ETC:

Behind-the scene  museum tours
        The Wood County Museum, located at 13660 County Home Rd., Bowling Green, will host guided, behind-the-scenes tours Thursday, May 6, starting at 6 p.m. Tours will take place every 30 minutes and last about an hour. They will be led by museum staff, Holly Kirkendall and Marissa Muniz, and museum volunteer Daniel Hergert.
        Guests will get to explore the museum outbuildings that are not typically open to the public, including the hog barn, log cabin, chicken coop and various other buildings.
        This will be a rain or shine event. Dress for the weather and for walking around outdoors on the museum grounds.
        Each tour group will be limited to 15 people to allow for social distancing. Due to state and county COVID-19 restrictions, masks are required inside the museum buildings at all times.
        Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Tours must be reserved in advance by calling 419-352-0967.
        The museum’s normal hours for self-guided tours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and weekends from 1-4 p.m. (closed on government holidays).
        Visit woodcountyhistory.org or follow the Wood County Museum on social media for more details.
 
African Safari extended weekends
        African Safari Wildlife Park will be offering their first Extended Weekends for the 2021 Season beginning May 8 and 9, and then Saturdays and Sundays May 15-16, and May 22-23.
        Extended Weekends offer visitors the opportunity to experience all that African Safari Wildlife Park has to offer, including EdZOOcational Animal Programs, the HogWILD Experience, Camel Rides, Aviary Adventure, and the Walk-Thru Safari including the exclusive animal feedings offered in the Zoo-It-All Pass: Kangaroo, Porcupine, Rabbit, and Tortoise Feeding .
        “We are looking forward to another great summer season this year," said Kelsey Keller, the park’s director. “We are excited to have our guests come back and experience all that we have to offer. Recent and returning guests will be able to see some of our new and exciting changes made throughout the Drive-Thru and Walk-Thru Safari - and there is even more to come this season.”
        Extended eeekend hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m., with the last car admitted at 5 p.m.
        Admission to the park includes unlimited trips through the Drive-Thru and Walk-Thru Safaris for one day. Rates change on the Extended Weekend dates, so refer to the park website at www.africansafariwildlifepark.com for more information and to purchase admission tickets.
        African Safari Wildlife Park, is located at 267 S. Lightner Rd. in Port Clinton. It is open daily, rain or shine, through Dec. 5.
 
Mother’s Day Bake Sale
        The Pemberville-Freedom Area Historical Society will host a Mother’s Day Bake Sale, the day before the annual celebration of Moms, on Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or until sold out in front of Riverbank Antiques, which is located at 140 E. Front St. in downtown Pemberville.
        Historical society members will offer a variety of homemade baked goods, including pies, cakes, cookies, pastries and more.
        Proceeds will benefit the Historical society.
       
Kids Days @ Hayes celebrates Mother’s Day
        Kids can enjoy a Victorian tea and paint a teapot planter in celebration of Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 8, during Kids Days @ Hayes at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont.
        The event will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. in the museum auditorium.
        Kids and the adults who bring them will have hot tea, cold lemonade and snacks. If kids attending have any food allergies, please let Joan Eardly, education coordinator, know in advance by contacting her at 419-332-2081 or jeardly@rbhayes.org.
        Each child can paint a ceramic teapot-shaped planter, and adults can assist them.
        Face coverings are required unless participants have an accepted exemption to the state of Ohio’s mask mandate.
The cost is $5 for kids and grandkids of Hayes Presidential members at the major level and higher and $7 for non-member kids. There is no cost for adults who bring kids to this program.
        Advance tickets are required and can be purchased at rbhayes.org. The deadline to purchase tickets is 3 p.m. Thursday, May 6. This event is geared toward kids in fourth through sixth grades, but kids of all ages are welcome.
        Kids Days @ Hayes takes place on various Saturdays throughout the year.
 
Village-wide garage sale
        The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the Annual Village wide Garage Sale Days in the village on June 4 and 5.
        A complete list of sales will be available at the Oak Harbor Chamber and the Oak Harbor Public Library, and also on www.oakharborohio.net starting Wednesday June 2.
        For residents who would like to place their sales on the list, there is a $3 minimum donation. Info must be received by Tuesday June 1.
        For more info, call the Chamber office at 419-898-0479.
        Carriage rides
        Treat Mom to a ride through downtown Pemberville in a beautifully adorned carriage on Mother’s day. Rides, which will last approximately 15-20 minutes, will depart from Beeker’s General Store, 226 E. Front St., from 1-4 p.m.
        The cost is $55 for four adults or two adults and two children. Prepayment is required.
        Call 419-287-3274 for more info or to book a ride.
 
Call for auditions
        The Young Rep will present auditions for the Elvis-inspired rock musical, “All Shook Up”  May 15 from 4-6:30 p.m. and May 16 from 5-8 p.m.
        Auditions are open to ages 14-19. The cast includes five males, five females (including two African American females) and a large ensemble.
        Those auditioning should prepare 16 bars of an Elvis Presley vocal selection. Schedule an audition by calling 419-243-9277.
        The production will be directed by Julie Zatko and Ryan Mahaffey and will be staged in August at the amphitheater at Ottawa Park (near Toledo Hospital).
 
“Arts Garage preview”
        The Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council invites Ottawa County residents to view their latest endeavor: TAG (The Arts Garage) on Saturday, May 1 from 11 a.m.-1 p m.
        TAG is located at 317 W. Perry St. in downtown Port Clinton. Residents may tour the nearly 9,000-square-foot building to see how it will be transformed into a cultural arts center for all to use in Ottawa County.
         Vignettes will detail what spaces can be dedicated to the different art forms TAG will accommodate, including dance, lectures, theatre arts, concerts, gallery space, classes and a gift shop to name a few.
        A video on display that will explain the project as well as large signs denoting the floor plan, building exterior, naming opportunities as well as how the children of Ottawa County can benefit from TAG.
        Find out more about TAG at www.ottawacountyarts.org.
 
Cars, Cops & Coffee
        A car show and get-together will be held May 16 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Lake Township Police Department, 27975 Cummings Rd. at SR 795.
        Co-sponsors for the event are Pete McDonald – State Farm Insurance and the Lake Township Police.
 
Flower market and plant exchange set
        Oregon Fest will present its annual community Flower Market & Plant Exchange, Saturday, May 15 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 2973 Dustin Rd., Oregon.
        As it has for more than three decades, this year’s event will feature the traditional “Give `n Take Plant Exchange,” which invites participants to bring extra plants they’ve divided from their spring yard work and trade for what others bring.
        The Flower Market will be also returning this year with local greenhouses, spring flowers, and other spring gardening needs.
        New to 2021 will be an Eco-Market & Recycling Drive-Thru, which will offer the opportunity to recycle paint, tires, electronics, and more. A market area will feature vendors who sell environmentally conscious or “green” wares, as well as educational booths including local environmental groups and other organizations which focus on preserving marsh lands, and keeping Lake Erie clean.
        Multiple food trucks will be in attendance offering coffee, breakfast burritos, and other brunch items.
        Follow the OregonFest website (oregonfest.info/), and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/oregonfest.info) for updates regarding future events and news. The website also features sponsor, vendor and volunteer information.
 
Student art exhibition
        The 53rd Annual Five-County Invitational Art Show was held on April 18, virtually. 
        Art teachers from Erie, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, and Wood counties virtually displayed artwork created by students. University of Toledo art professors judged the three-dimensional and two-dimensional student artwork.
        The public is invited to view this exhibit online at https://sites.google.com/bcssd.com/53rd-annual-5-county-art-show/home.
 
Doggone Good Fun
        The off-leash dog area at Middlegrounds Metropark, 111 Ottawa St., Toledo, is a popular destination for people and pups.
        The dog area is subject to occasional closings during wet conditions, especially this time of year, as part of a long-term plan to strengthen the turf.
        The current open/closed status is always pinned to the top of the Glass City and Middlegrounds Metroparks Facebook page at www.facebook.com/glasscityriverwalk.
 
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Walk-Run-Bike for Kids
        Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio (BBBSNWO) will host its first, all-virtual Walk-Run-Bike for Kids’ Sake fundraiser with the theme #activeforkidssake from May 15-22.
        Teams will get sponsors to donate per miles walked, run or biked any time over the eight-day event. Miles traveled will be logged by the team captain. Prizes and trophies will be awarded for various categories.
        All proceeds from the week of fundraising will go toward the cost of matching and monitoring a Big and a Little, which costs approximately $1,800 per match. Over the past year, as a result of pandemic-related hardships, including remote schooling and COVID-19 learning loss, BBBSNWO has seen a 65% increase in requests for Bigs and a 75% increase in requests for Bigs to help with tutoring.
        As the oldest, largest one-to-one youth mentoring organization of its kind, Big Brothers Big Sisters provides programming that has been proven to help children improve in school, avoid risky and delinquent behaviors, and achieve higher self-esteem and aspirations. In March 2020, BBBSNWO enhanced its capabilities to include all-virtual mentoring and other services in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
        “Our community and these kids need our support now more than ever,” said Dr. Marvin Whitfield, CEO, BBBSNWO. “The pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in the need for mentors, while we’ve actually seen a decrease in available volunteers,” he said.
        “We currently have 150 Littles in the enrollment process and more than 60 youths in Lucas and Wood counties waiting to be matched with a Big,” said Whitfield.  “We are constantly trying to identify ways to meet the long-term needs of youths impacted by COVID-19 and getting our community involved in this fundraiser will be a great start.”
        Each team campaign will receive a packet containing information on how to register and fundraise. BBBSNWO personnel will support each team throughout the fundraising and event process.
        During the event, all teams will be asked to post their pictures and comments with hashtag: #activeforkidssake. This will enable participants to follow each other on social media. Total miles from walking, running and biking over the course of the event will be tallied and featured on the Mileage Meter on the website.
        Learn more and register online at www.bbbsnwo.org/getactive/. To donate or become a sponsor contact Liz Watson lwatson@bbbsnwo.org or 419-243-4600.
 
Earth Day planting
        Staff at African Safari Wildlife Park celebrated Earth Day a few days early by planting more than 100 trees and shrubs around the Park, most of which are native Ohio species.
        “These plants enhance the natural beauty of our grounds and provide shade to animals and guests alike, but there are many more benefits than what meets the eye,” said Park Director, Kelsey Keller. “They convert carbon dioxide to oxygen; provide nectar for bees, butterflies and other native pollinators; and offer shelter to wild mammals and birds.”
        The plants were purchased from the Ottawa Soil & Water Conservation District in Oak Harbor. Species were distributed throughout the park's Walk-Thru Safari and Drive-Thru Safari and included sycamore, red maple, Norway spruce, willow, black walnut, and crabapple trees, as well as a variety of flowering shrubs.
        Earth Day plantings are becoming something of an annual tradition for the park. Staff planted 30 trees in April 2020 and 20 trees the prior spring in celebration of Earth Day.
        The Midwest's only Drive-Thru Safari, African Safari Wildlife Park, is located at 267 S. Lightner Rd. in Port Clinton. The park is open daily, rain or shine, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with the last car admitted at 4 p.m. until the summer season begins May 28.
        Visit www.AfricanSafariWildlifePark.com for more details.