ETC: Wood Co. Historical Museum opens Feb. 1 with new exhibit

By: 
Tammy Walro

        The Wood County Historical Museum opens the 2020 museum season Saturday, Feb. 1 with a new exhibit, “Utopia: A Visual Storytelling of Our Home.”
        The 2020 bicentennial celebration of Wood County naturally encourages people to look back upon our community’s accomplishments. Excited about our county's future, photographer Taylor Houpt Ayres traveled across Wood County on a quest to create a visual storytelling of our home, highlighting beautiful landscapes, vibrant cityscapes, and a multitude of back road barns and farm fields.
        A grand opening celebration and open house for the exhibit will take place on Friday, Feb. 21 with a ribbon- cutting at 4 p.m., followed by a public reception and self-guided tours until 7 p.m. Ayres will share remarks at 5 p.m. about her journey around Wood County.
        The exhibit is supported by American Frame.
        The museum will be open for self-guided tours Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and weekends from 1-4 p.m. (closed on government holidays).
        Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children, with discounts for seniors, students and military. Historical Society members receive free admission as well as a gift shop discount.
        The museum offers free admission to all visitors on the first Friday of each month, courtesy of the Bowling Green Convention & Visitors Bureau. The museum is accessible to those with disabilities, and group tours are welcome.
        All events detailed at woodcountyhistory.org or by following the Wood County Historical Museum on social media. The museum is located at 13660 County Home Rd., Bowling Green.
 
Heart-A-Gram deliveries
        Perrysburg Commons and Heartland of Perrysburg are offering a complimentary box of Valentine’s Day cookies with delivery for special senior citizens in the area.
        Cookies will be delivered with a special message on Feb. 12 and 13 to seniors living in the Perrysburg ZIP code (43551).
        To order, call Perrysburg Commons at 419-874-1931 and provide the recipient’s complete name, Perrysburg address, phone number, and Valentine’s greeting to be delivered with the cookies.
 
Exhibit closing Feb. 9
        “Anila Quayyum Agha: Between Light and Shadow,” which has transformed three Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) galleries into stunning illuminated spaces, will close Sunday, Feb. 9.
        A Pakistani-American artist, Agha created three awe-inspiring spaces from intricate patterns of light and shadow at the Museum that evoke the sacred, while also raising questions of exclusion and belonging.
        As an interdisciplinary artist, she creates artwork that explores global politics, cultural multiplicity, mass media, and social and gender roles in the current cultural and global climate, explained Diane C. Wright, TMA’s senior curator of glass and decorative arts and interim director of curatorial affairs.
        “Between Light and Shadow offers an immersive, sensory experience,” Wright said. “As visitors progress through the exhibition, their movements will modify the projected light and patterned shadows, creating a unique interaction with each visit.”
        The exhibition is free for members and $12 for non-members with discounts for seniors, military and students. For more information about the exhibition or to purchase tickets, visit toledomuseum.org.
 
Toledo Rep auditions
        The Toledo Repertoire Theatre is holding open auditions for “Toledo Voices” Saturday, Feb. 8 from 1-4 p.m. Readings will be performed on March 14, April 18, and May 9.
        “Toledo Voices” showcases unproduced works by local playwrights. These performances are readings, and auditioners may be asked to read one or more of the selected plays.
        A wide range of ages, from teen to mature actors are being sought.
        “In the Heights”
        The theatre is also looking to assemble a diverse cast, including Hispanic and African American actors, for the production, which is directed by Debra Ross Calabrese and features music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Performance dates are May 29 and 30 and June 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
        Auditions will be held Monday, Feb. 17 and Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Toledo Repertoire Theatre, 16 10th St., Toledo. Auditioners should prepare 16 bars of an audition song and come with sheet music for accompaniment. Please dress to move for a dance audition with choreography that will be taught during the audition.
        “In The Heights” tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.
        Contact the Rep office at 419-243-9277 for more info.
 
Toledo Zoo begins Garden Tour Series
        The Toledo Zoo’s Garden Tour Series brings people and plants together by taking guests through the Zoo’s beautiful gardens and grounds to help them better understand how the plants grow, bloom and change throughout the seasons.
        The first tour of the 2020 series, entitled “Come Grow with Us – A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Greenhouse and Ziems Conservatory,” will be offered Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m.
        Join the Zoo’s horticulture staff for a behind-the-scenes tour of the greenhouse facility, home to a unique variety of plants suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
        Guests will also get a sneak peek at what the Zoo has planned for summer annual displays and take home some tips on how to start and grow healthy annuals, vegetables and indoor foliage plants.
        Whether you are a seasoned green thumb or gardening greenhorn, there will be something to learn and apply to at-home gardening projects.
        The cost is $10 per tour for Zoo members and $15 for non-members. Space is limited and reservations are required.
        Visit toledozoo.org/gardens for more information and to make reservations.
 
Kielbasa Cook-off contestants sought
        The Polish-American Community of Toledo (PACT) is looking for contestants for the 2020 Kielbasa Cook-Off, which will be held Sunday, Feb. 23 from 1-6 p.m. at the St. Clement’s Community Center, 2990 Tremainsville Rd., Toledo.
        The Kielbasa Cook-Off features homemade kielbasa from old family recipes. The event, open to the public, allows people to sample the special kielbasa recipes and vote for their favorite. Amateur kielbasa makers from all over the area compete for the title of Kielbasa “King” or “Queen.”
        Contestants can also receive cash awards and/or trophies for their efforts. The competition is open to anyone that makes his or her own kielbasa. Commercial entries will not be part of the cook-off.
        The event will also include beer, sweet and sour cabbage, coffee cake and other Polish delicacies to go along with the kielbasa. Admission is $5 per person and $3 for PACT members. Money raised by the Kielbasa Cook-Off will go to fund PACT’s Capital Campaign to help fund the development of a Polish Cultural Center in the Toledo area.
        Amateur kielbasa makers who are interested in participating can contact Pruss at 419-320-2396 or email PACT at info@polishcommunity.org no later than Feb. 3.
 
Happy Hearts Day at Toledo Zoo
        Bring your sweetheart Happy Hearts Day (formerly Vanimal-tine’s Day) at the Toledo Zoo Saturday, Feb. 15 and help share the love as many of your favorite Zoo animals receive species-appropriate, Valentine’s Day-themed treats.
        The day’s activities, which will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., will focus on promoting heart health among the animals while providing them with heart-shaped enrichment treats.
        The goal of the Zoo’s enrichment program is to encourage natural behaviors and provide choices to the animal through different types of stimulation. “For example, to our African elephants, snow is a novelty and a wonderful natural form of enrichment. When we get an accumulation, the elephant keepers make large heart-shaped piles of snow that the elephants trudge through and toss around with their trunks. While it may seem like play to our delighted visitors, it is a form of enrichment that provides our elephants exercise, and a chance to display natural behaviors and social interactions,” said Beth Posta, curator of behavioral husbandry.
        The Zoo is also home to more cold-weather tolerant animals than ever before, including red pandas, Amur tigers, snow leopards, polar bears, Bactrian camels, gray wolves, yaks and cinereous vultures.
        The event is free with Zoo admission. For the full schedule of events, visit toledozoo.org/happyhearts.
 
Community Clay Night
        Oak Harbor High School Art Club is sponsoring Community Clay Night Thursday, Feb. 20 from 5-6 p.m. in the high school art room (room 609).
        The cost will be $15 per person. Any age is welcome at the family-friendly event. Participants will have the opportunity to glaze and paint ceramic pieces created by high school art students with handprints, designs or a solid color. Glazed ceramic pieces will be available to pick up after school on March 6.
        For more info or to RSVP, email egilbert@bcssd.com. Spaces are limited.
 
Call for chili teams
        Mobile Meals of Toledo, Inc. is putting out a call for chili teams to compete in the 28th Annual Great Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, March 21 from noon-4 p.m. at Stranahan Great Hall, 4645 Heatherdowns Boulevard.
        The event will feature four levels of competition: Media (noon-3 p.m.) and Restaurant, Amateur and Corporate (noon-4 p.m.).
        Awards will be announced beginning at 3 p.m. Area chefs and food specialists will serve as judges. Those attending will select the People’s Choice winner.
        Team forms, along with online payment options, are available at https://mobilemeals.org/chili./ Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
        The deadline for team entries is Wednesday, Feb. 26.
        The event is open to the public and will feature entertainment from Glass City Sounds DJ, concessions and more.
        All proceeds benefit Mobile Meals of Toledo, a community service agency that helps clients sustain independence and enhances quality of life by delivering nutritious food through the Meals on Wheels and Weekender Programs.
 
Lake spring musical to be “Shrektacular”
        Lake High School students will present their spring musical production, “Shrek The Musical,” March 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. and March 7 and 8 at 2 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
        The production follows the story of Shrek the ogre, who has been feared by others his entire life. Suddenly one day, his swamp is overrun by fairytale creatures who had been kicked out of their homes by the tiny-tempered Lord Farquaad. Determined to get his swamp back, he sets off to Duloc to speak with Farquaad. Farquaad agrees to give the fairytale creatures their homes back if Shrek can rescue the fair Princess Fiona. Along his journey, Shrek discovers something about himself that he would have never imagined, and helps others to do the same.
        This story is based on the Dreamworks Animation Motion Picture and the book by William Steig.
        Tickets will be available at the door, although all seats are reserved. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors over 60 years old. For ticket reservations and for more information, visit www.lakeschools.org.
 
Congressional Art Competition 
        Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) has announced details for the 2020 Congressional Art Competition.
        High school students who live or attend school in Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District are encouraged to submit a piece of art for this year’s competition.
        The Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.
        The deadline for submission is Tuesday, March 3. All artwork will be displayed at Owens Community College in Perrysburg Township.
        The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. for one year, and three honorable mention pieces will be displayed in Congressman Latta’s three district offices. Submissions can be dropped off at any of those offices, including the local office at 1045 N. Main St., Suite 6, Bowling Green.
        Each student is allowed one entry. Eligible artwork includes:
        • Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
        • Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers.
        • Collages: must be two dimensional.
        • Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints.
        • Mixed media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, etc.
        • Computer-generated art.
        • Photography.
        All entries must meet the following criteria:
        • The submission must be two dimensional.
        • If selected as the winning piece, artwork must arrive in Washington, D.C., framed.
        • The submission must be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, including the frame. It also must have a wire attached to the back suitable for hanging on a wall.
        • The submission must not weigh more than 15 pounds.
        • The submission must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed. Work entered must be in the original medium; that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing. Framing rules apply only to the winning artwork.
        District staff is also available to pick up artwork from students. For more info or to obtain an entry form or to arrange a pick-up time, call 419-422-7791.      
        More details are also available at https://latta.house.gov/constituent-services/congressional-art-competiti....
 
Author meet-and-greet
        Author Jennifer Cannon will visit Gathering Volumes, 196 E. South Boundary Rd., Perrysburg, for a meet-and-greet to discuss her novel, “Spoons and Needles” Saturday, Feb. 8 from 2:30-4 p.m.
        “Spoons and Needles” is a fictional story based on a real family’s turmoil in facing and dealing with addictions and the complicated emotions when a loved one is addicted.
        Learn more at jennifercannon-author.com.
 
 

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