Forrest Amidon burns pieces of paper with congregation members’ confessions of sins written on them during a Wednesday evening Ash Wednesday service at the United Presbyterian Church in Bellefontaine. Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent and the 40-day period leading up to Easter. (EXAMINER PHOTO | REUBEN MEES)

Girl Scouts volunteer Kathy Amweg of Lakeview pushes a cart of Samoas cookies through the gymnasium at Union Station on Monday afternoon. Local Girl Scout troops took delivery of nearly 30,000 boxes of cookies, which will be sold throughout the area beginning this weekend, volunteer coordinator April Jameson said. Some locations where Scouts will have booths set up to sell the cookies include Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, TSC, Choice Properties, Walgreens and Family Video, all in Bellefontaine; Rite Aid in Russells Point; Community Markets and Northside Grocery in Lakeview; and Stites near Huntsville. (EXAMINER PHOTO | REUBEN MEES)

Calvary Christian School first-grade students in Cari Hyde’s classroom celebrated “Beach Day” Friday with lessons that day dealt with counting items found on a beach, reading short stories about the beach and also completing related artwork.

Matt Yoder leads Joe Spiers and Logan Conklin into a turn during a lawn mower race Saturday at Marmon Valley Farm. The races were a missions fundraiser for Grace Chapel Church. (EXAMINER PHOTO | TONY BARRETT)

Indian Lake Elementary School celebrated 100 days of school last week with various themed days during the week, including “Dress Like You are 100 Years Old” Friday for staff and students.
Tuesday, kindergartners brought in 100 objects to share with their classmates, counted 100 beads to put in a necklace, and made a hat with 100 different small components. First-graders also learned about the number 100 by participating in different activities, such as hopping 100 times and counting out 100 Fruit Loops for a necklace.

Indian Lake Middle School kicked off its candy bar fundraiser Friday with an Olympic-themed assembly.
Students and staff competed in several events such as the Olympic torch relay, hockey shoot, ski jump, bobsled, and the grand finale was a staff versus students basketball game. Candy bars were distributed and selling is under way.

Members of the Riverside Hustler 4-H Club recently painted the windows of Buckeye Pizza in DeGraff with 4-H information in celebration of Ohio 4-H Week, March 2-8. (PHOTO | SUBMITTED)