All-Sports Passes for the 2021-22 school year. The cost of the Pass is $75 for adults and $25 for students. The pass is good for all home high school and middle school athletic events for the school year. The passes are on sale Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Main Office at the High School.

The Ottawa County Improvement Corp. has announced that Experience Ottawa County (EOC) will be held on Thursday, Aug, 19 this year. While they were unable to hold the annual event last year, they were determined to make it happen in 2021. The purpose of EOC is to bring local business leaders, county and community leaders, elected officials, and prospective clients together to demonstrate that Ottawa County is a great place to expand existing business and relocate new business.

The Oak Harbor Rotary Club is hosting a “Back to School” Chicken Barbecue on Sunday, Aug. 22 at the Rotary Shelter House in Veterans’ Memorial Park starting at 11 a.m. They will serve delicious Chicken Dinners until they are all sold out. Tickets can be purchased from the Oak Harbor Veterinary Clinic.

Hanging out at the hospital is seldom a lot of fun, but Magruder Hospital and President & CEO Nick Marsico want to have a good time on Thursday, Aug. 12, celebrating the hospital’s 81st anniversary as well as hosting a Wellness Event. The anniversary bash is from 3-6 p.m., with games and refreshments for the family.

Oak Harbor American Legion Post 114 will again hold their perch fish fries on Fridays of the Oak Harbor Rockets home football games from 4-7 p.m., or sold out, either eat in (following CO-VID regulations) or carry-out.  The first fish fry will be Friday, Aug. 13 (Scrimmage – Bowling Green).  Future dates will be Aug. 27 (Genoa): Sept. 17 (Homecoming – Woodward); Sept. 24 (Vermillion); Oct. 8 (Edison); and Oct. 15 (Willard).