I can’t believe the high school football season is already starting this Friday! It’s early and it kind of caught me by surprise. Anyway, best of luck to all of our area teams.

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently just sitting outside on my back porch watching the vehicles go by on Northwest Catawba Road. I became interested in the types of vehicles that were most prevalent, so I started counting and separating them. It has been interesting that nearly half of the vehicles are pickup trucks and nearly a third are SUVs.

The folds supporting the rebuild of the Ford Tri-Motor behind the Tin Goose Diner and Museum are holding a Reverse Raffle and Buffet Dinner at Gideon Owen on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 6-10 p.m. The grand prize will be $5,000 plus an additional $3,000 in cash and prizes. For tickets, log onto TinGoose1247.org or call 419-566-0951. Tickets are $150 per person and only 150 tickets will be sold.

More than 200 Ottawa County Community Foundation (OCCF) friends and supporters attended or donated to OCCF’s first Doing Good Gala, a live auction fundraiser held at Catawba Island Club last month. More than $48,000 was raised during the sold out “Battle of the Paddles.” The proceeds will help continue OCCF’s countywide efforts to aid nonprofit organizations and local students through annual community grants and scholarships.

The Oak Harbor High School Marching Band would like to cordially invite all Oak Harbor Band Alumni to join us for this year’s Alumni Band. The date of the performance is Friday, Sept. 8, at the Oak Harbor vs. Maumee football game.

The Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce is hosting something neat for this fall. They are asking local businesses, groups and organizations to create “Scarecrows” to set up in the downtown area. Call the Chamber for more information. There will be prizes for the top three scarecrows.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be held this Tuesday, Aug. 22 from noon to 5 at the Port Clinton Elks Lodge. There is a tremendous need for blood these days and donations would be very much appreciated.